The WP Minute+

Publishers Still Choose WordPress

Mar 10, 2025

Steve Burge, founder of PublishPress and expert in WordPress plugins, discusses why publishers continue to favor WordPress amidst competition from Substack and Ghost. He reflects on his journey through education and content management, emphasizing the strengths of WordPress as an open-source solution. The conversation dives into the challenges posed by simpler platforms, innovations like Newspack, and the role of AI in publishing. Burge also highlights the need for clearer governance in the WordPress ecosystem to ensure its future sustainability.

40:15

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Episode guests

Steve Burge

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

WordPress remains a leading choice for publishers requiring structured workflows, despite increasing competition from simpler platforms like Substack and Ghost.

The evolution of digital publishing demands advanced tools like plugins for content approval workflows, reflecting industry needs for compliance and user engagement.

Deep dives

Embracing AI in Daily Life

The discussion highlights the limited integration of AI in daily routines, particularly in the context of education. Although there is widespread hype surrounding AI in various industries, the speaker primarily uses it to assist his children with increasingly complex math homework. This reflects a more personal and practical application of AI, showcasing that while technology evolves, traditional daily challenges, such as parenting, remain. The conversation suggests that despite advancements in AI, its practical contribution to everyday tasks like cooking or cleaning is still minimal.

Intro

2min

Navigating Career Paths in Education and Publishing

5min

The Shift in WordPress Training

6min

Navigating the WordPress Plugin Landscape

8min

Navigating WordPress Challenges

16min

The Future of Open Source in WordPress

4min

Say thanks and learn more about our podcast sponsor Omnisend.

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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