The Web Designer Identity Shift Is Evolving - Fast

The web design industry has changed dramatically. DIY builders, AI site generators, template marketplaces, and “£299 website” merchants have flooded the market. For many talented designers, this has created a painful truth:

Being a “web designer” alone is no longer enough to stand out or command premium fees.

But there’s good news - very good news.

The market hasn’t devalued skilled people. Businesses are simply paying for something different:

Strategic thinking. Digital clarity. Problem-solving. Business impact.

This shift is why more designers are evolving into something far more valuable:

👉 The Digital Consultant.

Get paid for your brain, not just your builds

A Digital Consultant isn’t just someone who “builds websites.”
They connect the dots between business goals, customer experience, technology, systems, brand, marketing and growth.

At some point, every talented web designer realises the problem isn’t skill — it’s perception.
You’re doing far more than “designing websites”, yet clients still treat you like a pixel-pusher.

If you’re a web designer who feels you’re capable of more - this is your path. 

I cover the basic principles of growing your web design business in my article How to Get more Web Design Clients, which ensures your thinking is aligned with the necessary steps for personal evolution.
📍Related: How to Get Web Design Clients 2026

Why the Evolution Is Happening

There are three undeniable market shifts pushing designers upward:

✅ 1. Websites Are Only One Piece of the Digital Puzzle

Businesses no longer win online with “a nice website.” They need joined-up digital ecosystems: CRM, automation, lead funnels, content, email flows, analytics, integrations, and customer experience that’s consistent across every touchpoint.

They need someone who gets the whole picture - not just page design.

✅ 2. Businesses Don’t Want a “Supplier” - They Prefer a Strategic Partner

Designers who wait for instructions get treated like order-takers.
Consultants bring clarity, leadership and direction — and get treated like experts.

✅ 3. AI Has Increased the Value of Human Expertise

AI can generate designs, copy, wireframes and even site builds - but:

• AI can’t understand business nuance

• AI can’t challenge flawed processes

• AI can’t hold leadership accountable

• AI can’t identify which digital changes actually move the needle

Your thinking is now more valuable than your tools.

How to Become a Digital Consultant: The 3-Stage Journey: From Designer → Strategist → Consultant

There are 3 natural levels in this evolution:

Level 1: The Web Designer (Foundational Creator)

Focus: Visuals, build, delivery
Main value: Producing a website that looks good and functions

This stage is essential - it gives you the craft, the instincts, and the hands-on experience that makes you credible later.

But staying here leads to:

• being hired too late in the decision-making process

• price-comparison and “can you match this quote?”

• feeling like you’re always chasing clients

Level 2: The Web Strategist (Outcome-Oriented Thinker)

Focus: Performance, user journey, conversions, results
Main value: Improving business outcomes through website strategy

This is the bridge stage - and it’s where your pricing jumps significantly because you’re no longer “just the designer”, you’re the expert who guides direction.

This shift starts with one simple mindset change:

Stop selling websites. Start selling outcomes.

Example: A £1,800 brochure site is a design purchase.
A £6,500 “Website + Lead Flow System” is a business investment. Same work. Different framing. Different client perception.

This is also where many designers begin to attract higher-value clients.
If you haven’t read this yet, it’s the natural progression page:
📍 How to Get High-Paying Web Design Clients

Level 3: The Digital Consultant (The Trusted Advisor)

Focus: Business growth, systems, efficiency, digital transformation
Main value: Seeing the entire digital ecosystem and advising on what to build, improve, remove, automate… and why.

This is where clients genuinely listen.
You get called before decisions are made - not after.

At this level, your value is your thinking, not your productivity.

You stop being the person who builds the ship.
When offering digital consulting services, you become the person who plots the course and ensures it reaches the destination.
📍 Related: What is a Digital Consultant

Web Designer vs Digital Consultant: What Actually Changes?

Here’s the key difference:

If you want better clients, more respect, bigger budgets, and better results - you must lead. Read my article on Web Design Leads to discover principles and strategies to convert, win and keep premium clients.

The 10 Behavioural Changes That Transform a Web Designer into a Digital Consultant

These are not corporate buzzwords. These are the real capabilities that separate implementers from advisors.

1. Breadth of Digital Knowledge (Beyond Websites)

Consultants don’t need to be experts in everything — but they must understand how everything fits together:

• Websites & UX

• SEO & content

• CRM & automations

• Email marketing & funnels

• Customer journeys

• SaaS tools & integrations

• Analytics & KPIs

Clients rely on you to see the whole map, not just one square of it.
📍 Related: Email Marketing for Web Designers

2. Hands-On Ability to Execute (At Least to Prototype Level)

You don’t need to code everything or run every system - but you should be capable enough to:

• validate ideas

• prototype solutions

• assess feasibility

• speak confidently with developers or marketing teams

Whether your strengths are creative, technical or operational - they must translate into practical problem-solving.

3. Strong Communication With Every Level of a Business

You must be able to speak “CEO language” and “developer language” - and translate between them.
This includes:

• simplifying complex ideas

• facilitating decision-making

• managing expectations

• gaining buy-in from stakeholders

A Digital Consultant is the bridge, not the bottleneck.

4. Leadership & Delegation

Consultants don’t do everything - they guide the right things to get done.
That means:

• leading workshops

• coordinating teams

• delegating execution

• keeping the strategy aligned

If you still feel you must “do it all yourself,” you’re not consulting yet.

5. Independent Thinking & Solution-Finding

A consultant isn’t a “yes” person.

You’re paid to evaluate, challenge, and guide. That means sometimes saying:

“This process is flawed - digitising it won’t fix it.”

You help clients make smart decisions, not just faster ones.

6. Diplomatic Honesty (Especially With Leadership)

You must be able to tell the truth - respectfully - even to the boss.

Consultants keep relationships strong while introducing uncomfortable but necessary conversations.

This is a skill that instantly sets you apart.

7. Business & Financial Understanding

A Digital Consultant must know how businesses make money, lose money, and measure success.

“A Digital Consultant understands that profits are both made and saved.”
Lee Darius

Sometimes the win is growth.
Sometimes the win is efficiency.
Sometimes the win is stopping a costly mistake before it happens.

8. Lean Thinking: Less, Not More

Consultants don’t recommend tools for the sake of tools.
Often, the smartest solution is subtraction:

• remove steps

• combine systems

• streamline processes

• stop pointless digital “noise”

Simplicity is a strategy.

9. Knowing When It’s Time For a Custom Solution

Off-the-shelf tools are great… until they cost more in inefficiency than they save.

Consultants recognise when:

• a business has outgrown plug-and-play tools

• the “workaround culture” is draining productivity

• a custom tool or automation would unlock major ROI

This is where your database/pipeline/system thinking becomes your superpower.

10. Protecting the Core Digital Foundations

Many companies lose sight of the basics:

• Clear website that communicates the value

• Simple conversion paths

• Useful onboarding and help support

• Consistent messaging across every touchpoint

A consultant keeps the business digitally disciplined - especially when shiny new tools become distractions.

If you align with a majority of these fundamentals, you can read my article on being a Digital Transformation Consultant.
📍Related:  Digital Transformation Consultant

The Mindset Shift: From Producer to Advisor

The biggest upgrade isn’t skills - it’s identity.

Designers think: “What do you want me to build?”
Consultants think: “What problem are we solving - and is this the best solution?”

Designers accept client instructions.
Consultants interrogate assumptions (respectfully).

And here’s where many designers fail: they follow bad client directions because “that’s what they asked for”.

A digital business consultant thinks independently.

Sometimes your job is to save the client from their own idea - without damaging the relationship.

This requires:

• diplomatic honesty

• clarity of thought

• business awareness

• confidence to challenge respectfully

If something is inefficient, wasteful, or a legacy habit - you must speak up.

A digital consultant doesn’t just digitise broken processes - they fix them.

Your advice should not simply speed up bad practice.
It should improve it.

Why This Evolution Attracts Better Clients (and Revenue)

High-value clients don’t want a “website provider”.
They want a thinking partner who:

• sees the bigger picture

• connects dots they can't see

• protects them from digital mistakes

• identifies growth opportunities

• simplifies complexity and cuts waste

When you think like this, your fees stop being questioned - because you are no longer compared to “other designers”.

Your value becomes unique. And yes - your revenue changes dramatically. Getting high paying web design clients is a natural benefit of this personal evolution.
📍 Related: How to Get High-Paying Web Design Clients

The Evolution Path: A Clear Roadmap

Here’s the natural progression many designers follow when levelling up:

1. Skilled Web Designer

2. Website + Digital Experience Advisor

3. Digital Strategist (Project + Marketing Thinking)

4. Digital Consultant (Business Wide)

5. Digital Transformation Consultant (Full strategic partner)

You may already be operating at stage 3 or 4 without realising it - and charging like stage 2.

How to Position Yourself as a Digital Consultant (Without Pretending or Faking Authority)

Positioning isn’t about calling yourself a consultant.
It’s about behaving like one:

• Ask business questions, not design questions

• Diagnose before recommending

• Present options with pros, cons, cost, impact

• Lead with clarity, not complexity

You don’t need to have every answer. In fact, it’s extremely important to never be caught out bluffing as a consultant. 

Pro Tip: Sometimes your best answer is “I’m not sure, but I will find out and present data so we can all better understand.”

Find out how a simple website assessment report can help web designers elevate their status and enable better client relations, by reading my related article on: Elevating Web Designers into Strategic Digital Advisors

Quick Answers: The First Real Steps to Level Up

Quick Answer: What’s the easiest first step toward becoming a digital consultant?
A: Stop selling websites and start offering website audits/insights - then expand your advisory.

Quick Answer: Do I need more skills first?
A: No. Start advising on what you already know. Grow from there.

Quick Answer: Should I focus on a niche?
A: It helps. But you can start broad - then niche as clarity emerges.

Key Skills of a Digital Consultant (The Real Ones)

Here are the capabilities that separate digital consultants from “fancy designers with a new title” — including yours:

✅ 1. Broad Digital Knowledge

Not expert-level in everything - but competent across:

• Web, UX, CRO

• Branding & messaging

• Content strategy

• Email & CRM

• AI, automation & integrations

• Analytics & business systems

🧠 2. Strategic Thinking

You see the big picture. You ask why first.
You design for outcomes - not deliverables.

🤝 3. Communication & People Skills

You speak business to CEOs, simple clarity to users, and practical language to dev teams.

🪄 4. Creative + Analytical Blend

You must think in both ideas and logic.
This balance is rare and valuable.

📊 5. Business & Financial Sense

Profits are made and saved.
You must understand ROI, efficiency, and commercial logic.

🧩 6. Systems & Integration Awareness

Knowing how platforms and workflows connect - and how to simplify them.

Sometimes the smartest solution is removing tools, not adding them.

🧑‍🏫 7. Leadership Without Authority

You guide direction - even when you’re not “the boss”.
This requires diplomacy, ego control, and clarity.

How This Elevation Changes Your Client Base (For the Better)

The moment you shift to consulting, three things happen:

✅ You attract clients who value your thinking, not your tools
✅ You reduce “design-by-committee” and clients dictating the build
✅ Your engagements become longer, deeper, and more profitable

You go from “website supplier” to “trusted partner.”

A Useful App that Fits Perfectly Into This Shift

Early-stage consultants need value-first ways to start conversations - without selling.

Leadzea supports that evolution because it:

• positions you as a helpful expert

• opens doors with insight

• gives you a strategic starting point for diagnosis

• lets your thinking shine through

As a consultant, the report isn’t the value.
Your interpretation and guidance is.

📍 Related: Find out more about Leadzea and try it for free.

Where AI Fits in This Evolution

AI is not the threat - it’s the accelerator.

Use AI to:

• research faster

• generate initial thinking structures

• assist with ideation

• test messaging

• support data analysis

Clients want to know which AI tools to adopt and which to avoid.
You don’t need to be a technical specialist - just a smart navigator.

For a list of tools that support consultant-level work:
📍 AI Tools That Help Designers Win More Clients (2026 Edition)

Digital Consulting for Web Designers - Where to Start?

If You Want to Start the Shift This Week - Do This:

1. Change your discovery call questions to business-first, not website-first

2. Create a “Website Performance & Opportunity Audit” as your first consulting offer

3. Rewrite your LinkedIn (About Me etc) headlines to reflect greater strategic value

4. Reach out to past clients with 1 insight + suggestion (Leadzea works brilliantly here)

FAQ: Transitioning from Web Designer to Digital Consultant

1. How do I transition from a web designer to a digital consultant?
Start by shifting from execution to strategy. Offer audits, insights, and outcome-focused website guidance instead of just design deliverables. Gradually expand into advising on digital improvements such as user experience, branding, automation, email strategy, and business systems. As you gain confidence and client trust, reposition your services and title.

2. Do I need new qualifications to become a digital consultant?
No formal qualification is required. Most digital consultants evolve through experience, strategic thinking, and continuous learning across web, marketing, automation, and business systems. What matters most is your ability to analyse digital problems and guide clients to better results.

3. What does a digital consultant do for clients?
A digital consultant helps businesses improve their digital presence, systems, processes, and performance. This includes advising on website strategy, customer journeys, branding, automation, integrations, email marketing, and tools that increase efficiency and revenue. The focus is on business outcomes — not just creating assets.

4. How is a digital consultant different from a web designer?
A web designer focuses on designing and building websites. A digital consultant takes a broader approach, advising on how digital platforms, content, systems, and user journeys connect to drive growth. Designers execute work; consultants shape strategy, direction, and business decisions.

5. Do I need to choose a niche to become a digital consultant?
It isn’t essential, but specialising in a niche can accelerate your authority and client demand. Niching allows you to develop deeper insight into one industry’s challenges, language, and buyer psychology — making your advice more valuable and easier to sell at premium rates.

6. Can I offer digital consulting and still design websites?
Yes — many professionals run a hybrid model. Consulting elevates your role, improves project quality, and increases fees, while web design remains a deliverable when needed. Over time, most consultants reduce execution work and focus on higher-value advisory as demand grows.

7. How do I price digital consulting services?
Consulting is typically priced based on value, not hours. Common models include monthly retainers, project-based consulting packages, strategy workshops, or ongoing advisory subscriptions. As a benchmark, consulting fees are often 2–5× higher than design-only services due to the business impact involved.

Final Thoughts

If you feel like you’ve outgrown “web design” - you probably have.

The industry needs more Independent Digital Consultants who can guide, not just build.

You don’t need permission.
You don’t need a certificate.
You simply need to start thinking - and behaving - at a higher level.

The more strategic you become, the more valuable you are.

Lee Darius
Senior Digital Consultant

If you'd like my assessment on your current website - complete the form below.