Join us for an upcoming episode of WP Product Talk titled “All about Growth Marketing” with Stuart Brameld, founder of GrowthMethod, on March 18 at 6:00 PM CET. Matt Cromwell and Ian Misner will dig into what growth marketing for software products really looks like when you’re trying to build traction in a competitive market.

This conversation is built for WordPress product owners who want clearer ways to attract, convert, and keep customers without wasting time on random tactics. If you want practical ideas for sustainable growth, this is one live episode you won’t want to miss.

Most teams are rushing to bolt AI onto existing workflows, but that often just scales the dysfunction faster. In this episode of WP Product Talk, we explore AI first principles with Anthony Franco, Executive Director and Founder of FirstStrategy.ai, and why operationalizing AI starts with rethinking the systems behind your business.

Join hosts Matt Cromwell and Zack Katz on March 11, 2026 at Noon Eastern as they unpack practical ways WordPress product owners can rethink processes, eliminate bureaucracy, and design smarter operations before layering in AI.

https://www.aifirstprinciples.org https://www.wisermethod.com/books

For years, SEO was the default marketing playbook for WordPress plugin and product businesses. Build content, rank on Google, get traffic. It worked - until it didn't.

AI is changing how people search for information, and organic traffic that took years to build is starting to erode. If your marketing strategy is mostly built on SEO, that's a real problem. And doing more of the same isn't the answer.

So what do you do instead? Ben Pines - who was the first marketer at Elementor and helped build it into one of the most recognized brands in WordPress - has been working on exactly this question. His answer: founder-led marketing. The kind of brand-building that's rooted in your own story, perspective, and expertise. The kind AI can't replicate.

In this episode, hosts Katie Keith and Ian Misner chat with Ben about what it actually means to shift from SEO-driven marketing to a founder-led approach - and what that looks like for real WordPress product businesses with small teams and limited time.

They'll dive into:

• Why SEO is getting harder and what's actually driving the decline
• What founder-led marketing is and worth pursuing in an AI world
• How to show up consistently without it taking over your life
• Where to start if you've never built a personal brand before