WP Product Talk
- Episodes
- 140
- Released
- daily
- Latest episode
- Oct 28, 2026
About the podcast
This is WP Product Talk, the place where every week, we interview an experienced WP product owner on strategies, tips, experiences, failures, and successes of running successful and thriving WordPress product businesses.
Episodes 140
Exploring WordPress Block Themes, AI, and the Future of Site Creation
With Brian Gardner
WordPress site creation is evolving fast, with block themes, AI tools, and new approaches to design changing how developers, designers, and agencies build websites. On November 11 at noon Eastern, Brian Gardner …
Show notes
WordPress site creation is evolving fast, with block themes, AI tools, and new approaches to design changing how developers, designers, and agencies build websites. On November 11 at noon Eastern, Brian Gardner joins WP Product Talk, alongside co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Katie Keith, to share his latest explorations across the WordPress ecosystem, from themes like Suede, Ollie, and Miles to the growing possibilities of large language models (LLMs).
What do these emerging tools mean for the future of WordPress site creation? We’ll explore the opportunities, experiments, and practical implications of block themes and AI-powered workflows, looking at how these developments could reshape the way websites are designed and built. Whether you’re a developer, designer, or agency owner, join us for a conversation about what’s changing and what might come next.
Key takeaways- Clear design rules help AI build polished websites:
AI tools need specific guidelines for spacing, typography, and color palettes to generate clean, professional layouts. - Themes provide a steady visual foundation:
A lightweight theme sets standard styles that prevent unexpected design glitches during site updates. - The Abilities API creates a single language for AI in WordPress:
This standardized system gives AI assistants a safe, consistent way to communicate with WordPress plugins and adjust site settings. - Open source code gives AI better training material:
Because WordPress documentation and code are publicly accessible, AI models write cleaner and more accurate WordPress code. - Block themes simplify client handoffs:
The visual block editor allows site owners to update text and replace images directly on their pages without writing code. - Short practice sessions help creators learn new tools:
Setting aside twenty to thirty minutes each week gives site builders time to test new software at a comfortable pace.
- Clear design rules help AI build polished websites:
Exploring WordPress Block Themes, AI, and the Future of Site Creation
WordPress site creation is evolving fast, with block themes, AI tools, and new approaches to design changing how developers, designers, and agencies build websites. On November 11 at noon Eastern, Brian Gardner …
Show notes
WordPress site creation is evolving fast, with block themes, AI tools, and new approaches to design changing how developers, designers, and agencies build websites. On November 11 at noon Eastern, Brian Gardner joins WP Product Talk, alongside co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Katie Keith, to share his latest explorations across the WordPress ecosystem, from themes like Suede, Ollie, and Miles to the growing possibilities of large language models (LLMs).
What do these emerging tools mean for the future of WordPress site creation? We’ll explore the opportunities, experiments, and practical implications of block themes and AI-powered workflows, looking at how these developments could reshape the way websites are designed and built. Whether you're a developer, designer, or agency owner, join us for a conversation about what's changing and what might come next.
Can MCP Connectors Save WordPress?
With Colin Devroe
We talked with Colin Devroe, Head of AI at NerdPress, about Model Context Protocol connectors and how they change day-to-day WordPress work. Colin put it simply: an AI only gets useful when you feed it the …
Show notes
We talked with Colin Devroe, Head of AI at NerdPress, about Model Context Protocol connectors and how they change day-to-day WordPress work.
Colin put it simply: an AI only gets useful when you feed it the right information. At NerdPress that means both internal tools and Guided Agent Connector for clients, so an agent can work against a live site instead of guessing from a thin prompt.
What we covered with ColinKatie already uses general AI against WooCommerce and her plugins without shipping dedicated MCPs. Zack pointed out that most customers have not done that learning curve. A product-specific MCP can make the useful actions obvious.
Where we landWe see the useful move as giving agents clear tools for the job the customer wants done. That is the shift we spent the hour on.
Can MCP Connectors Save WordPress?
We talked with Colin Devroe, Head of AI at NerdPress, about Model Context Protocol connectors and how they change day-to-day WordPress work. Colin put it simply: an AI only gets useful when you feed it the …
Show notes
We talked with Colin Devroe, Head of AI at NerdPress, about Model Context Protocol connectors and how they change day-to-day WordPress work.
Colin put it simply: an AI only gets useful when you feed it the right information. At NerdPress that means both internal tools and Guided Agent Connector for clients, so an agent can work against a live site instead of guessing from a thin prompt.
What we covered with ColinKatie already uses general AI against WooCommerce and her plugins without shipping dedicated MCPs. Zack pointed out that most customers have not done that learning curve. A product-specific MCP can make the useful actions obvious.
Where we landWe see the useful move as giving agents clear tools for the job the customer wants done. That is the shift we spent the hour on.
WordPress to Shopify: Smart Expansion or Expensive Distraction?
Katie Keith from Barn2 and Ian Misner from Kestrel spent this episode on a decision both of them have been living: expand a WordPress product business into Shopify. Katie’s trigger was risk. WordPress drama …
Show notes
Katie Keith from Barn2 and Ian Misner from Kestrel spent this episode on a decision both of them have been living: expand a WordPress product business into Shopify.
Katie’s trigger was risk. WordPress drama, possible WooCommerce feature overlap, and a desire to spread platforms before sales dipped. Barn2 has since launched Shopify apps and learned how approval, badges, naming, and a different kind of customer change the work. Ian brought Kestrel’s longer multi-platform experience, including marketplace dynamics and the cost of rebuilding and supporting a second stack.
What actually costs youWe talked installs, paid conversion after free periods, and how much support and product velocity you burn to get a foothold.
Where we landThe hard question for us is whether the new channel grows the company or splits the team. If you are weighing expansion, this is the war-story version from two operators who are already in it.
WordPress to Shopify: Smart Expansion or Expensive Distraction?
Katie Keith from Barn2 and Ian Misner from Kestrel spent this episode on a decision both of them have been living: expand a WordPress product business into Shopify. Katie's trigger was risk. WordPress drama …
Show notes
Katie Keith from Barn2 and Ian Misner from Kestrel spent this episode on a decision both of them have been living: expand a WordPress product business into Shopify.
Katie's trigger was risk. WordPress drama, possible WooCommerce feature overlap, and a desire to spread platforms before sales dipped. Barn2 has since launched Shopify apps and learned how approval, badges, naming, and a different kind of customer change the work. Ian brought Kestrel's longer multi-platform experience, including marketplace dynamics and the cost of rebuilding and supporting a second stack.
What actually costs youWe talked installs, paid conversion after free periods, and how much support and product velocity you burn to get a foothold.
Where we landThe hard question for us is whether the new channel grows the company or splits the team. If you are weighing expansion, this is the war-story version from two operators who are already in it.
Pricing for Growth: How to Charge More and Grow Faster
With Jason Cohen
Jason Cohen, founder of WP Engine, joined Zack and Katie to talk about pricing as a growth lever. Jason’s core point is that price is part of the product. A low price can pull in customers who are a poor fit …
Show notes
Jason Cohen, founder of WP Engine, joined Zack and Katie to talk about pricing as a growth lever.
Jason’s core point is that price is part of the product. A low price can pull in customers who are a poor fit. Raising price is about more than revenue per seat. It can change who shows up, and sometimes you sell more into a better segment.
Margin, churn, and the ceilingWe also got into profit margin math, the idea of a growth ceiling tied to churn, and the work of finding the segment that actually agrees your product is worth the new price. Then you have to speak to that segment on purpose in ads and on the homepage.
Where we landIf you have been afraid to touch pricing because you think volume will collapse, listen to how Jason walks through the tradeoffs. He keeps the caveats in the room.
Pricing for Growth: How to Charge More and Grow Faster
Jason Cohen, founder of WP Engine, joined Zack and Katie to talk about pricing as a growth lever. Jason's core point is that price is part of the product. A low price can pull in customers who are a poor fit …
Show notes
Jason Cohen, founder of WP Engine, joined Zack and Katie to talk about pricing as a growth lever.
Jason's core point is that price is part of the product. A low price can pull in customers who are a poor fit. Raising price is about more than revenue per seat. It can change who shows up, and sometimes you sell more into a better segment.
Margin, churn, and the ceilingWe also got into profit margin math, the idea of a growth ceiling tied to churn, and the work of finding the segment that actually agrees your product is worth the new price. Then you have to speak to that segment on purpose in ads and on the homepage.
Where we landIf you have been afraid to touch pricing because you think volume will collapse, listen to how Jason walks through the tradeoffs. He keeps the caveats in the room.
Building an Influencer Marketing Strategy for Tech Products
With Britt Celata
Britt Celata joined Katie and me to unpack influencer marketing for tech products, using WordPress.com’s Stories Worth Hosting campaign as the case study. Britt’s definition is useful for WordPress shops: an …
Show notes
Britt Celata joined Katie and me to unpack influencer marketing for tech products, using WordPress.com’s Stories Worth Hosting campaign as the case study.
Britt’s definition is useful for WordPress shops: an influencer is someone with a trusted audience speaking honestly to that audience. Britt cares more about trust than follower count. The campaign leaned on creators telling their own stories, with WordPress as part of the life.
Stories Worth HostingI called out Macy’s sourdough example for that reason. Britt tied it back to work she had done at Nike, where the brand shows up inside real days. We also got into measurement beyond vanity metrics, how affiliate and influencer roles blur, and why partner hashtags matter for tracking.
Where we landIf you already have an affiliate program and almost no creator strategy, this episode gives you a concrete playbook from someone who just ran it at Automattic.
Building an Influencer Marketing Strategy for Tech Products
Britt Celata joined Katie and me to unpack influencer marketing for tech products, using WordPress.com's Stories Worth Hosting campaign as the case study. Britt's definition is useful for WordPress shops: an …
Show notes
Britt Celata joined Katie and me to unpack influencer marketing for tech products, using WordPress.com's Stories Worth Hosting campaign as the case study.
Britt's definition is useful for WordPress shops: an influencer is someone with a trusted audience speaking honestly to that audience. Britt cares more about trust than follower count. The campaign leaned on creators telling their own stories, with WordPress as part of the life.
Stories Worth HostingI called out Macy's sourdough example for that reason. Britt tied it back to work she had done at Nike, where the brand shows up inside real days. We also got into measurement beyond vanity metrics, how affiliate and influencer roles blur, and why partner hashtags matter for tracking.
Where we landIf you already have an affiliate program and almost no creator strategy, this episode gives you a concrete playbook from someone who just ran it at Automattic.
SPECIAL EPISODE: Why Products Grow (Part 2)
With Aaron Edwards and Derek Ashauer
I hosted part two of our growth panel with Aaron Edwards of DocsBot and Derek Ashauer of Conversion Bridge and Sunshine Photo Cart. We stayed grounded in themes from our Product Growth Survey. A line we kept …
Show notes
I hosted part two of our growth panel with Aaron Edwards of DocsBot and Derek Ashauer of Conversion Bridge and Sunshine Photo Cart. We stayed grounded in themes from our Product Growth Survey.
A line we kept coming back to is demand. Getting traffic alone does not get you there. Aaron talked industry pages and high-intent searches. Derek talked writing for niche problems fewer people have, then showing up on social and Reddit so the work is not a lonely SEO article.
What is getting harderClassic search and wp.org referrals are less of a free ride than they used to be. Aaron’s churn review had a sharp number: mentions of customers building their own alternative, often with AI or vibe coding, jumped from about 1.6% to about 13% of churn reasons, even while overall churn improved. Derek noted that small utility plugins are the easiest things for people to recreate.
Where we landGrowth here looks like demand creation and product depth. Waiting for directory traffic to return is a thin plan.
SPECIAL EPISODE: Why Products Grow (Part 2)
I hosted part two of our growth panel with Aaron Edwards of DocsBot and Derek Ashauer of Conversion Bridge and Sunshine Photo Cart. We stayed grounded in themes from our Product Growth Survey. A line we kept …
Show notes
I hosted part two of our growth panel with Aaron Edwards of DocsBot and Derek Ashauer of Conversion Bridge and Sunshine Photo Cart. We stayed grounded in themes from our Product Growth Survey.
A line we kept coming back to is demand. Getting traffic alone does not get you there. Aaron talked industry pages and high-intent searches. Derek talked writing for niche problems fewer people have, then showing up on social and Reddit so the work is not a lonely SEO article.
What is getting harderClassic search and wp.org referrals are less of a free ride than they used to be. Aaron's churn review had a sharp number: mentions of customers building their own alternative, often with AI or vibe coding, jumped from about 1.6% to about 13% of churn reasons, even while overall churn improved. Derek noted that small utility plugins are the easiest things for people to recreate.
Where we landGrowth here looks like demand creation and product depth. Waiting for directory traffic to return is a thin plan.
SPECIAL EPISODE: Why Products Grow (PART 1)
With Mike McAlister, Nimesh Patel, and Robin Pietersen
Growth looks different for WordPress product businesses than it did a few years ago. Google organic search is becoming less dependable, AI is changing how people discover and build software, and simply adding …
Show notes
Growth looks different for WordPress product businesses than it did a few years ago. Google organic search is becoming less dependable, AI is changing how people discover and build software, and simply adding more features isn’t necessarily translating into more sales. So what is working? In this special episode of WP Product Talk, Matt Cromwell, Katie Keith, Zack Katz, and Ian Misner dig into the real-world growth strategies behind three WordPress products that are growing right now: Nimesh Patel of Multidots, Mike McAlister of OllieWP, and Robin Pietersen of FooEvents.
The conversation goes beyond marketing tactics to explore what product owners can actually control in a changing market. The guests share how retention and upsells are driving growth, why product-led growth and education can create powerful momentum, how meaningful new features and pricing changes can move the needle, and why customer support can become a source of product insight and revenue. They also tackle a bigger question facing WordPress businesses today: as AI makes it easier to build alternatives to traditional plugins, how can product companies become more valuable, differentiated, and resilient?
SPECIAL EPISODE: Why Products Grow (PART 1)
Growth looks different for WordPress product businesses than it did a few years ago. Google organic search is becoming less dependable, AI is changing how people discover and build software, and simply adding …
Show notes
Growth looks different for WordPress product businesses than it did a few years ago. Google organic search is becoming less dependable, AI is changing how people discover and build software, and simply adding more features isn’t necessarily translating into more sales. So what is working? In this special episode of WP Product Talk, Matt Cromwell, Katie Keith, Zack Katz, and Ian Misner dig into the real-world growth strategies behind three WordPress products that are growing right now: Nimesh Patel of Multidots, Mike McAlister of OllieWP, and Robin Pietersen of FooEvents.
The conversation goes beyond marketing tactics to explore what product owners can actually control in a changing market. The guests share how retention and upsells are driving growth, why product-led growth and education can create powerful momentum, how meaningful new features and pricing changes can move the needle, and why customer support can become a source of product insight and revenue. They also tackle a bigger question facing WordPress businesses today: as AI makes it easier to build alternatives to traditional plugins, how can product companies become more valuable, differentiated, and resilient?
Oops! How to (Accidentally) Become a Plugin Developer
With Jonathan Hall
What happens when you accidentally become a WordPress plugin developer—and then keep going? Jonathan Hall of BerryPress joins WP Product Talk on September 9 with co-hosts Ian Misner and Matt Cromwell to share …
Show notes
What happens when you accidentally become a WordPress plugin developer—and then keep going? Jonathan Hall of BerryPress joins WP Product Talk on September 9 with co-hosts Ian Misner and Matt Cromwell to share the winding path from an unplanned venture into plugin development 11 years ago to building multiple plugin businesses and eventually co-founding an international WordPress product company.
Jonathan has developed dozens of plugins and learned plenty along the way about finding product ideas, marketing paid plugins, working with partners, and building a sustainable WordPress products business. We’ll also explore how AI and modern tools are changing plugin development and QA, along with the lessons Jonathan wishes he knew when he was just getting started. Whether you’re thinking about launching your first WordPress product or trying to figure out what comes next, this conversation offers a candid look at what it really takes to become a plugin developer and build products people want.
Oops! How to (Accidentally) Become a Plugin Developer
What happens when you accidentally become a WordPress plugin developer—and then keep going? Jonathan Hall of BerryPress joins WP Product Talk on September 9 with co-hosts Ian Misner and Matt Cromwell to share …
Show notes
What happens when you accidentally become a WordPress plugin developer—and then keep going? Jonathan Hall of BerryPress joins WP Product Talk on September 9 with co-hosts Ian Misner and Matt Cromwell to share the winding path from an unplanned venture into plugin development 11 years ago to building multiple plugin businesses and eventually co-founding an international WordPress product company.
Jonathan has developed dozens of plugins and learned plenty along the way about finding product ideas, marketing paid plugins, working with partners, and building a sustainable WordPress products business. We’ll also explore how AI and modern tools are changing plugin development and QA, along with the lessons Jonathan wishes he knew when he was just getting started. Whether you’re thinking about launching your first WordPress product or trying to figure out what comes next, this conversation offers a candid look at what it really takes to become a plugin developer and build products people want.
Building Better Product Sites for WordPress Plugins & Themes
With Imran Siddiq
Your WordPress product website has a big job: it needs to build trust, explain your product, demonstrate its value, and ultimately convince visitors to buy. But what actually makes a product website work for a …
Show notes
Your WordPress product website has a big job: it needs to build trust, explain your product, demonstrate its value, and ultimately convince visitors to buy. But what actually makes a product website work for a WordPress plugin or theme?
On September 2 at noon Eastern, Imran Siddiq of Web Squadron joins WP Product Talk with co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz to share his perspective on product website strategy, drawing from his experience building websites, teaching Elementor, creating WordPress content, and working with agencies and product businesses. We’ll dig into how to showcase features without bloated design, when live sandbox demos make sense, how to structure Free vs. Pro offerings, and why transparency can matter more than flashy marketing. If you sell a WordPress plugin or theme, this is a practical look at how your website can turn more visitors into confident customers.
Building Better Product Sites for WordPress Plugins & Themes
Your WordPress product website has a big job: it needs to build trust, explain your product, demonstrate its value, and ultimately convince visitors to buy. But what actually makes a product website work for a …
Show notes
Your WordPress product website has a big job: it needs to build trust, explain your product, demonstrate its value, and ultimately convince visitors to buy. But what actually makes a product website work for a WordPress plugin or theme?
On September 2 at noon Eastern, Imran Siddiq of Web Squadron joins WP Product Talk with co-hosts Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz to share his perspective on product website strategy, drawing from his experience building websites, teaching Elementor, creating WordPress content, and working with agencies and product businesses. We’ll dig into how to showcase features without bloated design, when live sandbox demos make sense, how to structure Free vs. Pro offerings, and why transparency can matter more than flashy marketing. If you sell a WordPress plugin or theme, this is a practical look at how your website can turn more visitors into confident customers.
Strategy Before Software: What Organizations Should Clarify Before Building
With Brad Griffith
Before a single line of code is written, the most important product decisions have already been made. Join us on August 12th as Zack Katz and Ian Misner welcome Brad Griffith of Buckeye Innovation for a …
Show notes
Before a single line of code is written, the most important product decisions have already been made. Join us on August 12th as Zack Katz and Ian Misner welcome Brad Griffith of Buckeye Innovation for a conversation about why so many digital projects fail long before development begins. From unclear goals and undefined workflows to misunderstood user needs, Brad shares practical lessons from building websites, applications, and digital tools for purpose-driven organizations.
Using a digital product strategy approach, Brad will explore how product teams can align strategy, design, and development to create solutions that solve real problems and deliver measurable outcomes. Whether you’re launching a new WordPress product, planning a major feature, or evaluating your product roadmap, this episode will provide actionable insights to help you build the right thing before you start building anything at all.
Strategy Before Software: What Organizations Should Clarify Before Building
Before a single line of code is written, the most important product decisions have already been made. Join us on August 12th as Zack Katz and Ian Misner welcome Brad Griffith of Buckeye Innovation for a …
Show notes
Before a single line of code is written, the most important product decisions have already been made. Join us on August 12th as Zack Katz and Ian Misner welcome Brad Griffith of Buckeye Innovation for a conversation about why so many digital projects fail long before development begins. From unclear goals and undefined workflows to misunderstood user needs, Brad shares practical lessons from building websites, applications, and digital tools for purpose-driven organizations.
Using a digital product strategy approach, Brad will explore how product teams can align strategy, design, and development to create solutions that solve real problems and deliver measurable outcomes. Whether you're launching a new WordPress product, planning a major feature, or evaluating your product roadmap, this episode will provide actionable insights to help you build the right thing before you start building anything at all.
Building Beyond Expertise
With Ross Morsali
Artificial intelligence is changing the role of software developers in ways that go far beyond code generation. On August 5, Katie Keith and Zack Katz welcome Ross Morsali to explore how AI research workflows …
Show notes
Artificial intelligence is changing the role of software developers in ways that go far beyond code generation. On August 5, Katie Keith and Zack Katz welcome Ross Morsali to explore how AI research workflows are helping developers tackle problems that once seemed far outside their expertise, unlocking new opportunities for WordPress products and beyond.
Ross shares how AI-guided research helped him completely rethink the indexing architecture behind Search & Filter by borrowing ideas from enterprise search systems and adapting them for WordPress. From there, the conversation expands into an exciting look at what’s possible when developers use AI to venture into unfamiliar territory, including speech-to-text systems, custom language models, and other ambitious projects that would have once required years of specialized experience. Instead of asking AI to help us build faster, we should ask how AI can help us build things we never thought we could.
Building Beyond Expertise
Artificial intelligence is changing the role of software developers in ways that go far beyond code generation. On August 5, Katie Keith and Zack Katz welcome Ross Morsali to explore how AI research workflows …
Show notes
Artificial intelligence is changing the role of software developers in ways that go far beyond code generation. On August 5, Katie Keith and Zack Katz welcome Ross Morsali to explore how AI research workflows are helping developers tackle problems that once seemed far outside their expertise, unlocking new opportunities for WordPress products and beyond.
Ross shares how AI-guided research helped him completely rethink the indexing architecture behind Search & Filter by borrowing ideas from enterprise search systems and adapting them for WordPress. From there, the conversation expands into an exciting look at what's possible when developers use AI to venture into unfamiliar territory, including speech-to-text systems, custom language models, and other ambitious projects that would have once required years of specialized experience. Instead of asking AI to help us build faster, we should ask how AI can help us build things we never thought we could.
What Agency Owners Need to Know Before Buying a Plugin
With Blake Whittle
Most WordPress product founders start by building a plugin from scratch. Blake Whittle took a different path. As the owner of a WordPress agency managing hundreds of client sites, he acquired Infinite Uploads …
Show notes
Most WordPress product founders start by building a plugin from scratch. Blake Whittle took a different path. As the owner of a WordPress agency managing hundreds of client sites, he acquired Infinite Uploads and Big File Uploads, inheriting an established product, an existing customer base, and a rapidly approaching Black Friday season. On July 29, Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner sit down with Blake to discuss what it really takes to buy and grow a WordPress plugin business.
Blake shares lessons from evaluating the acquisition, navigating the critical first year of ownership, and balancing the demands of running both an agency and a product company. The conversation explores how an agency background can provide unique advantages when growing a software product, the challenges of taking over someone else’s codebase and customers, and why acquisition may be a faster path to product ownership than building from the ground up. Whether you’re an agency owner considering diversification or a product entrepreneur interested in acquisitions, this episode offers practical insights into buying, managing, and scaling an established WordPress plugin business.
What Agency Owners Need to Know Before Buying a Plugin
Most WordPress product founders start by building a plugin from scratch. Blake Whittle took a different path. As the owner of a WordPress agency managing hundreds of client sites, he acquired Infinite Uploads …
Show notes
Most WordPress product founders start by building a plugin from scratch. Blake Whittle took a different path. As the owner of a WordPress agency managing hundreds of client sites, he acquired Infinite Uploads and Big File Uploads, inheriting an established product, an existing customer base, and a rapidly approaching Black Friday season. On July 29, Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner sit down with Blake to discuss what it really takes to buy and grow a WordPress plugin business.
Blake shares lessons from evaluating the acquisition, navigating the critical first year of ownership, and balancing the demands of running both an agency and a product company. The conversation explores how an agency background can provide unique advantages when growing a software product, the challenges of taking over someone else's codebase and customers, and why acquisition may be a faster path to product ownership than building from the ground up. Whether you're an agency owner considering diversification or a product entrepreneur interested in acquisitions, this episode offers practical insights into buying, managing, and scaling an established WordPress plugin business.
Monetizing a Free WordPress Plugin without Paywalling the Core
With Rémi Corson
What happens when you challenge one of the most established business models in WordPress? On July 22, Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz sit down with Rémi Corson, founder of SEOPress and creator of Milo, to discuss a …
Show notes
What happens when you challenge one of the most established business models in WordPress? On July 22, Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz sit down with Rémi Corson, founder of SEOPress and creator of Milo, to discuss a different approach to plugin monetization: keeping the core product completely free while generating revenue through payments infrastructure and optional add-ons.
After more than a decade at WooCommerce, Rémi set out to build a subscriptions plugin that avoids traditional feature paywalls and annual licensing. In this conversation, he shares the thinking behind Milo’s monetization strategy, the tradeoffs of monetizing transactions instead of features, and what WordPress product owners can learn from building sustainable businesses around free software. Whether you’re evaluating your own pricing model, considering a freemium approach, or wondering where the paywall should live, this episode offers practical insights into alternative WordPress plugin monetization strategies.
Monetizing a Free WordPress Plugin without Paywalling the Core
What happens when you challenge one of the most established business models in WordPress? On July 22, Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz sit down with Rémi Corson, founder of SEOPress and creator of Milo, to discuss a …
Show notes
What happens when you challenge one of the most established business models in WordPress? On July 22, Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz sit down with Rémi Corson, founder of SEOPress and creator of Milo, to discuss a different approach to plugin monetization: keeping the core product completely free while generating revenue through payments infrastructure and optional add-ons.
After more than a decade at WooCommerce, Rémi set out to build a subscriptions plugin that avoids traditional feature paywalls and annual licensing. In this conversation, he shares the thinking behind Milo's monetization strategy, the tradeoffs of monetizing transactions instead of features, and what WordPress product owners can learn from building sustainable businesses around free software. Whether you're evaluating your own pricing model, considering a freemium approach, or wondering where the paywall should live, this episode offers practical insights into alternative WordPress plugin monetization strategies.
Data-Driven Product Decisions
With Derek Ashauer
Every WordPress product owner has opinions about what drives growth, but what if your analytics told a different story? On July 15, Zack Katz and Katie Keith welcome Derek Ashauer, founder of Conversion Bridge …
Show notes
Every WordPress product owner has opinions about what drives growth, but what if your analytics told a different story? On July 15, Zack Katz and Katie Keith welcome Derek Ashauer, founder of Conversion Bridge and Sunshine Photo Cart, to discuss how conversion tracking data shapes the decisions behind his products and marketing strategy.
Derek shares how he uses his own analytics tools to measure what actually moves the needle, from improving product features to identifying new growth opportunities. Along the way, he explains how real user data inspired his programmatic SEO strategy, why evidence consistently beats assumptions, and how WordPress product owners can make smarter business decisions by relying on the insights already available in their own websites. Whether you’re refining your product roadmap, evaluating marketing efforts, or looking for sustainable ways to grow, this episode offers practical lessons in building with data instead of guesswork.
Data-Driven Product Decisions
Every WordPress product owner has opinions about what drives growth, but what if your analytics told a different story? On July 15, Zack Katz and Katie Keith welcome Derek Ashauer, founder of Conversion Bridge …
Show notes
Every WordPress product owner has opinions about what drives growth, but what if your analytics told a different story? On July 15, Zack Katz and Katie Keith welcome Derek Ashauer, founder of Conversion Bridge and Sunshine Photo Cart, to discuss how conversion tracking data shapes the decisions behind his products and marketing strategy.
Derek shares how he uses his own analytics tools to measure what actually moves the needle, from improving product features to identifying new growth opportunities. Along the way, he explains how real user data inspired his programmatic SEO strategy, why evidence consistently beats assumptions, and how WordPress product owners can make smarter business decisions by relying on the insights already available in their own websites. Whether you're refining your product roadmap, evaluating marketing efforts, or looking for sustainable ways to grow, this episode offers practical lessons in building with data instead of guesswork.
The Point of No Return for WordPress Agencies
With Vito Peleg
Are WordPress agencies approaching a point of no return? On July 8, Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner welcome Vito Peleg, founder of Atarim, to discuss the growing divide between agencies that are embracing AI and …
Show notes
Are WordPress agencies approaching a point of no return? On July 8, Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner welcome Vito Peleg, founder of Atarim, to discuss the growing divide between agencies that are embracing AI and those struggling to keep pace. As automation reshapes how websites are built, managed, and maintained, agency owners face critical decisions that could determine whether they grow, adapt, or fall behind.
In this conversation about AI for WordPress Agencies, Vito shares what he’s seeing across the industry, from agencies using AI to scale faster than ever before to those losing ground as client expectations evolve. We’ll explore whether retainers can survive the AI era, what work remains uniquely human, and how agency leaders can prepare for a future where intelligent agents become part of the team.
Viewer ResponseSpecial thanks to M Asif Rahman, founder of WPDeveloper for this special key takeaways he shared on LinkedIn:
The Point of No Return for WordPress Agencies
Are WordPress agencies approaching a point of no return? On July 8, Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner welcome Vito Peleg, founder of Atarim, to discuss the growing divide between agencies that are embracing AI and …
Show notes
Are WordPress agencies approaching a point of no return? On July 8, Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner welcome Vito Peleg, founder of Atarim, to discuss the growing divide between agencies that are embracing AI and those struggling to keep pace. As automation reshapes how websites are built, managed, and maintained, agency owners face critical decisions that could determine whether they grow, adapt, or fall behind.
In this conversation about AI for WordPress Agencies, Vito shares what he's seeing across the industry, from agencies using AI to scale faster than ever before to those losing ground as client expectations evolve. We'll explore whether retainers can survive the AI era, what work remains uniquely human, and how agency leaders can prepare for a future where intelligent agents become part of the team.
Viewer ResponseSpecial thanks to M Asif Rahman, founder of WPDeveloper for this special key takeaways he shared on LinkedIn:
These are the latest 40 of 140 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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