Introduction
Agencies need to make the most of their resources and talent to achieve maximum growth and success. In this article, I will discuss the essential skills and tasks that WordPress experts should be proficient in. I will also explore how to match experts to the complexity of your tasks. Additionally, I will offer lesser-known advice on how to leverage the full power of expert developers.
Sometimes WordPress projects require specific expertise and frequent communication with developers is essential. Moreover, hiring expert developers can be expensive and challenging. I have created this blog, to provide you with tips on how to use experts in your agency, to achieve the highest quality service.
Let’s dive into the article and discover how to use expert developers to enhance your agency’s success.
Skills of WordPress experts
When talking about having experts in your agency, it’s essential to match the complexity of the project with the developer’s skill level. Let’s start from a technical point of view.
Some of the skills an expert developer should generally have include:
- Being able to debug, which includes an understanding of how the WordPress core and frequently used plugins work.
- Setting up a new domain and understanding how web servers work.
- Creating custom plugins and making adjustments to existing plugins.
- Knowing how to work with login areas and use conditional logic in GravityForms.
- Being familiar with working with different APIs and having advanced knowledge of the back-end structure.
- Knowing how to work with multi-site and e-commerce websites.
In addition to these main skills, it is important to understand the difference between WordPress experts and developers with less experience. WLA’s head of production Alexander Parkhomenko put that contrast smartly:
“The main difference between mid-level developers and the expert developer is huge in terms of self-organization and speed.”
Finally, expert developers also need to be highly skilled in communication. They will often work on complex projects that require interpreting and even explaining clients’ needs. They should be able to explain the technical aspects of the project even to non-technical stakeholders.
| Junior Developer | Middle Developer | Expert Developer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Size | 2-6 page designs | 6-10 page designs | 10+ page designs |
| Task Type | Simple website ’from scratch’ Adding new layouts Updating plugins and doing maintenance | Bigger sites or sites with complex plugins Adding new layouts Making adjustments to existing plugins Working with login areas | Building bigger sites or sites with complex plugins, Adding new layouts Creating custom plugins Making adjustments to existing plugins Working with login areas |
| Back-end Structure | Basic use of ACF Easy site content management | Advanced use of ACF easy site content management Builder plugins are an option | Advanced use of ACF Easy site content management Builder plugins Multi-site |
| e-Commerce | No WooCommerce builds, Donate through Stripe or PayPal in GravityForms | WooCommerce builds Donate through Stripe or PayPal in GravityForms | WooCommerce builds Donate through Stripe or PayPal in GravityForms Multi-store |
| Custom Plugins | No | No | Yes |
| API | Only basic steps like adding Google Maps to the site | Yes, but not recommended to do more than basic setups | Yes |
| Conditional Logic in GravityForms | No | Yes | Yes |
| Maintenance | Yes, but not recommended to give only those tasks | Able to do, but not recommended to give only those tasks | Fixing sites after plugin and WordPress updates, Adding extra functionality, and adjusting existing elements, sections, or blocks |
| Your own knowledge level | Strong understanding of WordPress and code | Strong understanding of WordPress and tasks | Any level works better results with a knowledgeable team |
Tasks for experts
A key benefit of expert developers is that they are capable of working with partners with limited technical backgrounds. However, they really perform best when you as their manager also have a sufficient technical background to match their skills. That knowledge can help you pick the right task for them. The tasks that you assign to experts should allow them to take advantage of their expertise. As Robert De Niro’s character Lorenzo in ‘A Bronx Tale’ says: “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.”
The previous section listed many of the concrete tasks that you can expect a WordPress expert to be capable of doing. One lesser-known piece of advice is that agencies can greatly benefit from using WordPress experts for support tasks.
Many might think that support tasks are “simple”. However, according to WLA’s Head of Production, Alexander Parkhomenko, among our clients a significant portion of expert tasks with our dedicated developers involves support tasks. These can include fixing sites if plugin and WordPress updates cause issues, adding extra functionality, and adjusting existing elements, sections, or blocks. Experts handle support tasks because they can handle multiple projects at once and solve problems quickly. Their experience ensures that fixing one issue doesn’t create new problems in other parts of the website.
Knowledge transfer from WordPress experts
Expert developers can serve as mentors and guides for other developers. They can offer guidance and feedback to more junior ones. This can include code reviews, suggestions for optimization, and sharing their experience. Agencies should encourage this knowledge-sharing and collaboration. This type of collaboration will lead to significant growth in any organization.
Conclusion
WordPress experts are an invaluable asset to any agency. As we have discussed, their essential skills should include debugging, web-server knowledge, and plugin development. They should be proficient in multi-site and e-commerce solutions, and their excellent communication skills will enhance customer relations. Hire expert developers, utilize their skills and knowledge, and achieve growth and success for your agency.
