WP Product Talk

Join us for the latest episode of WP Product Talk, "How to Create HYPE for Your Next Product Launch," with our guest, Kevin Geary. Kevin is launching a new offering right now called Etch, and his pre-launch tactics are really interesting and compelling. Kevin even self-proclaims this as "The Biggest WordPress Product Announcement of the Last 20 Years." Co-hosts Katie Keith and Matt Cromwell will discuss with Kevin how to effectively build anticipation and engage your audience. They will cover strategies for timing your promotional activities, leveraging social media, and maintaining interest through the launch period and beyond. This episode offers actionable advice on creating a compelling narrative and ensuring your product launch captures attention. Tune in to gain valuable insights into making your next product launch a success.

Delve into the challenges of WordPress' declining market share and its impact on product businesses. Industry experts discuss data-driven strategies for navigating changes and improving performance. The conversation highlights the significance of the HTTP archive dataset for understanding traffic trends and SEO. Discover the implications of competition from other platforms, subdomain effects, and marketing strategies. Revitalizing the ecosystem through community collaboration and innovative approaches is emphasized, along with addressing declining engagement at WordCamp events.

Join co-hosts Katie Keith and Zack Katz as they dive into the world of WordPress product distribution with special guest Vova Feldman, founder of Freemius. In this episode, they explore the pros and cons of listing WordPress products on marketplaces. Vova shares his expertise on navigating the complex landscape of product sales, offering insights on when to go solo and when marketplace distribution might be the right choice for your WordPress plugin or theme. Show Notes Some links mentioned during the show: Is This the Death of CodeCanyon and ThemeForest?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdGPAkiYAps Pros and Cons of Going Non-Exclusive: Weighing the Options for WordPress Plugin and Theme Makers https://freemius.com/blog/pros-cons-selling-wordpress-plugins-themes-non-exclusively/

In this episode of WP Product Talk, we’re diving into an issue that more and more product owners have been struggling with over the past 9 months: how to tackle declines in your SEO. It has been a volatile period for SEO, with seemingly-constant Google algorithm updates which have led to unpredictable ups and downs in many website owners' search rankings. But all is not lost! Join co-hosts Katie Keith and Zack Katz as they talk to WordPress and marketing expert Patrick Rauland about how to diagnose and tackle marketing problems. He'll be sharing real-life examples on how he has done this in his own work, with actionable advice on how WordPress product owners can do the same. 🎯 Key Takeaways — What Product Owners Can Apply Right Now 1. Fix the Real Problems, Not the “SEO Tricks” What really hit home for me was Patrick Rauland’s story about Xero Shoes — the way his team spent months fixing hundreds of “paper cut” SEO issues (broken links, weird headings, hidden H1s) and saw almost no improvement. The turnaround only came when they stopped obsessing over technical checklists and started thinking like their users. Patrick’s lightbulb moment came from a simple Google search — realizing that customers searching “barefoot shoes” weren’t looking for a deep guide; they just wanted to see the product: color, shape, price, and a quick sense of what it is. Once Xero Shoes added a product block right on the homepage (with structured product metadata), they instantly jumped back to the #1 ranking. Takeaway for product owners: Stop treating SEO as a mechanical game of fixes. Step back and ask: “What is the user really trying to accomplish with this search?” Then make it ridiculously easy for them to get that answer — whether that means showing product info sooner, summarizing key features above the fold, or making your calls to action clearer. Google rewards user satisfaction, not just “clean” websites. 2. Diversify Your Marketing Channels Before Google Forces You To Zack Katz’s segment was a wake-up call — even with years of high-quality, original, human-written content at Gravity Kit, their organic search traffic dropped by over 50%. The message was clear: You can do everything right and still lose visibility when Google’s algorithms shift. What was smart about Zack’s response — and what Katie Keith backed up with her Barn2 experience — was diversification. Zack started testing PPC again (despite his ethical reservations about Google Ads), explored Pinterest, and doubled down on YouTube. Katie added that her company’s YouTube channel has become a stabilizing force: as blog traffic dipped, video traffic filled the gap. Takeaway for product owners: Don’t rely on Google alone to feed your business. Every healthy company needs at least two strong, independent channels — one that’s working now, and another that’s being actively built. That could mean video, newsletters, communities, marketplaces, or even affiliate partnerships — anything that keeps your business visible even when search rankings fluctuate. 3. Invest in Credibility: E-E-A-T Is the New SEO Foundation The conversation about “E-E-A-T” — Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trust — was another big moment. Katie shared how Barn2 completely reworked their author pages to prove real credibility: bios, author photos, social links, press mentions, and quotes from recognized experts. Patrick reinforced that Google wants to trust the sources it ranks, especially after so much AI-generated content has flooded the web. Patrick’s advice was super practical: start with your author pages. They’re built into WordPress, they’re easy to improve, and they signal real people behind your content. Link to your real profiles, show credentials, list the tools you use, and reference third-party validation (like Trustpilot or G2). In other words: make it obvious that your content comes from an expert who’s been there. Takeaway for product owners: SEO today isn’t just about keywords or backlinks — it’s about proving you’re legitimate. Make your authors visible, your brand trustworthy, and your expertise tangible across the web. Google — and your potential customers — will reward that authenticity. 🛠️ Tools, Platforms & Resources Mentioned Name / LabelURLContext Mentioned InXero Shoeshttps://xeroshoes.comPatrick’s employer and real-world WooCommerce SEO example.WooCommercehttps://woocommerce.comCore eCommerce platform referenced throughout; Patrick’s former employer.Barn2 Pluginshttps://barn2.comKatie’s company; case study in SEO decline.Gravity Kithttps://www.gravitykit.comZack’s company; discussion of long-term SEO changes.Gravity Formshttps://www.gravityforms.comProduct Gravity Kit builds on; used as SEO comparison.YouTubehttps://www.youtube.comHighlighted as a growing organic marketing channel.TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.comExample of short-term “viral” social traffic.Google Ads (AdWords)https://ads.google.comMentioned as costly paid search channel.Google Search Consolehttps://search.google.com/search-consoleZack’s main SEO performance tracking tool.Google Analytics 4 (GA4)https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/Critiqued as confusing for SEO insights.Ahrefshttps://ahrefs.comPatrick’s preferred SEO tool and model for strong author pages.Surfer SEOhttps://surferseo.comAlternative SEO tool mentioned in comparison to Ahrefs.LinkedIn Learninghttps://www.linkedin.com/learning/Patrick teaches WordPress and WooCommerce courses there.Speaking in Bytes (Patrick’s Blog)https://www.speakinginbytes.comPatrick’s personal site and written version of his SEO case study.Mastering WooCommerce (Book)https://www.packtpub.com/product/mastering-woocommerce-second-edition/9781805129741Patrick’s book — “Mastering WooCommerce” (2nd edition).PostHoghttps://posthog.comAlternative privacy-friendly analytics platform Zack uses.EthicalAdshttps://www.ethicalads.ioDeveloper-friendly, non-creepy ad network Zack tested.DataTableshttps://datatables.netExample site where Zack first saw EthicalAds.WP Mayorhttps://wpmayor.comExample of paid WordPress product reviews.Trustpilothttps://www.trustpilot.comDiscussed as part of E-E-A-T / credibility strategy.G2https://www.g2.comReview platform mentioned alongside Trustpilot.Yelphttps://www.yelp.comExample of third-party listings you should claim.Ellipsis Marketinghttps://getellipsis.comKatie’s marketing agency; researching SEO and E-E-A-T.Freemiushttps://freemius.comMentioned in outro — topic of next episode.Post Statushttps://poststatus.comCredited as WP Product Talk’s community “green room.”

Join co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Amber Hinds as they welcome Mike McAlister, founder of Four Eyes Studio and creator of the innovative Ollie theme for WordPress. In this episode, Mike shares insights on enhancing product experiences within the WordPress ecosystem. Discover strategies for designing user-centric themes and plugins, and learn how Mike's approach with Ollie is pushing the boundaries of WordPress development.

If you have a WordPress product, there’s no reason to think beyond plugins, right? Not so fast. In today’s world, where website owners increasingly demand more from their sites and stretch the boundaries of what can be done within WordPress, you should think outside the plugin and theme box, too. Would your product benefit from a companion web or mobile app? Should your plugin not be a plugin at all but an app instead? Find out in this episode of WP Product Talk, hosted by Amber Hinds, Matt Cromwell, and guest Colin Daniels of FooEvents.

Join us for a forthcoming episode of WP Product Talk titled "How to Expand Your Reach with Affiliate Marketing," featuring Alex Standiford, founder of Siren Affiliates. Alex brings his extensive experience in affiliate marketing strategies that can significantly expand the reach and impact of your WordPress product. Throughout the episode, co-hosts Katie Keith and Amber Hinds will explore with Alex the key aspects of setting up and optimizing an affiliate program. They’ll discuss best practices for recruiting and maintaining effective affiliate relationships, techniques for tracking and enhancing affiliate performance, and the overall impact of affiliate marketing on business growth.

In this episode of WP Product Talk, we're joined by Rytis Lauris, co-founder and CEO of Omnisend. Rytis, an expert in e-commerce marketing automation, will share his insights on the unique challenges and strategies for marketing to the WordPress audience. The conversation, with co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz, will explore the nuances of engaging with the WordPress community, the importance of tailored marketing approaches, and effective communication strategies. They will also discuss how to leverage marketing automation tools to enhance outreach and customer engagement within the WordPress ecosystem.

In this extra special episode of WP Product Talk, we're joined by the one and only Matt Mullenweg - Founder and CEO of Automattic. As the paramount WordPress product owner, Matt has a huge amount of experience of building successful WordPress products. In this episode, co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Katie Keith ask the question "What would Matt do?" when it comes to product development, customer experience, marketing, and business. That way, other product owners can learn from his success. Matt discusses his broad role in the WordPress ecosystem, the significance of customer feedback, and the challenges of managing numerous plugins like Jetpack. He shares that if given the chance, he would have split Jetpack into multiple plugins earlier to address customer concerns about bloat and bundled features. The conversation also touches on the importance of in-person events like WordCamps in growing a product's community and visibility, which Matt believes to be crucial despite the predominance of competitors at such events. Matt also emphasizes that success often comes from relentlessly engaging with customers, collecting feedback, and iterating based on that input. Sharing insights from his sabbatical, Matt notes the value of doing customer support himself and the surprising benefits of understanding user pain points directly. They also dive into the necessity of balancing free and premium features to maintain business viability without alienating users. Matt's vulnerability about WP Tavern and his lack of attention on it is highly relateable for any WordPress product owner. Throughout the episode, the hosts and guest underline the importance of community, the power of continuous learning, and the need to adapt to changing market dynamics. Insightful and inspiring, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge for anyone involved in the WordPress ecosystem or looking to build a successful product.

Episode 68 Show Notes: Expanding Horizons – Building a Product That Goes Beyond WordPress Welcome to another episode of WP Product Talk! Today, we're diving into a compelling question that many WordPress product creators face: what lies beyond the WordPress ecosystem? With WordPress powering a significant portion of the internet, it's tempting to keep our focus narrow. However, today's discussion with Ronnie Burt, head of Gravatar at Automattic, opens up a world of possibilities. We explore the potential of expanding our products beyond the familiar territory of WordPress, tapping into broader markets, and embracing challenges that come with venturing into new digital landscapes. Remember that stepping out of WordPress doesn't just mean facing new technical challenges—it also opens up vast opportunities for growth and innovation. If you enjoyed this journey into the possibilities beyond WordPress, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode. Your support helps us bring more insightful discussions to light. See you next week!