WP Review
113 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago -WP Review is a weekly podcast that focuses on growing a business in the WordPress space. Host Joe Casabona provides his analysis on what's happening in WordPress, and what it means for users and business owners in the ecosystem. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro
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Episodes
How Will You Use WordPress in 2022?
December 29, 2021 07:55 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBAs we reflect on 2021 and prepare for 2022, I want to pose a question to you: What will you use WordPress for in 2022? The mission of this show in 2022 is helping small business owners in the WordPress space grow beyond the WordPress space. And as much as we should serve our WordPress community, WordPress needs to serve us. So I'm posing the question again: what will you use WordPress for in 2022? Plus, my picks of the year. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Links Theme: Kad...
How Will You Use WordPress in 2022?
December 29, 2021 07:55 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBAs we reflect on 2021 and prepare for 2022, I want to pose a question to you: What will you use WordPress for in 2022? The mission of this show in 2022 is helping small business owners in the WordPress space grow beyond the WordPress space. And as much as we should serve our WordPress community, WordPress needs to serve us. So I'm posing the question again: what will you use WordPress for in 2022? Plus, my picks of the year. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Links Theme: Kadence / Kadence Bl...
The way to learn WordPress is not by contributing.
December 15, 2021 09:09 - 15 minutes - 17.3 MB m4aYesterday, Matt Mullenweg gave his annual State of the Word speech, where he covered everything that has happened in WordPress this year, and what we can expect moving forward. As always, he extolled the virtues of open source and the importance of contributing. He spent several minutes on Five for the Future, a program encouraging companies who make money with WordPress to give 5% of their time to the open source project. And while I strongly recommend contributing, I don't think it's the p...
The way to learn WordPress is not by contributing.
December 15, 2021 09:09 - 15 minutes - 17.3 MB m4aYesterday, Matt Mullenweg gave his annual State of the Word speech, where he covered everything that has happened in WordPress this year, and what we can expect moving forward. As always, he extolled the virtues of open source and the importance of contributing. He spent several minutes on Five for the Future, a program encouraging companies who make money with WordPress to give 5% of their time to the open source project. And while I strongly recommend contributing, I don't...
How is Software Different from Jeans (Or Why You Should Pay for Good Work)
December 04, 2021 06:31 - 26 minutes - 30.8 MB m4aI often find myself wondering how many people expect jeans to last a lifetime. There's no disclaimer on jeans saying you need to buy more...but it's understood that every year we need to continue to pay for the privilege of wearing pants in public. In today's episode, I ask why it's so hard for people in the WordPress space to think the same thing of software. See, Delicious Brains caused quite an incident when they asked their lifetime subscriptions to consider switching t...
How is Software Different from Jeans (Or Why You Should Pay for Good Work)
December 04, 2021 06:31 - 26 minutes - 30.8 MB m4aI often find myself wondering how many people expect jeans to last a lifetime. There's no disclaimer on jeans saying you need to buy more...but it's understood that every year we need to continue to pay for the privilege of wearing pants in public. In today's episode, I ask why it's so hard for people in the WordPress space to think the same thing of software. See, Delicious Brains caused quite an incident when they asked their lifetime subscriptions to consider switching to annual to conti...
The Simplest Solution
November 12, 2021 07:55 - 31 minutes - 36 MB m4aWhat's up with all of the acquisitions? What are we even doing in the WordPress community? How much of a say do we really have on the open source project? These are big questions, but as my friend William of Occam said, ""entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity." Or as it's often (but maybe incorrectly?) paraphrased, "The simplest solution is often the best solution." But whether or not that's actually the principle behind Occam's Razor, it's still a good one. And that helps us ...
The Simplest Solution
November 12, 2021 07:55 - 31 minutes - 36 MB m4aWhat's up with all of the acquisitions? What are we even doing in the WordPress community? How much of a say do we really have on the open source project? These are big questions, but as my friend William of Occam said, ""entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity." Or as it's often (but maybe incorrectly?) paraphrased, "The simplest solution is often the best solution." But whether or not that's actually the principle behind Occam's Razor, it's still a good one. A...
What's Up with the Block Editor?
October 28, 2021 06:12 - 23 minutes - 27.5 MB m4aThere's been a lot of news around Gutenberg and the block editor as we barrel towards the November 9th feature freeze. Plus, are we getting the whole story of why the block editor exists and what it's supposed to do? Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Get all of the show notes at https://wpreview.io/027 Get even more great content by joining the Build Something Club
What's Up with the Block Editor?
October 28, 2021 06:12 - 23 minutes - 27.5 MB m4aThere's been a lot of news around Gutenberg and the block editor as we barrel towards the November 9th feature freeze. Plus, are we getting the whole story of why the block editor exists and what it's supposed to do? Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Get all of the show notes at https://wpreview.io/027 Get even more great content by joining the Build Something Club
Owning Our Own Platform and Responding to WordPress Hit Pieces
October 14, 2021 09:03 - 23 minutes - 27.4 MB m4aLast week’s Facebook outage brought an onslaught of platitudes from people talking about how terrible Facebook is, and how you should own your own platform. But even as a developer myself, my thoughts are a little different. Plus, how we should react to WordPress "hit pieces." Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Links The Next Web Publishes Storyblok-Sponsored Hit Piece on WordPress (WP Tavern) Introducing Twenty Twenty-Two (Make.WordPress) Notion getting a "Page Builder?" (David Biss...
Owning Our Own Platform and Responding to WordPress Hit Pieces
October 14, 2021 09:03 - 23 minutes - 27.4 MB m4aLast week’s Facebook outage brought an onslaught of platitudes from people talking about how terrible Facebook is, and how you should own your own platform. But even as a developer myself, my thoughts are a little different. Plus, how we should react to WordPress "hit pieces." Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Links The Next Web Publishes Storyblok-Sponsored Hit Piece on WordPress (WP Tavern) Introducing Twenty Twenty-Two (Make.WordPress) Notion getting a "Page Builder?" (David Biss...
Cutthroat software development in an open source world
September 30, 2021 07:14 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBIt's been 10 years since WooCommerce was forked from JigoShop and turned into the giant of the ecommerce space that is it today. And while it was maybe a little cutthroat, the problem doesn't necessary lie with the fork. It lies with the way you position your product, and your business. Plus, thoughts on all the aquisitions from last week! Show Notes Acquisitions are at an all time high LearnDash Joins the Liquid Web Family of Brands Awesome Motive has acquired our WordPress products an...
Cutthroat software development in an open source world
September 30, 2021 07:14 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBIt's been 10 years since WooCommerce was forked from JigoShop and turned into the giant of the ecommerce space that is it today. And while it was maybe a little cutthroat, the problem doesn't necessary lie with the fork. It lies with the way you position your product, and your business. Plus, thoughts on all the aquisitions from last week! Show Notes Acquisitions are at an all time high LearnDash Joins the Liquid Web Family of Brands Awesome Motive has acquired our Word...
Stop Focusing on WordPress Searches and Serve Your Customers
September 16, 2021 03:17 - 28 minutes - 33.2 MB m4aOver the last few months, we’ve seen several outlets report on the seemingly alarming decrease in search terms year-over-year in the WordPress space. But does it matter that the specific search terms are decreasing (sometimes marginally) even as WordPress and WooCommerce usage reach new heights. While well-meaning, I don't think these reports solve the problem they think they're solving. Thanks to GoDaddy Pro for sponsoring Main Segment Starts at [17:41] Plus: WordPress 5.9 Proposed Sc...
Stop Focusing on WordPress Searches and Serve Your Customers
September 16, 2021 03:17 - 28 minutes - 33.2 MB m4aOver the last few months, we’ve seen several outlets report on the seemingly alarming decrease in search terms year-over-year in the WordPress space. But does it matter that the specific search terms are decreasing (sometimes marginally) even as WordPress and WooCommerce usage reach new heights. While well-meaning, I don't think these reports solve the problem they think they're solving. Thanks to GoDaddy Pro for sponsoring Main Segment Starts at [17:41] Plus: WordPres...
The Block Editor isn't as bad as you think it is.
September 01, 2021 02:41 - 24 minutes - 28.8 MB m4aI've been seeing a troubling trend of people trashing the block editor because they didn't like it early on. But even more so, they say it's worse for users, which is patently untrue. We'll unpack that in this week's main segment. Plus: Happy Trails to Andrea Middleton, who's leaving Automattic this month, Automattic aquires Frontify, and the Classic Editor gets another year of support. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Show Notes Thanks for a great 10 years, WordPress! Aut...
The Block Editor isn't as bad as you think it is.
September 01, 2021 02:41 - 24 minutes - 28.8 MB m4aI've been seeing a troubling trend of people trashing the block editor because they didn't like it early on. But even more so, they say it's worse for users, which is patently untrue. We'll unpack that in this week's main segment. Plus: Happy Trails to Andrea Middleton, who's leaving Automattic this month, Automattic aquires Frontify, and the Classic Editor gets another year of support. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Show Notes Thanks for a great 10 years, WordPress! Automattic Acquires ...
Are we Seeing the End of Solo Plugin Developers?
August 12, 2021 03:21 - 35 minutes - 41.5 MB m4aWith all of the news on plugins, like downloads being down, solo projects being acquired by bigger companies, etc. I'm curious to know: is this signalling the end of the solo WordPress plugin developer? Has the ecosystem gotten too complex for solo devs to support themselves? Here's what I think, plus the news of the week. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Show Notes Master Full Site Editing Course Automattic Invests $30M in Titan, a Business Email Startup Is WordPress Dev...
Are we Seeing the End of Solo Plugin Developers?
August 12, 2021 03:21 - 35 minutes - 41.5 MB m4aWith all of the news on plugins, like downloads being down, solo projects being acquired by bigger companies, etc. I'm curious to know: is this signalling the end of the solo WordPress plugin developer? Has the ecosystem gotten too complex for solo devs to support themselves? Here's what I think, plus the news of the week. Brought to you by GoDaddy Pro Show Notes Master Full Site Editing Course Automattic Invests $30M in Titan, a Business Email Startup Is WordPress Development Really A...
Big News for Themes, Full Site Editing, and WordCamp US is Back!
July 29, 2021 04:39 - 28 minutes - 32.4 MB m4aWordPress 5.8 is out and I've been playing around with Full Site Editing a lot! In fact, this episode is pretty theme-heavy. News about block patterns, the direction of the theme directory, and more. Sponsored by: GoDaddy Pro Show Notes Join Creator Courses (use WPREVIEW for 20% off) Block Patterns Directory is Live! Theme Creation Will Be Easier, But We Are Not There Yet Next Phase of the WordPress Theme Review Overhaul: Open Meeting and Call for Feedback WordCamp US is Back! Frost...
Big News for Themes, Full Site Editing, and WordCamp US is Back!
July 29, 2021 04:39 - 28 minutes - 32.4 MB m4aWordPress 5.8 is out and I've been playing around with Full Site Editing a lot! In fact, this episode is pretty theme-heavy. News about block patterns, the direction of the theme directory, and more. Sponsored by: GoDaddy Pro Show Notes Join Creator Courses (use WPREVIEW for 20% off) Block Patterns Directory is Live! Theme Creation Will Be Easier, But We Are Not There Yet Next Phase of the WordPress Theme Review Overhaul: Open Meeting and Call for Feedback WordCamp U...
Is Good Hosting Worth It? Is College? Plus an Interview with WordFest Organizers
July 15, 2021 02:46 - 40 minutes - 18.6 MBA couple of big news items this week, neither of which have to do with acquisitions (mostly). Plus, I respond to a WP Tavern article about college degrees, and get to chat with Dan Maby and Hauwa Abashiya of WordFest! (more…)
Is Good Hosting Worth It? Is College? Plus an Interview with WordFest Organizers
July 15, 2021 02:46 - 40 minutes - 18.6 MBA couple of big news items this week, neither of which have to do with acquisitions (mostly). Plus, I respond to a WP Tavern article about college degrees, and get to chat with Dan Maby and Hauwa Abashiya of WordFest! (more…)
Shopify Cuts Developer Fees and Contributing to WordPress
July 01, 2021 01:07 - 28 minutes - 13.3 MBThis week on the WP Review, 10 Years of Ninja Forms, Shopify vs. WooCommerce Developer Fees, Local Pro is Free, and some recommendations. Thanks to GoDaddy Pro for sponsoring! (more…)
Shopify Cuts Developer Fees and Contributing to WordPress
July 01, 2021 01:07 - 28 minutes - 13.3 MBThis week on the WP Review, 10 Years of Ninja Forms, Shopify vs. WooCommerce Developer Fees, Local Pro is Free, and some recommendations. Thanks to GoDaddy Pro for sponsoring! (more…)
Even More Acquisitions and the WordPress 5.8 Beta!
June 18, 2021 02:12 - 24 minutes - 11.3 MBAfter talking acquisitions 2 weeks ago, things have only sped up here in the WordPress ecosystem. On top of Automattic acquiring the Day One app, a new new marketplace for buying and selling WordPress businesses has emerged. All of that, plus a closer look at 5.8 and the block patterns directory. (more…)
Even More Acquisitions and the WordPress 5.8 Beta!
June 18, 2021 02:12 - 24 minutes - 11.3 MBAfter talking acquisitions 2 weeks ago, things have only sped up here in the WordPress ecosystem. On top of Automattic acquiring the Day One app, a new new marketplace for buying and selling WordPress businesses has emerged. All of that, plus a closer look at 5.8 and the block patterns directory. (more…)
What do Acquisitions in the WordPress Space Mean?
June 04, 2021 12:50 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MBIt’s been an action-packed couple of weeks in the WordPress space! Just this week, 2 more acquisitions were announced. One from Delicious Brains, and one from Liquid Web. We’ll get into all the news, as well as answer the big question: what do all of these acquisitions mean for the WordPress ecosystem? (more…)
What do Acquisitions in the WordPress Space Mean?
June 04, 2021 12:50 - 35 minutes - 16.4 MBIt’s been an action-packed couple of weeks in the WordPress space! Just this week, 2 more acquisitions were announced. One from Delicious Brains, and one from Liquid Web. We’ll get into all the news, as well as answer the big question: what do all of these acquisitions mean for the WordPress ecosystem? (more…)
Is ProfilePress’ Move Indicative of a Bigger .Org Problem?
May 21, 2021 16:06 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBIt’s a packed episode this week – I blew past my 20 minute limit! ProfilePress has made a lot of waves by pulling a bait and switch…but I have a different question: what can plugin authors do to financially support their free work? Plus, I get to talk to Robert Jacobi, who is the new Director of WordPress at Cloudways, Brian Krogsgard departs from Post Status, and a plugin recommendation! … Is ProfilePress’ Move Indicative of a Bigger .Org Problem?Read More » Source
Is ProfilePress' Move Indicative of a Bigger .Org Problem?
May 21, 2021 12:06 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBIt’s a packed episode this week – I blew past my 20 minute limit! ProfilePress has made a lot of waves by pulling a bait and switch…but I have a different question: what can plugin authors do to financially support their free work? Plus, I get to talk to Robert Jacobi, who is the new Director of WordPress at Cloudways, Brian Krogsgard departs from Post Status, and a plugin recommendation! (more…)
Is ProfilePress' Move Indicative of a Bigger .Org Problem?
May 21, 2021 12:06 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBIt’s a packed episode this week – I blew past my 20 minute limit! ProfilePress has made a lot of waves by pulling a bait and switch…but I have a different question: what can plugin authors do to financially support their free work? Plus, I get to talk to Robert Jacobi, who is the new Director of WordPress at Cloudways, Brian Krogsgard departs from Post Status, and a plugin recommendation! (more…)
GiveWP Acquired by Liquid Web! Interview with Matt and Devin
May 11, 2021 10:03 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBGiveWP, makers of the extremely popular WordPress donation plugin has been acquired by Liquid Web. I got to interview the founders and co-authors, Matt Cromwell and Devin Walker. We cover questions like how the acquisition came about, what this means for current customers and nonprofits, plans for the future, and even some sage advice regarding the acquisition process. (more…)
GiveWP Acquired by Liquid Web! Interview with Matt and Devin
May 11, 2021 10:03 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBGiveWP, makers of the extremely popular WordPress donation plugin has been acquired by Liquid Web. I got to interview the founders and co-authors, Matt Cromwell and Devin Walker. We cover questions like how the acquisition came about, what this means for current customers and nonprofits, plans for the future, and even some sage advice regarding the acquisition process. (more…)
What to Consider when Building a Theme in a Full Site Editing World
May 06, 2021 12:25 - 24 minutes - 11.6 MBThere’s a lot of concern around full site editing and what that means for themes and theme creators. Are they even worth building anymore? Should all themes just be a blank slate? Will we only need a hand full of themes now? NO! In-fact, good themes will be more important than ever now. Given the amount of flexibility the block editor and full site editing offer users, have well-designed themes with all the right guideposts is imperative. We’ll talk about that, plus top WordPress stories fro...
What to Consider when Building a Theme in a Full Site Editing World
May 06, 2021 12:25 - 24 minutes - 11.6 MBThere’s a lot of concern around full site editing and what that means for themes and theme creators. Are they even worth building anymore? Should all themes just be a blank slate? Will we only need a hand full of themes now? NO! In-fact, good themes will be more important than ever now. Given the amount of flexibility the block editor and full site editing offer users, have well-designed themes with all the right guideposts is imperative. We’ll talk about that, plus top Word...
Full Site Editing, and Both Sides of the FLoC Argument
April 23, 2021 12:29 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBIt was a big couple of weeks in the WordPress space! After Full Site Editing getting the green light for 5.8, more information has come out to clarify what that looks like, and how it will affect theme designers. We also answer, “What is FLoC,” and what’s all the hubbub around FloC and WordPress Core? Plus, an update on my Gutenberg course. (more…)
Full Site Editing, and Both Sides of the FLoC Argument
April 23, 2021 12:29 - 25 minutes - 17.7 MBIt was a big couple of weeks in the WordPress space! After Full Site Editing getting the green light for 5.8, more information has come out to clarify what that looks like, and how it will affect theme designers. We also answer, “What is FLoC,” and what’s all the hubbub around FloC and WordPress Core? Plus, an update on my Gutenberg course. (more…)
The Wix / WordPress Campaign Exposes Some Ugly Trends in Both Communities
April 09, 2021 02:34 - 14 minutes - 24.9 MBIn April 2021, WordPress influencers started to get Bose headphones from “WP.” It turns out Wix started a marketing campaign and the WordPress community was upset by it. Turns out, it was a bad look that could have been avoided by both parties. (more…)
The Wix / WordPress Campaign Exposes Some Ugly Trends in Both Communities
April 09, 2021 02:34 - 14 minutes - 24.9 MBIn April 2021, WordPress influencers started to get Bose headphones from “WP.” It turns out Wix started a marketing campaign and the WordPress community was upset by it. Turns out, it was a bad look that could have been avoided by both parties. (more…)
Why the WordPress.com / Spotify Deal is Bad for Podcasting
February 23, 2021 11:07 - 14 minutes - 26.7 MBIn this official “relaunch” episode, we explore some recent news: the WordPress.com / Spotify deal that allows users to publish a podcast to Anchor, right from their WordPress.com blog. But is this a step forward, or a step backwards? (more…)
Why the WordPress.com / Spotify Deal is Bad for Podcasting
February 23, 2021 11:07 - 14 minutes - 26.7 MBIn this official “relaunch” episode, we explore some recent news: the WordPress.com / Spotify deal that allows users to publish a podcast to Anchor, right from their WordPress.com blog. But is this a step forward, or a step backwards? (more…)
Full Site Editing and the Future of Theme Development
February 13, 2021 08:28 - 19 minutes - 35 MBThe biggest question for many is with Full Site Editing, what does the future of theme development look like? Will there still be a market for premium themes? How will it work? We'll explore all of that in this final episode for WordPress: Year in Review 2020. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes 2020 State of the Word Thoughts Full Site Editing The Genesis Framework in a Full Site Editing World | Carrie Dils The Empty Theme ...
Full Site Editing and the Future of Theme Development
February 13, 2021 08:28 - 19 minutes - 35 MBThe biggest question for many is with Full Site Editing, what does the future of theme development look like? Will there still be a market for premium themes? How will it work? We'll explore all of that in this final episode for WordPress: Year in Review 2020. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes 2020 State of the Word Thoughts Full Site Editing The Genesis Framework in a Full Site Editing World | Carrie Dils The Empty Theme
How the Pandemic Changed the WordPress Community
February 06, 2021 07:48 - 27 minutes - 50.2 MBThe global pandemic accelerated a lot of trends, and caused a lot of landscapes to change in 2020. In-person events barely existed. Most people worked from home. Spending and budgets were scrutinized. Processes changed. In this episode we'll take a look at how those changes affected the greater WordPress community. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes 2020 State of the Word Thoughts GoWP's Niche Agency Owners Facebook Group What to Fo...
How the Pandemic Changed the WordPress Community
February 06, 2021 07:48 - 27 minutes - 50.2 MBThe global pandemic accelerated a lot of trends, and caused a lot of landscapes to change in 2020. In-person events barely existed. Most people worked from home. Spending and budgets were scrutinized. Processes changed. In this episode we'll take a look at how those changes affected the greater WordPress community. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes 2020 State of the Word Thoughts GoWP's Niche Agency Owners Facebook Group What to Focus on in a Reces...
Changes to WooCommerce and the Future of eCommerce
January 30, 2021 07:48 - 27 minutes - 50.8 MB2020 was been a banner year for eCommerce, even if it’s due to an awful global pandemic. In fact, the number of eCommerce sites grew more in the first 8 weeks of the pandemic here in the United States than in the last 10 years. WooCommerce makes up 26% of those sites! So in this episode, we're talking WooCommerce, and what eCommerce is going to look like in 2021 and beyond. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes The 2020 State of the Word...
Changes to WooCommerce and the Future of eCommerce
January 30, 2021 07:48 - 27 minutes - 50.8 MB2020 was been a banner year for eCommerce, even if it’s due to an awful global pandemic. In fact, the number of eCommerce sites grew more in the first 8 weeks of the pandemic here in the United States than in the last 10 years. WooCommerce makes up 26% of those sites! So in this episode, we're talking WooCommerce, and what eCommerce is going to look like in 2021 and beyond. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes The 2020 State of the Word eCommerce Usage...
2020 State of the Word Thoughts
December 17, 2020 07:49 - 42 minutes - 76.5 MBMatt Mullenweg gave his annual State of the Word, an update on all things WordPress, . He focused on a few key areas, like how WordPress grew in a pandemic year, an update on each major release of WordPress, and where Gutenberg is going. There was also a big focus in the Q&A on virtual events, multilingual WordPress, and performance. Thanks to Nexcess and GoDaddy Pro for Sponsoring this series! Show Notes The 2020 State of the Word The Reaction Live Stream My State of t...