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

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

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

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

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

Mike Stott, one of the leads behind Jetpack Creator, discusses the goals and competition of Jetpack Creator. The podcast also explores the challenges and effort required for creators to monetize their content through WordPress. The wide range of use cases for Jetpack in the WordPress creator space is highlighted, along with different monetization strategies for podcasters such as cryptocurrency payments and microtransactions.

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

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

Learn how WPTurbo integrates AI into WordPress development, the benefits for developers, and how it ensures high coding standards. Explore the efficiency AI brings to developers and the future of AI in web development. Also, discover upcoming features and improvements for WPTurbo.

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