Featured speaker: Andrea Zoellner

Andrea’s sessions are Copywriting for better UX and Storytelling with Gutenberg.

Andrea is the Chief Content Creator at SiteGround and the lead organizer for WordCamp Montreal. She trained as a broadcast journalist and worked in corporate communications before trading it for a career in tech. Now she spends her days developing brand messaging, copy editing and blogging. When she’s not at home in Montreal, she’s sampling the digital nomad life and documenting her adventures on her travel blog. Follow @andreazoellner on Twitter to connect.

Why did you choose your topic?

I love good content and think it’s an important part of building successful websites. I also believe improving the communication value of your site is something everybody can achieve.

With a growing interest in accessibility and user experience, my talk on microcopy provides easy-to-implement tips that can help any web interface be more effective.

My talk about storytelling with Gutenberg comes at a time when many bloggers and content creators are wondering just what to expect with the new editor and if they’re going to have to change their workflow. The answer is yes, but the payoff is huge. In my talk, I hope to encourage and inspire content creators to embrace the multimedia opportunities of Gutenberg.

What do you want people to learn from your session?

In my talk about microcopy, attendees will learn quick tricks to improve the effectiveness of the little words the guide users through their websites, from menu labels to shopping prompts. In my Gutenberg talk, I’ll go through the different blocks and share content creation tips and trends that make the most of the new tools.

Why did you decide to speak?

WordCamps are a great place for webmasters of all skill levels to learn new ways to succeed online. As a writer first and foremost, I love opportunities to share non-technical content-related tips that can improve how a person’s website performs. I also love the opportunity to meet lots of new people and swap stories.

What brought you to WordPress in the first place?

I studied journalism and was introduced to WordPress as a publishing platform to build a portfolio. One thing led to another and now I am the Chief Content Creator for a web hosting company that powers 1.5 million domains, which probably includes some journalism student portfolios.

What are you most looking forward to at WordCamp Toronto?

Finding out what neat things people in the GTA are doing with WordPress.

Any advice for other WordCamp Toronto attendees?

Strike up a conversation with a stranger! You never know what you could have in common or how you might be able to help each other.