My first WordCamp Europe is in the books, and it was every bit as fantastic as I expected! It was also my first time in Europe, and it went out with a bang—Switzerland was the first European country I visited. What a dream! My wife came along, and it was a joy to introduce her to the WordPress ecosystem. She gained a much deeper understanding of what I do for work.

Since this was my second WordCamp, I prioritized networking. In fact, I attended only one full talk and three lightning talks. At WordCamp US, I’d probably attended a dozen sessions and spent my entire day in talks. But this year was different—now that I run a full-fledged plugin business following my acquisition of Infinite Uploads and Big File Uploads, I focused more on connections than content.

What is WordCamp?

WordCamp is a conference that celebrates everything WordPress, the free and open-source software that powers 43% of the web. Imagine a casual, locally-organized event where you can dive into a variety of topics related to WordPress, from basic usage to advanced development techniques. Whether you’re a blogging newbie or a seasoned developer, WordCamps offer a great opportunity to learn, share, and connect with others who share your passion for WordPress. These events are organized by the community, for the community, making them a unique blend of education and networking. It’s not just about the sessions; it’s about the people you meet and the ideas you exchange.

Types of WordCamps

WordCamps come in different shapes and sizes, each with its own unique flavor. Here are some of the most common types:

• WordCamp US: This is the premier event for WordPress professionals in North America. Held annually in the United States, WordCamp US is a must-attend for anyone serious about WordPress. It’s a massive gathering of developers, designers, and enthusiasts, featuring top-notch speakers and endless networking opportunities.
• WordCamp Europe: If you’re in Europe, this is the event to mark on your calendar. WordCamp Europe brings together WordPress users from across the continent, offering a rich lineup of sessions and workshops. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the WordPress community.
• WordCamp Asia: This event is a beacon for WordPress users and developers in Asia. WordCamp Asia is all about fostering connections and sharing knowledge across the region. It’s a vibrant conference that showcases the diversity and talent within the Asian WordPress community.
• Local WordCamps: These are smaller, community-organized events that take place in various locations around the world. Local WordCamps are the heart and soul of the WordPress community, providing a platform for local users to come together, learn, and grow. They might be smaller in scale, but they’re big on impact.

Meeting X friends!

The number of people I know across the pond is incredible. Among the countless folks I met at WordCamp Europe, I especially enjoy meeting people I’ve only known online. As I told Ajay D’Souza, it’s funny how we were once told not to talk to strangers on the internet—and now we travel around the world to meet them!

I attended the Elementor, Cloudways & WP Remote party, the InstaWP & StellarWP party, Alt Ctrl Org, and the official afterparty. I ran into both new faces and familiar ones, including Ajay D’Souza, Dave Grey, Katie Keith, Christian Taylor, Matthew Jungling, Mark Weisbrod, Sandra Kurze, Akshay Tikoo, Vikas Singhal, all the fine folks at Cloudways, and SO many more!

What I learned at WordCamp Europe

I find it ironic that I attended four years of college, yet my biggest takeaway was the power of networking. And now, here I am saying the same thing about my experience at WordCamp Europe—just as I did after WordCamp US. I learned the value of networking. I’m good at it once I get going, but getting the ball rolling is the hard part. I also realized that true networking isn’t just about discussing business; it’s about connecting over hobbies, family, interests, and even pop culture.

I attended the talk Live Website Reviews by Industry Experts, featuring Taco Verdonschot, Marieke van de Rakt, Jono Alderson, and Amber Hinds. I even submitted my own agency website to be reviewed by Taco and his peers. I appreciated their feedback. Some of the insights they shared included:

1. Accessibility challenges
   1. Accessibility is important to me, but there’s a deep divide over what the “right” way to approach it is. On ClikIT’s site, we use AccessiBe, which has received its fair share of criticism. The issue is that while widget-based solutions like AccessiBe may not be perfect, they do provide help. Other non-widget solutions can cost $1,000/month or more, making them inaccessible for many. So, it becomes a trade-off: some compromises and greater cost-effectiveness with wider adoption, or a perfect solution that only a few can implement.
2. Staging site was indexed!
   1. This one is really an egg-on-my-face moment. I intentionally avoid selecting the noindex option because when I merge from staging to live, that setting carries over—and the risk of accidentally leaving it on is too high. Instead, I’ve put the staging site behind HTTP authentication (a username and password) to keep it private.
3. Pop up was annoying
   1. Agreed there. Something we just did last week, and needs fine tuning.
4. Testimonials were “fake”
   1. This one I disagreed with a bit. They thought my testimonials looked fake because I used abbreviated last names and generic profile pictures. To say they could be fake? I thought that was a stretch. But could they be improved to provide stronger social proof? Absolutely!

I also attended 3 lightning talks:

• The worst SEO mistakes I’ve seen on WordPress – so you won’t have to make them
• Get your docs read! All the way to the end
• The footer is no longer a forgotten corner

Business Impacts

The total cost for WCEU was about $3,900, an expected increase from WordCamp US, where I spent $2,300. This time, I flew first class, so the price difference wasn’t too bad. As for the ROI, there’s a lot of potential. I had some great conversations with potential partners—people I believe can help us move the needle and make Infinite Uploads BIG.

There’s just something about meeting people in person that can never be replaced. Could I have done everything online? Sure. But relationships form faster—and stronger—face to face.

What I’d do differently

I think I have things down pretty well now, there isn’t much I’d do differently. Continuing to build my network and getting to know people beyond just business relationships is something that happens over time; it can’t be rushed or forced. It has to unfold naturally.

I would, however, arrive at WordCamp Europe a day early to adjust for the jet lag. I didn’t really plan for it, and it led to late starts that made the days feel a bit wasted. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing, considering most parties go until midnight or 1 a.m.—so late mornings aren’t the worst.

What I plan to do after

If you know anything about business, it’s the follow-up game that really matters. I got the ball rolling with a few companies at WordCamp (InstaWP, Imagify, ShortPixel), and also came away with some broader ideas from other conversations. One key next step is reaching out to hosting providers about pre-installing or offering Big File Uploads on the sites they launch. Connecting with these hosts and quickly demonstrating the benefits of including the plugin during setup will be a major task—and a big opportunity. It’s time to push Big File Uploads to the next level.

My wife and I stayed in Switzerland for a day after the conference ended, then traveled to Iceland for a few days using IcelandAir’s stopover program. We arrived home late Thursday.

Advice to First Time WordCamp Attendees

WordPress is trying hard to get new and younger people into WordPress. One piece of advice I’d give to newcomers is to ask people questions! Talk to the person behind you in line, walk up to someone that is in a smaller group or alone too. Everyone in WordPress loves to talk about WordPress or really anything, we’re all super friendly! Here are some good starter questions:

• Tell me more about what you do
• How did you get your start?
• What’s your #1 advice for someone starting out like me?
• Tell me about how WordPress changed from 5 years ago and where you see it in the next 5.

Here is some advice I shared in my WordCamp US blog post, and I think they’re still super valuable, so I am resharing them:

• Take a look at the schedule and pick out the topics that interest you. Don’t feel pressured to attend every single time slot; make sure you leave time for sponsor booths, lunch, and networking. Especially the networking!
• Don’t pay for dinner or food. Eat up at lunch & the side events that happen every night.
• Brand yourself. Literally. Bring & wear your company t-shirt or apparel to wear & only wear that
• Talk to everyone that you feel comfortable with (which will be many people)
• Bring comfortable walking shoes and a water bottle
• Many people take pictures of the slides on the screen during the talks. Don’t forget to digest them once you get home. Don’t let them use up storage on your phone and sit there. Use it and put them into practice!

Wrap Up

Another great WordCamp in the books, and they always leave me ready to get back to work and after this extended vacation and time away, I’m ready to get going again with Infinite Uploads, and ClikIT.