On a purely observational level, a lot of people I've seen with an interest in this approach it as more of a hobby than anything else. Professional web design/site management is more than just putting a pretty face on the information. It requires a good deal of business savvy and good old elbow grease. There are really no "tricks" that will enhance a boring or irrelevant web site and an informative, helpful site doesn't need to be loaded with whistles and bells.
If you are serious at making this a career, then I'd recommend two things. First is formal education, with an emphasis on the programming of websites so you fully understand how they work. Second, get a job -- even if it's volunteering for a non-profit organization -- and work with a team to do the day-to-day maintenance (aka grunt work) on an existing site to see how it all works from a business standpoint.
If you want to PM the link to me, I'll be happy to take a look.
I tried to give my oldest daughter the same advice for things she was "interested in" I would tell her go talk to the pro's ask them if they had to do it all over again would they if not why if so why. Ofcourse I got more responce from the wall behind her. Now she is 18 and on her own just a few more months in school and really no direction. Unfortunately for us she is not the only one. Many of the kids today have no clue. I mean I don't guess we did either but it certainly seems we had more of one they they do.
To the Op
When you design a site you have to ask yourself a few questions
1. Who am I targeting? - What age group, What income level, Why that group?
2. What is more important? Giving out facts and figures of the subject matter or Giving pictures and oh and ahh to the audience? Basically do I win them with wit or win them with glit?
3. What are they viewing this on? Phone, Computer, Netbook, Notebook, ereader.
4.What is needed to get the full affect of the site. Video, Sound, Screen Resolutions. Software requirements (for Videos / Adobe Flash / others)
5. How much time do I need to set aside to update / maintain the site. How is this going to affect freetime / family time/ self time
I'm sure there are more questions you should have answers to but I have found that these were the foundation of the sites I used to do. Way before things as complicated as CSS and XML came out. We had Notepad and only one way to preview it.