Can You Make a Living with WordPress on Upwork?

The freelancing world has grown vastly with so many diverse fields, and WordPress skills are among the other skills that have shown an immense rise among developers and designers.

Here in this blog, you will get your answers to “Can you make a living with WordPress on Upwork?”.

Among the different freelancing platforms in the market, Upwork is considered the top freelance marketplace, with a lot to offer to the growing number of WordPress freelancers.

We will also be diving into what it takes to be a successful freelancer, along with some actionable advice for you, even as a beginner.

The Increasing Need for WordPress Skills

WordPress is the major platform for almost all the major websites out there on the web. WordPress’s content management system is widely used by businesses, bloggers, online stores, and even nonprofits.

Due to its flexibility and plenty of plugins and tools, most companies and individuals prefer to use WordPress to build and maintain their online presence. Such popularity leads to a vast number of freelance work.

Whether it’s about simply creating a custom theme, installing a WooCommerce store, or even just making some adjustments to a site’s appearance, required to have WordPress proficiency is in demand for freelancers.

Upwork freelancers tend to find that WordPress work has all sorts of scopes and, even there is an average acceptance regarding the budgets. With this diversity, if you possess the proper proficiency in handling WordPress skills, you can find work that matches your level and career objectives.

Understanding Upwork as a Freelancing Platform

Upwork is among the biggest freelancing platforms on which companies outsource their projects to professionals for work, such as WordPress development, design, SEO, and content creation.

Clients from all across the globe place their projects on this site in the form of various job postings, and freelancers usually place bids on these jobs depending on their qualifications and pricing.

WordPress is among the skills that are very highly in demand on Upwork since, as businesses grow, they require individuals to build websites for them. So they need people skilled in WordPress development, custom plugins, theme development, as well as website maintenance.

So, if you are the one having proficiency in WordPress knowledge and are looking for a platform to get started with your first earning option, there are numerous opportunities to take advantage of, especially on Upwork.

Skills You Must Need to Excel in WordPress on Upwork

To earn a living with WordPress on Upwork, you require the right set of skills. Here is a list showing you all those skills that would be required to start your journey with WordPress on Upwork.

• WordPress Installation & Setup: To work as a WordPress freelancer, you must have the skills for WordPress installation, theme setup, as well as plugin configuration.
• Theme Customization: Theme modification to match the needs of your clients.
• Plugin Development & Customization: Knowing to develop custom plugins or customize the existing ones.
• Website Speed Optimization: You must know how to optimize the loading speed and performance of your WordPress website.
• SEO & Security: Make sure that the websites you are building are SEO optimized and safe against all kinds of threats.
• WooCommerce Development: You also need to know how you can implement eCommerce sites using WooCommerce since most eCommerce sites are being developed using WordPress.
• Website Maintenance & Support: Finally, you need to have the skill set for updating plugins, themes, and debugging.

Also, remember, you don’t need to learn all of these skills to become a successful freelance developer. Simply just specializing in one or two areas can be sufficient.

Creating a Strong Upwork Profile

Your Upwork profile is similar to your online resume. It’s the first thing that your clients will be viewing, so creating a good impression through your Upwork profile is very important. 

Here are the steps that you can follow to write a great profile:

• Create a Professional Headline: Instead of using a simple title such as “WordPress Developer”, you can make it more descriptive, such as “Expert WordPress Developer | Custom Themes & Plugin Development”.
• Write a Strong Overview: You can explain your experience, skills, and how you can assist the clients with tier projects. You need to learn how to emphasize the value that you are willing to provide your clients.
• Highlight Your Portfolio: You can post some samples related to your previous work, such as links to websites you have designed. This will also clarify the experience that you mentioned in the previous step.
• Charge Competitive Rates: If you are a beginner to Upwork, you must first start with lower rates to gain some valuable credibility. As you become more experienced, you can then raise your rates later with the time.
• Obtain Relevant Certifications: In case you have done some certifications on WordPress-based skills, you can also display them on your profile.

Finding WordPress Jobs & Applying for it on Upwork

To earn a living on Upwork, you need to regularly visit the platform and apply for work related to your skills. To make the best impression, make sure your Upwork profile and AI resume are aligned, presenting a consistent and professional image.

Here are some helpful tips for you.

• Use the Proper Keywords: Simply search for the jobs by using the specific keywords related to your skills, such as “WordPress development”, “WooCommerce expert”, or “WordPress customization”.
• Apply to New Jobs: On the platform itself, you will often get new job postings and apply for those with the most views from clients. Also, make sure to apply within a few hours of posting; don’t leave it for days.
• Write Custom Proposals: Always try to avoid generic proposals and personalize your every application while keeping in mind the client’s specific needs.
• Highlight Your Experience: You can also mention similar projects you have worked on and provide the relevant portfolio links to your Upwork profile.
• Keep Your Applications Short & Relevant: Always remember that you write short and direct proposals for the clients. Clients don’t have time to read long proposals.

Getting Your Initial Few Jobs on Upwork

Winning your initial few projects is the most challenging part for every freelancer, especially if you are a beginner. Since, as a beginner, you are not consistent with the Upwork reviews, clients might not consider hiring you. Here are a few steps that you can go through to improve your prospects:

• Begin with Small Projects: In the beginning, go for those jobs that offer less pay but are actively looking for freelancers like you. This will build your profile.
• Provide Competitive Pricing: Since you are just starting, look for professional freelancers out there, review their quotations, and try to write yours less than theirs.
• Provide Great Service: Your focus should always be on the quality of the work you are handling and the timely submission within the defined deadline by your client.
• Communicate Clearly & Professionally: Always ensure that the clients are informed about the progress of the work, and try to respond promptly.
• Ask for Reviews: Your project submission is not the last step. You must always ask for feedback once you are done with your projects and submit them.

Scaling Your Freelance Business

Once you are receiving jobs and positive reviews, now is the perfect time for you to think about scaling your freelance business.

• Charge More: Once you become comfortable with the platform and client handling, you can now gradually increase your charges as you build more experience and feedback.
• Target High-Paying Clients: Now, it’s time to look for high-paying clients since you have acquired the right set of skills.
• Establish Long-Term Relationships: Try to acquire recurring contracts from clients instead of single projects.
• Develop a Specialized Service: You can now provide some specialized services such as “WooCommerce Customization” or “WordPress Security Optimization”.
• Think about Building a Team: As you grow, you can outsource the projects to some other freelancers.

Challenges and their Solutions

Working as a freelancer on a platform like Upwork has its share of certain challenges that usually every freelancer deals with. Here are some of the usual challenges that you are probably facing, along with some tips on how you can overcome them.

• High Competition: There are tons of WordPress freelancers looking for the best clients on Upwork. To make yourself unique from the others, you need to focus on niche skills and create a profile based on that.
• Low Initial Income: In the beginning, you might not earn a lot, but just hold your patience and build your profile constantly.
• Client Communication Problems: Sometimes, you might not get clear indications from certain clients. You need to ask questions regularly and confirm before begin working with the client.
• Project Scope Creep: Clients will request some additional work outside of the agreed terms. So, be clear with the boundaries and specify extra costs early on.
• Platform Fees: Always keep in mind that Upwork charges a percentage of your income, so decide accordingly when determining the rates.

Other Income Streams with WordPress

If you want to diversify your income, you can look at some other means of earning money with WordPress. 

• Sell WordPress Themes & Plugins: You can create and sell themes or plugins on sites such as ThemeForest or CodeCanyon.
• Create a Blog: You can even start creating your WordPress blog and monetize it with ads, affiliate marketing, or selling some digital products.
• Offer Online Courses: You can teach the WordPress skills you acquired on platforms such as Udemy or Teachable.
• Provide WordPress Hosting & Maintenance Services: Numerous businesses require regular assistance for their WordPress websites.

Can You Make a Living with WordPress on Upwork: The Final Thought

You can earn a living with WordPress on Upwork, but success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes the right set of skills, persistence, and a strong strategy, along with a lot of time and effort.

Firstly, focus on building a great profile, applying for the right jobs, delivering quality work, and continuously improving your skills. With the right amount of time and effort, you can turn your Upwork freelancing career into a stable and profitable business.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)