The following article will list many required skills and methods of doing things, as well as jobs and salaries so that you can better understand and learn more about Freelance WordPress Developers.
Table of Contents
1. What is a Freelance WordPress Developer?
A freelance WordPress Developer is a professional who specializes in the WordPress platform’s infrastructure and ecosystem. They concentrate on improving the WordPress software or developing new products.
2. What is Freelance WordPress Developer Jobs?
A freelance WordPress developer works with a client or customer to create a WordPress website. Because this is a remote position, you may not really meet the client. You can work from home or in a private office.
It is your responsibility to create a design and theme that meets the client’s functional and visual needs. You concentrate primarily on the website’s structure and the graphic content that brings it to life. After the site goes live, you may offer maintenance services. Typically, you work on a contract basis.
The contract specifies all of the requirements and other details, such as whether an NDA is required and the compensation agreements.
3. How to become a Freelance WordPress Developer?
A freelance WordPress developer works on a contract basis with clients to build websites on the WordPress development platform. Your responsibilities in this role include developing and customizing HTML as needed for websites, creating cascading style sheets (CSS), and gathering client requirements.
Qualifications for a career as a freelance WordPress developer primarily include extensive experience with the WordPress development platform. To succeed in this job, you must have strong communication skills because you will be working directly with clients and explaining technical concepts at times.
To demonstrate your skills, you must also have significant experience implementing a variety of WordPress sites and templates. As you begin your freelance career, creating a digital portfolio of your work can help you attract clients.
4. What do Freelance WordPress Developer skills need?
Advanced skills
HTML
HTML, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language, defines the structure of a WordPress site. It is a fundamental language of web development in general, and proficiency in it implies an understanding of how a web page is constructed.
Even if you use a “what you see is what you get” editor or a content management system, knowing HTML is an important skill to have because it gives developers control over their work and provides a structured approach to web page modeling.
CSS
CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, is yet another critical component of web content. It defines the visual appearance of a WordPress website in a nutshell. Front-end web developers must understand it, but it is less important if you work in the backend.
JavaScript
JavaScript manages a website’s interactive elements. Working in tandem with HTML and CSS, this language excels at front-end development and is the primary component of web applications for adding dynamic interactive behavior. Because of its recent popularity, there are numerous JavaScript frameworks and libraries that can be used for back-end development as well, making this a valuable skill in the web developer toolbox.
SQL
SQL stands for Structured Query Language and is responsible for database communication in web applications. It is an important concept to grasp as a backend developer.
PHP
PHP is an excellent web development programming language. It is used to create popular platforms such as WordPress. It enables developers to connect the user interface to the application’s database, making PHP an essential component of a web application.
WordPress platform
It is critical for developers who want to provide clients with elegant and customized solutions to understand not only how to install and set up a WordPress website, but also how to build one from the ground up using WordPress features like themes and plugins
Soft skills
Business knowledge
Because WordPress is widely used for commercial purposes, some business experience is beneficial when developing this content management system. From eCommerce marketing to digital security, it’s critical to look for these skills when hiring a developer the next time.
Sales and marketing
While a WordPress programmer is unlikely to handle marketing on their own, knowing who a company’s customers are, what they want, and how to appeal to their preferences and needs is still useful information for a web developer. Knowing this enables developers to provide solutions that are in the best commercial interests of both clients and owners.
WordPress is a popular platform for eCommerce businesses, and these businesses frequently use its themes, plugins, and other tools to increase conversion rates.
Search engine optimization
As previously mentioned, look for developers who understand search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. A webpage’s individual components influence how well it is indexed by a search engine. When developing a website to optimizing its exposure on search engines, it is critical to keep in mind how web crawlers, indexing, meta tags, and sitemaps work.
SEO ensures that your company stands out in a sea of competing websites and businesses. Make certain that whoever you hire has prior experience optimizing content and generating backlinks for SEO purposes.
Mobile development
Customers are accessing the internet via mobile devices in greater numbers than ever before. There are numerous screen resolutions and sizes to consider, and your WordPress site should support as many devices as possible to ensure maximum accessibility. It is critical for developers to understand responsive design and develop applications in this manner from the beginning.
Online security
Cybercriminals and hackers frequently target business websites. Every WordPress developer should understand web application security risks and how to avoid them. Knowing OWASP’s top ten security risks and how to test applications for vulnerabilities can be extremely beneficial in avoiding potential security issues.
A constructive mindset
It takes more than just memorizing code to be a WordPress developer. It is also important to approach the field with the proper attitude. When interviewing candidates for your company’s WordPress development initiative, look for individuals who exhibit the following characteristics
Business thought processes
Creating successful corporate websites necessitates sound business logic. For example, what makes a business successful, and how can you incorporate that into the WordPress sites you build? Find a developer who can best showcase what your company has to offer.
Willingness to learn
In no way is web development a static field; it is constantly changing and evolving, and you must keep up with any changes. Developers must be aware of current web design trends and how to apply them effectively to create an appealing and responsive WordPress page.
In other words, look for people who are open to new technologies. HTML5, for example, has seen massive adoption in recent years despite being released only a few years ago. A skilled web developer can quickly and willingly learn new tools.
Teamwork
For web developers, effective teamwork is critical. They must communicate on a daily basis and collaborate closely to complete a project on time and within budget.
Keeping focus
Website projects necessitate extensive planning. To maintain focus, developers must be able to set goals for themselves, divide tasks into manageable chunks, and adhere to schedules and deadlines.
Knowledge of popular project management tools, version control systems, and software development methodologies can be extremely beneficial in organizing and planning ahead of time.
Because there are so many skills to learn in WordPress design, from plugins to templates, it may be advantageous to seek out specialized developers rather than “jack of all trades.” The former group frequently understands their workflows better than the latter. Another might concentrate solely on the layout and design.
Openness to feedback
Continuous testing and code reviews are an expected part of the application development process. Hire someone who can effectively take constructive criticism. All of the most successful businesses approach website design through feedback.
Understanding your own limitations
While it may appear strange, you don’t want a WordPress developer who believes he can do it all. If necessary, the most experienced workers in this field will offload certain tasks that aren’t in their specialties.
For example, a developer who is knowledgeable about finance may handle the accounting aspects of the project, whereas another may concentrate solely on the layout and design.
5. Freelance WordPress Developer Salary
The average annual salary for a Freelance WordPress Developer in the United States is $73,338 as of June 1, 2022.
In case you need a quick salary calculator, that works out to about $35.26 per hour. This equates to $1,410 per week or $6,112 per month.
The average pay range for a Freelance WordPress Developer varies greatly (up to $57,500), implying that there may be numerous opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.
