This was the website for the Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group which would meet every other month on the 4th Thursday at The Nerdery located at 9555 James Ave S, Suite 245, Bloomington, MN.
They offered free pizza to attendees!
They welcomed WordPress users, developers, and enthusiasts of all levels!
Wordpress is the undisputed king of content management systems, powering over a third of all websites on the internet. This dominance is both a blessing and a challenge. On the plus side, Wordpress benefits from an enormous ecosystem of plugins, themes, and third-party resources to handle everything from search engine optimization to e-commerce. However, this immense popularity also makes Wordpress a prime target for bad actors constantly trying to breach its defenses.
According to our users, one recent change has shifted more responsibility onto Wordpress theme developers. In the past, the core Wordpress team would handle technical issues, but now they often refer users to the theme creators. Unfortunately, many theme developers prioritize aesthetics over performance, resulting in sites that fail to meet Google's Core Web Vitals - a critical set of page speed metrics the search giant considers for ranking. In fact, we haven't seen a single Wordpress site that fully meets Google's recommended 2-second page load target.
Wordpress-powered e-commerce sites face an additional challenge stemming from Google itself. In an effort to better track clicks and visits from free product listings, Google has started appending a "srsltid" parameter to URLs. However, a bug in Google's implementation has caused these modified URLs to get indexed, leading to a host of problems - from canonical tag failures to index bloat. The best analysis of this "srsltid Google Problem" can be found on Bob Sakayama's site, Google-Penalty.com, where he provides a comprehensive explanation and proven solutions.
While Wordpress remains the dominant content management system, its meteoric rise has created new challenges for site owners and developers. Staying on top of performance, security, and the ever-evolving Google ecosystem requires constant vigilance. But with the right guidance and expertise, Wordpress can still be a powerful platform for building successful online presences.
by Toby Cryns
Meetings are the 4th Thursday of the Month at The Nerdery | No Meeting in November or December
October 25, 2010
All of our discussions are currently taking place in our Google Group. Discussions are open to any question by any Twin Cities WordPress enthusiast of any skill level.
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #19 Tomorrow (Thursday)! WordPress Multi-Site Show-and-Tell
October 26, 2011 News
One night only! Tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 27, we will be showcasing and discussing the features of WordPress multi-site. We will be sharing examples of live multi-site websites as well as different ways to utilize multi-site.
We will follow that up with a Tech Shoppe and a discussion of our soon-to-be announced (and planned) WINTER EXTRAVAGANZA!!!
What: Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group Meeting
When: Thursday, September 21, 2011 at 7 p.m. (Doors and pizza at 6:30)
Session Topic: WordPress Multi-Site, Tech Shoppe, Winter Event Discussion
Where: The Nerdery, 9555 James Ave S Suite 245 Bloomington, MN 55431
Cost: Free! (Please bring a friend!)
See you tomorrow!
Toby
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #18 Tomorrow (Thursday)! SEO and Fun With Plugins
September 21, 2011
Tomorrow’s MSP WordPress gathering will feature local SEO guru, Dave Allen. He will be giving us an update on the current state of SEO. Is paid search better than SEO? How has Facebook changed the search game? Come and find out!
We will follow up Dave’s session with a roundtable on fun and useful plugins we all use (thanks, Susie!).
Finally, we will have a short organizing meeting for the yet-to-be-named local WordPress event this winter. Who knows, maybe we will call it “WordCamp”.
What: Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group Meeting
When: Thursday, September 21, 2011 at 7 p.m. (Doors and pizza at 6:30)
Session Topic: The Current State of SEO; Fun with Plugins
Where: The Nerdery, 9555 James Ave S Suite 245 Bloomington, MN 55431
Cost: Free! (Please bring a friend!)
See you tomorrow!
Toby
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #17 Tomorrow! State of the Word
August 24, 2011
Greetings!
We will be holding our 17th WordPress gathering tomorrow night at The Nerdery.
The first part of the show will be Matt Mullenweg’s “State of the Word” address from WordCamp San Francisco. We will follow that up with a discussion about the current state of the WordPress community locally as well where you think WordPress is heading.
What else is on your mind?
What: Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group Meeting
When: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 7 p.m. (Doors and pizza at 6:30)
Session Topic: 2011 “State of the Word” Address
Where: The Nerdery, 9555 James Ave S Suite 245 Bloomington, MN 55431
Cost: Free! (Please bring a friend!)
See you tomorrow!
Toby
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #15 Date Change
June 23, 2011
Due to a scheduling conflict, MSP WordPress #15 has been moved to Wednesday June 29, 2011.
by Toby Cryns
WordPress Security! MSP WordPress #15 on Wednesday June 29, 2011
June 21, 2011
MSP WordPress is this Thursday next Wednesday June 29, 2011!
We will have a roundtable discussion about web and WordPress security precautions and then follow that up with a
Security Tech Shop where we can all work on implementing some of those things on our sites.
Then we will do a quick show-and-tell at the end. Please email me off-list if you want to reserve a spot on the show-and-tell docket.
See you Thursday June 22, 2011 Wednesday June 29, 2011!
What: Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group Meeting
Session Topic: WordPress Security
Where: The Nerdery, 9555 James Ave S Suite 245 Bloomington, MN 55431
Cost: Free! (Please bring a friend!)
Toby
Agendas
Next Meeting
Meeting #18 (September 2011)
- Is SEO Dead? with Dave Allen
- WordCamp MSP 2011
- Favorite Plugins Roundtable
Past Topics
Meeting #18 (September 2011)
- Is SEO Dead? with Dave Allen
- WordCamp MSP 2011
- Favorite Plugins Roundtable
Meeting #17 (August 2011)
- State of the Word (Matt Mullenweg’s Annual Address)
Meeting #16 (July 2011)
Meeting #15 (June 22, 2011)
- WordPress Security Roundtable (group discussion)
- Security Tech Shop
Meeting #14 (May ??, 2011)
- Show and Tell
- Moving WordPress (David Ellenwood)
Meeting #13 (April 28, 2011)
- CiviCRM (Justin Foell)
- Performance Optimization (John Havlik)
Meeting #12 (March 24, 2011)
Meeting #11 (February 24, 2011)
- Design a theme
- Develop the aforedesigned theme
- Make the group’s plugin directory awesome
- Make the group’s theme directory awesome
- Build functionality that gives job recruiters a place to post their openings
- Build functionality that gives job seekers a place to post their credentials
- Build a member directory
- RSVP System for MSP WordPress gatherings
Meeting #10 (January 27, 2011)
- Email list ettiquette discussion
- Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge discussion
- MSP WordPress logo voting
- SESSION 1: Getting Started with Theme Frameworks – Genesis (Toby Cryns and Josh Leutze) | Suitable for Intermediate skill level
- SESSION 2: How to submit a patch to the WordPress core (John Havlik) | Suitable for Intermediate & Advanced skill levels
- SESSION 1: Post Taxonomies Explained (TBD) | Suitable for Intermediate & Advanced skill levels
- SESSION 2: Podcasting for Beginners (TBD) | Suitable for Beginner skill level
November 2010 – WordCamp MSP
Meeting #9 (October 28, 2010)
- Web Fonts with WordPress & Kernest (Garrick Van Buren) | Suitable for Intermediate, Advanced skill levels
- WordPress 3.0 (and 3.1) (Mitchell Hislop) | Suitable for All skill levels
- CSS using the built-in WordPress file editor (Toby Cryns) | Suitable for Beginners
- Using Custom Post Types / Meteor Slides (Josh Leuze) | Suitable for Intermediate, Advanced skill levels
Meeting #8 (September ??, 2010)
- Running WordPress Locally on Your Computer (Josh Leuze, Mitch Hislop)
Meeting #7 (July 22, 2010)
- BuddyPress Basics (Toby Cryns)
- Moving WordPress to a new domain/server (Ray Champagne)
- Intro to WordPress Q&A (Mitchell Hislop)
Meeting #6 (May 27, 2010)
- SVN for Beginners (Ray Champagne)
- “Hello World!” – Creating a basic WordPress plugin (Carl Bliss)
Meeting #5 (March 25, 2010)
- MSPWordpress.com Planning Session (Mykl Roventine)
- Converting a Photoshop PSD into a WordPress template. (Josh Leuze)
- Using Custom Fields in your theme (Ray Champagne)
Meeting #4 (Feb 4, 2010)
- CSS for Beginners (Daniel J. Post)
- How we manipulated WordPress to create a great user experience (Ray Champagne)
- MSP WordPress Team Meeting to prepare for Overnight Website Challenge (Tim Elliot)
- HTML 101 (Tony Thomas)
- WordPress 3.0 New Features (Mitchell Hislop)
Meeting #3 (Dec. 3, 2009)
- Super Basic “I know nothing about WordPress” Beginners’ Q&A (Gillian)
- “I know a little bit about WordPress” Beginners’ Q&A (i.e. How do I install email forms?, How do I change the website title?, etc.) (TBD)
- Blogging with WordPress (Mitch Hislop)
- MSPWordpress.com Website Discussion (Toby and Gillian)
Meeting #2 (Oct. 1, 2009)
- 25 Reasons to help you sell WordPress to your client (Adria Richards)
- Using WordPress as a CMS for Flash or Flex (Judah Frangipane)
- My favorite plugins for using WordPress as a CMS (Gillian Reynolds)
- WordPress freelancer’s discussion (Toby Cryns)
Meeting #1 (July 30, 2009)
- Wordcamp Twin Cities Organizing (Jay Myers)
- Convert your rocking HTML Design into a rocking WordPress Templates: a.k.a. Using WordPress Hooks (Toby Cryns)
- WordPress Overview for Beginners (Gillian Reynolds)
- WordPress as a CMS (Tim Elliott)
- Social Publishing & Lifestreaming with WordPress (Steve Borsch)
- ???? (Matt Albiniak) – Matt, What was your topic at the first meeting?
Session Ideas
Is there something WordPress-related that you want to learn more about? Do you want to lead a session at a future meeting? If the answer to either of those questions is “Yes”, add your topic idea and/or name below:
- Hooks and Filters: Building your first WordPress Plugin (Toby Cryns)
- Custom Fields and your theme (Ray Champagne)
- Building WordPress Plugins (Add your name here)
- My Favorite WordPress Plugins for ________ (suggest topics below)
- Blogging (Add your name here)
- Turning WP into a Social Site (Add your name here)
- Images (Adria Richards)
- Navigation: Ordering and sorting your WordPress content (Adria Richards)
- Custom Fields (Daniel J. Post)
- bbPress for Beginners OR Theming bbPress (Add your name here)
- BuddyPress (Dave Buchanan)
- Upgrading WordPress (Adria Richards)
- Securing your WordPress install (Adria Richards)
- Adding eCommerce to a WordPress Site (Tim Elliott)
- “Building our site” (Mitchell Hislop)
- Pros/Cons of WordPress hosting (WordPress or external) and costs (Add your name here)
- Turning your Photoshop design into a WordPress template (Lindsi Gish – I don’t want to present, but I’d like to see how someone else goes about this in a step-by-step format) (Steph Tanner- also interested in learning this)
- Using your website as your social hub (Mitch Hislop)
- When WP should and should not be presented to your clients (Andrew Wachholz)
- Making Your WordPress Site Mobile-Friendly (Tim Elliott)
- Exploring the new Mobile WP Themes and/or developing mobile friendly WP themes – popularity, helpfulness, usability
- Using and customizing the “Thesis” theme (anyone using this? I’m a newbie, so couldn’t lead this…yet. – Ben Wallace)
- Training Clients on WordPress (Adria Richards)
- Turning your PHP applications into WordPress Plugins
- Performance tuning your WordPress site
- How to combine CSS into one file
- How to make CSS sprites
- HTML Forms in WordPress/Beyond Form Plugins
- WordPress for Beginners – Dashboard,Your Profile, Your First Post, Adding Widgets and Plugins (Adria Richards)
- Using a single WordPressMU install to manage several domains. (Aaron Hall)
- Contributing to wordpress, best practices for version control, submitting a patch.
- Geo-Tagging
You are browsing the archive for News.
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #19 Tomorrow (Thursday)! WordPress Multi-Site Show-and-Tell
October 26, 2011
One night only! Tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 27, we will be showcasing and discussing the features of WordPress multi-site. We will be sharing examples of live multi-site websites as well as different ways to utilize multi-site.
We will follow that up with a Tech Shoppe and a discussion of our soon-to-be announced (and planned) WINTER EXTRAVAGANZA!!!
What: Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group Meeting
When: Thursday, September 21, 2011 at 7 p.m. (Doors and pizza at 6:30)
Session Topic: WordPress Multi-Site, Tech Shoppe, Winter Event Discussion
Where: The Nerdery, 9555 James Ave S Suite 245 Bloomington, MN 55431
Cost: Free! (Please bring a friend!)
See you tomorrow!
Toby
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #15 Date Change
June 23, 2011
Due to a scheduling conflict, MSP WordPress #15 has been moved to Wednesday June 29, 2011.
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #13 – CiviCRM and Performance Optimization
April 28, 2011
At tonight’s MSP WordPress #13, WordPress superstar, John Havlik, will lead us through a session on how to make your WordPress site blazing fast.
Following that discussion, Justin Foell will lead us through a tour of CiviCRM and talk about how we might utilize it in a WordPress environment.
What: MSP WordPress #13
Where: The Nerdery (9555 James Ave S Suite 245. Bloomington, MN 55431)
When: Thursday, April 28, 2011 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Food: Pizza and pop at 6:30 (Thanks Nerdery!)
See you there!
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #12: Tech Shop
March 23, 2011
You have asked for it, and it is here! Due to popular demand (and a bit of last-minute planning on my part), we will be bringing Ye Olde Tech Shoppe back for tomorrow’s meeting!
This means that you should bring your broken websites, your wounded CSS, and your unsolved support tickets to The Nerdery tomorrow where one of our caring WordPress volunteers will try to help you mend your website wounds.
Be sure to have your FTP information, server logins, and WordPress logins handy if you need website support. Of course, spectators are welcome!
What: MSP WordPress #12
Where: The Nerdery (9555 James Ave S Suite 245. Bloomington, MN 55431)
When: Thursday, March 23, 2011 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Food: Pizza and pop at 6:30 (Thanks Nerdery!)
We closed 50 support tickets during WordCamp MSP; let’s see if we can add to that total!
See you there!
Toby
by Toby Cryns
MSP WordPress #11: Make MSPWordPress.com Awesome!
February 8, 2011
For February’s MSP WordPress gathering, we will be doing something a bit different.
With your help, Gillian and I will be procuring a list of “to-do” items for MSPWordPress.com. At the gathering on 2/24/2011, we will split up into groups, with each group being in charge of producing a “fix” for a specific item on the MSP WordPress.com website.
Some things that come to mind include:
- Design a theme
- Develop a theme
- Make the group’s plugin directory awesome
- Make the group’s theme directory awesome
- Build functionality that gives job recruiters a place to post their openings
- Build functionality that gives job seekers a place to post their credentials
- Build a member directory
More Background on MSPWordpress.com
The Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group (MSPWordpress.com) has long stood as a vital hub for WordPress professionals, hobbyists, and digital creatives in Minnesota’s Twin Cities metropolitan area. Spanning over a decade of activity, the group’s online home and real-world gatherings have offered an inclusive space for technical learning, collaboration, and community-building. The following is a comprehensive, link-free exploration of MSPWordpress.com and its parent organization, covering origins, activities, membership, venue, culture, and broader significance in both the local and global tech landscape.
Introduction and Overview
MSPWordpress.com was the website for the Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group, a grassroots organization that brought together WordPress users, developers, designers, content creators, marketers, and business owners from across the Twin Cities region. The primary mission of the group was to create a space for the exchange of knowledge, technical support, innovative ideas, and best practices related to WordPress—the world’s most popular content management system (CMS).
From beginners launching their first blogs to seasoned developers building sophisticated custom themes and plugins, the group welcomed participants of every skill level. Monthly and bi-monthly meetings included pizza, networking opportunities, hands-on help, and expert-led discussions, all provided at no cost to attendees.
Group Origins and Location
Founded in 2009, the Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group emerged at a time when WordPress and local tech meetups were gaining extraordinary traction. Initial leadership included well-known local digital professionals and WordPress advocates; names like Toby Cryns, Mykl Roventine, and Mitch Hislop all figured prominently as organizers and frequent presenters.
For over a decade, the group’s in-person meetings were held at The Nerdery, a celebrated local tech workspace at 9555 James Ave S, Suite 245, Bloomington, Minnesota. The venue was chosen for its accessible location midway between Minneapolis and St. Paul, spacious modern meeting rooms, and its deep roots in the region’s technology startup culture. Members would gather on the fourth Thursday of alternating months, with arrivals typically from 6:30 p.m. and formal programming starting at 7:00 p.m.
Organization and Ownership
Like many WordPress user groups worldwide, the MSP WordPress User Group was a volunteer-run, nonprofit-oriented organization. There was no singular owner of the website or the group. Instead, core leadership rotated among devoted community members who took on various responsibilities: scheduling events, organizing speakers, posting content, or moderating online forums. Toby Cryns, in particular, became a recognizable face at events and across the group’s web presence, often acting as spokesperson and principal event coordinator.
Membership and Audience
The group attracted a broad and diverse audience, reflecting the accessibility and flexibility of the WordPress platform itself:
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Web Developers & Designers: Freelancers, agency employees, and students seeking to deepen technical knowledge, network with peers, or learn new development methodologies.
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Content Creators & Bloggers: Individuals looking to publish and grow content-driven sites, learn plugin essentials, or troubleshoot bugs.
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Business Owners & Marketers: Entrepreneurs seeking to boost their digital presence, understand SEO, streamline e-commerce, or explore analytics.
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Nonprofit & Civic Leaders: Organizations needing cost-effective, scalable websites with access to community-driven support and resources.
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Educators & Career-Changers: People wishing to gain employable technical skills or transition to web-related roles.
Attendance at in-person meetings ranged from intimate groups of 20-30 up to occasional turnouts of more than 100 for special topical events or annual gatherings. Online, the group’s membership extended to thousands, as seen in forums, social groups, and mailing lists.
Meeting Format and Event Topics
Meetings formed the backbone of the group’s activities, combining formal presentations with casual networking and real-world support.
Key Aspects of the Meetings:
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Frequency: Every other month (4th Thursday), except for November and December.
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Cost: Always free, with complimentary pizza—an important social glue for the community.
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Venue: The Nerdery, centrally located for easy access from Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington.
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Social Hour & Pizza (6:30 PM): Attendees arrived, checked in, socialized, and ate.
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Announcements: Updates about local tech news, site projects, or upcoming events.
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Expert Presentation (7:00 PM onward): Invited speakers or prominent group members led sessions on topics ranging from advanced development tools to beginner how-to’s.
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Q&A, Hands-On Help, & Roundtables: Open forums to seek advice, solve problems, or showcase new work.
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Adjourn/Networking: After the main agenda, attendees networked, collaborated on projects, or planned future sessions.
Popular Topics and Past Agendas:
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WordPress security essentials
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SEO strategies (with sessions led by well-known regional experts)
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Plugin development and reviews
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Site migration and performance optimization
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Core WordPress updates (“State of the Word” recaps)
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E-commerce challenges and opportunities on WordPress
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New theme frameworks and custom design tips
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CiviCRM integrations and nonprofit site management
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WordPress as a CMS for large/enterprise projects
Periodically, the group held “Tech Shoppe” sessions—hands-on labs where members could troubleshoot live site issues or learn new coding skills with direct mentorship.
Online Community and Support
When not gathered in person, group activity thrived online. MSPWordpress.com served as the digital epicenter for event announcements, meeting recaps, and blog articles on local WordPress news. Community discussions and troubleshooting migrated to a popular Google Group, where users of all experience levels posted and answered questions.
Members also shared resources about site optimization, security best practices, notable WordPress bugs, and emerging SEO trends relevant to the local market. Notibly, technical topics like Google's "srsltid" URL bug or Core Web Vitals challenges received rigorous analysis from experienced participants, enhancing the group’s reputation as a true peer-driven helpdesk.
Special Projects and Regional Impact
MSPWordpress.com documented not only day-to-day activities, but also numerous major regional projects and events:
WordCamp and Special Gatherings
Members of the Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group were instrumental in launching and sustaining WordCamp MSP, an annual volunteer-run WordPress conference drawing hundreds of attendees from across the Upper Midwest.
WordCamp activities included:
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Multi-track workshops on design, marketing, security, development, and more.
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Networking opportunities with local agencies, freelancers, and tech companies.
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“Happiness Bars” (help desks staffed by local experts offering free advice).
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Social mixers and after-parties to foster lasting connections.
Collaborations
The group has collaborated with other local technology orgs—such as MinneBar/MinneDemo, Mpls Web Developers, and local digital agencies—creating unique cross-pollination between development, design, and marketing communities.
Reviews, Press, and Accolades
Community Feedback: Reviews from attendees and online participants consistently highlight MSPWordpress.com’s hospitality, technical rigor, and welcoming environment. The tradition of offering free pizza is often cited as both emblematic of Minnesota Nice and a practical gesture for encouraging newcomers.
Press & Media: Regional tech publications and event calendars have regularly promoted the group’s meetings and celebrated its role in seeding new WordPress meetups, hackathons, and freelance collaborations throughout the Midwest.
While the group did not issue formal press releases or seek awards, its influence has been recognized informally through the growth of WordPress adoption, local business testimonials, and the enduring impact on Minnesota’s web ecosystem.
Notable Figures and Leadership
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Toby Cryns: A core leader and frequent face at events, providing structure, topic ideas, and an open, friendly presence for newcomers.
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Mykl Roventine: Key organizer and digital media professional, with a strong reputation in regional tech circles.
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Mitch Hislop, Ray Champagne, Josh Leuze, and others: Developers and designers contributing expertise, running sessions, and mentoring members through workshops and real-world problem-solving.
Their collective dedication has created a strong sense of continuity, even as event responsibilities were modular and open to any engaged community member.
Cultural and Social Significance
The Minneapolis-St. Paul WordPress User Group transcends mere technical instruction. Its sustained success demonstrates the unique culture of the Twin Cities tech scene: inclusive, peer-driven, and continually curious.
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Inclusivity: All events are welcoming and beginner-friendly; first-timers and advanced professionals collaborate shoulder-to-shoulder.
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Mentorship: Direct one-on-one assistance is a hallmark, fostering both skill development and strong interpersonal bonds.
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Open Source Advocacy: The group actively promotes the ethos of open source, encouraging participants to contribute not just to WordPress projects but to the growth of the platform as a whole.
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Local Impact: Many local businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs have relied on the group to take their first digital steps or expand ambitious site projects with community guidance.
Group Legacy and Ongoing Influence
MSPWordpress.com, while sometimes dormant during periods of digital shift or pandemic uncertainty, has achieved a legacy of supporting thousands of local WordPress journeys. It has:
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Inspired spinoff groups and specialist meetups.
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Helped organize multiple WordCamps and community conferences in Minnesota.
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Advanced WordPress as a secure, high-performance, and user-focused CMS solution across local industries.
Even as the site’s event calendar may occasionally quiet, the skills, connections, and spirit of open collaboration it helped foster remain a living part of the region’s digital fabric.
Key Insights
MSPWordpress.com and its parent user group exemplify the best traditions of the WordPress community: openness, mutual support, technical growth, and real-world impact. Through regular events, active online forums, and a commitment to knowledge-sharing, the group has nurtured a cohort of tech professionals and enthusiasts whose contributions reach far beyond the Twin Cities.
Today, its legacy continues in the sites, businesses, careers, and friendships it has helped build—proof of the enduring value of community-led learning in a software-driven world.
MSPWordpress.com