Here at Cariad we love to build bespoke, well-crafted, beautiful websites for our clients that not only look the business, but also do the business. That’s why we build our websites using the WordPress CMS. Not only do clients find them intuitive and versatile, they will grow with the ever changing needs and demands of their businesses.
This week, we’re taking a look at the essential qualities of a good WordPress developer and how hiring an expert in this field can give your online presence the boost it needs to succeed in a competitive marketplace. So without further ado, let’s dive right in and see what makes a great WordPress developer.
Always learning, always improving their craft
With the rapid changes in technology, best practices, new ways of doing things, and as SEO plays such an important part of what we do for our clients at Cariad, making sure that our sites are built with security, speed and performance in mind is essential. This means being open to continual learning so we can always improve upon what we’ve already done – in fact, one of the great things about web development is that there is always something new to learn!
A keen eye for detail
Our developers work closely with our internal design team to build pixel perfect sites that capture the vision for your shiny new website. This means that having a keen eye for detail and being able to look at things at a micro level is essential for a good developer to pull all of those elements together. We need to take into account details such as animations, transitions, spacing, font-sizes, colours and so much more.
Communication skills
Not something you’d immediately associate with developers, but it is an important skill to have. We must be able to clearly communicate internally and with clients, and translate technical concepts into language that people can understand and engage with. As developers, we may know what we mean, but it is a great skill to be able to bring non-technical people into those conversations as well.
Well-organised and strong planning skills
I’m putting these qualities together as they go hand in hand. A good WordPress developer needs to be well organised, and have an ability to think ahead and plan for the site they are about to build. I don’t even start to write any code without planning things first – using good old fashioned pen and paper – in order to understand what I will need for this site. It’s only when everything has been clearly thought out, that I can start. You really don’t want to get halfway through a web project and realise you’ve not thought about something that completely changes your approach.
Working to agreed deadlines
This ties in nicely with the point above and is important when working with clients who are often keen to get their hands on their lovely new website. It is important to be organised so you’re able to stick to predefined deadlines and deliver the project successfully on time. Managing those expectations at the beginning is key to avoiding disappointment further down the line.
Asking good questions and clearly scoping a project
From the initial kick off meeting with a client, a good developer should be able to ask the right questions and be thinking about getting the specifics of the website project down to a tee! If the project isn’t scoped just right at the beginning, you’ll soon find ‘scope creep’ kicks in which isn’t good for anyone and just adds confusion. The ability to engage and ask good questions is a great skill to have and will make for a very happy client when it comes time for the big reveal.
A WordPress expert
First and foremost, a WordPress developer needs to be an expert on all things WordPress and the WordPress ecosystem. It is the most popular and successful CMS for a reason, and that is because of the size of the platform and the vast options available. WordPress really leads the way when it comes to CMS, so it is important that a developer is an expert, not just in terms of being able to develop bespoke themes using the platform, but also to understand what is possible. They need to be able to advise and guide clients who don’t share that knowledge and level of expertise. With our team of WordPress experts at Cariad, you’re in safe hands for your new website!
If you’re thinking about updating your existing website or getting one built for the first time, why not check out some of our latest web builds here and get in touch with our team of experts who would love to help turn your vision into reality.
