Did I Enjoy WordCamp Europe 2026 #WCEU - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

Did I Enjoy WordCamp Europe 2026? #WCEU ![rw-book-cover](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WvSXGZcA7uU/maxresdefault.jpg) 🔗 **Source:** [Did I Enjoy WordCamp Europe 2026? #WCEU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [wordcamp, wordpress-community, networking, event-experience, content-creation, developer-relations] > author: Imran > source: Web Squadron > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU > date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} > > # 🏷️ Title: Did I enjoy WordCamp Europe 2026? #WCEU >  ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ## 📝 Summary - WordPress content creator attended WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krakow for the first time - Mixed experience: valued meeting people but felt dismissive treatment at many vendor booths - 70% negative, 30% positive overall experience despite meaningful connections with other creators - Plans to return but wants to change approach and engagement strategy - Criticized talk topics as poorly targeted and gamified swag collection ## 📖 Main Content A WordPress content creator and agency owner shares his honest first-time experience at WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krakow, Poland. Despite flying out early for Elementor Day and staying at a premium hotel near the venue, his overall experience was mixed. The positive highlights included meeting longtime online collaborators face-to-face, connecting with other content creators like Daryl Wilson, Ferdy, and representatives from plugin companies like Nova and Elementor. He particularly valued the pre-event Elementor Day where he gave a talk about transitioning from corporate to content creation. However, the experience was marred by what he perceived as dismissive behavior from many vendor booths. He describes feeling ignored or looked past when approaching booths, with representatives either breaking eye contact or showing disinterest. This created feelings of loneliness despite being surrounded by hundreds of people. He criticized the conference talks as being poorly targeted, suggesting that 90% didn't seem relevant to the typical WordPress professional's needs. Instead, he proposed more practical topics like website maintenance, AI tools in WordPress, or collaborative discussions between competing companies. The creator also expressed frustration with gamified swag collection (citing Google's three-stamp requirement for a book) and noted that many booths delivered sales pitches rather than engaging in genuine conversation about attendees' actual needs. Despite rating the experience 30% positive and 70% negative, he committed to attending WordCamp Europe 2027 in Malaga, Spain, with plans to be more proactive in networking and attending after-parties. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=0) Introduction and Event Overview - First time attending WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krakow, Poland - Attended Elementor Day on June 3rd before official WordCamp - Event ran June 4-6, 2026 #### ⏱️ [00:02:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=150) Elementor Day Experience - Met Elementor team including Yoni Luksenberg and others - Gave 30-minute talk on corporate-to-content-creator transition - Open bar at Q Hotel Plus, described venue positively #### ⏱️ [00:05:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=300) Meeting Content Creators - Connected with Daryl Wilson, Ferdy, Crayla, Reno, Matt's Tutorials - Met representatives from WP Remote, FluentCRM, Mailchimp - Describes networking as "fantastic" and "inspiring" #### ⏱️ [00:08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=480) Missed Opportunities - Didn't attend after-parties or meetups - Regrets missing Freemium makers meetup - Links missed networking to later feelings of loneliness #### ⏱️ [00:12:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=720) Vendor Booth Disappointments - Many booths appeared dismissive or uninterested - Felt looked past or ignored when making eye contact - Describes feeling "dejected" and "lonely" #### ⏱️ [00:18:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=1080) Google Booth Criticism - Frustrated by gamified approach requiring three stamps for swag - Felt experience was more about feature showcase than conversation - Lost interest due to forced engagement with unrelated products #### ⏱️ [00:22:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=1320) Conference Talks Assessment - Didn't attend most talks due to perceived irrelevance - Estimates 90% of talks weren't properly targeted - Suggests more practical topics like website maintenance panels #### ⏱️ [00:28:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSXGZcA7uU&t=1680) Final Assessment - 30% positive, 70% negative overall experience - Plans to attend WordCamp Europe 2027 in Malaga - Commits to different engagement strategy for future events ## 📚 References - [WordCamp Europe 2026](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2026/) - [Elementor](https://elementor.com/) - [Q Hotel Plus Krakow](https://www.qhotel.pl/) - [Web Squadron YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/WEB_SQUADRON_CHANNEL) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase A WordPress content creator attended his first WordCamp Europe in Krakow and had a largely disappointing experience despite some meaningful connections. While he enjoyed meeting other creators and plugin representatives at the pre-event Elementor Day, the main conference left him feeling isolated and dismissed by many vendors. The creator felt that many booth representatives were either uninterested in genuine conversation or too focused on delivering sales pitches rather than understanding attendees' actual needs. This created an unexpectedly lonely experience despite being surrounded by hundreds of WordPress community members. He also criticized the conference programming as poorly targeted, suggesting that most talks didn't address practical concerns of working WordPress professionals. Instead, he proposed more collaborative sessions between competing companies and discussions of real-world implementation challenges. Despite rating the overall experience as 70% negative, he plans to return to future WordCamps with a more proactive networking strategy, particularly focusing on after-party events he missed. ## 📰 Newsletter **WordCamp Blues: When Community Events Miss the Mark** Ever wondered if those big WordPress conferences are worth the time and travel investment? A veteran content creator's brutally honest review of WordCamp Europe 2026 might give you pause. While he treasured meeting fellow creators and plugin teams face-to-face, the overall experience was surprisingly isolating. Many vendor booths seemed more interested in delivering sales pitches than understanding actual user needs, and the conference talks felt disconnected from day-to-day WordPress work. His suggestion? More practical sessions like cross-company panels on website maintenance, AI integration discussions, and real-world implementation workshops. Sometimes the most valuable feedback comes from disappointed customers who still plan to return. **The takeaway for WordPress professionals:** Community events work best when there's genuine two-way engagement rather than one-sided marketing presentations. ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - **Developer advocacy:** Study attendee feedback patterns to improve booth engagement strategies and staff training - **Community management:** Develop guidelines for inclusive vendor behavior at WordPress events - **Developer experience:** Create session feedback mechanisms to better align talk topics with attendee needs #### WordPress - **Community:** Review WordCamp speaker selection criteria to ensure practical relevance for working professionals - **Community:** Develop vendor booth best practices focused on conversation over sales pitches - **Community:** Create structured networking opportunities to reduce attendee isolation ## 🧪 Hypotheses - WordCamp vendor engagement quality significantly impacts overall attendee satisfaction despite strong content programming - First-time WordCamp attendees experience higher rates of social isolation due to established networking cliques - Conference talk relevance correlates more with practical applicability than technical innovation for working WordPress professionals - Gamified vendor interactions reduce genuine relationship-building opportunities at professional events - After-party attendance serves as a key predictor of overall WordCamp satisfaction ### 📊 Methodology **Attendee Experience Survey Design:** - Pre/post event surveys measuring networking success, booth interaction quality, and talk relevance ratings - Qualitative interviews with first-time vs. repeat attendees about social integration experiences - Vendor behavior observation protocols during booth interactions **Content Relevance Analysis:** - Session attendance tracking correlated with attendee job roles and experience levels - Post-event implementation surveys measuring which learnings were actually applied - Comparative analysis of practical vs. theoretical session ratings ### ❓ Questions - How do vendor training programs impact attendee relationship-building success at WordPress events? - What percentage of WordCamp talks result in practical implementation by attendees? - Do established community members unconsciously create exclusionary networking dynamics? - How does after-party participation affect overall event satisfaction and professional outcomes? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal study tracking professional relationships formed at WordCamps over multiple years - Comparative analysis of vendor engagement strategies across different open-source community events - Investigation of optimal talk-to-networking time ratios for maximum attendee value ### 💡 Implications **For Event Organizers:** - Need structured approaches to prevent attendee isolation and encourage inclusive networking - Should implement vendor behavior standards and training programs - Must better align content programming with practical professional development needs **For Vendor Strategy:** - Booth success depends more on relationship-building than feature demonstrations - Gamified interactions may backfire with professional audiences seeking genuine connections - Investment in staff conversation skills likely yields better ROI than elaborate displays **For Community Health:** - Risk of creating insider/outsider dynamics that discourage new participant engagement - Need for intentional inclusion practices that bridge experience gaps between attendees ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment **Reading level estimate:** Flesch-Kincaid Grade 8.5 - accessible to general business audience #### 👀 Visual learners - **Present:** Video format allows facial expressions and gestures to convey emotional experience - **Improve:** Event layout diagrams, booth interaction flowcharts, networking success visualizations #### 🔊 Aural learners - **Present:** Full audio narrative with emotional inflection and personal storytelling - **Improve:** Structured interview format with other attendees sharing contrasting experiences #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - **Present:** Clear definitions of event types, detailed explanations of community dynamics - **Improve:** Glossary of WordCamp terminology, comparison charts between different conference approaches #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - **Present:** First-person experience narrative showing cause-and-effect relationships - **Improve:** Networking interaction checklists, booth conversation starter templates ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - **Present:** Video includes clear verbal descriptions of experiences and emotions - **Improve:** Structured transcript with proper headings would improve navigation #### Media and captions - **Present:** Full transcript provided enables text-based consumption - **Improve:** Official captions with speaker identification would enhance accessibility ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - **Present:** Discusses international event with attendees from multiple regions - **Improve:** Could explore how cultural communication styles affect networking experiences #### Inclusive language - **Present:** Uses accessible terminology when describing WordPress community dynamics - **Improve:** Could acknowledge how introversion/extroversion affects conference experiences differently #### Psychological safety - **Present:** Validates feelings of isolation and disappointment as legitimate experiences - **Improve:** Could provide resources for attendees struggling with similar social anxiety ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - **Inductive reasoning:** Uses specific booth interactions to conclude about broader vendor engagement patterns - **Causal analysis:** Links missed after-party attendance to feelings of isolation with clear logical connection - **Analogical reasoning:** Compares booth interactions to retail customer service expectations effectively #### Fallacies - **Hasty generalization:** "90% of talks weren't relevant" based on limited sampling without attending most sessions - **Anecdotal evidence:** Relies heavily on personal experience without broader attendee feedback verification - **Confirmation bias:** May interpret neutral interactions as dismissive due to negative emotional state #### Tone of voice - **Reflective and vulnerable:** Acknowledges personal responsibility while sharing disappointment - **Constructive criticism:** Offers specific improvement suggestions rather than mere complaints ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis No significant DARVO patterns detected. The speaker consistently takes personal responsibility for missed opportunities while offering constructive criticism of systemic issues. ## 🎯 Conclusion This honest WordCamp review reveals important gaps between community event aspirations and attendee reality. While the WordPress community excels at bringing people together, there's clear room for improvement in vendor engagement practices and content programming relevance. The creator's commitment to return despite a largely negative experience demonstrates the underlying value of face-to-face community connection. However, his feedback suggests that WordCamps could better serve working professionals through more practical programming and inclusive networking structures. For WordPress professionals considering their first WordCamp, this review emphasizes the importance of proactive networking and after-party participation while setting realistic expectations about vendor interactions and session relevance. --- ## Full Transcript [00:00] I want to talk about Word Camp Europe [00:01] 2026. I finally attended this year. It [00:04] was held in Krakco, Poland. Now, I have [00:06] voiced my opinions about word camps, but [00:09] this time I wanted to put my money where [00:10] my mouth is and actually go there. Mix [00:13] engage network business opportunities, [00:15] business deals, just to really feel what [00:18] it's like to be out there. Now, I [00:19] actually flew out on the 2nd of June, [00:21] 2026, even though the Word Camp Europe [00:24] 2026 in KCO, Poland was on June the 4th [00:27] to June the 6th. And the reason I went [00:29] early was because Elemental held [00:31] Elemental Day on Judith Bird. That was [00:33] actually a really really great [00:34] experience meeting staff and employees [00:37] of Elemental and Birdie Hines as well [00:39] and Miriam and Roy and Gabby and Sheilo [00:42] and others there. It was great to meet [00:43] them all and to hear about version 4, [00:45] Angie stick light and just to find out a [00:48] bit more about Elemental. Believe me, [00:50] when you've been working with Elemental [00:52] for so long and they just celebrated [00:54] their 10y year birthday, to not ever [00:56] have met them, especially Verie, and [00:58] this was like my first time where we [00:59] actually got to hug and talk and laugh. [01:02] It was a really, really great [01:03] experience. So, if I take one major [01:06] thing from Word Camp, that was one of [01:07] them. There are other major things that [01:09] I'm so thankful for, and I'll talk about [01:11] those in a moment. But, did I enjoy Word [01:13] Camp? Would I want to go again? Or were [01:16] there aspects of it I didn't fully [01:17] enjoy? And maybe there are good reasons [01:19] for that and I want to disclose a lot of [01:21] that. Now, I could have said a lot of [01:23] what I'm about to tell you in a post, [01:25] but I was worried that some of it might [01:27] get misinterpreted and I really want to [01:29] ensure that I clarify things. But do [01:31] post anything that you're not entirely [01:33] sure what I mean as a question or a [01:35] comment and I will get back to you. So, [01:37] very quickly just touching back again on [01:39] Elementor Day, I got to do a bit of a [01:41] guest talk roughly half an hour about [01:43] how I went from a corporate career to [01:46] full-time in content creation. you know, [01:48] web design agency, YouTubing and all of [01:50] that. And I shared quite a bit about my [01:52] past. There is a whole lot more I want [01:55] to say that I am going to do in a [01:56] separate video because there's a lot [01:57] more details and things I haven't [02:00] disclosed probably ever to anyone [02:02] publicly on social media, especially in [02:04] a video that I really feel people need [02:07] to hear because it might help you to [02:08] understand me, but it also gave me the [02:10] confidence to be a bit more open in [02:12] future. Okay, so that was Elementor day. [02:14] And by the way, Elementor did also pay [02:16] for the food and drinks for everyone as [02:18] well. Open bar at the Q Hotel Plus, [02:21] which is where I stayed in KKO, which is [02:23] like literally a stones throw away from [02:25] the Congress Conference Center where [02:27] Word Camp was held. And believe me, it [02:30] was a brilliant, brilliant hotel. Q [02:32] Hotel Plus. If you're ever going to [02:33] crack and you're somewhere near the [02:35] river or the congress center, you [02:38] definitely want to stay at that hotel. I [02:40] am not sponsored or affiliated by word [02:42] camp, WordPress, Elementor or that hotel [02:45] for saying that. Now, the actual [02:47] WordPress event, one really other big [02:50] major thing that I take away from it was [02:52] meeting other content creators and [02:54] influencers and plug-in developers and [02:56] people just involved in the WordPress [02:59] ecosystem community. That was great, you [03:02] know, to meet people you've chatted to, [03:04] you know, via a DM, a LinkedIn post or [03:07] something like that or even generally [03:09] because I have worked with some plug-in [03:10] companies and I've done videos to [03:12] support them. You know, some have [03:14] sponsored videos, some are free videos, [03:16] you know, that's the way the world [03:17] works. But to be able to meet them and [03:21] just see how warm and genuine a lot of [03:23] them are was great, especially the other [03:25] content creators. Okay, Deoy, Ferdie, [03:28] Crayola, Reno, Matt from Matt's [03:31] Tutorials. I could go on and on and on, [03:32] but I got to meet uh the people from WP [03:35] Remote, got to meet the people from [03:36] Fluent Cart, Melress, and also other [03:39] plug-in developer and companies that [03:41] I've only had brief chats to, but you [03:43] were able to form a bit of a meaningful [03:46] relationship, no matter how much or [03:48] little we spoke at the time. It was [03:50] great. So, meeting people was fantastic. [03:52] And I will definitely say that if you [03:54] only ever go to Word Camp for that in [03:56] engaging and being able to talk about [03:58] any concerns you have or where this [04:00] company is heading or where they're [04:02] going or can you tell me a bit more [04:03] about this particular plugin or product [04:06] because I've used it or I'm not still [04:08] not sure about it or something puts me [04:10] off. That was great. So if you go to [04:12] Word Camp and you're going to just move [04:14] around the booths and you're going to [04:15] meet people, it's really is inspiring [04:18] and I definitely in fact I'm going to [04:19] let you know now. I definitely will be [04:21] going to Word Camp Europe 2027 which is [04:24] in Malagar, Spain next year. I will go [04:26] to that and I'm even considering about [04:28] going to some other word camps too. [04:30] Maybe there's going to be one in India. [04:32] Maybe I'll go to Word Camp Asia as well. [04:34] Now for any of you that go India Asia, [04:37] aren't they the same thing? There may be [04:39] a separate flagship word camp in India. [04:41] And by the way, my biggest audience on [04:43] YouTube is from India as well. So why [04:46] would I not want to go there? Okay, so [04:48] meeting people fantastic. loved it. Do [04:51] regret though not attending lots of the [04:53] after parties as well. Like there was a [04:55] fremia meters makeup meters makeup [04:57] makers meetup that I heard about very [05:00] late on. And this is my fault. I should [05:02] have kept more in touch with what [05:04] afterparty events were going on. I [05:06] didn't appreciate how big this event [05:08] would be. So, I missed the opportunity [05:10] to hang out a bit more with my normal [05:12] content creators that I'd become really [05:14] good friends with and other content [05:16] creators that I would love to have met [05:18] and just basically other developers and [05:20] plug-in companies where when you're not [05:21] at the conference center and you're not [05:23] manning your booth, they could chill out [05:26] a bit more and have more meaningful fun [05:29] out there conversations. I'm going to [05:31] come back on to why I feel like that was [05:32] a really big missed opportunity because [05:34] when I was at the event, there were [05:37] aspects of it where I actually came away [05:40] feeling quite lonely and dejected as [05:43] well. And I'm going to come on to that [05:44] later on. But let me just go back to the [05:46] conference. Okay, so meeting people. [05:48] Fantastic. During the fourth [05:49] contributors day, I didn't really [05:51] contribute because I wasn't sure how [05:54] much I feel that I could offer or [05:56] support or even throw ideas in because I [05:59] feel like I've just got way too much on [06:00] my plate. And I know that sounds a bit [06:02] ridiculous because that's not like [06:04] saying anyone who does go to [06:06] contributors day is not equally or even [06:08] more busy. It's just when you're [06:10] managing web design agency, trying to [06:12] keep up with all these technological [06:14] advancements, doing YouTube videos, [06:16] thinking ahead, and by the way, I took [06:18] out a lot of time from my family and my [06:20] home and my work to go to word camp. [06:22] There were pressures on my mind. And I [06:24] also get so many emails every day that [06:27] it sometimes becomes really difficult to [06:29] keep on top of things. So even though I [06:31] didn't actually contribute as part of [06:33] contributors day, I still got to meet [06:35] some people, speak to them, I still got [06:38] to have some other conversations. In [06:40] fact, I think I'd had a nearly a 1 and a [06:43] half hour meeting. Might have been [06:45] longer than that uh with Gabby Sheila [06:47] and Uriel from Elemental very much [06:49] focused on Angie and stuff like that. [06:51] And that was really really good. What I [06:53] will say about Contributors Day though [06:54] is that the booths aren't really manned. [06:57] So you walk around, you get an idea for [06:59] where all the companies are going to be. [07:01] You start to formulate in your head what [07:03] your strategy will be the next day going [07:05] round. Um but it is very empty and [07:07] that's because everyone is in [07:08] contributors day. Now the next day, June [07:10] the 5th, word camp kicks off, right? [07:12] That's where you have lots of people [07:14] attending. This is where I had the [07:16] opportunity to start going around and [07:19] meeting plug-in developers, other [07:21] designers, other people, other WordPress [07:24] users. I should let you know that I flew [07:26] out on June the 6th, Saturday morning, [07:28] and that's because I had to get home cuz [07:30] my wife works full-time on Sundays. So, [07:33] I had to make sure I was home in time to [07:35] look after my son on Sundays. That's how [07:37] my life is. I very rarely get a Sunday [07:39] off. So, June the 5th, I'm going round. [07:41] Now, this is where [07:44] even though I've kind of I like to think [07:46] I've been quite positive at the moment [07:47] about the word camp and everything like [07:48] that, even though I didn't contribute on [07:50] contributors day and I know loads of [07:52] people really love doing all of that and [07:54] I probably should have done a bit more [07:55] of that and maybe next year I will jump [07:57] into contributing a bit more. By the [08:00] way, I met Da Vinda as well from WP [08:01] weekly. I mean, I could go on and on and [08:03] on about all the names of people I met [08:05] and it was it was really fantastic. June [08:07] the 5th opportunity to go around and my [08:10] ambition was to go around every single [08:12] booth. And I even had my camera with me, [08:15] my action six, right? And I was going to [08:17] go around recording interviews and stuff [08:19] like that. I never felt comfortable [08:22] doing that. I did record some videos [08:24] back at the hotel, but I never felt [08:25] comfortable going around with a camera. [08:27] And that's because I suddenly had this [08:29] realization that how dare I do that? Who [08:32] am I? I mean, the people are already [08:34] putting themselves out there. They're [08:36] open to praise, applause, and criticism. [08:39] Difficult questions already at the word [08:41] count boobs. What right have I got to go [08:44] around with the camera? So, I didn't do [08:46] that. And that no one told me not to do [08:48] it. That was just my decision I made. I [08:50] also felt that what if I bump into [08:53] someone and I start recording and [08:54] talking to people? What if they don't [08:56] want to be on camera? So, out of respect [08:57] for everyone, I was like, "No, park it. [09:00] Do your own separate individual videos [09:02] with yourself, but don't put people on [09:04] the spot." So, my ambition was to go [09:07] around every single booth, speak to [09:08] everyone. Forget the camera now, but [09:10] just speak to everyone. From the get-go, [09:13] I started feeling like some booths were [09:17] I don't want to say dismissive because [09:18] that is really a blunt, harsh word. But [09:22] when you go around some booths, you make [09:25] eye contact with them and it's literally [09:27] like they instantly look over you or [09:29] past you or don't even want to say hi to [09:32] you or go or if I was at a booth. Look, [09:35] I'm just going to cut a long story [09:36] short, right? Okay. If I was at a booth [09:38] and even if it was my first time, but [09:40] I'm here to represent my plug-in or my [09:43] product or my tool and someone walks by [09:45] and they look at me, even if they don't [09:48] say, "Oh, hi." or they don't come, you [09:50] know, and when I say they come over, [09:52] they I must have been close to less than [09:55] a meter sometimes away from the booth or [09:59] the person. That's how close I got to so [10:01] many booths. And a lot of them just kind [10:04] of looked they they see you and then [10:06] they look they like look away almost [10:09] like they're disinterested or they don't [10:11] want to chat to you. Now that could be [10:12] confidence. I totally get that. But if [10:16] that was me and someone was that close, [10:18] I'd be like, "Hey, do you want to just [10:19] have a look at this?" Or, "How are you [10:20] finding Word Camp? Is this your first [10:22] time? Have I ever met you before?" you [10:24] just throw in general conversation [10:27] because it's like if you ran a store, [10:30] you're not going to say, "Hey, can I [10:31] help you buy something? Do you want to [10:33] go look at this?" You don't be a pushy [10:34] salesman, but this is your opportunity [10:36] to engage. And I hate to say this, [10:39] right, but there were a lot of um big [10:41] plug-in or or companies or businesses [10:44] there that I've maybe exchanged the odd [10:47] chat with now and again or they've even [10:50] said look forward to seeing you on [10:53] Twitter or somewhere. And and I'm not [10:55] just talking about Twitter, but [10:56] somewhere cuz they know I'm coming word [10:58] camp. And when they saw me, they [11:01] literally were like, I'm not going to [11:03] tell you how many I'm not going to name [11:05] names either, by the way, but there were [11:06] so many people that walked by. They saw [11:08] me, I saw them, and then really quickly [11:10] they broke eye contact and looked away. [11:13] And I felt dejected. [11:16] I felt like, okay, you don't want to [11:18] talk to me, fine. That that's okay. You [11:21] are allowed to do that. You don't have [11:22] to talk to everyone. But it but there [11:25] were many occasions where I found myself [11:27] walking around [11:29] um not I mean there were loads of [11:31] plug-in companies I spoke to by the way. [11:33] Okay, there were loads you know some of [11:34] them were really really good and I'm [11:36] going to come back on to that as well [11:37] because there's a bit more I want to say [11:38] about that. But there were quite a lot [11:40] of plug-in um or developers or company [11:43] businesses where they just were [11:45] dismissive a little bit in my opinion. [11:48] Okay, I know a lot of people watching [11:49] this are going to go well I did not [11:51] experience that once. Fine. You didn't [11:53] experience that. And there'll be someone [11:55] who will be like saying um maybe they [11:57] did I don't know I'm going off on one [12:00] now here and I'm not making any sense [12:01] but I found more dismissiveness than [12:05] acceptance. [12:07] Okay. Why was that? Maybe it was because [12:09] they don't like me. Maybe they don't [12:11] like the kind of videos I do. Maybe they [12:13] don't like what I said about word camp [12:15] last year or in other posts and stuff [12:17] like that. I don't know. And if if they [12:19] don't want to talk to someone, fine. But [12:22] one thing I've came away from Word Camp, [12:25] there were many occasions where I felt [12:27] lonely, like I was on my own. I just [12:30] didn't know who to talk to, where to go. [12:32] You start feeling lost within yourself. [12:33] I did enjoy Word Camp. Okay, I'm not [12:36] going to lie. I did enjoy Word Camp, but [12:37] if you split it, I would say it's more [12:39] of like a 30% of me enjoyed it, 70% of [12:44] me did not. And and I want to change [12:47] that. I'm I'm going to put that on the [12:48] table right now going, you know, next [12:51] time I go to um any word camps or any [12:54] events, I'm going to do more to engage. [12:57] And even if someone I get the impression [12:59] they don't want to talk to me, I'm still [13:00] going to go over and until I really [13:02] detect now they don't want to really [13:04] talk or they're just, you know, giving [13:06] me a spiel talk or a sales talk, I'll [13:08] just go great, okay, and move on, [13:10] whatever. But I am going to engage a [13:12] whole lot more going forwards. I think [13:14] that's on me. I think I could have done [13:16] more. So again, not a huge criticism, [13:18] but that is something I did feel. Some [13:20] people have said to me that that is [13:22] something that they have heard been said [13:24] by other people as well. Again, I'm not [13:27] going to name people, but they have said [13:29] that this is something that has been [13:31] reported before in the past as well, how [13:33] you can go and you can get a bit lonely [13:36] or lost or feel abandoned because this [13:38] was my first time. So, a lot of the [13:41] speakers and booths and people that if [13:43] you've been going regularly, you [13:46] recognize people and people will be [13:49] talking to their mates they haven't seen [13:51] in a long time. And sometimes when you [13:52] see a new face or even a face you [13:55] recognize, but you don't want to speak [13:56] to them. I can understand why they maybe [13:59] didn't want to engage with me. I get [14:00] that. But it's something I definitely [14:02] want to change. When I did go to some [14:04] booths where I did get engagement, some [14:06] booths talk with you, some talk to you, [14:11] and there's a big difference there. [14:12] Those that talk with you actually wanted [14:14] to understand a bit more about why don't [14:16] you use our plug-in or we did try to get [14:20] you to do a video for us, but you [14:22] rejected it or didn't want to do it or [14:24] how are you doing? Or, you know, like [14:26] can I show you something that we've just [14:28] been working on just to get your opinion [14:30] of it. And by the way, I wasn't there [14:32] for the swag. I want to make that [14:33] really, really clear. I did not go to [14:36] word camp to collect loads and loads of [14:38] stuff. Loads and loads of t-shirts, [14:39] loads, and loads of stickers. That is [14:40] was not my intention. And I hope to [14:42] think that anyone who met me in there [14:44] will see that I was not jumping, oh, can [14:47] I have that? Can I have this? I was [14:49] offered loads of stuff. And where I felt [14:51] it was reasonable to take, Nova gave a [14:54] t-shirt for my son, which was really, [14:56] really nice. And by the way, I should [14:57] mention the Nova team as well. It was [14:59] lovely to meet them. and their family. I [15:01] saw them walking around with their kids. [15:02] I didn't actually get to meet their [15:03] kids, but it was lovely to see that [15:05] whole family kind of vibe they got. You [15:07] know, it was really, really nice. And [15:08] they are genuinely lovely people. When I [15:10] went to some booths and I spoke to some [15:12] people, in fact, it wasn't just booths. [15:14] I'm going to come on to general public [15:16] as well in a moment. Some really spoke [15:18] with you and engage with you. There was [15:20] quite a lot where they were just telling [15:23] me what they offer and what they do and [15:24] look at this and look at that. And it [15:26] never felt like, and when I say [15:27] collaborating, I don't mean a business [15:29] deal. I mean, we're just having a [15:31] conversation about like they they were [15:33] never really interested or in me. Who am [15:36] I? What do I do? Will I use it? Can I [15:40] make use of it? You know, things like [15:41] that. It was all about this is what we [15:42] do. D. And I get you're trying, you're [15:44] here to sell something. I get that [15:46] you're trying to get as many people to [15:48] walk away with signing up to something [15:50] or trying out your plug-in, but it [15:52] really did feel many, many times. It's [15:54] like I was looking at their landing page [15:56] and I'm now just going through the [15:57] salesunnel. You know, you might as well [16:00] have not been there and just had a [16:02] digital board with your single product [16:05] template page up there telling me all [16:07] the benefits and what this will do for [16:09] me rather than what I do and I really [16:13] feel that's a missed opportunity. I will [16:16] however speak about I said I'm not going [16:18] to name people but I will speak about [16:19] even though I named Novamir and they [16:21] were good in elemental and other people [16:22] and the influencers and content creators [16:24] great great great great great great [16:25] great people. Oh yeah Sam as well from [16:28] Bondu plugins as well. I wanted to meet [16:30] his um boss as well but I didn't I I you [16:34] know I mean there's so many things I [16:35] missed out on so many things. I wanted [16:38] to meet up with the Fremia team and talk [16:40] to them a bit more about how they get a [16:41] lot of hatred and I really wanted to [16:43] understand why do they think they get [16:44] that because I don't feel that towards [16:46] them. So there was so many missed [16:48] opportunities. But I want to go uh back [16:51] on to uh one particular company, Google. [16:54] They were there and they were talking [16:56] about uh Google Site Kit, which I [16:59] actively use and promote quite a bit. [17:01] And I I want to do a video on that. You [17:03] know, Nano Banana, Gemini, all of these [17:06] things. I did not go there to get a [17:09] Google book, by the way. They had a book [17:11] with a Google logo. When I saw it, I did [17:13] think, "Ah, my son might like that." But [17:14] I did not chat to them for that. I was [17:18] there to talk to them. But it [17:20] continuously felt like they're just [17:22] trying to show off all of their [17:23] features. And then what irritated me was [17:26] at the end of it, they then showed me [17:28] the book. At this point, I didn't even [17:30] know there was the book. I just went [17:32] there because I met one of their um [17:35] members the day before, Elementor day, [17:37] and they did say to me, "Please do come [17:39] down cuz I want to talk a bit more about [17:41] uh Google SiteKit." And I was like, [17:42] "Yeah, of course. I I use it. My clients [17:44] use it. Let's talk. So then they showed [17:46] me the book and then they said to get [17:48] this book you have to collect three [17:50] stamps. So because I spoke to him about [17:52] Google site kit, I got a stamp. Now I [17:54] got to go speak to Nana Banana or Gemini [17:57] or something else. And I totally lost [17:59] interest at this point because this [18:01] gamification [18:02] to get some swag really really put me [18:05] off. I just want to put this on the [18:06] table. If the Google people are [18:07] watching, don't do that again cuz what [18:10] if I don't have any interest in Nana [18:11] Banana cuz I understand it. What if I [18:13] don't really want to go and listen to a [18:15] 5 10 minute talk about Gemini cuz I get [18:17] it. I don't think you should have done [18:18] that, but that's just my opinion. So my [18:20] advice to a lot of booths is next time [18:22] you do events like this, just try to [18:24] engage. Ask questions of the people that [18:26] are attending because that's kind of how [18:29] it works in the real world anyway. You [18:32] know, as web designers or developers or [18:34] whatever, when we know there's a [18:35] potential client, we want to know more [18:37] about them. you ask the right questions [18:39] of them, understand their pain, what [18:41] business they're in, and then you can [18:43] start to now tailor your offering [18:45] towards them. Now, when it comes to [18:47] other people I met, I did bump into [18:49] quite a few people that are followers of [18:51] the channel or watch videos and they [18:54] shook my hand, took selfies with me to [18:56] say thanks for the uh solutions I put [18:59] out there and the effort I put in. That [19:01] that was wonderful. We we say this all [19:03] the time as content creators that when [19:06] someone contacts us or puts out on [19:08] social media or something to say that [19:10] something we've done has really really [19:11] helped them out. I can't express how [19:13] amazing that feeling is. It really hits [19:15] you and gets you there. But there were [19:16] also some people that came over to you [19:19] quite a few where they just wanted or [19:23] hoped that if they were to send you [19:25] their plug-in or their tool or their app [19:27] that they've developed, you would go and [19:29] do a review or a video of it. And for [19:32] most of them, I just said, "Yeah, just [19:33] email it to me." But um I did feel a bit [19:36] like I get why you're asking. But if [19:40] that was me in your position, I wouldn't [19:42] have done that. If I had just developed [19:44] something and now I was around all of [19:47] these other people, I would be a bit [19:50] more respectful of their time or [19:51] whatever and not put them on the spot [19:53] and go, I've just developed this app. Do [19:54] you want to try it out? It does XY Z. [19:56] All of these things, you know, blah blah [19:57] blah blah blah. A lot of businesses are [19:59] going to be there. designers, [20:01] developers, they want to build their [20:02] brand as well. You got the boobs, [20:05] they're hoping to get some business, but [20:07] I'm a designer, you know, I build [20:10] websites. I'm a YouTuber as well. So, [20:12] obviously, I want to get a sponsorship [20:14] brand deal. I didn't get anything, by [20:16] the way. And I've now realized don't go [20:18] to Word Camp thinking you might get [20:20] something cuz it things just don't work [20:22] out like that. Maybe someone one of you [20:24] out there who's a content creator did [20:26] break a deal. I'm really happy for you, [20:28] but I didn't. But that's just reality. [20:30] But when you have people going to these [20:32] WordPress events, they're obviously [20:34] going to be seeking business and, you [20:36] know, sharing what they do and their [20:38] business cards and whatever, or their [20:40] portfolio, whatever. But I find it very [20:42] disrespectful if you now expect people [20:46] to care or give a damn or agree with [20:49] whatever you're offering, your tool, or [20:51] your product is because maybe we have [20:54] our own favorite tool that we use. So [20:56] why would I want to use your tool? You [20:58] know, who are you to me? or maybe we [21:00] have a way of working and sometimes the [21:03] subjectivity of us as designers and [21:05] developers gets a little bit lost. Okay, [21:07] I feel like that was a bit of a mini [21:08] rant. Anyway, so meeting loads of [21:10] people, I don't feel I got as much out [21:13] of the boobs as what I really wanted. [21:15] Some boobs spoke to you rather than with [21:18] you or they were dismissive, which I've [21:20] already just said. The swag offerings [21:23] were reasonable, I think, by all the [21:24] boos. There were a lot of stickers. I do [21:27] wonder sometimes, those of you that get [21:29] a sticker from WordCam, where do you [21:30] actually stick them? I'm not too sure if [21:33] I'm going to stick them on my laptop or [21:35] around my office or wherever. Where do [21:36] you stick them? I really would love to [21:38] know. Where do people go and stick them? [21:40] They stick it onto the their shower [21:43] screen upstairs. Whenever they have a [21:45] shower, they can look at it and go, [21:47] "Look at that sticker. Where do they do [21:48] it? I'd love to know that." So day one [21:52] word camp even though I met loads of [21:54] people, had some really good chats with [21:55] some people as well and great to meet [21:57] other influencers. I did come away [21:59] feeling quite lonely, lonely and [22:01] dejected a little bit, I did feel like I [22:05] could have done more to engage and I [22:07] wish some other people engaged the same [22:10] way back as well. But that is just one [22:12] aspect of word camp. By the way, there [22:15] was a lot of food as well supplied. [22:18] Obviously, I didn't actually have [22:20] anything to eat from the Word Camp [22:21] event, and that's because during the [22:23] daytime, I just tend to have like a [22:25] protein bar at 10:00 a.m. and a protein [22:27] bar at 12 or 1:00 p.m.ish or something [22:30] like that. But, um, I did actually share [22:31] in any of the food, so I can't really [22:33] comment on the standard of the food, [22:35] whatever. But, I saw a lot of people [22:37] enjoying their food, and there was free [22:38] ice cream as well available there. So, [22:41] you know, kudos to the organizers. I've [22:43] got to put that out there, okay? the [22:44] word camp organizers, the volunteers, uh [22:48] the people there, you know, walking [22:50] around, you might have had the media [22:52] people with their cameras uh and videos [22:54] and stuff they were doing. I they did [22:56] really, really well. I cannot deny that [22:59] the moment I arrived on contributors [23:01] day, sign up and to get my badge and all [23:03] of that and t-shirt, you know, they gave [23:05] a t-shirt. I mean, I wasn't expecting [23:07] it, but they gave it in a lovely bag [23:09] that I will now use whenever I go [23:10] shopping. I will use it. But it was [23:13] really really well done. And at no point [23:15] did I detect from any um of the [23:18] organizers, the volunteers, uh you know, [23:20] the helpers, anything like that. At no [23:23] point did I detect superior complex. Oh, [23:27] we are better than you. Oh um no, I [23:29] can't help you. No, I'm busy. At no [23:31] point. And that is a massive credit. So [23:35] well done to them for that. Okay. So [23:37] that's that is something again you [23:38] really should take away that these are [23:40] real WordPressy people that are there to [23:43] help. Now when it comes to the speakers, [23:45] I didn't go to any because my main focus [23:49] was going around the booths and stuff [23:50] like that and then when I bump into [23:53] someone, we have a conversation and a [23:54] bit of a laugh or a chuckle or whatever. [23:56] So the speakers, I did not go to any [23:58] because I've got to be honest here. This [24:01] is not a fault of the speakers and this [24:03] is nothing against any of the speakers [24:05] because I know some of them that were [24:06] there and I didn't get to meet all of [24:08] them. Veto I saw veto but I didn't get a [24:11] chance to have a proper good [24:13] conversation with him to veto next time [24:15] we need to do that but there was um um [24:19] an as well you know web accessibility I [24:21] really wanted to meet her and I didn't [24:22] get to see her as well. There's so many [24:24] people. I cannot tell you the amount of [24:26] missed opportunities that when I was on [24:28] my flight back on Saturday morning on [24:31] June the 6th, it really was praying on [24:34] my mind how many missed opportunities I [24:36] missed out on. Not just at the event, [24:38] but the after parties. I it and it in I [24:41] don't want to it hurt. It really did [24:43] hurt me deeply that I failed to engage a [24:47] bit more and seek out and meet people. [24:50] So that that's on me and I really am [24:52] gutted. Still I'm gutted and it's been [24:54] on my mind for the last two days. It [24:56] still hurts deeply. Uh really a a lot. [25:00] Seriously, a lot more than it should. [25:03] But it does a lot. But I didn't go to a [25:06] lot of the speakers. A lot of the talks, [25:08] a majority of the talks did not really [25:11] interest me. And again, without naming [25:12] names, I spoke to lots of other people [25:14] that also felt the same. And they might [25:17] have been people from booths or it might [25:19] just been general people. It could have [25:20] just been people I've known for a while [25:22] as well. And I think we all came to the [25:23] same conclusion that a lot of the talks [25:26] I don't think they're pitched right. [25:28] Don't get me wrong, there are some talks [25:30] there that are interesting for people. [25:32] Not for me cuz I feel like I already [25:34] kind of knew it. So, so that's not what [25:36] I'm saying. But I could almost say that [25:39] maybe 90% of talks there I wasn't [25:43] entirely sure who's going to be who [25:45] would want to attend it and what do you [25:47] think you're going to get out of it. So [25:48] as a budding WordPresser designer [25:50] developer maybe you're someone who [25:52] builds websites for clients. Maybe [25:54] you're working on WordPress yourself. [25:55] Maybe you're a business that lives in [25:58] Poland and you heard there's this event [26:00] and you use WordPress or you used to [26:02] have a design and you want to go along. [26:04] I feel like the talks are at the wrong [26:06] level and the wrong audience. You know [26:08] that if I did a video about how to do a [26:11] hero banner in Elementor and then the [26:13] next day Ferdy did one and then the next [26:15] day after that Reno did one and then the [26:17] next day after that Daryl Wilson did one [26:19] and day Feren did one in Bricks or Paul [26:22] Charlton did one and I could go on and [26:23] on and on, right? And we all do a video [26:25] on a hero banner. How many different [26:27] ways can you create a hero banner? [26:28] Actually many different ways but you get [26:31] the idea of what a hero banner is. [26:33] people would probably still watch every [26:36] single video. Even if they only watched [26:38] a minute or 30 seconds, they would [26:40] probably still go in and watch because [26:42] it's people like us talking about things [26:45] that they will actively readily use and [26:48] do on a daily basis all the time. and [26:52] sometimes just getting to see a [26:54] different way of building a hero banner [26:57] using font clamp using uh loop grids or [27:01] woo commerce or fluent car or whatever [27:03] right sometimes just getting a different [27:05] way web accessibility I don't think [27:07] there's always a right and a wrong way [27:09] there are some things you have to adhere [27:10] to but sometimes just seeing how I would [27:12] approach it as opposed to someone else [27:14] you're going to watch that video I think [27:16] topics like that are more meaningful let [27:19] me give you an example that I mentioned [27:20] to quite a lot of people And none of [27:22] them disagreed with me. So I hope I like [27:24] to think they agreed is that we had WP [27:26] remote, we had modular DS, uh there was [27:29] a WP umbrella, uh I think there was [27:32] another company there as well. I'm sorry [27:34] if I've missed anyone out that do [27:35] management of websites. I think a talk [27:38] about why managing websites is a good [27:41] idea would be a good thing. So a talk [27:43] you're not selling but you're just [27:45] sharing in a panel or a discussion about [27:48] maintenance of websites and how we need [27:51] to think about it and why it's something [27:52] you should take more seriously and how [27:54] it can save you time. And many of you [27:57] heard someone on stage let's say WP [27:59] Remote and you liked what they said and [28:01] you knew they had a stand. They're not [28:03] telling you come to our stand but you [28:05] knew they did. You might go and seek [28:06] them out and find out a bit more. That's [28:09] more meaningful. you know, a a a talk [28:12] about um uh colors, fonts, a talk about [28:16] sales funnels, you know, the six [28:18] important sections on a website, a talk [28:21] about how to reduce the amount of [28:23] plugins you got. I feel like that's more [28:26] important. And even when it comes to AI, [28:28] it would have been nice to have [28:29] something more dedicated towards [28:31] WordPress 7. You know, you had Novira [28:33] there, you had Elemental Angie there. [28:35] You know, I think a talk about that [28:38] would have been, you know, you could [28:39] have had WordPress 7, Angie, Elementor, [28:43] Novamir, and anyone else that wants to [28:45] talk as well. Site ground were there. [28:47] Site ground have got an AI tool. I feel [28:49] like they are more meaningful. Am I [28:51] wrong or am I wrong? Cuz a lot of people [28:53] did not have an intention of going to [28:55] any speakers talks and that is very [28:57] telling. I know some people that have [28:59] spoken about this and they get kind of [29:01] hit with a brick wall like you can't say [29:03] that. How dare you? the talks were full [29:05] and whatever. I'm talking about past [29:07] events and even this event, but I hate [29:09] to say it, but that's the reality of [29:10] what I felt and what a few others felt. [29:12] And I feel like that does need to be [29:13] addressed. I know they reach out for [29:16] speakers, by the way. They do reach out, [29:18] you know, so what do you want to talk [29:20] about? So maybe I should put my name [29:22] forward next time. I don't know what I [29:24] would talk about, but maybe I need to [29:25] ask you to tell me what I should talk [29:27] about, but maybe I should put myself up [29:28] there next time for talking. So, as a [29:30] summary, okay, Word Camp Europe, KCKO [29:34] was pretty damn good in terms of me [29:37] getting able to meet longtime friends, [29:41] associates, collaborators, partners, [29:44] influencers, content creators, being [29:46] able to shake their hand, give them a [29:48] hug, share a drink, you know, it was [29:50] great. That that was something I will [29:53] remember for a long, long time, and I'm [29:56] looking forward to meeting up with them [29:57] again. So, I like to think I'll keep [29:59] going to Word Camp Europe for as long as [30:02] I can, and I hope some of them return as [30:04] well, so we can meet up and just check [30:06] how we're all doing in terms of um [30:09] engaging with booths in in terms of um [30:13] feeling like I did enough. I was I'm [30:15] disappointed. I just got this feeling [30:17] like they didn't want to talk to me. [30:19] Like, I can't explain it. And I don't [30:21] know if anyone else is going to say they [30:24] had that same feeling. Or maybe it's [30:26] just me. Maybe it's my own stupidity in [30:29] how I inferred them and maybe I should [30:31] still have gone over. I don't know. But [30:33] I'd love to know in the comments if [30:35] anyone else felt the same or if you want [30:38] to share your version of how wonderful [30:40] it was and how you did not have that. [30:42] You know, it's your fault Iran for not [30:44] going to after parties or whatever. [30:46] Yeah, it is. And I've got to change [30:48] that. I I did get very lonely and [30:50] sometimes [30:52] you're already alone as a web designer, [30:54] a developer or a podcaster or YouTuber. [30:56] Half the time you're just on your own. [30:58] Like right now my wife's at work, my [30:59] son's at school, my cats are asleep. I'm [31:01] just here and I'm very much used to my [31:03] own, you know, just being around myself, [31:05] you know, I'm on my own here. But [31:09] when you're at an event where you're [31:11] surrounded by people, but you still feel [31:14] alone, [31:16] I've got to do something about that. And [31:18] I've got to now just make sure I have a [31:20] better strategy and plan in my head for [31:23] how I'm going to approach things. And [31:27] I am still going to go Word Camp. This [31:29] is probably the most weirdest probably [31:32] review you're probably ever going to [31:34] read about Word Camp Europe because I [31:36] haven't shared any videos or photos or [31:38] stuff. And that's because I didn't [31:40] really take many. I was in the moment. I [31:43] didn't at any point feel like taking [31:45] lots of photos, which is really weird. I [31:48] didn't take any photos of any of the [31:49] boots. And it's because I was in the [31:51] moment. I was immersed. I was [31:53] experiencing it. But I still came away [31:56] quite lonely, a little bit disappointed. [32:01] I felt [32:03] like I could have given more and I want [32:05] to give more and I want to get more out [32:07] of it. And [32:11] yeah, that's a feeling I don't like. I [32:14] don't like to have that feeling because [32:15] it's a, you know, I don't like to feel [32:17] so conflicted inside of myself with you [32:20] enjoyed it, but you didn't really fully [32:22] enjoy it. But either way, that's my [32:26] over-the-top review of Word Camp Europe [32:29] 2026 in KCO, Poland. I'm Imran from Web [32:34] Squadron. I'd love to read in your [32:36] comments if you went or do you do you [32:38] understand what I've been trying to say [32:40] in here without me trying to sound like [32:42] a crybaby or anything like that or throw [32:45] my toys out the pram? This is just an [32:46] honest review, you know? Lovely to meet [32:49] people, but I wish I got more out of it. [32:51] Take care. See you soon. Bye.  📄 **Full text:** ![[Full Document Contents/Articles/Did I Enjoy WordCamp Europe 2026 #WCEU.md|Did I Enjoy WordCamp Europe 2026? #WCEU by YouTube]] ## Highlights - Tutorials. I could go on and on and on, but I got to meet uh the people from WP Remote, got to meet the people from Fluent Cart, Melress, and also other plug-in developer and companies that I've only had brief chats to, but you were able to form a bit of a meaningful relationship, no matter how much or little we spoke at the time. It was great. So, meeting people was fantastic. And I will definitely say that if you only ever go to Word Camp for that in engaging and being able to talk about any concerns you have or where this ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ktmh98v1efsxj1vyyvazp67g)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - late on. And this is my fault. I should have kept more in touch with what afterparty events were going on. I didn't appreciate how big this event would be. So, I missed the opportunity to hang out a bit more with my normal content creators that I'd become really good friends with and other content creators that I would love to have met and just basically other developers and plug-in companies where when you're not at the conference center and you're not manning your booth, they could chill out a bit more and have more meaningful fun out there conversations. I'm going to ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ktmh98vk339kb8mmzr7t73gf)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - You start feeling lost within yourself. I did enjoy Word Camp. Okay, I'm not going to lie. I did enjoy Word Camp, but if you split it, I would say it's more of like a 30% of me enjoyed it, 70% of me did not. And and I want to change that. I'm I'm going to put that on the table right now going, you know, next time I go to um any word camps or any events, I'm going to do more to engage. And even if someone I get the impression they don't want to talk to me, I'm still ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ktmh98wnn6trttm6pnq30884)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - that if I did a video about how to do a hero banner in Elementor and then the next day Ferdy did one and then the next day after that Reno did one and then the next day after that Daryl Wilson did one ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01ktkq0ed72ew6mp5ca1zqxtwe)) - Note: On WordPress-creator content saturation: the same tutorial (a hero banner in Elementor) gets made by creator after creator on consecutive days — the redundancy problem in the education niche. - Tags: atom/literature/h2, wceu-2026, reflection, content