As the demand for WordPress development is currently at its peak, WordPress development agencies must step up their efforts to ensure excellence in all projects. Meeting customer expectations, efficiently managing workflows, and surpassing competitors are crucial tasks.
However, achieving these goals may seem overwhelming. Yet, with a strategic approach and a good understanding of the appropriate tools and technologies, WordPress development agencies can enhance their efficiency throughout the entire process.
In this guide, we’ll explore nine strategies that can empower WordPress development agencies to deliver high-quality projects and optimize their workflows. Additionally, we will recommend some tools to facilitate the implementation of these strategies.
Let’s delve into these strategies without delay.
Tip 1: Conduct Site Updates in a Test Environment
This initial piece of advice holds the top spot on our list for a crucial reason: it sets the foundation for all subsequent discussions.
Making alterations directly to your live site poses the risk of potential crashes. This is especially precarious if your site is integral to your business, as any downtime could lead to a loss in sales.
To mitigate this avoidable risk, it’s advisable to utilize a test environment for updating your WordPress site. For minor fixes, a staging site is suitable. However, if you’re testing functionality or introducing a new site design, opting for a local environment is recommended. If you’re new to test environments, consider using Local, a free app that simplifies the setup process.
We strongly recommend implementing the forthcoming best practices in a test environment before applying changes to the production site!
Tip 2: Implement Project Version Control
Having a local development environment is a great start, but take your time to deploy your plugins or themes directly. It’s crucial to incorporate version control for your project.
Why use version control?
If you ask Google, you’ll find numerous explanations and reasons to use it. Here are the key points that resonate with WordPress developers:
Imagine this scenario: You’ve downloaded WordPress, set it up in your development environment, and are creating a theme. You’re testing locally and making changes, but suddenly, two more team members join to work on the same project.
How do they seamlessly contribute?
It’s not practical to jump into the production environment and copy the project, especially because you’ll continue working on it. The version they copied would need to be updated (and vice versa). When all three upload files to the server, conflicts are likely. Undoing this mess is complicated because the server files have already been overwritten, causing a headache.
With version control, other developers can clone your GitHub project. They make modifications in their development environments and commit changes back to GitHub. This keeps everyone updated, minimizes conflict chances, and simplifies conflict resolution. Even if conflicts occur, it’s easier to manage, and you won’t lose precious files because GitHub stores older versions in the repository.
Version control not only prevents problems but also facilitates error identification. Other developers can review your code, and if errors are found, you can easily revert to the previous version.
Tip 3: Secure Every Site with SSL Certificates
In the past, SSL certificates were primarily associated with certain site types, such as eCommerce platforms or online banking portals dealing with sensitive client data. However, today, having an SSL certificate is considered a universal best practice, even for personal blogs.
Google now identifies sites lacking SSL certificates as “not secure,” a label you certainly want to avoid on your website.
To ensure your site’s security, it’s advisable to install an SSL certificate, regardless of your site’s nature. If you don’t have one already, begin by checking with your WordPress hosting provider. Many managed WordPress hosts offer SSL certificates as a standard benefit.
Tip 4: Prioritize Training and Recruitment of Resources
While automation plays a central role, human intelligence and expertise remain unparalleled. Therefore, WordPress development agencies should ensure they have a sufficient workforce to support their operations.
Beyond simply hiring a skilled team, providing comprehensive training is imperative for every agency. When a team is well-versed in the agency’s adopted strategies, work ethics, protocols, and quality standards, they are better equipped to absorb the values and deliver high-quality results.
A well-trained team requires less hands-on monitoring, produces projects with minimal revisions, and consistently meets project deadlines. Having such a team is a boon for any agency. Therefore, focus on both recruiting and training developers to enhance the overall capabilities of your team.
Tip 5: Code moves up; content moves down
When dealing with non-production environments (such as developing and preparing) in relation to production environments, it’s crucial to separate database code from content. Envision the movement through environments as follows: Code moves up; content moves down.
For content, the preferred direction is downward (production → develop). The production database serves as the authoritative source for content, housing the latest changes. Moving content in this direction safeguards the production database against overwrites and data loss.
Conversely, code moves upward (develop → production). In non-production environments, development teams validate that the new code is error-free and functions as intended before deploying it to the production environment. This approach ensures a controlled and systematic flow of both code and content through the development pipeline.
Tip 6: Implement Continuous Code and UI Testing
Avoid project delivery delays caused by inadequately tested code and poorly designed UI by incorporating continuous regression coding and UI testing. Developers should proactively identify bugs and vulnerabilities in the code and UI during the early stages of development.
It’s crucial to prevent these issues from making their way into the live site, as they can lead to project delivery delays. To streamline this process, a wise approach is to leverage automated testing tools. These tools help ensure thorough and efficient testing, minimizing the risk of issues affecting the live site and contributing to timely project deliveries.
Tip 7: Have a Streamlined Feedback Mechanism
Simplify your workflow by implementing a well-organized feedback mechanism. A streamlined feedback system enables WordPress agencies to assess whether client expectations are met promptly. This proactive approach prevents future client dissatisfaction and empowers agencies to deliver services aligned with their customers’ preferences and requirements.
Tip 8: Stay Legal and Secure: Essential Rules for WordPress Agencies
While specific regulations vary based on the agency’s location and business activities, here are key compliance areas for WordPress agencies:
- Business licenses: Obtain necessary permits and licenses for legal operations.
- Taxation: Comply with sales tax, income tax, and other relevant taxes.
- Intellectual property: Respect copyright laws and intellectual property rights.
- Data protection: Ensure GDPR or other data protection regulations are followed.
- Accessibility: Develop websites meeting accessibility standards like WCAG.
- Consumer protection: Be transparent about services, pricing, and refund policies.
- Contracts: Use clear, comprehensive contracts outlining project details.
- Security: Implement security measures to safeguard client websites and data.
- Continued education: Stay updated on industry changes and best practices.
Consult legal and financial professionals specialized in your region and industry. As laws evolve, staying informed and proactive is crucial for WordPress agencies to maintain compliance.
Tip 9: Engage Clients in the Design and Development Process
Ensure project success by actively involving clients in the design and development stages. There’s nothing more disheartening than discovering a client isn’t satisfied after making substantial progress. Prioritize regular client feedback throughout the project to maintain alignment.
During the onboarding phase, take the time to understand the client’s business, preferences, and goals for the year. Utilize a client questionnaire to standardize this process and avoid oversights in the initial project stages.
As the project progresses, check in with the client at various phases, including wireframes, mockups, and development. If using tools like Local for site development, share a preview link, allowing clients to explore a working version.
Collecting feedback early in the process prevents major changes later on, ensuring client satisfaction and a smoother project trajectory.
Extra Tip: Identify Your Favorite Tools
Boost your productivity and efficiency in the upcoming year by streamlining the array of tools you use for client site development. While new challenges and unique requirements may arise, consider conducting an audit of your tools. Look for overlap and opportunities to simplify.
For instance, in the WordPress themes, do you consistently use a single framework or trust a specific theme company? Alternatively, do you find yourself investing significant research time for each new site design to identify a novel solution?
If you still need to identify your favorite tools, that’s alright. However, make it a goal for the year to enhance efficiency by establishing go-to options. This way, researching a custom solution becomes the exception, not the rule.
FAQs on WordPress Development Workflow
1. Why is it essential to conduct site updates in a test environment?
Conducting updates in a test environment prevents the risk of site crashes in the live environment. It ensures that changes are thoroughly tested before being applied to the actual site, minimizing potential downtimes and loss of sales.
2. How does version control benefit WordPress development agencies?
Version control, typically done with tools like Git, allows developers to manage changes systematically. It enables collaboration among team members, reduces conflicts when multiple developers are working on the same project, and provides a mechanism to track and revert changes if necessary.
3. Why is SSL certification important for all types of websites, including personal blogs?
SSL certification is crucial for encrypting data transmitted between a user’s browser and the website server. It not only secures sensitive information but also enhances trust. Google flags sites without SSL certificates as “not secure,” impacting the site’s reputation.
