What Makes A Good WebMaster

Many companies want to hire a web master, and many companies are highly disappointed when they do. 

Many people what to become web masters, thinking that the career is a perfect fit for their chosen lifestyle, yet they often find themselves disappointed by what it’s all really about.  

The question that has been on my mind recently is what exactly makes for a good web master?  Having attended a bunch of conferences and having met with many of my peers, I think that there’s good cause to say that there are a number of nearly indisputable traits and conditions which make for a good web master. 

The first thing that any good web master needs to do is stay involved with their profession, and to continue learning.  Just like in any field with technology, standards and practices change continuously, and it is of the utmost importance that web masters learn how to program in new languages and update their web sites with regularity, staying on top of the latest technological advances. 

There is also a psychological aspect to the job of web mastering that many people forget about.  You need to get inside the head of your visitor and find out what it is that they want out of your web site.  Many times, sites are designed for the designer more than for the viewer, and this is the worst arrangement for everyone involved.  If you know that your clientèle is going to be more sophisticated and want a professional business layout, then give them that.  If they want a more fun and zany approach with lots of graphics, colors and pictures, then do that. 

The third trait that all good web masters have is patience.  You need to work in combination with other people who do not always understand the nuances of the internet, and you can sometimes find yourself helping out with “kid stuff”, like showing people how to log into their new email account.  You also have to deal with the fact that your creative vision may not be what the company is looking for, and you have to be willing to accept that and change your work. 

Notice that things like artistry and programming skill are not on this list.  I think that the world of web mastering and web design is becoming more and more reliant on do-it-all design programs like Dreamweaver and Photoshop, which means that much of the artistry has been taken out of the job. 

Certainly, you must inject your own personality, and you must know the software well, but web design is not exactly a traditional programming job where you rarely interact with people.  You must have strong people skills and be able to interpret and deliver what they want and need in order to be successful.