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";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:16:"WordPress Planet";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"http://planet.wordpress.org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:8:"language";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2:"en";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:47:"WordPress Planet - http://planet.wordpress.org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"item";a:50:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:99:"Do The Woo Community: A Deep Dive into the Metorik Insights Report for WooCommerce with Bryce Adams";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=84462";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:98:"https://dothewoo.io/a-deep-dive-into-the-metorik-insights-report-for-woocommerce-with-bryce-adams/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:50211:"Episode Transcript
<div class="wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<p>Marcus:<br />Hey everyone. Welcome to another BizChat here on Do the Woo. My name is Marcus Burnett and I&#8217;m a community marketer with GoDaddy. I am here today with my wonderful co-host from Barn2 plugins, Katie. Keith, how are you today, Katie?</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Hey, great, thanks. What about you, Marcus?</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Yeah, not doing too bad. We&#8217;re spanning all parts of the globe today, so it&#8217;s morning for me, afternoon for you, and evening for our guest, but doing pretty good. As usual, we have an excellent guest, and like I said, today we&#8217;re spanning all different parts of the globe. Joining us today from the ecommerce Marketing suite of tools at Metorik is founder Bryce Adams. Welcome to the show, Bryce.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Thanks, Marcus. Thanks, Katie. Thanks for having me. Yeah, it&#8217;s really cool to be back on a Do the Woo show. I think the last time I did was maybe half a decade ago. I don&#8217;t know. I love being able to say half a decade.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Absolutely.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />But yeah, it&#8217;s cool to be here.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Happy to have you here. Bryce is here to talk about a report he recently published on the State of WooCommerce at Scale. But first, would you please share with folks a little bit about yourself and your company, Metorik?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Sure, yeah. So my name is Bryce and my background in Woo, I guess, started at WooCommerce itself back in 2014. I was there initially in a support role and eventually in a development role. Then Automattic acquired Woo in 2015. So I joined that and that happened pretty quickly, and then left in 2016 to do Metorik. So that&#8217;s like eight years ago now. I guess the majority of my career has been spent on it. Metorik is basically an analytics and email automation tool for WooCommerce and for Shopify and maybe more platforms in the future. But primarily we started with WooCommerce back in 2015 and only really added Shopify a few years ago. The majority of the customers we have around the world are WooCommerce stores.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />So let&#8217;s move on to the report then. You&#8217;ve recently published an insights report based on the sites which are using Metorik with WooCommerce. Can you tell us a bit about that?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah, for sure. It was something we wanted to do for a really long time. I think even a few years in, as it was starting to approach several thousand stores, I was starting to see trends and patterns. One of the most common feature requests we got was benchmarking and trying to understand how a store compared to other stores, especially in Woo, where it can sometimes feel like we&#8217;re all kind of isolated on our own server and our own websites, not necessarily all on one platform. There was a lot of demand for clarity into what was going on. So people were asking for it a while ago, but a project like this is challenging to do well and at the quality level that I wanted.</p>



<p>We couldn&#8217;t do it with the few of us that were working together, but the team&#8217;s growing recently and we&#8217;ve got more resources. Luke, someone who just joined primarily for marketing and design-related stuff, said, &#8220;Oh, I reckon I could throw something together if you can get the data.&#8221; We were just sitting around the couch here in Melbourne, brainstorming ideas. It&#8217;d be cool to see that stat and then on Twitter, I think Katie, we talked about some stats even a couple of months ago, about bundles. I was also talking with Vova from Freemius about different subscription stats. We started to create this foundation to do this at scale, thinking about privacy at the forefront of that. So anonymized samples of all that data and just using averages to try to paint a picture of what was going on. Once we had that list to work from, it started to be pretty fun. We were just going through a list like, okay, let&#8217;s try and figure out that metric and that one, and then you&#8217;ve got to actually dig through it a lot more to find the interesting parts. But it was a big project.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I think it&#8217;s really useful for companies like yourself that have access to data of multiple sites to publish that because, as you said a minute ago, WooCommerce sites are all installed on people&#8217;s own servers unless you&#8217;re using Woo Express or something and people just don&#8217;t have those benchmarks. I&#8217;ve seen a bit of that going on in the industry. For example, WP Fusion&#8217;s year in review reports are really useful from a WordPress perspective because they publish data about the different sites running WP Fusion, which LMS plugins are the most popular and page builders and so on. So it was really nice to see a WooCommerce version of that.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I think the fun thing for me was this was, I mean, I love Woo. It&#8217;s where I first started working, my first job really was at Woo, and then it&#8217;s all I&#8217;ve really ever known. I love it as a platform. I love what it enables, the fact that people can run their own site, control everything, customize everything, but also own everything. That idea of data ownership is so important to me. Woo enables that. Part of doing the report was wanting to validate, even though all these sites are their little islands out there on the internet, the scale that Woo is operating at is massive. I don&#8217;t think people realize it. We hear numbers being thrown around, several million Woo stores and things like that, but they don&#8217;t really mean anything until you actually see the data behind it and the scale and that validation, the brands that are using it. I don&#8217;t think people know how many Woo stores out there are doing millions of dollars a year in revenue. There&#8217;s tens of thousands, but yeah, I&#8217;m not sure the exact number, but there are so many stores out there that are really pushing the limits of Woo and people don&#8217;t know about it. So it&#8217;s cool to share.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />You said that Luke came in and kind of threw something together, but this is actually really polished and really nice.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Luke is so talented.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Before we get into some of the different pieces of it, I do want to let people know that they can also follow along with us at metorik.com/woocommerce-insights. We&#8217;ll leave that link in the show notes, but if people want to look at it while we&#8217;re having a discussion here, that&#8217;s metorik.com/woocommerce-insights. I ended up writing just a ton of questions basically on every slide, so I don&#8217;t know if we&#8217;ll get to all of them.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />That&#8217;s awesome. No, whatever is interesting.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />I kind of want to jump in, maybe start from the top and work our way down. One of the first things that you shared in here is that the average age of WooCommerce stores is four years. That kind of lines up with the start of COVID in my head. How do you think COVID changed the landscape of ecommerce or specifically, WooCommerce?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />What we saw when COVID happened? Yeah, it&#8217;s an interesting perspective when you are coming at it as a SaaS because maybe as a plugin maker, Katie, you would&#8217;ve seen at the time an increase in sales as more people were setting up Woo stores. But for us, it wasn&#8217;t just an influx of more stores, but what was really interesting was what every store was doing across the line, the scale of the growth during that time. We have some reports we were looking at back then just in terms of being able to run the app and see the scale of order volume and Airbnb and things like that across everyone. It&#8217;s like a spike around COVID and just consistently through that whole period, we found that on average every store was doing better. There were definitely a lot of new stores starting, but I found it more interesting to see the existing stores all grow as a result of it.</p>



<p>Of course, that all dropped off, and you can actually, it&#8217;s pretty interesting when you look at the higher scale, a five-year period, you see that growth and that decline happen through the actual order volume that&#8217;s happening. But in terms of the age, a lot of it comes down to the fact that Woo itself is not that old. The oldest a store could possibly be is probably 10 years, I&#8217;m not sure the exact age. Over time, very few stores are going to go from 11 years and still be running after all that time or necessarily be on the same platform. I think four years is actually probably bigger than what I&#8217;d expect just because Woo is such a young platform.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />That makes sense. A slightly more practical question, I was interested to see that you said 32% of stores are tracking their costs and profit as well as their sales. I was interested because I didn&#8217;t know it was possible to do via a website analytics tool. Everybody knows you&#8217;d use it to get sales data and things like that, which is a lot better than the sales data you get from WooCommerce reports in core, which is very basic obviously. But how does that work, tracking costs and profit, because that data isn&#8217;t entered into the WooCommerce admin?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I think that&#8217;s actually something that I&#8217;d love to see WooCommerce core improve, having the ability to set up a product cost. It should just be built into Woo by default. Shopify has it by default, almost Square does, almost every other ecommerce or commerce platform does because it is something that if you look at like 80/20, 80% plus of stores probably do have a cost that they want to set on a product. It should be core. It&#8217;s not, but we decided to offer that as a feature. Before that though, we just integrated directly with the WooCommerce Cost of Goods plugin, which itself Skyverge made, and that&#8217;s probably explained why it was so good and it worked really well because for us, we were able to then basically build this whole profit</p>



<p>reporting feature and have all historical costs come in and profit reports come in without stores having to do anything. It was really cool because they&#8217;d never even had that. They&#8217;d set up a product cost inside of WooCommerce Cost of Goods, and there were some basic reports, but all of a sudden we were able just to bring that data in and kind of cleared it.</p>



<p>It got to a point where we were just telling everyone to go and buy the Cost of Goods plugin. People were like, well, I don&#8217;t want to install a new plugin just to have a field on my product page to set the cost. That&#8217;s very fair, especially when they don&#8217;t need the reports and the other functionality from it. So we decided to build it into the app. Of course, it morphed into something much bigger. We got shipping transaction, extra cost. You can say a lot of people want us to do their monthly salary costs and office expenses. They really want to have a bigger picture of things. We&#8217;re not really meant to be an accounting or profit tool in that way, but over time it&#8217;s kind of becoming that. People want more and more from there.</p>



<p>One of the other cool things you can do as a SaaS when it comes to this kind of thing is we integrate with Google Ads, TikTok ads, Facebook ads, all these different providers to let people bring in their live advertising costs from those platforms. It starts to be a really cool experience as a user because you&#8217;re getting all this data from different places in one location and getting to actually report on it, aggregate it.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />What&#8217;s keeping the other 70-odd percent or so from doing the same? Is it a knowledge thing about whether they don&#8217;t know that that exists or is it an industry thing where it doesn&#8217;t make sense for some folks?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I think industry plays a big part. Privacy is another issue. We don&#8217;t have it in a way, again, it was just kind of bolted onto the app. It wasn&#8217;t what we initially set out to do. We don&#8217;t have a way for you to just say, this user can see all the reports, but they can&#8217;t see the cost and profit. That&#8217;s a common thing that a store owner might want to hide from their team. They want them in there using metrics for the reports. A lot of users have asked us to do that and we&#8217;ll probably do that soon. I think that would increase adoption a little bit. But also, we&#8217;re not trying to be an app for them to figure out their profit and pay taxes on. We don&#8217;t encourage it in that way. When people come to proper reporting, they&#8217;re probably looking for that level of detail. They need to incorporate all their costs across the whole thing, salary to everything.</p>



<p>The interesting part on our end starts to be trying to figure out reports based on that. We added these reports to the app a few months ago for doing cohorts, customer cohorts based on when they join by the month they join, week they join, or maybe the first product or first coupon they use. It&#8217;s really cool to split your customers up into those cohorts automatically and then see the lifetime profit and profit margin over time, how that changes. Then you start to understand not just at what point a customer has spent enough that they&#8217;ve reached a target revenue per customer, but they&#8217;ve actually become profitable. You can measure that and be like, by month 14, we know on average that&#8217;s where we&#8217;ve got enough profit from each customer. I love that part of it more than being an accounting tool.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />It&#8217;s really helping WooCommerce store owners to run their company as a proper business. A lot are more hobbyist sites and it helps to bring them to the next level. Some of them will already be doing that, of course, but a lot of WooCommerce store owners don&#8217;t do that kind of thing. This is really making it much more accessible. I&#8217;m kind of wishing I use WooCommerce on my own website. I use Easy Digital Downloads and I can&#8217;t access any of this because quite sensibly you&#8217;ve built this for WooCommerce and Shopify, the two biggest players. I get that.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I have had some requests for EDD, but every single request has come from people I knew in the community who would want it. Then I start to think about how many stores that is and it&#8217;s maybe a couple of hundred that I know would pay for it as well. It starts to be a little harder.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Yeah, totally agree.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />But I&#8217;ve always wanted to build it for EDD because all my friends and all my colleagues are using EDD rather than Woo. At the start, it wasn&#8217;t like I could really contact too many of my friends running WordPress businesses and say, please use my product because they were using EDD.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />You mentioned earlier about maybe they should put something in core related to the cost of goods. I was thinking that when I saw your stat about subscriptions, 28% of all the WooCommerce stores that you track use subscriptions. The vast majority of them will be WooCommerce subscriptions to one specific plugin, of course. I know they will never put that in core because they must make so much money from that premium only add-on.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I don&#8217;t think they make enough from it to be honest.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Because it&#8217;s so valuable in recurring revenue.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Exactly. It&#8217;s one thing that we&#8217;d probably do next year and we want to improve in a report based on the feedback, but also just based on what I think would be interesting is actually saying, while maybe it&#8217;s 27% of stores that have subscriptions on, does that actually account for more like 40-50% of the revenue or are those stores by default on average double or triple stores that don&#8217;t have subscriptions? We didn&#8217;t go into that and I think we&#8217;d like to expand on that, but I think that would actually show that while maybe 27-30% are using subscriptions, those stores tend to be much more successful because it&#8217;s such a great business model if you can make it work.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Yeah, absolutely. I want to shift gears a tiny little bit and talk about, you have a couple of slides in here about the top themes and plugins in WooCommerce stores. Looking at the top themes and plugins, I see Elementor ranking pretty high in both and Classic Editor at number five in the top plugins.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Not too surprised to see that.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Yeah, native WordPress right now with full site editing isn&#8217;t quite ready to handle the majority of WooCommerce stores.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Well, I think that indicates that there&#8217;s still a heavy dependence on the Classic Editor for sure. A lot of that might come through other builders that are being used, but also maybe other WooCommerce plugins and stuff that aren&#8217;t quite there yet. I know even for us, we&#8217;ve been integrating with commerce blocks and stuff for the checkout recently for an update we&#8217;ve been working on. I think a lot of the filters that we needed were only added in a WooCommerce version that just came out or is about to come out. That&#8217;s certainly fine if things take time and it&#8217;s good to take time to get it right, but if we&#8217;re an app that&#8217;s trying to really stay ahead and move with Woo, we were really only able to integrate with some of those features in a version that&#8217;s just coming out now on June 24. It&#8217;s going to take time for that shift to happen, maybe longer than anyone&#8217;s expecting.</p>



<p>Marcus, while you mentioned that, it makes me think about a part of the report that I found a little surprising and actually came out of a discussion I had recently about PHP versions. I noticed that 7.4 is still at 45% of WooCommerce stores that we&#8217;re tracking. I think that&#8217;s actually higher than the average across all of WordPress generally. There is that kind of fear when it comes to an ecommerce store. Upgrades come at a very big cost if it messes up. If your site goes down or if something&#8217;s incompatible and you have downtime, it&#8217;s not just downtime, it&#8217;s losing money time. That&#8217;s a very valid concern for an ecommerce store.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Yeah, one of the other stats that just screamed off the page at me was that the average number of active plugins is 58 on a WooCommerce store. So compatibility-wise, you have to make sure that all 58 of those are ready to move beyond PHP 7.4 before you upgrade. But also, why so many and what do the annual costs look like? Not all of those plugins are going to be free. I know a lot of WooCommerce plugins cost an annual fee.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah. I think we are always, and I think that comes with a caveat with this report, we&#8217;re looking at stores that are willing to pay us, Metorik, as an app, at least $20 a month, and in most cases, $100 plus a month for an app for their WooCommerce store. They aren&#8217;t reflective of every WooCommerce store. I think with that means they&#8217;re willing to spend for sure at least two, $3,000 a year on their website if they&#8217;re willing to pay that much to us as an app for their website. It&#8217;s reasonable to think that most of them would have 10, 20 plus active subscriptions, but with that cost comes so much value because a lot of these stores are doing significant numbers and significant volume. If they wanted to have a similar setup, an equivalent setup on another platform like Shopify, they would be looking at a larger annual cost for sure.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I enjoyed the section about order milestones. I spent quite a while looking at that and trying to visualize the typical store and how long it takes them to get any significant momentum and so on. It is interesting to see that the majority, 76%, get to a thousand orders and it takes just over a year, whereas it&#8217;s a pretty small number that make a hundred thousand orders ever, which is 7.9%, and that takes multiple years. A million orders, which kind of makes sense, is only 1%. It&#8217;s interesting to see the</p>



<p>dropoff. It made me wonder how WooCommerce compared with that regard to other platforms that might be more enterprise-tailored or something, whereas lots of WooCommerce stores are more small.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah, that&#8217;s a good point. Look, Shopify for sure, I think the number would be a bit quicker, but I don&#8217;t know necessarily how many are getting to that scale as well. I think it would be similar, but again, I do think it always comes back to if the store is investing a lot more in their online presence through paying more for the ecommerce platform, through spending more on hosting or developers or marketing costs, any of those things, they&#8217;re typically going to be a bigger store. I think WooCommerce by default is a cheaper option, so you do tend to get stores that invest less in marketing at the start. But then that&#8217;s what we saw that I found really interesting with this report. You kind of get to that a hundred K, and we didn&#8217;t have enough time to really show a good picture between that a hundred and a million, but you scale so much faster at that point because you&#8217;ve already got the momentum, you&#8217;ve already got the infrastructure set up, and probably more than anything, you&#8217;re at a point in the business where you want to invest in marketing and other ways to improve your store.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />It kind of fits with a theory I&#8217;ve been developing about the way that WordPress and WooCommerce are growing more widely. If you look at data on Built With, which I was looking at yesterday, I think I tweeted about it actually, if you look at WordPress and WooCommerce&#8217;s growth for the top hundred thousand sites, the top million sites, they&#8217;re actually going down a bit. They&#8217;re declining, but then if you tick the whole internet box on Built With, they&#8217;re going up quite rapidly. So that says to me that the growth is in the smaller websites, and I thought that might fit with your data that the majority have a smaller number of orders as well.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah. I think the tricky thing with all of those numbers that are out there with Built With in different companies that try to track the state of ecommerce across the whole internet is that we just don&#8217;t know how many of those sites are actually operating and have at least 20 sales a year. You&#8217;ve got to learn a hundred, and I think really the number of stores that is like sub a hundred orders a year is the majority probably. And that&#8217;s okay. There&#8217;s still so many stores out there that are doing larger numbers, but especially with sites that are just being set up and not running, you can do that basically for free on WooCommerce. We always have to take those numbers with a grain of salt.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Yeah, I was looking at that chart as well. Less than 10% of stores make it to that a hundred thousand plus orders mark within an average time of four years or so to make it to this milestone. Why do you think stores don&#8217;t stick it out? The average time to a million plus is like six years. Is it just a patience issue? Do people just need to be in it for the long run? Do people give up too early?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Maybe. Maybe they&#8217;ve switched platforms as well. It&#8217;s hard to really paint that picture in a report like this, but it&#8217;s something that we see tends to happen. Stores get to a certain size and they end up then wanting to try a different platform, become Shopify or something custom. I&#8217;ve seen stores go to Magento, and so I think that sometimes can be a reason. But also it&#8217;s just really hard to get to that scale. You see people on Shopify, especially because they send out these trophies and things like that to commemorate when you get to certain milestones, they send a physical item. I think you order it through them to merchants and you see people posting on Twitter, but the reality is there aren&#8217;t that many stores that are getting a million plus orders. That&#8217;s a big volume. If you&#8217;re doing a hundred plus average AOV, that&#8217;s like a hundred million. So a more realistic average Woo store, I don&#8217;t think we published it in it. The number I was seeing was something like off the top of my head, 30, 40,000 orders, something around that bracket. But that&#8217;s still massive, especially if an average order is a hundred dollars.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />The ones that are switching platforms, what is making them want to do that? What is WooCommerce not doing well at a hundred thousand or a million orders?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />That&#8217;s probably an episode in itself just because it&#8217;s such a big thing to unpack. At that scale, stores are thinking about what matters to them. What I&#8217;ve found, it&#8217;s not even about reliability, but having someone to depend on. I think Shopify does that well. It&#8217;s like a safety net. A merchant running on that, even if their site does go down, it&#8217;s like it&#8217;s going down with every other Shopify site and that gives them some confidence. Shopify&#8217;s reliability recently has been really good. So a lot of it is peace of mind. Merchants don&#8217;t want to be technical. They don&#8217;t want to get in the weeds that much. They really just want to run their shop and not think about plugin updates or anything.</p>



<p>When I see a lot of WooCommerce agencies now pop up that are focusing on maintenance plans and things like that, that&#8217;s really good and a step in the right direction. But it needs to come as well with the reliability or the escape, the reassurance that someone&#8217;s got your back if the site goes down and you&#8217;re not going to lose your order data and things like that. The cost to a store if their site goes down and they have to restore to a backup and it&#8217;s eight hours before, and in that time they had orders, it&#8217;s such a big cost that it would almost pay for a subscription for Shopify or something else in a year. If it&#8217;s going to solve it by going to one of those platforms, they&#8217;re going to do it. There needs to be enough upside for them to stay with Woo.</p>



<p>For a lot of stores, subscriptions are amazing and above, beyond what most subscription platforms that exist for Shopify allow. The cost of running on Woo is low. If you can do that at scale and you can really optimize your site and handle how you tackle downtime, but also have a good backup plan, have a good recovery plan, then you start to save several hundred thousand a year with Woo if you&#8217;re a big store and maybe even a million plus if you&#8217;re doing tens of millions a year in revenue. Woo has a lot of advantages. It&#8217;s just about finding the disadvantages and trying to solve them.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Marcus, did you have any questions about the average order stuff or the refunds?</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />I had one. You have a note on the refund section that physical goods are refunded at lower amounts than software because of the low overhead for software. In general, the outlier here seems to be clothing and footwear. I think I have an idea, but what makes that industry have the highest refund rate?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />It&#8217;s probably one of the most compelling things you can offer as a business in that industry is free returns and really to almost encourage them and say, order from us as much as you want, and then the few things you don&#8217;t want to send it back will include a free return bag because that&#8217;s really how those stores start to get higher AOV. I think it&#8217;s a symptom of that, but it&#8217;s probably by design and it probably does actually increase the AOV for that industry quite a lot more than what it would be without it.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I see that online learning has an 85% refund rate, which is kind of scary because it makes me think that people are abusing it potentially.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Oh no, that&#8217;s only 85% of the refund amount, not refund rate.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Oh, okay. Yeah,</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I&#8217;d be surprised if they were doing well enough to keep running their shop with that much of a refund rate.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Oh, the amounts 1.5%. Yeah, that&#8217;s better.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Exactly. The one that we want to highlight with the refund amount was just to show, when a refund does happen, is it a full refund? Is it a partial one? I found that interesting with some consumable ones like food and beverage, the refund amount on average is 56%. That would indicate that a lot of stores are doing partial refunds. Maybe one of the items they&#8217;re not happy with is not worth the cost of returning it, while software or online learning, it&#8217;s 80-85% because it&#8217;s a digital item. You can effectively refund the whole thing without incurring a major cost as a store.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Those are a little harder to partially refund too. Refund a handful of lessons from a course. You&#8217;re either refunding the course or you&#8217;re not refunding the course.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Exactly. You might as well, if you&#8217;re having a credit cost as a software business, just find a solution like that. I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ve experienced the thing, both of you, over the years with WooCommerce and WordPress support. Sometimes just to solve it, let them move on, give them a refund rather than try to hold on to 70 or 80% of the money or even 20-30% of the money. Risk covering someone who really has it out for you after that and wouldn&#8217;t speak favorably about you.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I thought the devices section was interesting. We&#8217;ll all have heard many stats way before this report that the majority of online shoppers are using mobile devices. I&#8217;ve always kind of ignored that on my own website because we sell WordPress plugins. The vast majority are sitting at their desks on their desktops.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />What percent is, in your case?</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I can&#8217;t remember off the top of my head, but it&#8217;s like, I don&#8217;t know, 70 or 80% or something on desktop, which makes sense. You don&#8217;t buy a plugin on your phone, do you? You&#8217;re at work.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I hadn&#8217;t realized that we had this in the report, I forgot,</p>



<p>but it says it there. Software stores have the most desktop-driven customers with 79% of orders being placed on a desktop device.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Which makes sense.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />That checks out.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />For other industries, obviously mobile&#8217;s important for my business as well, but it&#8217;s more so for things like clothes where people are buying from their sofas and so on. It was interesting seeing that the average order value placed on desktop is significantly higher than people ordering on their mobiles. Even if you are in a mobile-first industry, you do really need to think about those desktop users because even if they&#8217;re buying clothes or something that suggests to me that they&#8217;re having a serious session of buying clothes, they&#8217;re sitting at their computer, got multiple tabs open, it&#8217;s a very different experience and they spend more.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />That&#8217;s a good point. Another common one is if you&#8217;re buying an appliance or an electronic product, a lot of those decisions are made at the computer where you can really take the time to research, look at five different tabs and then check out. That&#8217;s a kind of trend with a lot of these numbers. A lot of them aren&#8217;t as surprising, but the actual level that the number ended up at, in this case, 38 to 62, I didn&#8217;t know that until we pulled that. Actually, to be fair, I didn&#8217;t realize that the desktop AOV would be that much higher. If you just asked me off the top of my head, I would&#8217;ve guessed anecdotally 30-40%, not almost double. I think it just comes down to when you&#8217;re doing a high-value order, when you are spending several hundred dollars in a shop, you&#8217;re going to probably do it on a computer. Typically they&#8217;re going to move to a desktop for those transactions.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Yeah. I also was interested for the same reason in that section. It kind of made me think about my purchasing habits and maybe how important it is for stores to have carts that you can move between mobile and desktop via login or something. I spend a lot of time browsing on my mobile device and I&#8217;ll toss things in the cart, but then by the time I&#8217;m ready to make a purchase, I might hop over to the computer. I&#8217;ve got desktop extensions that help with coupon codes and all of that kind of thing that I can take advantage of that I don&#8217;t have on my mobile device. Really a lot of the purchasing, I would guess that I&#8217;m not in the minority, that there&#8217;s a lot of folks that are browsing on their mobile and then making an actual final purchase on their desktop, especially like you said, with high order value items and orders and stuff. Just being able to, Amazon obviously, right? I&#8217;ll toss a bunch of things in an Amazon cart and then, because I&#8217;m logged in, I can log back in on the computer and finish that order. The importance of having a system like that, maybe for even smaller stores to be able to jump between devices and keep your cart.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />It&#8217;s an interesting product idea, really. I think we kind of do that, and a lot of plugins do that in a small way through abandoned cart tracking and being able to send a link that just restores it in one click, which is close. But I&#8217;m just thinking about, it&#8217;d be quite cool, even just a simple plugin that was just like, send me a link right now just to access this cart on a computer. That would probably have some value rather than being this whole thing to track carts. It can tie into that, but I think just as a core feature, I want to move this cart to a desktop.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Speaking of recovered carts, I also saw in the report that the average order value of recovered carts is about 30% higher than even regular placed orders. The report states it&#8217;s because customers tend to add multiple items into their cart before making a decision. Then they get that abandoned cart link and they come back and place the order. What are some good abandoned cart strategies to recover these carts?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Offer an incentive, and I think the incentive should be specific to your store and the situation you&#8217;re in. There&#8217;s no one size fits all. We kind of lead into this in one of the other pages where we talk about later in the report to do with the AOV of free shipping versus paid shipping orders. Something interesting with that is figuring out where your AOV is. In that case, if we&#8217;re looking at the cart report, it&#8217;s around 120, which is where the average cart value was when they got placed. Maybe you&#8217;d be wanting to incentivize people to spend over 150 and get free shipping or over 150 and get 10% off because at least then you&#8217;re increasing your AOV by 40-50% at the cost of a 10-15% discount. I think that&#8217;s one way, but otherwise, it&#8217;s also about using the moment when you try to recover a cart as a marketing opportunity. It&#8217;s not just saying, recover your cart, but maybe you should also add this item based on what you already have in your cart. It ends up being an actual win for the customer because they might discover something that they didn&#8217;t know about, and they&#8217;re getting a better deal with maybe they&#8217;re getting free shipping as well.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />I didn&#8217;t see in the report numbers on the percentage of stores using abandoned cart recovery versus not using abandoned cart recovery practices. Do you have maybe anecdotal numbers on how many people are actually taking advantage of that?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />That&#8217;s a good question. Again, in our case, it&#8217;s all limited to the scope of Metorik because someone would have to turn on the cart tracking feature. We have then opted to pay extra for our email feature to send an abandoned cart email, which is why we didn&#8217;t go too deep into that because it&#8217;s just not big enough scale to be too insightful. Of the stores actually adding, anecdotally, it&#8217;s like 20-30% of our stores are trying to recover carts, not enough. It&#8217;s very common that I&#8217;ll meet really successful stores that are doing significant numbers but aren&#8217;t really focusing on abandoned cart recovery, but also failed order recovery and really simple actions like that alone will pay for the cost of Metorik or any other plugin or app to do it. You just need to recover several carts and you can recover the cost of the software to do it. It&#8217;s worth investing in for almost any business. Again, it depends on the industry and the business and the brand and all those factors. It&#8217;s never one size fits all.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />Katie, is that something that you guys think about for the plugins? I don&#8217;t know how that works with EDD or any of the setup that you guys have. I know that you have demos with InstaWP, and you&#8217;re tracking all that stuff too. Is abandoned cart recovery something that you guys talk about?</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Yeah. I miss Jilt. I know you used to work for that company. That was the best.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Jilt was such a great product.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Such a shame. We now use Recapture, which is nowhere near as good as Jilt was, but it kind of does the job. The data isn&#8217;t brilliant. It&#8217;s pretty basic, but we do recover a lot of carts that way, which as Bryce said, more than pays for Recapture. We also use it for post-purchase emails, like sending a discount code to people a few days after they make a purchase and stuff like that. We do get our money&#8217;s worth out of Recapture. There isn&#8217;t, for Easy Digital Downloads, a particularly professional abandoned cart solution. I think a lot of mailing list providers like MailChimp and so on integrate with WooCommerce as well as you having your own paid feature, Bryce, as well. Hopefully it&#8217;s better for WooCommerce than EDD.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />There&#8217;s definitely more options for Woo. I don&#8217;t think, again, Woo is typically a second-class citizen in a way on every platform. They&#8217;ll tend to just do it as an afterthought, so you don&#8217;t get maybe enough tracked or accuracy when it comes to carts. A lot of our cart tracking was inspired by Jilt. I think the whole team did such a good job on that product. We took a lot of inspiration from that. Klaviyo and all those apps that do integrate with Woo, MailChimp, they&#8217;re going to be thinking about Woo once every few months. It&#8217;s not like an active daily thought in how they develop and improve the product. It&#8217;s really fun for me to try to prioritize Woo and think, how can I make the best possible product for these merchants that typically aren&#8217;t getting anything made for them?</p>



<p>Katie:<br />On the country and currency section, I thought it was strange that there&#8217;s a significantly higher average order value when the customer is not in the store&#8217;s default currency. So if it&#8217;s a store in the US and they offer in British pounds, then there&#8217;d be a higher average order value on average than the US dollars. I can&#8217;t think of any reason why. Can you?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah, no, definitely. I think it actually leads into two pages forward where we talk about, or several pages forward where we talk about delivery distances and how people typically spend more when they&#8217;re ordering from further away. A lot of it comes down to when you are ordering from a store in a remote area, it&#8217;s a bigger deal. You might have to pay more for shipping. It might be something you can do less frequently because of the cost. The average order tends to be higher because of that reason, where they&#8217;re trying to maximize that moment where they are making a purchase. It does lead into that idea where stores that offer free shipping end up having a higher AOV, and that can encourage higher spending. If you&#8217;re in an international country paying in a different currency, that free shipping could make a difference and make you spend a lot more.</p>



<p>Personally, I do that all the time. Being in Australia, most of the things I&#8217;m buying online are from overseas, and I will always spend even double or triple to get free shipping, which isn&#8217;t logical in that way, but no one likes</p>



<p>paying for shipping. I don&#8217;t want to pay 20 pounds to ship something from the UK. I would much rather just pay 300 pounds and get free shipping, but I get 300 pounds worth of items. It&#8217;s a weird thing, but I think a lot of people I spoke to about this report, especially Australian people, but really anyone American ordering from Europe or Europe ordering from America or Asia from anywhere in the world, you want to maximize those purchases to get free shipping, but also it might just not be something you do frequently because you have to wait several weeks for the delivery to come. So you want to spend a bit more instead of something local where you can order several times in a week and it&#8217;s not going to be that much of a delay.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />I&#8217;m an Amazon Prime member, like many folks, at least in the US, probably all over the world, so I&#8217;m used to the free shipping. I was going to say, it&#8217;s no surprise that free shipping increases the average order value, but also I&#8217;m wondering if we&#8217;ve all been kind of conditioned to expect free shipping as an option. It shows in the report that about two-thirds of stores are offering it. What advice would you have for the third of stores that are not yet offering free shipping? Is it just a barrier for them?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />I don&#8217;t remember if we actually had the number of stores that offer free shipping, but I know that 66% of orders did have free shipping, which as a sheer number of orders is significant. But I&#8217;m curious, for stores that don&#8217;t offer free shipping, is that just a no-brainer that you should offer free shipping? That&#8217;ll basically guarantee a higher average order value?</p>



<p>Not necessarily on every order, especially if your shipping costs are high. It&#8217;s feasible, but you need to figure out what is your shipping cost. Not just what you&#8217;re charging customers, because a lot of stores tend to charge a bit more. What&#8217;s your actual cost? What would your cost be if you were able to have double the number of orders because you&#8217;re offering free shipping? The cost might come down with that volume. But I would say figure out your cost and then factor that in. If I know my average cost is $9 and my average order is $50, if I could make free shipping over 90 or 80, it&#8217;s like I&#8217;m getting 30, $40 more revenue at a cost of nine or $10. It typically comes down to that, figuring out where you&#8217;re at, but where you want to get to. Free shipping is just a lever to get there. Abandoned cart discounts are another way, multiple different paths, and it depends on the store.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />That fits quite nicely into the page about delivery distances and where you talk about how far away people are ordering. It looks like the majority of stores are doing proper shipping, and they&#8217;re not just delivering pizza places delivering within a few miles. There&#8217;s a lot of people delivering, even thousands of kilometers, aren&#8217;t there?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah, I think I&#8217;m just looking at that report as well. Sure, under a thousand kilometers looks like it&#8217;s around 50% of orders. But that&#8217;s a significant number of orders that are going a further distance, which is great. That&#8217;s what ecommerce is about. It&#8217;s about enabling people to buy the items that they normally couldn&#8217;t get locally. Being in a pretty remote place like Australia, you really appreciate it. So much stuff I love that I have to get from overseas. In my case, every order is traveling 10,000k or more. That probably brings it up a little bit.</p>



<p>Marcus:<br />You alone are making up that 3% of orders that travel more than 10,000 kilometers.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />In some industries, maybe. I did buy a lot of stuff from the UK recently.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I never knew that about Australia.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Of course, we have so many amazing Australian brands and products and companies to buy from, but if you&#8217;re into a niche thing, I really love synthesizers. A lot of that&#8217;s not coming from Australia or records as well. They&#8217;re coming from America, Japan, places like that.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />I have a similar issue in Spain. Nearly everything is not available from Spain and I need to order it from elsewhere. So then there is that, depending on where you live.</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />It goes back to that if you are ordering from somewhere domestically in Spain, you don&#8217;t need to really maximize that order as much as you are ordering from the states and have to incur shipping. You&#8217;d probably want to add a couple more items because you&#8217;re not going to make that order from the US every week, but you might do that domestically.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Well, thank you so much, Bryce. That&#8217;s been really interesting, and I think it&#8217;s given us some good perspectives on WooCommerce that we never had access to before. So that&#8217;s really helpful. Thank you so much. Before we finish, can you tell us where we can find you online and also where we can read the report in full?</p>



<p>Bryce:<br />Yeah, of course. For me, I&#8217;m on Twitter at BryceAdams. I don&#8217;t tweet much, but I&#8217;m trying to be better and taking a lot of inspiration from you, Katie, to try to engage more. The report is on Metorik at <a href="https://metorik.com/woocommerce-insights" rel="nofollow">https://metorik.com/woocommerce-insights</a>. I hope people love it and really let us know your feedback because if there are metrics that people want or would find useful for their business, we want to include those next year. A lot of this was just done on what we thought people would want, but we really do want to build it for not just our customers, but the WooCommerce community. It&#8217;d be great to hear more about what numbers would be of value to them.</p>



<p>Katie:<br />Excellent. Well, thank you so much.</p>
</div>




<p>In this episode of <strong>Woo BizChat</strong>, hosts <strong>Marcus Burnette</strong> and <strong>Katie Keith</strong> chat with <strong>Bryce Adams, founder of Metorik</strong>, to discuss his recently published first <em><strong>Metorik Insights Report for WooCommerce</strong></em>.</p>



<p>The deep dive conversation spans a variety of topics, including the average age of WooCommerce stores, the impact of COVID-19 on ecommerce, and the significance of tracking costs and profits. </p>



<p>Bryce shares valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities faced by WooCommerce store owners, shedding light on the trends and patterns observed across thousands of stores using Metorik&#8217;s analytics and email automation tools.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-gray-background-color has-background"><strong><a href="https://metorik.com/woocommerce-insights">Download the Metorik Insights for WooCommerce</a></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Highlights</h2>



<p><strong>Bryce discusses the impact of COVID-19 on ecommerce</strong>, noting significant growth in existing stores during the pandemic.</p>



<p><strong>The need for better integration of cost and profit tracking features</strong> in WooCommerce core is highlighted.</p>



<p><strong>Prevalence of Elementor and Classic Editor</strong> among top themes and plugins in WooCommerce stores is discussed.</p>



<p><strong>Continued reliance on PHP 7.4</strong> in many WooCommerce stores is noted.</p>



<p><strong>Successful WooCommerce stores</strong> often have numerous active plugins and subscriptions, leading to higher costs.</p>



<p><strong>Order milestones are explored</strong>, revealing why only a small percentage of stores reach a million orders.</p>



<p><strong>Strategies for abandoned cart recovery</strong> are covered, including offering incentives and using recovery attempts as marketing opportunities.</p>



<p><strong>Recovered carts typically have higher average order values</strong>, emphasizing the importance of effective recovery strategies.</p>



<p><strong>The role of free shipping </strong>in boosting average order values is examined.</p>



<p><strong>The impact of delivery distances</strong> on ecommerce purchasing behavior is discussed, with insights into how customers maximize their purchases.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Links</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong><a href="https://metorik.com/">Metorik.com</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://metorik.com/woocommerce-insights">Download the Metorik Insights for WooCommerce</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://x.com/bryceadams">Bryce Adams on X</a></strong></li>
</ul>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:07:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:11:"
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:85:"HeroPress: Voices Of WordCamp Europe: Josephine (Rahissa) Ngo Nonog and Herman Ngembu";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:29:"https://heropress.com/?p=7182";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:209:"https://heropress.com/voices-of-wordcamp-europe-josephine-rahissa-ngo-nonog-and-herman-ngembu/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=voices-of-wordcamp-europe-josephine-rahissa-ngo-nonog-and-herman-ngembu";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:836:"<img width="1024" height="590" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jo_herman-1024x590.webp" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" /><p></p>



<p>A big goal of mine was to meet people for the first time.  Rahissa and Herman fit the bill.  I saw them across the room and simply asked if I could interview them.</p>



<p>They came to Italy from Cameroon as students and someone said they should try WordCamp.  I&#8217;ll let the interview tell the rest of their story.</p>



Josephine (Rahissa) Ngo Nonog and Herman Ngembu Interview


<p>The post <a href="https://heropress.com/voices-of-wordcamp-europe-josephine-rahissa-ngo-nonog-and-herman-ngembu/">Voices Of WordCamp Europe: Josephine (Rahissa) Ngo Nonog and Herman Ngembu</a> appeared first on <a href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 01 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:79:"Do The Woo Community: Press Release: Do the Woo 4.0 Launches at WordCamp Europe";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=7063";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"https://dothewoo.io/press-release-do-the-woo-4-0-launches-at-wordcamp-europe/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5714:"<p><strong>For Immediate Release</strong></p>



<p><strong>Do the Woo 4.0 Official Launch: Elevating Voices in the WordPress Community</strong></p>



<p>WordCamp Europe, June 9, 2024 — We are thrilled to announce the official launch of Do the Woo 4.0, marking a significant milestone in our journey to build a vibrant community for WordPress and WooCommerce builders and businesses. This launch coincides with the first day of WordCamp Europe.</p>



<p>Since 2018, Do the Woo has evolved through continuously, growing both in content and community engagement. The decision to move Do the Woo to its own site in late 2022 was the first major step for the future. As we entered 2023, our mission began to extend beyond WooCommerce to encompass the broader WordPress ecosystem. The idea was simple: elevate voices and create a podcast by the community, for the community.</p>



<p>At the beginning of 2023, planning for the new started and in October, we solidified our efforts, with the goal of showcasing the diverse range of the Do the Woo podcast channel with our shows. With significant support from WordPress.com, this vision became a reality, culminating in a redesigned site that went live in March.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This week, we start our prelaunch. The official launch will be on June 13, 2024, when we will proudly unveil the fully developed Do the Woo 4.0.</p>



<p><strong>Key Features of Do the Woo 4.0</strong></p>



<p><strong>Comprehensive Podcast Lineup:</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>With the official launch, we now have a total of <a href="https://dothewoo.io/our-shows/">12 shows</a> and <a href="https://dothewoo.io/about-the-woocommerce-builder-community/">26 hosts</a>, including our latest addition focused on <a href="https://dothewoo.io/podcasts/scaling-enterprise-wordpress-and-open-source-software/">enterprise WordPress and open-source software (OSS)</a>. <a href="https://dothewoo.io/our-shows/">Each show has its own dedicated page</a>, allowing listeners to learn about the series, explore past episodes, and subscribe to their favorite content.</p>



<p><strong>Enhanced User Experience:</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Our top priority was to provide an easy way for listeners to subscribe to the shows they want. They can subscribe to individual shows or opt for the full Do the Woo feed if they want to stay updated on all content.</p>



<p><strong>Global Community Representation:&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>The <a href="https://dothewoo.io/about-the-woocommerce-builder-community/">About page</a> features a dynamic map showcasing our hosts, sponsors, and guests from around the world. This interactive feature highlights the global reach and diverse backgrounds of our contributors.</p>



<p><strong>Support for Hosts</strong>:&nbsp;</p>



<p>We’ve introduced a <a href="https://dothewoo.io/support/">new support option</a> on our site, allowing listeners to support specific shows and their volunteer hosts. This initiative aims to sustain the high-quality content produced by our dedicated team and support them in their travels and contributions to the community.</p>



<p><strong>Special Acknowledgments</strong></p>



<p><strong>Partners:</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>We extend our heartfelt thanks to WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and Jetpack for their unwavering belief in our community and the incredible support they have provided.</p>



<p><strong>Sponsors:</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Do the Woo&#8217;s existence and growth are made possible by our sponsors. We express our deepest gratitude to our current sponsors: Airwallex, Avalara, Cloudways, GoDaddy, Hostinger, Omnisend, and Weglot. Their commitment to our community is invaluable.</p>



<p><strong>Podcast episodes for the launch week scheduled to go out</strong></p>



<p>June 10: <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/do-the-woo-4-0-this-week-at-wordcamp-europe/">Do the Woo 4.0, This Week at WordCamp Europe</a></strong></p>



<p>June 11: <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/a-new-show-scaling-enterprise-wordpress-and-oss/">A New Show, Scaling Enterprise, WordPress and OSS</a></strong></p>



<p>June 12: <a href="https://dothewoo.io/a-pre-launch-chat-with-jay-walsh-at-woocommerce/"><strong>A Pre-Launch Chat with Jay Walsh at WooCommerce</strong></a></p>



<p>June 13: <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/thinking-about-our-launch-on-wceu-contributor-day/">Thinking About Our Launch on WCEU Contributor Day</a></strong></p>



<p>June 14: <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/do-the-woo-podcast-channel-4-0-official-launch/">Do the Woo Podcast Channel 4.0 Official Launch</a></strong></p>



<p>June 15: <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/learn-about-all-the-shows-on-the-do-the-woo-podcast-channel/">Learn About All the Shows on the Do the Woo Podcast Channel</a></strong></p>



<p><strong>Join Us</strong></p>



<p>We invite you to explore the new Do the Woo 4.0 at <a href="http://DotheWoo.io">DotheWoo.io</a>. Whether you are a developer, a business owner, or simply a WordPress enthusiast, there is something for everyone. Take a moment to browse through the site, subscribe to your favorite shows, and consider supporting our hosts.</p>



<p>For more information, to be featured on a podcast, or to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact BobWP directly. We have exciting plans ahead and look forward to sharing them with you.</p>



<p><strong>Contact:</strong></p>



<p>BobWP</p>



<p>Email: info@dothewoo.io</p>



<p>Website: <a href="https://dothewoo.io">https://dothewoo.io</a></p>



<p>Thank you for being part of our community and for your continued support. We can&#8217;t wait to see where this journey takes us next.</p>



<p>###</p>



<p>End of Press Release</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sun, 30 Jun 2024 09:30:42 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"bbPress: bbPress 2.6.11 is out!";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:29:"https://bbpress.org/?p=240802";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:55:"https://bbpress.org/blog/2024/06/bbpress-2-6-11-is-out/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1322:"<p>bbPress 2.6.11 is a <strong>minor</strong> release that fixes <a href="https://bbpress.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&group=resolution&milestone=2.6.10">13 relatively small bugs</a> reported over the past few years.</p>



<p>Most notably, it improves HTML output escaping in the topic &amp; reply forms (nothing serious, just some entities showing up where they should not), prevents a bunch of different debug notices from filling up error logs, and also updates some code to avoid deprecated notices from testing with the latest version(s) of WordPress itself.</p>



<p>All of these fixes have already been merged up into the 2.7 development branch.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re paying really close attention, you may be wondering &#8220;hey John, what happened to 2.6.10?&#8221; </p>



<p>Well&#8230; I botched it. It&#8217;s been a while, ok? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f926-200d-2642-fe0f.png" alt="🤦‍♂️" class="wp-smiley" /> And 2.6.11 is good to go.</p>



<p>Huge thanks to <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/eusebiuoprinoiu/">Eusebiu</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/kcristiano/">Kevin</a>, and (as always) <a href="https://bbpress.org/forums/profile/robin-w/">Robin W</a> for being super fast with their feedback and just generally awesome!</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 17:58:35 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:17:"John James Jacoby";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:4;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:130:"Gutenberg Times: 796 Block themes, alternatives to custom block dev, game’s a changing for custom fields — Weekend Edition 297";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=29017";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:114:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/796-block-themes-games-a-changing-for-custom-fields-more-dev-notes-weekend-edition-297/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:21236:"<p>Hi there, </p>



<p>I love the excitement of a major WordPress release! All the new features and update coming to WordPress. The theme building becomes easier and easier to provide great design solutions for content creators and site builders. </p>



<p>You&#8217;ll find lots of information in these editions and I also highlight a few upcoming events, two virtual one in-person. And recordings of previous events, so you can catch up on Developer Hours and Hallway Hangouts. </p>



<p>Yours, 💕<br /><em>Birgit</em></p>



<p>In this week&#8217;s <a href="https://wpbuilds.com/2024/06/25/this-week-in-wordpress-299/">This Week in WordPress #299</a> &#8220;We have all the Birgit&#8217;s and Remkus&#8221;. It again was a fun show and great to catch up with Birgit Olzem, Remkus de Vries and Nathan Wrigley on WordCamp Europe, and the upcoming WordPress 6.6 release. </p>



<a href="https://wpbuilds.com/2024/06/25/this-week-in-wordpress-299/"><img width="652" height="367" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/This-Week-in-WordPress-299.jpg?resize=652%2C367&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-29081" /></a>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>If you want to learn more about my non-WordPress self, Bud Kraus and I chatted on the <a href="https://seriouslybud.com/birgit-pauli-haack/"><strong>Seriously, Bud? Podcast episode</strong></a> </p>



<div class="wp-block-group has-light-background-background-color has-background"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow">
<div class="wp-block-ideabox-toc ib-block-toc"><div class="ib-toc-container ib-toc-list-style-bullets ib-toc-hierarchical ib-toc-expanded"><div class="ib-toc-header"><div class="ib-toc-header-title">Table of Contents</div><div class="ib-toc-header-right"><span class="ib-toc-icon-collapse"><span class="dashicon dashicons dashicons-minus"></span></span><span class="ib-toc-icon-expand"><span class="dashicon dashicons dashicons-plus"></span></span></div></div><div class="ib-toc-separator"></div><div class="ib-toc-body"><ul class="ib-toc-anchors"></ul></div></div></div>
</div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="0-word-press-release-information">Developing Gutenberg and WordPress</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Upcoming Events</h3>



<p>July 9th, 2024, 15:00 UTC &#8211; <strong>Developer Hours</strong>: <a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/301834541/"><strong>Editor unification and extensibility in WordPress 6.6</strong></a>. </p>



<p>In this Developer Hours session, Nick Diego and Ryan Welcherwill explore how these updates can streamline your development process and enhance extensibility like never before. You will learn how to:</p>



<ul>
<li>Extend the Post and Site Editor using slots and why you might want to do so</li>



<li>Display content only when specific conditions are met, such as when editing a custom post type</li>



<li>Update existing extensions to work in both the Post and Site Editor</li>



<li>Ensure updated extensions are backward compatible with WordPress 6.5 and lower&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/301834541/"><img width="600" height="338" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/600_521936273.webp?resize=600%2C338&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-29070" /></a>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>WordCamp Canada</strong> will take place between <strong>July 11 and 13, 2024&nbsp;</strong>Ottawa, ON Canada and they published <a href="https://canada.wordcamp.org/2024/schedule/">their fabulous schedule.</a> If you can join them in person, here are a few block related talks to attend. They will also be recorded and will make their way to WordPressTV and YouTube. </p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://canada.wordcamp.org/2024/session/your-wordpress-your-way-curating-the-editor-experience/">Your WordPress, Your Way: Curating the Editor Experience</a> with Nick Diego</li>



<li><a href="https://canada.wordcamp.org/2024/session/working-across-timezones-as-a-productive-developer/">Working across timezones as a productive developer</a> with Aurooba Ahmed </li>



<li><a href="https://canada.wordcamp.org/2024/session/creating-blocks-faster-than-a-cat-video-goes-viral-the-magic-of-create-block/">Creating Blocks Faster Than a Cat Video Goes Viral: The Magic of create-block</a> with Ryan Welcher</li>



<li><a href="https://canada.wordcamp.org/2024/session/state-of-multilingualism-in-wordpress/">State of Multilingualism in WordPress</a><a href="https://canada.wordcamp.org/2024/schedule/"> </a>with Robert Windisch</li>



<li></li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>July 23, 2024</strong>, at 15:00 UTC <a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/301860423/"><strong>Developer Hours: Do you really need a custom block? Let’s explore alternatives.</strong></a> <strong>Nick Diego</strong> and <strong>JuanMa Garrido</strong> will discuss the following scenarios</p>



<ul>
<li>How to add new functionality to core blocks</li>



<li>How to use content-only editing and the allowedBlocks attribute in patterns</li>



<li>How to integrate block bindings and block variations</li>



<li>How to effectively use block locking and naming</li>



<li>How to create overrides in synced patterns</li>
</ul>



<a href="https://www.meetup.com/learn-wordpress-online-workshops/events/301860423/"><img width="600" height="338" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/600_521958647.webp?resize=600%2C338&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-29071" /></a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WordPress 6.6</h2>



<p>This week, the release squad unleashed <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2024/06/wordpress-6-6-rc1/"><strong>WordPress 6.6 RC 1</strong></a>. It&#8217;s now high time to test your themes, plugins, and sites for compatibility. If you want to explore what is new in WordPress 6.6, one way is outlined in the post to <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2024/06/03/help-test-wordpress-6-6/">Help test WordPress 6.6</a>.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Devnotes </strong>have been published together with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/25/wordpress-6-6-field-guide/">WordPress 6.6 Field Guide</a> </p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/28/editing-custom-fields-from-connected-blocks/">Editing custom fields from connected blocks</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/28/updates-to-the-interactivity-api-in-6-6/">Updates to the Interactivity API in 6.6</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/24/miscellaneous-editor-changes-in-wordpress-6-6/">Miscellaneous Editor changes in WordPress 6.6</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/24/section-styles/">Section Styles</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/21/wordpress-6-6-css-specificity/">WordPress 6.6 CSS Specificity</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/20/roster-of-design-tools-per-block-wordpress-6-6-edition/">Roster of design tools per block (WordPress 6.6 edition)</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/20/site-wide-background-images-in-wordpress-6-6/">Site-wide background images in WordPress 6.</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/19/theme-json-version-3/">Theme.json version 3</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/18/grid-layout-type/">Grid layout type</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/18/editor-unified-extensibility-apis-in-6-6/">Editor: Unified Extensibility APIs in 6.6</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/07/preparation-for-react-19-upgrade/">Preparation for React 19 Upgrade</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/06/jsx-in-wordpress-6-6/">JSX in WordPress 6.6</a></li>
</ul>



<a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2024/06/wordpress-6-6-rc1/"><img width="652" height="371" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-28-at-11.35.47.png?resize=652%2C371&ssl=1" alt="Draft highlight grid by the design team. Changes might occur. " class="wp-image-29080" /></a>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Anne McCarthy</strong> also posted the <a href="https://nomad.blog/2024/06/26/wordpress-6-6-source-of-truth/"><strong>Source of Truth on WordPress 6.6</strong></a> features. It again is a great source to learn about every feature that is coming to a WordPress instance near you on July 16, 2024, tag for theme authors, plugin authors, end users, and enterprise. </p>



<p class="has-accent-color has-light-background-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-f61a6e38efafe8fffcffd52c26500075">🎙️ Latest episode: <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/gutenberg-changelog-102-wordcamp-europe-wordpress-6-6-and-gutenberg-18-6/">Gutenberg Changelog #102 – WordCamp Europe, WordPress 6.6 and Gutenberg 18.6</a> with special guest Jessica Lyschik</p>



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<p>In his <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2024/06/17/design-share-58-jun-3-jun-14/"><strong>Design Share #58 (Jun 3-Jun 14)</strong></a>, <strong>Joen Asmussen</strong> shared the work by the WordPress design team in the previous two weeks, among them</p>



<ul>
<li>A light Playground site update</li>



<li>Color &amp; Fill?</li>



<li>Fix site editor frame artifacts</li>
</ul>



<p>In <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2024/06/28/design-share-59-jun-17-jun-28/"><strong>Design Share 59 (Jun 17-Jun&nbsp;28)</strong></a>, Asmussen highlighted: </p>



<ul>
<li>Background/Image Tools</li>



<li>Rename of Fill → Grow for the Flex layouts. </li>



<li>Clean up of Dimension Tools</li>



<li>Aligning Naming Modals</li>



<li>Adding custom fields in data views</li>



<li>Design tools exploration: Contextual color controls and new panels for Background, and Elements</li>



<li>Lessons in Course page</li>



<li>Open Graph images</li>



<li>Theme preview</li>
</ul>



<p>Asmussen also lists helpful links to Figma Design Library, GitHub tracking issues and issues that need design work and feedback. Check in if you&#8217;d like to contribute with feedback and PRs.</p>



<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2024/06/28/design-share-59-jun-17-jun-28/"><img width="652" height="330" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-13.13.50.png?resize=652%2C330&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-29103" /></a><em>Mockup of possible screen to add Custom Fields in a very early exploration</em>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Keeping up with Gutenberg &#8211; Index 2024&#8221;</a>&nbsp;</strong><br />A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test, and Meta team from Jan. 2024 on. Updated by yours truly. The previous years are also available: <strong><strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/">2020</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2021/">2021</a></strong>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2022/">2022</a></strong></strong>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/gutenberg-index-2023">2023</a></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Plugins, Themes, and Tools for #nocode site builders and owners</h2>



<p>Did you know that there are now almost <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/tags/full-site-editing/"><strong>800 block themes </strong></a>available in the WordPress Theme Directory? 796 is today&#8217;s number. The most themes were built by the designers at <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/author/automattic/">Automattic: 183 themes</a>, of which the latest two are <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/sunderland/">Sunderland</a> and <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/otis/">Otis</a>. The designs from all theme designers become more and more interesting, for all kinds of use cases. If you haven&#8217;t done it recently, get our favorite beverage and start a browsing tour. You might be amazed what the Theme directory has to offer, especially after the refresh of the design and the new preview screens for patterns and style variations. </p>



<img width="652" height="184" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-29-at-13.06.03.png?resize=652%2C184&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-29102" />



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Bud Kraus</strong> explored the Block editor&#8217;s Command Palette and takes you along for the tour in his post <a href="https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/wordpress-command-palette"><strong>Using the WordPress Command Palette to Work With Faster and Smarter</strong></a>. He <a href="https://x.com/joyofwp/status/1805563770384613555">commented on X</a>: &#8220;Even after writing this for Hostinger I still hardly use it. Maybe I am waiting for a more mature tool that we should see once the entire WP Admin gets overhauled.&#8221; What do you think? </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Jamie Marsland</strong> summarized the most important features in his video: <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4D1dHTZvQQ">WordPress 6.6 &#8211; Huge Changes Coming Soon!</a></strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="toolbelt-video-wrapper"></div>
</div>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>WPBeginner</strong>&#8216;s editorial staff posted <a href="https://www.wpbeginner.com/news/whats-coming-in-wordpress-6-6-features-and-screenshots/"><strong>What’s Coming in WordPress 6.6 (Features and Screenshots)</strong></a> as a quick overview what will make it into the new version. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="2-word-press-6-0-1-and-6-1-scheduled">Theme Development for Full Site Editing and Blocks</h2>



<p><strong>Justin Tadlock</strong> and <strong>Nick Diego</strong> shared  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyYdkXAx7qw"><strong>What’s new for theme developers in WordPress 6.6</strong></a> in this week&#8217;s Developer Hours. The recording is available on YouTube and Presentation resources were shared in <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p9QzJ9MnFneoSun85f-6ZDRGJiIjlNNe2sqEcTGNDeM/edit#heading=h.uy7q2zyn0xy9"><em>this Google Doc</em></a>. &#8220;WordPress 6.6 will be released on July 16, 2024, bringing many exciting new features for theme developers. In this session, we explore how these updates can enhance your themes and streamline your development processes. Key highlights include: </p>



<ul>
<li>Major upgrades to the block style variations system &#8211;</li>



<li>New color and typography-only style presets &#8211;</li>



<li>Enhanced grid layout options in the Group block</li>



<li>Specificity changes for Core styles &#8220;</li>
</ul>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="toolbelt-video-wrapper"></div>
</div>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>Last week I already shared the short video by Beatrix Fialho, now you can follow the whole discussion via the <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/25/recap-hallway-hangout-theme-building-with-playground-create-block-theme-plugin-and-github/">Recap Hallway Hangout: Theme Building with Playground, Create-block-theme plugin, and GitHub</a></strong> with shared resources, step-by-step instructions, a recording of the full discussion and the transcript.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Carolina Nymark</strong>, core contributor and keeper of fullsiteediting.com updated lessons on her site to include the most recent changes in WordPress.</p>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://fullsiteediting.com/lessons/global-styles/">Global Styles &amp; theme.json</a></li>



<li><a href="https://fullsiteediting.com/lessons/theme-json-color-options/">Theme.json color options</a></li>



<li><a href="https://fullsiteediting.com/lessons/theme-json-font-size/">Theme.json typography: Font size</a></li>



<li><a href="https://fullsiteediting.com/lessons/theme-json-typography-font-styles/">Theme.json typography: Line height, font weight and more</a></li>



<li><a href="https://fullsiteediting.com/lessons/how-to-add-box-shadows-with-theme-json/">How to add shadows with theme.json</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="3-building-themes-for-fse-and-word-press">Building Blocks and Tools for the Block editor. </h2>



<p><strong>Bernie Reiter</strong> published a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/24/proposal-block-variation-aliases/"><strong>Proposal: Block Variation Aliases</strong></a> for WordPress 6.7 and request feedback on a new method to add Block variations specific class names in front end and database. It will have technical ramification regarding backwards compatibility. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Brian Coords</strong> just released a video on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNtHywyxWdc"><strong>WordPress 6.6 is changing the game for Custom Fields</strong></a> in which he walks you through the power of block binding and locking down templates for editing. Later on, he also shows you how to Block Bindings with a block variation. Coords also provides example code. </p>



<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s master branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. </p>



<p>Now also available via <a href="https://playground.wordpress.net/?blueprint-url=https://gutenbergtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/playnightly.json">WordPress Playground</a>. There is no need for a test site locally or on a server. Have you been using it? <a href="mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com">Email me </a>with your experience</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-small-font-size"><em>Questions? Suggestions? Ideas? </em><br /><em>Don&#8217;t hesitate to send <a href="mailto:pauli@gutenbergtimes.com">them via email</a> or</em><br /><em> send me a message on WordPress Slack or Twitter @bph</em>.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<p class="has-text-align-center has-small-font-size">For questions to be answered on the <a href="http://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast">Gutenberg Changelog</a>, <br />send them to <a href="mailto:changelog@gutenbergtimes.com">changelog@gutenbergtimes.com</a></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide" />



<p>Featured Image:</p>



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<p class="has-text-align-left"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>


<form class="wp-block-newsletterglue-form ngl-form ngl-portrait" action="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/" method="post"><div class="ngl-form-container"><div class="ngl-form-field"><label class="ngl-form-label" for="ngl_email"><br />Type in your Email address to subscribe.</label><div class="ngl-form-input"><input type="email" class="ngl-form-input-text" name="ngl_email" id="ngl_email" /></div></div><button type="submit" class="ngl-form-button">Subscribe</button><p class="ngl-form-text">We hate spam, too, and won&#8217;t give your email address to anyone <br />except Mailchimp to send out our Weekend Edition</p></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay"><div class="ngl-message-svg-wrap"></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay-text">Thanks for subscribing.</div></div><input type="hidden" name="ngl_list_id" id="ngl_list_id" value="26f81bd8ae" /><input type="hidden" name="ngl_double_optin" id="ngl_double_optin" value="yes" /></form>


<hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide" />";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 16:54:02 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18:"Birgit Pauli-Haack";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:66:"Do The Woo Community: Tips for the Single WordPress Plugin Builder";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=7127";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:65:"https://dothewoo.io/tips-for-the-single-wordpress-plugin-builder/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3646:"<p>In a <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/running-a-wordpress-plugin-business-single-handedly-with-mark-westguard/">recent episode on Do the Woo</a></strong>, Mark Westguard from WS Form talked about his journey and what it means to run a successful plugin shop single-handedly.</p>



<p>Here are 12 tips taken from that episode.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-involvement">Community Involvement</h2>



<p>Engage with the WordPress community by attending events like WordCamps, and consider sponsoring these events to build a network and gain support from other developers and users.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-documentation">Documentation</h2>



<p>Develop a comprehensive knowledge base for your plugin. Write articles for frequently asked questions to reduce support requests and provide instant answers to users.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-customer-driven-development">Customer-Driven Development</h2>



<p>Focus on customer feedback to guide the development of new features. Use a feature request page where users can submit and vote on new ideas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-support-automation">Support Automation</h2>



<p>Automate support as much as possible. Use tools to recommend knowledge base articles based on user queries and streamline the support process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-efficient-time-management">Efficient Time Management</h2>



<p>Prioritize tasks by balancing between reactive updates (e.g., API changes) and proactive development of new features based on customer demand and potential business impact.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-collaborate-with-third-parties">Collaborate with Third Parties</h2>



<p>Work with third-party developers and services to extend the functionality of your plugin. This helps in managing integrations and keeping your plugin up-to-date.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-profitability-focus">Profitability Focus</h2>



<p>Maintain a high level of profitability by being cautious about hiring. Consider hiring only when the workload becomes unmanageable and impacts personal life significantly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-multi-function-roles">Multi-Function Roles</h2>



<p>When hiring, look for individuals who can handle multiple roles, including support, development, and representation at events, to maximize efficiency and reduce costs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-self-service-tools">Self-Service Tools</h2>



<p>Develop tools that allow users to solve their problems without contacting support. This includes automated responses and a robust support form that guides users to the right resources.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-selective-feature-development">Selective Feature Development</h2>



<p>Not all feature requests should be built. Focus on those that benefit a broader audience and align with your plugins primary use cases. Niche or highly specific requests can often be handled through custom code or third-party services.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marketing-and-visibility">Marketing and Visibility</h2>



<p>Actively market your plugin by demonstrating its capabilities and forming relationships within the WordPress community. Participate in podcasts, write articles, and engage on social media.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balance-work-and-personal-life">Balance Work and Personal Life</h2>



<p>Ensure your work does not negatively impact your personal life. Be mindful of your working hours and make adjustments when necessary to maintain a healthy work-life balance.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:6;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:86:"Do The Woo Community: 12 Public Relation Tips for WordPress and WooCommerce Businesses";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6707";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:85:"https://dothewoo.io/12-public-relation-tips-for-wordpress-and-woocommerce-businesses/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3590:"<p>In a recent <a href="https://dothewoo.io/adding-public-relations-to-your-wordpress-or-woo-biz-stack/"><strong>Woo BizChat</strong></a>, hosts Emma and Adam talked about the benefits of PR for WordPress specific businesses. Adam is a PR specialist that is founder of <strong><a href="https://cirrusinfluence.com/">Cirrus Influence</a></strong>.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Start with the why:</strong> Before starting a PR campaign or diving into networking events like WordCamps, clarify the purpose and objectives behind your efforts. Understanding the &#8220;why&#8221; will guide your actions and decisions.</li>



<li><strong>Identify your tribe:</strong> Find the communities or groups where your target audience is active and engage with them. Building relationships within these communities can provide invaluable support and opportunities for collaboration.</li>



<li><strong>Be bold and persistent:</strong> Don&#8217;t be afraid to reach out to potential partners or event organizers. Even if you receive a &#8220;no&#8221; initially, don&#8217;t be discouraged. Seek constructive feedback and consider alternative approaches for future endeavors.</li>



<li><strong>Develop your expertise:</strong> Continuously work on improving and sharing your knowledge and expertise. Consider giving talks at local meetups or WordCamps to establish yourself as an industry expert.</li>



<li><strong>Practice public speaking:</strong> Engage in activities like Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills. Confidence in presenting your ideas is crucial for effective communication and networking.</li>



<li><strong>Embrace confidence:</strong> Confidence doesn&#8217;t come from external validation. You have to believe in yourself and your capabilities. Take the initiative and recognize your own potential.</li>



<li><strong>Avoid hard-selling tactics:</strong> When participating in events or engaging with potential customers, focus on building relationships rather than pushing sales. Provide value and focus on becoming a trusted resource for your audience.</li>



<li><strong>Keep track of data and feedback:</strong> Gather data and feedback from your PR activities to assess what is working and what needs improvement. Data points, whether positive or negative, provide insights for refining your PR strategies.</li>



<li><strong>Engage in the margin:</strong> Allocate resources and opportunities for creative marketing initiatives. Having some margin allows you to experiment with brand-building activities and sustain long-term growth.</li>



<li><strong>Utilize WordCamps as relationship building:</strong> Attend and sponsor WordCamps with the intention of building relationships rather than solely emphasizing direct sales. Use these events to connect with the WordPress community and establish your brand identity.</li>



<li><strong>Don&#8217;t wait for confidence:</strong> Confidence is an internal decision. Don&#8217;t wait for external validation or a sudden surge of belief in your abilities. Take charge of your confidence and trust in your potential to make things happen.</li>



<li><strong>Seek encouragement within:</strong> Ultimately, the motivation and encouragement you need comes from within. Don&#8217;t rely solely on external sources for validation. Embrace self-encouragement and belief in your journey.</li>
</ul>



<p>Listen to the full episode here: <a href="https://dothewoo.io/adding-public-relations-to-your-wordpress-or-woo-biz-stack/">Adding Public Relations to Your WordPress or Woo Biz Stack</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:71:"Do The Woo Community: 10 Ways to Boost Your WordPress Affiliate Program";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6726";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:70:"https://dothewoo.io/10-ways-to-boost-your-wordpress-affiliate-program/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3224:"<p>Creating and running an affiliate program for your WordPress products or services can be overwhelming and challenging. Alex Standiford is asking everyone to rethink affiliate programs. Here are 10 ideas that may spark something new in your affiliate program.</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Consider Diverse Performance-Based Programs</strong>: Look beyond traditional affiliate models and consider partnerships that offer payouts based on specific performance metrics, such as driving traffic, customer satisfaction, or content engagement, in addition to sales.</li>



<li><strong>Focus on Quality Over Quantity</strong>: Rather than targeting a large number of affiliates, aim to work closely with a smaller group of committed affiliates who are aligned with your brand and have the potential for significant conversions.</li>



<li><strong>Develop Personalized Partnerships</strong>: Foster stronger relationships with affiliates by providing personalized support, workflow insights, and one-on-one consultations to maximize their success.</li>



<li><strong>Explore Profit Margin-based Payouts</strong>: Determine payout percentages based on your profit margins, ensuring that the compensation aligns with the value brought in by affiliates.</li>



<li><strong>Emphasize Collaboration Among Affiliates</strong>: Allow for multiple affiliates to earn credit for the same sale, encouraging collaboration and teamwork among the affiliates rather than fostering competition.</li>



<li><strong>Evaluate the Long-term Commitment of Affiliates</strong>: Understand the level of commitment required for your products or services, especially for items with significant user loyalty, such as recurring payment services, and consider tailored affiliate approaches for each category.</li>



<li><strong>Avoid Over-reliance on Volume-based Traffic</strong>: Challenge the effectiveness of purely volume-based traffic and explore more nuanced and sustainable strategies to create a more targeted and engaged audience.</li>



<li><strong>Encourage Allyship and Teamwork Among Affiliates</strong>: Foster an environment where affiliates can work together as allies, leveraging each other&#8217;s strengths to attract and convert traffic, encouraging specialized roles and collaboration for improved performance.</li>



<li><strong>Consider Tailored Affiliate Programs</strong>: Explore the possibility of customizing affiliate programs to match specific niches, addressing the limitations of generic affiliate approaches and contributing to improved partnership outcomes.</li>



<li><strong>Prioritize In-depth Support and Education</strong>: Provide comprehensive resources, insights, and dedicated support to affiliates, setting up workflows to guide them through effective strategies and enable overall success.</li>
</ol>



<p>You can learn about Alex&#8217;s WordPress plugin <strong><a href="https://www.sirenaffiliates.com/">SirenAffilates.com</a></strong> and / or listen to the full episode on Do the Woo: <a href="https://dothewoo.io/reimagining-affiliate-programs-for-your-woo-biz-with-alex-standiford/"><strong>Reimagining Affiliate Programs for Your Woo Biz with Alex Standiford</strong></a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:8;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:86:"Do The Woo Community: 12 Email Marketing Tips for WooCommerce and WordPress Businesses";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6246";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:85:"https://dothewoo.io/12-email-marketing-tips-for-woocommerce-and-wordpress-businesses/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:6257:"<p>In a podcast episode of <em><strong>Woo BizChat </strong></em>we had email marketing expert Greg Zakowicz from Omnisend chatting with Emma and Adam. Although it&#8217;s recommended that you listen to the full episode, <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/email-marketing-tips-for-woo-and-wordpress-businesses/">Email Marketing for Woo and WordPress Builders and Businesses with Greg Zakowicz</a></strong> , here are 12 tips to help with your WordPress or WooCommerce business, whether you create products or provide services.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-embrace-automation">Embrace Automation</h2>



<p>Greg emphasizes the effectiveness of automated emails, revealing that 41% of all email marketing orders sent by Omnisend customers came from automated messages. Automation allows you to send targeted and relevant messages based on the user&#8217;s behavior, making it a powerful tool for increasing engagement and conversions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-on-high-intent-automated-messages">Focus on High-Intent Automated Messages</h2>



<p>Greg highlights specific automated messages that drive results, including welcome messages, browse abandonment, and cart abandonment emails. These messages are high-intent and directly tied to user behavior, making them more likely to lead to conversions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-utilize-social-proof-in-subject-lines">Utilize Social Proof in Subject Lines</h2>



<p>Greg suggests that subject lines featuring social proof, such as top-rated products or five-star reviews, can capture attention. Incorporating elements that highlight the quality and popularity of your products or services can make your emails more appealing to recipients.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experiment-with-emojis-in-subject-lines">Experiment with Emojis in Subject Lines</h2>



<p>Despite not being a new concept, Greg emphasizes the continued effectiveness of using emojis in subject lines. Emojis can help break up the visual monotony, especially on mobile devices, making your emails stand out in crowded inboxes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-optimize-for-mobile-and-visual-appeal">Optimize for Mobile and Visual Appeal</h2>



<p>Greg discusses the importance of visual elements, white space, and breaking up text to make emails visually appealing. Since many users access emails on their mobile devices, optimizing for mobile responsiveness and creating visually engaging content can enhance the overall user experience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clean-inactive-contacts-regularly">Clean Inactive Contacts Regularly</h2>



<p>Greg emphasizes the importance of cleaning inactive contacts from your email list to maintain deliverability and engagement rates. Sending emails to inactive contacts can negatively impact your sender reputation and result in lower inbox placement. Regularly clean your list, preferably twice a year, to remove subscribers who haven&#8217;t engaged in a significant period.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understand-and-monitor-email-deliverability-requirements">Understand and Monitor Email Deliverability Requirements</h2>



<p>Stay informed about email deliverability requirements, such as authentication protocols like DKIM, DMARC, and SPF. Greg mentions that Google and Yahoo have implemented new deliverability requirements, and compliance with these standards is crucial for proving your legitimacy as a sender and avoiding potential deliverability issues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benchmark-against-yourself-not-just-industry-averages">Benchmark Against Yourself, Not Just Industry Averages</h2>



<p>While industry benchmarks can provide useful insights, Greg advises marketers to primarily benchmark against their own performance. Focus on improving your open rates and click-through rates over time rather than comparing yourself solely to industry averages, as different list-cleaning practices can significantly impact these benchmarks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leverage-competitive-differentiators-in-email-templates">Leverage Competitive Differentiators in Email Templates</h2>



<p>When creating email templates, highlight competitive differentiators such as free shipping, fast delivery, and customer service policies. Templatize this information to make it highly visible in your emails, catering to the specific intent of users who are looking for such value propositions when deciding whether to engage with your email content.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-templatize-social-proof-and-value-propositions">Templatize Social Proof and Value Propositions</h2>



<p>Incorporate social proof, customer testimonials, and value propositions into your email templates. Whether it&#8217;s showcasing five-star reviews, testimonials about great customer service, or emphasizing hassle-free returns, templatizing this content can build confidence and address potential obstacles to conversion, ultimately increasing click-through rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implement-automated-retargeting-sequences">Implement Automated Retargeting Sequences</h2>



<p>Greg emphasizes the importance of setting up automated retargeting sequences based on user behavior. Whether it&#8217;s a browse abandonment or cart abandonment, these automated sequences can significantly improve the chances of reengaging with users who have shown interest in your products. By strategically utilizing automation, you can &#8220;feed the wolf&#8221; over time, increasing the likelihood of recapturing customers at a lower cost compared to other retargeting methods.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-ai-tools-for-subject-line-generation">Use AI Tools for Subject Line Generation</h2>



<p>Greg recommends using AI tools, such as the subject line generator provided by Omnisend, to overcome creative blocks when crafting email subject lines. AI-powered tools can offer a fresh perspective and propose creative subject lines that may not have been considered. This can be particularly useful in ensuring that your subject lines stand out and capture the attention of your audience, contributing to higher email open rates</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:9;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:50:"Do The Woo Community: Marketing WordPress Products";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6241";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:48:"https://dothewoo.io/wordpress-product-marketing/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2248:"<p>In a recent Emerging Tech episode David Lockie had the chance to talk about a lot of WordPress with Noel Tock plus catch up on what he is doing. This is the final thought coming from Noel, and I would recommend checking out the entire conversation: <a href="https://dothewoo.io/learn-wordpress-product-marketing-deeply/"><strong>Learn WordPress Product Marketing Deeply with Noel Tock</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-on-noel-s-mind">On Noel&#8217;s Mind</h2>



<p>I&#8217;d say what I talked about now is probably the thing that bugs me the most or lives rent free in my mind is that amazing effort and energy that everyone puts into WordPress, but then is trying to fit through a pipe that&#8217;s way too small in terms of product marketing is never really displayed in its full glory to the rest of the market in a very specialized way.</p>



<p>And it&#8217;s a struggle to you start thinking, are you delusional because you&#8217;re talking to an enterprise client when they say WordPress doesn&#8217;t do this, doesn&#8217;t do that. And you&#8217;re sitting there thinking, am I just like a WordPress advocate or do I actually know what I&#8217;m talking about?</p>



<p>So I think in many ways, when Matt, years ago, 2015, what was it 2015 when he said learn JavaScript deeply, I think now it&#8217;s learn marketing deeply. That&#8217;s what I think should be WordPress&#8217;s mission for the next two years because we are in a time when we&#8217;ve gone boom bust and we have an opportunity to seize right now as companies are looking at down rounds and they&#8217;re laying off staff.</p>



<p>One of the first places they cut is R&amp;D and innovation, and we have an opportunity to catch up on that ground. Not that we have to necessarily build a lot of stuff at all. I don&#8217;t even think we have to build that stuff, but I think we have to just do a much better job of product marketing at <strong>three, four or five levels of niches</strong>. And to me, it doesn&#8217;t mean that those couple niches define what WordPress is. There are just merely abstractions and narratives that sit on top of the WordPress we know today. It&#8217;s not trying to change what WordPress is.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:10;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:78:"Do The Woo Community: A WordPress Project Funding Solution and Where it Starts";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6181";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"https://dothewoo.io/a-wordpress-project-funding-solution-and-where-it-starts/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2682:"<p>In a deep discussion around supporting essential projects in the WordPress space <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7162363489506861056/">Tom Willmot</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7162363489506861056/">Joost de Valk</a> explored the issues around the topic. Specifically how does this get solved?</p>



<p>As they described a particular project that you can learn more about in the <a href="https://dothewoo.io/funding-wordpress-projects-with-tom-willmot-and-joost-de-valk/"><strong>full episode</strong></a>, it led into many paths that led to the need for change. For contributors keeping up all of these essential projects and in reality, are like saying &#8220;Hey, y&#8217;all pay up for what I&#8217;m doing for you here for free.&#8221;</p>



<p>Joost opened it up with this thought it it went further into who should really be stepping up.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-a-perfect-world">In a perfect world&#8230;.</h2>



<p>Joost: But it also opens up a wider discussion about how do we support the tools that we use that are not like the tools that end users may be using, but the tools that we use to build those. It&#8217;s this whole ecosystem. And are we even aware of the fact that we&#8217;re using this code? Well, I think it&#8217;s a problematic thing, and I have my opinions on how we should solve this in an ideal world. Unfortunately, I&#8217;m not the one who gets to decide that.</p>



<p>So in my ideal world, we would have a WordPress app store where WordPress plugins, the plugin repository would not just be for free plugins, but would also be for commercial plugins. And we take a percentage of sales there and put that money to work on stuff like this and lots of other things. I think that would make WordPress better for everyone. We could how we want plugins to sell their things, and we couldn&#8217;t enforce all the proper legalities there that are needed, and we could fund the companies and the projects that we need that we all need to, well, to sustain our work.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-there-is-so-much-more">And there is so much more&#8230;</h3>



<p>Well, that was the perfect world for Joost. But Tom and Joost went on to talk about other ways of funding these projects and who should be stepping up. Of course, it&#8217;s not even that simple.</p>



<p><a href="https://dothewoo.io/funding-wordpress-projects-with-tom-willmot-and-joost-de-valk/"><strong>Listen to the full episode Funding WordPress Projects with Tom Willmot and Joost de Valk here.&nbsp;</strong></a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:11;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:73:"Do The Woo Community: Starter WooCommerce Performance Tips for Developers";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6174";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:72:"https://dothewoo.io/starter-woocommerce-performance-tips-for-developers/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:10033:"<p>In a <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-performance-optimization/">Woo DevChat</a>, I asked <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinazeidan?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAACbwBtEBQRgcNmwLLij0zaBN7znv_qYfCuM">Sabrina Zeidan</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wputasic?miniProfileUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_miniProfile%3AACoAACQSmi8BUWyj0LAr-g2JbUQcu799ehldCdA">Uros Tasic</a> to give their insights into WooCommerce performance. One suggestion that Sabrina made was that they come up a a few step for a developer who is not performance expert but they notice or they feel like you feel like the website is acting slow.</p>



<p>They don&#8217;t know whether it&#8217;s fronted or backend. It was fine a month ago and now it&#8217;s acting weirdly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-a-query-monitor">Using a Query Monitor</h2>



<p>The first thing I would recommend is so easy. So this is not a developer tool, but it&#8217;s easy if you can add a plugin that is a query monitor. It can show you if there is some error on the site or if there are some slow queries to the database. So again, I know that there are developers going to say you can see slow queries, MySQL queries on the server. So that is advanced thing, the simplest thing, add a plugin and track, not the best thing, but you can see there if there are some issues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-checking-the-logs">Checking the Logs</h2>



<p>If a query monitor doesn&#8217;t reveal anything or important, then I would suggest now depending on your hosting and server provider, you can check logs.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s say for the people that are not experienced, there are two types of logs. One is the error log and another one is access log. So if you don&#8217;t know when something is happening or what kind of are pages causing it in access log, you can see that. For example, in the last hour you got 1000 views of specific page on the website that has a newsletter and some feed or something and then you can assume that something on that page is creating a problem and continue from there. In that case you can create test page with only one block or with only feed to see if that is going to behave slowly and then you can eliminate one by one. This is if the page is making a problem. Then you can see also if there is some current jobs or W-P-C-L-I commands and then you can address those.</p>



<p>For example, in multiple cases if you have a big database doing a backup, it can slow down the site because the database will be locked and then the site cannot do anything. So again, you can move backups, but you can see those details in the access login error log of the website. Again you cannot see everything there.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-more-advanced-tools">Using More Advanced Tools</h2>



<p>If you want to go more advanced and I want to be actively doing on performance, there are tools that I would recommend that you can use New Relic, you can use Xdebug or you can use Blackfire. All those three tools are testing your code performance. You can record the whole page and then it&#8217;ll tell you exactly how many queries, what function is called, how many times the function is called, which file is, and how it&#8217;s behaving in the background for you.</p>



<p>From there you can then pick saying, okay, this plugin is taking five seconds to load on this specific page to I really need this plugin or can this be changed? Can I introduce some caching plugin, can I? But those are a little bit more advanced tools but I would spend some time to get familiar with those similar tools.</p>



<p>So just once more, this is Blackfire, New Relic and Xdebug. Some of them are free, some of them have a paid plan. So again, you don&#8217;t need all three but you can start with at least one. And then again, if you want to test the front end and just the Google Page speed, you can use Lighthouse or Google speed may have some suggestion.</p>



<p>To sum it up, first one is query monitor, easy, and there are good things about it. It&#8217;s pretty user friendly. You can just see what&#8217;s happening and if something is red, you know that strong. So it&#8217;s easy to find the bottlenecks.</p>



<p>The second one would be check the logs on the server, both access and error logs and then PHP errors or something like that.And the third one is use one of the tools like Blackfire, New Relic or Xdebug and again you&#8217;ll find issues with plugins but then this is awareness I&#8217;m talking about. But yes, what would your steps be?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sabrina-s-perspective-as-a-performance-engineer">Sabrina&#8217;s perspective as a performance engineer</h2>



<p>I will share the steps when I&#8217;m hired to work on a websites, but steps that someone who is not performance expert but just a developer can take to identify what&#8217;s happening and if something is happening because this is the beginning of the process. So let&#8217;s say you just notice something is off. I would recommend to start with narrowing down the problem if it might be overwhelming for the person who is not used to a lot of performance information.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-google-search-console">Google search console</h3>



<p>I would recommend to first identify if the problem exists and if so where it does exist. I would recommend to go first thing to Google search console and check your core web vitals data and see if there are any issues there. Google Search console is place where in page size there is a small thing where you have core web vitals assessment. This is real field data from your website, but it comes from the bigger source of information and the more detailed report can be found in Google search console.</p>



<p>There is a tab there called core vitals. You can go there and check if your website is passing core vitals assessment. If the website is passing core web vitals assessment, especially on LCP and first input delay, which will soon be replaced with INP interactive to the next paint. So if it passing on this two, it means that real users don&#8217;t have problems with speed on your website on front end, but if at the same time you have the feeling that something is off, something is loading slowly, I would try to differentiate probably if it&#8217;s happening only when you locked in, if it&#8217;s happening for locked in users and it&#8217;s not happening for locked out users and then you will have the answer.</p>



<p>If it&#8217;s not happening for locked out users, there are no issues with core web vitals, then this issue most likely will be connected with something on backend that is cached or mitigated by something on front end for locked off users. Okay, this is already a lot of information for us. We already know that we should be looking in the backend because it&#8217;s happening in the backend and from this point I would recommend install query, monitor and looking there. But again, when you install query monitor, there is a huge amount of information there. If you don&#8217;t know where you are looking at, it&#8217;s easy to get lost. And some websites have a lot of issues. This happens to my clients a lot. They see that the website have a lot of issues, there are errors, there are slow queries, there are a lot of sales and scripts loading.</p>



<p>There are so many issues I would recommend to pinpoint what is the most easy thing to fix and the most easy things to fix are usually basic ones, First it&#8217;s PHP version. It would be so easy to, it&#8217;s really, really easy to fix. You just upgrade server to a higher PHP version test there. If all plugins play well with it, you keep it going.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memory-limits">Memory limits</h3>



<p>Now the thing that is often overlooked, there is a theme that we have in WordPress that is called Ability memory limit and by default it&#8217;s set to 40 megabytes and I see a lot of cases when this default number hasn&#8217;t been changed. For years the site was surviving somehow, but now it&#8217;s not because 40 megabytes, it&#8217;s very, very low number.</p>



<p>But it happens often. I see that they are upgrading their hosting, they&#8217;re paying for say two gigabytes of RAM on their hosting, but there is a limit set in their WordPress to 40 gigabytes. So they never use what they&#8217;re paying for. By the way query monitor is showing that thing. So if memory limit is set to the default to 40 megabytes, you&#8217;ll see that in query monitor. That would be another very easiest thing to fix. This is something that you should be able to fix yourself and if after that the problem doesn&#8217;t disappear, that that is a sign there is a problem that this is a sign you should seek for help.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-misleading-object-caching">Misleading object caching</h3>



<p>Object caching can be a very good idea and query monitor might be showing that as well. What it shows you sometimes can be misleading. In query monitor it says object caching plugin is not in use and it&#8217;s a little bit misleading because you should check numbers next to this line seeing so many hits and so many cached and if you have from 100%, you have 95% cashed, that&#8217;s fine. It means query caching is working. It&#8217;s just you&#8217;re not using the plugin to manage it, but it is working. There is nothing to worry about. So my recommendation would be try to figure out if it&#8217;s frontend or backend by going to core web vitals. Then going as locked in user and trying to figure out if it&#8217;s backend or frontend. If it&#8217;s backend, it&#8217;s still query monitor, look at query basic things like WP memory limits.</p>



<p>You can listen to the entire episode <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-performance-optimization/">WooCommerce Performance Optimization with Sabrina Zeidan and Uros Tasic</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:12;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:82:"Do The Woo Community: Navigating High-Traffic Events with WooCommerce as an Agency";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6082";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:81:"https://dothewoo.io/navigating-high-traffic-events-with-woocommerce-as-an-agency/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4090:"<p>Operating a large-scale e-commerce business is no small feat, but when Black Friday through Cyber Monday hits, the challenges intensify, making it a crucial period for businesses like Maksimer. From a <strong>conversation on Do the Woo&#8217;s DevChat</strong>, Nenad Conić talks with hosts Zach and Carl about the strategies and experiences shared by the team at Maksimer as they tackle the unique demands of Black Friday and maintain seamless operations during this high-stakes weekend.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-a-high-traffic-event">Preparing for a high-traffic event</h2>



<p>Nenad highlights the importance of a two-month preparation period leading up to leading up to an event like Black Friday. Proactive communication with clients becomes paramount during this time, aiming to collaboratively plan and optimize sales campaigns. Emphasis is placed on creating effective landing pages that showcase sale products, allowing targeted optimization without overhauling the entire site. The goal is to enhance the customer experience on specific pages crucial for sales.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-and-solutions">Challenges and Solutions</h2>



<p>Despite great planning, there are always last-minute changes from some clients, creating unforeseen challenges. Nenad acknowledges that while it&#8217;s challenging to prevent such changes entirely, early communication and preparation remain critical. To address unexpected surges in server resource usage they implement monitoring systems. These systems trigger alerts when server resources approach their limits, enabling quick intervention to prevent site crashes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-navigating-the-unknown">Navigating the Unknown</h2>



<p>In the conversation it turns  to the unpredictable nature of server warnings, comparing them to a tsunami warning with a narrow window for response. Despite the challenges, having different departments within the company, such as the growth department and eco managers, provides additional support. Eco managers work closely with clients, offering insights and suggestions for handling their websites during high-traffic events.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-entrepreneurial-mindset">The Entrepreneurial Mindset</h2>



<p>They talk about the unique mindset of e-commerce store owners, describing them as self-motivated individuals eager to explore new tools and strategies. The challenge lies in balancing their entrepreneurial spirit with practical considerations. The team at Maksimer often receives requests to implement new features, such as affiliate programs, based on success stories from other store owners. Adapting these requests to the specific e-commerce platform and ensuring compatibility becomes an integral part of the collaboration.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-partnerships">Building Partnerships</h2>



<p>An important piece is the partnership dynamic between an agency and store owners in the e-commerce space. Unlike traditional marketing site builds, e-commerce clients actively engage throughout the entire process, understanding that their website directly influences their income stream. The agency&#8217;s role extends beyond building websites; they effectively control the client&#8217;s income funnel, requiring a collaborative and responsive approach to maintain client satisfaction, especially in crisis situations.</p>



<p>High-traffic events in e-commerce demands a combination of meticulous planning, effective communication, and adaptability. The insights shared by the team at Maksimer shed light on the complexities of e-commerce operations and the vital role played by agencies in ensuring a seamless and successful online retail experience, even in the face of unforeseen challenges.</p>



<p><a href="https://dothewoo.io/database-optimization-monitoring-tools-and-client-communication">You can listen to the full podcast episode, Database Optimization, Monitoring Tools, and Client Communication with Nenad Conić here.</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:13;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:100:"Do The Woo Community: A Deep Dive into the WordPress and WooCommerce Ecosystem’s Growth Strategies";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6115";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:96:"https://dothewoo.io/a-deep-dive-into-the-wordpress-and-woocommerce-ecosystems-growth-strategies/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:9052:"<p>In the online business world, WordPress and WooCommerce stand tall as two popular platforms that help businesses flourish. But to truly scale and excel, businesses need more than just the knowledge of these platforms—they need a well-thought-out plan.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This post dives deep into the growth strategies that can be implemented within the WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystems.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-wordpress-and-woocommerce-ecosystem"><strong>Understanding the WordPress and WooCommerce Ecosystem</strong></h2>



<p>The WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystem is vibrant, involving a wide array of stakeholders that contribute to its rich diversity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At its core, this ecosystem includes theme and plugin providers, developers, and hosting providers. These entities work hand in hand, each playing a vital role in creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.</p>



<p>Theme and plugin providers, for instance, offer essential tools that enhance the functionality and aesthetic appeal of WordPress sites, ensuring users enjoy a seamless experience.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://dothewoo.io/woo-dev-chat/">Developers, on the other hand, bring in technical expertise</a>, customizing websites to meet specific business needs, while hosting providers offer the requisite infrastructure, ensuring websites are accessible, reliable, and fast.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wordpress-and-its-market-dominance"><strong>WordPress and Its Market Dominance</strong></h3>



<p>An understanding of the WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystem wouldn&#8217;t be complete without appreciating WordPress&#8217;s market dominance. WordPress holds sway over a significant portion of the CMS market, powering <a href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress">over 40% of all websites</a> currently available on the internet.</p>



<p>The factors driving its widespread adoption are its flexibility, ease of use, and extensive customization possibilities. <strong>WordPress&#8217;s open-source nature</strong>, combined with its vast community of developers and theme and plugin providers, provides businesses with virtually unlimited potential for customizability.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s this scalability and versatility that have contributed significantly to WordPress&#8217;s sustained market dominance.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-woocommerce-and-its-place-in-ecommerce"><strong>WooCommerce and Its Place in eCommerce</strong></h3>



<p>WooCommerce is a dynamic player in the global eCommerce market. It rides on WordPress&#8217;s success by providing an intuitive, flexible, and powerful ecommerce platform that businesses of all sizes can leverage to set up online stores.</p>



<p>The benefits of WooCommerce are immense. From its seamless integration with WordPress, ease of use, flexibility, and the availability of numerous themes and plugins, WooCommerce offers businesses a customizable platform for setting up online stores.</p>



<p>When stacked against other platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce, WooCommerce shines for its affordability and adaptability. Shopify and BigCommerce are monthly subscription-based platforms, while Magento can be complex and may require expert developer knowledge.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On the contrary, WooCommerce is free, open-source, and user-friendly, making it a viable contender in the eCommerce space.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-opportunities-for-growth"><strong>Identifying Opportunities for Growth</strong></h2>



<p>In the dynamic WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystem, businesses must continuously identify and seize growth opportunities. A successful scaling strategy involves playing to the platform&#8217;s strengths and seeing beyond immediate needs to include future prospects.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Below are growth opportunities that businesses can use:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-expanding-product-offerings"><strong>1. Expanding Product Offerings</strong></h3>



<p>In any business venture, innovation is key. To truly tap into the potential of WooCommerce and WordPress, consider expanding your product offerings. This could be done by developing new plugins or incorporating additional services that complement your current product.</p>



<p>Examples could include tools that enhance website functionality, services geared towards improving the user-experience, or partnerships aimed at promoting your product.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-building-strong-partnerships"><strong>2. Building Strong Partnerships</strong></h3>



<p>Behind every successful business, there&#8217;s a <a href="https://dothewoo.io/the-enigma-of-wordpress-and-woocommerce-partnerships/">network of strong partnership</a>s. In the WordPress and WooCommerce ecosystem, fruitful connections can be forged with plugin and theme providers, WordPress agencies, and hosting providers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Collaborating with these entities on various initiatives can lead to reciprocal benefits and expanded growth opportunities.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-focusing-on-customer-success-and-support"><strong>3. Focusing on Customer Success and Support</strong></h3>



<p>The backbone of every successful business is its loyal customers. By building a robust customer support system, you&#8217;ll foster trust, loyalty, and eventual advocacy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Prioritize customer success management, which involves understanding your customers&#8217; journey and providing the support they need at every step.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-investing-in-content-marketing-and-seo"><strong>4. Investing in Content Marketing and SEO</strong></h3>



<p>The secret sauce for <a href="https://www.thedotstore.com/influencer-marketing/">gaining visibility and attracting customers</a> lies in content marketing and SEO.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Creating valuable, engaging, and <a href="https://dothewoo.io/future-seo-content-ai/">SEO-friendly content</a> ensures your business&#8217; visibility to potential customers and argues for your credibility within your industry.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-adapting-to-industry-trends"><strong>5. Adapting to Industry Trends</strong></h3>



<p>In today&#8217;s rapidly changing digital world, staying informed about industry trends and adapting your strategies accordingly, can be a game-changer for your business.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Regular monitoring of industry best practices, competitor activity, and <a href="https://dothewoo.io/tag/emerging-technologies/">emerging technology</a> trends can keep you on your toes and ready to adapt.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-success-of-growth-strategies"><strong>Measuring the Success of Growth Strategies</strong></h2>



<p>Implementing growth strategies without a system to measure their success won&#8217;t yield the desired effect. Analytics play a vital role in gauging the effectiveness of strategies and indicate where improvements are needed.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metrics-to-nbsp-track"><strong>Metrics to&nbsp; Track</strong></h3>



<p>To quantify your strategy&#8217;s success, consider tracking metrics like customer acquisition costs, churn rate, and average revenue per user.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These metrics provide insight into how effectively your strategies are working, where improvements could be made, and whether you&#8217;re reaching your desired goals.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adjusting-strategies-based-on-data"><strong>Adjusting Strategies Based on Data</strong></h3>



<p>Data is your best ally when it comes to steering the direction of your growth strategies. It adds objectivity to the process, helps you steer clear of bias-based decisions and allows for strategic pivots based on insights drawn from real-life performance.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Continuous analysis and refinement of your strategies based on <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-custom-order-tables-databases-and-performance/">performance data</a> will help ensure that your growth strategies remain effective and relevant in the long run.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-words"><strong>Final Words</strong></h2>



<p>The WordPress and WooCommerce platforms are excellent tools for online business growth. However, simply knowing how to use these tools isn&#8217;t enough.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To truly succeed, businesses must have a solid plan. This should involve identifying new opportunities, building partnerships, focusing on customer service, staying updated with industry trends, and making data-driven decisions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Combining these strategies ensure success not only today but also prepares businesses for the future.</p>



<p class="has-theme-palette-5-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size"><strong>This is a guest post from our sponsor and the team at <a href="https://www.thedotstore.com/">Dotstore</a></strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:14;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:72:"Do The Woo Community: Documentation is a Gift to the WordPress Community";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6007";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:71:"https://dothewoo.io/documentation-is-a-gift-to-the-wordpress-community/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1370:"<p>While we we were recording an episode of <strong><em>The WordPress Way</em></strong> at Do the Woo about <a href="https://dothewoo.io/importance-of-product-testing-in-wordpress/"><strong>The Importance of Product Testing in WordPress</strong></a>, guest Brian Alexander did a quick note in the chat tool we use during a recording, simply saying, &#8220;Documentation is a gift to the community.&#8221; Host Abha Thakor asked him to elaborate on that.</p>



<p><strong>Brian</strong>: Yeah, consider someone who is not as familiar with WordPress or is having a problem with their website or is a developer who&#8217;s just getting started. All of those different roles benefit from having strong updated documentation. Think of how many forum posts might not have been logged because it was clearly stated how to use a particular feature in the documentation or perhaps uncovering bugs as you said, because that&#8217;s all part of it. Validating your documentation in a way you&#8217;re testing what your assumptions are and if those assumptions are incorrect, then you&#8217;re assuming the wrong thing or there&#8217;s a bug in the system.</p>



<p>So that definitely becomes a gift to the entire community as a resource that doesn&#8217;t require one-on-one time or tying up one person. It&#8217;s very inefficient for one person to answer all the questions.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:15;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:65:"Do The Woo Community: How the Pace has Changed with SEO at Google";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=5991";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:64:"https://dothewoo.io/how-the-pace-has-changed-with-seo-at-google/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1697:"<p>In a podcast episode of Emerging Tech at Do the Woo, host David Lockie asked Alex Moss this question.</p>



<p>With how much is SEO changing &#8217;cause it&#8217;s a pretty mature practice now, and obviously like the cries of SEO is there have been ringing for, you know, almost as long as SEO&#8217;s been around, what sort of changes is Google making? You talked about schema. What&#8217;s that pace of change like now compared to how it has been over the last say, 20 years?</p>



<p><strong><em>Alex replied.</em></strong></p>



<p>I would say it seems that since September, Google have woken up to updating a lot more stuff. from what I heard, Google was busy with other things internally that that was prioritized over supporting schema within search console and different elements of it. But I saw when things like the FAQ and the event snippets were removed from the SERPs, there&#8217;s been a lot of testing over time of what different elements should be output in the search results.</p>



<p>And at the same time, you&#8217;ve got their own AI integrations with their own SERP. So there&#8217;s been a lot of changes, not only, I would say more clarification and expansion into what they&#8217;ve already been telling us the entire 20 years. So 20 years ago they had the webmaster guidelines, it was quite basic, right? But now it&#8217;s a whole documentation area of the site. everything&#8217;s been done. Even things like EEAT with their ethos on experience authority, trust, and expertise.</p>



<p><a href="https://dothewoo.io/future-seo-content-ai/">You can listen to more of his answer and the entire conversation around the future of AI, Content and SEO here.</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:16;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:101:"Do The Woo Community: Managing Response Times for Support with Your WooCommerce and WordPress Plugins";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=6061";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:100:"https://dothewoo.io/managing-response-times-for-support-with-your-woocommerce-and-wordpress-plugins/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4822:"<p>In a Woo BizChat show <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/the-path-for-creating-a-premium-plugin-extension/">about the path to creating Woo or WP plugins as extension of other plugins</a></strong>, host Marcus asked Maarten and Katie about support response times.</p>



<p><strong>Maarten</strong>: Well, if you want low response times, you have to do a lot yourself. So I did support for a long time before I hired somebody to help me with it, and now we&#8217;re kind of splitting the workload and I still go in there from time to time just to see what are the really technical tickets or if I know a customer, I will reply to them just to maintain that relationship or if I feel like I can get some more information out of the issue that the customer has or what they might want next for the plugin. </p>



<p>I&#8217;ll also jump in and reply. So I keep doing a lot of support and since I develop my own plugins, it&#8217;s always going to be the fastest. I can do probably 20 tickets in an hour and they will be finished too. There will be a reply.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-support-to-perfect-documentation">Using support to perfect documentation</h2>



<p>So that&#8217;s really the best thing to do for me. But yeah, it takes a lot of time, so you want to have to put in that time. But other than that, what I also did is I keep perfecting documentation, so I keep going back to the same documentation. If a customer has a question that is in the documentation and they didn&#8217;t find a reply, I will rewrite it. I will find a different way to say the same thing. And now I&#8217;m also experimenting with AI just to see if it can help with lowering that burden on support and also just give a quicker answer to my customers.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-average-ticket-when-you-delegate-support-might-take-half-an-hour-to-do">The average ticket when you delegate support might take half an hour to do</h3>



<p><strong>Katie</strong>: It&#8217;s interesting what you say about being able to do 20 tickets an hour because that highlights the most difficult thing that I have found in outsourcing your support and getting help with it because I too, as the founder, very, very fast at responding to tickets at what I think is very high quality. I know the product so well, I know our documentation, I wrote it after all. And so I can provide good responses very quickly, but then as soon as you start hiring out people to do it, whether they&#8217;re in-house or not, you find that that&#8217;s not what you receive. </p>



<p>Typically, and I&#8217;ve talked to many other WordPress product companies, the average ticket when you delegate support might take half an hour to do. They&#8217;re not doing 20 tickets an hour or anything like that. And as a founder, that&#8217;s really frustrating because you don&#8217;t understand why they&#8217;re not as fast as you, but you kind of have to just learn to accept that it&#8217;s one of the inevitable consequences of growing.</p>



<p>For example, at Barn2, we handle 22,000 support tickets last year. So clearly I can&#8217;t do all the support myself, and I would love to, I really enjoy support, particularly pre-sales because it&#8217;s an excellent touchpoint with your customers where you can really learn their motivation, how they see your products, and constantly when I do step into support and talk to customers, I&#8217;m finding opportunities to improve the documentation, improve the products, improve our sales pages. I learned so much from doing the support, but it&#8217;s not realistic. And so you have to get help and as part of that, you just have to accept that nobody is as fast as you.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-i-still-go-in-there-and-i-do-a-lot-of-support">I still go in there and I do a lot of support</h3>



<p><strong>Maarten</strong>: Yeah, and I was going to add that I fully agree with you there. It&#8217;s very frustrating in the beginning to find a support agent because you are used to your own speed of doing things, and it&#8217;s like you said, you have to come to terms with it. And for me, it took like six months where I was very frustrated with how things were going, and then I realized that it&#8217;s just all in my head and my expectations need to be different, and now everything&#8217;s going well. </p>



<p>I&#8217;m very happy with the support guide and it&#8217;s all known off my shoulders, so it&#8217;s perfect really. But I still go in there and I do a lot of support, but it&#8217;s on my agenda to lower my burden on support for this year because I&#8217;m doing too much and I&#8217;m spread a little bit too thin, especially if I&#8217;m developing new plugins. So I&#8217;m going to have to let it go this year and do less support</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:17;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"Do The Woo Community: Why Malware Scanner Plugins Do Not Work on WordPress Sites";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=5258";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:79:"https://dothewoo.io/why-malware-scanner-plugins-do-not-work-on-wordpress-sites/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7383:"<p><strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/security-from-the-basics-to-enterprise-with-calvin-alkan/">In a episode on Do the Woo, we had Calvin Alkin chatting with hosts Carl and Kathy.</a></strong></p>



<p>Kathy asked Calvin this question.</p>



<p>Calvin, I want to get back to why the plugin is, why that whole model doesn&#8217;t really work. Because of how PHP works. There might be some non-technical people who might not understand exactly how that model doesn&#8217;t work, and they might not be able to find time to read your research. But can you just give an overview of why that doesn&#8217;t,</p>



<p>What happens, I mean, I&#8217;ve seen the malware that&#8217;s done this, that&#8217;s like, oh, well, you can find everybody else&#8217;s malware, but you&#8217;re not going to find mine. And that hacker can modify those files. Can you explain why they can, why they get a site has an intrusion from, let&#8217;s say a SQL vulnerability, that SQL injection that does not have anything to do with anything happening in PHP, but they can still then get access to PHP files and modify them.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-scanner-plugins-won-t-work">Why scanner plugins won&#8217;t work</h2>



<p>So let&#8217;s start by at the point of through some means your site has been infected, so it doesn&#8217;t matter that infinite attack vectors, how that could have happened, but now your site has malware on it, and you also have a plugin that does malware scanning, maybe like using the WP chron periodically, or you can start it from the UI, whatever. But ultimately this scan, the malware scan runs in the same process, the PHP process and with the same privilege level as the malware. So the most simplest and the most blunt hit with the hammer approach, the malware could just simply disable or delete your security plugin from the file system. This will be like the easiest to understand the first time the malware runs, it just deletes your security plugin. That&#8217;s the easiest after there aren&#8217;t any scans, but obviously you as a site administrator would realize that at some point, yeah, maybe not immediately, but maybe you&#8217;ll realize eventually that your security plugin is gone.</p>



<p><br />So what they do is then because they can read the source code of the plugin, they can see how it works, and since they&#8217;re operating at the same privilege level, they&#8217;re both running inside of WordPress in the PHP process that powers WordPress, they can then alter the malware scanner in a way that maybe imagine this. They&#8217;re very complex operations going on to determine if a file is malware or not, and then the actual malware modifies that final result. It is displayed to you in the UI and just says, yeah, you&#8217;re all clean. Pretty much that&#8217;s how it works. They make the malware scanner lie to you. They make the malware scanner tell you there&#8217;s no malware, but there actually is. And the way to do that depends on malware based on the malware scanner that you have. And obviously we didn&#8217;t disclose what we did there. We don&#8217;t want to make it easier for folks, but it&#8217;s pretty easy, to be honest, like 10 lines of quote maybe to do that. It&#8217;s not hard. So yeah, that&#8217;s the fundamental issue. The system that is potentially infected wants to monitor itself, and that doesn&#8217;t work. It has to be from somewhere higher up or someplace that is more privileged at the server level.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plugins-that-have-firewalls-associated-built-into-the-plugin">Plugins that have firewalls associated built into the plugin</h3>



<p>So the firewall would be protection, not scanning. I mean, if you have hardware on your side, the firewall can be disabled in the very same manner. That&#8217;s also the, but at that point, you&#8217;re already infected. The firewall usually is there to prevent you from getting infected in the first place. There isn&#8217;t anything wrong in particular with plugin based firewalls. It&#8217;s more so that everything that you can do in a plugin with a firewall, you can do, for example, the Edge at CloudFlare or in the Nix firewall.</p>



<p><br />Yeah, just it&#8217;s heavy from a CIS admin perspective, especially in enterprise, right? We&#8217;re talking enterprise. So larger WooCommerce stores, larger sites, they need more PHP workers. They want their code to be more efficient so that the response time is faster and all those things. If every request has to be processed as a firewall request, it&#8217;s a lot of processing time dedicated to that. It&#8217;s not. Trivial in itself is a one serious reason to just not use super heavy security plugins like that is if they just do a lot and they put a lot of weight on your WordPress installation, which is a problem again for enterprise because they&#8217;re trying to be more performant, they&#8217;re trying to handle more sales, more everything, and you&#8217;re basically, it&#8217;s like having an ankle weight. You&#8217;re kind of dragging. Every request has this huge ankle weight that you&#8217;re dragging, and that serves not no purpose, but as we&#8217;re discussing the malware scanning doesn&#8217;t work. It&#8217;s more like security theater, right?</p>



<p><br />The malware scanning and some other things. Fundamentally, it&#8217;s impossible to perform that at the plugin level. And there are other things that are the same, but for example, the firewall, it is absolutely possible to write a secure firewall in a WebPress plugin. There&#8217;s nothing that makes it conceptually impossible, unlike the malware example. You can do that, whether the existing ones are secure, it&#8217;s a different topic, but it is theoretically possible. The thing is, it will not be performed because as Carl mentioned, at that point where the plugin based firewall runs, you already incur the majority of the cost of that request. You already went through the edge layer. Engine X ran, WordPress was booted, and then your firewall is hit. So it&#8217;s not performant. It&#8217;s possible to do it securely,</p>



<p><br />Or let&#8217;s go one step further to you&#8217;re trying to mitigate a DDoS. If your firewall&#8217;s, the actual PHP application, you ain&#8217;t mitigating anything, right? Your site&#8217;s blowing up either way. It&#8217;s all cool. You have a firewall, but you&#8217;re still getting hammered by hundreds of thousands of requests, your server&#8217;s not going to be able to handle it, and it&#8217;s not really designed for that either. You can do it on the same machine. I&#8217;ve done work with people that nonprofits where they can&#8217;t use American companies for security reasons, and so they can&#8217;t use CloudFlare or things like that. So you have to do a lot of the protection yourself at the machine level, but it&#8217;s not, you want those requests to be blocked. You can even overwhelm a Linux machine if you&#8217;re not careful, even with a DDoS. So that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s not efficient either, right? Part of the goal of a firewall is to prevent those DDoS attacks, and you basically are not doing that with a PV based firewall.</p>



<p><a href="https://dothewoo.io/security-from-the-basics-to-enterprise-with-calvin-alkan/">You can listen to the full episode here</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:18;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:74:"Do The Woo Community: Headless WooCommerce: Pros, Cons, and When to Use It";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=5911";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:70:"https://dothewoo.io/headless-woocommerce-pros-cons-and-when-to-use-it/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7873:"<p>Headless WooCommerce is a modern approach to ecommerce websites, where the frontend (the part that users see and interact with) is separated from the backend (the part that processes data and business logic).&nbsp;</p>



<p>This separation allows developers to create custom, high-performing stores and gives them more control over the user experience. APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are the key to enabling communication between the frontend and backend in this headless architecture.</p>



<p>In traditional WooCommerce websites, the frontend and backend are tightly coupled, limiting flexibility and potentially impacting performance. With Headless WooCommerce, developers can harness the power of decoupled architecture to create lightning-fast websites that are more adaptable to change.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-headless-woocommerce-works"><strong>How Headless WooCommerce Works?</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://bobwp.com/defining-headless-with-woocommerce-and-wordpress/">Headless WooCommerce</a> relies on a decoupled architecture, meaning that the frontend and backend operate independently from one another. This separation allows each layer to be developed and maintained independently, while still communicating effectively through APIs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The use of <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/">REST API</a> or <a href="https://graphql.org">GraphQL</a> plays a crucial role in exchanging data between the two layers, enabling them to work together seamlessly.</p>



<p>When creating a custom frontend for Headless WooCommerce, developers can choose from various JavaScript frameworks such as <a href="https://react.dev/">React</a>, <a href="https://angular.io/">Angular</a>, or <a href="https://vuejs.org/">Vue</a>. These frameworks provide the tools needed to build interactive, high-performance user interfaces while capitalizing on WooCommerce&#8217;s robust backend infrastructure.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-headless-woocommerce"><strong>Benefits of Headless WooCommerce</strong></h2>



<p>There are several major advantages to implementing Headless WooCommerce, including:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Improved performance and website speed</strong>: Separating the frontend and backend allows for optimization of each layer, leading to faster load times and an overall better user experience.</li>



<li><strong>More freedom for frontend developers</strong>: With a decoupled architecture, frontend developers can build custom layouts, designs, and interactivity without worrying about conflicts or limitations from the backend.</li>



<li><strong>Better integration capabilities</strong>: APIs make it easier to integrate other services and applications into your ecommerce platform, streamlining business processes and customer interactions.</li>



<li><strong>Enhanced security</strong>: Separating the frontend and backend can create an additional layer of security, as potential vulnerabilities in one layer might not directly impact the other.</li>



<li><strong>Scalability</strong>: A headless setup supports the growth of your ecommerce business by allowing you to easily scale and adapt the frontend and backend independently.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drawbacks-of-headless-woocommerce"><strong>Drawbacks of Headless WooCommerce</strong></h2>



<p>Despite its advantages, there are potential disadvantages of opting for a Headless WooCommerce setup, such as:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Complexity in development and maintenance</strong>: Building and maintaining separate frontend and backend systems can require a higher level of technical knowledge and expertise, increasing the complexity of projects.</li>



<li><strong>Limited access to certain plugins and tools</strong>: Some <a href="https://www.thedotstore.com/woocommerce-plugins/">WooCommerce plugins and tools</a> might not be compatible with a headless setup, which may affect your choice of extensions and features.</li>



<li><strong>Cost factors related to development and hosting</strong>: Customizing and hosting separate systems may increase costs compared to traditional WooCommerce implementations.</li>



<li><strong>Steeper learning curve</strong>: Developers might need to learn new technologies, frameworks, or architectures to effectively work with Headless WooCommerce.</li>



<li><strong>Possibility of creating disjointed experiences</strong>: If the frontend and backend aren&#8217;t well-integrated, it can lead to dissonance or inconsistencies in the user experience.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-to-use-headless-woocommerce"><strong>When to Use Headless WooCommerce?</strong></h2>



<p>Headless WooCommerce may not be suitable for all ecommerce stores, but it can yield significant benefits in specific situations. If your business is based on unique user experiences or needs custom interactivity that can&#8217;t be achieved with traditional themes, Headless WooCommerce could be the answer.</p>



<p>Businesses that require high scalability and flexibility are more likely to benefit from the separation of frontend and backend.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Also, those who need to integrate their stores with external systems, such as <a href="https://www.oracle.com/erp/what-is-erp/">ERP systems</a> or specialized CRM software, might find Headless WooCommerce more accommodating.</p>



<p>However, it&#8217;s important to remember that implementing Headless WooCommerce does require more development resources and skills. Be sure you have the team and budget to handle the increased complexity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alternatives-to-headless-woocommerce"><strong>Alternatives to Headless WooCommerce</strong></h2>



<p>Not all businesses are equipped or need to implement a headless approach. For those who find the concept excessive or unfit for their requirements, there are alternatives available.</p>



<p>Managed WordPress hosting solutions, for instance, provide an easier way for you to maintain your WooCommerce store. They handle technical aspects like security, backups, and updates, so you can focus on your business.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Additionally, if WooCommerce doesn&#8217;t meet your needs, there are plenty of other ecommerce platforms available. Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce each have their own distinct advantages and could be worth considering. Though they might not offer the same degree of customization and flexibility as WooCommerce, they may fit your clients needs better.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-words"><strong>Final Words!</strong></h2>



<p>Headless WooCommerce presents ecommerce businesses with the chance to maximize the potential of their platforms, enabling them to create unique user experiences, optimize performance, and enhance security among others. However, the complexity of the architecture, a steeper learning curve, and potentially higher costs serve as potential challenges.</p>



<p>The decision to adopt this approach will heavily depend on your business type, resources, budget, and specific needs. Those who can meet the demands of a headless architecture can truly unlock powerful possibilities for their ecommerce store. As always, it&#8217;s vital to consider all alternatives to ensure finding the best fit for your ecommerce venture.</p>



<p>Remember, the aim is to provide the best experience for your customers, and the choice of platform should align with this objective.</p>



<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5911_f4b5d1-72"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">
<p class="has-theme-palette-5-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size">This is a guest post from the team at <a href="https://www.thedotstore.com/">Dotstore</a></p>
</div></div>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:19;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:104:"Do The Woo Community: 10 Tips on Why You Need to Do a Marketing Post Mortem with Your Black Friday Sales";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=5842";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:103:"https://dothewoo.io/10-tips-on-why-you-need-to-do-a-marketing-post-mortem-with-your-black-friday-sales/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4064:"<p>In a podcast episode on Do the Woo. hosts Adam and Emma walked listeners through the importance of doing a marketing post-mortem after your Black Friday sales. Though you may feel Black Friday is done and gone, best to revisit this to be prepared for the next time you do a huge sale on your WordPress products or services.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>1. Schedule a time as soon as possible.</strong></p>



<p>While it might be tempting to wait until the rush of orders and customer service inquiries subsides, conducting a post-mortem as soon as possible allows you to capture fresh insights while memories are still vivid. Aim for a time when things have settled but not too long after the event so that the data is still relevant.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2. Identify your goals and objectives.</strong></p>



<p>Before diving into the numbers, clearly define your goals for Black Friday. Were you aiming to increase sales, reach a specific customer segment, or simply boost brand awareness? Having clear objectives will help you assess whether you achieved them and identify areas for improvement.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>3. Gather and analyze data from various channels.</strong></p>



<p>Don&#8217;t limit your analysis to just your website traffic and sales figures. Examine data from email marketing, social media, paid advertising campaigns, and other marketing channels to get a comprehensive overview of your performance across all fronts.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>4. Evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.</strong></p>



<p>Which marketing channels generated the most traffic and conversions? Which creative elements resonated best with your audience? Identify the campaigns that performed well and explore how you can replicate or enhance their strategies for future events.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>5. Analyze product performance.</strong></p>



<p>Examine which products sold well and which ones fell short of expectations. Understanding why certain items were more popular than others can inform your product development, purchasing, and pricing decisions in the future.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>6. Identify customer behavior trends.</strong></p>



<p>Analyze customer purchase patterns, browsing behavior, and engagement metrics to gain insights into their shopping habits and preferences. This information can guide your marketing efforts and product offerings in the long run.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>7. Gather feedback from customers.</strong></p>



<p>Reach out to your customers via surveys, social media polls, or direct messages to gather their feedback on your Black Friday experience. Their insights can help you identify areas for improvement and enhance customer satisfaction.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>8. Document your findings and action plans.</strong></p>



<p>Create a detailed report summarizing your key findings, action plans, and recommendations. Share this report with your team to ensure everyone is on the same page and can contribute to implementing the improvements.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>9. Use the insights to inform your future marketing strategies.</strong></p>



<p>Don&#8217;t let the post-mortem be a one-time exercise. Integrate the insights you gained into your overall marketing strategy, including planning for future Black Friday and promotional events.</p>



<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>10. Continuously refine and improve.</strong></p>



<p>The goal of a marketing post-mortem is not just to evaluate past performance but also to identify areas for improvement. Use the insights gained to continuously refine and optimize your marketing strategies for future success.</p>



<p><a href="https://dothewoo.io/a-post-mortem-marketing-analysis-of-black-friday-aka-stuff-you-should-do/">You can listen to the full episode or read the transcript for the show here.</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:20;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:70:"Do The Woo Community: Defining Headless with WooCommerce and WordPress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4761";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"https://dothewoo.io/defining-headless-with-woocommerce-and-wordpress/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2730:"<p>You have likely heard the term headless thrown around as it has encroached on the WordPress space. Personally, I have read several posts and even listened to some talks. I was kind of getting the concept, but let&#8217;s just say I couldn&#8217;t wrap my head around it. (No pun intended.)</p>



<p><strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/headless-woocommerce-with-jacob-arriola/">That was until we had Jacob Arriola on the podcast.</a></strong> And it finally made sense to me.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Headless is More Than the Legend of Sleepy Hollow</h2>



<p>I&#8217;ll give you the way I understand it. Right? There&#8217;s a lot of different interpretations. We take WordPress and <strong>WooCommerce</strong> as an example that is a monolithic application, meaning it&#8217;s responsible for a lot of things. It&#8217;s your CMS, right? Your admins, your shop owners log in and add content, you&#8217;ve got media library, it&#8217;s got products, it&#8217;s got orders, et cetera. But it&#8217;s also responsible for serving the front end, the public facing side of your application. The product catalog page, the single product page, the cart page, <strong><a href="https://jacobarriola.com/post/hosted-woocommerce-checkout-headless-application" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">checkout</a></strong>, so on and so forth. So it&#8217;s doing a lot of things.</p>



<p>And so when you talk about headless, the head really represents that view layer, that UI layer, that public facing layer. When we talk about what is headless, we kind of cut off the head or we decouple the UI, now WordPress, is no longer responsible for delivering the front end of the application. It&#8217;s only responsible for being the CMS, which it&#8217;s really, really good at, right? And then in the WooCommerce case, all the logic regarding ecommerce variations, orders, all that stuff, database facilitation, <strong><a href="https://jacobarriola.com/post/headless-woocommerce-stripe-checkout-graphql" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">payment gateways</a></strong>, things like that.</p>



<p>And so now you are now responsible for building UI in a different kind of context, whether that&#8217;s a different domain, a whole different framework, whatever the case may be, right? So we separate that out the head, the view layer, the UI, what&#8217;s publicly available.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diving-into-headless">Diving into headless</h3>



<p>Now that clearly should give you a better idea if you had been confused before. Of course that is only the tip of the iceberg and you may want to listen to the podcast as Jacob takes even deeper into the world of headless and WoCommerce.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:21;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:54:"Do The Woo Community: Why Do They Call it Black Friday";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=5399";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:53:"https://dothewoo.io/why-do-they-call-it-black-friday/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2420:"<p>In all the hoopla around Black Friday, some people think they know why it&#8217;s called such. Or maybe they don&#8217;t. History is fascinating, and podcast host Adam Weeks gives us the story behind it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-friday-sounds-bad">Black Friday sounds bad</h2>



<p>So Black Friday has a long history that has nothing to do with shopping. There was the term, black Friday was used in some bad things such as stock market crashes such as the plague, different issues. There was the day after Thanksgiving, people would often call in sick because they just wanted to take that Friday off as well. In modern history as a marketing term started about in the eighties and the notion was that essentially Black Friday was the day that retail stores actually started making a profit. </p>



<p>So if you think back to your classes of finance or doing the books, when you do not make money, when you are losing money, it is red. When you are making money, it is black. So hence Black Friday, which is mostly true. It&#8217;s a little bit of a folklore of how true that is and I,m sure it is different for different retail outlets, but essentially that&#8217;s the idea is that this is the season when people start to make money.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-friday-didn-t-quite-work">Big Friday didn&#8217;t quite work</h2>



<p>It was kind of a marketing thing. They started out wanting to call it Big Friday, but Big Friday didn&#8217;t stick and Black Friday is what we are left with and because of its success, we are now also adding Cyber Monday. Do you know why they call it Cyber Monday? Back in the day, people had slow internet connections at home. At home they would have something called a modem that would make, and then when someone would pick up the phone, you&#8217;d get kicked off of the internet. So surfing on the internet was stupid for many people at home. And what they remembered is that my employer pays a lot of money for a really good internet connection at work. So when I get to work on Monday, that&#8217;s when I&#8217;m going to start shopping.</p>



<p>If you would like to also hear some tips around selling on Black Friday, like which works better? Percentage off or a dollar amount off? Curious, <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-wordpress-sales-black-friday-2023/">check out the full podcast here</a></strong>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:22;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:66:"Do The Woo Community: Partnership &gt; First Win &gt;Talk About It";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4971";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://dothewoo.io/partnership-first-win-talk-about-it/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4483:"<p>A large part of what we do over on Do the Woo is help builders with product growth. Now I am no expert in the field, but by osmosis, through our partners, our podcast guests, and yes, our show&#8217;s co-hosts, there is a wealth of knowledge that I facilitate and bring to the table.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-partnerships-are-a-big-thing">Partnerships are a big thing</h2>



<p>Since I have been in business, even before WordPress, I valued every partnership I grew. And when it comes to partnerships and product growth, a lot of us hear tips and insights that are helpful, but seldom do they take a twist on things. That is what I am always looking for.</p>



<p>My friend and colleague, <strong>Jonathan Wold</strong>, is instrumental in helping me get Do the Woo where it is at today. I could go on and on about Jonathan, but another trait I really value from him is his unique and powerful insights that he brings to the Woo and WordPress ecosystem. And recently I was revisiting a post from last year about the challenges founders face with product businesses being undervalued in the WordPress ecosystem, my ears perked up. It&#8217;s titled, <a href="https://jonathanwold.com/using-the-loop-to-grow-a-wordpress-product-company/"><strong>Using the Loop To Grow a WordPress Product Company.</strong></a></p>



<p>The post resonated with me initially as it applies to my own partnerships and how I can help my partners get the most out of it.</p>



<p>I really felt Jonathan hit the nail on the head. With as many of these product companies who are struggling with growth, they can take his thoughts and actually step back with an approach that is more refined and strategic.</p>



<p>Now I don&#8217;t want to give away the whole post, but I wanted to tease you with these three elements of what he calls the &#8220;loop&#8221;.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-jonathan-s-blog">From Jonathan&#8217;s blog</h3>



<p>Here is a small part of the post:</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-partnerships">Partnerships</h4>



<p>Our ecosystem is warming up to the idea of growing through strategic partnerships. I spoke about it at WordCamp Europe and published a framework for strategic partnerships that’s served as a starting point for founders.</p>



<p>Within the context of our growth strategy, the idea is that you start with a partnership. Identify another business within the WordPress ecosystem aligned with the audience you’re serving and the problem you’re focused on solving and form a partnership.</p>



<p>Early on, you can’t know whether a partnership will work out or to what extent. Accordingly, it’s critical to focus on your..</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-first-win">First Win</h4>



<p>Work with your new partner to identify a first win. Given our emphasis on customer centricity, the ideal first win is going to be helping a mutual customer succeed.</p>



<p>This is where I often see partnerships go wrong. They “partner up”, and wait around for wins to happen. Stay focused on the partnership until you have a win that has all involved succeeding.</p>



<p>A first win is also a great way to gauge the quality of the partnership and decide how much further each of you are willing to invest.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-talk-about-it">Talk About It</h4>



<p>Take the win and keep the customer in focus; it’s about them, not you. With the customer’s blessing, tell the story. Work with your partner to share the mutual win within your spheres of influence.</p>



<p>Talking about the win and keeping the customer in focus gives you an opportunity to both anchor and continuously refine your positioning.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-loop">The Loop</h3>



<p>Of course the loop is the part that is as simple as this, <em>rinse and repeat</em>.</p>



<p>Now, as I said before, this was just a teaser as there is a lot more to the post that will be helpful to any product company looking to grow, whether it&#8217;s a product for WooCommerce or the bigger WordPress ecosystem. He goes more into his thoughts around this strategy including some solid guidance. <strong><a href="https://jonathanwold.com/using-the-loop-to-grow-a-wordpress-product-company/">Check out Jonathan&#8217;s post here</a>.&nbsp;</strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:23;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:74:"Do The Woo Community: Finding Team Members to Fit Your Company’s Culture";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4954";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:70:"https://dothewoo.io/finding-team-members-to-fit-your-companys-culture/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3141:"<p>In a podcast with <a href="https://dothewoo.io/building-an-agency-team-and-culture-for-success/"><strong>Marius Vetrici from WPRider, we dove into his agencies culture</strong></a>. Host Ronald Gijsel asked him, &#8220;How do you find out if somebody is the right fit into your culture? Is that something that you are very conscious on when you&#8217;re recruiting somebody?&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recruitment-into-a-culture-of-values">Recruitment into a culture of values</h2>



<p>Between 2003 and 2013, I had another software company, and there we failed with five different products and made all the mistakes that you can do. That was a product company. So that&#8217;s why this time when we are approaching the new product, we did some research, we looked at positioning and the market and the needs that customers value.</p>



<p>Now coming back to the recruitment, we start by trying to attract the right people. WPRiders was just starting up when it was founded as a company. I wrote down the values that I would ideally have that would run our company. These were not only just some words but an explanation of values, what was my understanding of those values at that time, and how does somebody objectively know if a person lives up to the values or not?</p>



<p>When we started hiring people, I would just add those values into the job ad because that would communicate to certain people that, hey, these guys are like this, this is their values. And throughout the years we had people telling us that they had created the resume just to apply to your job. I have never had to apply to a job, but something clicked and I wanted to just meet you guys. So this is the effect that you are getting when you are consciously sending those messages, almost like a subliminal message on a certain wavelength. And then during the interview there are questions designed to discuss examples of this or that value, for example, integrity, honesty. And every six months we do evaluate ourselves with a performance appraisal and look at the values again to make sure we allocate some resources and budget in order to support and to foster those values.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-reviews-are-done-for-team-members">How reviews are done for team members</h3>



<p>Throughout the years we&#8217;ve designed a process for this. Actually, that&#8217;s one way that helped me convert myself from a freelancer, one-man show, into a team. Every time I would do a repetitive task, I would just write down a checklist, like a guideline, a procedure. And then I would run it based on that checklist just to make sure I&#8217;m not missing anything. Later on when new colleagues came in, they would just pick up on those checklists and would develop them further.</p>



<p>So yeah, we are doing these reviews internally based on these processes that we&#8217;ve developed. And we have our director of operations who&#8217;s evaluating most of the people because they are in the operational department and I am still doing the performance appraisals for the other areas like sales and recruitment.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:24;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"Do The Woo Community: What Sets a Good Freelance Developer Apart From the Others";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4763";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:79:"https://dothewoo.io/what-sets-a-good-freelance-developer-apart-from-the-others/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3025:"<p>Freelancing is not for the weak-hearted. It takes a lot of grit, <strong>empathy</strong> and courage. Some who choose that path wouldn&#8217;t have it any other way. There are opportunities they are given that would not have been the same if they were working for a company or an agency. And although you might be thinking that the freedom alone is one of the strong points, when it comes to what really sets apart a good freelancer if beyond that creative drive.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-super-power-of-building-relationships">The Super Power of Building Relationships</h2>



<p>A lot of developers start their career opening an agency. You spend your time trying to gain clients, trying to provide solutions, running after different projects. But for some freelancing is the best route. Whether it&#8217;s yourself, or you work for a company like Codeable, it provides the best way to get the kind of clients you want. Ideally, those who are respectful, and they appreciate your work, and they return to you and you build a relationship with them.</p>



<p>What many developers have admired the most about the freelancing is the relationship that you can build with clients.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Freelancing Gives You the Ability to Communication with Clients</h3>



<p>With the ability to communicate with clients, to express yourself, to even talk about technical stuff and not only the technical stuff. All of that together makes it much more sense to as a human being and as a system solver or provider, to work with clients than any other way.</p>



<p>What sets a good freelancer apart is the ability to build relationships. It&#8217;s never about what that customer needs now or what that customer might need now, it&#8217;s about supplying them with what they need now in such a manner that they are always going to come back to you for it. You are their trusted partner in this journey that they are making with their website, and they will always come back to you. It&#8217;s about establishing those relationships in very solid manner. And it&#8217;s about the small things. It&#8217;s about saying, please, thank you, or remembering them on a holiday and saying, &#8220;Hey, happy holiday.&#8221; It&#8217;s the little things that make it.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Hardest Part is the Soft Stuff, Not the Technical Stuff.</h3>



<p>As a result, what sets a really amazing freelancer apart from ones that tackle the hardest part, the soft skills. That&#8217;s the most difficult part to really tone down.</p>



<p>The technical stuff you can learn in a book. Saying it&#8217;s not hard I suppose is reductive. But you&#8217;re capable of learning it with ease, there&#8217;s a structure to it. The soft stuff is the harder piece of it.</p>



<p><strong>This post was inspired by the conversation with <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woo-bizchat-with-christopher-churchill-and-marcel-schmitz/">Christopher and Marcel</a>&nbsp;on the podcast.</strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:25;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:68:"Do The Woo Community: Thoughts on Translating the WooCommerce Plugin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4967";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:67:"https://dothewoo.io/thoughts-on-translating-the-woocommerce-plugin/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7179:"<p>Last year on a <a href="https://dothewoo.io/translation-community-sustainability-woocommerce"><strong>podcast</strong></a> host <strong>Abha Thakor</strong> had a chat with three Woo builders as they shared their stories around translation, meetups and sustainability. It&#8217;s great to reflect on past conversations as we need to keep these important elements of WooCommerce moving forward.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-translating-woocommerce-as-a-plugin-into-your-local-language">Translating WooCommerce as a plugin into your local language</h2>



<p>When it comes to the WooCommerce plugin, there are thoughts around the importance of translating it into local languages. For example, Simon Kraft from Germany weighed in on this.</p>



<p>He started by stating that WooCommerce is similar to WordPress and any WordPress plugins because people often find their way around English strengths since English is the default in WooCommerce and many other plugins. But in cases like eCommerce, it&#8217;s very important to have that in your local language. This helps any user or developer to understand what you&#8217;re doing and find your way around a shop or a website. Luckily with WordPress there is a large community of volunteers pledging their time to translating enormous numbers of text to their local languages.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-translations-in-german">Translations in German</h3>



<p>When it comes to Simon&#8217;s native language, German, he noted that they are a bit picky with having strange language strings in their websites and WooCommerce shops are no exception to that. Years ago when he started translating WooCommerce, he would find wrong or misleading translation, something that was translated with some automated software like Google Translate, but was not precisely on point in German. At that point he thought, &#8220;Hmm, we can do better than that.&#8221; So Simon moved over to the translation side of things and tried to fix it and not break stuff on my way there.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-getting-started-on-translating-the-woocommerce-plugin">Getting started on translating the WooCommerce plugin</h2>



<p>Vachan from India added how he started translating WooCommerce and how others can start. It started with his team and wanting to help the community. As a project translator the simplest way to do this is to go to the <a href="https://translate.wordpress.org/"><strong>translation page on the WordPress official website</strong></a>. There you will be able to easily find what interests you in translation. Just select your language and you can select which project you want to work on. For WooCommerce, once you have chosen your language, search for it. There you will find a complete front end system where you can see what has been translated and what is pending.</p>



<p>In most cases, there are two primary places where you can help contribute to the translation. The first is the stable version, which is actually live and people are using it. Secondly, there&#8217;s a trunk, which is the future release, the immediate future release. Both are equally important because the current version helps whoever is already installed and working on that to ensure it gets updated whenever the user updates their website. And of course, the trunk is for the future release.</p>



<p>He goes on to say that working in both is a good idea. It&#8217;s about your fluency and how comfortable you are picking up any language. If you feel you&#8217;re confident enough to take any language, you can explore it. See what words, which phrases are requiring any translation and you can suggest that translation. And it&#8217;s as simple as just filling up that simple clicking on the word, clicking on that phrase and just in inputting your translated reply. That&#8217;s it.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-need-to-be-a-woocommerce-developer">Do you need to be a WooCommerce developer?</h3>



<p>Vachan does not feel you need to be a developer. You just need to understand WooCommerce enough and have used it. It&#8217;ll help you because you understand where that phrase is being used. Because in some languages, what happens with the same word could mean something differently, such as a different context. So just being aware of the context is a good thing. You don&#8217;t have to be an expert in development as there isn&#8217;t any coding language required. It&#8217;s just the language you know. And understanding the context of where that phrase is going to get used in the software is important.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-translation">Challenges of translation</h2>



<p>Everyone on the podcast gave a bit of insight to the challenges not only met with WooCommerce translations, but WordPress as well. Maja gave one example of translating a certain term like <em>tab</em> or <em>field</em>. Once this is done and you translate to a new deposit, this word in the glossary. For instance, if the tab is being translated into my language, if you go and Google that word in my language, you will not find anything actually that explains how to solve your problem. So it would be great if there would be a visual supporting articles explaining this or expanding on the glossary.</p>



<p>Simon, when revisiting translating German, added that here are cases where stuff like that happens. In German, it&#8217;s not so bad because German and English are quite close to a certain degree. The main issue with German is that German words are very long in many cases. Because in German it&#8217;s grammatically sane to just chain words and have like <em>donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftsmützenfabrikant</em>. That&#8217;s a valid word. It&#8217;s about a hat for a sea captain.</p>



<p>So in many, many cases, it&#8217;s actually an issue to find a translation that fits the context. For example, you have a button somewhere and the button cannot be huge. So you have to find a fitting word that meets the context. That&#8217;s hard sometimes.</p>



<p>When it comes to WooCommerce or any eCommerce context, translating with localizing the currency is important. WooCommerce, which is America-focused in many cases, we have examples in U.S. Dollars and similar currencies, which is perfectly fine. But if we translated for the German or European market, then we would replace those examples with Euros or Pound or whatever.</p>



<p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></p>



<p>The overall conversation carried a theme as first mentioned. It is important for WooCommerce builders, who have the resources and capabilities, to get involved with helping to translate the WooCommerce plugin. From what I have seen, the growth of Woo is building in countries across the world and here at Do the Woo we want to help you to bring your translating skills to help that growth.</p>



<p>Again, you can listen to or read the full transcript here of the episode <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/translation-community-sustainability-woocommerce">Stories of Translation, Community and Sustainability with Vachan, Maja and Simon</a></strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:26;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:84:"Do The Woo Community: Breaking Into the WooCommerce Ecosystem as a Product Developer";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4747";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:83:"https://dothewoo.io/breaking-into-the-woocommerce-ecosystem-as-a-product-developer/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2986:"<p>If you are a product developer, you may be thinking of moving into the the Woo ecosystem. You may be starting a plugin or extension or have already built it. Maybe you are looking at a big player in the space to acquire it. Or reselling on the <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-marketplace/">WooCommerce marketplace.</a></strong> Here are three good places to start.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-make-your-product-compelling">Make Your Product Compelling</h2>



<p>What is compelling about a product is when it&#8217;s really created with customer need in mind. Less breath, and more depth. By that have it focus on this one problem and just really introduce an elegant, simple, easy solution that reflects and understanding of the customer&#8217;s true need.</p>



<p>Everyone has seen products out there, plugins, extensions, consumer products that are just patched together, modified from one thing to suit a different need. What is important is the thing that you&#8217;re creating really does meet a real need in the market.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-introduce-an-elegant-solution">Introduce an Elegant Solution</h3>



<p>This is looking at it from the customer perspective and not from a coding or development standpoint If the store owner uses your plugin , they want to with minimal guidance and to be able to feel confident in their use of it. That is the bigger picture.</p>



<p>This may not be feasible depending on the level of complexity of the problem that you&#8217;re trying to solve. But it can be bolstered by really great docs, videos, and how to&#8217;s. With Google these days, people can find guidance out there. If they are using something and it&#8217;s intuitive or it&#8217;s adapting to their skill level or needs, that is really beautiful.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winning-hearts-with-reviews">Winning Hearts with Reviews</h3>



<p>It&#8217;s not always about market share or numbers. It&#8217;s also about winning the hearts of those that you&#8217;re trying to serve. So the amount of passion that comes through reviews should reflect a love for a brand, or the story about &#8220;hey, it really made my work a lot easier,&#8221; or &#8220;It boosted my sales by 40 percent,&#8221; or, &#8220;it changed how I think about my business, and it changed the opportunity for me.&#8221;</p>



<p>These are just three examples that were shared with from <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/a-roundtable-chat-with-clara-lee-product-marketing-at-woocommerce/">Clara Lee who leads product marketing at WooCommerce.com</a></strong>. She has a lot of insights she shares more behind the scenes via marketing the WooCommerce marketplace and other products. You can listen to the full podcast. Or if you would like to hear <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-product-builder-ecosystem/"><strong>my perspective on breaking into the Woo ecosystem, I have a few thoughts as well.</strong></a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:27;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:88:"Do The Woo Community: Four Major Considerations on Shaping an AI Feature in Your Product";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4776";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:72:"https://dothewoo.io/three-major-considerations-on-shaping-an-ai-feature/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4715:"<p>A bit ago we had an episode with host <a href="https://dothewoo.io/wordpress-woocommerce-ai/"><strong>Dave Lockie and Dan Walmsley, Interim Head of Artificial Intelligence at Automattic</strong></a> as they dove into AI, what it means to WordPress and WooCommerce, as well as how the future of AI is perceived within Automattic. Dave asked Dan about the speed of AI and shipping features out whether that be in the next month or the next week or the next year, and probably, at this rate, tomorrow.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-short-term-long-term-test">Long term, short term, long term test</h2>



<p>Dan shared when it comes to contemplating how to shape a feature, he has at least three major considerations. One is over the long term. Is there something foundational about this? Is there something fundamental about this? For example, they worked on this chat feature for Seth Godin&#8217;s blog and there&#8217;s a few other blogs it&#8217;s on too, and there there&#8217;s a lot of improvements of that coming down the pike. It was very much a first pass, but Dan believes that chatting with a blog, making it possible for someone to take any knowledge base, whether that&#8217;s something they&#8217;re curating or it&#8217;s a long tale of their blog history and making those recipes, those diary entries, those words of advice or whatever else that you filled your blog with accessible through a chat interface, he believes is a fundamental new both user interface paradigm and a much more powerful way to interact with content than we&#8217;ve had in the past.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-every-site-owner-should-be-able-to-tune-for-their-own-use-case">Every site owner should be able to tune for their own use case</h3>



<p>At Automattic, they believe that this is something that every site owner should be able to tune for their own use case. Much like with ChatGPT, how you can plug in tools, what does it look like to plug AI tools into a chat experience powered by a WordPress website? Dan thinks a lot of people are thinking about that and they&#8217;re thinking about that too. They just think there&#8217;s a huge amount of value. Is there something fundamental, is one question, and then are there many possible different use cases, all the way from a free site up to an enterprise site? Can we imagine that same feature, say chatting with a blog, being useful? Well, yes, if you provide customer support, if you provide advice, if you provide recipes, if you provide stories for kids, those are all different personalities and knowledge bases that can be delivered through exactly the same user interface paradigm and set of tooling. The adaptability of the GPT series of models means that we can use the same stuff to serve all those things, so that&#8217;s great.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-does-it-solve-a-pain-point-people-have-today">Does it solve a pain point people have today?</h3>



<p>Then in the short term, the question is, and this is the third piece, does it solve a pain point people have today? Is there something missing in their lives? That part is a little harder. He feels like we are in a moment where people aren&#8217;t quite sure what this AI thing is for yet or how much to invest in it, but he does think that for many products, people are intrigued by AI and willing to try it as an add-on to something they already know. Oh, you were going to buy the pro plan. Oh, it comes with an AI thing. Well, you are definitely going to get it now and try it out for a week and whatever and see what that&#8217;s about because you want to know what AI can do for you and your business.&#8221; So we&#8217;re in a moment like that, that that&#8217;s kind of a bubble where I think that&#8217;s going to tip a lot of AI companies&#8217; conversions over the edge in the time being.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-are-you-actually-providing-value">Are you actually providing value?</h3>



<p>But the long-term test, the long-term tell is are you actually providing value? Do you actually have a moat? Can you be eaten alive by someone else with better data? He thinks at Automattic they have many, many, many possible things they can try that all of which look really, really promising and are based on, again, the reason why they invested in Sync is they asked the question, &#8220;Is it fundamental? Does it enable multiple potential use cases and does it scale from simple sites all the way to the enterprise?&#8221; And the answer for all three was yes.</p>



<p><strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/wordpress-woocommerce-ai/">You can listen to the full show or read the transcript here.</a></strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:28;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:78:"Do The Woo Community: What Storytelling Means to a WooCommerce Product Builder";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4962";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"https://dothewoo.io/what-storytelling-means-to-a-woocommerce-product-builder/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7390:"<p>Abha Thakor, co-host on my podcast <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io">Do the Woo</a></strong>, has been bringing on guests to tell stories since she joined our team. Before she did that, <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/building-stories-community-and-woocommerce-sites/">she was a guest herself </a></strong>and took the time to explain why storytelling is such an important part of being a builder.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-reason-behind-storytelling">The reason behind storytelling</h2>



<p>I get really exasperated when people tell me in a professional environment, &#8220;Oh, we do storytelling&#8221; when this storytelling is basically nothing about the person or capturing what it is that it means to them. And it is just a corporately-engineered line. Some corporate blurb that has nothing about the real person or people involved. <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woo-stories-they-are-everywhere/"><strong>Storytelling</strong></a> has been around for thousands of years, the only difference is the tools that we use. A story, to be effective, has to have certain components to help people understand that story, to reach others, and for them to be moved or inspired by that story.</p>



<p>That doesn&#8217;t mean that they should create stuff that&#8217;s not there. This is one of the things that I would really say to WooCommerce businesses, please don&#8217;t create stories that aren&#8217;t true. If you change people&#8217;s stories or what they share in reviews to fit your corporate brief or what you&#8217;re trying to sell, they will come back about it and they will not work with you again. They will also be a lost customer.</p>



<p>And actually, you don&#8217;t need to approach it like that because the story they&#8217;ve told you is the one which will inspire somebody else. Storytelling needs to be something that is positive, it needs to have an integrity to it. It also needs to avoid being translated into words that actually people will not understand. People don&#8217;t relate to that, people relate to people.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-storytelling-means-to-a-product-builder">What storytelling means to a product builder</h3>



<p>The best stories are often going to be the people who write to you and give you a particularly strong review, saying why it made a difference. Now, don&#8217;t just use their review and run it as a promotion with all your branding around it. Talk to the person. Because talking to the person will give you more of the context of that story. That story itself is likely to be more powerful. You have empowered the person and the customer, you&#8217;ve made them feel valued, which is important because this customer has taken time to contact you. It is often so easy to give a negative review. In our culture, sadly, people will not jump to pay a compliment. Value that customer who does and help them share their story.</p>



<p>The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a really good example. They are a charity in the UK and Ireland, and like many other organizations, they monitor what is happening. They monitor what is being said. But they don&#8217;t just take it, reproduce them and say, &#8220;Hey, this is all about us.&#8221; What they do is actually something that is the same for what you would do for a product.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s, &#8220;Let&#8217;s talk to this person, let&#8217;s see what the context is. Let&#8217;s see what else they might want to say.&#8221; It may be that they want to share more. If you don&#8217;t have the conversation, you could have just missed out on the best story, something that will not only interest your audience, but will also motivate your team or staff.</p>



<p>Stories can also come from other sources and interactions with your customers. Encourage your team to look out for how to help build your community.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-story-brings-trust-for-newcomers-to-woocommerce">The story brings trust for newcomers to WooCommerce</h3>



<p>We often say to one of the WooCommerce agencies we work with, &#8220;Okay, if you are working with a charity or you are sponsoring something because you passionately believe in it, what are you want to say about that?&#8221; And not from the perspective of making money off that charity or making money off that cause. But what is it that is part of your story? Because actually telling your story is more than telling the public that you sponsored something.</p>



<p>And I&#8217;ve seen it with WooCommerce builders. I&#8217;ve dealt with a couple of sites recently that they&#8217;ve sent me. [These sites in their version of stories]&nbsp; literally talked about what they had in their toothpaste and when they brushed their teeth, what came out of their teeth. And &#8220;Why would people want to know this?&#8221;</p>



<p>It was because the teams looked at social media where people talked about breakfast and things like that. They didn&#8217;t know where to start, so, that&#8217;s what they did too. I have got permission to re-tell that story because the team there said, &#8220;Someone should have told us this.&#8221;</p>



<p>But it&#8217;s telling your story and telling what you are comfortable with sharing. I&#8217;m one of the editors of the People of WordPress series. And we&#8217;ve interviewed lots of people who are from e-commerce, but hear them say, &#8220;Okay, what are you happy to be reading about yourself? What are you going to be happy about someone talking to you about? Is really important and that&#8217;s for any person.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-about-being-listened-to-and-heard">It&#8217;s about being listened to and heard</h3>



<p>And that&#8217;s the joy for me, coming from a PR background where I&#8217;m a Chartered PR Practitioner and that&#8217;s a lot about actually thinking about the ethics of communication and how we deal with things in a positive way and how we involve people. We don&#8217;t do communications to them, we create or we do communications together because it&#8217;s about being listened to and being heard. And <a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-builders-content-creation/"><strong>helping people be listened to and heard is the greatest way to do that</strong></a>.</p>



<p>We talk about ownership a lot. So if I was talking to you as a product developer, I would say, &#8220;Okay, share a little bit about what that means in terms of why it&#8217;s special to you, how and why it excites you,&#8221; because that is your story. And that may be what you invite other people to share as well.</p>



<p>For example, with the boats work that we do, we ask the captains to share what it is that they love about taking people on these wonderful excursions. And it becomes much more than this e-commerce thing that you&#8217;re supposed to do. It becomes a living and breathing part of your business and part of your organization. And that is when business really innovates, it&#8217;s when you get fantastic solutions, it&#8217;s where you meet and collaborate with other people. And more importantly, you get to meet exciting customers that makes day with you for the rest of your business career. And that&#8217;s the people that you want to be at your party when you retire. So, it&#8217;s bringing that locality back to you, really.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:29;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:46:"Do The Woo Community: Looking at Code as Words";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4770";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:45:"https://dothewoo.io/looking-at-code-as-words/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2814:"<p>During a past <a href="https://dothewoo.io/cooking-up-some-code-with-kim-coleman/"><strong>podcast Abha Thakor was chatting with Kim Coleman about her journey as a developer</strong></a>. Previously she had talked to her and one of the things that Kim liked about code, it is words and when you look at code, that is what you see. For those who are especially struggling or wanting to learn more she asked Kim to elaborate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oh-this-is-code-i-can-t-understand-it">Oh, this is code. I can&#8217;t understand it.</h2>



<p>WordPress itself in the early days and even to today, is largely built in a language called PHP. And it is a human readable language. If you get over the fact that you&#8217;re looking at code, it reads in English words that we all know and we can understand. But I think the hurdle is getting past looking at code and saying, &#8220;Oh, this is code. I can&#8217;t understand it.&#8221; You&#8217;re not looking at zeros and ones, you&#8217;re looking at words you can understand. For me, I got my start doing graphic design. I was creating print products, I was using Adobe tools to create them.</p>



<p>And over time I started working more with my husband, Jason. He was my boyfriend at the time, building websites. He was studying computer science and he himself was more doing the backend in the code work. I was designing things as kind of a static mockup of the site and then I realized I could go a little farther, I could take another piece of this from his plate, I could do the actual HTML and CSS markup.</p>



<p>Again, both languages that really are human readable languages. And then over time started doing some of the PHP work. I would call myself a front end developer at this stage, but it was really a granular process of using the resources I could find on the internet, using Stack Overflow, using what we called the WordPress codex at the time, now, the developer resource library.</p>



<p>And finding examples of code where people were extending WordPress, where people were adjusting the appearance of a theme, copying it, pasting it into my editor, reading the code and deciphering the code enough to say, &#8220;Oh, I just need to tweak this one little bit, this ID or this selector or this location to my term and then it will work.&#8221; So there&#8217;s a bit of a daring aspect to doing that. And it feels scary because you could potentially &#8220;break&#8221; something, but luckily we can undo things. Command Z, control Z often is your best friend when you are beginning to develop and not quite sure if you&#8217;re going to break something.</p>



<p><strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/cooking-up-some-code-with-kim-coleman/">You can listen to the full show or read the transcript here.</a></strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:30;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"Do The Woo Community: Multilingual Sites Are a Good Bet for WooCommerce Shops";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4981";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:76:"https://dothewoo.io/multilingual-sites-are-a-good-bet-for-woocommerce-shops/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5257:"<p>No person is an island, and the same can be said for your WooCommerce store. In fact, you’ll want to make sure any potential customer can find you, regardless of the language they speak. If you run a multilingual WooCommerce store, you have the best chance of finding greater profits, and more success than ever before.</p>



<p>There are lots of ways to do this, but if you use WordPress and WooCommerce, you have a stellar foundation. Both are market-leading platforms, and if you extend the ecosystem using plugins, you can create almost any type of store imaginable. What’s more, you have enormous flexibility and power under the hood.</p>



<p>For this post, we’re going to take a look at a number of ideas and thoughts around why you should launch a multilingual WooCommerce store. To set some context, let’s talk about the popularity of WordPress and WooCommerce.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wordpress-market-share-and-how-woocommerce-leverages-it">WordPress’ Market Share (And How WooCommerce Leverages It)</h2>



<p>First off, WordPress is a huge industry. It is used for <strong>nearly 45 percent</strong> of all websites and sees constant growth. More users come to the platform on a regular basis, despite the competition. There are lots of positives to this, which we’ll discuss later on.</p>



<p>As for WooCommerce, the statistics still make for good reading and account for several million sites.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-e-commerce-statistics-correlate-with-wordpress-own-numbers">How E-Commerce Statistics Correlate With WordPress’ Own Numbers</h3>



<p>Worldwide e-commerce is also big business. Purchase numbers were around <strong>two billion across 2020</strong>, and with around 25 percent in growth of the market, it’s a channel that lots of stores should be a part of. The good news is that WordPress and WooCommerce can both scale to meet those demands and is continually growing.</p>



<p>In fact, WooCommerce has core design and code to help you <strong>scale a store</strong>. This is just one of the many positives of using the platform in this way.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-benefits-of-running-a-multilingual-woocommerce-store">The Benefits of Running a Multilingual WooCommerce Store</h3>



<p>There are likely customers, ready and waiting, almost everywhere in the world. By extension, this means there may be demand for your products or services.&nbsp;This is the core benefit of running a multilingual WooCommerce store, but there are lots more to consider:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>User Experience (UX)</strong>. The UX of your site will improve because you will cater to the most number of users. A site in a familiar language is going to be easier to navigate, use, and interact with.</li>



<li><strong>Search Engine Optimization (SEO)</strong>. Each extra page for your multilingual content will have a rank in search engines. At a base level, the greater number of pages you index, the more chance a user will click one.</li>



<li><strong>&#8216;Social currency’.</strong> This aspect covers a number of areas. For example, your attempt to localize your site (a key aspect of running a multilingual WooCommerce store) will bolster trust in your customers. Also, you stand to earn more credibility, goodwill, and loyalty.</li>



<li><strong>Ahead of the competition</strong>. If your sales are going well in your original market there’s a strong chance your products will gain the same success elsewhere. Perhaps you have several competitors in your home market that aren’t as ready and willing to create a multilingual store, this sets you apart and puts you ahead of the competition when it comes to international conversion rates.</li>
</ul>



<p>Overall, a multilingual WooCommerce store can open up new markets, and give your products and services fresh attention from would-be customers.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-launch-a-multilingual-woocommerce-store">How to Launch a Multilingual WooCommerce Store</h3>



<p>Of course, you’ll need some tools, services, and platforms in place before you begin to create a multilingual WooCommerce store:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Your site will need to run an up-to-date version of WordPress.</li>



<li>By extension, you’ll also want to run the latest version of the WooCommerce platform too.</li>



<li>You’ll need some way to translate your content, and display it for users.</li>
</ul>



<p>Most WooCommerce sites will already have products in place and optimized text, which leaves the translation process.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h3>



<p>Finding new customers is tough. While there’s merit in trying to reduce that churn, you will also need a strategy to find fresh customers for your products and services. A multilingual WooCommerce store is a top-tier yet simple way to do so.</p>



<p>The premise is that the more eyes there are on your store, the greater the chance of a purchase or conversion. However, to get here, you’ll want to run a multilingual WooCommerce store. </p>



<p><strong><em>This is a guest post from our sponsor Weglot</em></strong></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:31;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:78:"Do The Woo Community: Personalization, the Future of eCommerce and WooCommerce";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4734";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:76:"https://dothewoo.io/personalization-the-future-of-ecommerce-and-woocommerce/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3490:"<p>In a<strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/woocommerce-agency-growth-and-the-power-of-subscriptions-with-kenn-kelly/"> podcast with Kenn Kelly from Never Settle</a></strong>, a WooCommerce agency, he was asked  with all of the changes happening in the e-commerce industry, the different platforms, headless becoming a thing now,  where does he envision the future of e-commerce going? And how does Woo fit into that?</p>



<p>Kenn shared that subscription based businesses stood out to him. which we&#8217;ve been seeing happen for a long time. Amazon pressed that quite a few years ago. And a lot of people started realizing, it was like, &#8220;My toilet paper&#8217;s going to be on delivery.&#8221; And now everyone&#8217;s like, &#8220;Oh, this makes a lot of sense.&#8221; And people also see, &#8220;Oh, it&#8217;s a recurring revenue stream.&#8221; He thinks when it&#8217;s forced it doesn&#8217;t work. But he absolutely thinks that that segment of e-commerce is going to continue to really expand. And WooCommerce can do that out of the box, really powerful engine, there.</p>



<p>One of the things that his agency sees where they get called into bigger projects are people wanting some sort of advanced subscriptions. So a client that Never Settle is launching right now, Bixbi Pet, they have all these incredible dog foods, and all organic, and all this stuff, and they&#8217;re in most PetSmarts across the country, and pretty large business. But their customers are on subscriptions for their dog food, and their dog treats, and cat food, and cat treats.</p>



<p>But they wanted a really cool checkout engine for people to build their subscription. So his agency had a lot of customization in that, but where they found the most customization, where he thinks it&#8217;d be fun to see us as a community invest more into WooCommerce is my account experience. That&#8217;s the thing that he feels like has the most potential, not just in design and user interface. </p>



<p>As an example, for these guys, they want their customers to come in and be able to just swap out what flavors they&#8217;re in. So they&#8217;re going to order three bags a month and they want to be able to go in and change those without changing the subscription. And that&#8217;s highly custom. That&#8217;s not something that you can do out of the box, or to set up an auto-rotation where they&#8217;re just surprised. They can just say, &#8220;Hey, of these six flavors, just rotate them for me.&#8221;</p>



<p>And so they built that for them. And Kenn thinks not only are you going to see subscription businesses increase, but you&#8217;re going to see people really pressing into the customer experience of the subscription business. That&#8217;s the ones that they&#8217;ve seen really grow, is they really nurture those people. Clients see them as the goal behind their business and so they invest a lot into that experience.</p>



<p>So it&#8217;s more and more personalization. It&#8217;s going to be leveraging AI, it&#8217;s going to be leveraging market automation tools, but less blanket offerings. They have something that&#8217;s written that says, &#8220;Hey, this person&#8217;s ordered 10 bags of cherry dog food,&#8221; which isn&#8217;t a real flavor, &#8220;and we&#8217;re releasing cherry treats. so we&#8217;re automatically going to present this offer to them to try it free for one month or something.&#8221; So I think personalization is one of the big things.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:32;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:76:"Do The Woo Community: Starting Your WooCommerce Business, Know the Ecosystem";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4696";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:74:"https://dothewoo.io/advice-for-starting-your-woocommerce-business-journey/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1449:"<p>Make sure you know it (the WooCommerce business ecosystem). You can&#8217;t just come in and start a WooCommerce product company. You need to be in there whether it&#8217;s just doing a hobby site for yourself, doing websites for friends and families, previous freelance work but you need to really immerse yourself in it and discover the problems and gaps for yourself. Find out what you&#8217;re interested in. That could also be  WooCommerce.events, websites or something, so start setting them up.</p>



<p>And that&#8217;s when you will find the opportunities because there are still gaps, even though there&#8217;s loads of people building products for commerce, there&#8217;s plenty of gaps and opportunities to fill them with products, but you will only find them if you&#8217;re truly immersed in it. And also, when you find those gaps, think about what is a realistic product for you. If you&#8217;re going to get venture capital funding or something, then you can aim. high and go for something complex, whereas if you&#8217;re bootstrapped and doing it as a side project alongside other work or job, then maybe go small and think what can you realistically do that there&#8217;ll be some demand for.</p>



<p><em>This came from an <strong><a href="https://dothewoo.io/katie-keith-new-do-the-woo-host/">episode of Do the Woo</a></strong> with <strong><a href="https://barn2.com/">Katie Keith from Barn2 Plugins</a></strong>.</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:33;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"Do The Woo Community: Contributing to WordPress with Your Own Unique Skillset";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=4692";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:76:"https://dothewoo.io/contributing-to-wordpress-with-your-own-unique-skillset/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1351:"<p>Here&#8217;s a tip for all WordPress and WooCommerce builders out there, who want to contribute with their own unique skill set: Don&#8217;t underestimate the power of effective communication<strong>.</strong></p>



<p>Whether you&#8217;re participating in a chat, leaving comments, or attending in-person events like WordCamps or meetups, it&#8217;s essential to remember that your words can have a tremendous impact. Words can hurt or heal. Clear and respectful communication can foster better understanding, collaboration, and innovation within the community. It can help you network, learn, and grow, even if you&#8217;re not a coder.</p>



<p>And when it comes to experiences as a woman in this field, particularly about navigating and communicating in a traditionally male-dominated environment, here&#8217;s a small takeaway: Use your unique perspective to contribute to the conversation. Don&#8217;t shy away from asking questions or sharing your insights. The WordPress community is incredibly diverse, and your voice matters.</p>



<p>This tip was shared by <strong><a href="https://coachbirgit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Birgit Olzem</a></strong> on a Do the Woo episode titled: <a href="https://dothewoo.io/wceu-2023-speaker-builder-tips/"><strong>Builder Tips from WordCamp Europe 2023 Speakers</strong></a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:34;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:62:"Do The Woo Community: Where in the World are the WordPressers?";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25:"https://bobwp.com/?p=5138";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:60:"https://dothewoo.io/where-in-the-world-are-the-wordpressers/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1120:"<p>I am all about people and the community. So it shouldn&#8217;t surprise you when it gets my attention that one of our hosts over on Do the Woo launches a project that maps out people, worldwide, in the community. It&#8217;s been in the wild for sometime, but you really need to check out <a href="https://thewp.world/"><strong>The WP World</strong></a>.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://thewp.world/faq/"><strong>backstory and privacy info</strong></a> is shared so you have no worries about that. There are features being snuck in all the time, and you can also <a href="https://thewp.world/wordcamps/"><strong>check out past and future WordCamps</strong></a>.</p>



<p>Not sure what other things Marcus has in his plans, but kudos for him helping us stay all connected. And I won&#8217;t keep you any longer with this post, head on over and <a href="https://thewp.world/"><strong>check out his site now</strong></a>.</p>



<p>And btw, we love it so at Do the Woo, we are <a href="https://thewp.world/sponsors/"><strong>proud sponsors of his project</strong></a> along with some other great WordPress businesses.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 29 Jun 2024 10:45:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:35;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:11:"
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:57:"HeroPress: Voices Of WordCamp Europe: Aida Correa-Jackson";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:29:"https://heropress.com/?p=7088";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:157:"https://heropress.com/voices-of-wordcamp-europe-aida-correa-jackson/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=voices-of-wordcamp-europe-aida-correa-jackson";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:887:"<img width="1024" height="616" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/aida2-1024x616.webp" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Aida Correa-Jackson and her grand daughter" /><p>Last year I interviewed Aida, but my microphone gave out on me. This year at WCEU I had someone back out of an interview and as I walked into the volunteer area I thought &#8220;It would be cool if I could interview Aida again.&#8221; </p>



<p>As I stepped into the room I saw her sitting there! We did the interview on the spot.</p>



<p>Aida is a teacher, wife, mother, grandmother, and all around wonderful person. Here&#8217;s the conversation we had:</p>




<p>The post <a href="https://heropress.com/voices-of-wordcamp-europe-aida-correa-jackson/">Voices Of WordCamp Europe: Aida Correa-Jackson</a> appeared first on <a href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:49:33 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:36;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:60:"Do The Woo Community: The Power of Gravatar with Ronnie Burt";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=84331";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:59:"https://dothewoo.io/the-power-of-gravatar-with-ronnie-burt/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:16821:"<div class="wp-block-group has-border-color has-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<p class="has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-df14f0e3ece767c29248940486a8055c">This show is sponsored by&#8230;</p>



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<img width="1224" height="1224" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/dothewoo.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Hostinger_Vertical_Purple-e1668465093968.jpg?resize=1224%2C1224&ssl=1" alt="Hostinger" class="wp-image-73505" />
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<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
<p class="wp-container-content-2"><strong><a href="https://hostinger.com">Hostinger</a></strong>: As a builder or an agency managing multiple sites, check out <strong>Hostinger</strong>. Whether you are building a WordPress site or specifically, a Woo store, their infrastructure brings your clients sites speed, uptime and security.</p>
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<img width="500" height="500" tabindex="0" src="https://i0.wp.com/dothewoo.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Omnisend-square.jpg?resize=500%2C500&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-78802" />
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<p class="wp-container-content-4"><strong><a href="https://your.omnisend.com/onlywoo_dothewoo">Omnisend</a></strong>: Whether it&#8217;s for integration into your Woo product, or building sites for clients, <strong>Omnisend</strong> is the solution for email and SMS marketing with their CRM solution for WooCommerce shops and your own website.</p>
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Episode Transcript
<div class="wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<p>Robbie:<br />Hello and welcome to another episode of Do the Woo. I&#8217;m Robbie Adair from OS Training.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />And I&#8217;m Robert Jacobi from Botguard.</p>



<p>Robbie and Robert:<br />And we&#8217;re here to camp you up.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />We&#8217;re thrilled to have Ronnie Burt from Gravatar at the Automattic Sound Stage at WordCamp Europe 2024 Torino. Welcome.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Hey, thanks for having me.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />So you&#8217;re supposed to tell us all about some of the cool stuff that Gravatar is doing.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Gravatar is 20 years old. It&#8217;s been in WordPress core for a long time, and we are reviving it and making it a profile-as-a-service. For the developers out there, use our APIs to have a much easier way of setting up whatever you need with anything profile-related: avatars, social connections, all that kind of thing. This is another way of building the open web and helping people connect, breaking down those barriers for everyone. We have free profiles and free Linkin Bio pages. You set them up, fill out your details, and that can be another place for you to point people to on the web.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Ronnie, on the spot now. This can&#8217;t just be show and tell. What about single sign-on?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yes, single sign-on is something we&#8217;re still working on. We want to get it right because when you&#8217;re dealing with something like single sign-on, security is super important. We&#8217;re continuing to test, but our goal is to have another option out there that is passwordless and supports passkeys out of the box for the WordPress ecosystem and beyond.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Cool. And you have some nice little toys here that you guys are giving out. Tell us about those.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yeah, these are a lot of fun. They&#8217;re NFC tags, little round tags that you can put on your lanyard or, as I have, in my backpack. You tap them on your phone, and your Gravatar profile pops up. So instead of a business card, it opens up a browser window. Now I have everyone&#8217;s profiles that I&#8217;ve scanned as a tab in my browser on my phone today, and you can easily contact someone or follow them on X or whatever you&#8217;re following people on these days. It&#8217;s just better than the old paper business cards that we often throw away.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Cool. I use LinkedIn quite often that way, but not everyone is on LinkedIn. So then they&#8217;re like, &#8220;Oh no, I&#8217;m not on that,&#8221; and you have to figure out something else.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yeah, they&#8217;re not on it, or they&#8217;re not logged in at that moment. So when they click the link, it&#8217;s not there. They can&#8217;t even follow you because it opens up in the browser, and they have the app on their phone or whatever. Ours just opens.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Awesome.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />There&#8217;s got to be some other cool stuff you could do with this. Maybe like a giant WordCamp at the end of the year where this simple, inexpensive tech could be deployed on everyone&#8217;s badge.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yeah, badges would be great. We&#8217;d love for everyone to be happy to curate their profile. If you don&#8217;t want your real name on it, contact information, or an avatar photo, that&#8217;s great. That&#8217;s important information for others to know. You want to be anonymous or whatever it is. But when we&#8217;re trying to connect and grow a community or follow each other, this is a much easier way of doing it once. Wherever you go, whatever kind of conference or event, you don&#8217;t have to fill out another profile. It&#8217;s reusable.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />So it&#8217;s not WordPress-specific?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />No, not at all.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />You keep talking about open. What does that actually mean? I can&#8217;t set up a Gravatar server?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Well, not at the moment. We&#8217;ve talked a lot about decentralization. We have a schema of data and how it&#8217;s stored, curated from different sources of standards for storing profile data. We&#8217;re hoping to use things like webfinger and other standards so that if someone wanted to host the data elsewhere, locally, or on their own site, they could do that. We could be the connection, like a switchboard, to have that data accessible via the API if you wanted it to be.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Boy, I&#8217;m just hogging the mic here.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />You are. It&#8217;s okay.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Except for Ronnie. I&#8217;m hogging. Can I just type in gravatar.com/myhandle?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yep. That works. You can also, hopefully any day now, have any domain you want point to your Gravatar profile. You can get the domain through WordPress.com, and it&#8217;ll automatically connect to your profile. Eventually, we&#8217;ll open that up to existing domains and domains registered anywhere. It&#8217;s an interesting concept. Services like Blue Sky are using domains as usernames, but there&#8217;s no profile to point to for those domains. I hope more services integrate that so you don&#8217;t have to rush to get a username on every new service that pops up. You can use your domain as your username and another way of logging in, which can be another aspect of your digital identity.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Will you support third-level domains, like if I wanted contact.RobbieAdair.com to go to my Gravatar profile?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />I hope so. We&#8217;re still working on that. You can definitely do a redirect, but that&#8217;s not the same as it being the domain.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Oh, note to self: redirect me.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Yeah, you just can&#8217;t point an A record to it, I guess, is what you&#8217;re saying.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />But that&#8217;s definitely on our list that our teams are working on.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />What about company profiles versus individual profiles? Can I make an OSTraining profile like I do on LinkedIn or any other social media platform?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yeah, we have a lot of those. Every profile is just an email address, so you can set one up for whatever email address you want. It doesn&#8217;t need to be a person or your legal identity. It can be a persona, a company, or whatever.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />A bot.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />It can be a bot. That&#8217;s an interesting use case for our API. In this era of bots, we have verification. When you connect your Meta account, WordPress.com account, Instagram account, or whatever to your Gravatar, we&#8217;re saying that the same person with this profile has all of these accounts. This helps verify that this profile belongs together, and there&#8217;s not really anything like that. People can use the API to figure out how human or how long this email address has been in use around the web, and how many places it&#8217;s being used.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Is that already accessible?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yeah, all via our REST API.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That&#8217;s cool. Sorry, Robbie, before I forget, I have one huge wish. Are we going to be able to change our wp.org usernames?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />I don&#8217;t know anything about .org usernames.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Darn it.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />What about the handy dandy chip? Do you also have QR codes it generates for us?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yes. When you log into your profile, there are QR codes you can download and use. I&#8217;ve seen this a few times at farmer&#8217;s markets, musicians, all these places where people have a Venmo QR code, an Instagram QR code, and a wall of QR codes. Instead, they could have their QR code to their Gravatar profile. At the top of the profile, they can list their Venmo, Instagram, etc. It&#8217;s a much easier user experience. I think that&#8217;s a great free use case for creators and small businesses.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Awesome. You&#8217;ve mentioned a few things, but can you tell us the roadmap for the rest of this year and maybe next year?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Going back to OAuth and authentication, we&#8217;re still working on it. We have more domain stuff coming and will spend a lot of time on Linkin Bio Service. We were the original Linkin Bio service 20 years ago, but there were no Linkin Bios then. We&#8217;re figuring out what people would like to see on this page. We don&#8217;t want to turn it into a whole website, but you&#8217;ll see a lot of focus on making those more customizable and useful for different use cases.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That&#8217;s excellent. I&#8217;m excited. I don&#8217;t like using paper cards, so anything that makes my life easier.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Yeah, me neither. Update everything at once.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />I haven&#8217;t carried cards in so long, and I usually try to default to LinkedIn or something I think people will have. I can&#8217;t tell you how many times I&#8217;ve had to show people how to use LinkedIn that way. Sometimes you don&#8217;t want to send your full contact to someone else. This is nice because it gives them the option of whether they want to save this as a contact, correct?</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Exactly. You can enable a contact form so you&#8217;re not sharing your personal data, but they can choose to send you a message. We limit the message to half a tweet or half an old tweet, so like a hundred characters or less.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Half an old tweet, half a UX. 75 characters or something.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />It&#8217;s on purpose. We don&#8217;t want people to send you a bunch of spam and sales stuff. It&#8217;s like, &#8220;We just met at WCU, let&#8217;s follow up in two weeks.&#8221; You get all of their Gravatar contact information and profile data in the email, and you can choose to reply. It&#8217;s a nice handy way of making contacts in person a little smoother.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />We&#8217;re going to need an app for that.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Yeah.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />You can&#8217;t see Ronnie&#8217;s face, but that was a wink, wink, nudge, nudge.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Yeah. I love the little chip, but I don&#8217;t always want to have it with me. Could we have it in our wallet on our iPhone?</p>



<p>Ron</p>



<p>nie:<br />Absolutely. That&#8217;s going to come a lot faster than the app.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That works for me.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Yeah, works for me too. Great.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Awesome. What&#8217;s the best way to get ahold of you? I hope it&#8217;s gravatar.com/ronnie.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Yes, gravatar.com/ronnie, R-O-N-N-I-E, or Ronnie Link.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Woohoo.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />He&#8217;s already got his custom domain ready to go. I love it. Fancy. Well, thank you so much, Ronnie, for chatting with us. Kudos on it. I love it, and now I&#8217;m going to go get my chip.</p>



<p>Ronnie:<br />Thank you very much.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Thank you, Robbie.</p>



<p>Robbie:<br />Thanks, Robert. It&#8217;s fun. I will see you on the next episode of Do the Woo.</p>
</div>




<p>In this episode of<strong><em> All Things WordPress and WooCommerce</em></strong>, hosts <strong>Robbie Adair</strong> and <strong>Robert Jacobi</strong> have a great chat with <strong>Ronnie Burt from Automattic and Gravatar</strong>, during WordCamp Europe 2024 in Torino. </p>



<p>Their conversation jumps into the exciting advancements and features that Gravatar is introducing as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Highlights</h2>



<p>Gravatar is being revived and expanded to offer profiles as a service. Developers can use Gravatar&#8217;s APIs to set up profiles, avatars, social connections, and other profile-related functionalities.</p>



<p>Gravatar offers free profiles and Linkin Bio pages where users can fill out their details and use it as a point of contact on the web.</p>



<p>Gravatar is working on implementing a secure, passwordless single sign-on feature that supports passkeys, enhancing the security and ease of user authentication.</p>



<p>Gravatar provides NFC tags that users can attach to their lanyards or backpacks. When tapped on a phone, these tags open the user&#8217;s Gravatar profile, serving as a modern alternative to business cards.</p>



<p>Users can download QR codes from their Gravatar profile, making it easy to share contact information and social media links in a single, streamlined manner.</p>



<p>Gravatar will soon allow users to point any domain to their Gravatar profile, enhancing personal branding and simplifying digital identity management.</p>



<p>Users can create profiles for companies, personas, or even bots, not just individuals. This flexibility allows for diverse use cases, including business and personal branding.</p>



<p>Gravatar&#8217;s API can be used to verify the ownership and connectivity of multiple accounts (e.g., Meta, WordPress.com, Instagram) to a single profile, helping to establish a verified digital identity.</p>



<p>Gravatar profiles can include contact forms that allow users to send messages without sharing personal data. The messages are limited in length to prevent spam.</p>



<p>Upcoming features include enhanced OAuth and authentication, more domain functionalities, and customizable Linkin Bio pages. Gravatar aims to refine and expand these services based on user feedback and evolving needs.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Links</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong><a href="https://gravatar.com">Gravatar.com</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://gravatar.com/ronnie">Ronnie&#8217;s Gravatar </a></strong></li>
</ul>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 28 Jun 2024 08:17:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:37;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:81:"Do The Woo Community: A Special Host Event and Our Sponsorship at WordCamp Europe";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=84284";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"https://dothewoo.io/a-special-host-event-and-our-sponsorship-at-wordcamp-europe/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:435:"Episode Transcript
<div class="wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<p></p>
</div>




<p>Today BobWP, after a bit of conference crud post- WordCamp Europe, has a chance to share his experience at WCEU plus highlighting two special moments.</p>



<p>A party for our new hosts Marcel and Mike via Woo DevChat and what it meant to Do the Woo to sponsor WordCamp Europe 2024.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:28:40 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5:"BobWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:38;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:63:"Gravatar: .Link Your Gravatar Profile With A Free Custom Domain";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:32:"http://blog.gravatar.com/?p=1527";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:90:"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/06/26/link-your-gravatar-profile-with-a-free-custom-domain/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5304:"<p>Every Gravatar account comes with a free customizable profile page — the original link-in-bio and your home on the web. </p>



<p>A few months ago, we rolled out the ability to <a href="https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/03/28/new-gravatar-profile-features-make-it-yours/">customize your profile URL</a>. Based on the positive feedback and overwhelming interest, we decided to take it a step further by partnering with .link to roll out custom domains.</p>



<p>The best part: act now, and your personalized .link domain is on us (as in free!) for the first year. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How it works</h2>



<p>All users have the ability to set a custom “slug” for their profile URLs, which means you can send people to something that looks like this:</p>



<p><em>gravatar.com/yourusername</em></p>



<p>While that’s a great start, many users, brands, and businesses like using their own domain. That means that the link you share on your profiles, email signatures, business cards, etc. will look more like this:</p>



<p><em>yourusername.link</em></p>



<p><strong>Why you should be excited:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>It puts your brand or identity first</li>



<li>It’s easy to remember</li>



<li>Custom domains are more trustworthy and receive almost 30% higher click-through rates than generic links.</li>



<li>Using a custom domain levels up your professionalism and credibility.</li>



<li>You can use it to connect your presence <a href="https://wordpress.com/blog/2023/03/14/a-social-experience-with-your-domain/">across the web</a>.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Step 1</strong>: Start by logging in to your profile on&nbsp;<a href="http://gravatar.com/profile">Gravatar.com</a></p>



<p><strong>Step 2:</strong> You will land on your profile dashboard. At the very top left corner of the screen, you will see an area with your current URL and a headline that says ”Your profile URL is” with <a href="http://gravatar.com/yourusername">gravatar.com/yourusername</a>. Just to the right, you will see two text links. Click on the one that says “Change”.</p>



<img tabindex="0" src="https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cleanshot-2024-06-26-at-10.25.09402x.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1535" />



<p><strong>Step 3: </strong>You should automatically see the .link domain that matches your current username, go ahead and click on the &#8216;Claim domain&#8217; link.</p>



<p><strong>Step 4: </strong>You will be taken to a checkout screen for your domain, but the price will be $0 for the first year of registration. Proceed with the checkout process and we’ll handle the rest. You can search for other available .link domains to use, too.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Then What?</strong></h3>



<p>Once you&#8217;ve secured your custom .link domain, the magic really begins. Here&#8217;s how you can maximize the benefits and make the most out of your new digital identity:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Integrate Across Platforms:</strong> Update your profiles on social media, professional networks, and other online platforms to include your new .link domain. This ensures a consistent and professional online presence.</li>



<li><strong>Enhance Your Email Signature:</strong> Replace your current profile link with your new custom .link domain in your email signature. This looks more professional and makes it easier for contacts to remember and visit your profile.</li>



<li><strong>Business Cards and Marketing Materials:</strong> Include your .link domain on your business cards, brochures, and other marketing materials. This small change can significantly enhance the credibility and professionalism of your brand.</li>



<li><strong>Track Engagement:</strong> Use URL tracking tools to monitor the performance of your new domain. This will help you understand where your traffic is coming from and how people engage with your profile.</li>
</ol>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Join the Movement</strong></h3>



<p>Don&#8217;t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your online identity and stand out in the digital space. By hosting your Gravatar profile on a custom .link domain, you&#8217;re not just adopting a new URL; you&#8217;re embracing a new era of digital identity.</p>



<p>With more services like Bluesky offering domains as usernames, this space will continue to grow.</p>



<p>Additional domain extensions (like .com, .me, .blog, and more) will become available for a fee in the future.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why .link?</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://nova.link/why-link/">.link domain</a> is more than just an address on the web. It&#8217;s a declaration of connectivity, a badge of identity in the digital realm, and a key to unlocking a world where your online presence is seen and felt. By reserving your unique .link domain, you&#8217;re taking full control of your connected identity on the web while building a more memorable and trustworthy brand.</p>



<p>Feel free to share your experiences and feedback with us. We&#8217;re excited to see how you&#8217;ll leverage your new .link domain to elevate your digital footprint. </p>



<p><a href="http://gravatar.com/profiles">Claim your free .link domain now!</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:27:38 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11:"Ronnie Burt";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:39;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:95:"WPTavern: #125 – Davinder Singh Kainth on Content Creation and Business Strategy in WordPress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:48:"https://wptavern.com/?post_type=podcast&p=156506";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:109:"https://wptavern.com/podcast/125-davinder-singh-kainth-on-content-creation-and-business-strategy-in-wordpress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:43090:"Transcript<div>
<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Welcome to the Jukebox podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley.</p>



<p>Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, how to build trust and foster relationships within the WordPress community.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;d like to subscribe to the podcast, you can do that by searching for WP Tavern in your podcast player of choice, or by going to wptavern.com/feed/podcast, and then you can copy that URL into most podcast players.</p>



<p>If you have a topic that you&#8217;d like us to feature on the podcast, I&#8217;m keen to hear from you, and hopefully get you, or your idea, featured on the show. Head to wptavern.com/contact/jukebox, and use the form there.</p>



<p>So on the podcast today, we have Davinder Singh Kainth.</p>



<p>Davinder is a WordPress creative, an entrepreneur, and a sharer of knowledge. He&#8217;s been in the online ecosystem for over 20 years, and his journey from blogging to design, development and entrepreneurship is anchored in the WordPress world. He writes about WordPress every week at thewpweekly.com newsletter, and also has a sideline in website creation, coaching and consulting.</p>



<p>Today we get into a discussion that extends beyond traditional agency work. We talk about the opportunities available in plugin and theme development, SEO, hosting, and more.</p>



<p>Davinder offers his advice on trying to figure out the nuances of the WordPress ecosystem to promote your credibility and ensure longevity. We chat about the importance of having diversified revenue streams, the intricacies of targeting WordPress users with SaaS products, and the vital role that referrals play in agency success.</p>



<p>Davinder also discusses the need for adaptability persistence and carving out one&#8217;s unique path in the WordPress world.</p>



<p>We also touch upon the community spirit found at WordCamp events, and the significant impact of that engaging with the WordPress community can have on professional opportunities.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re interested in practical advice on how the WordPress community can work with you, this episode is for you.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;d like to find out more, you can find all of the links in the show notes by heading to wptavern.com/podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>



<p>And so without further delay, I bring you Davinder Singh Kainth.</p>



<p>I am joined on the podcast today by Davinder Singh Kanith How are you doing Davinder?</p>



<p>[00:03:06] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Hi, I am doing good. Thanks for inviting me.</p>



<p>[00:03:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> You are very welcome. I was lucky enough to bump into Davinda, not that long ago in WordCamp Asia. It was very nice to meet you in person. I think it&#8217;s fair to say that we&#8217;ve had quite a lot of exchanges over the years. I think probably you and I got to know each other in the Beaver Builder community, I would imagine that&#8217;s where it all began for me and you.</p>



<p>[00:03:27] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Absolutely. Beaver Builder, the awesome page builder that has spread the awesomeness in different fields, be it podcasting, or maybe newsletter.</p>



<p>[00:03:34] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> We&#8217;ve definitely had our moments, and I&#8217;m very thankful for Davinder talking to us today. And we&#8217;re going to talk about the WordPress community, and much more than that. How to be a good custodian in WordPress. How to sell your products into WordPress successfully. Loads of different things. But before we do that, Davinder, in case there&#8217;s anybody listening to this who hasn&#8217;t heard of you before, do you just want to give us your bio, tell us who you are, where you&#8217;re from, what it is you do.</p>



<p>[00:03:58] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Okay, I am from India, place called Chandigarh. Which is like six hour drive from the capital New Delhi, North India. I&#8217;ve been into WordPress ever since WordPress existed. Started as a blogger, then went into usual design, development agency world. And now, plus the agency, I do mostly content creation, email marketing funnels, that&#8217;s like my interest area, so all things WordPress as the foundation.</p>



<p>[00:04:21] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Do you still run a business building client websites, things like that? Or is it more the kind of content creation, the newsletters that you make for the community?</p>



<p>[00:04:32] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> You know, for the last two or three years, I did not have any new client, because I didn&#8217;t need one. Because the old clients kept me busy, and I love them because at this stage of my professional career, I only want people who don&#8217;t eat my brain.</p>



<p>[00:04:46] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> You&#8217;ve got various different endeavors. Maybe the one that most people have heard of is The WP Weekly. Anything that we mention in today&#8217;s podcast, where Davinder might have connection, I will make sure that goes into the show notes. But that&#8217;s certainly worth signing up for. If you want a weekly dose of WordPress news, that&#8217;s highly recommended. What day does it drop?</p>



<p>[00:05:05] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Monday morning, India time.</p>



<p>[00:05:07] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay, so we&#8217;re going to get into the WordPress community, and how to sell yourself into that community, and how to be a good custodian. You suggested this topic, so I&#8217;m just going to throw it over to you and ask you, what was your intention here? What was it that you wanted to get across?</p>



<p>[00:05:20] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Knowing WordPress is good, a lot of people know how to install WordPress and, you know, spin up a new website. But knowing the business of WordPress is very critical, if you want to stay in this ecosystem for a long time, financially, creatively and have the overall satisfaction. Now, I understand not everyone is made for working as an employee, and not everyone is made, or has the jobs, or interest of being an entrepreneur.</p>



<p>So, I think a lot of people join WordPress for the sake of, it&#8217;s a free open source platform, but they soon realise it&#8217;s not free. There&#8217;s a big money making hierarchy, where you spend money, and you make money, but you only discover it way down the line. And all this is coming from running WP Weekly, and getting new people approaching me and saying, oh, I&#8217;ve made this product, can you share it, because I&#8217;m literally lost in how to promote it, right? And how to get eyeballs to it.</p>



<p>Because creating is just a small part of the overall picture. People don&#8217;t realise that once they create it, and no one actually visits your website, or even interacts with your product.</p>



<p>So I think the journey should start from exploring various things in the WordPress world, and finding your sweet spot. Because, again, if you see everyone&#8217;s journey, like majority of people, even you included Nathan, like we all start with an agency, right? Sort of like fancy agency name. We look for clients and figure out how to service them. And guess what? Majority of us actually then jump from agency to something different, something that interests us, like you went to podcasting.</p>



<p>Now, obviously when you were running your agency, you would&#8217;ve never imagined like you would do a podcast like WP Builds. It all came out of your passion for talking to people. And I&#8217;m sure when you started WP Builds, you had a hundred percent idea that it&#8217;s not going to make you any money from it.</p>



<p>So that&#8217;s how it begins, right? You basically funnel your whole knowledge of running an agency into something you are more passionate about. And suddenly those light bulbs in your path lights up, and it financially becomes viable. Plus you get the creative satisfaction.</p>



<p>So I always tell to people like, yes, go into the ecosystem, explore things, but find a channel, find a thing that interests you, rather than copying someone.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s okay to take inspiration, like Nathan is doing good with WP Builds, I&#8217;ll start a new podcast called WPBuilding.com. Just take an inspiration. But, again, it&#8217;s not just the podcast, it&#8217;s a personality of a person, how you deliver it, how people interact with you. So find your sweet spot, and then focus on it. That&#8217;s my main foundational advice to anyone who comes to me. And I know it is a very vague thing, but that&#8217;s how it is. I&#8217;m sure even you also did your whole journey until now in the WordPress space like that.</p>



<p>[00:08:07] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think what&#8217;s really interesting is that the WordPress ecosystem is so much bigger than it would appear. And I would imagine that there&#8217;s actually very few people out there who truly have an understanding of all of the different pieces that make up whatever WordPress is. You know, the multi billions, possibly even trillions, I don&#8217;t know, that the WordPress ecosystem per year will generate, across the planet.</p>



<p>But you&#8217;re right. When I began, my intuition was that it was a piece of software used to create websites, and so I followed the playbook of, I must have a business which will make websites, and that was fine. So, you know, I started to follow people on YouTube, and look at that. And then after exploring the WordPress community, and in my case, it was exploring Facebook groups, which were popping up all over the place at that time. I discovered that there were people out there who were like me, but there were a load of other people who were not like me.</p>



<p>And so in my case, as you said, I began a podcast. You&#8217;ve obviously hived off into content creation in different ways. So that&#8217;s really fascinating. It&#8217;s big enough to not just think that the agency route is the only way to succeed. There&#8217;s probably thousands of different paths that you take, whether that&#8217;s being a plugin developer, a theme developer, an SEO person, into hosting in some way, content creation. Honestly, the list could go on. I could keep talking for ages, and I&#8217;ve talked to many of these people in the past.</p>



<p>But the size of the ecosystem is big enough to support all of that. But unless you start to explore and peel back the curtain a little bit, and try to figure out what this community looks like, you&#8217;ll never see it, right? You won&#8217;t know that that exists, and you&#8217;ll think agency, that&#8217;s what we do, that&#8217;s all WordPress is.</p>



<p>[00:09:53] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Even if, when you&#8217;re running an agency, if you recall, your best clients actually came from referrals from your friends, rather than looking at your fancy website, or your Google ads, or Facebook ads during those times.</p>



<p>[00:10:05] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s true. There was still a connection to the real world back there.</p>



<p>Also, I think that there&#8217;s something kind of unique about this community. I&#8217;ve talked about it many times before, and I can&#8217;t quite put my finger on what it is, but I think it&#8217;s connected to open source. I think there is something about a person who is willing to spend time in an open source community, that is a little bit different than somebody, not somebody, it&#8217;s more the thing, the open source thing than the person. But the nature of those communities are different.</p>



<p>As an example, if I show up to a WordPress event, so I recently met you at WordCamp Asia. It&#8217;s very open. You&#8217;ve got competitors openly talking to each other when the event has closed down for the evening. You know, you&#8217;ve got hosting companies all going out to have a drink and a meal together.</p>



<p>I think in other communities, let&#8217;s say it was, I don&#8217;t know, a Cisco networking event. I think we&#8217;re going to have a different flavour. The camaraderie might be a bit more superficial, and you wouldn&#8217;t be encouraged maybe to go and have a meal with your competitors. So, do you think there&#8217;s anything in that? Do you think the community, the open source nature of it, promotes a different ethos, a different relationship?</p>



<p>[00:11:16] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Oh, a hundred percent, because WordPress is the only community where you will see competitors, not just sitting together, but sharing their challenges, sharing their wins, sharing their learnings, and sharing, hey, what am I going to do next?</p>



<p>And even though they have exactly similar products, right? And that is the best part of WordPress. Obviously we have conflicts here and there, but they are very minimal compared to the overall picture.</p>



<p>And WordCamp is an excellent example. Like, you see two hosting companies, you know, booths, sponsor booths, next to each other, and all the employees, all the founders, co-founders, they&#8217;re talking to each other like friends, right? And you may not be using that hosting, but you still would know the people behind it. Because, again, it is not about the end product or the service, it&#8217;s about the people. Because when you talk to people, you learn a lot. If you are a good listener, you can be a good creator down the line, that&#8217;s for sure. And WordCamps and other, you know, local WordCamp meetups, they give an excellent platform and opportunity to do that.</p>



<p>[00:12:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, there&#8217;s absolutely loads of WordPress events going on. It obviously took a bit of a hit after, well, during and after the pandemic, but we seem to be, in some parts of the world at least, getting out of that and getting back into the real world.</p>



<p>So there&#8217;s our first point really, it&#8217;s about exploring the multitude of different things that are out there. Don&#8217;t assume that WordPress is just an agency software. It may begin that way for you, but attend things even if that&#8217;s online. Get yourself in the community. Explore a little bit, and you may discover that there&#8217;s a whole different thing that you are capable of doing. Not just capable, it might be that your superpower is something that you never imagined. And you stumble across it, and it&#8217;s fascinating that I&#8217;ve ended up doing podcasting. Like you said, that was never, ever, the intention, and yet here we are.</p>



<p>But once you&#8217;ve got yourself into the community, another thing that you&#8217;ve written in our shared show notes is about the way that you may pitch yourself, or market yourself. And so I think a lot of people in the community, they&#8217;ll come in, and they&#8217;ll build something, and they&#8217;ll assume that the building of that thing might be the only thing that they need to do. So build a product, build a plugin, build a theme, build a whatever it is. Go to an event, and then just start talking about it, and assume that that&#8217;s going to be all that you need to do. But I feel you are saying there&#8217;s a little bit more, you need to be a little bit different, have a different approach.</p>



<p>[00:13:37] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Hundred percent, because before building a product, build yourself. When I say build yourself, it&#8217;s your visibility, your name, your expertise, the value you bring to the ecosystem. And how do you do that? It&#8217;s just start connecting with people in the WordPress ecosystem. And you can do it at various platforms, at various ways, at various times. Because once you start sharing what you know, this initialises the cycle of value exchange. And you can do it at a lot of places.</p>



<p>Even if you don&#8217;t want to participate in a Facebook group, just go to official WordPress forums and start replying to questions. Some of them are really basic questions, and you can just reply it and you can build your visibility.</p>



<p>Obviously there&#8217;s LinkedIn, there&#8217;s Twitter, and there&#8217;s other online events, like you had Page Builder Summit. It&#8217;s such an amazing way to get introduced to new people who are doing the same thing in the ecosystem.</p>



<p>So start interacting, start communicating, because, again, there&#8217;s a school of thought. If I&#8217;m going to spend some time listening to a podcast, reading a blog post, or participating in a Facebook group, that&#8217;s like a waste of time. Why would I do that? I would just rather spend it on building my service or a product. But people forget, the time that you&#8217;re spending there interacting is basically you&#8217;re investing. You&#8217;re investing in building your portfolio in the whole ecosystem.</p>



<p>Because again, if I run an agency and someone comes to me with a specific requirement, say, I want to build an app that talks to WordPress. Now, if I already know a person who&#8217;s been doing that, I will gladly refer that person to that specific person, because I trust that person, and know that that person has a specific expertise in that specific thing.</p>



<p>Even in your case, if someone comes to you for, say, I want to build a website with Beaver Builder, you already know people who use Beaver Builder, or people who use Elementor, or any other specific page builder, right? Once you&#8217;re there in the ecosystem, you already know people doing what, what, what. So yeah, get into the ecosystem.</p>



<p>Again, it is a slow process, but slow process gives you returns down the line. So don&#8217;t expect immediate returns. Even your example, like people build, I&#8217;ve seen this in WordCamp also, in recent WordCamps that I&#8217;ve attended. People will build a product or a service, and they will sponsor a WordCamp and sit there, right?</p>



<p>Now, if you have initial money, yes, go for the sponsorship route. Because, again, this is also another way, another natural way of getting people introduced to yourself. Because once you have your booth on there, and you have people who are working for you, they start interacting with people who are visiting it. They are also fellow entrepreneurs or service. They might be your customer, but it&#8217;s just like introducing your brand, because once they know your brand, they won&#8217;t feel alien when some of their customers come and ask, hey, I saw this brand, is it good enough? And you will recall back, oh, I saw this brand, I talked to that person from that specific brand at the WordCamp, and yeah, why not? It&#8217;s legitimate, go for it.</p>



<p>[00:16:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I have an intuition that it&#8217;s easy for people who are not in the WordPress community, haven&#8217;t been for any length of time, I think it&#8217;s easy to misunderstand what will sell effectively into the WordPress ecosystem. What I mean by that, and I&#8217;m not going to mention any names, either when I talk positively or maybe negatively. But I&#8217;ve definitely come across individuals who have gone from no presence in the WordPress space, to being able to schmooze with everybody, because they&#8217;ve really put in that effort.</p>



<p>And that effort that they&#8217;ve done, and schmooze is probably the wrong word because it has a fairly negative connotation, but they&#8217;ve come to the events, in some cases they may have sponsored the events, but they&#8217;ve been available, they&#8217;ve talked to people, they&#8217;ve made connections, they&#8217;ve joined groups, and they&#8217;ve collaborated with people. And the mere fact of doing that, and being a good custodian, means that now everybody knows them. If I want this kind of thing that they offer, I&#8217;m going to at least consider what they&#8217;ve got.</p>



<p>Now, on the other hand, I&#8217;ve also come across situations where the opposite has happened. As you said, people have built things, come into the WordPress space, and sort of misjudged a little bit about how that would work, and very much hard sell, and what have you. Again, I have an intuition that that doesn&#8217;t work out for the best. And you may have your own personal experiences about that, where people have approached you, and wish to be marketed by you in your newsletter, or whatever it may be, and it just didn&#8217;t feel right somehow. So there&#8217;s a lesson to be learned.</p>



<p>[00:17:56] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Exactly. And this is very true for especially SaaS products, or SaaS services that are coming into WordPress ecosystem, targeting WordPress people. I had a interaction, just a normal interaction with someone who built a SaaS service, and they wanted to target WordPress users to come on board.</p>



<p>And the interaction started with like, they were telling me all the features, the fancy features and all that stuff. I&#8217;m saying, yeah, that&#8217;s good. And then I asked the very basic question like, if I&#8217;m a WordPress user, how am I going to integrate your service on my website, right? Oh, we provide a piece of code, and you just slap it there and it&#8217;s done.</p>



<p>And I said, WordPress people don&#8217;t work like that. You need to have an integration plugin. Oh, we never thought about it. And I said, no, that&#8217;s how WordPress ecosystem works. You&#8217;ve got to have an integration plugin, where a person installs a plugin and your site is connected to your service and it&#8217;s done.</p>



<p>And those people then went away for six months, without anything, then they came back after six months, emailed me, we got the plugin ready, now what&#8217;s next? And I said, yeah, that&#8217;s the first step actually to, you know, you need to be prepared for your entry into the WordPress ecosystem. You can&#8217;t expect WordPress people, obviously they are developers and all that, but average WordPress person would prefer to install an integration plugin to connect to a service, rather than getting a piece of code, and then look where to paste it, right? I won&#8217;t name that service, but they&#8217;ve been doing pretty good in the ecosystem now.</p>



<p>[00:19:20] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I wonder how difficult it is nowadays to sell into the WordPress space. Because I imagine that if you had a fully functional plugin a decade ago, let&#8217;s say, I don&#8217;t know, 12, 13 years ago, the space was far less crowded. And you probably have been around for a while, so everybody knows you. You&#8217;ve become the incumbent, and what have you. You probably don&#8217;t need to do that work of being a part of the community, and showing up to events because you&#8217;ve already done it, and everybody knows who you are, and you are the incumbent.</p>



<p>But I do wonder how fiercely competitive it must be in the WordPress space. Let&#8217;s just pick an example. Let&#8217;s say that I came out with, oh I don&#8217;t know, just random thing, an SEO plugin. And we know that there&#8217;s a bunch of those already, and some of them enormously successful. But you&#8217;ve built the plugin, and it must be hard to then think, gosh, I spend all this time building the plugin. Do I really have to turn up to these things? Do I really have to go and sit through, I don&#8217;t know, watch through Slack channels, and turn up to podcast interviews, and go to events at different points in the world? Can&#8217;t I just sell it? Will somebody not just take it on and make it as success for me?</p>



<p>And I think maybe a decade ago that might have been much more the case. But now I think that piece of the puzzle, if you want to be a real success in the WordPress space, I think given the competition, you have to do a bit of that.</p>



<p>[00:20:38] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Absolutely, because building a product is just 30%, rest 70% is marketing. And it&#8217;s not just marketing your product, it&#8217;s marketing yourself. You being a founder, co-founder, or a big team, doesn&#8217;t matter. Because if you look closely, be it a big product or a small product, most of the product has a face. Like we know, oh Yoast, I know this person from the Yoast. GoDaddy. I know this person from GoDaddy, right?</p>



<p>Marketing is very difficult, but if you do it in a natural way. If you&#8217;re looking for immediate sales, and you are completely new to the ecosystem, and you don&#8217;t have any existing product that can bring repetition to your new product, then it would be difficult.</p>



<p>But again, WordPress ecosystem is very welcoming for new people who are ready to mingle, and interact, and share their knowledge.</p>



<p>There are a lot of examples, like you mentioned about SEO plugin. There&#8217;s so many forms plugin. Now, you see WS form. Where did it come up from? Like last few years, it&#8217;s everywhere, right? Why? Because the founder is proactive, and he&#8217;s proactive about sharing stuff, rather than promoting his plugin. Because once you know a person, you always dig out and see, what&#8217;s the end deal here, right? So, I know it sounds very easy. Go and interact in the community, but mind you, it works.</p>



<p>[00:21:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, okay. That&#8217;s interesting. Where is the community now though? Because I feel there&#8217;s maybe 10 different places that I could mention, where you might find an aspect of the community. I&#8217;ll just rattle a few off. So, WordCamps, WordPress meetups, Facebook groups, Slack channels. You know, if you&#8217;re looking into Trac, you might find something in there. If you&#8217;re into GitHub, you might find something there. There&#8217;s probably all sorts of people on Twitter that you can follow. I&#8217;m on seven and I&#8217;ll stop, because I could keep going. But you get the idea.</p>



<p>Do you have any intuition these days, in the year 2024, June 2024? Where would you think a good proportion of that time should go? Is there a plan that you would advise people to follow, or is it just use what you&#8217;re already using, and the things that you&#8217;re already good with?</p>



<p>[00:22:36] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> You know, in my initial years, Facebook group was the big thing. Like I was in so many Facebook group. And not just I learned and made connections in Facebook group, even my agency business got like 99.99% of referrals and clients from those Facebook groups. And those were amazing. I&#8217;m still part of few Facebook groups, and they are still amazing, and I love them.</p>



<p>But again, I personally have stopped investing my time, or I should say bulk of my time interacting, because I&#8217;m already in various other systems now. Last one or two years, I&#8217;ve been enjoying Twitter and LinkedIn more, in connecting with new people. Because if you see, person you will find on LinkedIn would not be there on Facebook. That person may or may not be on Twitter. So the thing is, now there&#8217;s so much fragmentation of platforms, and there&#8217;s one person who would love to be on one platform, one person would love to be on another platform. So you need to be, just to cater to that needs.</p>



<p>Like I have a Facebook page for the WP Weekly on Facebook, right? But there&#8217;s always someone who said, I can&#8217;t tag you on LinkedIn. What&#8217;s the idea? So I had to launch a page for WP Weekly on LinkedIn, even though it&#8217;s an extra work for me. But again, if you want to spread your impact, spread your whole ecosystem, then you have to be on different platforms. Again, this is a time consuming thing, but whether you want to look at it as a time consuming thing, or investment, that&#8217;s how the whole perspective of thing goes.</p>



<p>So if you are starting new in 2024, Facebook groups is still one of the best place to start interacting. But again, you have to be little careful. It&#8217;s not like, oh hello, I&#8217;m this, this is my product, go buy it. That&#8217;s not how you introduce yourself in Facebook group. That still holds true even in 2024.</p>



<p>Follow people on Twitter, which is X now. Twitter has been amazing in the last two or three years for me. Like I&#8217;ve learned so many things. I&#8217;ve interacted with a lot of people there. Yes, the issue is that it&#8217;s a real time, you know, learning and communication. You can&#8217;t dig into archives and all that.</p>



<p>But yeah, the only thing that I&#8217;ve dropped off on my radar is Slack channels, various Slack. Because again, I personally found it too difficult because it&#8217;s a real time thing. People pings in, and you leave everything, and then attend it.</p>



<p>I&#8217;m only in part of two Slack channel, one is the Make WordPress Slack official, if someone tags and all that. And the other one is like a private slack of just five people. Five WordPress people who share things other than WordPress, because you need that fun element also in your online life.</p>



<p>[00:25:07] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> It&#8217;s kind of interesting, your path is quite similar to mine, in that I&#8217;ve ebbed and flowed. And things that I was really into for a period of time, I&#8217;ve become more disinterested in. Coincidentally, Facebook is one of them. But I&#8217;ve also found that I&#8217;m much more active in the Slack channels, than I ever was.</p>



<p>And I forgot to mention that. That is, if you can cope with the UI of Slack, and the linear nature of everything in one thread, which is, it can be quite hard if you blink, or go away for a week and come back, can be a challenge to catch up.</p>



<p>But essentially there&#8217;s no right answer. But what was kind of curious about what you said there was, there is an etiquette sometimes. There is a way of behaving, especially at the beginning. Where, if you show up to, let&#8217;s say one of the Facebook groups, and you join and you get accepted and all that, and you immediately start hitting that Facebook group with obvious sales and promotional content, it&#8217;s kind of interesting the reaction that you can have.</p>



<p>Whereas if you posted that exact same post two years after you&#8217;ve been in that community, and you&#8217;ve been really helpful, and you&#8217;ve obviously been a good citizen, and you are kind of now owed by the group, if you like. That&#8217;s the wrong way of describing it, but you know what I mean. You&#8217;ve put so much in, that maybe it&#8217;s time to get something back. That sort of stuff seems to be a little bit different. So, you do have to learn the rules of the road for each of these communities.</p>



<p>I feel like Twitter&#8217;s more broadcast. It&#8217;s more, hit a button and just say what you want to say, and if you wish to reply, so be it. But the Facebook groups and things like that, there is much more commentary, and things going on, so that&#8217;s interesting.</p>



<p>[00:26:39] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> That&#8217;s why I tell people, make friends. If the owner of Facebook group is your friend, you can get away with a lot of things.</p>



<p>[00:26:45] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s interesting, yeah. So not everybody&#8217;s going to succeed, right? You may have a product to service, and you build it, and despite all of that, despite all of the efforts that you make, you show up to events, you participate, it just somehow never finds its way. That product was never destined to be a success, and it wasn&#8217;t.</p>



<p>What do you say about this? Do you think that it&#8217;s okay in WordPress to pivot, if you&#8217;ve been doing something for a long time? Is there anything in that? Just keep trying. It&#8217;s a worthwhile community. So instead of saying, okay, that plugin didn&#8217;t work, I&#8217;m going to abandon WordPress, and I&#8217;m going to go and build something for Shopify, or just build a SaaS app. Do you think that WordPress is a place where you can have a number of goes, even if the first few are failures?</p>



<p>[00:27:25] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> You know, if you dig the history of founders, or co-founders of very popular plugins in the current times, you will be surprised to know that plugin is, or was, not their first plugin. They had so many failures, so-called failures. I don&#8217;t call it as a failure, I call it as a learning step, learning process. Every failure, or everything that didn&#8217;t work is a learning, there&#8217;s a learning in there.</p>



<p>If I have to give my example, besides running an agency, I ran a theme shop that worked for me, and that really did wonders. I used to sell custom Genesis themes. It worked really well. Obviously Genesis ecosystem has gone in 10 years now, so that is not a relevant project. But I&#8217;ve done so many, so many projects that did not work.</p>



<p>But there&#8217;s a difference between me at that time and now. Like, earlier I used to cling to my projects. No, it&#8217;s going to work. I&#8217;m going to stick with it for three, four years.</p>



<p>But now I have a strict timeline. If that thing does not work, or I&#8217;m not interested in that thing for one year, I&#8217;m going to put it in a snooze mode, and get onto something that I might be interested in doing something else, right? So if you launch 10 different things, don&#8217;t expect even two of them working, it would be mostly one or zero. That&#8217;s how real life works, even in WordPress ecosystem.</p>



<p>So if you&#8217;re launching a plugin expecting, oh, I&#8217;m going to make triple, or four or five figures in one year, don&#8217;t even have the target. First step is launch a plugin for free, the free version. Because, again, if you see the WordPress ecosystem, the free model to the pro model, that&#8217;s the golden journey of even a customer, and even for you as an entrepreneur of a product. Obviously there are plugins which are pro only, and still work. But if you notice, those are mostly plugins that are like five or 10 years old, when the ecosystem was pretty much different.</p>



<p>[00:29:17] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So, one curious thing that came out of that was that, you&#8217;ve had things that were successful. You just described things where it was a failure, and so you move on because you can&#8217;t keep sustaining a failing idea, or a failing product forever. But also, you said that you&#8217;d had things which were successful, and you mentioned themes and Genesis.</p>



<p>And if you&#8217;ve been in the WordPress space for any length of time, you&#8217;ll know that Genesis was all the rage. There was this theme called Genesis, and there were loads of things built on top of it. It almost became like a default for a significant amount of the community. And then, fast forward 5, 10 years, it had gone away. Other things had come along, usurped its place in the marketplace. We were talking about other themes and things.</p>



<p>So that&#8217;s interesting as well. Your success might not always be a success, and you have to be open to that as well. You know, just because you once were doing gangbuster sales, doesn&#8217;t mean that you always will. So be prepared to let go of an idea which worked, but maybe isn&#8217;t working.</p>



<p>[00:30:13] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Yeah, move with the times. Because if you see the WordPress ecosystem, it changes every two, three years. The popular themes, the popular plugins, they all change within two, three years. That&#8217;s like mostly the shelf life. When I say change, it&#8217;s just them being in the popularity bracket, and then being removed from popularity bracket, and tagged as legacy, or the old school kind of products.</p>



<p>So yeah, move with the times. Because, again, even if you see the page builder stuff, that&#8217;s like the most hotly contested topic, there&#8217;s a new page builder who are all the rage. People use it, but not everyone uses it. There are people who still use the old page builders, and it works for them. But there&#8217;s a section of audience who loves to jump on new products. But then there&#8217;s a section of old people like me, maybe you also, who stick to the old products.</p>



<p>Because my school of thought is like, if the product that you&#8217;re using is working on foundational level, there&#8217;s no reason to change it immediately. Because if you change a product, it&#8217;s not just changing a product, it&#8217;s changing the whole learning process around it. And then, you know, if you&#8217;re serving client website, you&#8217;re rebuilding the whole thing. So be smart there. It&#8217;s good to follow the buzz in the ecosystem, but don&#8217;t get carried away with it.</p>



<p>[00:31:21] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I do think that&#8217;s really interesting because, I mean, obviously if you have a really successful product in the WordPress space, then it does make sense to just invest all of your time and efforts into that one thing, because clearly that&#8217;s working. And we know that there are companies out there who, for decades or more have focused on one thing, and it&#8217;s been really successful.</p>



<p>But, interesting that in the back of your mind, is always the thought of, what&#8217;s the next thing? What could I be doing next, just in case? So you&#8217;ve, kind of got this insurance policy idea really that, you know, I&#8217;ve got a kernel of an idea, and it&#8217;s just sitting in the back there, and if I notice that this thing declines, then I&#8217;ll start to operate on that. And I think that&#8217;s a very sensible approach to take. So that&#8217;s interesting.</p>



<p>[00:31:59] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> You know, having multiple streams of revenue in this time, or any time in the WordPress space, is very critical. Because, if you have two or three different places that is bringing or generating revenue for you, they will always fluctuate. But when you have multiple, they will all compensate with each other. And then you end up making the same amount of revenue.</p>



<p>For example, a person working in a WordPress product company as an employee wants to launch a new plugin, or new product of their own. By default, hunch of a human nature is, I&#8217;m going to leave the job, and I&#8217;m start working on a product, and I&#8217;m going to sell it. That sounds very interesting. That sounds very, very attractive. But in real life, that can be a disaster for you.</p>



<p>So the best idea is, yes, work on a product while you&#8217;re working on a job. Find a free time, and run it in parallel, and validate it, whether it&#8217;s going to work or not. Because you don&#8217;t want to come from a hundred to zero. Come from a hundred to 70, and then try to experiment things.</p>



<p>[00:32:54] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, that&#8217;s really nice advice. Fascinating conversation. So the WordPress community is big, broad, there&#8217;s lots of success. There&#8217;s probably a fair amount of failure as well. But I think the lasting message from here is keep trying, keep pivoting, be a good member of the community, explore the different ways that the community operates. Figure out what the rules of the road are, and hopefully you&#8217;ll have some success.</p>



<p>Davinder, where do we connect with you? I mean, I know you mentioned the platform specifically. I think Twitter and LinkedIn are your favorites at the moment. But I know that you&#8217;ve got a newsletter. We mentioned it at the beginning. So, anywhere that you want to tell people to go to find you?</p>



<p>[00:33:27] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> My username is, I, I as an iPhone, followed by Davinder, D-A-V-I-N-D-E-R. I&#8217;m iDavinder on every platform, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook. And also I have a website called iDavinder.com, which is a legacy, old, vintage looking website, which needs a makeover, you know? Own websites never get loved, but I plan to redo it someday. So yeah, iDavinder, I&#8217;m happy, say hi, happy to connect with, I love connecting with new people.</p>



<p>[00:33:52] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Perfect. So we will put all of that into the show notes, along with the links to the WP Weekly as well. And it just remains for me to say, Davinder Singh Kainth, thank you very much for chatting to me today. That was really interesting.</p>



<p>[00:34:04] <strong>Davinder Singh Kainth:</strong> Thank you. Always nice talking to you, and yeah, thanks for inviting me.</p>
</div>



<p>On the podcast today we have <a href="https://x.com/idavinder">Davinder Singh Kainth</a>.</p>



<p>Davinder is a WordPress creative, an entrepreneur, and a sharer of knowledge. He’s been in the online ecosystem for over 20 years, and his journey from blogging to design, development, and entrepreneurship is anchored in the WordPress world. He writes about WordPress every week at The <a href="https://thewpweekly.com/">wpweekly.com newsletter</a>, and also has a sideline in website creation, coaching, and consulting.</p>



<p>Today we get into a discussion that extends beyond traditional agency work. We talk about the opportunities available in plugin and theme development, SEO, hosting and more. Davinder offers his advice on trying to figure out the nuances of the WordPress ecosystem to promote your credibility and ensure longevity.</p>



<p>We chat about the importance of having diversified revenue streams, the intricacies of targeting WordPress users with SaaS products, and the vital role that referrals play in agency success. Davinder also discusses the need for adaptability, persistence, and carving out one&#8217;s unique path in the WordPress world.</p>



<p>We also touch upon the community spirit found at WordCamp events, and the significant impact that engaging with the WordPress community can have on professional opportunities.</p>



<p>If you’re interested in practical advice on how the WordPress community can work with you, this episode is for you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Useful links</h2>



<p><a href="https://thewpweekly.com/">The WP Weekly</a></p>



<p><a href="https://asia.wordcamp.org/2024/">WordCamp Asia</a></p>



<p>Davinder on <a href="https://x.com/idavinder">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/idavinder/">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/idavinder/">Facebook</a></p>



<p><a href="https://idavinder.com/">Davinder&#8217;s legacy website</a></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 26 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Nathan Wrigley";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:40;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:64:"Do The Woo Community: Embracing Lifelong Learning with Bud Kraus";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=84273";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:63:"https://dothewoo.io/embracing-lifelong-learning-with-bud-kraus/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:33207:"<div class="wp-block-group has-border-color has-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-15 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<p class="has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-df14f0e3ece767c29248940486a8055c">This show is sponsored by&#8230;</p>



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Episode Transcript
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<p>Sophia:<br />Hey guys. Welcome back to the Next Generation with Sophia DeRosia and Allison Dye. Today our special guest is Bud Kraus. Bud, do you want to say hi?</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Hello everybody, and thank you for having me on.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />We were just talking with Bud, who was wondering why our first guest is him because, as he said himself, &#8220;I am the oldest person there is for the Next Gen podcast. Why me?&#8221; Sophia and I talked about how everyone was young once and everyone was in a similar position to what we are in now. Every generation has its differences. We may have different-looking obstacles than the ones you faced, but in the end, we face similar challenges. As you have gotten older, you&#8217;re facing similar challenges again in a way. We all face ageism in the workplace: &#8220;Oh, you&#8217;re too young,&#8221; or &#8220;Oh, you&#8217;re too old.&#8221; In tech, there seems to be this idea that you have to be this perfect ever-young age, but not too young. Do you want to talk a little bit about that experience and maybe compare it to when you were younger and older? Do you see similarities with those two periods of your life?</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Well, you call to my mind that when I was your age, I didn&#8217;t have any idea what I wanted to do. All of this technology, the internet, the web, all that was not around, of course. It was very hard to find my way in the world. In fact, I worked in a totally different industry for 17 years waiting for all of this to begin. Once it did begin, I said, &#8220;That&#8217;s where I want to go.&#8221; But you&#8217;re right. You&#8217;re either too old or too young, and maybe you&#8217;re just right for a couple of years when you think about it.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />So what made you change from that career of 17 years to doing something entirely different?</p>



<p>Bud:<br />This is really important because, as people will see over a period of time, they will change their careers multiple times whether they want to or not. The world being what it is will force you to. I think part of my story is to take charge of that and not let events and changes take charge of you. It&#8217;s easier said than done, I understand that, but that&#8217;s something that you should keep in mind. I was actually an insurance broker in New York City, and my clients were in the entertainment industry, so that was all good. Over time, I just grew to hate the insurance industry.</p>



<p>When I first saw the web in 1994, I said, &#8220;How do they do that?&#8221; This was at a time when websites were gray backgrounds, black text, blue links, and maybe a few gifs, and that was about it. I was fascinated by what I was looking at. I think I was looking at a Hungarian library website or something, and I just said, &#8220;I want to do that.&#8221; Of course, I didn&#8217;t know what &#8220;that&#8221; was. It took me quite a while to figure out what that was. In the beginning, it was just making websites. If you went to somebody and said, &#8220;I can make a website for you,&#8221; they either said, &#8220;Great,&#8221; or &#8220;What&#8217;s a website?&#8221;</p>



<p>That&#8217;s how I got started. Then I realized shortly thereafter that I was not really much of a designer. I had no experience. So what do you do if you can&#8217;t do anything? You start teaching, right? I found myself teaching in businesses and at Pratt Institute and FIT in New York City. I was teaching HTML and CSS and then eventually WordPress. That was really my first love. Well, my wife is, and then teaching, and then my kids. Alright, let&#8217;s get the family out of the way.</p>



<p>But education is really the first thing that I really like to do, and I&#8217;m always learning new things myself. I think that&#8217;s really important for anybody at any stage: to keep your mind open to the possibilities of growing and learning. We&#8217;re all going to be lifelong learners. You want to make that very much a part of your life. The idea that you&#8217;re going to be learning the rest of your life, you&#8217;re going to want to and embrace it. Embrace that challenge of learning all your life. If you look at the WordPress community, the people there really embrace the idea of lifelong learning from a very young age to well, whatever.</p>



<p>I once talked to a president of a college in New Hampshire, and we were talking about the idea of changing careers. She said, &#8220;It&#8217;s not that you&#8217;re going to switch jobs 20 times in your life. You&#8217;re going to switch careers 20 times in your life.&#8221; But you see, here&#8217;s the beauty of that kind of thing. You might think that there&#8217;s no connection between being an insurance broker and working in web design. Oh, wrong. You couldn&#8217;t be more hopelessly wrong because the skills I learned in business—negotiating contracts, insurance, accounting—whatever I learned, I could bring that all into my new world, and I did. Those 17 years, while they weren&#8217;t my happiest years, certainly taught me a lot to bring forward into what I do today.</p>



<p>I had a lot of very good mentors in those days. If you&#8217;re a younger person, you want to find mentors to take you under their wing and help you navigate the world. In your early twenties, you&#8217;re still kind of raw. Sorry, you&#8217;re not a finished product. I guess I am a finished product. Of course, I change, but I pretty much am who I am. When you&#8217;re in your early twenties, you want to take the advice of somebody who&#8217;s been around, who knows how to deal with people, who knows what to say, and who understands what you do and don&#8217;t do. I was very fortunate in the insurance business to have about two and a half tremendous mentors. The lessons I learned from them I practice today. So if I&#8217;m 25 or 30, I&#8217;m definitely looking for somebody who will, in a certain way, have my back and look after me.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />That is something that I found as well. The start of my career has been absolutely left and right, zigzag. Nothing has been what I thought it would be, but I have learned an incredible amount that will last me. Not even just about jobs, but about life things. I&#8217;ve learned a lot from coworkers and employers and all these things that I definitely never thought I would learn from where I&#8217;m at, but I&#8217;m very grateful for it.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Absolutely. We were just talking about this the other day, Sophia, about how I worked as a nanny for a long time, and then I ended up in sales. I was like, &#8220;Oh, everyone, no matter the age, can have a tantrum.&#8221; You learn these skills along the way, and even though they may not seem connected at the time, they do connect at some point. They do feed into what you&#8217;re doing next, regardless of if they&#8217;re related or not. So I think that&#8217;s a really important thing to keep in mind no matter what age we are. It&#8217;s maybe only in movies where you start on one career path and stay on the same path the entire time.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Something that we have yet to see is people retiring from internet or WordPress jobs. We&#8217;re jumping into this world with really no expectation of what it&#8217;s supposed to look like or what it&#8217;s going to look like.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Well, that&#8217;s a ways for you guys to go. The whole concept of retirement is changing and will be radically different in 40 years. You can be sure of that. It might be radically different in the next four minutes. Who knows? But Allison, I have a question about sales. Are you in sales now? What do you sell?</p>



<p>Allison:<br />No, I was in sales for a time at a WordPress agency selling WordPress services. It was interesting to see the skills that I didn&#8217;t quite expect to come in handy when they did.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />My point is that I think everybody along the line should or probably will take some kind of position in sales because I think sales is the number one of all the things that we do in the business world. If there are no sales, there&#8217;s nothing else. To me, it&#8217;s the most important job. They are all important, but sales make the world go round. Without commerce, which is sales, we don&#8217;t really have much for business. So no matter what we do in life, we are going to be selling ourselves, a service, or something else. That&#8217;s really important. I always felt most people get to the point in sales when they&#8217;re not selling, that&#8217;s when they&#8217;re the best.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Yeah.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />When they&#8217;re not sitting around going, &#8220;I got to sell this.&#8221; There are all kinds of techniques. I&#8217;ve seen all kinds of different salespeople. I&#8217;ve been exposed to some tremendous salespeople, which I don&#8217;t claim to be. I&#8217;m sort of average. But the people I&#8217;ve been exposed to were tremendous. That&#8217;s the kind of thing you want to learn from as many people as you can. I was very fortunate to see a lot of really great salespeople.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Well, and sales isn&#8217;t even just commerce or money. It&#8217;s learning how to sell yourself, how to present yourself.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Well, it&#8217;s convincing.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Yeah, it&#8217;s communicating.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Exactly.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />And that can take you very, very far.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Yeah. I always saw one of the common threads of people who are really good salespeople is that you, as the buyer, want to do business with them. They&#8217;re fun, they&#8217;re interesting, they&#8217;re exciting, they&#8217;re silly, they&#8217;re whatever, and they&#8217;re knowledgeable. You can&#8217;t be just a joke; you have to know your product and service. But what makes it different, one from another, is maybe the price, whatever. It&#8217;s just, I would say, &#8220;Oh, I love that guy. I want to work with him. I want to do business with him.&#8221; To me</p>



<p>, that was always a huge advantage if you had that personality. A lot of salespeople do have that A-type personality. I have an F-type personality, whatever. They don&#8217;t even have a scale for that.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />I would love to know what similarities you see having been really young in the tech space versus now.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Well, I wasn&#8217;t really young. I was in my early forties when I decided no more insurance. I wanted to be in the industry of my time. Now, I didn&#8217;t think that then, but I think that&#8217;s what makes what we do, or being in the WordPress community, so special. We are in the industry of our time. If it was 1940, we&#8217;d be making cars. It&#8217;s just more exciting. It&#8217;s more relevant and important to people&#8217;s lives. I just found that to be… What was your question? You&#8217;re lucky if you can be that way. Going back to what Sophia said, you can expect, especially in the early years, that your career will zigzag. Unless you&#8217;re like my son who knew when he was 10 years old what he wanted to do, that&#8217;s a blessing. It really is. My wife is that way too. But it doesn&#8217;t mean that we&#8217;re cursed if we don&#8217;t know. It just means that our path is going to be a little different, maybe a little rockier, but in some ways more adventurous and unpredictable. That can definitely be unsettling.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Builds character.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />But also rewarding. Only through time can you look back and say, &#8220;Oh,&#8221; and make some kind of observation.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Tell us about your kids a little bit.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />I have two children, a son who&#8217;s older than you guys and a daughter who&#8217;s older than you guys. Fortunately, they were raised by my wife. That&#8217;s not to say I wasn&#8217;t around, but I did too many wrong things as a dad, quite frankly. She did all the right things. Fortunately, they turned out more like her than like me. But that&#8217;s okay. They&#8217;re not WordPress or tech people per se, although we&#8217;re all in tech in one way or another. Just because you&#8217;re not in WordPress doesn&#8217;t mean you&#8217;re not in tech.</p>



<p>But what is really special right now is my grandboys. Today I&#8217;m wearing a hat that they gave me for Father&#8217;s Day, which says &#8220;Papa Buddy.&#8221; I have a grandson who&#8217;s three and a half, and another one who&#8217;s 14 months. They&#8217;re just like medicine. My mother said grandchildren are the dessert of life. Well, I&#8217;m getting overstuffed on dessert. In fact, my oldest grandson went to his mother the other day and said, &#8220;Papa acts like a baby.&#8221; And she told me. So I go back to my grandson and say, &#8220;I heard you think I act like a baby.&#8221;</p>



<p>We were talking earlier before we started recording about transitioning. There&#8217;s this guy named Bob Dunn. I don&#8217;t know if you&#8217;ve heard of Bob. Maybe not. Most people…not sure. Most people don&#8217;t know who he is. I remember I met him at a WordCamp Philadelphia. It was prearranged, like a prearranged marriage. That&#8217;s a whole other story that I don&#8217;t want to get into. We had a really long talk, and one of the things Bob said really impressed me. He said, &#8220;If you&#8217;re doing something and it doesn&#8217;t work, then do something else. Don&#8217;t keep trying to fix something that probably isn&#8217;t worth fixing.&#8221; If you look at Bob&#8217;s trajectory, he&#8217;s really the embodiment of that, and I am too, becoming an embodiment of that.</p>



<p>So if I was doing something in my work, like web design, and eventually I came to understand, it&#8217;s not that I don&#8217;t like it. I love the craft, but I hated dealing with waiting for clients to make a decision or send me deliverables. I realized I had to sort of retarget. I wasn&#8217;t conscious of this, but a few years ago, I started saying, &#8220;I have all these connections in the WordPress community, but they&#8217;re not really doing me any good.&#8221; By that, I meant I couldn&#8217;t make any money off of these guys. It&#8217;s really nice to know all these people, but I just can&#8217;t make a dollar from them.</p>



<p>Then one thing led to the next, and Vikas from InstaWP said, &#8220;Why don&#8217;t you make a video for me?&#8221; And that&#8217;s how it started. I realized, &#8220;Oh, I could create content for WordPress businesses and leverage my connections with the WordPress community and web hosts.&#8221; That&#8217;s where I am today and where I will be now until the end, because I love doing it. It is the right thing for me to do. The only web projects I do now are if they beg me and it has to be a perfect fit. It&#8217;s not going to be a startup. It&#8217;s not doing any of that stuff. You have to have an ongoing business that needs work.</p>



<p>I was recently begged to get involved with something, literally, because I don&#8217;t want to go through the working-on-the-website journey anymore unless it fits my needs. Now I&#8217;m in a position where I can do that. If I&#8217;m 25 years old, I may not be in a position to do that. You&#8217;re going to take jobs and gigs and do stuff that you&#8217;re going to look back on and go, &#8220;Oh God, I did that for money.&#8221; But that&#8217;s okay because even though you did it for money and it might have been a sort of waste of time or a painful experience, only over time will you see that maybe it wasn&#8217;t so bad. Maybe it was pretty good because it led you to think, &#8220;Oh, I don&#8217;t want to do that again.&#8221;</p>



<p>You are absolutely going to take work that you have to take, and it&#8217;s okay to do that. But hopefully, when you reach the grand old age of… you can say, &#8220;I&#8217;m only going to do what I want to do.&#8221; At my age, if you&#8217;re working, you hopefully don&#8217;t want to do stuff you don&#8217;t want to do.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />I think there&#8217;s a lot of value in learning what not to do as well. There are a lot of things that you learn in your twenties, like &#8220;Oh, I never want to be like that manager,&#8221; or &#8220;I really don&#8217;t like doing this.&#8221; It is just a lot of trial and error to figure out what those things are.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Absolutely. Especially at your age, keep your mind open to learning new things and new directions. If you&#8217;re going to work in the WordPress space, you already have the connections, the experience, and the exposure to move forward if that&#8217;s the direction you want to go in. I never had a network like I have now in the WordPress space when I was in the insurance industry. Things were different then. We didn&#8217;t have the ability to connect like we do today.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />You had to send carrier pigeons to each other across town.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />You got it. I mean, that&#8217;s about what it was. Imagine a world that didn&#8217;t have fax machines. Forget about email and computers. We couldn&#8217;t even send a fax to somebody.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />That&#8217;s wild.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Everything moved at a much slower pace. For some people, that&#8217;s good. I think today things work too fast. My daughter, who&#8217;s a little older than you guys, is very fearful of the rapid change we go through all the time. Things that would take 10 years to change now take six months. It&#8217;s very hard for people to adapt. Even young people, I think, if I&#8217;m 25, what am I going to do with AI? How am I going to work with AI? How am I going to get better at working with AI than anybody else? Because that&#8217;s your challenge. How do I work with it? It&#8217;s only going to grow in importance in our lives.</p>



<p>Even though I am my age, I look at things as if I were 25. Maybe that&#8217;s why I am the first guest that you had, because why would they choose me? Come on. But I try to see things as a younger person would see and adapt. I&#8217;m learning new things, and that&#8217;s the whole key: not just to settle and say, &#8220;There&#8217;s no reason for me to learn how to create a custom block. I&#8217;m not a developer. I&#8217;m not going to be one. Why should I learn?&#8221; The answer is, I&#8217;m trying to learn because I want to know more about the process. What do developers go through? Maybe I could actually do something. I&#8217;m not going to relearn stuff I already know. I&#8217;m going to push myself to learn more. Even if you say, &#8220;That doesn&#8217;t mean anything to me now,&#8221; you don&#8217;t know that in 5, 6, 7 years, the thing you&#8217;re learning today may be the reason why you get that job. Learning is really number one.</p>



<p>God, I wish I had known all this stuff when I was 25. I say that all the time. Boy, I wish I was, but I wasn&#8217;t. Only through life… I would say things like, &#8220;If I was 25, I&#8217;d ask her out on a date.&#8221; When I was 25, I don&#8217;t think I had kissed anybody. You just change. If you&#8217;re lucky like me to have lived as long as I have, you get to my stage, and you hopefully say, &#8220;This is the best time of my life.&#8221; A lot of people say, &#8220;When you&#8217;re old, you&#8217;re going to die.&#8221; Okay, I get it. But why not make this time the best time of your life? Quite frankly, the roughest times are the earliest times.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s why your show is important because you have the opportunity to help others understand that, hey, you&#8217;re not alone. We&#8217;re here, and these are the things that we think we can help you with. I&#8217;m speaking on your behalf, obviously, which I do a lot. But you really have that opportunity to help not just the younger generation but any generation move forward. Maybe they&#8217;re looking for inspiration, looking for ways to better themselves, improve their career prospects, things like that</p>



<p>.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />What I really admire about you is that you are surrounded by younger people, whether they be toddlers or your kids. I think that does help give you a different perspective on things. I love that.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />When you&#8217;re my age, almost everybody is younger, but that&#8217;s not the point. I am so fortunate to have you guys in my life and people like you. Whereas I talk to people my age and their circle of friends and influence gets smaller and smaller, mine keeps going the other way. It&#8217;s not supposed to be that way. Well, why not? Why can&#8217;t I grow? Why can&#8217;t I meet new people? I&#8217;m not ready for a nursing home where I&#8217;m going to see the same 10 gray hairs all day long. I have a lot of friends who are my age and older who just watch TV, play golf, and read books. Nothing wrong with that, but if that&#8217;s all you do…</p>



<p>Allison:<br />You get tired of it.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />For whatever it is, I&#8217;m just attracted to new ideas, new thoughts, new people, new everything. A lot of people my age are just done. I think it&#8217;s very important. I like to do what I&#8217;m doing, let&#8217;s just say. If you&#8217;re really fortunate, you get to this stage of life, and you&#8217;ll say, &#8220;These are the best years of my life.&#8221; If I was 25 and I heard that, I&#8217;d go, &#8220;Huh, you&#8217;re so old. How could this be the best time of your life?&#8221; Well, you can make it. I&#8217;ve made it the best time of my life. I worked at it. I thought about what to do to make it the best time of my life. I changed over the last recent years to make it the best time. It wasn&#8217;t just a straight trajectory. It got better every year. There are certain things that happened along the way, particularly in the last five or six years, that got me to the point where…</p>



<p>One of the reasons, it&#8217;s pretty obvious, is Bob Dunn. He gave me the courage to realize if I was doing something in my work that wasn&#8217;t working, then find something else to do. He&#8217;s living proof of it. I&#8217;m becoming living proof of it too. That&#8217;s such good advice for anybody at any stage. Chances are if you&#8217;re doing something that is not working, you&#8217;re miserable or you&#8217;re not as happy as you should be.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Absolutely. Absolutely.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />So I&#8217;m a Bob Dunn disciple. Alright. Enough of this. Bob, who is this guy? Who is this guy anyway?</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />We should start making t-shirts with his face on them. We can all pass them around.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />He&#8217;s liable to want me to be one of his hosts. No, I don&#8217;t think so.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Maybe.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />No, I doubt it. We know that&#8217;s not going to happen.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />No. But I love how you surround yourself with lots of people of different ages. I think it keeps your perspective open to everything. I love your attitude towards life, a continual learning journey. I really admire that. We all need to embrace that.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Yeah, it is really, I think, the key to happiness in this world. I think it&#8217;s the key to staying relevant, current, useful, productive, whatever. There is no other way to do this. The world is changing so fast that if you don&#8217;t grow with it, then you are going to be left behind, and chances are you&#8217;re not going to be very happy about that. Isn&#8217;t it about being happy? When you think about it, somebody&#8217;s always going to have more money, more clothes, more this, more that, whatever. If that&#8217;s what you&#8217;re chasing, you&#8217;re never going to be happy.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />I feel like that&#8217;s something that, Allison, you and I have learned through our unschooling.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Absolutely.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />School looked different. Sometimes school looked like going to the library and getting a bunch of shark books, learning about what you enjoyed at the time. Who knows why sharks might be valuable, but you&#8217;re going to learn everything there is to know about sharks and have the best time doing it. It teaches you how to learn and encourages you to learn.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />See, that&#8217;s so important, Sophia: how to learn. The fact that you were homeschooled and learned how to learn, well, that&#8217;s fabulous. How to learn is really to learn. Maybe that&#8217;s a problem with a lot of people: they just don&#8217;t know how to do it.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Or even where to start.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />And everybody learns in a different way. So obviously you have to learn your way, but how to learn is crucial.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Yeah, absolutely. It was great talking with you today, Bud. I admire that you surround yourself with people of all ages, that you never stop learning, and that your message for everyone is to make the life you want. You can change it. You can change your career, you can change your job, you can change your routine, you can change what you want to learn. I love that, and I think it&#8217;s applicable to everyone of all ages. I really appreciate you sharing that with us today. How can people find you on the internet?</p>



<p>Bud:<br />You can find me anywhere…well, not anywhere, but first of all, I&#8217;m on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and whatever. I have a website. Actually, I have two. One is Joy of WP—not Joy of WordPress. It&#8217;s Joyofwp.com. This is my business site where I talk about and demonstrate the things that I do for clients, creating WordPress content for WordPress businesses. Then I have this podcast called Seriously Bud, where I interview a person from the WordPress community each week. It comes out every Friday. I also have a newsletter. If you go to seriouslybud.com, you can see and listen to all the past episodes. Currently, there are 15. It&#8217;s just been a joy to do that podcast and continues to be. Sophia DeRosia has appeared on that, as well as Cate DeRosia.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />I know.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />I have the first family of WordPress, and I have this Topher guy. Eventually, I&#8217;ll have him on.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Eventually.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />That&#8217;s also been part of my transition and journey: creating that podcast. It&#8217;s just been fantastic. SeriouslyBud.com, don&#8217;t forget to go.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Awesome. Thank you so much, Bud. And thank you, Sophia.</p>



<p>Sophia:<br />Oh yeah. Thank you, Allison.</p>



<p>Bud:<br />Thank you, ladies, for letting me do this, and good luck on your journey to do something that&#8217;s really important not just for the Next Gen but for all generations.</p>



<p>Allison:<br />Thank you.</p>
</div>




<p>In this episode of A<strong><em>ll Things WordPress and WooCommerce, The Next Generation</em></strong>, hosts <strong>Sophia DeRosia</strong> and <strong>Allison Dye</strong> sit down with <strong>Bud Kraus</strong> from <strong>Joy of WP</strong> and the podcast, <strong>Seriously Bud</strong>.</p>



<p>Bud shares his unique journey from being an insurance broker to becoming a known figure in the WordPress community. He offers valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that come with changing careers multiple times, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning and adaptability in a rapidly evolving world.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Highlights</h2>



<p><strong>Bud Kraus&#8217;s Career Transition</strong>: Bud shares his journey from being an insurance broker for 17 years to discovering the internet in 1994 and transitioning to web design and teaching. His fascination with early websites led him to a new career in the tech industry.</p>



<p><strong>Importance of Lifelong Learning:</strong> Bud emphasizes the significance of continuous learning and staying open to new opportunities. He discusses how learning new skills can be beneficial, even if they don&#8217;t seem immediately relevant.</p>



<p><strong>Mentorship</strong>: Bud highlights the value of having mentors, especially in the early stages of one&#8217;s career. He reflects on how his mentors helped shape his professional journey and the importance of seeking guidance from experienced individuals.</p>



<p><strong>Sales Skills</strong>: Bud discusses the universal importance of sales skills, not just in commerce but in everyday life. He believes that learning how to sell oneself and communicate effectively can greatly impact one&#8217;s career.</p>



<p><strong>Adapting to Change:</strong> The conversation touches on the rapid pace of technological change and the need to adapt. Bud shares his thoughts on how young people can leverage new technologies like AI to stay ahead.</p>



<p><strong>Family and Grandchildren</strong>: Bud talks about his family, particularly his grandchildren, and the joy they bring to his life. He humorously recounts how his grandson thinks he acts like a baby.</p>



<p><strong>Bob Dunn&#8217;s Influence:</strong> Bud mentions Bob Dunn&#8217;s advice on career changes, emphasizing the idea of moving on to something new if what you&#8217;re doing isn&#8217;t working. He credits Bob for inspiring him to find new directions in his work.</p>



<p><strong>Networking in the WordPress Community</strong>: Bud discusses the strong network he has built within the WordPress community and how it has supported his career. He contrasts this with his earlier career in the insurance industry, where networking was more challenging.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Links</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong><a href="https://x.com/joyofwp">Bud on X</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/budkraus/">Bud on LinkedIn</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://joyofwp.com/">JoyofWP.com</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://seriouslybud.com/">SeriouslyBud.com</a></strong></li>
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";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:102:"HeroPress: Defeating silence and stigma with WordPress – Sconfiggere silenzio e stigma con WordPress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=6907";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:160:"https://heropress.com/essays/defeating-silence-and-stigma-with-wordpress/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=defeating-silence-and-stigma-with-wordpress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30444:"<img width="1024" height="512" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/062524-min.webp" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Pull Quote: The universal and accessible web is there, the WordPress community is proving it to me day by day." /><p><a href="https://heropress.com/feed/#italian">Questo saggio è disponibile anche in italiano.</a></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-about-me">ABOUT ME</h3>



<p>I am Elena, Italian, and I have been working in digital products’ accessibility since the early 2000s.</p>



<p>I’ve been blind since birth and no matter how many obstacles brought by such condition, my solid network of friends and family allowed me to develop interests and curiosity from the very beginning, including a preference for detective stories, which I could practice in the first small &#8220;investigation&#8221; of my existence: HIV and AIDS.</p>



<p>It was the end of 1980s and despite still being a child, I felt that AIDS-related advertisements on TV were projected more to scare than to give explanations about a disease, so continuing to ask uneasy questions to family members and teachers, by the time I was 13 I had already realized that dividing people into &#8220;right&#8221; and &#8220;wrong&#8221;, made no sense because the virus could affect anyone.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>So I made a promise in front of a poster of Freddie Mercury, and no matter if I couldn&#8217;t see it: I vowed that I would make any effort to allow other teens like me to avoid fear and get correct information.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>And so I did, because in high school I wrote some articles concerning HIV in the school journal, then continued to keep awareness of scientific advances, within my means, even after I finished my studies.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-my-love-for-writing">My love for writing</h3>



<p>I always hated doing essays in school because they made me feel &#8220;scrutinized&#8221; and judged by my teachers; in fact, I always had very low grades in written expositions in which I was asked to talk about myself; it was different, however, if current events were discussed or, better yet, if I had to use my fantasy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In my teens I wrote a lot of stories and unfortunately I was unable to preserve the material, paper Braille does not last long and gets ruined, and so do floppy disks &#8211; early magnetic media for computers; then came CDs but transferring the material to those media did not allow me to edit files in them and I instead wanted my most important fictional character, the sentient HIV virus that speaks to humans, to grow with me so editing and rewriting were essential.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-advent-of-blogging">The advent of blogging</h3>



<p>Late 1990s. Mail, chat, forums, and newsgroups were already allowing me to be a world’s active participant more than I had ever done before: no barriers in discussing topics from the funniest to the most difficult, including politics, even without necessarily talking about my visual disability. A dream was coming true!&nbsp;</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>But how to open a personal space in which to expose myself without obeying rules written by others?&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>



<p>I had learned how to build my first websites in HTML but maintaining all that code, and asking sighted people for help with graphics, had become an unsustainable commitment. Until I read about some platforms where people wrote a personal journal.</p>



<p>From splinder to blogspot, then live journal, there were quite a few but none gave me full satisfaction because the web was beginning to suffer from what later came to be called sensory barriers, resulting in the nullification of the &#8220;universal web&#8221; utopia; they were more concerned with having a pretty, colorful interface rather than an easy-to-use platform.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-welcome-wordpress">Welcome WordPress!</h3>



<p>It was the year 2004 and I had learned about a system that allowed me to create my own blog, in my website it was only necessary to buy space, it was even possible to choose the custom interface.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It was called WordPress and an Italian community composed of volunteers with passions equal to mine was beginning to develop.</p>



<p>It was my chance, I would be able to discuss with a proper community and really collaborate to raise awareness and overcome accessibility obstacles; I got in touch with <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wolly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Paolo </a><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/wolly/">Valenti known as Wolly</a>, the first to bring WordPress in Italy.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>An extraordinary person who died in 2022 because of cancer. He always struggled for life and so he did for WordPress so if I am where I am now, it’s thanks to him.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Over time he’s always urged me to persevere, never completely abandon WordPress despite the obstacles I might have encountered; and there were many barriers then, because since 2004 when I started my first site about songs and audio editing, my relationship with WordPress has been quite conflicted because of a visual editor that was creating difficulties rather than helping me.</p>



<p>Not to mention themes, where you had to work on code any time you had to modify a small detail.</p>



<p>I accepted the compromise of building a site with questionable graphics, and I went on like this for a few years: having exhausted my interest in blogging about audio, I had started one in which I shared my experiences with the game of chess, use and abuse of technology, book reviews, joys and sorrows of my personal life including the possibility of starting again with HIV and AIDS activism because in the meantime my former boyfriend, less comfortable with technology than me, had expressed a desire to blog about his experiences as a person living with HIV.</p>



<p>Too bad about the editor which still, in the years 2009-2018, was complicated for me and I had to write articles by hand with HTML view instead of GUI view, and if I found it uncomfortable let alone him who had no knowledge of web languages.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The blog concerning HIV was a failure, but together we had recorded a video talking about our experience on an Italian YouTube channel where they talk about sex education.</p>



<p>Instead, on the personal blog I was posting more and more infrequently some articles about my technological frustrations, including the one due to pay TV services that do not pay enough attention to the needs of people with disabilities.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-zero-to-the-atom">From zero to the atom</h3>



<p>In 2019 all hell broke loose: relationship ended after 10 years, other unpleasant events happened to me one after another, I was brain drained; until one day an email came from a person with HIV who wanted to contact me to talk about the video I made together with my ex, but looking for information about me he found the personal blog with the article concerning pay TV!</p>



<p>From there a solid friendship was born and we call ourselves the electron and proton of the same atom, having different opposite points but a lot of common interests including a passion for making up fantasy stories! We were born. Elettrona and Gifter; just needed to decide where to publish and most importantly what.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-talking-virus-get-mine">Talking virus? Get mine!</h3>



<p>Alex &#8220;Gifter&#8221; and I had just seen See, a TV series where blindness was the norm while sight was considered an exception &#8211; a dystopian story where an epidemic had altered people&#8217;s genetics depriving them of sight. With the due exception of a man born sighted after centuries of human beings born blind&#8230;.</p>



<p>Inspired by that storyline, we set out to consider the idea of a setting where, opposite to reality, the ordinary condition was living with HIV while those who do not have the virus in their blood deserve to be ostracized by other humans after HIV itself has decided, in its own unquestionable judgment, to reject those who are too violent, rude, selfish or abusive to humans or animals according to virus’s own taste.&nbsp;</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>This fantasy world is aimed at creating greater empathy toward people with HIV: if you, HIV-negative, are offended because a fictional HIV-positive character calls you &#8220;empty box,&#8221; let alone how a person living with the virus in the real world feels when they are called a &#8220;pest,&#8221; &#8220;toxic,&#8221;, “dirty” or other discriminatory terms.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>My greatest satisfaction was telling Alex about the talking virus as a subject I had been writing about since at least 1996, and he responded by giving me a big smile: &#8220;If you want to make a virus talk, let it be mine! But with what microphone?&#8221;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-choice-name-and-setup">The choice: name and setup</h3>



<p>With Alex &#8220;Gifter&#8221; who knows nothing about the web except what he learned from me, it was difficult to choose how to make the site work and we switched from WordPress to Drupal, assuming that the latter would better meet our publishing needs. How wrong we were!</p>



<p>After numerous adventures and backups, the decision was finally made: WordPress, because the editor was improving week by week. Gutenberg was going to be my future, and I didn&#8217;t know it yet.</p>



<p>And for the name? The talking virus interacting with humans through music, brotherhood between characters carrying the same HIV strain? Plus Brothers was perfect. So that it would also fit in English.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gutenberg-s-versatility">Gutenberg’s versatility</h3>



<p>Between 2020 and 2021, Gifter and I got busy writing stories and becoming familiar with the various ways to manage WordPress: the mobile app with its block editor, exchanging text documents whose formatting was always lost, until I learned about MarkDown syntax.</p>



<p>It didn&#8217;t even seem real to me, Gutenberg supported it almost automatically! I could write very long documents on my tablet or smartphone even from the beach if I wanted to, then transfer them with a simple copy-paste to the website.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Gifter and I could work together on the same document in plain text without losing formatting as was the case with proprietary formats, and Gutenberg would take care of that later!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wordpress-what-s-missing">WordPress: what’s missing</h3>



<p>In years of experience with WordPress I became conscious about how its community tries to cover web accessibility requirements, both in frontend and backend.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But unfortunately it’s not the same for themes and plugins. Third-party products developers, commercial and free, in many cases don’t own much expertise on accessibility so installing a component is often a risk; when dealing with a disability it’s frequent to have multiple plugins where a user with no disabilities can just rely on one.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The result is a mixed and messy WordPress backend, made of accessible and inaccessible components that could even require help by a paid expert who makes the changes we are not able to perform on our own.</p>



<p>This situation causes frustration for sure, and we have two choices to face it: one is complaining about it with our limited circle of friends, solving the problem on our own or giving up, the other is opening a dialogue with plugins or themes developers to make them aware of accessibility, doing our best to prevent others from living what we experienced.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Needless to say that the second option is the best, as community matters and only spreading knowledge and skills can create a better world in the long term.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-believing-in-me">People believing in me</h3>



<p>When you get familiar with a product, you are pleased in helping others to learn its usage because sharing is caring.</p>



<p>First experience has been a blind friend, Roberto, I helped him building his WordPress-based podcast where he shares inclusion stories about other visually impaired people all over the world, and Japanese culture. Motto Podcast &#8211; with &#8220;motto&#8221; as a fusion of two meanings:</p>



<ul>
<li>Italian: &#8220;motto&#8221; is a slogan used as an encouragement, incentive to do something.</li>



<li>Japanese: &#8220;motto&#8221; means &#8220;more&#8221;.</li>



<li>Fusion between these two meanings gives &#8220;encouragement to do more&#8221;.</li>
</ul>



<p>Motto Podcast&#8217;s first success encouraged me to do even more, so I joined an Italian community called SOS WP to share experiences about WordPress and Gutenberg; that&#8217;s where I met her, Gloria.</p>



<p>Web designer, WordPress trainer, Gloria Liuni became curious and interested in how I could use computers and smartphones without sight. She wanted to understand the concept of a &#8220;screen reader&#8221; program, how Braille and voice feedback behaved on WordPress, so she gave me the contact information for the first WordCamp I spoke at &#8211; the one in 2021.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>I demonstrated Gutenberg editor’s usage with the keyboard only, and during that event I learned about the future of WordPress: Gutenberg could break even the last barrier I found to full site customization: themes.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>It took another two years (and one more WordCamp I spoke at, Verona 2023 this time I attended in person) and I finally took courage: that&#8217;s it, I&#8217;m abandoning the old theme with code and moving to the new Gutenberg based site editor!</p>



<p>An experience that WordPress trainer Gloria and I are having together, because we realized how Gutenberg somehow has the same logic as the programs used by the blind, to interact with computers. I almost feel like I&#8217;m playing with toy bricks, then Gifter with his working eyes tells me if something has gone wrong and Gloria helps me put it right in case of need.</p>



<p>All in all, the universal and accessible web is there, the WordPress community is proving it to me day by day, and I am glad to be an active part of it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="italian">Sconfiggere silenzio e stigma con WordPress</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chi-sono">CHI SONO</h3>



<p>Sono Elena, italiana, e lavoro nell’accessibilità dei prodotti digitali fin dai primi anni 2000.</p>



<p>Dalla nascita sono priva della vista e per quanti ostacoli una simile condizione possa portare, la mia solida rete di amici e familiari mi ha consentito fin da subito di sviluppare interessi e curiosità compresa la passione per i polizieschi, che ho messo in pratica nella prima piccola “indagine” della mia esistenza: HIV e AIDS.</p>



<p>Era fine anni 80 e malgrado fossi ancora una bambina sentivo che gli slogan mandati in tv fossero costruiti più per far paura che per dare spiegazioni su una malattia, così a forza di chiedere a familiari e insegnanti già a 13 anni avevo capito che dividere le persone tra “giuste” e “sbagliate” non aveva senso perché il virus poteva colpire chiunque.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>Così feci una promessa davanti a un poster di Freddie Mercury, e pazienza se non potevo vederlo: giurai che avrei lavorato con ogni mezzo a disposizione affinché più ragazzi possibili avessero accesso alla corretta informazione su HIV e AIDS.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>E così è stato, perché al liceo tenevo una rubrica a tema sul giornale scolastico continuando ad aggiornarmi sui progressi scientifici, nel limite delle mie possibilità, anche dopo aver terminato gli studi.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-la-passione-per-la-scrittura">La passione per la scrittura</h3>



<p>Ho sempre odiato svolgere i temi a scuola perché mi facevano sentire “esaminata” e giudicata dai miei insegnanti, infatti avevo sempre voti molto bassi nelle esposizioni scritte in cui mi si invitava a parlare di me; diverso invece era se si discuteva di attualità o, meglio ancora, se dovevo inventare storie.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In adolescenza ho scritto tantissimi racconti e purtroppo non sono riuscita a conservare il materiale, il Braille cartaceo a lungo andare si rovina e così anche i floppy disk &#8211; primi supporti magnetici per computer; poi sono arrivati i cd ma trasferire il materiale su quei supporti non ne consentiva la modifica e io invece desideravo che il mio personaggio di fantasia più importante, il virus HIV senziente che parla agli umani, crescesse con me quindi modifiche e riscrittura erano fondamentali.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-l-avvento-dei-blog">L’avvento dei blog</h3>



<p>Fine anni 90. Mail, chat, forum e newsgroup mi permettevano già di essere parte attiva del mondo come non lo ero mai stata prima: nessuna barriera nel discutere di temi dai più leggeri ai più impegnati, politica compresa, anche senza per forza parlare della mia disabilità visiva. Un sogno che si stava realizzando! Ma come fare ad aprire uno spazio personale in cui esporsi senza obbedire a regole scritte da altri?&nbsp;</p>



<p>Avevo imparato a costruire i primi siti web in HTML ma mantenere tutto quel codice, e chiedere aiuto a persone vedenti per la grafica, era diventato un impegno insostenibile. Fino a quando ho letto di alcune piattaforme in cui la gente scriveva un diario personale.</p>



<p>Da splinder a blogspot, poi live journal, ce ne erano parecchi ma nessuno mi dava piena soddisfazione perché il web cominciava a soffrire di quelle che poi sono state definite barriere percettive, con conseguente annullamento dell’utopia “web universale”; facevano più attenzione ad avere un’interfaccia carina e colorata, piuttosto di una piattaforma semplice da usare.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benvenuto-wordpress">Benvenuto WordPress!</h3>



<p>Correva l’anno 2004 e avevo appreso di un sistema che mi consentiva di creare il mio blog, nel mio sito web era sufficiente solo comprare lo spazio, era addirittura possibile scegliere l’interfaccia personalizzata.&nbsp;</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>Si chiamava WordPress e stava iniziando a svilupparsi una comunità italiana composta di volontari con passioni uguali alle mie.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Era la mia occasione, avrei potuto confrontarmi con gli addetti ai lavori e collaborare davvero per far conoscere e superare gli ostacoli di accessibilità; mi misi in contatto con Paolo Valenti conosciuto come Wolly, il primo a occuparsi di WordPress in Italia e che è morto nel 2022 per un cancro.</p>



<p>Una persona straordinaria che ha sempre lottato per la vita e per WordPress quindi se ora sono dove sono, lo devo a lui.</p>



<p>Nel tempo mi ha sempre invitato a insistere e non abbandonare mai del tutto WordPress malgrado gli ostacoli che avessi potuto incontrare; all’epoca erano tante le barriere, perché dal 2004 che iniziai il mio primo sito sulle canzoni e la manipolazione audio, il mio rapporto con WordPress è stato parecchio conflittuale a causa di un editor visuale che mi metteva in difficoltà anziché darmi soddisfazioni.</p>



<p>Per non parlare dei temi, che per qualunque banale modifica bisognava mettere le mani sul codice PHP.</p>



<p>Si sopravviveva con un sito dalla grafica discutibile, e sono andata avanti così per qualche anno: esaurito l’interesse per il blog sull’audio ne avevo aperto uno in cui raccontavo le mie esperienze col gioco degli scacchi, uso e abuso della tecnologia, recensioni di libri, gioie e dolori della mia vita personale inclusa la possibilità di ricominciare con l’attivismo su HIV e AIDS perché nel frattempo il mio ex fidanzato, meno a proprio agio con la tecnologia rispetto a me, aveva espresso il desiderio di condividere in un blog le sue esperienze di persona che vive con HIV.</p>



<p>Peccato per l’editor che ancora, negli anni 2009-2018, mi era ostico e dovevo scrivere gli articoli a mano con la visualizzazione HTML anziché quella a interfaccia grafica, e se lo trovavo scomodo io figuriamoci lui che non aveva alcuna conoscenza di linguaggi per il web. Progetto HIV e blog sfumato, ma insieme avevamo registrato un video che parlava della nostra esperienza su un canale YouTube italiano dove si parla di educazione sessuale.</p>



<p>Invece sul blog personale pubblicavo sempre più di rado alcuni articoli sulle mie frustrazioni tecnologiche, compresa quella dovuta ai servizi di tv a pagamento che non pongono sufficiente attenzione alle esigenze delle persone con disabilità.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-da-zero-all-atomo">Da zero all’atomo</h3>



<p>Nel 2019 è successo il finimondo: relazione finita dopo 10 anni, altri eventi spiacevoli uno di seguito all’altro, avevo il cervello svuotato; finché un giorno è arrivata la mail di una persona con HIV che voleva contattarmi per parlare del video fatto assieme al mio ex, ma cercando informazioni su di me ha trovato il blog personale con l’articolo sulle pay tv!</p>



<p>Da qui è nata una solida amicizia e ci definiamo l’elettrone e il protone dello stesso atomo, avendo diversi punti opposti ma un sacco di interessi in comune tra cui la passione per inventare storie di fantasia! Siamo nati noi. Elettrona e Gifter; serviva solo decidere dove pubblicare e soprattutto cosa.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-virus-parlante-prendi-il-mio">Virus parlante? Prendi il mio!</h3>



<p>Io e Alex “Gifter” avevamo appena visto See, una serie tv in cui la consuetudine era la cecità mentre la vista era considerata un’eccezione &#8211; storia distopica dove un’epidemia aveva modificato la genetica delle persone privandole della vista. Con la dovuta eccezione di un uomo nato vedente dopo secoli di ciechi…</p>



<p>Ispirati da quella trama ci siamo messi a valutare l’idea di un’ambientazione in cui, contrariamente alla realtà, la condizione ordinaria fosse vivere con l’HIV mentre chi non ha il virus nel sangue merita di essere emarginato da altri umani dopo che HIV stesso ha deciso, a proprio insindacabile giudizio, di rifiutare chi per i suoi gusti è troppo violento, maleducato, egoista o prevaricatore verso umani o animali.&nbsp;</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>Questo mondo di fantasia è finalizzato a creare una maggiore empatia verso le persone con HIV: se tu, HIV negativo, ti offendi perché un personaggio HIV positivo finto ti dice “scatola vuota”, figuriamoci come si sente una persona che nel mondo reale vive col virus, quando viene definita “untore”, “tossico” o altri termini discriminatori.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>La mia più grande soddisfazione è stata aver raccontato ad Alex del virus parlante come soggetto su cui scrivevo almeno dal 1996 e lui ha risposto facendomi un grande sorriso: “se vuoi far parlare un virus, lascia che sia il mio! Ma con quale microfono?”&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-la-scelta-nome-e-ambiente">La scelta: nome e ambiente</h3>



<p>Con Alex “Gifter” che nulla sa di web salvo ciò che ha imparato da me, era difficile scegliere come muoverci e siamo passati da WordPress a Drupal, credendo che quest’ultimo rispondesse meglio alle nostre esigenze editoriali. Quanto ci sbagliavamo!</p>



<p>Dopo numerose avventure e backup, finalmente la decisione è stata presa: WordPress, perché l’editor stava migliorando di settimana in settimana. Gutenberg sarebbe stato il mio futuro e io non lo sapevo ancora.</p>



<p>E per il nome? Virus parlante che interagisce con gli umani grazie alla musica, fratellanza tra personaggi positivi? Plus Brothers era perfetto. Così da farlo andar bene anche in inglese.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-versatilita-di-gutenberg">Versatilità di Gutenberg</h3>



<p>Tra il 2020 e 2021 io e Gifter ci siamo dati da fare a scrivere storie e prendere confidenza coi vari modi di gestire WordPress: l’app mobile col suo editor a blocchi, scambiarsi documenti di testo la cui formattazione veniva sempre perduta, fino a quando ho conosciuto la sintassi MarkDown.</p>



<p>Neanche mi sembrava vero, Gutenberg la supportava in modo pressoché automatico! Potevo scrivere un testo molto lungo sul mio tablet o smartphone anche dalla spiaggia volendo, poi trasferirlo con un semplice copia-incolla sul sito web.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Io e Gifter potevamo lavorare assieme sullo stesso documento in testo semplice senza perdere la formattazione come succedeva coi formati proprietari e, dopo, ci avrebbe pensato Gutenberg!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wordpress-cosa-manca">WordPress: cosa manca</h3>



<p>In anni di esperienza con WordPress mi sono resa conto di come la sua comunità cerchi di soddisfare i requisiti di accessibilità del web, sia nel frontend sia nel backend.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ma purtroppo non è lo stesso per i temi e i plugin. Chi sviluppa prodotti di terze parti, commerciali e gratuiti, il più delle volte non possiede molte competenze in materia di accessibilità, per cui l&#8217;installazione di un componente è spesso un rischio; quando si ha a che fare con una disabilità è frequente avere più plugin, laddove un utente senza disabilità può affidarsi solo a uno.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Il risultato è un backend misto e disordinato, fatto di componenti accessibili e inaccessibili tanto da richiedere anche l&#8217;aiuto di esperti a pagamento per modificare ciò che non si è in grado di eseguire in autonomia.</p>



<p>Questa situazione provoca sicuramente frustrazione e abbiamo due scelte per affrontarla: una è quella di lamentarci con la nostra ristretta cerchia di amici, risolvendo il problema da soli o rinunciando, l&#8217;altra è quella di aprire un dialogo con gli sviluppatori di plugin o temi per sensibilizzarli all&#8217;accessibilità, facendo del nostro meglio per evitare che altri vivano quello che abbiamo vissuto noi.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Inutile dire che la seconda opzione è la migliore, perché la comunità è importante e solo la diffusione di conoscenze e competenze può creare un mondo migliore a lungo termine.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-le-persone-che-credono-in-me">Le persone che credono in me</h3>



<p>Quando si prende confidenza con un prodotto, si ha piacere di dare una mano agli altri nel suo utilizzo perché la condivisione è aiuto reciproco.</p>



<p>La prima esperienza è stata col mio amico Roberto, anche lui privo della vista, guidandolo nella creazione del suo sito e podcast basato su WordPress.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.mottopodcast.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Motto </a><a href="https://www.mottopodcast.org">Podcast</a> racconta &#8220;storie inclusive&#8221; di persone con disabilità visiva da tutto il mondo impegnate nella vita quotidiana, nel lavoro e nello sport, oltre a varie informazioni sulla cultura giapponese e Roberto ha scelto il termine &#8220;motto&#8221; perché fonde due significati:</p>



<ul>
<li>motto, in italiano: slogan di incoraggiamento, incitamento</li>



<li>Motto, in giapponese: vuol dire &#8220;più&#8221;.</li>



<li>Il nome del podcast diventa &#8220;incoraggiamento a fare di più&#8221;.</li>
</ul>



<p>Esattamente quello che hanno fatto i primi successi di Roberto: mi hanno incoraggiato a fare di più, così mi sono iscritta a una comunità italiana chiamata <a href="https://www.sos-wp.it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">SOS </a><a href="https://www.sos-wp.it">WP </a>per confrontarmi e aiutare altri su WordPress e Gutenberg; è qui che ho conosciuto lei, Gloria.</p>



<p>Web designer, WordPress trainer, <a href="https://www.gloweb.it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Gloria </a><a href="https://www.gloweb.it">Liuni</a> si è incuriosita e interessata su come io potessi usare computer e smartphone senza la vista. Ha voluto comprendere il concetto di programma “lettore di schermo”, come Braille e feedback vocale si comportassero su WordPress, così mi ha fornito i contatti per il primo WordCamp in cui ho parlato &#8211; quello del 2021.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>Ho dimostrato l’uso dell’editor Gutenberg con la sola tastiera, e in quell’occasione ho avuto modo di conoscere il futuro di WordPress: Gutenberg avrebbe azzerato anche l’ultima barriera che c’era per una personalizzazione completa del sito: i temi.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Ci sono voluti altri due anni (e un altro mio WordCamp, Verona 2023 stavolta in presenza) e finalmente ho preso coraggio: adesso basta, abbandono il tema vecchio col codice per passare al nuovo editor Gutenberg!</p>



<p>Un’esperienza che io e la WordPress trainer Gloria stiamo vivendo insieme, perché ci siamo accorte di come Gutenberg abbia in qualche modo la stessa logica dei programmi usati da chi non vede, per interagire col computer. Mi sembra quasi di lavorare coi mattoncini, poi Gifter con gli occhi funzionanti mi dice se qualcosa è andato storto e Gloria mi aiuta a mettere a posto.</p>



<p>Tutto sommato il web universale e accessibile c’è, la comunità di WordPress me lo sta dimostrando giorno dopo giorno e io sono contenta di esserne parte attiva.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://heropress.com/essays/defeating-silence-and-stigma-with-wordpress/">Defeating silence and stigma with WordPress &#8211; Sconfiggere silenzio e stigma con WordPress</a> appeared first on <a href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 26 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Elena Brescacin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:42;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:11:"
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:61:"HeroPress: Voices Of WordCamp Europe: Karolína Vyskočilová";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:29:"https://heropress.com/?p=6920";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:159:"https://heropress.com/voices-of-wordcamp-europe-karolina-vyskocilova/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=voices-of-wordcamp-europe-karolina-vyskocilova";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2496:"<img width="1024" height="684" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/53807858473_113f3d82ea_k-1024x684.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Topher and Karolina" /><p>One of the great opportunities of being a Media Partner for WordCamps is the official interviews they help set up. This year I specifically wanted to interview attendees to get their unique perspectives, and I also wanted to interview people I didn&#8217;t know. This last one only kind of worked out.</p>



<p>My first interview was with <a href="https://kybernaut.cz/en/">Karolína Vyskočilová</a> from Prague &#8211; she is a WP dev and Czech WordCamp and meetup organizer. At WCEU, she was a backup speaker and volunteer.</p>



Listen to the interview.








<div class="kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id6920_c13ce3-f3 alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout"><div class="kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-3-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top">

<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6920_baaa8f-71"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">
<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1000019584-scaled.jpg" class="kb-advanced-image-link"><img width="769" height="1024" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1000019584-769x1024.jpg" alt="Karolina and friends posing for fun" class="kb-img wp-image-6935" /></a>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6920_af6d28-42"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">
<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_8348-scaled.jpg" class="kb-advanced-image-link"><img width="768" height="1024" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_8348-768x1024.jpg" alt="Karolina pointing at her name on the contributor wall" class="kb-img wp-image-6929" /></a>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column6920_189944-16"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col">
<a href="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_8321-scaled.jpg" class="kb-advanced-image-link"><img width="1024" height="768" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_8321-1024x768.jpg" alt="Karolina and a friend holding a Wapuu car." class="kb-img wp-image-6930" /></a>
</div></div>

</div></div><p>The post <a href="https://heropress.com/voices-of-wordcamp-europe-karolina-vyskocilova/">Voices Of WordCamp Europe: Karolína Vyskočilová</a> appeared first on <a href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 25 Jun 2024 22:29:18 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:43;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:98:"WordCamp Central: Announcing the Shortlisted Projects for Uganda Website Projects Competition 2024";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:39:"https://central.wordcamp.org/?p=6985776";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:123:"https://central.wordcamp.org/news/2024/06/announcing-the-shortlisted-projects-for-uganda-website-projects-competition-2024/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7031:"<p>We are thrilled to announce the shortlisted projects for the Uganda Website Projects Competition 2024, where creativity, innovation, and digital prowess take center stage, under the theme, &#8220;<em>Problem Solving With WordPress</em>&#8220;. Out of the 16 exceptional submissions received, 10 projects have been selected by our esteemed adjudicators through a rigorous vetting process.</p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">UPDATE: For those who submitted their projects for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WebsiteCompetitionUG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WebsiteCompetitionUG</a> and have been eagerly waiting, good news is that the vetting process has been completed this evening and the long awaited pitchday Shortlist will be published soon, thanks to our wonderful adjudicators… <a href="https://t.co/lJ0WQOtGrG">pic.twitter.com/lJ0WQOtGrG</a></p>&mdash; Mukalele Rogers (@mrogers4christ) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrogers4christ/status/1805686577441784138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shortlisted Projects &#8211; <strong>Rising Stars Category:</strong></h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Provok</strong> &#8211; St. Mark&#8217;s College Namagoma<br /><em>Provok</em> is a dynamic platform aiming to democratize IT education globally, offering a variety of courses and hands-on learning experiences.</li>



<li><strong>Big Green</strong> &#8211; St. Edward&#8217;s SS Bukuumi<br /><em>Big Green</em> is an environmental conservation and awareness website dedicated to educating global audiences on environmental protection and pollution control through informative articles and blogs.</li>



<li><strong>STEGS Smart Study</strong> &#8211; St. Elizabeth Girls&#8217; Secondary School<br /><em>STEGS Smart Study Project</em> provides academic resources such as eBooks, educational videos, and links to online courses, aimed at bridging the gap in access to traditional learning materials.</li>



<li><strong>Skyray</strong> &#8211; Iganga Secondary School<br /><em>Skyray</em> offers educational resources and support for students, parents, and teachers to navigate Uganda&#8217;s new lower secondary curriculum effectively.</li>



<li><strong>News Shelf</strong> &#8211; New Jerusalem Mixed Junior School<br /><em>News Shelf</em> features a kids&#8217; news portal, an art gallery, and interactive quizzes, all created by students to enhance learning and engagement.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Shortlisted Projects &#8211; Explorers Category:</strong></h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Local Farmers&#8217; Market Website</strong> &#8211; Kampala International University, KIU<br />The <em>Local Farmers&#8217; Market Website</em> promotes local agriculture by connecting consumers with fresh produce and handmade goods through an online marketplace.</li>



<li><strong>Afrinova Creations Website</strong> &#8211; Makerere University Kampala<br /><em>Afrinova Creations</em> showcases African culture through a curated collection of clothing, crafts, and foods, supporting African artisans and entrepreneurs.</li>



<li><strong>Diving into WebDesign and WordPress in Luweero Diocese</strong> &#8211; CoU Anglican Luweero Diocese Education ICT<br />This project empowers ICT teachers within Luweero Diocese to teach web design and create active websites for schools using WordPress.</li>



<li><strong>Innovative Tune and Watch Pitch Awareness Wave</strong> &#8211; Makerere University Jinja Campus<br /><em>Innovative Tune and Watch Pitch Awareness Wave</em> aims to provide entertaining media resources and informative community connections through an intuitive user interface.</li>



<li><strong>Edutech Blog</strong> &#8211; Kyambogo University / EduTech Club<br />The <em>Edutech Blog</em> addresses the challenge of accessing educational technology awareness, offering valuable insights and resources through WordPress.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>For those who did not make it to the finals:</strong></h2>



<p>To all participants whose projects did not advance to the finals, we extend our sincere appreciation for responding to our call for projects. Your have showcased remarkable commitment to leveraging WordPress for positive change. We encourage you to view this as a stepping stone in your journey of innovation. Register to attend via <a href="http://bit.ly/websitecompetitionug">bit.ly/websitecompetitionug</a> and join us at the Uganda Website Projects Competition 2024 to learn from presentations, gain valuable insights, and network with fellow enthusiasts.  Let this experience fuel your determination to excel, and we look forward to seeing your continued growth and success in future competitions. Be sure to try again at the Uganda Website Projects Competition 2025!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Event Overview:</strong></h2>



<p>The <a href="https://events.wordpress.org/uganda/2024/competition/">Uganda Website Projects Competition 2024</a> is a next gen WordCamp that challenges students to solve real-world problems using WordPress, fostering innovative thinking and essential skills in web development and design. Participants will present their projects to a panel of judges, honing their communication and presentation skills.</p>



<p><strong>Date and Venue:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Date:</strong> Friday, July 5th, 2024</li>



<li><strong>Venue:</strong> National ICT Innovation Hub, Uganda Institute of ICT (UICT), Nakawa, Kampala</li>
</ul>



<p>Join us as we celebrate the ingenuity and dedication of these young minds at the Awards Ceremony, where outstanding projects will be recognized and awarded prizes in each category. Tickets can be purchased online using PayPal or bank cards. Alternatively, you can reserve tickets via the Google form to pay in Ugandan Shillings using Mobile Money. Here are the <strong>ticket categories</strong>:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Discounted Attendee Ticket:</strong>&nbsp;$5 or UGX 20,000. Includes access to all activities, attendee tag, swag, workshop resources, internet access, breakfast, and lunch coupons.</li>



<li><strong>Actual Cost (Microsponsor) Ticket:</strong>&nbsp;$26 or UGX 100,000. Includes all benefits of the discounted ticket, plus a VIP treat, an event-branded T-shirt, and publicity.</li>



<li><strong>Community Sponsorship Ticket:</strong>&nbsp;$130 or UGX 500,000. Helps to discount tickets for more students to learn, innovate, and collaborate with WordPress! Includes two attendee tickets, two event T-shirts, a dedicated sponsor table, and logo publicity.</li>
</ul>



<p><a href="https://events.wordpress.org/uganda/2024/competition/tickets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get your ticket today!</a></p>



<p><em>NB: 3 free tickets will be given to each of the shortlisted project representatives!</em> </p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 25 Jun 2024 21:12:23 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Mukalele Rogers";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:44;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:37:"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.6 RC1";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17429";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:53:"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/06/wordpress-6-6-rc1/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:10779:"<p>The first release candidate (RC1) for WordPress 6.6 is ready for download and testing!</p>



<p><strong>This version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>.<strong> Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites.</strong> Instead, please evaluate RC1 on a test server or a local environment.</p>



<p>Reaching this phase of the release cycle is a worthy achievement. While release candidates are considered ready for release, testing is still vital to make sure everything in WordPress 6.6 is the best it can be.</p>



<p>You can test WordPress 6.6 RC1 in four ways:</p>



<table><tbody><tr><th>Plugin</th><td>Install and activate the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).</td></tr><tr><th>Direct Download</th><td>Download the <a href="https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.6-RC1.zip">RC1 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><th>Command Line</th><td>Use the this <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/cli/">WP-CLI</a> command:<br /><code>wp core update --version=6.6-RC1</code></td></tr><tr><th>WordPress Playground</th><td>Use the <a href="https://playground.wordpress.net/#%7B%20%22preferredVersions%22:%20%7B%20%22php%22:%20%228.0%22,%20%22wp%22:%20%22beta%22%20%7D,%20%22features%22:%20%7B%20%22networking%22:%20true%20%7D,%20%22steps%22:%20[%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22login%22,%20%22username%22:%20%22admin%22,%20%22password%22:%20%22password%22%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22importFile%22,%20%22file%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22url%22,%20%22url%22:%20%22https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wpaccessibility/a11y-theme-unit-test/master/a11y-theme-unit-test-data.xml%22%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22importFile%22,%20%22file%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22url%22,%20%22url%22:%20%22https://raw.githubusercontent.com/WordPress/theme-test-data/master/themeunittestdata.wordpress.xml%22%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22query-monitor%22%20%7D,%20%22options%22:%20%7B%20%22activate%22:%20false%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22create-block-theme%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22debug-bar%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22health-check%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22test-reports%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22user-switching%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D%20]%20%7D">6.6 RC1 WordPress Playground instance</a> (available within 35 minutes after the release is ready) to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.</td></tr></tbody></table>Please test WordPress 6.6 RC1 in one or more of these four ways.



<p>The current target for the WordPress 6.6 release is <strong>July 16, 2024</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-6/">6.6 release cycle</a>, and check the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">Make WordPress Core blog</a> for <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-6/">6.6-related posts</a> in the next few weeks for further details.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Two notes about changes in the RC period</h2>



<p><strong>Hard string freeze:</strong> From now until July 16, there is a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/handbook/glossary/#hard-freeze">hard string freeze</a> in place—no strings may change, and no new strings may be committed. That&#8217;s to give the Polyglots team time to translate WordPress 6.6 into as many languages as possible before final release.</p>



<p><strong>Two-committer signoff:</strong> Commits in the RC period also require two Core committers to sign off on every merge. Since release candidates are supposed to be ready to go, only major fixes and blessed tasks should merge at this late date.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s in WordPress 6.6 RC1?</h2>



<p>Thanks to your testing and many other contributors‘ up to now, this release includes more than 40 bug fixes for the Editor and more than <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=02%2F27%2F2024..03%2F05%2F2024&milestone=6.5&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id">40 tickets for WordPress Core</a>.</p>



<p>Get a recap of WordPress 6.6’s highlighted features in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2024/06/wordpress-6-6-beta-1/">Beta 1 announcement</a>. For more technical information related to issues addressed since Beta 3, you can browse the following links:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.6?since=2024-06-18&until=2024-06-24">GitHub commits for 6.6</a> since June 18</li>



<li><a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=06%2F18%2F24..06%2F24%2F2024&milestone=6.6&max=1000&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id">Closed Trac tickets</a> since June 18</li>
</ul>



<p>Want to look deeper into the details and technical notes for this release? These recent posts cover some of the latest updates:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/21/wordpress-6-6-css-specificity/">WordPress 6.6 CSS Specificity</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/20/site-wide-background-images-in-wordpress-6-6/">Site-wide background images in WordPress 6.6</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/24/section-styles/">Section Styles</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/20/roster-of-design-tools-per-block-wordpress-6-6-edition/">Roster of design tools per block (WordPress 6.6 edition)</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2024/06/25/wordpress-6-6-field-guide/">The WordPress 6.6 Field Guide</a></li>



<li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/dev-notes-6-6/">All 6.6-related developer notes</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How you can contribute</h2>



<p>WordPress is open source software made possible by a passionate community of people who collaborate on and contribute to to its development. The resources below outline a wide variety of ways you can help the world’s most popular open source web platform, whether or not you have any technical expertise.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get involved in testing</h3>



<p>Testing for issues is critical to making sure WordPress is speedy and stable. It’s also a vital way for anyone to contribute. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2024/06/03/help-test-wordpress-6-6/">This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.6. If you&#8217;re new to testing, follow <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2024/06/03/help-test-wordpress-6-6/">this general testing guide</a> for more details on getting set up.</p>



<p>If you encounter an issue, please report it to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">Alpha/Beta area</a> of the support forums. If you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, you can also report it on <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket">WordPress Trac</a>. Before you do either, you may want to check your issue against a list of <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major">known bugs</a>.</p>



<p>Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">testing initiatives in Make Core</a> and join the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/">#core-test channel</a> on <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/">Making WordPress Slack</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Search for vulnerabilities</h3>



<p>From now until the final release candidate of WordPress 6.6 (scheduled for July 16), the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/security/2024/06/04/wordpress-6-6-is-coming/">monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities</a> doubles. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the <a href="https://hackerone.com/wordpress">HackerOne page</a> and in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/about/security/">security white paper</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Update your theme or plugin</h3>



<p>If you build themes, plugins, blocks or patterns, your products play an integral role in extending the functionality and value of WordPress for all users.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Thanks for continuing to test your themes and plugins with the WordPress 6.6 beta releases. With RC1, you’ll want to finish your testing and update the <em>“Tested up to”</em> version in your <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/how-your-readme-txt-works/">plugin’s readme file</a> to 6.6.</p>



<p>If you find compatibility issues, please post detailed information to the <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/">support forum</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Help translate WordPress</h3>



<p>Do you speak a language other than English? ¿Español? Français? Русский? 日本語? हिन्दी? বাংলা? You can <a href="https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp/dev/">help translate WordPress into more than 100 languages</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Release the haiku</h2>



<p>We&#8217;re here already?<br />RC1 means three weeks left.<br />Have some fun—come test!</p>



<p><em>Props to <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meher/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>meher</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>audrasjb</a> for collaborating on this post.</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:23:50 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:8:"marybaum";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:45;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:93:"Do The Woo Community: In the Hosting Cloud with Jesse Friedman, Joshua Goode and Kevin Walker";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"https://dothewoo.io/?p=84255";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:91:"https://dothewoo.io/in-the-hosting-cloud-with-jesse-friedman-joshua-goode-and-kevin-walker/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:45096:"Episode Transcript
<div class="wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<p>Robert:<br />Welcome to another Do The Woo Special. I am thrilled to have here today Jesse Friedman, Joshua Goode (as in food, not goody as I&#8217;d like to say it), and Kevin Walker from Bluehost. I&#8217;m Robert Jacobi, and we&#8217;ll be talking about the recent partnership between Bluehost and WP Cloud. Jesse, let&#8217;s do some quick introductions.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />I&#8217;m Jesse Friedman. I&#8217;m running WP Cloud. I am a Rhode Island native, well, I shouldn&#8217;t say native. I grew up in New York, but I live in Rhode Island now. I&#8217;ve been working at Automattic for nearly 10 years, mostly on Jetpack and now with WP Cloud, and really just focused on helping to provide better services to hosting companies so they can succeed in WordPress.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Excellent. Kevin?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />Hey, good morning. Kevin Walker here. I look after marketing at Bluehost, based here in Austin, Texas, and I really spend most of my time figuring out how to make sure our current and future customers are fully aware of what&#8217;s going on from a product perspective. I&#8217;m looking forward to our chat today.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Yeah, and it&#8217;s great that you&#8217;re in Austin. I should mention that we&#8217;re here at Cloudfest US and NamesCon, and so it&#8217;s a very exciting and dynamic crowd, especially with the NamesCon folks on the domain side. Josh?</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Yeah, Joshua Goode. I am the partner success manager/technical account manager. We&#8217;re still figuring it out. I do a lot of the technical side of things, but I&#8217;m also just there to help people onboard, integrate, and handle any rare issues they might encounter.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Excellent. So this has been in the making for a long time and was announced back in March during WordCamp Asia and sort of semi-concurrently with Cloudfest in Germany. Let&#8217;s start with how this discussion began about Bluehost working on a platform that isn&#8217;t theirs, if I can put it that way.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />Yeah, I mean, it&#8217;s a fair assessment. Outside of Automattic, Bluehost is the largest contributor to the WordPress project, and we&#8217;re proud of that. Our WordPress-centric brand, if you read Review Signal and other benchmarking studies, is also very, very good at delivering well-performing, shared hosting. The reality, though, is shared hosting doesn&#8217;t meet the needs of some very demanding users, particularly agencies and people who have high-traffic websites.</p>



<p>That was a part of the market that we knew we needed to develop into. We certainly looked at building things internally but came to the ultimate decision, why build when we can borrow, partner, or buy? I don&#8217;t know what the right words are with WP Cloud. It&#8217;s a fantastic infrastructure that ultimately perfectly meets the needs of the demanding customers and new customers we&#8217;re going after. With an existing partnership already in place on so many fronts, it was just a natural progression to continue into the infrastructure as a service agreement that we did with WP Cloud and Automattic.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />So before I get to your side of the equation, Jesse, as I talk with my hands, which no one can see on an audio podcast, what does that look like to some degree that you don&#8217;t actually have to worry about your infrastructure?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />Oh, it&#8217;s fantastic, right? Certainly we did our due diligence and made sure that the commitment around 100% uptime, speed, and all the other things that we care about are there, and they certainly are. What we get to do is focus on what we do, which is the service and support, which is not part of WP Cloud.</p>



<p>So when you put Bluehost and Automattic together, you really do have a great marriage in that you&#8217;ve got the infrastructure people worrying about the infrastructure, scale, and all the things that we&#8217;re worried about there. We&#8217;ve developed a dedicated support team that&#8217;s specific to this product and these customers. So if you&#8217;re using Bluehost Cloud today, when you pick up the phone and need support, you&#8217;re not going through the typical triage.</p>



<p>I always think about the equivalent when my internet goes out; the first thing they ask me is to restart my router, and I&#8217;ve already done that three times. You skip right to the experts who are knowledgeable not only about the product but also about WordPress in general.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ll just end by saying a lot of hosts, well, their support team candidly, quickly tries to make sure it&#8217;s not their fault and then passes the customer off to a plugin vendor or somebody else. We&#8217;re trying to instill in our support team at Bluehost Cloud the mindset of getting to a resolution regardless of whose fault it is. We&#8217;ve hired experts in the WordPress space that can help our customers dig into things that are beyond the hosting layer and into plugin compatibility and other issues that WordPress users often find challenging.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />And so, which of course leads to the question I always want to know, how did WP Cloud even get going? Obviously, Automattic does a ton of hosting. There&#8217;s WordPress VIP, which is another flavor of hosting, WordPress.com, and so on. Is this sort of almost like something that&#8217;s been in the works for five years, similar to Amazon saying, &#8220;Oh, we have a bunch of servers, and now we&#8217;re going to make AWS?&#8221;</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />Yeah, you nailed it.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />This will be our shortest podcast ever.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />The WP Cloud team began as an internal company product called Atomic. It was our effort to redefine the way in which we provide cloud hosting for WordPress. We knew we have so much knowledge and experience from our teams hosting hundreds of millions of sites on WordPress.com and the highest traffic sites in the world on VIP. We took the brilliant people behind that to build out the next platform that we wanted to use for ourselves.</p>



<p>Because WordPress.com or Automattic is wholly focused on hosting WordPress, we have some side ventures, Tumblr, PocketCasts, and things like that. But when it comes to websites, we only focus on providing WordPress. That opportunity for focus and those guardrails we put up allow us to do something that other people just can&#8217;t. When you look at other cloud platforms, they have a universal solution for everything, from warehouse logistics to virtual reality gaming. WordPress site hosting is a small fraction of their focus.</p>



<p>So we knew that we needed to build something that would revolutionize the way in which we&#8217;re serving WordPress. We wanted to do that internally. And so yeah, five plus years, we released it internally as our cloud platform. Then a few years ago, we started to look at ways in which we could bring it to the rest of the ecosystem. We knew what we had. It was working unbelievably well, billions of pages a month already. These sites are incredibly fast, highly reliable. We&#8217;re offering 100% uptime with our partners. The reason we&#8217;re able to do that is because the platform is tried and tested.</p>



<p>The newest part about it is really the brand. WP Cloud has really only been out in the wild since just before Cloudfest 2023. That was our effort of saying, &#8220;Hey, how do we bring this great thing that we built that we know works really well to the rest of the world?&#8221; We wanted to identify hosting parties that we knew would be excellent candidates in the WordPress space. Bluehost has been a great WordPress or internet citizen as a company for many years. They do a great deal of contributions to WordPress, sponsoring events around the world, and we knew that partnering with them as a flagship partner would be an opportunity for us to make sure that we&#8217;re aligning ourselves with someone who has the same focus on success.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Nice. So we&#8217;re going to want to know the tricks of the trade. I&#8217;m glad Josh is here to tell us what makes that infrastructure a bit more compelling than saying, &#8220;Oh, we&#8217;re just going to roll up a managed WordPress service on AWS or Google Cloud.&#8221;</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Jesse kind of hit a good point on that. WordPress.com, millions of WordPress sites, WordPress VIP, some of the highest traffic sites. We took all of our knowledge and experience from those things and built this platform to where it&#8217;s just for WordPress and had everything that we needed for performance, security, and those core needs baked into the platform.</p>



<p>So as Bluehost Cloud launched, it automatically had a firewall, DDoS protections, SSL certificates for every site, global caching right out of the box. There are no plugins to install, nothing to configure. You have a Global Edge cache. It&#8217;s going back to our Automattic core backbone network that we have all around the world with our edge centers and servers, putting WP Cloud on that and beefing it up. We&#8217;re essentially offering this thing to where someone can just go create a site and, whether you&#8217;re in Australia or the US, you have amazing speeds.</p>



<p>Every decision on database caching, our decisions on how our global edge cache works, our decisions on just normal page cache. I&#8217;m talking a lot about cache because that&#8217;s kind of our bread and butter, and our global network is a big chunk of that. The full stack of how simple it should be for a user to create a site and it just works and performs the way they expect and want it to as a user. And then from a host perspective, how easy it is to create those sites and how easy it is to support those sites.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Yeah, I&#8217;m curious about the API, the platform, but is there any kind of… Is this running on Kubernetes? Is this running here or not? Can we get a little more of the secret sauce? I think folks might just be interested in that.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />No, with Kubernetes and different parts of Automattic, no. WP Cloud essentially avoids that type of containerization. We actually keep it as complex as it can be, and again, I&#8217;m towing the line here, but…</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />But that&#8217;s why we are on Do the Woo.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Right. We have a lot of experience with Nginx, and we have a very advanced network</p>



<p>of load balancers, server pools, and individual servers. It&#8217;s just a very advanced network on there. If you want to know something, DVN, Engine X, however it&#8217;s said, that&#8217;s kind of there. But no, we actually avoid containers. I will say we have a unique SSH proxy where there may be some containerization there just for security purposes.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />The key thing to take away from all this is that we built it up from the ground up and we&#8217;re not outsourcing. We make sure that we&#8217;re highlighting the fact that we&#8217;re partnering with open-source software, PHP, MariaDB, things like that. But for the most part, everything is homegrown.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That&#8217;s brilliant. So then of course, reading into the APIs and connectivity, from the Bluehost perspective, what does it look like to actually all of a sudden integrate on top of this huge platform?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />I mean, so you&#8217;re talking to a dumb marketer and not a technical engineer, but I&#8217;d take the position that it doesn&#8217;t really matter from a customer perspective. What matters is that it works, it&#8217;s fast, and if I do have an issue, I can get ahold of the right person quickly to help me resolve it. We put a financial commitment behind the 100% uptime. So WP Cloud and Automattic say, we&#8217;re going to guarantee you 100% uptime. We then put a financial commitment to our customers on top of that promise. So if there is, for some reason, downtime, they&#8217;re going to get their money back, depending on how long the outage is.</p>



<p>From an API perspective, we have our own console on top of the infrastructure. That&#8217;s what I was curious about. It&#8217;s an account manager where you can go in and provision sites and manage plugins. You can go into WP admin directly and do most of that as well.</p>



<p>We took the initial path forward that less is more. Let WP admin do a lot of the heavy lifting that people are used to working with and really just keep to the basics around provisioning, scaling up to larger accounts if you need more space or websites, and leave the rest to the native functionality of the project.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />I think one thing that&#8217;s really interesting is that because WP Cloud or Automattic is handling the infrastructure, managing the platform, making sure that sites are up and running efficiently and fast, that gives Bluehost Cloud the opportunity to reinvest back into the tools they provide for agencies. We&#8217;re taking on everything below that API layer and managing that for Bluehost Cloud but also for the end user as well. We do a remarkable amount of management and work around keeping WordPress instances up to date, making sure there aren&#8217;t plugin conflicts anytime there&#8217;s an issue. When we do run an update, we have regression testing to make sure that there aren&#8217;t problems with that. We take care of all of that.</p>



<p>That allows Bluehost Cloud to really focus on the tools they want to provide to agencies, which I think is where the next phase of this innovation is going to be. We&#8217;re going to focus on providing the fastest, most secure, and reliable platform. Bluehost Cloud is going to be focused on providing tools that help agencies run their business, save them money, make them more money per hour, be more efficient, and grow. The list goes on from there. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m super excited about this opportunity because it&#8217;s leveraging something we built to build something even better for the ecosystem.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />To get there, this is a fairly new segment. Agencies have been using Bluehost since we created the business, but it was in more of the &#8220;I just need some simple shared hosting for my simple client to use&#8221; mode. We&#8217;re moving essentially upmarket to the more complex, advanced needs of larger agencies. We&#8217;re not going to pretend that we know everything about agencies. So we&#8217;re taking an approach to, again, start with less is more. We&#8217;re having an advisory council that&#8217;s been built out that&#8217;s going to input into the needs of agencies so we can actually create something that&#8217;s valuable, meaningful, and helpful rather than assume that we know everything. By the time this is posted, we&#8217;ll have announced that we are launching a program that gives additional benefits to our agency partners in the form of financial benefits, commissions, discounts, and access to certain levels of support.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That&#8217;s amazing. I have a couple of questions swirling around in my head. You just mentioned support, so let me tackle that. Is there a point where a Bluehost customer would actually speak with support at WP Cloud?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />No.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />No? So that would never happen?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />No. We certainly, as a customer of WP Cloud, have access, and we have regular standups and we&#8217;re very closely working together. Our engineers and their engineers are on a first-name basis and are close working partners. But the support that you&#8217;re going to require, you would contact Bluehost Cloud support. So far, we have 100% resolution on the first call. We&#8217;re not seeing any challenges with that.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />I&#8217;m going to make a huge assumption, and Joshua or Jesse can set me straight. Is there sort of a semi-walled garden around what kind of WordPress hosting you can do? I&#8217;m just going to make a crazy example. Say I wanted to launch my WordPress 3.1 site on WP Cloud. Would that even be possible?</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />You might get away with it.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />No. We really focus on keeping up to date and staying in line with the WordPress launch schedule. For performance, security, and just the general progression of WordPress, if we all keep up and continue moving together, it just helps the ecosystem so much more. We do offer some transition windows, but no, if you spin up a site right now, it will be the latest release version.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />So back to the sort of agency side of the universe, I&#8217;m an agency with a number of core legacy WordPress sites. Those would probably all have to be updated. At a minimum, if not, depending on how legacy or what plugin issues there might be. So tying to that plugin thing, do you actually have sort of an allow list of plugins, or can I just create my Bitcoin miner plugin and drop it off?</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />We have a very small list of blacklisted plugins, plugins that we know are doing something either malicious or so outside the box, strange and poorly done that it&#8217;s causing performance issues. For the most part, you can put any plugins you want onto it.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />We work quite a bit with plugin developers to actually help them spend a good chunk of time if we do notice issues. Given our scale, we can see trends in certain plugins. So I do spend a bit of time reaching out and working with plugin developers, not just to be compatible with our platform or more compatible, but to be better on any host.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />Yes, and I think it&#8217;s important to recognize that I do understand that there are agencies out there who are running sites for clients that may have older versions of software because the client doesn&#8217;t have the budget to upgrade it or it&#8217;s a really complex build. When you get to a place where you are allowing these older versions of the software to exist, then again, you get back into a lack of focus. Because we have a very strong focus on providing the sites for the most up-to-date version of WordPress, I think we allow a version or two, we have a transition. So it&#8217;s not like the day that the new WordPress version comes out, you have to be ready to move. The point is that when we narrow our focus to provide support for one or two of the latest versions of WordPress, we are able to provide even better performance and security. The minute you start doing dozens of versions, it just increases the amount of work ahead of you.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />We want to help improve the standards of the WordPress ecosystem. I work with plugin developers and theme developers, but overall we want to push the whole community forward. The more sites we can keep on the most recent version, the better it is for everyone. We all want to push forward together and make it the best experience for the end user, to the point where the end user really shouldn&#8217;t have to worry about their WordPress being updated.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Oh yeah, the best kind of hosting is the kind you never think about. I love that.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />This is a trend across the industry. I think all hosts, at least reputable ones, are realizing that the financial benefits of supporting a long, long, long list of versions aren&#8217;t worth the expense. You&#8217;ve got to narrow that focus. You&#8217;re paying for it as a customer. I worked at Dell during the whole Microsoft Windows XP situation, and this is reminiscent of that. If you have to support multiple versions, that gets extremely challenging.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />Think of that when you call in for support. If you&#8217;re training your team to make sure that they&#8217;re providing the best support for the most recent version of WordPress, they don&#8217;t have to worry about the complexities that went into 3.1. That allows them to provide more efficient, better, and faster support, making sure you&#8217;re successful. But I&#8217;ll also tell you, we&#8217;re sitting right across from the expo area at Cloudfest, and I guarantee you that if you threw a hat in the air and it landed on any one of those tables, that host would have a story about having thousands of out-of-date WordPress sites. The process of upgrading those and keeping them secure, and what that means for the rest of their infrastructure, it&#8217;s a terrible process to have to go through.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />It&#8217;s a customer support headache. It&#8217;s a resource like physical resource, meaning hardware, whether it&#8217;s on some other cloud provider or on your own infrastructure, that you&#8217;re probably wasting energy cycles and whatnot from bad code.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />To go back to your original question, for the most part, we&#8217;re able to host anything here. In fact, we just released domain-based multi-site as well. Previously, we had subdirectory multi-site only.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Nice.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />So we&#8217;re continuing to innovate</p>



<p>in that area and what we can provide support for.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />I&#8217;m curious about agencies who may have legacy content. Is part of the Bluehost agency partner program there to also help onboard existing or new agencies with these sites?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />It certainly helps onboarding new agencies. The question of agencies with outdated WordPress sites is one I actually haven&#8217;t considered. If there was a meaningful need and we heard from our customers that it was something of value, we&#8217;d absolutely figure out how to address it. We&#8217;ve partnered with a third party and now have a white-labeled version of a very successful migration tool. We can help customers migrate from our own shared infrastructure into the cloud infrastructure or from a different host onto Bluehost with the push of a button with well into the 90% success rate. We&#8217;re really excited about that because the switching costs are getting lower and lower. It&#8217;s getting easier and easier. Hopefully, we have an opportunity to be the beneficiary of that ease of movement. We hope to benefit as we bring better and better products to market.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />I see that as a huge direction for hosting overall. The baseline expectations are commoditized. Everyone can get their WordPress site up for at least a little bit. What&#8217;s the value add? Obviously, we&#8217;re seeing here today the Bluehost service level and user experience value add. You can&#8217;t beat a WP Cloud infrastructure.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />You put your site on Bluehost Cloud, stress test it, objectively observe, measure, and benchmark it. You won&#8217;t find a better hosting experience or performance at the price point we have it at. Then you layer in a 100% uptime guarantee, financial guarantee, and the premium support that comes with it. I&#8217;m well aware that Bluehost does not have the best reputation in the agency space. I think that&#8217;s a function of people historically trying to put a round peg through a square hole and using shared hosting, which is not meant for a lot of client-facing needs. That&#8217;s where that reputation comes from. Give us a second chance. I think you&#8217;ll be really, really, really impressed.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />As a customer of Bluehost for almost 20 years now, I signed up for my first Bluehost account in 2005 when you were three years old. I&#8217;ve seen Bluehost provide shared hosting to millions of customers and do a really great job of it. I think they became synonymous with providing that service to these customers. Shared hosting is a fantastic solution, especially for WordPress. If you&#8217;re running your own site, running a blog, or even an eCommerce shop, shared hosting can be very successful, and Bluehost does it really well.</p>



<p>But I think that has created a slight barrier of entry for an agency considering this product. They may be thinking, &#8220;Oh, it&#8217;s Bluehost. They&#8217;re really focused on shared hosting. It&#8217;s not going to be what I need. I have this incredibly high traffic site, or my eCommerce shop is getting thousands of transactions a day.&#8221; But if you&#8217;re on the fence, if you have a high traffic site like that, reach out to me or Kevin. We&#8217;ll figure out a way to get you on there so you can test it.</p>



<p>The migration tools that they have make it a lot easier. If you are on the fence, let us talk to you about it. Let us give you some assurances. We&#8217;ll make sure your customers are happy, your clients are happy. At the end of the day, when you try it out for yourself and put some traffic behind it, it&#8217;s just going to speak for itself. The biggest problem you&#8217;re going to have is how to get the rest of your clients on it as fast as possible.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Since this is a WooCommerce-focused podcast, and Kevin has mentioned multiple times this 100% uptime guarantee, is that just per minute it&#8217;s out? If I&#8217;m running a WooCommerce shop and based on, let&#8217;s say, monthly average sales, I&#8217;m out for a day, which we know won&#8217;t happen, are you saying that a day of sales would be insured?</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />Not at this time. At this time, it&#8217;s to the cost of the infrastructure and your service cost on Bluehost Cloud. But we are talking in seconds and minutes, not in hours or days at all.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />But put aside the financial guarantee for a second. Let&#8217;s talk a little bit about how we&#8217;re providing the 100% uptime guarantee.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Yes, please.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />First off, we scale vertically, not horizontally. We have the ability to add resources to a site in real-time without having to wait for services and additional resources. That is on top of the fact that we know exactly what we&#8217;re doing in terms of supporting hosting for e-commerce. I mean, we do own WooCommerce. If anybody&#8217;s going to know how to do it, it&#8217;s going to be us.</p>



<p>Additionally, we have baked into every single WP Cloud site, and that means every Bluehost Cloud site has this, we have something called automated real-time failover. It live syncs your site from one data center to another. For example, if you are requesting an e-commerce website, you are a visitor to a website in middle America, and it&#8217;s pulling from our Texas Data Center. If something catastrophic were to happen, like the pipe gets cut or an asteroid lands on Texas, something terrible happens, that whole site is live synced to another data center, including e-commerce orders. If you place an order on the site and then instantaneously something happens, we will have live synced it there. We can reroute the traffic to that secondary data center so the visitors to the site won&#8217;t even feel the transition.</p>



<p>We have four origin centers and 28 data centers around the globe. We&#8217;re doing a ridiculous amount of redundancies in terms of backups, which automatically come with this product. We are taking special care to make sure we are putting processes in place that no one else can really replicate to offer this level of service.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />I&#8217;m the database geek, and I&#8217;m going to put Josh on the spot here. How do you do that with the databases?</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Every site is doing constant real-time replication to another region. Getting into some of the technical specifics…</p>



<p>Robert:<br />But you&#8217;re not copying the files. You&#8217;re doing split queries across multiple…</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Yeah, that&#8217;s one way to put it. I will say maybe it&#8217;s not always the easiest. We&#8217;ve had to look in and make sure our binary logs or our bin logs aren&#8217;t just exploding in size, but we&#8217;ve got it kind of perfected to where every site on WP Cloud has real-time database replication to another. The file system&#8217;s already there. If one server or the data center goes down, that site instantly flips to another region.</p>



<p>As for how we&#8217;re doing that, I&#8217;ll just say it&#8217;s real-time database replication.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />I&#8217;m going to say it can&#8217;t be just what we think of as traditional replication. So I have to imagine that there&#8217;s some kind of SQL abstraction layer that&#8217;s potentially data…</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />There is a level of abstraction there. I would say every single query is logged there in our binary logs, and that&#8217;s kind of how it&#8217;s handled and pushed out to its secondary database server.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />For end users on Bluehost Cloud, it just looks like a MySQL database.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />If you have an agency that wants to explain it to their client, you can just let them know that we do live sync, which means real-time replication of the data from one data center to another. That gives them the assurance to sell this to their high-end e-commerce clients.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />So I assume that those talking points from WP Cloud get passed over to Bluehost Cloud, which then, as part of your partner program, gives them that.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />I&#8217;ll tell you something right now, for everybody at home who wants to sign up for Bluehost Cloud and then sell it to their clients, there is no a la carte or piecemeal parts of WP Cloud that Bluehost Cloud doesn&#8217;t have. So anything that you ever hear anybody talking about WP Cloud, whether it&#8217;s at a conference like this, another podcast, or whatever, if WP Cloud has it, then Bluehost Cloud has it.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Okay, that&#8217;s really cool.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />The only thing that I think is unique to Bluehost versus some other small hosts that we see around the world, who have also started to leverage WP Cloud, is the packaging and the pricing and how we&#8217;re thinking about our packaging. It could vary from host to host, but again, the infrastructure is going to be the same.</p>



<p>We&#8217;ve taken a different approach. Instead of a per-site model where we allocate resources per site in a predetermined fashion, you buy a number of sites and with a number of PHP workers, you can assign those workers to sites at your discretion. Maybe the small little site you put two PHP workers on, and this other site that your client has that has really high demand, you might put eight. Where others have taken more of a &#8220;every site gets two PHP workers&#8221; approach, we&#8217;ve added a lot more flexibility in our approach.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />This is the beauty of us being able to provide what we&#8217;re doing. We&#8217;re purely focusing on the platform. Our engineers are not getting into the business of WP Cloud. They&#8217;re focused on providing the absolute fastest, most secure platform. What that allows us to do is to partner with hosts and cultivate or even grow the diversity in hosting that we need for WordPress to be successful. This is speaking to something a little bit more philosophical, but the reality of the situation is there are more than enough WordPress websites to go around.</p>



<p>What we&#8217;re aiming to do with WP Cloud is raise the bar for the way in which hosting is done. We want WP Cloud to become synonymous with the best cloud platform for WordPress anywhere. The beauty of partnering with Bluehost or anyone else we might partner with is that they have the ability to bolt on additional services, partner with companies that they want to partner with. For example, Yoast, right? With Bluehost Cloud, you get Yoast bundled with it. There are opportunities for them to go beyond that and do deeper integrations into Yoast, things like that. They can bundle their pricing differently. This</p>



<p>gives them the opportunity to really carve out an opportunity to provide better service to agencies, whereas somebody else might be focused on something else specifically. That allows for innovation and solving specific problems.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />I like that. We talked about the partnerships. What does it cost? I know I&#8217;m not going to get the real secrets here.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />What Bluehost Cloud costs or…?</p>



<p>Robert:<br />What does it cost for Bluehost to work on top of or partner with WP Cloud? What does that look like for Bluehost?</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />I would love for Kevin to talk. I&#8217;ll touch on this briefly. I would love Kevin to talk about the pricing for Bluehost Cloud because I think people will be interested in that.</p>



<p>The model we have for WP Cloud is making it accessible. We&#8217;re trying to keep our prices generally very affordable and significantly cheaper than trying to replicate this with AWS or Google Cloud. Right now, our pricing is focused on a per-site, per-month cost based on a snapshot of the resources allocated to that site, like the number of PHP workers, things like that.</p>



<p>I would love to go more in-depth into how WP Cloud operates from a partnership perspective, but for today and the audience in the room, I think what&#8217;s more relevant is, what does this actually cost the agency?</p>



<p>Robert:<br />It&#8217;s a huge deal, literally, and it&#8217;s just interesting to see how some of the sausage is made.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Before we transition, Jesse likes to highlight that there&#8217;s no upfront cost. You pay for what you use. Your costs should be diverted to building out your side of the equation, marketing, selling, and supporting them. There&#8217;s nothing to sign up and work with us just to get started and to test things out. That&#8217;s not a cost. Then it comes from your usage.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />To be super clear, he&#8217;s talking about WP Cloud, not Bluehost. If you&#8217;re a host and listening to this podcast, that was for you. For everyone else, because of what you just said, Josh, you&#8217;ll see packages that scale. The price will scale with usage, with some sort of resources allocated to that package. That&#8217;s because hosts are being charged based on the amount of resources they&#8217;re consuming. Their packaging is probably going to be linear toward price and resources will be somewhat correlated to each other.</p>



<p>For Bluehost Cloud, our early access pricing, which is still live today, a single site plan is $29 a month, and a 50-site plan is $190. Those are the two guardrails. There are 10 and 25 site plans in between. You go compare that to the market, and I promise you, we are extremely cost-efficient at those price points. We&#8217;re one of the largest hosts in the world, one of the largest WordPress hosts in the world. Because of that scale, we have the opportunity to give some of that value back to our customers through really advantageous pricing. You&#8217;re getting the same infrastructure that another host may be selling at twice the price, but it&#8217;s the same infrastructure.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />The only place you can get the bat phone. I love calling it that because it&#8217;s the blue phone.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />Or you&#8217;re getting a host that isn&#8217;t using WP Cloud, and we can talk about the disadvantage of that. AWS is amazing as a general cloud infrastructure for all these varying needs, but if you were building a WordPress site, why would you not want an infrastructure specifically built for WordPress and WordPress performance? You should test it out and really put us through the ringer. Put a site on our plan and see how it goes.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />I was just saying one thing. Sorry, we didn&#8217;t go into too much detail about the database. I didn&#8217;t want to take too much time.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />It&#8217;s also important to keep some things close to the vest, not necessarily for IP, but also for security.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />That&#8217;s right. And for the sake of time. But taking a step back, PHPMyAdmin access is available, but overall, there&#8217;s no… As Bluehost Cloud uses this, they use the WP Cloud Atomic API. They spin all the sites up via API, configure them, and make all their adjustments over an API. There&#8217;s no setting up a server, no &#8220;What&#8217;s the database credentials and what&#8217;s up with that?&#8221; It&#8217;s all done with one API call.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />Our very first customer. We announced at 10:00 AM Eastern that day. At 10:06 AM, we had our first customer. They bought a Cloud 10 package. They migrated their site. They&#8217;re based in British Columbia, Canada, in about nine minutes, I think, is what it took them to get the site live on the infrastructure. They must have realized things were going well because they had nine more sites. Second plan. I mean, it is really, really easy and simple.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />We are seeing sites that are incredibly fast. When we pull up a new WP Cloud site, it&#8217;s an average of six, seven seconds before you&#8217;re in the WP admin. It&#8217;s nearly instantaneous. There are a lot of sort of warm sites ready to go.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />No, this is all kind of on-demand. The infrastructure is all there, warm and ready to go. But the sites, no. I mean, that&#8217;s all new and it&#8217;s all provisioned.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />You&#8217;re absolutely right. The thing that&#8217;s really intriguing about that is that we have the ability to provide pools for agencies to really build these things into their workflows. For example, if you&#8217;re using the SSH to spool up sites, things like that, manage and configure them. We also have templating tools, things like that. You can create, man, I forget the term, but somebody gave me the perfect one for template sites. If you&#8217;re an agency and you run a hundred e-commerce shops, you&#8217;re probably starting with the same plugins and the same configuration every single time. Those are things you can just clone, and it&#8217;s the same amount of time. Think about how much faster that makes your workflow.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />Oh, yeah. Stuff you don&#8217;t have to worry about. You can actually focus on your customers with an agency, what your value add will be as well.</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />If Bluehost support is helping an agency that maybe is coming off an old WordPress version and they&#8217;re needing quick access to the PHP logs, that&#8217;s an API call. You have SSH access if you want to go in and do some other things. But if Bluehost Cloud wants to provide that directly to users or their support team needs it, there&#8217;s an API call for that.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />No, that&#8217;s fantastic. Let&#8217;s wrap this up so people can actually use it for building out their site. I found the cloud. Any final thoughts?</p>



<p>Joshua:<br />Yeah, I&#8217;m really passionate about this project. I wish we had more time to go into even more technical detail. It&#8217;s something I&#8217;ve had the pleasure of working on across Automattic for years now, and I&#8217;m so excited to have partners like Bluehost and just getting more people looking at the platform. Jesse may have some other stuff they might want to bring up.</p>



<p>Jesse:<br />It&#8217;s too bad he won&#8217;t hear this if you&#8217;re actually at Cloudfest because it&#8217;ll take a little time to publish this. But in a couple of hours, I&#8217;m giving a talk and unveiling a new soon-to-be open-source platform UI. The idea there is to really encourage people to rip it apart, extend it, expand on it, or help us to understand it&#8217;s in the same light and narrative of what Bluehost Cloud is trying to do, which is that we are trying to provide tools and resources so that we can allow our clients, our agencies, to tell us what it is that they need next, what it is that they want. That&#8217;s in total alignment with what Bluehost Cloud is doing.</p>



<p>To that point, I&#8217;m on Twitter as @Professor. Although if you go to the WP Cloud website, you&#8217;ll see ways to get in touch with me. If you have any questions about this, if you want to talk more, if you want to tell me about your current situation and what you&#8217;re faced with and you just want to chat about whether or not Bluehost Cloud or WP Cloud is right for you, please don&#8217;t hesitate to reach out.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That&#8217;s awesome. Jesse and Kevin, you have the last word.</p>



<p>Kevin:<br />I think you&#8217;ll have the last word if I know you well enough. But okay. I think this is an exciting time, and we&#8217;re really seeing some really cool stuff happening with the customers that have come over and started using the product. I encourage anyone listening today, if you need a high-performance site, give us a shot. What&#8217;s to lose? $29 and some time? I think there&#8217;s a lot to gain when you see the performance. The price-to-value ratio is excellent. If you&#8217;re an agency, Kevin.Walker@NewFold.com, or go to our website and fill out a form for the agency program, and we&#8217;ll get you signed up with a free account to test it yourself. If you don&#8217;t need high performance, just a reminder, our shared hosting is Review Signal top best in class. We&#8217;re proud of that too. Thanks for having me on, Robert.</p>



<p>Robert:<br />That&#8217;s why Kevin&#8217;s in marketing. We make sure to cover everything. Fantastic. I&#8217;m sure we&#8217;ll have more podcasts, especially around the technology. Do the Woo has a tech podcast as well, so that would be really interesting to have you guys on board for that. Thank you all for listening to another Do the Woo.</p>
</div>




<p>In this episode of <strong><em>The WordPress Way</em></strong>, host <strong>Robert Jacobi</strong> talks with <strong>Jesse Friedman </strong>and<strong> Joshua Goode from WP Cloud, </strong>and<strong> Kevin Walker </strong>from<strong> Bluehost</strong> about their new partnership. Jesse explains WP Cloud&#8217;s development within Automattic, emphasizing its optimized infrastructure for WordPress hosting.</p>



<p>This partnership aims to enhance Bluehost&#8217;s offerings for high-demand users, particularly agencies and high-traffic websites, by leveraging WP Cloud&#8217;s specialized infrastructure and support features like automated real-time failover and vertical scaling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Highlights</h2>



<p>Jesse Friedman introduces himself, running WP Cloud and working at Automattic for nearly 10 years. Kevin Walker oversees marketing at Bluehost, based in Austin, Texas. Joshua Goode is the partner success manager/technical account manager at WP Cloud and Automattic.</p>



<p>The partnership between Bluehost and WP Cloud was announced in March during WordCamp Asia and Cloudfest in Germany.</p>



<p>Bluehost is the largest contributor to the WordPress project outside of Automattic.</p>



<p>Shared hosting doesn’t meet the needs of some demanding users, particularly agencies and high-traffic websites.</p>



<p>Bluehost decided to partner with WP Cloud instead of building their own solution.</p>



<p>WP Cloud is a specialized infrastructure focused solely on WordPress, leveraging Automattic&#8217;s experience with WordPress.com and WordPress VIP.</p>



<p>WP Cloud offers features like automated real-time failover, vertical scaling, and specialized support.</p>



<p>Bluehost can focus on enhancing tools and services for agencies due to WP Cloud handling the infrastructure.</p>



<p>WP Cloud avoids containerization like Kubernetes, using advanced networks of load balancers and server pools.</p>



<p>Integration with WP Cloud is done via APIs, making provisioning and managing sites easy.</p>



<p>WP Cloud sites have built-in features like firewall, DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and global caching.</p>



<p>Automated real-time failover ensures high availability and reliability.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Links</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong><a href="https://wp.cloud/">WP Cloud</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.bluehost.com/hosting/cloud">Bluehost Cloud</a></strong></li>
