How to Start a Web Design Side Job: From Beginner to Your First Project

Are you thinking, "I want to start a web design side job, but can a beginner really land projects?" or "I don't know where to begin"? If you build your skills and proceed in the right order, you can aim to win projects even without experience. This article explains how to start a web design side job, following the flow from acquiring skills to building a portfolio and landing your first project. It is organized so that those taking their first step can move forward without getting lost.

What is a web design side job? Work and pay guide

A web design side job means creating designs for websites, ads, and more. First, let's look at what kinds of projects exist, along with a rough pay guide.

Banner production: making images for ads and sites. Quick to complete and a good entry point for beginners
LP (landing page) design: designing pages that introduce products or services. Pay tends to be higher
Website production: designing and coding multi-page sites. Requires skill but pays well
Site revision and maintenance: swapping images and updating existing sites. Often leads to ongoing work

As a rough guide, a banner starts from a few thousand yen, while an LP or site production can be tens of thousands of yen or more per project. The more experience and skill you build, the more you can aim for higher-paying projects.

Skills and tools needed for a web design side job

Even from scratch, you can handle projects by building up the following skills and tools little by little. You don't need everything to be perfect from the start.

Basic skills to acquire

Design basics: knowledge of color, layout, fonts, and other elements for clean, readable design
Design tool operation: the ability to create with Photoshop, Figma, Illustrator, and the like
HTML/CSS basics: the minimum knowledge to handle coding projects
Hearing skills: communication to grasp a client's requests and shape them into a design

Tools to prepare

We recommend starting with a design tool you can use for free, such as Figma. If you want to widen the range of projects you can take, consider standard tools like Photoshop and Illustrator as well.

Steps to start a web design side job from scratch

If you proceed in the following order, you can smoothly reach project acquisition even as a beginner.

Learn design basics and how to use the tools (using books, online courses, etc.)
Make practice pieces and banners yourself, getting hands-on to build familiarity
Prepare a portfolio that gathers your work
Apply to small, beginner-friendly projects on crowdsourcing sites and similar
Build up a track record and ratings, gradually expanding to higher-paying projects

The key is not to stop at studying. Early on, actually create work and try applying to projects.

How to build a portfolio, the key to winning projects

A portfolio is essential for a beginner to win projects. Even without work experience, you can convey your ability and motivation through your work.

Include self-made work too

Even without job experience, it's fine to include banners you made yourself or designs for fictional sites. Preparing several styles lets you show the range you can handle.

Add your design intent

Briefly adding "who it was made for and what it aimed to achieve" conveys your design thinking. It shows that you can keep the purpose in mind, not just the appearance.

How a beginner can win web design side job projects

Once your portfolio is ready, it's finally time to win projects. Here are ways for a beginner to land their first one.

Start with small projects on crowdsourcing sites

First, apply to small, beginner-friendly projects such as banner production on crowdsourcing sites. The barrier to applying is low, making it an easy place to build your first track record and ratings.

List your service on a skill marketplace

Listing a service such as "I'll make your banners" on a skill marketplace lets you receive requests. You can turn your strengths into work by leading with what you're good at.

Posting your work on SNS such as X can attract inquiries from companies or individuals who like your style. Continuous posting can become the spark for an unexpected project.

Prioritize track record over pay at first

While you're inexperienced, prioritize building a track record and ratings over high pay. As good reviews accumulate, they lead to the next project and to higher pay.

Points to avoid failure in a web design side job

Be wary of projects or schools that demand registration or expensive material fees upfront
Always check pay, scope of work, number of revisions, and copyright handling before signing
If you are a company employee, check your workplace rules and whether you need to file taxes
Don't aim for perfection from the start; begin small and build up experience

FAQ about web design side jobs

Q. Can a beginner earn money with a web design side job?

Yes. By learning the basics, preparing a portfolio, and building a track record from beginner-friendly projects, you can come to earn even without experience. We recommend starting with small projects such as banners and gradually expanding to higher-paying ones.

Q. How long do I need to study for a web design side job?

It varies by person, but reaching a level where you can handle the basics and tools and apply to simple projects is roughly a few months as a guide. Progressing with work creation and applications alongside your study can shorten the time to landing projects.

Q. Where can I find web design side job projects?

While inexperienced, crowdsourcing sites and skill marketplaces are easy to start with and recommended. Once you're used to it, increasing ongoing work through SNS posting and direct requests helps stabilize your income.

Summary: aim to win web design side job projects with the right steps

A web design side job lets you aim to win projects even from scratch, by following the steps of learning design basics and tools, preparing a portfolio, and building a track record from beginner-friendly projects. The key to success is to prioritize track record over pay at first and gradually expand from small projects. Start with basic study and creating work, and take a step you can manage today.