Unless you got here by mistake, you’re here because you’ve heard how popular, and maybe even how easy, WordPress is. And if that’s the case, maybe you’ve considered stepping into the ecosystem.
Maybe you’ve wondered what kind of business opportunities exist—especially if you don’t feel confident going out on your own yet, and don’t love working for an agency. Or maybe you don’t feel like your experience warrants the rate you would need to charge to go on your own.
So even if everyone you know talks about the jobs listed below, you’re not sure if they’re a right fit for you.
- Freelance Developer
- Plugin Developer
- Theme Developer
- Agency Developer
If you’re looking for a new angle, here are 5 other businesses you could run today.
1. WordPress Support Company
Companies like WP Site Care, Maintainn, and WP Curve all provide support for clients who don’t want to become developers but still want to have a WordPress site. They provide backup, update, and security services—along with support for some development tweaks too.
No reason you couldn’t start one of these companies as well—assuming you really enjoy, and are pretty good at, supporting people.
2. WordPress Tweaking Company
While it sounds similar, companies like Codeable, Elto, and Werkpress all offer services that are programmatic in nature—not really support. They offer the ability to do little jobs that don’t require you to develop a deep and long lasting relationship with clients.
If you have some skills, but aren’t ready to be a freelance developer yet, this may be a great place to start.
3. WordPress Education Company
It’s true that WP101 and VideoUserManuals exist already. But that hasn’t stopped others from stepping into a market that has a competitor or two, and decided to differentiate themselves in some other way.
If you have a voice that calms people, and if you know the basics, or some specific techniques that others may not know, then get yourself a computer and start creating recordings. By using Vimeo Pro you can protect them from being embedded elsewhere and you’ll be running in no time.
4. WordPress Copywriter
It may be hard to believe but trust me when I tell you that all those developers out there may not be the best at sales, marketing, and/or copywriting. I know. It’s hard to swallow.
But their deficiency is your gain. And if you write well, and love words, this may be a perfect side business—that may grow into a full time gig.
Like I said, there are a lot of developers out there looking for (and more importantly, needing) writing help.
5. WordPress Evangelist (for a host)
It’s true that there aren’t as many of these positions. But trust me when I tell you that there are a lot of hosts that have decided to step more closely into the WordPress ecosystem. In that case, they may be looking for someone just like you.
Yes, it will mean working for someone. But it’s unlikely that the job will be cube hell—so you might find the tradeoff worth it.
So there you go—5 roles you may have missed. Any one of them may be perfect for you, and when you find your sweet spot, it won’t just be a great thing for you. It will be a great thing for the rest of the WordPress ecosystem. Because you’ll have found your spot, which will let you contribute back to the whole community.
Good luck!
Do any of these WordPress businesses sound right for you?
Chris Lema is the VP of Software Engineering at Emphasys Software, where he manages high performers and oversees product development and innovation. He’s also a blogger, ebook author and runs a WordPress meetup in North County San Diego. His coaching focuses on helping WordPress businesses, or businesses wanting to leverage WordPress.
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