The WP Tavern Jukebox is a podcast for the WordPress community, featuring interviews with people who are driving change in how WordPress evolves. Topics cover plugins, blocks, themes, community events, accessibility, and diversity. Subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.
Episodes
#241 – Tiffany Farriss on Drupal Funding, Community, and a Shared Journey With WordPress
Tiffany Farriss joined the podcast to talk about the sustainability issues affecting open source communities, drawing from her experience with the Drupal Association. Tiffany is currently the interim CEO of the Drupal Association, and is the organisation’s longest-serving board member after Drupal’s founder, Dries Buytaert. We examine how a small group of contributors often carry the bulk of finan
#240 – Martin Schmidt on Building Partnerships Between WordPress Product Makers and Hosting Companies
The conversation focused on Martin Schmidt’s expertise in connecting WordPress plugin companies with web hosting providers. We discussed was how plugin creators frequently lack marketing strategies after product development. We also explored why partnering with hosts gives access to large customer bases and effective marketing channels. Martin also had advice on starting with smaller hosts, pitchi
#239 – Remkus de Vries on How Scanfully 2.0 Is Making WordPress Security and Performance Monitoring Simpler
Today the podcast is focused on Scanfully, a WordPress site health and performance monitoring tool, detailing its evolution to version 2.0. We talk about how the tool is making complex site data accessible and actionable for users of all skill levels, from freelancers to agencies and hosts. We explored new features, including a public API, improved dashboards, human-readable alerts, and an MCP for
#238 – Chris Huber on How Static Site Importer Makes Migrating Any Website to WordPress Easier Than Ever
Data migration is under discussion in this episode thanks to Chris Huber, who brings tales from Automattic’s front lines. We explored how Data Liberation and the Static Site Importer give WordPress users the power to 'liberate' their sites from other platforms, any platform. One concept discussed was transforming any static HTML or existing site into a fully editable WordPress block theme, quirks
#237 – Robert Abela on WordPress Security and the Battle Against AI Threats
The conversation focused on insights from the 2026 WordPress Security Survey by Melapress, featuring guest Robert Abela. We talked about persistent concerns among WordPress users, with 78 percent of survey participants expressing security worries and nearly 68 percent having experienced at least one security incident in the last year. The discussion explored the gap between high concern and limite
#236 – Brian Coords on WordPress as the Source of Truth
Today, I'm joined by Brian Coords from Automattic, and the podcast is focused upon the intersection of WordPress block themes, AI, and agency workflows, using the concept that "the site is the source of truth." We talk about the value of leveraging WordPress' built-in systems, like patterns and content guidelines, to ensure consistency and guide AI in content and design creation. We also explored
#235 – Rob Pugh and Tony Arcangelini on Bringing Podcasting to Jetpack
The conversation focused on Jetpack’s new podcasting features for WordPress, discussing how creators can now easily publish, distribute, and manage podcasts directly from their sites. We talk about the integration with newsletters and social sharing, enabling creators to distribute content through a single publish action. We also explore the advantages of WordPress ownership versus proprietary pla
#234 – K. Adam White on Migrating to Blocks With Artisanal Care and Enterprise Efficiency
Today I'm talking with K. Adam White from Human Made about large-scale content migrations to WordPress’ block editor, especially for enterprise clients. We discuss the use of patterns and bespoke tooling to transfer complex layouts from other CMS platforms, like Sitecore, while maintaining editorial flexibility and brand consistency. We also get into the growing power of patterns and core blocks,
#233 – Chris Reynolds on Building Trust With Project Contracts for Reliable AI Development
The conversation focused on AI-assisted development in WordPress, exploring how large language models like Claude can be both powerful and unpredictable. We talked about the need for guardrails, structured project contracts and reviewer agents, to ensure outputs are reliable, secure, and accessible. We also explored the changing nature of developer work, the increasing playfulness and accessibilit
#232 – Aaron D Campbell on Navigating WordPress Security in the AI Era
The conversation focused on the rapidly evolving landscape of WordPress security, emphasising the impact of AI on both attack complexity and defence strategies. We talked about the accelerating pace at which vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited, prompting the need for proactive, collaborative efforts within the WordPress and hosting communities. We also got into layered security, industry-
#231 – Damon Cook on How WP Trend Watcher Keeps Him Up to Date With WordPress
On the podcast today we have Damon cook to talk about WP Trend Watcher, a locally run tool that aggregates, summarises, and curates WordPress news using AI and human review. We discussed the challenge of keeping up with the rapid, ever-changing WordPress ecosystem, and how automation can help cut through information overload. We also explored the workflow that combines AI-generated summaries with
#230 – Adrian Sticea on Navigating the Decline of WordPress Work on Upwork and the Rise of New Opportunities
I'm talking today with Adrian Sticea about the decline in freelance WordPress work available through Upwork, highlighted by a viral LinkedIn post and graph showing work drying up from 2023 onward. We get into the many reasons behind this shift, the impact of AI making developers more efficient, increased marketplace competition, economic uncertainty, and new website-building platforms. We also exp
#229 – Amy Kamala on Art, Tech, and Open Source: A Journey Through WordPress and Community
The conversation focused on Amy Kamala’s diverse journey from art to technology, her extensive experience in hosting, web development, and team leadership, and her active contributions to the WordPress project. We got into the intersection of creativity and logic in tech roles, as well as the personal and professional fulfilment derived from community involvement and open source contribution. The
#228 – Priscilla Collado Ramirez on Reducing WordPress Beginner Anxiety
Today, the podcast is focused on Priscilla Collado Ramirez’s journey with WordPress, highlighting how overwhelming the platform can be for beginners due to the abundance of options and limited guidance. Priscilla discussed her experience leaving WordPress 17 years ago and returning as an educator, using wellness techniques and understanding different learning styles to help her students gain confi
#227 – Maciek Palmowski on Testing Secure WordPress Hosting: Does the Marketing Match Reality?
Maciek Palmowski is on the podcast today to discuss his WordCamp Europe presentation on whether "secure hosting" lives up to its claims in the WordPress ecosystem. He described penetration tests of multiple providers, revealing that the majority of WordPress-specific vulnerabilities made it through hosts’ defenses. He emphasised that simply seeing "secure hosting" on a landing page means little wi
#226 – Jessica Lyschik on Why Accessibility in WordPress Themes Is Easier Than You Think
Today's conversation with Jessica Lyschik focused on WordPress theme accessibility, highlighting that achieving "accessibility-ready" standards is easier than many developers assume. We talked about the moral and practical importance of accessible websites, not just for legal compliance but to create a better web for everyone. We explored how recent updates to guidelines, particularly for block th
#225 – Milan Petrović on the Risks of Legacy PHP in WordPress and Why Upgrading Matters for Security
Today, I'm joined by Milan Petrović, and the podcast is focused on the impact of PHP versioning in the WordPress ecosystem, emphasising the risks of running outdated PHP and the security and performance benefits of PHP 8.x. We get into the challenge of supporting legacy code versus urging progress toward modern standards. And the importance of developers, hosting companies, and end users being pro
#224 – David Snead on Building Trust and Collaboration in the Hosting Industry With the Secure Hosting Alliance
Today on the podcast, the conversation focused on cross-industry collaboration to improve security and abuse response in the hosting industry. We talk about the Internet Infrastructure Forum (IIF), a platform-agnostic initiative aiming to facilitate real-time intelligence sharing among hosts, registrars, and others. We also get into the importance of sharing actionable data to combat issues like f
#223 – Ivana Ćirković on How WordPress Credits Bridges Education and Industry in the WordPress Ecosystem
On the podcast today we explore the WordPress Credits initiative, and its strategic importance in integrating young talent into the WordPress ecosystem through structured university programs. We discuss the alignment of the program with modern workforce demands, the benefits for businesses in recruiting pre-trained contributors, and the need for universities to update curricula in partnership with
#222 – Destiny Kanno, Anand Upadhyay, Maciej Pilarski on How WordPress Education Programs Are Growing
The podcast focused on the rapid growth of educational initiatives in the WordPress community over the past eight months. We talked about the development and distinctions among three primary programs: the WordPress Credits Program (university-level, contributions for academic credit), Campus Connect (open to students of all ages at various educational institutions), and Student Clubs (ongoing, pee
#221 – Rahul Bansal on Using AI Everywhere at rtCamp
In this episode of the WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, the conversation focused on agency growth, lessons from rtCamp’s journey, and the changing agency landscape due to AI. We discussed the importance of hiring complementary skill sets when starting an agency, and the necessity to niche down for success in 2026, rather than being a generalist WordPress agency. The discussion explored rtCamp’s bold com
#220 – Cathy Mitchell on Why WordPress Events Matter: Community, Connection, and Giving Back
Today the podcast focuses on the unique openness and camaraderie of the WordPress community, particularly through volunteer experiences at WordCamp events. A key theme under discussion was how involvement in such communities combats loneliness and provides a sense of belonging and purpose, whether for personal fulfilment or business reasons. The discussion also explored the shifting landscape of s
#219 – Austin Ginder on How AI Is Exposing Hidden Threats in WordPress Plugin Updates
Nathan Wrigley interviews Austin Ginder about recent WordPress plugin supply chain attacks. Austin explains how attackers are acquiring legitimate plugins, inserting malicious code or update mechanisms, and compromising thousands of sites. AI tools have enabled Austin to detect these issues and trace incidents across multiple plugins, prompting the creation of WP Beacon, a resource for tracking su
#218 – Luke Carbis on the Future of WordPress Plugins: AI, Ethics, and New Directory Standards
Nathan Wrigley interviews Luke Carbis about the evolving challenges in the WordPress plugin ecosystem, including the surge in plugin submissions fuelled by AI, difficulties with plugin discoverability, and potential marketplace reforms. Luke shares ideas like different WordPress.org-account integration, supporting premium plugins, and adding AI-use disclosures for plugins. They discuss the tension
#217 – Leonardo Losovic on Affordable and Accurate WordPress Translations Using AI
Nathan Wrigley interviews Leo Losoviz, focusing on translating WordPress sites using AI-powered tools, including his Gato AI Translations for Polylang plugin. They cover the evolution from manual, costly translations to efficient, high-quality AI solutions, the legal and business cases for multilingual websites, and UI advancements relating to collaborative editing with WordPress 7.0. Leo stresses
#216 – Matt Schwartz on Exploring AI’s Impact in WordPress Agencies (Part 2)
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley and Matt Schwartz continue their discussion about how WordPress agencies can harness AI. They cover practical applications like connecting AI to agency documentation, implementing guardrails with MCPs, using AI for internal tools and QA, and the evolving impact on the WordPress plugin ecosystem. They also discuss risks such as security concerns, over-dependence on v
#215 – Matt Schwartz on Exploring AI’s Impact in WordPress Agencies (Part 1)
Nathan Wrigley and Matt Schwartz discuss the evolving impact of AI on WordPress agencies, focusing on how AI can streamline agency processes beyond just building websites. They explore the importance of revisiting workflows, creating AI vision documents, leveraging AI for proposals, internal operations, and support, and offering AI-led services to clients. They also discuss balancing automation wi
#214 – Robby McCullough on Beaver Builder, AI Hype, and Evolving WordPress Workflows
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Robby McCullough, co-founder of Beaver Builder, about the evolving landscape of WordPress page builders amidst the rise of AI. They reflect on Beaver Builder’s 12-year journey, discuss initial skepticism toward page builders, and the recent surge in AI-driven site building tools. Speaker B shares how Beaver Builder is experimenting with AI while maintaini
#213 – Malcolm Peralty on Managed WordPress Hosting and AI Innovation at Pressable
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Malcolm Peralty from Pressable, about his tech and WordPress career, experiences with Drupal and Acquia, and his current role as a technical account manager. They discuss Pressable’s hosting services, their focus on optimising WordPress performance, and how AI innovations, like the upcoming MCP tool, are being integrated to automate website management and
#212 – Anne Bovelett on How Web Accessibility Boosts Traffic, SEO, and Revenue
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Anne Bovelett, about the economic and human impact of web accessibility in WordPress. They discuss how improving accessibility offers significant SEO, traffic, and revenue benefits, referencing research showing up to a 23% increase in organic traffic and billions lost by inaccessible e-commerce sites. Anne talks about accessibility as a business imperativ
#211 – Elliott Richmond on WordPress Content Creation, Education, and Pizza Plugins
Elliot Richmond discusses his 20+ years with WordPress, from early b2 days to founding a successful pizza delivery business powered by WordPress and WooCommerce. He shares plans for a pizza plugin and licensing model, and explains his new partnership with Automattic, creating educational WordPress.com YouTube videos. He highlights the flexibility, creativity, and feedback loop of content creation,
#210 – Zach Stepek on the Interconnected WordPress Ecosystem, Partnerships and Trust
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Zach Stepek about the evolving nature of partnerships in the WordPress ecosystem. Zach shares his journey through various tech roles, his discovery of WordPress, and his passion for WooCommerce. They discuss the interconnected roles of agencies, product companies, and hosting providers, the impact of short-term profit-driven thinking versus long-term, val
#209 – Simon Pollard on Navigating the New Normal for WordPress Community and Events
In this episode of WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, Nathan Wrigley chats with Simon Pollard about the changing landscape of WordPress Meetups and community events. Simon reflects on the vibrant pre-pandemic community, its sudden decline during COVID-19, and the ongoing struggle to rebuild momentum. The conversation explores how evolving priorities, scattered social media, and the rise of AI have made ne
#208 – Behind the Scenes at the CloudFest Hackathon
In this WP Tavern episode, Nathan Wrigley explores the CloudFest Hackathon, an event bringing together open source enthusiasts to collaborate on innovative projects in just three days. Carole Olinger, the Hackathon lead, details the organising process and project selection, talking about cross-CMS collaboration and sustainability. Contributors like Javier Casares, Matthias Pfefferle, Milana Cap, a
#207 – Rob Ruiz on WP Rig and the Future of Theme Development
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Rob Ruiz, current maintainer of WP Rig, a free WordPress theme development toolkit and starter theme. Rob Ruiz shares his journey from designer to theme developer, discusses the benefits of WP Rig for both beginners and agencies, and highlights how it teaches best practices, supports modern tools, and adapts to both classic and block-based WordPress theme
#206 – Jonathan Desrosiers on WordPress Sustainability, Community Engagement, and Release Strategies
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley speaks with Jonathan Desrosiers about tying WordPress releases to flagship community events like WordCamps. They discuss the logistical challenges, especially around scheduling, international holidays, and global contributor coverage. The conversation explores the evolving WordPress community, impacts of COVID, renewed excitement for building, and initiatives to inv
#205 – Matt Cromwell on Redefining WordPress Product Growth in a Crowded Ecosystem
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Matt Cromwell about Matt’s new agency, Roots and Fruit, which is aimed at helping WordPress product businesses grow sustainably. They discuss shifts in the WordPress ecosystem, the importance of focusing on the entire product experience (not just code), and how saturation and increased competition mean success requires more than just “build it and they wi
#204 – Russell Aaron on the Hidden Settings Page You Never Knew Existed options.php
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Russell Aaron about the little-known WordPress admin page “options.php.” Russell Aaron explains what the page does, displaying and allowing edits to the entire wp_options table, and discusses its usefulness and risks. They cover why it exists, who can access it, why it’s not linked in the admin menu, and how it’s both powerful and potentially dangerous if
#203 – Miriam Schwab on Elementor’s Decade of Growth and the Future With AI
In this episode, Miriam Schwab discusses her journey in the WordPress space, from running an agency to founding Strattic, which was later acquired by Elementor. Now serving as Elementor’s Head of WordPress, she shares insights on Elementor’s growth, their careful approach to major updates, and their deep dive into AI innovation, including tools like Angie and Site Planner. The conversation also ex
#202 – Charly Leetham on Using WordPress to Enable a Digital Nomad Life
In this episode of WP Tavern, Nathan Wrigley chats with Charly Leetham about her journey as a digital nomad using WordPress. Charly shares how evolving technology allowed her to build a flexible, location-independent tech support business. She discusses the freedoms and challenges of living on the road, remote work essentials like Starlink for internet access, and how she supports clients with the
#201 – Marc Benzakein on How Life Has Changed During the Internet Era
In this episode of the WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, Nathan Wrigley and Marc Benzakein reminisce about the early days of the internet, sharing personal stories from dial-up and BBS boards to today’s always-connected world. They discuss how internet use shifted from a niche hobby for tech enthusiasts to an essential part of daily life, touching on both its remarkable benefits, like accessible informat
#200 – Corey Maass on His Real-Life AI Tools and Workflows in WordPress Development
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Corey Maass about how AI tools have transformed web development, especially for client projects. Corey Maass shares his ever-changing tech stack, the impact of AI on productivity and creativity, and how tools like Claude Code and Copilot are saving time and changing traditional workflows. They discuss the philosophical implications of AI, the human vs. ma
#199 – Brian Coords on WooCommerce’s Challenges and Innovations in a Changing WordPress Landscape
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Brian Coords, Developer Advocate at WooCommerce, about his career path, WooCommerce’s recent rebranding, and its approach to developer relations. They discuss how WooCommerce balances its open source ethos, support challenges, and global reach, as well as the platform’s growing focus on AI and enhanced integration with WordPress Core. Brian also shares in
#198 – Muntasir Sakib on Bridging the Gap Between WordPress Plugin Development and Marketing Success
In this episode of WP Tavern, Nathan Wrigley talks with Muntasir Sakib about the crucial importance of marketing in the WordPress plugin ecosystem. Muntasir shares insights from his experience growing popular plugins and discusses how product success today depends not just on great development, but on early, strategic marketing, ongoing community engagement, partnerships, and prioritising recurrin
#197 – Johanne Courtright on Enhancing Gutenberg: Agency-Driven Block Editor Innovations
In this episode, Johanne Courtright chats with Nathan Wrigley about her journey in WordPress development, focusing on enhancing the block editor (Gutenberg). She discusses her project, Groundworx, which adds features and custom blocks tailored for agencies and advanced users, such as improved breakpoints, colour palettes, and navigation options. They explore the challenges of shifting to full site
#196 – Topher DeRosia on How Public Contributions Shape Careers in WordPress
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley chats with Topher DeRosia about the impact of doing things in public within the WordPress community. Topher shares how openness, community involvement, and generosity have shaped his career and personal life, reflecting on organic reputation and the balance between commercial and philanthropic forces in open source. They discuss the importance of giving back, buildi
#195 – Saumya Majumder on How Cloudflare Outages Impact the Web and WordPress Performance Solutions
In this episode, Saumya Majumder joins Nathan Wrigley to discuss innovations at BigScoots, focusing on high-performance WordPress hosting and Cloudflare-powered architecture. They unpack the recent global Cloudflare outage, the complexities of internet infrastructure, and Cloudflare’s transparency in response. Saumya explains advanced caching technologies, BigScoots’ direct physical connection wit
#194 – Devin Walker on Leading Jetpack: Challenges, Vision, and the Future
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Devin Walker, the new Artistic Director (Head) of Jetpack at Automattic. Devin shares his background in WordPress, the challenges and opportunities of leading Jetpack, and his plans to bring focus, simplify the experience, and improve both functionality and marketing. They discuss Jetpack’s strengths, weaknesses, upcoming AI features, organisational chang
#193 – Roger Williams on How We Might Reimagine Sponsoring WordPress Contributions
In this episode, Roger Williams joins Nathan Wrigley to discuss the complexities and evolution of sponsored contributions in the WordPress community. They explore how companies like Kinsta can support WordPress and other open source projects, balancing philanthropic goals with business realities. The conversation covers practical strategies for sponsorship, bridging gaps between individuals and or
#192 – Joshua Bryant on How Dow Jones Is Supercharging WordPress Editorial Workflows
In this WP Tavern Jukebox podcast episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Joshua Bryant about how Dow Jones uses WordPress in a headless setup to power major news sites like the Wall Street Journal. Joshua shares how his team decoupled the Gutenberg editor, embedding it in a React application for super-fast, distraction-free publishing, crucial for breaking news. He explains the technical process, chal
#191 – Arnas Donauskas on AI-Powered Troubleshooting for Websites
On the podcast today we have Arnas Donauskas from Hostinger. Arnas shares how Hostinger uses AI to help users build, fix, and optimise WordPress sites, automatically detecting errors, applying fixes, and improving performance. He highlights their AI’s 70% success rate in resolving issues, discusses ongoing improvements, and addresses the balance between automation and user control. The conversatio
#190 – Seth Rubenstein on Block Composability in WordPress’ Future
In this episode of WP Tavern, Seth Rubenstein from Pew Research Center talks with host Nathan Wrigley about advanced WordPress development, focusing on block composability in Gutenberg. Seth explains how new APIs, Block Bindings, Block Bits, and the Interactivity API, are making WordPress more powerful, enabling developers and editors to build dynamic web applications, like complex quizzes, direct
#189 – Weston Ruter on Unlocking WordPress Performance
In this WP Tavern episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Weston Ruter at WordCamp US in Portland. Weston shares insights from his presentation on WordPress performance, discussing improvements made by the Core Performance Team, including lazy loading, enhanced responsive images, and speculative loading. They explore the challenges of maintaining speed as plugins increase site complexity, browser and e
#188 – Bud Kraus on Teaching and Using WordPress With Low Vision
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Bud Kraus at WordCamp US 2025. Bud shares his experience living and working with macular degeneration, a condition affecting his central vision. He discusses the adaptations he makes to use computers and WordPress, his approach to teaching and content creation, and how his low vision has become a unique perspective in his work. Bud reflects on accessibili
#187 – June Liu and David Denedo on Making the Web Accessible: The Mission Behind WP Accessibility Day
In this episode of WP Tavern, host Nathan Wrigley chats with June Liu and David Denedo about WP Accessibility Day, a global 24-hour online event dedicated to making WordPress and the web more accessible. They discuss the event’s diverse organising teams, personal stories that drive their passion for accessibility, and the importance of embedding accessibility from the start. The 2025 event feature
#186 – Dave Winer on Decentralisation, WordPress and Open Publishing
In this WP Tavern episode, host Nathan Wrigley interviews software pioneer Dave Winer, a key figure behind technologies like RSS and podcasting. Winer reflects on the early idealism of the web, the rise of walled gardens, and why open and interoperable platforms matter. He discusses his latest project, “Wordland,” which leverages WordPress and markdown to create a decentralised alternative to soci
#185 – Mary Ann Aschenbrenner on Switching Clients From Classic to Block Themes
In this WP Tavern episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Mary Ann Aschenbrenner at WordCamp US 2025 about transitioning websites from classic to block themes in WordPress. Mary Ann shares her journey from community activism to web design, explains the benefits of block themes, including easier maintenance and better SEO, and provides a step-by-step guide for migrating sites. They discuss practical cha
#184 – Rachel Cherry and Alex Aspinall on the State of WordPress in Higher Education
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Rachel Cherry (founder of WP Campus) and Alex Aspinall (Human Made) about the state of WordPress in higher education. They discuss the WP Campus organisation, its mission to support WordPress users in higher ed, insights from a new research report, ongoing challenges like limited resources and slow adoption of new features, and the critical need for acces
#183 – Destiny Kanno, Isotta Peira and Anand Upadhyay on how WordPress is shaping the future of education for students worldwide
In this WP Tavern episode, host Nathan Wrigley talks with Destiny Kanno, Isotta Peira, and Anand Upadhyay about WordPress’s growing role in education. They discuss WP Campus Connect, which brings free, hands-on WordPress workshops to schools and universities, helping students develop valuable tech skills and connect with career opportunities. Anand shares success stories from India, while Isotta i
#182 – Michelle Frechette and Jonathan Desrosiers on the story of .com and .org
On the podcast today we have Michelle Frechette and Jonathan Desrosiers, and we're here to unravel the key differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. We explore the historical development, technical distinctions, and user experiences of both platforms, including issues of ownership, ease-of-use, open-source philosophy, community contributions, and the evolving feature sets. The discussio
#181 – Bob Dunn on rebranding Do the Woo and growing openchannels.fm
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley interviews Bob Dunn about his journey from hosting Do the Woo, a WooCommerce-focused podcast, to launching OpenChannels.fm, a broader podcast network covering the open web, open source, and technology makers. Bob discusses the motivations behind the rebrand, his multi-channel and multi-host format, challenges with managing a growing podcast network, the technical si
#180 – Karla Campos on organising WordCamp US
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Karla Campos, a lead organiser for WordCamp US 2025 in Portland. Karla shares her journey into organising the flagship event, describing the volunteer-driven, time-intensive process, and how her background in marketing and large-scale event planning helps. They discuss event logistics, the role of production teams, community involvement, challenges faced,
#179 – Mariya Moeva on the Impact of Google’s SiteKit on WordPress
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Mariya Moeva from Google about Site Kit, Google's official WordPress plugin. Mariya shares her journey from studying classical Japanese literature to leading SiteKit's development, emphasising its goal of making Google tools accessible and easy for WordPress users. They discuss how Site Kit integrates services like Analytics and Search Console, its popula
#178 – Adam Silverstein Explores Transformative Browser Features Impacting WordPress Sites
On the podcast today we have Adam Silverstein. He's here to discuss how new browser APIs and web technologies are transforming the WordPress experience. Adam explains advancements like the Popover API, Scroll Animations, CSS carousels, customisable selects, view transitions, and speculative loading, many of which reduce reliance on heavy JavaScript and improve accessibility, performance, and user
#177 – Charlotte Bax on Reducing Your Website’s Carbon Footprint
In this episode, Nathan Wrigley talks with Charlotte Bax at WordCamp Europe about making websites more environmentally sustainable. Charlotte shares her journey into sustainable web design, offers practical advice on reducing a website’s carbon footprint, like choosing green web hosting, optimising images, improving UX, applying caching, and managing visitor traffic, and introduces advanced concep
#176 – Héctor de Prada on the Power of Local WordPress Meetups in Community Building
On the podcast today Nathan Wrigley talks with Héctor de Prada, co-founder of Modular DS and an organiser of the WordPress Meetup in León, Spain. Héctor shares his motivations for fostering local WordPress communities, details how the team organises popular, well-attended Meetups, and explains their strategies for inclusive topics, sponsorship, and creating a welcoming atmosphere. They also discus
#175 – Jennifer Schumacher on Learning From Agency Mistakes
On the podcast today we have Jennifer Schumacher. Jennifer shares her journey from freelance web developer to agency leader, focusing on the mistakes agencies often make, like unbillable support hours, poor design handoffs, and scope creep, and how to learn from them. She emphasises the importance of process improvement, mental health, honest reflection, and open conversations within the WordPress
#174 – Joe Dolson and Jonathan Desrosiers on WordPress Accessibility: Core Commitment or Canonical Plugin
On the podcast today we have Joe Dolson and Jonathan Desrosiers. We're talking about the concept of canonical plugins in WordPress, focusing on accessibility. We discuss what canonical plugins are, their potential benefits and drawbacks, and whether accessibility features should move from Core to a dedicated plugin. The conversation explores the complexities of accessibility, legal requirements, u
#173 – Tom Willmot and Jon Ang on Building a Global Bank Website
On the podcast today we have Tom Willmot and Jon Ang. This episode was recorded at WordCamp Europe, and we're talk about how Human Made built and manage the Standard Chartered Bank’s global WordPress platform. We discuss the scale and complexity of serving 70 countries, 500+ CMS users, and hundreds of millions of monthly page views, concentrating upon compliance, accessibility, multilingual strate
#172 – Reyes Martínez and Héctor De Prada on Website Maintenance for WordPress Agencies and Freelancers
On the podcast today we have Reyes Martínez and Héctor De Prada. They're here to discuss the essential tasks involved in maintaining multiple WordPress websites, especially for freelancers and agencies. They explore the importance of ongoing updates, security, backups, uptime monitoring, and client education, highlighting proactive website care as a valuable business opportunity. They also introdu
#171 – Felix Arntz on How Speculative Loading Is Speeding Up Your WordPress Website
On the podcast today we have Felix Arntz who discusses speculative loading, a new WordPress 6.8 feature designed to make websites faster by preloading pages before users navigate to them. Felix explains how it works, why WordPress uses a conservative default setting for broad compatibility, and how more eager configurations are possible with plugins or code. The episode also covers how performance
#170 – Chris Reynolds on WordPress and Drupal: Differences and Similarities
On the podcast today we have Chris Reynolds. He's a developer advocate at Pantheon, and we're talking about the similarities and differences between the WordPress and Drupal communities. Chris discusses Pantheon's dual focus on both platforms, their approaches to managed hosting, and community event structures. The conversation covers Drupal’s recent community-driven innovations, like Drupal CMS a
#169 – Wes Tatters on the Evolution of Internet Communities and WordPress Open Source
On the podcast today we have Wes Tatters, and he's here to discuss the evolution of the internet, from early tech days and community-building on platforms like CompuServe, to the emergence of open-source projects and the rise of WordPress. Wes reflects on the transition from closed platforms to owning content and highlights the importance, and challenges, of online communities. He touches on the i
#168 – Hari Shanker on Understanding and Showing WordPress Contributions
In this episode, I talk with Hari Shanker about the thriving WordPress community in India, and the innovative WordPress Contribution Health Dashboards project. Hari discusses his background, the growth of WordPress among India’s youth, challenges in tracking contributions across teams, and the effort to build visual dashboards to help all contributors understand where help is needed in the project
#167 – Bud Kraus on Podcasting and Finding Inspiration in WordPress Stories
On the podcast today we have Bud Kraus. He's a WordPress educator, content creator, and host of the “Seriously, BUD?” podcast. Bud shares his journey from web design to WordPress teaching, explaining what inspired his transition toward podcasting and content creation. We discuss Bud’s show format, tech stack, and why he values unexpected, personality-driven conversations over strictly WordPress-fo
#166 – Ryan Welcher on What’s New for Developers
On the podcast today we have Ryan Welcher. This was recorded at WordCamp Asia in Manila, and centres upon his developer relations work with Automattic, and his popular "Block Developer Cookbook" workshop. We discuss some recent new features in WordPress Core, including the Block Bindings API, Plugin Template Registration API, and Data Views, as well as the growing focus on documentation and develo
#165 – Aaron D. Campbell Why Open Standards and WordPress Matter
On the podcast today we have Aaron D. Campbell, and we're here to talk about the significance of open standards and open source in the digital world. Aaron shares his 18-year journey contributing to WordPress, and expresses excitement about its future as an open, viable counterbalance to closed platforms. We discuss the history and current state of the internet, emphasising the importance of choic
#164 – Milana Cap on the Interactivity and HTML APIs, and Their Enormous Potential
On the podcast today we have Milana Cap, and she's here to talk about her presentation at WordCamp Asia in Manila, titled "WordPress gems for developers: fresh new features you'll actually want to use." Milana, a WordPress Engineer at XWP from Serbia, discusses the significance of the Interactivity API and HTML API in modern WordPress development. The Interactivity API enables communication betwee
#163 – Birgit Pauli-Haack on the Magic of the WordPress Playground
On the podcast today we have Birgit Pauli-Haack who I spoke to at WordCamp Asia. We explore WordPress Playground, a transformative tool allowing users to launch a WordPress instance directly in their browsers without needing a server, PHP, or a database. Users can test plugins, themes, and content seamlessly. We also discuss the potential for Blueprints, pre-configured setups with specific plugins
#162 – Jo Minney on Website Usability Testing for WordPress Projects
In this episode recorded at WordCamp Asia, Jo Minney discusses her expertise in usability testing. She highlights the importance of usability for improving user experience and conversion rates, differentiating it from user acceptance testing. Jo shares insights on conducting cost-effective usability tests, focusing on qualitative data and involving diverse participants. She emphasises the economic
