WordPress is a great platform where you can quickly create a web presence, but do you want more engagement? Do you want to take your web presence to the next step and build an online community? If this direction sounds exciting, then BuddyPress is the right plugin to get there with minimal fuss! BuddyPress is a fun and flexible plugin that can be used to build online communities, teams and groups on top of the WordPress platform. BuddyPress lets you add extended member profiles, activity streams, user groups, messaging, notifications and more.

1. David Mackey
Modshopr
How to start a community with BuddyPress
WordCamp Toronto

2. David Mackey
@dbmackey
AGENDA
Who Are you?
Who Am I?
Problem - WP Community Creation
Solution - BuddyPress Plugin
(examples, features & demo)
Questions

3. David Mackey
@dbmackey
WHO ARE YOU?

4. David Mackey
@dbmackey
WHO AM I?
Geek
• B.Math in Computer Science with Electrical Engineering Electives,
Honours, Co-op, University of Waterloo
• 23 years inTelecommunications at Nortel/Avaya
Programmer/Manager/Architect & Customer Service
Digital Marketing Consultant
• Solution Architect who connects businesses with customers
• 200+Twitter Followers - @dbmackey
Frustrated Shopper
• Modshopr Website
• 300+Twitter Followers - @modshopper

5. David Mackey
@dbmackey
It’s popular!
200,000+ Installs
Own your community
Control the data
Customize the experience
WHY BUDDYPRESS?

6. David Mackey
@dbmackey
APPLICATIONS
Intranets
Customer Support
Common Interest Groups
Learning Groups
Forums (add bbPress plugin)

7. David Mackey
@dbmackey

8. David Mackey
@dbmackey

9. David Mackey
@dbmackey

10. David Mackey
@dbmackey

11. David Mackey
@dbmackey

12. David Mackey
@dbmackey
https://mercime.github.io/BuddyPress-2016-survey-results/2016 Survey: 306 responses from 61 countries

13. David Mackey
@dbmackey
https://mercime.github.io/BuddyPress-2016-survey-results/2016 Survey: 306 responses from 61 countries

14. David Mackey
@dbmackey
https://mercime.github.io/BuddyPress-2016-survey-results/2016 Survey: 306 responses from 61 countries

15. David Mackey
@dbmackey
FEATURES
Activity Streams
Groups
Profiles/Settings
Friendships
Messaging (public/private)
Notifications

16. David Mackey
@dbmackey
THEMES
BuddyPress Groups Extras
BP Group Documents
bbPress
Commons in a Box (CUNY)
Many, many more …
PLUGINS
Works with “reputable” WP themes
Theme compatibility added:
BuddyPress 1.7 (April 2013)

17. David Mackey
@dbmackey
CONSIDER
Performance
• BuddyPress is not your typical WordPress website
Community Management
• Managing a community requires different skills than
managing a blog and/or CMS
• Registration spam
• Content spam

18. David Mackey
@dbmackey
DEMO
OUR STORY
Who: Minor HockeyTeam Parents
Goal: Manage team communication

19. David Mackey
@dbmackey
BuddyPress Demo Script
Start State
Theme: TwentySeventeen
Page: One home page; show page
Plugins No activated plugins
Settings/General Anyone can register
Settings/Reading Front page displays = static page
Dashboard Show menu, users and settings
Install & Activate BuddyPress plugin
Dashboard/Plugins Find BuddyPress and Install Now
Dashboard/Plugins Activate BuddyPress
Dashboard Show new menu, users and settings
Page: Show home page - no change
Dashboard Show new pages: Activate, Activity, etc.
Dashboard Show BuddyPress settings
BuddyPress Configuration
Settings/BuddyPress Components: turn on groups, etc
Dashboard/Pages Show new group page
Settings/BuddyPress Show new BuddyPress page settings
Menu Configuration
Appearance/Menus Create new BuddyPress menu
Appearance/Menus Select Groups, Members, Activity, Register,
and add to menu. Save menu.
Appearance/Menus Manage Locations: select Buddypress
for top menu
Home Page Show the new navigation options
Dashboard/Pages Change “Groups” to “Teams” and
“Members” to “Players”
Home Page Show customization for “Hockey Team”

20. David Mackey
@dbmackey
BuddyPress Demo Script cont’d
Register User: Coach
Header Logout as admin
Home Page Register as “coach”
Login Login in as admin
Dashboard/Users Show coach is not a user
Go to Manage Signups
Select coach, activate, apply, confirm
Show coach is a user
Logout as admin
Login as coach
Edit Profile
Create Group
Register User: Player
Join Group
Interaction: Activity, Messages, Notification, etc

21. SLIDES
http://www.slideshare.net/davidmackey351/
presentations
David Mackey
@dbmackey

22. BACKUP REFERENCES
Buddypress.org
https://mercime.github.io/BuddyPress-2016-survey-
results/
People:
@BOONE
@JJJ
@PGIBBS
@DIMENSIONMEDIA
@MODEMLOOPER
@R-A-Y
@IMATH
David Mackey
@dbmackey

23. QUESTIONS
David Mackey Contact Info:
email: dbmackey@modshopper.com
twitter: @dbmackey - Digital Marketing
twitter: @modshopper - Shopping UX
website: https://modshopr.com
David Mackey
@dbmackey

24. THANK YOU!
David Mackey
@dbmackey

25. David Mackey
@dbmackey
GRATUITOUS PUPPY
PICTURE