What Is WordCamp And Why Should You Care?
It’s no secret that WordPress currently powers over 28% of websites worldwide. With millions of active users and fans around the world, many WordPress organisations and communities have started to pop up.
If you’re an active WordPress user that wants to meet other WordPress enthusiasts, then you’re in luck. There are currently hundreds of WordCamps that take place all over the world in almost every country. With hundreds of speakers and thousands of attendees, WordCamps are a great place to learn new things about WordPress and meet new people.
Sound interesting? Well if you actively use WordPress then you should be interested, with so many great resources and speakers you’re bound to learn something new. Here’s everything you need to know about WordCamp.
What Is WordCamp?
To put it simply, WordCamp is a WordPress event that can be organised by anyone around the world. There are currently a few major WordCamps that take place throughout the year such as WordCamp Europe and WordCamp US, but the rest of the WordCamps are much smaller in size. These WordCamps are set up by organisers in conjunction with the official creators of the WordPress platform.
One of the largest WordCamp events that takes place every year is known as WordCamp Europe. Every year the event takes place at a new venue and city. In 2016 WordCamp Europe took place in Vienna, Australia, this year in 2017 the event took place in Paris, France. Featuring 61 speakers and over 2 days and upwards of 5000 attendees, WordCamp Europe was as big as ever.
To find a WordCamp in your area, be sure to head on over to the official WordCamp website to see their list of upcoming WordCamps. We might be over halfway through the year, but there are still over 50 WordCamp events scheduled with new ones being added all the time.
If you’ve never been to WordCamp before then, you definitely should. Not only are these events full of interesting speakers, live demos and Q&As, but you also get to meet plenty of like-minded attendees.
What Can You Expect From WordCamp?
If you think WordCamp is just a place for geeks to hang out, then think again. WordCamp is for everyone and everything related to WordPress. Although each WordCamp will be different due to the organisers, speakers, and attendees, they all follow a similar guideline on what they offer to visitors.
The speakers, guests and sessions at WordCamp are aimed at businesses and bloggers who use WordPress and want to get the most out of the platform. No matter what you use WordPress for, you’re sure to learn something new and interesting. From demos of new plugins to workshops and interviews, the information at WordCamp isn’t like anything you’ll find online.
Unlike other big digital conferences, WordCamps are specifically created to be affordable in order to allow anyone to attend. With tickets starting from around £35 for a 2-day event, it’s great value for money considering the number of speakers who visit.
Attending WordCamp for the first time can be scary if you’ve never been to one before. However, don’t worry, there are plenty of other first timers too. If you’re not sure if you are suited to attending WordCamp then don’t be, everyone is welcome.
Who Should Attend WordCamp?
WordCamp opens its arms to everyone. No matter if you’re a developer, business owner, blogger, designer or have never used WordPress before, as long as you have an interest in WordPress, you’ll feel at home.
Getting to meet people face to face is one of the primary reasons WordCamp is so popular. Sure it’s good to have a discussion online, but nothing beats meeting someone face to face. In addition to learning from speakers and other WordPress users, attendees will often find new employees/employers and new collaborators. These meetings can often lead to new relationships and new projects throughout the year.
Many WordCamps also have job boards setup which allows employers to post job openings and vacancies. As you can see, WordCamp really is for everyone who uses WordPress no matter your experience or background.
We’re Big Fans of WordPress
Here at Purplebox Digital, we’re big fans of WordPress. Having developed hundreds of websites for clients from all over the world, it’s safe to say we know what we’re doing.
With our experienced team of developers and designers we’ve worked with many large enterprises to help incorporate payment systems, e-commerce stores and custom back ends. If you’re looking for a reliable team to update or tweak your website, then we can help.
