WordPress Customization and Optimization

We are launching a content-rich, professionally branded news and media website. We are seeking an experienced WordPress developer to customize a pre-purchased premium theme and build out a fully functional, visually polished site and then remain available for ongoing updates and maintenance on a retainer basis. This site will serve as a go-to digital publication for enthusiasts, industry professionals, and consumers. Content will span multiple formats and will require thoughtful layout design, strong navigation, and the ability to scale as we grow. We have a clear brand direction and will provide brand assets (logo, colors, typography guidelines). The developer's role is to bring that vision to life within a customized WordPress environment. Scope of work — initial build Theme & branding • Apply and heavily customize a pre-purchased premium WordPress theme to match our brand identity • Implement custom color palette, typography, header, and footer design • Ensure consistent visual language across all page and content types Content types & page templates • Industry news articles (standard and featured/hero layouts) • Product news and product review pages (including structured review elements such as ratings, pros/cons, and specs) • Video content pages (embedded video, video galleries) • How-to / tutorial articles (step-by-step format with image support) • Photo galleries (lightbox-enabled, categorized) • Category and tag archive pages • Homepage with curated content sections (featured, recent, by category) • About, Contact, and static informational pages Functionality & plugins • SEO configuration (Yoast SEO or RankMath setup and optimization) • Email newsletter subscription integration (likely Mailchimp to start) • Social media sharing and follow integrations • Search functionality with filtering by content type and category • Related content / recommended articles module • Mobile-responsive design across all templates • Page speed and performance optimization (caching, image optimization) • Google Analytics / GA4 integration • Basic security hardening and spam protection (comments and contact forms) CMS & editorial setup • WordPress user roles configured for editors, contributors, and administrators • Custom post types or taxonomies as needed for content organization • Admin dashboard streamlined for non-technical editorial staff • Brief documentation or walkthrough for internal team use Ongoing maintenance & support (post-launch) We are looking for a long-term working relationship beyond the initial build. After launch, we expect to need the following on an ongoing basis: • WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates • Bug fixes and troubleshooting • Design tweaks and new feature additions as the site evolves • Performance and uptime monitoring support • Periodic security scans and hardening Please include your proposed approach to ongoing support in your proposal — whether hourly, a monthly retainer, or another arrangement. Ideal candidate • Proven experience building and customizing WordPress sites for content publishers or media brands • Strong front-end skills (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and comfort with PHP for theme/plugin customization • Portfolio demonstrating news, magazine, or editorial-style WordPress sites • Experience with popular premium theme frameworks (e.g., Elementor, Divi, GeneratePress, or similar) • Demonstrated ability to optimize for mobile performance and page speed • Clear, reliable communication with a track record of meeting deadlines • Availability for both the initial project and an ongoing support relationship What to include in your proposal • Links to 2–3 relevant WordPress projects you have built, particularly editorial or news-style sites • Your approach to theme customization and how you handle brand consistency across content types • Estimated timeline for the initial build • Your proposed pricing for the initial build (fixed-price preferred) and your ongoing support model • Any questions you have for us before getting started

Project ID: 40374481