

Webmasters.FM
Webmasters.FM
Exploring WordPress through conversations with leading developers and creatives.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 30, 2025 • 35min
Optimizing Woo Checkout for Black Friday ft. Ian Misner
In this conversation, Ian Misner discusses his work with Kestrel and the importance of checkout processes in e-commerce, particularly through their product CheckoutWC. He highlights the features that differentiate CheckoutWC from WooCommerce's default checkout, the significance of conversion rates, and the need for extensibility and customization in WooCommerce. Ian also shares insights on preparing for Black Friday sales and the balance between user experience and developer extensibility.
Links
CheckoutWC https://www.checkoutwc.com/
Kestrel on Woo https://woocommerce.com/vendor/kestrel/
Ian on Twitter https://x.com/ianmisner
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ian Misner and Kestrel
02:05 The Importance of Checkout in E-commerce
05:52 Features and Benefits of CheckoutWC
11:31 Optimizing Checkout for Higher Conversions
15:11 Extensibility in WooCommerce and CheckoutWC
16:43 Navigating Third-Party Code Challenges
18:08 Payment Gateway Integrations and Compatibility
20:00 Balancing Extensibility and Customization
23:06 User Experience vs. Developer Flexibility
29:49 Preparing for Black Friday Success
Oct 8, 2025 • 30min
WordPress Studio Gets Good for Local Development ft. Nick Diego
In this conversation, Nick Diego discusses his role in product marketing for WordPress Studio, a local development tool for WordPress. He explains the unique features of Studio, its benefits for both beginners and developers, and the importance of community engagement and feedback. The discussion also covers challenges related to migration and database compatibility, the introduction of blueprints for enhanced development efficiency, and the potential role of AI in future developments. Nick emphasizes the need for user feedback to guide the product's evolution and encourages contributions to the open-source project.
Links
WordPress Studio
New Blueprints Feature
Nick on X
Chapters
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Nick Diego and WordPress Studio
01:56 Understanding WordPress Studio's Purpose and Features
05:43 Local Development Tools: Studio vs. Competitors
09:04 Target Audience: Beginners vs. Developers
12:56 Community Engagement and Feedback
16:27 Blueprints: Enhancing Development Efficiency
20:14 The Role of AI in Studio Development
25:50 Contributing to Open Source: Encouragement and Insights

Sep 6, 2025 • 51min
How to think about AI and WordPress – Live at WCUS25
In this conversation at WordCamp US, Brian Coords, Ryan Welcher, Birgit Pauli-Haack, and Jon Bossenger explore the intersection of WordPress and AI, discussing the platform's relevance in the modern web landscape, the evolution towards no-code solutions, and the importance of attracting younger developers. The speakers share insights on innovation within the WordPress community, the role of AI in enhancing development processes, and the need for a balance between legacy systems and modern practices. They also highlight the significance of showcasing global contributions and the potential of AI to create new opportunities in web development.
Links
ryanwelcher.com
BPH's gutenbergtimes.com
jonathanbossenger.com
Chapters
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI and WordPress
01:40 The Future of WordPress: Relevance and Evolution
05:03 No Code Dream: Full Site Editing and User Empowerment
11:39 Attracting Younger Developers to WordPress
19:30 Headless WordPress: Trends and Realities
22:19 Integrating WordPress with External Data Sources
24:25 The Innovation Dilemma in WordPress
26:57 Community-Driven Innovation and Plugin Development
30:23 Showcasing Global Innovations in WordPress
32:06 AI's Role in WordPress Development
40:54 The Future of Development with AI
46:14 Reimagining WordPress in a Modern Context
Jul 18, 2025 • 1h 2min
Are WordPress Themes Dead + Best AI Workflows ft. Matt Medeiros
In this conversation, Brian Coords and Matt Medeiros discuss the evolution of WordPress, the impact of AI on development, and the ongoing debates surrounding themes and plugins. They analyze Kevin Geary's blog post, exploring the philosophical differences in how WordPress is perceived and used by different audiences. The discussion also touches on the importance of data portability, the challenges of onboarding new users, and the future of app development with AI integration.
Links
WordPress Architecture Crisis by Kevin Geary - https://etchwp.com/blog/wordpress-architecture-crisis/
The WP Minute - https://thewpminute.com/
Pulse WP - https://pulsewp.cc/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:14 Analyzing Kevin Geary's Blog Post
05:31 The Essence of WordPress and Its Users
09:04 The Debate on Theme Functionality and Design
11:53 Data Portability and Custom Post Types
16:43 The Future of Themes and Plugin Integration
21:48 AI's Role in Web Development
21:49 Reflections on AI Tools and Their Evolution
36:25 The Future of AI and Empowerment
44:42 The Need for User-Friendly AI Tools
48:06 Reimagining WordPress with AI
51:57 The Evolution of User Experience in Development

Jun 18, 2025 • 47min
Free WordPress Dev Courses and the Future of Ollie ft. Mike McAlister
Mike McAlister returns to talk about his new *free* Ollie Block and Theme development courses. We discuss the evolution of the Ollie WordPress block theme, the importance of education in the WordPress community, and the impact of AI on development. He shares insights on community feedback, the launch of free courses, and the challenges of WordPress documentation. We discuss his experience building the online course using Sensei LMS and the benefits of full site editing in WordPress. They explore the future of the Ollie platform and the challenges faced in WooCommerce development.
Links
Mike on X/Twitter
Ollie Theme Academy
Ollie Block Academy
Ollie Pro
Mike's Jetpack review
10up's Figma to WordPress tool
Woo's new AI docs
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Mike McAllister and Ollie
02:58 The Evolution of Block Themes and Full Site Editing
05:59 Community Feedback and the Role of Reddit
09:03 Launch of Free Courses on Oli
12:05 The Importance of Education in Full Site Editing
15:10 AI's Impact on Development and Learning
18:00 Challenges with WordPress Documentation
21:04 Building Courses with Full Site Editing and Oli
25:46 Building with Sensei LMS
28:00 Designing Course Layouts
30:33 Leveraging Full Site Editing
32:46 Future of Ollie and Utility Plugins
34:33 Navigating Challenges in WooCommerce
38:41 Improving WordPress Navigation Block

Jun 2, 2025 • 35min
The Path to Success as a YouTube Creator ft. Christian Taylor
In this conversation, Christian Taylor shares his journey as a content creator and YouTuber focused on online tech, particularly software tools for entrepreneurs. He discusses his initial foray into comedy skits, his pivot to tech content, and the importance of affiliate marketing in his revenue model. Christian emphasizes the significance of targeting beginners in WordPress, managing burnout, and balancing content creation with business needs. He also explores alternatives to WordPress, the popularity of page builders, and the dynamics of audience engagement versus search traffic. Finally, he reflects on the potential of long-form content and podcasts in the future.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Christian Taylor
00:21 Journey into Content Creation
02:08 Pivoting to Software and Tools
04:07 The Role of Affiliate Marketing
07:11 Exploring WordPress and Beyond
09:51 Creating Accessible Content for Beginners
11:28 Balancing Content and Revenue
13:10 Managing Burnout and Content Creation
17:32 Exploring Alternatives to WordPress
19:23 The Importance of Diverse Tools
23:53 Understanding Audience Needs
26:45 The Path of a YouTuber vs. Product Owner
29:21 The Future of Long-Form Content
33:58 Where to Find Christian Taylor

Apr 1, 2025 • 28min
Understanding the WooCommerce Customers and Community ft. Katie Keith
In this conversation, Brian Coords and Katie Keith discuss the WooCommerce community, its users, and the challenges of marketing plugins. They explore the differences between WooCommerce and Shopify, the importance of user experience, and the need for effective marketing strategies. Katie shares insights on how to gather feedback from customers and the significance of collaboration between developers and marketers. The discussion concludes with advice for developers looking to succeed in the plugin market.
Links
Barn2 Plugins - https://barn2.com/
Katie on X/Twitter - https://x.com/katiekeithbarn2
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to WooCommerce and the Community
02:46 Connecting with the WooCommerce Community
05:25 Understanding WooCommerce Users
08:30 The Complexity of WordPress vs. Simplicity of Other Platforms
11:13 Exploring the Shopify Market
14:08 Marketing Strategies for Plugins
17:02 Feedback and Content Creation
19:27 Twitter vs Other Communities
23:48 Customer Segments
25:56 Parting Wisdom for Developers

5 snips
Mar 11, 2025 • 35min
WordPress Developer Vibe Codes A Laravel App with Claude AI ft. Jonathan Jernigan
Brian and Jonathan Jernigan chat about Jonathan's web development journey, spotlighting his Laravel experiments and AI tool use. They compare Laravel’s structure and features to WordPress, discuss JavaScript-PHP challenges, and explore AI’s role in balancing simplicity and quality. The duo also considers Laravel’s clear purpose versus WordPress’s broader ecosystem and AI’s potential for non-technical users.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:07 Transitioning from WordPress to Laravel
05:59 Exploring Laravel's Structure and Features
09:03 AI Integration in Development Workflow
11:52 Challenges and Learning Experiences
16:59 Navigating AI Tools in Development
20:46 Balancing Simplicity and Quality in Projects
23:10 Understanding Laravel's Framework and Features
25:39 Transferring Knowledge Between Laravel and WordPress
28:16 The Future of Non-Technical Users and AI
32:16 Comparing Laravel and WordPress: Clarity and Focus
Links
Jonathan Jernigan
Laravel

Feb 25, 2025 • 46min
Exploring CMS Options Beyond WordPress ft. Maciek Palmowski
In this conversation, Brian and Maciek Palmowski discuss the evolution of content management systems, focusing on WordPress and its community. Maciek shares his experiences with other CMSs like Astro and Statamic, highlighting their unique features and user experiences. They explore the impact of no-code solutions, the importance of community dynamics, and the future of WordPress in a rapidly changing digital landscape. The discussion also touches on the integration of AI in CMSs and the evaluation of different tools for various needs.
Links
Maciek's Website - https://maciekpalmowski.dev/
Maciak's Review of Drupal CMS - https://maciekpalmowski.dev/blog/trying-out-drupal-cms-10/
Astro - https://astro.build/
Statamic - https://statamic.com/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Maciek and PatchStack
02:33 Exploring Other CMSs and Their Impact on WordPress
05:02 The Unique Community of WordPress
07:38 User Experience in Open Source vs. SaaS Products
10:05 Diving into Astro and Statamic
12:55 Astro's Content Management Features
15:36 Drupal CMS: A New Perspective
18:13 AI Integration in Drupal CMS
24:32 AI Integration in CMS: A Game Changer
27:45 Evaluating CMS Options: Finding the Right Fit
31:05 Static vs Dynamic Websites: The Jamstack Movement
34:39 Exploring Modern CMS Tools: Beyond WordPress
39:14 The Evolution of Themes: Portability Challenges
44:53 Conclusion: Embracing New CMS Possibilities

11 snips
Feb 11, 2025 • 27min
Adding Automation and AI Skills to Your WordPress Toolkit ft. Brendan O’Connell
In this conversation, Brian and Brendan O'Connell explore the evolving landscape of WordPress, automation, and AI. They discuss Brendan's journey into WordPress, the excitement of building and tinkering online, and the integration of AI with automation tools. The conversation delves into practical applications of these technologies, the future of WordPress in an AI-driven world, and the importance of adapting to new trends in digital marketing and SEO. Brendan shares insights on various automation platforms and emphasizes the need for continuous learning in a rapidly changing environment.
Brendan's Website
Brendan's YouTube
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Automation and AI in WordPress
02:56 The Evolution of WordPress and Personal Journeys
05:30 Understanding Automation and AI Workflows
08:13 Integrating AI with Automation Tools
10:55 Practical Applications of AI in WordPress
13:49 The Future of WordPress in an AI-Driven World
16:22 Navigating the Changing Landscape of Search Engines
19:27 Learning and Adapting to New Technologies
22:14 Conclusion and Resources for Further Learning


