Cliff Seal –

I’m a UX Designer at Pardot, but I’ve been in WordPress every working day for at least the last four years. Personally, I’ve been designing and developing WordPress sites for years as Logos Creative, and have been working on awesome projects like MusicGrid.me. I live in Atlanta with my wife, April, where we do young urbanite-y things.

Cliff will be presenting a session titled “No one cares about your content (yet)” on Saturday.

Interview with Cliff:

Why do you use WordPress?
WordPress has the best combination of performance, extensibility, community, and intuitive design.

What do you like best about WordCamps?
I enjoy shaking the hands of people I’d previously only known through a computer screen.

What is your favorite tip or resource for a new WordPress user?
Start doing things you know you can’t do— eventually, you’ll be able to do them.

What is a common problem you see in WordPress sites, and how would you avoid it?
The biggest issue I see is, as a WordPress ‘expert’, showing users and first-time developers the possibilities of the platform while understanding that constraints and best practices are always needed.

How do you stay up to date with new information about WordPress?
WPDaily.co. I do write for ’em, but I get my news from there, too, for the most part. The rest comes from following core contributors on Twitter.

Share an example of a really great (creative, cool, unusual) use of WordPress you’ve seen recently.
Paul Clark’s presentation from WordCamp Phoenix this year stuck with me for sure:
How WordPress Saves Lives – Freedom, Hope and Custom Post Types.

On a far less important note, I’ve been doing some crazy stuff with WordPress for MusicGrid.me.

Do you have any advice for a person who’s building a business around WordPress design/development?
Always challenge your own knowledge and skills— there’s something new you can find out about WordPress every single day.