In this episode of the WP Minute+ Podcast, Matt sits down with Steve Burge, founder of PublishPress, to discuss why publishers choose WordPress despite growing competition and shifting industry trends. Steve shares his journey from teaching and writing books to building and managing a suite of WordPress plugins focused on content management. His experience with government agencies, universities, and major publishers has shaped his approach to developing tools that enhance WordPress for organizations that require structured publishing workflows.
The conversation touches on the strengths of WordPress as an open-source publishing platform, the challenges posed by competing tools like Substack and Ghost, and the ongoing debates around the future of WordPress. Steve also sheds light on the role of Newspack, the impact of AI in publishing, and the need for greater clarity and governance within the WordPress ecosystem.
Matt and Steve discuss the evolving landscape of web development, how agencies and publishers should navigate the changes, and what the future holds for WordPress as both a publishing and website-building tool.
Key Takeaways
WordPress & The Publishing Industry
- WordPress remains dominant for publishers, universities, and government organizations that require structured editorial workflows.
- Platforms like Newspack, Paywall Project, and LEDE are pushing innovation in WordPress-based publishing.
- The rise of Substack, Beehive, and other newsletter platforms is pulling smaller publishers away from WordPress.
Steve’s Journey from Training to Plugins
- Steve transitioned from in-person and online training to building WordPress plugins.
- PublishPress originated from the need for editorial workflows in WordPress, inspired by Drupal’s access control features.
- Acquired and improved various plugins, including MetaSlider and Co-Authors Plus.
Challenges & The Future of WordPress
- The WordPress ecosystem is facing fragmentation and governance concerns.
- AI and closed-source platforms like Webflow are attracting younger developers who might otherwise choose WordPress.
- Open-source principles remain crucial, but WordPress needs better governance and clearer commercial guidelines to thrive.
Is WordPress a Website Builder or a Publishing Tool?
- The dual focus on Gutenberg as both a website builder and publishing tool creates challenges.
- Some argue WordPress should specialize in publishing, leaving website-building to third-party tools like Elementor and Bricks.
- The community remains divided on whether WordPress should prioritize content creators or developers.
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