Top 5 Web Design Courses for Small Business Owners

Top 5 Web Design Courses for Small Business Owners
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.

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

Best Web Design Tools

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.