WordCamp Boston 2019 – Recap

Like many places across the US, Boston was hot and humid. Even with the overcast of clouds, it was still a pretty warm atmosphere. However, I was up and ready to challenge the heat while attending WordCamp Boston 2019.

Day 1 of WordCamp Boston 2019

I arrived at the venue at about 7:00 am. This year, the event was held at the George Sherman Union building. Near the Charles River and the infamous Boston University Bridge, it was an incredible location.

Not only was the camp location great for human interests, but even the wild turkeys wanted in on the action.

The location was great as it had a huge common space for all of the sponsors as well as the Happiness Bar. This meant all of the sponsors had an incredible location for meeting and greeting the attendees.

As lunch was being served from the Happiness Bar later, it was a prime area for foot traffic.

I met up with Dan Maby from WP&UP, a charity that supports positive mental health within the community.

“Having traveled from the UK to attend my first WordCamp Boston, I was not disappointed. The organizers, speakers, volunteers and sponsors did a great job of making us feel welcomed and informed.

GreenGeeks are a founding partner of WP&UP, a registered non-profit with a mission to support and promote positive mental health within the WordPress community. And this was a great opportunity to discuss current initiatives and future plans with attendees.

We look forward to attending our next camp and sharing our message.” – Dan Maby, WP&UP.

After Opening Remarks at 9:00 am, we were ready to start WordCamp Boston 2019.

Practical Responsive Typography

This year, Scott Kellum broke down how text reacts to responsive elements. In other words, your text plays a role in how visitors see your website from hand-held devices.

And since mobile technology makes up the majority of Internet traffic, every bit of optimization for those devices is a benefit.

A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Accessibility

In this session, Lydia Rogers demonstrates how online content affects those with various disabilities. For example, making images and infographics for the visually impaired helps those visitors absorb your content.

Another aspect for accessibility is optimizing for assistive technology. This means making sure the content is easily accessible and readable by software and hardware.

Introduction to the WordPress Transients API

One way to improve the performance of a WordPress website is to use transients. And Topher DeRosia goes over why and how these elements are important.

Most importantly, these data calls are not all that difficult to set up and can help the website become faster and more efficient. Any edge to become faster and efficient boosts search engine ranking as Google puts a high priority on those websites.

Day 2 of WordCamp Boston 2019

Sessions on Sunday began at 11:30 am after registration. Which meant some of those attending the After Party from the night before had a bit of a reprieve.

Mom Doesn’t Know Best, Your Users Do! Building Websites with a Purpose

Knowing your target audience is vastly important to build a successful website. Alexa Lucci goes over using a variety of methods to gain insight into who your audience truly is.

That means using tools like Google Analytics, online chat, surveys and much more. Visitor data can open all kinds of doors for future development and content if used correctly.

My Way with WordPress

Bud Krause demonstrated how he uses WordPress to teach even though he has a vision impairment. This included the various tools and techniques used to help him get by and get the most out of the platform.

It’s inspiring to hear how WordPress can affect the lives of others through accessibility and functionality.

Working in WordPress

In this session, Cate DeRosia talked about working for yourself and when to find a job working for others. She also touched base on job trends in 2019 that go beyond traditional opportunities.

This also covered looking for jobs through various agencies and other partnerships. It’s a good talk for those who are on the fence about working for themselves or signing on with a company.

At around 5:30 pm on Sunday, it was time to start wrapping up WordCamp. The closing remarks were made and everyone began their trek back to their homes.

KidsCamp

One of the incredible elements of the WordPress community is that of KidsCamp. This is where children are given time to learn and develop their ideas using WordPress as a backbone.

It’s a great atmosphere to help children get those creative juices flowing. From ideas to real-world use, they are offered a chance to expand their minds.

If you have a chance, KidsCamp is a great thing to support whether it’s your time or signing your own child up for some excellent classes surrounding web development.

Thank You, Boston!

Boston is a great place to host a WordCamp. The area was optimal, the view was great, and I was proud to attend this camp.

I would like to thank all of the organizers, volunteers, sponsors and attendees for making this a successful event. Without you, the community, these camps wouldn’t be the awesome experience they are.