There are some interesting shake-ups on the horizon for ecommerce: Experiential shopping, Virt-ical worlds, Au naturale models. We’re starting to see signs of them already — many of them spurred on thanks to the events of 2020. Below, we’re going to explore what’s going on with these new ecommerce trends and technologies and take a look at a bunch of sites that are setting really cool examples for each. 1. Experiential Shopping With...

If you’re here, then you’re thinking about becoming a web designer and wondering if it’s a smart move. Honestly, it’s not uncommon to be plagued by doubts and what-ifs when making a big career change, and that’s especially so right now, what with all the uncertainty we’ve faced over the last year. Here’s some good news: It’s never a bad time to become a web designer, which makes 2021 the perfect time to turn your passion into a...

Ecommerce design may seem fairly straight-forward; you build an online store that showcases a company’s products or services and gives customers a quick and pain-free way to purchase them. While that formula will always hold true, ecommerce is undergoing some big changes, and web designers need to be prepared to keep up with them. This monthly ecommerce trends roundup will explore these new and evolving design, sales, and marketing trends....

2020 has been an interesting year, to say the least. And although I’m sure many of you can’t wait until the calendar flips ahead to 2021, it doesn’t look as though we're going to be able to say goodbye to 2020 so easily. Many of the changes we’ve had to make this year are now expected to stay with us — a least for the following year. The latest research gives us some hints about what’s to come. If you want to start preparing for 2021 now, then...

You’ve named your business. You’ve sorted out the visual branding piece. Now, it’s time to get your business online so you can start making money. In this post, we’re going to look at where your web design business needs to set up shop online and how to get it up and running quickly. Step 1: Set Up Your Website As a web designer or developer, having a website is non-negotiable. Not only does a website provide prospective clients with all...

There are so many things to think about when first starting a business. What will your business offer? How will this differ from existing solutions? Who will benefit most from your offering? And why are you so passionate about this? If you haven’t done so yet, work through this exercise to come up with your brand identity and business name. Once you’ve figured out your brand identity, you have to create a visual identity — also referred...

When starting a new business (or even venturing into the world of freelancing for the first time), there are some really big, important steps you have to take. Step #1 is choosing the right business name for your brand identity. Your business name isn’t something you can casually choose either — especially if you have lofty long-term goals for your company. It’s not as though you can’t change the name down the road, but that comes with...

It would be way too easy to answer this question with: “Whoever pays your bills.” And, honestly, I don’t think you can be a very successful web designer if you’re only driven by what the person paying you tells you to do. Then again, that doesn’t mean you should swing to the exact opposite end and say that you only serve the end user. When you take an extreme view or approach to this, you’re bound to leave someone or something important...

Designing for emotion in and of itself is not a problem. Websites are bound to elicit an emotional reaction from visitors, even if it’s as simple as them feeling at ease because of the soft, pastel color palette you’ve designed the site with. I don’t want to outright villainize emotional design. Unless there is some form of unethical manipulation at play, designing for your visitors’ emotions can actually provide them with a more positive...

In today’s look at the latest research for web designers, we’re going to look at studies and reports from Payoneer, Robert Half, Hootsuite, and Contentsquare to see what they have to say about things like: Current freelancer demand Web designer earning potential A change in ecommerce shopping trends Unseen content rates 1. There’s Light At the End of the COVID-19 Tunnel for Freelancers Payoneer’s The State of Freelancing During...

I often see freelancers on social media asking what the secret is to working fewer hours, making more money, and helping new clients to find them. While those things tend to happen the longer you’ve been freelancing, it doesn’t happen without some effort. If you’re wondering how you can change things so that your business becomes more profitable and easier to manage, education is the key. But it’s not just mastering new design techniques...

While a lot of the research for web designers that’s come out this year has to do with COVID-19, we’re starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Many of these reports aren’t just looking at the effects of the pandemic on business and marketing today. They’re now looking at what consumers plan to do once the pandemic is gone. So, I have some very interesting research for you here today. Three of the reports have to do with coronavirus...

As a web designer, you’re constantly being bombarded with messages that tell you to acquire new skills, try new tools, and keep on hustling. But if you’re constantly changing things up, does it do the opposite of what you originally set out to do? In other words, if you always have to start over, is it possible to ever really achieve anything? I think it ultimately depends on why you’re making the change. When Change Is the Right Move for Web...

If we don’t question this kind of design homogenization, do we put ourselves at risk of perpetuating the same mistakes in the years to come? Or is it even a mistake to begin with? Today, I’m going to look at four things that are likely causing this, and what you can do to break the mold. 1. Education We used to have a design school in every city in the world, each with its own design style or, at the very least, the encouragement of its designers to...