What Is a Webmaster and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

As the website’s administrator, the webmaster is in charge of virtually all aspects of how their site functions. Their primary duties include maintaining a website’s content and ensuring that the design displays properly across all platforms. They also troubleshoot problems and ensure that the server is adequately handling web traffic. Webmasters may also code new functions for the site and migrate files between their internal server and an online production server. Most webmasters handle the management duties for more than one online property at a time.

Most webmasters ahv an associate or bachelor’s degree in addition to several certificate courses that help them further develop their skills. Acquire an entry-level web development position to gain hands-on experience. Webmasters touch on so many areas of web development, computer programming, and coding, so it can take several years of working in other positions before you earn the rank of webmaster.

A webmaster is the administrator of a website. In this job, you handle the day-to-day operations of the site and make sure that it is functioning correctly. Webmasters usually possess some level of higher education, such as an associate degree in applied sciences. They often take additional classes or certifications to stay on the cutting edge of the online world. Some webmasters have advanced credentials, such as a bachelor’s degree or higher.

A good webmaster must remain on the cutting edge of the industry so they can implement any changes resulting from new technology or programs. Since there’s so much change in the industry, it’s essential that a webmaster continuously upgrades their qualifications, or they risk falling behind in the industry. Listen to any issues your client may have about the appearance or performance of the website. A good webmaster will also need to be an expert in time management since many webmasters work remotely.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly-skilled, experienced webmaster to join our growing in-house technology team. In this role, you will be responsible for managing our company's web presence, ensuring that our site is user-friendly and up to date at all times. You will also work with our technology team to expand our presence through the design and implementation of new web-based applications that will positively impact our customers' experience. You should be highly knowledgeable in server management and online security, content management, and have solid coding skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Meet with management regularly to discuss current and future functionality
• Monitor security and perform all necessary updates
• Monitor and report all web traffic
• Make all necessary updates to the company site, minimizing downtime
• Update content to reflect current SEO trends
• Repair any broken links and fix any reported bugs
• Maintain virtual and cloud-based servers, optimizing speeds
• Contribute to discussions on ways to improve functionality and usability
• Collaborate with business and technology teams to meet needs and improve efficiency
• Reply to user comments and queries in a timely fashion
• Manage backup servers and failover
• Gather and analyze requirements

Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field; master's degree is a plus
• Evidence of continuing education, such as certifications, is a plus
• 5+ years’ experience in the technology field
• Leadership and/or management experience is a plus
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Able to manage multiple websites
• Strong working knowledge of all relevant coding languages (PHP, Javascript, HTML)
• Capable of utilizing web content management systems, e.g. WordPress, Sitefinity
• Excellent communicator, especially regarding abstract concepts