I had the great opportunity to attend my first Wordcamp on November 7, 2015.

It’s been on my to-do list for about 3 years now. Wordcamps are hosted around the world, so when I heard that one was planned for Sacramento, I knew I had to attend!

One of the things I liked about the days leading up to the event was that I received daily emails containing WordPress blog posts about the event. There were posts about the speakers and posts about the Beginner vs. Advanced Track. There was a lengthy post about what to expect at the event. When I arrived at the event, I felt prepared and that was a nice feeling.

What is Wordcamp?

First, let me explain that you are not going to learn how to use WordPress at a one day Wordcamp. It is not a training program designed to teach you in a Step 1, 2, 3 fashion.

Wordcamp gives you an opportunity to learn some WordPress basics, as well as some advanced insights. And it is also an environment for learning about complex and obscure WordPress Developer topics.

A WordPress Developer is essentially a computer programmer that specializes in writing PHP code. That’s an oversimplification but you get the idea. I am not a developer although I would like to learn some PHP coding skills in the future.

I consider myself to be more of a WordPress Website Designer. That’s one of the hats I wear in my business. I am also a coach and trainer who specializes in working with coaches and speakers. I teach classes on online marketing and social media. I write copy for clients and build WordPress websites, lead capture pages and sales pages.

My Wordcamp Sacramento Experience

I walked in realizing I wasn’t going to walk away with a degree in WordPress, but hoping I would gain some useful insights and tips. That I did, and much more.

It was nice to hear other people talk about WordPress for a change. I teach a class about  WordPress and know what I teach. I wanted to hear it from someone else’s perspective.

I attended about 9 presentations in about 7 hours. I was on maximum overload, but in a good way.

I got value from listening to the speakers. I also received value from talking with other participants. More on that in a moment. I also enjoyed attending the After Party.

Wordcamps share common elements like the Happiness Room, where you will find snacks and be able to on connect with speakers and other attendees.

And the After Party is a crowd favorite, giving WordPress nerds  (me included) a way to decompress, chat about what we learned and have fun.

Connecting with Wordcamp Attendees

One of the benefits of attending was building relationships with other WordPress users, designers and developers. I made a few new friends and solidified relationships with people I already knew.

It has also opened the door for getting active at the local Sacramento WordPress Meetup Group.

I also found that many people have attended multiple Wordcamps. For some, it’s an annual event. Others travel to other cities to attend Wordcamps there.

I could see the close-knit relationships of people connecting at the event. You can tell that this is a global community of talented people.

My Biggest Takeaways:

1. Adopting a Developer Mindset

I wanted to get a better sense of what it’s like to be a WordPress Developer. I wanted to understand workflow and process better.

I got some great insights that provide a starting point or jumping off place.

I got to hear a few developers talking about their experiences working on WordPress projects.

In particular, I liked Peter Chester’s presentation on Coding with a Team. He explained a few different Developer workflow processes and how to optimize your workflow.

2. Back to Basics

It’s a good idea to come back to basics periodically. There is so much to know when it comes to building websites. Technology changes rapidly. You need to take a step back periodically in order to move forward.

This was a good chance for me to check what I already know against what is current today. And it allowed me to identify areas to explore.

3. Go Deep

If you learn a subject area, you need to go deep. You need to read blog posts, listen to podcasts and watch videos. You need to read books and attend classes.

I learned that attending a Wordcamp may not solve the one problem you are facing today, but it will give you a storehouse of information, ideas and resources to solve tomorrow’s problems.

I would highly recommend Wordcamp for anyone interested in learning more about WordPress. Just understand you may not understand everything you hear, but you will walk away knowing more about WordPress.

Special Thanks

I want acknowledge the Organizers for Wordcamp Sacramento…

Click here to read more about the organizers.

I want acknowledge the speakers for Wordcamp Sacramento…

Click here to read more about the speakers.

Watch here for reviews of each of the presentations I attended.

Dawn Pedersen – Content Design

Chris Lema – WordPress Membership Plugins

Peter Chester – Coding with a Team

Jason Cosper – Way of the Future

Ben Ilfeld – Ad Revenue 101

Bernice “Be” Lee – WordPress Hobbyist to Freelancer

John Locke – iThemes Security Plugin

Alex Christensen – Ecommerce Plugins

Russell Aaron – Forms Plugins

I want acknowledge the Sponsors for Wordcamp Sacramento…

Click here to read more about the sponsors.

I want acknowledge the Venue for Wordcamp Sacramento…

Wordcamp Sacramento 2015 was hosted at the Art Institute of California, Sacramento. They have a beautiful campus and it was nice to spend time there. I felt inspired by some of the artwork and quotes on their walls.

Click here to read more about the venue.

I want to acknowledge Chipotle who catered lunch for the event.

The food was great and it was nice not to have to leave the venue to find a restaurant for lunch. Having a catered lunch creates a better experience for participants.

By the way, I am looking forward to Wordcamp Sacramento 2016!

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer