How to Choose the Right WordPress Development Service?
How to build a successful online presence using WordPress? It is common knowledge that WordPress is a popular choice for building a robust, successful online presence. For C-suite management personnel and start-up founders, a WordPress website is critical to their online strategy. But how do they maximize the associated benefits? The best solution is to choose the right WordPress development service provider. The criticality of this choice can be gauged from its impact on the website's success. Hence, this choice needs careful deliberation and smart decision-making abilities.
WordPress just turned 20 this year. This is a milestone in a fast-changing digital landscape. Its popularity in the CMS domain is such that over 810 million websites are currently powered by WordPress. It accounts for more than 43% of all websites. The WordPress website must be a cut above the rest to establish a strong foothold in such a competitive environment.
Consequently, decision-makers must choose the best WordPress development service to build their websites. According to BuiltWith, 27.82% of the world's top 10k websites have been created using WordPress. However, the availability of many WordPress web developers might make choosing the right service provider difficult. As a result, many businesses face delays in deployment, subpar performance, and other such difficulties in executing the project. To avoid this, companies must evaluate potential WordPress developers based on certain critical factors to make this process easy and accurate.
This article explores the standard ways of finding the ideal WordPress development service provider. By partnering with experts, you can maximize the returns on your website development investments. This article also aims to provide readers with an in-depth understanding of the nuances of WordPress web development so they can understand the impact the mentioned choice criteria will have on the final output.
Why Should You Choose WordPress for Website Development?
Look at some of the primary advantages of utilizing WordPress for establishing and managing your business website.
Available for Free
You can download WordPress for free and use it to craft websites of diverse types. While this CMS software is available for free, setting it up requires a domain name and web hosting.
The Availability of an Array of Themes
The vast collection of themes within the WordPress directory provides numerous options to improve the look and functionality of a website.
New website owners can access these options through the official WordPress theme directory. They can acquire many other themes via design marketplaces and third-party designers.
Users can preview these themes in real time and install them whenever they need to. It allows them to change a WordPress site's appearance and structure seamlessly.
Take a look at the top WordPress theme shops.
Themify
Themify has solidified its position as one of the prominent WordPress theme companies. They offer 42 exquisite WordPress themes, catering to a wide spectrum of websites, including those for businesses.
CSSIgniter
CSSIgniter is one of the top destinations for WordPress themes. Their collection includes an array of over 50 meticulously crafted themes tailored for various purposes, such as businesses, blogs, and news websites.
WPZoom
WPZoom presents an impressive assortment of 35 meticulously crafted and feature-rich WordPress themes. Encompassing categories like blogging, business, magazine, portfolio, and video themes, their collection is marked by both design excellence and functional depth.
Plugins Extend Functionality
This CMS platform provides all the fundamental components for establishing a basic website. However, numerous users require more specialized functionalities that align with their distinct requirements.
You will find an extensive collection of plugins within the WordPress plugin directory. Currently, there are 59,663 free plugins available for use. These plugins enable users to incorporate features like shopping carts, contact forms, and more into their WordPress sites.
Additionally, users can buy and set up numerous personalized third-party plugins. You can easily activate, deactivate, and remove WordPress plugins based on your evolving website needs. This enables you to customize your website to fulfill your specific requirements.
WordPress Sites Are Mobile Responsive
WordPress themes are meticulously crafted to be compatible with mobile devices. This ensures that your WordPress website functions across various screen dimensions and devices.
Mobile responsiveness also plays an important role in search engine rankings. WordPress provides an array of responsive themes. These enable users to transform static websites into responsive ones by modifying these themes and using plugins.
Effective Ways of Choosing the Right WordPress Development Service Provider
Check out this comprehensive 10-step guide to help you select the ideal WordPress development company that suits your business requirements perfectly. Let's delve into each step.
Analyze Your Requirements
Before selecting a WP development company to collaborate with, it is crucial to carefully review, assess, and clarify your website development objectives.
If your primary aim is brand promotion and establishing a resource hub for your target audience, then using pre-built templates and WordPress themes will meet your needs. On the contrary, if your website's purpose revolves around sales, partnering with a professional web designer becomes the more pragmatic choice.
Here are the steps to take while assessing your needs:
- Define the type of project you plan to undertake.
- Acquire sufficient knowledge about the project's scope and requirements.
- Create a well-thought-out strategy for the execution of the initiative.
- Explore multiple websites that are similar to your envisioned website.
- Consult with your team to understand your company's specific needs.
- Determine the functionalities and features you envision for your website.
Check Reviews and Client Testimonials
Almost every WordPress development service provider showcases client testimonials and reviews on their websites. It serves as an excellent starting point when evaluating a WP agency. The reason is you will get valuable insights into the types of projects the company has undertaken.
Furthermore, you may have a previously successful project that aligns with your vision. With this discovery, you can assess whether the firm can bring your vision to life.
Verified reviews and testimonials are essential, particularly in cases with no available case studies or portfolios.
Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly examine company reviews, customer testimonials, and recommendations. You can extensively search multiple online reviews and ratings platforms to identify and choose the best WordPress development service provider. The top 3 platforms include:
Techreviewer
By showcasing validated market leaders and delivering accurate information about each company within the platform, Techreviewer assists businesses in discovering reliable partners.
Clutch
Clutch stands as a B2B review and rating platform, offering comprehensive analyses, client feedback, and ratings of companies. You can explore an extensive list of WordPress developers through Clutch and select the ideal business partner.
Goodfirms
GoodFirms is a reliable online platform for reviews and ratings. It presents carefully curated compilations of premier business organizations supported by authentic user feedback.
Review Developers' Portfolio and Case Studies
An experienced WordPress development company ought to maintain an online portfolio to showcase its past projects. You can also check out their case studies that detail the outcomes of their previous development endeavors.
Thoroughly examine their qualifications and make a note of the aspects that align with your website development requirements. As you review the documentation for each listed company, consider the following questions:
- Have they built a website that aligns with your overall design vision?
- If so, does the website demonstrate easy navigation?
- What are the features and functionalities that you find most appealing?
- Are there any aspects you'd like to see modified or improved?
When seeking CMS web development companies, you must explore reputed websites with trustworthy listings to ensure a reliable selection process. Without a portfolio or case studies, the company may be relatively new to the domain. They may not possess the necessary experience to meet your requirements. You can then request a test project to assess their efficiency.
Evaluate their Experience and Competency
Before partnering with the selected WordPress development service provider, it is essential to assess their skills. A reputed firm typically comprises a diverse team of website developers.
Every good developer remains up-to-date with the latest WordPress tools and technology trends. To assess their expertise, you can ask them questions about WordPress's tools, features, and technical skills. This way, you can gauge their knowledge level and gain confidence in their abilities.
You may want to include these additional questions during your evaluation:
- Can you furnish a comprehensive list of your services?
- What is your experience in creating and maintaining websites within my industry?
- Is WordPress development your main area of expertise, or is it just a part of your web development services?
- Have you contributed to the WordPress community in any way?
Following this approach, you can effectively assess the company's capabilities and determine if they meet your expected requirements. Additionally, requesting previous work samples and conducting research would be another excellent way to gain a comprehensive overview of the firm's knowledge and expertise in WordPress.
Conduct Interviews
Arrange interviews with the WordPress development service providers. This presents an opportunity to hear directly from them about their abilities and approach to handling projects.
During the interviews, focus on the following areas:
- Company background
- Number of websites built
- Expertise in building websites from scratch
- Proficiency in CSS
- Experience in using content management systems (CMS)
- WordPress development approach and process
- Experience with template customization
- The estimated timeframe for completion
- Estimated development cost
- Post-support services offered
- Plans for website security reinforcement
Be attentive to what they say and non-verbal cues, like facial expressions, eye contact, and tone of voice. Watch how they respond to your questions and notice if they are polite during the interview. These observations can offer valuable insights into their professionalism and communication abilities.
Check Their Flexibility and Availability
Typically, a proficient WordPress development service provider juggles multiple projects simultaneously. Ensuring that all these websites are functional and scalable can become challenging.
You must take into account this crucial aspect. Otherwise, you may hire a development company that may fail to complete their projects and ensure the continuous uptime of websites. As you're aware, even an hour of unavailability could result in significant potential customer and revenue loss for a business.
Furthermore, when your online business eventually experiences growth, you will need a scalable, more sophisticated, and long-term solution. Collaborating with developers that appear incapable of providing the services mentioned above would be impractical.
Conduct Practical Tests
Selecting a WordPress development service provider is a lot like buying a house or a car. Both endeavors demand considerable time and effort to make well-informed choices. To find the ideal match for your WordPress development needs, it is crucial to assess various qualities accurately.
During the interview process, you need to put their claims to the test. Additionally, evaluate some core attributes of the CMS web design and development services you have shortlisted. They are:
Work Approach:
Pay attention to how they approach projects. A proficient and successful WP development agency should clearly understand a project before diving into the website development process. They will deeply explore your business objectives, understand your website vision, and provide a clear roadmap that outlines their approach to your project.
Problem-Solving Capability:
Assess how WordPress developers respond to changes and inevitable challenges with composure and professionalism. Test them with various scenarios to assess their ability to adapt swiftly and find optimal solutions.
Before proceeding, ensure your ideology and vision align with the development team. It is also vital to maintain mutual understanding throughout the project. They should appreciate and adopt your preferred communication style to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts.
Service Cost And Project Value
At times, companies prioritize cost-cutting over work quality, which can lead to regrettable decisions later on. Both the service cost and the project value hold significance. You might encounter businesses offering lower service costs compared to others. However, it's essential to recognize that it's not solely about the cost but the quality of service provided.
Consider it a positive sign if you find them genuine and their work processes align with the points above. Remember that not all low-priced services are reliable. But, if you come across one that meets your criteria, it's undoubtedly a great find.
Here is an overview of WordPress development prices in India, Eastern Europe, and the USA if you are searching for the ideal CMS web development company. In Eastern Europe, the WordPress development cost is $10,000; in the US, the rate is $30,000. In India, building a website using WordPress can cost you $3000.
After-Sales Support
If you are getting your website designed and developed for the first time and lack technical knowledge, after-sales support becomes a crucial consideration. In such a situation, you can reach out to your chosen development partner, have a discussion with them, and ask for assistance in resolving issues with poor performance, bugs, etc.
Therefore, selecting an agency that offers prompt after-sales support is essential. Consider these factors while choosing a WordPress Development Service Provider.
Document All Assessment Results
Recording all evaluation results is essential as it helps you discuss them with your team. Keep in mind that a WordPress development service provider handles multiple clients simultaneously. It can include your competitors or similar enterprises. In such scenarios, ensuring the full protection of your business's intellectual property and sensitive data is crucial.
For this, it is crucial to establish a written legal agreement on information security and data protection. This agreement should be signed and fully understood by both parties.
5 Reasons to Outsource WordPress Development Services
1. Prioritize Core Business Functions
A business organization can delegate website development and maintenance to professionals by hiring WordPress web developers. With external experts handling development-related tasks, you can focus on core activities like product development, marketing, and customer service.
2. Outsourcing Grants Access to Expertise
As an entrepreneur, you might prefer building your business website on your own or hiring a WordPress developer as part of your payroll. However, can you be certain that you have acquired the best talent in the industry? Moreover, training the developer can be a challenging and time-consuming task.
On the other hand, opting for offshore WordPress development services allows you to easily access top-notch talent from around the world. Moreover, you need not invest your time and effort in training them. This way, you can ensure that you are working with the best-in-class professionals without the added hassle.
These professionals stay abreast of the latest web development trends and technologies. Outsourcing grants you access to sophisticated tools, plugins, and resources that can improve your website's functionality and performance. As a result, your virtual presence will remain competitive and up-to-date.
3. Better WordPress Utilization
It is simple to build a website using WordPress. You only need to choose a domain name, pick a web hosting plan, implement the CMS, and begin customizing your business website. The true challenge lies in harnessing the full potential of WordPress and making the most of its extensive features.
Working with plugins and widgets can be difficult, and you might not be aware of all the essential features your business website requires. A skilled website builder possesses the expertise to navigate these complexities and knows precisely which features to utilize and how to get the most out of this CMS platform. They can create a site that aligns with your original vision, both in appearance and functionality, resulting in a superior final product.
4. Scalability and Flexibility
By working with an external team, you will be able to attain scalability and flexibility to meet your evolving business requirements. Outsourcing grants you the flexibility to adjust your website according to your requirements, whether it's a simple site, an e-commerce platform, or additional features and functionalities.
You can readily communicate your evolving requirements to the development partner and ensure that your website stays aligned with your business growth.
5. Cost-Saving
Outsourcing is a cost-effective option. It is one of the main reasons businesses embrace this approach. This approach eliminates the additional expenses associated with investing in in-house resources and setup fees, which can directly burden your company's budget.
Conclusion
This blog covered the reasons to choose WordPress for web development. Readers also learned extensively about the different ways to choose the right WordPress development service provider. They also read about some compelling reasons to outsource WordPress development services. You can partner with the best web design and development company if you want a robust and scalable website built using this CMS.
