Detroit. The Motor City and home to a vast, 1400-acre salt mine. And a prime location for the WordPress community. It’s not just the location that makes WordCamp Detroit 2019 a success, but the people.
When I got off the plane, the weather was a bit rocky. It was raining lightly, but I wasn’t going to let it put a damper on the conference. Even though it was just a one-day event, I planned on having a good time.
This year’s WordCamp was held at the Cass Technical High School. As it’s located just a short distance north of I75, it wasn’t very difficult to find.
Setting Up for WordCamp Detroit 2019
While it took a little while to get set up, the booth looked great and I was ready to meet some people.
Meeting the Organizers
It was a pleasure to meet the organizers of this year’s camp. Without their support, having these kinds of events would be far more difficult. And I would like to thank each and every one of them for the hard work they put into making these camps happen.
Although I wasn’t able to attend all of the talks, I was able to visit some of them throughout the school.
Black Box – Jeries Eadeh
For freelance developers and agencies who were interested in managing sales, Jeries Eadah delivered a great talk on managing the pipeline. He also went over ways to find new opportunities as well as marketing yourself.
As freelancing is a growing profession, it’s nice to know that people like Jeries are out there helping others become a success.
Room 423 – Christa Stephens
Christa Stephens gave an informational talk about the importance of taking a break from working. Without knowing the health aspects behind elements like coding, you may elevate stress levels.
And knowing chemical reactions in the body only helps to recognize when you’re pushing yourself too hard.
I’m sure we all know what that’s like.
Room 403 – Jeff Large
Jeff Large provided a lot of information about why podcasts are important to a business. Not only does a podcast help you build authority, but it can also lead to sales and leads.
This is aside from having additional sponsors for a show and developing partnerships.
It’s enough to cause anyone to consider the impact of a podcast, including myself.
Breaking for Lunch
After several talks, everyone broke for lunch.
It was a buffet of all kinds of foods ranging from lemon pepper jerk chicken to vegan tumeric rice. The lunch was prepared by YumVillage and was an impressive array of Afro-Caribbean cuisine.
After eating and having a lunch discussion regarding various design and accessibility talks, it was time to continue the events of WordCamp Detroit 2019.
Room 423 – Curtis Hays
Curtis Hays provided a brilliant talk regarding SEO strategies and the best practices of using them with WordPress. As search engine optimization is a vital element to online success, this is one of those speeches no one should miss.
This is especially true if you want to get ahead of the competition on the Internet.
The After Party
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the afterparty for WordCamp Detroit 2019. I had a new puppy waiting for me at home and had to leave early. However, I am sure the party was something to experience…they usually are.
Final Thoughts
There were so many talks at this WordCamp, and I wish I could have experienced them all. Unfortunately, I am just one person and not able to Xerox myself…although that would be quite useful.
I would like to take this time to thank everyone who put in the work to make this event happen. This includes all of those in attendance. The WordPress community is such a close-knit one, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
Thank you all, and I look forward to visiting again in the future.