The WP Minute+

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

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

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

Jon Clark, Marketing Automation Specialist at StellarWP, shares insights on email marketing automation, creating entertaining YouTube content, and his thoughts on recent video games like Elden Ring. He emphasizes the importance of personalized messaging and entertaining content on YouTube. Jon considers starting a second channel focused on creative film projects and cinematography.

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

Bluehost's WonderSuite is a new suite of products that simplifies the onboarding process for new WordPress users. It includes tools like WonderTheme, WonderBlocks, WonderCart, WonderStart, and WonderHelp. WonderSuite uses AI to provide step-by-step tutorials and tailored content, while still allowing users to modify settings. The goal is to make WordPress more user-friendly and help users focus on their business. The podcast also discusses the benefits of Wonder Cart for WooCommerce, the onboarding process for setting up a store, and the importance of AI in WordPress.

Guest Kim Coleman, an expert in using prompts to unlock AI's potential, discusses how crafting detailed prompts helps AI tools like ChatGPT provide more helpful and context-specific results. They also explore using AI to convert video transcripts into step-by-step tutorials and creating readable changelogs. The podcast delves into the differences between AI models, the SEO outlook for AI-driven content, bot blocking, and the incorporation of AI into WordPress products.

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

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

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