Simon Pollard, a long-time WordPress developer based in Bristol and currently at Illustrate Digital, reflects on how local WordPress meetups and events have changed since COVID and what it might take to rebuild community.
Origins and growth of Bristol Meetup
Simon started meeting other WordPress developers casually, initially in a pub. Those early, small gatherings gradually became more structured: talks were added, a Trello board helped organisers coordinate, and with guidance from experienced community members they secured official WordPress backing and sponsorship. That support paid for venues and catering, and attendance grew to 30–40 people monthly. The organising team expanded to handle logistics, speaker recruitment, and social outreach via Twitter and Facebook.
The pandemic pause
Everything changed in 2020. The pandemic forced in-person events to stop. Simon and many organisers didn’t have the appetite, technology, or capacity to pivot to sustained online meetups. For Simon personally, life had changed too—he became a father and found social energy limited. Others found different outlets: for Simon it was joining a casual band and reconnecting socially through music rather than meetups. Attempts to hand the Meetup to new organisers initially faltered, and activity dwindled.
Returning and noticing differences
When Simon recently returned to meetups, he found smaller but familiar groups and the same warm, welcoming atmosphere. The core value remained: friendly peer-to-peer support and the unique culture among WordPress developers, who readily share knowledge even with perceived competitors. That in-person warmth—easy, unguarded conversations after talks, introductions at the door, name badges, and organisers who actively welcome newcomers—was what made the events special and encouraged people to present and participate.
Why many didn’t come back
Several factors contributed to reduced attendance:
– Personal life changes: family responsibilities and different social priorities kept people away.
– Habit and comfort: prolonged periods at home, Zoom fatigue, and the convenience of online entertainment changed routines.
– Fragmented social channels: where Twitter once served as the “town square” for meetup organising and outreach, the social media landscape splintered. People dispersed across platforms, making it harder to reach old networks.
– New tools and AI: developers increasingly get answers from AI or other online resources, reducing the need to reach out to individuals and diminishing one route of forming connections.
The missing “in-between”
Simon and others noticed a loss of the informal in-between interactions—quick messages, follow-ups, and community conversations that used to happen between meetups. Without a consolidated place to communicate, keeping momentum and nurturing those relationships has become harder. Organisers now face the challenge of how to communicate with attendees and sustain engagement between events.
Community value and consequences
Both Simon and the host, Nathan Wrigley, argue that the WordPress project benefits from in-person community. Meetups and WordCamps help people make connections, share knowledge, and bring newcomers into contributor roles. If in-person gatherings diminished permanently, the intangible glue that has driven WordPress growth—mentors, mavens, and local networks—would be weakened. Rebuilding that relational fabric matters for the project’s long-term health.
What worked well in Bristol
The Bristol Meetup succeeded because it was intentional about hospitality: visible organisers, name badges, personal introductions, and a culture that encouraged chatting after talks. They avoided narrow, hyper-technical focus and invited diverse topics and speakers—sometimes even non-WordPress talks that still resonated with people. That breadth helped attract attendees who came for the people as much as for the content.
Ideas for reinvigoration
Simon and Nathan brainstorm a few directions to help re-attract people:
– Broaden programming: mix technical talks with creative talks, soft skills, and adjacent interests so events appeal to a wider audience.
– Combine arts and tech: tap into overlapping interests—many WordPress community members are musicians or creatives. Local music, film, or arts could be woven into events to make them more socially attractive.
– Keep it social-first: emphasise the welcoming aspects, easy introductions, and post-talk mingling that make meetups comfortable and rewarding.
– Rebuild communication channels: identify common platforms people actually use now (e.g., LinkedIn or local channels) and establish consistent outreach so the community knows where to find one another.
– Embrace hybrid but focus on in-person value: while online formats are useful, the irreplaceable value is the warmth and spontaneous exchange that happen in a room—find ways to sell that benefit to potential attendees.
WordCamps and scale
WordCamps used to run multiple tracks and attract large audiences. With smaller meetups, organisers wonder whether WordCamps need to be scaled back or reimagined. Hybrid or blended formats that offer social elements, workshops, and entertainment alongside talks might better match contemporary expectations and make multi-day events more compelling.
Technology, AI, and community
AI’s growing role complicates things: developers can often get immediate answers without interacting with other people, and AI summaries don’t credit contributors, reducing visibility and pathways to connection. Yet face-to-face problem solving, mentorship, and the serendipity of meeting someone who later becomes a collaborator remain valuable in ways AI can’t fully replace.
Where Simon stands now
Simon has re-engaged and is exploring how to reconnect with former contacts and attract people to meetups. He notes LinkedIn has been his most reliable social presence lately and invites suggestions for platforms that work better for community coordination. He’s optimistic: the community hasn’t died, it’s just smaller and different. With intentional organising, creative programming, and better ways to reach people between events, meetups and WordCamps can still offer meaningful value.
Closing thought
Rebuilding community will take effort and imagination. It likely won’t be a simple return to pre-pandemic norms, but by focusing on hospitality, diverse content, and practical ways to reconnect people both online and offline, local WordPress communities can rediscover their role as the social glue that helps the project thrive.
