WordCamp Wonders: Gravity Forms at WordCamp US

09/05/23 • 27 min

In this episode of the Breakdown Podcast, Matt and Isabel discuss their experiences at WordCamp US, which took place in National Harbor, Maryland. Isabel, a junior software engineer on the Gravity Forms team, talks about her role and various tasks she has undertaken, including working on the company's TikTok account.

Matt reflects on the event, highlights the size of the venue, and discusses the vendor booth setup, including the popularity of Gravity Forms' high-quality t-shirts. They share their favorite dining spots and interactions with certified developers who play a crucial role in the Gravity Forms ecosystem. The episode concludes with testimonials from customers who have been using Gravity Forms for over a decade and a lively giveaway event hosted by Mike from the team.

Important links
Get Gravity Forms https://gravityforms.com/
Gutenberg: Next with Matt Mullenweg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHdsapKfN2I

Important links
Get Gravity Forms https://gravityforms.com/
Gutenberg: Next with Matt Mullenweg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHdsapKfN2I

Previous Episode

What's possible with Gravity Flow + Gravity Forms?

Visit us as the Gravity Forms booth at WCUS. Tell them you listen to this podcast.

Segment 1

Jamie Oastler from Gravity Flow discusses how the plugin builds on Gravity Forms to automate workflows after form submissions. He explains Gravity Flow's user interactive steps like approvals and user input as well as non-interactive steps like notifications. Jamie positions Gravity Flow as a "thin pane of glass" that can connect WordPress to other systems while still providing a great front-end experience.

Key Takeaways:

Gravity Flow structures workflows and business processes after form submission.
It enables user approvals, input steps, notifications and more.
Gravity Flow can integrate with other systems while keeping WordPress as the presentation layer.

Segment 2

Brad Williams has been working with WordPress for over 15 years and founded his agency, WebDevStudios, in 2008. In the transcript, Brad discusses how WordPress has evolved from a simple blogging platform to a powerful CMS over the years. He highlights major releases like WordPress 3.0 which introduced custom post types, allowing sites to structure content beyond just pages and posts. He also discusses how the block editor/Gutenberg transformed the editing experience, making it easy for non-technical users to create beautiful pages.

Key Takeaways:

The block editor/Gutenberg transformed the editing experience for non-technical users.
Gravity Forms has been a go-to plugin for forms and advanced functionality since the beginning.
WordPress has evolved into a powerful CMS capable of enterprise-level sites.

Next Episode

Using Gravity Forms for Email Newsletter & User Signup Workflows

Equalize Digital and Its NASA Project: Amber explains that Equalize Digital is a company focused on WordPress accessibility, particularly for people with disabilities. They have developed a plugin called Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker, available in both free and premium versions. Notably, their premium plugin is being used in the development of NASA's website. Lone Rock Point, the company behind the NASA project, decided to use WordPress primarily because of Equalize Digital's plugin. Amber's team also played a crucial role in auditing and user testing the beta site for accessibility.

Gravity Forms and Accessibility: Matt asks Amber about her experience with Gravity Forms, a popular WordPress plugin for form creation. Amber reveals that they have been using Gravity Forms extensively in their projects, including the WordPress Accessibility Day website. She highlights Gravity Forms' commitment to accessibility and how it saves time for their organizing team, particularly in managing user registrations and creating draft posts for event speakers. They also discuss the value of Gravity Forms in creating efficient editorial workflows and how it benefits the event's attendees and sponsors.

Notable URLs and software mentioned:
* Equalize Digital's plugin: ~[Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker](https://wordpress.org/plugins/equalize-digital-accessibility-checker/)~
* NASA's website development by Lone Rock Point
* Gravity Forms: A popular WordPress form creation plugin
* Gravity Forms advanced post creation add-on
* Gravity Forms user registration add-on
* GravityWiz's "Populate Anything" add-on
* Zapier: Used for integrating Gravity Forms with Google Sheets
* WordPress Accessibility Day website: 2023.wpaccessibility.day

These two key points provide listeners with insights into how Equalize Digital is contributing to web accessibility and how Gravity Forms is aiding in the success of WordPress Accessibility Day.

ConvertKit Beta Add-On: Matt mentions at the beginning that they have a ConvertKit beta add-on available for download at the bottom of the dashboard. This is likely important for listeners who are interested in using ConvertKit or existing users looking to enhance their experience with this tool. Find the beta in your Gravity Forms dashboard.

Middle of the Funnel Importance: Jason emphasizes the significance of the middle of the funnel in email marketing, stating that about 85% of sales occur in this stage. He stresses the need for consistency in email communication, a well-planned welcome sequence, and intentionality in writing emails with a clear call to action. This insight is valuable for anyone involved in email marketing, as it highlights the often-neglected middle stage and provides practical advice for improving email engagement and conversion rates.

Important software mentioned:
* ConvertKit: The email marketing platform discussed throughout the conversation.
* WordPress: Jason mentions moving his website back to WordPress, indicating its importance as a content management system.

Overall, this conversation delves into the significance of the middle of the funnel in email marketing and announces the availability of a ConvertKit beta add-on, providing practical insights for podcast listeners interested in email marketing and ConvertKit usage.

Follow Jason on Twitter and download his NurtureKit Blueprint.