In today’s online first age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business to obtain customers while building trust in your brand. A well-designed and properly functioning website is a key component of this online presence. However, when it comes to managing a WordPress site for your business, a common question arises: Do I need a full-time web developer? In this blog post, we’ll explore the factors to consider when deciding whether a full-time web developer is necessary for your business WordPress site.
The Importance of a Business WordPress Site
A well-executed website can serve as a powerful tool to attract and engage potential customers. Here are a few reasons why having a business WordPress site is essential:
1. Professional Branding and Image: A professionally designed and maintained website helps establish credibility and trust among visitors.
2. Customization and Flexibility: WordPress offers a wide range of customizable themes and plugins, allowing businesses to tailor their site’s design and functionality to their specific needs.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A properly optimized WordPress site can improve search engine rankings, increasing visibility and driving organic traffic to your business.
4. E-commerce Capabilities: With the right plugins and configurations, WordPress can facilitate seamless e-commerce integration, enabling businesses to sell products or services online.
Factors to Consider
While a full-time web developer can be an invaluable asset for managing and maintaining a business WordPress site, it may not always be necessary. Consider the following factors before making a decision:
1. Size and Complexity of Your Website
If your business website is relatively small, with limited pages and straightforward functionality, it may be possible to handle the necessary updates and maintenance with part-time or outsourced assistance. However, for larger websites with complex features and frequent content updates, a full-time web developer might be necessary to ensure smooth operation. Even with a full-time web developer, some of the functions may need to be outsourced to 3rd party vendors like SEO and marketing activities, security-related functions, and hosting your website needs.
2. Frequency of Updates and Maintenance
Regular updates and maintenance are crucial for keeping your WordPress site secure and up to date. Evaluate the frequency of these tasks to determine whether a full-time resource is needed. If your site requires constant updates, bug fixes, and optimization, having a dedicated web developer can save you time and ensure timely responses to issues. There are businesses, like Secure Packet, that will perform the patching, updates, and other weekly, monthly, and quarterly security functions that are required for your WordPress site.
3. Budget Considerations
Hiring a full-time web developer comes with associated costs, including salary, benefits, and training expenses. Assess your budget and determine whether it allows for a full-time resource. For smaller businesses with limited financial resources, outsourcing or hiring a part-time developer might be more feasible. The cost of someone with the knowledge and abilities you are requiring can be quite high compared to outsourcing to a 3rd party resource if your website is in the range from simple to medium-sized. If your website is your main revenue source then it might make more sense to look into a dedicated on-staff resource you can use while outsourcing simple and highly advanced tasks so your on-staff resource can focus on the tasks you prefer like updating product pages, pricing, etc.
4. Technical Expertise
Consider your own technical expertise and that of your existing team members. If you or someone in your team possesses the necessary web development skills, you may not require a full-time developer. In such cases, investing in training or upskilling your team could be a viable alternative. Like stated above, you could also split the responsibilities between your staff and 3rd party resources. You can train your current staff to perform the repetitive tasks for your products and offerings while a 3rd party resource performs more technical tasks.
Alternative Options
If hiring a full-time web developer is not currently viable for your business, there are alternative options to consider:
1. **Freelancers**: Engage freelancers on a project basis or for specific tasks, allowing you to access web development expertise as needed without the commitment of a full-time employee. With Freelancers though, if you use several over time then there is always a chance they do not follow the same methodology and your website’s performance, security, and visuals will suffer. Secure Packet does not suggest one-and-done type Freelancers as the solution for any business that is generating a profit.
2. **Web Development Agencies**: Consider partnering with a web development agency that can offer ongoing support and maintenance for your WordPress site, ensuring it remains up-to-date and secure. Secure Packet provides this type of service due to the demand from our clients looking for hosting. Each agency is different and is able to provide different levels of service. Secure Packet currently does not provide any enterprise-level support for clients and limits our service to the small and medium business markets for example. Keep this in mind when you are selecting your agency to ensure their pricing models, support, etc. fit your business’s needs.
3. **Managed WordPress Hosting Providers**: Opting for managed WordPress hosting providers can provide technical support, automatic updates, and security features, reducing the need for extensive web development expertise. Please keep in mind that “managed” doesn’t mean what a lot of customers may believe. What this is refering to is mostly an automated WordPress platform with a web interface overlay for some more technical tasks. The level of support will differ between providers so ensure that your needs are covered.
Conclusion
Deciding whether to hire a full-time web developer for your business WordPress site requires careful consideration of factors such as website size, complexity, budget, and technical expertise. Assess your specific needs and resources to determine the most suitable option for your business. Whether you choose a full-time developer, part-time assistance, or outsourced support, the key is to ensure your WordPress site receives the attention it deserves, enabling your business to thrive online.
Secure Packet is here to help!
Secure Packet provides IT consulting services along with web hosting and advanced services. Our team is a group of experienced IT consultants with a large amount of our team around our headquarters in Orlando, FL. We are local to your needs and have the skill set to get you solutions fast and budget-friendly. We provide a free IT strategy call at no cost to you and no commitment to go with us. We also offer an IT consulting service where we strictly only provide IT consulting services. We will make you aware of our other services that would be a great fit but that is where it stops. We won’t push our services as IT consulting should be the best fit possible for your needs and not an upselling opportunity. With Secure Packet being run by IT professionals and not MBA business folks, this is one of the cornerstones of our mission statement to our clients.