1. Supporting
WordPress
Caring for your clients and community
@masonjames #wcnyc
2. I’m Mason
I support WordPress
Support Team Leader, WPMU DEV
• Average 1500 unique topics (questions) per month and about
7000 posts in total.
• Team of 7 full-time support reps from across the globe
• Nearly 150 individual plugins and over a million downloads
@masonjames #wcnyc
3. I’m Mason
I support WordPress
CEO, WP Valet
• Let us think about WordPress so you don’t have to
• Management. Support. Peace of mind.
• You’re very own CTO
@masonjames #wcnyc
4. Learn more!
• WPMU DEV - http://
premium.wpmudev.org
• WP Valet - http://thewpvalet.com
@masonjames #wcnyc
5. WordPress
Support:
1. The Case for Support
2. The Pulse of the Community
3. The Best Tools for the Job
4. The Importance of Metrics
5. Conclusion
@masonjames #wcnyc
6. You must know why you are
providing support.
The ONLY reason to be involved is because
you have a passion for them and a vision for
the future.
@masonjames #wcnyc
9. Publicly available
support is fantastic for
business.
The content is great for search engines and a long
record of support will encourage new customers
@masonjames #wcnyc
11. Discover the persona
of your online
community
Exactly who is your community?
•Quirky/Fun
•Intelligent/Thoughtful
•Passionate/Energetic
@masonjames #wcnyc
12. Engage!
• Welcome new members
• Show them of ways they can be more involved
• Answer any questions in a timely fashion
Newsletters | Community Q&A Support | Social Media
@masonjames #wcnyc
13. Listen!
• Ask for frequent, regular feedback
• What changes can you make to better the
experience?
• Respond immediately and honestly when there is
a problem
Polls | Customer Survey | Contact Form | Social Media
@masonjames #wcnyc
14. Use all types of
media!
No one wants to read long blocks of text.
Use screenshots and how-to videos to explain the
most frequently encountered obstacles.
@masonjames #wcnyc
18. Ongoing Maintenance
and Plugin/Theme
Updates
• Manage WP - Update plugins/themes
across multiple installs from one
incredible dashboard with one click
• WP Remote - Update
@masonjames #wcnyc
20. The edublogs story
• 2007: Initially totally free
• 2008: “Upgrades” - Pay if you want
• 2010: Supporter - Pay for features
• Dedicated Server Admins
• Dedicated Support Staff
@masonjames #wcnyc
21. WPMU DEV
• 2009 - Forum Support (Dev, Designer,
Community responses)
• 2010 - First Dedicated Support Staff (ME!)
• 2012 - Q&A, 24/7 Support, Live Chats
• 7 person team located across the globe
• Focus on Community
@masonjames #wcnyc
27. Thanks so much!
Mason James
@masonjames
http://masonjames.com
http://premium.wpmudev.org
http://thewpvalet.com
Slides by Slidefix at http://slidefix.com
@masonjames #wcnyc
Editor's Notes
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Your passion becomes your community’s. A community is a living organism. Listen for the heartbeat.\n
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Free as in speech. not free as in beer. It’s ok (and often a necessity) to make a profit. Community allows you to build something that is profitable and lasting.\n
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Practical elements. What’s out there to help you get the job done?\n
The two biggest WordPress players.\n
Providing the best support means using the best solutions. Choosing the right hosting provider for your business or community is the difference between smooth sailing and late nights of pulling out hair.\n
Heartbeat - Projecting it across a distance\n
Stats aren’t just for sales. They help you gauge your support needs as well as how you’re doing\n
