Freelance WordPress developer: is it the right choice for your business?

Today, in the digital world, a strong online presence is a must for every business, regardless of size. But, building and maintaining a website can be a difficult task. This is where a freelance WordPress developer can make all the difference. In this blog, we will look at the world of WordPress development and how hiring freelancers can benefit you in terms of cost-effectiveness, access to specialized expertise, and flexibility. If you are looking to hire WordPress developers, the right talent can transform your online presence. We will also touch on potential challenges and meet you at Global Squirrels, a platform that will connect you with the best of the best freelance talent.

What do WordPress developers do?

Creating, managing, and enhancing WordPress websites requires WordPress developers. They have front-end as well as back-end development expertise and are invaluable to businesses that want to develop functional, visually appealing, and user-friendly websites. If you are working with a freelance WordPress developer for a specific project, their contributions can significantly enhance your online presence.

Website development

As a WordPress developer, you design and build responsive websites that are user-friendly and in line with client needs. A remote WordPress developer can efficiently convert design files into custom themes and templates, providing flexibility and expertise regardless of location.

Plugin and theme creation

You can add functionality to your site with custom plugins and themes created by WordPress professionals to match your brand identity. Businesses that hire WordPress developers benefit from tailored solutions that enhance user experience and meet unique project requirements.

Back-end management

WordPress developers, though, deal with some very important server-side tasks, such as managing databases like MySQL and implementing robust security measures. Their proficiency in PHP ensures high-performing and secure websites, making them an asset whether you choose to work with a freelance WordPress developer or a permanent team member.

Front-end development

The front-end tasks are to build engaging and user-friendly designs using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Developers ensure seamless user experiences, a key priority for businesses looking to hire WordPress developers to elevate their website’s functionality and design.

Site migration and site optimization

Migrating a website to the WordPress platform and optimizing it for SEO is part of a WordPress developer’s job. They help improve site visibility, bring in more traffic, and improve the overall performance of the business. Hence, they are a must-have resource for businesses that want to expand their online presence.

Types of WordPress developers for hire

• Core developer

It involves adding code to enhance the core WordPress software to make it better at doing what it is designed to do. Businesses looking to hire WordPress developers often seek core developers to ensure their websites are built on solid performance and reliability are founded on.

• Plugin developer

It is a skill that specializes in making custom plugins to add specific features or functions to WordPress sites. When you work with a freelance WordPress developer, you can extend the capabilities of your website effectively.

• Theme developer

Instead, it focuses on creating bespoke themes that cater to client needs or aesthetical preferences. If you need to find WordPress developers for unique design needs, theme developers can ensure your website aligns perfectly with your brand identity and user experience goals.

Hiring a freelance vs full-time WordPress developer: major differences

When deciding between hiring a freelance WordPress developer and a full-time developer, several key differences can influence your choice based on project requirements and business goals. Here is a comparison across four critical areas: Specialized expertise, faster turnaround time, and access to a global talent pool.

Freelance WordPress developers are flexible enough to work on a specific task or project as needed. This hiring strategy enables businesses to adapt quickly to project-changing needs. Freelancers are great for companies that want to hire short-term support or fill a specific expertise gap. In contrast, full-time developers are ideal for ongoing tasks and are less flexible when changing project scope. 

For targeted projects, many freelancers have highly specialized niches or specialize in specific technologies. Businesses that hire WordPress developers with this specialized expertise can benefit from tailored solutions and focused problem-solving. On the other hand, involvement in various company projects typically means having a broader skill set. They are less specialized, but their understanding of internal systems and workflows means they understand consistency and provide long-term support.

Focusing on a project can allow freelancers to achieve results faster. As they directly communicate with clients, they become an excellent choice for businesses that require quick turnarounds. Although they are long-term commitments, full-time developers work on many projects, and timelines are sometimes stretched. However, when they know the company’s systems, that familiarity can help them with larger projects.

Hiring freelancers gives businesses access to a global talent pool, enabling them to find WordPress developers with diverse skills and experiences. Diversity helps create creativity and innovation while at the same time giving you the flexibility to hire the right people for the job. In comparison, full-time developers may not be as diverse as freelancers. Still, they roll into the company culture and processes, providing stability and continuity that align with business goals.

What challenges can you face when you hire freelance WordPress developers?

High costs of wire transfers

Offshore freelancing payments via wire transfers are costly, around $75 per transaction. For instance, when you have 10 freelancers working for your business, this will mean an additional $750 in monthly expenses (not counting exchange rates, margins, and time needed to process payments). Furthermore, HR and all accounting teams have to deal with the issue of tax withholding obligations for freelancers, which is a time-consuming process. If payments take longer than expected or are made incorrectly, freelancers may become dissatisfied with the business and slack off on their work.

W-8BEN forms: Compliance issues

Managing W-8BEN forms for global freelancers, including remote WordPress developers, presents significant compliance challenges. Unexpected withholding taxes, IRS penalties, and missed opportunities for lower applicable tax rates under tax treaty benefits can result from errors or incomplete submissions. However, these legal and financial risks make what seemed like a simple form an extremely complicated undertaking. Without a reliable process for accurate and timely submission, ensuring compliance becomes a daunting task, particularly for businesses trying to find WordPress developers globally.

Freelancer commitment challenges

Unlike employment agreements, freelancers can move on to other projects whenever they want to. If you are looking to hire WordPress developers, this lack of commitment can lead to a loss of time and resources spent on onboarding and training. Due to their many clients, working with freelancers sometimes can have delays, inconsistent quality, and misaligned expectations. Without formal freelance contracts, keeping a freelance WordPress developer focused and aligned with project goals can be difficult, further complicating their management.

Inability to track the freelancer’s progress

One of the most challenging things about dealing with freelancers is tracking their progress from different time zones or other countries. Without an efficient system in place to track work completion, managers struggle to maintain timely production. Consequently, a lack of visibility leads to gaps in responsibility and missed project deadlines. Businesses miss deadlines and experience workflow disruptions as a result, making it challenging to maintain seamless operations. These difficulties highlight the need for a reliable monitoring system that will keep an eye on the tasks, stay on track, and hold people accountable even when they are located in different time zones or geographical locations. 

Global Squirrels: Explore how our platform helps you hire and manage freelancers efficiently

Global Squirrels is a staffing and payrolling platform that helps you hire and manage your freelancers globally. Our platform helps you manage your freelance WordPress developers by handling all HR functions, including timely payments, compliance with local and international labor & tax laws, task and timesheet management, freelance contracts, and performance management.

Let us understand how our platform helps you eliminate all your challenges.

• Our platform offers a secure payment system for freelancers processed through a federally regulated electronic network. Global Squirrels ensures that your payments are accurate and do not leave out any significant bits, like tax details.
• Global Squirrels ensures you are on the safe side of the law, ensure 100% compliance, and pay attention to local and international labor and tax regulations. Managing important forms, such as W8-BEN, is key. With our platform, you do not need to worry about the freelancer filling out and submitting the form, as our platform acts as their legal employer and will ensure they do so timely.
• Our platform ensures the freelance WordPress developers you onboard are fully dedicated to your business. That is made possible by our freelancer hiring plans that require them to sign an agreement that includes exclusivity clauses.
• Our remote worker management tools will allow your business to assign one-time and recurring tasks, along with deadlines, that automatically integrate into timesheets for monitoring. Both you and your freelance WordPress developers get an immediate view of task progress and can keep projects on schedule.

Here is what Global Squirrels offers to help you meet all your requirements.

Freelancer Purple plan

The Purple plan is intended for those who have an already-sourced freelance WordPress developer. Once the onboarding process begins, our platform will handle all administrative tasks, including freelance payments, compliance with local & international labor & tax laws, tasks & timesheet management, and performance management. This includes timely and accurate payments, performance monitoring, task and timesheet management, maintaining compliance with local and international laws, and managing freelance contracts.

Freelancer Orange plan

The Orange Plan helps you find and hire the top freelance WordPress developers based on your business requirements. This means you will have all the control over the hiring process, from the job title, description, budget, skills, educational background, and countries you want to hire from. When you enter this information, you will get pre-screened and background-checked profiles in 2 to 5 working days. You can choose the candidates you wish to interview. After the interview, you can provide feedback and choose the freelancer you wish to onboard. Once the freelancer starts working for you, our platform will handle all the HR functions mentioned above.

Are you ready to hire a freelance WordPress developer? Request a demo today!