Yes it’s possible to earn money with HTML and CSS if you are actually very good with them and you also know a little bit of design. No need for an Arts School degree. Just enough to wield a popular design tool and produce decent layouts for the web.
Barely completing an HTML CSS course and doing a few exercises is not enough to move the revenue needle. Personally I took not one, but a couple of paid HTML CSS courses and few weeks of practice before even considering to ask money in exchange for my work.
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You don’t need to learn design up to the point of delivering pixel perfect layouts from scratch. You just need enough skills to add your own vision to inspiration you find online. Basic design skills will also help you in the following scenarios:
- Customer asks for a simple logo. Happens often with small business owners. It’s not that hard to pair a free icon with a nice font and charge extra
- Customizing a free design template which you found online, that’s perfect for the freelancing project. You save a lot of working time and elevate the project design
- You need to send some basic mockups to get on the same page with the client regarding design prototype and colors. Usually they have some favorite colors
- Working with images, illustrations and icons as project assets
Getting familiar with one of the major design apps like Photoshop, Figma, Sketch or Adobe XD will greatly amplify your revenue making potential. With that being said let’s get on to the options of generating revenue with HTML, CSS and basic design.
Freelancing services
Knowing good HTML CSS and design qualifies you for offering website creation services. It’s so easy these days to deliver a fully functional static website especially with no code tools like Web3Forms which ensure complete form functionality. You don’t need to write a single line of PHP or JS to receive form data from visitors on your email.
Selling HTML templates
Certainly not as lucrative as freelancing but very easy to start and do as side project. You can create HTML templates to improve your coding and design skills and generate passive income by selling them on marketplaces. Creative Market is one of the most accessible options for beginners. Another one is Gumroad where you can create your very own templates shop.
You can read more about this on How To Sell HTML Website Templates
Better job opportunities
While it’s practically impossible to get a dev job with HTML and CSS, you can always think outside the box and check where your skills are needed. One such field is online marketing. There are plenty of technical marketing jobs that require HTML CSS and design. Of course they will also require some marketing credentials but who isn’t a social media specialist these days.
Audience building
This one monetizes indirectly and after a bit of effort but it’s a catalyst for serious money. You can share on social media CSS tips, design tips, free templates you make, freelancing challenges, resource collections and in a couple of months you could have a considerable audience. It can amplify tremendously anything you make money from: job, templates or freelancing.
Conclusion
HTML and CSS are indeed skills that can bring in money right away. You just need to balance working for immediate income with investing time to acquire more skills. They are ground zero of web development and still can provide a steady income stream.
