SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Bluehost

Bluehost, a WordCamp Pillar-level sponsor, has been a recommended hosting provider on WordPress.org since 2005.

Shared hosting is the world’s most popular type of web hosting, and millions of sites use Bluehost for it. In 2013 the company is rolling out dedicated server hosting and VPS (virtual private server) for those wanting more power, resources, or control. bluehost wordcamp nashville

Features of VPS hosting include three simple configurations, resource customizations, bandwidth protection, root access and seconds to provision.

Bluehost launched dedicated hosting in beta in March 2013. The service includes a single sign-on for account management (server management, cPanel, everything) and a dedicated support line.

Regardless of the hosting plan, Bluehost uses the latest in server and server room technology to insure customers’ uptime and website speeds aren’t compromised.

The Utah-based company has its own data center, builds its own servers, has its own nationwide fiber network, and builds its own custom linux kernel.

Support and customer service are paramount. With hold times that average less than 30 seconds and 100% in-house onsite staff in Utah, Bluehost aims to make customers happy. And provide outstanding services for the lowest possible price.

Bluehost is indeed a pillar of the WordPress community; we’re honored by the company’s Pillar-level sponsorship of WordCamp Nashville 2013.

Bluehost website

Bluehost private servers

Sponsor Spotlight: Code Poet

Think of Code Poet as a coffee shop or taproom where everyone is talking about WordPress. Everyone.

In Code Poet’s own words:

If you use WordPress to build things for other people, we want to make your life easier. No matter whether you freelance on a solo basis, lead a small web shop, make plugins in a dark closet, or crack the whip at a large design firm, our aim is to become your go-to source of information and resources to help you expand your WordPress skills and know-how. To make you better at what you do. To make it easier to make your living and look great doing it.

And we thank them. Code Poet

Code Poet is a resource for WordPress developers and designers that aims to make the working knowledge and real world strategies of WordPress tribe members accessible. The site features interviews with real Code Poets, articles, WordPress news compiled from around the Interwebs, free e-books and other handy stuff. E-books available include “Getting Pricing Right,” “Locking Down WordPress,” and “WordPress, Meet Responsive Design.” In the latter, three WP pros share how they use media queries and fluid images and grids to create responsive WordPress sites.

Code Poet, like WordPress.com, Polldaddy, Akismet, VaultPress, Gravatar, and some other favorites, is a production of Auttomatic, the company behind the people behind the WordPress that we all know, love and use the $#&* out of.

Contact: Andrea Middleton
Website: http://codepoet.com
Twitter: @wpcodepoet

WordCamp Nashville builds community, highlights Music City’s tech scene

WordCamp Nashville 2013, a one-day event on April 20 at Nashville School of Law, will introduce new users to WordPress and offer full tracks for intermediate users and developers.

One in six websites across the globe run on WordPress, including those of major brands, country music stars and news organizations. WordPress is open-source software, meaning it is free, and users don’t need to write code to work with it.

WordPress in Nashville

The future of WordPress in Nashville is awesome. WordCamp Nashville 2012 photo by Patricia Melton.

WordCamp Nashville is one of a series of WordCamps held by users of the software throughout the world. WordCamp Nashville 2012 drew participants from Georgia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Missouri in addition to Tennessee. Organizers expanded the program this year to three tracks and added lunch with the $20 admission.

Most of the speakers are local WordPress users, developers and experts. The event adds to the growing collaboration within the Nashville tech scene, entrepreneurs and small businesses.

“We really want to showcase the breadth and diversity of our own technical talent here in Middle Tennessee,” says John Housholder, a lead WordCamp Nashville organizer. “The sessions are organized to give participants great information and tools they can use right away.”

The track for new users, for example, includes sessions on getting started with WordPress, organizing content and working with images. Other sessions include WordPress SEO, building custom themes, and developer tools to customize the platform.

The event, at Nashville School of Law, is organized by a team of volunteers in partnership with local businesses and the WordPress Foundation.

Attendance is limited to 280. Admission also includes a t-shirt and some swag.

How’s that for official-sounding?

Register for WordCamp Nashville.

What’s for Lunch? Six Tasty Options.

The only thing better than a WordCamp near you is a WordCamp near you that includes lunch.

Lunch is included with your $20 WordCamp ticket. So is a WordCamp Nashville 2013 t-shirt, destined to become an instant classic.WordCamp Nashville lunch

But back to the food. We think we’ve got something for everybody.

Club Sandwich
Turkey, ham, bacon, cheddar cheese with lettuce and tomato
Pork BBQ Sandwich
Pork served with BBQ sauce and topped with coleslaw
BBQ Turkey Sandwich
Turkey served with lettuce, tomato, and Great White BBQ sauce
California Veggie Wrap
Avocado, goat cheese, cucumber, red onion, shredded carrots, radishes, sprouts, light vinaigrette- on homemade focaccia
Vegetarian Wrap
Artichoke Hearts, fresh red peppers, baby spinach, sprouts, and provolone cheese in honey whole wheat wrap
Vegan Wrap
Roasted portabella, zucchini, eggplant, and hummus in a vegan spinach wrap

A hearty thanks to the folks at South Street and Big Guns Catering for putting together such a great menu. There will be chips, water and soda available as well.

Get your ticket and make your choice.

World of WordCamps Comes to Nashville

Last year WordCamp Nashville shared the stage with WordCamp New Zealand – held same day, separated by continents and cultures but united in appreciation of WordPress.

In 2013 the stage is split three ways. On April 20, Nashville, Seoul (Korea) and Slovakia all host WordCamps.

Several WordCamp Nashville organizers just returned from WordCamp Atlanta. So far this year newbies, experienced users, designers and developers have organized and attended WordCamps in Copenhagen, Pune (India), Jerusalem, Baroda (India) Phoenix, Paris, Mexico.

WordPress global

WordCamps grab hold across the globe.

Miami; San Diego; Minneapolis; Melbourne (Australia); Ottawa; North Canton, Ohio; Reno; Nicaragua and Transylvania host their WordCamps later this spring.

Hundreds of events take place each year across the globe. A $20 ticket is about so much more than Nashville WordCamp 2013, though we’re thrilled to host you. The international WordPress community is generous, inclusive and growing. With input from local organizers, WordCamp.org sets standards and guidelines to keep these grassroots events about WordPress, learning and sharing best practices and new tricks with the world’s best open-source content management system.

The events are hugely popular. Many sell out.

To get an idea of the types of sessions typically seen at WordCamps, check out the WordCamp channel at WordPress.tv

And grab your ticket to WordCamp Nashville while you can.

Sponsor Spotlight: Rockhouse Partners

Rockhouse Partners, a technology-based entertainment agency in Nashville, started its first clients on WordPress in 2009 and has not deviated.

According to Dale Liszka, lead developer at Rockhouse, the flexibility, power and ease of WordPress make it an ideal platform from which to manage large numbers of clients and empower those same clients to add content of their own. RockHouse Partners WordCamp Sponsor

“It is incredibly friendly and intuitive for all levels of technical ability.” he says.

Rockhouse Partners was designed to fill a growing digital gap between live entertainment companies and their fans by driving revenue for music, sports and other live events. In addition to getting clients on WordPress, the agency builds marketing calendars, develops content strategies, measures and monitor metrics and creates programs to drive long-term value.

rockhouse parters

The team at Rockhouse Partners at the 2012 SoBro festival.

Clients include The Orange Peel, Summercamp Festival, Lucky Man Concerts, The Cats Cradle, and Richmond Coliseum, as well as multiple concert promoters, music venues, festivals and state fairs.

WordPress powers Rockhouse, literally. All Rockhouse website clients use it and Rockhouse uses it for their company website.

The efficiency and continuity of a single-platform approach helped make the company an attractive acquisition target. Formed as a spin-off from Ticketmaster, Rockhouse was acquired by Etix, the largest independent ticketing company in the United States, in 2011.

“We knew WordPress would be the best choice for us and we have not been disappointed,” Liszka says.

Rockhouse Partners, Nashville, TN
Facebook: Rockhouse Partners
Twitter: @rhrpartners
Contact: Call 615.873.0924 or email Hello@RockhousePartners

WordCamp Nashville 2013 tickets on sale

Tickets are available. Right now.

Hop online and buy your WordCamp Nashville ticket – $20 for a day of learning, laughing, liveliness and lunch. Use the ticket form to select your lunch option (yes, we have vegetarian and vegan choices) and identify the track that fits the best.

WordCamp Nashville

Photo from WordCamp Nashville 2012 courtesy of Patricia Melton.

But please remember – WordCampers can attend any session, regardless of track. We need a general idea for planning purposes. The tracks:

1. Boot Camp: Learn to use WordPress
2. Specialization Training: Make WordPress work for you: Themes, Plugins, SEO & more
3. DevOps: PHP, Theming, Plugins & other tricks

We don’t like labels much, either, and we know attendees will range from “thinking about using WordPress” to “using WordPress but know I’m missing something” to awesome designers, developers and those who do both or what to start doing one.

Think of WordCamp Nashville 2013 as boot camp for all levels. At WordCamp, though, we encourage fraternization. You are not locked in to any track.

Buy WordCamp Nashville 2013 tickets. Now.
https://2013.nashville.wordcamp.org/register/

Second Hotel Option Announced for #wcn13

We’ve got a second hotel option confirmed for WordCamp Nashville 2013 participants – the Four Points Brentwood by Sheraton.

Rooms are $99 and available for WordCamp attendees and presenters from April 16 through April 22, 2013. To take advantage of the rate, book by April 5.

To book rooms, access a special page the hotel set up for us:
WordCamp Nashville/Four Points Brentwood by Sheraton.

HOTEL ADDRESS
FOUR POINTS BRENTWOOD by SHERATON
760 Old Hickory Boulevard
Brentwood, TN 37027
Phone: (615) 964-5500

Traveling Campers – Reserve Rooms by April 4

For WordCamp Nashville 2013 we’ve reserved a block of rooms at the Courtyard Nashville Brentwood and hope to add at least one more lodging option.

WordCamp Nashville hotel

Check out the work area at the Courtyard Nashville Brentwood. Photo: Courtyard Nashville Brentwood, a Marriott hotel.

The special rate is $99 per night but rooms must be booked by April 4. Attendees have two ways to book their rooms:

Call Marriott Central Reservations at 800-321-2211 and ask for the Word Camp 2013 located at the Courtyard Nashville Brentwood.

Book online with the below links.
Book KING at Courtyard Nashville Brentwood for $99 per night.
Book DOUBLE at Courtyard Nashville Brentwood for $99 per night.

WORDCAMP NASHVILLE 2013 rates are available for both Friday and Saturday nights, April 19 and 20, with checkout on Sunday, April 21.

Courtyard Nashville Brentwood
103 East Park Drive
Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 USA

WordCamp Nashville 2013 Sessions and Speaker Submissions

Deadline extended through March 15
WordCamp Nashville 2013 will show WordPress is an amazing, versatile and powerful platform but also will spotlight people in Middle Tennessee who use it. Three tracks will offer participants at all levels opportunities to network and learn.

We invite WordPress users, designers and developers to submit proposals for the topics below or suggest others. Don’t be shy or dally – the deadline is March 8. EXTENDED TO MARCH 15.

Track 1: A Beginner’s Bootcamp
At day’s end, beginner users should be able to log into WordPress, create and edit a post, add images and widgets, choose a theme, and install a plugin. We broke the day into these sessions and need speakers for each. If you would like to speak on one of these topics, please use the form.

Kenneth White WordCamp Nashville

Kenneth White talks about categories and tags at WordCamp Nashville 2012. Photo by Patricia Mercer

    WordPress Bootcamp– basics to get started, including WordPress dashboard, writing panel, settings
    Creating Content – posts, pages, categories and top 5 plugins to use for customization
    Images and Widgets – adding and customizing
    Themes – choosing, installing and configuring
    Plugins – selecting, installing and configuring

Track 2: A Specialized Training Camp
This intermediate track targets people who have WordPress installed and used it for 3-6 months. These users want to take their blog or site to the next level. We have thought of three ideas (below) and are looking for a few more ideas for talks in this area. Please use the form to submit your ideas. Working ideas:

    How to use SEO in WordPress,
    How to start developing in WordPress
    How to use WordPress for small and medium businesses

Track 3: A Dev Tools Bootcamp
We’d like to focus on specific tools people use to develop in WordPress. We have thought of four ideas (below) and are looking for two more ideas for talks in this area. Please use the form to submit your ideas. Working ideas:

    VIM and WordPress
    SAAS and WordPress
    WP Dev Resources
    Designing for Developers in WordPress

For all three tracks, the 1 p.m. session will be a networked keynote presentation. The topics for Track 1 are set but those in Tracks 2 and 3 are suggestions.

Regardless of track, we’ll ask all speakers to share a bit of background about their introduction to WordPress. The diversity and depth of experience, talent and enthusiasm among Middle Tennessee’s growing WordPress community is inspiring.

Help us spread it!

Submit a speaker proposal for WordCamp Nashville 2013.