When it comes to building a successful WordPress plugin business, experience is often the best (and hardest) teacher. In an past episode Mark Westgard sat down with Steve Burge, founder of PublishPress, to explore the real-world lessons he’s learned from growing and managing a diverse suite of WordPress plugins.
From failed experiments to finding product-market fit, Steve’s journey provides valuable takeaways for anyone looking to develop, market, or support WordPress products.
Embracing Early Failures as Stepping Stones
Steve didn’t find immediate success in the WordPress ecosystem. In fact, he and his team went through several plugin attempts, including a project management plugin and an embed tool, before PublishPress found its footing. Steve says that these early projects did not work because they needed to have those failures and learn enough about WordPress to truly understand exactly what problems WordPress users needed solved.
Key takeaway:
Do not shy away from experimentation, and do not be discouraged if your first, second, or even third plugin does not take off. Each attempt is a learning opportunity that helps you understand your users and the market better.
Finding the Right Niche
One leading insight from Steve’s journey is the importance of identifying a gap in the market. PublishPress began by addressing a familiar pain point for enterprise clients: robust access control and editorial workflow. These capabilities were lacking in WordPress but were well developed in platforms like Drupal.
Key takeaway:
Deeply understanding the needs that are not being met in the WordPress ecosystem can uncover opportunities for genuinely valuable products.
The Business of Acquisitions (And Knowing Your Plugin’s Limits)
PublishPress’s growth has not come solely from building plugins from scratch. The company has also acquired established plugins, such as MetaSlider, and has added new features and focus to plugins with existing user bases.
However, Steve points out that there is a “minimum viable size” for a plugin to justify the support and development effort. He estimates that a product needs to support at least two developers and one support person to be sustainable. If a plugin does not have a large enough user base, it may be better as part of a suite instead of existing as a standalone brand.
Key takeaways:
Acquiring plugins with a user base can be a strategic way to grow. Not every plugin is meant to stand alone. Sometimes consolidation leads to greater efficiency and a better user experience.
The Central Role of Customer Support
One thread running through Steve and Mark’s conversation is the overwhelming importance of customer support. Steve remains highly involved, interacting with customers in Help Scout daily in order to stay connected to user pain points and product feedback even as PublishPress has grown.
Key takeaway:
Staying close to your users, whether by handling support tickets or reading through customer feedback, is vital for ongoing product improvement.
Personal Branding and Community Connection
Both Steve and Mark attribute much of their growth to being the visible “face” of their products and building relationships at WordCamps, Post Status events, and within the WordPress community.
Key takeaway:
Building trust by being visible, approachable, and involved in your community can set your product and business apart from others.
Looking Ahead: Integration and Focus
PublishPress’s roadmap now includes unifying its plugins into a more tightly integrated suite, offering a seamless user experience and reducing redundancy across branding and support.
Key takeaway:
Focusing your efforts and ensuring your products work well together can be more valuable than spreading yourself thin across too many brands or projects.
Last Thoughts
Steve’s experience offers actionable lessons for WordPress entrepreneurs at any stage. Test, learn, and iterate. Choose your battles wisely, stay close to your customers, and do not underestimate the power of community and personal relationships. Whether you are launching your first plugin or managing a growing suite, these principles are key to achieving sustainable success.
Leave a Reply