With huge AI buzz all around, a few useful AI things are always trickling out. Like writing a WordPress plugin with AI or new useful tools such as headline analyzer and course levels name ideas. Also featuring in this issue: the focus on diversity in the WordPress space and the acquisitions train – which was moving fast this week.
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What’s Buzzing in WordPress 💖
- New Plugins… the team at Barn2 has released the Express Shop Page plugin for WooCommerce websites that allow customers to select product quantities and variations without leaving the page. While MemberMouse has released new Courses for MemberMouse allowing users to create and sell online courses, create quizzes, and generate completion certificates for course students.
- New for Blocks… the team at Maxi Blocks has released the Maxi Blocks Pro version with a library of designer templates (and a launch lifetime deal) in addition to the free version in the WordPress repository. While GutenbergHub has a new Link Any Block plugin that provides a link option to blocks in the block editor.
- Product Updates… Fluent Forms (Beta 5.0) is working on a big update to introduce a new UI promising to make it cleaner, neater, and more user-friendly. While the team at MainWP has updated the Pro Reports Extension to support more data, a new default template, and more styling options.
Extended WordPress Buzz 🔥
- Diversity & WordPress… get into focus often, which is much needed to spark discussions and bring change. Michelle Frechette made an observation on the lack of women and underrepresented people in the speaker lineup of WordCamp EU 2023. Job Thomas added further with a few suggestions. While Rob Howard wrote, “If WordPress wants to be a vibrant community when its 30th birthday rolls around, then we need serious and rapid change.”
- Acquisition Train… WCVendors plugin for creating a multi-vendor marketplace on a WooCommerce store has been acquired by Rymera Web Co. – the portfolio company of Awesome Motive, as shared by Syed Balki. The founder, Jamie Madden, has decided to pursue new projects (and dreams).
- More Acquisitions… Automatic(.)css has acquired and merged the functionality of the Plaster Plugin that is popular for features supporting WordPress page builder plugins. Also, David Vongries’s Kirki Framework has been acquired by Themeum.
- WP Milestones… there are now over 300+ block based FSE (Full Site Editing) themes in the official WordPress themes directory. Birthday bumps as WebDevStudios is celebrating 15 years of WordPress experience, and the hugely popular Astra theme is marking 6th anniversary in the WordPress space.
- WordCamps Action… the seventh group of speakers announced for the upcoming WordCamp EU 2023 event happening on June 08, 2023, in Athens, Greece. The call for speakers is still open for the flagship WordCamp US 2023 event till May 26, 2023. Also, are you ready for the next generation of WordCamps, where events are curated for clearly defined audiences?
Quick Bits 👍
- AI Power: ChatGPT wrote a WordPress plugin in less than 5 mins.
- Case Study: 4 Years of injected spam on a WordPress website!
- WooCommerce 7.7 released with multichannel marketing feature.
- Make Woo Better: Participate in Developer Satisfaction Survey 2023.
- WP anniversary podcast with Josepha, WordPress Executive Director.
- Kim Parsell Memorial Scholarship is open for WordCamp US 2023.
New Tools with AI Power for WP Users!
New Tools… the WPbeginner website has a new headline analyzer tool that promises you to generate SEO friendly headlines for your content. While Paid Memberships Pro has an AI Tool to generate membership level name ideas in a few simple clicks. For more tools, check the growing database on the Tools Page.
Sybre Waaijer has released the Hover Highlights plugin, all written with the power of AI. This plugin will highlight a block on hover, allowing you to visually distinguish between individual blocks.
Coming next on TheWPWeekly… a comprehensive database of WordPress products with lifetime deals. I tweeted for suggestions, and thanks to all the amazing responses – the database already has 100+ entries. It will be published very soon.
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