It’s a common challenge. Many business owners hire the wrong person and end up with a slow, broken, or insecure website. This guide provides a 10-step framework to help you navigate the process. We will cover how to define your needs, vet candidates, and hire the right professional who can become a true partner for your business.

Key Takeaways

  • Define Your Scope First: Before you write a job post, create a detailed project brief. A clear scope outlining your goals, features, and timeline is the most important tool for getting accurate quotes and measuring success.
  • Know the ‘Type’ of Developer You Need: Not all “WordPress experts” are the same. You must distinguish between an “implementer” (who configures themes and plugins) and a true “developer” (who writes custom code) to match the right skills to your project.
  • Vet Portfolios for Function, Not Just Form: A pretty portfolio is nice, but you must check the live sites. Are they fast? Are they mobile-responsive? Do the contact forms and checkout processes actually work?
  • Assess Ecosystem-Specific Skills: If your site uses specialized tools like Elementor or WooCommerce, your developer must have deep experience with them. A generic developer can easily break a site built with a visual builder.
  • Use a Paid Trial Project: An interview can only tell you so much. The best way to verify a developer’s skills, communication, and reliability is to assign a small, paid test project before committing to the full build.
  • Get Everything in Writing: A detailed contract is non-negotiable. It should cover the full scope, payment milestones, deliverable dates, intellectual property ownership, and a plan for handling scope creep.

Tip 1: Clearly Define Your Project Scope (Before You Even Look)

You cannot find the right person if you do not know what you need them to do. This is the single most common mistake people make. A vague request like “I need a WordPress website” will get you vague proposals and unpredictable results.

You must start by creating a detailed project brief. This document is your blueprint. It forces you to think through your requirements and gives candidates the information they need to provide an accurate quote.

What to Include in Your Project Brief

Your brief should be a 1-3 page document that answers these questions:

  • Project Summary: A 1-2 paragraph overview. What is this project? What is the main business goal?
    • Example: “We are a local bakery seeking to build a new 5-page e-commerce website to sell our products online. The primary goal is to generate local sales for pickup and delivery.”
  • Business Goals: What does success look like? Be specific.
    • Example: “Increase online orders by 30% in 6 months,” or “Capture 200 new email subscribers per month.”
  • Target Audience: Who is this site for? This impacts design and functionality.
    • Example: “Tech-savvy professionals aged 25-45” vs. “Seniors in our local community.”
  • Project Type: Is this a brand new site, a redesign of an existing site, or ongoing maintenance?
  • Design Requirements: Do you have existing branding (logo, colors)? Will you provide mockups or wireframes? Or do you need the developer (or their partner designer) to create the design?
  • Technical & Functional Requirements: This is the core of the brief. List every feature you need.
    • Examples:
      • “E-commerce functionality (WooCommerce) to sell 50+ products.”
      • “Integration with Mailchimp for our newsletter.”
      • “A custom event calendar.”
      • “A blog with specific post categories.”
      • “The site must be built using Elementor to allow our marketing team to easily update content.” (This is a critical detail).
  • Timeline: When do you need this project completed? Are there hard deadlines?
  • Budget: Be honest about your budget range. This helps filter out candidates who are too expensive or too cheap. A developer who charges $500 for a “custom e-commerce site” is a major red flag.

A clear brief saves you countless hours. It shows professionals you are serious and organized, and it acts as the foundation for your contract.

Tip 2: Understand the Types of WordPress Developers

The term “WordPress developer” is used to describe many different roles and skill sets. Hiring the wrong type of expert is a fast path to frustration. For example, if you hire a back-end coder to implement a design, you will be unhappy with the visuals. If you hire a theme-configurator to build a custom plugin, they will fail.

Here is a simple breakdown of the main roles:

The WordPress Implementer (or Configurator)

This person is an expert at using WordPress. They build websites by selecting, installing, and configuring pre-built themes and plugins. They are masters of the WordPress admin panel and often experts with a specific page builder.

  • Core Skills: Deep knowledge of the WordPress dashboard, finding and vetting plugins, configuring themes, and using visual builders. They typically do not write PHP, JavaScript, or custom CSS.
  • Best For: Simple, brochure-style websites, blogs, and basic business sites where standard functionality is all that’s needed.

The WordPress Front-End Developer

This developer focuses on the look and feel of the site. They are a “developer” because they write code to create a custom user experience. They translate a design (like a Figma or Sketch file) into a functional, responsive website.

  • Core Skills: Expert-level HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They understand WordPress theme hierarchy and can build a custom theme from scratch or heavily modify an existing one.
  • Best For: Projects with a unique, custom-designed user interface that cannot be achieved with an off-the-shelf theme.

The WordPress Back-End Developer

This developer focuses on the functionality of the site. They work “under the hood” in the server-side code. If you need a custom feature that a plugin does not offer, you need a back-end developer.

  • Core Skills: Expert-level PHP and a deep understanding of the WordPress core, database (MySQL), and APIs. They write custom plugins, integrate with third-party services, and optimize complex database queries.
  • Best For: Custom plugin development, API integrations (like connecting to a CRM), complex e-commerce or membership functionality, and high-level performance optimization.

The Full-Stack WordPress Developer

This professional is a combination of both a front-end and back-end developer. They can handle a project from start to finish, building both the custom theme and the custom plugins needed to power it. These are the most experienced and (rightfully) most expensive developers.

  • Core Skills: All of the above.
  • Best For: Large, complex, and completely custom WordPress website projects.

Here is a helpful video explaining the different roles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK7KajMZcmA 

Before you hire, match your project brief from Tip 1 to one of these roles. Do you need an implementer, a front-end dev, or a back-end dev? Knowing the answer saves you from interviewing the wrong people.

Tip 3: Know Where to Find a WordPress Developer

Now that you know what you need and who you are looking for, you can start your search. Here are the most common places to find talent, with their pros and cons.

Freelance Marketplaces (Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr Pro)

These platforms are vast talent pools where you can post your job and receive bids from freelancers all over the world.

  • Pros: Huge selection of talent at every price point. Built-in payment protection (escrow) and review systems.
  • Cons: You must do all the vetting. It can be overwhelming to sift through dozens of low-quality proposals. The focus can sometimes be on finding the cheapest option, not the best one.

Curated/Vetted Freelance Platforms (Toptal, Codeable)

These platforms are more exclusive. They have a rigorous screening process and only accept a small percentage of developers who apply.

  • Pros: All developers are pre-vetted, saving you a massive amount of time. You are guaranteed a high-quality professional. They often have strong project management support.
  • Cons: This is the premium option, so costs are significantly higher. You have a smaller pool of talent to choose from compared to the large marketplaces.

Digital & WordPress Agencies

An agency provides a full team, not just a single developer. This often includes a project manager, a designer, a developer, and a QA tester.

  • Pros: A “one-stop shop” for your entire project. High level of professionalism, accountability, and reliability. They are well-equipped to handle large, complex projects.
  • Cons: This is the most expensive option. The process can be slower and more formal, with less flexibility than working with a freelancer.

Official Partner Directories (Elementor, WooCommerce)

If your site relies on a specific, complex tool, start with their official partner directory. These are professionals and agencies who have been vetted and certified as experts in that specific ecosystem.

  • Pros: You are guaranteed to find someone with the exact specialty you need. For example, the Elementor Experts Network lists professionals who specialize in building and extending Elementor sites.
  • Cons: The pool is limited to that specific specialty. They may be in high demand.

The WordPress Community (WordCamps, Meetups)

The WordPress community is very active. You can often find local talent by attending local WordPress Meetups or annual WordCamps (large WordPress conferences).

  • Pros: You can meet developers face-to-face and build a relationship. You will find people who are passionate about the WordPress platform.
  • Cons: This is a slow, networking-based approach. It is not efficient if you need to hire someone quickly.

Tip 4: Scrutinize Their Portfolio (The Right Way)

A developer’s portfolio is their resume. But just looking at screenshots is not enough. You need to dig deeper to see if their work is truly professional.

Look for Relevant Experience

First, does their portfolio include projects like yours? If you need a complex e-commerce site, a portfolio full of simple blogs is a bad sign. Look for evidence that they have solved the same types of problems you have.

Check the Live Sites (and Test Them)

This is the most important step. Open their portfolio links and be a critical user:

  1. Test for Responsiveness: Open the site on your phone and tablet. Does it look and work just as well as it does on a desktop? Do menus collapse properly? Are buttons easy to tap?
  2. Test for Performance: How fast does the site load? Use a tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to get an objective score. A slow portfolio is a huge red flag.
  3. Test for Functionality: Do not just look. Click.
    • Click every link in the navigation. Do any lead to a 404 error?
    • Fill out the contact form. Do you get a success message? Do you get an email confirmation?
    • If it’s an e-commerce site, add a product to the cart and go through the entire checkout process (stop just before paying). Is it smooth and intuitive?

Ask About the Projects

A portfolio site does not tell the whole story. During the interview, ask these follow-up questions:

  • “What was your specific role on this project?” This is crucial. Were they the sole developer? Did they just modify a theme? Or were they part of a large agency team? You need to know what they actually did.
  • “What was the biggest technical challenge you faced on this project, and how did you solve it?” This tests their problem-solving skills and honesty. A good developer will have a clear, specific answer.
  • “Is there any custom code you wrote for this project that you are particularly proud of?” This helps you identify if they are a true developer or just an implementer.

Tip 5: Evaluate Key Technical Skills (Beyond “Knows WordPress”)

If your project requires any custom functionality, you must verify the candidate’s technical skills. “Expert in WordPress” is not enough. A true WordPress developer is a web developer who specializes in the WordPress environment.

The Core Languages: PHP, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript

A professional developer must be proficient in these.

  • PHP: This is the server-side language WordPress runs on. A developer needs to understand PHP to write custom functions, create plugins, and work with WordPress core.
  • CSS: This language controls styling (colors, fonts, layout). A pro should be able to write clean, organized CSS from scratch, not just tweak a theme’s options panel.
  • HTML: This is the skeleton of the site. A developer must write semantic, accessible HTML.
  • JavaScript: This controls interactivity (sliders, popups, dynamic content). Modern WordPress development relies heavily on JavaScript, especially with the block editor and a new focus on “headless” applications.

Deep WordPress-Specific Knowledge

This is what separates a general web developer from a WordPress developer.

  • WordPress Theme Architecture: Do they understand the “template hierarchy? Can they build a custom theme from scratch, or at least a “child theme” (which is the correct way to modify a theme)?
  • Hooks (Actions and Filters): This is the heart of WordPress customization. Ask them: “Describe the difference between an action and a filter.” A pro will answer this easily. Hooks are how developers add functionality without editing core files (which is a major amateur mistake).
  • The WordPress Database: Do they understand the database structure (like the wp_posts and wp_usermeta tables)? Can they write efficient, secure database queries using the $wpdb class?
  • WordPress APIs: Do they have experience with the WordPress REST API (for connecting to mobile apps or other services)? The Settings API? The Rewrite API? This shows a high level of expertise.

Professional Workflow (Git & Staging Sites)

  • Version Control (Git): Ask them, “Do you use Git?” If they say “no” or “what’s Git?” you should be very cautious. Git is a tool professionals use to track every change to the code. It prevents catastrophic “I broke the site and cannot fix it” scenarios.
  • Staging Sites: A professional never works on a live website. They will always set up a “staging” or “development” site. This is a private copy of your site where they build and test new features. Only after you approve the changes do they safely push them to the live site.

Tip 6: Assess Their Experience with Your Specific Tools

This is a step that most people miss. A great developer who has never used your specific plugins can cause more harm than good. A WordPress site is an ecosystem of tools that must work together.

The Page Builder Ecosystem (Elementor, etc.)

Modern WordPress sites are often built with powerful visual builders. If your site is built (or will be built) with a platform like Elementor, you must hire a developer who understands its architecture.

A generic PHP developer who does not know Elementor will try to “fix” things by writing code that conflicts with the builder. This can break the visual editor, get overwritten during an update, or cause performance issues.

Ask these specific questions:

  • “Have you built custom Elementor widgets before?”
  • “How do you add custom functionality (like a new PHP function or JavaScript) to an Elementor-built site correctly?”

A pro will talk about using Elementor’s own hooks, building a small add-on plugin, or using the theme’s functions.php file. They will know how to extend the platform, not fight it.

Here is an example of what a professional can build with a platform like Elementor Pro when they know the toolset well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmx5_uThbrM&pp=0gcJCcYJAYcqIYzv 

Your E-commerce Plugin (WooCommerce)

If you run an online store, your developer must be a WooCommerce expert. This is a non-negotiable. WooCommerce is a complex and powerful plugin.

Ask them:

  • “Have you customized the WooCommerce checkout process before?”
  • “Have you integrated a new payment gateway?”
  • “Are you familiar with the Elementor WooCommerce Builder for creating custom shop and product pages?” (if you use it).

Your Hosting Environment

A developer should understand your hosting platform. High-performance hosts (like Elementor Hosting, WP Engine, or Kinsta) have specific, built-in caching and security systems. A developer who does not know about these systems might install a redundant caching plugin that conflicts with the host and slows your site down.

Tip 7: Don’t Underestimate Soft Skills

A developer can be a coding genius, but if they are unreliable or impossible to talk to, your project will be a nightmare. You are hiring a human, not a code-machine.

Look for these four key soft skills:

  1. Communication: This is the most important one. Are their emails and messages clear and professional? Do they respond in a timely manner? Crucially, can they explain complex technical concepts in simple, non-technical terms? You should never feel “stupid” for asking a question.
  2. Reliability & Time Management: Do they set clear deadlines and meet them? How do they track their time and keep you updated on progress? A proactive update (“Just letting you know, the first feature is built and I’m starting on the next one”) is a sign of a true professional.
  3. Problem-Solving: Things will go wrong. A bug will appear. A plugin will conflict. You want a developer who says, “This is an interesting challenge, here are two ways we can solve it,” not one who says, “It’s broken and I don’t know why.”
  4. Business Acumen: The best developers care about your business goals. They do not just blindly build whatever you ask for. They will ask “why” and use their expertise to suggest a better, cheaper, or more effective solution to your problem.

As web creation expert Itamar Haim often says, “You are not just hiring a pair of hands to code; you are hiring a partner to solve a business problem. The questions you ask should reflect that.”

Tip 8: Conduct a Structured Interview (and Ask the Right Questions)

By now, you should have a shortlist of 2-3 strong candidates. It’s time for a video interview. Be prepared. A structured interview where you ask every candidate the same core questions helps you compare them objectively.

Here is a sample list of interview questions:

  • Project Questions:
    • “You’ve read my project brief. Please walk me through how you would approach this project, step-by-step.”
    • “What do you see as the biggest potential challenge or risk in this project?”
  • Portfolio Questions:
    • “Tell me about [Project X] from your portfolio. What was your exact role and what part are you most proud of?”
  • Technical Questions:
    • “Describe your development workflow. Do you use Git? Do you work on a staging site?”
    • “How do you debug a critical ‘white screen of death’ on a WordPress site?”
    • “Can you explain the difference between a WordPress action and a filter?”
  • Ecosystem-Specific Questions:
    • “My site uses Elementor. A client wants a new, dynamic ‘team’ section that pulls from a custom post type. How would you build this?”
  • Soft Skill / Scenario Questions:
    • “Tell me about a time a project went off-track or you missed a deadline. How did you handle it with the client?”
    • “How do you prefer to communicate and how often will I receive updates from you?”
    • “What do you need from me to make this project a success?”

Pay close attention to how they answer. Are they confident and clear? Do they ask you smart questions? An engaged developer who asks you about your business goals is a very strong sign.

Tip 9: Run a (Paid) Technical Test or Trial Project

This is the single best way to verify a developer’s skills. An interview shows they can talk well. A test shows they can work well.

The test should be a small, self-contained task that takes 4-8 hours to complete. You must pay them for this time. Paying for a trial project shows that you are a serious client who respects their time. It also attracts top-tier talent who would (rightfully) refuse to do free work.

What Makes a Good Test Project?

It should be a real-world task that mimics the work you will be hiring them for.

  • For a Back-End Developer: “Write a small plugin that creates a ‘Team Members’ custom post type and registers a new shortcode to display them in a 3-column grid.”
  • For a Front-End Developer: “Here is a Figma design for a new landing page. Please build it out as a custom page template in a child theme.”
  • For an Elementor Specialist: “Here is a staging site with Elementor Pro. Please create a new custom widget that displays the three most recent blog posts with a specific tag.”

What to Evaluate

  • The Result: Did they complete the task successfully? Does it work as requested?
  • The Code: Even if you are not a coder, look at the files. Is the code clean and well-commented?
  • The Process: This is just as important. How was their communication during the test? Did they ask smart questions to clarify the requirements? Did they deliver on time?

A candidate who aces this test is very likely the right person for the job.

Tip 10: Get Everything in Writing (The Contract)

You have found your developer. The final step is to formalize the relationship. Do not start any work, and do not pay any money, until you have a signed contract. This document protects both you and the developer.

Your contract should be based on your project brief and everything you have discussed. It must include:

  • Detailed Scope & Deliverables: Attach the project brief. List exactly what will be delivered (e.g., “One 5-page custom-themed WordPress website,” “One custom e-commerce plugin”).
  • Timeline & Milestones: Include a project start date, an end date, and specific dates for key milestones (e.g., “Milestone 1: Design mockups delivered,” “Milestone 2: Staging site for review”).
  • Payment Terms:
    • The total cost of the project.
    • The payment schedule. (e.g., 33% on signing, 33% at Milestone 2, 34% on final launch).
    • How payments will be made.
  • Revisions & Scope Creep: This is vital. Define how many rounds of revisions are included. More importantly, state what happens when you add a new feature mid-project (this is “scope creep”). Define a clear hourly rate for any work that falls outside the original scope.
  • Intellectual Property & Ownership: The contract should clearly state that upon final payment, you (the client) own 100% of the code and design.
  • Testing & Acceptance: How will the project be considered “done”? Define an acceptance period (e.g., “Client has 7 business days to test the final site”) and what criteria will be used.
  • Termination Clause: How can either party exit the agreement if things go wrong?

A professional developer will insist on a contract. Be wary of anyone who wants to work on a handshake alone.

Conclusion: You’re Hiring a Partner, Not Just a Coder

Hiring the right WordPress developer is a process. It takes time and effort up front, but it saves you from months of headaches, wasted money, and a broken website.

By clearly defining your scope, understanding the type of developer you need, and meticulously vetting their technical and soft skills, you change the game. You stop gambling and start making an informed business decision.

This 10-step framework gives you a repeatable process for finding a true professional. The goal is not just to get a project done. The goal is to find a long-term partner who can help you build, maintain, and grow your online presence for years to come. Now you have the tools. Go find that partner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What’s the average cost to hire a WordPress developer? This varies wildly. Rates can range from $25/hour for an overseas implementer to $150/hour or more for a senior-level, US-based full-stack developer. For a full project, a simple site might cost $1,000 – $3,000, while a custom-built e-commerce site can easily be $10,000 – $50,000+. Your project brief will determine the cost.

2. What’s the difference between a WordPress developer and a WordPress designer? A designer focuses on the visuals: the layout, colors, typography, and user experience (UX). They typically work in tools like Figma or Sketch. A developer takes that design and builds it into a functional website with code (HTML, CSS, PHP, JS). Some people (full-stack developers or agencies) can do both, but they are generally separate roles.

3. Do I need a developer, or can I just use a premium theme? If your needs are simple (a blog, a basic business site) and you find a premium theme that matches your vision 90%, you might not need a developer. You can use a theme and a page builder. You need a developer when you want a 100% custom design or custom functionality that no plugin offers.

4. How long does it take to build a custom WordPress site? It depends entirely on the scope. A simple site with a few pages might take 2-4 weeks. A complex e-commerce or membership site with custom features could take 3-6 months. Your developer should provide a detailed timeline in their proposal.

5. What are the biggest red flags when hiring?

  • Poor communication: Slow replies, unclear answers, or bad grammar.
  • No portfolio (or a weak one): Cannot show you live examples of their work.
  • Vague answers: Cannot clearly explain their process or answer technical questions.
  • “Too good to be true” pricing: Offering to build a complex site for a few hundred dollars.
  • Refusal to use a contract or staging site: This is a sign of an amateur.

6. Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?

  • Hire a freelancer if your project is well-defined, you have a moderate budget, and you are comfortable managing the project yourself.
  • Hire an agency if you have a large, complex project, a bigger budget, and you want a “one-stop shop” that includes project management, design, and development.

7. What is a WordPress “staging site” and why does it matter? A staging site is a private, non-public copy of your website used for development and testing. Professionals always use a staging site to build new features or fix bugs. They only push the changes to your live site once they are tested and approved. This prevents your live site from breaking and protects your visitors from seeing errors.

8. Can I hire a developer just for website maintenance? Yes, and you absolutely should. Many developers and agencies offer monthly “retainer” packages for maintenance. This includes critical tasks like running WordPress updates, backing up the site, scanning for security issues, and making small improvements.

9. If I’m using a builder like Elementor, do I still need a developer? It depends. Platforms like Elementor Pro are incredibly powerful and let you build complex layouts and features without code. You need a developer when you want to extend the platform beyond its built-in features. For example, you would hire a developer to build a custom, dynamic widget that connects to a third-party API.

10. How do I give a developer access to my site safely? Never share your own admin username or password. The correct, safe way is to create a new Administrator account for them inside the WordPress dashboard. When the project is over, you can delete their account. For a professional workflow, they will likely ask for hosting access to set up a staging site, which is a standard and safe practice.