The world’s most used content management system is WordPress. Of all the sites on the internet, 40% of them are hosted on WordPress.
Despite WordPress’s ubiquity, real experts are few and far between.
You can use the ready-created templates provided by the platform to build your site. But do you want your website to look like another generic WordPress site?
If you want a custom-built website with sophisticated integrations that stand out, you’ll need to hire a WordPress developer. Want to know how to get started with finding the right person for the job? Keep on reading.
Why Hire a WordPress Developer?
Building a website from scratch (even with templates) is not only complicated but time-consuming. You need to spend time learning, reading, and watching videos about how to do it right.
That’s all before you start building your WordPress website.
If you hire dedicated WordPress developers, you will save a lot of time. They will also be able to help you with tasks it may take you months to learn, such as:
• Fixing bugs and errors when your site malfunctions or when things go wrong
• Building custom features and integrations for your site
• Optimize your use of the platform and all its features
• Build a seamless user experience
Do You Need to Hire WordPress developers?
Before you start looking for the right developer for your site, there are several considerations you need to keep in mind.
Such as what is the purpose of your site? For example, if you just run a small personal blog, you may not need professional developers to work on it.
Before hiring a developer, think about these questions too:
• What specifically do you want a developer to do for you?
• Do you need to build custom features?
• Do you want to build your site from scratch?
• Are you looking to integrate complex plugins?
• Do you need e-commerce integrations or booking functions?
These are the types of tasks developers will be able to help you with. So if you answered yes to these requirements, it’s time to hire a WordPress developer online.
Where to Find a WordPress Developer
This is where the fun starts! There are two ways to find a developer; you can either look to sites that list freelancers or go directly to a web design firm.
If you want a more professional service that takes customer service seriously, you may want to go with a design firm.
Suppose budget is a concern; you may want to hire a freelancer. Many sites claim to list reputable freelance developers. The truth is, candidates are rarely screened for quality before they can create a profile on these sites.
For this reason, the caliber of candidates may not always be high enough for your project.
Choosing a freelancer who doesn’t have the skills and experience you need could end up wasting your time and money.
Use a reputable site to search for your developer. The best place to hire a WordPressdeveloper is one of these sites:
• WordPress Jobs
• Codeable.io
• Toptal
You can also look on LinkedIn or ask for referrals, but this may be more time-consuming than using a platform that already lists plenty of specialists.
There are other freelance sites such as Fiverr and Upwork, but the quality of the candidates on those sites tends to be pretty low. There are over 53 million Americans who freelance; it could take some time to find someone good on one of those sites.
What to Look For When Hiring a WordPress Developer
There are three criteria you should consider when hiring a developer to work on your WordPress site. These are:
Price
Just because someone is charging a reasonable price doesn’t mean you should choose them. Usually, low prices mean lousy quality. If you choose someone who only charges $5 an hour, chances are they will be useless, and you’ll have to start over with the hiring process.
Equally, the best WordPress developer for hire isn’t necessarily the most expensive. Choose based on skills and experience rather than price.
Reviews
A developer without testimonials from previous clients shouldn’t be your first choice. You want to see that the developer has relevant experience and has completed projects of a similar scope in the past.
If they don’t have reviews, ask to see evidence of a previous project.
Portfolio
Any good WordPress developer should have evidence that they have the skills you require. Whether it’s a project they completed during their studies or work for a previous client. Don’t hire someone based on what they say they can do; ask them to see what they can do.
How to Hire a WordPress Developer
So you’ve found some people you like the look of for your project. The first step is to reach out. It’s worth reaching out to more than one candidate, so you have options.
Here are some tips to save time and get the most out of your hiring process:
1. Be Clear About the Project Scope
If someone doesn’t have a clear brief, how will they deliver their best work? You need to be clear about what you want from the project and what your expected outcomes are.
2. Check Their Ability to Communicate
In the initial stages of the hiring process, you need to make sure your potential developer can communicate effectively. Can they self-start? Do they ask intelligent questions?
All things you need to consider if you want to hire someone who will make your job easy.
3. Give a Paid Trial Task
The easiest way to see if you can work well with someone and like their results are to give them a trial task.
Offer a small paid task to more than one potential developer. Whoever completes it best gets hired.
Doing this will help you filter out the time-wasters. It’s an investment worth making to ensure you get a quality developer who is up to the job and won’t let you down later down the line.
Get Hiring
Now you know why you should hire a WordPress developer and how to do it, it’s time to get hiring.
Finding the right person for your project may not be easy, but it will be worth it, especially if you can work together in the long term to build the website of your dreams.
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