The annual tradition of composing a comprehensive WebDevStudios year-in-review blog post is a testament to the collective journey and achievements that have defined the past twelve months. This annual retrospective isn’t merely a recounting of milestones. It’s a celebration of growth, resilience, and shared triumphs at our WordPress agency and within the vibrant community.
Such a reflection holds immense value as it encapsulates the culmination of efforts, the fruition of strategies, and the evolution of our brand. It serves as a compass, guiding us through the successes and challenges encountered and offering invaluable insights into our collective progress.
Beyond mere documentation, this reflective piece becomes a cornerstone—a testament to the dedication, innovation, and collaborative spirit that define our team. Crafting our WordPress agency’s year in review isn’t solely about showcasing our wins. It’s an acknowledgment of the lessons learned, the hurdles overcome, and the pivotal moments that have sculpted our path forward.
This year-in-review report expresses our gratitude to our dedicated team members, clients, and partners whose unwavering support has been instrumental in our shared accomplishments. Let this be a testament to our commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous growth.
Client Wins
From boosting website performance to building custom solutions to deliver stellar user experiences, our team is passionate about helping our clients reach their goals. Because your success is our mission, here is an assortment of client wins achieved in 2023.
Significant Increase in Website Traffic
When The Toy Insider came to WebDevStudios (WDS) for a data migration and website redesign, we aimed to build a user-centric website that meets and exceeds expectations, encouraging users to return and share their positive experiences with others. Since the launch of this redesign, The Toy Insider has reported a 45% increase in website traffic.
Improvements in the User Experience
WebDevStudios has been working closely with Constant Contact on the development and user experience for the Constant Contact Marketing Blog. Some advanced enhancements have been customized search and filtering and navigating by industry that allows their visitors the ability to find exactly what they are looking for. It also wouldn’t be a Constant Contact blog without some target email newsletter integrations. We helped them with that, too!
You guys are rock stars! You have been helping us to figure this out and get the blog in a better place. Thank you! -Constant Contact
Embedded Developers
Working closely with the Wall Street Journal division of News Corp, we have dedicated developers who are embedded in their team to enhance and strengthen their internal engineering team. They lean on our experience with WordPress to provide direction, product enhancements, and consultation for them.
Thank you. Your team is punctual and dependable, participates in all of the meetings, and provides meaningful feedback and recommendations. The insight is valuable to our product and to our development team. WDS is a great asset to our team. -News Corp
Modern Design to Suit a Client’s Demographic
When the NBA approached WebDevStudios for an update to their G League website with the goals of increasing engagement and entertaining users, while updating an outdated design with a new look that was better suited for a modern league, we embraced the challenge!
We provided this revered sports brand with more than a traditional WordPress redesign; we provided a visually compelling and attractive design for a wide-ranging demographic from Boomers to Gen-Z and beyond. WDS accomplished this by diving deep into research of their user base, working directly with their team on user personas, and understanding the user journey and user flow of their website to create a stunning redesign that they can utilize and build on for years to come.
WebDevStudios Celebrates 15 Years of WordPress
Emerging from a simple website service run from a coffee table in New Jersey, WebDevStudios has grown into a formidable WordPress agency crafting incredible websites for renowned brands. Now, 15 years later, WDS proudly supports brands such as NBA, Care.com, and actress Felicia Day. Our design team created specialized logos to commemorate the event.
Additionally, WDS co-founders and WordPress pioneers Brad Williams, CEO, and Lisa Sabin-Wilson, COO, co-authored a blog post where they shared the story of WDS—how it began and where it’s going next.
“Fifteen years for any business is a long time. Our longevity and success are a true testament to the amazing WebDevStudios team members, past and present,” the WDS co-founders say. Read Brad’s and Lisa’s article to learn more about what WebDevStudios has accomplished in the last 15 years.
WordPress Celebrates 20 Years
Just as WDS hit our 15-year mark, WordPress turned 20. Hard to believe, isn’t it?
On May 27, 2023, WordPress officially turned 20, and across the globe, we all celebrated. In-person parties took place to honor the occasion. At WebDevStudios, we participated in Five for the Future on May 26th and released a special congratulatory video to mark WordPress’ 20th anniversary. Check it out below.
WP Search with Algolia Pro Was Released
When WebDevStudios took over and forked the Algolia search WordPress plugin to create WP Search with Algolia, it didn’t take long for it to grow in popularity. So, we knew folks would love to expand its power further. That’s why, in March of last year, we released WP Search with Algolia Pro.
“WebDevStudios understands the commitment required for plugin development,” says Brad, who is not only our CEO but also a co-author of the book “Professional WordPress Plugin Development, 2nd Edition.”
“Not only does our team adhere to the complexities and integrity behind best-practices coding standards, but they also remain dedicated to providing support and continuously testing our plugins,” Brad says, adding, “WDS ensures the stability of all our products. We’re especially excited to launch this premium version of WP Search with Algolia.”
WP Search with Algolia Pro is designed as an extension of WP Search with Algolia, offering even more search capabilities. See the comparison chart below for details.
You can download WP Search with Algolia free at the WordPress Plugin Repo. Purchase WP Search with Algolia Pro at our WordPress plugin shop Pluginize.
Custom Post Type UI Ranks in the Top 50 WordPress Plugins
According to WP-Rankings, and at the time of this publication, Custom Post Type UI (CPTUI) ranks number 48 of all WordPress plugins. With over 1,000,000 active installations and over 16 million downloads, the popularity of CPTUI just continues to grow!
wd_s Hybrid Theme Release
In September 2023, our WordPress agency team introduced wd_s (wdunderscores) version 4.0.0, marking a significant milestone in WordPress theme development. How’s that? Well, in this release, our WordPress starter theme was transformed into a powerful hybrid theme, equipped with the Site Editor and pre-styled core blocks via theme.json. Boom! Your creative possibilities have been enhanced. You’re welcome.
Engineering Manager JC Palmes announced this release on GitHub. Go there to read it and download the WordPress starter theme wd_s.
1,793 Hours Contributed to Five for the Future
We can’t emphasize enough just how important Five for the Future (5FTF) is to WebDevStudios. Launched in 2014, 5FTF drives sustained WordPress growth by encouraging ongoing community contributions. Participants dedicate 5% of their time and resources to the platform’s development, ensuring its evolution as a leading content management system.
Since its start, this initiative has gained traction, supported by entities like our WordPress agency, becoming a core principle that fosters a collaborative culture within the WordPress community. This commitment has notably enhanced WordPress’s innovation, security, and overall improvement, solidifying its standing as a dynamic, community-driven open-source project.
At WDS, the last Friday of every month is dedicated to 5FTF. In 2023, our WordPress agency contributed 1,793 to the initiative.
10 WordCamps
WordCamps are back in a big way. When WordCamp events had to go virtual during the pandemic lockdown, regular organizers, volunteers, speakers, and attendees missed the in-person interaction.
In 2022, in-person WordCamps returned, and the community is back to seeing old friends and making new ones. Last year, WebDevStudios team members organized, spoke at, volunteered for, and attended 10 WordCamps worldwide. Below is every single WordCamp where WDS had a presence, as well as the team member(s) who were there and what role they played.
- WordCamp San José, Costa Rica: Senior Frontend Engineer Alfredo Navas was a speaker
- WordCamp Manila: JC was a speaker.
- WordCamp Mumbai: Frontend Engineer Aslam Doctor attended this event.
- WordCamp Managua: Project Manager Leo Torres volunteered.
- WordCamp Vancouver: Frontend Engineer Jennifer Farhat volunteered.
- WordCamp US: Director of Operations April Williams, Account Manager Laura Byrne, Principal Engineer Sal Ferrarello, Senior Frontend Engineer Marty O’Connor, Brad, and Alfredo were all attendees.
- WordCamp Iloilo: JC was a lead organizer, and WebDevStudios was a sponsor.
- WordCamp Montclair: Laura was an organizer, and Sal was a speaker.
- WordCamp Phoenix: Brad attended along with Marketing Manager Laura Coronado, while Laura B. was a speaker. WebDevStudios was a sponsor.
- WordCamp Asia: JC was a global Lead Organizer, and Laura B. was a speaker. Lead Engineer Ashar Irfan was in attendance.
Attending WordCamp events offers invaluable opportunities for WordPress enthusiasts, developers, and businesses alike. These gatherings serve as hubs for learning, networking, and staying updated on the latest trends and advancements within the WordPress ecosystem.
By participating in workshops, engaging in discussions, and connecting with like-minded individuals and experts, attendees gain insights that fuel their growth, enhance their skills, and foster collaborations. Ultimately, WordCamp events catalyze personal and professional development within the vibrant WordPress community. If you haven’t attended one before, we encourage you to add doing so to your New Year’s resolutions.
29,081 Tacos Given
Imagine if those were real! No, at WebDevStudios, we use an employee reward system called HeyTaco!, which allows our team members to give each other a taco as a show of gratitude or a simple congratulations. These tacos can then be redeemed for gift cards, actual tacos, a day off, and more.
We make our remote work environment work for us by fostering a company culture of collaboration, mentorship, and partnership. HeyTaco! helps to support that by giving us a way to express our appreciation for our teammates.
More in 2024
As we bid farewell to a transformative year marked by growth, change, and collective synchronicity, we reflect on the strides made in sustaining and bolstering the realms of WordPress, open-source initiatives, and internet technology. Through strategic endeavors and mutual aid, our collaborative efforts have fueled progress and innovation, propelling these domains forward.
Thank you for your support by looking over our WordPress agency’s year in review. We eagerly anticipate what more 2024 has in store, we stand poised to embrace the unknown, anticipating new opportunities, challenges, and triumphs that lie ahead. Together, we remain committed to our clients, partners, and the WordPress community by nurturing these ecosystems, fostering growth, and shaping the future of technology with enthusiasm and dedication.