What’s the story behind WordPress Seville?
Rafa Poveda is a WordPress consultant who has been using the product since 2008. After hearing about a WordPress user group in San Francisco, he decided to start a similar group in Seville. Initially, Rafa used Twitter and a web forum to promote the group, but he decided to create a Meetup group to make his work as an organizer easier. The group eventually joined WordPress Meetup Pro, a global network of 743 local groups with nearly 450,000 WordPress enthusiasts. The WordPress Seville group allows WordPress users in the area to share knowledge, experience, and network. The group now has three organizers: Rafa Poveda, Mariano Pérez, and Nilo Vélez.
How did the group grow to 2,000+ members?
Mariano and Nilo credit the popularity and success of their group to their famous francachelas, which are small gatherings focused on sharing food. The group hosts several francachelas a year to “bring members together and create a bond amongst us,” explains Nilo.
Since 2011, the Seville group has hosted an annual conference, WordCamp, the first conference of its kind in Spain. The group attributes its growing popularity due to the regular events and the success of WordCamp. Other groups are noticing, too. Following Seville’s lead, other WordPress Meetup groups in Spain came together to host an online WordCamp Spain in May 2020.
The group leaders host at least one local event per month, no matter what. They have maintained this consistency throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, though many events have been held online.
Why did the group decide to be part of the WordPress Meetup Pro network?
WordPress Seville decided to join the global WordPress Pro network, along with 740+ other groups because of all of the benefits of the program.
One advantage is that WordPress helps cover the Meetup organizer fees, making event promotion and attendance easier. In addition, being an official WordPress chapter allows for more event promotion via the WordPress events and news dashboard widget.
“Groups that use other platforms are not seeing as many new members. For our Seville group, half of the attendees we see at our events are new members,” said Nilo.
Being part of the official WordPress Meetup community also gives credibility to the group in Seville. For Rafa, Mariano, and Nilo, it’s great to receive support from the WordPress foundation, for anything from finding event speakers to providing legal guidance.
What does it entail to be a Meetup organizer and how does someone become one?
Organizers have various responsibilities: hosting events, including planning event themes and finding speakers, promoting those events, and communicating with members. Because of the wide variety of tasks, it is best to split the organizing responsibilities among multiple people.
Good group organizers are keenly aware of the group members’ needs. For example, Seville, like the rest of Spain, has a fairly high unemployment rate. Rafa, Mariano, and Nilo are passionate about helping users network and find jobs.
How has the group adapted through the pandemic?
Like most groups on Meetup, the WordPress Seville team shifted to online events in order to keep the momentum going with their members. The team kept their word and maintained their practice of meeting at least once a month.
To the organizers’ surprise, hosting events online became an advantage for the group. The online format seems to be more accessible for some members and more people could attend events. Unlike in-person events, online events needed a more structured agenda. The events begin with a recorded presentation followed by time for informal discussions and networking.
Rafa, Mariano, and Nilo’s hard work is paying off. Their group now has more than 2,000 members with a goal to double that number in the future.
You can join a local WordPress group online. If you’re interested in starting a local WordPress Meetup group or having your group join the global WordPress Meetup Pro network, get familiar with the Handbook for Meetup organizers and fill out the Meetup Organizer Application.
Last modified on April 15, 2021
