Last weekend I was excited to be able to make it to my very first WordCamp, along with over 300 other WordPress aficionados.
It was a full two days of learning about the business as well as technical aspects of WordPress, and meeting people from all walks of life, sharing stories of their wins and challenges with WordPress.
WordCamps are held all around the world, with the first being organised by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg in 2006. Last weekend alone there were five WordCamps held in various locations – Brisbane, Edinburgh, Boston, Ottawa, and Fayetteville (USA). Coming up around the world there are 10 WordCamps scheduled for August, 18 in September, and 14 in October. That’s a lot of WordPress love!
I’m now making it my mission to get to at least one WordCamp every year!
From the first night at the pre-WordCamp drinks it was easy to see it was going to be a fun weekend. The thing about the WordPress community is the willingness to welcome anybody with an interest in WordPress for any reason, whether it’s as a developer or a blogger.
There was something for everyone, with the presentations ranging from social media marketing, creating compelling content, and search engine optimisation (SEO), to user-centred design, creating online courses, and various more technical topics aimed at those interested in development.
The hardest part is of course deciding which presentations to attend, but luckily they are recorded so all can watch/rewatch later on WordPress TV.
I ♥ WordPress
I’ve been building websites for small businesses for almost two years now and I must say, the more I use WordPress the more I just love it!
What is there to love about a website building platform, you might ask?
In a previous post I touched on Why WordPress is a Good Choice for your Small Business Website. Some of the main points there include:
- It’s the most popular platform out there, with over a quarter of all websites built with WordPress, and
- Its flexibility to be able to cater for just about any feature or function a small business would need in a website
But really the best thing about WordPress, in my opinion, is the community of people that have built up around it.
From the developers of the open-source code itself, to developers of themes and plugins that enhance its functionality, to designers like myself who use those building blocks to create just about any type of website a small business may need – to those entrepreneurs and individuals who like to tinker for themselves and create their own websites, either for a small business or online shop, or for a blog-style site where they share their thoughts and experiences with the world.
There are always willing helpers to be found if ever you get stuck, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert.
I’m off now to review my copious notes and photos from the weekend – and have a look at the upcoming schedule to see where I should go for my next WordCamp!
I’ll leave you with a Facebook post that was shown in one of the presentations which demonstrates a very effective marketing strategy.
Key learning here – keep up with what’s currently trending.
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