This session will empower writers, blogger, content developers, marketers and anyone who is tasked with producing online currency (content) for an online platform. With the increasing efficiency of processes, and demand from the industry, the standard “nine to five” caters less and less to the incubation of ideas, editorial angles, and production of quality content. Session attendees will learn strategies for producing quality content (in all of its forms – blogs/CMS content/social posts/etc.), or “mining for gold” while effortlessly usurping the increased demands of the online industry.

As developers, designers and marketers, we are very focused on the experience people have while on our websites, but we often overlook one of the most important elements: the form. The impact of the conversion form on how effective your website performs is undeniable. Learn the power of the WordPress conversion form, its versitle nature, and how to follow through with design, development and form content without striking out. Topics include custom notifications, automation, user testing for landing/contact pages, and connecting forms with valuable analytics.

Chris Lema will be providing the Keynote at the conclusion of WordCamp Baltimore 2014!

I will go over some of the core content from my book, Responsive Design with WordPress, which teaches you how to leverage WordPress to get the most out of responsive design, implement best practices, automate important processes, and make your life easier overall. I’ve updated the talk to include stuff for WordPress 4.0!

You only have one goal: make it easy for users and search engines to understand and digest your content. Learn how you can leverage WordPress plugins and other online tools to achieve this objective and maximize your SEO returns.

We’ll refresh you on SEO theory, touch on keyword research & link building, then dive into the WordPress plugins you need to succeed.

No matter the niche, website security is important to everyone doing business on the Internet. Simply existing on the Web turns users into virtual targets for digital thieves and opportunists. While seemingly mysterious, and often over-complicated, proper security begins with a basic understanding of do’s and don’t’s, and why’s and why not’s. Let’s cut through the red tape and talk about what matters: knowing how to protect your business on the Internet and on your WordPress site.

A continuation of a series of “Designing for Development” sessions I’ve given in the past, this talk is geared towards designers by giving designers a peek at what happens after the PSDs have been signed off. Other edge cases will also be explored, such as rebuilds (while maintaining fidelity with existing design). I will also be discussing information infrastructure using Custom Post Types and Custom Metaboxes And Fields, and how a familiarity with them can help aid the design process. Lastly, I will offer advice on knowing when to reach out and partner up with another developer, and how this can work in your favor.

Business, Freelancing, and WordPress! Oh my! In this panel moderated by Chris Lema, you’ll get to ask questions and hear a variety of answers from different levels and types of businesses in the WordPress space.

From Part-time Freelancer to Agency Owner and in-between, you’ll hear first hand the challenges and insights of running a WP business.

Session about helping non-developers grasp the minimum knowledge of PHP needed to develop their first theme or plugin.

This session will focus on various javascript libraries that are less commonly-used in ‘typical’ WordPress development, provide examples of use-cases for each, and give a comparative overview of the libraries included with WordPress core.

In today’s project feature debates, you and your web team hash out priorities based on budgets, timelines, and what one of the clients mentioned in passing. Ignoring the larger context of the design problem, the team focuses on the current list of edits—and rallying for the user is lost in the shuffle. In this session, you’ll be introduced to a framework for approaching your WordPress project’s situational analysis from many perspectives, to create value statements that resonate with everyone on your team—including your client’s wallet-bearers.

Attendees should walk away with:

1. A method for breaking complex design problems into smaller problems without losing awareness of surroundings

2. A skeleton for assembling more effective, yet lightweight use-cases to audit against

3. A means to debate the validity of your decisions (and win) This session is designed for web professionals of all levels and skillsets—including design, development, and content planning.

It’s not required, but a writing utensil is recommended.

A new JSON REST API is slated for WordPress 4.1 core integration. I am a contributor to this project and the lead contributor for the client-side Backbone driven app. I want to show everyone why this new API is awesome, some cool things you can do with it, and how you can start using it now.

Overview of Amazon Web Services (AWS) offerings and how they can be used to create secure, scalable, and performant WordPress sites, including use cases drawn from real-world experience.