Finding Your Niche as a WordPress Freelancer

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You can use WordPress to build all kinds of websites. There are no hard limits when it comes to looks or functionality.

That freedom is powerful. You can build sites that handle eCommerce, memberships, and large databases. You can tie in with third-party APIs and create headless front ends.

However, such power may be overwhelming to freelancers. Each type of site has its intricacies – learning them can be difficult. And some are more profitable and relevant to your business than others.

That’s a good reason to find a niche. Developing preferences for site type, client type, and price range helps narrow your focus. From there, you can find projects that fit you best. The result is a leaner, more efficient freelance business. In addition, you’ll become an expert in your field.

How does it work? And how do you find your niche? We’ve got some tips for discovering and doing what you like best with WordPress.

Be Open to Different Types of Projects

If you’re new to freelancing or don’t have a niche yet – don’t worry. Determining your path is part of the fun. You might as well treat it as an adventure.

Keep an open mind as you look for new projects. Pay particular attention to the types of sites you haven’t built before. The same goes for plugins and clients in different industries. Don’t be afraid to consider the unfamiliar.

Perhaps that sounds counterintuitive. How can you develop a niche and be open-minded at the same time? It’s all about gaining experience.

If you’ve only built brochure-style sites – how will you know if eCommerce is a good fit? You’ll only learn by rolling up your sleeves and trying.

The trick is to find projects that won’t overwhelm you. For example, a site that sells a single product could be the perfect match for a beginner. Avoid sites that require a heavy dose of expertise.

The more types of projects you complete, the more data you’ll gather. Use it to understand your pros, cons, likes, and dislikes.

Look for Opportunities That Match Your Preferences

For this section, we’ll assume you have some experience building different kinds of websites. And perhaps you’ve found a potential niche. The next step is to look at the market and identify opportunities to make it work.

Dedicating yourself to a niche is great – but it must be sustainable. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck working on projects that don’t match your preference. They might also get in the way of booking ideal gigs later on.

Let’s look at a few examples:

Medical-Related Websites

In this scenario, we’re focusing on a specific industry: the medical field, which is large and has a variety of potential niches. That includes doctor’s offices, suppliers, non-profit organizations, etc.

It might make sense to pick one or two of these subgenres to start. But which ones?

Here are some things to consider:

• Geography: Are there potential clients in your area? Or are you willing to work with anyone, anywhere?
• Connections: Networking is always a handy skill – but it’s vital when working within an industry. The right connections can help you find clients and expand your business.
• Features: Are there features that are common to medical websites? Do you have a reliable and efficient way to provide them?
• Budget: Research the costs associated with building websites in the industry. Finding specifics may be difficult. However, the goal is to determine how much you’ll need to charge to be profitable – and how much clients are willing to spend.
• Competition: Can you identify other freelancers or agencies in this niche? Are they doing great work (or not)? A lot of competition may make it harder to book new clients. However, it might also be an opportunity to one-up those providing poor service.

The above factors will help you determine whether the niche fits and give you ideas for standing out in the marketplace.

Membership Websites and Online Communities
Next, we’ll focus on a particular type of website. This niche is all about building online communities designed to serve members. The need for membership sites spans across industries and non-profit organizations.

The factors in our first example still apply. However, some extra considerations revolve around technology:

• Plugins: What plugins will you use for building membership websites? Will you buy into an ecosystem (like WooCommerce and its extensions)? Does it make sense to choose different plugins based on project needs? This is useful for determining your tech stack and calculating software license fees.
• Third-party services: What services will you integrate into client websites? Think of payment gateways, mailing list services, customer relationship management (CRM) apps, web hosting, etc. There’s also a chance to focus on specific tools. Note any fees associated with these services as it will help you provide accurate project estimates.
• Organizational size: Membership sites can have a few members or millions. Do you want to work with smaller organizations, big ones, or somewhere in the middle?

The technical side of a niche is challenging and subject to change. But having a solid plan provides a great place to start.

To Expand Your Niche or Not?

There are a few reasons why you might want to expand your niche. Sometimes they’re too narrow and don’t generate enough revenue. In addition, the skills you’ve acquired in one area might also apply to others.

It’s an opportunity for growth in either case. The first is more about need, while the second is a chance to evolve.

Once again, it’s worth keeping an open mind when considering expansion. Look at related areas that could benefit your business and boost your bottom line.

There is some risk involved and it’s OK to be choosy. Before jumping in, ask yourself a few key questions:

• How will my current skills apply? Working with different industries or site types could mean learning new skills. Think about the potential impact on your time and revenue.
• Can I use the same themes and plugins? The ability to repurpose themes and plugins makes it easier to expand. Significant changes here can still be worthwhile – but beware of the required cost and effort.
• What are the most impactful differences? Even related industries and site types can have stark differences. That could be anything from legal requirements to client budgets. It’s good to discover these things ahead of time.
• How will this change impact my current clients? Consider what an expansion means to your existing portfolio. Will you have less time to work with them? Will costs go up?

Ideally, there should be a link between your current niche and the new one. The more similarities, the easier the transi...