Ross Johnson

Started as a freelancer and grew to a 7 figure digital marketing agency. Sharing lessons learned.

Agency @37designs and WordPress plugins at @panoramawp

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

I've audited over 100 websites before redesigning them to assess why users aren't converting.

There are 9 common reasons, detailed below 👇:

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

LLM optimization ≠ SEO.

Same fundamentals, different rules.

LLMs reward brand mentions, reviews, and hyper-specific content—not just long form content and links.

If you're only optimizing for Google, you're already behind.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

Google Ads is evolving with AI Max for Search, automating targeting, bidding, and more. While this saves time, it also means less control and transparency. Strong strategy and clear messaging remain essential. Stay proactive to navigate this shift effectively.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

Is your brand being recommended by AI?

Try this: Start a fresh chat, act as your ideal customer, and ask for recommendations. If your brand isn't mentioned, explore why and how to improve your presence.

[Marinus Klasen @marinusklasen]

Today we're sending the Wooping Shop Health plugin for #Woocommerce out to our early access users!

Want access? It's not too late to sign up on https://t.co/kyUEnm3Fh2

[Jeff Matson 👾 @TheJeffMatson]

Remember how I told y'all I have some news coming today? Here we go!

Today, I'm announcing 2 new tools for decentralizing WordPress plugins and themes.

Part 1: Wormhole Sync - a tool for syncing/merging WordPress plugins/themes from external sources.
https://t.co/zC8qHUsTOy

Currently, Wormhole Sync will store all data to a PostgreSQL database and files to an S3 (or compatible) object store.

Part 2: The Wormhole API - a drop-in replacement for the WordPress plugin/theme repositories. As a drop-in replacement, it can be used seamlessly from inside any WordPress admin. Users would see no difference.

Behind the scenes, the Wormhole API is doing a few things, including:

- Delivering plugins/theme installs/updates from multiple sources.
- Aggregating search results and dependencies.
- Full-text search within WordPress
- Checking file integrity, comparing across multiple versions available (including other Wormhole instances).
+ (a lot more that will be announced when Wormhole releases)

While the Wormhole API is already functioning well within my development environments and on serverless providers, I have some more fine-tuning to do before I unleash it.

Once the Wormhole API is ready, anyone will be able to spin up their own instance. Additionally, a publicly-accessible instance (or two) will be available for anyone to use.

Check out Wormhole Sync and let me know what you think! Stay tuned for more in the near future!

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@ezsmith397 @brettatkin https://t.co/aqlsv1OVVc has been recommended to me a couple of times, and it looks pretty compelling.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@AlexStandiford You'll have a lot more impact helping multiple companies with their technical challenges and goals; this was a great decision!

[Alex Standiford @AlexStandiford]

So, personal update. I decided to quit my job, which means I have some openings for contract work.

If you're looking for a talented WordPress developer with a proven track record of launching, and maintaining high-caliber WordPress plugins, message me!

https://t.co/1sk1MdeSEs

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@VivaLaSeth @JustinFerriman Competition is good for consumers. Without competition, there is no incentive for improving products.

Check out Drupal's decreasing market share to see how well that business model works.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@benswrite Probably @GeneratePress and @GenerateBlocks.

I find that GeneratePress has the flexibility to execute my designs without being overloaded with unnecessary extra blocks or bells and whistles.

a great example of essentialism and restraint.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@natmiletic The only strategy I’ve found to help (not fix) consistently is being very specific on scope and quick to discuss change orders

[Object.Method() Man @iansvo]

If you’re thinking about building a custom block, ask yourself:

Does this make more sense as a block pattern? Can I use other blocks to accomplish the result I want?

Don’t reinvent the wheel. If you can plug in existing blocks, do so! It’s much easier to maintain over time.

[JAMES LAWS @JamesLaws]

They say, "You can't create more time."

I disagree!

Want to learn the most effective way to create tremendous impact and be wildly productive?

I'm going to give you two techniques that, when implemented, give you more time every single day.

[JAMES LAWS @JamesLaws]

Don’t confuse activity, productivity, and progress.

Activity = Doing stuff
Productivity = Doing stuff efficiently
Progress = Doing the right stuff

Never underestimate the impact of focus over efficiency.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@thewprockstar Congrats man. It’s not bragging, something to be proud of

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@RobCairns You’re not alone. There will be better days soon.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@spencer_labadie @JustinFerriman Mostly personal life events

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@mr_chrishinds You didn’t like my email??

[Andrea Bosoni @theandreboso]

I had to click on “no, I don’t want to stay healthy” to close a popup and I realized why people don’t like marketers.

[Ross Johnson @3pointross]

@chrisrickard Great advice. Also keep in mind it will take time for them to become fully productive so there is a risk in not hiring soon enough.