There are billions of websites on the internet today and counting, and some have been here since the 90’s. Each of these websites requires regular maintenance to function optimally.
The webmaster ensures that a website is regularly maintained and runs smoothly day in and day out. To do this effectively, the webmaster needs special knowledge and skills.
In this article, you will learn more about what a webmaster is, what webmasters do, a webmaster’s job description, qualifications to become a webmaster, and career opportunities for webmasters.
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What is a webmaster and what does he do?
A webmaster is a person responsible for managing a website and ensuring that it runs smoothly. Several factors can affect a website and cause it to malfunction or be interrupted. It is also the webmaster’s job to prevent this from happening.
A webmaster’s job depends on the size and type of website. Broadly speaking, a webmaster oversees the front-end and back-end of a website.
In general, here is a glimpse into a typical day in the life of an average webmaster. Understanding this will help you decide whether or not a webmaster career is right for you.
A typical day in the life of a webmaster
As a webmaster, your day usually starts with the basics and verifying that the front-end is working properly. You can also search your email to see if there are any tickets that need your attention.
Next comes the backend. You need to log into the back end of the website to see what’s happening there. Are there plugins and themes that need updating? Need to update your CMS to the latest version?
Is there a comment on one of the blog posts that you need to review and approve or reject? Is your SSL certificate up to date or does your domain name registration need to be renewed?
Your typical day as a webmaster may also include writing reports and presenting at management meetings to discuss recent downtime, site user complaints and how to proceed.
Job description for a webmaster
As a webmaster, you are generally expected to take care of domain registration and management (.com or other TLD registration, WHOIS information, web hosting and renewals, SSL subscription).
As part of the role you can also handle CMS installation and management, themes, backups, website maintenance/performance (speed and mobile responsiveness testing, troubleshooting, security, UX/UI/website (re)design, AB/testing, technical SEO), server administration, browser/operating system/device testing, site tracking and reporting, etc.).
Compliance is another important part of a webmaster’s job. For example, if you manage an e-commerce site or a site that accepts credit cards, you may be responsible for initiating, tracking, or enforcing PCI compliance under the PCI Security Council’s standards for online retailers.
Additionally, you need to troubleshoot any issues that may arise with the website, both on the front-end and the back-end. Essentially, you can double as an IT guy.
There really is no upper limit to what you can do as a webmaster. You have the option to do all of this for a specific business from 9am to 5pm, or start an agency where you hire other webmasters to make your job easier.
Typical job requirements for a webmaster position
Although a webmaster’s job primarily revolves around managing and maintaining websites, this role, like many others, evolves quickly and requires a lot more work, especially in a 9-to-5 job.
We did a little research and looked at some recent webmaster job descriptions. Here are some of our insights into the requirements to become a webmaster:
- You may need a bachelor’s degree in an ICT-related field with relevant work experience and industry-recognized certifications, such as from the World Organization of Webmasters (WOW).
- Knowledge of CMS, e.g. B. WordPress or Drupal, and familiarity with CSS, HTML, JavaScript, PHP, REST API and UI/UX design basics is an advantage.
- In your job as a webmaster, you may need to participate in web design or development projects. Then you should be familiar with tools like Asana, Trello, Slack, JIRA.
- The ability to use Photoshop, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Data Studio, and other data/database management tools can also come in handy.
- You need certain important soft skills to do your job effectively as a webmaster, such as: B. Strong writing and communication skills, project management, technical knowledge and time management.
Webmaster Career Opportunities and Expected Average Salary
As more companies go online and experiment with remote work, we will likely continue to see an increase in available webmaster jobs. Job titles may change, but at their core they will still be about website maintenance.
There is also room for upward mobility as webmasters can often move into managerial and other supporting roles thanks to their broad job description and experience.
So what can you expect as a webmaster in salary? This depends on a number of factors such as B. Your qualifications, certifications, skills, experience and of course the attitude of the company.
According to Indeed, webmasters in the US can expect an average annual base salary of $55,154. Other benefits webmasters can expect include paid time off, stock options, referral programs, AD&D insurance, remote work, and commuter assistance, among others.
Master what it takes to be a webmaster
If you want to become a webmaster, here’s everything you need to know about becoming a webmaster. As more businesses go online and remotely, the opportunities for webmasters increase.
A quick search on popular job search sites brings up page after page of webmaster job listings. Spend some time studying them to get an idea of what it takes to become a webmaster.
However, like any other professional career, you need to work hard, work smart, educate yourself, and improve your game in order to stand out from the crowd and be successful as a webmaster.
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