WordPress Development
The technical aspects of WordPress website construction:
- WooCommerce
- Complex Applications
- Integrate 3rd Party Designs
- Collaborate with Partner Agencies
Development
WordPress Development services include devising creative integrations of complex applications to meet desired functionality. Tasks might involve developing a WordPress website supplied with a 2-D rendering of a website design spec and graphic assets to construct and also incorporate often unique features. I recently created a project for Sullivan Solutions after they supplied Adobe XD files— incredibly helpful in my modeling due to how the application interacts. Creative by Clark customizes popular applications such as WooCommerce – from melding very complex functionalities to modifying default button colors, single product templates, etc.
Development Applications
WooCommerce Integration
Considerable experience with WooCommerce to include very customized functionalities:
• Complex Product Types
• Build-Your-Own Kits
• Retail & Wholesale integration
• Advanced Payment Gateways
• Complex Shipping
• Advanced Inventory Management
• Custom Reporting
• Custom Cart Features
• Gift Wrap Options
• Gift Cards
• AgeGate Barriers
• Network Integration
• POS Creation
POS – Point of Sale
- In the past, I built a custom POS system for brick & mortar stores in WooCommerce that tracked (synced) inventory with the online store in a MultiSite Network. See SugarDaddy’s (Brownie Bakery) Use Case.
- Integrate WooCommerce with third-party POS systems if there is an available integration API (e.g.,ToastTab POS)
Membership/Subscription
• Fully Restricted Member Site
• Public Site with Member-only pages
• WooCommerce Memberships
• WooCommerce Subscription
• Integrate Sensei LMS
• Tiered Subscription
• Ultimate Member
• Corporate Extranet
CMS Platform Conversion
The technical aspects involved in converting various platforms to WordPress:
- Static (X)HTML sites or those with an RSS feed
- Dynamic CMS to WordPress: Drupal, Joomla!, Weebly, Wix, Squarespace
- Converting various eCommerce to WooCommerce: Magento, PrestaShop, Shopify, OSCommerce
- Specific blogging platforms to WordPress: Blogs from wordpress.com, Blogger, Tumblr, TypePad
Gravity Forms
I include a complimentary Elite Gravity Forms (GF) license with my projects contingent on a valid maintenance care plan. I maintain developer licenses of Gravity Forms along with several third-party extensions (Perks).
GF is an incredibly robust tool that enables sophisticated forms with the use of
- conditional logic
- tapping into numerous third-party applications via feeds
- appointment booking calendar system
- front-end forms to manage (create & edit) posts of virtually any type
- create products
- integrate with WooCommerce using a premium tool to expand product selection
- connect to payment gateways
Other Custom Projects
I can create custom plugins from scratch or “forking” an existing plugin to create special functionality. Depending upon the timing, I sometimes utilize an additional WordPress developer to work to our spec. But I generally research all available options with the hope of purchasing a premium tool first that will either cover needs or that I can customize while enabling viable plugin updates without repeat development.
I have considerable experience incorporating special integrations that enable connecting to various cloud tools — Google Drive, DropBox, etc., with restricted access by user roles. This works well when I develop membership sites.
eLearning – LMS
While I have worked on such projects before COVID19, eLearning has certainly become a major need.
My recent experience is with Sensei LMS – developed by Automattic the same people who bring us WordPress and WooCommerce.
Sensei core is free – just like WooCommerce. But some integration extensions are premium, such as the ability to integrate Sensei into a Paid Membership/Paid Course system with WooCommerce. I have a Use Case for a system we have developed but must keep anonymized.
With Sensei LMS, it is also possible to incorporate tools that allow visibility of various document types —such as Microsoft Word or Excel besides Adobe PDF.
It is also possible to build small LMS systems using Gravity Forms with many elite extensions, including Quizzes and Surveys.
Calendar/Booking Systems
Whether Calendar Systems or Appointment Systems (Booking) there is a myriad of advanced tools that enable sophisticated functionality.
- Event Calendars that integrate Ticketing Sales (generate a QR code for admission) and Venue Maps that connect to Google Maps and Directions with GeoLocation
- Appointment Calendar that integrates with Gravity Forms to set an appointment dynamically — sending a notice (email/text message) to confirm at both ends.
- Booking Systems for: Salons & Pet Grooming, Equipment Rental. Camping or Inn Reservations, Restaurant Reservations
- Calendar Integration for an online store that allows picking a desired delivery date and reverse-engineering the necessary ship date
MultiSite Networks
WordPress has what is called MultiSite Network capabilities. It’s more complex and requires that a hosting provider allows the configuration.
There is a single installation of WordPress with the ability to centrally administer numerous websites that can have different “subdomains” or multiple domains.
Use Cases:
- Corporate website with a parent public site for an entire brand family and individual sites – some might be restricted – for various individual brands.
- WooCommerce network has a main public store that might include wholesale and retail products/pricing and a PDF Catalog with a network of WooCommerce POS sites for individual brick & mortar locations.
Some Recent Development Projects
These projects were developed by Creative by Clark and some were “designed” by our partner Sullivan Solutions LLC.
IPCEA
- Member-only portion of website
- Integrate cloud storage device for proprietary materials
- Restricted event calendar
- Private news
- Frontend Content Management for authorized board members
Lisa Imondi
- Re-brand and repositioning – new logotype, new color palette & fonts, new verbal brand
- Streamline a previously large website into a landing page website with new methods to access digital music and lyrics, podcasts, and blogs on a single page
Cultivate Success Consulting
- Calls to Action for downloadable materials – some will be monetized
- Sophisticated Client Questionaire and Appointment Calendar
ASC Group
The ASC Group website is a Sullivan Solutions LLC design.
• Complex taxonomy and custom post types
• Multi-Horizontal Drop-down Filters on select pages
• Custom Grid App Team page
Jewels of the Vineyard
Jewels of the Vineyard (JOTV) rebuild design by Sullivan Solutions
• Advanced Custom WooCommerce Shop
• Recently re-themed with the same visual design.
Sugardaddy’s Custom Brownies
Designed by Sullivan Solutions, LLC
Very complex WooCommerce development in a WordPress Network integrated with custom Woo POS for Brick & Mortar Stores. See the case study for details.
A Special Partnership
Since early 2013, I have been privileged to have a special partnership with Sullivan Solutions LLC. Since then, I have been the dedicated WordPress developer for their projects. As a full-service strategic marketing agency, Sullivan Solutions provides the opportunity to construct all their WordPress sites from their design spec. I work similarly to any direct employee of Sullivan Solutions and abide by their policies and workflow tools. After a project launches, I continue to provide maintenance services, support, and sometimes ongoing development through their systems. I have permission to share non-sensitive details about the projects I develop (I do abide by Non-Disclosure for sensitive information). So, I do wear two hats and treat Sullivan Solutions clientele with the same level of care and expertise as I would for those belonging to Creative by Clark (I keep quite busy!). I frequently refer prospects and clients to Sullivan Solutions when their needs include strategic marketing or complex design work—especially if I do not have sufficient bandwidth.
