How to Become a WordPress Developer

WordPress is the most popular free and open-source content management system online. Because it’s an open source content management system, people with intermediate internet skills can learn how to build WordPress websites. In doing so, they have taken their first steps toward becoming WordPress developers.

WordPress developers are creatives and entrepreneurs. They work with their clients to achieve outcomes and solve problems and they are determined and resourceful.

Learning WordPress development and mastering it embodies everything I wanted out of my next career. If you share my vision and entrepreneurial spirit, a career as a WordPress developer may be for you.

Office: (844) 972-6224 Meet Our Team

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What Does a WordPress Developer Do?

A WordPress developer is typically responsible for the back-end or front-end (or both) development of WordPress sites. That often includes working with various WordPress themes and plugins. WordPress developers may be hired to rebuild a website, migrate a website from its existing platform to the WordPress platform, or redesign a website.

WordPress developers are not only skilled in the technical aspects of web design but also have an eye for aesthetics.

From element placement and color selection to search engine optimization (SEO), these professionals can help create a website that is both highly functional and visually appealing.

Become a WordPress Developer: Getting Started

Recent statistics show that roughly 35% of the internet is powered by WordPress. Given its popularity, the opportunities for WordPress developers are nearly infinite. Whether you want to create useful plugins, weave gorgeous themes, or improve the core mechanics of WordPress, you can break into the field with a little time and effort.

Of course, simply Googling “how to become a WordPress developer” will present a dizzying array of paths from which to choose. To simplify your journey towards becoming a WordPress developer, you’ll want to approach it methodically and utilize available resources for WordPress developers. This involves narrowing your focus, identifying your skills, finding a niche, and learning as much as you can about the platform beforehand. Fortunately, there’s a large community out there willing and ready to support you on your quest.

Become a Member of the WordPress Developer Community

While learning how to become a WordPress developer, it’s easy to fall into the habit of working on your projects in isolation. However, in  order to advance in your chosen area of development, it’s critical to connect with the wider WordPress community.

This gives you a forum to both hone and supplement your skills, provides access to additional development support, and gives you the opportunity to anticipate WordPress trends. Most importantly, you will increase your chances of making lucrative connections by becoming a member of a larger WordPress community.

Whether you are setting off on your own or collaborating on an existing project, it’s wise to get into the habit of visiting WordPress forums regularly. I have made it a priority of mine and dedicate time weekly to stay engaged with the WordPress community. By posting my ideas, as well as responding to inquiries, I have been able to further establish my credibility as a competent WordPress developer.

You can also consider starting a fledgling WordPress development blog. A blog presents a perfect way to connect with the WordPress community at large and share your journey with others. By creating SEO-rich articles, and linking out to other prominent WordPress blogs, you can also generate credibility and get your name out there.

Becoming a WordPress Developer:  We Can Help

Does the thought of becoming a WordPress Developer seem unattainable? Let us show you how we can make the journey to become one achievable. WordPress training equips you with the knowledge and skills required to develop and manage your WordPress website with confidence.

With training, you will be taking your first steps toward this goal.  We’re a team of WordPress experts ready to help you get started with your mastery of this sometimes complicated platform.

Watch the video above for details or read on to learn more about our online and in-person WordPress training classes.

The Benefits of Becoming a WordPress Developer

Since WordPress developers are in increasingly high demand, there are a number of reasons this career path is particularly appealing to entrepreneurs.

• It can be quite lucrative if you become an adept developer and decide upon the right niche.
• You can be a WordPress developer as a freelancer. This means it’s possible to be your own boss, work from home or anywhere in the world, and set your own schedule.
• WordPress has a broad community of users who are eager to help, meaning it’s easy to gain access to the support you need.
• The skills you acquire (especially in regard to the main languages of WordPress) will be readily applicable to a huge variety of industries and niches.
• If you have a creative streak and a willingness to immerse yourself in the mechanics of the world’s most popular Content Management System (CMS), learning how to become a WordPress developer will be worth your while.
• It’s also worth considering if you’re looking for a job that’s ‘future-proof’.

WordPress Best Practices for Developers

I became a WordPress developer in 2012. Since then, I have been helping people and companies with their WordPress websites.  Along the way, I have made a few mistakes and learned some valuable lessons. Here is my list of WordPress best practices for becoming a developer.

1. Tell the truth

It’s important to be honest with your clients. If you don’t know how to do something, then say so. It’s really okay to not know everything. Honesty pays off in many ways. Customer loyalty is one of them.

2. Be transparent

If you are outsourcing some or all of your project, then talk about it in your proposal.

3. Outsource some of your work

The truth is that no one person, or even two people, possesses all the skills that an average client needs to make their project a success. Your client will get a better finished product when you outsource the things you’re not good at.

I outsource graphic design, branding, and advertising. I even outsource some things I am good at like copywriting because I can’t deliver copywriting quickly when I’m the only one doing the writing.

4. Encourage your clients to own their digital assets

Make sure that essential elements such as the domain name, hosting account, and social profiles are owned by your client, not you. Don’t ever be in the position of declining your client access to their own website files because you put them on your own server.

5. Complete projects

Be prepared to provide a full refund if you can’t complete a project. You can also pay out of your own pocket to make sure somebody gets the work done. I’ve done both.

6. Part ways with dignity

Make it easy to break up with you. Why would you want to hold a client and their digital property hostage? My parting words are always, “Thank you for trusting us with your business” and “We will be here if you need us in the future.”

7. Get paid faster

Who said 50% deposit and 50% upon completion was a good idea? Instead, get a one-third deposit, one-third at 30 days, and the remaining one-third upon project completion. This approach ensures you are paid for two-thirds of your work fairly quickly and prevents client foot-dragging near the end of the project.

8. Be responsive to your client’s needs

Don’t force your big expensive ideas down your client’s throat. Your client may end up with reservations. They will be on high alert for all the reasons why this was a bad idea and you will be thrown under the bus.

9. Assist your clients in making informed decisions

Sometimes clients have bad ideas. Help them understand why it’s a bad idea to put a slider with 18 animated slides at the top of their homepage. They will make an informed decision; they might do it anyway, but their choice won’t be a reflection of your work.

10. Pick up after yourself

Delete the slew of unused/unneeded plugins and themes on the website.

11. Sweat the small stuff

Take the extra time to do the work correctly. Resize large images before uploading them to the website. Avoid uploading images of 1MB or larger. Details matter.

12. Have someone else test your work before delivering your finished product

You’ve been staring at the website for so many hours that you can’t see it anymore! Have someone you trust go through it while you watch and make sure they click on every link.

13. Speak in ways you can be understood

Take a minute to remember what it was like to learn website development. You didn’t know all of the terminology. Slow down and simplify your language for the sake of your client. It will pay off in overall better understanding on both sides.

14. Pick up the phone

Email is not always appropriate, especially if your client is upset or confused. Even when a client tries to have an important conversation with me via email, I will direct them to schedule a phone call with me.

15. Use instant video to explain and teach

Instant video tools such as Loom are powerful time-savers and effective in helping clients understand you. I use instant videos throughout my workday to efficiently respond to questions from my staff and clients. Answers which used to require lengthy written descriptions and annotated screenshot attachments are now a snap with instant video.

16. Be responsible for your mistakes

If you messed up something, fix it on your own time. Don’t charge your clients for your mistakes.

17. Research and troubleshooting is a service

Research and troubleshooting of problems is a normal part of our work and it’s not free. Help your client understand this aspect of our work as a service.

18. Build in a time-limited support period after the project launch

Prevent the project from never ending. Make it clear how much time is available and what the cost of additional support will be.

19. Have a single point of contact at your client’s business

Invited to the team meeting to brainstorm about the website? I will show up for this meeting just once. While I’m there, I explain why it’s important for them to have these meetings without me. A single point of contact with decision-making authority is more efficient and less expensive.

20. Leave your company name off of the website footer.

Your client’s website is not your billboard–even if they do love you.

Office: (844) 972-6224 Meet Our Team

Complementary Skills for a WordPress Developer

Having a versatile skillset only makes you more marketable. As such, there are certain technical skills outside of the typical WordPress development skills that will come in handy for you as a developer. Here are a few of the more relevant skills that complement a WordPress developer.

• SEO expertise
• Proficient at web and graphic design
• Digital marketing: email marketing, social media marketing, content marketing
• Copywriter (requires a deep understanding of both SEO and content marketing)

Learning SEO as a profession is ideal for those who are good at both writing and problem-solving. Mastering SEO is less labor-intensive than becoming an expert WordPress developer. That said, those skills combined are impressive, enhance one’s marketability, and are highly desired.

Having design competency gives you an inherent advantage in creating the home page of a website or a post on a social media platform. You don’t have to be a professional graphic designer to be skilled enough to market your own or your client’s brand.

Being a gifted writer does make a world of difference for both marketing and SEO. Content creation is a critical component often dictating the success of one’s marketing endeavors. Don’t be afraid to outsource this or any of these functions. You need not be a master of every skill as long as you are able to identify your own strengths and weaknesses.

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The Intangibles that Set You Apart from Your WordPress Developer Competition

Many consumers have faced disappointments when relying on WordPress developers.

With horror stories shared by clients and my negative personal experiences, it’s no surprise that starting a business built around the platform was intimidating. When I started my business, I wanted to be certain not to follow in the footsteps of those WordPress developers who earned such terrible reputations.

I asked myself the same questions you should be asking yourself as a WordPress developer in training: how can you be friendly, responsive, and strategic in your approach? What sets you apart – do you have clear pricing structures or lightning-fast turnaround times that give you a competitive edge?

Ideally, you’d like to be able to answer all these questions affirmatively. Whether or not that is realistic, the point is to spend some time understanding exactly why a client should be happy they hired you, as opposed to hiring someone else at the exact same price for the exact same thing. What are the intangibles about the way you do business as a WordPress freelancer that makes working with you the right choice for your potential clients?

I have had a simple formula that has allowed me to separate myself from my competition. First and foremost, I am honest with my clients. If a client asks a question that I can’t answer, I let them know I will need time to research the issue and get back to them.

Finally, if my clients want to become WordPress experts, I want to provide the training and other tools that will allow them to develop the skills so that they no longer require my services (assuming that is their ultimate goal).

Take time to transform your WordPress developer skills and become an expert in no time! Our WordPress training services provide a hassle-free way to start.