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

With hundreds of total jobs completed and a 100% job success rate, Zac McDonald is one of the top-rated WordPress developers on Upwork, the leading job board for freelancers.

He began working on passion projects and simple jobs with a quick turnaround. But today, he is a highly skilled expert in WordPress security, maintenance, and development.

Zac McDonald strives hard to establish a great Upwork portfolio and now lives the digital nomad life by offering WordPress services as a freelancer.

In this interview, Zac McDonald tells us about his WordPress journey. He also shares valuable advice for aspiring WordPress developers and freelancers who want to establish an authoritative portfolio on Upwork.

Communication and honesty with your clients is just the number one thing. If you know how to solve their problem… and then you solve it, that’s all anybody wants.

Zac McDonald – Freelance WordPress Devloper

Keep reading to get expert tips and recommendations from one of the most successful freelance WordPress developers in the business!

This is our new series, #MyWordPressStory, which brings you insights from leaders who use WordPress to make positive changes in the world.

If you’d like to be featured in our interview series – whether you’re a plugin developer, founder, or SEO expert – feel free to reach out and let us know through our contact form.

Video Interview with Zac McDonald

If you’d like to check out the complete video interview with Zac McDonald, then you can watch it below:

Or click on the quick links below to see what we cover in the interview:

• Meet Zac McDonald, Top-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork
• A WordPress Journey: From Unpaid Passion Projects to Earning $150 Per Hour
• Advice for Aspiring Freelance Developers: Zac on Transparency, Communication, and Learning New Skills
• Technical Tips for WordPress Developers: Always Keep Learning
• Final Thoughts & Where to Find Zac's Work
• Bonus: Expert Guides for Aspiring WordPress Developers

Meet Zac McDonald, Top-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork

Zac McDonald has been working with WordPress for nearly 19 years, which is pretty close to the beginning of the platform’s history. So, he knows a thing or two about evolving with software.

He is an expert WordPress developer specializing in Elementor Pro, LearnDash, and more.

In addition to building WordPress websites from scratch, Zac provides security, maintenance, and troubleshooting services. He even has regular clients on retainer.

He’s also one of the most successful and top-rated WordPress freelancers on Upwork. In fact, he has a 100% job success rate and has completed over 150 jobs.

But you may be wondering – how did he get to where he is today? That’s why James Agar from the WPBeginner team reached out to him to learn more about his WordPress journey, and he was kind enough to tell us about it.

A WordPress Journey: From Unpaid Passion Projects to Earning $150 Per Hour

Like many curious and self-taught WordPress enthusiasts, Zac started using the WordPress CMS while experimenting with new tools and projects.

After creating a few of his own WordPress websites for fun, he found another opportunity close to home. His wife worked at a salon with a terrible website, so he offered to redo it. He built a one-page website with Elementor, and they loved it.

“I didn’t even ask for money. I just did it for fun to build the website and to see if I could do it and if people would like what I built,” he said.

Zac then used these unpaid projects to prove his experience as a professional WordPress developer.

I springboarded that to have a portfolio, to start approaching other clients and saying, ‘I can do this for you at this price level.’ And it went from there.

Zac McDonald

As we mentioned, Zac mainly finds projects on Upwork, which is undoubtedly one of the most popular job boards for WordPress developers.

He got his start by taking small jobs that he could complete quickly and effectively. That way, he was able to get more client reviews fast, further building his credibility and reputation.

This worked well for Zac since he really enjoys problem-solving a wide variety of issues.

“I like working through problems, so I kind of enjoy when somebody brings me a problem, and I have to learn something and figure out why they have the issue they have,” he said.

Zac also started off charging very little in order to get his foot in the door.

“I think my first job I took for $15 an hour. And one job, I built this guy a real quick 4-page full website for like electronic business that he had for like $50, $100. Super cheap, but I got it done in less than a day, and I got my review. He loved what he got.”

Zac repeated this process, slowly raising his prices as he gained more experience and got more positive client reviews.

Today, he charges $150 per hour for new clients. That means his earnings have increased by 10x since he completed his first job! This is pretty impressive, in our opinion. Plus, it’s a testament to the effectiveness of the “slow and steady” approach.

Advice for Aspiring Freelance Developers: Zac on Transparency, Communication, and Learning New Skills

If you’ve ever used Upwork, you probably know that getting jobs can be pretty competitive. So, we also asked Zac what advice he would give to any aspiring freelance WordPress developers who are looking to stand out.

He emphasized the importance of transparency, communication, and learning new skills. But he also talked about how important it is to finish a few solid projects to build your reputation.

If you’re starting out, it’s all about getting just those first few projects, where you have a portfolio, and you can prove: ‘I’ve done this and been successful at it,’ and then move on from there.

Zac McDonald

According to Zac, transparency means never telling a client that you can deliver on something if you’re not sure you can. You should be comfortable letting clients know your current skills and when you’re open to learning something new.

“Somebody might say, ‘Hey, Zac, I want this widget on my site.’ And I’ll say, ‘I’ve never worked with a recipe widget before. Let me get back to you tomorrow.'”

We think this philosophy of honesty and openness to learning new skills has been key to Zac’s success. He also pointed out that taking this approach pushes him to expand his skillset, giving him a competitive edge in the future.

“The next time somebody comes at me with a recipe widget, I know exactly what to do, whether or not I took on that original job.”

In addition, Zac talked extensively about the importance of communication and delivering projects in a timely manner. He recommended providing clients with conservative turnaround times.

For example, if you think the project will take you 2 weeks, then it’s best to tell the client that it will take you a month. That way, it gives you a buffer in case you run into any roadblocks. Plus, the client will be thrilled if you turn the project in early.

Additionally, Zac touched on the importance of holding on to good clients and encouraging client loyalty by maintaining his prices. “I generally don’t raise rates on ongoing clients,” he said.

Lastly, Zac talked about how learning new skills and technology is essential for succeeding as a WordPress developer. We’ll dive more into his technical recommendations in the next section.

Technical Tips for WordPress Developers: Always Keep Learning

If you want to succeed as a freelance WordPress developer on a platform like Upwork, you’ll need all the soft skills Zac discussed in the previous section. But what do you need in terms of technical expertise?

Zac had some useful advice in this department as well. He said, “Obviously, the more coding languages you know, the better.”

However, he made it clear that being a whiz at every single WordPress programming language isn’t necessarily a must.

“I’m really not a master coder or anything like that. I know a little bit of Java, a little bit of PHP. I’m pretty good with CSS, HTML, of course.”

“In the end, there’s somebody that’s smarter than you that wrote a plugin that does exactly what you want to do already, 9 times out of 10. And maybe you have to pay $10 or $20 or $50, but it’s almost always worth the exchange for time.”

Zac McDonald

That said, Zac cited CSS as the most important language to learn.

“I find CSS is really the number one thing I’m using with WordPress… because a lot of things are kind of in a rigid, predetermined theme or page builder where there’s only so many options. And you can pretty much change anything on the front end of a site using CSS.”

If you’re just getting started, you may want to check out our free WordPress video courses or the following beginner’s guides:

• How to Learn WordPress Basics for Free (Step by Step)
• Best Free WordPress Tutorials
• What is CSS?
• What is PHP?
• What is JavaScript?

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

“I like how when you find a page on there, it usually gives you method 1, method 2, method 3. So if I don’t want to use a plugin, it might give me some code to punch in there to accomplish my task,” he said.

Apart from the more traditional coding skills, Zac also talked a lot about the importance of continuing to grow your complementary skills and knowledge.

In addition to CSS, he talked about the importance of AI and how using it to offer original images and text can also help.

Lots of clients want developers to provide an all-in-one service, so being able to give them website copy and photos can help you stand out as a freelancer.

Of course, if you choose to do this, Zac recommends letting clients know beforehand that you rely on AI to create this bonus content.

Lastly, he suggests that knowing how to use a photo-editing tool can also make you more appealing to potential clients.

Now, let’s hear some final thoughts from Zac.

Final Thoughts & Where to Find Zac’s Work

At the start of our conversation, when we asked Zac why he chose to work with WordPress, he said, “I really enjoy it. I just enjoy the technical problem-solving that I get to do dealing with WordPress.”

Closer to the end of our chat, he reiterated this same idea, along with the importance of a healthy curiosity and an appetite for learning.

That’s the main thing… learn, and learn by doing, and learn by doing something you enjoy.

Zac McDonald

When we talked to Zac, it became clear that he genuinely loves his job, which is probably great news if you’re an aspiring WordPress developer!

During our talk, he also highlighted the professional freedom he enjoys as a freelancer.

“I was never real great at a boss and a nine-to-five job. Where freelancing is great. I’m in my sweatpants in my basement, and I’m at work.”

As a fully remote team, we enjoy some of these benefits, too. So, we wholeheartedly agree with Zac on this point.

If you’re interested in collaborating with Zac, or you just want to see what a successful WordPress portfolio looks like, you can find his work and contact information on his professional website or his Upwork profile.

If you liked this article, you may want to check out our interview with Ben Rojas, the President of All in One SEO.

Bonus: Expert Guides for Aspiring WordPress Developers

Want to become a successful, well-paid freelance WordPress developer like Zac? Here are some additional resources to help you get started:

• Best WordPress Starter Themes for Developers
• Top Tools for WordPress Freelancers, Designers, and Developers
• Best WordPress Development Tools (Free + Paid)
• Best WordPress Developer Jobs Sites (+ Example Job Template)
• Best Freelance Websites to Find Work (Top Picks)
• How to Manage Multiple WordPress Sites From One Dashboard
• How to Create Invoices for Clients Using WordPress
• Will WordPress Replace Web Developers? (Expert Insights)
• The Future of WordPress: What to Expect (Our Predictions)
• WordPress Career Options – How to Make a Living With WordPress

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How Zac McDonald Grew Into the Top-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork first appeared on WPBeginner.

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How to Offload WordPress Media to Improve Website Speed

Does your WordPress website have a lot of images and videos? These files can make your content look great, but they can also slow your website down and frustrate your visitors.

One of the ways you can tackle this issue is by offloading your WordPress media files.

This involves storing your media files on a separate server. This frees up resources on your main web server and allows your website to load faster.

For example, you could offload media files to Cloudflare CDN to make your site faster for users worldwide. Alternatively, you can store your media files on fast cloud storage like Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage.

This article will show you how to offload WordPress media using different methods so you can choose the best approach to improve your website speed.

How Offloading WordPress Media Improves Website Speed

Offloading WordPress media involves storing large files on external servers rather than your website’s hosting server. These can include images, videos, and audio files. Plus, software downloads, PDFs, documents, and even animations can be offloaded.

This is a great way to lighten your website’s server load.

When someone visits your site, your web server no longer needs to load your media files. This frees up resources so it can focus on other important tasks, like loading your website’s code and content faster. That means faster page load times and a better overall website experience.

One way to do this is to store your media on a cloud storage service like Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage. Then, you can use a plugin to integrate that service with your WordPress site.

You can achieve similar speed gains using a Content Delivery Network, or CDN, instead. This stores copies of your media files on multiple servers around the world to lighten your server’s load and improve WordPress performance.

For large video files, consider using a video streaming platform like YouTube or Vimeo and embedding the videos on your website. This further reduces your web server’s load and storage requirements and provides a better viewing experience for users.

Now, offloading WordPress media is just one way to improve your site’s performance. Make sure you combine it with other strategies like choosing fast hosting and performing regular WordPress maintenance to achieve the best website speed and user experience.

With that being said, let’s take a look at a few ways you can offload WordPress media to improve website speed:

1. Offload WordPress Media Using WP Offload Media (Free)
2. Offload WordPress Media Using WP Media Folder (Premium)
3. Offload WordPress Videos Using a Streaming Service
4. Offload WordPress Media Using Cloudflare CDN
5. Use WPBeginner’s Site Speed Optimization Professional Service
6. Bonus: Optimize Your Images Before Offloading for Better Performance
7. Frequently Asked Questions About Offloading WordPress Media

Offload WordPress Media Using WP Offload Media (Free)

WP Offload Media is a popular and free WordPress cloud storage plugin that automatically copies your images, videos, documents, and other media to your cloud storage provider of choice.

The plugin currently works with Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, and DigitalOcean Spaces for cloud storage. You will need to carefully create and configure your cloud storage account and install, activate, and set up the plugin.

Setting Up Your Cloud Storage Account

If you don’t already have an existing cloud storage service, then your first job is to choose one and sign up for an account.

The WP Offload Media website offers helpful documentation on how to get started using the different cloud storage options. For this tutorial, we will show you how to offload your WordPress media files to Amazon S3 cloud storage.

You can sign up for a free account at the Amazon Web Services website. While the account is free, you will need to enter credit card details when setting it up.

Alternatively, if you already have an account, then simply click the ‘Sign in to an existing AWS account’ button and enter your login information.

Next, you will need to set up a User to obtain access keys. You need to open the Amazon Web Services Users page and then click the ‘Create user’ button.

On the next screen, you can specify the user details. Add a name in the User field. We recommend you use the format yourdomain-offloadwordpressmedia.

The benefit is that if you create additional users for other websites in the future, then this username will help you see the website the account is for, as well as its purpose.

Make sure you do not check the ‘Provide user access to the AWS Management Console’ box, and then click the ‘Next’ button to continue.

Next, you need to give this new user permission to access Amazon S3 storage and offload your WordPress media files.

At the top of the page, select the ‘Attach policies directly’ option. This will display a list of permissions policies that you can individually select.

Now, you can filter the list of policies by typing ’s3fullaccess’ into the search box.

This will let you easily check the ‘AmazonS3FullAccess’ policy name. Once you have done that, simply click the ‘Next’ button to continue.

The next page will let you add optional tags. This is not needed for most websites. However, if you have set up a lot of AWS users already, then you may have already created a tag system to manage them.

Now, you can simply click the ‘Create user’ button to finish creating the new user.

Next, you need to create access keys for the new user.

To get started, simply click on the new user name.

Now, you need to click on the ‘Security credentials’ tab and scroll down to the ‘Access keys’ section of the page.

Once there, you need to click the ‘Create access key’ button.

This will open the ‘Access key best practices & alternatives’ page.

Simply click the ‘Application running outside AWS’ option and then click the ‘Next’ button.

The next page allows you to set an optional description tag. For this tutorial, we will leave this field blank.

When you are done, click the ‘Create access key’ button.

You will see the security credentials for the user. These consist of an Access Key ID and a Secret Access Key.

Amazon will not show these again, so you should immediately download the .csv file and store it somewhere safe.

Note: It is important to store your access keys carefully. If you lose them, then you will need to go through the steps above again to create a new one.

Now, you will need to add your AWS access keys to your WordPress site so that the WP Offload Media plugin can use them to offload your media files to Amazon S3 storage.

The most secure way to do that is to add them to your WordPress wp-config.php file. To learn how to modify this file safely, see our guide on how to edit wp-config.php in WordPress.

Now, you need to copy the following code snippet:

define( 'AS3CF_SETTINGS', serialize( array(
            'provider' => 'aws',
            'access-key-id' => '********************',
            'secret-access-key' => '**************************************',
        ) ) );

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1-click Use in WordPress

This needs to be pasted into your wp-config.php file.

Make sure you copy the code snippet between the two lines below, or WP Offload Media will not be able to read it.

/* Add any custom values between this line and the "stop editing" line. */



/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

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1-click Use in WordPress

Finally, you need to replace the asterisks with the access key ID and secret access key found in the .csv file you downloaded earlier.

Don’t forget to save the wp-config.php file to store your settings.

Installing the WP Offload Media Plugin

The next step is to install and activate the free WP Offload Media Lite plugin. If you need help, then please see our beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you need to navigate to the Settings » WP Offline Media page in your WordPress dashboard to configure the plugin.

Make sure you select the ‘Create New Bucket’ option and give the bucket a name, such as media.example.com. You can also select the region in the world that is closest to most of your WordPress visitors.

Once you’ve done that, click on the ‘Create New Bucket’ button at the bottom of the screen.

Congratulations, WP Offload Media is now set up to offload newly uploaded media to the Amazon S3 cloud storage bucket using the recommended settings.

If you want your existing media files to also be offloaded, then you will find an option to do that in the paid version of the plugin.

Offload WordPress Media Using WP Media Folder (Premium)

WP Media Folder is a premium plugin that helps you manage and organize the WordPress media library and sync with external cloud storage services.

It integrates with cloud storage services like Google Drive and OneDrive using the WP Media Folder Cloud addon. This will give you an option in your WordPress Media Library to upload certain files to the cloud storage service rather than your web server.

WP Media Folders is a good choice if you need to organize your media files into folders or create custom image galleries. It is also easier to set up than some of the other methods.

We thoroughly tested this plugin and found it to be a great solution for WordPress blogs with a lot of media files, such as photography portfolios and digital artwork stores. You learn more in our detailed WP Media Folder review.

In this tutorial, we will take a look at how to offload WordPress media to Google Drive using the WP Media Folder plugin.

Installing the WP Media Folder Plugin

First, you need to purchase the WP Media Folder plugin. As part of this process, you will need to create a JoomUnited account. Make a note of the username and password you created because you will need them later in this tutorial.

Now, you should install and activate the WP Media Folder plugin. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, the setup wizard will start automatically. To get started, click the ‘Continue to environment check’ button.

WP Media Folder will spend a few minutes checking your WordPress environment, including your PHP version, extensions, and settings, to make sure the plugin will work correctly.

If each item has a green checkmark, then you can simply click the ‘Continue’ button to move the wizard to the next step. Otherwise, you should contact your hosting provider and ask them to address any issues.

On the next page, you can choose whether to use WP Media Folder’s gallery and lightbox features. These features let you create, edit, and delete folders from inside the WordPress Media Library.

This is useful for most websites, so we recommend leaving these options enabled and then clicking the ‘Continue’ button.

The next step lists some additional WP Media Folder features.

The default settings work well for most WordPress websites. Toggle on any additional features you would like to use, and then click the ‘Continue’ button.

After waiting a few moments, you will see a success message.

You can finish the setup wizard by clicking the ‘Go to Media Library’ button.

Installing the WP Media Folder Cloud Addon

Now, to offload your media files to Google Drive, you need to install and activate the WP Media Folder Cloud addon. You can do this the same way you install a WordPress plugin.

Next, head over to Settings » General to connect Google Drive to your WordPress media library. Simply scroll to the ‘Joomunited live updates’ section and click ‘Link my Joomunited account.’

In the popup that appears, type in your JoomUnited username and password and then click ‘Log In’.

Remember that this is the email address and password you used when you purchased the WP Media Folder plugin earlier.

Now, you are ready to connect Google Drive to your website so you can offload your WordPress media files.

Simply go to Settings » WP Media Folder to get started.

Using the menu in the left pane, navigate to Cloud » Google Drive.

You need to select the ‘Automatic’ option for connecting to Google Drive, and then click the ‘Connect Google Drive’ button at the top right of the screen. You will be asked to log in to the Google account you wish to use.

Congratulations, Google Drive is now connected to your WordPress website. While your WordPress media library files remain on your web server, you can easily access Google Drive from there as a second location for storing media files.

When you add media files from Google Drive to your posts and pages, they will be served from Google Drive, freeing up server resources and improving your WordPress performance.

You can learn how to do this, as well as how to use WP Media Folder to organize your Google Drive images, in our guide on how to connect Google Drive to your WordPress media library.

Offload WordPress Videos Using a Streaming Service

In our experience, videos take up a lot of storage space and bandwidth. This makes storing videos in WordPress or cloud storage expensive and slow.

That’s why we always recommend that you don’t upload videos to your WordPress Media Library but instead use a video streaming service that is optimized for letting people watch video content online.

When you upload a video to streaming services like YouTube or Vimeo, they process each video for a better web experience. Then, viewers can choose to watch your video in HD or on lower resolutions to use less data.

These video services even detect a user’s device and internet connection automatically and play the video in the best quality for each user.

Once the video has been uploaded to the streaming service, you can easily embed it in WordPress so your visitors can view it on your website.

Plus, other users who are not even aware of your website may discover your video on the streaming service. This can bring more traffic to your website.

For example, our own WPBeginner YouTube channel has over 1 million subscribers and gets tens of thousands of new views each week.

For more on this subject, see our guide on why you should never upload a video to WordPress.

Offload WordPress Media Using Cloudflare CDN

Another way to offload your WordPress media files is by using a Content Delivery Network or CDN. This is the method we use at WPBeginner.

CDNs store a copy of your website’s media files across a network of global servers. When a user visits your site, the CDN serves the media from the server closest to them, improving load times.

This solution works well for us at WPBeginner because we have readers located all around the world. We use Cloudflare as our CDN, but there are plenty of other quality WordPress CDN services to choose from.

Creating a Cloudflare Account

To get started, you need to visit the Cloudflare website and simply click the ‘Sign Up’ button.

This will open a new page where you can create a Cloudflare account by entering your email address and choosing a password.

Once you enter that information, click the ‘Sign up’ button to continue.

Once you have done this, you will see the ‘Thank you for choosing Cloudflare’ message confirming that your account has been set up successfully.

You can now add your website to Cloudflare by clicking the button labeled ‘Add a website or application’.

On the next page, you can type your website in the ‘Enter your site’ field.

You don’t need to enter any extra characters, just your site’s domain name, like example.com.

The next screen lists the different plans that Cloudflare offers. After selecting a plan, click the ‘Continue’ button.

We’ll use the free plan for this tutorial.

Now, Cloudflare will list your website’s DNS records. You need to choose which of these should be passed through Cloudflare to improve your site’s performance.

Make sure you toggle your primary domain, such as example.com, so that it is active and shows an orange cloud.

Once you have activated the DNS records you wish to pass through Cloudflare, make sure you click the ‘Continue’ button at the bottom.

Updating Your Website’s Nameservers

Now, in the next step, Cloudflare will let you know that you will need to update your nameservers.

You can do that by visiting your domain registrar account, like Domain.com. Or, if you were provided a free domain by Bluehost or another web hosting provider, then you will need to log in to your hosting account.

Let’s go step-by-step through how to do this with Bluehost. If you are using a different hosting provider or domain registrar, the steps will be similar, and you can reach out to them for help or look at their online documentation.

You need to log in to your Bluehost account and then go to the ‘Domains’ section of their dashboard. Next, click the ‘Settings’ button next to your domain name.

On the next page, scroll down to ‘Advanced Tools’ and expand the section by clicking the arrow on the right of the screen. You will see your website’s DNS settings, including the nameservers.

Now you should click the ‘Manage’ button next to ‘Nameservers (DNS)’.

A warning will pop up stating that only advanced users should update their nameservers.

Simply click the ‘Continue’ button to acknowledge the message and move on.

Now, you can carefully enter the settings for Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 that Cloudflare provided above.

Once you have done that, click the ‘Save’ button to store the new settings.

Note: Changing nameservers can take some time to propagate throughout the internet. During this time, your website may become inaccessible to some users.

Now that you have updated your nameservers, you can go back to the Cloudflare setup page.

Once there, you can finish the setup by clicking the blue button labeled ‘Done, check nameservers’.

You will need to wait for a few minutes for your nameservers to be checked, and Cloudflare to be activated.

After it is activated, you will see the success message in your Cloudflare dashboard.

Configuring Cloudflare

You will want to configure Cloudflare to improve your website performance. Luckily, the Quick Start Guide will open automatically and take you through the settings.

To learn more, please follow our tutorial on how to set up Cloudflare Free CDN in WordPress.

Use WPBeginner’s Site Speed Optimization Professional Service

If you don’t have the time or expertise to offload your media files and improve the performance of your WordPress website, then you can get our experts to do it for you.

Over the years, we have helped over 100,000 people get started with WordPress. Why not hire us to boost your website speed and performance?

Before we even touch your site, we’ll create a comprehensive site speed and website performance report to measure your page loading time, server performance, and technical SEO aspects. This will help us identify what can be improved.

Our standard service starts at $699 and includes CDN setup, image compression, caching configuration, and much more.

Just take a look at our Site Speed Optimization Service page for further details and to book a free consultation.

Bonus: Optimize Your Images Before Offloading for Better Performance

Before offloading your media files, you will want to make sure you optimize and compress them to gain further speed improvements.

You can use plugins like WP Smush and others to optimize WordPress images by reducing their size without losing quality. This will minimize the amount of data that needs to be offloaded.

An optimized image can be up to 80% smaller than the original without any loss in quality. In the example above, the image is 52% smaller.

For detailed instructions, see our guide on how to optimize images for web performance without losing quality.

Frequently Asked Questions About Offloading WordPress Media

Here are some quick answers to the most common questions about offloading WordPress media.

What exactly does it mean to “offload” WordPress media?

Offloading your media library means storing your images, videos, and other media files on a separate server, like a cloud storage service, instead of on your website’s main hosting server.

Why should I offload my WordPress media?

Offloading reduces the load on your web server, leading to faster page load times, improved website performance, and a better user experience. It can also boost your site’s scalability and reduce hosting costs.

What are the most common ways to offload media?

The most popular methods include using cloud storage services like Amazon S3 or Google Cloud Storage and using a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

What’s the difference between cloud storage and a CDN for media offloading?

Cloud storage moves your media files to a different server. On the other hand, a CDN creates copies of your media files on multiple servers worldwide to deliver them faster to users based on their location. You can often combine these solutions for the best of both worlds.

Do I need technical skills to offload my media?

While some technical knowledge can be helpful, many plugins simplify the process, making it easy for users of all skill levels to offload their media.

Will offloading break my existing image links?

If done correctly, offloading should not break your image links. Some plugins will automatically rewrite the image URLs so they continue to display properly. Other plugins only offload newly uploaded images and don’t affect your existing images at all.

What about large video files? Should I offload those too?

For large video files, it’s generally recommended to use a video streaming platform like YouTube or Vimeo and embed the videos on your website instead of offloading them directly.

Will offloading improve my website’s SEO?

Yes, offloading can indirectly improve SEO by increasing website speed, which is a ranking factor for search engines like Google.

Is offloading the only thing I need to do to speed up my website?

Offloading is an important optimization strategy, but it’s most effective when combined with other performance improvements, like WordPress caching and choosing a fast web host.

We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to offload WordPress media to improve website speed. You may also want to see our guide on how to properly run a website speed test or our expert pick of the best WordPress caching plugins to speed up your website.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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How to Accept iDEAL Payments in WordPress (2 Methods)

Recently, one of our readers asked us if there’s an easy way to get more sales from customers in the Netherlands.

If this is your target customer base, then we recommend setting up iDEAL. It’s a popular online payment system in the Netherlands that allows customers to make instant bank transfers directly from their bank accounts when purchasing online.

Putting it simply, adding iDEAL to your online store can build trust with your Dutch customers, simplify the buyer journey, and also reduce cart abandonment. It’s a win-win!

In this article, we will show you how to easily accept iDEAL payments in WordPress, step by step.

Why Accept iDEAL Payments in WordPress?

If you want to sell products or services in the Netherlands, then you’ll want to start accepting iDEAL payments in WordPress. It is the most popular online payment system in the country, trusted by millions for its reliability and simplicity.

In fact, almost every major Dutch bank supports iDEAL. It allows customers to pay directly from their bank accounts without needing a credit card, making it a must-have option for any global store.

During our research for this article, we found that iDEAL is a secure payment system. When customers select it, they are redirected to their own bank’s platform to complete the payment. This ensures they don’t have to share sensitive banking information with any third-party websites.

Plus, iDEAL provides instant payment confirmation, allowing you to process orders quickly and offer a seamless checkout experience.

Another big benefit of iDEAL is that it’s affordable. Its transaction fees are usually lower than credit card fees, which can save your business money by helping you cut down on payment processing costs.

Having said that, let’s take a look at how to easily accept iDEAL payments in WordPress. We will cover two methods in this tutorial. You can use the links below to jump to your preferred approach:

• Method 1: Create an iDEAL Payments Form in WordPress
• Method 2: Accept iDEAL Payments in WooCommerce
• Bonus: Accept Affirm Payments in WordPress

Method 1: Create an iDEAL Payments Form in WordPress

If you want to create an iDEAL payment form in WordPress, then this method is for you. It will allow you to accept iDEAL payments for donations, memberships, services, or products without having to create a fully functional online store.

To do this, we recommend WP Simple Pay. We have tested it extensively on our own websites, and we really like it. In our opinion, it is the best WordPress Stripe plugin. It offers an intuitive builder, spam protection, and easy integration with numerous payment options.

Plus, our testing revealed that it comes with a premade template for iDEAL payments. To learn more, see our full WP Simple Pay review.

To get started, you’ll first need to install and activate the WP Simple Pay plugin. For details, see our beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Note: WP Simple Pay has a free version. However, you will need the pro plan to unlock the iDEAL payment form template.

Upon activation, you will see a setup wizard on your screen. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button.

On the following page, you’ll need to enter your plugin’s license key.

You can get this information from under your account on the WP Simple Pay website. Then, click the ‘Activate and Continue’ button.

After that, you have to connect your Stripe account with WP Simple Pay. Stripe is a popular payment gateway that helps you accept online payments.

Please note that the plugin will not work unless you connect it with a new or existing Stripe account.

To do this, click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button.

You can now log in to your Stripe account to connect it to the plugin.

For more in-depth instructions, see our tutorial on how to accept Stripe payments in WordPress.

Once you have connected your site with Stripe, the setup wizard will ask you to configure your emails.

You can enable options to receive email notifications for payment receipts, upcoming invoices, and payment notifications. You’ll also need to add the email address where you want to receive these messages.

Finally, click the ‘Save and Continue’ button. You can now complete the other steps and exit the setup wizard.

Next, it’s time to visit the WP Simple Pay » Payment Forms page from the WordPress admin sidebar.

Once you are there, click the ‘Create Your Payment Form’ button.

This will direct you to the ‘Select a template’ page, where you will see a list of premade payment form options.

Simply find the ‘iDEAL Payment Form’ template and click the ‘Use Template’ button under it.

You will now be taken to the ‘Add New Payment Form’ page.

Here, you can start by changing your form’s title and adding a description. Next, choose ‘On-site payment form’ as your form type. You can also check the box under it to turn on spam protection.

After that, switch to the ‘Payment’ tab in the left-hand menu. Then, select your preferred tax collection rates under the ‘Tax Collection’ option.

Once that’s done, add a price for the product or service you want to sell through the form. If you’re offering a subscription-based service, choose the ‘Subscription’ option and click the ‘Add Price’ button to include different subscription tiers.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to choose the Euro as the currency in this section, or the iDEAL payment form won’t work.

Next, scroll down to the ‘Payment Methods’ section and choose the ‘All’ option from the dropdown menu.

You will notice that iDEAL has already been selected from the list. However, you can also add other payment options, such as Klarna, AliPay, SEPA, CashApp, and more.

Once you have done that, switch to the ‘Form Fields’ tab to add a form field from the dropdown menu. You can also expand the tab to configure each field’s settings and rearrange them using the drag-and-drop editor.

For example, you can add an address field to your form if you want to sell a physical product or provide in-person services. That way, customers can easily provide their address when they make a purchase or book an appointment.

Now, go to the ‘Payment Page’ tab and check the ‘Enable a dedicated payment page’ box. This will allow you to build a custom page without manually adding a new page to your website.

WP Simple Pay lets you customize the form by setting a permalink, color scheme, image, footer text, and more.

Finally, click the ‘Publish’ button to save your changes.

You can now visit your WordPress site to see the iDEAL payment form in action.

Now, if you want to add the iDEAL form to an existing page instead, you can do that, too. After adding your form fields, just click the ‘Publish’ button.

Next, open the page or post you want to use from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button. Use the search feature to locate the ‘WP Simple Pay’ block, then add it to the page.

Once you do that, choose the iDEAL payment form from the dropdown menu within the block.

Finally, click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button to store your changes.

Now, visit your website to view your custom iDEAL payment form page.

Method 2: Accept iDEAL Payments in WooCommerce

If you want to add iDEAL as a payment option in your WooCommerce store, then this method is for you.

First, you’ll need to install and activate the free Stripe Payment Gateway for WooCommerce plugin. For detailed instructions, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, head over to the WooCommerce » Settings page from the WordPress dashboard and switch to the ‘Payments’ tab. Here, enable the ‘Stripe Gateway’ option and then click the ‘Finish set up’ button to the right of the description.

You will now be directed to a new page, where you’ll have to check the ‘Enable Stripe Gateway’ box.

You will also need to add a title and description for the payment gateway.

Then, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Once you have done that, click the ‘Stripe Settings’ link at the top of the page.

Here, click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button to link the payment gateway to your online store. This will direct you to a new page where you’ll need to log in to your Stripe account. If you don’t have one, you can create one from here.

For more details, see our tutorial on how to accept payments with Stripe in WordPress.

After you have successfully connected Stripe to your WooCommerce store, head back to your ‘Payments’ tab in the WordPress dashboard. Next, click the ‘iDEAL’ link at the top.

From here, check the box next to ‘Enable Stripe iDEAL.’ Next, add a title, description, company name, and the selling locations where you want to display this payment method.

Finally, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

You can now visit your online store to view the iDEAL payment option.

👉 Expert Tip: If you run a WordPress website with a global audience, you’ll want to make sure your web pages load quickly for every customer, no matter their location. Otherwise, if they run into slow-loading pages, they may give up on completing their purchases.

Check out WP Beginner’s Site Speed Services if you want our team of WordPress experts to audit and optimize your entire site so you can maximize your international sales!

Bonus: Accept Affirm Payments in WordPress

With WP Simple Pay, you can also accept Affirm Payments in WordPress.

Affirm is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service that allows customers to purchase products or services in installments. Shoppers can either pay in 4 equal, interest-free payments over 8 weeks or choose monthly installments for up to 36 months.

By offering this payment option on your website, you make it easier for customers to afford higher-priced items, improving their shopping experience.

For details, see our tutorial on how to accept Affirm payments in WordPress.

We hope this article helped you learn how to accept iDEAL payments in WordPress. You may also want to see our beginner’s guide on how to allow users to choose a payment method on WordPress forms and our top picks for the best Authorize.net WordPress plugins.

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The post How to Accept iDEAL Payments in WordPress (2 Methods) first appeared on WPBeginner.

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