For almost all businesses, an online presence is crucial to being profitable. Everyone is hooked on their laptops and mobile devices that you should be able to grab their attention while at it. That’s why there are thousands of websites created every day to reel the customers into purchasing. In fact, that’s around 252,000 websites around the globe every single day. Talk about demand!
Out of the millions worldwide, what do companies use as their website platform? WordPress comes to mind. And if you’re looking for online jobs, there are a lot of WordPress developer opportunities you can nab today.
What’s a WordPress Developer?
In a nutshell, WordPress developers specialize in the WordPress platform to create websites, plugins, themes, and more. They can create websites for clients from scratch. Or improve the stability and customization of the current website with plugins and themes.
According to statistics, it’s one of the most used platforms in the world with:
- 409 million people viewing 21.2 billion WP pages each month
- 337,200 of the top 1 million websites are WP-based
- 661 new WordPress sites go live every day
If you become a WordPress developer, you will surely get opportunities here and abroad.
Here is the average salary for WordPress developers, depending on the skill level.
But with the many talents available, how do you set yourself apart from the competition? Here are 8 essential skills to become a sought-after WordPress developer.
Coding Skills
Web development is complicated. You need to know the technicals to create professional websites and upgrades for your clients. With this, you should have the following coding skills in your arsenal. Some are:
- CSS
- PHP
- HTML
- My SQL
- Javascript
You might be an expert with one of the following, depending on your specialization. You can be focused on:
- Core Development
- Theme Development
- Plugin Development
It might even extend to other languages as well if the project needs it. Make sure to be adept in this aspect to create the best output for their businesses.
Basic Graphic Design
Websites are your online storefront for your clients. Imagine going to a physical store that is not exactly pleasing to the eye. Most likely, you’ll leave in an instant.
That’s why as WordPress developers, you should also have basic graphic design skills to complement your craft. You should know what’s aesthetically pleasing and its limitations in coding. In this way, you can complement your client’s preferred design with optimized backend code.
UI/UX Design
Other than how you see a website, functionality is also crucial. That’s why you should create a website with a great User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) Design.
It should be easy to navigate with complementing elements on the screen. It should also be responsive and take fewer steps as possible to reach your conversion. In this way, they can enjoy engaging on your website while availing of your services.
Basic SEO
Who likes free advertising? Your client does! And you will grant their wish with Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Basically, SEO is specific rules and practices for websites based on the search engine’s algorithm so that they can rank for specific keywords. You should keep this in mind, at least the basic ones, to set a website that can accommodate crucial SEO elements.
Mobile-Ready Websites
People are glued to their phones. With its functionality, it’s almost part of who we are today. With this, your website should also be mobile-friendly.
Have you checked the design to see if it fits a typical mobile phone screen? Are there elements that still make sense in mobile browsers?
You should keep this in mind to create the best experience for your client-to-be in the long run.
Quality Assurance
More often than not, you will have problems with the codes moving forward. And it’s normal as there’s no perfect website. But it doesn’t mean that you will leave it all to chance.
You should have the quality assurance skills to check your work. With this, you can test and discover vulnerabilities in the onset so that it won’t affect future operations moving forward.
Collaboration Skills
You will not be working alone. You will be with a team of programmers, writers, graphic designers, project managers, and more to create the best output possible.
Do you know how to communicate and collaborate with people online? It should be a skill in your arsenal to bring out all the best ideas from your team and apply them to your tasks.
Up-to-date
The tech world is changing every day. What we know now might not be the best practices in the future. That’s why you should be up-to-date with the latest happenings in your field.
Luckily, WordPress has one of the largest communities in the world. You can browse through their forums for all the updates and current innovations on the platform.
You can also follow thought leaders and different professional Facebook groups to be in the loop with advancements in WordPress.
Conclusion
Are you ready to become a sought-after WordPress developer? With the skills above, you will surely have the edge over other applicants!
If you are looking for opportunities in this field, check our job boards for more information. Cheers!
