If you have a WordPress project you can’t undertake on your own, you may need to hire a developer to handle it for you. Of course, entrusting your website to someone else can be a difficult decision, especially if it’s the first time you’ve had to hire outside help.
However, if you know what you need (and you have the budget for it), hiring a developer can be a straightforward process. WordPress is the most popular Content Management System (CMS) on the web, so there’s no shortage of professionals who can help you implement the changes or features you want.
In this article, we’ll talk about when it makes sense to hire a WordPress developer, and what to look for when doing so. We’ll also help you decide between hiring a freelancer or opting for an agency. Let’s get to it!
Do you need to hire a WordPress developer?
One of the main advantages of using WordPress is that you don’t need to hire a developer to create a basic website, even if you have zero web development experience. WordPress makes it possible to design sites and add specific features to them without having to use code.
A lot of this is possible thanks to WordPress plugins, which enable you to add functionality to your site, and WordPress themes, which determine the look and feel of your pages. Combine these with a visual builder called the Block Editor and you get a system that can be very beginner-friendly:
The real challenge when using WordPress lies in implementing advanced or custom functionality. The same applies if you want to design a custom theme from scratch. In both cases, you’ll need to use code and possibly get help from an expert in either web development or design.
Since WordPress is so popular, it’s relatively easy to find experienced developers. However, you’ll still need to be careful about who you hire as not all freelancers will offer the same level of service.
5 things to consider when hiring a WordPress developer
If you think your business can benefit from hiring a developer instead of doing the work in-house, there are several factors you need to keep in mind. In this section, we’ll talk about what you need to consider when hiring a developer.
1. Area of Expertise and Project Goals
It’s always a smart move to set clear project goals before you look for a developer. This will help you filter your search.
A lot of WordPress developers list their skills and areas of expertise. These may include theme and plugin development, ecommerce functionality, site security, and more.
The developer’s skills should align with your goals. For example, if you aim to create a seamless shopping experience on your site, you’ll want an expert in ecommerce.
When it comes to defining project goals, be as specific as possible. Consider what kind of features you need, and try to find websites that have similar functionality or design to what you have in mind.
This will save you a lot of time when vetting developers as you’ll know which skills to look for.
2. Budget
Experienced web developers may charge higher fees than others. Therefore, if you want to hire top WordPress developers or add custom features to your website, you’ll need a big budget.
It’s important to understand that creating a full-blown website or implementing advanced functionality will likely not cost you hundreds of dollars, but thousands. To illustrate that, let’s take a look at this pricing guide from Codeable, a competitive WordPress development freelance platform:
Those prices are for “low complexity” projects, which means tasks that are relatively easy to implement. Once we start moving into more complex territory or projects with shorter deadlines, those prices rise sharply:
Note that if you look around, you can easily find freelance platforms where WordPress development work is much cheaper. In fact, you can hire people to create entire websites for as little as $100:
At those price points, you’re likely not dealing with experienced professionals. You can save a lot of money in development costs by opting for affordable freelancers. However, the quality of work may be lower.
Your mileage might vary and it’s possible to find amazing WordPress talent at a low cost. If that happens, then you’ve hit the jackpot.
3. Project Timeframe
Talented WordPress freelancers tend to be in high demand. That means if you need a project to be completed within the next few days, you might not be able to hire the best possible talent for it. At the very least, you can expect to pay a premium for a quick turnaround.
Ideally, you’ll start looking for a developer well before the project deadline. Custom WordPress development work can take a while to complete, especially if the project has a large scope. This is something to consider while defining what you need.
If you find a WordPress freelancer that fits all the other criteria, take the time to discuss project time frames with them. They might be able to accommodate quick turnarounds, and if not, you should be able to get an estimate on completion time.
Note that any timeframes you discuss are not set in stone unless there’s a contract in place. This is always a good idea when you hire a freelancer since the contract should specify a deadline and project milestones. This way, if the freelancer doesn’t perform the required tasks in the timeframe you discussed, you might not be liable for full payment.
4. Portfolio and reviews
It’s safe to assume that most freelancers will only tell you about their strengths. They’re not going to tell you if they failed to deliver a key project in time or if their work typically requires multiple revisions, but that’s what reviews are for.
If you’re looking for a WordPress freelancer on an intermediary platform, you’ll want to look at the reviews by other clients. This will help you decide if a professional is worth considering or if you should move on.
For freelancers who have their own sites, you might need to scour the web for honest reviews. If there’s any information about them online, a quick Google search should help you find it.
If possible, you’ll also want to look at their past work to see if it matches what you need, particularly if you’re looking for someone with design expertise.
5. Future support and maintenance
It’s important to understand that a lot of development work is not necessarily a one-off deal. In some cases, you’ll need developers who can provide ongoing support or maintenance work, depending on the project you hire them to do.
If, for example, you hire someone to develop a custom WordPress theme or plugin, it will likely require updates at some point. Otherwise, you might end up with a plugin that stops working after a big WordPress update.
Failure to update and maintain your website can also lead to security issues. Outdated plugins or other site components can create vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to access your website.
Overall, you’ll have a much better experience if you focus on professionals who provide post-delivery services. You will likely have to pay extra for future support or maintenance, so this is something that you’ll need to outline in a contract to avoid issues down the line.
Hiring a freelancer vs hiring a WordPress agency
Now, you may be wondering whether you should look for a freelancer or hire an agency. With an agency, you get access to a team of professionals who can collaborate on your project.
As you might expect, hiring an agency is typically more expensive than opting for a freelancer. On the other hand, working with a team means that project turnarounds can be shorter (but not rushed), you can have developers and designers working side by side, and the agency handles all of the planning and coordination for the project.
With freelancers, you can expect to spend less money on similar projects, but you might have to hire multiple professionals if your project has a large scope. That means coordinating between them and managing their work, and that’s after spending time vetting them.
Overall, agencies can be a better fit if you can swing a larger budget for WordPress projects and don’t want to vet freelancers individually. Freelancers can be a better option for projects with smaller scopes since you’ll likely save money over hiring an agency for simple tasks.
If you’re in the market for a WordPress development and design agency, consider using Freshy. We can build the website you need, with the features it requires:
At Freshy, we also offer WordPress maintenance and support services, so we can help you keep your website running in top shape.
Conclusion
If you run a WordPress website, you might need to hire a developer to help you out. You can find developers for almost any type of project, including page design, custom functionality, and more. The real challenge lies in finding the right person for your needs and budget.
If you’re in the market for a WordPress developer (or an agency), here are the factors you need to consider:
- Area of expertise and project goals
- Budget
- Project timeframe
- Portfolio and reviews
- Future support and maintenance
If you’re ready to start working with an agency, Freshy can help you with your next WordPress project. Contact us to get a quote and we’ll get your project underway!
Featured image: Pexels
