Working as a freelancer in web development is not as simple as it actually used to be. The competition is high & widespread. Most of the freelancers not only compete with web designers and developers in their community but also with developers around the world. Additionally, with web developers offering their services for exceptionally low costs on websites like Fiverr, the competition is also about cost.
One of the easiest ways in which a freelance web designer can improve their chances of finding online work is to define a niche market. This can surely take a little bit of work on your part but it is definitely worth it. Why? Due to the fact that it diminishes the competition considerably & keeps you true to your self-worth as a web developer.
To be able to find your niche as a web developer, there are some important things to consider and some simple steps to follow. Let’s look at what you need to do to find your niche & get more work.
Focus on One Technology.
Many developers around the world are skilled at multiple things like they’re equally good in back-end, front-end, and even design. That’s great, but being a generalist can actually sometimes harm you. Clients actually don’t know what to do with you.
The first step you need to take is to take an internal audit of yourself & simply find out what types of projects you’re actually interested in.
Pick a Niche Based on Your Past Projects
One of the effortless ways to select a niche is to look back at some of the projects you have already done. You may already be starting to specialize in a certain type of website without even realizing it.
However, if your portfolio website truly is eclectic, & there are no noticeable patterns in the online projects you take on, it can still help you in selecting the right niche for you. Take a deep look at some of the past web development work you most enjoyed or are most proud of, & consider whether you could focus on making similar websites and applications for new clients.
You can also look into which types of projects paid the best. While money isn’t the only factor to consider when selecting a niche, it definitely helps to know that there is a market that is willing to pay well for the type of web development work you’re offering.
Of course, this assumes you have already worked on some web development projects. If that is not the case, another great and simple option is to take on some entry-level work to try out different niches & determine what might be the right fit for you.
Consider reaching out to your local NGOs & charitable organizations. These set of clients typically have extremely small budgets but also require nonprofit sites in order to accomplish their own set of goals.
Check Out Your Competition & Determine If There’s An Existing Market
You might really want to specialize in making responsive sites for ice cream shops. However, you are going to run into trouble if there are not enough buyers in this type of niche for you to find enough work to make a living.
This is actually where market research comes into play. You’ll probably need to do some sort of digging to determine whether your selected niche is viable, or if you need to rethink your business strategy.
Some important questions to ask yourself when you are getting started with this procedure include:
- Is there a sizable client base available for this sort of work?
- How much are other web developers charging for this type of web development work?
- How competitive is this niche?
What do I Enjoy Building The Most?
Do you like building full-fledged web applications from scratch? Do you like putting together WordPress CMS themes or plugins? Take an honest evaluation & think about what you actually enjoy the most. If you are not sure, pick the closest bet.
A website can be built from scratch or with a ready-made web theme. Who makes these responsive themes? Web designers who have decided to niche their skills and work as theme designers.
Maybe you are the kind of developer that enjoys working one on one with buyers creating custom websites for them with CSS stylings & plenty of code to make it just how they really want it, if not better.
Another angle of niche you might not even have thought of is to teach other individuals to build their own site on a DIY platform such as Squarespace or Wix. If you have a skill of teaching, this might just be what you enjoy the most.
Finding your loved niche as a web developer is not exactly complicated, but it does need effort & persistence. It’s absolutely clear that once you have it figured it out, clients will definitely contact you knowing that you’re a perfect choice. Your freelance website design business will be just how you actually want it to be.
