Should I learn website design? (Or it's too late)

[Optimized Life]

Considering learning website design also front end web development for extra income

... Starting with basics like word press and just learning and practicing continually, then post myself on Upwork

Would I realistically be able to make money from this or am I many years too late, and will AI completely replace this skill set within a few months ?

Edited March 31, 2023 by Optimized Life

[Michael569]

I don't think it is too late. AI can already do a lot but for professional-looking webs, the human touch takes it one step further. 

I would just be cautious about the "for extra income part". Learning web design is likely going to require a large chunk of time & money so you might consider going into this all-in as a full-time pro. Of course, it will take some time to build it and get clients (unless you would prefer to get employed by someone instead which is easier) but the intention should probably be for it to either be your main income eventually rather than doing it on the side of something even more mentally challenging 

Or do you have another, bigger, idea that you want to be your main with havign web design as a side? 

[Optimized Life]

59 minutes ago, Michael569 said:

Or do you have another, bigger, idea that you want to be your main with havign web design as a side? 

My thinking was : It would either be 

1. Side Income 
2. Full time income (Temporarily) > to bootstrap myself into doing something better

• you're right, I didn't consider how hard or how much work it would be - I got the impression that it wouldn't be that hard, but maybe that was true 5 - 10 years ago when fewer did it and there was a high demand : Supply and also lower expectations

Edited March 31, 2023 by Optimized Life

[VictorB02]

I would be learning how to use Ai to create websites. Thats where it's going. 

They already have tools that can take a photo of a website you like and instantly recreate it. Not sure what its name was, but I know its out there.

If you learned that well, I would go to Upwork and start submitting proposals for website design. 

[MarkKol]

On 31/03/2023 at 6:14 AM, Optimized Life said:

for extra income

Sounds like you’re planning to half ass it lol, if you’re going into it you better chew on it like a Rottweiler.

I had the same thought, specifically about web design. 

And then I was like… shit it’s too late for everything now 

It really seems like no job is safe at this point. You just gotta be better.

 

[supremeyingyang]

20 hours ago, Optimized Life said:

My thinking was : It would either be 

1. Side Income 
2. Full time income (Temporarily) > to bootstrap myself into doing something better

• you're right, I didn't consider how hard or how much work it would be - I got the impression that it wouldn't be that hard, but maybe that was true 5 - 10 years ago when fewer did it and there was a high demand : Supply and also lower expectations

Take it from a Dev. For Side income just host the sites, use a service website builder and have a damn fine service for the customers who don't want the hustle. Generally don't reinvent the wheel.

For coding it'll be never late. Learn traditionally, then use later AI clever to improve productivity.

[enzyme]

Sites like Upwork and Freelancer are good if you're looking for freelancers to do work for you, but not so much the other way around.

You'll be doing what they call "working from the bottom"; there will be people on there from less-developed parts of the world who'll work for basically nothing (not bashing third-world countries when I say this, just pointing out the nature of these websites).  Depending on what your situation is financially you might not be able to compete unless you work for peanuts or even nothing at all for a while.

There's what I'd consider 'real' freelancing which is where you just go on Google, look up local businesses in your area (cafes/coffee shops are usually a decent start) and see if they have any kind of web domain.  If not, approach them (online or in-person, the latter was more effective in my experience although it can be pretty nerve-wracking the first few times) and offer your services to them.

You can just pitch to them something really straight forward like a Wordpress/Wix site.  If you were going to creating something from scratch with a custom design then you would obviously charge more.