Understanding Your Value as a WordPress Freelancer

It’s a tough time to be a WordPress freelancer. The entire ecosystem seems to be shifting beneath us, as we’ve witnessed legal battles and community drama. Not to mention a newfangled technology – artificial intelligence (AI) – taking over the planet.

None of this is good for stability or our confidence. It’s natural to wonder what it all means for the future of freelancing. Are we doomed or just in a time of transition?

I know my business has changed in the past year. Leads for new site builds have morphed into requests for maintenance. It feels like we’ll never get back to the way things were.

Perhaps that’s true. It doesn’t mean the future isn’t bright, though. There’s still value in what we do. Recognizing it is the first step to finding success in a new era.

So, consider this a pep talk for you, my fellow freelancer. Let’s have a collective mental reset to help us focus on what’s next.

Relationships Are at the Core of What We Do

Modern tools make it possible for non-designers to build a functional website. But what happens when a user needs help? What if they need a feature that isn’t readily available?

Sure, a SaaS provider can employ an AI bot to handle certain tasks. It might answer simple questions. However, that doesn’t establish a relationship with a client. There’s no human connection.

As freelancers, we exist to help clients go farther. We guide them through every step of building and maintaining their website and are there when they have questions. We can give them more than generic answers.

The relationships we form with clients are meaningful. They can come to us for support and advice. It builds trust and loyalty. People are more likely to stick around when there is an established relationship.

The land of site builders and AI assistants can’t match these values. Clients will hop from one provider to another without a second thought. That’s not necessarily the case when working with a freelancer.

Perhaps these tools will make us look too expensive in the short term. However, it’s not hard to imagine frustrated users eventually realizing that knowledgeable humans are worth the cost. That’s why there will always be a place for us in the market.

Experience and Expertise Still Matter

Websites are more complicated than they appear. That’s a lesson freelancers learn the hard way. We try, we fail, and we improve.

Those experiences, with all their ups and downs, help us learn what works. We gain expertise that serves us and our clients well. It’s something we can lean on as we face new challenges.

It shows in knowing which plugins to use and how to keep our websites secure. Experience allows us to troubleshoot a buggy feature or diagnose a slow page load. We’ve learned about accessibility’s importance and how to implement best practices.

These skills are vital to a website’s success. Clients need an expert to help them avoid pitfalls and make sound decisions. They need someone who does more than point them to sales pitches and documentation.

Having a one-on-one conversation about website strategy is a prime example. It allows clients to weigh their options and determine a path forward.

We’re a resource for client growth. Our experience and expertise make it possible.

A Changing Landscape Brings Opportunity

As a creature of habit, I can’t blame anyone for lamenting change. Once we think we have this industry figured out, it reinvents itself. The tools and people we rely on are suddenly different or gone.

WordPress has stuck around, even through recent tumult. But how we use it and build for it has changed. Coding with PHP isn’t the surefire path to profitability anymore. Blocks powered by React have left many of us scrambling to keep up.

The market surrounding WordPress is also undergoing a reckoning of sorts. For instance, products from independent developers continue to be acquired by big conglomerates. These transactions tend to result in price increases, further squeezing tight budgets. Some clients are asking us to do more with less.

Those are the challenges. However, these shifts also bring new opportunities.

AI tools may be part of the answer. We can use them to increase our efficiency and capabilities. They might also become a springboard to more revenue.

There’s also a chance to shift our focus. The organizations flocking to use site builders aren’t a good fit for freelancers, at least not now. They’re after the lowest price, rather than the best product. Thus, it’s a good time to identify a more profitable niche.

It’s also a moment to reinvest in ourselves by learning a new skill or strengthening existing ones. Start by identifying areas that interest you and can enhance your business. There is no shortage of courses or tutorials to help you get started.

Change is both difficult and inevitable, but we don’t have to sit idly by while it happens. A proactive freelancer can find opportunities amidst the chaos.

You Belong in This New Era of Freelancing

Things look a lot different than they did five or ten years ago. But that’s not a new phenomenon.

For perspective, my web design journey started in 1995. My workflow consisted of hand-coded HTML and graphics from…Microsoft Paint. I couldn’t have imagined a tool like WordPress back in those days.

Somehow, I managed to keep up with the times for 30+ years. Longtime freelancers repeat this cycle time and again.

Maybe this new era seems scary compared to others. Even so, I still believe freelancing is a viable way to make a living. It’s all about adapting to market needs and what you do best.

With that in mind, take a deep breath. Look at your business and determine where you stand. Then, draw a path to where you want to go. You got this.