Breakdown - A Gravity Forms Podcast (Gravity Forms)

Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals are still active today only! Visit gravityforms.com no coupon code needed. 

Today's episode is a REPLAY from one of my favorite episodes this year, featuring Jason Resnick and Amber Hinds. Here are the show notes from the previous episode:

Equalize Digital and Its NASA Project: Amber explains that Equalize Digital is a company focused on WordPress accessibility, particularly for people with disabilities. They have developed a plugin called Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker, available in both free and premium versions. Notably, their premium plugin is being used in the development of NASA's website. Lone Rock Point, the company behind the NASA project, decided to use WordPress primarily because of Equalize Digital's plugin. Amber's team also played a crucial role in auditing and user testing the beta site for accessibility.

Gravity Forms and Accessibility: Matt asks Amber about her experience with Gravity Forms, a popular WordPress plugin for form creation. Amber reveals that they have been using Gravity Forms extensively in their projects, including the WordPress Accessibility Day website. She highlights Gravity Forms' commitment to accessibility and how it saves time for their organizing team, particularly in managing user registrations and creating draft posts for event speakers. They also discuss the value of Gravity Forms in creating efficient editorial workflows and how it benefits the event's attendees and sponsors.

Notable URLs and software mentioned:
* Equalize Digital's plugin: ~[Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker](https://wordpress.org/plugins/equalize-digital-accessibility-checker/)~
* NASA's website development by Lone Rock Point
* Gravity Forms: A popular WordPress form creation plugin
* Gravity Forms advanced post creation add-on
* Gravity Forms user registration add-on
* GravityWiz's "Populate Anything" add-on
* Zapier: Used for integrating Gravity Forms with Google Sheets
* WordPress Accessibility Day website: 2023.wpaccessibility.day

These two key points provide listeners with insights into how Equalize Digital is contributing to web accessibility and how Gravity Forms is aiding in the success of WordPress Accessibility Day.

ConvertKit Beta Add-On: Matt mentions at the beginning that they have a ConvertKit beta add-on available for download at the bottom of the dashboard. This is likely important for listeners who are interested in using ConvertKit or existing users looking to enhance their experience with this tool. Find the beta in your Gravity Forms dashboard.

Middle of the Funnel Importance: Jason emphasizes the significance of the middle of the funnel in email marketing, stating that about 85% of sales occur in this stage. He stresses the need for consistency in email communication, a well-planned welcome sequence, and intentionality in writing emails with a clear call to action. This insight is valuable for anyone involved in email marketing, as it highlights the often-neglected middle stage and provides practical advice for improving email engagement and conversion rates.

Important software mentioned:
* ConvertKit: The email marketing platform discussed throughout the conversation.
* WordPress: Jason mentions moving his website back to WordPress, indicating its importance as a content management system.

Overall, this conversation delves into the significance of the middle of the funnel in email marketing and announces the availability of a ConvertKit beta add-on, providing practical insights for podcast listeners interested in email marketing and ConvertKit usage.

Follow Jason on Twitter and download his NurtureKit Blueprint.

In this podcast episode, Matt kicks things off by talking about the release of the Conversational Forms Add-On. Matt will be hosting more Gravity Forms 101 livestreams on the main YouTube channel.

Matt then delves into the meat of the episode, exploring different avenues to generate income with Gravity Forms. Matt asked ChatGPT to provide us with 5 ways to run a “Gravity Forms agency” and the go to market strategy to use. ChatGPT suggests starting a custom form development agency, a data analytics and reporting agency, a Gravity Forms training agency, a Gravity Forms maintenance and support agency, and a Gravity Forms integration agency. Matt takes the time to rate each opportunity and shares his personal thoughts on their potential profitability.

As the episode progresses, Matt shifts gears and welcomes Joe Casabona to the podcast. They engage in a lively conversation about the benefits of utilizing Gravity Forms for podcasting and content strategy. Joe, an expert in this field, shares his experiences and highlights the advantages of incorporating Gravity Forms into podcasting workflows. Together, they emphasize the importance of repurposing podcast episodes to maximize their reach and impact.

Overall, this episode offers valuable insights and creative ideas for leveraging the power of Gravity Forms while also delving into the world of podcasting. Whether you're interested in monetizing Gravity Forms or starting your own podcast, this episode has something to offer.

Important links
- https://www.gravityforms.com/add-ons/conversational-forms-add-on/
- WordCamp US 2023 – National Harbor, Maryland, August 24-26, 2023
- Gravity Forms 101 livestream
- How I Built It
- https://www.linkedin.com/learning/using-gravity-forms-in-wordpress-a-comprehensive-guide
- https://twitter.com/jcasabona

If you’re listening to this on your way to WordCamp Europe, or you’re just watching the livestreams from the comfort of your home, I wanted to let you know that our team is back supporting yet another WordCamp. 

Find us in our booth located in the Sponsors section of the venue and say “hi!”

There’s lots to learn about Gravity Forms’ latest add-ons, features, new products like Gravity SMTP and what that means to you and your WordPress business. Come check out a demo of Gravity Flow our systems automation product that helps customers automate actions after forms get submitted into your WordPress database. 

Oh, we can’t forget our awesome new t-shirts — a whole new version is out! Customers say we have the best tee’s in the biz, come grab one before they’re all out! 

We also are giving away some cool stuff in the booth including: 

• A LEGO NASA Artemis Set
• A Gravity Mission Pack (A backpack filled with some awesome Gravity Swag you can’t get anywhere else)
• Or a Gravity Forms and Gravity Flow License Combo!

There’s one stipulation, you have to be present at the booth on Saturday the 15th at 215PM where we’ll announce the winners. If you’re not there, you won’t be able to grab your prize. 

It’s come to the attention of the WordPress Community that attendance for new participants at WordPress events are down. 

Obviously COVID and the a global pandemic shifted how events are accepted throughout the world, and while we’ve seen a bounce back in participation, it isn’t nearly as high as it once was. 

So I wanted to take a moment to share my experiences with WordCamps and advocate for you to attend the next one in your area. By the way, the next major WordCamp I’ll be at, along with the team from Gravity Forms is WordCamp US in Portland Oregon on September 17th - 20th. 

Here are my top 3 reasons for attending a WordCamp: 

One: The best bang for your buck event in our space

Even with the price point of major WordCamp tickets rising to the $50 level, and general WordCamps hovering around $30 for access — you simply can’t beat this deal. 

Another hot event I know many other WordPressers attending, Cloudfest, comes with a general admission price tag of around $525 US dollars for standard access, which ramp up to well over $2,000 if you want access to everything. 

When you match the low cost of access to the high value of being in a venue filed with other WordPress users to talk, train, and collaborate with — that $30-50 is going a long way to helping you with your WordPress business or acumen. 

Two: All things WordPress

Even if you’re not running a WordPress business, but you’re part of a team tasked with maintaining a WordPress site, WordCamps are a fantastic place to have that aha! Moment. 

When I started attending and speaking at WordCamps around 2015, it was the place to learn the software. 

Heck, maybe the only place aside from WordPress.org. 

Tutorials and blog posts were no where near as accessible as they are today. And as a content creator, there’s nothing more I want than someone listening to my podcast or watching my videos, but that in-person learning is much more magical. 

At WordCamps you can show up and learn more about using the software, attend a hyper specific talk ranging from how to blog with our favorite CMS or learn the latest and greatest development standards. 

There’s a healthy mix of content available to help elevate your WordPress game!

Three: Community

At the end of the day one of the most valuable aspects of WordPress the software, is the community behind it. 

If you’re new to WordPress and WordCamps, getting into the community should be a welcoming experience. Simply being with others on the early start of their WordPress journey can help you break the ice and feel less stressed — as if you’re the only one missing the bigger picture. 

As time marches on and you become more involved in the community, you enter the next phase where connections with others can ramp up your professional life within WordPress. 

That could be finding other freelancers or agencies to parter with, finding a full-time job in the space, or making connections with potential customers. WordPress has a massive footprint across many digital businesses, sometimes you’ll find WordPress living in the most unique environments — not just a blog or marketing website. 

Being involved in any of these phases helps WordPress thrive. 

At first you’re a little lost, then you meet your tribe, fully grasping what open source WordPress can for you and for others. A year later, you too are advocating for your friends and colleagues to take part in their local WordCamp too. 

Heck, maybe you even apply to speak at your first WordCamp. But, that’s a topic for another podcast. 

If you’re interested in learning more about WordCamps and where the next one is in your area, head to wordcamp.org and join the mailing list. 

WordCamp Central will list out all upcoming events, and if there’s not one in your area, you can reach out to the organizing team to see if there’s opportunity to start one in your city. At the very least, you could start with a local meetup to get the ball rolling. 

WordCamps are one of the best places to experience WordPress and truly grasp the value of open source within this thriving digital landscape. 

It’s why we at Rocketgenius and our family of products continue to support them every year. We hope to see you in our booth in Torino this weekend and in Portland Oregon at WordCamp US this September. 

Today's special co-host is Megan Jones from the Gravity Forms Marketing Team. We'll discuss the upcoming release of our non-profit license, Cloudflare Turnstile add-on, and discuss WordPress as a no-code solution. If you're using Gravity Forms + Google Analytics, you don't want to miss the updates coming to our add-on.

Important links

• Gravity Forms 2.7.6
• Non-profit license
• Cloudflare Turnstile add-on
• Join the Gravity Forms Beta user group
• Gravity Forms as a no-code solution

Video of the week

Here's the latest video from our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q23fnTw7esk Dustin shows us everything there is to know about the Pro license level of Gravity Forms

Interview of the week

How to take a small Gravity Forms plugin idea from code snippets to 46+ add-ons. Matt chats with David Smith, founder of Gravity Wiz. 

We're back! Episode 3 comes full of fun updates to Gravity Forms, a TikTok WCEU giveaway, and you'll get to hear more about the ForGravity rebrand to CosmicGiant. If you know someone that loves Gravity Forms and WordPress, please share this episode with them!

Show Notes:

• Word Camp EU Giveaway: Gravity Forms is giving away a swag bag to one lucky winner at Word Camp EU. To enter, follow Gravity Forms on TikTok, share or repost a recent Gravity Forms TikTok, and tag it with #formanything. The giveaway will run until June 9th, 2023.
• Stripe 5.0: Stripe 5.0 is now available for download. This new version of the Stripe add-on includes a number of new features, including:
  • Support for 20+ payment methods
  • Autofill payment details with Link
  • Improved Stripe checkout experience
• CosmicGiant: CosmicGiant rebranded from ForGravity, that was formed by Travis Lopes. CosmicGiant develops a number of Gravity Forms add-ons, including:
  • Fillable PDFs
  • Advanced Permissions
  • Legal Signing

Interview with Travis Lopes, Cosmic Giant:

• How did you get started with Gravity Forms?
  • I started using Gravity Forms in 2014 for a project I was working on. I was really impressed with how easy it was to use and how powerful it was. I quickly became a big fan of the plugin and started developing add-ons for it.
• What inspired you to start CosmicGiant?
  • I wanted to create a company that was focused on developing high-quality Gravity Forms add-ons. I also wanted to create a company that was focused on providing excellent customer support.
• What are your plans for CosmicGiant?
  • I plan to continue developing high-quality Gravity Forms add-ons. I also plan to expand the CosmicGiant team and provide even better customer support.

Links:

• Gravity Forms: https://gravityforms.com/
• CosmicGiant: https://cosmicgiant.com/

Matt and Dustin recently celebrated the launch of Turnstile 1.0, a solution to the problematic CAPTCHA screens that currently exist. It provides an upgrade over the older version and has received positive reviews from the tech community, with Dustin particularly keen to implement it on his WordPress sites. They discussed Google's surprising business decision to sell their domain registration business, and their trend of launching and then discontinuing products. They speculated on how this might affect sites that rely heavily on CAPTCHA for security.

The duo also discussed updates and plans for Gravity Forms. They noted minor updates to Gravity Forms and Gravity Flow, but the release of Turnstile 1.0 stood out as the most significant add-on. Additionally, a tutorial video on how to set up Turnstile 1.0 is scheduled to be released on the 4th of July. In their conversation about donation form creation and customization with Gravity Forms, Matt talked about his recent experience in creating a donation form and expressed interest in user experiences with selling products or donation forms. Dustin expressed his desire for more customization options in Orbital, highlighting a potential future update for the platform.

Michelle Frechette, one of the co-founders of underrepresentedintech.com, discussed how they use Gravity Forms and Gravity Kit to allow individuals to enter their profiles, making them discoverable through a search function. This project, started with Allie Nimmons, provides an essential community service without requiring extensive development costs.

What's new in WordPress segment:

• WordCamps are set to change - In May 2023, WordPress' Community Team announced a significant shift in the WordCamp format to promote adoption, training, and networking for professionals, with eight pilot events confirmed to launch in 2023. These events, which include the first ever Low-Cost WordCamp in Leipzig, Germany, and a "WordPress Day" in Sevilla, Spain, are designed to be more experimental and flexible than the previous WordCamp format. The Community Team is still accepting pilot events for 2023 and is also scheduling into 2024, inviting prospective event organizers to submit their creative ideas.
• Naming the new Command Center in WordPress - WordPress contributors are debating the renaming of the Command Center, a feature introduced in Gutenberg 15.6 that serves as a quick search and command execution tool. The discussion, initiated by contributor Reyes Martínez, revolves around whether the name "Wayfinder" would better represent the feature's use cases and appeal to a less technical audience. However, many participants argue for a name that clearly describes the feature and aligns with industry conventions, such as "Command Palette," with the final decision yet to be made.

We're back! The first episode of 2024 has arrived and it's a fun exploration of all things new at Gravity Forms.

We'll explore some updates that have happened before our 2023 seasonal break, what features you can look forward to with Gravity Forms, and our upcoming launch of Gravity SMTP version 1.0.

Matt interviews Tim Brown of Hook Agency, which covers how he's built a large book of business serving the construction industry. Tim and his team help these brands launch WordPress websites to power their online marketing campaigns. At the heart of all of this? Gravity Forms. If you're an agency owner, you won't want to miss today's episode.

If you have a moment, please take a moment to take this short survey about this podcast! Your feedback helps us improve the show. 

Equalize Digital and Its NASA Project: Amber explains that Equalize Digital is a company focused on WordPress accessibility, particularly for people with disabilities. They have developed a plugin called Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker, available in both free and premium versions. Notably, their premium plugin is being used in the development of NASA's website. Lone Rock Point, the company behind the NASA project, decided to use WordPress primarily because of Equalize Digital's plugin. Amber's team also played a crucial role in auditing and user testing the beta site for accessibility.

Gravity Forms and Accessibility: Matt asks Amber about her experience with Gravity Forms, a popular WordPress plugin for form creation. Amber reveals that they have been using Gravity Forms extensively in their projects, including the WordPress Accessibility Day website. She highlights Gravity Forms' commitment to accessibility and how it saves time for their organizing team, particularly in managing user registrations and creating draft posts for event speakers. They also discuss the value of Gravity Forms in creating efficient editorial workflows and how it benefits the event's attendees and sponsors.

Notable URLs and software mentioned:
* Equalize Digital's plugin: ~[Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker](https://wordpress.org/plugins/equalize-digital-accessibility-checker/)~
* NASA's website development by Lone Rock Point
* Gravity Forms: A popular WordPress form creation plugin
* Gravity Forms advanced post creation add-on
* Gravity Forms user registration add-on
* GravityWiz's "Populate Anything" add-on
* Zapier: Used for integrating Gravity Forms with Google Sheets
* WordPress Accessibility Day website: 2023.wpaccessibility.day

These two key points provide listeners with insights into how Equalize Digital is contributing to web accessibility and how Gravity Forms is aiding in the success of WordPress Accessibility Day.

ConvertKit Beta Add-On: Matt mentions at the beginning that they have a ConvertKit beta add-on available for download at the bottom of the dashboard. This is likely important for listeners who are interested in using ConvertKit or existing users looking to enhance their experience with this tool. Find the beta in your Gravity Forms dashboard.

Middle of the Funnel Importance: Jason emphasizes the significance of the middle of the funnel in email marketing, stating that about 85% of sales occur in this stage. He stresses the need for consistency in email communication, a well-planned welcome sequence, and intentionality in writing emails with a clear call to action. This insight is valuable for anyone involved in email marketing, as it highlights the often-neglected middle stage and provides practical advice for improving email engagement and conversion rates.

Important software mentioned:
* ConvertKit: The email marketing platform discussed throughout the conversation.
* WordPress: Jason mentions moving his website back to WordPress, indicating its importance as a content management system.

Overall, this conversation delves into the significance of the middle of the funnel in email marketing and announces the availability of a ConvertKit beta add-on, providing practical insights for podcast listeners interested in email marketing and ConvertKit usage.

Follow Jason on Twitter and download his NurtureKit Blueprint.

In this episode of the Gravity Forms podcast Breakdown, Matt interviews Hazel Quimpo about how she has built a "marketing machine" using Gravity Forms, Zapier, and ChatGPT. 

Hazel talks about how she prompts users to give verbal or text input about their business through VideoAsk, which then triggers a Zapier zap to send the data to Gravity Forms. The data is processed through ChatGPT to extract structured data fields. Hazel then uses Gravity Forms and Zapier to generate marketing deliverables like content calendars based on the structured data.

Top 5 Takeaways:

1. ChatGPT is great at taking unstructured data like text and verbal input and turning it into structured data like brand values, content pillars, etc. (3:37)
2. Hazel built a "marketing machine" that takes user input through VideoAsk, processes it with ChatGPT to get structured data, and uses that data to generate marketing deliverables with Gravity Forms. (6:42)
3. Hazel uses Zapier to connect and automate the flow from VideoAsk > ChatGPT > Gravity Forms. She also uses Gravity Forms as the trigger for additional zaps rather than webhooks. (10:03)
4. There is a free version available at docs.clever.io to try out and get a content strategy doc generated from your business input. (13:21)
5. Hazel is using this approach to generate proposals for clients, taking a sales call transcript as input to autofill a proposal template. (18:39)

Important Links:

• theclever.io
• docs.theclever.io - free tool to try
• Gravity Forms 50% off sale (Nov 21-28): gravityforms.com
• Hazel's LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hazelq/

The Breakdown podcast hosted by Matt Medeiros recently featured two great conversations about upcoming Gravity SMTP service and how one of our customers uses Active Campaign + Gravity Forms in her business. Here are some highlights from each interview.

Conversation with Adam Pickering about Gravity SMTP
The first conversation was with Adam Pickering, discussing the upcoming beta release of Gravity SMTP. This is the first standalone product from Gravity Forms.

Some key points:
* Gravity SMTP will migrate data from Gravity Forms mail add-ons to the new plugin
* The setup wizard is being built to streamline configuration
* Requested integrations like Gmail and Outlook were popular in their product roadmap survey
* An unexpected useful feature they built is disabling email sending during migrations

Key Takeaways:
* Gravity SMTP beta expected in mid-October
* Sign up for their beta program to get early access
* Provides a secure way to send Gravity Forms emails
* Setup wizard will ease transition from mail add-ons
* Disable email sending feature helpful for site migrations

Important Links:
gravityforms.com/beta

Conversation with Kay Peacey on Using Gravity Forms
The second conversation was with Kay Peacey of SlickBusiness.co, discussing how she uses Gravity Forms.

Some key points:
* Kay puts a survey on her opt-in thank you page to learn about subscribers' pain points
* This converts 10% into purchases for her ActiveCampaign Academy
* She also surveys customers after purchase to guide their onboarding
* Kay frequently advises clients on the best WordPress stack with Gravity Forms
* She persistently engaged with ActiveCampaign for 7 years before joining their customer advisory board

Key Takeaways:
* Use Gravity Forms surveys on opt-in and purchase thank you pages
* Identify customer pain points upfront to boost conversions
* Recommend relevant courses based on survey responses
* Advise clients on optimal WordPress stacks with Gravity Forms
* Building long-term relationships with brands can lead to advisory roles

Important Links:
https://slickbusiness.co/
https://www.gravityforms.com/add-ons/activecampaign/

In this episode of Breakdown, we dive into exciting updates from Gravity Forms, including the release of Gravity Forms 2.9 Release Candidate and the new Gravity SMTP 1.4.2. We also welcome Timothy Wood, founder of Always Curious, who shares his insights on using Gravity Forms for advanced applications, including a unique Magic Link login solution. Timothy discusses his agency's approach to leveraging Gravity Forms for data management and client solutions, as well as his commitment to giving back to the WordPress community.

Key Takeaways:

- Gravity Forms 2.9 introduces new features that enhance user experience and customization.

- Gravity SMTP offers a cost-effective solution for sending transactional emails, especially for agencies.

- Timothy Wood emphasizes the versatility of Gravity Forms for complex data management and client solutions.

- The Magic Link plugin provides a modern alternative to traditional login methods, improving user experience.

- Timothy's agency focuses on building applications within the WordPress ecosystem, showcasing the potential of Gravity Forms for advanced projects.

- Community engagement and contributions are vital for the growth and improvement of the WordPress ecosystem.

Connect with Timothy Wood:

- Twitter: @codearachnid

- Agency Website: alwayscurious.co

Support the Podcast:

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on social media or your favorite community platforms. Don't forget to subscribe to Breakdown at gravityforms.com/breakdown for more insights every two weeks!

In today's episode, Matt dives deeper into the value of paid WordPress plugins like Gravity Forms. If you're a freelancer or agency owner, you're solving more issues in your business than just the critical features of our form plugin. 

Also, Matt interviews Dave Smith from GravityWiz and Zack Katz from GravityKit about how they are delighting their customers with traditional printed mail marketing. It's a fun episode, welcome back to Breakdown!

Visit us as the Gravity Forms booth at WCUS. Tell them you listen to this podcast.

Segment 1

Jamie Oastler from Gravity Flow discusses how the plugin builds on Gravity Forms to automate workflows after form submissions. He explains Gravity Flow's user interactive steps like approvals and user input as well as non-interactive steps like notifications. Jamie positions Gravity Flow as a "thin pane of glass" that can connect WordPress to other systems while still providing a great front-end experience.

Key Takeaways:

• Gravity Flow structures workflows and business processes after form submission.
• It enables user approvals, input steps, notifications and more.
• Gravity Flow can integrate with other systems while keeping WordPress as the presentation layer.

Segment 2

Brad Williams has been working with WordPress for over 15 years and founded his agency, WebDevStudios, in 2008. In the transcript, Brad discusses how WordPress has evolved from a simple blogging platform to a powerful CMS over the years. He highlights major releases like WordPress 3.0 which introduced custom post types, allowing sites to structure content beyond just pages and posts. He also discusses how the block editor/Gutenberg transformed the editing experience, making it easy for non-technical users to create beautiful pages.

Key Takeaways:

• The block editor/Gutenberg transformed the editing experience for non-technical users.
• Gravity Forms has been a go-to plugin for forms and advanced functionality since the beginning.
• WordPress has evolved into a powerful CMS capable of enterprise-level sites.

Quick episode today! Please take this short 5 question survey about the Breakdown podcast.

Updates to Gravity Forms: 

• Orbital everywhere! https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/gravity-forms-styling-orbital/
• Gravity Forms 2.7.15 https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/brand-new-release-gravity-forms-2-7-15/
• Conversational Forms 1.1 https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/brand-new-release-conversational-forms-add-on-1-1/

If you have 3 minutes, please take this 5 question survey to help us improve the podcast https://formmm.wtf/survey

In this episode of the Breakdown Podcast, Matt and Isabel discuss their experiences at WordCamp US, which took place in National Harbor, Maryland. Isabel, a junior software engineer on the Gravity Forms team, talks about her role and various tasks she has undertaken, including working on the company's TikTok account. 

Matt reflects on the event, highlights the size of the venue, and discusses the vendor booth setup, including the popularity of Gravity Forms' high-quality t-shirts. They share their favorite dining spots and interactions with certified developers who play a crucial role in the Gravity Forms ecosystem. The episode concludes with testimonials from customers who have been using Gravity Forms for over a decade and a lively giveaway event hosted by Mike from the team.

Important links
Get Gravity Forms https://gravityforms.com/
Gutenberg: Next with Matt Mullenweg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHdsapKfN2I

In this podcast episode, Matt announces some updates and collaborations related to Gravity Forms. Gravity Forms is now on WordPress.com, making it easier for small businesses to use the plugin.

Matt interviews Adam Pickering, the lead product designer at Gravity Forms, discussing his role in designing the visual aspects of the plugin. They also talk about the new Gravity SMTP feature, which addresses email sending challenges. The conversation includes discussions about beta testing, integrating Mailgun, and the benefits of using Gravity SMTP.

Matt interviews Zack Katz on GravityKit and its add-ons, as well as the importance of customer support.

Zack elaborates on the different add-ons offered by GravityKit, which are designed to extend the functionality of Gravity Forms. These add-ons provide users with additional features and customization options, allowing them to tailor their forms to meet their specific needs. Zack highlights the benefits of using these add-ons, such as improved form validation, enhanced conditional logic, and advanced file uploads.

The episode concludes with a mention of the upcoming release of Gravity Migrate, a new add-on for moving form data between sites.

Important links

• https://gravityforms.com/
• https://wordpress.com/
• https://us.wordcamp.org/2023/
• https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/wordpress-com-and-gravity-forms/
• https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/introducing-gravity-smtp-test-the-alpha-today/
• https://gravityforms.com/beta
• https://gravitykit.com/
• https://www.gravitykit.com/gravitymigrate/

In the latest episode of Breakdown, host Matt Medeiros sits down with Megan Jones to discuss Gravity Forms' Black Friday plans and share insights from prominent WordPress product owners about their holiday marketing strategies.

Gravity Forms Black Friday Details

Gravity Forms will offer its biggest discount of the year - 50% off all licenses (Basic, Pro, and Elite) from November 25th through December 3rd, 2024. The sale includes Gravity Flow licenses and promotes exclusive deals from certified developers through a dedicated landing page.

Industry Expert Insights

We published a few industry experts as guests this week. Hear what they had to share about their Black Friday promos and be sure to check out their products.

Katie Keith - Barn2 Plugins
Katie shared her experience managing sales across 19 WordPress plugins. Her key strategy involves encouraging higher-value purchases during the sale period. Despite offering significant discounts, Barn2 maintains or increases their average order value by promoting premium license options.

Cole Fraser - Gravity Wiz
Cole emphasized simplification in their Black Friday approach. While email marketing remains crucial, Cole advised against over-segmentation during busy sales periods. Black Friday shoppers typically seek straightforward messaging about deals rather than complex, personalized communications.

Corey Maass - OMGIMG
Corey highlighted the importance of listing products in Black Friday directories and roundups. While direct attribution proves challenging, these listings contribute to overall brand visibility during the sale period.

Zack Katz - GravityKit
Zack stressed the value of email subject line testing, noting that different subject lines not only affect open rates but also influence click-through behavior within the emails.

Key Takeaways
* 50% off has become the standard discount expectation for WordPress Black Friday deals
* Simplify marketing messages during Black Friday to cut through inbox noise
* Focus on growing email lists before the sale period
* Consider bundling products or encouraging higher-tier purchases
* List products in WordPress Black Friday directories for increased visibility
* Test email subject lines when possible
* Balance email frequency to maintain engagement without overwhelming subscribers

Important URLs

* Gravity Forms Black Friday: gravityforms.com/black-friday
* Gravity Flow Black Friday: gravityflow.io/black-friday
* Gravity Forms YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@gravitywp
* Podcast: gravityforms.com/breakdown

This is a recording of our most recent Gravity Forms 101 livestream which aired on our YouTube channel.

In this episode, Matt and Jim walk us through setting up Gravity Forms install, including setting up a basic form and placing it on your WordPress website. The duo also takes us through setting up more advanced routing of email submissions and accepting payments via Stripe. Livestreams will take place once a month, so be sure to follow us on YouTube.

Gravity SMTP was announced and we're looking for alpha version testers. 

On the latest episode of the Gravity Forms Breakdown podcast, host Matt Rechenburg shares highlights from the recent Gravity Forms Summit for agencies and freelancers. He also interviews veteran support engineer Chris Hajer to give listeners a behind-the-scenes look at Gravity Forms support.

Strategies for Using Gravity Forms to Boost Sales
Kathy from the summit presents strategies for using Gravity Forms to close more sales by streamlining the process and removing friction for customers. She explains how Gravity Forms can be leveraged to build genuine relationships by aligning your goals with your customers' goals.

Challenges and Solutions in Project Management
David discusses the exciting challenges of managing both client projects and internal projects with complex requirements that extend beyond standard plugin functionality. With deadlines always looming and limited time, he explains why GravityWiz consulting can help conquer any Gravity Forms project on time.

Interview with Veteran Support Engineer Chris Hajer
Chris has been with Gravity Forms since 2011, before their current office was even built! With over a decade of experience, he provides uniquely knowledgeable and high quality responses to customer support issues. Chris explains that the diversity of Gravity Forms users keeps things interesting - from new users with basic questions to complex systems built around Gravity Forms over 10+ years. He loves helping manipulate Gravity Forms data using add-ons like CRM integrations and Zapier.

The following Gravity Forms add-ons were recently updated:

• ConvertKit 1.0
• Stripe 5.3 and 5.4
• Turnstile 1.1
• Chained Selects 1.7
• Conversational Forms 1.2
• Polls 4.2
• PayPal Checkout 3.0

In this episode of Breakdown, Matt Medeiros sits down with Gil Amminadav from BrightLeaf Consulting to explore the innovative ways they're leveraging Gravity Forms in their business. Gil shares his "Gravity Forms First" approach, demonstrating how this powerful WordPress plugin can be used to create complex, custom solutions for clients. From building messaging systems to managing finances, Gil reveals how Gravity Forms has become the backbone of their operations, offering efficiency, scalability, and robust functionality.

Key Takeaways:

• The "Gravity Forms First" mindset: Always considering Gravity Forms solutions before looking elsewhere
• Using Gravity Forms to build custom messaging systems and client portals
• Leveraging Gravity Forms for financial management and ledger systems
• The benefits of consolidating data and processes within the Gravity Forms ecosystem
• Insights into iterating and managing form versions for complex applications
• Introduction of the Asana for Gravity Forms plugin, bridging project management and form functionality

Important URLs mentioned:

• BrightLeaf Consulting: https://brightleaf.info
• Asana Gravity Forms Integration: https://digital.brightleaf.info

Gil's interview showcases the versatility of Gravity Forms beyond simple contact forms, highlighting its potential as a powerful tool for building custom web applications and streamlining business processes. This episode offers valuable insights for WordPress professionals looking to maximize their use of Gravity Forms and create efficient, scalable solutions for their clients.

Bonus episode! Matt, Adam, and Morgan held a live webinar with Q&A about the upcoming Conversational Forms Add-On. It was part of the Beta users only group. If you want to sign up to the group, head over to https://gravityforms.com/beta

The Conversational Forms Add-On is currently in beta and we appreciate the feedback we have received from the community so far. It is important to note that after the beta period ends, the Conversational Forms Add-On will only be available with an Elite license. However, while in beta, this add-on can be installed and tested by anyone with an active Gravity Forms license.

WordCamp Europe is wrapping up, and the team from Gravity Forms was excited to see everyone in our booth. Congrats to the winners of our TikTok Giveaway, and there's still time to save 30% off licenses today + tomorrow.

Important takeaways

1. Stripe 5.0 release: The release of Stripe 5.0 is scheduled for June 14th. It brings updates to over 20 payment gateways, including the ability for customers to save their payment details for faster checkouts.
2. Google Analytics add-on: The Google Analytics add-on has been updated to support Google Analytics 4, which is the latest version. This allows users to integrate Gravity Forms with Google Analytics 4 for tracking and analyzing data.
3. Conversational Forms Add-On Beta 6: The podcast mentions a webinar held to showcase the beta version and encourages current customers to sign up for the beta program to provide feedback and access new releases.
4. PODS plugin: The podcast features an interview with Scott Kingsley Clark, the developer of the Pods plugin. Pods is an alternative to Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) and allows users to create and manage custom fields in WordPress. The interview discusses the features and benefits of using Pods.
5. Spam prevention tools: A video titled "Fight Spam with a Kiss, MIT" is mentioned, highlighting the spam prevention tools available with Gravity Forms. One of the tools mentioned is Akismet, which checks form submissions against its global spam database to prevent spam entries.

Important links

• https://gravityforms.com/
• https://gravityforms.com/beta
• https://pods.io/
• https://jetpack.com/blog/introducing-jetpack-ai-assistant/
• https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our second standalone product, Gravity SMTP. After nearly 15 years since the release of Gravity Forms, the Rocket Genius team has been working hard to develop a plugin that will revolutionize the way WordPress users send emails from their websites.

Gravity SMTP is a standalone plugin that seamlessly integrates with popular email providers such as SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, and Brevo. Our goal is to ensure reliable email delivery for critical WordPress site notifications, including contact form submissions, lead gen forms, donation forms, and membership sign-ups.

Our team has built Gravity SMTP using cutting-edge development practices, such as a React-based admin interface, a component system for consistent design, and a new PHP architecture that allows for cleaner, more maintainable code. These advancements enable us to deliver a product that is both user-friendly and technologically advanced.

The launch of Gravity SMTP signifies a major milestone for our company. As our first ground-up product since the release of Gravity Forms, it showcases our dedication to innovation and our commitment to meeting the ever-changing needs of our valued customers.

We are excited to offer Gravity SMTP exclusively to our Gravity Forms Elite license holders during the launch phase. This decision reflects our appreciation for our most loyal and committed customers, and we believe it adds a layer of exclusivity and value to their investment in our products.

As we move forward, we can't wait to see how Gravity SMTP enhances email reliability and overall user experience for our customers' websites. We are dedicated to expanding our product suite and continuing to innovate within the WordPress space to better serve our users.

See it here: https://www.gravityforms.com/gravity-smtp/

This episode of the Gravity Forms podcast features interviews with two developers who have created new products for Gravity Forms.

Derek Ashauer discusses his new plugin Conversion Bridge that allows users to easily track conversions from forms and other actions in alternative analytics platforms beyond just Google Analytics. He highlights how most users don't utilize the full power of Google Analytics and alternative privacy-focused platforms like Fathom provide good enough analytics for most use cases.

Johnathon Williams talks about his new Gravity Forms Global Search plugin that allows searching across all form entries, fields, notes, etc in one place. He built it to solve pain points he experienced when managing large datasets in Gravity Forms. He also discusses his process for rapidly developing and launching the plugin publicly in just a weekend.

Key Takeaways:
* Conversion Bridge plugin enables connecting conversion tracking data to 12+ analytics platforms beyond just Google Analytics
* Alternative analytics tools like Fathom provide good enough analytics for most users without complex setup
* Gravity Forms Global Search allows quickly searching across all forms, fields, notes, and entries in one place
* Useful for managing large Gravity Forms datasets with thousands of entries
* Johnathon built initial version of plugin in just 2 days and launched publicly in 1 hour
* Rapid validation by engaging community publicly on social media

Important URLs:
https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/gravity-smtp-rc/
https://www.gravityforms.com/blog/brand-new-release-stripe-add-on-5-5/
https://twitter.com/DerekAshauer
ConversionBridgeWP.com
https://twitter.com/johnofhousejohn
Oddjar.com

Dustin and I launch a podcast...more notes soon!

Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:30 Welcome to Breakdown
04:58 New Gravity Forms license
07:05 Style forms with ease
08:19 Steven Khraiss: Going beyond contact forms
13:37 Are you using Hubspot in your agency?
16:34 When should you use a CRM?
19:49 What's new in WordPress?
25:13 Outro

Welcome back dear listener, excited to be chatting with you again. 

Later in today’s episode you’ll hear from Joe Anderson who’s building a new product for Gravity Forms so that you can customize your outgoing email templates. If you do a lot with email notifications, you’ll like what he’s cooking up. 

But lets chat Gravity Forms updates for a moment.

Since the last time we chatted, a minor release of Gravity Forms shipped, version 2.8.5. Aside from a minor security patch, there weren’t any dramatic user facing features rolled out. 

Some add-ons in our collection also saw some minor updates, including: 

• Zapier 4.3
• Geolocation 1.2
• EmailOctopus 1.3
• HubSpot 2.1

Gravity SMTP has reached Release Candidate 5, including new or adjustments to features like: 

• Easier Email Previewing
• Effortless Bulk Deletion
• Email entry search
• And an early introduction to incorporating User Roles, to assign certain levels of access to different features of the product.

As always, head to https://www.gravityforms.com/newsletter/ to stay connected for all of the updates, especially if you’re waiting for the full release of Gravity SMTP!

What would make Gravity Forms better?

If you’ll allow me, I’d love to present you with an important question: “What would make Gravity Forms better?” 

Let me repeat that for those of you 2X listeners: “What would make Gravity Forms better?” 

Gravity Forms was one of the first commercial WordPress products I ever purchased when I started my agency back in 2007-8. It was one of the most important plugins at the heart of a lot of projects we worked on. 

Building out business directories and review sites were a type of site I found myself building a lot of. Even real estate sites — because back then integrating into IDX/MLS was a mess — were using Gravity Forms internally to post their properties on WordPress. 

Mapping custom fields to custom post types, dynamically displaying those posts on the front-end, with user registration as icing on the proverbial cake meant Gravity Forms helped us push the value of our work even higher. 

But it’s been a while since I’ve been in the trenches of building sites for clients. 

We get a ton of feedback from our standard channels, but I’m looking for personal feedback from you, a listener of Breakdown. Email me, matt@gravityforms.com and let me know how you’re using it, and what would make it better for you. 

Just because I work at Gravity Forms doesn’t mean I’m no longer an enduser, though. 

As you’ve probably heard me talk about before, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Gravity Forms building out donation forms and event registration pages, for the Nick Strong Foundation, a non-profit my best friend started. 

I’ve been taking copious notes, to say the least.

I love how flexible our product is, but I’m not oblivious to some of the shortcomings when you really push it — say — into the world of donations. 

There’s a lot I’d like to see, too. Specifically for donation forms: 

• How far the form is from reaching a particular goal
• Promo info or call outs to users who just donated. Opt-in, of course.
• And pre determined designs for the form themselves

If you have some ideas like this, I’d love to hear from you. Again, reach me at matt@gravityforms.com 

Joe Anderson Interview

Coming up next is my interview with Joe Anderson, the creator of Gravity Forms Email Customizer plugin over at https://www.metaphorcreations.com/

It’s a new way to design email notifications utilizing the default WordPress block editor. You can purchase it from his site for $39year.

I hope you enjoy our conversation, and I look forward to talking to you in the next episode. 

In the latest episode of the Breakdown podcast, host Matt Medeiros shares updates from Gravity Forms and interviews two guests making waves in the Gravity Forms ecosystem. The episode kicks off with news about minor updates to Gravity Forms Core, a new MailerLite add-on in beta, and the Gravity Forms team's upcoming plans for WordCamp Europe.

Matt interviews Blaz from JetSloth, a company focused on enhancing Gravity Forms with beautiful design and functionality. Blaz discusses their latest add-on, Enhanced Choices, which expands on their previous work to provide more customization options for radio and checkbox fields. He shares the origin story of Enhanced Choices and how customer requests and feedback shaped its development. Blaz also touches on JetSloth's commitment to the WordPress and Gravity Forms communities.

Next, Matt catches up with Richard Best, a lawyer from New Zealand who has developed a document automation add-on for Gravity Forms called Gravity Merge. Richard explains his long-standing interest in using Gravity Forms for contract automation and how this led to the creation of Gravity Merge. He breaks down the four plugins that make up Gravity Merge and their various use cases, from legal document generation to creating downloadable articles. Richard also discusses how web development agencies and entrepreneurs can leverage Gravity Merge to enhance their offerings and streamline document creation processes for their clients.

Key Takeaways:

• Gravity Forms released minor updates, a new MailerLite add-on in beta, and will be attending WordCamp Europe.
• JetSloth's Enhanced Choices add-on expands customization options for radio and checkbox fields in Gravity Forms.
• Gravity Merge is a powerful document automation solution for Gravity Forms, with applications in legal, business, and content creation.
• Web development agencies can use Gravity Merge to offer document automation as part of their services and distinguish themselves in the market.

Important URLs:

• Gravity Forms Beta Group: gravityforms.com/beta
• JetSloth: jetsloth.com
• Gravity Merge: gravitymerge.co

Today’s episode is a mix of interviews and highlights throughout the Gravity Forms universe.

Matt interviews Ryan Sullivan from Sitecare, discussing the current temperature in the WordPress client support space. Ryan started Sitecare as “WP Sitecare” over a decade ago, pioneering the “care plan” as it’s known today. Southern Web acquired WP Sitecare roughly 4 years ago, and firmly planted on Sitecare as the longterm brand name.

The duo discussed simplifying your client offerings to not only streamline the delivery of projects, but to also maximize your profit potential in the back of the house.

The second half of the show is joined by Gravity Forms Content Marketing Lead, Megan Jones, to discuss her takeaways from WordCamp Europe where she spent some time with the team connecting with the WordPress community.

Top takeaways for WordPress professionals:
* WordPress 6.6 is set to release soon, featuring updates to the admin UI, grid layout improvements, and synced pattern overrides.
* Gravity SMTP released version 1.1.0 with new integrations (Microsoft, Google) and the ability to set primary and backup connections.
* Gravity SMTP version 1.2.0 added re-send email functionality and migration from WP Mail SMTP.
* Site Care offers a 10% flat rate referral program for agencies partnering with them for WordPress maintenance services.
* Gravity Forms is widely used for various purposes, including spam moderation, simple checkouts, and complex systems like classifieds.
* Gravity Forms integrations (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce) can help agencies target higher-tier clients with more complex needs.
* WordCamp Europe in Turin was well-attended and considered a success by attendees.
* There's a push to revive WordCamp London, with local meetups gaining traction.
* WordPress event organizers may need to consider how to attract and cater to newer WordPress users at major events.

Important URLs mentioned in the episode:

• https://gravitykit.com/live
• https://gravitykit.com
• https://sitecare.com
• https://gravityforms.com

In this episode, Matt discusses upcoming opportunities for agencies and freelancers to leverage Gravity Forms headed into 2024. He provides a sneak peek of the Gravity Forms Summit on November 15th and encourages listeners to take the Breakdown podcast survey.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro
0:30 Gravity Forms Summit promo
2:00 Nonprofit payment solutions
4:00 Marketing funnels with Gravity Forms
6:30 AI for tracking form conversions
8:00 Customer avatars and value props
9:30 Gravity Forms Summit details
11:00 Podcast survey promo
12:30 Outro

Important Links:

Gravity Forms Summit Registration: https://www.youtube.com/@GravityWP
Gravity Forms Nonprofit Discount: https://www.gravityforms.com/nonprofit-discount/
Podcast Survey: https://formmmm.wtf/survey
Add Breakdown Podcast: https://www.gravityforms.com/breakdown