WordPress is rapidly growing as one of the most popular content management systems on the web. If you are planning to create a website using WordPress, the decision to hire a WordPress programmer may be a judgment call. The success of your digital project depends largely on the effectiveness of the site itself, whether in terms of design, speed, user experience, or the ability to meet customer expectations and requirements.
Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the steps for hiring a WordPress programmer, starting with the necessary skills, methods for evaluating experience, and determining the actual needs of the project. We’ll also cover how to monitor implementation throughout the project implementation phases, as well as some valuable tips to help ensure successful collaboration with the development team.
Why do you need to hire a WordPress programmer?
WordPress is an open source platform, and it is characterized by a simple and easy interface that beginners can quickly learn and interact with. However, this system has challenges that may arise when you want to make modifications outside the range of available and permitted options, whether in templates, plugins, or any other modification. Therefore, in some cases you may need a WordPress programmer, and the most important of these cases are the following:
- Designing a website with special requirements : The WordPress system allows users to benefit from a wide range of ready-made templates and add-ons, but entrepreneurs may need to design a custom part or add-on for the site, and the appropriate add-on may not be found, or the required customization options are not available, so it is necessary to hire a programmer. WordPress has experience in dealing with code to implement special requirements accurately and efficiently.
- Optimizing the site for search engines : The site owner can perform some SEO tasks without programming experience, such as optimizing keywords or other things, but some other options require programming experience, such as improving the site structure to suit the work of search engine spiders or other things.
- Improving the level of site security : Your site may be exposed to hacking or technical problems that affect security, which is why it becomes necessary to employ a programmer specialized in WordPress to enhance the level of security. The programmer is responsible for searching for technical problems and identifying the causes of the hack, while manually removing traces of files associated with the hack.
- Improving the user experience : WordPress programmers have the technical expertise necessary to identify the points that require improvement and adjust them according to your needs and the requirements of your project with the aim of improving the user experience, for example improving the template, and the way the site’s functions and services work.
- Site migration : If the hosting company is not suitable for your site’s requirements or future expansion, you may need a WordPress programmer to help you transfer all the site files and databases from the old hosting company’s server to the new one, while maintaining the integrity of all site data with the lowest level of risk.
- Solving technical problems : WordPress website owners face some technical problems while using the site, as a result of updated plugins or templates, or conflict between plugins and other factors. Therefore, they need the expertise of a WordPress programmer to determine the root cause of the problem and address it in the correct way without affecting the integrity of the site.
- Increase site speed : WordPress programmers help analyze site speed, identify and address the main problems that lead to site slowness. They also apply the most important technologies that contribute to increasing site speed, such as cleaning and compressing databases, image compression, and caching options.
- Website translation : Some WordPress plugins and templates may not be available in Arabic or fully translated. Therefore, you may need a WordPress programmer to help you translate the templates or plugins you rely on so that they are compatible with the language of your site, or to improve the quality of the basic translation.
- Integration with external tools : Some external tools require technical expertise to integrate with the WordPress system, for example, payment gateways, shipping companies, etc. So, WordPress programmers help you integrate these tools with WordPress and adjust their settings, ensuring you improved and effective performance.
- Technical support : Entrepreneurs need regular maintenance services for their WordPress sites, with the aim of dealing with technical problems periodically as quickly as possible, in addition to making updates regularly, and ensuring the stability and safety of the site.
All previous points can be added to part-time as well. Creating a WordPress website requires you to search for appropriate templates and plugins and modify them to suit your site’s requirements. This time doubles in the case of sites with special requirements, and the same also applies to all previous jobs. Therefore, relying on a WordPress programmer saves you time and effort, and the results are also significantly better based on his previous experience.
Types of WordPress developers
The required specialization must be precisely specified when hiring a WordPress programmer. This helps direct your research in the right direction and make the most of specialized developer skills that fall within the scope of your desired project or job, as well as completing it as quickly as possible. The areas of expertise of WordPress programmers are divided into several main categories as follows:
- Front-End Developer: The front-end developer customizes all the visual elements in the user interface, for example the layout of the main interface and site pages, and coordinates them in terms of colors, fonts, etc. He is also responsible for the site’s compatibility with various screen sizes and all Major web browsers, so must be proficient with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- WordPress template developer : He creates custom WordPress templates completely from scratch for clients, in addition to options for expanding and modifying ready-made templates to suit the client’s needs. The front-end developer can rely on ready-made templates to customize the user interface.
- WordPress plugin developer : He creates custom WordPress plugins to improve or add new functionality to the WordPress system, in addition to the ability to modify ready-made plugin options in accordance with the client’s requirements.
- “Back-End” developer : The back-end developer deals with the site’s infrastructure, and has greater experience in dealing with PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript code, in addition to the HTML and CSS language as well. He is responsible for all software modifications to the site and creating the site’s infrastructure. For example, designing and creating basic database tables , improving the method of processing data, which is reflected in improving the performance and speed of the site , improving security vulnerabilities, and so on.
- “Full-Stack” developer : combines the specialty of a front-end developer with the specialty of a back-end developer. This is a very professional level of programmers and may require an integrated team. It is the ideal choice if you want to create a new WordPress site, as it combines the skills of Design and programming to ensure superior user experience and excellent site performance.
Steps to hiring a suitable WordPress programmer
Hiring a WordPress programmer requires following several gradual steps, starting with studying the site and requirements, then determining the skills and specialization required. After that, the programmer is selected and tested, supervising all phases of the project. We will discuss these steps step by step in the following points.
1- Study the site and determine the special requirements in detail
At the beginning of work, you must conduct a careful study of the desired site, focusing on identifying all the requirements and features that the site must have. You should be detailed with this study and include as much detail as possible.
The more specific information, the better the final results. The specialization and skills required must also be determined, whether at the individual or company level, so that the situation becomes clear to the client and to the WordPress programmer alike, which facilitates effective follow-up and implementation of the project.
Here you are not required to prepare a technical plan for the project, as this comes within the tasks of a WordPress developer. However, you must prepare a general vision of the site, as the project study includes the following points:
- Define the scope of the project, for example an educational platform, online store, news website, landing page, or similar.
- Determine the goal of the project, to help you determine the programmer’s skills and area of expertise, for example, creating an integrated website, increasing website speed, improving website security, solving technical problems, modifying a template, etc.
- Explain precisely all the features required on the site, such as the membership system, internal community, live chat system , ratings system, referral system, reward points system, etc. All points must be clarified separately, and their requirements must be determined. For example, in the reward points system, the method of distributing points is determined, while in direct chat, the method of activating the direct chat system is determined, whether it is via Whatsapp, Facebook, or the Zaytoun platform, Or otherwise, and the same applies to all requirements, and this helps determine the skills and experience of the programmer as well.
- The design required for the site in general, including the logo, main colors, and layout in general, to help the programmer recognize the appropriate general character of the desired site.
It is a good idea to prepare comparative samples as a guide to the work required, in preparation for handing them over to a WordPress programmer. The goal here is to help the programmer understand and visualize the client’s requirements more clearly, which contributes to achieving better results.
2- Clarifying the basic site standards
You need to reinforce the previous site requirements with the basic standards and requirements to create a successful WordPress site, including speed, security, and design, to serve as an agreement between you and the WordPress programmer, and the most important of these standards are the following:
- The site’s design is compatible with various screen sizes, especially mobile phones, as well as with all major web browsers.
- The entire site structure is compatible with search engines ( SEO ).
- Performing the most important procedures to improve the site’s loading speed, such as relying on caching techniques , pre-loading, or a mechanism for automatically preparing images for the site, compressing and improving databases, and so on.
- Install essential WordPress plugins , such as SEO plugins , backup plugins, contact form plugins , and more.
- Integration with essential external tools from Google Analytics , Search console and similar.
- Improving the security of the WordPress system, by installing an appropriate security plugin , installing an SSL certificate , protecting the login page, protecting the system’s core files and databases, protecting the site from hacking attacks, and so on.
You then need to choose a hosting company and determine the type of hosting and plan that is appropriate for you, based on the needs and requirements of your site. A discussion should be held with the WordPress programmer regarding the available options and an evaluation of the consequences.
For example, shared hosting can affect the stability and speed of the site, while cloud hosting has more stability, thus determining the optimal choice and appropriate service provider.
We always recommend cloud hosting for WordPress sites, as it provides a high level of stability and excellent speed, in addition to flexible expansion options that suit the development of your project in the future.
After that, you can consider relying on managed hosting, where the technical support team at the hosting company undertakes the task of configuring and configuring the server to suit your site’s requirements, and solving all potential problems that may arise on the server in the future. The other option is to rely on unmanaged hosting, and here the responsibility for configuring the server falls within the scope of the programmer’s responsibilities, but you must deal with any future problems with the server, or search for a programmer who specializes in the future.
Managed hosting costs are definitely higher than unmanaged hosting, but the programmer may charge you additional costs for server configuration, as well as supervising future server problems for a specified period. Therefore, you must weigh these factors carefully and choose the option that suits your needs and budget effectively.
3- Determine the specialty of WordPress developer
Choosing a WordPress developer who specializes in a specific field is better than relying on a full-fledged developer, especially for separate tasks, for example, designing templates, developing special plugins, or dealing with payment gateways or shipping companies, as you get greater benefit due to the programmer’s long experience in the same specialty. .
For example, a WordPress developer’s experience with payment gateways is more beneficial than that of a full-stack WordPress developer. The technical specialist helps you follow the correct steps to connect payment gateways, in addition to obtaining recommendations for the best payment gateways that suit your needs, based on his extensive experience with previous clients.
If you want to launch a complete project from scratch, such as an educational platform or an online store, relying on the experience of a full-stack WordPress developer may be the ideal choice. It ensures smooth and efficient integration into your project implementation due to expertise in design and programming skills.
4- Determine the project budget
You then need to determine a realistic cost for the required project, as it is one of the points that helps in choosing a competent WordPress programmer suitable for the project. There are several factors that affect the project cost, as follows:
- Required project size.
- Skills required of the programmer.
- The number and complexity of project requirements.
- The degree of reliance on ready-made templates or plugins compared to the need to program a special template or plugins.
- Project delivery time: The tighter the project time is, the greater the total cost may be.
- Relying on an independent individual or an integrated company.
You can search on freelancing platforms for projects similar to the desired project to help you determine the average cost of your project. The cost must be realistic in order to obtain the required quality, as a cheap cost may cause more harm than good, and may entail paying additional costs for maintenance and repair in the future.
There are other ways if you want to reduce costs without reducing quality. For example, you can dispense with some of the required skills and features and focus on only the basic priorities of the project and make the delivery time for a longer period of time with the possibility of relying on templates or ready-made plugins, and after that you can gradually develop the site in the future.
As for the project delivery time, it should not generate great pressure on the programmer, as this may lead to errors. Rather, it is preferable to balance the work time with the efficiency and quality of the final output.
6- Examine the offers presented, and choose a suitable WordPress programmer
After publishing the project on the freelancing platform or searching for the appropriate service. You will definitely find a long list of offers and services available, and now you must examine and compare all of those offers and services to hire the most suitable and best programmer for your project.
First, you can evaluate the experience of programmers by relying on a set of pre-prepared questions. These questions relate to WordPress programming in general, in addition to paying attention to the specialization and skills required for your project. For example, you could consider the following questions:
- What are the programming languages that have been updated?
- How many years of experience do you have?
- What projects have you worked on that are similar to the requested project?
- Does the financial offer include programming the add-ons and purchasing the template, or is there a separate cost for them? What is the detailed cost?
- Are you available to complete the work on time?
- What mistakes do WordPress programmers make?
You can support the previous questions with technical questions specifically related to the required project, for example, how to prepare WordPress sites for search engines? Or the technical steps followed in creating a WordPress website? , and similar things.
Then you review the programmers’ previous evaluations, in order to help you evaluate their experience as well and the quality of their projects with previous clients. For example, on the Mustaqil platform, you will find a detailed tab for the freelancer’s evaluation that includes the professionalism of dealing and communication, the quality of the work delivered, experience in the field of the project, delivery on time, and the extent of recommendation. For other customers.
You now select the right programmers for the project based on criteria of experience, evaluations, history, cost, and project implementation period. Next, you contact the programmer who seems the most suitable, and it is preferable to contact more than one different programmer as well to compare the available options.
The project details must be comprehensively clarified again in terms of requirements and proposed models, with the possibility of negotiating the cost and project implementation period, as well as requesting additional work precedent in the same project specialty. In addition, all project conditions and assumptions must be agreed upon, for example delaying delivery. project, non-compliance with requirements, or otherwise.
7- Follow up on the implementation of the stages of the WordPress website
The next step is to maintain periodic communication with the programmer and follow up on the progress of the project and all updates, in order to ensure the experience of the programmer and the extent of his commitment to the agreed upon steps in all stages of the project according to the timetable.
In large projects, it is not recommended to wait until the project is received all at once. But specific milestones are received separately, giving the project owner an opportunity to provide modifications and feedback ahead of time so that it becomes easier.
The stages of dividing the project differ from one project to another. For example, an educational platform can be divided into the following stages:
- Receiving the educational platform interface.
- Receiving an educational platform management system that conforms to the agreed upon requirements, for example accepting video files in a specific format or from a specific external platform such as YouTube or Vimeo, uploading a group of lessons at once, adding a testing system, an assignment system, and an internal communication system between the trainer and the trainee, creating Automatic course completion certificate, etc.
- Receiving payment gateways, packages or membership systems according to agreed upon requirements.
- Receiving the entire educational platform, testing the evaluation of all the platform’s tools, and testing the complete user experience on all different devices.
In the case of small or medium projects, for example creating a landing page, it is sufficient to receive the project in one payment. This is because the project has few stages, and the implementation period is often short compared to other projects.
It is important that you have the ability to evaluate the implementation of your project requirements well. This is so that you can evaluate the work accurately and correctly, and you should not place an excessive burden on the programmer in explaining all the steps followed, as this is not the primary role of the programmer and outside of his responsibilities, and this may affect the rate of progress of the project in terms of the time frame.
8- Receiving the project and completing the service
The last stage is receiving the project from the freelancer, but before that, several points must be taken into account, the most important of which are the following:
- First, it is necessary to examine the extent to which the site matches the list of basic requirements that were agreed upon in the project proposal.
- The entire user experience must be tested, and it is preferable to rely on practical user experience from several friends, so that you can obtain a realistic assessment of the user experience and site problems.
- Template compatibility should be tested with different screen sizes, especially mobile, as well as with major web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.).
- Test site speed on the GTmetrix tool, the Pingdom tool , or the PageSpeed Insights tool . To learn about the standards for measuring and testing site speed, you can review the article on measuring and improving site speed.
- Review security standards, and request a report on them, from the firewall, login page protection mechanism, databases, etc.
- Receive the data for the main account at the hosting company or domain, if you rely on the programmer to purchase them, and change that data. It is preferable to purchase them directly if you have sufficient technical experience to do so to increase the degree of security.
- Receiving the main account that was used to purchase templates or add-ons, and changing the account information. It is also preferable to purchase it directly if you have sufficient technical experience.
- Receive the source file for the template or plugins that have been specially programmed, which can be used again on any other site, and you can also benefit from them if you encounter a technical problem.
- Modifying the login data for the main account on the WordPress platform, and canceling all sub-accounts on the platform.
- Completely revoking the programmer’s access permissions, whether from the hosting company, domain, WordPress platform, or otherwise.
You can also request a trial run of the project for a short period, for example 7 days, after which you receive the service from a WordPress programmer, but this matter must be within the terms of the agreement.
In the end, hiring a WordPress programmer poses an important challenge for entrepreneurs, as it requires serious planning and periodic follow-up. You must clearly define your goals and carefully define requirements, in addition to choosing a WordPress programmer with strong experience to ensure the success of your electronic project.
The choice of a WordPress programmer should not be judged based on cost alone, as the programmer with the lowest cost may incur additional costs in later stages of improving the site, whether in terms of design, back-end programming, etc. Instead, it is preferable to hire an efficient WordPress programmer, as he can contribute to creating an integrated website that suits your expectations and future project needs.
