The web design profession has grown significantly due to the increasing popularity of the World Wide Web. Web designers are an essential part of this growth. Sometimes known as web developers, web designers are responsible for the creation and maintenance of almost every web page found on the Internet.

In general, a web designer is responsible for the graphic, textual, and structural aspect of a website. Almost everything a web designer does helps to determine whether or not site visitors will stay on the site or go elsewhere. The specific duties that a web designer performs vary depending upon their title and specialty. Specializations within the web design profession include:

Web Graphic Designers- These designers use various design programs to create graphic elements for a website, including logos, banners, buttons, navigational elements, and animations.

Multimedia Web Designers- Usually part of a large web development team, multimedia web designers are generally responsible for the flashy interactive applications that can be found on some websites.

User Interface (UI) Designers- These designers are responsible for the navigation of a website. User interface designers determine both the layout and the basic presentation of a website. There is approach is normally based on several factors, including the goal of the website and the need of the visitors.

Besides needing a strong knowledge of computer and design programs, web designers also need to be creative and have a penchant for marketing.

Many web designers are employees of advertising agencies, consulting firms, and large corporations. However, there are also many self-employed or freelance web designers that have joined the web design field.