Are you considering hiring a WordPress developer? If that’s the case, you might be wondering about the scope of their skills and abilities – especially if you’re not a technical professional.
It’s useful to know what a WordPress developer can do. This way, you’ll be in a better position to decide if you need one for your website project. And if you do, you’ll have realistic expectations of what they can achieve.
In this post, we’ll look at seven important tasks that a WordPress developer can do. Then, we’ll discuss when you should hire one. Let’s dive right in!
7 tasks a WordPress developer can do
Here are some of the tasks carried out by a WordPress developer. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but these are the most important ones.
1. Create custom themes and plugins
Whether you’re new to WordPress or you’re an experienced user, you likely know that the Content Management System (CMS) is open-source. That means it’s completely free and it’s constantly evolving thanks to a thriving community of contributors.
WordPress is also highly customizable by design. When you use WordPress, you can install themes to modify your website’s appearance and plugins to extend its functionality. In fact, there are massive directories for both WordPress themes and WordPress plugins:
You can also use built-in tools (like the Block Editor and Site Editor) to design a simple site. But you’ll likely need to install a few plugins for additional features.
A developer can create custom themes and plugins for you. This can give you much more flexibility in terms of creativity and features.
While not every website will need a bespoke design, this can help your website stand out. What’s more, if you run an ecommerce site, it can be useful to have features that are designed specifically for your needs.
2. Develop unique features and functionality
A WordPress developer can design a unique theme for your site, but that might not be necessary. If you find a WordPress theme that you like but is missing a few features, you can ask a developer to add them for you.
This can be ideal for intermediate WordPress users who know how to navigate the basics of WordPress design. It provides a middle-ground and can be more affordable than opting for an entirely custom WordPress site.
The same goes for functionality. You might not need a full-blown proprietary plugin, but just a few tweaks to an existing tool. Of course, a WordPress developer will likely use custom code to add this functionality. Some of the most common languages used on WordPress sites are PHP, HTML, and CSS.
3. Integrate third-party tools
WordPress is highly customizable due to its native editing tools, but also thanks to WordPress themes and plugins. However, just because there are thousands of third-party tools made for WordPress, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily compatible with each other.
Integrating third-party tools can be a delicate process, especially for large websites with different software installed. For instance, if two ecommerce plugins don’t work properly together, this could trigger an error when a visitor tries to complete an order. Naturally, this can have a negative impact on your business.
So, another common task that a WordPress developer can perform is carefully installing and integrating these tools on your site.
4. Optimize your website
If you’ve already built your WordPress site but you’re concerned about its performance, a WordPress developer can help you with that. This may be essential, especially if you’re running an online business.
That’s because site speed has a significant impact on the user experience. In fact, as page load times go from 1 to 3 seconds, the chances that a user leaves the page increase by 32 percent.
A WordPress developer can audit your website’s performance scores using their preferred suite of tools. Then, they’ll need to run a full assessment of your website. This will include checking out all your installed software (themes and plugins) as well as your content and media uploads.
Depending on the type of service you pay for, your WordPress developer may advise you on how to remedy your site’s performance issues, or simply take care of it themselves. Furthermore, some developers may be able to optimize your website for mobile devices or install software to make it more accessible.
5. Carry out routine website maintenance
As we mentioned, the core WordPress software is constantly evolving. That means it needs to be regularly updated. Similarly, WordPress plugin and theme developers are always updating their software to keep up with these changes.
Since the majority of the best WordPress websites are made up of many dynamic parts, they need to undergo regular maintenance. Someone needs to ensure that the core software, themes, and plugins are up-to-date.
However, not all third-party plugins and themes work well together, and every update may lead to incompatibilities. Therefore, testing out updates before making them live is crucial. Otherwise, you risk breaking your site.
A WordPress developer can use a staging environment to test out every new version of your installed plugins and theme (as well as the WordPress core). Once they verify that they are safe to update, they can carry out this task for you. Alternatively, they can help find and install alternatives for any tools that become incompatible with your site.
6. Implement and manage security tools
WordPress is built to be secure by default. However, due to its popularity (it powers over 43 percent of websites), it tends to be a common target for hackers.
Additionally, themes and plugins create more opportunities for hackers to infiltrate your website. Outdated software can create security vulnerabilities. Therefore, regular maintenance can help you run a more secure site.
A WordPress developer can implement and manage security tools. For example, they can install vulnerability scanners and anti-spam plugins.
They may also prepare your site for worst-case scenarios by creating regular backups. This way, they can easily restore a clean copy of your website in case it crashes or is hacked.
7. Collaborate with web designers
A WordPress developer will have hard skills in all the coding languages required to work with WordPress. However, some won’t have a background in design. In this scenario, they may need to collaborate with a WordPress web designer – but this shouldn’t be a problem.
That said, some experienced WordPress developers can provide a full service in terms of building a website from start to finish.
Alternatively, their services may come as a package deal when you pay for a premium WordPress design and development agency. This is likely preferable when you’re hiring someone to build your site, as you won’t have to deal with multiple people.
When should you hire a WordPress developer?
Now that you know what a WordPress developer can do, let’s talk about when you should hire one.
WordPress is a straightforward CMS built for users of every skill level. If you don’t have any technical abilities, you can still build a simple WordPress site on your own (as long as you’re patient and willing to learn).
As an example, setting up a simple portfolio website or a minimalist blog shouldn’t be too difficult. You’ll just need to sign up for a domain name and web hosting services, pick a theme, and customize your site.
However, for anything beyond that, hiring a WordPress developer might be wise. For instance, if you want to create an original website, you’ll likely need a custom theme. Similarly, if you plan on launching an online store that caters to customers globally, you may need some help setting up the sophisticated ecommerce features required for its daily operations.
The good news is that you can hire a top-notch WordPress agency like Freshy to take on your next project:
With Freshy’s WordPress design and development services, you’ll get to work with top-rated designers and developers to bring your site to fruition. What’s more, you’ll be paired with a project manager who can help you communicate your vision for a custom WordPress site.
Additionally, Freshy’s WordPress development team provides mobile-optimized designs and accessible layouts. It also follows best practices for technical Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which can help boost your site’s visibility.
If you’re just launching your site, Freshy also offers premium WordPress web hosting packages. And, you can get ongoing website maintenance services that include backups, updates, and more.
Conclusion
WordPress is a powerful CMS. However, if you want to use it to build a highly custom or complex website, the learning curve can be pretty steep. So, you might be considering hiring a developer who specializes in building sites with WordPress.
To recap, here are some of the main tasks that a WordPress developer can do:
- Create custom themes and plugins.
- Develop unique features and functionality.
- Integrate third-party plugins.
- Optimize your website.
- Implement and manage security tools.
- Carry out routine website maintenance.
- Collaborate with web designers.
Are you ready to hire a WordPress developer to build your dream website (or improve an existing one)? Consider using Freshy’s WordPress design and development services. You’ll be paired with a knowledgeable project manager and a team of experienced WordPress designers and developers who can help you achieve your website goals. Get a quote today!
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay.
