Read the installation instructions, show below, carefully -- they\'ve changed.
\n\n\n\n
Notable Updates in this Release
\n\n
\n
Amazon Web Services (AWS) v4 signature support (fixes the AWS4-HMAC-SHA256 error issue). Note: For existing S3 users, you\'ll need to set your bucket region under the CDN section
\n
Added new AWS regions and endpoints
\n
Can change cache directory location without php warnings
\n
Rebranded internally to the w3-total-cache-fixed folder
\n
Update notifications and future installs of this plugin are now done directly within the WP plugin page
\n
Prevents activation (with admin notice) when another W3TC install is active
\n
Corrected export setting to have a .json extension
\n
\n\n
Installation
\n\n
Note: After the following steps, all future updates and installations will be handled from within WordPress.
\n\n\n
Deactivate (but don\'t delete) your existing W3 Total Cache plugin (if installed) from within WordPress\' Plugin page.
\n
Use FTP or some other file manager to navigate to wp-content/plugins/.
\n
Download the latest release (only use the link above) and extract its contents into wp-content/plugins/.
\n
Activate the W3 Total Cache (Fixed) plugin from within WordPress\' Plugin page.
\n
Verify everything is working correctly and that your original configuration settings are still present. However, if any problems do occur during this installation then just deactivate this plugin and reactivate your original one. Do not attempt to activate both plugins.\n
\n
Delete the previously deactivated plugin (step 1) from within WordPress\' Plugin page.
','no'),(272154,'wpseo_sitemap_9634_cache_validator','4H7PL','no'),(272185,'wpseo_sitemap_9640_cache_validator','v7xp','no'),(272191,'wpseo_sitemap_9643_cache_validator','61bBO','no'),(275296,'_transient_timeout_feed_ac0b00fe65abe10e0c5b588f3ed8c7ca','1484000442','no'),(275297,'_transient_feed_ac0b00fe65abe10e0c5b588f3ed8c7ca','a:4:{s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:3:\"rss\";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:3:\"\n\n\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:7:\"version\";s:3:\"2.0\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:7:\"channel\";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:49:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:4:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"WordPress News\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:26:\"https://wordpress.org/news\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"WordPress News\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:13:\"lastBuildDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:27:41 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"language\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"en-US\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:9:\"generator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:40:\"https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8-alpha-39744\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"item\";a:10:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:36:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n\n\n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:4:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:27:\"WordPress 4.7 “Vaughan”\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2016/12/vaughan/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:27:41 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=4596\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:240:\"Version 4.7 of WordPress, named “Vaughan” in honor of legendary jazz vocalist Sarah \"Sassy\" Vaughan, is available for download or update in your WordPress dashboard. New features in 4.7 help you get your site set up the way you want it.\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:9:\"enclosure\";a:3:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:0:\"\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:3:{s:3:\"url\";s:60:\"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2016/12/starter-content.mp4\";s:6:\"length\";s:7:\"3736020\";s:4:\"type\";s:9:\"video/mp4\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:0:\"\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:3:{s:3:\"url\";s:59:\"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2016/12/edit-shortcuts.mp4\";s:6:\"length\";s:7:\"1127483\";s:4:\"type\";s:9:\"video/mp4\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:2;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:0:\"\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:3:{s:3:\"url\";s:58:\"https://wordpress.org/news/files/2016/12/video-headers.mp4\";s:6:\"length\";s:7:\"1549803\";s:4:\"type\";s:9:\"video/mp4\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Helen Hou-Sandi\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:44700:\"
Version 4.7 of WordPress, named “Vaughan” in honor of legendary jazz vocalist Sarah “Sassy” Vaughan, is available for download or update in your WordPress dashboard. New features in 4.7 help you get your site set up the way you want it.
\n\n\n
Presenting Twenty Seventeen
\n
A brand new default theme brings your site to life with immersive featured images and video headers.
\n
\n
Twenty Seventeen focuses on business sites and features a customizable front page with multiple sections. Personalize it with widgets, navigation, social menus, a logo, custom colors, and more. Our default theme for 2017 works great in many languages, on any device, and for a wide range of users.
\n\n
Your Site, Your Way
\n
WordPress 4.7 adds new features to the customizer to help take you through the initial setup of a theme, with non-destructive live previews of all your changes in one uninterrupted workflow.
\n
Theme Starter Content
\n
\n
\n
To help give you a solid base to build from, individual themes can provide starter content that appears when you go to customize your brand new site. This can range from placing a business information widget in the best location to providing a sample menu with social icon links to a static front page complete with beautiful images. Don’t worry – nothing new will appear on the live site until you’re ready to save and publish your initial theme setup.
\n
\n
Edit Shortcuts
\n\n
Visible icons appear to show you which parts of your site can be customized while live previewing. Click on a shortcut and get straight to editing. Paired with starter content, getting started with customizing your site is faster than ever.
\n
\n
\n
Video Headers
\n\n
Sometimes a big atmospheric video as a moving header image is just what you need to showcase your wares; go ahead and try it out with Twenty Seventeen. Need some video inspiration? Try searching for sites with video headers available for download and use.
\n
\n\n
\n
Smoother Menu Building
\n
\n
Many menus for sites contain links to the pages of your site, but what happens when you don’t have any pages yet? Now you can add new pages while building menus instead of leaving the customizer and abandoning your changes. Once you’ve published your customizations, you’ll have new pages ready for you to fill with content.
\n
\n
\n
Custom CSS
\n
\n
Sometimes you just need a few visual tweaks to make your site perfect. WordPress 4.7 allows you to add custom CSS and instantly see how your changes affect your site. The live preview allows you to work quickly without page refreshes slowing you down.
\n
\n\n\n
\n
PDF Thumbnail Previews
\n
\n
Managing your document collection is easier with WordPress 4.7. Uploading PDFs will generate thumbnail images so you can more easily distinguish between all your documents.
\n
\n
\n
Dashboard in your language
\n
\n
Just because your site is in one language doesn’t mean that everybody helping manage it prefers that language for their admin. Add more languages to your site and a user language option will show up in your user’s profiles.
\n
\n\n\n
Introducing REST API Content Endpoints
\n
WordPress 4.7 comes with REST API endpoints for posts, comments, terms, users, meta, and settings.
\n
\n
Content endpoints provide machine-readable external access to your WordPress site with a clear, standards-driven interface, paving the way for new and innovative methods of interacting with sites through plugins, themes, apps, and beyond. Ready to get started with development? Check out the REST API reference.
Customize changesets make changes in the customizer persistent, like autosave drafts. They also make exciting new features like starter content possible.
\n\n
The Squad
\n
This release was led by Helen Hou-Sandí, backed up by Jeff Paul and Aaron Jorbin as Release Deputies, and with the help of these fine individuals. There are 482 contributors with props in this release—the most ever—with 205 of them contributing for the first time. Pull up some sassy Sarah Vaughan on your music service of choice, and check out some of their profiles:
\nSpecial thanks go to Rami Abraham for producing the release video and the many fine haiku we saw in the beta and RC announcement posts.
\n
Finally, thanks to all the community translators who worked on WordPress 4.7. Their efforts bring WordPress 4.7 fully translated to 52 languages at release time with more on the way. Additionally, the WordPress 4.7 release video has been captioned into 44 languages.
\n
If you want to follow along or help out, check out Make WordPress and our core development blog. Thanks for choosing WordPress – we hope you enjoy!
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:30:\"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1\";a:1:{s:7:\"post-id\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"4596\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:4:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"Moving Toward SSL\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:53:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2016/12/moving-toward-ssl/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 01 Dec 2016 17:20:29 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Development\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=4588\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:327:\"We’re at a turning point: 2017 is going to be the year that we’re going to see features in WordPress which require hosts to have HTTPS available. Just as JavaScript is a near necessity for smoother user experiences and more modern PHP versions are critical for performance, SSL just makes sense as the next hurdle […]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Matt Mullenweg\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1627:\"
We’re at a turning point: 2017 is going to be the year that we’re going to see features in WordPress which require hosts to have HTTPS available. Just as JavaScript is a near necessity for smoother user experiences and more modern PHP versions are critical for performance, SSL just makes sense as the next hurdle our users are going to face.
\n
SSL basically means the link between your browser and the server is encrypted. SSL used to be difficult to implement, and often expensive or slow. Modern browsers, and the incredible success of projects like Let’s Encrypt have made getting a certificate to secure your site fast, free, and something we think every host should support by default, especially in a post-Snowden era. Google also weighs SSL as a search engine ranking factor and will begin flagging unencrypted sites in Chrome.
\n
First, early in 2017, we will only promote hosting partners that provide a SSL certificate by default in their accounts. Later we will begin to assess which features, such as API authentication, would benefit the most from SSL and make them only enabled when SSL is there.
\n
Separately, I also think the performance improvements in PHP7 are particularly impressive, and major kudos to everyone who worked on that. We will consider whether hosts use PHP7 by default for new accounts next year as well.
\n
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:30:\"com-wordpress:feed-additions:1\";a:1:{s:7:\"post-id\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"4588\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:4:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"WordPress 4.7 Release Candidate\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2016/11/wordpress-4-7-release-candidate/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 24 Nov 2016 04:26:23 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=4579\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:328:\"The release candidate for WordPress 4.7 is now available. RC means we think we’re done, but with millions of users and thousands of plugins and themes, it’s possible we’ve missed something. We hope to ship WordPress 4.7 on Tuesday, December 6, but we need your help to get there. If you haven’t tested 4.7 yet, […]\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Helen Hou-Sandi\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4331:\"
The release candidate for WordPress 4.7 is now available.
\n
RC means we think we’re done, but with millions of users and thousands of plugins and themes, it’s possible we’ve missed something. We hope to ship WordPress 4.7 on Tuesday, December 6, but we need your help to get there. If you haven’t tested 4.7 yet, now is the time! To test WordPress 4.7, you can use the WordPress Beta Tester plugin or you can download the release candidate here (zip).
\n
WordPress 4.7 is a jam-packed release, with a number of features focused on getting a theme set up for the first time. Highlights include a new default theme, video headers, custom CSS, customizer edit shortcuts, PDF thumbnail previews, user admin languages, REST API content endpoints, post type templates, and more.
\n
We’ve made quite a few refinements since releasing Beta 4 a week ago, including usability and accessibility enhancements for video headers, media and page template support in starter content, and polishing of how custom CSS can be migrated to and extended by plugins and themes. The REST API endpoints saw a number of bugfixes and notably now have anonymous comment off by default.
\n
Not sure where to start with testing? Try setting up a fresh site on a new installation with Twenty Seventeen (hint: head into customizing your site before touching any pages or widgets) and taking notes on what you enjoyed and what got you stuck. For more details about what’s new in version 4.7, check out the Beta 1, Beta 2, Beta 3, and Beta 4 blog posts.
Developers, please test your plugins and themes against WordPress 4.7 and update your plugin’s Tested up to version in the readme to 4.7. If you find compatibility problems please be sure to post to the support forums so we can figure those out before the final release – we work hard to avoid breaking things. An in-depth field guide to developer-focused changes is coming soon on the core development blog.
Happy testing! And now for another Rami Abraham haiku break.
\n
Select your language \nThen let your users choose theirs \nget_user_locale()
\n
Theme authors rejoice \nAny option may employ \nSelective refresh
\n
Custom header video \nMake sure to add_theme_support \nBling above the fold
\n
A new template dawns \nA hierarchy member \nPost-type templates live
\n
PDF updates \nPack a parade of polish \nPrettier previews
\n
Template Post Type: New \nTemplate Post Type: And Useful \nTemplate Post Type: Thing
\n
Let lists live lively \nLaud wp_list_sort() \nLess laconic lists
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WordPress 4.7 Beta 4 is now available!
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This software is still in development, so we don’t recommend you run it on a production site. Consider setting up a test site just to play with the new version. To test WordPress 4.7, try the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”). Or you can download the beta here (zip).
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For more information on what’s new in 4.7, check out the Beta 1,Beta 2, and Beta 3 blog posts, along with in-depth developer guides on make/core. We’ve made about 60 changes in the last few days for beta 4, including tweaks to Twenty Seventeen, custom CSS, and the REST API content endpoints.
If you think you’ve found a bug, you can post to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. We’d love to hear from you! If you’re comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, file one on WordPress Trac, where you can also find a list of known bugs.
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We are almost there \nPlease test your plugins and themes \nRC coming soon \n
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The title says it all. We had some great applications for cities to host WordCamp US after we finish up in Philadelphia this year, and the city chosen for 2017-2018 is Nashville, Tennessee.
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Based on the other great applications we got I’m also excited about the pipeline of communities that could host it in future years as WordCamp US travels across the United States and gives us an opportunity to learn and love a new city, as we have with Philadelphia.
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WordPress 4.7 Beta 3 is now available!
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This software is still in development, so we don’t recommend you run it on a production site. Consider setting up a test site just to play with the new version. To test WordPress 4.7, try the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”). Or you can download the beta here (zip).
REST API: The unfiltered_html capability is now respected and rest_base has been added to response objects of wp/v2/taxonomies and wp/v2/types, while get_allowed_query_vars() and the rest_get_post filter have been removed.
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Roles/Capabilities: Added meta-caps for comment, term, and user meta, which are currently only used in the REST API.
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I18N: Added the ability to change user’s locale back to site’s locale. (#38632)
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Custom CSS: Renamed the unfiltered_css meta capability to edit_css and added revisions support to the custom_css post type.
If you think you’ve found a bug, you can post to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. We’d love to hear from you! If you’re comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, file one on WordPress Trac, where you can also find a list of known bugs.
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Building the future \nA global community \nStronger together
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WordPress 4.7 Beta 2 is now available!
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This software is still in development, so we don’t recommend you run it on a production site. Consider setting up a test site just to play with the new version. To test WordPress 4.7, try the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”). Or you can download the beta here (zip).
\n
Notable changes since WordPress 4.7 Beta 1:
\n
\n
Twenty Seventeen: The theme wasn’t being installed on upgrades – sorry about that! Now you should see it if you’re upgrading an existing site. There are also plenty of fixes, especially for the header and small screen views.
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Edit shortcuts: These are always visible while editing (hide them on bigger screens by collapsing the controls) and should now work properly in Firefox. (#27403 and #38532)
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REST API endpoints: There have been a number of changes over the past week; your attention is requested on the following:\n
\n
The DELETE response format has changed and may need to be accounted for. (#38494)
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Enabled querying by multiple post statuses. (#38420)
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Return an error when JSON decoding fails. (#38547)
If you think you’ve found a bug, you can post to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. We’d love to hear from you! If you’re comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, file one on WordPress Trac, where you can also find a list of known bugs.
\n
Happy testing!
\n
Ya es la hora \n Time for another beta \n请您帮下忙!
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WordPress 4.7 Beta 1 is now available!
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This software is still in development, so we don’t recommend you run it on a production site. Consider setting up a test site just to play with the new version. To test WordPress 4.7, try the WordPress Beta Tester plugin (you’ll want “bleeding edge nightlies”). Or you can download the beta here (zip).
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WordPress 4.7 is slated for release on December 6, but we need your help to get there. We’ve been working on a lot of things, many of them to make getting your site set up the way you want it much easier. Here are some of the bigger items to test and help us find as many bugs as possible in the coming weeks:
\n
\n
Twenty Seventeen – A brand new default theme brings your site to life with immersive featured images, video headers, and subtle animations. With a focus on business sites, it features multiple sections on the front page as well as widgets, navigation and social menus, a logo, and more. Personalize its asymmetrical grid with a custom color scheme and showcase your multimedia content with post formats. Our default theme for 2017 works great in many languages, for any abilities, and on any device.
\n
Video Headers – Sometimes a big atmospheric video as a moving header image is just what you need to showcase your wares; go ahead and try it out with Twenty Seventeen. Need some video inspiration? Try searching for sites with video headers available for download and use.
\n
Set up your site in one flow – From finding and installing themes right inside the customizer, to automatically staged theme-specific starter content, to clickable shortcuts that jump directly to editing an item from the preview pane, to adding pages while you’re building a nav menu or setting a static front page: getting a new site spun up and ready to share with a friend or a coworker is faster and easier than it’s ever been. Note: starter content appears when live previewing brand new sites and is currently only available in Twenty Seventeen. We’ll be expanding this to other bundled themes very soon, and perhaps to sites with existing content in future releases of WordPress.
\n
Custom CSS with live previews – Ever needed to hide or tweak the look of something in your theme or from a plugin? Now you can do it with CSS and live preview the results while customizing your site. CSS can be a powerful tool; you may find that you won’t need the theme editor or child themes anymore.
\n
User admin languages – Just because your site is in one language doesn’t mean that everybody helping manage it prefers that language for their admin. To try this out, you’ll need to have more than one language installed, which will make a user language option available in your profile.
\n
PDF thumbnail previews – Uploading PDFs will now generate thumbnail images so you can more easily distinguish between all your documents.
\n
\n
As always, there have been exciting changes for developers to explore as well, such as:
\n
\n
REST API content endpoints – If you only test one thing as a developer, please test these. This phase is particularly helpful for people building plugins, themes, and in-admin interfaces. Can you build the things you need? Are these ready for release, and is the world ready for them? (#38373)
\n
WP_Hook – The code that lies beneath actions and filters has been overhauled. You likely aren’t affected, but if you’ve done things to the $wp_filter global or experienced funky recursion bugs in the past, please take a moment to read the dev note and test your code.
If you think you’ve found a bug, you can post to the Alpha/Beta area in the support forums. We’d love to hear from you! If you’re comfortable writing a reproducible bug report, file one on WordPress Trac, where you can also find a list of known bugs.
\n
Happy testing, and please enjoy this extended haiku break, courtesy of Rami Abraham.
Ring in the new year \nWith elegance and balance \nTwenty Seventeen
\n
Hooks hook healthily \n17817 \nSane iterations
\n
Admin in your tongue \nOne site, many languages \nWe all speak WordPress
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The WordPress Polyglots team is organizing the second Global WordPress Translation Day on November 12th. Everyone is invited to join – from anywhere in the world!
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Translating is one of the easiest ways to get involved with WordPress and contribute to the project. Global WordPress Translation Day is your chance to learn more about translating WordPress, meet people from all over the world, and translate WordPress into one of more than 160 languages.
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Join us on November 12th from anywhere in the world
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The translation day starts on Saturday, November 12th, 2016, at 0:00 UTC and ends 24 hours later. See what time that is for you! You can join right from the start, or any time it’s convenient for you throughout the day.
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What are we doing?
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Local contributor days are happening all over the world, and are a great way to get involved. Check out this map to see if there’s already a local event happening near you. Can’t find one? Organize a local event!
Whether you’re new to translating and want to learn how to translate, or an experienced translation editor building a strong team, the translation day is for you. Developers will also enjoy topics from experienced contributors, whether you’re learning about internationalization and or want to find more translators for your themes and plugins. There’s a session for everyone!
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Get Involved
\n
Joining is easy! On November 12th, in your own timezone, translate WordPress or your favorite plugins and themes into your language, while watching live sessions over the course of the day.
\n
Want to get more involved? Sign up to organize a local event and invite your local community to translate together on November 12th. Events can be formal or completely informal – grab your laptop and a couple of friends, and head to a local coffee shop to translate for an hour or two.
\n
Can you get involved if you only speak English?
\n
Absolutely! Even if you only speak English, there are great sessions about internationalization that can benefit every developer. There’s also lots of English variants that need your help! For example, English is spoken and written differently in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. You can learn about these differences and why these variants are important during the sessions.
\n
And if you’re feeling fun, try translating WordPress into emoji! Yep, we have a translation of WordPress in emoji!
\n
Questions?
\n
If you have any questions, the polyglots team and the event organizers hang out in #polyglots in Slack and are happy to help! (Get an invite to Slack at chat.wordpress.org.)
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WordPress 4.6.1 is now available. This is a security release for all previous versions and we strongly encourage you to update your sites immediately.
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WordPress versions 4.6 and earlier are affected by two security issues: a cross-site scripting vulnerability via image filename, reported by SumOfPwn researcher Cengiz Han Sahin; and a path traversal vulnerability in the upgrade package uploader, reported by Dominik Schilling from the WordPress security team.
In addition to the security issues above, WordPress 4.6.1 fixes 15 bugs from 4.6. For more information, see the release notes or consult the list of changes.
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Download WordPress 4.6.1 or venture over to Dashboard → Updates and simply click “Update Now.” Sites that support automatic background updates are already beginning to update to WordPress 4.6.1.
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Why you should still count your ads.\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:41:\"https://webgilde.com/en/ad-limit-adsense/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:50:\"https://webgilde.com/en/ad-limit-adsense/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:46:23 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Ad optimization\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"https://webgilde.com/en/?p=1496\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:185:\"AdSense lifted the explicit ad limit for ad units per page. While this is practically not a big change, you should still might want to read on to learn if this has consequences for you.\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Thomas Maier\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4939:\"
A few weeks ago, Google AdSense updated their ad placement policies and made a significant change to the famous ad limit, the number of ads allowed on a single page. It is almost uncovered by other media or even the AdSense blog itself, so let me summarize the change and the implications in this post.
\n
The old ad limit per page
\n
In the first half of 2016, there was an explicit limit for ads on a page. This is the exact list from the AdSense placement policies:
\n
\n
\n
Up to three AdSense for content units
\n
Up to three link units
\n
Up to two search boxes
\n
\n
\n
Furthermore, there was a limit of one large ad unit per page.
\n
Publishers may not place more than one “large” ad unit per page. We define a “large” ad unit as any unit similar in size to our 300×600 format. For example, this would include our 300×1050 and 970×250 formats, our 750×200 and 580×400 regional formats, and any other custom sized ad with comparable dimensions.
\n
There was no discussion about this limit. Many publishers who didn’t find this part in the placement policies didn’t know if link units and content ad units count together in the three ads limit, but this was it.
\n
The latest change will definitely lead to more confusion.
\n
Ad limit now
\n
You can read up on the updated version of the ad limit here or find the most important paragraph below:
\n
Advertising and other paid promotional material added to your pages should not exceed your content. Furthermore, the content you provide should add value and be the focal point for users visiting your page. For this reason, we may limit or disable ad serving on pages with little to no value and/or excessive advertising until changes are made.
\n
What this actually reminds me of are a lot of statements made by Google in terms of search engine optimization. There are no specific numbers, but rather a demand for balance between content and other elements.
\n
I often get asked by users about AdSense allowing to display ads from other networks together with AdSense ad units. The answer is and was always “yes” and this is also reflected in the policies now. It is no longer an AdSense ads limit, but an ad limit in general. In my understanding, this also applies to other elements like affiliate links.
\n
What are too many ads?
\n
I know that it is a tough task to know when you have “too many” ads on your site, because this is a personal opinion and you will always have the feeling that you might be able to earn more with an additional ad.
\n
While not scientifically methods, here are a few suggestions how you can determine if you have too many ads:
\n
\n
Ask visitors for an honest opinion.
\n
Check your site for a clear call to action. Do ads draw the attention away from your content?
\n
Check your site with different devices. Is it possible to see more than 2 ads at the same time?
\n
\n
Those are just test questions, but might help.
\n
What is AdSense doing to enforce the ad limit?
\n
I believe that there will not be much change in handling this policy, because it is in fact something that existed before.
\n
On many websites you could see more than 3 content ad units already without the site having a specific deal with AdSense or an agency. On others, the fourth and later ad space just stayed blank when included on purpose or by accident. This practice of a technical enforced limit is probably being kept up by AdSense.
\n
While I believe that AdSense has the power to scan sites for the amount of content and ad units automatically, they will probably review cases of possible violations of the policies manually, especially from larger publishers with older accounts.
\n
Like with all violations of this kind, I expect publishers to being informed about possible issues with a deadline to fix it.
\n
Removing the ad limit in Advanced Ads
\n
Our Advanced Ads plugin for ad management in WordPress has an ad limit setting for AdSense ad units by default. With the specific ad limit removed, I am thinking about keeping this setting, but removing the default state of this option from being enabled to disabled, so it is possible to show more AdSense ad units.
\n
This is where I would like to get your input. Do you find the default AdSense ad limit should be removed from the plugin or not?
\nNote: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post\'s poll.\n
Update: due to the clear direction of the votes, the AdSense limit is now disabled by default. New users can still activate it though.
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If you are looking for an AdSense alternative you have come to the right place. Sulvo is, from our experience, the best AdSense alternative. My review is also going to give you some tips on how to increase your ad revenue with Sulvo.
\n
Using Sulvo on our sites we have managed to increase our revenue by 30% and even doubled it on some positions. Curious to find out how? Keep on reading then.
\n
Why is Sulvo the best AdSense alternative?
\n
Sulvo is not a classical ad network. It offers an innovative optimization technology which helps you to sell each impression at the highest possible price. Their technology ensures that you get the best possible CPM by letting more ad networks bid for the ad impressions on your website. Among other networks, AdSense is one of the bidders competing for the impressions through Sulvo, which ensures that you get the most out of your inventory.
\n
Optimal positions for testing Sulvo
\n
Since AdSense mainly pays per clicks you will not earn a lot if you use it on a position where the likelihood to gain clicks is rather low e.g. sidebar or below the fold. Those positions are probably the best positions to test an AdSense alternative like Sulvo.
\n
If you are running AdSense already, you can use their ad tags as a fallback for Sulvo and set the average performance as a floor price. This will ensure that Sulvo will only deliver an alternative ad when the performance is higher than your original ad unit. This of course works with other ad networks too.
\n
Just take care about the rules: no more than 3 AdSense ad units per page, including AdSense as a fallback, and no more than 5 Sulvo and AdSense ad units together per page.
\n
Ad Formats in Sulvo
\n
Sulvo supports all standard ad formats. You can pick from
\n
\n
leaderboard (729×90),
\n
super leaderboard (970×90),
\n
medium rectangle (300×250),
\n
large rectangle (336×280),
\n
skyscraper (160×600),
\n
and wide skyscraper (300×600).
\n
\n
There is also a video ad format.
\n
As for the responsive ad units, you can choose a responsive horizontal, vertical and rectangle format. In addition to this, you can even set up a custom ad size in the Sulvo dashboard.
\n
They are also developing an anchor ad format. I really hope it will be a more successful alternative to the AdSense anchor ad unit and I am looking forward to testing it!
\n
Sticky ad units are allowed
\n
Sulvo does allow sticky ad units on desktop devices and even has an option for that.
\n
As for mobile devices, I would recommend to wait for the anchor ad unit and to use sticky ads only on tablet and desktop devices.
\n
Sulvo ad code is SSL compliant
\n
If you have sites that are served over the HTTPS protocol your choice of ad networks can be limited. Serving ads through HTTPS is not a problem with Sulvo though. Their ad code is by default SSL compliant and the ads are being delivered to both HTTP and HTTPS pages.
\n
Intuitive platform for publishers
\n
The Sulvo admin interface is pretty intuitive and you will quickly learn how to manage it. The interface is basically separated in three sections: Dashboard, Reports and Inventory.
\n
We have been working with Sulvo for some time now and experienced different changes in the interface. All of them improved the usability and constantly decreased our need to get in touch with support directly.
\n
Easy to create and implement ad code
\n
You can place up to 5 Sulvo ad units on each of your pages, including your existing AdSense ads.
\n
Implementing the ad code is rather easy. You only need to add one code snippet to the header of your site and then a short code for each ad unit wherever you want to place it.
\n
Both can be easily done with placements in our Advanced Ads plugin for WordPress. Since we are using Sulvo and Advanced Ads ourselves, compatibility is guaranteed.
\n
Apply for a Sulvo account for publishers
\n
Using this link: http://webgilde.com/en/out/sv you can register and apply for a Sulvo account. As always, there are some requirements your site needs to fulfill such as minimum traffic and site quality. However, if you are already running AdSense and comply to the AdSense Program Policies there should not be any additional requirements for you. When Sulvo approves your application you will get access to their platform and you will also get in touch with your very supportive account manager there, which is something that I find very important.
\n
Why we are using Sulvo
\n
We talk to dozens of ad networks per year and from the very few we consider testing, we only kept Sulvo as a long-term alternative to AdSense on our site. Since then, we recommended it to many of our clients and users and haven’t heard complaints about bad support, bad ad quality or technical issues. They never surprised us with showing ad formats we didn’t agree on or broke on our HTTPS served sites. Last but not least, there is the improvement of performance, especially on positions where AdSense is just not working well.
\n
The 500$ guarantee!
\n
Sulvo is so confident to increase your earnings that they will pay you 500 $ if you do not make more money with their technology. In order to qualify for this offer you must not have been previously banned from any ad network and have at least 15 MM page views per month with majority traffic from North America and Western Europe.
\n
Test them!!!
\n
Now when you know all this, what do you say about testing Sulvo? Check out the Sulvo sign-up page and let me know in the comments below.
\n
Update: add the verification code with Advanced Ads
\n
Sulvo is asking you to add a verification code to your website in order to measure the amount of traffic. You can place this code into your website using our free Advanced Ads plugin. Just put the code into a new ad and use the “footer” placement to inject it into the page.
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If you are just starting to monetize your website and wondering how to use AdSense, you came to the right place. The following tutorial contains a detailed explanation on how to create a new AdSense banner to use it on your website. It also contains detailed explanation and best practices for all the options. Let’s get started!
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Create a new ad unit in Google AdSense
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The very first step to create a new ad unit in your AdSense account is to click on the button New ad unit which is located under the tab My ads on the Ad units page.
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Then you have to give your ad unit a name. I’d suggest that the name helps you to remember exactly what this ad unit is about and where you place it on your website. I use the following form while giving a name to the ad unit:
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website | placement | ad format
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e.g.
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webgilde.com | below main menu | medium rectangle
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The first part is the name of the website, of course you can skip this if you have only one website. The second part of the name describes where you place the ad unit. And finally the third part of the name is the ad format or ad size you chose for this ad unit (Leaderboard, Medium Rectangle etc.).
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Choose the right ad size
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The next step is to choose an appropriate ad size. Click on the field Showing and choose one of the following options: Recommended, Horizontal banner, Vertical banner, Rectangular, Responsive, Custom size or Link ads.
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Recommended – lists several ad sizes recommended by AdSense. It is the collection of the ad sizes that potentially earn you the most.
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Horizontal Banner – the recommended banners in this group are Leaderboard and Large Mobile Banner.
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Vertical Banner – the recommended banner in this group is the Large Skyscraper.
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Rectangular – there are two recommended rectangles in this group: Large and Medium Rectangle.
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Responsive – there is just one option in this group. If you choose it, the ad unit will automatically adapt its size to fit your page layout. You can use this ad size for both responsive and non-responsive sites.
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Custom Size – here you can define a specific width and height for the new banner. However you should know that if you use this option for the ad unit it will have a limited number of display ads available, especially if standard sizes don’t fit into it. As a result, you can earn less using this ad size.
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Link Ads – choose one of the offered options. The link ad units display a list of topics that are relevant to the content of your page and to the interests of your visitors. You are paid only when the visitors click on that link first and then on an ad on a page with the direct ads. AdSense allows you to integrate up to three link ad units into each page, in addition to the three content ad banners.
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Choose the ad type
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The third step is to choose an appropriate ad type. There are two ad types that can appear on your website: display and textual ads. You can choose one of the following options:
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Text & display ads – the recommendation is to choose this option so that both ad types can appear on your website.
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Display ads only – only the display ads (e.g., images, rich media) can appear on your website.
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Text ads only – only the textual ads can appear on your website.
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Matched content – you will have this option only if you own websites approved for matched content unit. To be approved your website needs to meet minimum requirements for traffic volume and number of unique pages. This ad unit is a free recommendation tool that offers you an easy way to promote your articles to your visitors. Using the matched content unit you have a possibility to increase the user loyalty, time spent on your website, page views, which might lead to more ad impressions and an increase of your ad revenue. This ad unit does not count towards your ad unit limit per page.
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If you chose the Link Ads in the previous step, the ad type will be automatically set to the Links ads only.
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How to set up Text ad style
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The next step allows you to set the look of the textual ads on your website.
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If you are new to AdSense, I would recommend to not spend too much time on over-optimization here and rather make split test of different layouts later.
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In the section Text ad style you can:
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Choose one of the predefined ad styles: Default, Colorful, Dark blue reverse, Minimalist, Neon and others. In the space below the list you can see how these ad styles will look. Use one of them if you are less experienced with AdSense.
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Create your own ad style by clicking the button Create ad style. If you choose this option you should select a style name, border colors, title, background, text, URL and font family. The recommended choice for the font family is optimal.
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I am currently running some A/B tests since we got the recommendation from AdSense to change font family to optimal for two ad units. They predict an increase of our weekly earnings by up to 10 % if we make this change. I am really curious to find out if this is really going to happen.
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Create your own ad style by choosing a predefined ad style and edit it. To do this you should choose an appropriate predefined ad style and then click on the button Copy and edit. The procedure that follows is the same as when you want to create your own ad style.
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Custom channels
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With custom channels you can group the ad units on your website. For example you can create groups of medium rectangles or one for ad units that you run just on mobile or desktop devices.
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You can also create a group of ad units that are integrated on some particular location on your website. Using custom channels you can easily track the performance of these ad groups. For example, you can later check how much you earn from the ads that are integrated on either the mobile or desktop version of your website, if you use different ad units on them.
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To create a custom channel, click on the button Create new custom channel, give it some associative name and add to it all of the ad units that you want. Now save it.
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When you later create a new ad unit which you want to place in the same group then just select this custom channel in the appropriate option. You can create up to 500 custom channels.
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Using backup ads
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In the Backup ads section you can define what should show on your website if there are no targeted ads available. This way you will ensure that your advertising space is always being used efficiently.
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Note: AdSense has fill rates very close to 100%, so in most cases putting much work into this option is not worth it.
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You can choose one of the following options:
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Show blank space – this is a default option.
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Show other ads from another URL – there are two option here.
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You can use any static image as your backup ad by entering the URL of the image in the text box. The image should be of the same size as the ad format.
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You can use an HTML page as a backup ad. This option is very useful if you want to use clickable images as your backup ads. Visit the AdSense help page to learn more about this option.
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Fill space with a solid color – choose the color you want to show in place of the ad unit.
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Generate the code
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The last step in your AdSense account is to generate the ad code. After choosing the options like described above you need to click on the button Save and get code:
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Copy the generated ad code from the appearing window and paste it to the position on your website where you want to integrate this ad unit.
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You can check out our WordPress plugin AdvancedAds and all of the wonderful options it offers for easy integration of the ads on your websites.
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Did you find this article helpful? If you have some remarks or additional questions do not hesitate to leave a comment below.
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A month ago we converted one of our websites from HTTP to HTTPS. Little did we know that this will cause a disruption in our ad setup. Learn more about the lessons we learned in this article.
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Why did we move to HTTPS?
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HTTPS encrypts all requests and responses to and from our website, allowing a secure communications. There are two reasons why we wanted to use a secure communication.
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The main motivation was to protect our personal data including everything we do in our WordPress dashboard. At first we thought about changing the protocol just for the dashboard but then we decided to use it in the frontend as well and make sure that all of our visitors information are send savely too.
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The second reason is that we travel often and hence use a lot of different WiFi networks. We wanted to feel more secure and protected in those situations.
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At the beginning we decided to make this change just for one of our websites to see what can go wrong by this change. Our goal is still to use SSL encryption for all of our websites.
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Ads on HTTPS pages?
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After we have switched to HTTPS we noticed that some ads were missing on the website. We checked all of the pages and noticed that the ads from some particular ad networks are definitely not being delivered after this change.
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Ads fail to be delivered because HTTPS web sites require that the entire content of the page, including the ads, is sent over a secure connection too. We contacted networks in question and found out that some of them do not serve ads on the HTTPS pages at all, while others (e.g.Creafi ), just needed to update our ad tags.
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Ad Networks that do not serve ads on HTTPS web pages
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One of the ad networks that worked very successful for us was SwitchAds. Since they do not deliver ads to secured pages we have lost approximately 500$ per month from SwitchAds directly plus almost the same amount from the fallback ads without having a proper replacement at hand right away.
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Another ad network with which we were very satisfied was PixFuture. The RPM was quite good as well and we almost recommended this network, but with the problem on HTTPS secured websites we have to find a proper replacement for them as well.
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Ad Networks that serve ads on HTTPS web pages
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There are of course some ad networks which support secure ad serving on HTTPS web pages, such as AdSense.
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Running AdSense on HTTPS sites
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However, if you check AdSenseHelp for this matter you will find out that switching to HTTPS might reduce your earnings. That can happen because AdSense removes non-SSL compliant ads from the auction which will result in reducing auction pressure. As a consequence from this your earnings could be lower.
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We were either lucky and this scenario did not happen in our case or there are already enough ads compatible with HTTPS. Our earnings from AdSense were actually even higher in the month after we switched to HTTPS protocol.
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Some other ad networks that serve the ads on HTTPS web pages are ValueBrand(Germany), RTB, Chalk Social.
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Running DFP on HTTPS sites
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We can also confirm that ads served with tags from DoubleClick for Publishers (DFP) are working without the need to change the code. Of course, only if you didn’t alter the tags somehow.
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Not switching to HTTPS
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When we wanted to switch to HTTPS on our German website we have contacted important networks to see whether their ads are SSL-compliant, instead of switching to HTTPS immediately and hoping for the best.
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The biggest (and local) ad network we use there serves HTTPS ads, but with a significant reduction in revenue as a consequence, because they will also remove non-SSL compliant ads from the ad auctions, which will reduce auction pressure and our revenue. As they put it, it is not the fault of the network, but the agencies who set up ads through the network.
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Therefore, we have decided to postpone the switching process for this website and to wait until the majority of ads will be SSL-compliant.
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Conclusion
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If you are thinking about making this change and use the HTTPS protocol on your website you should be aware that there are some ad networks that can not deliver ads anymore.
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Do not repeat our mistake and just switch without asking the ad networks to confirm that they are working on secured websites.
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Some of them will probably send you new ad tags, and others will not have the solution for delivering ads to secured pages. In order to minimize your losses you have two options: not to switch to HTTPS protocol or to find an ad network which will work equally good for you and deliver SSL-compliant ads before switching.
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Ad networks that serve ads on HTTPS web pages: AdSense, ValueBrand, RTB, Chalk Social and Creafi (after the change of the ad tags).
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Ad networks that do not serve ads on HTTPS web pages: SwitchAds and PixFuture.
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Do you have some experience in this matter, which you want to share by leaving us a comment below? Do you know which ad networks deliver ads to the secure pages, and which do not?
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For a few days now publishers can make use of two new ad formats in AdSense: Anchor ads and Vignette ads. The idea behind it isn’t new if you work with multiple ad networks like me, but if you used only AdSense before, this can feel like a game changer. Why do I sound so reserved? Find out in my in-depth evaluation below.
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Update April 27, 2016: As of today, Page-level Ads are available in every AdSense account. My review is now backed up by months of beta testing and still valid. If you want to integrate the page-level ad tag with just a click into your WordPress site then use my free and highly rated Advanced Ads plugin.
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\n
2 years and an almost-launch
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I read the first announcement of an upcoming Anchor ad feature in the AdSense blog in November 2013 – almost 2 years ago. At that time other networks already used anchor or “sticky ads” on mobile devices, so it was time that AdSense made it available too.
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In November 2014 I thought that the ads were already rolled out and wrote this very first review. It took me months and many conversations with the AdSense support team to find out that this wasn’t a public feature. It just happened that they enabled it for my site after a one-on-one optimization call without telling me more about it.
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Just a few weeks ago they disabled the anchor ads on my account again, but also told me in confidence that I won’t have to wait long for the official release. I am glad that they kept this promise at the end.
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The new Page-level ads can be used by publishers now. However, there was no official release yet – neither on the AdSense Google+ community page nor in the AdSense blog. Does this mean that they don’t trust it yet and are scared that many publishers starting to use it at the same time might break something?
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What are the new Page-level ads?
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The Page-level ads introduced now allow you to optimize ad income on high-end mobile devices.
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They are additional formats that don’t count towards the “3 ads per page limit” like normal ad units. In theory, they should help you to monetize your mobile traffic without changing your current ad setup.
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AdSense didn’t just publish the anchor ads, but introduced a whole new section in the menu which separates the new Page-level ads from the widely used content ad units.
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You can access the page-level ads through the My ads menu item in the top navigation and below the “Content” section in the left menu.
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Does the “BETA” notice tell us that this is experimental and might be removed later or can we build a long lasting ad optimization based on these ads already? I don’t have the answer on this yet.
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You can see 2 ad types on the page:
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Anchor/overlay ads
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Vignette ads
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You can keep them disabled, enable just one or be brave and activate both. Changing the setting here won’t have any effect on your site yet. You still need to include the ad code there. More on this below.
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Let’s take a look at both ad types.
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Anchor/overlay ads
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When I first read about this ad type I thought that AdSense combines anchor ads – ads that stick to the bottom of the page – with overlay ads which normally take up the whole screen.
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However, it looks like they only mean anchor ads which technically also are an overlay, just not for the whole page but at the bottom of it.
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I have been testing this ad type with my own implementation already some years ago and found that it increased the mobile ad income by over 400%. I stopped when AdSense made it clear that this wasn’t allowed and was then happy when I was able to beta-test this new format.
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Vignette ads
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The ad community is not very consistant with terms so it is easy to be confused sometimes. However, I have never seen the term “Vignette ads” yet.
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Maybe it is an invention from AdSense to distinguish their implementation from others, but what they just released is also widely known as “Interstitial Ads”.
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The vignette ad is displayed when a user clicks on a link and before the next page is displayed.
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I know from previous tests of pop-under formats that this vignette ad might look like a reason to leave your page at first, but users will get used to it. Since this test I am more open to such formats.
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There are also a couple of things with which AdSense makes sure that it won’t disturb the user experience too much:
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it is not suddenly popping up, but only when a new page is loaded
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it won’t appear after every link
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it doesn’t appear for links that don’t lead to a page (e.g. javascript listeners) or feature-links like a “Log out”
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it can easily be closed
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Results from my first test
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I tested the anchor ads for a few days on one of my sites and was a bit disappointed. Here are some general observations.
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click price is equal to my normal ad units
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click rate is about 1/7 of my other ad units
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active view is lower than my normal ad units
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My observations might of course be a different from yours. Please leave a comment with remarks about the performance on your site so that other readers get a better impression of the potential.
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The questions I now have are:
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Why are the click rates so incredibly low?
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Why is the Active View rate lower if this format can’t be scrolled away?
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I will leave them open for now. Maybe this depends too much on my own sites and can’t be generalized.
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I haven’t tested the Vignette ads yet because I couldn’t make sure to react in time on user complains – in case there might be any.
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Where is the performance report?
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If you already enabled the page-level ads and are now looking for the performance report then here is a quick tip:
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Go to Performance reports in the main navigation and choose Ad behavior as the report type. Anchor ads / overlay and Vignette ads should be listed in the result table.
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Click on any of them in order to filter for more information like performance by bid type, channel or country.
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Issues with Page-level ads
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After a few days of testing I can say that the integration is easy and income is generated. However, when I first wanted to see the ads in action I thought that they don’t work.
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Only after I scrolled down to almost the very end of the post the ad actually showed up. If I remember correctly, the beta that I used displayed the ad right away.
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Maybe this is different on other sites, but it made me curious about this statement from the description of the ad:
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Shown by AdSense at optimal times to help increase revenue and provide a good user experience
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From this I would say that the ad might not be displayed with every page impression and right away. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any detailed information about this. Please leave a comment below if you have an idea about the conditions that AdSense checks before displaying an ad.
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Not working on all mobile devices
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Something you only learn if you dig deep into the manual for the page-level ads is that they don’t work on some browsers. Here are some examples:
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not running in Firefox or Opera Mini on Android devices
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only running on iOS 5 and higher and in Safari and Chrome
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Anchor ads not supported on any Windows Phone, Vignette ads only on mobile Internet Explorer and Windows 8
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Here are other issues:
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does only work in portrait mode (if you hold your device vertically)
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does only work on devices between 320 and 420 pixels wide
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does not work if you are zoomed into the page
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These issues show that the technical implementation of these ads is far from optimal and probably the reason why AdSense needed so long for the rollout.
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How to make use of Page-level ads?
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If you haven’t enabled Page-level ads yet then it is worth taking a look at the dedicated AdSense page. I think it already provides everything you need to know about the activation and implementation of the ad code.
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In case you are using WordPress then this is even easier. In the next version of my Advanced Ads plugin (v. 1.6.9) there will be an option to enable Page-level ads without additional coding.
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Before that you can use the Header Code placement in Advanced Ads for it:
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Log in to your AdSense account
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Go to My Ads > Content > Page-level ads and activate the page-level ad types you want to use on your site
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Scroll down to the Add the code for Page-level ads to your pages section and click on the blue Get code button
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Copy the code from the text area
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Log in to your WordPress site
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Go to Advanced Ads > Ads
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Create a new ad
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Insert “Page-level ads code” as a title
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Choose the “Plain text and code” ad type
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Insert the code you got from AdSense into the ad parameters textfield
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Publish the ad
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Go to Advanced Ads > Placements
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Select Header Code placement, a name you like and the ad you just created
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Save the placement
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The AdSense code should now be visible in the source code of your page.
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AdSense also provides a test to check if the implementation works. Check out the AdSense Help to learn more about it.
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Quo Vadis AdSense?
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With Page-level ads AdSense did an important step to monetize mobile content. I am not yet convinced that this will be enough to cover the losses that some sites have from users moving from desktop to mobile devices, but it is better than nothing.
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I expect the vignette ad to perform well, but only in terms of click rates. Until there is more competition and a dedicated format for advertisers to book anchor and vignette ads, I don’t expect click prices to increase.
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This still might take some time because it is still hard for advertisers to convert mobile traffic into sales or other actions like on desktop devices. Therefore, they are still not eager to pay the prices that they pay for desktop traffic.
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For publishers who are already able to monetize mobile traffic, the increase from these new formats might not be that large.
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With iOS 9 having a pre-installed ad-blocker there is already a new challenge ahead and I hope that the solution is not going to take another 2 years.
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Did you test the new Page-level ads already? Do you agree or disagree on my findings? Let me know in the comments.
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Stranger, you aimed for adsblacklist.com, but langed on this page. What happened?
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I stumbled upon www.adsblacklist.com a while ago when it was already down for maintenance. Later, the domain became vacated. So I was never able to use it myself.
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As someone who does ad optimization for his own and clients websites, I am still intrigued by using the ad and category filter to improve AdSense performance.
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What was adsblacklist.com all about?
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Adsblacklist.com provided a list of MFA (Made for AdSense) or LCPC (Low Cost per Click) sites that delivered low paid ads through AdSense to your site. You could then import this list into your AdSense account in order to block the ads. As a result, you could increase your AdSense earnings.
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Just an example:
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Imagine you have 1,000 clicks per day and a CPC (cost per click) of $0,02. Increasing the CPC to just $0,04 would double your income and result in an extra $20 per day.
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The community on adsblacklist.com reviewed thousands of such urls and the success stories I read really made my believe that it made an impact to block them.
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How can I detect low paying ads?
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Adsblacklist.com was a community site where everyone could submit a url of a low paying advertiser and have it been reviewed by other users. Even though the community doesn’t exist, you can still detect and block low paying ads manually.
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The explanation comes from Emir Pilavdzic, the original founder of adsblacklist.com.
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If you are a webmaster running Adsense on your own website, you’ve probably seen google ads with text like “We have found 4 best products for …”, or “Best resources on net for …”. Well in most cases, these advertisers pay you only between $0.01 to $0.03 per click, depending on your site PR (Page Rank), traffic and page views. So detecting them is very simple. If you visit them (DO NOT CLICK ON YOUR OWN ADS) and see more ads than content, then you certanly got a winner.
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What will happen with adsblacklist.com?
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I just decided to purchase this domain and don‘t know yet what I am going to do with it. It is very likely that I am going to create a service or tool of some kind, but not take the approach with a forum like it was originally on adsblacklist.com.
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I am definitely going to dig deeper into the topic of blocking urls in AdSense and also write about my tests and findings.
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In order to not miss it, I would ask you to subscribe to the newsletter. If you have an idea then just comment below or contact me.
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If you are running Google ads on your website you can find plenty of valuable information about them in your AdSense account. One of them is how much money you have earned through different bid types. This information should help you to decide where to place particular ads.
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Possible bid types are:
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CPC (cost per click),
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CPM (cost per 1000 impressions),
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Active View (cost per 1000 visible impressions),
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CPE (cost per engagement).
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But who exactly bids? And where does it happen?
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Advertisers use Google AdWords to deliver ads to your website. They take part in an ad auction through which AdWords determines which ads will appear in what order at a particular ad placement.
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Cost per click (CPC)
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Cost per click (CPC), or from the publisher’s perspective, revenue per click (RPC), was the first type of bidding. During CPC bidding, advertisers state the maximum price they are willing to pay for clicks on their ads. Publishers will earn some money, only if the visitors click on the ads.
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Advertisers use CPC bidding when their goal is to bring the visitors to their website. CPC depends on the advertisers and on how much are they willing to pay for advertising. As a general rule, they will be willing to pay more for more expensive products and services.
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As a publisher you can see how much you have earned through this type of bidding choosing the “Clicks” tab in the Performance reports of your AdSense account. This will automatically set the Bid types filter to CPC bids and apply it to your visitor data.
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Cost per 1000 impressions (CPM)
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With this type of bidding, the advertisers state the maximum price for 1000 impressions. Contrary to the CPC type of bidding visitors do not have to click on the ads for you to earn some money. It is enough that the ad is technically loaded by visitors. “Technically loaded” means that the ad content is completely loaded on your site. It is not needed that the ad is actually visible on the current position of the browser window. Advertisers use CPM bidding when their goal is to get their name or logo in front of lots of people.
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In your Performance report you can see how much your site earned through this type of bidding if you choose the “Views” tab, which will automatically set the Bid types filter to CPM Bids.
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Active View CPM
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The newest bid type in AdSense is Active View CPM. Active view is a percentage of the visible impressions. If advertisers chose this type of bidding they will pay only for viewable impressions. An impression is considered to be viewable if it fulfills two conditions:
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at least 50% of the ad is visible within the visitor’s browser window
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the ad was visible for more than 1 second.
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In order to see how much you have earned through this type of bidding you should choose the tab Active Views, which will automatically set the Bid types filter to Active View CPM.
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Cost per engagement (CPE)
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Engagement is a particular action which should be performed by the visitor and that is defined by the advertiser. With this type of bidding advertisers pay only when the visitors interact with their ads in this particular way. Examples for interactions are:
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hovering over the ads for some time in order to expand them
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taking a poll
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taking a product tour
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starting a video ad
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email sign-up.
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If you want to see how much you have earned through this type of bidding you should choose the tab “Engagements” in your Performance report, which will automatically set your Bid types filter to CPE bids.
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Which bid type earns the most?
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Currently, CPC bid type is still the most used and therefore earns the most money. By comparison, other bid types earn significantly less. Of these, CPM often is second in earning followed by Active View and CPE. However, since Active View is a fairly new bid type its earning potential will probably increase in the near future.
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This observation is based on our websites. What are your experiences? Do your websites behave the same or not? Did you find this article helpful? Leave us a comment below…
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:71:\"https://webgilde.com/en/adsense-bid-types-cpc-cpm-active-view-cpe/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2:\"18\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:42:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:57:\"Stop wasting your time with AdSense on these 3 blog types\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:59:\"https://webgilde.com/en/stop-adsense-on-these-3-blog-types/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"https://webgilde.com/en/stop-adsense-on-these-3-blog-types/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 08 Jul 2015 16:48:59 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Ad optimization\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"http://webgilde.com/en/?p=1249\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:148:\"Earning with AdSense is not working on every type of site. I give 3 examples for sites that struggle with income from AdSense and other ad networks.\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Thomas Maier\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11476:\"
As a consultant for online advertising I not only help a lot of websites to grow their revenue, but also learn a lot about how different topics, text types, page structures and traffic sources perform in terms of ad revenue.
\n
There are some types of websites that are not struggling with AdSense because of a bad setup or bad management, but mostly because their topic and visitors are just not good to make serious money.
\n
Even though I like to help everyone, I learned that I have to decline some requests for ad reviews from such websites in order to avoid frustration on both ends.
\n
I have picked 3 types of websites that I regularly see to fail when it comes to generating income with AdSense.
\n
Let me first give you a background about the metrics that matter most for a healthy AdSense account before going into details about the types of pages that are just hard to make money with.
\n
AdSense key metrics
\n
Even though there are different bid types with AdSense, cost per click (cpc) is still the largest one. With cpc a publisher like you earns money if a users clicks on an ad.
\n
Once you understand the key metrics of AdSense you will also see why the page types I mention below are low performers by nature.
\n
CTR
\n
Since you earn on a click basis your visitors must be willing to click on an ad. This behavior is measured in click-through-rate (ctr).
\n
Why should a user click on an ad? Beside accidental clicks, the ad might promises a solution to his problem.
\n
CPC
\n
Your income also depends on click prices. Those are roughly defined by the competition of advertisers on your website.
\n
An advertiser often wants to sell something. The higher the price of his product or service and the higher the probability that a visitor from your site is going to perform the action on the advertiser website, the more he is willing to invest and the higher your income will be.
\n
RPM
\n
To compare websites with a different amount of traffic, ctr and cpc, income performance is often measured in return-per-mile (rpm), which is the income it generates per 1000 page impressions. It is also often referenced as cost-per-mile (cpm).
\n
Websites that fail
\n
The following list of website types with low AdSense potential is neither final nor is the fate of such a site inevitable. You might run a project in these areas successfully for various reasons, but if you are new to online advertising then I would advise against choosing one of these topics.
\n
1. News sites
\n
Before I started to help other publishers to generate more income from ads, I didn’t imagine how many news sites there are out there. I am not talking about the online version of a printed newspapers, but pages who publish any kind of news without a background in journalism.
\n
Most consulting requests I receive are actually from such news sites and so far I only accepted very few of them. This is mainly because I want to spare both of us the disappointment, especially when I am confident that there is no potential in the first place.
\n
Why are news sites not working well with AdSense?
\n
Why are people visiting a news sites? What is their problem? In which mood are they?
\n
Who is a person that comes to a news site and reads an article about an accident on the highway, the latest Oscar winners and funny Super Bowl commercials?
\n
What is the problem you solved for this visitor and how much would he or she spend on it to be solved?
\n
This is the question that advertisers are asking themselves and you should too! The more likely that someone would spend money for something you help him solve, the more likely that there is an ad he clicks on. This not only applies to news sites.
\n
You might have caught up on it, but just to be clear. The problem many news sites suffer from is a lack of focus.
\n
AdSense is easy to implement, but the rules of advertising still apply. If you can’t sell ads to someone directly than it is also hard to monetize your site with AdSense.
\n
The solution: focus
\n
The problems that news sites have can’t always be solved, but there are some suggestions I can give you to at least try to turn around the wheel.
\n
Most news sites have many categories they update, but I bet that only very few of them really drive traffic, engage visitors and generate ad revenue.
\n
Identify these categories and focus on them. Cut the others off. You already lost money on them, why to lose more?
\n
The same can be applied to content types. Maybe visitors (and Google search) only really like your features, local stories, or image galleries. Identify your strengths and cut off the weaknesses.
\n
Final question: when did you last read about a newspaper that successfully transferred its printed version to online by just using display advertisement for monetization?
\n
2. Monetizing a hobby
\n
This is something I can talk about from 6-years of experience. After playing a game of Scrabble with very bad letters, I started a website where one could simply enter his letters and see which words can be build with them.
\n
www.word-grabber.com started out of fun. I was playing around with dictionaries and databases back then anyway and it was a good way to apply my knowledge in a public way.
\n
Starting this site out of compassion and interest was totally legitimate. I didn’t intent to monetize it and it was just a hobby – something that I did and invest time in without expecting to get any monetary return.
\n
I was lucky. Due to constant updates, articles and a larger target group than expected, the site has millions of page impressions per month today. However, the rpm is very low and will probably stay at a low level due to the following reasons.
\n
For me, word-grabber isn’t a hobby anymore, because placing ads on a site makes it a commercial site, even when there is very little income generated. For my visitors word games are still a hobby though.
\n
Compared to news sites word-grabber has a clear focus on word games and people interested in them. It also engages users and most of them come back..
\n
Even though the site solves problems, the solutions are not worth money to the users and therefore to advertisers. Beside word games, the visitors are as diverse as potential buyers and there is no product with higher value related to word games.
\n
My own experience shows it, hobby websites can only monetize if they solve problems that people spend money on. You already know that word games like Scrabble or crosswords aren’t such hobbies. Here are some examples where this could work:
\n
\n
traveling
\n
hunting
\n
pets (we like to take care of them, right?)
\n
\n
In general, hobbies where people need to buy either expensive equipment or purchase something regularly can monetize really well with AdSense.
\n
This list can be incredibly long.
\n
Bottom line: if your hobby site doesn’t monetize well, but you do it as a hobby anyway then you should not waste your time and nerves for a few dollars from AdSense and rather remove them from your site for good.
\n
3. Non-English Sites
\n
I was forced to close the comments on some of my articles because they were flooded with the question why the commenters sites don’t monetize well.
\n
Most of these comments linked to sites with non-English content and I hope I can answer their questions with this article now, because it is almost the same to everyone.
\n
I also run a couple of German sites myself and also helped out European clients a lot, so I know first hand about differences between the ad performance based on location and language.
\n
Even though there are countries and topics where non-English content outperforms similar English pages, the potential of English site is in average much higher.
\n
This is due to the fact that the market for online advertisement is very well developed in English speaking countries. With the US, Canada, UK and Australia it is also a large one with developed countries and high GDPs.
\n
However, just translating your content might not do the trick. You would still need a large enough audience that is actually interested in your topics. If your site’s topic is local then a translation into English might only limit your current target group more.
\n
You should also consider that location is important too. Many advertisers limit their budget to a specific geo location. I have seen this on a website with high traffic from English speaking countries including Nigeria. The traffic from Nigeria or India was very large, but the rpm was just a fraction of the developed countries.
\n
If you are running a site in your mother language that is not English and your AdSense income from it is lower than an English site would have, you might still be happy with the generated revenue, because your costs of living might be smaller too.
\n
However, my rates are the same and I completely understand if you can’t afford my reviews. I still hope that I can be of help with my articles on webgilde.com.
\n
Conclusion
\n
Even if you don’t run a site with one of the topics mentioned then you might have taken something out of this article.
\n
First, you know how important it is to think about why people would spend money to advertise on your website. AdSense is just the logistics, but you are still selling your site to advertisers that want to sell something to your visitors.
\n
Second, I have seen pages succeed in any of these fields and understanding why is a key question for them.
\n
For most of them it is just a large amount of traffic that compensates the low rpms. They normally needed many years to reach this point.
\n
Few of them have a special ingredient that they are not even aware of. I have seen such pages lose a lot of their performance when they made larger updates to their layout, ad setup, or user experience.
\n
For someone who is new to online advertisement I would strongly recommend to check his idea against the key point in this article to see if it has a performance. Choosing the wrong approach will cost you tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid time or unused potential. This is me speaking from my own experience again.
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I am currently using email and a chatbox to help people with their ad optimization and to support my Advanced Ads plugin. This works great, because people can be open and send me data they wouldn’t leave in a public forum. There are also the newsletters that help people to stay informed, but even though I invite you to reply, there is not really a discussion going on – and if, not many people benefit from it.
\n
Therefore, I am currently thinking about opening a new channel of communication. One that is open in both directions and easy to set up and use.
\n
Since I want to reach as many people as possible, I’d rather leave the choice to you. That is why I created this little poll. I want to know which channels you’d prefer to send me a message, discuss ad optimization or get help with any of my services.
\n
The first two options are already in use, but I am still interested to know if they are in fact the most important to.
\n
You can select up to 3 answers. If you are missing an option you can leave a comment below this post.
\nNote: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post\'s poll.\n
Thanks again for your help.
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For some time now it was only available as a beta feature in the US, now AdSense rolled out Active Views as an integrated part of the new performance reports. Many of my clients asked for more details about Active Views and their impact, therefore, I created this overview.
\n
What are Active Views?
\n
Active views measure the viewability of ads on your website. There are two important factors:
\n
\n
how much of the ad was visible on the screen
\n
how long was the ad visible
\n
\n
When is an ad viewable?
\n
The definition of a “viewable” ad is actually not set by AdSense, but by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). It includes the following conditions:
\n
\n
at least 50% of the ad is visible
\n
the ad was visible for more than 1 second
\n
\n
Why is Active View important?
\n
The visibility of an impression is important for advertisers and publishers. Advertisers want to know how big the chance is to get the visitor’s attention. The higher the visibility, the more valuable is the ad impression.
\n
For publishers, probably like you, the same can apply. Especially if you get paid for clicks, the still default method to generate income with AdSense, you want to be sure that the visitor sees the ad first.
\n
If you generate your income with a cpm model for impressions, this value should still be of interest for you, because more and more advertisers might only target your site with cpm bids if your visibility and click rate is high enough.
\n
Why the sudden change?
\n
Active Views are nothing new in the world of display ads. Many ad servers already calculate them, ad vendors use or even demand them from other ad networks and one might even say that AdSense is rather late here. Therefore, it was no surprise that AdSense started the beta last year and made it official not long ago.
\n
I already see the impact this has on the ad buyers site, but let me come back to this in a minute.
\n
Difference between Active Views and Impressions
\n
In AdSense, the “Impressions” tell you how often the ad was loaded technically.
\n
In addition to the impressions you can now also find the percentage of impressions that where visible in terms of Active Views.
\n
So, every Active View is an impression, but not every impression is an active view.
\n
Active View CPM
\n
Active Views are not just a metric you as a publisher and AdSense user can play around with. It also serves as an option to actually sell ads on your site. It enables Advertisers to directly purchase ad space based on Active View CPM, which means they only pay for viewable impressions.
\n
Until now you probably only saw CPM, CPC and CPE as bid types in your AdSense performance reports with CPC still generating most of the performance. With the whole restructuring you now have the “Active View CPM” bid type report available as well.
\n
If you click on the “Active Views” report tab, the Active View CPM bid type will automatically be selected as a filter.
\n
\n
New values in your reports
\n
When you browse through your performance reports in AdSense you’ll not only notice the new “Active Views” report tab, but also some metrics related to Active Views. Here is what they mean.
\n
Active View Measurable
\n
This metric determines how many impressions could be analyzed for their Active View value. This should be 100% or very close to it. Else, you might have a problem delivering ads, e.g. because you are using ads within iframes.
\n
Active View Viewable
\n
This is the percentage of impressions that is viewable. Or to use the definition of viewable ads: the percentage of impressions where 50% of the ad area was visible for at least 1 second.
\n
Keep in mind that only AdSense for content, AdSense for video and AdSense for games ad units are taken into account here. Data from link units or dynamic allocation in DFP Small Business is not included.
\n
I read somewhere that the Active View metrics are based on sample data and might only be available in AdSense accounts with a significant amount of traffic. However, I am not able to confirms this. Even rather small sites that I run and consult have Active Views metrics available.
\n
Active Views and your AdSense Account
\n
With all the above in mind and a whole lot more to do in my AdSense Reviews, here are some takeaways.
\n
Where to place ads
\n
The rule of thumb now is to place ads where users are staying. This was already valid before, but with advertisers directly purchasing only impressions with Active Views, the impact of the placement will increase. Ads in the header will lose performance. On non-mobile sites the ads that are placed on a right sidebar will lose as well.
\n
You probably already heared that ads above the fold are important. This is less true now, since the header ad will get scrolled away and therefore not have much impact on your Active View impressions. Also with responsive layouts and very different screen sizes the fold is no longer easy to determine.
\n
Still, check out the most used screen sizes of your visitors in Analytics to get an impression of where “their fold” is and think about if you can place ads close to that point. Short above the fold is not only visible right away, but also get scrolled away much later than ads in the header.
\n
Another tip that might not be applicable for many sites is to make shorter pages with engaging content. The shorter the page is, the less the user scrolles and the longer the ads will be visible.
\n
Which ad sizes to use?
\n
Ad sizes can have a small impact as well. I probably don’t have to go into more details about this, but the higher an ad is, the longer it takes to be scrolled away. Still, I wouldn’t sacrifice a good and balanced site layout for this since the difference can be rather low.
\n
Active Views are your chance
\n
One might think about Active Views to just make the AdSense game more complicated. I believe the opposite. A viewable ad position was important before already, but you had to guess if you made everything correct with only the click rates at hand.
\n
The Active View metrics are now just making clear what was important before already. Some time that went into testing of good ad positions can now be saved by just looking and interpreting the numbers correctly.
\n
Almost exactly two years ago I wrote an article about optimizing ad sizes and positions and you can find everything I just said confirmed there already in the first point about good ad positions.
\n
Active Views are your chance to identify weak spots in your AdSense setup and optimize them. More information and help comes along in my AdSense Reviews.
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With Advanced Ads you can exclude ads from specific pages, e.g. to keep your legal pages ad free. The following article shows the two methods for this.
With Advanced Ads you can exclude ads from specific posts and pages. E.g., you can keep your ads away from appearing on your contact or privacy policy pages. The following tutorial explains both methods that just need a few clicks.
\n
Use display conditions to block individual ads on specific pages
\n
With the „Specific Pages“ display condition on the ad edit page you can enter the title or the ID of the site where this specific ad should or in our case shouldn’t appear. That’s all and you can check the results of your settings on your pages afterwards.
\n
In the following example you can see a setting for an ad that appears on all pages except “Contact” and “Places of interest”.
\n
\n
This method is recommended, if you want to exclude single ads from specific pages, e.g., if you use ads for internal services and you want to disable them on your landing pages.
\n
Disable all ads in specific pages
\n
If you want to disable all ads on specific posts or pages, it is easier not to exclude them one by one with individual display conditions. In this case, you should look out for the Ad Settings meta box which you can find on the bottom of the edit page of every post and page. You will find a checkbox there which allows you to disable all ads on this page.
\n
If your are using Advanced Ads Pro, you will find a second option there to disable all ads inside the post content but not from the header, the footer or your sidebar.
\n
\n
This method is recommended, if you want to keep specific pages with less clicks or legal pages completely ad free.
If you have ever tried building a community website using WordPress, you probably already know BuddyPress. It is a WordPress plugin consisting of multiple components (e.g. groups, private messages, activity streams etc.), which allow you to build your own social network.
\n
Inserting ads on BuddyPress pages is difficult, because most of them are created dynamically. Automatic injections that work well for normal static pages and posts, are not working as expected on all BuddyPress related pages. Therefore, Advanced Ads Pro has placements dedicated exclusively to placing ads on BuddyPress pages.
\n
How to display an ad on a BuddyPress page?
\n
The placement dedicated to displaying ads on BuddyPress pages is the “BuddyPress Content” placement and you can find it in the list of placement types on the placement page.
\n
\n
In order to set up an ad to display using the “BuddyPress Content” placement, you only need to select one of the multiple hooks from the “position” dropdown menu.
\n
\n
Hooks listed under “Activity Entry” will display the ad in one of multiple positions in the BuddyPress activity streams on the pages “/activity”, “/members/username/” and “groups/groupname”.
\n
Hooks listed under “Groups List” and “Member List” will display an ad on the “/groups” and “/members” pages respectively.
\n
If you are unsatisfied with the positions provided by the hooks, you can also inject ads using the “Post Content” placement, however, this might take a basic understanding of your pages source code.
\n
Troubleshooting
\n
Why is the placement not showing up in my list?
\n
In order to keep the list of placements as short as possible, the placement will only show up if the BuddyPress plugin is activated.
\n
Why are my ads cut on certain pages?
\n
We are merely injecting the ads into the positions provided by BuddyPress, so ads will be cut when they exceed the width of the container they are injected in. Please be sure to choose the correct format for your ads.
\n
Why are my ads not showing up on group pages?
\n
This is due to the fact that pages like “/groups/name” or “/members/name” are only virtual pages created by BuddyPress and are technically handled as 404 error pages by WordPress. You can fix this issue by disabling the global option “
Setting up a forum software can be a really tiring endeavor, setting up ads to display on those new forum pages even more. The WordPress plugin bbPress offers an easy solution to the first problem and provides you with the tools to set up your own forums fast and easy. Advanced Ads provides you with all the tools you need to set up your ads on those pages.
\n
Advanced Ads Pro has two placements to help you setting up ads on forum pages created by bbPress, they are called “bbPress Static Content” and “bbPress Reply Content”.
\n
\n
How to display an ad on a bbPress page?
\n
First of all you need to decide where you want your ad to show up. There are two different placements with multiple hooks to place your ads.
\n
The bbPress static content placement provides hooks to inject ads into multiple positions on the /forums, /forums/name or /forums/topic/name pages generated by bbPress.
\n
\n
The bbPress reply content placement provides hooks to inject your ads at the nth reply on /forums/topic/name pages.
\n
\n
After choosing the appropriate placement, you only need to select the content you want to display and the hook you want to use from the dropdown menus.
\n
If you are unsatisfied with the positions provided by the hooks, you can also inject ads using the post content placement. However, this will require a basic understanding of the source code of the page you want to inject the ad into and the element to choose from the available options for the injection.
A masonry layout is a great way to display images in a beautiful grid, even when they have different sizes. It is very common among photography blogs to use a theme which has this feature. You can see some examples on the Masonry page.
\n
However nice it looks, including ads into a masonry grid is not as easy as it might sound. I got asked for a solution a lot and finally had the chance to dig a bit deeper and come up with a way how to solve this with Advanced Ads.
\n
Why don’t ads properly display in a masonry grid?
\n
Masonry layouts are normally implemented using a JavaScript library. One of the most common libraries for this is Masonry by David DeSandro. It is also included in WordPress already and developers only need to activate it.
\n
The way this and other scripts are working is that they take a set of containers, get their sizes and then reorder them dynamically. All considered elements need to have the same selector. If one of them, like the ad container, does not have this selector – normally in form of a class – it is not considered in the grid and either displays completely outside the grid or is hidden beneath it.
\n
How to consider ads in a masonry layout?
\n
Based on the explanation above, adding an ad to the layout is actually rather simple.
\n
You only need to find out which selector is used in the theme to find all elements that need to be considered. In a recent example it was just a list of posts and the class each post container had was
recent-post
.\n
I then just took this class and added it to the ad container. The option for this can be found on the ad edit screen in the Layout / Output meta box. Simply add the class name to it like on the image below.
\n
\n
In order to find the correct class you need to ask the theme developer or take a look into the theme’s source code where the masonry script is initialized. For the Masonry script it might look like this:
Adding the ad to the page with the masonry layout is another question. If this is a list of posts, you can use the Post Lists placement or you can use the PHP function to include it into your theme manually.
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This tutorial is about inheriting settings for ads to multiple ads or an ad group.
A repeated question in support is how one can use the same conditions for multiple ads at the same time instead of managing them for each ad individually. This is especially useful when using ad groups that need a general layout adjustment or when all ads have the same visitor or display conditions.
\n
Using the Ad Group ad type
\n
While it is not possible to set visitor or display conditions for a group or placement directly, you can use the Ad Groupad type to accomplish this.
\n
The setup basically looks like this:
\n
\n
you group the inheriting ads into the same ad group
\n
you create an intermediate ad with the Ad Group ad type
\n
you assign the group to that ad
\n
\n
When using the Ad Group ad type, the ad parameters of the intermediate ad show this option:
\n
\n
You can now assign any parameters, display or visitor conditions to the intermediate ad.
\n
Displaying the intermediate ad works exactly like every other ad. In addition to normal ad output, it will display the group according to the group settings (random, multiple ads, etc.).
\n
More scenarios
\n
Here are some more ideas for when to use the Ad Group ad type setup.
\n
Rotate ad groups
\n
With the setup above, you can also rotate ad groups. Just create an intermediate ad for each group and put those into another group.
\n
Track all ads together
\n
You can set up tracking information for a whole group so that the impressions and clicks for all ads are tracked together. This makes it also easier to set up multiple ads with the same target url.
\n
Limitations
\n
\n
The intermediate ad can not be added to the ad group it is displaying, or else it might create an infinite loop. This should not be possible programmatically, but still good to know.
\n
Setting different conditions within the individual ads in the group compared to those in the intermediate ad might lead to unexpected behavior.
\n
Visitor conditions of the individual ads within the selected group only work on cached sites when using cache-busting.
With Advanced Ads Pro, you have the additional option of enabling a refresh interval for random and ordered ad groups.
\n
In order to use that feature, you need to enable the cache-busting module in Advanced Ads > Settings > Pro.
\n
\n
Just enable the option and set the time for the refresh in milliseconds.
\n
The ads will then be reloaded automatically.
\n
If you are using the Tracking add-on, the impression will be counted once per page and only, if the ad really showed up.
\n
What else you need to know
\n
The number of visible ads at the same time is limited to one, when the ad refresh is enabled.
\n
Counting impressions for ad refreshes like this is taking some performance, since every call to an ad is loading parts of WordPress. The impact of multiple ad rotations per page set up like above on your server should be monitored by a server admin.
With Advanced Ads Pro you can run tests based on the position of the ad. This feature can serve various purposes:
\n
\n
test ads in position A against ads in position B
\n
rotation different or the same ad to fight ad blindness
\n
\n
Position tests are running through the placements interface, which you can find unter Advanced Ads > Placements.
\n
Creating a split test
\n\n
Go to Advanced Ads > Placements in your site’s dashboard.
\n
Select a Test weight for the placements you want to test against each other (see below). There is no limit on the number of placements included in a test.
\n\nSelect the weight for the placement in the test.\n\n
Click on Save New Test.
\n
The test is now active and should show up in the Placement tests section above all placements.
\n
After creating a placement test, you can set an expiry date and define an email address to which a short notice is being sent. The expiry date does not remove the test. This option is checked once per day, so the email might be sent with some delay.
\n\nPlacement tests overview\n
Test weight
\n
Test weights work like ad rotation weights. E.g., If you set a weight of 2 for Placement A and 4 for Placement B, Placement B will show up twice as often as Placement A.
\n
Placements show up randomly, i.e. the same placement can show up multiple times in a row before switched to another placement.
\n
Evaluating ad tests
\n
Unless you are using the test feature to fight ad blindness with random ad positions, you might want to compare the positions with each other.
\n
In order to do that, you should show different ads for each placement.
\n
If you run an ad network like AdSense, create different AdSense ad units for the test. You can then use the reports in AdSense to see which ad performed best.
\n
If you are testing in-house ads, custom code or images, you can use the Tracking add-on to track impressions and clicks.
\n
What else you need to know
\n
In order to test different ads on the same position, you should use an ad rotation.
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Visual Composer by WPBakery is one of the most popular premium page builder for WordPress. No wonder, that I receive many requests on how to use ads, and especially AdSense ad units, directly within the Visual Composer interface. Until now, the simple solution was to use a shortcode from an ad, group or placement created […]
Visual Composer by WPBakery is one of the most popular premium page builder for WordPress. No wonder, that I receive many requests on how to use ads, and especially AdSense ad units, directly within the Visual Composer interface.
\n
Until now, the simple solution was to use a shortcode from an ad, group or placement created with Advanced Ads and put it into the text element provided by Visual Composer. However, finding it again among other text elements was a challenge to some users.
If you are not a user of Advanced Ads yet, you should take a look at the powerful features it provides.
\n
Visual Composer by WPBakery is a premium page builder for WordPress. Instead of writing all your texts and use shortcodes in the editor WordPress provides, Visual Composer replaces that text area with an interface consisting widget-like elements. Those elements can be individually configured, allowing you to build detailed pages with various features. You can even edit pages in the frontend and see how they change live.
Once installed and activated, the add-on you should find three new Visual Composer elements in the editor:
\n
\n
Advanced Ads – Ad
\n
Advanced Ads – Group
\n
Advanced Ads – Placement
\n
\n
There is also a new tab called Ads with these elements.
\n
\n
Where to find the ID?
\n
When you add and open one of the widgets, you will find an input field for an id of the ad element.
\n
\n
Ad ID
\n
Open the ad edit screen and stop the Wizard, if active. You should now see the Ad ID below the ad title.
\n
\n
Group ID
\n
The Group ID is listed in the details column of the ad group list.
\n
Placement ID
\n
Create a Manual placement. Open the list of placements and click on show usage below the placement’s name. Extract the ID from the id attribute in the shortcode field.
\n
In the screenshot below, the placement ID is “theme-header”.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:8;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:42:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:48:\"Displaying alternative content to ad block users\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"https://wpadvancedads.com/displaying-alternative-content-to-ad-block-users/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:84:\"https://wpadvancedads.com/displaying-alternative-content-to-ad-block-users/#comments\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 02 May 2016 09:55:59 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Update Notices\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://wpadvancedads.com/?p=16891\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:558:\"
When an ad block user visits your site, he might not see the ad you have prepared for them, but instead see a blank spot. This is a challenge all publishers face and therefore it is the most popular feature request for Advanced Ads right now. I am going to address this issue as soon […]
When an ad block user visits your site, he might not see the ad you have prepared for them, but instead see a blank spot. This is a challenge all publishers face and therefore it is the most popular feature request for Advanced Ads right now.
\n
I am going to address this issue as soon as possible, but in order to do it right, I wanted to ask you for your feedback regarding two important questions.
\n
Where to set the alternative content?
\n
Advanced Ads has three structural elements: ads, groups and placements. For a better usability, I will only add the option to enter content displayed to ad block users for one of these structural elements. Which one, is still open for discussion. I only believe that it doesn’t make sense on a group level, since many users don’t actually use or need them, but maybe I am wrong.
\n
Please vote for the level on which you would like to be able to select the content displayed to ad blockers in the following poll:
\nNote: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post\'s poll.\n
If you have another idea, please share it in the comments below.
\n
Choosing another “ad” or custom input?
\n
The second question is whether there should be a plain input field for the ad blocker content or you want to actually select another “ad” to be displayed, when ad blockers are activated.
\n
Of course, the alternative ad needs to be undetectable, like custom html code or an image not named “banner” or so, but especially when you want to reuse the alternative ad blocker content, this seems to be a flexible option.
\n
Please select your favorite option below:
\nNote: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post\'s poll.\n
If you have another idea, please share it in the comments below.
\n
Please note, that I am only going to accept comments regarding this post. If you have a support question, please contact me through support.
In April 2016, AdSense enabled the new Page-level ads for all its users. If you were wondering how to monetize mobile traffic more efficiently, this might be the answer.
\n
Advanced Ads has a feature embedded that allows you to implement Page-level ads into your site with just one click. While you find the tutorial below, you can check out my review on Page-level ads in order to learn if this is worth a try or not.
\n
How to implement Page-level ads
\n
Enabling Page-level ads in your AdSense account
\n
Before using Page-level ads on your site, you need to go to your AdSense account and activate them.
\n
You’ll find them under My Ads > Content > Page-level ads.
\n
Page-level ads come in two formats. As Anchor/overlay ads which are very similar to our Sticky ads, but only sticky at the bottom of the page on mobile devices.
\n
Vignette ads are rather a full overlay, much like our PopUp Ads. Both formats are only working on high end mobile devices and not showing up on every page impression. They also don’t count for the 3-ads-per-page limit.
\nPage-level Ads settings with Vignette Ads enabled\n
\n
Implement Page-level Ads in your WordPress site
\n
Once you activated at least one of the ad formats, you should switch to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Advanced Ads > Settings > AdSense.
\n
If you didn’t include your AdSense ID, now is a good time to do that. You can find details about it here.
\n
Now, you only need to activate the Activate Page-Level ads option and save the settings and the ad tag will be implemented on your site.
\n
Test the Page-level ad tag
\n
Since ads only show up occasionally on mobile, you can go back to the Page-level ad page in your AdSense account, scroll down and use the Test it out button to test if the Page-level tag is implemented. If not, please review the settings again or update your cache.
A very popular feature request was to allow a revenue share with authors. For example, on an ad position within posts, you could show the author’s ad 20% of the time and 80% the ads from the publisher. This would allow authors to earn more from successful posts and also motive them to create more attention to their posts.
\n
After thinking about this for a while, I decided against adding a specific feature. Especially since version 1.7 of Advanced Ads has a display conditions that allows to display ads only on posts from a specific author.
\n
1. Create ad units
\n
The easiest solution for a revenue share with authors would be to create ad units for each author. These ads could either be from your own ad networks (AdSense, or whatever program you are using) or you could get the ads from your authors, in case they have their own accounts.
\n
You also need to create the ads that show up for your account.
\n
2. Set the Author Display Condition
\n
In order to attach a specific ad to an author, you must use the Author Display Condition. Once you added it in the Display Conditions meta box, you can select the author to which this ad “belongs”. This will make sure, that the ad will only show up on posts where this user is the author.
\nThis ad would show only on posts written by Thomas\n
3. Create a group
\n
Now, create a new ad group from the random type. You might name it by the author. Assign the author’s ad and your own ad to this group. Make sure that the ad weight is set up accordingly. For a 20:80 share you would choose 2 for the author’s ad and 8 for your own. 1:4 would work too.
\n
\n
4. Implement the group
\n
The last step is to implement the group.
\n
If you have multiple authors and want to display the ad on the same spot, you need to use a little trick.
\n
Create another ad for each group. This ad should also have the author display condition set, be of the Rich Content type and only the shortcode of that group in the text field.
\n
Now, create a meta group with all these intermediate ads in it and place it whereever you want.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:11;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:39:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:52:\"Using AdSense and other Ads in the Genesis Framework\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://wpadvancedads.com/adsense-ads-genesis-framework/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 20 Jan 2016 14:30:24 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:3:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:9:\"Tutorials\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Genesis Ads\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:2;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:10:\"Placements\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:33:\"https://wpadvancedads.com/?p=9779\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:408:\"
Genesis and AdSense work great together. Learn from this tutorial how Advanced Ads and the free Genesis Ads plugin can help you with an easy to use interface.
The Genesis Framework is a very powerful tool to build great websites with WordPress. Many theme developers already build their customization on top of it. If you display ads from AdSense or other ad networks on your site, Genesis is also a great choice because it makes it simple to add and place the ad units in various positions without the need for additional coding.
\n
The reason Genesis and AdSense work so great together are hooks. They are placeholders who allow you to target specific positions for any content, not only AdSense ads.
In case you are less tech-savviy or just want to get the job done quickly, the free Genesis Ads add-on for Advanced Ads makes use of that built-in technique and gives it an interface.
\n
After you created an ad you head over to the Placements page and create a new Genesis placement choosing the placement type with the following image.
\n
\n
Next, choose any of the positions available in the placement options. You can find a list of them through the add-on page.
\n
After saving the options, your ad should be already visible.
\n
If your ad doesn’t show up then beside the common issues it might happen that the theme you chose does not make use of all the documented hooks that normally come with the framework. In that case take a look at the other available placements in Advanced Ads.
Version 4.7 of WordPress, named “Vaughan” in honor of legendary jazz vocalist Sarah "Sassy" Vaughan, is available for download or update in your WordPress dashboard. New features in 4.7 help you get your site set up the way you want it.
Every year since 2010, WordPress has shipped with a new default theme, breaking the cycle of Kubrick being the primary default theme for years before that.
\n
In 2010, the default theme was called Twenty Ten. In 2011, the default theme was called Twenty Eleven. You get the idea.
\n
While every default theme has been unique in its own way, Twenty Seventeen was particularly compelling in a way we haven’t seen in a default theme since Twenty Fourteen.
\n
Twenty Fourteen was the first theme that really made people think WordPress could be used for more than “just a blog” on a mass scale. It is a magazine theme.
\n
Twenty Seventeen — released with WordPress 4.7 — is the first theme that really made people think WordPress could be used for more than “just publishing content” on a mass scale. It is a business theme.
\n
\n
Prior to WordPress 4.7, I contributed by helping out in the support forums and building accessible themes. But I had never contributed to core before.
\n
When I saw the previews, I knew I wanted to contribute, and began to follow development on GitHub to see if there was anything that I could lend my talents to and eventually make my first core contributions.
\n
When I saw Morten Rand-Hendriksen open an issue about replacing icon fonts with SVG icons, I knew I had found the perfect “in” to start contributing to core.
\n
Contributing SVG icons system to Twenty Seventeen
\n
\n
I had already switched from icon fonts to SVG icons in my public themes, so this was something I immediately felt confident in contributing to core.
\n
Development started in GitHub, where fellow contributors would create issues and submit pull requests.
\n
Then, everything moved to WordPress SVN, where new patches were submitted.
\n
I’ll summarize what I learned in the process.
\n
What I learned about contributing
\n
I regret not keeping a diary. Not necessarily to keep track of what I contributed, since that’s all documented in the open.
\n
But rather things like my emotional state. My feelings ranged from despair to overwhelming joy throughout my contribution experience.
\n
I learned new things about code and collaborating with others in GitHub and SVN. Again, something not necessarily documented in patches and the like.
\n
Git workflow
\n
I’m not good with Git, and still don’t fully understand how rebasing works. I messed up my commits a couple of times. Not a big deal, but I got different error messages no matter which workflow I tried. I realized that I need to know more about Git, and be more patient.
\n
Eventually I understood enough to get my contributions through the door, but I’m still confused about how to rebase a pull request.
\n
Follow the development through to the end, and beyond
\n
I started out by replacing only the social link icon fonts to SVG icons. Soon, I realized that a step-by-step process was not going to work because of new related commits coming in all the time that potentially conflicted with my code.
\n
It was better to replace all icon fonts, not just the social ones, with SVGs, and then work from there. I was also keeping track of style changes in RTL languages and IE8.
\n
At this point, the work was just getting started.
\n
Once you start contributing, you shouldn’t just disappear with no explanation. If you’re running low on time or have other obligations, it’s totally understandable, but be sure to politely inform others you can’t continue anymore, so they can pick up where you left off.
\n
As the o2 slogan states: “Communication is oxygen.”
As you can see in my first commits, I didn’t pass the WordPress coding standards. I needed to be more precise and follow the coding standards to the tee. With enough practice, I’m sure it’s possible to write standards-compliant code “naturally” but I was looking for a way to automate the code checks.
\n
I tried to get Atom to evaluate my code on the fly, but I just couldn’t get it to work. Like my Git experience, I got different error messages no matter what I tried.
\n
Eventually, I was able to use PHPCS via the command line, and fixed any issues discovered manually. But it would’ve been nice to have those checks automated.
\n
Working with batches in SVN
\n
Once the development moved to SVN, I began to get a little worried. As I described earlier, not too long ago, I was struggling just to use Git. However, thanks to the following tutorials I quickly got up to speed.
Turns out, it wasn’t much to be worried about. Although I didn’t quite understand the concept of branches and tags in my local environments, and jumping between them like I know how to do with Git.
\n
Anyway, I eventually got my first props with the help of others.
\n
Technical overview of the SVG icons system
\n
I adapted this contribution from the code and concepts first presented by others.
\n\n
WebDevStudios has their own starter theme called wd_s. I really like how they set up SVG icons and we fine-tuned them in Twenty Seventeen. Perhaps they will integrate those improvements back into their own project. Again, open source rocks.
\n
Justin Tadlock invented the social links menu concept. I just took that concept and applied it to SVG icons rather than icon fonts.
\n\n
All the main SVG-related functions can be found in the inc/icon-functions.php file. It’s well-documented in the code, but here’s a summary:
\n
\n
Include the SVG sprite file via the wp_footer hook.
\n
twentyseventeen_get_svg() function returns the SVG icon markup. In most cases, the SVG icon is injected in template files or via hooks and filters. In some cases, the SVG icon is injected via JavaScript.
Note that we could use the absolute path to the SVG file in the href attribute of the use element. In that case:\n
\n
there is no need to inject icons via the wp_footer hook.
\n
The svgxuse JS polyfill must be used, because Internet Explorer doesn’t support external files referenced in the <use> element.
\n
This method helps caching the SVG sprite file.
\n
\n
\n
By default, all icons are decorative, but I insisted we show how to use non-decorative icons in an accessible way. Check the examples in the aforementioned twentyseventeen_get_svg() function.
\n
We replace the default icon for supported social media links by using the walker_nav_menu_start_el filter.
\n
\n
Open source rocks
\n
WordPress default themes are one of the best themes out there and they set an example how to use new WordPress features. The reason for this is simple.
Default themes are tested before release in many platforms and browsers. And default themes are used on so many sites that any remaining bugs will be found after the release.
\n
\n
Building default themes really is a community driven project. I’d like to say extra thanks for couple of people.
\n
Special thank you
\n
Any web project needs good leadership, design, and code. Those were all covered in Twenty Seventeen.
\n
\n
David A. Kennedy was leading the project and kept everything rolling. He had a really friendly touch and he was open to ideas. At the same time he wasn’t afraid to make decisions; for example, a flexbox layout was rejected for this theme.
Who knows if I would’ve contributed if it wasn’t for him posting that. Remember, reporting issues and bugs is contributing too, and can inspire first-time contributors like me to stop sitting on the sidelines and finally get started with core contributions.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 07 Jan 2017 22:42:26 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sami Keijonen\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:71:\"WPTavern: Let’s Encrypt Passes 20 Million Active Certificates in 2016\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64815\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:79:\"https://wptavern.com/lets-encrypt-passes-20-million-active-certificates-in-2016\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5050:\"
Let’s Encrypt has just closed out its first full year as a certificate authority with more than 20 million active certificates. The free and open certificate authority focuses on lowering the complexity of setting up TLS encryption by making the process more automated. It came out of beta in April 2016 and the number of certificates issued per day has grown steadily since then.
\n
“At the start of 2016, Let’s Encrypt certificates had been available to the public for less than a month and we were supporting approximately 240,000 active (unexpired) certificates,” said Josh Aas, Executive Director of the non-profit Internet Security Research Group (ISRG). “Now we’re frequently issuing that many new certificates in a single day while supporting more than 20,000,000 active certificates in total. We’ve issued more than a million certificates in a single day a few times recently.”
\n
\n
Let’s Encrypt operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and has received more than three dozen corporate sponsorships and grants, but funds for the coming year have fallen short. In November, Let’s Encrypt launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover the cost of one month of operating expenses. So far, the campaign has raised more than $100K towards its $200K fundraising goal.
\n
Let’s Encrypt is Growing Fastest with Smaller, Previously-Unencrypted Sites
\n
Let’s Encrypt is used with some larger organizations, such as WordPress.com, OVH, Shopify, Akamai, and Dreamhost, but the vast majority of users are smaller entities that were not previously encrypted. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a founding sponsor of the certificate authority, most of Let’s Encrypt’s growth has not come from taking customers away from competitors:
\n
\nOne of the ways Let’s Encrypt has been helping to secure the web is by making it easy and affordable for sites that have never had certs before to turn on secure HTTPS connections, and for software systems to start enabling HTTPS automatically and by default. Our free certificates may be more likely to be left unused than expensive certificates, and less expert webmasters may accidentally duplicate certificates—but that’s part of making HTTPS integration available to more webmasters across a range of resource and skill levels. Statistics suggest that most of our growth has come not at the expense of other CAs, but from giving previously unencrypted sites their first-ever certificates.
\n
EFF analyzed various sources of usage statistics and estimates that Let’s Encrypt is now the largest certificate authority on the web. Its rapid adoption has spurred impressive progress towards getting the entire web encrypted. Let’s Encrypt tracks progress by measuring the percentage of page loads using HTTPS, as seen by browsers.
\n
“According to Firefox Telemetry, the Web has gone from approximately 39% of page loads using HTTPS each day to just about 49% during the past year,” Aas said in Let’s Encrypt’s 2016 in Review report. “We’re incredibly close to a Web that is more encrypted than not.”
\n
The proliferation of Let’s Encrypt client options in 2016 puts the certificate authority in an even better position to continue driving web encryption in 2017. Aas attributes last year’s progress to many organizations advocating for HTTPS and working to get their sites encrypted. His team has grown from four full-time employees to nine, and he anticipates that 2017 will be a year of even greater growth.
\n
“Much of the infrastructure and many of the plans necessary for a 100% encrypted Web came into being or solidified in 2016,” Aas said. “More and more hosting providers and CDNs are supporting HTTPS with one click or by default, often without additional fees. It has never been easier for people and organizations running their own sites to find the tools, services, and information they need to move to HTTPS.”
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 07 Jan 2017 21:42:52 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:53:\"WPTavern: How Do You Educate People New to WordPress?\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64890\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:63:\"https://wptavern.com/how-do-you-educate-people-new-to-wordpress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5213:\"
When a friend of mine asked for suggestions on what he should use to create a new site, I suggested WordPress. It is well supported, has an amazing community, and a ton of free themes and plugins to choose from. After getting WordPress installed on a new webhosting account, I left him be to see what issues he would run into and how he would configure the site.
\n
After noticing the site was loading slowly three weeks later, I obtained admin access to try to determine what the problem was. The first thing I did was check which plugins he installed. One of the plugins added the ability to embed YouTube videos on the site using shortcodes. My friend was unaware that WordPress has oEmbed support which allows users to easily embed videos by pasting the URL into the editor.
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He also installed a couple of other plugins that mimicked core functionality. He was unaware that WordPress does most of the things he wants without the need for plugins.
\n
Page Builder Shenanigans
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After activating a theme that was compatible with the SportsPress plugin, he installed the MotoPress Content Editor. MotoPress Content Editor is a front-end page builder that enables users to visually construct pages. The front page of the site was a long vertical column filled with information that mimicked blog posts.
\n
Because he didn’t understand how WordPress works, he forgot to configure the site to display the latest posts instead of using a front page. What he ended up doing is recreating the blog post layout on the static front page using the MotoPress Content Editor. He also added a lot of page builder elements such as YouTube videos to the page which was a contributing factor to the site’s poor loading times.
\n
Page builders are a tool that can make building sites and pages more convenient, but in the wrong hands, they can help users ruin their sites. I replaced the video elements with a text widget that displays the latest video from a YouTube channel. Since he was mimicking the blog post layout on a static page, I configured the site to display the latest blog posts first.
\n
Once I fixed these issues, I removed the page builder and explained to my friend why it was unnecessary. He was recreating WordPress functionality and doing unnecessary work without realizing it.
\n
This experience makes me wonder how many other newer WordPress users end up in a similar situation. They don’t know what WordPress is capable of out-of-the-box and they end up installing a myriad of plugins with descriptions that sound similar to the features they want. I spent about a week undoing all of the work my friend did in three. Had I not stepped in, the site would likely not scale and its performance would decrease further.
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Getting New Users Started on the Right Track
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In early 2015, a community initiative dubbed NUX Working Group was created to brainstorm ideas on how to improve the new user experiences throughout the WordPress admin. While the group initially had a head of steam, it lost a lot of momentum last year. I’d like to see it re-emerge and work in concert with the focus-based approach to developing WordPress this year.
\n
How can WordPress explain to new users what its capable of without drowning them in technical information? Is it feasible to create something that caters to the majority without explaining every feature in detail? Admin Pointers were introduced in WordPress 3.3 and while they’re typically used to introduce new features in a release, they don’t act as a guided tour to what WordPress can do.
\n
Education is likely a key component to improving the new user experience. WordPress.com has a 12-step beginner’s guide that walks people through the process of configuring and customizing their sites. For self-hosted WordPress users, there’s a New to WordPress – Where to Start guide that covers what WordPress is, choosing a host, and considerations to keep in mind. However, much of the information is technical in nature.
\n
If you’re a consultant or coach who works with people new to WordPress, how do you handle the educational part of your projects? What are the most common roadblocks that they encounter? Do you have a custom-made getting started guide or do you forward them to a site with video tutorials like WordPress.TV or WP101?
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 06 Jan 2017 19:19:33 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:47:\"WPTavern: Incubator WordCamp Denpasar a Success\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64903\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com/incubator-wordcamp-denpasar-a-success\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4625:\"
This post was contributed by guest author Taylor Lovett. Lovett is based in the Washington DC area, is the Director of Web Engineering at 10up, creator of ElasticPress, and general open source enthusiast. \n
\n\n
In February 2016, the WordPress Foundation announced the WordCamp incubator program, focused on spreading WordPress and open source values to remote areas of the world through extra hands-on support to first time WordCamps. WordCamp Denpasar, which took place in Bali’s capital city, is the first of three camps to be supported as a part of the program — other WordCamps include Harare and Medellín. As Director of Web Engineering at 10up, I was sent to attend and speak at the inaugural event. Our company values open source projects and the WordPress community, so we’re proud to support emerging communities by attending events like this.
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The incubator program supports WordCamps by providing them with an experienced organizer. In Denpasar’s case, Rocio Valdivia, a Community Wrangler for Automattic, was the WordCamp Incubator sponsored organizer. According to Ivan Kristianto, the lead organizer for WordCamp Denpasar, “Rocio was a hands-on consultant provided by the WordPress Foundation to help incubate the camp. She helped [us] in budgeting, managing the organizers, submission timelines, and more”.
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WordCamp Denpasar attracted 180 attendees, twice the initial goal. Many attendees came from other parts of Indonesia to attend the Camp, which bubbled with an aura of excitement as Indonesia has not had a WordCamp in over three years. The venue, the Royal Beach Seminyak Hotel, was of ample size and served the crowd well. There was a single session track, mixed with user, business, and developer topics. Lunch included a nice buffet featuring local Balinese cuisine. Overall, the WordCamp attendance, venue, and amenities were quite impressive.
\n
The speaker lineup was diverse, with speakers from Indonesia, Australia, Europe, Japan, and the United States. Attendees were extremely enthusiastic throughout the sessions and actively engaged in questions. I was last to speak, presenting on NodeifyWP and Twenty Sixteen React. WordCamp Denpasar was the debut presentation of our new isomorphic JavaScript framework. The crowd was extremely excited to hear my presentation and attendees were grateful 10up choose Bali as a first occasion to show the framework. After my talk, I received more questions than could fit in the allotted time slot.
\n
In the weeks after the Camp, I talked with Rocio about the overall success of the event and Incubator program as a whole. Rocio believed the WordCamp went extremely well. She cited some key events that followed the inaugural camp:
\n\n
The local Indonesian meetup group has grown to more than 50 new members across different groups.
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The existing WP Meetup Bekasi group in Indonesia has applied to join the Meetup chapter program.
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The non-active WP Meetup of Jakarta has now two members interested in re-activating the group and have applied to join the chapter program. They are also interested in organizing WordCamp Jakarta 2017.
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The WordPress Foundation has received an application for organizing WordCamp Ubud in 2017 (one hour from Denpasar) which is in pre-planning now.
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A WP Indonesia Slack channel is being created to connect the whole community in the country.
\n\n
Clearly, WordCamp Denpasar has had a positive effect on the Indonesian WordPress community. As more areas of the world getting involved contributing to and using WordPress, the project’s internationalization and diversity improves. If Denpasar is any indication, expanding the incubator program to more areas of the world will have long-lasting benefits within the entire WordPress community.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 06 Jan 2017 18:59:26 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:4;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:94:\"WPTavern: Matt Mullenweg Announces Tech and Design Leads for New Focus-Based Development Cycle\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64862\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:105:\"https://wptavern.com/matt-mullenweg-announces-tech-and-design-leads-for-new-focus-based-development-cycle\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7237:\"photo credit: Angelina Litvin\n
WordPress core development is kicking off in 2017 with the new focus-based development process that Matt Mullenweg announced during the 2016 State of the Word. The new approach to releases shifts WordPress from the familiar time-based release cycle to one that is more project-based. The idea is that design and user testing will lead the way and upcoming releases will ship when significant user-facing improvements are ready.
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Mullenweg, who will serve as the overall product lead for 2017, announced tech and design leads for each of the three focus areas: the REST API, the editor, and the customizer.
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“For the REST API we’re going to work on getting first party wp-admin usage of the new endpoints, and hopefully replace all of the core places where we still use admin-ajax,” Mullenweg said. The REST API team nominated Ryan McCue and K.Adam White to take the lead on the objectives Mullenweg outlined, as well as infrastructure and endpoint performance, security, and improvements to authentication options and documentation.
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“The editor will endeavor to create a new page and post building experience that makes writing rich posts effortless, and has ‘blocks’ to make it easy what today might take shortcodes, custom HTML, or ‘mystery meat’ embed discovery,” Mullenweg said. Automattic employees Matias Ventura and Joen Asmussen will be taking point on the editor.
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The Shortcake UI feature plugin is one attempt at giving the existing shortcodes feature a more user-friendly interface, but contributors are also exploring other ideas for simplifying the experience of adding rich content to posts. Ella Van Dorpe recently posted an idea for using uniform resource identifiers as an alternative to shortcodes in certain use cases. This would work similar to WordPress’ implementation of oEmbed where data is stored elsewhere and embedded in a post using a URL.
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Mullenweg’s proposed direction for the customizer team is to “help out the editor at first, then shift to bring those fundamental building blocks into something that could allow customization ‘outside of the box’ of post_content, including sidebars and possibly even an entire theme.” Weston Ruter and Mel Choyce will be taking the lead on the customizer focus.
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Ruter and contributors have been working on a project called JS Widgets that uses the Customize API to power the next generation of JavaScript-widgets in core. It opens the door for managing widgets via the REST API and ties in nicely with all three focus areas.
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A preliminary discussion on upcoming Customizer priorities cropped up in the comments. Nick Halsey, co-maintainer of the customize component, responded to the proposal of having the customizer help out the editor at first. He believes the best approach is to create the new editor within the Customize API, giving it live previews from the start.
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“Improving the editor within an ‘admin’ interface that lacks live preview doesn’t address the fundamental problems with the current content editing experience and creates something that still has to be entirely rebuilt and reimagined within a live preview context eventually,” Halsey said. “If the editor is built on the Customize API first, rather than rethinking the editor and then bringing it into the live preview API, the customize and editor contributors would be able to join forces to focus on improving the content editing experience much more effectively.”
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It will be interesting to see what direction Mullenweg and the leads decide to take in the foundational task of architecting the new editing experience. Mullenweg made it clear in the State of the Word address that he would like to see Calypso or a similar interface replace wp-admin in the future. However, Calypso was not built using the Customize API, WordPress’ own single page application admin interface that plugins and themes already widely support.
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After WordCamp US, I asked Mullenweg about his intentions for Calypso in relationship to WordPress core. He said the application was “designed to be in core someday,” which is one reason they selected the same license and made it open source.
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“My real hope is that it is something that is ready for core someday – both Calypso the interface and the concept.” Mullenweg said. “That’s why I said Calypso or something like it. There’s obviously a lot of WordPress.com stuff in Calypso that will never be in core. If we think of a wp-admin replacement, it would be replacing wp-admin with the parts that Calypso does that are the same thing, kind of more of the my sites section of it. But I do believe the future of a great wp-admin experience is JavaScript – probably React, talking to APIs, super fast, and maybe even working offline.”
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Automattic is actively recruiting popular plugin authors to make their plugins Calypso-aware. Demonstrating the application’s interoperability with the WordPress plugin ecosystem is a must before Calypso can be considered a promising replacement for the WordPress admin. In the meantime, the foundation for a new page and post building experience is being laid with consideration for how the customizer can improve the editor.
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Mullenweg responded to comments on the post indicating that feature plugins or other improvements to WordPress outside of the three focus areas would need to continue on as plugins for the time being. However, performance improvements may be included in minor releases.
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“What goes in a minor release will broaden a bit, which I know is something we have to approach carefully, but performance is very important and improvements will be something I will consider for being in a minor release,” Mullenweg said. Contributors are currently working on WordPress 4.7.1, which is planned for release on Tuesday, January 10.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 06 Jan 2017 00:00:08 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:116:\"WPTavern: Micro.blog Surpasses Kickstarter Funding Goal, Set to Launch New Social Network for Independent Microblogs\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64805\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:126:\"https://wptavern.com/micro-blog-surpasses-kickstarter-funding-goal-set-to-launch-new-social-network-for-independent-microblogs\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6754:\"
Developer Manton Reece is on a mission to take back short form content for the open web by providing better tools for independent microblogging. Most short form content today is posted through centralized social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where posts are mixed with promoted content and users have no control of their timelines. There’s no guarantee that these social networks will be around forever, as many before them have disappeared, eclipsed by new ways to connect online.
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Reece set out to create Micro.blog, a timeline and publishing platform for the open web, as an alternative social network that encourages more independent writing. He launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the platform along with his work on a book called Indie Microblogging. The project’s $10K goal was fully funded on the first day and has passed $22,000 on the second day of the campaign.
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Micro.blog has a timeline experience similar to Twitter with replies and favorites, but the main difference is that it is based on RSS, pulling posts from independent sites. Those who don’t have their own websites will be able to opt for a hosted microblog and map a custom domain. Users with hosted microblogs can post via a web interface that includes a Markdown editor or use the service’s iPhone app.
\n
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Micro.blog Will Integrate with WordPress
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Reece, who self-hosts his own blog on WordPress, will be launching Micro.blog with full integration for WordPress users, making it easy to cross post between the two platforms. I asked him about the workflow for publishing from WordPress and he said his Indie Microblogging book will contain a section specifically on WordPress.
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“After you’ve told Micro.blog about your WordPress RSS feed, you can continue to post to your blog as you normally would, although I’ll have some tips for taking the best advantage of it,” Reece said. “There’s also a native iPhone app for Micro.blog that supports direct posting to WordPress. I’ve found that it really improves the user experience to have a single app with a timeline experience, replies, favorites, as well as easy posting directly to your own site. But there’s no requirement to use any specific app.”
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Reece said he plans to implement a very strict, reverse-chronological timeline for content that users are following. He also does not plan to introduce any algorithms or advertising. Basic accounts will be free and the plan is to sustain the platform with revenue from a paid plan that includes extra features like microblog hosting.
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“One thing that is very important to me is not letting someone you don’t follow interrupt your timeline with harassment or other replies that aren’t appropriate,” Reece said. “I’m working on some features around this that I hope will help avoid similar issues that Twitter has faced in its community, for example. So if there are any custom algorithms or curation it will be around trying to deal with abuse before it happens.”
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The Micro.blog platform is currently built using Ruby, Sinatra, Ember.js, MySQL, and Redis. Reece said he is in the process of rewriting some of the app with a more traditional Ruby on Rails setup.
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“Ember didn’t end up being a great fit for the design,” Reece said. “There is also a portion of the microblog publishing engine built on Jekyll, so that themes and data files can be more portable.”
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Micro.blog isn’t entirely distributed where users host their own “pods” like Diaspora, but Reece said he is open to making it more decentralized in the future.
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“It’s a good goal to eventually move to something even more distributed, but it introduces a lot of complexity, which has prevented most of those kind of solutions from taking off,” Reece said. “I hope that Micro.blog is a step in the right direction, encouraging people to write more on their own site even for short microblog posts, instead of just Twitter and Facebook, with more open formats and APIs. It’s more achievable if we can build off of tools like WordPress instead of starting over.”
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Reece said he thinks WordPress.com (Automattic) is one of only a couple web publishing companies he believes could last 100 years. “Only 2 companies keep coming to mind: WordPress.com and GitHub,” he said in a post about mirroring his blog to GitHub. “I believe both will last for decades, maybe even 100 years, and both embrace the open web in a way that most other centralized web sites do not.”
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During his 14 years of blogging and 10 years of using Twitter, Reece became an advocate for the open web. He said he used to be excited about Twitter and built apps for the platform but grew disillusioned at their approach to locking down the API.
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“We’ve been so focused on writing on Twitter and Facebook that we’ve gotten away from more independent publishing that makes blogs and the open web great,” Reece said. “I think microblogging has a place on the open web, and that posting to a blog and reading posts from friends can have just as great a user experience as using a traditional social network. I’ve already heard from many people who have been inspired recently to blog again, which is really the main goal of Micro.blog.”
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The Micro.blog Kickstarter campaign will end in 27 days. Reece said he was surprised the project was funded so quickly. He plans to work hard over the next month to roll out Micro.blog to everyone.
\n
“I can’t wait to see how users use the service, how the book can help WordPress users expand their existing blogs, and what developers want to build on the APIs going forward,” Reece said.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 04 Jan 2017 23:14:03 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:6;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:26:\"HeroPress: We Are The Same\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=1556\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"https://heropress.com/essays/we-are-the-same/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:9064:\"
Topher asked me to write an article for HeroPress as we sat together in an alcove in the Philly Convention Center. I was in a vulnerable space. My lightning talk at WordCamp US had concluded, and I was settling into the experience of being at another WordCamp. I thought about the life experiences that brought me to my second presentation a year later, and I started to cry. Below is why.
\n
One of my earliest memories is attending my mother’s graduate school graduation ceremony. It was a huge achievement. I wore a pink frilly dress with afro puffs to her graduation ceremony. I am sure I was gripping someone’s leg and hiding behind them. Behind my mother, my aunt or maybe my father. I was painfully awkward and shy. Which didn’t make any sense because my family was constantly telling me, ‘Be quiet’. That could have been their anthem for me. Children were meant to be seen, not heard.
\n
I think of that young Sierra Leonean American girl I was, I think back to that day, and wonder what became of her.
\n
She grew taller, much taller, transitioned from pink dresses to a pink bedroom, and, some say, is poised. But she is still painfully awkward. You wouldn’t know it, but you can catch her at times sitting quietly at an event achingly wishing she were alone and didn’t have to perform.
\n
I project confidence because I was drafted into an oratory competition in middle school. Something about my voice caught the attention of my middle school teacher Mrs. McNeil. She entered me into one. I don’t recall what I read or the outcome. I only remember my mom driving me to my competition and her, my sister and I pulling up to a very crowded parking lot. Everything gets fuzzy after we arrived.
\n
In high school, I didn’t need to be drafted into public speaking. I had strong ideals and opinions, and when it came to debate competitions I didn’t need to fit in and be cool. All I had to do was win. I debated as a Junior Statesmen, entered the Essex County Mock Trial competition, and the High School Moot Court Tournament at Princeton University. During 10th or 11th grade I got commendations for my role as a mother whose son died due to someone’s negligence at school. I argued with the other team’s attorneys. I was distraught. I channeled my inner mother. The judge gave our Mock Trial team extra points because I made the case believable. In 11th grade my partner and I came second place in the Moot Court competition at Princeton.
\n
I live in Maplewood, New Jersey. It is a town that actively engages its children. Our administration and teachers educate us to be competitive academically and in our extracurricular activities, and to actively seek out opportunities for service.
\n
Teachers tell us we can be great – and expectations are that we will be great.
\n
It is ingrained in us that to whom much is given much is expected. I do the best I can to embody what is expected of me.
\n
Truthfully, as an African girl, it was wonderful to be educated like this. At home my parents, aunts and uncles expect nothing less. Outside of home and my classes and clubs, I received mixed messages about who I was and what I could achieve. I was one of a handful of Africans in a diverse community. I didn’t look African or sound African I was told growing up. And I was surprised as a child of how differently I was treated by many of the same color other than my best friend and her family in elementary school. It was fascinating. On one occasion at school I achingly experienced different treatment. A college counselor lost interest in helping me with financial aid when it came up in conversation that I was African. After that conversation she was too busy to meet with me. I went to the head of guidance instead who was fabulous.
\n
Occasions like this make me acutely proud of where my family comes from and the sacrifices my parents made 30 plus years ago when they immigrated here.
\n
I see in them that resilience is a must and that success is accessible through motivation, hard work, focus, education and self-improvement.
\n
As a child, I hurt at the barriers some put up when I told them I am African. And I still do. At times, we are misunderstood and misrepresented. And it doesn’t make me any less proud of my Sierra Leonean heritage.
\n
Three weeks ago, I had dinner with someone I met years ago. I mentioned something related to my heritage. She stopped for a second. She said she was surprised to hear I am African. Her enthusiasm towards me immediately drained. I wasn’t shocked. I pushed away the feeling of disappointment I feel in these occasions. I acknowledged the difference internally and it didn’t stop me from enjoying her company. It’s a situation I’ve found myself in many, many times.
\n
I was told I could be great as a child growing up in Maplewood. I let this propel me forward through each obstacle in my way, and I let this make me stand tall as I take on each daunting task before me. I took this with me to every college class and graduate class I have taken even when overpowered by feelings of inadequacy. I have been to events at places where very few people will ever have the chance to go. There are organizations I have worked for that have a competitive selection process. There are certificates I have earned that make me wonder how I gathered the strength to make it through. And there are presentations like the ones I gave at WordCamp US in 2015 and 2016 where I fought through feelings of inadequacy to stand on stage and speak before hundreds of people in the tech industry.
\n
At these times, I think of the little Sierra Leonean American girl in the pink frilly dress with afro puffs, and wonder how she could achieve each one of these accomplishments.
\n
I wonder how she became so warmly embraced by the WordPress community, invited to plan WordCamp NYC at the United Nations in 2016, and invited to be a co-organizer of Meetups in NYC. It reflects how inclusive our community is.
\n
I think of my gender, my color, and my heritage.
\n
To every woman – we are the same. And, even if we glance at each other and look away, I am you and you are me. We can’t let anyone convince us otherwise.
\n
I think of the African girl on the continent who doesn’t have the choices and resources I have. I cry for her, and I cry for me.
\n
I cry because I may never meet her, never look deeply into her eyes, never tell her that she will be great, give her the resources she needs to fully realize her dreams and give her the space to be embraced by the WordPress community. Make no mistake in this digital age that this little girl is aware of what she doesn’t have, and that she needs us to propel her forward.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 04 Jan 2017 12:00:25 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Winstina Hughes\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"WPTavern: W3Techs Ranks WordPress as the Fastest Growing CMS of 2016\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64826\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:79:\"https://wptavern.com/w3techs-ranks-wordpress-as-the-fastest-growing-cms-of-2016\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3019:\"photo credit: Luis Llerena\n
W3Techs published its Web Technologies of 2016 report today, compiling technologies that saw the largest increase in usage last year. The survey pulls data from the top 10 million sites (according to Alexa rankings) and compares the number of sites for each technology by measuring the difference from January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2017.
\n
W3Techs ranks WordPress as the fastest growing content management system with 58.5% market share. Shopify and Squarespace demonstrated the second and third largest increases in usage. Squarespace is a newcomer to the top three. In 2015 the second and third place winners were Drupal and Shopify. WordPress has dominated the top spot every year since 2010.
\n
CMS usage on the whole saw a 3.3% increase. Of the top 15 CMS’s only six demonstrated growth, including the aforementioned top three, as well as Joomla, Drupal, and Bitrix, which showed nominal 0.1% increases in market share by the end of 2016. Blogger is on the decline, and the remaining CMS’s showed no increase or decrease.
\n
\n
PHP regained its top ranking among server-side programming languages as the fastest growing in 2016, a title which it temporarily lost to Java in 2015. W3Techs estimates PHP to be used by 82.4% of all websites for which it can detect a server-side programming language.
\n
Another interesting result of the survey is that “WordPress Jetpack,” the stats module in Jetpack, ranks third among the fastest growing traffic analysis tools, trailing Google Analytics and Yandex.Metrika. Jetpack Stats has been on a slow upward trend, rising from 1.6% in 2011 to 4.5% in 2017. The top fastest growing players in this category have repeated several years in a row.
\n
It’s important to note that many Jetpack stats users also use Google Analytics, but these numbers also give a rough idea of Jetpack usage increase, since it is one of the most popular modules in the plugin. According to W3Techs, Jetpack Stats is used by 6.9% of sites for which it can detect a traffic analysis tool, which it estimates as 4.5% of all websites.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 03 Jan 2017 23:03:25 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:8;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:52:\"WPTavern: WP-CLI Gets Official WordPress.org Support\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64789\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:63:\"https://wptavern.com/wp-cli-gets-official-wordpress-org-support\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5086:\"
The WP-CLI open source project will be coming under the WordPress.org umbrella in 2017. After recent talks with Daniel Bachhuber, WP-CLI’s official maintainer, Matt Mullenweg announced WordPress’ support for the project, calling it “one of the highest impact developments for WP in many years.” The wp-cli.org website will soon be migrated to WordPress.org and a CLI Make site with its own P2 is now available to contributors.
\n
“As we head into 2017, I wanted to make sure that its future is certain for everyone who builds on it, and that the major contributors to the project, chiefly Daniel Bachhuber, are able to work on it even more in the coming year,” Mullenweg said. Now that the project is part of WordPress.org, Mullenweg said he will be leading a coalition of companies to “solidify their financial support” of the existing fundraising effort that Bachhuber launched in mid-December 2016.
\n
The logistics of the new funding model haven’t yet been completely ironed out, but Bachhuber says runcommand will not be shutting down.
\n
“Runcommand’s sole focus will be to hire people to work on WP-CLI,” he said. “This hybrid approach better ensures WP-CLI’s long-term future (e.g. the project is under the wing of the WordPress project), while also being a creative way for paying for dedicated resources to it.”
\n
Bachhuber explored different funding models for WP CLI throughout 2016 without much success. When discussions about making it an official WordPress core project first began, he was leaning towards keeping WP-CLI operating as an independent project. The new hybrid approach gives companies the opportunity to financially support an official WordPress project via runcommand, where Bachhuber hopes to hire additional maintainers on a part-time basis.
\n
“I’ve thought a lot about funding open source over the last year,” Bachhuber said. “In the context of WP-CLI, I came to the conclusion that I didn’t have confidence in WP-CLI being a completely independent project + financially sustainable business.”
\n
Bachhuber said he feels “reasonably confident” about the future of the project after recent developments and hopes to have funding for a few part-time maintainers.
\n
“I think part-time is key because each of us needs to be working / solving problems in the real-world, and then taking those solutions back to the project,” Bachhuber said. Although many open source projects operate without paying people for contributions, he believes there is an important distinction between maintainers and contributors.
\n
“Contributors act in a voluntary manner (e.g. contributing code when they have a couple hours free),” Bachhuber said. “Maintainers take responsibility for the project, showing up every day, and doing most of the unglamorous work. I think maintainership is an important aspect of a healthy open source project. Everyone has an example of an open source project they use that’s no longer maintained and how painful it is to be dependent on it.”
\n
Responses to the news of WP-CLI gaining official WordPress.org support were overwhelmingly positive, as the tool is critical to the WordPress developer community. The decision to have WP-CLI operate under WordPress.org’s umbrella makes it better positioned to drive the financial support needed to sustain the ongoing burden of maintainership.
\n
Bachhuber said the current fundraising effort, which is based on a patron support model, is approximately 1/5 of the way to his funding goal. He is still waiting to hear from a number of large players but the funding drive will remain open indefinitely for now. Bachhuber said they will re-evaluate once they reach the goal.
\n
“I consider this the best possible outcome of my efforts trying to identify sustainability for the project over the last year,” Bachhuber said in the first post on the Make WordPress CLI site. “The decision to make WP-CLI an official WordPress project also means there’s a clear path forward for me to invest more of my own time into the WP-CLI roadmap. Concurrent with the transition process over the next couple of months, I want to move forward the conversation of how we realize a future where WP-CLI is the fastest way to do anything with WordPress.”
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Hey folks, HeroPress contributor Michael Beil is fighting for his life right now. Michael’s a personal friend, and a tremendous person. There’s an online donation form to help with medical bills and life in general. If you can, please help out.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 31 Dec 2016 01:20:14 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:10;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"WPTavern: WPWeekly Episode 258 – 2016 Year in Review Part 1\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com?p=64794&preview=true&preview_id=64794\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"https://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-258-2016-year-in-review-part-1\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1078:\"
In this episode of WordPress Weekly, Marcus Couch and I recap the news and headlines of the first half of 2016. Part two will be recorded on January 4th, 2017, where we’ll look back at the headlines during the second half of 2016, give our predictions for 2017, and share what we’re looking forward to in the new year.
\n
WPWeekly Meta:
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Next Episode: Wednesday, January 4th 3:00 P.M. Eastern
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After Post Status Publish’s main talks concluded, Joe Hoyle and I recorded the podcast during the reception. It was a laid back format where we discuss the future of WordPress, including our own wishlist features, and then we spent the majority of the hour taking questions from the audience.
\n
We recorded this prior to the announcement of the new development schedule and changes to major releases, but most of our conversation remains relevant, as many of our wishlist items are within the three release focus areas that have been chosen.
\n
You can listen to just the audio, also on our podcast, which you can find on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and via RSS for your favorite podcatcher.
The rest of the videos from Publish are available to Post Status members.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 29 Dec 2016 15:21:13 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Brian Krogsgard\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:12;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"HeroPress: Over The Atlantic\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=1545\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:47:\"https://heropress.com/essays/over-the-atlantic/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6054:\"
I’m on a plane. They’ve just served lunch and I realise I’m stuck. There isn’t enough room to slip out for a bathroom break without tipping my meal and the trolley blocks the aisle.
\n
I cough and notice I’m tense, what’s going on? I enjoy flying, why should today be any different? Is it that I might be sick? Maybe it’s shovelling clothes off of the dining table into an open suitcase and rushing for a taxi at 6am? Or responding to a client at 11pm then playing Rimworld till 2am knowing I’d be up at 5? Maybe it’s Mr Robot? Anyone who’s seen that show knows it isn’t exactly happy.
\n
I open my watch up and try the new breathe app. I’ve installed watch apps before but never found much use from them, but this came with the update from Apple this morning so I’ll give it a go. It holds me steady but I’m still tense.
\n
I put on some music and try to eat some food. Maybe that’s the problem? I get anxious sometimes about food, it can get me in trouble. During speaker submissions for WordCamp Europe Sophia I wrote a mini rant about sandwiches and labeling. Siobhan thought it was funny, but I should know better. It was that year I saw a talk on depression.
\n
I’ve seen several people speak about it, but right now I’m anxious, and I’m typing. After WCEU 2016 I promised Topher I’d write an article for him, and I’ve been occupied. The last month or so, I’ve been working and not taking care of myself. I’m not sure if I’m actually sick or if this is burn out. I’ve noticed aches in my hands, it worries me.
\n
I think about what writing this will do. My WP Tavern article ranks higher than me on Facebook search.
\n
There’s nothing like an article on anxiety popping up when a date searches your name. I don’t want to be known as the mental health guy.
\n
But a promise is a promise. When I last did this people were supportive. They said nice things, they talked about their own feelings and gave talks. Nobody sent their pity.
\n
The food tray’s gone now, I’m not sure how I feel but I know there’s 2 Automatticians in front of me and 2 to the side. We land in Vancouver in 6 hours for the grand meet up, and I know I’ll get a big hug from several people. They’re genuine nice people, and I’ve come to realise the WordPress community doesn’t tolerate bad actors. We share what we think is important, what people need to hear.
\n
I’ve got one more episode of Mr Robot, I’ll think about those I see at WordCamps and close this app. It isn’t long before I can talk in person.
\n\n
I’m home! Despite a total lack of scrambled eggs on toast in not one, not two, but three major international airports, I’ve finally returned home. My friends dragged me jet lagged to a play entitled “The pacifists answer to the war on cancer” where a jolly sequinned cancer cell sings a song moments after a woman screams in agony. I got to sing happy birthday to my family with a room of Automatticians, climb a mountain, it was fun!
\n
I think about what I’ve written, and wish I’d been more positive.
\n
Life can be scary but I’m surrounded by people who want to help.
\n
Sometimes that’s family, or friends, but user groups and events help too. These people have the same problems and worries I do, and deal with them in many ways.
\n
Importantly, they’re willing to talk about their problems in front of hundreds of people, and share their solutions. I feel it’s something that isn’t mentioned often enough. Burnout and stress is rampant in our industry, and I’m glad people are stepping up to the challenge.
\n
I’m a lead organiser for a WordCamp Manchester now. That means I can’t speak at my own conference, but I’m hoping to get a good talk or two. Maybe things aren’t so terrible? Maybe next time I’ll get a window seat.
I love Christmas music, and most years I like to recommend a Christmas music album that is a bit more jazz or has something interesting about it. This year I want to point you to Leslie Odom Jr., aka Aaron Burr in the hit musical Hamilton, who is a gifted vocalist. Hat tip: Rose Kuo. Check out “My Favorite Things.” Embedded on Spotify below, also on iTunes and Amazon.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 24 Dec 2016 18:18:35 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:14;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:98:\"WPTavern: BuddyPress 2.7.4 Patches Security Vulnerability That Could Allow Arbitrary File Deletion\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com?p=64736&preview=true&preview_id=64736\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:109:\"https://wptavern.com/buddypress-2-7-4-patches-security-vulnerability-that-could-allow-arbitrary-file-deletion\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1223:\"
The BuddyPress development team has released BuddyPress 2.7.4 to address a security vulnerability that affects all versions back to 2.0.
\n
According to John James Jacoby, lead developer of BuddyPress, “This version patches a vulnerability to the BuddyPress core attachments API that could allow arbitrary file deletion on certain installation configurations.”
\n
The vulnerability was responsibly disclosed by Sam Pizzey through the HackerOne bounty program. Although Automattic primarily uses the service for its own products, they accept reports for open source projects such as WordPress and BuddyPress.
\n
Boone Gorges and Paul Gibbs collaborated on a fix for all affected versions of BuddyPress while Stephen Edgar and Dion helped package the release. Those who use BuddyPress are highly encouraged to update as soon as possible to protect against this vulnerability. If you encounter any issues or need help, please create a post on the project’s support forums.
BuddyPress 2.7.4 is now available, and is a security release & recommended upgrade for all BuddyPress installations. We’ve also ported the code changes in 2.7.4 to all branches back 2.0, and are pushing updates out for all installations where we are able to do so.
\n
These releases include a fix to the BuddyPress core attachments API that could allow arbitrary file deletion on certain installation configurations.
\n
This bug was responsibly disclosed to the WordPress security team (and the BuddyPress team) through the WordPress HackerOne Bounty Program by Sam Pizzey (mopman).
\n
Both Boone & Paul worked together to fix this for all versions of BuddyPress that are currently in active use, and Stephen & Dion helped package and push these releases out.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 23 Dec 2016 02:25:06 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"John James Jacoby\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:16;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:50:\"WPTavern: WordPress.org Launches Homepage Redesign\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64708\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-org-launches-homepage-redesign\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2790:\"
WordPress.org made its new homepage redesign live today. The meta team worked quickly to put the new design in place in time for the holidays.
\n
“While this is only the first iteration, the plan is to continue design and development to create something truly amazing,” Mark Uraine said in the announcement. “This is the first step toward that goal.”
\n
\n
The header and footer have been kept from the previous design. According to meta team member Samuel Wood, matching them to the new design is beyond the scope of this first iteration.
\n
“The header and footer are global pieces,” Wood said. “Redesigning them, in any way, will have to be part of a much larger effort in redesigning, well, everything. The entire site would need adjustments to adjust them.”
\n
Uraine said in a previous post that there are iterations underway for a new, more minimal header that better aligns with the new homepage style.
\n
Feedback on the initial draft included notes on the copy, particularly the “Meet WordPress” headline. One person commented on it not being inclusive of people who have already met WordPress and are returning. Also, a few found the tagline to be too narrow: WordPress is open source software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app. Some suggested the inclusion of other use cases, such as store, forum, and membership site. These ideas have not been incorporated but they were recognized by the design team in the comments on the initial draft.
\n
The homepage redesign went from sketches to prototype to live on WordPress.org in a matter of a couple weeks. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far, and most see it as a huge improvement. The new design should receive a great deal more exposure now that it’s live, which will hopefully bring in more varied perspectives towards making it extraordinary in future iterations.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 22 Dec 2016 23:13:10 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:17;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:23:\"Matt: New .org Homepage\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:22:\"https://ma.tt/?p=46996\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:39:\"https://ma.tt/2016/12/new-org-homepage/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:410:\"
For the first time in… many years, WordPress.org has a new home page. What’s on the page today actually isn’t that important, even though it’s better in many ways, the key is that it’s changing again, the stone has been unstuck and can now keep rolling.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 22 Dec 2016 22:10:03 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:18;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:79:\"WPTavern: WPWeekly Episode 257 – My Side Project, WordPress 4.7, and the News\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com?p=64711&preview=true&preview_id=64711\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:84:\"https://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-257-my-side-project-wordpress-4-7-and-the-news\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3589:\"
In this episode of WordPress Weekly, Marcus Couch and I discuss the news of the week including, WooCommerce’s 42% market share, the redesign concept of WordPress.org, and two plugin acquisitions. I also share details of a side project I’m working on that involves BuddyPress. Last but not least, we briefly discuss Jeff King’s impact on GoDaddy as he’s leaving the company at the end of this year.
WP YouTube Live displays a YouTube live video from a specified channel via shortcode. There are several shortcode options available that allow you to autoplay and change the video’s dimensions. There’s also an option to not display a video if there isn’t a live video taking place.
\n
Woo Floating Cart Lite is an interactive floating cart for WooCommerce that slides into view when a user decides to buy an item. Products, quantities, and prices are updated instantly via AJAX. It’s similar to many of the professional carts you may have seen at the big retail stores where the cart is in view at all times.
\n
Import Facebook Events allows you to import events from Facebook into The Events Calendar and Events Manager plugins. If you are like me and use The Events Manager as your events plugin of choice, this plugin is a no-brainer as an extra add-on. As an add-on plugin this plugin needs The Events Calendar or Events Manager Installed and activated.
\n
WPWeekly Meta:
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Next Episode: Wednesday, December 28th 3:00 P.M. Eastern
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 22 Dec 2016 21:20:54 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:19;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WPTavern: Nadia Eghbal Publishes Guide to Financial Support for Open Source\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64676\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:86:\"https://wptavern.com/nadia-eghbal-publishes-guide-to-financial-support-for-open-source\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4614:\"photo credit: rachaelvoorhees A Young Entrepreneur on a Hot Day at Portland State – (license)\n
If you want to make a living in the world of open source software, Nadia Eghbal has created a guide that explores various models for funding your work. Eghbal, who has written extensively on sustainability and open source, recently authored a white paper published by the Ford Foundation called “Roads and Bridges: The Unseen Labor Behind Our Digital Infrastructure.” The whitepaper was written to help consumers and companies understand the challenges of sustaining open source software.
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Eghbal published “A handy guide to financial support for open source” on GitHub so that others with experience can contribute to the reference. The repository is called “lemonade stand,” a term that references a common summertime business venture where children cut their teeth in entrepreneurship. The lemonade stand is often used as a symbol of capitalism, a new arena that many developers will need to embrace if they want to provide a sustainable future for their open source work.
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Eghbal’s guide currently includes 16 different categories of funding, starting with the smallest (donations, bounties, crowdfunding) to the largest (foundations, consortiums, and venture capital). The funding categories explore pros, cons, and relevent case studies where the particular model has been explored.
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“The purpose of this guide is to provide an exhaustive list of all the ways you can get paid, so that you can figure out what works best for you,” Eghbal said. It has already received additions from 12 contributors, including Daniel Bachhuber, who is currently exploring a patron support model to fund his work on WP-CLI.
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With a few notable exceptions like Red Hat and Linux, open source projects suffer from a severe lack of funding, a problem which Eghbal calls “the internet’s biggest blind spot.” She notes that the problem of funding digital infrastructure is relatively new but is accelerating as more people are using open source software but ignoring the developer tools everyone relies on.
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WP-CLI is a prime example in the WordPress community. Developers who use it are more inclined to send sporadic donations than become personally invested in maintaining the code base, which has led Bachhuber to test different funding models throughout 2016. There have been discussions about making it an official WordPress core project with the goal of widening the contributor base and ensuring its longterm future. However, Bachhuber said he “strongly believes WP-CLI should be an independent project.”
\n
Eghbal’s funding guide is an important document for open source software maintainers who are struggling to fund their efforts and looking for more options beyond sticking a simple download button on the project’s website. If you’re looking for more discussion on this topic, Eghbal co-produces a podcast called Request for Commits that explores open source’s complicated relationship with money and various sustainability models.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 22 Dec 2016 20:00:08 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:20;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:78:\"WPTavern: Wallace: A Free WordPress Theme Built on the WP REST API and Angular\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64652\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:88:\"https://wptavern.com/wallace-a-free-wordpress-theme-built-on-the-wp-rest-api-and-angular\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4819:\"
Bradley Kirby released version 1.0 of his Wallace WordPress theme today. The theme is built using the WP REST API and Angular 2. Kirby has been working on Wallace for the past two years and has rewritten it several times in order to keep pace with changes in the REST API and Angular.
\n
\n
If you view the Wallace demo, you’ll notice that the theme is super fast because the interface is rendered on the client side with JavaScript.
\n
“It really opens a whole new world of possibility for WordPress themes,” Kirby said. “For this release I’ve primarily focused on smooth page transitions. That’s just not possible with the traditional server-rendered themes. But I think there’s a lot of really cool customization techniques that the API allows for, too. That’s what I’m hoping to explore next.”
“I really like the prescriptive nature of Angular,” Kirby said. “There’s a ‘right’ way to do things that you’ll find in example projects and all the functionality comes with the framework itself. With React you have to use a collection of third-party libraries with various maintainers. With Angular, it’s all Google, and all one repository. I think React is a perfectly fine framework, and they actually share a lot of concepts.”
\n
Wallace currently only supports posts, but Kirby plans to implement more core WordPress features, including pages, comments, searching, and category filtering. He said those features shouldn’t be too difficult to implement now that the frame is there.
\n
\n
“From a programming perspective, this was way more difficult to create than a PHP-rendered theme, because you get so much ‘for free’ with the PHP theming API that you don’t get when you’re just making raw requests to the REST API,” Kirby said. The primary advantage of theming with the API is more instantaneous interactions with the content, but creating API-driven themes is not yet as easy as the old way of theming.
\n
Kirby said he is actively exploring the idea of submitting Wallace to WordPress.org, but the Theme Review Team does not permit the use of Twig templates.
\n
“I’ve brought it up with the team that approves themes, and they didn’t like that I was using the Twig templating library on the PHP side,” Kirby said. “So I’d have to maintain two versions of the theme if I were to submit it to the directory.” Kirby hasn’t ruled it out yet and said he will probably revisit the idea next year.
\n
“Twig templates mirror Angular templates really nicely,” Kirby said. “It cuts down on the maintenance burden quite a bit, because I have to exactly mirror the templates on the server side and the client side. That would be more difficult if I had to construct PHP echo strings, the typical WordPress template way.”
\n
Wallace is integrated with the Customizer and will disable its JavaScript when it detects the Customizer is open, reverting back to a “normal” theme. Currently the only option users can customize is the site icon and site title. Wallace does not yet offer support for setting a static front page.
\n
The next items on Wallace’s roadmap are adding more core features into the theme. Kirby said he is also exploring the idea of creating a commercial magazine theme in the future.
\n
“I think the real killer use case for this way of developing themes is e-commerce, but I want to get a good solid magazine style premium theme done before I tackle that,” Kirby said.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 21 Dec 2016 22:43:24 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:21;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:62:\"WPTavern: How to Make BuddyPress User Registration Invite-Only\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64644\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"https://wptavern.com/how-to-make-buddypress-user-registration-invite-only\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3486:\"
One of the first things I recommend users do after installing WordPress is to either close user registration or install a plugin that protects the site against spam registrations. A friend of mine recently started a new WordPress site that has BuddyPress installed.
\n
After two weeks, I chipped in to help him out and discovered more than 300 registered spam accounts. To make matters worse, these accounts were able to create new groups in BuddyPress and each one contained spam content. The first thing I did was close user registration then I began the boring process of removing the accounts.
\n
We ran into an issue where legitimate users needed to create accounts while user registration was closed. After asking for suggestions on Twitter and performing a few Google searches, I discovered the Invite Anyone plugin by Boone Gorges. Invite Anyone allows registered members to invite people to register to the site via email while registration is closed.
\nInvite Anyone Settings\n
Using variables provided by the plugin, you can customize the email invitation subject line, the invitation message, and the text at the end of the email. I used the default values which happened to suit my needs. You can also give registered users the ability to customize the invitation subject line or message body and limit the number of emails members can send at one time. In my case, the most important setting to enable was allowing email invitations to be accepted even when site registration is disabled.
\n
There are other configuration settings as well such as controlling who can send emails and limiting group invitations. Invite Only also has built-in support for CloudSponge, a service where users can invite anyone from their address books without leaving your site. Stats are built-in as well but during testing I couldn’t get the Stats tab to load. The Stats tab loads the General Settings page instead.
\n
Here’s what Invite Anyone looks like from a user’s BuddyPress profile page. In addition to inviting someone to the site, users can also invite them to a BuddyPress group as well.
\nWhat Invite Anyone Looks Like on the Frontend\n
I’m using this plugin on a site running WordPress 4.7 and it’s functioning as expected. So far, we’ve invited three people and all of them were able to successfully register an account despite user registration being disabled. If you use BuddyPress and need a free solution that implements a user invitation system, I recommend Invite Anyone.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 21 Dec 2016 19:33:19 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:22;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"HeroPress: The WordPress Mantra Is Mine Too\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=1537\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:51:\"https://heropress.com/essays/wordpress-mantra-mine/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8731:\"
Transparency makes the world go round
\n
I like being honest, so please allow me to provide a context for this story. First of all, I’m a pretty introvert kind of guy, and I often need to be thrown in the cold water to start learning how to swim. This was exactly what happened with my teammate, Oana, when she asked me if I’d be tempted to give HeroPress a go. Of course I would, and so it started the beginning of this story. The next lines are the result of a friendly dialogue between us. Enjoy the ride, dear fellows.
\n
Here’s Andrei, a passionate web dev who truly admires the WordPress world. I’m a full-time backend at Pixelgrade, a design studio where we create WordPress themes that solve real and painful digital problems. Yes, we don’t just play around with eye-candy pixels, we strive to show up with trustworthy solutions that make people’s lives easier and more pleasant.
\n
I’ve experienced an intense professional rollercoaster till I got here. I still remember the first time I met with the WordPress fascinating world. It was during my first job interview. The employer (today a good friend of mine) told me that I would need to play around with Joomla, something I loved at that time. You can laugh, it’s okay. I do the same.
\n
However, the interview was full of tricks since I needed to do something totally different: create a homepage into WordPress. This way, the team could have seen how fast I’m able to learn new stuff. Pretty good trap since everyone working in the digital playground needs to be open-minded and capable of improving their skills and knowledge.
\n
That was the very first contact with WordPress, and I was surprised to see its potential. Not only it was easy-to-learn and get along with thanks to an in-depth documentation, but it also had an active community eager to help. Fast forward and the story had a happy ending: I got the job.
\n
Becoming better is kind of a mantra for the true WordPress people
\n
Starting from there and since today I still appreciate WordPress from top to toe. I have a bunch of reasons why I feel this world fits my values and principles. First of all, I enjoy all the PHP talking around WordPress. I find it interesting and challenging at the same time, and every time I have the chance to get involved, I accept it without hesitations. Another great aspect is directly related to my day-to-day job at Pixelgrade. The backend universe where I can improve an amount of cool things keeps my motivation up and kicking. On top of that, I resonate with JavaScript in various ways, backend and frontend too, and from time-to-time I write down my thoughts on my personal blog. I’m always happy to share ideas and provide feedback that helps. In the end, this is all about when you think of WordPress as an ecosystem, right?
\n
Talking about this core mission, I must confess that WordPress can be felt like a lifestyle into a room with glass walls. Everyone sees what you do, how you do it, and why you keep doing it. Nobody can take your work for granted, but can easily be inspired by it and even improving it. Becoming better is kind of a mantra for the true WordPress people, and that’s why they jump in and start spreading solutions about how things can achieve a superior level. With other words, it’s like sailing with a bunch of amazing people eager to enjoy the same outstanding experience.
\n
On the other hand, there are some coders that still think that WordPress is not that sexy and challenging in the end. They’re definitely not in the same boat, but I think it’s fair from our side to help them change their mind. And not because we chose to work in this playground, mostly because this platform changed a lot in the last years.
\n
The simple fact that I improve someone’s life through my work means the world to me.
\n
Here are my thoughts for all those programming lovers that would like to try WordPress, but need an extra boost.
\n
A wide range of features
\n
Articles, menus, widgets, users, live previews, e-commerce, e-learning, listings and so on. You can administrate them, make them better, simply play around as you wish. It might sound naive, but in reality these different areas are constantly bringing all kind of challenges on the table.
\n
Legacy code
\n
WordPress still strives to support the PHP 5.2.4 version, which was dropped five years ago but 7.5% from today’s websites still use it. But hey, WordPress is all about keeping users on board, happy and loyal, not skipping the battle. In the end, it does say something about the whole philosophy of the people behind the scenes.
\n
Colleges got it wrong
\n
There was a time where people studying Object Oriented Programming didn’t take WordPress seriously since it’s based on functional programming and that handy and approachable isn’t something that helps you progress. Well, things changed, people changed, now functional programming is turning back as the coolest thing to do nowadays, and WordPress is trying to get the best from both paradigms.
\n
WordPress makes me proud
\n
I mean it. It’s not just shiny words thrown into the digital garden. I’m a proud WordPress backend dev who deeply feels that impact matters, and building things for an open-source community matters even more. I’m also happy with the diverse work I do at Pixelgrade: one day can be Customify or the WP Body Class plugin, the next one can be improving Listable, a WordPress theme used by thousands of users spread all over the world. In between could be the passionate discussions regarding the core of WordPress, some advice tailored on other authors or the amazing WordCamp Europe. Whatever it is, I am grateful that I found my place where creativity, freedom, and braveness are in the first place.
\n
Call it as you wish, but the simple fact that I improve someone’s life through my work means the world to me. It gives me a sense of fulfillment, the necessary energy to keep improving, and the never-ending joy that I did something useful. And hey, there’s just another beginning since Pixelgrade has reshaped its digital presence through an outstanding website and more consistent brand story. So bring it on, fellows!
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 21 Dec 2016 12:00:43 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Andrei Lupu\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:23;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"WPTavern: The WordPress.org Homepage is Getting a Redesign\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64587\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:69:\"https://wptavern.com/the-wordpress-org-homepage-is-getting-a-redesign\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3549:\"
A WordPress.org homepage redesign is now in the works with a strong focus on marketing to new users. As the face of the open source project, the site is long overdue for some design attention. Mark Uraine, a designer at Automattic, posted on the Make/Meta blog about how quickly the project is coming together:
\n
“During the Contributor Day at WordCamp US, the Marketing Team sat down with a project in mind — the homepage of wordpress.org,” Uraine said. “Since the new design style is making an appearance in various places across the site, there was a desire to reboot the homepage as well.”
\n
Uraine posted the group’s original sketches as well as a screenshot of the initial draft on desktop and mobile. The screenshot doesn’t include the site’s header and footer, which will be added when the design is implemented. The team has also created a Codepen Prototype, which demonstrates the fixed background featuring high profile WordPress sites that visitors see as they scroll.
\n
“Keep in mind that this is only version 1.0 and we’re planning on launching and iterating quickly,” Uraine said when asking for feedback from the community. “Otto has offered his help to get this implemented. After a few technical revisions, I’ll be passing it over to him for implementation and providing support where I can.”
\n
The redesign focuses on social proof (market share and showcase examples) as well as WordPress’ features and extensibility:
\n
“Extend WordPress with over 45,000 plugins to help your website meet your needs. Add an online store, galleries, mailing lists, forums, analytics, and much more.”
\n
Since Uraine posted the design draft, commenters have been weighing in with revisions to the site copy, which hasn’t yet been finalized. A few contributors have also suggested including A/B testing, although no specific metrics have been determined. The redesign is moving fast, so make sure to jump in on the Make/Meta post if you have feedback on the draft.
\n
WordPress is getting more strategic about its marketing in 2017. Matt Mullenweg announced during the 2016 State of the Word that he is bringing a new product-based leadership to core development and is assembling a Growth Council to coordinate strategy with organizations invested in WordPress’ growth.
\n
“I think in the past WordPress got by on a lot of marketing happenstance,” Mullenweg said. “We can become a lot more sophisticated with our messaging and presentation on WordPress.org to bring people in and tell the story about what makes WordPress different.”
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 20 Dec 2016 20:45:03 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:24;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:69:\"WPTavern: How to Change the Default Members Landing Tab in BuddyPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64592\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:80:\"https://wptavern.com/how-to-change-the-default-members-landing-tab-in-buddypress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2880:\"
For the past two weeks, I’ve been helping a friend build his site. The site uses WordPress and BuddyPress and is the first opportunity I’ve had to use BuddyPress for a project. The site is dedicated to a Hockey League league that’s specific to a video game. The league has a number of players and teams.
\n
By default, when a visitor browses a BuddyPress member’s profile, the activity tab is displayed. Since a player’s team is displayed on a user’s profile, I wanted the profile tab to be the first thing users see. According to the BuddyPress Codex, it’s possible to change the default landing tab by adding a line of code to either a bp-custom.php file or to wp-config.php. The code is as follows:
As I didn’t want to create and upload another php file, I inserted the code into wp-config.php. At the time of writing this article, the help document on the BuddyPress Codex did not specify where in the wp-config file the code should be placed. After adding the code to the bottom of the wp-config file, I noticed it didn’t work.
\n
The trick is to add it to a place that runs before BuddyPress is fully loaded. I moved the code so that is was after the define(‘DB_COLLATE’, ”); line in wp-config. This allowed the code to run without any issues.
\nCode Added to the Proper Place in the wp-config File\n
With the code in place, whenever someone clicks on a player’s name that’s mentioned in a post, the first thing they see is their profile and the team they’re assigned too.
\nProfile Page Loads First in BuddyPress\n
This is a small change in how BuddyPress works but for an implementor like me, it was a bit of a hassle. The largest obstacle in achieving what I wanted were the directions that don’t specify where in the config file the code should be placed. I’ve since edited the Codex article to prevent others from experiencing the same trouble.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 20 Dec 2016 03:30:32 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:25;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:90:\"WPTavern: WPWeekly Episode 256 – Interview With Tony Perez, CEO and Co-Founder of Sucuri\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com?p=64479&preview=true&preview_id=64479\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:96:\"https://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-256-interview-with-tony-perez-ceo-and-co-founder-of-sucuri\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2577:\"
In this episode of WordPress Weekly, Marcus Couch and I are joined by Tony Perez, co-founder and CEO of Sucuri. It’s easy to tell from this episode that Perez is extremely passionate about web security.
\n
We discussed a wide range of topics related to security including, trends involving WordPress, the FUD factor, messaging surrounding HTTPS, and what Defense in Depth really means. We also discussed the three basic elements of security, people, process, and technology.
\n
Perez spoke relatively quickly and at times, the conversation was technical. I recommend listening to the show at least twice in order to digest everything.
\n
Plugins Picked By Marcus:
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Product Review comes with common features that you may need for a review focused site. This includes editor reviews, user reviews, segmented rating, pros and cons, affiliate button and a lot more.
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Messengerbot for WooCommerce provides the ability to send your customers messages via Facebook Messenger. It supports Order Receipts, Order status changes, and Customer Order notes.
\n
Email Tracker is a plugin that notifies you if the emails sent by WordPress using the wp_mail function have been read or not. It displays statistics like how many times an email has been read with the date and time.
\n
WPWeekly Meta:
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Next Episode: Wednesday, December 21st 9:30 P.M. Eastern
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 20 Dec 2016 01:33:43 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:26;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"WPTavern: WordCamp Bangkok 2017 Adds English Track, Debuts New Wapuu\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64566\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:78:\"https://wptavern.com/wordcamp-bangkok-2017-adds-english-track-debuts-new-wapuu\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1978:\"
Tickets for WordCamp Bangkok 2017 went on sale over the weekend and there are 235 remaining. The event will be held on February 18, 2017, at CP Tower on Silom Road. This is the third WordCamp to take place in the Bangkok area but organizers are including an English Track for the first time at this year’s event. The Thai and English tracks will run side-by-side and will include WordPress topics for users of all levels.
\n
Yesterday organizers unveiled the new Thailand Wapuu, featuring traditional Thai garb and a banana stalk. Bananas leaves and stems, in addition to the fruit itself, make up an important part of Thai life with both ceremonial and practical uses.
\n
The calls for speakers and sponsors are open and higher level sponsorships are already sold out. Speaker applications will be accepted through January 5, 2017.
\n
Previous WordCamps in the region were held in 2008 and 2009. During the past eight years the Thai WordPress community has grown and the Thai WordPress Alliance group on Facebook now has more than 9,800 members. WordCamp Bangkok 2017 has a maximum capacity of 300 attendees. If you plan to go, make sure to purchase your ticket early before the event sells out.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:43:52 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:27;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:53:\"WPTavern: WooCommerce Powers 42% of All Online Stores\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64550\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:63:\"https://wptavern.com/woocommerce-powers-42-of-all-online-stores\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5576:\"
Last week Automattic published its annual “Year in Review” stats, including WooCommerce stats for the first time since the company acquired Woo in 2015. As of December, there are 1,594,894 active stores using WooCommerce and roughly 1/3 of those (530,000) are new in 2016.
\n
One of the most exciting areas of growth is WooCommerce’s global market share. Although both the Year in Review post and the WooCommerce website have the software at 39%, Builtwith stats show WooCommerce powers 42% of all online stores. This is a huge leap from 30% a year and a half ago, when it was acquired.
\n
\n
WooCommerce market share is even higher in emerging markets like India (55% among stores using the .IN extension) and Mexico (56% among stores using the .MX extension).
\n
WooCommerce in 2017: Evolving Storefront for Independent Stores
\n
In May 2016, WooCommerce introduced WC Connect, its new Automattic-hosted SaaS architecture built on the WP REST API that makes it easier for users to add and configure store features. Real-time USPS shipping rates for US-based stores is the first of many planned hosted components. Version 2.6 introduced the new Shipping Zones feature and an updated design for account pages. In 2016, WooCommerce also released its Square integration to sync online and offline purchases and inventory.
\n
The plan for 2017, according to the Year in Review summary, is to continue making setup and scaling easier. At WordCamp US I asked Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, what he looks for in a buying experience and how he hopes to bring that to WooCommerce.
\n
“When I buy from an independent store online, I’m looking for it to be as friction-free as possible,” Mullenweg said. “I don’t want a lot of steps. I don’t want it to force me to register if I don’t want to. I don’t want the form to error out in weird ways – anything that breaks my trust. When I visit a website to buy something, how a site looks can increase or decrease my trust.”
\n
WooCommerce’s official Storefront theme, which is active on more than 80,000 stores, plays an important part in shaping the buying experience for millions of customers. Mullenweg said Storefront has a lot of potential for improvement.
\n
“With the Storefront theme there’s actually a lot we can do there to make it look like a really cool store out of the box, much like the default themes in WordPress,” Mullenweg said. “Part of the reason we change them every year is what was cool in 2012 is not cool in 2017. Fashions change, trends change. I think Woo should evolve Storefront in the same way. There’s kind of a look for independent stores right now. They’ve got a certain vibe. Let’s make it easy to do that vibe, so that you don’t have to be on Etsy or Amazon or one of the e-commerce monoliths to keep people coming to you and supporting your product.”
\n
Mullenweg said there are features in the power packs and add-ons that could be good candidates for building into Storefront. The theme launched in 2014 and since that time has made mostly gradual improvements. The last major design improvements were released last May in version 2.0, but many store owners opt for a child theme if they want more extensive design changes to Storefront.
\n
If WooCommerce market share continues to grow at the same rate, it could easily pass 50% of all online stores in 2017. With 53 meetups scattered across the globe – from Tokyo to Mumbai to Vancouver, the plugin is embracing the community factor that has made WordPress a success.
\n
“I think both Jetpack and WooCommerce individually could each be bigger than WordPress.com,” Mullenweg said. “They’re both smaller than WordPress.com right now but I think each on their own could be several times larger. There are multi-billion dollar opportunities in both, so that’s what we’re working on.”
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 19 Dec 2016 19:26:08 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:28;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"WPTavern: Podcast Motor Acquires Seriously Simple Podcasting Plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64535\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:78:\"https://wptavern.com/podcast-motor-acquires-seriously-simple-podcasting-plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2420:\"
Lashbrooke no longer has the time to dedicate to the project, “I am in fact selling the plugin (along with all of its add-ons) as I just no longer have the time or bandwidth available to support it in the way that I know it deserves,” Lashbrooke said. Lashbrooke created the plugin to democratize podcasting and says it was never meant to be a full-time project.
\nSeriously Simply Podcasting Settings Page\n
Podcast Motor provides editing and production services to podcasters. Craig Hewitt, founder of Podcast Motor, acquired the plugin because of its established brand, ease of use, and it allows his company to serve a wider audience.
\n
Seriously Simple Podcasting will remain a free plugin and Hewitt will continue to support it through WordPress.org. He also plans to add free features to increase the plugin’s value, “This will include things like bulk importing of episodes/feeds from other providers, RSS feed validation, and some enhanced front end styling of the on-page podcast display,” he said.
\n
Hewitt is ready to breath new life into the project and is seeking feedback from users on what features they’d like to see added, “Our long-term goal is to enhance the functionality of the product so that it meets more needs of more podcasters down the road,” he said.
\n
Instead of abandoning the plugin or putting it up for adoption, Lashbrooke has found it a new home with a developer eager to improve on his work. If you use Seriously Simple Podcasting, what features do you want to see added?
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This particular funding experiment is not asking for one-time contributions but rather follows a subscriber model where patrons will be billed annually. Bachhuber said he has a number in mind in order to consider the funding a success but he is not going to share it.
\n
“I want to see if this is a viable approach for funding a for-profit business,” Bacchuber said. He plans to fully refund subscribers if the campaign doesn’t reach its goal.
\n
Last year Bachhuber raised $32,822 in a highly successful Kickstarter campaign from 107 backers, which funded development during the first part of 2016. After the campaign he started a business called runcommand that offered enterprise support and custom development for hosts and agencies. This was an attempt to help subsidize his time spent on WP-CLI, but it didn’t work out the way he planned:
\n
The business is doing alright, not great but not horrible. What I’ve come to realize, though, is that my time is zero-sum. I’m incentivized to spend time on runcommand, when I’d rather spend it on WP-CLI.
\n
Ultimately, the challenge I’m running into is opportunity cost. I’d love to be able to invest more into WP-CLI, but doing so comes at the cost of other business pursuits. Because WP-CLI is such a large project, the several hours I volunteer each week are basically enough to fight entropy — not make headway on larger initiatives.
\n
Bachhuber said he hopes this patron-esque model will scale so he can hire a few people to work on WP-CLI, helping reduce his bus factor and creating a stronger contributor base.
\n
“The project itself is at a point where it needs dedicated attention from maintainers, not occasional changes from contributors,” Bachhuber said in response to commenters on the post.
\n
“I will, however, echo other comments here in regards to the wish for a public roadmap, more transparency, marketing efforts, and more in regards to the business being built upon WP-CLI,” subscriber Pippin Williamson said. “I have chosen to make my subscription payment as a donation to the project, not as a purchase/ of the product / service because, at this time at least, there’s not really anything I get out of it beyond continued development of the project.”
\n
Williamson said the new wp doctor and wp profile commands would not be of much use to him or his team. He also suggested that Bachhuber sell a professional subscription that offers a library of additional commands for popular plugins, such as WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, WP Migrate DB Pro, and Gravity Forms.
\n
“What I’ve come to appreciate is that WP-CLI will be far more successful in the long-term by building all of these in the open, instead of a more traditional model of making some selection of them paid-access,” Bachhuber said.
\n
Subscriptions will help fund the ongoing maintenance of WP-CLI, the creation of new commands, and improvements to the website and package index.
\n
For a project that is geared almost exclusively towards developers, there’s a surprisingly low number of contributors to its development. The brunt of it falls to Bachhuber as the official maintainer. His campaign puts the impetus on subscribers to help improve the tools they use every day through monetary contribution.
\n
Hopefully, funding the organization will also precipitate a culture shift resulting in more developers who are motivated to get their hands dirty and become personally invested in the code base. Funding one person’s time is not the most effective way to keep a project afloat and may not do much to reduce the bus factor on the project unless Bachhuber can hire or inspire more maintainers.
\n
\n
This year, I\'ve spent 308 hours on @wpcli (140 paid, 168 volunteer). Next year could be double or could be zero https://t.co/nujVBQZ3Bs
By choosing to wrestle with the challenges of funding open source software in a transparent way, Bachhuber is paving the way for other project maintainers to learn from his experiments and pursue similarly unorthodox funding options. So far WP-CLI has received 17 subscribers. If it reaches 50, Bachhuber plans to create a members-only forum. The funding experiment closes on December 28th.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 15 Dec 2016 23:05:53 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:30;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"Matt: A Poetition\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:22:\"https://ma.tt/?p=46988\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://ma.tt/2016/12/a-poetition/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:239:\"
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 15 Dec 2016 20:11:10 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:31;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"WPTavern: WordPress.com Launches VR Content, Coming Soon to Jetpack\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64486\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:77:\"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-com-launches-vr-content-coming-soon-to-jetpack\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4476:\"photo credit: Sebastian Voortman\n
WordPress.com announced today that users can now upload and publish VR content on their sites, including 360° photos and 360° videos. Regular photos and panoramas are also now viewable in VR. The VR gear tested so far includes Cardboard, Gear, Daydream, Rift, and Vive.
\n
Uploading VR content works just like adding normal pictures and videos. Users can then add 360° photos and videos to posts using a “vr” shortcode. The Harvard Gazette’s Confronting the Refugee Crisis story is one live example of the new VR content in action:
\n
\n
“Our goal is to make publishing VR content as simple as publishing text or photos to the web,” Automattic team lead Toni Schneider said. Schneider, who is a big VR fan himself, led the team to bring VR capabilities to WordPress.com. He worked in a VR startup in the 90’s after college and has been a VR fan ever since.
\n
“With the re-emergence of VR, it struck me that WordPress can play a role in making VR content easy to create and access for everyone, just like we did for text and photos,” Schneider said. His team at Automattic uses VR for collaboration and Schneider said “hearing [teammates’] voices in their proper spatial locations makes for a more natural and seamless collaboration experience” that feels less forced than a screenshare or video chat.
\n
Immersive storytelling driven by VR technology is also finding its way into the publishing industry. As part of his article in NiemanLab’s Predictions for Journalism 2017 series, Mario García, a media consultant and adjunct professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, predicts that “storytelling using VR will be easier to achieve, and more members of the audience will be prepared to welcome it.”
\n
García cites the The New York Times and its Daily 360 section as one of the first publications to experiment with the medium. WordPress.com uses a similar UI, as you can see on the Harvard Gazette example, with an overlay that indicates VR content.
\n
“One form of storytelling that will gain momentum: virtual reality,” García said. “It’s no coincidence: Editors and publishers are looking for ways to tell stories on mobile devices, and the future of virtual reality is also on mobile. For many newsrooms, VR is going to be the one big area for experimentation in 2017.”
\n
WordPress.com is ready to ride this trend, making immersive storytelling available to all users – from large publications to small blogs. A few plugins, such as VR Views and WP-VR-view, are already available for self-hosted sites, and WordPress.com plans to make its VR capabilities more widely available to the WordPress world soon.
\n
“It will be in Jetpack soon, as soon as the next Jetpack release comes out,” Schneider said. “The technology is built to work on all WordPress sites and even beyond that, on any web site. We consider this first release just a start. As soon as we see how people use it, we will start adding more features and supporting more types of VR experiences.”
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\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:06:00 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:33;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"WPTavern: Matt Mullenweg Proposes WordPress Growth Council\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=59774\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:69:\"https://wptavern.com/matt-mullenweg-proposes-wordpress-growth-council\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:9717:\"
\n
During the last WordSesh event held in August 2016, Matt Mullenweg joined the community for a session where he spoke about the growth of WordPress and his thoughts on confronting the project’s external threats. Mullenweg floated the idea of a WordPress Growth Council – a collection of individuals and organizations interested in contributing to WordPress’ growth.
\n
“We have very direct competitors in Squarespace, Weebly, and Wix,” Mullenweg said. “Wix is a public company so it’s actually possible to see their numbers and look at things. This year alone there’s about a quarter billion dollars being spent in marketing by proprietary systems that compete against WordPress. That’s more spent in one year than has ever been invested in all of the WordPress companies combined since they started. That’s more money spent in marketing than for many consumer brands.”
\n
WordPress has grown organically over the past 13 years through the power of its community, without expensive advertising campaigns or traditional marketing initiatives. For the first time, Mullenweg is looking to tap a segment of the community that hasn’t often been directly involved in contributions – people and organizations with large scale marketing expertise.
\n
“I think we could do a lot to figure out a roadmap for countering this huge marketing spending being directed against us, because we are the big guy here,” Mullenweg said. “We are the 26% and they are like a 1%. But even though they’re smaller, they might be cannibalizing some of the most valuable aspects of the WordPress customer base.”
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Just before WordCamp US, he formalized the idea with a post on his blog and an open invitation for council member applicants:
\n
\nNever have there been more threats to the open web and WordPress. Over three hundred million dollars has been spent in 2016 advertising proprietary systems, and even more is happening in investment. No one company in the WP world is large enough to fight this, nor should anyone need to do it on their own. We’d like to bring together organizations that would like to contribute to growing WordPress.
\n
The survey for potential council members asks them to share what they bring to the table as well as a few ideas about the growth of WordPress so far, how it can be accelerated, and how the project can best respond to the millions of dollars competitors are spending in advertising. Responses have already started coming in.
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Alexa Scordato, VP of Marketing at Stack Overflow, applied to be part of the council. She said her experience as a long-time WordPress user and marketing executive has motivated her to help improve the overall consumer experience.
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“I’ve been tinkering with self-hosted WordPress sites since 2007 and I’ve helped probably 100+ individuals and organizations explore the merits of the .com and .org experience,” Scordato said. “Let’s get real – the relationship is confusing, the admin panel is intimidating, and the learning curve is steep. The product marketer in me is itching to help streamline the value proposition across these funnels to help make it easier to educate and on-board new users.”
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She is also an advocate for the open web and sees WordPress as a key player in combating the threat of walled gardens and closed systems that diminish user freedoms.
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“While many enterprises are beginning to invest more in open source projects, there’s an imbalance in the force,” Scordato said. “The fact that an open source platform like WordPress powers 27% of the web makes it the greatest agent in defending Internet freedom.”
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Nuno Morgadinho, co-founder of WidgiLabs and co-organizer of WordCamp Lisbon, is another applicant to the growth council who published thoughts on what it should address. He thinks WordPress needs to take a hard look at attrition before considering advertising.
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“As important as advertising is, a lot of businesses struggle and fail, not because they aren’t adding new users, but because they are lousy at keeping the ones they’ve got,” Morgadinho said. “We have to look at ourselves and see where we are losing users rather than just desperately try to reach new ones. Most people use things based on referrals.”
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What Will the Growth Council Look Like?
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After WordCamp US, I had the opportunity to ask Mullenweg a few questions about what types of applicants he’s hoping to attract to the council. He said he envisions it will function very much like a working group or mastermind group where council members learn from each other.
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“It’s not necessarily only people at larger companies – the biggest contributions will come from people who currently are or have in the past managed some sort of large promotion of something,” Mullenweg said. “It doesn’t need to be WordPress. Maybe they sold Starbucks. Large advertising campaigns are what we’re trying to counter so experience for that is a good precondition for participating in the growth council.”
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Mullenweg said he has received applications from people whose companies aren’t in the WordPress ecosystem but who are experienced in this area and want to contribute some night and weekend hours to help out.
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“I imagine there will be other folks, including from Automattic, that are going to be spending budgets of tens of millions of dollars in the coming year and want to talk about that,” Mullenweg said. “There are some things that could be shared, including publicly. Everyone who does marketing does some research first. Why don’t we open up that research? That’s part of what I want to encourage. By taking an open source approach to this, doing more sharing both within the council and in the wider WordPress community, I think there’s a lot more to learn.”
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Mullenweg said the meetings won’t be completely open, as companies may want to share some confidential information. The council may have some house rules in place to make it a safe space for companies to share what they are doing and to keep strategies safe from competitors.
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In 2017 Mullenweg has committed to putting on the “product lead” hat for WordPress core development and it seems he’ll be bringing that same approach to the growth council.
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“Advertising is just a product, just like an interface is, just like a website is, just like anything else,” Mullenweg said. “There’s a lot of opportunity there.”
\n
During his WordSesh session he outlined a few initial objectives for the council to tackle, including figuring out why the project has grown so far and understanding where the community’s resources are currently being spent.
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“We should try to enumerate and track what is being spent right now, add up all the advertising, affiliate fees, and sponsorships of events,” Mullenweg said. “Determine what that adds up to so we know what is the gap we need to close and the relative arsenals on both sides.”
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Mullenweg said he would like the council to figure out a plan for advertising where “we’re not competing with each other but really directing that outward against the folks who might go to Wix or Squarespace.” This particular aspect may be a challenge, as the council will need to avoid the appearance of serving only larger corporate interests in the fight against external threats.
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“These external threats and proprietary threats are far bigger than any intra-WordPress open source threats,” Mullenweg said. “We can grow the pie far faster than we can take shares from people in the same pie.”
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For the past three years, WordPress has consistently added 2% to its market share each year without any form of advertising. Instead of the project continuing to get by on “marketing happenstance,” as Mullenweg put it in the State of the Word address, 2017 will be the first year that WordPress makes a coordinated marketing effort to change the growth curve.
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“The people power of WordPress is probably the thing that contributes most to the usage of WordPress,” Mullenweg said. The growth council’s challenge with advertising is producing that same magnetism on a larger scale without tarnishing the organic quality of the message. Can they come up with a marketing campaign that captures the essence of what WordPress is to the people who love it most? If the council is successful, it stands to have a positive impact on the WordPress economy as a whole.
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UpdraftPlus, a European company that maintains a backup plugin by the same name with nearly 1M active installs, has acquired the WP-Optimize plugin. WP-Optimize was created eight years ago by Ruhani Rabin and is actively installed on more than 500K sites. Its primary function is to clean and optimize databases. WP-Optimize will become part of a suite of plugins that make up UpdraftCentral, a service that allows users to manage sites remotely.
\nWP-Optimize Settings Page\n
In an effort to simply the process of optimizing databases, Rabin created WP-Optimize to automates tasks such as:
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Removing all unnecessary data (e.g. trashed/unapproved/spam comments, stale data) plus pingbacks, trackbacks and expired transient options
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Compact/de-fragment MySQL tables
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Perform optimizations without the need for running manual queries
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Show database statistics and potential savings
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WP-Optimize started as a personal project but when Rabin discovered that other users were looking for similar functionality, he uploaded the plugin to WordPress.org, “It ended up being a much bigger project than I imagined; when I connected with other people, I was suddenly opened up to a world of new challenges,” Rabin said. “I was encouraged to constantly improve the software’s functionality and compatibility, as well as the support information available.”
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As the plugin’s popularity and user base increased, it eventually became too much work to support and maintain. Rabin received a few acquisition offers over the years but decided not to sell, “For me, WP-Optimize’s legacy was of prime importance. I didn’t set it up to make money, but to help out as many people as possible,” he said.
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One of the reasons Rabin accepted UpdraftPlus’ offer is his familiarity with the plugin and its business model, “Even though they are business-driven, they still have a great freemium ecosystem,” Rabin said. He also appreciates the company’s enthusiasm and drive to take the product to the next level.
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David Anderson, founder and lead developer of UpdraftPlus, says the acquisition makes perfect sense, “Although we see a lot of revolution on the outside, the WordPress core has been stable for a long time, and as such, there will always be a need for database optimization in order for sites to run efficiently.”
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As part of the acquisition, Rabin will take on an advisory role in its continued development. Multisite support, a commercial version with additional features, and the ability for users to control it remotely through UpdraftCentral, are among the top priorities in development.
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Since the acquisition, UpdraftPlus has released a new version of WP-Optimize that Anderson says paves the way for future developments, “This release has a complete re-factoring of the plugin’s internals, to lay a solid foundation for future improvements.”
\n
“Although it looks the same outwardly, it has been modernized and solidified,” Anderson said. “We have a great and growing team, a lot of experience in the internals of WordPress and also a lot of users who trust and depend on us. There’s plenty of opportunity for us to expand.”
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 14 Dec 2016 19:39:07 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:35;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:42:\"HeroPress: Changing Careers with WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=1525\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/essays/changing-careers-wordpress/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8191:\"
Working in WordPress full time did not come quickly, directly, or in the ways I expected, and it was worth every step of the way. I started out in marketing in the music industry and ended up as the project manager at a WordPress development agency nearly 10 years later. Changing careers is a lot of work and none of it happens by accident. Here’s a story about how I took some dashed hopes and an economic crash and turned it into everything I ever wanted.
\n
I started out by moving to NYC the day I graduated college to work in the music industry. Armed with my BA in English, I found my way in – I don’t care what anyone says, my English degree is my secret weapon.
\n
If you can’t communicate effectively and hold someone’s interest in the process, it doesn’t matter how many letters you have after your name or how many specialized degrees you hold.
\n
However, once I established myself as a project manager a major record label in the big city, it wasn’t easy to stay. I loved New York, but I did not love working nights to make ends meet. Realizing that my career in the music industry might not be something I could do long-term, I enrolled part-time in an accredited web development diploma program. All the classes were online, so I could do classwork around my work schedule. However, the record label was bought out and privatized, and the new owners instituted a 50% reduction in headcount worldwide. I tried to look at it as a blessing in disguise — more time to spend on completing my diploma while working fewer hours as a temp! But, answering phones and entering data didn’t exactly make me want to get out of bed in the morning. I tried to focus on shifting gears to becoming a developer.
\n
Becoming A Developer
\n
Though I got a great base of knowledge in HTML, CSS, PHP, Photoshop, light JavaScript, and, yes, Flash and ActionScript, I didn’t really have the goods to get a programming job right away. I was eventually re-hired in a different position by the record label, but this time I was slowly but surely working more digital into my marketing position. Finally, I had done enough to get another job as the head of digital marketing for a boutique music and entertainment-focused agency.
\n
Though I was finally doing the type of work I wanted to do, I was starting to feel like New York wasn’t where I needed to be. One major pull was my long-distance NY to LA relationship. Sometimes, career is just not enough to keep you in one spot, so in June of 2011, I moved to Orange County, CA.
\n
I was able to continue working remotely for the entertainment PR firm, but I wanted a more meaningful connection with the artists I was working with. I started freelancing for select bands, and then found a position handling all things internet-related for an Orange County-based artist management company.
\n
It was an absolute dream – I was the social media voice for one of my favorite bands, plus many more new clients and projects I would have loved even if I wasn’t on the management team. In the interest of meeting new people in this new place as well as learning something, I started attending the Orange County WordPress Meetup at Zeek Interactive and learned how to take my general knowledge of PHP and apply it to this CMS that everyone seemed to be talking about. As some of our up-and-coming bands needed websites, I’d volunteer to build them. It was cost-effective for the client, and it gave me a chance to try out all the things I’d learned at the OCWP meetup. I also served as internal project manager for sites built by an external agency.
\n
I learned more from the many mistakes I made in developing websites than I did anything else.
\n
Coding myself into a corner was an opportunity to grow through asking someone else to show me where I went wrong. For a while, the OCWP developer night featured some time for someone to get up in front of everyone, walk the group through an issue they were working on, show their steps and reasoning, and ask for assistance. All the more experienced developers in the room were very kind to me, several of them going out of their way to help me learn new concepts to make my themes even better.
\n
Branching Out
\n
Bands don’t need websites all that often, and I wanted to keep learning, so I found some non-entertainment website work to do on evenings and weekends. For a lot of it, I was a second pair of hands for another developer. For others, friends or friends of friends would come to me for help with their small business sites. These small sites worked out great, but I fully understood that the way I was working had a ceiling to it. If it’s a relatively small site with not a lot of traffic to scale, I could help. If it was going to be a big site that a lot of people would see, my code would probably not be ideal. I knew enough to be dangerous, and I knew how to fix a site if and when it white-screened, but not enough to implement all the latest and greatest techniques.
\n
So, I started looking to get back into my first love: project management, only this time for websites instead of musicians. Thankfully, my friend Steve Zehngut suddenly found himself with a need to replace his PM, and after we talked through goals and methods of working, we made it official.
\n
I’ve been the project manager at Zeek Interactive for two years now, and it’s been everything I could have ever hoped for. It took nearly a decade, retraining, lots of late nights and weekends spent learning new things and getting way outside my comfort zone, but I successfully changed industries and careers. Anyone who says it’s easy to change your life is lying to you. But I’m hard-pressed to find a reason not to do it anyway if you want to make new and better things happen.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:00:52 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Sarah Wefald\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:36;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:51:\"WPTavern: Harare, Zimbabwe Hosts Its First WordCamp\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64419\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"https://wptavern.com/harare-zimbabwe-hosts-its-first-wordcamp\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3497:\"photo credit: Limbikani Soul Makani Kabweza\n
WordCamp Harare, the first ever WordCamp in Zimbabwe, was held over the weekend at the Harare City Library. Harare was selected out of 182 applicants as one of the three locations for the WordCamp Incubator Program. The experimental program launched in February 2016 with the goal of bringing WordCamps to new locations around the world where local meetups may not be as well established.
\n
WordCamp Harare was successful at connecting the Zimbabwean WordPress community and introducing the attendees to the concept of a WordCamp.
\n
“It was a great day because we met lots of people who are passionate about WordPress and building stuff on the internet,” Limbikani Soul Makani Kabweza said in his recap of the event. Kabweza is a contributor at Techzim, a Zimbabwean tech publication that runs on WordPress.
\n
“As Techzim (and the other startups we work with like Soccer24 and Pindula) the internet is our lifeblood, so a day dedicated to discussing internet platforms and how to do things better was the amazingly enriching experience we expected it to be.”
\n
Co-organizer Charles Muzonzini, who works as a web and mobile app developer with The Computer Society of Zimbabwe, said, “WordCamp Harare 2016 was an awesome success, far exceeding my expectations. Everything was on point and I’m glad to have met so many great people and learnt so much. This is hands down the best IT conference this year.” Muzonzini is also a co-organizer of the Harare WordPress Meetup, which now has 82 members.
\n
Job Thomas, who works as an Education Vanguard at Automattic, traveled from Cape Town to speak about WooCommerce at the WordCamp. In a guest post for the event Thomas wrote about the importance of open source for the empowerment of Africa in removing hindrances for becoming successful.
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“It is great to see WordCamp Harare happening,” Thomas said. “WordCamps are not primarily events for communicating ideas – although this plays a big role. WordCamps are primarily a celebration of the open source community; they gather people with a similar passion for making the web a better place.”
\n
WordCamp Harare was the fourth WordCamp held in Africa in 2016, joining events in Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Cape Town in the expansion of the WordPress community in southern and eastern Africa.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 13 Dec 2016 05:11:55 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:37;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"WPTavern: WordPress 2.7 Is the Role Model for How Design Can Lead the Way\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64183\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:84:\"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-2-7-is-the-role-model-for-how-design-can-lead-the-way\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11607:\"
When Matt Mullenweg, co-creator of the WordPress open source project, announced that design would lead the way for WordPress development in 2017, utilizing user research and mockups, the first thing that came to my mind was WordPress 2.7. That release was the culmination of effective leadership and effort from Jen Mylo and Liz Danzico. In order to learn why this release is in a class of its own, we must look at how it was created.
\n
Introducing Crazyhorse
\n
On March 29th, 2008, WordPress 2.5 “Brecker” was released to the world. The biggest feature in 2.5 was the redesigned backend that was built in collaboration with Happy Cog.
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When Mullenweg gave the public a sneak peek at the redesigned backend, he had this to say:
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For the past few months, we’ve been working with our friends at Happy Cog — Jeffrey Zeldman, Jason Santa Maria, and Liz Danzico — to redesign WordPress from the ground-up. The result is a new way of interacting with WordPress that will remain familiar to seasoned users while improving the experience for everyone. This isn’t just a fresh coat of paint — we’ve re-thought the look of WordPress, as well as how it’s organized so that you can forget about the software and focus on your own creative pursuits.
\nWordPress 2.5 Post Editor\n
While some people praised the redesign, others were not happy, particularly with the menu hierarchy. Since sentiment in the community was mixed, Mylo contracted Ball State University’s Center for Media Design, Insight and Research to perform a usability report on the WordPress 2.5 admin design. The report was used to figure out which issues were based on interface problems versus people simply not liking the changes.
\n
Usability testing results were shared with lead developers which inspired a prototype interface to address some of the issues discovered. This allowed developers to use WordPress 2.5 on their own sites and the prototype on a test site. However, once testing began with the prototype interface, it became clear that a more ambitious approach was required.
\n
According to Mylo, the second prototype known as “Crazyhorse” blew test subjects away:
\n
The second round of testing blew everyone away. The research team had never seen such consistent results. Tasks were completed faster, participant opinions rated it higher, understanding of how interface elements worked was greater, and it wasn’t even a fully functional application. Of the test participants, every single one said they would choose the prototype over their current administrative interface, and it wasn’t even pretty.
\n
Throughout the 2.7 development process, Mylo used a number of communication channels to gather user feedback. On September 15th, 2008, Mylo published a Navigation Options Survey. The survey was part of a broader effort to get more people involved in the design and decision process:
\n
As part of the mission to increase user involvement in design decisions, we’ve created a survey intended to give WordPress users the ability to play a part in deciding how the navigation options should be grouped and labeled.
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Later that month, a second survey was created that allowed users to vote on mockups of the search box, favorites menu, the Future/Publish and Edit Timestamp buttons. It only took two days for the survey to reach its maximum response count of 5,000.
\nCrazyhorse Wireframe\n
Once the survey concluded, Mylo published a follow-up post as well as a document containing wireframes that gave users an idea of what the end product might look like. Near the middle of October, 2008, Mylo published semi-polished screenshots of the 2.7 interface and explained how it worked. Matt Thomas and Andy Peatling are largely responsible for the design of WordPress 2.7.
\nWordPress 2.7 Dashboard\n
The response to the screenshots was overwhelmingly positive. A week after showcasing the 2.7 dashboard, Mylo asked the WordPress community to create a set of icons to go with each of the navigation sections. More than a dozen people submitted icon sets and instead of choosing one, Mylo let the community vote on which set best matched WordPress 2.7’s style. With 35% of the vote, the winning set was created by Ben Dunkle.
\nWinning Icon Set\n
I asked Dunkle what inspired him to create the icons and if Mylo didn’t offer the opportunity to the community the way that she did, if he would have contributed to WordPress 2.7 otherwise.
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“When I saw Jen’s post calling for icon designers to submit a set for 2.7, it was right at the deadline,” Dunkle told the Tavern. “I can’t remember how I found the post, since I didn’t visit the WordPress development blog very often. I’d been building sites with WordPress for few years by that time, and really enjoyed it, but I didn’t think much about the online community.”
\n
“Jen expressed the direction eloquently: ‘Icons should be subtle, with a classic/designed look, nothing cartoonish. Thin lines. Maybe a little old-fashioned looking.’ I was designing icons for other open source projects around that time, and the language of the post struck a chord with me. I rushed out an email.
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“I ended up as a finalist, pushed the pixels, and sent off the design. Mine got the most votes. The contest caused some controversy, since anything resembling spec work has always been a lightning rod in the design community. I didn’t see it that way. It was an open source project and I was a volunteer, not a contractor.
\n
“In the end, it launched an ongoing connection that I maintain to this day. They’re now called Dashicons, made with vectors instead of pixels, and soon to be SVGs instead of web fonts (once we get the bugs sorted out).”
\n
After going through the beta and release candidate stages, WordPress 2.7 “Coltrane” was released to the public on December 11th, 2008. More than 150 people contributed code directly to the release and countless others contributed with valuable feedback during opportune times through surveys, mailing lists, and testing.
\n
Referring to WordPress 2.7, longtime user Ozh had this to say, “The dev team asked users what they wanted and what they liked, and the result is light years beyond what the design studio produced for 2.5 six months earlier. One word to summarize it all: ‘Above the fold!\'”
\n
WordPress 2.7 Set a Great Standard
\n
During Contributor day at WordCamp US 2016, I asked Mullenweg if the WordPress 2.7 development process inspired the experimental approach to developing WordPress in 2017.
\n
Yeah, I mean that was one of the beginnings to Jen’s contributions and her huge impact on the WordPress world. She brought an entirely different way of thinking with a user first, usability, research led mindset. It was fantastic to have female leadership demonstrating very early on in the WordPress community that this is software made by everyone for everyone. What that was for its time is a great standard to hold ourselves up to as we move forward in 2017.
\n
Out of all the WordPress releases I’ve covered since 2007, WordPress 2.7 is special. It’s the only release where I feel like a lot of the community rallied together and focused on making WordPress better. Through surveys, comments, blog posts, testing, and reaching out to talented people in the community for help, Mylo proved that the community can be part of the development and design process of WordPress and end up with a better product as a result.
\n
Things have changed since 2008. The community, contributor pool, and the project itself has become larger. Communication is spread out among the Make Blogs as well as SlackHQ. The WordPress development process is more open now than ever before. Since WordPress 2.7’s release, I haven’t felt the same spark of rallying together for a common goal that Mylo was able to foster. Perhaps it’s because I’m not part of a project team like the REST API or I’m not searching for it in the right places. I hope those feelings are rekindled in 2017.
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It will be interesting to see how the new development process works out. Until then, I leave you with a wonderful quote from Mylo as it succinctly captures the way I feel and remember the WordPress 2.7 development cycle.
\n
“I hope you enjoy getting an inside look at how we’ve been organizing our thoughts around 2.7, and that when the community feedback starts flowing everyone remembers that we all want the same thing: the best WordPress possible.”
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The full video and Q&A from 2016’s State of the Word last week in Philadelphia is now online. This year was especially exciting because it wasnt’ just a look back at the previous year, but sets out a new direction for where WordPress will be in 2017 and beyond.
Like every year, there was a ton of help bringing this together. Mark Uraine led the slides, and at various points these folks pitched in as well: Mel Choyce, Tammie Lister, Michael Arestad, Ashleigh Axios, Ian Dunn, Corey McKrill, Martin Remy, Josepha Haden, Alex Kirk, Marina Pape, Alx Block, Cami Kaos, Matias Ventura, Donncha O Caoimh, John Maeda, Barry Abrahamson, Nikolay Bachiyski, Chrissie Pollock, Sam Sidler, Boris Gorelik, Dion Hulse, Brooke Dukes, Sarah Blackstock. I also got input and suggestions from Petya Raykovska, Tony Perez, Joe Casabona, Helen Hou-Sandi, Jon Bossenger, Jason Cohen, Daniel Bachhuber, Drew Butler, Ryan Boren, Andrew Roberts, Joost de Valk, Stephane Daury, Dion Hulse, Gary Pendergast, David Bisset, Ryan McCue, Alex Shiels, Brian Krogsgard, Joe Hoyle, Sean Blakeley, Andrew Nacin, Mark Jaquith, John Blackbourn, and thank you to Rose Kuo for inspiring the poetry theme which featured prominently this year.
\n
Tavern and Post Status wrote up the talk itself. As a follow-up I did interviews with both to expand on some of what was discussed in the speech. The Post Status one is now up and you can watch it here:
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 12 Dec 2016 21:10:21 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:39;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:74:\"WPTavern: Bluehost Network Outage Hits Customers with 12 Hours of Downtime\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64386\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:81:\"https://wptavern.com/bluehost-network-outage-hits-users-with-12-hours-of-downtime\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4435:\"
Over the weekend, Bluehost experienced a severe, widespread network issue that caused customer sites to go down. The incident began Friday evening and continued into the night. As WP Tavern is hosted on Bluehost, we were watching the situation with keen interest, finally clocking the downtime at 12 hours before our site was back up.
\n
\n
We are seeing problems w/ network flapping which could be caused by denial of service or other network issues in our switching fabric. (1/5)
The Bluehost Twitter and Facebook accounts kept customers updated as network engineers worked to resolve the issue. Shortly after midnight Bluehost said they identified a network loop within a portion of the network. Staff worked to restore services “while making sure we do not reintroduce the loop into the network.”
\n
At approximately 10 hours into the downtime, Bluehost updated customers who were still down, citing “a packet filtering problem” in its core routing layer for which the team had created a fix. Within a couple more hours most of the company’s customers were back online.
\n
\n
We have identified a packet filtering problem in our core routing layer. We have worked closely with our vendor to develop a global fix- 1/2
Bluehost’s earliest communications about the downtime indicated a DDoS attack may have caused the incident, though this is no longer a strong consideration.
\n
“It doesn’t appear to be a DDoS but we are conducting a full investigation,” Bluehost head of product Brady Nord told the Tavern after the incident. His team worked around the clock to identify and resolve issues until customer sites came back up.
\n
“Many of our dedicated and VPS customers were affected to some degree for approximately 12 hours,” Nord said. “We made every attempt to keep our customers informed during the event as information became available because we understand our customers depend on our products and services.”
\n
Nord would not share further details about the cause of the outage but said the company plans to complete a detailed post mortem to prevent future outages.
\n
“With any significant event that affects our customer base, we conduct an extensive examination after the event to ensure we understand the root cause and develop a course of action to improve our systems and procedures,” Nord said.
\n
Bluehost is one of the hosts listed on WordPress’ recommended hosting page and Nord said roughly 2/3 of the company’s customer base uses WordPress.
\n
“The incident last night mainly impacted our dedicated and VPS customers which is a lower density section of the platform,” Nord said.
\n
Bluehost has not yet published the results of its investigation, but support staff have replied to customer inquiries with a fairly definitive assessment of the issue as having been due to a spanning tree issue on their core routing layer.
\n
\n
@saxangle Sure we can tell you what happened. We discovered a spanning tree issue on our core routing layer which caused network degradation
Spanning tree protocol misconfigurations can cause network problems similar to what Bluehost experienced but results of the investigation should confirm whether this was the root of problem that took customer sites down over the weekend.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 12 Dec 2016 17:48:20 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:40;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:52:\"HeroPress: WordCamp US Talk, The People Of WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://heropress.com/?p=1524\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://heropress.com/wordcamp-us-talk-people-wordpress/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2810:\"
I was incredibly honored to speak at WordCamp US in Philadelphia this year. It was especially cool to hear from people all over the world watching on the live stream.
\n
The hardest part was telling only a few stories that would fit into the time slot, and not every story on this site.
\n
If you missed the talk, it’s now on WordPress.tv, but you can also watch it right here.
\n\n
I love speaking, and I’ll probably talk about HeroPress again, what are some other topics and ideas you’d like to hear about?
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 12 Dec 2016 00:50:56 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:41;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:86:\"Post Status: Interview with Matt Mullenweg on the new WordPress release cycle and more\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"https://poststatus.com/?p=31281\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"https://poststatus.com/interview-matt-mullenweg-new-wordpress-release-cycle/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1765:\"
During contributor day of WordCamp US in Philadelphia, I was able to interview Matt Mullenweg to follow up on several items he announced in the State of the Word.
\n
We mostly discussed the new WordPress development cycle and how it will work with the three focus areas. We also discussed how that will affect other non-major updates and WordPress features.
\n
Matt also talked about the WordPress REST API, how he defines success for it, what he hopes to see out of it, and what he thinks would cause it to revert to a plugin only feature.
\n
And as this was the second and final year of WordCamp US in Philadelphia, we reflected on the event, and talked about what there is to look forward to in Nashville for WordCamp US 2017 and 2018.
\n
You can listen to just the audio, also on our podcast, which you can find on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and via RSS for your favorite podcatcher.
Oh, bother! Out now is bbPress 2.5.12, which fixes a bug for WordPress 4.7 users who did the right thing and updated to bbPress 2.5.11. Some of you may have noticed your bbPress menu items disappear – this release fixes that stinger.
\n
2.5.12 officially bumps the minimum WordPress version requirement to 4.7 for all releases going forward. If you are stuck on a previous version of WordPress, please continue to use 2.5.11.
\n
This cut-off is in place because the improvements to user-roles in WordPress 4.7 are really that important, and all future bug-fix releases to 2.5 and major releases going forward will be taking advantage of them.
\n
If you’ve updated to 4.7 and are one of the unlucky few to get stung by the missing-menu bug, please accept my sincere apologies along with an update to 2.5.12 to relieve the itching.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 09 Dec 2016 08:02:16 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"John James Jacoby\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:43;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:59:\"WPTavern: WPWeekly Episode 255 – All About the Customizer\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com?p=64372&preview=true&preview_id=64372\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:66:\"https://wptavern.com/wpweekly-episode-255-all-about-the-customizer\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2964:\"
I invited Ruter and Halsey on the show to give us some insight into its origin and why it was created. We also discuss its evolution since WordPress 3.6 and why it’s an important part of WordPress’ future.
\n
The duo shared their experience of what it’s like to iterate on a feature that routinely receives push-back from a subset of the community. We also talk about the perception that features are continuously being crammed into the Customizer when it’s really about adding live previews to WordPress functionality.
\n
Last but not least, Ruter and Halsey describe what improvements we can expect to see going forward. For details on how to contribute to the Customize component, please visit the Make Core Customize Component website.
\n
Plugins Picked By Marcus:
\n
Product Designer allows you to display an awesome Product Designer on your website via short-code. You can add unlimited clip art using a custom post. Text can be used with a fancy font family, font size and color.
\n
Text To Speech Widget converts any text into speech in a selected language and voice. It supports 63 voices in different languages. The plugin is based on HTML5 and doesn’t require using Flash.
\n
Featured Products First for WooCommerce allows a product in WooCommerce to be featured on the first shop page as well as search results. It also comes with a sidebar widget to display featured products on the homepage.
\n
WPWeekly Meta:
\n
Next Episode: Wednesday, December 14th 3:00 P.M. Eastern
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 09 Dec 2016 01:23:24 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Jeff Chandler\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:44;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"WPTavern: WordCamp Europe Calls for Host City Applications for 2018\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64343\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:78:\"https://wptavern.com/wordcamp-europe-calls-for-host-city-applications-for-2018\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3711:\"photo credit: Oli Dale\n
Even though the call for speakers for WordCamp Europe 2017 has just opened, organizers are already on the hunt for a city to host the event in 2018. The team chosen to host in 2018 will need to be planning throughout 2017 and should be present on the ground in Paris, so the selection process is already underway.
\n
WordCamp Europe is currently WordPress’ largest community event, and support and mentorship have been a key part of its success. Petya Raykovska, a past organizer, said the prospect of organizing the event can be intimidating for new teams but mentors will be available to applicants throughout the process.
\n
“The mentors are supposed to help the local teams prepare a better application,” Raykovska said. “They are all experienced WCEU organizers who can help with many aspects of the planning.”
\n
Host city selection is based on more than two dozen factors, including organizer experience, location, venue, and budget considerations. One of the most challenging aspects is securing a venue that can accommodate 3,000 attendees, but applicants are given a lot of flexibility on the event date.
\n
“We ask volunteers to book a venue for 3,000 people,” Raykovska said. “Not only are there not many venues that can fit us at this scale, most of them are booked years in advance.”
\n
Raykovska said organizers can book dates anywhere from May 1 – June 31, 2018. This makes it possible to have more cities and venues vying to host the event.
\n
Raykovska volunteered in Leiden in 2013 and helped organize WordCamp Sofia after that. In 2014, she applied to host WordCamp Europe in Sofia along with Tina Kesova, Nikolay Bachiyski, Veselin Nikolov, and Mario Peshev. Since that time she has been involved in organizing the event and mentoring newcomers. Potential applicants are encouraged to get in touch if they are wondering if their team has what it takes.
\n
“Sometimes these conversations serve as a reality check,” Raykovska said. “People can get super enthusiastic about organizing without having an idea of the time commitment. We want WCEU to be a positive experience for organizers and make sure our local teams have enough people and are aware what it takes to get involved as a local host.”
\n
Applications for host city will be open through February 15, 2017 and the decision will be made by the end of February. The team selected for 2018 will then join the 2017 planning team to gain a better understanding of the process. Potential applicants who want to be matched to a mentor can get in touch by emailing host at wp-europe.org.
\n
“In late 2013, one tweet pushed the WordCamp Sofia team to apply to host WCEU,” Raykovska said. “It turned into the most incredible journey I’ve taken so far with stops further beyond the future host cities of Seville, Vienna, and Paris. It’s time for someone to write the next chapter of the story.”
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Last week was a whirlwind of events. On Thursday, December 1st, I hosted the inaugural Post Status Publish, which was a ton of fun. And following that event, we had three straight days of WordCamp US.
\n
Brian Richards and I teamed up to take pictures and cover the event.
\n
Post Status Publish
\n
Publish was on Thursday. We have a lot of video, but fewer pictures. Here is a selection taken by Brian Richards. If you took photos at Publish, we’d love to see them as well!
Then there was WordCamp US. I unfortunately didn’t get to any sessions other than Matt’s State of the Word. But thankfully they’ll all be up on WordPress.tv, so I can catch up on the many that I wanted to attend.
\n
All photos directly before and during Matt’s State of the Word are by Brian Richards. I took most of the hallway shots.
Finally, Contributor Day was on Sunday. In addition to the contributor area itself, lunch was at the market where you can choose from a variety of lunch spots, with common cafeteria seating. I had an awesome spicy roast pork sandwich from Dinic’s, which I took a few pictures of as well.
I’ll have more coverage of both Publish and WordCamp US for Post Status Members in the coming days. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the pictures! If you’d like to use any of them, you are free to do so, and while credit is not required, it’s always appreciated.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:49:38 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Brian Krogsgard\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:46;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:95:\"WPTavern: GoDaddy Acquires WP Curve, Aims to Become a One-Stop Shop for WordPress Professionals\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64287\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:105:\"https://wptavern.com/godaddy-acquires-wp-curve-aims-to-become-a-one-stop-shop-for-wordpress-professionals\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5040:\"
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WP Curve, a WordPress services business that focuses on completing small jobs for customers, announced this week that GoDaddy has acquired the company. Founders Dan Norris and Alex McClafferty bootstrapped WP Curve in 2013 and have processed 105,000+ jobs through its pipeline.
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“WP Curve complements GoDaddy’s expanding WordPress offering including Managed WordPress and the recent ManageWP addition,” the company said in the announcement.
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Existing customers will be on-boarded to GoDaddy accounts with their current subscriptions. After the transition, the newly acquired WP Curve team will assist in scaling the services to support GoDaddy’s WordPress customers. Norris plans to exit the company and McClafferty will lead the team at GoDaddy.
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GoDaddy’s Plans for WP Curve
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Gabe Mays, head of WordPress Products at GoDaddy, said the WP Curve acquisition is an important part of GoDaddy’s goal to become “a one-stop shop for WordPress professionals.” Roughly one third of all GoDaddy sites are running on WordPress, and half of all new sites are using the software. This is one of the reasons GoDaddy plans to invest in improvements to WordPress’ core customizer component.
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“WP Curve will help us in two ways,” Mays said. “First we’re adding WP Curve’s WordPress experts to the company and we’ll leverage their expertise to improve the training and tools for the hundreds of GoDaddy Customer Care representatives that support our customers globally.
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“Second, we’ll directly offer WP Curve’s services to our customers,” Mays said. “This combination will be amazing for our customers and create a compelling one-stop shop for WordPress professionals and their clients.”
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Mays said WP Curve’s services “will continue to be offered as standalone services” but GoDaddy may consider adding them to its hosting plans sometime in the future.
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“Down the road it’s possible we’ll see aspects integrated into our Hosting plans to improve the customer experience, especially for nascent WordPress users,” Mays said.
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Mays would not comment on whether GoDaddy has more acquisitions in the pipeline, but the company is likely to require additional expertise if it aims to become a one-stop shop for WordPress professionals. GoDaddy is part of a more recent trend of hosting companies acquiring WordPress products and services, including its ManageWP acquisition and Flywheel’s purchase of Pressmatic. The trend has sparked some recent discussion on Twitter regarding “hosting companies eating WordPress:”
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If software is eating the world, then hosting companies are eating WordPress.
Mays sees this notion as a positive development and an opportunity for hosts to become more deeply invested in WordPress core and the surrounding ecosystem.
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“We see it as win-win for hosts and the WordPress community, more investment in WordPress is better for everyone,” Mays said. “For example, this year we hired our first core contributor, contributed full translations to some of the most popular themes and plugins, built a number of themes and plugins and contributed them to the WordPress repo and more. As a WordPress community we need all the investment we can get to reach our 50% goal and beyond.”
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Just days after the WP Curve acquisition, GoDaddy announced its acquisition of Host Europe Group (HEG) for $1.8 billion. HEG is Europe’s largest privately-owned web services provider in Europe and the purchase delivers 1.7 million new customers to GoDaddy, expanding the company’s international reach.
\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 08 Dec 2016 20:49:26 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Sarah Gooding\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:47;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"WPTavern: The Value of Sponsoring a WordCamp from a Business’ Perspective\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64315\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:83:\"https://wptavern.com/the-value-of-sponsoring-a-wordcamp-from-a-business-perspective\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:27974:\"Tony Perez, CEO of Sucuri\n
This is a guest post written by Tony Perez, co-founder and CEO of Sucuri. Sucuri is a website security platform that helps clean and protect websites. I would consider us a small mid-sized company. Our annual sponsorship budget is in the range of $300 – $400k per calendar year (CY).
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One of the industry events we’ve been actively participating in since our inception has been WordCamps. Unlike 2015, in 2016 I decided to be more pragmatic in the way we invest in WordCamps. This new approach stemmed from two basic questions – What is the ROI of sponsoring a WordCamp and should a business sponsor a WordCamp?
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One qualifier I want to add before getting started is that tracking success at events is very difficult. Even with the number of tools and approaches in the market, many organizations struggle getting their hands around the actual ROI of any event sponsorship. This means that many of the points in this post are not unique to the WordPress ecosystem, but the uniqueness and openness of the community makes it worth discussing.
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The Reality of WordCamps and Sponsors
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It’s been many years since I helped co-organize a WordCamp (San Diego back in 2011), and there is no denying that a lot has changed in the way they are put together. The one thing that hasn’t changed however, is the struggle organizers face when it comes to fundraising. Over the years we’ve seen a number of awesome initiatives by the WordPress Foundation to help assist in the process.
What makes it even more impressive is that these are events put on by volunteers. Matt Mullenweg also shared that these WordCamps are made possible by the generosity of the various sponsors which cover 85 – 95% of the costs associated with such events.
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It’s because of these sponsors that the costs are kept so low for attendees; including the annual event (WCUS) which came in at a cost greater than $500 per person but sold for ~$20 / day (Total of $40 / person). This is truly a herculean feat, and I commend them on their success to date.
With this in mind, I think it’s fair to say that at the rate things are going we might find ourselves with a problem of scale. While there have been 1k + sponsors in 2016, I would wager that a majority of the money is likely coming from a smaller subset of that group.
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Taking this into consideration, unless you’re Automattic, I can’t help but imagine that as a business the ROI question continues to come up as it does for me. This is further compounded by the dramatic increase in the a) request for sponsorships (# of camps) and b) the economics of the sponsorship itself (the $$ amount).
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This makes me think that it’s only a matter of time when the source of funds will be exhausted. Organizations have fiduciary responsibilities to their companies to spend their cash flow wisely, especially in today’s turbulent economic times.
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The impacts of this, as highlighted above, are going to be felt (if not already) by those volunteers trying to put on these great WordCamps. This will become exceptionally difficult for new camps, especially those in remote cities and countries.
There is one common phrase every business that has invested in WordCamps has come to terms with – sponsorships are done in-kind; expect nothing. I’m not clear how this guidance came to be, whether it was explicitly outlined by the Foundation or guidance that came to be over time. What I do know is that a good number of sponsors are familiar with it.
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Whether intended or not, allow me to be the first to publicly admit that while we are familiar with the phrase, no one really subscribes to it. The dirty little secret is that every business has some form of an expected ROI. It’s not always financially based, but there is some expectation. Companies sponsor events because there is some vested interest unless we’re talking about a child’s gymnastics or softball team.
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ROI takes many different shapes. Allow me to share the ROI as I see it when I look across the spectrum of some of today’s top sponsors (know that these are all my opinions as a third-party observer):
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GoDaddy
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They sponsor because they need to. When they came into the space two to three years ago, after the changing of the guard they identified the potential in WordPress. They had an image problem; one that couldn’t be fixed remotely. It had to be fixed with boots on the ground.
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Building relationships. Sharing experiences. Engaging influencers (do not underestimate the power of influencers). Whatever you might think of the brand today is nothing compared to what it was a few years ago. WordCamps have been a critical piece of their strategy to make this work. Who doesn’t know Mendel Kurland?
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SiteGround
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When they started to make their big push into the market, they were at every camp giving away free accounts. For them, it wasn’t about the short-term gain as much as the long-term gain. They had everything going against them. They were from Bulgaria working to service the biggest economic market, the US. They were trying to penetrate what many would argue was an already saturated market.
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I remember when they first appeared. No one knew them, and yet through their guerrilla marketing tactics, brand ambassadorship, stellar performance with customers, and word-of-mouth referrals, they are a powerhouse in the WP hosting space.
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WP Engine
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While they exploded through a number of initiatives, I believe that WordCamps and their strategy to engage with the community is what propelled them ahead of their competitors. Their focus wasn’t revenue generation early on. I recall their free accounts campaign. I think it ran for close to two years.
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What better combination than to have a freemium-like model where all you have to do is focus on user adoption (oversimplification of course). Your product and support are spot on, you just need more people touching it, more people telling their friends about it. They grew organically and these events made that possible.
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Automattic
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Honestly, they have no choice but to sponsor. They are the project sponsor by design. They are in many ways tied to the success and continued growth of the platform. They too have their free services that require adoption and user growth, things like Jetpack, Akismet, WooCommerce, and so many others.
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Without growth, they are dead solutions. They have to show support for a product that they’ve gone all in on. If they don’t sponsor, why would anyone else? Their fates are intertwined.
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And the observations go on. Granted, these are obvious gross oversimplifications, but I share them to highlight what ROI can look like. I also share them to show you what success looks like, and what the DNA of these organizations look like. Most of the scenarios above are built on the idea of “free” or “free-ish” services, with the exception being GoDaddy whose prices are so low you might as well consider them a freemium-like model.
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Measuring the ROI of Events
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What happens if you’re a premium service though? In this scenario, your ROI is no longer about adoption or user growth. Instead you’re now focused on growth in the form of revenue and sales. User adoption will never be as great as the freemium model.
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As organizations, we’ve invested a lot of money. There has to be something we’re getting out of this. Only in the WordCamp community have I seen this idea that people will donate not only time, but money, under the assumption that there will be nothing at the end of the tunnel.
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I wanted to better understand this myself, and what better place to look for ROI than our own data here at Sucuri.
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The data below highlights the period between December 2015 – June 2016. I encourage other businesses to share their own data to add to the conversation. When speaking to ROI, I looked for measurable attributes first:
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How many marketing leads were captured?
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How many sales leads were captured?
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How many of those leads converted to sales?
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What kind of exposure did we get via social?
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What kind of exposure did we get via backlinks?
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Perhaps the biggest immeasurable metric being:
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What kind of brand awareness are you really getting?
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In the table below, sponsorship is exactly what you’d think, while financial investment implies ancillary costs of getting people there, lodging and eating. It does not include labor, collateral, shipping and other items.
\nSucuri’s WordCamp Investments Dec. 2015 – June 2016\n
This chart shows the ROI we got in terms of money (did we close deals?) As a for-profit business one of the many attributes we look at are the total net-new customers we can generate from any investment, including events.
\nSucuri Investment CPL/CAC Analysis\n
To date, from all the events including WordCamp US (2015), we were able to track a total of 13 deals that closed from a direct engagement at the event. Putting the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) in the neighborhood of $12.4k per closed lead.
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This means that my lifetime value (LTV), if they purchased a basic plan at $199.99 would have to be 45 years. If they purchased our $499.99 plan, we’d be looking at a 18 year LTV.
\nSucuri Investment Measurable ROI\n
Focusing on exposure, it is one of the many things you get from sponsoring an event. You get linkbacks from the event, shout outs on the pages, posts highlighting your sponsorship. What does that really amount to? Can it be measured? The easiest way to answer these questions was to look at the main site links and social engagements.
\nSucuri Web / Social Sponsorship Impact\n
We generated 190 sessions total, the most coming from WordCamp US (at the time of the event, not leading up to it, or after). We generate over 500k sessions a month across all our platforms. This makes 190 total sessions over a six month period negligible.
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In my review, we looked at direct traffic from referrals and traced down the social “thank you” and “promotions” each event provided. It’s fair to note, that the lack of success in the measurable values above could be very closely be related to our ineffectiveness as an organization as well. We could just be really bad at working events; it’s an art in and of itself.
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I intentionally did not include marketing leads. For me, my focus is looking at what actually converts so when we go to events, we place more emphasis on qualified sales leads (opportunities) than marketing leads; I am not very big on getting into the card collection and SPAM business.
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What does this all mean?
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Well, if I was a rational person this would mean that as a premium service provider, investing in WordCamps doesn’t make sense. Trust me, I love the community. We are involved in many ways, but this is really too difficult to digest and justify. I wonder what happens when more companies, even the ones that I shared above, start doing the same mathematics.
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The WordCamp Sponsorship Conundrum
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The WordPress platform promotes the idea of Free and targets a very curious niche of people – self-service/Do It Yourself (DIY) types. By this self-proclaimed profile, they are not buyers of premium services; they are the ones that will invest sweat equity to build or find an alternative to their problem – it just has to be free.
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This ideology is fine, but it also means that it frankly may not be the right market for most premium businesses. I would be remiss however, if I did not highlight the fact that a number of the sponsors for WCUS 2016 were premium service providers. The only challenge I would make to this claim is that just because they are sponsoring, doesn’t mean they are getting a return.
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I’d also challenge it and say some of them have a need to sponsor for some of the same reasons described above. Just because a premium service sponsors, it doesn’t mean their goal is defined purely around selling, in many instances it’s built around brand awareness and ambassadorship – especially unknown brands, or those with bad reputations. GoDaddy is a perfect example of this.
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Does this mean that there is no hope? No, I don’t think so. I just think we have to ask ourselves some key questions, both as organizations and a community. To assist in the conversation, I’ve highlighted a few areas that I find challenging as a business and encourage others to introduce their own. If nothing else, this can help both the Foundation and organizers alike better work with sponsors.
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The Audience Quality Factor
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When we turn our attention to WordCamps, events designed to promote and bring together these ideals, you realize that the problem with WordCamps for businesses is the audience.
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I’m by no way saying that their current design is bad for what WordCamps were designed for. On the contrary, I’d say they’ve done an exceptional job sticking to their predefined audience, at least in terms of cost bracket. They don’t, however, do a good job of differentiating between the various personas in attendance. They’re all rolled up into one big bucket. This creates a severe imbalance between the economic investment and audience potential.
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This imbalance I think has to do with the quality of the audience. This is not meant to imply that the audience is not good in their own right, but from a company perspective not so much (i.e., as a potential customer). In a world where everything is expected to be free, and quickly commoditized, how do you bridge that divide?
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This also has residual effects as well into the quality that can be expected at the event, in terms of organization, presentation and speakers. There are so many different ways this can go, does it mean WordCamp Pro like events? I’m not sure, but what I do know is that in it’s current incarnation something has to give.
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Granted, this does not apply to everyone. I know a number of theme shops that bring and meet their customers at these events. Where closing one deal cannot only cover their costs, but set them up nicely for a couple of months. My points here are more tailored at product / premium shops that are operating at a very different scale and configuration.
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Increasing Number of Events Globally
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The sheer volume of camps and sponsorships presents a very big problem, not just for the Foundation but for businesses as well. Which ones do you invest in? Which will offer the most return?
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I assure you, these are the conversations that are occurring. There are so many, and it’s impossible to invest in them all (at least in a meaningful way). This will continue to put undue pressures on all the organizing teams looking to raise funds. I think you can see an example of this with this years WCUS 2016 sponsorships, a very different (stark) representation of today’s reality when it comes to sponsorships.
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Yes, I’m very familiar with the new Global Sponsorship opportunities the Foundation has put together. They’re divided by geographic region, and don’t include the main geographic events like WordCamp US and WordCamp Europe. The prices are below:
\nGlobal Sponsorship Prices\n
It’s definitely a great idea, but providing a large sum of cash that gets distributed across events that you may or may not attend isn’t something I’m particularly fond of. I worry about the longevity of this program, and while I know there are always new sponsors, what will the churn look like in the program. Only time will tell.
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Impacts of a Corporation Type
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For those unfamiliar, the entity responsible for facilitating the growth and management of WordCamps around the world is now known as the “WordPress Community Support (WPCS) Public Benefit Corporation (PBC)”. This new entity is a subsidiary of the WordPress Foundation, which is still a non-profit, and established in 2016 (Yes, Matt said it’d take effect in 2017 but I’m pretty sure that was in error).
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After March 31, sponsorship payments sent to WordPress Foundation accounts will be returned to sender. Please send revised payment instructions to any sponsors who have not yet paid.
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This new entity is what is known as a benefit corporation, and should NOT be confused with a b-corp. Although it is used in many instances interchangeably, there are a number of differentiating factors, the biggest being that to obtain a b-corp classification an entity must be certified.
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B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
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Establishing a PBC to handle the WordCamps I firmly believe was done with the best of intentions for the community, but it does present a few challenges for private businesses. A PBC is still a private for-profit company. The biggest difference, however, is that unlike other corporation types (e.g., C, S, etc..) a PBC allows an organization to be a charter (or mission focused) in addition to more traditional goals of generating profits for its shareholders.
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This change is a bit more significant than might be implied when reading through the announcement. One of the driving forces for the change was to make the sponsorship process easier for both the organizers and sponsors alike:
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One of the main advantages to the change from the WordPress Foundation (a non-profit) to the WPCS (a public benefit corporation) is that the rules around sponsoring official WordPress events are much simpler.
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The people involved in overseeing the program have updated sponsor rules accordingly, to eliminate the barriers to value-adding stuff like direct links, discounts, and calls to action, while keeping the ones that helped us form such a trustworthy, community-focused sponsor program, like the rule about not using superlatives or unprovable claims.
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As a prior WordCamp organizer, there is perhaps no greater challenge in my mind than asking people for money. While my experience was back in 2011, I can only imagine that the struggles are still the same and one of the things leveraged when pitching to companies are the benefits of a non-profit. The non-profit classification was not just about securing donations like venues (which is very important) but it’s critical for some in securing the dollars they require.
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For a company, it also makes it harder to justify the costs. As the dollar investment continues to increase, the one thing that could always be counted on was the non-profit status. By changing it to a private organization (on paper) it’s donating money to another company (regardless of what the mission may or may not be). This might not be a big deal for some, but when we start talking significant investments, it becomes a serious problem.
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Incentivizing Businesses
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When you read through the Sponsorship rules for 2016 the changes are not incentivizing enough for a business. The biggest change being the ability to print comparisons or introduce pricing on collateral, both of which are insignificant as you can account for most of your physical collateral to end up in the trash and difficult to track.
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I believe there will be, or are changes in the works, to include pricing on virtual print as well which will definitely be a positive move, but I defer to the ROI measurements above as well.
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While the idea of incentivizing a business might be repulsive, it’s a necessity. As a good friend of mine mentioned, it’s about exposure for businesses. If we’re investing significant dollars and being such pivotal players in the success of these events, then we’re going to ask for as much exposure as possible.
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We’re also going to push the limits of our imaginations and require some flexibility, in return I think most companies would willingly be open to negotiation and flexibility. If ROI is going to be based on exposure and brand awareness, we need to be able to capitalize on that.
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What might be interesting here is to perhaps do a survey of businesses, those that have been supporting the WordCamp communities for years, and take a poll. Maybe present some options and make them part of the process. Even if it’s a fixed list, maybe ask for a wishlist of things; things that can be discussed and openly taken into consideration.
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Like I tell my teams –most reasonable people don’t need to always win, they just want to be heard and be part of the process. This applies to companies as well. When it comes down to it, it’s but a few people at each organization that will be your evangelists.
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WordCamp Sponsorship Can Work
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I am not saying that sponsoring WordCamps is not valuable. I’m also not saying that it’s a lost cause working with WordCamps. I am saying that it’s important to have a dialog if longevity is what we’re after in the community, sponsorships are the bloodline that keep these events going.
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There is little that can be done about the growth of events or the new subsidiary (and I don’t think either is bad). They are today’s realities and as organizations we’ll have to work through them independently.
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The two areas I think can be improved on is the audience and how businesses are incentivized.
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I’m not particularly hopeful of the audience, that’s a problem the community will need to solve and not necessarily something the Foundation should concern themselves with. If I were the Foundation, I would be doing exactly what they are doing – keep the price as low as possible to make it reachable to everyone (need a low barrier to entry). We’ve already seen a few events attempt this, and the best example in my opinion so far has been WooConf and WPCampus.
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The one I’m more hopeful of is how businesses are incentivized. If we can agree that at a minimum all organizations are looking for exposure, then that should be the easiest place to start. A few examples might include: speaking guarantees, more prominent branding, access to some form of audience information. Yes, some of these are highly controversial, but I have faith that together we can make something work that is in line with the spirit of these events. I would also encourage other camps to look at WordCamp Miami; beyond having a Learn JavaScript Deeply track, they do an exceptional job with the way they engage with their sponsors.
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\n
I share this post as a way to provide a perspective that I hope is unique and valuable. If it starts a discussion, and opens a better dialog between businesses, WordCamp organizers and the Foundation then I will consider it a success. Sponsors are a critical piece to the continued success and growth of these community events, and I’d like to ensure that continues.
\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 07 Dec 2016 23:15:56 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"@mercime\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:49;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"WPTavern: WordPress 4.7 is the First Release to be 100% Translated into Urdu\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:29:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=64040\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:86:\"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-4-7-is-the-first-release-to-be-100-translated-into-urdu\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5620:\"photo credit: WasifMalik Wazir Khan Masjid Mosque Shahi Royal Hammaam Bathhouse Lahore Pakistan Oct 2015 031 – (license)\n
WordPress 4.7 was released yesterday with translations for 52 languages, thanks to the volunteer efforts of its vibrant community of translators. For the first time, WordPress is 100% translated into Urdu, the national language of Pakistan. Urdu is spoken by 100 million people in several different areas of the world, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Middle East.
\n
As part of the effort to bring the Urdu translation to 100%, WordPress developer Ahmad Awais organized a small meetup in Lahore, Pakistan during the 2nd WP Translation Day event. More than 60 attendees joined online and offline over the span of two days with many participating in the WP-Pakistan Slack team in the #translators channel.
\n
Having WordPress available in Urdu is a major milestone for the Pakistani tech community. It makes it possible for government websites to adopt the software.
\n
“The government websites are required to be accessible,” Awais said. “While we are not there yet, there are efforts underway to make every government website available in both English and Urdu.”
\n
Awais cited the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) website as one example that has recently started using WordPress for its online portal. NADRA issues identity cards with CNIC numbers in Pakistan, similar to social security numbers in the US.
\n
\n
“The NADRA site is far from perfect but is much better than other government sites,” Aawais said. “People have already started to notice that. There’s a pretty large developer community in Pakistan that’s connected to WordPress in one way or another, but on the consumer end – not so much.”
\n
Awais said many Pakistani media sites are powered by WordPress but adoption is slower when it comes to e-commerce. WordPress penetration in the enterprise sector is nearly non-existent.
\n
“I think the 100% Urdu variant of WordPress will definitely help in the expansion for the local consumer-base,” Awais said. “Web developers will find it easier to pitch WordPress as the go-to CMS for government, local, and higher education web properties as compared to other proprietary, closed-source Urdu CMS software. That alone can have a huge impact as far as the growth of the local WordPress community is concerned.”
\n
The concept of contributing back to open source software is still relatively new in Pakistan but Awais and his fellow translators and developers are working to change the general perception in their tech culture.
\n
“I would like to request Foundation to pay more attention to regions like ours, where software developers, computer science students, and entrepreneurs seldom understand the concept of open source software,” Awais said. “The concept of giving back and making it work to pay the bills is lost on simple and misunderstood questions of ‘Can people make money via Open Source?’ and ‘What do you get by giving back and helping out for free?’
\n
“Believe me, these are tough questions to be answered when there are no huge WordPress supported companies picking up the tabs for those who are trying to give back,” Awais said. “Support for open source is a rare commodity here. I hope that changes in the next five years or so.”
\n
During the 2016 State of the Word, Matt Mullenweg said one of the Foundation’s new focuses will be running educational workshops in developing nations. When asked about how this initiative will work during the Q&A session, Mullenweg said they are still figuring it out but envision an open source curriculum with locally run classes and support.
\n
More than 100 translators participated in bringing the Urdu translation to 100% for WordPress. With the software now accessible to 100 million Urdu speakers, the region seems like a good candidate for an educational investment to bring more developers up to speed with using WordPress for commerce and government sites.
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This post was contributed by guest author Taylor Lovett. Lovett is based in the Washington DC area, is the Director of Web Engineering at 10up, creator of ElasticPress, and general open source enthusiast.![\"\"](\"https://i2.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/sharpened-pencil.jpg?ssl=1\")
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Uraine posted the group’s original sketches as well as a screenshot of the initial draft on desktop and mobile. The screenshot doesn’t include the site’s header and footer, which will be added when the design is implemented. The team has also created a Codepen Prototype, which demonstrates the fixed background featuring high profile WordPress sites that visitors see as they scroll.![\"Code](\"https://i1.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/BPAddedCodetoWPConfig.png?ssl=1\")
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Yesterday organizers unveiled the new Thailand Wapuu, featuring traditional Thai garb and a banana stalk. Bananas leaves and stems, in addition to the fruit itself, make up an important part of Thai life with both ceremonial and practical uses.![\"\"](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/woocommerce-market-share.png?ssl=1\")
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\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-154-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-155-100x150.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-156-100x150.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-159-100x150.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-158-100x150.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-161-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-160-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-163-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-162-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-164-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-165-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-166-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-167-100x150.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-168-100x150.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-169-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-170-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-172-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-171-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-174-150x100.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"https://cdn.poststatus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/wcus-2016-173-100x150.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"https://i2.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/godaddy-logo.jpg?ssl=1\"){kind=logo}
![\"Tony](\"https://i2.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/tony-perez-sucuri.jpg?ssl=1\")
Tony Perez, CEO of Sucuri\n![\"Canoes\"](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Canoes.png?ssl=1\")
photo credit: dolbinator1000 Boyhood – (license)\n![\"Smaller](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/QuestionmarkSmaller.png?ssl=1\")
photo credit: Matthew McVickar – cc\n![\"Sucuri](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SucurisWordCampsInvestments.png?ssl=1\")
Sucuri’s WordCamp Investments Dec. 2015 – June 2016\n![\"Sucuri](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SucuriCPLCACInvestment.png?ssl=1\")
Sucuri Investment CPL/CAC Analysis\n![\"Sucuri](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SucuriInvestmentMeasurableROI.png?ssl=1\")
Sucuri Investment Measurable ROI\n![\"Sucuri](\"https://i2.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/SucuriWebSocialImpact.png?ssl=1\")
Sucuri Web / Social Sponsorship Impact\n![\"WordPress](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/WPWorldLogo.jpg?ssl=1\")
The sheer volume of camps and sponsorships presents a very big problem, not just for the Foundation but for businesses as well. Which ones do you invest in? Which will offer the most return?![\"Global](\"https://i2.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/GlobalSponsorshipOpportunities.png?ssl=1\")
Global Sponsorship Prices\n![\"\"](\"https://i1.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/lahore-pakistan.jpg?ssl=1\")
photo credit: WasifMalik Wazir Khan Masjid Mosque Shahi Royal Hammaam Bathhouse Lahore Pakistan Oct 2015 031 – (license)\n![\"\"](\"https://i0.wp.com/wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/nadra-website.png?ssl=1\")