Introduction

Freelancing is becoming the new normal for many. Freelance web development might be a good option if you want to work from home but don't know where to start. In this article, we'll show you how to get started.

There are lots of ways to go about freelancing. Some people prefer full-time employment, whereas others take on a mix of projects at once. Whatever way you decide to do things, remember that self-employment comes with unique challenges.

If you're going to take the plunge into freelancing, then you'll need to take some time to learn about it and familiarise yourself with what's involved. After all, there will be plenty of money and success to come if you keep up your end of the bargain.

Photograph of colourful terraced houses in Kemptown in Brighton, UK.  Shows the ferris wheel from Brighton breach in the background.

What Is Freelance Web Development?

Freelance web development is when one person works for someone else and get paid per project or task completed. The person who hires them provides tasks or projects, usually a website.

A freelancer receives payment after completing each task or project. This sounds like a great idea since you can work at home or anywhere you want while working on different projects.

But beware! Before hiring any freelancers, it's important to know what kind of experience they bring to the table. Make sure they have previous experience with similar projects and understand how to deliver quality results on time.

Hiring an expert freelancer will save you money in the end. Plus, if there are any problems with their work, you only need to fix things up once rather than deal with multiple issues every day.

What Are the Benefits of Freelance Web Development?

The benefits of freelance web development include flexibility, control, profitability, independence, and variety. With a freelance contract, you're able to work at your own pace, create the schedule that works best for you, and set your rates. On top of that, you also have the option to offer additional services or charge extra fees for certain tasks.

1. You Can Work from Anywhere in the World

One great benefit of being a freelancer is that you have no limits regarding where you can live and work at the same time.

This is especially true if you are working online. Since your work is not physically located somewhere, you do not need to worry about commuting times, traffic jams, etc.

You can even work while travelling and still make money while abroad!

2. No 9-to-5 Office Life

Nowadays, many companies have created offices for their employees - mainly because they believe that employees should spend a certain amount of time at work each day.

But what happens if you want to work from home? Or if you prefer having some quiet time away from the noise and distractions of the office now and then?

Being a freelancer means deciding whether or not you need to go into your workplace or if you prefer staying at home.

3. Freedom to Choose Your Hours

Another great perk of being a freelancer (or at least most freelancers) is that you get to determine your hours. It often depends on the type of job you are doing, but it does not matter if you work a few hours here and there as long as it pays well.

Sure, it may sound odd to many, but it's a reality nonetheless. Of course, you do need to put some effort into finding clients and making sales, as well as growing your reputation online; but as far as actual hours go, you can rest assured knowing that you can call in sick when you feel ill.

4. Earning While Learning

One of the greatest benefits of working as a freelancer is that you can learn new skills and improve existing ones while also earning money.

Whether you need to learn new things in order to get a better idea of what is expected of you, or you want to gain more knowledge in order to charge more, working as a freelancer is a perfect solution.

5. Be Your Own Boss

The truth is, many people enjoy self-employment. For many, it's easier to focus and work when you know that nobody is watching your every move. Since no one has any expectations regarding your performance, you can use this advantage wisely to your benefit.

Don't get it wrong - we're not saying that you can slack off, but if you know that it's just you and your computer screen, you can accomplish so much more and finish projects faster.

6. Get Paid Instantly

As a freelancer, you always earn money immediately after completing a task. No waiting for a pay period and no deductions. This means that you never miss out on cash flow, and thus your business never suffers.

7. Earn More

You can earn much more as a freelance web developer than you would as a full-time employee. Since your income comes directly from client fees, you don't have to worry about your monthly salary decreasing as your expenses increase. With less overhead costs, you can easily earn more.

If you are looking to boost your earnings, try freelance sites such as Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, etc. They allow web developers to bid their rates and provide more opportunities.

Photograph of colourful terraced houses in Kemptown in Brighton, UK.  Shows the ferris wheel from Brighton breach in the background.

What Is the Scope of Freelance Web Development in Brighton?

Brighton is well-known for its seaside location, beautiful streets, and diverse culture. As a result of this multicultural fusion, many different business opportunities have arisen, including providing freelancer services.

Over the years, more and more businesses have chosen to outsource their programming needs. This has made Brighton a very popular destination for plenty of freelancers looking to show off their professional skills.

So if you are searching for website development and designing projects, Brighton is certainly worth a closer look. Many clients in the area are looking to outsource their workloads, so you will have little difficulty finding new projects.

Photograph of colourful terraced houses in Kemptown in Brighton, UK.  Shows the ferris wheel from Brighton breach in the background.

How to Become a Freelance Web Developer in Brighton?

To start your freelance web developer journey in Brighton, you must first find a client who needs a website built. The ideal clients are small businesses seeking to grow their customer base through the internet or personal bloggers looking for extra income.

If you don't know where to start, try searching for local business owners willing to pay for websites. Most freelancers prefer self-employment contracts, so both parties remain protected from any legal disputes.

The best way to find new clients is by joining groups like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ to market yourself and advertise your services.

To become successful as a professional freelance web developer in Brighton, your goal should be to establish a solid reputation within your industry. After all, online reviews can make or break you.

Photograph of colourful terraced houses in Kemptown in Brighton, UK.  Shows the ferris wheel from Brighton breach in the background.

Steps to Become a Freelance Web Developer in Brighton

To become a freelance web developer in Brighton, you must know the basic concepts of web development and design. There are plenty of online resources that provide free tutorials about HTML5 and CSS3.

However, if you want to create professional websites, you need a lot of experience building responsive sites. The best way to learn how to build a website from scratch is to start working on several projects for clients.

When your client asks for a change, ask them what they want to see. You will soon notice your skills improving and once you feel confident enough, start taking freelance jobs.

Once you develop your portfolio, you can show it to potential employers. This will help you land more freelance jobs.

Following are the steps to becoming a successful freelance web developer in Brighton:

Step 1: Learn As Many Technologies Languages As You Can

Learning various technologies is important for any web developer since the future is always changing, and new technologies come out all the time.

The first step would be to learn HTML and CSS. After that, you could learn JavaScript, jQuery, PHP, NodeJS, Ruby, Python, Java,.NET, Objective C, Android, iOS, etc.

The most popular technology for web development is probably Javascript. It's been standard for quite a while now, but there's still a surprising number of people who aren't familiar.

So if you don't know how to program in JavaScript, you should learn it first.

Step 2: Dot Your I's and Cross Your T's

A professional web developer should always be prepared for security breaches, malicious attacks, and cybercriminals who seek to steal personal information.

Therefore, a web developer must learn to write secure code using best practices. As part of learning how to write secure code, we recommend learning XSS. This involves writing javascript that can inject malicious data into an unsuspecting visitor's browser.

Another thing that every web developer must learn is SQL injection. We're not talking about the database here, but rather SQL itself. A common mistake made by web developers is forgetting to escape special characters in select statements.

This can lead to your entire database being exposed to malicious people who want to steal the information, leading the business to a more serious security breach.

So if you're willing to build a clientele in Brighton, you must learn to write secure code and implement it so that you'll never have to worry about a security breach.

Step 3: Build Your Freelancing Website

The main thing to remember is to build websites that provide help for other people who want to learn how to code. Once they find out what you do, they may hire you as a freelancer.

As a freelance developer, you can offer your skills to clients for a fee. If you want to find more clients, try starting your website as a freelancer and building a portfolio of projects. At least then you'll be able to call yourself a full-time programmer.

Step 4: Market Your Services

Brighton is becoming more and more competitive. So don't rely on word of mouth to become successful; you need your marketing strategy to succeed.

Marketing can be a little bit difficult, but you'll need to come up with the right content and the right time of day to post it.

It's a good idea to offer your services at a discount for the first few jobs. This will give you an edge over the competition in Brighton.

The Internet has no limits, so you can use what resources you can afford to market your services.

Step 5: Stay Current

The last step you need to do is stay current with what's going on in the industry. Since technology is always changing, you need to ensure that you're using the latest tools.

What's important is that you do your research before making any big decisions. This will help you become an expert in Web Development and make sure that your clients stay happy.

One way to go about doing this is to read articles, tutorials, and books on the subject; that way, you'll have the edge over the competition.

So now that you know what to do, you can start developing your website. You'll find that it's not as hard as you thought to become a web developer in Brighton.

Photograph of colourful terraced houses in Kemptown in Brighton, UK.  Shows the ferris wheel from Brighton breach in the background.

Conclusion

Freelance web development is an excellent option for anyone interested in gaining valuable professional experience on the go. It allows you to work with clients from the comfort of your own home or anywhere you have an internet connection. One of the most outstanding benefits of freelance web development is that you don't need to take time off from your job since you can work whenever you feel like working. We hope that this article has helped you learn how to start a web development career in Brighton.

Photograph of colourful terraced houses in Kemptown in Brighton, UK.  Shows the ferris wheel from Brighton breach in the background.

Get In Touch

We have been offering freelance web development services since the millenium. During that time, we have worked on hundreds of smaller and larger websites for both private clients and organizations, so if you need any help writing code, SEO, marketing, or website redesign, then contact us now. We offer full-service solutions, but we specialize in WordPress and eCommerce sites. We also provide ongoing hosting and maintenance packages.