To become a Wix website designer, master the editor, build a portfolio, join the Partner Program, and market a clear service niche.
You want steady projects building on a platform clients already trust. The path is clear: learn the tools, prove your skills with real sites, plug into Wix’s professional ecosystem, and sell services people actually need. This guide breaks the work into practical steps you can follow this month—no fluff, just what moves the needle.
Becoming A Wix Website Designer: Step-By-Step
Here’s the straight path from first site to paid work. Start with the platform basics, add code where it helps, set up repeatable project systems, then plug into lead channels. Along the way, capture proof—live projects, screenshots, and client quotes—so prospects can judge your work in seconds.
Learn The Core Editor Fast
Spend a focused week inside the latest builder experience. Recreate three common layouts: a service homepage, a simple shop, and a booking site. Practice custom breakpoints, grid layouts, image handling, and site styles. Build from templates, then strip and rebuild so you learn what each setting does. Speed matters; the goal is to turn a basic site in a day, not a week.
Add Velo For Light Dynamic Needs
Next, dip into Velo when the native features hit a limit. Start with element events, data collections, repeater filters, and simple form handling. Keep the code small and scoped to real tasks: gated content, custom calculators, tiny automations. You’re not writing an app—you’re tightening a website so it works the way a client needs.
Ship Three Real-World Builds
Practice is the only filter that counts. Offer three pilot projects to local businesses or creator friends in exchange for permission to show the work. Pick varied use cases: services with bookings, a local shop with pickup and delivery, and a content site with structured categories. Ship fast, measure load time, track conversions, and patch the rough edges. These builds become your stage-one portfolio.
Document Your Method
Write a one-page “how I work” outline that covers discovery, site map, content plan, design pass, launch, and care plan. Keep it plain and short. Clients feel calmer when they can see the steps and the exact deliverables at each step.
Skill Map For New Wix Designers
Use this checklist to set learning targets you can prove with live work. Save links, screenshots, or short clips that show each skill in action.
| Skill | What To Learn | Proof You Can Do It |
|---|---|---|
| Responsive Layout | Custom breakpoints, grid, docking, fluid typography | Two pages per site that pass a phone audit with zero overlap |
| Design System | Site styles, color tokens, text themes, reusable sections | One shared style set applied across five page types |
| CMS & Collections | Data collections, dynamic pages, filters, repeater design | A blog or catalog powered by collections with category filters |
| Velo Basics | Element events, dataset queries, simple form logic | One custom interaction and a small script under 100 lines |
| Store & Bookings | Products, variants, tax, shipping, staff calendars | Working checkout or a bookings flow with confirmations |
| Performance | Image compression, lazy loading, asset budgeting | Homepage LCP under 2.5s on a phone data test |
| SEO Setup | Titles, descriptions, structured content, indexing | GSC connected, pages indexed, branded query impressions rising |
| Client Handoff | Editor roles, content guardrails, edit training | One-page guide and a short loom-style walkthrough |
Create A Portfolio That Sells In 30 Seconds
Your portfolio is a conversion tool, not a scrapbook. Keep the homepage tight: a benefit-based headline, three best projects with outcomes, a short stack of services, and one clear button to book a call. Each project page should show the goal, three screens, one metric that moved, and a short note on your role. That’s it.
Pick A Service Niche
Niches shorten sales cycles. Pick a slice you know—local services, coaches, clinics, trades, indie shops, or creators. Tune your copy, templates, and checklists to that slice, then reuse them. Specialists win more quotes and finish projects faster.
Offer Three Simple Packages
Don’t drown buyers in options. Offer a one-page starter, a standard five-page site, and a custom build. List exactly what’s inside each package, days to delivery, and what content you need on day one. Add a small add-ons section for extras like advanced forms, memberships, or bilingual pages.
Join The Professional Ecosystem
Once you have live work, plug into the platform’s pro tracks. The Partner Program levels unlock perks as you earn points through paid sites and certifications. Reaching Icon enables a Marketplace application where you can get matched with paying leads. Read the requirements carefully and plan a path—points come faster when every client site goes live on a paid plan and stays live.
Plan Your Points Pipeline
Map each in-flight site to a plan upgrade so the points show up in your dashboard. Track certifications on a simple calendar so you chip away at them between projects. Keep a small board view: site name, plan status, certificate status, and link to proof.
Meet Marketplace Standards
Before applying, tidy your portfolio, fix 404s, and make sure your best projects sit on custom domains. The review checks quality and reliability. If you’re not sure, ask a peer to skim your site and click every page type.
Marketing That Brings Leads Weekly
You don’t need a dozen channels. Pick three you can keep up with and keep going. Aim for one new case study per month, two quick tips on social per week, and one partner outreach per week. Keep the cadence light so you never burn out mid-project.
Build A Simple Content Engine
Create one evergreen guide for your niche, like a page outline or a photo checklist clients can use. Gate it with a short email form, then follow up with a friendly note and your booking link. Share one small win from every launch: a speed gain, a conversion bump, or a cleaner booking flow.
Use Referrals And Repeat Work
Add a care plan with edits, backups, and small improvements. Keep it month-to-month and predictable. Happy clients bring the next two clients, so give them a reason to keep you attached to their site.
Process, Tools, And Delivery
Projects stall when steps are fuzzy. A simple, repeatable process saves time and keeps margin healthy. Use the same toolkit across builds: a content intake doc, a site map template, a kickoff script, and a punch list for launch day. The goal is smooth setup and clean handoff.
Discovery And Scope
Start with a 30-minute call. Confirm business goals, must-have pages, integrations, and any content gaps. Send a one-page scope with pages, features, and timeline. Get a deposit before you open the builder.
Design And Build
Sketch the site map, wire the headers and footers, and draft a homepage hero that nails the offer. Move to inner pages only after the homepage wins approval. Keep content blocks modular so edits stay tidy and reusable.
QA And Launch
Run a tight checklist: links, forms, SEO basics, structured navigation, and 404 handling. Connect the domain, set up redirects, and test core flows on a phone. Finish with a short video walkthrough and a short PDF that shows where to change text and images.
SEO Setup That Actually Ships
SEO basics should ship with every project. Configure titles and descriptions, connect Search Console, set up structured content for posts or products, and verify indexing. Track branded queries and top pages monthly and tweak headlines where click-through lags. Keep it simple and repeatable so every site leaves the shop in strong shape.
Quick Wins You Can Reuse
- Write one clear headline per page that matches the intent of the page.
- Use site styles for type scale and color so headings form a clean outline.
- Add alt text that describes the image in plain terms.
- Connect Search Console on launch day and submit the sitemap.
- Set a short redirects list for old URLs so equity isn’t lost.
Toolbox For Pro-Level Builds
Grow your capacity with a set of add-ons you can pull in when needed, not by default. Keep a library of sections—hero, features, testimonials, pricing, and contact—ready to drop into new projects. When the job calls for it, use a small Velo script to fill a gap with clean, readable code.
Common Add-Ons Clients Ask For
- Members-only content with simple access rules.
- Custom forms that route leads to the right inbox.
- Catalog filters for larger shops or directories.
- Light automations like post-purchase emails or intake follow-ups.
Pricing Benchmarks And Scoping Tips
Price on scope and speed, not hours. Keep a pack of scoping questions that reveals the real workload: content readiness, page count, integrations, and any custom logic. Use a short table to anchor starting ranges so buyers can self-select the right tier before a call.
| Service | Starter Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One-Page Site | $600–$1,200 | Great for pilots and pre-launch offers |
| Five-Page Build | $1,500–$3,500 | Standard pages, light CMS, basic SEO setup |
| Store Or Bookings | $2,000–$5,000 | Products or services, tax/shipping, confirmations |
| Custom Feature | $300–$1,000+ | Small Velo scripts or gated content |
| Care Plan | $75–$300/mo | Edits, backups, and minor improvements |
Certification, Points, And Lead Channels
If you want platform-sourced leads, plan for two milestones: points from paid sites and passing the needed certifications. Keep a simple tracker with site name, plan status, and proof links. Once your level rises, you can apply for the lead program that connects you with buyers. This is not overnight work, but it stacks as you ship real client sites.
What Reviewers Look For
- Live client sites with a clean build and no errors.
- Custom domains, stable hosting, working forms and carts.
- Clear service pages and pricing on your own website.
- Five strong portfolio pieces with varied use cases.
Your First 30-Day Action Plan
Make progress you can measure. Use this sprint as a template and repeat with fresh projects each month. Keep the daily tasks short and specific so you finish them between client calls.
Week 1: Platform Drills
- Rebuild a service homepage and one inner page from scratch.
- Create one dynamic collection and a matching repeater page.
- Write a small Velo interaction for a tiny UX win.
- Assemble a reusable header, footer, and style set.
Week 2: First Live Pilot
- Book a pilot client with a tight one-page scope.
- Launch in five days: hero, offer, proof, CTA, contact.
- Measure speed and conversions, then patch the rough spots.
Week 3: Portfolio Polish
- Write one project page with goal, screens, and one outcome.
- Draft your three packages with exact deliverables.
- Record a two-minute intro video and embed it above the fold.
Week 4: Pipeline And Points
- Move two pilots to paid plans and log the points.
- Finish one certification to lift your level.
- Publish a short guide for your niche and invite five leads to read it.
Quality Bar Clients Can Feel
Winning projects isn’t only about features. It’s how smooth the collaboration feels. Keep messages short, deliver on time, and show progress every two days. Share drafts as live links, not screenshots, so clients can click through the real thing. End each week with a tidy list of finished items and next steps.
Small Gains That Compound
Every launch teaches you something. Save your best sections, checklists, and snippets so the next project starts at a higher level. Over a handful of sites, you’ll shave days off delivery, raise your close rate, and build a stream of leads from happy clients.
Helpful Official Resources
If you’re new to the pro tracks or SEO setup on this platform, two pages are worth bookmarking. The Partner Program overview explains levels and benefits, and the Wix SEO guide walks through setup, Search Console connection, and indexing. Use them as reference while you work through the steps in this article.