• Productivity
  • Web Design & Development

How to Get Web Design Clients: 10 Effective Expert Tips for Success

Denis Yankovsky
May 19, 2023
11 min

Are you looking to attract more clients for your web design business? Getting web design clients can be a challenging task, but with the right strategies, you can increase your chances of success. In this article, we will share 10 expert tips on how to get web design clients and grow your business. Implementing these proven strategies will help you stand out from the competition and connect with potential clients who might need your services.

When you are just starting your web agency, you can’t afford to waste time on unqualified leads. So, focus on marketing to the right people. To do this, you should create an impressive portfolio that showcases your skills and attracts web design clients. Another effective way to find clients is by posting on online forums. To get started, you can sign up for web​​ forums and start posting relevant discussions. This will help you connect with potential clients who are looking for someone to design their website. And of course, the best thing you can do is provide a desirable customer experience when you are looking to not only initially attract web design clients, but keep them as clients for years to come.  

Read on to learn more about these 10 effective expert tips on how to get web design clients. Or if you want to learn from other web design agencies, check out our latest customer story where Chris LaCroix, the founder of the Shape Society web design agency tells how he managed to grow his business, get and retain more clients, and save time on effectively managing projects with the Webvizio web design collaboration platform

Try Webvizio now, it’s free!

Get more web design customers with an impressive portfolio

Start With Crafting an Impressive Portfolio

Crafting an impressive portfolio is a crucial first step on the way to showcasing your skills and attracting web design clients. Here are some practical tips:

Tip 1: Showcase Your Best Work

One of the most effective ways to attract web design clients is by showcasing your best work through an impressive portfolio. Include a diverse range of projects that highlight your skills and expertise. Make sure to demonstrate your ability to create visually appealing and user-friendly websites in a variety of styles and topics. You can include your work in the form of screenshots or videos, or simply write a short description of each of your works. But the best thing you can do is to link to your live website or app. 

But don’t make a common mistake that new web designers make and try to show as much as possible in your portfolio. It makes sense to highlight only your best projects in your portfolio, not everything that you have done. Your portfolio is not​​ a resume. So don’t use it as a means to show how many projects you have done, instead focus on quality that can attract even the most demanding clients. As they say: the first impression is the last impression!

Tip 2: Highlight Client Testimonials

Client testimonials play a crucial role in building trust and credibility. Highlight the results you have achieved for your clients in your portfolio. Include case studies that showcase the positive outcomes you have delivered, such as increased website traffic or higher conversion rates. Request timely feedback from your customers not only about the specific assets that you produced for them, but also their experience of working with you overall, and feature their testimonials on your website. 

Positive reviews from previous clients that speak to the positive experiences they had working with you can significantly influence potential clients’ decisions to choose your services. So make sure to feature client testimonials on your website or as part of a portfolio to showcase your skills and win more future clients. 

Tip 3: Provide Insights into Your Design Process

Give potential clients a glimpse into your step-by-step design development and testing process. Explain how you approach and manage projects, collaborate with clients, and deliver exceptional results. By sharing your design process, you build credibility and trust with potential clients. For example, you can provide insights into how you conduct market research, perform competitive analysis, and conduct user research before you design a prototype or wireframe. Aim to create a seamless experience for potential clients by clearly explaining how you work and what they can expect from your services at any stage of the design process.  

The more information you can share with potential clients, the more trust you’ll build, and the less chance for any potential misunderstandings to occur later down the road. So don’t be shy about sharing as much as you can about your process and invite the customer to take part and collaborate with your team in real-time.

If you want to learn more about effective team collaboration within your team or external clients, check out our complete guide to effective team collaboration.

Get web design clients to collaborate with you on projects

How to Build a Strong Online Presence?

Tip 4: Create a Professional Website

As a web designer, your website serves as a reflection of your skills and professionalism. Design and develop a visually appealing website that showcases your expertise. Incorporate relevant content and make sure your website in a way that is mobile-responsive, fast-loading, user-friendly, and easy to navigate. If your website is easy to use and mobile-responsive, you can increase the chances of converting visitors into clients. 
And by the way, you can create a website for free using one of the website builders that also usually comes with a domain name to choose from. So you don’t have to worry about any technical aspect of the website, have any experience with creating websites, or even pay others to create one for you. 

Tip 5: Optimize Your Portfolio for Search Engines

To increase your chances of being discovered by potential clients and attract web design clients, it’s essential to optimize your website for search engines. Conduct keyword research to identify relevant search terms in the web design industry. Incorporate these keywords naturally throughout your website’s content, including headings, portfolio descriptions, meta tags, and image alt tags. This will improve your website’s visibility and attract organic traffic from people searching for web design services. 

When it comes to search engine optimization, content is king.  Create a blog that regularly publishes useful web design content to rank high on search engines. Post blogs with information relevant to your industry and clients, which will help you rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). Also, post blogs with links to your portfolio and website to attract potential clients. By the way, creating YouTube videos can also be a great way to attract new clients, and it also has a lot of potential to increase your website’s SEO rankings, so make sure to create a channel for your web design company and start creating videos showcasing your creative skills and the projects you’ve worked on.

Tip 6: Leverage Social Media

Social media platforms offer a powerful opportunity to connect with potential clients. Utilize social media platforms to showcase your expertise and attract web design clients. Create compelling profiles on platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Share your portfolio, and examples of your work, and don’t forget to share some valuable free content, and industry insights related to web design. This could include e-books, templates, or tutorials that address common challenges faced by businesses seeking web design services. 

Try to directly engage with your target audience and build meaningful connections. When they see that you care about their concerns and their business, they will trust you and eventually hire your web design services. Social media might not seem like a big deal in this day and age, but the truth is that social media is still a major influencer when it comes to making sales. so don’t miss the opportunity to leverage social media to generate leads and increase your web design business client base.

Getting web design clients is easier with a proper toolset

How To Utilize Networking and Marketing Effectively?

Implementing effective marketing strategies is essential for attracting web design clients. Networking also plays a crucial role in acquiring new web design jobs. Implement these strategies to expand your network and connect with potential clients: 

Tip 7: Attend Industry Events

Participating in web design conferences, workshops, and meetups provides excellent networking opportunities. Attend web design conferences, workshops, and local meetups to meet and connect with fellow professionals, share your knowledge, and build strong relationships with potential clients. Networking allows you to expand your reach and gain visibility in the industry

Tip 8: Offer Referral Incentives

Word-of-mouth recommendations are still a powerful tool for acquiring new clients, so although it might seem somewhat old school, don’t overlook tapping into the power of referrals and good old word-of-mouth marketing. The first step is naturally delivering exceptional work and providing excellent customer service, and then you can safely encourage your satisfied clients to refer your services to their network by offering referral incentives. This could be a discount on future projects or a reward program to encourage referrals. 

Your web design clients will appreciate the fact that you value their referrals and you can also use this opportunity to build your brand awareness and build a strong customer base. Nothing is more powerful than a good recommendation from a trusted friend, and no marketing is better than a personal recommendation from a current happy client. 

Tip 9: Collaborate with Other Professionals

Partnering with complementary professionals, such as copywriters or SEO specialists, can broaden your client base and allow you to offer comprehensive web solutions, getting bigger, more lucrative projects compared to web design alone. By collaborating on web design projects with fellow digital creators and bundling services, you can attract clients who are looking for a one-stop comprehensive solution to their digital needs. Another benefit of collaboration with other creative professionals is that you can share the workload and any possible costs of development and production, and as a result, offer a complete solution to your clients. 

A good example of a teaming up with a complementary professional is a website developer and a graphic designer or a digital collage maker to create sketches of your future site outline, or a traveling event photographer and a photo editor working on the desktop in a studio. Finally, being a web designer, or even managing a team of web designers, a great idea would be also to collaborate with a writer to produce a compelling blog or another content piece for your or one of your customers’ sites.

Tip 10: Establish Thought Leadership

Establishing yourself as a thought leader in the web design industry can significantly boost your credibility and attract clients. Share your knowledge and expertise through blogging, guest posting, and public speaking engagements. By providing valuable insights, demonstrating your expertise regularly, and sharing valuable content related to web design, you can position yourself as an authority in the field and create a strong online. This could include writing blog posts, creating video content, or hosting webinars. Establish yourself as a thought leader in the industry by sharing your knowledge and the new business will always come to you, offering money for your expertise.  

Recap On Getting Web Design Clients And Growing Your Web Agency.

Acquiring web design clients requires a strategic approach and the implementation of effective techniques. Showcase your skills, implement effective marketing strategies, leverage networking opportunities, and optimize your content for visibility. These combined efforts will help you attract new web design clients and secure more orders.

Remember to continuously refine your skills, stay up-to-date with industry trends, and provide exceptional customer experiences.

By implementing these expert tips, you will maximize your chances of attracting web design clients and growing your web agency. If done right, you will soon start getting more web design clients and projects. Check out our simple guide to mastering efficient web design client onboarding.

Get Webvizio for Free

Featured Articles

Jan 03, 2022
9 min
Workplace Communication and Why It Is Essential
  • Productivity
  • Quality assurance
  • Web Design & Development
Jan 10, 2022
6 min
5 Ways to Track Tasks in the Web Development Process
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jan 11, 2022
10 min
Effective Project Management Using Website Feedback Tools
  • Productivity
  • Quality assurance
  • Web Design & Development
Jan 21, 2022
9 min
How Web Agency Tools Can Help You Get Better At Website Design And Bug Tracking
  • Bug Tracking & Reporting
  • Quality assurance
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 02, 2022
6 min
Website Launch Checklist: Essential Things to Check Before Launching Your Website
  • Quality assurance
  • UI/UX
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 18, 2022
6 min
Design Audit With Remote Teams – 7 Tips To Reduce Back And Forth Communication Obstacles
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 22, 2022
6 min
How Visual Feedback Tools Help Save Time On Web Development Projects
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Apr 19, 2022
7 min
How To Leave Feedback On Web Design Like a Pro – Website Review 101
  • Quality assurance
  • UI/UX
  • Web Design & Development
May 24, 2022
5 min
5 Powerful Web Agency Tools To Have in 2023 That Make Your Web Agency Successful
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Sep 08, 2022
11 min
Expert Tips For Starting An Online Web Design Agency In 2023
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Sep 30, 2022
6 min
What is Video Feedback and How Can You Utilize it in Your Web Design Projects?
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Dec 08, 2022
6 min
Webvizio for Web Agencies: How to Successfully Utilize Website Feedback Tools for a Quick Turnaround?
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 02, 2023
21 min
Team Collaboration 101: A Guide to Effective Digital Collaboration in a Web Design Agency
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 07, 2023
9 min
Top 5 Web Agency Tools for Digital Collaboration
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 28, 2023
15 min
Best Tools & Tips for Giving Timely Feedback on Website Design
  • Productivity
  • UI/UX
  • Web Design & Development
Mar 02, 2023
7 min
6 Ways Collaboration Tools Can Accelerate Feedback Process of Web Design Agencies
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Mar 06, 2023
9 min
Collaborate to Innovate: The Top 5 Benefits of Using Digital Collaboration Tools
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Mar 22, 2023
10 min
Why Real-Time Collaboration Is A Must For A Web Design Agency In 2023?
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Apr 30, 2023
10 min
A Complete Guide to Improving Customer Experience in a Web Design Agency
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
May 28, 2023
8 min
6 Steps For A Web Design Agency To Master Efficient Client Onboarding
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jun 08, 2023
9 min
Top Strategies for Building and Maintaining Client Relationships in Web Design Agencies
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jul 20, 2023
13 min
How to Market Your Website Development Business: The Most Effective Tactics
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jul 30, 2023
12 min
How to Grow Your Web Design Business: A Complete Guide To Accelerate Your Growth
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Aug 06, 2023
10 min
Top 5 Tools for Growing Your Web Design Agency in 2023
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Sep 04, 2023
8 min
How to Improve Project Completion & Success Rate for Design Projects
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Feb 18, 2024
9 min
The Power Of Collaborative Web Design & Development: Annotate Web Pages & Fix Bugs Live
  • Bug Tracking & Reporting
  • Quality assurance
  • Web Design & Development
Mar 15, 2024
13 min
Mastering Website Feedback: How to Effectively Annotate and Improve Your Digital Projects
  • Bug Tracking & Reporting
  • Quality assurance
  • Web Design & Development
May 08, 2024
10 min
11 Tips for Effective Website Annotation in 2024
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jun 19, 2024
7 min
Why Is Real-Time Collaboration a Must for Any Web Design Agency in 2024?
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jun 28, 2024
25 min
12 Best Web Development Collaboration Tools in 2024
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Jul 29, 2024
7 min
Effective Web Design Feedback Strategies That Actually Work
  • Client Communication
  • Product Features
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Aug 15, 2024
7 min
How Web Design Agencies Can Enhance Communication with Client Collaboration Tools
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Aug 21, 2024
9 min
Top 8 Must-Have Tools for Web Design and Development Agencies in 2024
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Aug 27, 2024
8 min
6 Top Picks for Client Collaboration Tools for Distributed Teams in 2024
  • Client Communication
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Oct 08, 2024
5 min
Digital Asset Management 101: Enhance Efficiency and Collaboration
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Oct 22, 2024
4 min
The Ultimate Guide to Persuading Your Boss for Software Investment: Adopting Webvizio
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development
Oct 25, 2024
6 min
The Future of Web Design Collaboration: Trends and Predictions in 2025
  • Productivity
  • Web Design & Development