10 Practical tips for building a WordPress agency

You’ve been working in the digital world for years, mostly with WordPress. Things are going well as a freelancer, and at some point the idea starts to appear: What if I turn this into an agency?

That’s exactly where I was a few years ago, before starting Uniqoders.

Since then, I’ve gone through the process of growing a WordPress agency from a two-person team to a company of ten, working with all kinds of clients, from startups and small businesses to large international companies.

Making that leap is a challenge, no doubt. But it’s also one of the most opportunity-rich paths you can take in the WordPress ecosystem.

If you’re at that point (or getting close) this is what I wish someone had told me back then.

Why create an agency around WordPress?

WordPress is one of the most powerful and flexible content management systems (CMS) out there. With a huge global community, thousands of plugins, themes, and third-party integrations, and a presence on more than 40% of all websites, it gives you the flexibility to build almost any kind of online project.

What began as a simple blogging tool has grown into a mature platform that supports everything from corporate websites and online stores to learning platforms, membership sites, and booking systems.

But the real opportunity isn’t just in building websites.

Every WordPress site is part of a broader online strategy. An e-commerce project, for example, doesn’t end once payments work. It needs traffic, lead generation, performance optimization, security, regular maintenance, and ongoing improvements as the business evolves.

That’s why running a WordPress agency isn’t necessarily just about building websites. It opens up the possibility of offering a wider range of services around strategy, growth, and long-term support, helping clients get value from their online presence, not just a finished site.

How to get started with your WordPress agency?

If you’ve been thinking about starting a WordPress agency for a while, it’s probably because you already have experience in the field. You’ve been building WordPress websites for years, you’ve worked with all kinds of clients (and yes, not all of them are easy), and you’ve learned how to handle challenges along the way.

That experience matters, but it’s not the whole picture.

When we decide to take the leap, we often focus on the exciting part: new projects, more freedom, better clients. What we tend to overlook are the practical decisions that really shape how sustainable the agency will be. And many people only realize this once they’re already in it.

The goal here is to help you think about those things before you jump.

Define your goals

What do you want to achieve with your agency?

Do you want to grow and build a large company within the WordPress ecosystem, with tens or even hundreds of employees? Do you prefer working with many small clients, or focusing on fewer but larger ones? Do you want to specialize in a specific area or stay more general?

It’s true that plans often change, and what you imagine today may not be exactly what happens in the future. But having a clear idea of why you want to start a WordPress agency, and what you want it to become, is an important first step.

At this stage, it’s worth defining a mission. Something that, when you communicate it to potential clients and future teammates, makes them want to choose you.

Looking for a partner

“There’s a saying: if you walk alone, you’ll go faster; if you walk together, you’ll go further.”

Whether you’re building a large company, a side project, or a WordPress-focused agency, my recommendation is always the same: don’t do it alone.

If I had to choose the best part of building a company instead of working solo, it would be having someone by my side. Someone who shares the good moments, the hard ones, and is fully committed to the journey with you.

Ideally, that person should also complement your skills. For example, you might focus on sales and SEO, while your partner handles design and WordPress development.

That said, choosing the right partner is critical. Think of it like a marriage: professional compatibility isn’t enough. You also need to align as people.

Choose an easy name

Or at least one that’s easy to spell.

You’d be surprised how exhausting it gets to spell your agency’s name over the phone every time you talk to a client or collaborator.

Of course, the name should be something you like because, after all, it’s your project. Just try not to spend too much time on it (a mistake I’ve made more than once).

If you can afford it, working with a branding professional can be a great investment. If not, start with a simple brainstorming session, write down any ideas that come up, and ask people around you for feedback.

If naming feels harder than expected, we go much deeper into this topic in this post, where we break down practical approaches, common mistakes, and tools that can be useful for inspiration and for exploring keyword combinations that resonate with what you want to build.

Not long ago, I would have said that having the .com domain available was critical. Today, that matters much less. Extensions like .io or even .agency are widely accepted now.

If you look at your Google Analytics data, you’ll see that only a small percentage of visitors type your full domain directly into the browser. Most people find you through a search.

Think about the services you’ll offer

Start with the basics: What are you really good at? What does the market need? And where can you actually deliver value?

Some agencies focus on a single service (SEO, website maintenance, or UX design) and do very well by specializing. Others take a broader approach and offer a full 360º digital service: website design and development, maintenance, SEO, social media management, paid ads, email marketing… sometimes even offline marketing or graphic design.

There’s no single right answer. What matters is making a conscious choice.

Decide which services you’ll offer, whether because you’re already an expert, because you plan to hire someone who is, or because you’ll collaborate with external specialists.

And keep this in mind: building an agency today doesn’t mean every person involved in a project has to be on your payroll full-time. Collaborating with freelancers or partners in areas outside your core expertise is not only common, but it’s often the smartest way to grow sustainably.

If you’re looking for ideas, there are plenty of additional services you can offer alongside WordPress development. In this post, we share 11 extra services that you can offer as a WordPress agency.

Set your prices (and be clear about them)

The classic question: How much does a website cost?

Well, it depends. And that’s the truth. Every project has its own context, goals, and constraints. After many years in this industry, it’s rare to find two projects that are truly the same. That said, you must have control over your pricing.

One common approach is hourly pricing: define an hourly rate for your agency and estimate project budgets based on the time you expect each task to take.

Another option is to package your services. For example:

• Corporate website (up to 5 custom-designed pages): $1,000
• Email marketing strategy (3 months, 4 campaigns per month): $2,000
• E-commerce site with 20 products and Stripe integration: $3,000

These prices are just examples (don’t quote me on them 😄), but having a baseline price list or service packages helps you work faster and more consistently. You can always adjust them based on the specific needs of each project.

One important rule: talk about pricing early. Even if it’s just ranges or estimates. It saves time for you and for the client when expectations don’t align.

Should you publish prices on your website? That’s debatable. We never did, but it will really depend on your strategy.

Choose the tools you are going to work with

If WordPress is at the core of your business, the tools you choose around it matter a lot. Some key decisions include:

• Hosting and domains. Choose high-quality WordPress-ready hosting with good performance and reliable support. Decide whether you’ll host all client sites yourself (reseller plans), set up hosting per client, or work with a provider that’s agency-focused. If they understand agencies, even better. They’ll save you time and headaches.
• Themes or visual builders. Most agencies rely on a base theme or a visual builder like Elementor, Divi, or WPBakery. If you’ve been working with WordPress for a while, you probably already have a preferred setup. Stick to it.
• Plugins. Every professional has their go-to plugins: performance, caching, security, translations, SEO… Choose carefully and standardize where possible. Using the same stack across projects saves time and often money (especially with multi-site licenses).
• Accounting software. You’ll need something to keep track of invoices, expenses, and taxes. If you already had this as a freelancer, great. If not, now’s the time.
• Website maintenance tools. If you plan to offer WordPress maintenance (and you probably should), you’ll want a tool for updates, backups, reports, and monitoring. Platforms like Modular DS help manage all your sites in one place and save a lot of time. There are other options too, so pick the one that fits your workflow best.

Beyond this, you’ll likely need analytics tools, reporting solutions, and productivity software to help your team work more efficiently and profitably.

Work with a trusted accountant or advisor

This part isn’t exciting, but it’s essential.

Taxes, bookkeeping, compliance… almost no one enjoys dealing with them. Delegate this to a professional so you can focus on what you do best.

This is especially important in countries like Spain, where mistakes can quickly turn into inspections, fines, or unnecessary stress. Find a person or firm you trust. Your future self will thank you.

Build a great website for your agency (with WordPress, of course)

If you’re selling WordPress expertise, your own website needs to reflect that.

Your site is your main introduction. If it looks modern, clearly explains what you do, and is technically solid, you’ll immediately build trust.

At a minimum, your agency website should include:

• A portfolio of your best work. It takes effort to maintain, but it’s often the strongest differentiator. Clients want to see what you’ve done, not just read about it.
• Clear services. Talk about your services, but also about the problems you solve. Both matter.
• Your team. People work with people. Showing faces builds trust, especially if you’re a small or growing agency.
• Easy contact options. Forms, email, phone… make it simple. Your website’s main goal is to generate leads, and that only happens if people can reach you easily.

Find your first clients

If you’re considering starting an agency, chances are you already have clients. Maybe that’s exactly why you’re taking this step.

Most early clients come from recommendations, from people who already trust you. So the best way to get more clients is to take great care of the ones you already have.

Beyond that:

• Be active on LinkedIn (its potential is huge).
• Join local business or entrepreneur communities.
• Look for partnerships with freelancers or companies offering complementary services.

Last but not least: Hire people who genuinely enjoy the work

This is key for long-term success.

If you’re building a company, it’s because you can’t reach your goals alone. The first people you bring in matter enormously.

If I had to choose one trait to prioritize in early hires, it would be passion: curiosity, willingness to learn, and genuine interest in the project.

People who enjoy building websites, improving SEO, designing better experiences, and helping businesses grow online.

The early stages are hard, and this industry changes constantly. You need people who like learning, experimenting, and sometimes failing.

Bonus: Automate as much as possible

Once you start getting clients consistently, automation becomes one of the biggest growth levers for your agency.

Automating things like proposals, contracts, invoicing, or maintenance tasks can dramatically increase your profitability per project.

Tools like Modular DS for key maintenance tasks or automation systems help you save time, scale your services, and grow without endlessly increasing hours or headcount.

Final thoughts

Starting a WordPress agency isn’t easy. Like any business, it takes time, effort, and patience.

But it’s also an exciting opportunity, and we’re lucky to work in a sector full of demand and possibilities.

Many agencies focus only on client work and neglect internal improvements: their own website, processes, automation, etc. In the medium to long term, those internal decisions are what make growth possible.

I hope these tips help you move from zero to one a little faster and with fewer obstacles along the way. And if you ever want to talk it through, I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned.