Speakers: WordPress Economy: Marketing, Community Building, and the Business of WordPress

This wouldn’t be a WordCamp without topics specific to learning how to use WordPress for content, design, and code. So far, we’ve covered a variety of speakers scheduled for WordCamp PDX 2015 including speakers on development topics and building non-profit sites. We’ve got some fantastic speakers who will take you on their own personal journey and offer tips and techniques to rock your WordPress site.

Community Building with WordPress

Luria PetrucciLuria Petrucci (aka Cali Lewis) is a leader in audio and video podcasting, Since 2005, she has worked with Samsung, Panasonic, Monster Cable, and others on video production, and developed several popular shows such as Geeks Life. She will be sharing Marketing Your WordPress Web Site with us in the afternoon, talking about how to use WordPress as a community and messaging platform to expand your reach. An expert in community building and social media, and marketing. She will show you how to do great things with WordPress and get people to your WordPress site for a greater impact.

A geek herself, she has long been the geek’s go-to person on modern technology and innovations. A long-time WordPress fan and WordCamp speaker, Luria has long been involved with WordPress and the WordPress Community, and just moved to Portland. We know she will help you share your passion with others on your WordPress site and learn how to build a community for yourself or clients.

Design and Usability for the Older Generation

Erin Olmon PhotoErin Olmon will address an issue critical to all of us at any age, “Usability And Accessibility For Older Populations.” Erin is a User Experience expert who works with WordPress and other CMS platforms to improve the usability of the site including creating clear customer journeys and stories to improve their experience. It is estimated that by 2020, the 65+ world population will rise to 1.5 billion, 16% of the global total, compared to 5% in 1950. Estimates are 1 in 5 people will be 65 or older by 2035, and with age comes a vast audience of Internet users eager to not only connect with others and share their stories, but also shop.

Accessibility means ability to access and is not limited to those with physical and cognitive abilities. It is a wide-sweeping topic and she will focus on the older web user and how to design and develop a WordPress website for their needs, using the example of a non-profit club with a high population of older and technically un-savvy individuals – and younger, technically un-savvy individuals. A timely topic for everyone.

Considering a WordPress Career?

If you are a designer or developer and want to work in the WordPress economy as a freelancer or agency, we’ve also got some great speakers who will break down the WordPress business models and help you build your WordPress business.

Sarah Pressler Photo.Sarah Pressler is a digital project manager, professional copy writer, and founder of OptimaList.io, an enterprise level WordPress development company. She will be talking the talk with “Grow Your Career With WordPress.” The WordPress economy continues to grow as more and more people are taking on WordPress as a full or part-time job, building their companies on the web publishing platform.

She will talk about the different professional skills sets used by freelancers, small agencies, and large WordPress companies and how to build your own career and business with WordPress. Many people work around the global on WordPress projects, changing their lives with the opportunities and income it generates.

Kronda Adair PhotoKronda Adair will light up the room with “Building A Life With WordPress” talking about being a WordPress freelancer within the WordPress ecosystem. She will talk about the lessons she’s learned studying with some of the most successful entrepreneurs inside and outside the WordPress Community, and help you get off the “freelance roller coaster” by “giving your customers what they need instead of just what they’re asking for.”

The founder of Karvel Digital, a WordPress consultancy and development company, Kronda is a rare breed of coder and trainer. She trains business owners to own and manage their digital presence and dives deep into WordPress programming without blinking. She is a popular speaker at many web and code conferences, and cares deeply about helping others achieve their goals on the web.

Wow! What a line-up. A fantastic representation of the diversity of WordPress that we know you will enjoy and learn from. Beyond the donuts break, lunch, and afternoon beer break, and the exciting after-party, we are sure you will walk out of WordCamp revitalized about your work with WordPress, starting the next week with new tools, techniques, and confidence.