Business websites tend to stick around as long as a current business has the need for them. When that need goes away, the website also tends to go away. That’s actually a bit sad. It does represent a loss in total knowledge and reference information. But since people mostly want the site for current business activity, it’s sort of OK.
Business activity often shines at WordCamps. Still, there are people who don’t only use WordPress to make money. People also use WordPress to express their identity. To share and grow culture. To expand their humanity. What, in the fullness of time, happens to these WordPress websites? When you stop paying your hosting bill, is your history lost?
Who knows how many people used a self-hosted WordPress.org website to blog about the late Kobe Bryant? The legacy of Kobe’s life is secure. There is zero worry about Kobe being in the history books. The man, his achievements, and his human weaknesses will be remembered.
But.
“Kobe Bryant” isn’t just a list of achievements. His legacy is also tied to how ordinary human beings experienced him. What people blogged about him matters. How many WordPress.org bloggers wrote about Kobe in 2020? How many of those WordPress websites will still be online, accessible, and loading in 2030?
In “Sustainable WordPress” I will explore the issues with online content longevity. Hosting bills. Vulnerabilities in un-updated software. Broken links. I will ask attendees how long they want their content to be online. I will discuss strategies for achieving that longevity.
