Content:
Nathan Wrigley interviews Simon Pollard on the Jukebox Podcast about how WordPress Meetups and community life changed since COVID and what rebuilding might look like.
Who Simon is
– Simon Pollard is a long-time WordPress developer based in Bristol, working at Illustrate Digital since early 2020.
– He helped grow the Bristol WordPress Meetup from a small pub gathering into an organised, officially backed group with regular attendees, sponsorship, catering, a Trello plan and a bank account.
How the Meetup grew
– The group started informally: developers meeting in a pub to chat, swap problems and ideas.
– A project manager on the organising team brought structure (schedules, Trello), and members like Jenny Wong helped secure official WordPress backing and guidance.
– With funds and sponsorships the Meetup could hire venues and provide food—helpful for attendance—and at its height drew 30–40 people monthly.
– The organising team expanded to handle speakers, logistics and welcoming new members.
What COVID did
– The pandemic halted in-person Meetups overnight. The team lacked appetite, tech and capacity to pivot to virtual formats and the community involvement faded for many.
– Simon’s own priorities shifted: he had a baby during lockdown and later joined a casual band—his social energy went to family and music rather than running or attending Meetups.
– Attempts to hand the Meetup over to new organisers had mixed success; some tried and failed. Over time the group shrank rather than sustaining pre-COVID levels.
Returning and recent revival
– In the last year some original organisers (including members present at the first pub meeting) reassembled and restarted events.
– Simon attended a recent Meetup and found the tone and warmth still there, though at smaller scale. Seeing familiar faces in person felt valuable even if numbers are reduced.
– He’s now considering returning to speaking and helping rebuild connections.
The communication and social-media problem
– Pre-COVID, Twitter and Facebook were effective, central places for promotion and connecting with attendees; organisers could reach networks quickly.
– Since then social media has fragmented; people dispersed across platforms or left them, and there isn’t a single “town square” to reach everyone easily.
– That fragmentation makes the “in-between” communication (how people stay connected between events) harder—email lists, Slack, Discord, LinkedIn or other channels each reach only parts of the audience.
– Simon notes his own reduced engagement on social platforms and uncertainty about where to reconnect people he used to know.
Why in-person still matters
– Meetups aren’t only about talks: they provide warmth, an approachable atmosphere, and spontaneous hallway conversations.
– Newcomers benefit from being greeted, introduced to people with shared roles, and directed to useful contacts. That onboarding is harder at events where no one actively welcomes attendees.
– The post-talk debrief, informal problem-solving, and relationship-building are difficult to replicate online; in-person encounters spark collaborations and shared learning.
– For freelancers or small teams, the networking value—discovering developers and project managers, getting quick help—is especially important.
New challenges and cultural shifts
– People’s leisure habits changed during COVID; remote work and streaming entertainment increased time spent alone online, reducing routine event attendance.
– Younger developers who arrived during or after the pandemic may never have experienced Meetup culture, so they don’t automatically know to look for it.
– AI and improved online search change how people seek answers. Instead of asking a person on Stack Overflow or in a community, many now query AI, which can provide solutions without human attribution—and thus without building relationships.
– That convenience threatens to reduce the natural incentives that once drew people into community participation.
Ideas for rebuilding Meetups and events
– Embrace broader programming: talks that aren’t purely WordPress technical—animation, design, soft skills, creativity—can attract a wider crowd and spark curiosity across disciplines.
– Keep the welcoming culture: organisers who actively greet newcomers and introduce them to others create the friendly environment that motivates people to return.
– Combine formats: small, hybrid or scaled-back WordCamps, developer days, social evenings, and live music could make events more appealing. Local creative elements (bands, animation talks, cross-discipline sessions) may reconnect people who missed in-person gatherings.
– Use multiple communication channels intentionally: maintain email lists, a clear social hub (even if it’s just a Meetup.com page or Slack/Discord), and ensure organisers know where the community prefers to meet online.
– Consider that physical events may be smaller but still meaningful; success shouldn’t be judged only by pre-COVID attendance numbers.
WordCamps and scale
– Larger multi-track WordCamps thrived pre-COVID. Today it’s uncertain whether the same scale is realistic—events may need to be more modest or creative in format while preserving social and learning value.
Attribution, learning and community value
– The act of answering questions publicly (Stack Overflow, forums, Meetups) used to create visibility and human connections. When AI supplies answers without visible authorship, that channel for recognition and relationship-building weakens.
– Community contributions still matter to WordPress’s health; the project is built and improved by people, and community ties help its long-term success.
Where to find Simon
– Simon is at illustrate.digital and currently most reachable via LinkedIn. He welcomes suggestions on platforms or ways to reconnect the community.
Takeaway
– The WordPress community has been disrupted by COVID, life changes and shifting online habits. In-person gatherings still offer unique value—warmth, serendipity, introductions, and mentoring—that’s hard to replace.
– Rebuilding will likely require acceptance of a different scale, intentional outreach, broader content to attract diverse interests, and a conscious strategy for staying connected between events.
– Small, welcoming Meetups and hybrid, creative event formats that blend tech with arts/social elements may be practical paths forward to restore and reimagine local WordPress communities.
