wordcamp milwaukee 2012: learning from the wordpress sites
DESCRIPTION
My session slides from WordCamp Milwaukee 2012. I was a little over-ambitious, as time was called shortly after going through the WordPress.com site. As you look these slides over, I hope you're inspired to explore the WP sites. Rate plugins and themes too!TRANSCRIPT
WordCamp Milwaukee 2012
What You Can Learn From the WordPress Sites
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Michael McCallister
● Co-Author, WordPress in Depth, with Bud Smith (QUE, 2010-11)
● Notes from the Metaverse (metaverse.wordpress com)
● Senior Document Architect, PKWARE● President, Wisconsin Society for Technical
Communication (www.stc-wi.org)
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Ask questions any time you want!!
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
When Do You Visit the WordPress Websites?
● You're new at this● You're stuck● You want to try something different● You want to help
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com
● Plain visitor: SELL! SELL! SELL!
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com
● Logged in: – New Post
– Reader
– Notifications
– Stats
– My Blogs
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Free and Premium Features
● More marketing for new folks
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com/Premium
● Domain Registration● Extra Storage● Custom Design● VideoPress● Ad-Free● Guided Transfer to WordPress.org● Premium Themes
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Support
● Customize My Site● Create Content● Add a Domain● Get Started● Manage Profile● Manage Comments● Get More Site Traffic
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com Forums
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com News
● Blog from Automattic: What's New at WP.com– New Themes
– New Features
– New Partners
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com Theme Showcase
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Theme Search
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Hot Topics/Popular Tags
● Tags: what posts are about
● Critical for SEO● Nice way to find
something to read
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com Advanced Services
● Place to help: Translate.wordpress.com● Marketing: Premium Features, VIP program● Other ways to access: mobile site, IM,
Firehose
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com Stats
● Mind Crushing Numbers – Posts
– Comments
– Likes
– Some statistical FAQs
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress Apps
● Mobile Apps– IOS (iPod, iPhone, iPad)
– Android
– Blackberry
– Windows Phone / 8 (Metro)
● Browser-based Apps● Desktop Apps
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress Apps
● Mobile Apps– IOS (iPod, iPhone, iPad)
– Android
– Blackberry
– Windows Phone / 8 (Metro)
● Browser-based Apps● Desktop Apps
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.com/About
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.org
● A bit simpler than dotcom● Login serves a different function● Marketing's a little more subtle● The Download button is a bit more prominent
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Theme Showcase
● Creative Ways to Display Your Site
● Browse by Site Type, Subject
● Vote for your favorites
● Submit Your Site
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.org/Extend
● Themes● Plugins● Mobile● Ideas● Kvetch!
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Free Themes Directory
● Also accessible from your dashboard● Highlights of Directory Page:
– Featured
– Popular
– Recent Updates
– Search
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Theme Info Page
● Basic info: – Last update
– Links to theme, author home pages
● What's unique?– Ratings: If you're logged in, add your rating
– Forum tags
– Support topics
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Commercial Themes
● Developers, not individual themes● If a developer is here, they have GPL-based
themes● Descriptions in haiku
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.org: Plugin Directory
● Just like Themes:– Featured
– Popular
– Newest
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Plugin Info Page
● Basic info – Last update– Compatibility (What the developer says)– Downloads– Links to theme, author home pages
● What's unique?– Quality Ratings– Compatibility Ratings (what you say)– Support/Forum link (see the Support tab too)
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Plugin Info Tabs
● Installation: Not always needed● FAQ: Maintained by developer● Other Notes: Not-so-FAQs, Credits● Changelog: Bugs fixed and features added in
each release● Stats: Downloads per day, download history,
versions in the wild
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Mobile Apps
● Just like DotCom Apps + Nokia and WebOS● Not Windows 8 (yet!)
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Ideas / Feature Requests
● Not unlike userVoice or GetSatisfaction
● Log in● Look for something
similar to your idea● Submit your unique idea● Vote for other good
ideas
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
KVETCH!
Some days are filled with sweetness and light and love for the goodness that is WordPress.
Other days, Wordpress is just driving you up the wall. The Kvetch! Page is here for those less than
sunny days.
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
KVETCH!
Some days are filled with sweetness and light and love for the goodness that is WordPress.
Other days, Wordpress is just driving you up the wall. The Kvetch! Page is here for those less than
sunny days.
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Support
● Codex● Forums● Hosting
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Codex
● If you have any connection to the community at all, you probably know about the Codex.
● Check the Codex = RTFM
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Forums
● Similar to, but completely separate from, DotCom Forums
● Find Meetups and Plugin Support here too
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.org: Hosting
● These folks pay for the listing here● Always click the “Forum threads about...” link
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
WordPress.org/About
● No group photo, but links to all project team members (including Matt Mullenweg)
● What you need to know to run WordPress● Goodies● Miscellaneous stuff
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
More Stuff About WordPress
● Books● Swag● Logos and Graphics● Fan Art
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Rules About WordPress
● Domains (Don't put “WordPress” in your domain Name!)
● GNU General Public License (GPL)● Privacy Policy
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
Other Stuff
● Philosophy● Roadmap● Statistics● Contact
June 3, 2012 Mike McCallister
That concludes our tour. Please proceed safely to the gift shop.