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In this episode, Michelle Frechette chats with Bernard Mayer, the Senior Director of Communications and Creative at Omnisend. Bernard, based in Vilnius, Lithuania, shares his diverse background and insights into Omnisend's innovative marketing strategies, focusing on email and SMS marketing. The discussion highlights the importance of effective customer engagement and the significant impact of automated emails. Bernard also delves into his involvement with the WordPress community, particularly through WordCamps, and emphasizes the value of creativity and community in marketing. The episode concludes with excitement for the upcoming WordCamp Asia and its enriching experiences.Top TakeawaysThe Value of Organizing and Attending WordCamps: Both Bernard Meyer and Michelle Frechette emphasized the benefits of organizing and attending WordCamps. While it's a lot of hard work, the sense of accomplishment, networking opportunities, and camaraderie with other organizers make it a fulfilling experience. Bernard highlighted how it allows remote collaborators to meet in person, which adds an exciting dimension to professional relationships.Creative Marketing Through Humor and Engagement: Bernard discussed Omnisend's approach to marketing, which involves using humor, music videos, mockumentaries, and playful storytelling. These creative strategies make their marketing campaigns memorable and engaging, showing that a bit of fun can effectively capture an audience's attention.The Accelerated Nature of Event Preparation: Both speakers noted how quickly time seems to pass when preparing for large events like WordCamp Asia. Bernard highlighted the rapid pace from early-year planning to the event date, while Michelle described it as a snowball effect that builds momentum. This reflects the importance of staying organized and proactive during event planning.Mentioned In The Show:OmnisendStellarWPRytis LaurisWPCoffeeTalkWordCamp AsiaWordCamp GermanyWordCamp USSuno AIThe PIC
Say thanks and learn more about our podcast sponsor Omnisend. I'm sure we're all glad that year of WordPress is behind us.WordCamp US 2024 marked the start of a transformative era for the culture of WordPressers—a situation that thrust the community and the greater ecosystem into a tailspin with widespread uncertainty and instability across various sectors.As of this writing, we're still unsure how the lawsuit between Matt Mullenweg/Automattic vs WP Engine will fully play out. While we witness the dust settle and find our new normal, here are the ways I think WordPress will change over the year 2025.1. Automattic continues to rip off the band-aidI think we can all agree that since the inception of Gutenberg, there hasn't been a major “Wow!” moment for WordPress.Usability has improved, and some cool concepts have shipped, but nothing showstopping has graced our wp-admin dashboards. It's a two-sided coin, really:A stable tool for publishing? Yep.Buzzworthy or exciting for the outside world—including our closed-source competitors? Nope.Automattic needs to stay relevant, charm investors, and keep building cool stuff.That's hard enough for any product company—let alone an open-source product company. It boils down to marketing and awareness, which WordPress has always struggled with.Even if Gutenberg was welcomed with open arms, excitement for building with blocks and using WordPress for your next website project was still necessary.I believe that for Matt/Automattic to steer the ship back to relevancy, he needed to pull this entire operation back under full control. Lines needed to be drawn—and they certainly were in 2024.I noticed a “different” tone when Mullenweg appeared on WP Product Talk earlier in 2024. The change was coming back then. Did I think it would be the ‘scorched Earth nuclear‘ approach we witnessed? No.You wouldn't be wrong if you argued that Mullenweg has been trending in this direction for years, but it seemed like 2024 was filled with far too many distractions: a flailing Tumblr acquisition or spending tens of millions on messenger apps.What about focusing on WordPress?I've predicted that, in the future, we'll visit WordPress.org and find: “The best way to experience WordPress is at WordPress.com or by hosting WordPress powered by Jetpack.” And then somewhere far below that H1, you'll find in small text: “Click here to download WordPress for free.”In the short term, ripping off the band-aid to let the world know Matt's in charge is one step closer to that reality. One step closer and fewer distractions for Mullenweg—perhaps less community involvement, and much more of the mothership in control in 2025.2. Community -> CommunitiesThe WordPress community as we knew it is not coming back.You're either for or against Automattic, using the project or spinning up your own fork, meme'ing us on X, or you've already quit the whole thing and are riding off into the sunset on a new CMS.I'm still left wondering: What Would Josepha Do?There have been two public opportunities for Mary Hubbard, the new Executive Director of WordPress, to share her plans for the community. Both appearances that left me with more questions than answers.On a live stream with Mullenweg, Hubbard mentioned not wanting to be a “Josepha 2.0.” Totally understandable! No one wants to be a 2.0 of their predecessor. However, the North Star held by the previous ED was shining bright with the desire to help WordPress thrive.“Help WordPress thrive.” A call to action we could all rally around.In the State of the Word 2024, Hubbard opened with: “I am deeply passionate about defending and celebrating WordPress.” And this is where—I believe—the community begins to fracture.Is WordPress truly under attack from external forces (specifically private equity), or is it just suffocating from within?On paper, PE consuming more of WordPress isn't a good thing. From what I've witnessed in the traditional tech space, they don't care much for community investment either. The playbook is to grow the asset, sell the asset, and keep the revolving door of the portfolio moving.However, I don't agree with Matt/Automattic turning the community into cannon fodder—something that has done more damage in a fiscal quarter than if Silver Lake sold WP Engine to Wix.We, the community, could have been the biggest advocates for Mullenweg's change, but instead, we were tossed aside (and continued to be badgered) regardless of tenure or contribution.This is why we'll see more micro-communities pop up around WordPress through 2025. People fall out of love with WordPress as a “place to be,” and WordPress just gets tossed into the toolbox alongside Mailchimp and Google Apps.Transforming the experience from an open-source project backed by a global community into a free website builder by Automattic.Over 2025, WordPress will go from one big community to a decentralized collection of users who care less about the mission of open source and more about building their websites.3. Playground is the future for WordPressAs sure as the iPhone gets 10% better year after year, so does the software of WordPress.So yes, that's part of this prediction: WordPress, the software, does get better—but probably not by all that much.Playground will start to set an important stage for WordPress—one that I think is needed for the long-term survivability (and interest) of the project. To stay competitive, relevant, and easily accessible, the Playground will take center stage. Here's why:As I explored other software in 2024, specifically other CMS apps, no other website allowed me to try their software hands-on in the browser without installing or registering, like WordPress can.Even if you argue that WordPress is monolithic, uses old technologies, and generally can't get out of its own way, I don't see any other tech stack solving the complete stack like WordPress does—website builder, theme layer, drag-and-drop design, publishing, plugins, an ecosystem, etc.It's a real lightbulb moment when you put that power instantly into the hands of someone looking to learn, build, or publish online without friction.Playground allows you to build out a custom WordPress instance, save the blueprint...
Jonathan and Tammie discuss their experiences at WordCamp US, focusing on Showcase Day's impact, the value of diverse contributions, and how companies can align their goals with community involvement.
In this episode, Michelle Frechette and Corey Maass reflect on their experiences at WordCamp US, discussing marketing strategies, product development, and the significance of open graph images for online representation. They share anecdotes from the conference, including interactions with attendees and the challenges of presenting. The conversation delves into personal branding, promotional swag, and the importance of effective image generation for social media. They also explore using AI for content creation and strategize for upcoming Black Friday sales. The episode emphasizes the importance of persistence, effective communication, and balancing professional and personal commitments. Top Takeaways:Black Friday Planning: Michelle and Corey are focusing on creating a strategy for a Black Friday sale. This includes discussing potential discounts, such as testing lower pricing or offering a limited lifetime deal to attract more customers. The goal is to use Black Friday as an opportunity to experiment with pricing and boost sales.Product Positioning and Pain Point Clarity: There's a recognition that OMGIMG addresses a pain point many users don't realize they have. The challenge is to effectively communicate the value of the tool—how it can save time and effort—even though it's not seen as a core necessity like security or SEO plugins.Steady Progress and Commitment: Michelle and Corey both emphasize a long-term commitment to the project, even if the progress has felt gradual. You acknowledge that building momentum takes time, and it's important to avoid self-criticism while continuing to push forward.Marketing Efforts and Automation: There's a desire to step up the marketing efforts, including improving the website, running more ads, automating marketing, and exploring new strategies, such as using creative content like songs or humorous posts on social media to draw attention.Balanced Expectations and Persistence: Corey reflected on not being overly attached to the immediate success of projects, aiming instead to adopt a more measured approach by consistently pushing the product forward without seeing it as all-or-nothing. The goal is to build the flywheel, recognizing that it will take time for sales and growth to self-perpetuate.Mentioned In The Show:WP Accessibility DayEqualize DigitalWordPressWordCampUSAutomatticChatGPTDall-EStellar WPGreen GeeksYoast ClaudeEmail OctopusCanvaPhotoshopSetappTypingMindBartender CleanshotXThe RepositoryAppsumoSocial Link PagesWP BuildsMark WestergaardWS Forms
This week, we discuss the intersection of DevOps and Platform Engineering, the latest WordPress drama, and some M&A tips for Intel. Plus, a few recommendations on using iPhone mirroring. Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGxrtrRWtvc) 486 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGxrtrRWtvc) Runner-up Titles I'm out of nuts, time to podcast System Settings Security, it never ends Fancy Sysadmins Providing needles for your balloons Batman's not real What's the opposite of a taboo DevOps is not the tooling Software gets old Release the turbo button Rundown Windows App (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/windows-app/id1295203466?mt=12) PlatformDays vs. DevOpsDays Has DevOps been "worth it" to you? (https://www.reddit.com/r/devops/comments/1f5srog/has_devops_been_worth_it_to_you/) R (https://newsletter.cote.io/p/how-devops-can-come-back-from-the)enaming a few DevOpsDays (https://newsletter.cote.io/p/how-devops-can-come-back-from-the) t (https://newsletter.cote.io/p/how-devops-can-come-back-from-the)o PlatformDays (https://newsletter.cote.io/p/how-devops-can-come-back-from-the). Tossed Salads And Scrumbled Eggs (https://ludic.mataroa.blog/blog/tossed-salads-and-scrumbled-eggs/) Digital Transformation Gone Wrong How Sonos Botched an App and Infuriated Its Customers (https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-09-23/how-sonos-botched-an-app-and-infuriated-its-customers) FAA air traffic control modernization efforts are a mess (https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/us_air_traffic_control_system_upgrade/) Apple Apple launches iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-launches-iphone-16-with-apple-intelligence-183724722.html) Apple removes Control-click option for skipping Gatekeeper in macOS Sequoia (https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/08/06/apple-removes-control-click-option-for-skipping-gatekeeper-in-macos-sequoia) Intel Qualcomm Approached Intel About a Takeover in Recent Days (https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/qualcomm-approached-intel-about-a-takeover-in-recent-days-fa114f9d) Intel launches new AI chips as takeover rumors swirl (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/intel-launches-new-ai-chips-as-takeover-rumors-swirl-153749461.html) Wordpress Drama Matt Mullenweg calls WP Engine a 'cancer to WordPress' and urges community to switch providers (https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/22/matt-mullenweg-calls-wp-engine-a-cancer-to-wordpress-and-urges-community-to-switch-providers/) Matt Mullenweg needs to step down from WordPress.org leadership ASAP (https://notes.ghed.in/posts/2024/matt-mullenweg-wp-engine-debacle/) WordCamp US & Ecosystem Thinking (https://ma.tt/2024/09/ecosystem-thinking/) WP Engine responds (https://wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Cease-and-Desist-Letter-to-Automattic-and-Request-to-Preserve-Documents-Sent.pdf) Relevant to your Interests IBM quietly axing thousands of jobs, source claims (https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/18/ibm_job_cuts/) Comment on #1262 Health of Linkerd project (https://github.com/cncf/toc/issues/1262#issuecomment-2357919000) Starbucks New CEO on Return to Office: ‘We're All Adults Here' (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-19/starbucks-new-ceo-on-return-to-office-we-re-all-adults-here) Yaak Is Now Open Source (https://yaak.app/blog/now-open-source) OpenAI to Decide Which Backers to Let Into $6.5 Billion Funding (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-19/openai-to-decide-which-backers-to-let-into-6-5-billion-funding?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosprorata&stream=top) Google rolls out automatic passkey syncing via Password Manager (https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/19/google-rolls-out-automatic-passkey-syncing-via-password-manager/) A Leader in 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Container Management (https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/containers-kubernetes/a-leader-in-2024-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-container-management/) Companies Like to Pit Internal Teams Against Each Other. Bad Idea. (https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/competition-companies-employees-9099a425) Microsoft has announced new efforts to improve its cybersecurity systems (https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-has-announced-new-efforts-to-improve-its-cybersecurity-systems/) Oracle Sees $104 Billion Sales in Fiscal 2029 on Cloud Expansion (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-12/oracle-sees-104-billion-sales-in-fiscal-2029-on-cloud-expansion) Oracle Runs OCI Clones At Rival AWS, Google, And Azure Clouds (https://www.nextplatform.com/2024/09/10/oracle-runs-oci-clones-at-rival-aws-google-and-azure-clouds/) Oracle and Amazon Web Services Announce Strategic Partnership (https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/ocw24-oracle-and-amazon-web-services-announce-strategic-partnership-2024-09-09/) John Mulaney got paid $2M to show up to Dreamforce and say this (https://softwaredefinedtalk.slack.com/archives/C04EK1VBK/p1727125631774399) The Cloud is Darker and More Full of Terrors (https://www.chrisfarris.com/post/sect2024/?ck_subscriber_id=1141233388) Kaspersky deletes itself, installs UltraAV antivirus without warning (https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/kaspersky-deletes-itself-installs-ultraav-antivirus-without-warning/) IBM AI simply not up to the job of replacing staff (https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/24/ibm_layoffs_ai_talent/) More Americans – especially young adults – are regularly getting news on TikTok (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/17/more-americans-regularly-get-news-on-tiktok-especially-young-adults/) Meta Unveils 'Orion' Augmented Reality Glasses (https://www.macrumors.com/2024/09/25/meta-augmented-reality-glasses/) Google Rehired Noam Shazeer With Major Payout, (https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/google-rehired-noam-shazeer-major-141808501.html) Congress grills CrowdStrike about multibillion-dollar July outage (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/24/congress-grills-crowdstrike-about-multibillion-dollar-july-outage/) Wiz In Talks to Sell Shares at Valuation as High as $20 Billion (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-24/cyber-firm-wiz-in-talks-to-sell-shares-at-20-billion-valuation) Google files Brussels complaint against Microsoft cloud business (https://archive.ph/VtRiP) Marques Brownlee says ‘I hear you' after fans criticize his new wallpaper app (https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/24/24253023/mkbhd-panels-wallpaper-app-response-criticism) Progress update on Microsoft's Secure Future Initiative (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/09/23/securing-our-future-september-2024-progress-update-on-microsofts-secure-future-initiative-sfi/?ref=runtime.news) OpenAI rolls out Advanced Voice Mode with more voices and a new look (https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/24/openai-rolls-out-advanced-voice-mode-with-more-voices-and-a-new-look/) Intel launches new AI chips as takeover rumors swirl (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/intel-launches-new-ai-chips-as-takeover-rumors-swirl-153749461.html) Dozens of Fortune 100 companies have unwittingly hired North Korean IT workers, according to report (https://therecord.media/major-us-companies-unwittingly-hire-north-korean-remote-it-workers) Nonsense Grocery chains are bigger than ever. See who runs the stores near you. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/grocery-store-owners-map-kroger-albertsons-merger/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3f166c7%2F66f2df1965e56477aea35218%2F5ed96de79bbc0f3a78a62db3%2F8%2F54%2F66f2df1965e56477aea35218) Conferences Cloud Foundry Day EU (https://events.linuxfoundation.org/cloud-foundry-day-europe/), Karlsruhe, GER, Oct 9, 2024, 20% off with code CFEU24VMW. VMware Explore Barcelona (https://www.vmware.com/explore/eu), Nov 4-7, 2024. Coté speaking. SREday Amsterdam (https://sreday.com/2024-amsterdam/), Nov 21, 2024. Coté speaking (https://sreday.com/2024-amsterdam/Michael_Cote_VMwarePivotal_We_Fear_Change), 20% off with code SRE20DAY. DevOpsDayLA (https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/22x/events/devopsday-la) at SCALE22x (https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/22x), March 6-9, 2025, discount code DEVOP SDT News & Community Join our Slack community (https://softwaredefinedtalk.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-1hn55iv5d-UTfN7mVX1D9D5ExRt3ZJYQ#/shared-invite/email) Email the show: questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Free stickers: Email your address to stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Follow us on social media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/softwaredeftalk), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@softwaredefinedtalk), Mastodon (https://hachyderm.io/@softwaredefinedtalk), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/software-defined-talk/), BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/softwaredefinedtalk.com) Watch us on: Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/sdtpodcast), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3OJPV6h9tp-hbsGBLGsDQ/featured), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/softwaredefinedtalk/), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@softwaredefinedtalk) Book offer: Use code SDT for $20 off "Digital WTF" by Coté (https://leanpub.com/digitalwtf/c/sdt) Sponsor the show (https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/ads): ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Recommendations Brandon: Use Magnifier on your iPhone or iPad (https://support.apple.com/en-us/105102) Matt: Ghosts (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8594324/) Coté: The Modern Myths (https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo52584433.html). 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Portland startup news for the week ending September 20, 2024. Here's the Portland startup stuff I was tracking this week. Portland startup news includes a Portland startup community gathering on September 20 at 4PM at the Rogue Eastside Brewery to meet with WordCamp US 2024 attendees, coffee meetups, Oregon Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Accelerator drones has its first demo day, Portland Alternative Investment Association (PAIA), 4K4Community fun run, Rose City Techies, and more… PORTLAND STARTUP LINKS - Portland startup community gathering https://calagator.org/events/1250481309 - WordCamp US https://us.wordcamp.org/ - UpStart Collective 2nd birthday https://calagator.org/events/1250481280 - Kathryn Latham on the PAIA / workwithkl_5-takeaways-for-oregon-founders... - 4K4Community https://www.4k4community.com/ - Rose City Techies https://www.meetup.com/rose-city-tech...
In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Marcus Burnette to dive into the many exciting features of WP World, a community platform designed for WordPress professionals. Marcus, the creator of WP World, walks listeners through its dynamic features, including customizable profile pins that reflect user specialties, a robust hosting review system, and privacy options for those who prefer not to share their location.Top TakeawaysUser-Friendly Features in WP World: Marcus Burnette highlighted various user-friendly features in WP World, such as the ability to customize profile pins based on user specialties and the option to hide locations for privacy reasons. This ensures the platform remains flexible and inclusive, especially for those who prioritize privacy or are digital nomads.Community-Driven Feedback and Development: Michelle Frechette shared how user feedback directly influenced the development of WP World. For example, her suggestion to add "accessibility specialist" as an option was quickly implemented. Marcus encouraged users to request features, showing that the platform is shaped by the needs of its community.WP World's Hosting Review Platform: Marcus introduced a comprehensive hosting review system where users can rate various aspects of hosting providers, such as performance and security. This community-sourced rating system provides valuable insights for people choosing WordPress hosts and ensures transparency by preventing paid listings.Playful and Engaging Design Aspects: Marcus, as a designer, has adding fun products like the "Capital P, dang it" mug. He also shared how events like WordCamps feature their own unique " u" mascots, contributing to the platform's lighthearted and engaging atmosphere.Collaborative Community Spirit: Both Marcus and Michelle emphasized their close collaboration and support within the WordPress community. Their plans to meet at WordCamp US to further discuss ideas highlight the strong, community-driven spirit behind WP World and its events. They also invited the audience to connect with them and grab stickers at the upcoming event, showcasing their approachability.Mentioned In The Show:WP WorldWP Coffee TalkWP SpeakersSeriously Bud? PodcastBud KrausChatGPTHeroPressJavi GuembeTopher DeRosiaElementorDo the Woo PodcastWP WonderWomenWP Career PagesWordPress.orgNexcessKaty BoykinKadence Amplify
Episode 50! This week in Portland startup news finds us with the best startup events in Portland plus WordCamp US 2024. Plus lots of Portland startup goodness. PORTLAND STARTUP NEWS 00:00 Portland startup news intro 00:48 Bend Venture Conference Growth Stage startups 05:45 Portland startup and tech events in September https://siliconflorist.com/2024/09/12/a-random-smattering-of-tech-events-just-exploded-across-the-september-calendar/ 19:55 @WordPress WordCamp US 2024 https://us.wordcamp.org/ 22:00 4K4Community Fun Run https://www.4k4community.com/ 24:57 CoCore compute resources for #ai 29:55 Built Festival 2024 https://www.builtoregon.com/built-festival ABOUT SILICON FLORIST ---------- For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog and podcast that covers founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet. ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ---------- Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird. https://siliconflorist.com #entrepreneur #portland
In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, host Michelle Frechette interviews Alex Sandiford about his affiliate plugin, Siren Affiliates. Alex explains how the plugin simplifies the management of affiliate, loyalty, and royalty programs by centralizing various incentive structures. He discusses the development journey, challenges faced, and future plans for the plugin, including potential integrations. The conversation emphasizes the importance of building relationships with affiliates and providing them with the necessary tools and support to succeed. The episode concludes with insights into the ethical and collaborative aspects of affiliate marketing.Top Takeaways:The Power of Affiliate Relationships: Alex emphasizes that successful affiliate programs are built on strong partnerships and personalized support. Providing affiliates with both the right tools and fair compensation can lead to mutually beneficial success. It's not just about the percentage they earn, but about helping them market effectively.Siren's Pricing Structure: Alex outlines Siren's pricing tiers as very affordable, with a focus on bringing in early adopters. The initial pricing is $59 for the first year, renewing at $79. This pricing will likely increase as the plugin stabilizes and grows.Challenges in Affiliate Marketing Perception: Alex is focused on shifting the negative stigma around affiliate marketing by showing that it can be honest, impactful, and built on genuine partnerships. He contrasts the negative view of affiliates with the popular trend of influencer marketing, highlighting their similarities.Platform Migration and Customization: Siren offers platform migration support for users switching from other affiliate plugins like Affiliate WP. This feature has proven popular, and Alex plans to streamline the migration process to make it more efficient, showing a focus on enhancing user experience and meeting customer needs.Future Development Plans: While Siren does not yet have built-in tools for providing affiliates with marketing resources like images and copy, this is on Alex's roadmap. He recognizes the importance of giving affiliates the resources they need to succeed, although existing tools like Google Drive and the block editor can partially solve this for now.Mentioned In The Show:LifterLMSUdemyPayPalStripeKadenceAffiliate WPWooCommerceEasy Digital DownloadsLearnDashNorth CommercePersonalized WPRestrict Content ProGoogle DrivePartnerShip PodcastWP WorldMarcus BurnetteWordCampUS
Say thanks and learn more about our podcast sponsor Omnisend. In this extended episode of WP Minute+, I sat down with Mark Szymanski for an in-depth discussion about the current state of WordPress, its growth trajectory, and the challenges it faces in marketing and community engagement. We explored recent developments in the WordPress ecosystem, including insights from industry leaders and data trends from the WP Product Talk episode.This conversation was sparked by recent presentations and discussions in the WordPress community, particularly focusing on the apparent plateau in WordPress growth and the need for renewed community engagement. We analyzed Josepha Haden Chomphosy's WordCamp US presentation from a year ago, which highlighted the importance of human involvement in WordPress's future success.Highlighting the complexities of WordPress's position in the market, comparing its growth trends with competitors like Wix, Squarespace, and Webflow. We discussed the unique challenges WordPress faces as an open-source project competing with commercial entities, and how this impacts its marketing and growth strategies.A significant portion of our discussion focused on the potential for marketing initiatives within the WordPress community. We explored ideas for collaborative marketing efforts, the challenges of creating a unified message for such a diverse platform, and the potential role of content creators in promoting WordPress.Throughout our conversation, we touched on several critical issues, including:1. The balance between open-source ideals and commercial interests in WordPress2. The need for better data and metrics to understand WordPress's market position3. The challenges of creating a cohesive marketing strategy for a diverse platform4. The role of Automattic and other major players in shaping WordPress's future5. The potential for community-driven marketing initiativesKey Takeaways for WordPress Professionals:1. WordPress is experiencing a growth plateau, necessitating new strategies for engagement and growth2. There's a growing recognition of the need for better marketing and community engagement in WordPress3. The diversity of WordPress use cases presents both a strength and a challenge for marketing efforts4. Content creators and community members play a crucial role in shaping perceptions of WordPress5. There's potential for collaborative marketing efforts, but challenges in coordination and messaging remain6. The open-source nature of WordPress provides resilience but also complicates marketing efforts7. Understanding different user avatars is crucial for effective WordPress marketingImportant URLs mentioned:1. wordpress.org/about/philosophy2. wordpress.com3. wix.com4. squarespace.com5. webflow.com6. thewpminute.com/support7. markszymanski.co8. mjs.bioChapter Titles with Timestamps:1. [00:00:00] Introduction and Recent WordPress Developments2. [00:15:00] Analyzing WordPress Growth Trends3. [00:30:00] The Challenges of Marketing Open-Source Software4. [00:45:00] Community Engagement and WordPress's Future5. [01:00:00] Comparing WordPress to Commercial Competitors6. [01:15:00] Potential Marketing Strategies for WordPress7. [01:30:00] The Role of Content Creators in WordPress Promotion8. [01:45:00] Closing Thoughts and Call to ActionThis episode provides a comprehensive look at the current state of WordPress from both a veteran's perspective and a newer community member's viewpoint. It highlights the ongoing challenges and opportunities within the WordPress ecosystem, offering valuable insights for anyone deeply involved in the WordPress community. ★ Support this podcast ★
In this episode, Michelle Frechette and Corey Maass discuss their preparations for WordCamp US, including finalizing presentation slides and enhancing their product's homepage for better user engagement. They explore offering personalized onboarding sessions and the complexities of different plugins. The conversation highlights the importance of educational content and clear communication about their product's benefits, especially for users unfamiliar with WordPress. They also celebrate a successful classified ad in a newsletter and share experiences with user engagement and marketing strategies. The episode concludes with plans for future events and a light-hearted discussion about time management.Top Takeaways:Working on IPA WP Features: Michelle and Corey discussed their progress on developing features for IPA WP. They plan to refine these features and update the homepage to have a product ready to showcase at WordCamp US.Networking and Relationships at WordCamps: Corey and Michelle both emphasize the importance of attending WordCamps and smaller WordPress events. These events have allowed them to build strong professional relationships and friendships, like Corey's connection with Alex Standiford and others. They both miss the frequency of smaller, more intimate WordCamps, which foster closer interactions and connections.Productivity and Time Management: Both expressed the challenge of balancing multiple responsibilities, including work, hobbies, and preparations for upcoming events. They joked about the idea of creating a plugin to add more hours to the day, highlighting the ongoing struggle with time management.Mentioned In The Show:YoastRank MathStellar WPStreamYardMorgueFileDense DiscoverySeattle MagazinePaws of CoronadoSquirrelly Dall-E FiverrMastermind GroupAlex StandifordMarcus Burnette
In this episode, Michelle Frechette and Corey Maass engage in a lively conversation about their experiences at WordCamp US, their recent t-shirt purchases, and a collaborative project related to WordPress. They discuss the progress of their project, which involves creating a directory for plugins or products, and the challenges of designing a logo that is clear and recognizable. They also brainstorm creative ideas for the logo and share their strategies for promoting their project. The episode highlights their enthusiasm for collaboration and their commitment to making the project a success.Top Takeaways: Iterative Brainstorming Process: Both Corey and Michelle value the process of "splashing around" in ideas, acknowledging that not every concept will be a winner, but it's essential to explore and iterate to find the right solution. They emphasized the importance of keeping ideas alive and evolving them over time.IPAWP Rebranding: The Independent Plugin Alliance for WordPress was rebranded as the Independent Product Alliance for WordPress (IPAWP) to better reflect the broader scope of products they want to include. They're still in the early stages of developing this alliance and are actively seeking input and collaboration from others.Grassroots Development: Both OMGIMG and IPAWP are in grassroots development phases, with Corey and Michelle being open to new ideas and contributions. They're focused on building these initiatives in a collaborative, community-driven manner, emphasizing low-cost marketing strategies and mutual support among small WordPress product creators.Mentioned In The Show:Ross MorsaliSearch & FiltersIPA WPWP SpeakersWP Coffee TalksWP TavernWP Wonder WomanCanvaFiverr
WordCamp US 2024 is a four-day event in Portland, Oregon, featuring Contributor Day, Showcase Day, and diverse programming days. Join the conversation with three of the lead organizers.
In this episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, Michelle Frechette chats with Mark Westguard, the creator of WS Form, a powerful and flexible form-building plugin for WordPress. Mark discusses WS Form's standout features, including its advanced conditional logic, breakpoint selectors for responsive design, and its capacity for complex customizations and integrations. They explore creative uses of the plugin, from dynamic MadLibs to WooCommerce product customizations, and reflect on their favorite WordCamp experiences, such as WordCamp Europe and WordCamp US. Mark also teases upcoming updates for WS Form and shares insights on making the most of WordPress events.Top Takeaways: WS Form's Flexibility and Power: WS Form is highlighted as a highly flexible and powerful form builder, capable of much more than just creating basic forms. It includes advanced features like conditional logic, dynamic content generation, integration with WooCommerce, and even the ability to handle complex calculations.Responsive Design Features: WS Form supports responsive design with customizable breakpoints, allowing users to adjust form layouts across different screen sizes. This feature is especially useful for ensuring forms look good and function well on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.Developer-Friendly Features: The form builder is designed with developers in mind, offering hooks for custom and legacy API integrations, as well as the ability to run WordPress filter hooks and action hooks. This makes it highly extensible for those with coding skills.Support and Knowledge Sharing: Mark Westguard actively responds to customer support inquiries by not only providing direct help but also creating knowledge base articles based on common questions. This approach helps build a comprehensive resource for all users.Community Engagement: Both Mark and Michelle emphasize the importance of attending WordCamps and being involved in the WordPress community. They discuss the benefits of networking, sharing ideas, and learning from others, which are vital aspects of their experiences and successes within the community.Mentioned In The Show:WS FormEventbriteWordCamp USWordCamp Asia WordCamp Europe GiveWP Bootstrap Foundation WooCommerceBarn2 PluginsLiquid Web Datakit Zach KatzGravityKit
In this podcast episode of the Post Status Happiness Hour, Michelle Frechette is joined by her friend and WordPress security expert, Kathy Zant. They delve into various aspects of website security, focusing on WordPress. Kathy discusses her recent security courses aimed at demystifying WordPress for beginners and emphasizes the importance of proactive security measures. They highlight the critical role of regular backups and the potential risks of automated updates. Kathy shares practical security tips, such as using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. The episode is both informative and engaging, filled with personal anecdotes and humor, making it a valuable resource for listeners.Top Takeaways: Importance of Security: Both Michelle and Kathy emphasize the importance of understanding and implementing robust security measures to protect websites from hacks.Criminal Behavior: Kathy highlights that criminals (including hackers) often look for the easiest targets. If a website or home has visible security measures, they are more likely to move on to an easier target. However, if a determined attacker sees something of value, they might still find a way in despite the security measures.Auto Updates: Kathy advises against relying solely on automated updates, especially for websites that are crucial for business. She recommends a process of updating on a staging environment first, ensuring everything works, and then updating the production site. She highlights real-world scenarios where automated updates have caused issues, leading to downtime and confusion over whether a site was hacked or simply experiencing an update-related error.Content Creation and Community Engagement:Kathy discusses her responsibilities at Motivation Code, including managing content across different platforms and facilitating challenges to foster community interaction. Despite facing technical challenges with platforms like LinkedIn, she remains committed to creating engaging content and moving activities to more effective platforms like Facebook.Mentioned In The Show:ShopifyWixSquarespaceMotivation Code CrowdStrike StellarWPWordCamp USNathan IngramMark WestguardKathy's website
This week, we talk about the inagural 503 Day, Dust Moto's EV dirt bike, WordCamp US call for speakers, NedSpace offers space for events, a new Executive Director for Oregon Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Accelerator, Equitable Networking, and Mayday! Deep Space. Let's get into it. ABOUT SILICON FLORIST ---------- For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog and podcast that covers founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet. ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ---------- Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird. https://siliconflorist.com #oregon
This week, the Right to Repair Act is now Oregon law, WordCamp US 2024 tickets are now on sale, Oregon UAS (drone) Accelerator applications are due, AI Portland has a new AI podcast, First Friday at UpStart Collective Westside, and Westside Pitch Competition. Let's get into it. ABOUT SILICON FLORIST ---------- For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog and podcast that covers founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet. ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ---------- Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird. https://siliconflorist.com #portland
This week in Portland Oregon tech and startup news, I'll cover PitchBlack 2024, WordCamp US 2024, AI Portland, a list of Portland and Oregon startups to watch, Oregon Venture Fund, and more. PORTLAND TECH AND STARTUP NEWS 00:00 Portland Oregon startup and tech news for the week ending Dec 15 2023 00:30 PitchBlack 2024 https://pitchblackpdx.com 01:43 AI Portland - Artificial Intelligence meetup https://www.meetup.com/ai-portland/ 02:43 WordCamp US 2024 Portland Oregon https://www.instagram.com/p/C0t--MjrlNL/ 04:34 Portland Business Journal 2024 startups to watch https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/inno/stories/awards/2023/12/13/startups-portland-venture-capital-2024.html 05:33 Oregon Venture Fund origin story https://oregonventurefund.com/perspectives/2023/12/6/origin-story 06:44 Portland startup Radious sees substantial Bay Area growth https://hello.radious.pro/blog/radious-grows-bay-area 07:53 Pew Research on 2023 teen social media habits https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/12/11/teens-social-media-and-technology-2023/ 08:56 Get some rest ABOUT SILICON FLORIST ---------- For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog and podcast that covers founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet. ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ---------- Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird. https://siliconflorist.com #portland Music: https://uppbeat.io/t/richard-bodgers/the-headlines Photo courtesy PitchBlack. Used with permission.
You know when you meet someone and think "Man, I could talk to this guy for a while." That is what I thought of Adam Weeks when I met him with Spencer Forman at Wordcamp US in Maryland. Adam is a super-solid dude and helps others increase their influence in the WordPress space. His project is Cirrus Influence. Learn more about Adam at https://wpspeakers.com/speaker/adam-weeks/ If you have a message to share and would like to be a guest on the Mañana No Mas! Podcast... use the contact link at https://manananomas.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/manananomas/message
In this podcast episode, Corey Maass and Cory Miller discuss their experience at WordCamp US and the challenges they faced in promoting their WordPress product. They talk about making changes to their homepage to provide clearer examples of open graph images. They also talk about the decision to refactor the code for their product to make it more extensible and user-friendly. They discuss the timeline for completing the work and adding presets to the product. They also mention receiving positive feedback and expressing excitement for the upcoming features.Top Takeaways:Importance of Refactoring: Corey Maass discusses the decision to refactor their WordPress product's code. While initially hesitant, he recognized the importance of improving the code's structure to avoid future limitations and difficulties in maintaining the product. This highlights the significance of making technical decisions with an eye toward long-term sustainability.User-Centric Development: Corey Maass emphasizes the need to consider the user perspective when developing products. He discusses the benefits of creating a more dynamic and extensible image builder, which will ultimately make it easier for users to customize their images. This showcases the value of user-centric development in enhancing product usability and scalability.Engaging with Early Users: They talk about sending out an email to early subscribers and receiving feedback. Engaging with early users not only helps build a community but also provides valuable insights into user expectations and needs. This underscores the importance of proactive communication with your product's early adopters.
In this episode, Corey Maass and Corey Miller discuss preparing for WordCamp US and the upcoming launch of their product, OMG IMG. They delve into the latest developments and features of OMG IMG, including the creation of OG images and watermarking, making the product more appealing to users. They explore the potential impact of their product, discussing creative use cases and showcasing its value in enhancing visual content on WordPress websites. They share their excitement about using WordCamp US as a platform to introduce OMG IMG to a broader audience. As they plan their approach, they touch on strategies for marketing, user feedback, introductory pricing, and usability testing. The episode provides valuable insights into their journey of refining OMG IMG, from design templates to product launch strategies.Top Takeaways:Product Development and Integration: Ongoing development of the OMG IMG plugin. Cory and Corey discuss the importance of integrating with popular WordPress plugins like Rank Math and Yoast SEO, emphasizing the need for seamless compatibility to enhance the user experience.Design and User Experience: They stress the significance of creating visually appealing templates for OMG IMG. They talk about the importance of providing users with pre-designed templates that require minimal effort, ensuring that the plugin offers value by simplifying the process of generating images.Marketing and Promotion: They discuss their marketing strategy for WordCamp US. They plan to distribute business cards, create a product demo video, and engage with the WordPress community. They also talk about the importance of building anticipation and buzz around their product.Feedback and User Engagement: They plan to provide users with easy ways to provide feedback, report bugs, or make feature requests directly within the plugin's interface. This proactive approach to gathering user input demonstrates their commitment to improving the product based on user needs.
Our final recap of WordCamp US with Topher DeRosia, Raquel Manriquez and Cory Miller
Reflections and highlights of WordCamp US 2023 from Matt Medeiros, Seth Goldstein, Shambi Broome, Bud Kraus, Jeremy Freemont, Mike Demo, Patrick Rauland and Katie Keith
If you missed out on WordCamp US 2023, today's episode will share some of the highlights from the talks of Matt Mullenweg and Josepha Haden Chomphosy. I urge you to watch the entirety of their presentations, but to also tweet at us to share your thoughts on the future of WordPress.Clips includeMullenweg's outlook to WordPress 6.4 and Twenty Twenty Four theme.What does WordPress and Collaboration look like?WordPress will look different soonA collab of LMS plugin providers takes shape“How to keep WordPress thriving” asks JosephaIn the newsHere's a list of the articles or links, mentioned in today's episode!FesteringVault is back with more annoyances.WordPress Accessibility Day 2023 (Look for an interview with Amber Hinds soon on WP Minute+!)WP Tavern highlighted These top agencies made a free WordPress for Enterprise PDF.Allie Nimmons says goodbye.There's a new Consortium on the block. ★ Support this podcast ★
BobWP and some attendees share a few highlights of WordCamp US 2023 as well as some WordPress origin stories.
In this episode, Cory Miller and Corey Maass discuss the progress with their product and plans for marketing. They mention ordering stickers and preparing for WordCamp US. They also talk about the importance of having a clear name for the plugin and creating a frictionless process for potential customers to sign up or make a purchase. They talk through their pitch and refine their messaging. They also brainstorm different ideas for promoting the product, such as creating unique business cards or flyers and offering branding and listing websites on a page. They also discuss the importance of having a clear and concise pitch to explain the product to potential customers.Top Takeaways:Product Differentiation: The conversation highlights the importance of presenting a unique value proposition for a product. The speakers emphasize how OMGIMG transforms ordinary images into polished and engaging content, which sets it apart from traditional image solutions.Visual Presentation Matters: The speakers discuss the significance of visuals in content sharing. They emphasize how compelling images contribute to engagement and sharing on social media platforms. This insight underscores the need for visually appealing content.Simple and Clear Pitch: The speakers craft a concise and clear pitch for the product. They focus on highlighting the problem (unappealing images) and the solution (OMGIMG's transformational capability) in a straightforward manner, ensuring potential users quickly understand the product's benefits.
Josh recaps WordCamp US 2023 and shares takeaways from the first Web Designer Pro in person meetup, thoughts on Matt Mullenweg's keynote talk on the future of WordPress, the latest on Ai in web design, Accessibility, what's going on with Divi and much more!In This Episode00:02 - Recapping WordCamp 2023 and Hot Topics 11:24 - Imposter Syndrome and Accessibility Evolution 18:59 - Divi's Community Presence and Future 30:55 - Direct Chat and Business Recommendations Get all links, resources and show notes at:https://joshhall.co/281
For an upcoming show, tell us what your takeaway was from WordCamp US or why did you attend Contributor Day.
In this episode of WPwatercooler, the panel dives deep into the evolving dynamics of the WordPress community, discussing the influential role Gutenberg plays in core development and the tension between fully sponsored projects like Open Verse and neglected ones like Tide. They touch upon the importance of PHP compatibility and share concerns about the effectiveness of Contributor Day as an extension of the Community Summit. The conversation reveals gaps in community cohesion and leadership, emphasizing the need for a unified action plan to move WordPress forward. https://communitysummit.wordcamp.org/2023/schedule/ My strange experiences with Automattic: Part 1 My strange experiences with Automattic: Part 2 https://make.wordpress.org/summit/ https://youtu.be/7Am2X08sVwc Hanlon's razor Panel: Jason Tucker Sé Reed Jason Cosper Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:04:50 Importance of Community Summit 00:10:13 How WordCamp Fits Into WordPress Development 00:15:25 The Dynamics of WordPress Sponsors 00:21:38 On Marketing and Self-Promotion in WordPress 00:26:12 Google and the Impact on the WordPress Ecosystem 00:33:00 Gutenberg and Core Development Alignment 00:39:40 Matt Mullenweg's Upcoming Talk on Gutenberg 00:46:15 The Relationship Between Gutenberg and Core Team 00:51:10 Open Verse and Community Integration 00:56:30 Discussion on the Need for a Gutenberg Community Summit 01:00:44 Contributor Day Experience 01:02:22 Conclusion and What's Next
Better late than never. Been thinking and talking about WordCamp US for the past few months, so yes, I will be there.
In this episode, Cory Miller and Corey Maass talk about their plan to launch the plug-in before WordCamp US. They also discuss offering a special package for early supporters, and different ways to promote their product, including newsletters, and social media. Next the talk about the features and functionality emphasizing the importance of simple and user-friendly designs. They set a plan to create a dedicated page for WordCamp US, record a video message, and rehearse their talk. Top Takeaways:Importance of Design and Templates: Highlighting the importance of dedicating time to craft eye-catching templates and the simplicity of producing images using these templates.Discussing the Launch Plan: Conversation regarding the pre-launch of a plug-in ahead of WordCamp US, strategizing sales targets, and introducing an exclusive package for our initial supporters.Preparing for WordCamp US: Exploring the concept of crafting a singular launch page (complete with a video message), a compelling presentation of the product's value proposition, and seamless integration with the product journey.
There's a solid batch of headlines this week that I think you'll find interesting before you head out to WordCamp US next week.Speaking of, if you're headed to WordCamp next week, be sure to say hi! I'd love to hear more about your experiences with the WP Minute and any feedback you might have. The entire WP Minute squad will be there like Me, Eric, and Raquel.Equalize Digital is blasting off into outer space — literally!NASA selected Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker for automated accessibility testing in WordPress. To make reports easier to understand for non-developers, Equalize Digital developed the front-end highlighting feature. This feature adds a “view on page” link to each issue in Accessibility Checker's reports that, when clicked, takes users to the public view of the web page, highlights the element with a dashed pink box around it, and shows a panel explaining the issue and how to fix it.The WP Community Collective Successfully Funds the First Fellowship for the WordPress Contributor Community.The WP Community Collective is proud to announce the successful funding and launch of their inaugural Fellowship program, the WPCC Accessibility Fellowship. Long-term WordPress contributor Alex Stine was selected by the WPCC as the inaugural Accessibility Fellow as a result of his expertise in accessibility and seven years of experience as a WordPress contributor.group.one strengthens WordPress commitment with acquisition of BackWPup.WordPress plugin BackWPup is joining group.one, along with two newly acquired plugins Adminimize and Search & Replace, adding to the group's growing WordPress ecosystem. group.one acquired the three WordPress plugins with a combined base of more than 1.1 million users from German WordPress agency Inpsyde GmbH, bolstering the group's WordPress offering alongside flagship products WP Rocket, Imagify and Rank Math SEO.The Make Team announced a new Blocks page on WordPress.org intending to be a strong starting point for visitors looking to see what blocks can do within WordPress and beyond.Citing the original Github ticket created back in March 2023 from Ben Greeley “Currently, there isn't a page on wordpress.org that explains in a compelling way what ‘Blocks' are or markets it very effectively on the website. We have a filter in the plugin directory, which is useful, but that page is lacking the context of what blocks are, what the block editor is, and why it is so exciting. “My First Million podcast, co-hosted by Sam Parr the founder of TheHustle.co now owned by Hubspot, interviews Awesome Motive founder Syed Bahlki.2023 has drawn a lot of criticism around AM's products and how WP Beginner leverages it's content juggernaut for their products. I thought it was important to include an interview with Syed that didn't revolve around WordPress, but to understand his approach to business and life.We have some fresh new content on the WP Minute!This week Eric Karkovack wrote about what he's looking forward to experience at WordCamp US next week.I sat down with Paid Memberships Pro founder Kim Coleman to help me understand how she uses ChatGPT for her content and marketing needs. ★ Support this podcast ★
Here tips and teasers from George Woodard, Danielle Zacaro, Hari Shanker, Aid Correa-Jackson, Ryan Smith and Shambi Broome
Listen to Courtney Patubo Kranzke, Sean Blakely, Jonathan Desrosiers, Sumner Davenport and Destiny Kanno.
Join us as we chat with three of the lead organizers from the team of volunteers to learn about WordCamp US 2023 in National Harbor, Maryland
The Season 1 finale of viewSource is a draft style episode where we reflect on our favourite WordPress conversations over the last 20 episodes, chat about what's coming next for both WordPress, viewSource, and both Aurooba and Brian. A fairly chatty episode where we touch on topics like Brian's hatred of JSX, Aurooba's recent struggles with Webpack, and booking flights for WordCamp US 2023. Listen in for a conversations with many twists and turns, hints about a secret project, and what you can expect from Season 2.A full transcript of the episode is available on the website. Watch the video podcast on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjdv3W2a42A) and subscribe to our channel and [newsletter](https://viewsource.fm/subscribe) to hear about episodes (and more) first!- Digging into ACF for the Block Editor – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NowGadjZHR4- Exploring different kinds of Gutenberg Blocks – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti7emRBeNSo- The episode where Brian schooled Aurooba on Bootstrap – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfuDUQ-MPPo- Wishlist for modern WordPress – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqLZedTj_FE- MRW's Events Calendar Reset – https://mrwweb.com/the-events-calendar-reset-on-github/- Just in time learning – https://www.briancoords.com/just-in-case-vs-just-in-time-learning/- Brian's website – https://www.briancoords.com- Aurooba's website – https://aurooba.com (00:00) - Introduction (00:43) - Introducting the viewSource Draft (02:33) - Favourite WordPress conversation of the season (09:40) - Favourite side effect of doing season one (13:40) - Something cool we learned in the lasts 6 months (14:10) - Brian digs into React (17:01) - Dealing with change in the WordPress community (17:55) - Aurooba's relationship with build tools (21:48) - The concept of "just in time" learning (23:09) - Being a beginner at something (24:59) - Looking towards Season Two (26:21) - WordPress is turning a corner (27:57) - When will Season Two launch? (29:03) - Aurooba's next course: React in WordPress (30:33) - viewSource at WordCamp US (33:22) - A secret project releasing soon
On the podcast today we have Christina Deemer. Christina is a senior UX developer at Lede, where she champions accessibility and headless WordPress in her work with publishers and nonprofits. At the recent WordCamp US, Christina gave a presentation called "embracing minds of all kinds, making digital content usable for people with cognitive disabilities". And it's this talk which is the foundation of the podcast today. First, Christina talks about what the term cognitive disabilities actually means, and what it encompasses. It's a wide range of things, and so we talk about how people may differ in the way that they access the web. Memory, over complicated interfaces and readability are a few of the areas that we touch upon. We also discuss what legislation there is in place to offer guidance to those wishing to make their sites more accessible, and as you'll hear, it's a changing landscape. Towards the end, Christina talks about her own late diagnosis of autism and how this shapes her experience of the web, particularly with auto-play content and when web design includes elements which flash or flicker.
On the podcast today we have Adam Silverstein. Adam is a WordPress core comitter where he works to fix bugs and improve modern web capabilities. As a Developer Relations Engineer in the content ecosystem team at Google, he works to invigorate the open web by empowering and educating developers. At the recent WordCamp US, he gave a presentation entitled ‘Images on the Web - past present and future'. In it, he outlined his thoughts on where the web is going in terms of support for different image formats. This then forms the basis of the podcast. How do browsers actually display images to your website visitors, and what formats are most appropriate where? We also talk about the new image formats, which are seeing more widespread adoption; WebP, AVIF and JPEG XL. We learn about the roll out of browser support, how they have smaller file sizes and when we can safely to use them.
On the podcast today we have Nick Diego. Nick is a Developer Advocate at WP Engine. He can be found creating educational content, building plugins and themes, and contributing to WordPress Core. He's on the podcast to talk about his passion and optimism for the future of WordPress using blocks. At the recent WordCamp US, Nick gave a presentation entitled, ‘Let's Build a Custom Block in 15 Minutes'. It was his attempt to show a group of WordPress enthusiasts that the barrier to creating blocks is slowly being eroded, due to the creation of new tools. These tools are creating opportunities for people who might otherwise have stayed away from block development. It's clear that Nick is all in on blocks, and during the podcast he makes the case for why you should be too. They offer so many opportunities for what can be displayed on a page, and their capabilities are only getting better. It's a fascinating chat, especially for those who are, as yet, undecided about whether they want to embrace WordPress blocks.
On the podcast today we have Joe Dolson. Joe is a WordPress plugin developer, a core committer, and a web accessibility consultant. He's part of the Make WordPress Accessible team, the team dedicated to improving accessibility in the WordPress ecosystem. His recent presentation at WordCamp US entitled ‘Finding and Fixing the Six Most Common WCAG 2 Failures', highlights some of the key areas where websites are not as accessible as they should be. The areas we discuss are, low contrast text, missing alternative text, empty links, missing form labels, empty buttons and missing document language. Joe explains what each of these problems are, both in terms of how they can be fixed, as well as what people with accessibility requirements might experience when they visit your site. We also chat about the fact that there's an ever growing legal compulsion to make websites follow accessibility guidelines. Lawsuits are going through the courts with greater regularity, so now might be the time to look into this topic.
If [an employer] can't afford not to operate without suspicion and distrust, what does that tell you?Dan KnaussDan and Ny talk about their WordCamp US experiences both good and bad. Their conversation focuses on accessibility and disability. Ny had an experience with Uber at WCUS that made her agree with Dan's preference for traditional and preferably unionized taxi companies or public transit. They both reflect on the accessibility challenges and failures Michelle Frechette shared in Five Days Without a Shower before turning to an important article by Piccia Neri that was published at Post Status this week.Piccia's article considers the value of salary transparency in hiring and job listings after asking WordPress employers why they don't advertise a salary range in listings. Ny is optimistic pay transparency will soon be the norm in US law. Dan is optimistic the WordPress community can make the changes it needs out of empathy and regard for others plus the motivation to build a high-quality, professional workforce. They both close out this episode by expressing gratitude for the WordCamp organizers and volunteers who made WCUS possible this year.
There's always new people coming in, being embraced and accepted, [and being] shown the wayCory MillerIn this episode, Cory and Michelle talk about their takeaways from WordCamp US. The Post Status Huddle ahead of the conference was a great experience for them and many Post Status members. Michelle explains her experience with some accessibility challenges. Cory stresses the need for empathy and awareness about these issues. What everyone agrees on: we love getting together as a community! WordPress is an industry, and it is people. The people come first. Cory also talks about his and Post Status' interest in serving its agency-based and European members.
#727: WP-Tonic This Week in WordPress & SaaS WordCampUSA 2022 Live Special With John Locke & Tom Fanelli Can you believe WordCamp US 2022 is in one week? You’ve made your airline and hotel reservations, got your event ticket, and decided which sessions to attend. You’ve reached your sunblock, sandals, and water bottle to stay hydrated. And you’ve thought about what you want to do for Contributor Day. Tom Fanelli & John Locke https://convesio.com/ https://www.lockedownseo.com/ https://us.wordcamp.org/2022/
#727: WP-Tonic This Week in WordPress & SaaS WordCampUSA 2022 Live Special With John Locke & Tom Fanelli Can you believe WordCamp US 2022 is in one week? You’ve made your airline and hotel reservations, got your event ticket, and decided which sessions to attend. You’ve reached your sunblock, sandals, and water bottle to stay hydrated. And you’ve thought about what you want to do for Contributor Day. Tom Fanelli & John Locke https://convesio.com/ https://www.lockedownseo.com/ https://us.wordcamp.org/2022/
Tips this week include: • Progress on the new GA4 course and why I'll start with reports tutorials • Updates to themes happening on BlogAid member sites • WordCamp US was this past weekend • Does WP need a project manager? • Who finally stopped WebP as default from going into WP core • Is WP-Optimize just fooling the testers and not really making sites fast? • What is a target audience and how to find yours – and the ones you don't even think you have • How WP dropping support for older versions impacts your site security • Why we'll hear screams with the PHP 8 update in November • The best way to get your site ahead and you out of panic mode
This week I share interviews from first time WordCampers [powerpress]
Matt Report - A WordPress podcast for digital business owners
Heading to a major WordCamp event can be an overwhelming experience for the brand new 'camper. Having hundred if not thousands of WordPress-loving peers under one roof might have you stuck in your tracks, no pun intended. How do you meet new people? How do you get noticed? How do you recharge if you're an introvert? Thanks to Gina, we'll learn about all of that and more! If you enjoy today's episode, please share it on social media, especially if you're headed to WordCamp US 2022 this week! Important links Gina on Twitter Gina's WordCamp tweet First WordCamp tips and tricks Support the show; Join our #linksquad membership Check out what InMotion hosting is up to with their new Managed WordPress product! ★ Support this podcast ★
Matt Report - A WordPress podcast for digital business owners
Heading to a major WordCamp event can be an overwhelming experience for the brand new 'camper. Having hundred if not thousands of WordPress-loving peers under one roof might have you stuck in your tracks, no pun intended. How do you meet new people? How do you get noticed? How do you recharge if you're an introvert? Thanks to Gina, we'll learn about all of that and more! If you enjoy today's episode, please share it on social media, especially if you're headed to WordCamp US 2022 this week! Important links Gina on TwitterGina's WordCamp tweetFirst WordCamp tips and tricksSupport the show; Join our #linksquad membershipCheck out what InMotion hosting is up to with their new Managed WordPress product!
Matt Report - A WordPress podcast for digital business owners
Just because you're an introvert doesn't mean you can't build a business. It doesn't mean you're afraid to get on stage and talk about your success -- or failures. Ken Elliott knows this role all too well. He's a self-described "networking introvert" that built a WordPress agency with his co-founder, will be emceeing WordCamp US next month, and appeared on this podcast! We dove deep into how he built his agency, lessons learned from servicing clients, and what steps he's taking to grow the business through 2022. If you enjoy today's show, please share it on social media! Important links Ken on Twitter bkreative.net Support the show; Join our #linksquad membership ✨Check out what InMotion hosting is up to with their new Managed WordPress product! ★ Support this podcast ★
Matt Report - A WordPress podcast for digital business owners
Just because you're an introvert doesn't mean you can't build a business. It doesn't mean you're afraid to get on stage and talk about your success -- or failures. Ken Elliott knows this role all too well. He's a self-described "networking introvert" that built a WordPress agency with his co-founder, will be emceeing WordCamp US next month, and appeared on this podcast! We dove deep into how he built his agency, lessons learned from servicing clients, and what steps he's taking to grow the business through 2022. If you enjoy today's show, please share it on social media! Important links Ken on Twitter bkreative.net Support the show; Join our #linksquad membership ✨Check out what InMotion hosting is up to with their new Managed WordPress product!