Get Ready to Get Perplexed: A Guide to Becoming a Successful WordPress Freelancer

WordPress is a totally popular content management system that runs over 30% of websites on the internet. It’s open source, easy to use, and provides all the features you need to make your website look pro. As the demand for WordPress sites is growing, the necessity for professional and skilled freelancers to design and manage these sites is also on the rise. Check out these tips below to become an unstoppable WordPress mastermind.

Step 1: Learn WordPress

The first and most crucial step to becoming a WordPress freelancer is to get acquainted with the platform. You don’t need to go all out, but you should get a solid understanding of how WordPress functions and how you can use it to create and maintain websites. The options for learning WordPress are limitless: take online courses, attend workshops or seminars, read books, or check out tutorials. Here are some of our fave resources for learning WordPress:

• WordPress.org – The official WordPress site that has documentation and info on the ins and outs of the platform.
• WPBeginner – A renowned website that has free WordPress tutorials and resources.
• Udemy – An online learning platform with loads of WordPress courses available.

Step 2: Build Your Own Site

Once you’ve got some basic knowledge about WordPress, take the next step and design your website. This will allow you to get some practical experience with the platform and prove your skills to potential clients. Start simple and make a blog or portfolio website. You can also use pre-made themes or templates to make the process much easier.

Step 3: Find and Attract Clients

The most important aspect of being a successful WordPress freelancer is to connect with clients who need your services. This can happen by networking with other web professionals, attending events and conferences, or by browsing through online platforms such as Upwork or Freelancer. You must have a strong portfolio and impress clients by communicating your abilities properly.

Step 4: Determine Your Rates

When you work as a freelancer, you have the liberty to fix your own rates for your services. It can be tricky to find the sweet spot between charging too much and losing out on potential clients, or not charging enough and doing yourself a disservice. Check out your competitors and what they charge, or search online for freelance calculators to figure out your ideal rate.

Step 5: Manage Your Projects

When you have clients, it’s necessary to manage your projects properly. This involves keeping track of your time, communicating often with clients, and meeting deadlines. Tools like Trello or Asana can help you manage your projects effectively and stay organized.

Step 6: Expand Your Skillset

As you work on more WordPress projects, you might discover that clients are asking for different skills and needs. It’s essential to continue learning and expanding your skillset to stay competitive. This might include learning other programming languages or practicing design and search engine optimization (SEO) skills.

Step 7: Promote Yourself

Finally, promoting yourself as a WordPress freelancer is key. This means building a strong online presence, growing your brand, and marketing your services to potential clients. You can do this by putting up a website, creating a blog, using social media to connect with people, or attending events and conferences.

Closing Thoughts

Becoming a successful WordPress freelancer can be a lucrative and satisfying career path if you put in the time and effort. By learning WordPress, building your own site, attracting clients, setting your rates, managing your projects, expanding your skillset, and promoting yourself, you can build a successful business for yourself. It takes patience and perseverance, but with some determination and commitment, you can accomplish your goals and build a successful career as a WordPress freelancer.