Category Archives: WPYall Memories

Wildlife, Wiggling, and WordCamp – Wrapped Up with Wonderful Words

Or The Great Time Had at WordCamp Birmingham 2018

Did you give a hoot this weekend? Did you wiggle . . . even just a little bit? Or did you strike out and throw up a turkey or two?

At WordCamp Birmingham 2018, we did all of that and so much more.

The weekend got off to a roaring start – or maybe more of a chirping good time – with the Speakers Dinner at the Alabama Wildlife Center at Oak Mountain State Park. If you have never taken the time to visit this amazing place, put it on your to-do list right now.

The Speaker Dinner is a chance for the organizers and speakers to connect and set a foundation for WordCamp. The goal for this year was to introduce folks to a unique part of our community because WordCamp is all about growing community and sharing community.

Not only did speakers and organizers learn more about each other but we learned about the local wildlife – and the presentation was fowl.

Saturday Kicks Off

Registrants began arriving almost before the coffee showed up. They gathered some great swag – from WordCamp totes and t-shirts to Wappus pins from WordCamps around the country.

Gold Sponsors, BoldGrid, BlueHost, and KnownHost, were all there sharing helpful tips and more swag!

WordCamp kicked off with a warm welcome from Lead Organizer, Nathan Ingram. Folks then headed off to their first session choices and the learning and sharing began in earnest.

The lunch break spotlighted another of our Gold Sponsors. Taziki’s provided an amazing spread for lunch of chicken, rice, Greek salad, pita chips, and their famous Taziki’s sauce. We were fortunate that table talks with the speakers helped keep the energy level high so nobody had the need for a nap.

And then our keynote speaker, Gordon Seirup, challenged us all to WordPress Wiggle – while reminding us that it’s all about people!

The great food continued with a visit from Frios for our afternoon break. It was the perfect gourmet freshness to get us through the last few sessions.

Saturday Night Strikes

The closing remarks for Day One happened in each track and everyone was encouraged to head over to Oak Mountain Lanes to have a ball at the after party. BoldGrid hosted the event by providing the food and private lounge space where attendees, speakers, and organizers engaged some more and played a little pool.

The excitement went to a new level when the WordCamp folks took to the lanes. There were some strikes, more than a few gutter balls, and lots of fun.

Sunday Amps Up WordCamp

The second day of presentations kicked off bright and early on Sunday morning, with talks on podcasting, business, accessibility tips, and content ideas.

By the end of the day, everyone was making plans to get together at future WordCamps or just getting together. The engagement and connections had led to relationships – and that is what it is all about anyway.

The last part of WordCamp Birmingham 2018 came with a catwalk presentation of the #WPYall hoodies – perfect for staying warm on a fall/spring morning in Alabama (or on an August afternoon in a chilly Civic Complex) and then LOTS of prizes for the attendees still present to win.

If you didn’t make it to WordCamp Birmingham 2018, you were missed. If you did make it this year, but are ready to get more involved in WordCamp and the WordPress community, then you can join us at a MeetUp or sign up to volunteer for WordCamp Birmingham 2019 (the 10 year anniversary edition).

We want to hear from you. Share your links to your stories and images in the comment section below or just take a moment to let us know your favorite parts of #WPYall.

WordCamp Highlights – Kathryn Lang and Jenny Munn’s 2017 #WPYALL Talks

The only bad thing about WordCamps (and conferences in general) is that there is no way to attend every talk and panel you want. Because the schedule is separated into multiple tracks — and because you can only be in one place at one time (unless you're Hermione, and you're sadly not) — you have to give up something during your time with us.

Never Fear, Loyal Camper!

Because of the magic of this thing called the internet, you can travel back in time to October 2017 and relive the exciting talks that were given at WordCamp Birmingham! All from the comfort of your office chair when you should be getting work done.

But this is professional development, so that's okay.

All WordCamp talks are archived on WordPress.tv, and WC Bham is no different. You can check out the whole archive and spend hours getting yourself pumped for this year's Camp. (BTW, have you bought your ticket yet?)

As we lead up to #wpyall 2018, we want to highlight some of the speakers from last year so you can get a feel for what to expect this year.

Jenny Munn's SEO Talk

SEO in 2017 requires a mix of foundational best practices, following trends and updates, understanding the nuances for your industry, and making continuous improvements. Come to this workshop prepared with your keyword list, WordPress, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console (if you have it) account information handy.
Munn's talk description

Kathryn Lang's Blogging Talk

Developing a successful website does not have to be complicated. Know who you are writing for, know what you want to focus on, know why you are writing what you write, and develop a calendar for when you will get the words done.
Lang's talk description

That Got Your Brain All Tingly?

Good! You can check out the whole archive of 2017's WordCamp Birmingham talks here, and because you're so excited about #wpyall 2018, you can go ahead and buy your tickets over this way.

Oh, One More Thing…

Oh, and by the way, we could really use your help. We always need volunteers to make the event a success, so if you or anyone you know want to lend a hand (and get a free shirt and free ticket in the process), sign up to be a volunteer! Heck, sign the whole family up! It'll be a hoot.

Fun, Frolic, and Friendship: Building the #wpyall Community at WordCamp

One of the perks of being the oldest WordCamp in the Southest is the community that has come together over the years. Sure, WordCamps are about learning and professional development, but there's a laid-back atmosphere, and the real focus is on building relationships and friendships.

That's the kind of networking that we here at #wpyall think works best. You can hand your business card out to a thousand people and not get a single lead. But you can play rock, paper, scissors with someone and make a business partner for life (or a karaoke buddy, right, Dwayne?)

Each fall, we get together at WordCamp Birmingham, not just to spread what we've learned about WordPress and business over the previous year, but also to see old friends and to make new ones.

The after-parties give us a chance to hang out with people who live a whole continent away and to have laughs with new people from Birmingham and the greater Alabama area (or wherever your WordCamp is located) who you might have never met or didn't even know existed.

It's the social aspect of any WordCamp that really makes them special. And more than that, it's y'all that makes WordCamp Birmingham special. WordCamp has let us come together and really make friends and create memories that wouldn't have happened otherwise.

We've got karaoke videos of us all making fools of ourselves, and we have the collective memory of that time Nathan wouldn't let Kathryn eat dinner. You can't not bond over getting extra popsicles on a hot, August day — even if you choose the wrong flavor for your bonus. And those of you who skipped panels to watch the game? You know who you are.

Whether you're a developer or blogger or business professional, there's going to be someone like you here. We chose the hashtag #wpyall for a reason: y'all are the focus of WordCamp Birmngham as much as WP is.

So we would absolutely love to have you join us at WordCamp Birmingham this year. We want to meet you, hang out with you, laugh with you, and really get to know you.

Grab your ticket, spread the word, and let's have some fun and frolic while we make some friends. Whaddya say?

Get Tickets Now!

*Or The Great Time Had at WordCamp Birmingham 2018*