Top 5 Web Design Courses for Small Business Owners
Skip the $2,000-$10,000 professional web design fees. Learn to build your own business website with these top courses:
Course | Price | Best For | Time Needed |
---|---|---|---|
Small Business Web Design by Josh Hall | $497 | Complete business setup | 19 hours |
LinkedIn Web Design Training | $39/month | Industry networking | 5+ hours |
Build Your First Business Website | $16.99 | WordPress basics | 11 hours |
Best Web Design Tools Learning Center | Free | Templates & resources | 4 hours |
Complete Web Design Course | $997 | Full client services | 70 hours |
Why learn web design?
- Save $750-$20,000 in design fees
- 46% of small businesses make half their money online
- Show up in Google's 5.6 billion daily searches
- Let your website sell while you sleep
Quick comparison of what you'll learn:
Skill Level | Course Cost | What You Get |
---|---|---|
Beginner | $0-50 | Basic site building |
Intermediate | $100-500 | Design + client work |
Advanced | $500+ | Full business setup |
These courses teach you everything from basic WordPress to charging $2,500+ per project. No coding needed - just practical skills to build websites that work.
The median web designer salary is $80,730, with 16% job growth expected. Pick a course that matches your goals and schedule - the best one isn't the priciest, it's the one you'll actually finish.
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Small Business Web Design Course by Josh Hall
Josh Hall packs 10+ years of web design knowledge into a course that shows you how to build and run a web design business. He doesn't just teach you how to make websites - he shows you how to make money doing it.
The course breaks down like this:
Feature | Details |
---|---|
Core Learning | WordPress basics, UI design, SEO optimization |
Business Tools | Templates for contracts, proposals, invoices |
Client Management | SOPs for client journey, project management |
Support | Monthly Q&As, student forum access |
Extra Resources | Design templates, checklists, business docs |
Want proof it works? One student jumped from £500 to £5,000 per project using Josh's methods.
"What got me here, won't get me there." - Josh Hall, Web Designer and Educator
Here's what you'll master:
Area | What You'll Learn |
---|---|
Technical Skills | WordPress, UI design, site optimization |
Business Setup | Contracts, proposals, pricing strategies |
Client Work | Project management, support, lead generation |
You'll work on actual projects as you learn - perfect for building your portfolio. And you're not stuck with WordPress. Use whatever tools work for you.
The results speak for themselves. One designer TRIPLED their leads after using the funnel pages from the course.
Need help? Jump into monthly Q&As or hit up the student forum. You'll connect with other designers and get answers when you're stuck.
"This course is a MUST for anyone who wants to get serious about making web design into an actual business." - Josh Hall, Web Design Instructor
2. LinkedIn Web Design Business Training
LinkedIn Learning offers focused web design courses. Here's what their top programs deliver:
Course Category | Viewers | Rating |
---|---|---|
HTML Essential Training | 520,294 | 4.7/5 |
Interactive Animations | 152,361 | 4.8/5 |
Web Design Fundamentals | 97,324 | 4.8/5 |
HTTP Training | 85,722 | 4.7/5 |
"Building a Small Business Website with Shopify" by Carrie Dils stands out. The course breaks down like this:
Learning Area | What You'll Get |
---|---|
Business Setup | Business structures, licenses, taxes |
Design Skills | UI/UX basics, typography, layouts |
Technical Tools | HTML, CSS, WordPress.com |
Project Work | Build a real Shopify store |
The course puts you to work right away. You'll build an actual Shopify store for a family business - no theoretical fluff.
"The course helps business owners understand different structures like LLCs and corporations, plus their impact on licensing and taxes", - Martha Garzon, LinkedIn Learning Instructor
Need numbers? Check out Jen Kramer's "Introduction to Web Design and Development" - 96,305 viewers gave it 4.7/5 stars (from 4,068 student ratings).
Course Benefits | Details |
---|---|
Time Investment | Most courses run 1-2 hours |
Certification | LinkedIn-shareable certificates |
Skill Level | Beginner to intermediate |
Support | Course forums, instructor help |
Martha Garzon and Lauren Bacon teach you the essentials:
- Business structure selection
- License and permit requirements
- Portfolio development
- Web design service planning
You set the pace, and you get a certificate to show potential clients when you finish.
3. Build Your First Business Website
This 6-day email course shows you how to build a WordPress website that works - no expensive developers needed.
Day | Topic | Skills Learned |
---|---|---|
1 | Site Backups | Setting up automated backups |
2 | Security Setup | Installing security plugins |
3 | Image Optimization | Reducing load times |
4 | Plugin Management | Removing unused plugins |
5 | SEO Basics | Setting up meta descriptions |
6 | Site Speed | Implementing caching |
Your instructor Carrie Dils packs everything into just 1 hour and 27 minutes. Students love it - giving it a 4.8/5 rating.
Here's how the time breaks down:
Website Building Steps | Time Required |
---|---|
Setting Goals | 15 minutes |
Content Planning | 20 minutes |
WordPress Setup | 10 minutes |
Theme Selection | 15 minutes |
Basic Pages | 15 minutes |
Final Review | 12 minutes |
Why This Matters:
The numbers don't lie:
- 63% of people find local businesses through websites
- 30% won't even consider a business without one
- 72% who search online visit stores within 5 miles
Platform Costs Breakdown:
Platform | Monthly Cost | Features |
---|---|---|
WordPress.com | $4 | Basic hosting, domain |
Squarespace | $16 | Templates, hosting |
Hostinger | $2.99 | AI builder, hosting |
GoDaddy | $9.99 | Website builder |
Shopify | $29 | E-commerce tools |
We picked WordPress.com for this course because it hits the sweet spot of price and power. You'll master the full site editor (FSE) and key plugins like Jetpack.
Your Website Will Include:
- A homepage that converts visitors
- An About page that connects
- Services/Products pages
- Contact details
- Customer success stories
- FAQ section
- Blog setup
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4. Best Web Design Tools Learning Center
The Best Web Design Tools Learning Center combines templates with hands-on training to help you build your website fast.
Course Module | What You'll Learn | Time |
---|---|---|
Design Basics | Template selection, color theory | 2 hours |
Site Building | WordPress, Webflow setup | 3 hours |
Marketing | SEO, social media integration | 2 hours |
Maintenance | Updates, backups, security | 1 hour |
Here's what you get with their premium templates:
Template Name | Price | Best For |
---|---|---|
Minifolio | Free | Portfolio sites |
Supply | $79 | Online stores |
Browse | $149 | Business sites |
Flex Fitness | $99 | Service businesses |
Want to level up your design game? Here are the top tools you can plug in:
Tool | Monthly Cost | Main Feature |
---|---|---|
Figma | $12/user | Real-time design collaboration |
Marker.io | $39 | Live site feedback |
Webflow | $14 | No-code development |
UXPin | $29 | Advanced prototyping |
FlowMapp | $16 | Site mapping |
Here's something that might surprise you: Stanford University found that 75% of people judge a company based on their website design. JUST their design.
That's why the Learning Center focuses on skills you'll use every day:
- Setting up backups that run on autopilot
- Locking down your site's security
- Making your images load fast
- Managing your WordPress plugins
- Setting up caching
- Building layouts that work on all devices
The platform works with WordPress (which now runs 40% of ALL websites). You'll learn exactly how to use WordPress's site editor and must-have plugins.
Here's how long each part takes:
Activity | Hours Needed |
---|---|
Template Setup | 2-3 |
Content Upload | 4-5 |
Design Customization | 3-4 |
Testing | 1-2 |
Launch Prep | 1 |
Whether you're just starting or you've built sites before, the Learning Center has what you need - with clear pricing and fresh updates to keep you ahead.
5. Complete Web Design for Business
The Complete Web Design Course™ shows you how to build and sell business websites without coding. You'll get 19 hours of step-by-step training.
Here's what you'll learn:
Module | Content | Hours |
---|---|---|
Design Basics | Website planning, layout principles | 3 |
Client Projects | Building $2500-$5000 websites | 8 |
Business Setup | Finding clients, pricing, pitching | 4 |
Site Protection | Security, spam prevention, backups | 2 |
Launch Process | Testing, optimization, handoff | 2 |
You'll build two REAL websites from start to finish:
Project Type | Selling Price | What You'll Build |
---|---|---|
Gym Website | $2,500 | Homepage, class schedule, pricing |
Blog Website | $5,000 | Content sections, email signup, search |
"The Complete Web Design Course™ teaches you one of the highest paying skills on the internet - web design." - Sean, Creator of The Complete Web Design Course™
The price? $497 (that's 50% OFF the regular $997). Don't like it? Get your money back within 90 days.
You also get these extras:
- Direct access to 6,250+ students on Discord
- Done-for-you notes and templates
- Monthly coaching calls
- Legal contracts for client work
Perfect for business owners who want to:
- Create their own websites
- Handle site updates themselves
- Build websites that convert
- Cut down on developer costs
No coding needed - but you'll still learn how to make sites fast, mobile-friendly, and spam-free.
Timeline | What You'll Do |
---|---|
Week 1-2 | Master design basics and tools |
Week 3-4 | Create your first website |
Week 5-6 | Build a client project |
Week 7-8 | Launch your business |
Bonus: Get Adobe Creative Cloud training and prep for Adobe Certified Associate exams in web design, visual communications, and interactive media.
Course Price and Features Comparison
Here's a breakdown of web design courses and what you'll get at different price points:
Course | Price | Length | Certificate | Key Features |
---|---|---|---|---|
Small Business Web Design | $497 | 19 hours | Yes | Client projects, business setup, site protection |
LinkedIn Training | $39/month | 5+ hours | Yes | Industry expert training, networking tools |
Build Your First Website | $16.99 | 11 hours | Yes | HTML & CSS basics, real-world coding |
Best Web Design Tools Learning | Free | 4 hours | No | Portfolio templates, design resources |
Complete Web Design | $997 | 70 hours | Yes | Full business setup, client acquisition |
What each price tier includes:
Feature | Basic Courses ($0-50) | Mid-Range ($100-500) | Premium ($500+) |
---|---|---|---|
Course Materials | Video lessons | Videos + templates | Full toolkit |
Support | Forum access | Email support | Live coaching |
Projects | 1-2 practice sites | 3-5 projects | Real client work |
Updates | None | 6 months | Lifetime |
Community | Basic forum | Private group | Active Discord |
How you can pay:
Payment Type | Courses Available | Average Savings |
---|---|---|
One-time | Build Your First Website, Complete Web Design | 20% |
Monthly | LinkedIn, TreeHouse | 15% |
Payment plans | Skillcrush, Complete Web Design | 10% |
What tools you'll get:
Course Level | Tools | Templates | Legal Documents |
---|---|---|---|
Basic | Design software | Homepage layouts | None |
Mid-range | Full software suite | 10+ templates | Basic contracts |
Premium | All tools + updates | 20+ templates | Full legal pack |
Pick your course based on your goals:
- Want to build your own website? Go for basic courses ($0-50)
- Planning to freelance? Choose mid-range courses ($100-500)
- Need full support to start a business? Get premium courses ($500+)
Time you'll need:
Course Type | Weekly Hours | Total Duration |
---|---|---|
Basic | 2-3 hours | 1 month |
Mid-range | 5-7 hours | 2 months |
Premium | 8-10 hours | 3 months |
Conclusion
Want to pick the perfect web design course? It comes down to what you need, when you can study, and what you can spend.
Here's what different courses offer:
Your Goal | Course Type | Weekly Time |
---|---|---|
Build own website | Basic ($0-50) | 2-3 hrs |
Start freelancing | Mid-range ($100-500) | 5-7 hrs |
Launch design business | Premium ($500+) | 8-10 hrs |
Before you spend money on a course, check these details:
What to Check | Why It Matters |
---|---|
Schedule | Can you learn at your own pace? |
Support | How fast can you get help? |
Projects | How many sites will you build? |
Tools | What software comes with it? |
Access | How long can you use the materials? |
"Pick an instructor you can listen to for 10+ hours. You'll spend a LOT of time with them!" - Paige Brunton, Web Design Expert
Here's something cool: Web designers make $80,730 per year (median salary), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Plus, jobs are growing 16% over the next decade. Not bad, right?
Want to get the most from your course? Here's how:
- Pick a course that matches what you know now
- Block out specific times to study
- Get feedback from other designers
- Make stuff while you learn
- Work on real websites
The numbers don't lie: With 16% job growth coming up, web design skills pay off. But you need to pick a course you'll actually finish.
When | Do This |
---|---|
Before Starting | Read reviews, watch sample videos |
During Course | Do every project (no skipping!) |
After Course | Build 3 test websites |
Keep Learning | Talk with other designers online |
Look for courses that teach:
- Modern design methods
- How to get clients
- Ways to talk to customers
- Building your portfolio
- Fixing common problems
Here's the truth: The best course isn't the one with the biggest price tag - it's the one you'll finish and use to make money.
FAQs
What are the soft skills of a web designer?
Web designers need more than just technical know-how. Here's what makes them effective:
Skill | Impact |
---|---|
Time Management | Gets projects done on schedule, handles multiple tasks |
Communication | Keeps clients updated on changes and progress |
Problem-Solving | Fixes design issues fast |
Client Management | Acts on feedback and project requirements |
Organization | Tracks files, tasks, and deadlines |
Want to get better at these skills? Here's how:
Action | Method |
---|---|
Track Time | Use Toggl to monitor project hours |
Update Clients | Send progress reports each week |
Stay Organized | Follow project phase checklists |
Take Notes | Record client feedback during calls |
Plan Tasks | Split projects into smaller chunks |
"Designs must be quick to adapt as project needs change fast." - BrainStation
Here's what to keep in separate folders:
- Client feedback
- Design files
- Project timelines
- Meeting notes
- Reference materials
This setup helps you grab what you need FAST and stay in control of project changes.