How to Become a Showit Website Designer (2025)

Thinking about a creative career where you can design beautiful websites and be your own boss? You’re not alone—but figuring out how to become a Showit website designer can feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. With so many tools, templates, and tutorials out there, it’s easy to get stuck in research mode. This guide breaks it all down step by step—so you can stop Googling and start building.

What is Showit?

Imagine designing a website like you’re arranging a mood board on Canva—drag, drop, tweak, and boom—you’ve got a totally custom site that looks like it cost five figures. That’s Showit.

Showit is a drag-and-drop website builder originally created for photographers and creatives who needed jaw-dropping visuals without needing to code. But it didn’t stop there. Over time, it’s become the go-to design tool for coaches, sr, copywriters, stylists, bloggers, and just about any service based business that wants a website that doesn’t look like everyone else’s.

But here’s the kicker: Showit integrates with WordPress, which means you get the best of both worlds. You design your site in Showit, and your blog runs on the WordPress engine behind the scenes. This setup lets you have pixel-perfect pages and powerful blogging features (hello, SEO!).

Want to see how that works? Check out How Showit Works with WordPress.

For a full deep dive, start here: What is Showit

How to become a Showit Website Designer

1. Start Here: Try Showit Free

Thinking about diving into web design but not sure where to start? Easy, just take Showit for a spin, totally free.

No credit card. No commitment. Just you, your creativity, and a playground of design possibilities.

The free Showit trial gives you 30 days to explore the platform, experiment with templates, and start building your dream website. You’ll get access to the full builder, just like a paying user, so you can really see what’s possible.

Pro Tip: Use this trial to build a sample site for your portfolio or even mock up your own design business website. That way, when you’re ready to go pro, you’re not starting from zero.

👉 Click here to start your free trial and see what the buzz is about.

2. Learn Showit with Free and Paid Courses

You can start learning Showit right away with the free tutorials available inside the platform. They walk you through the basics—like how to add pages, customize templates, and connect your domain. It’s a great way to get familiar with the builder quickly.

But if you’re planning to turn this into a real business, it’s smart to go deeper.

That’s where paid courses come in. A good Showit course won’t just teach you how to design a beautiful site, it will help you run a smooth, professional business.

Think:

• How to price your services – Use our Showit Web Design Calculator to see how much you should be charging.
• How to work with clients
• How to manage projects
• How to set up onboarding and offboarding processes

It’s the stuff that saves you hours of trial and error and helps you look like a pro from the start.

👉 Check out this list of Showit courses and tutorials to find one that fits your goals and budget.

3. Learn UI and UX Skills

Design isn’t just about looking good, it’s about helping people find what they need and keeping them engaged. That’s exactly what search engines want, too.

If your site is hard to use or confusing to read, visitors will bounce quickly. And when bounce rates are high, or people stop scrolling, Google takes notice.

That’s why every Showit designer should understand the basics of UX (user experience) and UI (user interface). Your job is to make things simple, clean, and intuitive—so people stay longer, scroll further, and actually enjoy being on the site.

Want a great resource to help with messaging?
We recommend reading Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. It’s a game-changer for learning how to simplify what a website says, so people instantly understand what a business does. You can buy it or listen for free with Spotify Premium.

“Engagement metrics are becoming increasingly important when it comes to SEO. Things like bounce rate, scroll depth, and time on site now matter more than just traffic. It’s vital to have a well-designed, easy-to-use, and fast website. It’s the website designer’s job to ensure this.”
— Caitlin, Creative SEO Coach

When your site is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and delivers a clear message, everyone wins—visitors, search engines, and your clients.

4. Join the Showit Community

One of the fastest ways to grow as a Showit designer? Surround yourself with people who are doing the same thing.

When you’re just starting out, it can feel like you’re designing in a vacuum. But once you join a community, things start to click faster. You can ask questions, get feedback on your work, find resources you didn’t even know you needed—and sometimes even land your first client.

Here are a few places to connect with other Showit designers:

• Facebook groups – Search for “Showit User Group“
• Circle communities – Showit has a circle membership just for Showit website designer to communicate. Contact Showit Support to join.

It’s not just about networking, it’s about learning in real time from people who’ve been where you are. Plus, when you’re in the right groups, you’ll hear about opportunities, client leads, and upcoming trends long before they hit Google.

5. Build Your Portfolio

If you want to start getting clients, you need something to show them. The easiest way? Start building before you’re booked.

Begin by designing a few mock websites or Showit website templates. These can be for fictional brands, passion projects, or even redesigns of real websites—just for practice. The goal is to show your skills, creativity, and design style.

Here’s a clever strategy:
Recreate a real business’s website—make it better, fresher, or more functional. Then, send it to them! They might love it enough to hire you or buy the design. If not? You’ve just created a great template to add to your shop and sharpened your skills working with real-world content.

Some ideas to include in your portfolio:

• A custom homepage
• A services or product page
• Mobile-friendly layouts
• A blog design to show WordPress integration
• Optional: a mini brand or logo for your fake project

You can also take on a few beta clients at a discounted rate. Offer them a custom site in exchange for a testimonial and permission to feature their project. It’s a great way to build trust and credibility while gaining real experience.

And don’t forget—you can sell your Showit templates for extra income once you’ve got a few ready to go. Showit template stores such as Tonic Site Shop and Davey And Krista have made millions from selling their Showit website templates.

6. Set Up Your Client Process

One of the biggest differences between a hobbyist and a professional designer? A clear, repeatable client process.

From the first inquiry to final delivery, your workflow should make clients feel confident, supported, and excited. And the best part? You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

If you’ve taken a Showit course (like the ones listed here), many of them include onboarding templates, questionnaires, and checklists to help you build out your systems.

Here’s what to think about when setting up your client process:

• Inquiry & Booking – How do clients contact you? Do you send a welcome guide or pricing PDF?
• Onboarding – Send a contract, invoice, and project timeline (use tools like Dubsado or HoneyBook)
• Content Collection – Give clients a clear way to share their images, copy, and brand info
• Design & Feedback – Set clear milestones for reviewing and approving drafts
• Offboarding – Wrap things up with a launch checklist, final files, and a testimonial request

Having a smooth system not only saves you time—it also makes your client feel like they’re in good hands. That leads to better experiences, better testimonials, and more referrals.

Pro Tip: Set up canned emails, reusable templates, and a clear timeline so you’re not reinventing the wheel for every new project.

7. Market Your Showit Design Business

You’ve got the skills, you’ve built the portfolio, now comes the part that makes everything actually work: marketing.

Sometimes we think, “My business is great. My services are solid. People will find me!”
But that’s just not how it works.

Even in the movie industry, half the budget goes to making the movie, and the other half goes to marketing it. The same goes for your design business. If you don’t put effort into getting the word out, no one will know you exist—even if you’re amazing.

Start by picking 1–2 marketing channels that you can actually stick with. Popular options for Showit designers include:

• Instagram – Share your work, behind-the-scenes, and client wins
• Pinterest – Great for long-term traffic and selling templates
• Email marketing – Start a simple list with a freebie or opt-in
• Cold emailing – Reach out to local businesses or niche industries
• SEO – Optimize your own site so you can rank for services you offer (Showit is SEO-friendly!)

Also don’t forget about directories—like the Creative Designer Directory, of course. These help people find you when they’re already searching for a designer.

👉 Need help building a plan? Read this: How to Market Your Showit Design Business

Pro Tip: Don’t just post pretty pictures—focus on how you solve problems. Show before-and-afters. Explain the strategy behind your work. That’s what turns clicks into clients.

8. Become a Showit Design Partner

Once you’ve built a few sites and feel confident in your skills, you might be ready for the next step: becoming a Showit Design Partner.

What is it?
The Showit Design Partner program is an official recognition from the Showit team. It tells potential clients that you’re legit, experienced, and recommended. You’ll also be listed in their partner directory, which can lead to a steady flow of leads.

But you can’t just sign up—you need to meet certain criteria first.

👉 Check out the full requirements and application process here

Here are a few things they look for:

• A strong portfolio of at least 3 custom-designed Showit websites
• Websites that follow best practices for UX, UI, and responsiveness
• Clear branding and navigation on your own site
• Ability to demonstrate you understand how Showit and WordPress work together
• A solid, professional online presence (website, socials, etc.)

Pro Tip: Bookmark the requirements now so you can design with those standards in mind from the beginning. That way, when you’re ready—you won’t have to go back and redo everything.

When you meet the criteria, apply with confidence. Being a Design Partner gives you visibility, credibility, and direct referrals from the Showit team. It’s a great milestone to work toward as you grow.

How Much Can You Make as a Showit Designer?

Let’s talk about the question everyone’s thinking:
Can you actually make good money as a Showit designer?
Short answer? Yes. Long answer? It depends on your pricing, experience, and how you structure your services.

New designers often start out charging $2,000–$3,500 per site. As you gain experience and build a strong portfolio, you can easily raise your rates to $4,000–$6,000+ for full custom builds—especially if you also offer branding, copywriting, or SEO.

Some designers hit $10K+ months by offering:

• Full-service packages
• Ongoing retainer work (like website maintenance)
• Selling templates for passive income
• Course creation or coaching

Want to get a more specific idea of how much you should be charging based on your skill and experience?

👉 Try the Showit Website Cost Calculator

You’ll answer a few quick questions and get a suggested price range that reflects your value.

Pro Tip: Don’t price yourself based on what others charge. Price based on your time, the transformation you offer, and the kind of business you want to build.

With the right strategy and consistent marketing, being a Showit designer can absolutely become a full-time income—or a very lucrative side hustle.

Meet Chanel of Vanilla + Oak

Raised in North Vancouver, Chanel started her career in hospitality—but quickly realized it wasn’t for her. She rediscovered her spark in design after building a travel blog and fell in love with logo, layout, and branding work. Before long, she realized clients actually paid for this kind of work.

During the pandemic in April 2020, she launched Vanilla + Oak. Within three weeks, she had her first client—and by the end of 2021, she’d left her 9–5 job to focus on design full-time. Today, she offers both custom Showit sites and templates.

Chanel hit a major milestone in May 2024 when she was accepted into the Showit Design Partner program—a dream come true she’d been working toward for years.

Her proudest moment? Customizing a template she designed herself for Mackensey Alexander Photography. It pushed her creatively and let her client’s brand shine.

Chanel encourages creativity and patience:

“Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing.”
She also urges newcomers to offer discounts or trade services, and to keep passion projects alive—even if they’re just for fun.

Meet Hannah of Meteor Street Studio

Hannah grew up in Seattle, immersed in a creative household—her mom was a photographer and her dad a graphic artist. From perfecting finger painting to color-coding crayons, she was a natural-born perfectionist who found her calling in web design, where creativity meets detail.

As a certified Showit Design Partner, Hannah has been vetted by Showit itself. She further honed her skills with training in Color Psychology under branding expert Fiona Humberstone, and even earned a spot in her 2021 book Sixty Brilliant Brand Designers

Hannah’s goal of Meteor Street Studio is to create digital spaces that feel like home for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. Hannah brought her passions to life through her work. One of her most meaningful projects was branding and designing a coffee shop, where she worked not only on the website but also contributed to interior design—making the client’s dream a reality.
She’s also proud to have done campaign work for Bohemian Rhapsody, receiving approval directly from Queen’s Brian May himself

Hannah thrives on working with passionate entrepreneurs: “Their enthusiasm is contagious!”.

When asked about advice for new designers, she highlights balance:

“Breathe… incorporate mindfulness… seek support… resist hustle culture.” Quality over quantity, authenticity, and caring for your well-being are her pillars

Meet Courtney of Coyote Brands

Courtney grew up in the smallest town in Louisiana with dreams of working for Vogue or Cosmo. But life had other plans. After earning a degree in marketing and running a successful photography business for over a decade, she found herself spending more time designing her website than taking photos. That spark led her to launch Coyote Brands—her web design studio dedicated to bold, beautiful Showit websites for creatives.

Courtney’s biggest wins aren’t trophies—they’re her clients’ success stories. Several of the websites she’s designed now rank on the first page of Google, and her clients have confidently raised their prices thanks to elevated online branding.

“Knowing I was part of that success is like being given secret awards all the time.”

While photographers are her bread and butter, Courtney loves working across industries. She’s redesigned websites for custom home builders, a cattle ranch, and even brought new life to an outdated pharmacy site. Her favorite part? Sifting through photo galleries to choose the perfect images for each design.

Her best tip for new designers. Start close to home.

“Reach out to people who already know and trust you. Give them all the bells and whistles at introductory prices—and they’ll send you clients for years.”

Courtney’s mission is to help photographers and creatives feel confident in their online presence. She’s also a proud mom of three and strongly believes in building a business that fits your life—not the other way around.

Courtney started with WordPress themes but discovered the freedom of Showit through a friend’s site. At first it felt overwhelming—but then it clicked. Now she’s all-in on Showit’s flexibility and creative potential.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to become a Showit web designer isn’t just about mastering a tool—it’s about building a business that fits your lifestyle, creativity, and goals. Whether you’re starting from scratch or pivoting from another field, Showit gives you the freedom to design websites that actually feel like the brands behind them. With the right training, smart marketing, and a polished portfolio, you can start landing clients and building a career you love. So take that first step—you don’t have to have it all figured out to begin.