Unlocking Your Creative Fulfillment and Earning Potential as a Web Designer
Staying on top of trends is an essential part of being successful on the web, especially if your livelihood depends on it. Things move fast, and if you’re not up to date, you risk falling behind.
To keep you in the know, the Squarespace Circle team launched the State of the Web Design Industry, the inaugural edition of our annual report. The team worked with OnePoll to conduct a survey of 1,000 web designers and developers, creatives, and experts, drafting the definitive source for new opportunities and key challenges for the community.
The result? Creative fulfillment is the proven foundation for success in the web design industry. Those using their unique skills, expressing themselves authentically, and collaborating with others find themselves reaching their goals. That means more hours, projects, happiness, and income.
The concept of creative fulfillment sounds pretty nebulous, though. According to the data, most of the respondents find themselves somewhat or very creatively fulfilled, particularly if they offer a few services. Fortunately, there’s a clear link between how designers conduct their business and how they feel about their work.
If you’re already feeling very fulfilled, we’ll show you why. If you’re not, we’ll help get you there.
Key findings
While the report surfaced many valuable insights, one important theme stood out: if web designers feel good about their work, they experience success–personally and professionally. They’re typically more productive and earn more overall.
But there’s more to it than simply following your heart. Designers who find themselves very creatively fulfilled are likely to:
Collaborate with their network
Teamwork makes the dream work. More than 60% of designers collaborate with other pros at least some of the time. This empowers them to focus on what they’re good at and what they enjoy.
Offer other services outside of their staples
Creatively fulfilled designers are more likely to offer services that complement their web design offerings. The most fulfilled designers are more likely to offer custom website layouts or styling, search engine optimization (SEO), third-party integration, and scheduling or appointment setup. Additional service offerings give pro web designers the opportunity to tackle different sorts of challenges, while also diversifying their sources of income, providing more value to clients, and increasing earning potential.
Work more hours per week
The average web designer works 34.76 hours per week, with the highest and most creatively fulfilled earners working an average of 36.41 hours per week. It’s possible those who are feeling most fulfilled don’t mind spending a bit more time on a project. The increased hours could very well be a result of the creative flow state rather than a cause for it, but it’s clear those who are more fulfilled report working longer hours on average.
Charge higher project fees
Fairly pricing their web design services has a big impact on the overall creative fulfillment of web professionals. Many web designers charged more than $7,500 for a project in the past year (including 22% of the most creatively fulfilled designers), and 15% of those who are very creatively fulfilled won’t take a project on for less than $4,000. Learn more about pricing your services.
Tapping into your creativity
Unlocking creative potential looks different for everyone. Whether you’re just getting started or in need of some inspiration, the report has you covered. The following strategies are a jumping-off point to reaching that feeling of creative fulfillment.
Embrace collaborative creativity
While you may operate your business as a solo act or have a set team, working with outside partners breaks routines and has the potential to yield strong results. You may find yourself following the same patterns for client projects, but a fresh face adds variety to your day-to-day.
Collaborators may contribute in unexpected ways, offering fresh perspectives and feedback that help shape great projects. As a fresh pair of eyes, they can provide a new, and sometimes unconventional, approach to your work that unleashes creativity.
These partners are outside any normal team you typically work with, and may have no established rapport with your clients. You’ll want to do your due diligence in bringing them on board, but you’ll likely notice an immediate impact. Learn more about collaborating in web design.
If you’re looking for a new partner, tap into your existing professional network, host a networking event, or find a third-party connection. Confirm it’s a value match, set clear expectations, and get down to business.
Outsource tasks you aren’t passionate about
Speaking of collaboration, focus on your strengths and outsource the client work that leaves you burnt out. That way, you can keep working on what you love and where you add value, creating a stronger finished product (and adding to your creative fulfillment).
When deciding what to outsource, start by identifying tasks that drain your creativity and leave you with an “empty cup” at the end of the day. It may be helpful to note what you were working on when your mind starts wandering during the workday, pinpointing when you become disengaged from an activity.
Then, find experts in the areas you’re less passionate about and outsource that work to them. You can spend time working on what you enjoy and optimize the finished product as a result.
The Circle Forum is a great place to network with fellow creatives and identify collaborators for outsourced work. You can meet other industry professionals, find experts you truly connect with, and feel confident collaborating with members of an established community.
Offer tailored services
Add variety to your life (and your services menu) by elevating your offerings outside your “bread and butter.” You’ll discover more revenue streams and variety in your day while bringing value to your clients.
Many web designers choose to sell digital products in addition to completing custom website projects. Spend time creating beautiful templates that you can sell at a premium. Templates are a great creative outlet and offer the opportunity to experiment with designs beyond custom website builds. Learn more about setting up your template store.
If writing and site architecture are your jam, expand into SEO services or copywriting and approach client projects holistically. Not only can you design the site’s look and feel but also create the content and structure that supports the user journey and helps the site rank well on search engine result pages.
Adding more services to your existing offerings makes you a one-stop shop for clients, leading to work opportunities and improved client relationships.
Redefine work hours
To find creative fulfillment, take advantage of the most rewarding part of freelancing: setting your own schedule. Put in quality time on projects when you’re best prepared to put out your best work.
In creative web design, the 9 to 5 routine doesn’t have to be the standard. Work whenever you feel productive. That means working in the mornings (like most survey respondents), working a split shift, stopping and starting all day, or working into the evening–whatever feels good to you.
When defining your work hours, find the sweet spot where you feel most creative. This may be first thing in the morning, after a cup of coffee, or late at night when you feel contemplative. This creative zone may also vary by task, as each requires different energy depending on the skill required.
More hours, more money
The most fulfilled designers are also the ones who typically work the most hours. Consider how burnout affects you personally and work to overcome barriers to create fulfilling work.
It may be helpful to reframe your work hours as time spent doing something you love. This could be looking at the time as an investment in your business, developing your portfolio, or achieving a creative vision.
There’s a healthy balance between passion and financial rewards. Finding that middle ground between working on projects you love and completing tasks that “keep the lights on” is still important to long-term success.
Charge your worth
It can be the hardest arena for some, but the most fulfilled designers report charging the highest amounts for projects. While it may be easy to fill a schedule by accepting lower-profit work, it can be mentally and emotionally draining to undervalue your efforts.
To find career satisfaction, come to terms with the true value of your work. This means believing in the skill, experience, and vision that you bring to the table for your clients. Easier said than done, right? Confidently pricing higher project fees is an assertive step for some, but take a hard look at the value you offer when you bring your rates to the table.
To provide evidence of your worth, back up your price point with data and results. If you have a large portfolio, reference previous projects and facts about your impact. If you know comparable industry rates, note them in the spirit of transparency. If you can list expected returns, position yourself as an investment that pays dividends.
Overcoming challenges
Even the most fulfilled designers experience challenges from time to time, but the most creatively fulfilled designers know how to overcome these barriers and keep working.
One of the most common is the omnipresent creative rut, whether it’s a lack of ideas, writer’s block, or simply boredom. You can manage these periods of decreased creativity and inspiration by finding a balance between practicality and passion.
When it comes to finding inspiration, 84% of web designers turn to examples of finished websites to get their creativity flowing. Additional sources of inspiration include other web designers’ work and portfolios, art and design, articles and case studies on websites and blogs, trade media, and books.
If you find yourself feeling uninspired about a project, pursuing other sites may provide the encouragement you need to get started. You can also reframe the project, take a walk, or try Squarespace AI for fresh ideas (61% of the most creatively fulfilled are using AI to generate content for client projects). Just don’t give up.
Another challenge is managing difficult client expectations. Mismanaged expectations may result in delayed project deadlines or a frayed client relationship. If it’s affecting your well-being and you have some flexibility, feel free to let them go. Nearly 60% of respondents say they’ve fired a previous client, with high earners being the most likely to do so.
Cultivate a sustainable and fulfilling career
Believe it or not, by working toward creative fulfillment, you’re also finding your way to a successful web design career. In addition to the strategies above, try sticking to these core tenets for ongoing creative satisfaction:
Evolve with industry trends
You don’t want to keep doing the same work year after year. Get inspired by staying up to date with web design trends, following your favorite pros on social media, and checking out what’s new from the biggest brands.
Continuously hone skills and stay inspired
Work to gain experience and learn new talents while practicing the magic that made you fall in love with web design in the first place. Partake in working groups, watch videos online, and regularly share your work and consume others’ (see above for more sources of inspiration).
Pro tip: Circle members enjoy access to a monthly talk show featuring product deep dives, business insights, and experts in the web design space. Plus, they're invited to participate in a bi-monthly coworking session and an exclusive forum where they can brainstorm ideas, troubleshoot projects, and get inspiration from other web design professionals. Not yet a Circle member? Join today.
Reframe your niche when you need to
If your existing clients don’t need your services or new leads are slowing down, adjust your offering and reenter the market with a fresh approach. This may mean narrowing your niche, expanding your services, organizing your business, or a mix of all three.
Work with clients who trust your vision
Attract and retain quality customers. Pursue long-term relationships with clients that value your skills, talent, and experience. And don’t be afraid to ask them for referrals.
Experiment with new styles and techniques
Try new trends and techniques. Take your portfolio and offerings in new directions. Experiment whenever possible, and you can unlock new opportunities and approaches.
Network with fellow creatives regularly
Connect with your community. Respond on forums, get coffee with local creatives, and attend webinars and classes. Circle Live, Circle’s exclusive monthly talk show, is a great way to stay close to the heartbeat of the web design industry.
Creative fulfillment meets business success
The big takeaway is clear: web professionals working on creatively fulfilling projects are also working toward business success. As cliche as it may sound, the key to career satisfaction in web design is following your heart—plus a few other core strategies.
Ultimately, creative fulfillment comes from putting smarter and harder work into your business. By collaborating and outsourcing, diversifying your offerings, working efficient (and enjoyable) hours, and knowing the value of your work, web professionals can find success personally and professionally.
Alongside these strategies, our web design industry report offers other practical insights to help your brand. Access the data and discover what it can do for your career.
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional designers. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
