Category: tech

1. At least 40 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, medics say  Reuters
2. LIVE: Death toll mounts in Gaza, Lebanon as Israel ramps up strikes  Al Jazeera English
3. At least 37 Palestinians killed across Gaza on Monday  Middle East Eye
4. Israeli fire kills 30 Palestinians as tanks roll into central Gaza camp  Reuters
5. Netanyahu Pushes on With Occupying Gaza, but Trump May Force a Change in the War  Haaretz

We’re thrilled to announce the much-anticipated return of DjangoCon Europe, set to take place in the vibrant city of Dublin, Ireland, in 2025! DjangoCon Europe has been a cornerstone of the Django community, bringing together developers and enthusiasts from all over Europe and beyond to celebrate and advance the Django web framework.

Save the Dates

Mark your calendars for DjangoCon Europe 2025, which will be held from April 23th to 27th. The conference will host a balanced mix of insightful talks, hands-on workshops, and ample opportunities for networking and socialising with fellow Django enthusiasts.

Explore Dublin

With its rich history and vibrant tech scene, Dublin is the perfect backdrop for this year’s conference. Dublin’s thriving tech community and innovative spirit make it an ideal host for DjangoCon Europe. Plus, the city’s lively culture, breathtaking architecture, and friendly locals are sure to provide an unforgettable experience.

Call for Proposals

DjangoCon Europe wouldn’t be the same without the insightful and diverse talks contributed by our community. We encourage you to consider submitting a proposal to share your knowledge, experiences, and insights with the Django community. Keep an eye out for the Call for Proposals (CFP) announcement. This is your chance to contribute to the conference program and help make DjangoCon Europe 2025 exceptional.

Get Involved

DjangoCon Europe is a community-driven event, and we rely on the active participation and support of our community members. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

• Attend: Join us in Dublin for a week of learning, networking, and fun.
• Speak: Share your expertise by submitting a talk proposal when the CFP opens.
• Sponsor: Support the conference financially and gain visibility in the Django community (email us at [email protected])
• Volunteer: Help us make the conference run smoothly by volunteering your time and skills (https://forms.gle/xmwxssiheMa1oCvPA)

Stay tuned for updates on registration, sponsorship opportunities, and more by following DjangoCon Europe on Twitter and Linkedin.

Stay Informed

To stay up-to-date with the latest DjangoCon Europe 2025 news, visit our website and follow us on Twitter & Linkedin. We will be sharing details about the schedule, speakers, and more in the coming months, so make sure you’re on the list!

We can’t wait to see you in Dublin for DjangoCon Europe 2025. Get ready for a week of learning, networking, and celebrating all things Django. It’s going to be an unforgettable event, and we look forward to sharing this experience with you. Thank you for being a part of our amazing Django community!

See you in Dublin! 🍀

PS: Keep an eye on our social media for special offer we will have during the upcoming holiday season 😉

You’ll likely need the help of several WordPress plugins to build a successful food blog, but none are as important as the mighty recipe plugin. To put it in perspective, if I were thinking of a recipe blog as a pie, the recipe plugin would be the biggest piece of that pie and the ice cream à la mode. It’s that big of a deal. 

A recipe plugin is basically a tiny little translator that meticulously parses and organizes the details of a recipe into robot-ready pieces of data that search engines need to display your content accurately and beautifully in search results. But that’s not all it does.

Recipe plugins serve three main purposes:

• They supply search engines with the structured data needed to display your recipes accurately in search results with rich snippets. If this sounds like gobbledygook, don’t worry—we’ll explain it more below.
• They provide an easy-to-use recipe template for you, making it simple to add a recipe to your WordPress post without hassle.
• They give readers a visually consistent, well-organized recipe format, often including useful features like ingredient checkboxes, unit converters, and serving size adjustments.

Search Engine Optimization

Recipe plugins work behind the scenes (as the tiny translators) to add structured data to every recipe you publish. This structured data (specifically JSON-LD) makes it easy for search engines to understand and showcase your recipes in search results with extra details like images, videos, ingredients, cook times, ratings, and more.

When these enhanced details appear in search, they’re known as rich snippets, and they’re what makes your recipe stand out. This can increase your click-through rate (CTR) and boost your search rankings because of the extra information shown for your content within the search itself. 

Luckily, you don’t need to worry too much about structured data. Just know that a good recipe plugin adds this data to display rich results, like Google’s rich snippets or Pinterest’s Rich Pins.

Here’s a fun fact: Pinterest, essentially a visual search engine, is a major traffic driver for food bloggers. With constant algorithm changes in search, diversifying your traffic sources is always a smart strategy.

Here are a few examples of how rich snippets are displayed in Google and Pinterest search results:

Templates for adding a recipe to a post

Let’s not forget that recipes are really just instructions. Using a clear, organized template helps you include all of the important details that your recipe plugin needs to create the structured data.

Here’s an example of a recipe card template from the WP Recipe Maker plugin. You’ll find a similar template with each of the plugins we recommend.

Improved reader experience

Recipe cards come jam-packed with reader-friendly features designed to make cooking easier—like the popular “jump to recipe” button at the top of recipe posts.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options. Try to focus on a handful of features that truly add value for your readers. For instance, if your site is focused on baking, a unit converter is a must-have. 

Some of the most useful reader-facing features include:

• Accurate unit conversions – Test these out, as not all converters are created equally! 
• Recipe scaling options – Adjust servings by 1/2x, 2x, or 3x.
• User ratings display – Helps readers feel confident in the recipe they’re about to make.
• ‘Jump to recipe’ button – A shortcut to “jump” the reader from the top of the post to the recipe.
• Hands-free cook mode – Keeps the screen awake for readers while cooking.
• Customizable templates – Allows you to easily style the recipe card to match your brand without the help of a developer.

Here’s an example of hands-free cook mode in Mediavine Create:

How to choose a recipe plugin

Starting a food blog often comes with a bit of a learning curve, but being a great recipe writer doesn’t mean you also need to be a tech expert. When deciding on a recipe plugin, choose one that aligns with your current comfort level and can support your needs as you grow. 

When evaluating plugins these are a few of the most important things we recommend looking for:

Actively maintained plugins

“Actively maintained” means the plugin receives regular updates, ideally every few months. Recipe publishing evolves quickly, and it’s essential that the team behind this vital part of your site stays on top of the latest changes in search, ad placements, and performance optimization.

Community feedback

The next thing you want to consider is reviews. If it’s free in the WordPress.com plugin repository and the WordPress.org plugin repository, then you can find reviews there. If it’s a premium plugin that’s not in the repository, you can look on the website for testimonials or reviews. 

It’s also helpful to ask for recommendations from other food bloggers; Facebook groups and Reddit forums for food bloggers are excellent resources.

Evaluate support

Free plugins on WordPress offer a support forum—take a peek to see if questions are promptly answered. Premium plugins may handle support through a dedicated support channel or email. Try reaching out with pre-sales questions, and if you get a helpful response, that’s a great sign. If support seems lacking, you might want to keep looking.

The technical parts

JSON-LD is the preferred schema markup for search engines like Google and Pinterest, so verify that your recipe plugin includes it. 

For search engines to interpret your recipe accurately, your plugin needs to support all required and recommended structured data fields. Google provides a list of these fields, so double-check that your plugin covers them all. 

Once installed, test the plugin by completing the fields in the template and running the recipe post through Google’s Rich Results Test to catch any errors or warnings.

Popular recipe plugins

Investing in a paid recipe plugin may seem intimidating at first, but it’s one of the best (bite-sized) investments you can make as a food blogger because it offers you so many benefits that are important to get right from the start. Many plugins offer a lighter free version or a trial period, so I strongly encourage you to test out a few options before making a decision.

WP Recipe Maker

WP Recipe Maker (WPRM) is a powerful recipe plugin, with over 50,000 active installations. They offer a free version, along with premium upgrades that are definitely worth considering. This plugin is the most feature-rich of all of the options. 

The main drawback is that WPRM can be somewhat complex to set up with so many features to enable, disable, and customize. It will require some effort, and if you have an eye for design, you may need to customize the templates to achieve a polished look.

Tasty Recipes

Tasty Recipes is part of the WP Tasty plugin suite of plugins, all built for bloggers. While they don’t offer a free version, they do have a 14-day free trial. It’s the easiest of the bunch to set up, and the cards are beautiful right out of the box. It has everything you need and nothing you don’t!

Create

Create is a popular free option developed by Mediavine, a full-service ad management company. With a selection of well-designed card templates and a responsive support team, it’s a solid choice for food bloggers. Create also offers built-in functionality for list and how-to cards if you publish more than recipes. 

The only downside of Create is that it doesn’t receive updates as frequently as some other plugins. 

Start a food blog on WordPress.com

Start sharing your favorite recipes with a blog hosted on WordPress.com.

Run ads and install plugins, including your favorite recipe plugin, on our Business plan, and let us manage the rest. Get unlimited traffic, unstoppable security, and the power of WordPress, all for one low price.

Today we’ve issued the 5.1.3 bugfix release.

The release package and checksums are available from our downloads page, as well as from the Python Package Index. The PGP key ID used for this release is Mariusz Felisiak: 2EF56372BA48CD1B.

Imagine you’re sitting in your favorite coffee shop. Your latte is hot, your laptop is open, and you’re ready to write your next brilliant blog post. Where others see a blank page, you see a limitless sea of possibility, waiting to be filled with your persuasive prose and captivating copy.

You start tapping away at the keys, sipping your coffee, thrilled with your progress.

Then you try reading what you’ve written and realize it’s hard to follow. In fact, you’re not exactly sure what you’re even trying to say. If you’re confused, your readers will be confused too. The awesome article you hoped to write is turning into a mess.

Where did you go wrong? You started writing without creating an outline first.

It’s an easy mistake to make. Fortunately, it’s also a mistake you never need to make again. We’re going to show you how to create effective blog post outlines that will help you write better articles more quickly. Plus, we’ll give you a copy-and-paste template to make the task even easier.

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Table of Contents:

1. The essential elements of an effective outline
2. Step 1: Figure out your topic
3. Step 2: Figure out your angle
4. Step 3: Determine the format for your post
5. Step 4: Figure out the main points of your post
6. Step 5: Nail down the specific subpoints you’ll make in each section
7. Step 6: Think about your conclusion
8. Step 7: Review the structure of your outline
9. An example blog post outline you can follow
10. Use this copy and paste template
11. When should you write an outline?
    1. Does it ever make sense to skip an outline?
12. Now you’re ready to make your writing life easier

---

The essential elements of an effective outline

Blog post outlines are simple documents that describe the angle and structure of your article. They make it easier to write clearly and efficiently while staying focused on your topic. At a minimum, a good outline should include the following items:

• Your topic: What are you writing about?
• Your angle: What’s your perspective on that topic?
• Your structure: What specific points will you make to support your angle?

You can also include working titles, though some writers prefer to write headlines after their post is finished. This helps make sure your selected headline actually fits the finished article.

Different writers have different approaches to creating outlines. Steal this process to get started, then feel free to adapt it to fit your own needs.

Step 1: Figure out your topic

Get specific with what you want to write about.

Let’s say you want to write about your most recent vacation. You had an awesome time and you’re sure your readers want to hear about it. But rather than summarizing the entire trip, you want to share a story about something specific. You could start narrowing down your topic by asking:

• Where did you go?
• Why did you go there?
• When did you visit?
• How did you travel there?
• What did you do at your destination?

These are simple questions but there is a purpose to this exercise. I’ll share some example answers from an actual vacation my wife and I went on:

1. Where: Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine.
2. Why: To see the fall colors, to see a state we’ve never been to before, and to see where the sun first rises in the United States.
3. When: In the fall (to see those leaves along the mountainside turning colors).
4. How: Plane and two rental cars (the first car got hit by a semi-truck).
5. What we did: All kinds of stuff! Hiking, climbing, catching lobsters in a net, and more.

From this simple list, you can see there are a ton of topics I could write about. What happens when you get into a vehicular accident with a rental car on vacation (and how did we survive)? What’s it like taking a tour on a lobster boat? What does it look like when the leaves hit peak fall colors in New England?

Suddenly, our blog post about a vacation just got a lot more interesting, and it might actually turn into multiple different blog posts on specific topics that people might enjoy. By asking yourself the five W’s (what, when, where, why, and the honorary 5th W, how), you can break down any broad topic into more specific points too.

If you need a spark of inspiration, here’s over 100 ideas for blog posts you can borrow.

Step 2: Figure out your angle

Anyone can copy content they’ve found through Google but not everyone can bring a unique perspective to their topic. That’s where developing an angle for your blog post comes in.

An angle is the intersection of your topic and your perspective. It’s part of what blog post introductions are intended to establish, helping the reader to understand not only what they’re about to read, but why they should care about it in the first place.

For example, to continue with the vacation example from the previous section, let’s say our blog post is about Acadia National Park. Some good angles might include:

• Why is Acadia National Park the best place to see the fall colors in New England?
• What do you wish you knew before tackling the toughest trails in the park?
• Where is the best destination to find a lobster roll near the park?

These angles not only address the topic but also the perspective. Instead of dry facts and information, they give the reader an incentive to care, and they’ll be more likely to click, read, and stick around the blog. That’s the power of having an angle.

Step 3: Determine the format for your post

Different topics will lend themselves more easily to different formats. Here are some types of posts you could consider and when each one might make the most sense for your article:

Type of blog post	Best suited for these types of topics	Example headline
How-to	Instructional guide on completing a task or learning a skill.	How to Get Started With Mountain Climbing
What-is	An extended definition of a term or topic.	What is the Most Difficult Mountain to Climb?
Why-is	Answering a question that people commonly ask (or perhaps don’t ask often enough).	Why is [PRODUCT] the Best Option for [TASK] When Mountain Climbing?
When	Informing readers about what to do in a given set of circumstances.	When Should You Avoid Mountain Climbing If You’re Unsure About the Weather?
Essay	Writing about a personal experience.	What I Learned From Climbing a Mountain
Review	Covering a product you’ve used or want to recommend.	Why I Recommend [PRODUCT] for Mountain Climbing
List	Rounding up your favorite things or options within a category or topic.	10 Things You Should Know Before Mountain Climbing
Comparison	Stacking two products or options against one another.	[MOUNTAIN A] vs. [MOUNTAIN B]: Which One Should Beginners Climb First?
Interview	Sharing a Q&A with an individual or a feature article based on an interview.	A Conversation With a Famous Mountain Climber
Feature Article	Deep dive into an interesting story based on interviews and research.	The Interesting Story About the World’s Best Mountain Climber

There are more types of blog posts that could consider writing, but these are some ideas for common formats that you might choose. What matters most is that you understand which one you are writing before you begin, rather than getting too deep into your post, and realizing that you need to change direction after you have already spent time working on a draft.

If you do decide to pivot or start over, that’s okay too. This process is only meant to avoid that from happening, but there’s no shame in changing your mind.

Step 4: Figure out the main points of your post

One blog post isn’t enough to cover everything about our vacation, so we’ve narrowed down one specific topic. We’ve also narrowed down an angle that combines our topic with our perspective. Next, we need to identify the main points that our blog post needs to make, in order to follow through on our angle.

In order to construct our outline, we’ll identify three to five points we want to make (you can include as many as you need, but if you have fewer than three main sections in your blog post, you might not need to write an outline).

Going back to our vacation example, let’s say I’m writing about what I wish I knew before hiking in Acadia National Park. Here are some things I might want to cover:

1. Know your skill level and choose trails accordingly. 
2. Make sure you have the right footwear for the terrain.
3. If you’re afraid of scaling rock faces, how can you overcome that fear?
4. If you only have enough time for a few trails, which ones should you prioritize?
5. What times are the trails usually the most crowded?

That looks like a solid list. Next, we’ll need to figure out what we’ll say for each of these items.

Step 5: Nail down the specific subpoints you’ll make in each section

Once you have the main points of your blog post mapped out, think about what you’ll say for each one. This can be as simple as two or three bullet points per section.

Let’s take the first item from the list of trail tips in the previous section:

1. Know your skill level and choose trails accordingly
   1. Some trails will stretch your abilities but some are for experts only
   2. You can get a trail map that will help you find ones you’re comfortable with
   3. Difficult trails sometimes have alternate routes you can take if you get tired

Straightforward stuff, right? Continue with each subsection until you have two or three subpoints for all of them.

Step 6: Think about your conclusion

Generally speaking, a conclusion should wrap up the main points of your blog post, and bring your topic to a resolution. But there may be other details here to consider. Take a moment to think through the following:

• Is there a specific action I’d like the reader to take after reading the post, such as signing up for emails, making a donation, purchasing a product, or registering for an event?
• Is there a specific point you really want to drive home before the reader moves on?
• Are there other similar articles on your blog that you could direct the reader toward (and continue to hold onto their attention)?

It’s okay if the answer to one or all of these questions is “no,” but it’s worth taking the time to be intentional about how you’ll end your post. 

Step 7: Review the structure of your outline

Follow steps one through four, and before you know it, you’ll have a completed outline. Take a moment to read it over and make sure your angle fits your topic and everything flows in a logical order. If it doesn’t, try moving some sections around, and see if it clicks. The time you spend on this now can save you much more time later.

An example blog post outline you can follow

Now, let’s take a look at an example outline you can follow. Here’s what the finished product might look like when it’s all said and done:

• Headline: Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Hiking in Acadia National Park
• Format: List
• Introduction (angle): Acadia National Park is a great place to hike, but it’s even better when you know what to be prepared for. Here’s my personal experience.
• Tip 1: Know your skill level and choose trails accordingly
  • Some trails will stretch your abilities but some are for experts only
  • You can get a trail map that will help you find ones you’re comfortable with
  • Difficult trails sometimes have alternate routes you can take if you get tired
• Tip 2: Bring the Right Footwear
  • Good hiking boots are a must on most trails
  • However, decent sandals may be sufficient for some trails
  • Bring multiple pairs of boots and shoes for different situations
• Tip 3: Overcome Your Fear of Treacherous Trails
  • Some trails will take you up rocky portions of mountainside on very narrow walkways
  • They are safe as long as you’re careful (just don’t look down)
  • The rewards are worthwhile when you see the views from the top
• Tip 4: Prioritize Trails to Make the Most of Your Time
  • If you know there are certain types of scenery you want to see the most (mountains, forest, ocean, etc.) choose trails that provide those types of terrain and views
• Tip 5: Hike at Off-Peak Hours (If Possible)
  • The park is very busy
  • Consider hiking in the early morning or evening to beat the crowds
  • Timing your trip outside of peak vacation season can also help alleviate crowding
• Conclusion
  • End with a link to the park’s website to find more information

This is a very quick and simple outline but it’s sufficient for demonstration purposes.

Use this copy and paste template

Now that we’ve walked through the entire process of crafting an outline, here is an easy-to-use template that you can copy and paste into a document. You can edit and update this template however you’d like (some suggestions might be to add sample headlines or a brief two or three-sentence section describing your angle):

• Introduction (what’s the angle of this post?)
• Type of Post:
• Main point 1
  • Subpoint 1
  • Subpoint 2
  • Subpoint 3
• Main point 2
  • Subpoint 1
  • Subpoint 2
  • Subpoint 3
• Main point 3
  • Subpoint 1
  • Subpoint 2
  • Subpoint 3
• Conclusion
• Optional CTA 

When should you write an outline?

If you landed on this article, then odds are you already knew you wanted to write a blog post outline. But you might still have some questions about why we actually take the time to write them in the first place. 

Personally, I know some writers who are meticulous about outlining, and some who skip them entirely. Sometimes you just want to let your consciousness flow onto the page and sometimes that can produce great writing that can’t be planned. I’ve even bounced between being in both camps, sometimes choosing to write outlines, and sometimes choosing to skip them.

So, when does it make sense to put one together, and when can they safely be skipped? Here are some thoughts based on personal experience:

1. You’re writing a long-form post (approximately 1,000 words or more).
2. You’re writing about a complex topic that requires a lot of research to accurately cover.
3. You’re assigning a post to another writer for your blog and need to make sure they understand what you want the post to touch on.

Does it ever make sense to skip an outline?

The point is to clarify your thinking so you can clarify your writing and produce better content more quickly. However, the point is not to follow rules for no reason, and there are times when it may not be necessary to write an outline.

For example, if you’re writing a personal essay for your blog, you might prefer to let your thoughts flow in a more stream of consciousness sort of way. Or if you’re crafting a short news blurb, you could probably write your entire post in the time it’d take to outline it. Use your own judgment, because when it comes to learning what works for you, experience will be your best teacher.

Now you’re ready to make your writing life easier

Writing outlines doesn’t have to take too much time in order to be an effective exercise. Once you get into the habit of writing them before starting on blog posts, and start to see the benefits of doing so, you won’t want to break the habit. Now, go forth and write better blog posts, faster!

Ready to start your own blog? Find out why more bloggers and creators choose WordPress.com. Start your journey here.

In the world of web development, creating custom layouts often feels like a balancing act between functionality and design. But with Gutenberg, WordPress’s powerful block editor, developers now have the tools to craft complex, unique layouts—all without the need for third-party page builders. Whether you’re building a site from scratch or looking to enhance an existing one, Gutenberg offers a streamlined, flexible approach to layout design.

In this post, we dive into five specific Gutenberg blocks that stand out for their versatility and power. 

• Group Block: Allows you to group multiple elements and apply consistent styling across them.
• Columns Block: Enables developers to create multi-column layouts that are fully responsive across all devices.
• Cover Block: Combines visuals with layered content, like text and buttons, to create immersive, standout sections.
• Spacer Block: Provides an easy way to manage consistent spacing throughout a layout without adjusting individual block settings.
• Query Loop Block: Dynamically displays lists of posts or other content, offering flexible filtering and layout options.

These blocks are essential tools for developers who want to create custom layouts that are both visually stunning and fully functional. Keep reading to explore how each block works, see examples of them in action, and learn about potential use cases that can elevate your next project.

Unlock Custom Layouts with the Group Block

When it comes to crafting custom layouts in WordPress, the Group block is one of the most versatile tools in your arsenal. This block allows you to combine multiple elements—such as text, images, and buttons—into a single, cohesive section. By grouping elements together and utilizing the Group block variations, you gain greater control over their positioning, styling, and responsiveness.

Why the Group Block is Powerful

The strength of the Group block lies in its ability to simplify your design process. Instead of having to adjust settings on each element individually, the Group block allows you to apply consistent styling to an entire section. This not only saves time but also ensures that your layouts are cohesive and visually appealing across different devices. It’s also the primary block used for creating fixed elements, such as a sticky header or sidebar.

How to Work with the Group Block

In the screen recording below, you’ll see how the Group block enhances the process of building a hero section by combining elements like images, text, and buttons into one cohesive section. Notice how easily you can adjust the spacing, colors, and alignment, streamlining your design workflow.

Putting the Group Block into Action

The Group block excels at creating reusable modular sections, such as a call-to-action or feature area, that can be deployed consistently across multiple pages. This block is also essential for organizing complex content arrangements into a single, unified section that can be easily updated site-wide. Whether you’re crafting a sticky header or organizing a product showcase, the Group block gives you precise control over how these elements are positioned and styled.

Design with Flexibility Using the Columns Block

The Columns block offers flexibility in organizing content side-by-side, allowing developers to create multi-column layouts that can accommodate grids, comparison sections, or any layout where parallel information is key.

Why Developers Love the Columns Block

The true power of the Columns block lies in its versatility for designing structured layouts. Its flexibility allows you to customize the number of columns, their width, and spacing, from simple two-column layouts to more complex grids. The Columns block is also fully responsive, ensuring layouts automatically adjust across different screen sizes, providing developers with seamless control over visually balanced designs.

See the Columns Block in Action

This recording showcases the Columns block used to create a three-column layout featuring services or products. Notice how columns with multiple components can be duplicated and edited.

When to Use the Columns Block for Maximum Impact

The Columns block is ideal when content needs to be displayed side by side, such as in service comparisons, product grids, or team member profiles. Combining it with the Group block allows for more complex, unified sections with consistent styling while still leveraging the flexibility of columns.

Create Stunning Visual Impact with the Cover Block

After organizing your content with the Group and Columns blocks, the Cover block steps in to add a bold, immersive visual experience. Whether it’s a full-width section with a background image or a full-screen video, the Cover block helps create standout moments on your page, perfect for grabbing your audience’s attention as they scroll.

Why the Cover Block Stands Out

What sets the Cover block apart is its ability to combine beautiful visuals with layered content like text and buttons. This block allows for a sleek, modern look with customizable overlays, and its parallax effect creates a sense of depth as users scroll. It offers developers a visually striking way to engage visitors and direct attention to key content.

How to Use the Cover Block as a Section Break

The following video demonstrates the Cover block being used to create a dynamic section break with a full-width image, overlay text, and a contrasting color filter. Pay attention to how this visually striking break guides users from one section to the next.

Where the Cover Block Shines

Whether for a hero section, a banner to break up sections, or a feature area to emphasize important content, the Cover block works best where you want to make an impression. It’s ideal for landing pages, events, or promotional areas where a mix of powerful visuals and actionable text is needed to guide visitors toward their next step. 

Create Balance and Breathing Room with the Spacer Block

For developers, clean, balanced layouts are crucial to a great user experience. The Spacer block might seem simple at first glance, but its ability to fine-tune the spacing between elements gives you precise control over your design. Rather than manually adjusting margins or padding across multiple blocks, the Spacer block offers a streamlined approach for maintaining consistency throughout your layout.

Why Developers Choose the Spacer Block

One of the key benefits of the Spacer block is its ability to apply consistent spacing without needing to modify each block’s individual settings. For developers managing complex layouts, this can be a huge time-saver. You can insert Spacer blocks between sections to ensure consistent spacing, avoiding the need to repeatedly jump between block settings. This results in a cleaner workflow and a more polished design.

Simplifying Layout Spacing

This clip highlights how the Spacer block ensures balanced spacing between sections. You’ll see how adding Spacer blocks keeps the layout clean and cohesive without needing to adjust individual padding and margins for each element. Plus, see how changing the height of multiple Spacer blocks is one step when you create a Spacer synced pattern.

Where the Spacer Block Adds Efficiency

The Spacer block shines when you need to maintain uniform spacing throughout a project. You can preset its default dimensions or sync it within design patterns, and any future adjustments can be done in one place, saving you time when managing entire page or site-wide updates. For added flexibility, you can apply custom CSS classes to synced Spacer block patterns, making it simple to adjust spacing for different screen sizes. This not only improves the speed of implementation but also ensures consistency across your layouts, whether for landing pages, posts, or custom templates.

Dynamically Display Content with the Query Loop Block

The Query Loop block allows you to easily pull in lists of posts, pages, or custom post types, dynamically displaying content based on specific parameters such as categories, tags, or author. It’s an essential tool for developers who want to showcase content in customizable layouts without needing to manually curate each section.

Why Developers Rely on the Query Loop Block

The Query Loop block provides developers with powerful filtering and display options that are fully customizable. With complete control over how posts are pulled and arranged, developers can customize the Query Loop block to display filtered content based on categories, tags, or other criteria, allowing for tailored blog grids, portfolios, or archive pages that fit seamlessly into their overall site design.

Creating and Enhancing a Custom Query Loop Layout

This example shows how the Query Loop block is configured to display a custom set of blog posts, filtered by category. Notice the versatility and how integrating blocks together enhances the layout, resulting in a dynamic, visually balanced blog section that updates automatically.

Where the Query Loop Block Shines

On sites with frequently updated content, the Query Loop block provides a dynamic solution for showcasing new material. When integrated with other blocks it helps developers create visually engaging layouts that update automatically while keeping a consistent design structure.

Elevate Your Layouts with These 5 Powerful Blocks

These five versatile Gutenberg blocks—Group, Columns, Cover, Spacer, and Query Loop—can transform your layouts, helping you build dynamic, fully customized designs. Whether you’re creating responsive multi-column sections with the Columns block, adding visually striking breaks with the Cover block, or displaying dynamic content with the Query Loop block, these tools empower you to build and refine layouts with precision and creativity.

Each block offers unique strengths, and when used together, they give developers a powerful toolkit to craft sophisticated designs directly within the WordPress editor. By combining these blocks, you can streamline your workflow, maintain consistency, and create layouts that are both visually appealing and highly functional.

Try It Yourself!

Now it’s your turn. Experiment with these blocks in your next project and explore the different ways they can work together to create custom layouts tailored to your needs. In the comments below, share your unique Gutenberg-powered layouts and show us how you’ve applied these blocks to your projects. We’d love to see what you come up with!

Get ready to meet your new development best friend: the Studio Assistant. 

The Studio Assistant is a smart chatbot integrated within Studio, our free and open source local development app, and it’s now available for all Studio users to assist you in building WordPress sites effortlessly.

The Assistant leverages WordPress.com infrastructure and our WordPress knowledge base to provide helpful responses using Retrieval Augmented Generation, so you’ll get tailored-to-WordPress responses every time.

Your handy development companion

Building WordPress sites locally has never been easier. With the Studio Assistant, you can quickly configure new sites, manage existing sites, and run complex WP-CLI commands—all through a simple and intuitive chat interface.

Check out what the Assistant can do directly within the Studio app:

Why you’ll love the Studio Assistant

There are many reasons to love the Studio Assistant, but here are just a few:

• You can speak to the Assistant in any language, and it will respond in the same language, so that you can learn in the language that’s best for you.
• The Assistant gives you the ability to open site files with just one click, so you won’t need to go digging in your site files manually.
• The Assistant uses context about your specific site (like what themes and plugins are installed) to give you tailored responses and suggestions.

But seeing is believing, right? Here are some exciting use cases for the Assistant:

Ask and discover

Say you’re looking for an SEO plugin but are unsure of your options. Ask the Assistant, and you’ll get specific recommendations.

Code and content blocks written for you

When you ask the Assistant to write posts or code, it will provide you with Gutenberg blocks or code that you can simply copy and paste.

Tailored to your site

Moreover, the Studio Assistant is trained on WordPress-specific documentation and has access to a bunch of context about your site; therefore, it’s able to respond with site-specific information and recommendations.

WP-CLI commands with just one click

The Assistant is extra slick because you can run commands inline, removing the steps of installing WP-CLI and running commands in your terminal––simply click Run, and your recommended commands will be run for you:

Elevate your expertise

You’ll also get a handy output about what the suggested commands do, helping you learn as you use the tool. This aligns with our desire to continue giving developers more ways to level-up their development skills and knowledge.

And if that isn’t enough to convince you to incorporate the Studio Assistant into your development workflow, here’s what Hoang Hxn said after he got early access to the feature:

After more than two months of using the Studio Assistant, it has become a great tutor that has helped me learn WordPress 100 times faster. I can ask questions in my native language, and the Studio Assistant can return Vietnamese results, in both complex terms and simple, easy-to-understand language for beginners like me.

In addition, I can execute CLI commands directly and quickly without knowing the technicalities, and I can create sample posts and pages quickly. I can also ask questions for beginners (like “what is the purpose of WordPress plugins?”) without being afraid that they’re “too beginner.”

The Studio Assistant answers these basic questions quickly, accurately, and directly in the Studio app; it prevents me from having to go to forums and wait for my questions to be answered.

Ready to get started with the Studio Assistant?

We thought you might be.

Start leveraging Studio Assistant’s powerful capabilities in just a few steps:

1. Download and install Studio––for free on Windows and Mac.
2. Login with your WordPress.com account (free or paid).
3. Create a new Studio site.
4. Click on the Assistant tab.
5. Start chatting.

Let us know what you think!

We’re thrilled to finally share the Studio Assistant with you. We’d love to hear about some of the tasks you hope to automate with the Studio Assistant in the comments below.

As a reminder, Studio is a free, open source tool, so we welcome any and all feedback in GitHub. Explore other Issues and create your own here.

You can also explore the Studio documentation for more tips on using the Assistant.

Thank you to the 21 individuals who have chosen to stand for election. This page contains their candidate statements submitted as part of the 2025 DSF Board Nominations.

Our deepest gratitude goes to our departing board members, Çağıl Uluşahin Sonmez, Chaim Kirby, Katie McLaughlin; for your contributions and commitment to the Django community ❤️

Those eligible to vote in this election will receive information on how to vote shortly. Please check for an email with the subject line “2025 DSF Board Voting”. Voting will be open until 23:59 on November 15, 2024 Anywhere on Earth.

Any questions? Reach out via email to [email protected].

All candidate statements ¶

To make it simpler to review all statements, here they are as a list of links. Voters: please take a moment to read all statements before voting! It will take some effort to rank all candidates on the ballot. We believe in you.

1. Abigail Gbadago — Accra, Ghana
2. Alex Gómez — Barcelona, Spain
3. Amir Tarighat — New York
4. Ariane Djeupang Jocelyne — Yaounde, Cameroon
5. Bhuvnesh Sharma — India
6. Chris Achinga — Mombasa, kenya
7. Cory Zue — Cape Town, South Africa
8. David Vaz — Porto, Portugal
9. Gabriel Arias Romero — Mexico
10. Jeff Triplett — Lawrence, KS USA
11. Julius Nana Acheampong Boakye — Accra Ghana
12. Keanya Phelps — Chicago IL US
13. Kevin Renskers — The Netherlands
14. Kátia Yoshime Nakamura — Berlin, Germany
15. Lilian — United States
16. Marcelo Elizeche Landó — Paraguay
17. Paolo Melchiorre — Italy
18. Patryk Bratkowski — Europe
19. Priya Pahwa — India, Asia
20. Tom Carrick — Amsterdam, Netherlands
21. Vitaly Semotiuck — Rzeszow, Poland

Abigail Gbadago Accra, Ghana ¶

View personal statement

Hi,

I am Abigail(Afi), a DSF member who has contributed to the Django Ecosystem for about four years. I have held the following positions in the community:

• Leadership council member for Black Python Devs (current)
• Open Source Program Manager for Black Python Devs – I am managing 39 of our community members make their first steps in open source (current)
• Programs Team member for DjangoCon US 2024
• Contributed in organizing Django Girls Zanzibar (2023) ahead of the first DjangoCon Africa, co-organiser of Django Girls in Kwahu-Ghana (2019), and coach at Django Girls Ho-Ghana; 2018, 2024 and Zanzibar (2023)
• DjangoCon US Speaker 2023, you can watch my talk here: Strategies for Handling Conflicts and Rollbacks with Django

I have extensive experiences with the community, which have contributed to my growth, and I believe serving on the board is a good way to give back. As such, I am positive that I would bring a refreshing perspective to the board and be a good match for community integration with Django.

As a board member, I plan to increase interactions between the DSF and its user base by providing an official mailing list highlighting non-technical and technical updates that will keep Django users up-to-date with current developments and build a relationship with our user base. Through this, I aim to gather djangonauts from everywhere to support creating the next leaders of the Django community.

In addition, I would like to use my experience in fostering Strategic Partnerships and Fundraising in the nonprofit space to help the DSF Fundraising WG find more sponsors for the DSF. While working with a community, I fostered vital partnerships with about 10 organisations, which contributed to reaching our Fundraising and Partnerships goal despite most organisations slashing nonprofit donations.

As such, I believe those skills, coupled with my community experience, will contribute to the growth of the Django Community, especially when we attract sponsors and increase their efforts and visibility on our social media.

Alex Gómez Barcelona, Spain ¶

View personal statement

I began developing with Django at version 1.11 and have been an avid user since. I am a member of Djangonaut Space and was previously a Djangonaut in the program. I’m also an active member of Python Spain and Python Barcelona and have coached at multiple DjangoGirls workshops.

I believe the next few years will be crucial for Django’s future. It’s important for us to remain relevant and ensure that Django continues to be a choice for new projects, not just for maintaining existing ones.

The DSF needs an executive director, we’ve reached the limit of what a volunteer board can do or be asked to do. This is my first and main priority for 2025 and I believe without such a change we will struggle to meaningfully advance.

An obstacle to enacting an executive director is the need to expand the foundation’s funding and pool of sponsors, and I propose that one of our most effective ways to achieve this is by expanding our communications. Too little of the Django user base is reached by the DSF and other non-official Django communications, leaving a wide userbase who may be very willing to support the project but do not know they can.

In support of these goals, I will also make the website a priority. We’re years into attempting to revamp it, the last successful attempt being a decade ago. The website working group is not yet finalized, an executive director will help us push this forward.

The DSF needs fresh perspectives, and with your support I believe I will bring positive changes to the Django community.

Amir Tarighat New York ¶

View personal statement

Hi DSF board members! My name is Amir Tarighat and I’m a software engineer and long time user of Django. I think since version ~1.8. I live in NYC.

I’m 3x VC backed founder and an active investor, currently I am the CEO of Agency which is a Y Combinator backed company.

I’m an expert in cybersecurity and compliance, and have served on several boards including one non-profit and an elected neighborhood council position.

I would love to serve the Django community and help grow its use by helping with fundraising, community events and sponsorships, and with anything security or compliance related. I’d also love to help with anything startup related.

Ariane Djeupang Jocelyne Yaounde, Cameroon ¶

View personal statement

I am Ariane Djeupang, a junior project manager, Community builder and freelance Machine Learning Engineer from Cameroon.

As a young Black African woman in STEM from the francophone region of Africa and an active DSF member, I’ve dedicated my career to fostering inclusivity and representation in the tech community and I am confident that I bring a unique perspective to the table. My extensive experience organizing major events like:

• DjangoCon US 2024,
• DjangoCon Africa 2023, and
• PyCon Africa 2020 (as a volunteer) | 2024 (as an IOC member ) has equipped me with the skills and insights needed to drive inclusivity and community engagement.

My journey has been fueled by a passion for diversity and representation. I have seen firsthand the incredible impact that inclusive environments can have on underrepresented communities, especially in Africa, and I am dedicated to amplifying these voices within the Django ecosystem. As a mentor in the both the Python and the Django Community, as well as a mentor and community manager at BEL’S AI Initiative in Cameroon, I have empowered many young technologists, fostering a supportive and inclusive community.

I aim to bridge the gap between the DSF Board and our vibrant African community, ensuring that our unique perspectives and needs are heard and addressed. I am committed to being the voice of Africa within the board and representing the board within my community. By voting for me, you are supporting a vision of inclusivity, innovation, and growth for the Django community.

To achieve this, I plan to:

• Launch official DSF multilingual mentoring programs, targeted at underrepresented groups from Africa, with plans to expand globally.
• Introduce the Django Diversity Incubator, offering resources, workshops, scholarships, and global hackathons to underrepresented groups around the world.
• Create a Django Open Source Fellows interns role, to welcome new people into code and non-code contributions.

Thank you for your consideration.

Bhuvnesh Sharma India ¶

View personal statement

Hi everyone! I’m excited to throw my hat in the ring for the DSF Board of Directors.

To me, there appears to be a critical component that could benefit from increased attention: social media and marketing. And I believe It’s time we start giving Django the social media attention it deserves.

Let’s be real: If we master this social media game, Django’s reach will explode, and the entire ecosystem will thrive.

The more we boost Django’s presence online, the more up-and-coming developers will flock to it. And with that surge in usage comes the rise of Django-focused communities—stronger, more engaged, and constantly growing.

Now, here’s where it gets exciting: more visibility leads to a snowball effect.

• Visibility drives growth: More eyes on Django → more users → more contributors
• Quality fuels adoption: More contributors → better Django → increased commercial usage
• Success attracts support: Increased usage → more sponsors → resources for further expansion

Then guess what? We loop back to the start: Django gets bigger, stronger, and better.

Here are few-of-many pointers that I am aiming to start with during my tenure as a board member:

• Boost Django’s presence in Asia through targeted outreach and events.
• Launch Django Ambassadors program to recognize influential community members.
• Facilitate non-coding contributions to Django (design, content, event organizing).
• Create a volunteer layer between the DSF and interested individuals who are eager to contribute to specific working groups (WGs).
• Produce engaging social media content similar to Feature Fridays.

I am highly motivated to lead Django’s social media and marketing as a Board member. I have more high-level plans and ideas in mind, and I’m focused on finding the right time and people for their execution. Additionally, I would represent the Asia region and bring valuable diversity in the DSF board. You can read more about my plans in the blog here: Making Django Unstoppable: My Plan to Boost Visibility and Drive Growth

Now talking about myself, I am a django core contributor and have been involved with DSF for around past 1.5 years as a DSF member. I also did Google Summer of Code with Django in 2023 and mentored in Google Summer of Code 2024 with Django. Apart from code contributions I have contributed to Django in various others ways:

• I am Co-Chair at the social media WG at DSF. (all the Feature Fridays posts are created by me 🙂 )
• I was a navigator at Djangonaut Space’s first session.
• I recently started a community called Django India with an aim to popularize Django in India.

Excited for what lies ahead!

Chris Achinga Mombasa, kenya ¶

View personal statement

My journey as a software developer has been profoundly shaped by the power of community. From the outset, participating in developer meetups and events, particularly DjangoCon Africa, has not only strengthened my technical skills but also reshaped my understanding of growth—both personal and professional.

Driven by a desire to make a meaningful difference, I am pursuing a position on the Django Software Foundation Board. I bring a commitment to promoting diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility within the Django ecosystem. As a vocal advocate for African and minority communities, I believe my presence on the Board would add a valuable perspective to the DSF’s mission, ensuring that emerging developers from underrepresented backgrounds find opportunities, resources, and community support in Django.

My experience with the Swahilipot Hub Foundation, a Kenyan NGO supporting youth along the coast, has equipped me with essential skills in community engagement and in applying technology for social good. Through this role, I have developed Django-based solutions that empower community self-management—an experience that has reinforced my belief in Django’s potential to uplift communities around the globe. On the DSF Board, I aim to serve not only as a representative for these communities but also as a mentor and technical guide.

Cory Zue Cape Town, South Africa ¶

View personal statement

I’m running for the board because I love Django, I’ve built my career on it, I want to see it succeed for another 20 years, and I think I can help.

My background is as a Django user and educator. I’ve built several successful products on Django, spoken at multiple DjangoCons and PyCons and have published many popular articles and videos about using Django. I currently run a Django boilerplate product that helps people build apps and start businesses on top of Django. I’m also a member of the DSF and the social media working group.

My platform is relatively simple. I don’t want Django to get left behind. I’ve seen old frameworks like Rails and Laravel continually reinvent themselves, bringing new cohorts of web developers into the fold, while Django has largely stayed the same.

Part of the issue is Django’s reluctance to adopt modern technologies— with better front end being at the top of my list. But I don’t have unrealistic aspirations of adding HTMX, Tailwind, or React to Django, so much as starting the conversation about how the Django ecosystem can have a better story for people who want to use those things.

The other part—and the part I hope to help with more—is cultural. Specifically, getting Django to do a better job at selling itself. This means working harder to pitch and position Django as a great, modern framework for building apps. As well as creating more opportunities and incentives for funding Django.

If elected, I’ll try to be a voice on the board that pushes Django forwards, while understanding that I will often get pushed back. Let’s keep Django great for another 20 years!

David Vaz Porto, Portugal ¶

View personal statement

I am a software developer with over 20 years of experience and have been passionate about Django since 2007, starting with version 0.96. Over the years, I have not only built my career around Django and Python, but I have also actively contributed to expanding the Django community. My journey has led me to found a consultancy firm focused on these technologies, and I’ve dedicated my efforts to bringing new developers into the community and fostering its growth.

In 2019, during DjangoCon Europe in Copenhagen, I strongly desired to take my community involvement to the next level. I proposed to organize DjangoCon Europe 2020 in Portugal. Though the pandemic reshaped those plans, I co-organized the first virtual-only DjangoCon Europe in 2020, another virtual edition in 2021, and the first hybrid event in 2022. Our 2022 edition set a new record, with over 500 in-person attendees and 200+ online participants. The experience has been gratifying, and I continue to be actively involved in the community by co-organizing DjangoCon Europe 2024 in Vigo, Spain, and preparing for DjangoCon Europe 2025 in Dublin, Ireland.

In addition to my work with Django, I am deeply committed to the growth of the Python community in Portugal. In 2022, I co-founded PyCon Portugal, intending to host the conference in a different city each year to maximize its reach and impact. The first edition in Porto succeeded, followed by Coimbra in 2023, which attracted participants from over 25 countries. By the time of this election, PyCon Portugal 2024 in Braga will have concluded, furthering our goal of uniting and strengthening the Portuguese Python community.

I am enthusiastic, committed, and pragmatic. In every initiative I’ve taken, I strive to make a positive and meaningful impact, influencing and empowering those around me. My experience organizing large-scale events, building communities, and fostering collaboration can be valuable to the Django Software Foundation.

I look forward to contributing my skills and dedication to help guide the DSF’s efforts in the years ahead.

Gabriel Arias Romero Mexico ¶

View personal statement

solo soy un fan y me encanta el framework

Jeff Triplett Lawrence, KS USA ¶

View personal statement

I’m running for the Django Software Foundation board of directors to help serve the community and reshape the board and foundation.

The key to making the DSF more sustainable is the stability that hiring an Executive Director brings. From day-to-day communications to supporting the Django Fellows to improving our ability to fundraise, everything revolves around having someone whose job is to run and support the foundation. I believe an ED will help Django get a seat to more conversations involving open source and web standards that we get passed over today.

I bring over two decades of non-profit experience, including co-founding DEFNA (the other Django non-profit) and serving on the Python Software Foundation, including leadership roles (Treasurer and Vice Chair). I have also helped organize DjangoCon US for over a decade, and we have seen many community members and leaders grow through that community-building experience. I’m an advisor for Black Python Devs and have been a mentor through the Djangonaut Space project.

I want to revise and revisit our sponsorship plans and fundraising goals. They have not changed much over the years despite companies’ needs changing significantly. We did this with the PSF, and it increased the number of developers in resident roles (the PSF’s version of Fellows) we could fund. It’s time for the DSF to revise our plans.

I want to revise our approach to DjangoCons and other “why aren’t they called DjangoCon” community events. Why aren’t more of these promoted or listed through the Django website?

I firmly believe in the Campsite Rule: “Always leave the campground cleaner than you found it.” I feel good about the mark I have left on the Django and Python communities over this past decade, and I am happy to serve the Django community in a more significant role if given the opportunity.

Julius Nana Acheampong Boakye Accra Ghana ¶

View personal statement

I’m excited to nominate myself for the Django Software Foundation’s Board of Directors. With 4 years of experience in the tech industry, I’ve seen the impact Django can have on a project’s success. I’ve contributed to the community through speaking at conferences, organizers global DjangoCon conference , teaching Django on campuses and am committed to using my skills to help the board make informed decisions.

My goals are to increase diversity and inclusion within the community and improve the overall health and stability of the Django project. If elected, I promise to be an active and engaged member, always putting the needs of the community first.

Thank you for considering my nomination. I’m excited to serve the Django community and contribute to its continued success.

Keanya Phelps Chicago IL US ¶

View personal statement

I am excited to submit my candidacy for the Django Software Foundation (DSF) board. Having transitioned into software development after a career change, I feel like I bring a unique perspective to the challenges and opportunities within the Django ecosystem. I am deeply passionate about diversity, inclusion, and mentorship,

My journey into tech by way of Django, has been shaped by collaboration, continuous learning, and the support of mentors, which is why I am eager to give back to the Django community. I am particularly enthusiastic about contributing to initiatives that promote diverse voices and create inclusive environments where everyone feels empowered too contribute and to leave things better than how they found them.

In addition to my commitment to diversity, I am driven by a love of running projects, research, and collaboration.

As a member of the DSF board, I would bring fresh ideas, a collaborative spirit, and a dedication to making Django an even more inclusive, forward-thinking community.

Kevin Renskers The Netherlands ¶

View personal statement

I’ve been using Django since 2009, and apart from blogging about Django for 15 years, I’ve always been mostly on the sidelines. It’s about time to get more involved with the community, share my experience and expertise, offer my time. I’m mainly interested in the enforcement of the Django trademark and code of conduct, ensuring a healthy community.

Kátia Yoshime Nakamura Berlin, Germany ¶

View personal statement

I am a Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience, working with Django both personally and professionally since 2015. My journey with Django started in 2015 when I attended my first Django Girls event in Brazil. Since then, I’ve built my career around Django, contributing to the community while actively attending, participating in and helping organize Python and Django conferences/events.

In 2018 and 2019, I helped organize PyCon Balkan in Belgrade (Serbia). Since 2016, I’ve coached and organized Django Girls workshops around the world, including in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Budapest (Hungary), Brno (Czechia), Belgrade (Serbia), Porto (Portugal), and Vigo (Spain).

Over the past few years, I’ve been deeply involved in DjangoCon events, particularly in Europe, where I’ve volunteered and organized Django Girls workshops.

Since 2020, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a board member of the Django Software Foundation (DSF). The pandemic brought us significant challenges, but we’ve built a resilient team, eager to push Django forward with fresh perspectives and new solutions. I’ve also been involved in the early efforts to shape a long-term plan for future conferences across Europe, focusing on engaging more organizers and selecting host teams earlier – up to two years in advance – for better flexibility and planning. However, there’s still more we aim to achieve.

I’d love to keep supporting our Django community as a board member, promoting more diversity and inclusiveness while encouraging collaboration and exciting initiatives.

Lilian United States ¶

View personal statement

I’m Lilian 👋, a DSF Member, Django ORM contributor, and Djangonaut Space Coordinator.

Lots of talent is locked up in the industry simply due to gatekeeping. Let’s improve processes and tap into this pool of talent, so we can move Django forward in the right direction.

The DSF should do more to facilitate the connection between newcomers and maintainers. Let’s create a space where we provide the support system they need to collaborate productively, for technical teams and working groups alike.

We also need to facilitate bolder decision making. For the framework: sponsored features and fundamentals like async support, JIT, type annotations. For the Foundation: more transparency, an Executive Director, a newsletter.

How can we achieve this?

1. Coordination with the Steering Council for tech decisions, via a Board Liaison role.
2. Gather feedback from program organizers to determine gaps that need support.
3. Facilitate collaboration among newcomers and maintainers.
4. Better marketing: such as promoting community initiatives.
5. Documented playbooks! To scale the Working Groups concept.

Frustrated by the status quo in the industry, and yet inspired by changes happening to Django, I’m motivated to help more people get involved with Django as code contributors and leaders.

Marcelo Elizeche Landó Paraguay ¶

View personal statement

Why I’m Running

Before assisting to DjangoCon US, I saw Django as just part of the larger Python community. But seeing how this community goes above and beyond to support both longtime members and newcomers changed that for me. When others suggested I run for the board, it felt like a way I could give back and share what makes Django special on a global scale.

A Bit About Me

I co-founded and organized the Python Paraguay community, starting with our first PyDay in 2015, which was a huge success and sparked a lasting momentum. Since then, I’ve organized meetups, events, workshops, and grown our community to almost two thousand members—the most active tech group in Paraguay! I also used Django for projects that make a difference: AyudaPy.org, a mutual aid platform during COVID-19 (which I presented at DjangoCon US 2022), and Lista Hũ, a tool to protect against scammers, both of which highlight Django’s potential for social good.

Ideas for Django

• Learning Curve: Improving the Django tutorial and expanding learning resources can make Django more accessible and less intimidating for newcomers. Creating more comprehensive, step-by-step guides will empower new developers and ease their journey into Django.
• Supporting Global Accessibility: Expanding Django’s reach by focusing on language accessibility and gathering regional feedback is key. Adding questions to the Django Developers Survey on preferred languages and translation quality could help the community prioritize localization efforts, ensuring developers worldwide feel supported in their native languages.

I believe this community is on the right path, and it would be an honor to contribute as a board member

Paolo Melchiorre Italy ¶

View personal statement

The Django community is the best one I could be a part of, and since I started using Django, I have seen wonderful initiatives born and thrive within it (e.g., Django Girls+, Djangonaut Space, Django Fellow). We should bring this momentum to other areas as well: fundraising, the website, development sprints, content translations, self-promotion (e.g., release videos), multimedia content (e.g., videos, books, podcasts, photos, …), feedback from Django users, Django’s environmental impact.

I think that the Django Software Foundation has the potential to facilitate and promote these initiatives. It also has the authority to relate to other Open Source communities, to seek synergies, and with big corporations, to grow from an economic point of view, being able to pay more people (e.g., Django Fellows, Directors, UI/UX experts, …)

I believe I can give a boost to these initiatives, with my experience in the Django community, and with an original point of view in the Board, as a member of the Italian Python community, and founder of a local community.

Patryk Bratkowski Europe ¶

View personal statement

Hello, Djangonauts!

If you are one of the regulars on the official Django Discord server, my passion and dedication to both the Django community and framework should be no secret. As a helper, I have helped countless other developers use Django successfully. As a moderator, I do my best to ensure that we have a community that we can all be proud to consider our own, regardless of our background. An environment that is inclusive, diverse, and welcoming. To me, it feels like home, and I hope you all feel the same way.

For those I haven’t yet had the pleasure to meet on Discord or elsewhere, I hope we do soon.

About me:

• I have been building on the web since the Geocities days, and have over 17 years of professional experience, meaning I know how to get things done.
• I have experience building and managing communities, including forums and subreddits, meaning I can readily help with the technical and human aspects.
• I am proactive, and lucky enough to have a lot of flexibility in how I spend my time, meaning I can help turn decisions into action.
• I am open-minded, and eager to learn, meaning I am looking forward to working for the community, with the board, rather than wanting to impose my own ideas.
• I am a polyglot speaking more than four languages fluently, meaning I feel connections to others, regardless of geographical borders.

If elected, my goals will be:

• Collaborating with the other board members. Django’s popularity and stability is a testament to the fantastic work current and past board members and developers have done, and while I may have my own ideas, I would first want to know more about any backlog, plans, or other issues that need to be resolved rather than bring about drastic changes.
• Efficiently implementing board decisions. While plans may sometimes forcibly change, they at least need someone to take charge of them. I am happy to lend my technical expertise when required, and deal with other roadblocks.
• Community representation. As a fairly visible member of the Django community, I am looking forward to ensuring the community feels represented and heard, and seeing what more we can do to help the community grow.
• Increase representation of non-English speakers. While English is the de facto business language, there are other large markets that would benefit from better support.

As Django nears twenty years of existence, becoming a board member certainly gives us some big shoes to fill, but between my passion, this amazing community’s support, and the time I can dedicate to the position, I am confident that I can help the community continue to thrive, make a tangible difference, and better serve the community we all know and love.

Best regards, and best of luck to all the other applicants,

Pat

Priya Pahwa India, Asia ¶

View personal statement

Balancing code, community, and collaboration, I am actively holding the following position of responsibilities:

• Co-Chair of the Fundraising Working Group at the Django Software Foundation
• Session Organizer of Djangonaut Space
• Software Development Engineer (Django backend and Infra) at a wealth tech startup.
• 2023 SWE intern (Django techstack) under the GitHub Octernships program.

Having had the experience of building inclusive student tech communities and organizing numerous meetups and global hackathons as a GitHub Campus Expert, I can bring fresh perspectives to the DSF Board and bridge the currently huge gap between the student community and the potential Django leadership positions. As a DSF Board of Directors, I will push for initiatives to:

• Build a Django Evangelist Program or a Django Developer Advocacy Working Group
• Introduce a dedicated Django track at student hackathons to increase the framework’s visibility amongst budding developers.
• Establish a robust DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) framework in both theory and practice for DSF
• Include subtle subconscious yet impactful details, such as designing the assets of custom merchandise—like stickers—that represent diverse races and backgrounds to ensure everyone feels valued.
• Continue driving fundraising efforts to engage potential corporate sponsors with a structured funding roadmap and prospectus that aligns with our community needs.
• Develop a one-stop-solution DSF community handbook – an easily accessible guide for newcomers

I’m dedicated to bringing the voice of the Asian Indian community to the DSF Board. The lack of DjangoCons and a strong local Django network in this region limits talented individuals from essential growth opportunities. I aim to foster a sense of belonging at the table, expand rewards in exchange for volunteering, and ensure the Django community thrives everywhere, especially in underserved areas with psychological safety and welcoming ways for one and all.

Tom Carrick Amsterdam, Netherlands ¶

View personal statement

Hello! For those that don’t know me, I’ve also been actively contributing features for most of the last decade. I help run the Discord, the accessibility team, and I’m on the fundraising working group. If that sounds like a lot of time commitment already, you’re right. If you vote for me I might have to become dormant in some other roles.

But I don’t really want to talk about my perspective as a contributor, I want to talk about my experience as a user. I’ve been using Django since around 2008. We have great batteries for 2008. For 2024? I am not so sure. I feel like we are missing things like:

• Built in 2FA with WebAuthn / passkeys.
• Better serialization to make APIs without needing a second framework.
• A better frontend story, whether that’s tutorials on integrating frameworks or how to use simpler solutions like HTMX, template components (or all of the above).
• A more modern, accessible admin interface with better UX.
• Simpler project setup for small projects, including deployment and static files (integrating white noise?).
• (type hints maybe?)
• I could increase the size of this Wishlist by several factors and still not be done.

The reason I believe we’re missing these things is simple (and possibly wrong). Django is getting bigger, more mature, and prioritises stability. These are all great things, but they do slow down development when almost all new features are contributed by people volunteering their time.

To fix this, Django needs money, which is why I joined the fundraising group, and then there is the question of spending that money. And for the me the priorities are clear:

1. Spend money to make more money.
2. Hire more fellows and widen their remit to contributing new features.

And that’s my “manifesto”, if you like.

Vitaly Semotiuck Rzeszow, Poland ¶

View personal statement

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitaly-sem/

---

Your move now

That’s it, you’ve read it all 🌈! Be sure to vote if you’re eligible, by using the link shared over email. To support the future of Django, donate to the Django Software Foundation on our website or via GitHub Sponsors.

If most food bloggers had their way, a recipe blog post would likely be simpler—a few images, a short introduction with helpful tips, and the recipe itself. Sadly that’s not the reality of the internet today with flashing ads taking over your screen while you’re up to your elbows in focaccia dough. But it hasn’t always been that way.

In the beginning, think early aughts, food blogging was entirely disconnected from ad revenue and Google’s algorithmic whims. Most food bloggers then were in fact food writers, using an online audience to develop their voice and share a much-loved recipe. 

There were so few recipe publishers, we hung onto their every word and looked forward to each new post—100% ad-free. A few would get cookbook deals or become contributors to our favorite food magazines. We giddily followed them off the screen and into print. It was the golden age of food writing. 

Modern recipe publishing

Then came the flood. Aspiring food bloggers popped up in droves, eager to replicate the success of what those early pioneers had made look so effortless. Along the way, the terrain had shifted dramatically. 

You need to be more than just a great recipe developer and writer now—you need to be a professional photographer, videographer, food stylist, marketer, and SEO expert. If you could do it all, and do it well, you could make a very comfortable living from your home kitchen.

All of this expertise from one person requires a lot of time and financial investment. Beyond the basic costs of running a website—like hosting, recipe plugins, and software—there’s the need for high-end camera equipment, online courses, and endless food styling props. For new bloggers, these expenses add up fast.

Today, crafting a single recipe optimized for both Google (more on that below) and social media can easily take over 20 hours. And that’s before you’ve even nailed down a version of the recipe that’s consistently reliable and simple to follow.

As the saying goes, time is money. Enter ad placements—the lifeline that generates the revenue food bloggers rely on to keep the lights on.

How food bloggers earn money

This is where RPMs come in, aka the soft, gooey center of why food blogs can seem so tediously long. 

For food bloggers, ad revenue is based on RPMs (Revenue Per Mille), which is the amount earned per 1,000 sessions. This amount can fluctuate based on a number of factors, including time of year, device, traffic source, time on page, and ad density. Ad density is one of the few factors a blogger can control and plays a big role in boosting RPM—more ads mean higher earnings and longer posts create more opportunities for ad placements. More content, more ads, more revenue!

But it’s not as simple as it sounds. There are millions of food blogs, and only a small percentage are highly profitable. Early-stage food bloggers are often fueled by sweat equity, working hard in hopes of eventually breaking into the top tier of high-earning bloggers.

To qualify for some of the larger ad networks, food bloggers need at least 100,000 monthly pageviews. With that level of traffic, a food blogger might earn between $2,000 and $3,000 per month, or around $24,000 to $36,000 annually. Longer posts can drive up those RPMs.

The ad networks were primarily responsible for this initial push to longer posts, even if you were just waxing poetic about your weekly trip to Costco while losing sight of that blueberry muffin recipe your readers are after. 

Then Google said enough. We’ll reward the sites that demonstrate expertise, through a combination of high-quality, relevant content and author credibility—aka the helpful content update. 

Nowadays, personal stories have largely given way to detailed instructions and practical tips, such as where to buy the author’s go-to Thai curry paste online (which, of course, will be an affiliate link—because yes, food blogging is a real job, and bloggers need to earn a living too).

This added information above the recipe serves two main purposes: 

• First and foremost, to ensure even the most inexperienced home cook feels confident following the recipe.
• To provide Google with plenty of tasty SEO tidbits to boost the recipe’s ranking in search results. 

Better rankings lead to more traffic—and more revenue.

Another important consideration for authors is the extent to which their articles are eligible for copyright protection. Basic lists of ingredients are generally not considered copyrightable under US law—whereas more substantial expressions or accompanying media will be. The more creative you are in your explanations, the better for your reader, and the more likely you are to enjoy protection over the results.

Advice for food bloggers

If you’re a food blogger trying to maintain the delicate balance between performing well in search and keeping your readers happy, do your best to ensure that the content above the recipe card offers value to your readers. 

Here are some suggestions for relevant content to include:

• Ingredient substitutions
• Dietary considerations (can this recipe be made vegan or gluten free?) 
• Where to find uncommon ingredients
• Preparation tips, along with process shots 
• Storage, freezer, and meal prep tips 
• Alternative methods, like Instant Pot or slow cooker variations 
• Recipe FAQs

With literally millions of food sites to choose from, think of personality as the sprinkles that set you apart, but relevant content is what establishes your expertise and keeps readers coming back for more. 

Even John Mueller, who coordinates Google Search Relations efforts, recommends making content for your readers first. What makes you, your recipe, and your corner of the internet unique, helpful, and relevant?

How to support online publishers

Food is a highly personal topic, filled with memories and experiences food bloggers are generous enough to share. Whether they’re helping us recreate a beloved restaurant dish at home or offering a comforting family recipe, they’re here to guide us every step of the way. 

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse behind the scenes, here are a few ways you can support the recipe publishing community:

• Leave a review after trying the recipe—it helps others and gives valuable feedback to the creator.
• Share any tips or questions that might help fellow home cooks.
• Remember your dinner party manners when commenting—be kind and respectful, even if the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. 
• Spread the word by sharing a recipe you love with friends and family.
• Make the recipe and post about it on social media—bonus points if you tag the author!
• Let those video ads play while you gather ingredients. You can close them afterward, knowing you contributed to the creator’s RPM. 
• Be patient with ads, especially during Q4 (the last three months of the year). This is when bloggers earn the most—RPMs spike, traffic increases, and ad placements get more aggressive. 

If you find ads and anecdotes distracting, simply use the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of most recipe posts. It’ll take you straight to the recipe. While you may still encounter a few ads within the recipe card, it’s a small trade-off for a well-written, free-to-you recipe.

For a completely ad-free experience, consider buying a cookbook, a paid recipe subscription service, or better yet—give your grandma a call. She probably has a recipe and a story you’ll love, and let’s face it, you’re probably overdue for a chat.

Start a food blog on WordPress.com

Start sharing your favorite recipes with a blog hosted on WordPress.com.

Run ads and install plugins on our Business plan, and let us manage the rest. Get unlimited traffic, unstoppable security, and the power of WordPress, all for one low price.

One of the biggest struggles in the life of a freelance web designer or developer is figuring out how to get web design clients – especially at the beginning of your career. It can be frustrating when you’ve spent a lot of time honing your skill set, educating yourself, and staying on top of the latest trends, and yet your client roster stays empty.

Failing to find clients can be very disconcerting. Not only do you not know where your next paycheck will come from, it can also introduce self-doubt. You might start questioning whether striking out on your own was the right choice after all and if you have what it takes.

Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to build a clientele for your services, and in this post, we’ll share them in detail. Below, you’ll learn 12 ways to get web design clients that will want to work with you (along with tips on how to implement each idea). From understanding business basics, to reaching out to prospects, to closing deals, you’ll find everything you need to start landing clients here.

Tip: Are you an agency developer interested in partnering with Automattic? Apply to join Automattic for Agencies.

1) Determine your web design niche

There is an old marketing adage that says, “if you try to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one”. In this case, it means that simply providing “web design” is too broad an offer. Most of the time, it’s more effective and lucrative to cater to a specific clientele who you create websites for.

Why?

For one, doing so allows you to target your marketing much more specifically. You can address the needs of a certain target group and speak to their pain points directly instead of very generally.

Imagine you are a mental health provider. Which web design offer would you rather go for?

• “High-Quality Web Design Services: We Build Your Website Fast!”
• “Mental Health Website Design – Let Us Help You Help Your Patients”

It’s most likely the second one, right? That’s because it is a lot more targeted.

Focusing your offer increases your credibility and the perception of the value you can provide. It allows you to position yourself as an expert and charge accordingly.

In addition, niching down means you compete with fewer people. Instead of all “web designers,” now you only contend with “web designers for industry X.” That group, by definition, is much smaller.

How to decide on a niche

However, what target group should you go for? The best niche is one that is made up of both something that you enjoy and in which there is a clientele willing and able to pay.

To figure it out more specifically, it’s a good idea to look at both your past work and what you do in your free time. First, consult your portfolio. Think about what projects you enjoyed doing the most.

In addition, consider which hobbies or personal passions you indulge in and the industries you interact with in those endeavors. For example, you might have built a website for a dental lab in the past, and you also like to knit, surf, and do CrossFit.

Now it’s time to see if any of these industries offer enough earning potential to become your niche. In this case, knitting is probably not a good fit. However, dentistry, surfing, and CrossFit are all niches with members who likely have a large enough marketing budget to be profitable.

Once you have decided on your niche, what’s left is to research it extensively. Get to the point where you really understand your clientele and their needs. Become the expert they need you to be to help them achieve their website goals.

2) Establish your pricing for web design projects

The next step is deciding on your pricing. It’s much easier to negotiate for a new project when you have thought about what you want to offer and how much you will charge for it beforehand. Otherwise, when put on the spot, you might not know what to say. Plus, you need to make sure you get paid what your services are worth.

The web design process has become more complex over time. A lot goes into creating a user-friendly, mobile-responsive, accessible, search-engine-optimized, and fast-loading website – which is what it takes to compete in today’s online environment. It also involves several stages, from setting up the site architecture over wireframing to testing.

In addition, a website is one of the main considerations for most businesses these days and one of the main ways of presenting themselves. Therefore, you are not simply providing a website; you are building a business asset for them.

Plus, it’s not just the design and programming work; you also offer strategic advice for marketing their business online (at least, if you have done your homework earlier in step one). This might include creating the branding, writing copy, and helping with a content strategy.

So, how much should you charge?

In the end, your pricing depends a lot on how you position yourself. If you go the “I am a freelance web designer” route, you can ask for anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 for a simple website and $10,000 to $20,000 for a complex site with a variety of templates, features, and intricate functionality.

On the other hand, if you niche down enough and acquire the necessary expertise for your industry, you get to position yourself as an agency that builds bespoke web presences for an exclusive client pool. In that case, your pricing can be higher, starting at $10,000 for simpler sites and ending at $75,000+ for more complex projects.

Be sure, however, that you can back up what your price tag promises and are able to achieve the requisite results for your clients.

3) Build a strong web design business website and portfolio

Once you have settled on both your niche and price points, it’s time to build your own web presence. As a web designer, that shouldn’t be too big a challenge. However, make sure it looks the part since potential clients will likely judge your skills on your own website design.

Also, use your earlier research to gear it clearly toward your target group. That means you should consider that group’s needs for your site’s aesthetics and, most importantly, copy. Your written content will be the most persuasive tool to show them that you offer what they need. So, be sure to address their needs and pain points in your website copy.

Another crucial tool here is your portfolio. It not only allows you to stress your expertise, but it also acts as a filter for the kind of work you want to do more of. For that reason, a) show off your strongest work, b) choose examples that are relevant to your chosen niche, and c) and focus on the kind of projects you want to do.

However, what if you haven’t done any projects in your niche yet? In that case, do the best you can and try to look for portfolio items that represent the principles you are trying to sell. In short, focus all your appearance and marketing on your ideal client and work.

4) Be active on social media

Social media has become a ubiquitous tool to advertise your products and services. Everyone and your mom is on it by now (seriously, my mom is on more platforms than I am). It’s also an ideal environment to talk and listen to your target audience as well as work on your personal brand. Therefore, it should definitely be part of how you try to get web design clients.

A short caveat beforehand: Remember that you are not trying to close a deal with every message you put out there. Social media is about visibility, getting-the-word-out, top-of-funnel kind of stuff. So adjust your strategy and expectations accordingly.

5) Be active in web design communities

However, where to start? Well, an obvious choice is to go where people talk about web design. That means Facebook groups, Slack communities, subreddits, and forums.

These are good places to take part in discussions, share your expertise, and ask for feedback.

Why should you do that in front of other web designers? Aren’t these not the kind of people who want to hire you?

Well, maybe not directly. However, being active in the web design sphere allows you to build connections and present your work. And who knows? Someone might hire you for a project they are working on.

In addition, where would you go as a potential client who is looking for a web designer? Probably a place where web designers are known to hang out, right? Therefore, taking part in those communities is also a way to get noticed for potential work.

At the very least, you can network, learn from others, and get some critique for your work.

Join communities and platforms frequented by your ideal clients

Of course, if you want to connect with people who might want to hire you, the best way is to go directly where they are. For that reason, a second step is to look for similar resources as above but for your niche and target group.

That might not always seem super easy. After all, is there an online forum for dentists? A Twitter group for accountants? A subreddit where organic grocers hang out?

The funny thing is, the answer often is – yes.

That’s one of the best parts of the Internet. It connects people with similar interests from across the world, meaning there are groups for almost any profession online. You can find them on LinkedIn and Facebook, you can search for “[your target group] + forum” on Google, subscribe to relevant hashtags, and all the other ways you would use to find members of your own profession.

Offer value, be authentic, and have a unique point of view

The challenge in trying to get web design clients via social media is that you need to find a good balance between selling your services and simply being a pleasant and helpful person to talk to. Too much of the first, and you’ll annoy people with being too salesy, too much of the latter, and you’ll have a hard time closing deals.

The best way here is to simply be friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in helping others. Seriously, that’s what it usually comes down to.

Think about how you can create value for your target group in the easiest way. How can you help them with their problems and make their life easier? Then, do that.

Be generous with advice and input, share your opinions, be polite, and genuinely try to contribute to other people’s success. You’d be surprised at how many clients would be willing to continue a conversation about working together with a person like that.

6) Publish helpful content about web design on your blog

You have probably heard that content has been elevated to royalty. While this notion is a bit overdone, the fact is that content is a staple of inbound marketing. Consequently, if you want web design clients to come to you instead of chasing them down, you would do well to start producing content as well. That also gives you material for your social outlets. 

Publish on your own blog

In most cases, blogging will be a part of content marketing. A blog is easy to add to your website, and it’s one of the cheapest marketing tools out there as it mainly costs time.

However, the most decisive part here is what to write about. Reflexively, you might want to publish articles that show what a good web designer you are. In a way, that’s what you’ll do.

However, this is not about demonstrating your skills to your peers. Instead, you need to think about problems that your target group has and provide solutions for them. This shows off your expertise, allows you to target keywords that clients will type into Google, and builds trust in your skills.

This is why settling on a niche and doing extensive research on it is so important. Instead of very general content that likely has a lot more competition, you can create articles that are hyper-focused on your defined target group. Those are usually much easier to rank for and speak directly to the people you want to attract.

Aside from that, there are other types of content you can produce:

• podcasts
• case studies
• a newsletter
• guest posts
• ebooks

Finally, start collecting email addresses on your blog from the very beginning. Having a good list of subscribers is one of the most effective ways to sell your services. For WordPress.com users, there are several tools and methods you can use to add email subscribers to your blog.

Syndicate your posts on Medium and LinkedIn

Once you are in the habit of creating content (on your WordPress website), it’s a great tactic to repurpose and republish it in other places. Two great candidates for that are Medium and LinkedIn.

Why is that?

Because those two platforms have readership automatically built in. They have an existing user base who spend a lot of time consuming content specifically on there. For that reason, if you also post your content on these platforms (under your name, with a link back to your own website), you can reach additional readers and members of your clientele. That helps further spread your expertise and brand.

By the way, you can take this even further by repurposing your blog content into social media updates, YouTube videos, infographics, or downloadable content. You have already done the bulk of the research, now you simply need to bring it into a different format.

7) Search job boards for clients and contract work

Another classic way to get web design clients is to use job boards. They offer the advantage that you find a lot of warm leads there, meaning people actively looking for help with their web design. The disadvantage is that they can have a lot of competition. You also want to stay away from those sites that purely compete on price (think Fiverr or Guru).

Here, too, it pays to do a bit of legwork beforehand. Research potential clients and tailor your offer towards them. Demonstrate the value you can create for them and make it easy for them to say yes.

8) Go to conferences and industry events

In-person meetings are another way to find client work. They are especially suited if you are more of an extrovert who thrives on interacting with others. Talking to clients directly also makes it easier to find out their pain points and discuss their needs in detail without a lot of back-and-forth emailing. If you want to take this to the next level, consider speaking at events, it’s a great way to get more visibility.

Consider business events

Most places have business associations, such as local Chambers of Commerce, that regularly run networking events. They can be general or more specific in nature. What they have in common is that they bring people together in a business setting.

The advantage here is the same as for job boards: attendees come specifically to make business connections, so you don’t have to prime the pump too much so to speak. Everyone is on the same page, making it much easier to speak about commercial issues including offering your services.

The disadvantage is that at general business meetings, it’s harder to meet someone who actually belongs to your target group. You don’t know who exactly is going to be there, so it can be a bit of a gamble.

As usual, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. Have your business cards with you, practice your elevator pitch, and dress professionally. That makes it much easier to make a good impression.

Besides in-person meetings, there are also virtual networking events. For example, you can find them on Eventbrite.

Attend the same networking events as your ideal customers

In order to eliminate the element of randomness, attending occasions that are specifically for members of your target group is a better idea. Doing so makes it much more likely to run into someone who needs what you are offering.

This can be a bit challenging as you are specifically there to hawk your services. However, remember what we talked about before. Don’t be too salesy. Listen to what the other person is talking about, try to uncover issues they are having with their website, and offer insights for what could be helpful. If they like what they hear, it could possibly turn into a job.

You can even think outside the box a bit. Bring your laptop and a sign offering free website reviews. Let people come to you, go over their sites together, offer your insight, and point out how you would improve their current website. It should be easy to make connections that way.

9) Consider WordCamps and WordPress conferences

It’s no secret that WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world and that it powers a large part of the web. For that reason, WordPress in-person events are a hotbed for people interested in web design and companies working with WordPress.

That also makes them a good place to make connections with like-minded people (again, for potential collaboration) as well as companies looking for expertise. This is especially true if you have made building websites with WordPress part of your niche.

In addition, WordCamps are simply a great place to meet people. You automatically have something in common with everyone there, so it’s easy to get a conversation going.

10) Email businesses you’d like to work with (that have websites that look like they need a redesign)

Another way to get web design clients is to directly contact companies in your niche who obviously have needs in that area. Use business directories to find them and check out their sites.

As usual, tailor your offers to each particular case. Spend some time analyzing the websites, point out concrete things that could use improvement, then add a solution.

You can even do so in the form of a prototype or wireframe or a quick video in which you talk about their site live on screen. That’s much better than sending the same form email to everyone and, again, makes it much easier for them to say yes.

So, do your homework beforehand. In addition, be sure to follow up when you don’t hear back. Most people are very busy, so it helps to be a bit tenacious. Even if they end up saying no, at least then you know for sure.

11) Ask past clients and your network to refer you to their connections

Once you have the ball rolling a little bit, one of the best ways to extend your client pool is actually to ask existing clients for referrals. Word of mouth is a very powerful way to get new web design clients for two reasons:

• First of all, you have instant social proof. If someone hears about you from a person they know and probably trust, that’s worth more than any third-party testimonial you can put on your website.
• Secondly, it’s automatically a warm prospect. We are not talking about someone you found on the Internet who has no idea who you are and receives an email from you out of the blue. Instead, it’s someone you have a personal connection with through a middle-person. Possibly even someone who asked their network for recommendations. That instantly creates a better relationship.

So, make it part of your web design process to email clients after finishing a project and ask them for referrals. In fact, be sure to stay on friendly terms with them and check in now and again. That makes it more likely they will recommend you by themselves.

You can also reach out to other freelancers or people you know in the industry and ask them for referrals, even your friends and family. You can form beneficial partnerships with them and recommend clients to each other for your respective services.

12) Partner with web design agencies

A final way you can get more web design clients is to work with agencies. Many of them hire freelancers in order to increase their work pool when they have too many projects. It’s always worth getting on their list for when that happens.

When you pitch yourself to an agency, treat it with the same regard as when interacting with one-to-one clients. Make sure to send along your portfolio and tailor your application toward each agency you contact.

Plus, of course, do your best work and be as professional working for them as when doing your own projects. That way, you make it more likely that they will send more work your way.

That only leaves the question, where do you find web design agencies to pitch yourself to?

Use business directories to find agencies

Similar to what we talked about above, there are specific directories that you can look into to find web design agencies. Two online resources for that are Clutch and Dexigner.

Both list a large number of web design companies. It’s easy to find potential studios to collaborate with and their contact information is right there as well.

In addition, look into local business directories. Working with local design companies has the added benefit that it’s also possible to introduce yourself personally and take face-to-face meetings. That’s always good for relationship building.

Or conduct a simple Google search

Of course, there is always Google. You can use the search engine to look for web design agencies for potential collaboration and easily apply your own filters like location, industry, or any other categories.

Are you considering developing websites on WordPress.com?

A big factor in winning and keeping web design clients is the tools you work with. One primary consideration here is hosting, both for your personal website and portfolio as well as your client sites.

At this point, we want to humbly suggest considering WordPress.com for your web design projects. Here are just a few features that make us a great option for your new web design or development project:

• You are free to use (custom) plugins and themes on any Business plan and above. You also get access to SFTP-SSH, WP-CLI, and Git tools.
• The REST API, with its plethora of endpoints, allows you to fetch a wide range of information and build applications on top of WordPress. What’s more, you can test live JSON data and explore it with the Developer Console.
• Use wpcom.js, the official JavaScript library for the WordPress.com REST API. It’s compatible with Node.js and all modern web browsers and allows you to easily build back ends for your web and mobile apps.
• Photon is an image acceleration and modification service available on WordPress.com and via Jetpack. It automatically compresses and caches images as well as serves them from a distributed CDN.

For more information and additional features, check out our developer resources. If you run or work for an agency, you may also be interested in Automattic for Agencies.

Now, go land more web design clients

While it would be nice if being a freelance web designer or developer only consisted of being creative all the time, unfortunately, learning business skills, such as how to get web design clients, is a necessary part of the job. At the same time, however, it’s also not the insurmountable obstacle it can sometimes seem to be.

By being crystal clear about the industry you are targeting, figuring out your pricing, and building a strong web presence, you can create a solid basis for your business from which to start your acquisition efforts. 

After that, there are many options to get on the radar of your clientele. From inbound measures like social media marketing and blogging to outbound marketing such as frequenting job boards, going to events, cold outreach via email, asking for client referrals, and partnering with design agencies, there is a lot you can do to get hired.

Pick what plays to your personal strengths and inclinations to get started. At the same time, don’t be afraid to experiment with what seems outside your comfort zone. Then, double down on what works and keep building your business. Also, don’t forget to have a strong hosting partner by your side who can support you in your efforts.

This article was originally published on wordpress.com/go on March 31, 2023. It was lightly updated by Ben Sailer and republished on Oct. 22, 2024.