If you’ve ever been intrigued by the idea of working from home as a web developer but weren’t sure how to go about it, read on! In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know in order to get started with freelancing.
Whether you’re a seasoned developer or someone looking to break into the field, there’s plenty of useful information here for you. With that said, let’s jump into it!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Freelance web development can offer greater flexibility and control over your work schedule. |
| Building a strong portfolio and reputation is key to attracting new clients. |
| Networking and marketing yourself effectively are essential for finding freelance work. |
| Freelance web developers need to be self-motivated and disciplined in managing multiple projects and clients. |
| Staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies is crucial for success as a freelance web developer. |
Why Work From Home
Freelancing on the internet is a great way to make money and get creative, but working from home comes with some big challenges. Before you start trying to build websites in your pajamas, it’s important to consider your specific situation and set yourself up for success.
Here are some things to consider before you start:
Set up an isolated office space. Whether you need a desk or just a corner of the room with curtains, make sure your workspace is physically separated from where you’ll spend the rest of your time at home. If possible, turn off distractions like televisions and radio so that there’s no temptation to surf Reddit when you should be working instead.
Keep self-care a priority. Working from home sometimes means being unsupervised by clients or managers. While this can be both liberating and rewarding, it also means that it’s easy to overwork yourself if you’re not careful—especially if you’re dealing with burnout or depression as well as remote work woes.
Make sure that when you take breaks. You do so frequently enough that they feel like breaks instead of insufficient pauses meant to squeeze out just one more hour of work time (which could kill your productivity). Treat yourself well—you deserve it!
As a freelance web developer, it’s important to continuously improve your skills and stay up-to-date with industry trends. Our article on expert tips to improve your web design freelancing career offers valuable insights from seasoned professionals that can help take your career to the next level.
Coding
Writing clean code is a skill any programmer will tell you is important—and for good reason. If your code is hard to understand and maintain, it can be difficult for other people to use it effectively, even if they need only make small adjustments.
Writing clean code has many benefits, including (but not limited to):
What does writing clean code look like? Here are some examples:
When collaborating with others on a project, write code that makes your intentions clear. Other developers should be able to tell what a chunk of code does just by glancing at it. For example, instead of writing the following line of JavaScript:
var one = 2;
Write the following instead:
var one = 2; // The variable “one” now holds the value 2.
Avoid complex control structures in favor of simple loops and basic conditionals wherever possible. An if/else or switch statement should only evaluate one expression or statement (or array), rather than try to handle multiple cases with nested conditions or expressions within expressions. For example, don’t do this:
if (a == b) {
In general, it’s better to avoid nesting statements together as much as possible because they make understanding the intent of your program more difficult and brittle; this leads to bugs down the road in production when someone else tries to modify your code and doesn’t immediately grasp how it works.
Most often there are better ways to structure your program so that you can avoid doing things like this in the first place!
Project Management
To do anything worthwhile, you need to plan. This is especially true for web development.
Traffic patterns change, people choose a new CMS, and the sun might explode or some such all of these reasons mean projects can change as you work on them.
Working without a plan is just as unwise as working without an umbrella in Seattle. You’ve probably heard the old saying: “Plan your work and work your plan” before. And it’s true. It’s good advice when it comes to web development too. By outlining what the development process will look like and by taking the time to think these processes through before beginning them, you’ll.
Starting a freelance web design business can be overwhelming, but following a set of rules can make the process easier. Our article on 19 rules for starting freelance web design offers practical advice and guidelines for anyone looking to start their own web design business.
Soft Skills
The software development field is rife with skills, from understanding the technical jargon to a general awareness of programming languages and different tools. This post isn’t meant as an exhaustive guide to what you should know going into your first freelancing gig, but rather a handy list of soft skills that can bring you that much further in the long run.
Communication
Communication is about more than just talking; it’s about listening. Be sure to ask clarifying questions and be empathetic toward customers when they’re asking questions or needing help. Being able to not just listen, but also understand and see things from someone else’s point of view (or even better, their perspective) are huge soft skills.
Empathy
Empathy is another important soft skill for any job; employees need to be able to relate to their clients because if you understand where someone is coming from, you’re better equipped to solve problems or address concerns. Plus research shows that people are more likely to behave positively and cooperate with others whose empathy matches theirs.
Openness
Also known as being open-minded, this helps make it easier for people on all sides of the issue customer or employees to come up with solutions that will benefit everyone involved. While there may be cases where taking a hard stance on something that matters might take some time or thought, those who do so tend not only to receive little trust in the long term (and thus less revenue), but also often put themselves at risk of falling into nonproductive patterns of dealing with customers altogether (for example by refusing service).
Sales
Selling is essentially convincing a person to buy your product. It’s simple, but it’s not easy. To make it look easy, you need to understand its fundamentals:
When starting a web design freelance business, there are several key factors to consider. Our article on top 17 things to consider when starting a web design freelance business covers everything from creating a portfolio to setting rates and managing finances, providing a comprehensive guide for new freelancers.
How do I sell?
People think they don’t like salespeople, but they do like people who are good at what they do and who care about the work they do. If you think of yourself as someone who can solve problems before they happen, then you are likely much closer to being a salesperson than you realize.
Successful selling is about earning the trust of another person. Getting someone to trust you means that they need to feel heard and understood by you. This can be done by having a well-rehearsed pitch with clear goals for what happens next (with them).
However, most people aren’t interested in hearing your pitch long enough to get that far; instead, start by creating a dialogue with the potential client about their interests and needs (this will allow them to see how much you know about their industry). You’ll have an opportunity for your pitch during this conversation.
Marketing
When you’re an entrepreneur and you’re working with a team, it’s important to set realistic goals for both marketing and sales. You’re not going to suddenly become a famous web developer overnight, or even within two or three years.
At the same time, the Internet is a very fast-paced place and it’s getting easier every day to get your name out there. We don’t know how long it will take us to build our business into something that can sustain itself, but we do know this: the more people who know about us today, the better our chances of having sustainable big business in the future.
So Here Are Some Things We’ve Got Figured Out:
Build a website. It’s easy these days to build a website you can do it yourself with as little as $20 online using sites like Wix or Squarespace or even WordPress and if you have no idea how to code but want one anyway, sites like ThemeForest offer ready-made templates at low prices.
Get your name out there on social media (Facebook and Twitter). The more people who see you on social media talking about what you’re doing and sharing links that point back to your site especially when those links are from other people who follow them the better your chance of success in the long term.
Attend web development conferences (like HTML Dev Tour or Web Up Conference). Not only does this give you opportunities to make new contacts with potential clients, but sometimes they also provide free stuff including swag such as t-shirts and stickers letting others know that they may be interested in hiring you.
As a web design freelancer, having the right tools can save time and increase productivity. Our article on 10 web design tools that will make your life easier as a freelancer highlights some of the most useful tools available, from project management software to design resources and more.
Business Management
As a freelancer, it’s important to have an understanding of the ins and outs of your own business. Here’s some advice for managing your finances as an independent contractor. For more information on other topics related to the business side of freelance web development, check out some of our other guides.
If you want to cash in on your coding skills and become a freelancer, there are many things you’ll need to consider before ditching the day job. In addition to keeping yourself afloat financially, you’ll need to figure out what kind of client or project—and how much money—you’re willing (and able) to take on.
For example: let’s say that you’re happy with $2 per hour as your minimum wage (this is how much I charge). You can work yourself up from there based on your preferences or market conditions.
Once you know what rate (per hour or per project) works for you, there are three main ways clients will pay you: in advance, upon completion, or post-completion. If they pay in advance, it may be after a deposit or through another form of contract agreement between yourselves and the client; if they pay upon completion then that’s just part of their agreement with the company, and if it’s post-completion then it will depend on what kind of terms all parties agree on beforehand.
As we discussed above in “What Freelancers Need To Know About Taxes,” payments made by companies for services rendered must be reported and taxed accordingly by both parties. If a client makes a payment directly to your bank account then this is automatically considered taxable income by the government so don’t forget about quarterly tax payments! There are plenty more things related to this topic which we’ve covered before in case you’d like more detail: Logging Hours Worked & Taxing Clients.
Web Development
Web development is a rewarding and challenging career that you can pursue even if you are working from home.
A career in software development is a rewarding and challenging path that can be taken even if you work from home. This guide will walk you through the necessary steps to get your own freelance web development business up and running, whether you are just starting out or already have years of experience under your belt.
Working From Home Has Its Pros And Cons
On the plus side, it gives you total freedom over your schedule and environment. You can travel anywhere with your laptop and set up shop for a few weeks as long as there’s an internet connection available. A home office doesn’t come with the same expenses as a physical office, since no one needs to be paid to maintain it—that all falls on you.
On the downside, working from home means that other people will associate work hours with your general sense of being. If someone calls at 11 am on a Monday morning and ask what’s going on, they’ll likely start assuming everything about you is relaxed when really it was just bad luck that their call came during a time when you were taking an afternoon tea break.
Make sure everyone who knows about your nontraditional working hours knows that sleeping in every so often doesn’t mean slacking off; this will help keep things positive.
Freelance web designers often have questions about salaries, rates, and other financial considerations. Our article on the ultimate guide to freelance web designer salaries and FAQs answers some of the most common questions and provides guidance on setting rates and negotiating contracts, helping freelancers achieve financial success.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve learned the basics of freelancing, it’s time to get out there and become an independent contractor. It’s not going to be easy, but with a little hard work and discipline, plus some of the tips below, you’re on your way to being a successful web developer.
It’s vital to remember that even though you’re now self-employed, you still have bills to pay and responsibilities to attend to. It can be easy to forget this when you’re focused on work but don’t make the mistake of letting yourself slip into a cycle of overwork or burnout. Be sure to manage your time well so that you are always working while remaining healthy enough for your next project.
If all goes well in your freelance career as a web developer, at some point in the future it may make sense for you to start hiring people for your own business—this is where things will really begin getting interesting!
Further Reading
A Comprehensive Guide to Becoming a Freelance Web Developer: This guide offers valuable advice on starting a career as a freelance web developer, covering everything from finding clients to managing finances and more.
The Ultimate Guide to Freelance Web Development: This in-depth guide covers all aspects of freelance web development, including tips on getting started, finding clients, and building a successful business.
The Freelance Web Designer’s Guide: This guide offers advice and resources for freelance web designers, from building a portfolio to finding clients and managing projects.
FAQs
What is a freelance web developer?
A freelance web developer is a professional who works independently to build websites and web applications for clients. They are typically hired on a project-by-project basis and may work for multiple clients simultaneously.
How do I become a freelance web developer?
To become a freelance web developer, you typically need to have a strong foundation in web development skills such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as experience with popular frameworks and tools. You’ll also need to establish a portfolio of work and learn how to market yourself to potential clients.
How do I find freelance web development work?
There are a variety of ways to find freelance web development work, including networking, online job boards, and social media. Building a strong portfolio and reputation can also help attract new clients.
What are some common challenges faced by freelance web developers?
Some common challenges faced by freelance web developers include finding consistent work, managing multiple projects and clients, setting fair rates, and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies.
How much can I earn as a freelance web developer?
Earnings for freelance web developers can vary widely depending on factors such as experience, skills, location, and demand for services. However, according to data from PayScale, freelance web developers in the United States can earn an average hourly rate of around $30-$75 per hour.
What Is This Guide?
This guide is here to help you make your dreams of working from home come true. But wait! We know that’s not the only reason you want to be a web developer. You also want the freedom to do what you love while earning enough money to take care of yourself and your family.
We get it. That’s why we wrote this guide to help you reach your goals while making sure that you’re not just getting by, but thriving in your work.
Who Is This Guide For?
The Work From Home Guide to Freelance Web Development is for anyone who’s interested in pursuing a career as a freelance web developer. Whether you’re already a pro and just looking for a way to supplement your income or you’re brand new to coding and eager to learn everything there is to know, this guide has the information you need in order to set and reach your goals.
What Freelance Web Development Skills Do I Need?
The primary skill you need is the ability to code in a programming language like Ruby, Python, or JavaScript, in order to build websites. You’ll also need to know about server-side and client-side technologies and integrations, such as Node.js, Express, or AngularJS.
What Are Some Tips For Finding Work From Home Jobs?
The first thing you’ll want to do is sign up for a few different remote job boards and start looking through them on a regular basis. Some of the most popular are RemoteOK, We Work Remotely, Remotive, and StackOverflow. You can even search Twitter hashtags like #remotewebdev (and similar) to stay up to date with what’s available!
Where Should I Look For These Jobs?
The best places to look are remote job boards and social media. Some of the most popular are Guru, UpWork, Remotive, and StackOverflow. You can even search Twitter hashtags like #remotewebdev (and similar) to stay up to date with what’s available!
How Do I Know If The Job Is Legitimate?
It’s a good idea to check out their website or Twitter account and see if there are any signs that it’s not legitimate. You can also ask questions about the role during your interview process – things like how many hours per week they expect you to work or what kind of benefits they offer may indicate whether the job is legit or not.
How Do I Get Started With Freelance Web Development?
Make sure you know your stuff well enough to build the kinds of websites that your clients want. From there, you just need to show them what you can do. Some great ways to do that are through work samples and a portfolio website.
What Should I Charge For My Freelance Web Development Projects?
It depends on where you live, your experience level, and how big the project is. We recommend looking up other developers’ rates in your area to get an idea of what range you should be charging in.
Why Should I Freelance Instead Of Working For Someone Else?
Freelancing is a great way to do what you love and still have the freedom to work when and where you want. You’ll likely make more money than at a regular job, and you’ll have greater flexibility as far as who you work for and what projects you take on.
When I Work From Home, What Can I Wear?
It’s important to have a designated work wardrobe. When you transition from being at home to working, your brain needs to get into the groove of working, and part of that is changing into something other than your pajamas.
For example, if you don’t have a big wardrobe, this might be as simple as putting on jeans and a clean T-shirt instead of sweatpants and an old sweatshirt with holes in it. But it does matter that you switch it up!
How Can I Stay Focused When Working From Home?
This is a tough one. One thing that helps is to take breaks regularly but only break when you’ve accomplished something specific, like finishing a task or completing a project milestone. The feeling of accomplishment will help keep you motivated! Also, having some sort of background noise or music can help you focus it’s your choice whether or not to use headphones.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.