Community Summit Discussion Notes: Aligning WordPress Enterprise with WordPress Community

From the schedule session:

In recent years, WordPress has struggled to grow at the enterprise level. At the same time, companies and individuals invested in enterprise could be an immense value-add to the WordPress open sourceOpen Source Open Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project. This discussion will explore the current friction points between enterprise interests and community interests, and where alignments can be amplified for mutual benefit.

Facilitator: Siobhan McKeown (@siobhan)

Notetaker 1: Weston Ruter (@westonruter)

Notetaker 2: Jon Ang (@kenshino)

SWOT Analysis

Enterprise Contributing to WordPress

  • Strengths
    • Hiring skillful people
    • We/WP have control over things they are seeing (controlling interface)
    • They (enterprise) don’t have to pay for it
    • The software is getting better
    • Ecosystem/community
    • Collaboration between enterprise(s)
    • Marketshare
    • Powerful level
    • Licensing
    • Autoupdate
    • Access to the WP community
    • Hacker1
    • Low barrier of entry (??)
    • Customizability/individuality
    • Options (also weakness)
    • GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ (also weakness)
    • PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party directory (also weakness)
    • Market share for CMS
    • Hosting companies involved
    • Extensibility/backwards compatibility
    • Free!
    • Open source is fashionable
    • AI-WP integration
    • Recruiting/hiring
    • Huge impact for the internet
    • Contributing for good
    • Embedded contributions
    • Institutional knowledge
    • Lots of pros, trust records on wp.org profile
    • Access and influence
    • AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility)
    • Ease of updating
    • Professional/skill growth
    • Big community
    • Low cost to implement
  • Weaknesses
    • Why should they contribute? Awareness.
    • No clear ROI
    • Agencies do not encourage clients.
    • Too high of a barrier of entry.
    • Enterprise saves money via WP vs agencies make money
    • Client might now know they are using open source
    • How can we get clients to see the WP project?
    • No events specific enough for enterprise
    • They don’t have enough knowledge.
    • GPLGPL GPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a ‘copyleft’ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples.
    • Open source as model is not understood
    • Lack of Learn WP resources
    • Constant updating
    • Inconsistent release cycle
    • Unclear contribution/slow PRs
    • Too much info / outdated info
    • Lack of localized docs
    • Lack of point person
    • Processes are not clear
    • Some areas are still not aware of open source
    • Sense of security
    • Lack of roadmap
    • Skepticism about people’s contribution
    • Lack of recognition
    • Lots of non-pros/certified contributors
    • Lack of standardized interface
    • Lack of traching [sic] / contribution traching [sic]
    • WordPress vs enterprise timeline misalignment
    • Unpredictability
  • Opportunities
    • Phase 3 collaboration
    • Money (ease/access)
    • Blocks as framework
    • Branding
    • Tradeshow
    • Advocates for WP/OS in company
    • Tax deduction when sponsor someone/non-profit event
    • Reuse training/translate
    • Gain new skills don’t have inside/professionals
    • WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. for Enterprise
    • Promite/hire in WP people into enterprise
    • Insights from community/work inside project
    • Areas to influence vastly
    • Find new ways to contribute
    • Someone else will maintain code after you contribute
    • Can make up work how enterprise needs
    • Optics/reputation (“greenwashing” similar)
    • Training + familiarity
    • Do not have voice/influence if not at table
    • Potential to influence web standards / less costs for maintain / development
    • Hiring/sponsoring contributors
  • Threats
    • Helping competitors
    • Existing frameworks better working/effort to undo
    • Changing processes/training
    • “Whims of disconnected”
    • Lack of understanding OS/GPL
    • Invisibility of work
    • Unsure certification/authority (security)
    • Won’t get what want (maybe for first time)
    • Can’t throw money at problem
    • Vias in teams get support
    • Outsized influence in some areas of teams
    • Lack of training
    • Bigger have more power
    • No ownership of IP/code (GPL)
    • Unclear ROI -> can “lose” your investment if contribution is not accepted.
    • Will WP be around in 5 years?
    • WP changes over time — no control over roadmap
    • Will it still suit needs?
    • What is the value of their logo showing up on page?
    • Unclear leadership & confusing project structure
    • Unclear impact of collaboration
    • Helping competitors

Marketing WordPress to Enterprise

  • Strengths (blues)
    • Existing platform framework
    • Flexibility
    • Ubiquity (43%)
    • Decoupling front + backend & interoperability
    • Domain authority
    • Feature rich (for enterprise)
    • MultisiteMultisite Multisite is a WordPress feature which allows users to create a network of sites on a single WordPress installation. Available since WordPress version 3.0, Multisite is a continuation of WPMU or WordPress Multiuser project. WordPress MultiUser project was discontinued and its features were included into WordPress core.https://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network.
    • Publishing logos
    • Cost
    • Composability
  • Weaknesses
    • No identity
    • Lack of one throat to choke (no single point to blame)
    • WP is a label not an enterprise product
    • No B2B or trade on events
    • Unrefuted falsehoods and legacy issues
    • Unclear vendor choice
    • Restrictions on using foreign software on open source
    • Lacking comms on security
    • Lack of security info
    • Forced neutrality
    • Enterprise expectations (not meeting)
    • Hesitation to change
    • Auditing
    • Lacking of communicating that WP has been used for more than 15 years in enterprise space
    • Lack of communicating cost of replatforming
  • Opportunities
    • Messaging segmentation for enterprise market
    • Evolve languages for a solutions-based
    • Unified education
    • Finding a sweet spot of coordination
    • Listed in CMS research reports
    • Leverage relationships w/ enterprise tech (e.g. Google)
    • Messaging toward enterprise
    • Content/AI/LLM
    • Ubiquity
    • TCO/Value!
    • Ecosystem
    • Multilingual
    • Multi-author
    • Universities
  • Threats
    • Lack of unified messaging
    • “Just for” mentality or perception
    • Negative marketing on OSS
    • Single vendor competitors move faster
    • No compliance
    • Gutenberg
    • Compliance
    • Lack of enterprise tooling
    • “Official” support
    • Tech stack “not exciting”
    • Other vendors have big corp presence (e.g. conference marketing)
    • AI
    • Infrastructure for selling
    • Inconsistent approach among agencies & hosts
    • Perceptions: security, stability, etc

What can we do to get enterprise organizations to contribute to WordPress?

  • Case studies
  • Have a clear recognition mechanism
  • Use the backend
  • Sponsor full time contributors
  • Sponsor travels for event speaker/organizers/volunteers
  • Offer practice for professionals from the community
  • Join the global sponsorship program
  • To sponsor travel/participation in WCUS
  • Be a sponsor for contributors (FFtF?)
  • Translate from the backend
  • Offer practice for professionals from the community
  • Make a “thank you” page to list companies who are involved in five for the future
  • Have a clear and long-term roadmap about compatible PHPPHP PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. https://www.php.net/manual/en/preface.php. versions and supported WP version
  • A formalized directory/pathway for enterprise who want to throw money.
  • Have a clear project timeline and resources needed so companies know how to allocate resources
  • Hook CTA into error pages
  • Event about permissions and workflows for enterprise
  • Conference for enterprise clients (topics of interest)
  • Documentation about enterprise created by enterprise
  • Highlight specific things that need support which enterprise depends on
  • Contributor days / workshops for enterprise (solving specific problems)
  • Angel investment grants to BIPOC agencies looking to scale specific to WP
  • Feedback button in dashboard
  • Hosting companies, get feedback centrally from enterprise
  • Provide certifications from from 3rd-party authorities to ensure security & high-standards (i.e. penetration tests)
  • To improve the product sponsoring events / developers.
  • Better sponsor overview 
  • Top three:
    1. Formalized directory pathway to flow money at contribution. How companies can make ecosystem better. Easy way to sponsor contributors. Increase prominence.
    2. Use the backend. We use the WordPress backend, so we can educate companies by adding text to the admin to reach out to users.
    3. Publish case studies to show what current contributors have done, what the impact is for their money spent.

What initiatives can we undertake to market WordPress to Enterprise?

  • Sales volunteers team
  • Event sponsor onboarding – leverage existing interest
  • Spotlight WP’s longevity and maturity
  • Initiatives to encourage company contributions
  • Using the backend to reach out
  • TCO analysis highlighting the benefits of backward compatibility
  • Enterprise handbook
  • Enterprise activation kit:
    • Whitepaper
    • Video
    • TCO tools
    • Checklist
    • Hosts, vendors, plugins, etc
  • .org to acknowledge enterprise
  • .org/enterprise page
  • Enterprise conference / Organize B2B events
  • Outward facing enterprise events
  • Video testimonials
    • from enterprise
    • talking about “why they chose WordPress”
  • University outreach (e.g. white label edu courses to train next generation)
  • Bundle most common enterprise plugins
  • #1
    • Enterprise showcase
    • Highlight more non-publishing logos and case studies
    • Centralized case studies
    • Enterprise use cases
    • Post examples / use cases of what a full WP OSS enterprise stack looks like
    • Multi host & agency showcase of enterprise successes — PUB/DXP/ERP
    • Use /enterprise page to abolish negative preconceptions
    • Tackle unverified falsehoods directly
    • Collective efforts for myth busting
    • Site/company showcase
  • #2
    • Creation of enterprise make team
    • Create a multi-person revue [sic] of case studies
    • Create teams to draft unified messaging
    • Group marketing against single vendor marketing (DXPs)
  • #3
    • Targeted loading pages for specific segments
    • Update the security marketing page (& whitepaper)
    • Create solutions-based marketing pages
    • Incorporate enterprise language into existing marketing (TCO eq)
    • Improve SEO impact of WP.org
    • SEO improvements for security
  • Top three
    1. Get an Enterprise page on WordPress.orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/, include use cases from agencies
    2. Assemble unified Make team for Enterprise
    3. Update SEO setup so that WordPress.org has more visibility for Enterprise and add content for it.

#enterprise, #summit, #summit-2023