The WP Minute+

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn a recent episode of the WP Minute+ podcast, Matt Medeiros sat down with Nyasha Green, a WordPress developer, course creator, and podcaster, to discuss her new podcast, "The Hopeful Workspace." Nyasha shared her experience of being laid off twice within a year and how she turned this challenging situation into an opportunity to create a support system for others facing similar circumstances.Nyasha's decision to start "The Hopeful Workspace" podcast stems from her desire to create a space where people can share their experiences, find support, and know they are not alone in their struggles. By choosing a podcast format, Nyasha aims to reach a wide audience and provide a platform for in-depth conversations and storytelling.Despite the challenges of editing and producing a podcast on her own for the first time, Nyasha found the experience rewarding and fulfilling. Her goal is for "The Hopeful Workspace" to be a place where people can turn when they feel tired, frustrated, or on the verge of giving up, knowing that there is a supportive community ready to lift them up.As the WordPress community continues to navigate the challenges of the current job market, stories like Nyasha's serve as a reminder of the importance of building connections, supporting one another, and finding innovative ways to showcase our skills and passions.Key Takeaways for WordPress Professionals:Building a strong network within the WordPress community can help you find job opportunities during difficult timesSocial media can be a valuable tool for connecting with others and finding supportConsider creating a side hustle or a portfolio of work to showcase your skills and passionEmployers should consider normalizing and supporting employees' side projects as a way to foster growth and provide a safety netSharing your story and experiences can help others feel less alone and more supported during challenging timesImportant URLs Mentioned:The Hopeful WorkspaceNyasha Green on TwitterNyasha Green on LinkedIn ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn a recent episode of the WP Minute+ podcast, Matt Medeiros sat down with Kim Coleman, co-founder of Paid Memberships Pro, to discuss the often-challenging topic of raising prices for WordPress plugins. Kim shared valuable insights into why WordPress companies should consider price increases, how her team prepared for the change, and the market's reaction to the move.Kim emphasized the importance of finding the right balance between providing value to customers and ensuring the long-term sustainability of your business. By carefully considering pricing strategies and communicating changes effectively, WordPress companies can successfully navigate price increases while maintaining customer loyalty.As the WordPress ecosystem continues to evolve, plugin and theme developers must adapt their pricing strategies to remain competitive and support their ongoing development efforts. Kim Coleman's experiences with Paid Memberships Pro serve as a valuable case study for WordPress professionals looking to make informed decisions about their own pricing models.Key Takeaways for WordPress Professionals:Regularly evaluate pricing against inflation, market competitors, and your target audienceSlowly increase prices over time to avoid a significant jump that may deter customersAlign pricing with the value your product provides and the type of customer you want to attractExperiment with different pricing models, such as introductory pricing, to find the best fit for your productCommunicate price changes to customers in advance, honoring legacy prices and offering a grace periodConsider offering an enterprise-level plan to cater to larger organizations and agenciesDiversify your marketing efforts by attending events outside the WordPress community to reach a broader audienceImportant URLs Mentioned:Paid Memberships Pro: https://www.paidmembershipspro.com/LifterLMS: https://lifterlms.com/Kim Coleman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColemanK83 ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportn this episode of the WP Minute+, Matt Medeiros interviews Alex Standiford, the creator of Siren Affiliates, a new affiliate plugin for WordPress. Standiford explains that Siren Affiliates is designed to help businesses create diverse affiliate programs that go beyond traditional affiliate marketing, enabling collaboration and partnerships in various ways.Standiford addresses the negative perception often associated with affiliate marketing, emphasizing the importance of building authentic relationships between businesses and affiliates. He believes that by focusing on sincerity and creating valuable products, businesses can develop successful affiliate programs that benefit both parties.The conversation also highglights how service-based businesses, such as freelancers and agencies, can leverage Siren Affiliates to grow their client base and revenue. Standiford suggests creating affordable, fixed-scope products or services that affiliates can easily promote, which can lead to long-term client relationships and more substantial projects.Standiford shares his strategy for finding affiliates, starting with networking within the WordPress community and gradually expanding to other verticals. He also discusses the plugin’s unique features, such as the ability to create multiple affiliate programs and a blog content bonus program that rewards contributors based on traffic and conversions.Key Takeaways:Siren Affiliates enables businesses to create diverse affiliate programs that foster collaboration and partnerships.Building authentic relationships between businesses and affiliates is crucial for successful affiliate marketing.Service-based businesses can use Siren Affiliates to grow their client base by creating affordable, fixed-scope products or services for affiliates to promote.Networking within the WordPress community and expanding to other verticals is a key strategy for finding affiliates.Siren Affiliates offers unique features like multiple affiliate programs and a blog content bonus program.Important URLs Mentioned:Alex on XSiren Affiliates website: https://sirenaffiliates.com/Alex Standiford’s interview on LMSCast ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of the WP Minute+, Matt Medeiros interviews Scott Stapley, CEO and co-founder of BigScoots, a managed WordPress hosting company. Stapley shares the story of how he and his business partner started BigScoots in 2010 while still in college, focusing on providing exceptional service in the hosting industry.Stapley discusses the challenges of scaling a hosting business, especially as an infrastructure provider. He explains how BigScoots differentiates itself by owning and operating its own infrastructure, allowing them to offer more resource-abundant solutions at competitive prices while still delivering top-notch service.The conversation also touches on the importance of customer service in the hosting industry. Stapley emphasizes that BigScoots has built its reputation on providing unparalleled support, which has led to a loyal customer base and minimal churn. He believes that the service gap in the industry is growing, and hosting companies must focus on delivering value through exceptional service to succeed.Stapley also shares his thoughts on the potential role of AI in customer support, stating that while AI can be a valuable internal tool, BigScoots will never replace human interaction in their customer communication.Key Takeaways:BigScoots was founded in 2010 with a focus on providing exceptional service in the hosting industry.Owning and operating their own infrastructure allows BigScoots to offer resource-abundant solutions at competitive prices.BigScoots has built a loyal customer base through unparalleled support, resulting in minimal churn.The service gap in the hosting industry is growing, and companies must focus on delivering value through exceptional service.AI can be a valuable internal tool, but BigScoots believes in maintaining human interaction in customer communication.Important URLs Mentioned:BigScoots website: https://www.bigscoots.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this thought-provoking podcast, Matt and Mark dive into the current state of WordPress, discussing its target audience, marketing strategies, and potential challenges that lie ahead. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, offering insights into the future of the popular content management system.Key questions and topics discussed:Who is WordPress primarily built for - DIYers or professional developers?How can WordPress better understand and cater to its end users?The impact of the Gutenberg editor on WordPress' user experience and market position.The role of Automattic and wordpress.com in shaping the future of WordPress.The debate between using free vs. premium WordPress plugins and themes.WordPress' position in the market compared to competitors like Wix and Squarespace.The potential impact of AI on website building and the WordPress ecosystem.The importance of the WordPress community and how it can continue to thrive.The challenges of balancing the needs of different user groups within the WordPress ecosystem.The future of WordPress pricing and the sustainability of the open-source model.Throughout the conversation, Matt and Mark explore various scenarios and possibilities for WordPress' evolution, considering factors such as open-source development, commercialization, and the role of key players like Automattic. They also touch upon the importance of understanding and catering to the needs of different user groups, from hobbyists to professional agencies.While no definitive answers are reached, the discussion highlights the complex nature of the WordPress ecosystem and the challenges that lie ahead as it continues to adapt and evolve in a rapidly changing digital landscape.Follow MattFollow The WP MinuteFollow Mark ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of the WP Minute+, Matt Medeiros interviews Rafal Tomal, co-creator of the new Rockbase WordPress theme. Tomal, a renowned designer in the WordPress community, discusses his journey from working at Copyblogger and StudioPress to founding his own agency and eventually creating Rockbase with his partner, Chris Hufnagel.Tomal shares his experiences working with clients, noting that the industry has evolved to better understand the distinctions between design and development. He highlights the importance of providing a complete service to clients, rather than just delivering a final product.The conversation also touches on the rise of AI tools and their impact on the WordPress ecosystem. Tomal believes that while these tools are valuable for smaller websites and businesses just starting out, there will always be a need for custom design and development services as companies grow and require more advanced functionality.Tomal explains the concept behind Rockbase's "playbooks," which are designed to provide users with a complete mini-website rather than just a child theme. He also shares his hopes for the future of the WordPress editor, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and user experience improvements without overloading the core with unnecessary features.Key Takeaways:The WordPress industry has matured, with clients better understanding the distinct roles of design and development.Providing a complete service, including communication and guidance, is crucial for client satisfaction.AI tools and advanced WordPress themes are valuable for small businesses, but custom design and development remain essential for growth.Rockbase's "playbooks" offer users a complete mini-website solution, going beyond simple child themes.The WordPress editor should focus on simplicity and user experience improvements while avoiding feature bloat.Important URLs Mentioned:Rockbase: https://rockbase.co/Rafal Tomal's previous interview on the Matt Report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5MhogzU0Y4 ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn a recent interview on the WP Minute+ podcast, host Matt Medeiros sat down with Chris Vano, Senior Director of Product Management at Bluehost, to discuss the company's latest offering: Bluehost Cloud, a WordPress hosting solution powered by WP Cloud. Vano shared insights into the development process and key features of this new product, which targets agencies, freelancers, and professionals.Vano emphasized the importance of customer feedback in shaping the Bluehost Cloud offering, revealing that the company conducted interviews with agencies and professionals to understand their specific needs and pain points. This research led to the decision to partner with Automattic, leveraging their proven WP Cloud platform to deliver a high-performance, WordPress-optimized hosting solution.Key features of Bluehost Cloud include dedicated resources for each site, scalability, a global CDN, and a choice of data center locations with automatic failover. The solution also boasts a 100% guaranteed network uptime, backed by a promise to refund customers if they experience downtime. Additionally, Bluehost Cloud incorporates Jetpack features such as backups and malware scanning at no extra cost.Vano also discussed the role of Bluehost's core contributor team in optimizing the Cloud solution and the company's plans to expand the offering to cater to enterprise customers in the future. The product launch is supported by a dedicated WordPress expert support team, setting it apart from competitors in the market.Episode Takeaways:- Bluehost Cloud is a WordPress hosting solution powered by WP Cloud, targeting agencies, freelancers, and professionals.- Customer feedback played a crucial role in shaping the product's features and offerings.- The solution offers dedicated resources, scalability, a global CDN, and multiple data center locations with automatic failover.- Bluehost Cloud guarantees 100% network uptime and includes Jetpack features like backups and malware scanning.- The company plans to expand the offering to cater to enterprise customers in the future.- A dedicated WordPress expert support team is available to assist Bluehost Cloud customers.Important Links:- Bluehost Cloud landing page: https://bluehost.com/hosting/cloud- Webinar recording with Chris Vano and Devin Sears (to be added to show notes)- Matt Medeiros' interview with Jesse Friedman about WP Cloud (to be added to show notes)- Chris Vano's Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/tallkidzdad ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportMatt Medeiros, host of the WP Minute+ podcast, recently had an engaging conversation with Adam Zielinski, the creator of WordPress Playground, a revolutionary tool that allows users to run WordPress entirely in their browser without the need for a server or hosting environment. The discussion delved into the technical aspects, potential use cases, and future prospects of WordPress Playground.The conversation highlights the significant potential of WordPress Playground in shaping the future of WordPress development, education, and user experience. As the tool continues to evolve and gain traction within the community, it may well become an essential resource for WordPress professionals and enthusiasts alike.Key points from the conversation:1. WordPress Playground is a browser-based tool that enables users to run a fully functional WordPress instance without the need for a server or hosting environment. It operates using static files and can even function offline once loaded.2. The tool is designed to make WordPress more accessible and to streamline the learning and development process. It allows users to experiment with themes, plugins, and code without the hassle of setting up a local development environment.3. Adam Zielinski envisions a future where WordPress Playground could synchronize data with actual WordPress instances, enabling seamless staging and deployment workflows. He also foresees the possibility of running WordPress on edge servers and exchanging data between instances in real-time.4. WordPress Playground offers a range of features, including the ability to switch between different PHP and WordPress versions, import and export content from GitHub, and share instances through pull requests.5. The tool has the potential to revolutionize WordPress education by providing interactive examples and hands-on learning experiences directly within the browser.6. Adam Zielinski emphasizes the importance of making WordPress more accessible and user-friendly for newcomers, especially in light of the increasing competition from other website builders and CMS platforms.Important links mentioned:- WordPress Playground: https://playground.wordpress.net- WordPress Playground community space: https://wordpress.org/playground- Adam Zielinski's Twitter: https://twitter.com/adamzielin- WordPress Playground GitHub repository: https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-playground ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportMatt and Mark debate WordPress in 2024. Why open source, who is WordPress for, and should we care? Tune in to listen to the whole "debate!"Follow Mark @markjszymanski WP Tutorials @WPMinute Join the newsletter https://thewpminute.com/subscribeTimestamps00:00 Welcome to the WP Minute!00:06 Expanding the WP Minute Audience00:44 Upcoming Live Stream with Sam Harrison01:33 Mark's Streamathon and Learning in Public03:09 The WordPress Journey: Learning, Sharing, and Caring05:11 Exploring WordPress: CMS, Open Source, and Community12:18 The Open Source Debate: WordPress vs. Paid Tools18:35 Contributing to WordPress and the Open Source Ecosystem22:48 Understanding WordPress Politics and Open Source Challenges27:23 The Evolution of WordPress and Its Community27:48 Jetpack's Role and Community Reactions28:35 Governance and the Push for WordPress Project Bylaws30:00 The Importance of Open Source and Potential Threats31:25 The Power of Forking in Open Source32:00 Commercialization Concerns and the Future of WordPress33:22 The Debate on Open Source Philosophy and Its Impact37:18 The Future of WordPress: Predictions and Possibilities44:24 The Significance of Open Source for Users and Developers46:51 Closing Thoughts on Open Source and WordPress's Future ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportRead the full show notes ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of WP Minute+, Matt Medeiros sits down with Mark Szymanski, the owner of FindIT Tech Agency, to discuss Mark’s journey into the WordPress space, his experience with page builders like Elementor and Bricks, and his thoughts on the future of WordPress.Mark shares his background, starting his agency in 2019 and diving into the world of WordPress. He discusses his early experiences with themes and page builders, eventually settling on Elementor before discovering Bricks.The conversation then shifts to the WordPress community and the challenges of catering to such a diverse group of users with varying needs and objectives. Matt and Mark discuss the importance of getting involved in the community, attending WordCamps, and contributing to the platform’s development.They also touch on the sometimes contentious nature of page builder communities and the importance of focusing on providing value to clients, regardless of the tools used.Throughout the episode, Mark offers his unique perspective as a relative newcomer to the WordPress space, while Matt provides insights from his years of experience in the community.Key Takeaways:The WordPress community is diverse, with users ranging from DIYers to large agencies, each with their own unique needs and goals.Getting involved in the WordPress community through WordCamps and contributing to the platform’s development can help shape the future of WordPress.Page builder communities can sometimes become contentious, but the focus should always be on providing value to clients.As a WordPress professional, it’s essential to care about the customer and the product first, rather than just chasing quick profits.Important Links:Mark Szymanski’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@markjszymanskiMark Szymanski’s Website: https://markjosephszymanski.com/FindIT Tech Agency ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportRead the show notes here: https://thewpminute.com/?p=15514 ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of the WP Minute+ podcast, host Matt Medeiros sits down with Ben Ritner, the creator of the popular Kadence WordPress theme. Ben shares his journey from building websites for clients to creating the Virtue theme, which gained over 300,000 active installs at its peak. He discusses the evolution of the Kadence brand, which has been around for 10 years, and the launch of the Kadence theme four years ago as a Gutenberg-ready solution.Ben and Matt delve into the challenges faced by theme developers when adhering to WordPress.org guidelines while trying to meet user demands. They explore the idea of allowing users to choose their site-building foundation, whether it be core WordPress or a third-party solution like Kadence or Elementor, to simplify the onboarding process and improve user experience.The conversation also touches on the role of hosting companies in providing streamlined WordPress experiences and the difficulties in onboarding non-WordPress users. Ben shares his thoughts on the Kadence ecosystem, which includes a range of plugins focused on front-end performance, design, and marketing. He also discusses the integration of AI into Kadence products as an assistant to help users create content more efficiently.Matt and Ben explore the topic of AI in the WordPress space, discussing the concept of AI credit fatigue and the importance of trust in centralized AI platforms. They also touch on the potential of open-source AI models and their integration into WordPress products.Key Takeaways:The Kadence brand has evolved over the past decade, with the Kadence theme launched four years ago as a Gutenberg-ready solution.Theme developers face challenges in adhering to WordPress.org guidelines while meeting user demands for more control over their site-building experience.Hosting companies have attempted to provide streamlined WordPress experiences, but onboarding non-WordPress users remains a challenge.The Kadence ecosystem focuses on front-end performance, design, and marketing, with AI integration aimed at assisting users in creating content more efficiently.Trust in centralized AI platforms and the potential of open-source AI models are important considerations in the WordPress space.Important Links:Kadence WP: https://www.kadencewp.com/Ben Ritner https://twitter.com/BenjaminRitner ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of WP Minute+, Matt interviews Angela Jin, the Head of Programs and Contributor Experience at Automattic.They discuss Angela’s work overseeing community training and events like WordCamps. Angela shares her perspective on making WordPress thrive, not just as a CMS but also as an open source community.They talk about bringing younger generations into the WordPress world through education initiatives and pathways for contribution. Matt and Angela also discuss some of the challenges facing the community events, including rising costs and the increasing need for official roles like an incident response team.Here are some key takeaways:Insight into Automattic’s vision for helping hosts and supporting the WordPress open source communityIdeas for how to attract younger generations to learn and engage with WordPressPerspective on the rising operational complexity of running community events and governing a large open source projectCommentary on gracefully handling conflict and disagreement within an open community like WordPress ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportThis episode of The WP Minute+ podcast features host Matt Medeiros in conversation with guest Marc Benzakein.Marc is currently involved with two WordPress-related businesses – MainWP, a self-hosted WordPress site management plugin, and Site District, a managed WordPress hosting company.Matt opens the show recapping his previous interview with Marc on The Matt Report podcast, where they discussed Marc’s former business ServerPress which has now shut down. Marc shares what he has been up to since closing ServerPress, including taking a 6 month sabbatical away from WordPress, before getting involved again working with smaller bootstrapped companies in the WordPress space.Topics Discussed:The high sponsorship costs for events like WordCamp make things difficult for small companies in the WordPress ecosystem. Marc and Matt debate whether the platform can sustain if sponsors pull out.They discuss the necessary move towards block editors and full site editing for WordPress to stay competitive, even though some developers dislike it. The focus needs to be ease of use over speed.Marc highlights the existential threat of keeping websites relevant when social platforms like Facebook offer quicker user engagement. All of WordPress needs to address this issue.The dominance of big tech platforms and algorithms threatens the open web, as most content is now filtered through them rather than accessed directly. Podcasting faces similar challenges.Key Takeaways:Opportunities for WordPress pros with strong personal brands to work with multiple niche companies rather than one big corporate roleNeed to make WordPress site building competitive with social platforms for ease of useAll of WordPress needs to band together to demonstrate the benefits of owning your data with a website ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportMatt Medeiros interviews Vik Patel, General Manager of Pressable, a managed WordPress hosting company that is part of Automattic.They discuss Pressable’s startup culture within the larger Automattic organization, how the various Automattic hosting brands work together, and the importance of WordPress being open source software.Vik talks about Pressable’s focus on agencies and developers as their target customer base, and how they aim to provide a fast, unopinionated hosting platform. He mentions some updates coming to Pressable in 2024 like improved staging/production syncing, a UI for agencies to run mass actions across their sites, and security-focused auto updates.Key Takeaways:Pressable maintains a startup culture within Automattic, moving fast to build new features without lots of internal coordinationAutomattic’s hosting brands refer customers to each other when another brand is a better fit, putting the customer’s needs firstWordPress being open source provides freedom and control compared to closed platformsPressable is focused on serving agencies and developers by providing great support and an easy-to-use, flexible hosting platform ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportHost Matt Medeiros interviews Brent Lundell, an IT innovator at Bluehost, about optimizing WordPress performance and scaling on Bluehost’s infrastructure. They dive into the challenges of supporting a diverse WordPress landscape, from outdated plugins to complex WooCommerce stores.“I came through those days and it wasn’t our best period. We’re better now and we’ve really put the work in to make that experience a lot more effective.”Brent LundellWith over 15 years at Bluehost’s parent company Newfold, Lundell provides unique insights into their cross-functional approach to WordPress optimization. If you run a WordPress site on Bluehost or are considering the platform, you won’t want to miss Lundell’s candor regarding their past struggles and recent improvements. Tune in to understand Bluehost’s dedication to the individual WordPress user’s experience.Key Takeaways:Bluehost builds custom solutions for WordPress instead of relying on off-the-shelf configurationsThey optimize for complex WooCommerce stores as an indicator of overall WordPress performanceA cross-functional “performance team” coordinates WordPress improvements across the companyBluehost partners directly with key players like Cloudflare, JD Goff at WordPress Core, and major plugin developers ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportCory Miller and I discuss how the WordPress community is impacted when “big issues” clash with Matt, Automattic, and other community members. How should we handle these moments of passion and strife?It’s easy to label these issues as WPDrama, but in my opinion that’s not doing the WordPress community any favors. From the exterior, it’s categorized and shrugged off as “yet another drama issue” in WordPress land. Aren’t we all tired of that? Inside the community, or interior, it takes away from the actual pain or strife someone is experiencing. Today’s episode unpacks how Cory and I decipher these issues and how Post Status + WP Minute members handle it when it comes up. We’ll also discuss how we deal with Matt Mullenweg at the center of issues, leading the product, and leading the community. Important links- Cory Miller- Post Status- Matt Medeiros- WP Minute ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently had the pleasure of chatting with Alex Panagis, CEO of digital growth agency Scalemath, on my podcast The WP Minute+. As a leader in the WordPress space with deep roots in the ecosystem, Alex had plenty of insightful perspectives to share.A big topic we dug into was WordPress vs. closed platforms like Webflow. As you might expect, Alex is firmly in the open source WordPress camp. He sees the flexibility of WordPress as superior for most uses, allowing users to control more of their site without getting locked into a proprietary ecosystem.That said, Alex doesn’t believe Webflow is necessarily bad if it enables someone to build a better site than they could with WordPress. The choice comes down to what works best for each user and their goals. The concern is more about avoiding vendor lock-in down the road.We also discussed the impact of AI on digital marketing and content creation. While useful in certain applications, Alex believes AI raises the bar in terms of the quality and originality needed from human creators and strategists. Essentially, it forces everyone to up their game, which is ultimately a good thing.Several other highlights that WordPress professionals may find interesting:How Scalemath builds deep, long-term partnerships vs. the typical agency/client relationshipThe importance of product development in scaling a services agencyWhy most smaller WordPress firms don’t make economic sense for an agency to work withAlex’s take on Basecamp’s upcoming Slack competitor and “pay once” software modelIt was a wide-ranging and insightful chat with Alex!Chapter Markers[00:00:00] Introduction[00:02:00] Alex’s background and Scalemath[00:05:00] Working with clients and pricing[00:10:00] Ideal client criteria[00:15:00] Building the Scalemath brand[00:19:00] Pricing and value[00:25:00] Open source vs closed source CMS[00:30:00] SaaS pricing models[00:35:00] Basecamp’s new “pay once” model[00:37:00] The impact of AI[00:42:00] Disclosing AI written content ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportThe concept of being an online “creator” has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Spurred by platforms like YouTube and Substack, millions of people now aspire to build audiences around their content and make it a business. However, sustainably monetizing content and turning casual hobbyists into full-time creators is easier said than done.I know better than anyone…In an attempt to consolidate the creator toolset, Automattic recently launched a packaged offering called Jetpack Creator. For $119.40 the first year, it bundles relevant parts of Jetpack into an all-in-one product targeting creators. To learn more, I spoke with one of the leads behind Jetpack Creator – Mike Stott.His startup produced a simple CRM plugin for small businesses called Zero BS CRM which was eventually acquired by Automattic. After being folded into Jetpack’s offerings, Mike now oversees product direction for various components like Jetpack CRM and the new Creator package.We had an insightful discussion on the goals, competition, and differentiation of Jetpack Creator compared to other options creators have available. We also debated the level of effort required for creators to successfully monetize content through WordPress, even with streamlined offerings available on the market.Key Takeaways:Jetpack Creator bundles existing Jetpack features at a discounted price, focusing on blocks, patterns, and creator networkingThe CRM feature in Jetpack emerged from Mike’s previous startup, with a goal of simple functionality for small businessesCreators need consistent content output to build an audience; Jetpack aims to streamline publishing but won’t replace that effortMonetization through WordAds, Stripe payments, and other tools can come later as traffic and subscriptions growThere is still fragmentation across WordPress products for creators; opportunities exist for more tailored user experiences3 Reasons to Listen:Learn how Jetpack Creator aims to compete with platforms like Substack and Ghost for creatorsUnderstand Mike’s vision for unifying WordPress creator solutionsGet insight into the origin story of Jetpack CRM coming from Mike’s startupChapters:0:01 Intro0:35 Mike’s background with Zero BS CRM1:52 Bundling existing features in Jetpack Creator3:29 Competing with other creator platforms5:16 Making money from creator content in WordPress7:21 The challenge of consistent content creation9:14 Unifying WordPress products for creators11:34 Who is the Jetpack Creator customer?13:52 Impact on the WordPress ecosystem16:31 Tools for repurposing and amplifying content19:14 Unlocking WordPress.com features for self-hosted sites21:29 Defining what a “creator” is25:54 The difficulty of creator sustainability27:49 Ad revenue challenges on platforms like YouTube30:25 Approaching content creation as a business32:16 Additional ways to share and monetize content34:09 Cryptocurrency payment options36:06 Wrapping up ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently had an insightful discussion with Rytis Lauris, co-founder and CEO of the email marketing platform Omnisend, on the WP Minute+.Even after nearly 10 years in business, Rytis described Omnisend as still being in "startup mode." He credits staying bootstrapped with helping maintain their agility to pivot based on customer feedback, rather than getting bogged down in bureaucracy like many older companies.Omnisend is a Pillar Sponsor of the WP Minute. Part of the sponsorship agreement is to host an interview like this, in an effort to have a candid conversation about their company. We covered a wide range of topics relevant to any WordPress Professional, from competition to company culture to leveraging new technologies like AI. Here are 5 of my key takeaways from our conversation:Laser focus on a niche is critical - By specifically targeting ecommerce merchants early on, Omnisend set itself apart from more generic marketing platforms. Really understanding customer pain points lets you build solutions tailored to their needs.Community delivers long-term stability - Rytis believes platforms like WordPress have an advantage over solitary gatekeepers like Shopify thanks to open source's distributed model where no one entity controls the ecosystem.Go where the customers are - Though initially focused on Shopify, Omnisend expanded into WooCommerce after seeing impressive organic traction there. Value creation trumps personal preferences.Startup mindset stems from leadership - Maintaining ambition and efficiency despite company maturity comes from the top. Rytis still drives Omnisend's vision decade later.AI should enhance abilities, not replace jobs - Omnisend judiciously uses AI to help humans be more productive. But Rytis believes strategic thinking still requires human creativity and intuition.Beyond the key insights, here are 5 reasons why you should tune into our conversation:We have 20+ years combined building digital companies so share informed perspectives on the industry.Gain insider knowledge of the WordPress vs Shopify ecosystems from someone operating within both.Learn how to scale your startup without sacrificing agility or customer centricity.Hear a thoughtful approach to leveraging promising innovations like AI without going overboard.Enjoy an insightful dialogue with the candid yet focused Rytis Lauris about business and personal growth.I thoroughly enjoyed my talk with Rytis - his uniq ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportRead the full blog post and get the transcript here.Here are 5 key takeaways from the interview with Adrian of Groundhogg:Groundhogg started as a plugin to help integrate Infusionsoft (now called Keep) with WordPress. It has evolved into a full-featured CRM and marketing automation platform for WordPress.Groundhogg is focused on flat-rate pricing with no “success tax,” unlike some CRM competitors that charge based on metrics like number of contacts.Self-hosting gives users control over their data. Adrian believes people are tired of getting “shafted” by SaaS providers in terms of pricing and potential data/account issues.Most people switching to Groundhogg are surprised by how comparable it is to HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, etc. despite being a WordPress plugin. The data integration across WordPress plugins is a key differentiator.Adrian is passionate about keeping Groundhogg self-hosted but is considering selective SaaS integrations in the future while still allowing self-hosting. An eventual exit is likely but he’d love to open a winery someday too.Important linksAdrian on Twitterhttps://groundhogg.io ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportRead the full show notes and get the link here: https://thewpminute.com/?p=13199Chapter Markers:What is WPTurbo and who is it for? [00:02:26]How does WPTurbo integrate AI into WordPress development? What are the benefits for developers? [00:01:59]Walk us through what it's like to use WPTurbo - do you need coding expertise? [00:04:17]Can I design WordPress websites with WPTurbo? [00:04:45]How does WPTurbo ensure high coding standards for performance, accessibility, SEO? [00:05:34]Where does WPTurbo increase efficiency for developers? [00:07:34]How does WPTurbo address security concerns with AI-generated code? [00:09:00]How do you see AI evolving for web development, and WPTurbo's role? [00:09:48]What's new and exciting coming up for WPTurbo? [00:10:21] ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportFrom the early days of WordPress Media to the high-stakes game of balancing life, work, and passion; journey with us into the world of two WordPress veterans. Join Matt and Dustin as they reminisce about their beginnings, discuss the ever-evolving landscape of WordPress, and share insights about maintaining successful long-term projects. So buckle in, it’s time to dive deep into the riveting realm of WordPress.Matt asks Dustin about his consistent content contributions to the WordPress community and the non-monetary benefits he derives from it. They delve into the challenges of balancing content production with a full-time job, family responsibilities, and other life events. Dustin discusses his aspiration to monetize his YouTube channel to generate enough income to upgrade his personal Apple devices. He explores the idea of sponsorships and generating income indirectly by optimizing his wife’s online businesses.They also talk about the struggles of dealing with website management, as exemplified by Dustin's pain points in transferring their data from Sensei to LearnDash. Matt also commends Dustin for his maintenance of the Website Engineer brand and its informative value to the WordPress users. Toward the end, they soothe their creator challenges by reminiscing about the joy of being recognized and how they're influencing others because of what they do.Here are some key links they referenced:Your Website Engineer podcast: yourwebsiteengineer.comDustin’s YouTube: youtube.com/yourwebsiteengineerThree key takeaways:Consistency is crucial in content creation, whether it's a podcast, a YouTube channel, or a blog. You cultivate credibility and a dedicated audience over time.Monetizing content creation is possible, but it requires strategy, persistence, and sometimes, disruptive thinking. Connections and sponsorship can be avenues for income generation.Keeping up with the evolving nature of content creation tools and platforms is important, even if transitioning between them poses challenges. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently caught up with Pippin Williamson, who as many of you know was a prominent figure in the WordPress world for over a decade. He founded Sandhills Development and created popular plugins like Easy Digital Downloads before selling to Awesome Motive a couple years back. (Watch my previous interview on YouTube.)I was curious to hear what Pippin’s been up to and also get his thoughts on the WordPress ecosystem since his exit. A few things stood out that I thought would interest you all:First off, Pippin was very clear that his reason for moving on from WordPress boiled down to prioritizing time with family. After so many years of plugin development, he felt burnt out from being on that relentless “hamster wheel” of building and maintaining products. He had zero regrets about leaving.When it came time to sell Sandhills Development, Pippin made finding the right steward for his team and products a top priority over price or other factors. He felt confident Awesome Motive was the best fit given their product focus. Although he does wish there had been less team turnover resulting from the acquisition.And while Pippin keeps a very casual eye on WordPress these days, he did note how interesting it was to return to using it purely as an end user rather than a developer. Even being removed for a couple years, he immediately noticed some of the lingering friction between core, plugins, and the overall user experience.Anyway, those were just a few WordPress-related nuggets I wanted to share. Let me know if you have any other thoughts or reflections on Pippin’s time in our community!Visit Pippin’s Brewery: Sandhills Brewing ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportNorth Commerce is a new ecommerce solution built specifically for WordPress. I recently had the chance to speak with Kelley, founder of North Commerce, to learn more about his motivation for building the platform and how he aims to position it in the WordPress ecosystem.Kelley started developing North Commerce at the end of 2021 after recognizing limitations with existing ecommerce options like WooCommerce and Shopify. He was particularly inspired by the potential of the WordPress block editor and Gutenberg to enable fast, flexible ecommerce experiences.Over the past year, North Commerce has steadily built up a community of users and refined the platform based on their feedback. They now aim to be a premium all-in-one ecommerce solution for WordPress, with a pricing model starting at $99 per year. This recurring revenue will support continued development and help them deliver dedicated support and community for merchants at higher revenue tiers.Going forward, Kelley wants to optimize North Commerce as a block editor-first platform that takes full advantage of forthcoming advances like full site editing. He believes this approach will make it the fastest, easiest ecommerce solution available. At the same time, he wants to maintain simplicity and prevent “feature bloat”. Add-ons and extensions will be made available but not activated by default.Key TakeawaysNorth Commerce aims to be a simplified alternative, not a replacement, for WooCommerce. It wants to provide another competitive ecommerce option tailored for WordPress.The platform is built natively for WordPress, using PHP, JavaScript and WordPress best practices like a custom ORM system. This is to maximize flexibility, integration and avoid the limitations of off-the-shelf SaaS platforms.They chose a paid model starting at $99/year to support an all-in-one feature set and higher-touch support at higher revenue tiers. This contrasts with most free/open source WordPress plugins.North Commerce wants to be the fastest ecommerce platform by using the block editor, full site editing and modern WordPress capabilities. Simplicity is also a key goal.Links Mentioned:North Commerce site: https://northcommerce.comNorth Commerce pricing: https://northcommerce.com/pricing/North Commerce free demo: https://instawp.io/northcommerce ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportWP Minute+ News Round Table Episode 1. This will be a monthly series on WP Minute+ Podcast.Read the full shown notes: https://thewpminute.com/?p=12987Get the weekly newsletter: https://thewpminute.com/subscribeSupport the show! https://thewpminute.com/support ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportBuilding a thriving suite of digital products is no simple feat. In this episode of The WP Minute Plus, host Matt Medeiros dives into the challenges and opportunities with WordPress entrepreneur Christian Raiber.After getting his start by recognizing the potential of passive income through WordPress themes, Christian has built an impressive portfolio of niche plugins. He shares the method to his madness - how he identifies overlapping user segments to solve pressing problems. Christian also provides hard-won advice on balancing vision with user needs as products scale and evolve. Whether you're just getting started with your first commercial plugin, or looking to expand your product lineup, don't miss Christian's insights on the WordPress business landscape. Tune into the full episode to level up your product building game.Full show notes: https://thewpminute.com/?p=12929 ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIt’s WordPress 6.4 release day, and I’m really excited for this new version of WordPress. I think it’s one of the most important releases for WordPress, especially through its new default theme, Twenty Twenty-Four. I also think this is a first milestone release of an”Apple way” of releases.Meaning, just like iPhones and MacBooks, updates are iterative, and not groundbreaking at every release. I see WordPress settling into a similar feature/update cycle similar to Cupertino. So when I say it’s important, I mean, will this next year of development, building off 6.4, continue to bring WordPress into the future?Read the full blog post here. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportKatie Keith from Barn2 joins the podcast to discuss her recents success running a WordPress & WooCommerce plugin business.Key TakeawaysTransitioning from client services to product business takes forethought about your ideal lifestyle and abilities.Know if you want to manage a team before diving in. Build a remote team culture by regularly checking in, being flexible, and celebrating shared wins – not just revenue goals.SEO success requires a balance between optimization best practices and creating content real humans love. Don’t over-optimize.Consider both logic and marketing impact before splitting brands and websites. Domain authority has tangible value.Providing bundled offerings can ease plugin pricing fatigue for customers with diverse needs.YouTube and content marketing are powerful sales drivers.Invest in what already works for your business.Chapters0:00 Intro1:00 Katie’s background3:00 Transitioning from agency to product company8:00 Remote team culture10:30 SEO strategies13:00 Document Library Pro success15:00 Evaluating business models17:00 The state of WooCommerce21:00 Matt’s SEO frustrations23:00 Marketing through content25:30 Plugin pricing and bundles28:00 Lifetime licenses debate31:00 Podcasting strategies35:00 Investing in YouTubeImportant LinksBarn2 Plugins – https://barn2.comWP Product Talk PodcastEllipsis Marketinghttps://twitter.com/KatieKeithBarn2https://thewpminute.com/support ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of WP Minute+, Justin Ferriman discusses his business ventures, including founding LearnDash and his latest project, BrightGrowth.We’ll also discuss GapScout, an AI tool for software businesses to analyze customer reviews, which didn’t go the way he had hoped. He’s now selling GapScout due to development hurdles and legal issues with review site policy changes, leaving him with a small taste of failure.Ferriman has pivoted to consulting, using his strengths in marketing and strategy to coach startup founders, offering personalized advice and roundtable discussions, despite the approach’s intentional lack of scalability.His key advice for WordPress entrepreneurs is to leverage personal strengths, be passionate about work, and be discerning in client and service selection for maintaining high standards.Key TakeawaysJustin explains how he is now selling his business GapScout after running into challenges building complex AI technology and changes to review site terms and conditions.The GapScout experience left Justin feeling defeated but taught him to focus on what really energizes him in business.Justin has transitioned to coaching and consulting for startup founders, playing to his strengths in marketing, growth strategies and maximizing profits.He is being very selective about who he works with through warm outreach and relationship building vs trying to scale massively.For WordPress entrepreneurs, takeaways are to focus on your strengths, cut out parts of business you dislike, and be selective about services you realistically can deliver at a high level.Justin leverages Medium for content marketing and gets great organic reach without having to worry about blogging or SEO himself.Overall it’s a story of reinvention, lessons learned from failure, and the importance of playing to your strengths as an entrepreneur.Important linksLearnDash – Justin’s previous business that was acquired: https://www.learndash.com/GapScout – Justin’s latest business that is now for sale: https://www.gapscout.com/Bright Growth – Justin’s current coaching/consulting business: https://www.brightgrowth.com/Justin’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/justinferrimanWP Minute Slack Group: [https://thewpminute.com/supportMedium – Platform Justin is using for content marketing: https://medium.com/Pressnomics Conference – Where Justin and host previously chatted: https://www.pressnomics.com/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode of The WP Minute Plus podcast, host Matt Medeiros interviews Aaron Edwards about his AI products DocsBot.ai and Imajinn.ai.Aaron shares his background working in WordPress for over a decade, including serving as CTO of WPMU Dev. He then discusses how DocsBot allows users to train chatbots with their own company data to use for customer support, sales, and internal knowledge. Aaron talks about the process of training the bots, pricing plans for WordPress businesses, and surprises when selling to enterprise customers.Chapter Markers:0:00 – Intro1:01 – Welcoming Aaron Edwards1:03 – Using this as an AI therapy session1:24 – Aaron’s background in WordPress2:22 – WPMU Dev’s white label reseller hosting plans3:35 – Training chatbots with your own data5:04 – Using retrieval to provide factual answers8:07 – Letting chatbots index your content10:38 – Typical Doc Spot customers and use cases12:02 – The process for training a DocsBot13:15 – Bringing your own OpenAI key15:15 – Ethics of competitors using your content16:41 – Focusing on driving intent vs. informational content18:11 – AI-generated content and SEO20:23 – Creating helpful content with or without AI22:33 – Selling DocsBot plans to WordPress businesses25:26 – Surprises when selling to enterprise customers28:51 – Flexible ways to integrate DocsBot bots29:36 – Potentially expanding to other AI services32:42 – Where to find Aaron and his AI productsOther Important Links:The WP Minute Slack – https://thewpminute.com/supportAaron on Twitter – https://twitter.com/uglyRobotDev ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently had Jess Frick, Director of Operations at Pressable, on the WP Minute+ podcast. We had an insightful conversation about Pressable’s relationship with Automattic, how the company differentiates itself, and the benefits of Jetpack.I appreciated getting Jess’s insider perspective on Pressable and how they balance being owned by Automattic while still maintaining their own identity and startup mentality in the WordPress hosting space.Definitely check them out if you want managed WordPress hosting with great performance and infrastructure.Key TakeawaysPressable is owned by Automattic but operates independently with a startup mentality. They have more freedom to be “edgy” compared to other Automattic properties.Pressable builds on top of WP Cloud infrastructure created by Automattic. This gives them performance advantages that allow them to handle large websites.They work closely with Jetpack and see big value in including it for free with hosting plans. Security features are especially important.Pressable targets agencies, freelancers, and site owners who want great WordPress infrastructure without the rigidness of a company like VIP Hosting.They aim to be innovative and regularly improve the hosting experience like the recent updates to make staging -> live site migration easier.Important Quotes“We are thrilled to partner with you on this because I really believe in what you guys are doing. And I love the voice that you have in the community. It’s not like other voices.”“I think going forward, you can expect to see, more opinionated opportunities with [Jetpack] as well.” ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Jackson, co-founder of Forge Media and creator of the popular WordPress plugins NovaShare and Perfmatters. Brian has extensive experience building successful products and businesses in the WordPress space.In our wide-ranging conversation, we discussed several important topics relevant to the WordPress community right now:Using AI to Enhance Content CreationBoth Brian and I have begun experimenting with AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard to improve our content workflows. He uses a "hybrid approach", leveraging AI to generate ideas and drafts but still adding his own personal touch. I completely agree that carefully crafted prompts are key to getting good results from AI. Neither of us is yet comfortable publishing fully AI-written content.The Impact of AI on the Future of WordPressWe speculated about how advanced AI could enable automated site building outside of WordPress in the future. However, Brian emphasized that niche complexities of WordPress will be difficult for AI to grasp anytime soon. Monetization and Support for Plugin BusinessesBrian explained why he avoids "lifetime deal" pricing for his products, despite it being common for WordPress plugins. While tempting for short-term revenue, it removes incentive for ongoing improvement. He believes subscribers should continue supporting developers to allow constant iteration. Still, he limits sales to just the major Black Friday promotion each year.Key TakeawaysAI can help generate ideas and drafts, but human refinement is still neededWordPress niche complexity means AI won't replace it soonJavaScript skills are critical for WordPress developers now"Lifetime deal" pricing removes incentive for ongoing developmentLimiting sales promotes sustainable growth over quick cash grabsQuotables"I don't think a lot of people know a hundred percent. You can't say yes or no, you know, will Google know this is written by me or not?""WordPress is just a mess, to be honest, for the people that are in the weeds every day, like grinding, like they know how messy WordPress is.""If you have a good product, like why do you need to constantly push sales? It doesn't make sense. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportLaunching a WordPress website can be daunting for new users. Between learning the platform, choosing templates, setting up your homepage, and establishing an online store, it’s a lot to take on. This is where Bluehost’s WonderSuite comes in.In today’s episode, Matt interviewed Jocelyn Hendrickson, a Senior Product Manager at Bluehost, WordPress Commerce. We went deep into their WonderSuite product, especially how it impacts WooCommerce users. She gave great insight into how this new offering simplifies the website creation process for their customers.In a nutshell, WonderSuite provides tools and guidance to get your WordPress site up and running smoothly. No more staring at a blank page wondering what to do next.Jocelyn explained that WordPress experts like us understand the platform because we’ve been using it for years. But for beginners, it can be really confusing trying to figure everything out.This is where WonderSuite comes in with features like templates to choose designs, placeholder content to match your theme, and a support portal for asking questions when you get stuck.One of the key components Jocelyn highlighted is WonderCart, which makes setting up an online store a breeze. You don’t have to build promotions and sales pages from scratch anymore. WonderCart uses AI and pre-made templates to do it for you.As Jocelyn put it, WonderSuite and WonderCart remove the burden of launching a customized, functional WordPress site. Instead of getting overwhelmed, you have tools to guide you through the process.The next time you’re ready to recommend WordPress to a beginner user, keep Bluehost and WonderSuite in mind. Especially if you’re not going to be there to help them along every step of the way. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jon Clark, Marketing Automation Specialist at StellarWP, who also has his own YouTube channel called Jon Automates where he discusses movies, pop culture, and video games. In this fun and insightful episode, Jon shares his expertise on email marketing automation, creating entertaining YouTube content, and his thoughts on recent video games like Elden Ring.At StellarWP, Jon focuses on managing email marketing automation across their suite of WordPress products. He discusses best practices like avoiding email sends on Fridays, finding the optimal times to reach engaged audiences, and using dynamic content and segmentation to create more personalized, relevant messaging. Jon emphasizes focusing on whether an email campaign will entertain or provide value rather than just chasing metrics.On his YouTube channel, Jon prioritizes creating entertaining content on movies, trailers, and pop culture over optimizing for the algorithm. He collaborates with a close group of "YouTube friends" who cross-promote each other's channels. Jon purposefully avoids "rage channels" and politics to foster a positive community where different opinions can be shared openly. He's considering starting a second channel focused just on creative film projects and cinematography.Listeners can find Jon online on YouTube and Twitter. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI recently had the pleasure of chatting with Nyasha Green about her experiences in the WordPress community. Nyasha is a talented developer, writer, and podcaster who has contributed tremendously to WordPress over the years.In our conversation, Nyasha shared some great insights for new WordPress developers just getting started. Here are 3 key takeaways from our discussion:Learn WordPress development through YouTube and Twitter. Nyasha explained how she learned WordPress and Gutenberg through YouTube videos and people live-tweeting their learning journeys. YouTube is a valuable resource for picking up WordPress skills. Following WordPress experts on Twitter can also connect you with people willing to teach and walkthrough concepts.Contribute to WordPress in small ways. Nyasha talked about how anyone can contribute to WordPress, even in small ways like providing support, designing assets, and testing. Look for teams and projects seeking help wherever your skills allow you to pitch in. The process may seem intimidating but start small.The WordPress community welcomes new developers. Nyasha stressed the WordPress community warmly welcomes both new developers and non-developers. It’s important to make new people feel comfortable when they lack knowledge on technical topics. Go out of your way to support and guide newcomers positively.It was great having Nyasha share her open, honest perspectives on the WordPress community and new developer experience. Be sure to listen to our full conversation on the podcast and follow Nyasha on Twitter! ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportBluehost has launched a new suite of products called WonderSuite to improve the onboarding experience for new WordPress users. The goal is to simplify the initial setup process and eliminate common pain points that can be frustrating for beginners. WonderSuite includes tools like WonderTheme for easy customization, WonderBlocks for premade layouts, WonderCart for ecommerce features, WonderStart for tailored site building, and WonderHelp for AI-powered assistance. These features provide guardrails and helpful guidance so first-time users aren't overwhelmed learning WordPress.WonderSuite makes use of AI in a couple ways. WonderHelp allows users to ask plain English questions and receive step-by-step tutorials. WonderBlocks uses AI to generate initial content tailored to the user's business, like a flower shop. The key is the AI is assistive, not taking full control. Users still have flexibility to modify all settings and content. Overall, WonderSuite aims to smooth the learning curve so new users can focus on their business instead of web development. It provides an easy onramp while still building on WordPress as the foundation. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportI’ve been skeptical about the AI tools I see emerging in my Twitter feed.So many of my WordPress friends are using these tools to code, write articles, build websites, and even develop their own AI products. But I’ve been struggling to catch on. Until I saw a thread from Kim Coleman in Post Status about her success with better prompts in ChatGPT.So like any podcasters would do — I invited her on the show to learn more.The Right Prompts Unlock AI’s PotentialBoth Matt and Kim initially struggled to get good results from ChatGPT and similar AI tools. They found the content too generic and not helpful for their WordPress needs. The breakthrough came when they learned to craft detailed, structured prompts to give the AI more context. Instead of just saying “summarize this blog post,” they give background like: “You are an expert WordPress content creator. Summarize this blog post in a conversational tone for our podcast listeners.” Kim shares prompts she uses to turn video transcripts into step-by-step tutorials, and to turn technical changelog notes into readable blog posts. Carefully shaping the prompt helps the AI stay on track.Trying New AI Tools Yields Mixed ResultsMatt has had more success using Claude.ai instead of ChatGPT to generate show notes by giving it two separate interview transcripts. The key is uploading both transcripts at once so the AI doesn’t confuse information between interviews. Kim experimented with some tools like ContentScale and others where you fill out forms instead of chatting. She didn’t find these as effective as crafting her own prompts in a chat interface. They agree that graphic and video AI tools like Midjourney are not yet ready for marketing assets, though they see potential in the future.AI’s Role in WordPress’ FutureThere is some debate around integrating AI directly into WordPress products. If it’s just a basic tool that pastes in text, it may not add much value and could even backfire if it provides bad results. More complex integrations like LifterLMS using AI as a “coach” to guide course creation show more promise. This takes into account the human goals instead of just spitting out generic content. Matt and Kim agree responsible humans are still needed to oversee AI tools, but they will likely continue shaping parts of the WordPress workflow. Using the right prompts unlocks the benefits while avoiding potential downsides.Important linksHere are the important links we mention throughout the conversation:ChatGPT (chat.openai.com)Claude AI (claude.ai)ContentScale (contentscale.com)Midjourney (midjourney.com)Canva (canva.com)LifterLMS (lifterlms.com)Paid Memberships Pro (paidmembershipspro.com)The WP Minute Podcast (thewpminute.com) ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/support(Note: I had to record on Zoom and the audio quality isn't the greatest. Sorry about that!)In this podcast episode, Matt and Clifton discuss Clifton's role as a web expert and his journey with WordPress. They talk about Clifton's YouTube channel and his approach to teaching WordPress step by step. They also touch on the evolution of website building using WordPress, the benefits of themes like StudioPress, and the introduction of Gutenberg. They discuss the future of WordPress, the concerns of agency owners, and the power of the WordPress developer ecosystem. Clifton shares his motivation for creating educational videos on his YouTube channel and his plans for the future. They also discuss video production techniques and the importance of prioritizing education in content creation. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportIn this episode, Matt chats with James, an industry veteran in WordPress, about his new initiative TeamWP. They delve into James' experiences and insights, revealing the need for a more robust approach to team-building and culture within WordPress businesses.James introduces TeamWP, a service aimed at fostering healthier and more productive work environments within these businesses. He discusses how they aid in obtaining candid feedback from employees, maintaining confidentiality, and promoting a psychologically safe space for open communication.James shares his philosophy on company culture, underscoring the importance of balancing hard work with celebration and relaxation to avoid burnout. He also highlights some of the models and principles that he's developed over 15 years in the industry, including the Open Team framework and an employee engagement survey.This engaging discussion ends with James emphasizing that his approach is interactive and guided, striving for sustainable improvement over quick fixes.Important linkshttps://twitter.com/jamesgirouxhttps://teamwp.co/https://thewpminute.com/support ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportTo honor WordPress’s 20th anniversary David Bisset has invited four charming and entertinaing community members to talk about some highlights in it’s history. Primary topics include: how WordPress has made an open source for the general community, what proposal or feature of WordPress over the years didn’t get attention or appreciation it deserved, and what WordPRess event has been the most noteworthy?Just like other conversations - there is quite a few memory of about the community and forgotten WordPress features. Join us and you may recognize some of the things shared!ShownotesGuests w/ Shared linksFrancesca MaranoHelen Hou Sandí appearance at WCEU2016 (“not 2017 as I mentioned”) https://youtu.be/Nl6U7UotA-M?t=2380“Multisite Roadmap that, I believe, was not given a fair chance” https://make.wordpress.org/core/roadmap/multisite/[Feature project] “Updates on updating the updaters with Outcome 2 committed yesterday”The Women of WordPress. “It's hard to mention just a few, because luckily there are many and hopefully many more to come. But if I had to pick only 3, Josepha Haden Chomphosy, Underrepresented in tech (gaming the system here :grimacing: ) and myself”.Twitter: @FrancescaMaranoMaitreyie ChavanIntroduction of REST API Endpoints in WP 4.7 - https://wordpress.org/news/2016/12/vaughan/An all-women and non-binary release WordPress 5.6 - https://make.wordpress.org/core/2020/03/11/all-women-release-squad/Launch of Learn WordPress - https://wordpress.org/news/2020/12/introducing-learn-wordpress/WordCamp Asia 2023 - https://asia.wordcamp.org/2023/we-did-it/https://twitter.com/maitreyie_chttps://www.linkedin.com/in/maitreyie/Jason Cosperhttps://wordpress.org/news/2008/10/usability-testing-report-25-and-crazyhorse/https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/post-formats/WordCamp 2016: “The Camp That Started It All” https://sf.wordcamp.org/2006/Managed WordPress Hosting: “This is where WP moved upmarket… Sites started outgrowing and graduating from shared and VPS hosting and WordCamp talks and tracks started talking about the "business of WordPress".https://wpwatercooler.comhttps://simian.rodeo/@boogahJoshua Woldttps://joshuawold.comhttps://onboardwp.io ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportTo honor WordPress’s 20th anniversary David Bisset has a friendly chat with four prominent but cool community members to talk about some highlights in it’s history. Primary topics include: Memorial WordPress Release, a WordCamp or WordCamp Experience, and the most notable State of the Word Announcement from Matt. Guests also share other moments that stood out to them and what the future might hold.ShownotesGuests w/ Shared linksEric KarkovackWordPress 1.2 "Mingus" added the plugin architecture:https://wordpress.org/news/2004/05/heres-the-beef/ WordCamp Philadelphia 2011 - My first WordCamp. I loved the informal nature of the event and meeting other attendees. It opened my eyes to the WP community.https://philadelphia.wordcamp.org/2011/ 2014: The advent of WordCamp US, and other “anchor” camps worldwide, using Slack instead of IRC for communication:https://wptavern.com/matt-mullenwegs-state-of-the-word-highlights-internationalization-mobile-and-new-tools-for-wordpress-contributors @karks88https://www.karks.com/https://www.speckyboy.com/https://www.thewpminute.com/Jeff ChandlerRae Moreyhttps://www.therepository.email/https://wptavern.com/wordpress-5-6-simone-includes-new-twenty-twenty-one-theme-and-improved-editorhttps://peterwilson.cc/wordpress-5-6-released/ (Peter Wilson, Awesome Motive-sponsored core contributor)https://europe.wordcamp.org/2015/https://torquemag.io/2017/12/state-word-2017-recap/Ken Elliottbkreative.netblackpresswp.comtwitter.com/kennethspeaks ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportRobby McCullough of Beaver Builder joins the podcast to chat about the future of page building in WordPress and at his company. Robby and his team have just celebrated 9 years running the Beaver Builder plugin, changing the page building landscape as WordPress users know it. He's excited to press forward into his next chapter of WordPress products with the Assistant plugin. Think of it as the glue to connecting your multiple WordPress websites across the cloud, sharing templates, blocks, and other data. https://twitter.com/RobbyMcCulloughhttps://twitter.com/BeaverBuilderhttps://assistant.pro/https://wordpress.org/plugins/assistant/https://thewpminute.com/support ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportManaged WooCommerce hosting is a growing segment within the WordPress ecosystem. And it has a new entrant: WooCommerce. The Automattic-owned eCommerce provider recently launched WooExpress.The service is hosted by WordPress.com. It aims to be a one-stop shop for building and maintaining an online store. Packages start at $40 per month with discounts for paying annually. A selection of pre-installed extensions and themes are included.Sarah Gooding of WP Tavern reports that WooExpress’ starting price is higher than entry-level products from GoDaddy and Bluehost. However, the most expensive package ($70 per month) comes in below GoDaddy’s premium tiers.Beyond its name recognition, WooExpress may enjoy a few advantages over competitors:As we reported last week, the price of WooCommerce extensions is going up. Bundling popular titles built by WooCommerce is likely to attract value-conscious store owners.Meanwhile, its beefed-up hosting infrastructure was already in place. WordPress.com has been offering packages that include WooCommerce for some time. That’s likely to cut down on growing pains.Lastly, ownership’s vast internal knowledge of WooCommerce and WordPress is a win for customers.How will WooExpress fare? How will its competitors respond? The WP Minute will keep you posted.Links You Shouldn’t MissSEO plugin maker Yoast announced the departure of former CEO Marieke van de Rakt. Under her watch, the company was acquired by Newfold Digital in 2021. van de Rakt will now turn her focus to investing in open source, sustainable, and female-led companies via Emilia Capital. In a related note, Yoast founder Joost de Valk announced that he too is stepping away from Newfold to focus on entrepreneurship.Security firm Sucuri published a detailed report regarding the abuse of an abandoned WordPress plugin. The Eval PHP plugin hasn’t seen an update in a decade, but it’s being leveraged by malicious actors to install malware. The report also questions the wisdom of leaving similar plugins in the official repository long after abandonment.WordPress.com launched a website building service back in 2021. It was a controversial topic at the time, with some freelancers wondering if their businesses would be impacted. The service initially aimed for the mid-range market, with prices starting at $4,900. Now they appear to be targeting the lower end of the market as well, with a $499 Built By WordPress.com "Express" package. The package promises a 5-page website built within 4 business days. Thanks to WP Minute Member Paul Lacey for reporting this development.From the Grab BagNow it’s time to take a look at some other interesting topics shared by our contributors. CertifyWP has launched the WordPress Management and Design Credentialing Exam. The $150.00 exam aims to certify those knowledgeable in front-end WordPress development. The organization also offers an optional course to help learners prepare for the exam. There have long been calls for a well-organized notification system for WordPress. Project core contributor Joe Bailey-Roberts provided an update on such efforts over on the Make WordPress blog.How can WordPress developers leverage AI tools? WP Engine Builders will hold a virtual event on April 28 to discuss the possibilities.Big changes to Twitter’s verification system have been in the news. Users who haven’t purchased the Twitter Blue service are now missing those famous blue checks next to their name. WordPress co-founder and Tumblr CEO Matt Mullenweg recently explained why he’s now a Twitter Blue subscriber.Mark Westguard, founder of the WS Form plugin, shared some thoughts about the cost of sponsoring WordCamps. Westguard has questioned the affordability for small businesses.When it comes to SEO, page experience has been mentioned as a factor in recent years. However, Google recently removed it from their ranking systems page.What does a “power user” think of Gutenberg in its current form? Torque Magazine’s Nick Schäferhoff published a review that points out the good and bad.We’ve all seen software and services that use urgency as a marketing tool. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has offered advice pointing out what is and isn’t permissible. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportZack Katz of GravityKit & TrustedLogin joins the show to talk about running multiple products in the WordPress space. The conversation explores the ups-and-downs of doing a product rebrand, plus, what it's like to build a business in the Gravity Forms (and WordPress!) ecosystem. Don't miss this episode.https://www.gravitykit.com/https://www.trustedlogin.com/https://twitter.com/zackkatz ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportThe discussion is about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to grow WordPress product businesses.The speakers are Andrew Palmer, co-founder of Bertha.ai, and the hosts of the WP Product Talk podcast. They discuss the importance of AI for WordPress product owners, noting that it is a trending topic in the tech world, and offers opportunities for both internal improvements and AI-related products. They mention the potential for AI to change working processes and the need for WordPress product owners to adapt to this technology. The speakers also touch on their personal experiences with AI, such as using it for content generation and marketing purposes. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportJoin Matt, Katie, and Aaron as they discuss how to diversify (plugin + SaaS) a WordPress product. They highlight the importance of this subject because it is an up-and-coming and continuing to grow aspect of WordPress products, and it has advantages for serving types of content or doing types of functionality that should not be limited to a WordPress website specifically. Additionally, diversifying a WordPress product can be a good model for certain types of products and can scale more quickly, making it a good option for businesses. Aaron highlights the technical difficulties of supporting and maintaining WordPress plugins due to compatibility issues with hosting providers, themes, and other plugins, making it difficult to ensure compatibility with all possible configurations. The discussion focuses on the various ways to diversify WordPress products, including creating a software as a service (SaaS) product, offering hosting services, and creating a platform or community for your product. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportMatt Cromwell and Katie Keith introduce WP Product Talk's first episode of 2023. Katie Keith joins the show as the new co-host. They talk about their guest, Zach Katz, founder of Gravity Kit and Trusted Login, and how they will discuss the subject of being a solo founder. Matt Cromwell also mentions a Twitter poll he conducted asking people if they prefer audio-only or YouTube streaming, with the majority preferring YouTube. However, they are still exploring other options. ★ Support this podcast ★

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportKim Coleman and Brad Williams are discussing the significance of Five for the Future, an initiative promoting the WordPress community's contribution to the platform's growth. They mention that WordPress is built by people who volunteer and are passionate about the web and the platform. They argue that building a business on top of the platform requires one to rely on WordPress itself moving forward, and contributing to the platform can make it an effort that's part of the whole team. They also suggest that contributing to the platform can be a lot more creative and extends beyond development work. ★ Support this podcast ★