How Zac McDonald Grew Into the Prime-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork

With a whole bunch of whole jobs accomplished and a 100% job success charge, Zac McDonald is without doubt one of the top-rated WordPress builders on Upwork, the main job board for freelancers.

He started engaged on ardour tasks and easy jobs with a fast turnaround. However right this moment, he’s a extremely expert skilled in WordPress safety, upkeep, and growth.

Zac McDonald strives arduous to determine an incredible Upwork portfolio and now lives the digital nomad life by providing WordPress providers as a freelancer.

On this interview, Zac McDonald tells us about his WordPress journey. He additionally shares precious recommendation for aspiring WordPress builders and freelancers who wish to set up an authoritative portfolio on Upwork.

Communication and honesty together with your shoppers is simply the primary factor. If you understand how to resolve their downside… and you then resolve it, that’s all anyone desires.

Zac McDonald – Freelance WordPress Devloper

Maintain studying to get skilled suggestions and suggestions from one of the vital profitable freelance WordPress builders within the enterprise!

Video Interview with Zac McDonald

Should you’d like to take a look at the entire video interview with Zac McDonald, then you may watch it under:

Or click on on the fast hyperlinks under to see what we cowl within the interview:

Meet Zac McDonald, Prime-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork

Zac McDonald has been working with WordPress for practically 19 years, which is fairly near the start of the platform’s historical past. So, he is aware of a factor or two about evolving with software program.

He’s an skilled WordPress developer specializing in Elementor Professional, LearnDash, and extra.

Along with constructing WordPress web sites from scratch, Zac supplies safety, upkeep, and troubleshooting providers. He even has common shoppers on retainer.

He’s additionally one of the vital profitable and top-rated WordPress freelancers on Upwork. In reality, he has a 100% job success charge and has accomplished over 150 jobs.

However you might be questioning – how did he get to the place he’s right this moment? That’s why James Agar from the WPBeginner staff reached out to him to study extra about his WordPress journey, and he was type sufficient to inform us about it.

A WordPress Journey: From Unpaid Ardour Tasks to Incomes $150 Per Hour

Like many curious and self-taught WordPress lovers, Zac began utilizing the WordPress CMS whereas experimenting with new instruments and tasks.

After creating a couple of of his personal WordPress web sites for enjoyable, he discovered one other alternative near residence. His spouse labored at a salon with a horrible web site, so he supplied to redo it. He constructed a one-page web site with Elementor, and so they beloved it.

“I didn’t even ask for cash. I simply did it for enjoyable to construct the web site and to see if I might do it and if folks would love what I constructed,” he mentioned.

Zac then used these unpaid tasks to show his expertise as knowledgeable WordPress developer.

I springboarded that to have a portfolio, to start out approaching different shoppers and saying, ‘I can do that for you at this worth stage.’ And it went from there.

Zac McDonald

As we talked about, Zac primarily finds tasks on Upwork, which is undoubtedly one of the vital common job boards for WordPress builders.

He obtained his begin by taking small jobs that he might full shortly and successfully. That means, he was in a position to get extra shopper opinions quick, additional constructing his credibility and popularity.

This labored properly for Zac since he actually enjoys problem-solving all kinds of points.

“I like working via issues, so I sort of take pleasure in when any individual brings me an issue, and I’ve to study one thing and work out why they’ve the difficulty they’ve,” he mentioned.

Zac additionally began off charging little or no as a way to get his foot within the door.

“I believe my first job I took for $15 an hour. And one job, I constructed this man an actual fast 4-page full web site for like digital enterprise that he had for like $50, $100. Tremendous low-cost, however I obtained it executed in lower than a day, and I obtained my evaluation. He beloved what he obtained.”

Zac repeated this course of, slowly elevating his costs as he gained extra expertise and obtained extra constructive shopper opinions.

Right now, he costs $150 per hour for brand spanking new shoppers. Meaning his earnings have elevated by 10x since he accomplished his first job! That is fairly spectacular, in our opinion. Plus, it’s a testomony to the effectiveness of the “sluggish and regular” method.

Recommendation for Aspiring Freelance Builders: Zac on Transparency, Communication, and Studying New Abilities

Should you’ve ever used Upwork, you in all probability know that getting jobs will be fairly aggressive. So, we additionally requested Zac what recommendation he would give to any aspiring freelance WordPress builders who need to stand out.

He emphasised the significance of transparency, communication, and studying new abilities. However he additionally talked about how essential it’s to complete a couple of stable tasks to construct your popularity.

Should you’re beginning out, it’s all about getting simply these first few tasks, the place you may have a portfolio, and you’ll show: ‘I’ve executed this and been profitable at it,’ after which transfer on from there.

Zac McDonald

In response to Zac, transparency means by no means telling a shopper you can ship on one thing when you’re unsure you may. You ought to be snug letting shoppers know your present abilities and while you’re open to studying one thing new.

“Any person would possibly say, ‘Hey, Zac, I need this widget on my website.’ And I’ll say, ‘I’ve by no means labored with a recipe widget earlier than. Let me get again to you tomorrow.’”

We predict this philosophy of honesty and openness to studying new abilities has been key to Zac’s success. He additionally identified that taking this method pushes him to broaden his skillset, giving him a aggressive edge sooner or later.

“The subsequent time any individual comes at me with a recipe widget, I do know precisely what to do, whether or not or not I took on that authentic job.”

As well as, Zac talked extensively in regards to the significance of communication and delivering tasks in a well timed method. He really helpful offering shoppers with conservative turnaround instances.

For instance, when you suppose the venture will take you 2 weeks, then it’s greatest to inform the shopper that it’ll take you a month. That means, it offers you a buffer in case you run into any roadblocks. Plus, the shopper will probably be thrilled when you flip the venture in early.

Moreover, Zac touched on the significance of holding on to good shoppers and inspiring shopper loyalty by sustaining his costs. “I usually don’t elevate charges on ongoing shoppers,” he mentioned.

Lastly, Zac talked about how studying new abilities and know-how is important for succeeding as a WordPress developer. We’ll dive extra into his technical suggestions within the subsequent part.

Technical Suggestions for WordPress Builders: All the time Maintain Studying

If you wish to succeed as a contract WordPress developer on a platform like Upwork, you’ll want all of the tender abilities Zac mentioned within the earlier part. However what do you want when it comes to technical experience?

Zac had some helpful recommendation on this division as properly. He mentioned, “Clearly, the extra coding languages you recognize, the higher.”

Nonetheless, he made it clear that being a whiz at each single WordPress programming language isn’t essentially a should.

“I’m actually not a grasp coder or something like that. I do know just a little little bit of Java, just a little little bit of PHP. I’m fairly good with CSS, HTML, in fact.”

“In the long run, there’s any individual that’s smarter than you that wrote a plugin that does precisely what you wish to do already, 9 instances out of 10. And possibly it’s a must to pay $10 or $20 or $50, however it’s virtually at all times definitely worth the trade for time.”

Zac McDonald

That mentioned, Zac cited CSS as crucial language to study.

“I discover CSS is de facto the primary factor I’m utilizing with WordPress… as a result of a whole lot of issues are sort of in a inflexible, predetermined theme or web page builder the place there’s solely so many choices. And you may just about change something on the entrance finish of a website utilizing CSS.”

Should you’re simply getting began, you might wish to take a look at our free WordPress video programs or the next newbie’s guides:

• Methods to Study WordPress Fundamentals for Free (Step by Step)
• Finest Free WordPress Tutorials
• What’s CSS?
• What’s PHP?
• What’s JavaScript?

Zac has even referenced WPBeginner himself, saying, “I’ve positively used it as a useful resource.”

“I like how while you discover a web page on there, it normally offers you methodology 1, methodology 2, methodology 3. So if I don’t wish to use a plugin, it would give me some code to punch in there to perform my activity,” he mentioned.

Aside from the extra conventional coding abilities, Zac additionally talked lots in regards to the significance of constant to develop your complementary abilities and data.

Along with CSS, he talked in regards to the significance of AI and the way utilizing it to supply authentic pictures and textual content can even assist.

Plenty of shoppers need builders to offer an all-in-one service, so with the ability to give them web site copy and pictures might help you stand out as a freelancer.

After all, when you select to do that, Zac recommends letting shoppers know beforehand that you just depend on AI to create this bonus content material.

Lastly, he means that figuring out learn how to use a photo-editing device can even make you extra interesting to potential shoppers.

Now, let’s hear some last ideas from Zac.

Ultimate Ideas & The place to Discover Zac’s Work

Initially of our dialog, once we requested Zac why he selected to work with WordPress, he mentioned, “I actually take pleasure in it. I simply benefit from the technical problem-solving that I get to do coping with WordPress.”

Nearer to the top of our chat, he reiterated this similar thought, together with the significance of a wholesome curiosity and an urge for food for studying.

That’s the principle factor… study, and study by doing, and study by doing one thing you take pleasure in.

Zac McDonald

After we talked to Zac, it grew to become clear that he genuinely loves his job, which might be nice information when you’re an aspiring WordPress developer!

Throughout our speak, he additionally highlighted the skilled freedom he enjoys as a freelancer.

“I used to be by no means actual nice at a boss and a nine-to-five job. The place freelancing is nice. I’m in my sweatpants in my basement, and I’m at work.”

As a completely distant staff, we take pleasure in a few of these advantages, too. So, we wholeheartedly agree with Zac on this level.

Should you’re all in favour of collaborating with Zac, otherwise you simply wish to see what a profitable WordPress portfolio seems to be like, yow will discover his work and speak to data on his skilled web site or his Upwork profile.

Bonus: Professional Guides for Aspiring WordPress Builders

Wish to change into a profitable, well-paid freelance WordPress developer like Zac? Listed here are some further assets that will help you get began:

• Finest WordPress Starter Themes for Builders
• Prime Instruments for WordPress Freelancers, Designers, and Builders
• Finest WordPress Growth Instruments (Free + Paid)
• Finest WordPress Developer Jobs Websites (+ Instance Job Template)
• Finest Freelance Web sites to Discover Work (Prime Picks)
• Methods to Handle A number of WordPress Websites From One Dashboard
• Methods to Create Invoices for Purchasers Utilizing WordPress
• Will WordPress Exchange Net Builders? (Professional Insights)
• The Way forward for WordPress: What to Count on (Our Predictions)
• WordPress Profession Choices – Methods to Make a Dwelling With WordPress

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The put up How Zac McDonald Grew Into the Prime-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork first appeared on WPBeginner.