Anyone who has been around websites for some time will remember that “webmasters” once did it all. Webmasters were the ones who created, managed and hosted websites, acting as a one-stop shop for all things related to the internet. It is why our organization was created as the World Organization of Webmasters, and retains that formal business name to this day.
Over the years, as people moved away from the term webmaster to more specific job roles such as web designers and web developers, we adopted the Web Professionals Organization name. However, we have never forgotten our roots and have always maintained a webmaster certification pathway.
Today we have certifications including web design, web animation, e-commerce, WordPress, web and mobile apps, web technologies, web game design, remote working and many more. While these certifications grew rapidly and still remain popular, we are now seeing a resurgence in people interested in becoming certified webmasters. In fact, recent recipients of the Web Professionals Organization Webmaster certification include a student in Brazil.
Why become a webmaster?
Admittedly, most websites today are more of a team event than websites in the 1990s and 2000s. However, the growth in the interest in webmastering is due to the fact that websites are so much more complex than back then. It’s important that someone understand how all aspects of a website fit together to keep it optimized. The webmaster is like the captain of a ship, understanding the interconnectedness of all the crew and their responsibilities. Because of this, the role has been growing again in recent years.
The role of a webmaster
Webmasters have a broad understanding of all the technologies that come together to make a website work. They also understand how to identify where improvements can be made and how to take advantage of new web trends to improve the effectiveness of websites. They are concerned with all aspects of the company’s web presence. Like a great captain, they watch everything and are constantly looking for ways to improve. Webmasters cannot tell their boss, “That isn’t my department,” because pretty much everything is their department.
They monitor website performance for design, speed, accuracy, and functionality. They oversee marketing efforts, outreach campaigns, and content creation, and even handle information technology work including server administration. And they constantly maintain, update and improve their websites.
Webmasters have a wide range of skills including graphic design, SEO, HTML, WordPress, content writing, marketing and much more. Some webmasters have multiple clients and manage multiple websites at once, while others work for a single company or organization. Having both left-brain (technical) and right-brain (artistic) strengths is extremely beneficial for webmasters to execute their jobs well.
Interested in pursuing a career as a webmaster?
This career pathway demands professionals who are technically savvy yet can think on their feet about adapting to and meeting customer and client needs. They are essentially a blend of a tech nerd and a skilled marketer. If you like the idea of knowing that your choices have a real everyday impact on a company’s future, you might want to explore becoming a webmaster. Reach out to us today to learn more about the certifications the Web Professionals Organization offers and how we can help you achieve your professional goals. It’s never too late to continue to develop your skills or even make a career change into one of the many exciting and growing web careers.
