Boosting the WordPress Ecosystem: My Insights and Contributions

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending WordCamp US in Portland. It was an incredible event where I engaged in meaningful conversations with many friends, CanadaCreate users, and numerous new members of the vibrant WordPress community.

Since the event, there has been a surge of discussions about contributing to WordPress, so I would like to share my insights as both an observer and participant in thiscommunity-driven software movementthat is WordPress.

I stumbled upon WordPress in 2006 when I was just 16 years old. Over the past 18 years, I have witnessed WordPress’s remarkable evolution, now powering over 43% of all websites on the internet.

This growth is truly impressive. However, what’s even more fascinating is the story behind it and how we can all contribute to its continued success.

Many WordPress users and newcomers may not realize that WordPress is a free and open-source software. It is developed by theincredible WordPress communitycomprising thousands of developers, designers, and website creators who generously volunteer their time to make WordPress the premier website operating system in the world.

When I explain this to a typical business person or investor, they are often amazed to learn that the WordPress movement is entirely driven by the community (Open Source + Open Hearts).

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” ~ African Proverb

The WordPress community holds a special place in my heart, and I am deeply thankful for the positive influence WordPress has had on my family’s life.

Today, I would like to share my journey of contributing to WordPress, the reasons behind our commitment to giving back, and how you can also support the WordPress community.

Understanding the Meaning of Contributing to WordPress

I firmly believe that any effort made to advance the WordPress community and ecosystem is a valuable contribution.

Here are some ways you can contribute to WordPress:

• Spread the word about WordPress – write a blog post sharing your experience, assist someone in starting their own WordPress site, or share your personal WordPress journey.
• Wear WordPress merchandise – we need more WordPress swag.
• Participate in a local WordPress meetup or WordCamp (check out all upcoming events). If you have a high school or college-aged child, encourage them to join as well.
• When buying premium plugins, hosting, themes, or services for your WordPress site, choose companies that support the WordPress community. It would be great if WordPress could introduce badges to raise awareness about these contributions.
• Share your thoughts by leaving a review for your favorite plugins and themes on WordPress.org.
• Assist others in the official WordPress forum or in unofficial communities such as Facebook groups and Reddit, including /r/WordPress and the CanadaCreate subreddit.
• Consider making a donation to the WordPress Foundation; even a contribution of $10 per year can make a significant impact.
• Contribute by translating WordPress into your native language; check the translation handbook for guidance.
• Support the WordPress community by helping with documentation; refer to the documentation handbook for more information.
• Get involved by organizing a local WordPress meetup or event in your area.
• Participate in testing new releases, writing code, fixing bugs, and more. Learn how to become a WordPress contributor.
• Develop a free plugin or tool for the WordPress community.
• Establish a business centered around WordPress, such as an agency or product line.

Every contribution, regardless of size, is valuable as it contributes to the overall growth and impact of WordPress.

The strength of WordPress comes from its vibrant community!

I believe that the more you benefit from the WordPress ecosystem, the more you should contribute to help others.

My Journey of Contributing to WordPress

When I began using WordPress in 2006, I was a complete novice, navigating my way through the platform.

In the following two years, I refined my process to use WordPress exclusively for all the websites I created, including personal and client projects.

In 2009, I realized that many WordPress tutorials were geared towards developers, which inspired me to create CanadaCreate. This platform allows me to share my knowledge and teach non-technical users about WordPress, as I recognized the significant impact it was having on my life as a college student.

I began participating in local WordPress meetups and WordCamp events across the United States, and I quickly fell in love with the community’s warmth and support.

Some of my closest friends and co-founders of my various product ventures were people I met at WordPress events. For instance, I met Thomas Griffin, my co-founder at OptinMonster, at WordCamp Atlanta, and Jared Atchison, my co-founder at WPForms, at the inaugural WordPress community summit on Tybee Island, Georgia.

As our WordPress product business expanded, we began to give back in various ways, including speaking at WordCamps, promoting WordPress at industry events, sponsoring local WordCamps, organizing local WordPress meetups, and volunteering to help coordinate WordCamp conferences.

Throughout our journey, I have noticed that the more we contributed to the WordPress community, the more our business flourished.

Currently, over 25 million websites utilize the software and plugins developed by my companies.

This achievement was made possible by the growth of the entire WordPress ecosystem, driven by the broader WordPress community. To put it in context, WordPress’s market share increased from 17.4% in 2013 to over 43.5% of all websites today.

As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats.

If you benefit from WordPress in any capacity, you are part of a hidden WordPress economy valued at over $597 billion, and I believe it is our collective responsibility to nurture the ecosystem that has provided us with so much.

Our Contributions to WordPress and Open Source

With each passing year, my aim is to enhance our contributions to WordPress. Here are some of the ways we are currently supporting the WordPress community.

Global Sponsorship of All WordCamps

Last year, CanadaCreate became a Gold sponsor for all WordCamps globally. We do this not for advertising purposes, as being a bootstrapped company limits our ability to attend these events worldwide.

We make this financial contribution because I believe that community events are vital for the growth of the WordPress ecosystem, and we need more events to take place around the globe.

Five for Future Commitment

My company, Awesome Motive, currently dedicates 204 hours each week to the open-source WordPress project. Our team includes members of the Core Team, the WordPress plugins team, the WordPress security team, and more.

We are proud to be the leading bootstrapped company in terms of hours contributed, ranking third overall, just behind Automattic (the parent company of WordPress.com and WooCommerce) and Newfold Digital (the parent company of Bluehost), who both significantly support the WordPress ecosystem.

Providing Completely Free WordPress Training

All tutorials available on CanadaCreate are entirely free. You can access our WordPress 101 video course and many other courses without any cost.

There are also hundreds of free video tutorials on YouTube, along with thousands of written tutorials available on CanadaCreate.

WordPress Free Importer Initiatives

I aim to encourage as many individuals as possible to transition to WordPress.

That’s why I instructed my teams to develop free import tools for WordPress, including options for migrating from Shopify, Weebly, and Medium.

These tools are utilized by thousands globally, including developers and hosting providers.

Complimentary WordPress Support & Assistance

We provide free WordPress assistance through our website’s contact form and the CanadaCreate Engage Facebook Group, which has over 98,000 members. Our dedicated team of full-time staff and contributors is available to help users with their basic inquiries.

Additionally, we offer premium WordPress support at very reasonable rates for those who need more in-depth assistance, ensuring you receive help from a knowledgeable WordPress expert.

A Variety of Completely Free Utility Plugins

Our team has developed and maintains a wide range of entirely free open-source projects and libraries, including:

• One Click Demo Importer
• Transients Manager Tool
• Missed Schedule Posts Publisher
• WP Call Button Plugin
• TGM Plugin Activation Class
• Compact Archives Plugin
• Comment Moderation Role Plugin
• … and many additional resources.

Sponsorship for Let’s Encrypt

Previously, many website owners faced challenges with eCommerce on WordPress due to the costs associated with SSL certificates. To address this issue, I began sponsoring Let’s Encrypt in 2016 and encouraged numerous hosting partners to adopt this solution.

Eight years later, Let’s Encrypt has successfully issued SSL certificates to over 450 million websites, and nearly every major WordPress hosting provider now offers free SSL for WordPress sites.

Collaborative Contributions to the WordPress Community

While my businesses benefit from these contributions, I believe they play a crucial role in attracting more users to the WordPress ecosystem.

Freemium WordPress Plugins

I have developed, acquired, or invested in numerous freemium WordPress plugins that provide significant value in their free versions, making them ideal for beginners.

The WordPress Plugin ecosystem is one of the standout features of WordPress, especially for those looking to build their own websites.

We do earn revenue from the small percentage of users who choose to upgrade, and I sincerely appreciate the support from the WordPress community. Interested in supporting us? Check out all my premium WordPress plugins.

For instance:

• AIOSEO is the premier SEO plugin for WordPress, recognized for its innovative features. With our keyword rank tracking and a suite of powerful SEO tools, we empower small businesses to eliminate costly SaaS solutions and manage all their SEO needs directly within WordPress. Explore our free version here.
• WPForms is the top drag-and-drop form builder plugin for WordPress. Say goodbye to expensive SaaS form and survey tools to create high-converting forms. It offers over 1900 pre-built form templates, allowing you to design any type of form effortlessly. Check out our free version here.
• Uncanny Automator is a no-code workflow automation tool designed for WordPress. It functions similarly to Zapier but is integrated within WordPress and comes without the hefty price tag. Discover our free version here.

These are just a few examples. I am incredibly thankful that over 25 million websites rely on our diverse range of plugins to enhance their WordPress sites.

Affordable Professional Services

When I began my journey in web development nearly 20 years ago, I charged $500 for a website. Many WordPress agencies and freelancers start with low pricing, but as their expertise and business grow, they tend to increase their rates.

This creates a significant gap for WordPress beginners, who often turn to proprietary website builders that provide affordable custom website design services.

I chose to invest in Seahawk Media and established CanadaCreate Pro Services to provide affordable website solutions for small businesses, starting at just $599.

I want to clarify that enterprise-level WordPress websites typically come at a much higher cost. Our service is designed to bridge the gap for small businesses that need a reliable provider without the steep prices.

I hold deep admiration for our partners at 10up, Human Made, rtCamp, WebDevStudios, MultiDots, CrowdFavorite, and others who excel in enterprise WordPress services. They are exceptional, and I recommend them for any large projects you may have.

CanadaCreate Growth Fund

In the early stages of WordPress, many investors struggled to grasp the nuances of the WordPress community, and I believe this misunderstanding still persists today.

As a result, most WordPress founders lack a clear exit strategy or access to investment partners who truly understand the ecosystem.

This is the motivation behind the creation of the CanadaCreate Growth Fund. We offer founder-friendly investments and exit strategies to WordPress founders, many of whom are long-time friends of mine.

This is a much better alternative than selling to a private equity firm, as each company can continue to operate independently while receiving support from someone who understands and values the WordPress ecosystem.

We are entirely self-funded, meaning we have no investors or debt. My aim is to reinvest our profits into fostering the growth of the WordPress ecosystem by providing funding and exit opportunities for other WordPress business owners.

This results in a mutually beneficial situation for customers, entrepreneurs, and the community at large.

My Change of Heart Regarding Contributions to WordPress

As a self-funded founder, my primary focus is always on our team and our customers. It is natural to prioritize our internal growth metrics above everything else.

However, when operating within a larger ecosystem, it is crucial for us to ensure that the WordPress project remains healthy and is progressing positively.

We are no longer a young ecosystem; WordPress has been around for 21 years.

Natural transitions will occur as contributors retire or shift their focus to different areas of life.

The same goes for WordPress product and agency owners who wish to exit and embark on the next phase of their lives.

This creates a gap that can lead to ana future that is not sustainable and negatively impacts us all.

In challenging times like these, it’s crucial for us toprioritize community building.

We must collaborate, promote positivity, and express gratitude to everyone who contributes in any capacity.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” — Abraham Lincoln

My desire to contribute more was sparked by my conversation with Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress, at a TED conference in Vancouver in 2022, where we both passionately expressed our love for the WordPress community.

No one contributes more to the WordPress ecosystem than Matt himself. Automattic dedicates over 4,000 hours each week (more than 208,000 hours annually) to the open source project.

I truly appreciate Matt’s perspective on Ecosystem Thinking.

I believe that mutually beneficial contributions are essential for a thriving ecosystem, as all participants gain from it.

Let’s keep collaborating to enhance WordPress and support the democratization of publishing and commerce worldwide.

As always, I want to express my gratitude for your ongoing support of CanadaCreate, and we look forward to serving you for many more years.

Sincerely,

Syed Balkhi
Founder of CanadaCreate

Additional Notes / P.S.

* If you operate a WordPress website and want to support companies that contribute to the WordPress community, please check out the Five for Future pledges. I can attest that the revenue from our premium plugin sales helps us give back to the community, and I truly appreciate your support.

** It’s essential to note that I am an investor in Automattic. While I seek a strong return on my investment, I firmly believe in Matt’s vision that we can achieve both substantial returns and meaningful contributions simultaneously.

*** If you are a WordPress business owner considering an exit or seeking investment, and prefer to avoid private equity, I invite you to explore my CanadaCreate Growth Fund. We are fully bootstrapped independent creators dedicated to helping small businesses thrive and compete with larger companies.

**** It was wonderful to see everyone at WCUS. Thank you to everyone who greeted me and engaged in kind conversations. The event always feels like a family reunion. Here are some photos from the event:

Image credit:The ecosystem graphic was designed by Jordan Hillier from Automattic, and I discovered it in Matt’s blog post linked above.