Do You Need a Chief Web Officer for Your WordPress Site?

So much of the power of WordPress comes in at the intersection of marketing and technology. When a marketer, social media manager, or content writer needs to publish content in creative ways... WordPress is a fantastic tool. Developers and IT specialists at various levels can use WordPress to leverage solutions.

However, sometimes a single WordPress site can fall in the middle of an awkward tug-of-war. Marketers on your team may need access to your site to publish content. But your IT team might worry about too many people having access to secure data on the site.

This is where a Chief Web Officer role can come in. A CWO acts as a bridge between your IT and marketing teams. They have an understanding of both perspectives and sets of goals. And they know what can go wrong and how to avoid those things. Especially if your WordPress site is on a more complex code-based platform, maybe with custom-built solutions, it makes sense for a CWO to manage access to the website.

What's a Fractional Chief Web Officer?

As you scale your business, bringing on a Chief Web Officer can help streamline your project management. Though as you scale, it's often hard to bring on new full-time employees.

If you're looking for a person like a CWO - but you have a small budget and small team - consider a fractional chief web officer instead.

A fractional CWO differs from a full-time CWO in that:

• They usually work part-time as freelancers or contractors, as opposed to full-time CWOs
• They tend to offer hourly or project-based pricing so you only pay for what work you need
• Because of the smaller cost and time investment, you can be more flexible and bring on a fractional CWO only as needed
• Fractional CWO's are good for focused expertise and short-term projects, great for quick turnarounds and sprints
• A fractional CWO will probably have a more shallow understanding of your company and so can provide a unique objective outsider's perspective, as opposed to someone employed at the company for years.

Remember - a Chief Web Office is different from a Chief Technology Officer

A Chief Web officer can bring a diverse set of skills and a rich background of experience. They probably have worked in various industries, on different projects that span from marketing to tech.

Typically, a CTO has deep specific knowledge and expertise about a certain tech-based field. It's possible they may not have experience with "softer" skills such as marketing, design, or HR.

Both can be useful for managing WordPress websites. If your team is smaller and scaling quickly, a CWO is probably the better option for you. If your team is larger or more tech-based, a CTO is probably the way to go!