Tag Archives: WordCamp Birmingham

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).
Volunteer with WordCamp Birmingham

Sign up To Volunteer for 2019!

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.

How to Turn WordCamp into Social Media Engagement and Business Growth

Attending WordCamp Birmingham is only the beginning of the experience. It is what you do when you go home – with the information and connections you’ve encountered – that will make the most difference in what you are doing and where you are going.

Aida Correa joins WordCamp Birmingham 2018 with a session focused on how to take all that you get at WordCamp and step by step leads you from the weekend experience to real-life applications.

WordCamp to Real World

“As a relative “newbie” to the WordCamp experience, I found it exciting and overwhelming all at once. I wanted to share some of the strategies that have helped me to organize and apply the information I’ve gathered.”

It doesn’t matter where you are in your WordPress journey. You can benefit from WordCamp and you can take your WordCamp experience an put it to practical use.

Get your tickets now!

Sometimes you have to make the decision to move from full-time work to freelance work. Sometimes you want to make that move. No matter what your motives driving the decision, you want to think about a few things first.

Kerry Putman joins the WordCamp Birmingham speaker team with the session, Full-Time to Freelance: Practical and Self-Care Advice for When the 9-To-5 Has to Stop

Putman uses her own experiences to offer practical advice and self-care tips for dealing with the transformation from full-time employee to freelance.

“I hope you get some practical advice to help smooth the transition and also tips on taking care through the process.” Putman wants to help you avoid the pitfalls that can occur when you move from traditional employment to the world of freelance work.

When it comes to attending WordCamp, Putman has some advice as well. “I continue to find great people to know and to get advice from when I attend WordCamps. Break out of your shell and talk to the people next to you.”

Want to see the full schedule for WordCamp Birmingham 2018?

Schedule

Freelancing offers as many opportunities as there are people or events to make the most of the freelancer.

Marc Gratch shares his journey with freelancing and self-employment in the session, Tips to Being an Awesome Freelancer (And Not Failing… Too Hard)

“Working for yourself is hard! Knowing the right answer is fleeting.” Gratch is inviting you to learn from his mistakes. “I hope people will learn to avoid repeating the mistakes many make when starting out. More than anything, I want them to find solace in knowing they aren’t alone making the mistakes.”

Gratch will also be sharing in the session: Using the Command Line: Bash and WP-CLI

When it comes to WordCamp, Gratch says, “Becoming a part of the WordPress community can have incalcuable impact on your career.”

View the Sessions

These 4 Gutenberg Hacks Will Change the Way You Blog

Be sure to check out the Gutenberg block available on Saturday (see schedule link at the bottom of the page) to learn all you need to know about the upcoming Gutenberg changes. There will be a workshop for beginners, a workshop for developers, and a session focused on end users and professionals. Our goal in scheduling the three Gutenberg talks at the same time was to give you one of three different perspectives: as a content producer, as a business owner, and as a developer. No matter what your level of use, we have a session or workshop to help you find your way to make the most of Gutenberg.

By Jacob Crawford

Gutenberg and WordPress 5.0 are coming whether we like it or not. Are you ready to make the switch? If not, come see us at Gutenberg 101. We’re looking forward to answering all your questions.

For now, here are some basic hacks to help you make the most of your Gutenberg experience on day one.

Drag and Drop Images Directly Into Blocks

As of Gutenberg 1.0, users can now drag and drop images directly into posts–either between blocks or into the image block placeholder. This removes the old, clunky insert media function, which required users to select the “add media” button, upload a file, format, and insert.

Simply open the file on your computer and drag it where you need it, just like a Medium post. Simple, right?

Use Slash Autocomplete to Add Blocks More Quickly

Does clicking “Insert” and selecting blocks sound like too much work? We think so. As of patch 1.1, users can use the “slash autocomplete” feature to add content more quickly. Simply write a backslash (the “/” key) and start typing the block type you need.

Need a headline? /headline

Want to add an image gallery? /gallery

It’s as easy as adding a Giphy in Slack.

Preview Your Custom Code With Live HTML Blocks

In the past, editing custom HTML in posts was a chore. Bloggers essentially had to juggle tabs to test their HTML functionality. That meant switching between the editor and a page preview every time they made a change.

Now, you can toggle directly from the editor: with the “live HTML editor” block, you can write and view your code in real-time.

Find Your Favorite Blocks Faster With Recent Blocks

You shouldn’t have to sift through all the blocks you don’t use, right? Automatic doesn’t think so, either. Now, when you insert a new block, you can select the “Recent” tab to see all your most-used elements in one place. That way, you can focus more on content and less on formatting–even if you aren’t tech-savvy enough for “slash autocomplete.”

Interested in learning more Gutenberg hacks? Snag your tickets to WordCamp Birmingham today!

Get your tickets now!

Check out the Gutenberg Workshop that will be available on Saturday

Schedule

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WP 101: 4 Things Every WordPress Beginner Gets Wrong

By Jacob Crawford

Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know – but what you don’t know could be hurting your website or your engagement. Basic WordPress points will be covered in the WordPress 101 Workshop. For now, here are a few points to help you make the most of your WordPress site.

Overloading your site with too many plugins

Studies show that users spend fewer than three seconds waiting for web pages to load. And while it’s tempting to load your site with forms, trackers, extra styles, and integrations, each of those programs and sheets cost valuable load time.

Jetpack, WooCommerce, and Yoast are maybe the best plugins for a beginner. WooCommerce manages your e-business, Yoast checks your SEO, and Jetpack takes care of pretty much everything else from social media to comments.

Paying for premium services you don’t need (yet)

Grow organically with your site. While it’s easy to upscale, it’s difficult to downscale. There’s no need to drop money on an expensive theme when you don’t have the content or infrastructure to support it.

If you’re hosting through WordPress.com, seriously consider your goals and scope before investing in a Premium or Business plan. If you’re building a portfolio site, the Personal plan is probably best. If you’re a t-shirt company with a couple dozen employees, a Business plan is probably more your speed.

Picking a theme that doesn’t reflect your content

This seems self-evident, but you’d be surprised how many WordPress beginners choose themes based on previews. Instead, consider how the theme will highlight your content. If you’re a photoblogger, consider a theme with plenty of thumbnails and galleries. If you’re a writer, pick a theme that highlights your words.

Don’t waste your time trying to match your content to your theme: match your theme to your content.

Friends don’t let friends blog alone

WordPress is a community. And it’s full of people who love helping beginners. Get involved with local MeetUps and other events. It always helps to have a second set of eyes look over what you are doing.

At WordCamp Birmingham, we’re dedicated to helping people like you get started. Attend our WordPress 101 course, where we walk you through the basics one step at a time. Or stop by and see us at the Happiness Bar, where specialists and enthusiasts like you congregate help others get the most from their WordPress sites.

Interested in learning more? Snag your tickets to WordCamp Birmingham today!

Tickets

Want to see the full schedule?

Schedule

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