You can find a lot of books about professional WordPress design and development. There are also courses, videos, and tutorials on how to excel in designing or developing websites on WordPress. Today, I will give you a list of important things a professional should bear in mind when diving into WordPress (and WooCommerce) design and development 🚀!
Table of contents
- Professional WordPress design and development - important intro
- What to learn?
- Speed up design and development (tools & plugins)
Professional WordPress design and development - important intro
First, you need to bear in mind, that it’s not rocket science 🧑🚀 the topic is huge 😏. I will point out the most important areas and topics you may want to learn.
Also, I advise you to choose a book, video, tutorial, podcast, or lecture about professional WordPress design and development. Start with a quality one in the format you like 🙂.
Finally, remember that practicing may also be a key to fast learning. If you can implement the knowledge right away, there is a chance to keep the momentum 💨.
Subjects to learn
The areas of expertise in professional WordPress (or WooCommerce) design and development are HUGE! You may focus on designing and developing the backend, and frontend, implementing security measures, testing, giving support, adjusting, customizing, taking care of projects, accounting, hiring staff, or organizing the smooth run of the company 😨.
Of course, remember that you do not need to do everything on your own 🙂. I know it’s a scratch of the surface with topics, but you know at once you may need help with projects, pick smaller ones and run them slowly only by yourself, or pick just one area of expertise.
Ok, let’s jump to the list!
Professional WordPress design and development - subject list
-
Technical & Development
- WordPress CMS (installing, settings, security, server settings, themes, and plugins)
- Build an eCommerce site/ WooCommerce
- Mobile, Apps
- HTML and CSS
- PHP
- custom code (filters, actions, child theme, and plugins)
- JavaScript
- Frameworks, libraries, SCSS
- AJAX, API, DOM
- SQL, database queries & optimization
- Staging, SVN, testing, troubleshooting
- FTP, backups, migrating, and updates
- Support, customer service, and maintenance
- Custom post types, taxonomies, multisite
- Cron, Cache, SMTP, SSL
- Developer tools (coding, managing, support)
-
Design
- Goals, planning, strategy
- Content architecture, layouts, formats
- Prototyping and mockups
- Mobile, scalability, apps
- Graphical elements (images, photos, logo, banners)
- Functional elements, user flow, and conversion goals
- Colors, fonts, effects
- Testing, analyzing, and optimizing
-
Marketing
- Content strategy
- Content architecture and types
- SEO
- Content writing
- SEM
- Internal (emails, forms, processes, etc.)
- External (social media, printed ads, meetings)
- Analytics
-
User/ Customer
- Finding new customers
- Contact forms, auto-replies
- Support and customer care
- Product feedback and comments
- Emails and newsletters
- Privacy policy, terms & conditions, legal
- Sales
- UX
- Invoicing, shipping, and payments
- Products, orders, and refunds
- User flow
- Marketing
- Community
-
Organization
- Business stuff (type of company, legal, invoicing, and taxes)
- Coworkers, hiring, and communication
- Project & time management
- Costs, funding, and planning a budget
- Improving skills/ learning
- Agreements, NDA, and paperwork
- Conflict management
- External cooperation, affiliate, campaigns
- Management, reports, and business efficiency
Of course, each area is huge so you may choose one specialization or become a jack of all trades. Being a backend, frontend, or full-stack developer has its pros and cons 🙂.
Let me know if you see any additional big subjects to learn. I’ve not gone too deep in frameworks, libraries, and tools as they require the knowledge of general stuff anyway 🧑🎓.
Speed up design and development (tools & plugins)
When creating professional WordPress sites for customers you need to remember about each aspect of the process (design, code, support, legal, marketing). The quality of your service will determine your success 🚀!
Tools
To build a beautiful website you will probably need some tools. Certainly, you can start with a pen and paper 😉 but you will need to move your ideas to the computer screen later on anyway. Ok, you don’t have to, if you can delegate tasks or use such tools from day one 😀.
Most of the time you will need some kind of program to:
- code
- work simultaneously over code/ use SVN
- sketch and prototype
- plan and write your content
- analyze SEO, traffic, or sales
- plan and run a project/ business
- communicate with coworkers
- send emails and provide customer support
- take care of marketing, community, etc.
There are probably more areas that need an online tool or program. It’s nice to have good ones that will help you work effectively 🙂.
Plugins
As you know, you don’t always have to build custom extensions. You may also find premium plugins with advanced functionalities on the internet.
WP Desk has also developed dozens of plugins for WordPress and WooCommerce. I encourage you to check out our free plugins → 🚀
Use them in your professional process of WordPress design and development ⭐, for example for invoicing or email marketing! What's more, most of them offer powerful new features for WooCommerce (better checkout and products, gift cards, product import, wishlists, or refunds).
Our extensions
Let's take a look at 5 examples of our plugins that can add value and speed up your projects 🙂.
Email marketing in WordPress and WooCommerce
The plugin lets you set email marketing but also get data from Contact Form 7 to Google Spreadsheets automatically. Create newsletters, and email lists, recover abandoned carts in WooCommerce, and more. It's compatible with WordPress & WooCommerce ⭐!
Invoicing in WordPress and WooCommerce
Running a blog, selling services, or having eCommerce have, most of the time, one thing in common. Issue PDF invoices for your customers (both in WordPress & WooCommerce) 🗃️!
Download Flexible Invoices for WordPress and WooCommerce →
Customize the WooCommerce checkout page
Speed up your WooCommerce checkout page with our checkout manager. Add custom fields, hide, remove, reorder them, and customize the WooCommerce checkout with a few clicks. You can also set additional pricing per field and use conditional logic for advanced checkout customization in PRO 💪!
Flexible Checkout Fields PRO WooCommerce $59
Edit, add new or hide unnecessary fields from the WooCommerce checkout form. Add pricing to fields and use conditional logic. It's all about conversions and better user experience. NEW: now you can set multiple conditions (OR) under one or more condition groups (AND).
💾 Active Installations: 90,000+ | WordPress Rating:
You can also start with a free version of the plugin 🙂!
Download Flexible Checkout Fields (free) →
Sell products with custom fields in WooCommerce
Default WooCommerce products (variations, attributes, and taxonomies) may not be enough when designing and developing advanced products. Use the plugin to add custom fields to WooCommerce products with pricing, conditional logic, and other customization options (some of them in PRO) 🎨. You may read more on how to use the free alternative to WooCommerce attributes.
Flexible Product Fields PRO WooCommerce $59
Create a product wizard to sell engravings, gift wrapping, gift messages, business cards, stamps and optionally charge for it (fixed or percentage).
💾 Active Installations: 10,000+ | WordPress Rating:
There is also a free version of the plugin 🙂!
Download Flexible Product Fields (free) →
Import products from any XML or CSV file
If your customer (or you) needs to add multiple products to WooCommerce, you will probably want a plugin. Our product importer can handle the job. Import products, synchronize specific fields, set the schedule, conditional logic, auto-create categories, and add prices. You may import (and update) simple, variable, or affiliate products faster (some options in PRO) ⏩.
Dropshipping Import Products for WooCommerce $79
Import and synchronize wholesale products with WooCommerce products. Add margin to the prices of imported products. Use conditional logic. Make your work easier.
💾 Active Installations: 1,000+ | WordPress Rating:
You can also start with a basic version of the extension to run the product import 🙂!
Of course, that’s only a few examples. See the plugins and read our blog for more information & inspiration.
As you can see, our plugins can speed up your work. And there are also hooks and shortcodes! See our All Plugins Bundle if you need professional plugins with premium support one day 🏅 to develop and design WooCommerce stores with WordPress 🙂.
All Plugins Bundle $99
19 plugins included! 1 Site for each plugin Regular updates and support Priority 1-on-1 Support 30-day money back guarantee
Add to cart or View DetailsSummary
Today, you’ve learned about professional WordPress design and development. Then, I’ve pointed out learning areas and important tools you may need to plan, develop, and run your projects.
I’ve also shown our plugins (free & premium) that may speed up your work in the future 💪.
Finally, if you have any questions about the article, learning paths, tools, or plugins, just leave a comment 🙂.
