“The beauty of the web is fragmented, and the website will just be one of those fragmentations of the wider internet.”
Myles Lagolago-Craig is the CEO of XWP, a mastery-based WordPress agency which services enterprise storytellers with complex needs. The agency builds world-class web solutions with enterprise media and technology companies through its engineering of a better internet. XWP works with some of the biggest names in tech, publishing and media, including Rolling Stone, Google and News Corp Australia.
In this episode of Velocitize Talks, Myles Lagolago-Craig shares his thoughts on storytelling, publishing and enterprise media.
The Enterprise Narrative
“Enterprise storytellers just want to tell their story. They want to cut through the ordinary sometimes.”
Since 2018, XWP has worked with Google to build and maintain the Web Stories for WordPress plugin, a a tool which allows users to create compelling images, videos or GIFs as a complete narrative to increase audience engagement. It offers a free open-web visual storytelling format for full-screen and fast-loading experiences with simple tappable interactions.
Lagolago-Craig likens the storytelling process to an old-school newspaper, where the editor takes a blank canvas to map out the front page. Advertising and marketing creatives can design their own narratives in a similar fashion in order to drive innovation in storytelling.
The Web Stories plugin also provides marketers with a mobile-focused format to deliver information and create advertising opportunities.
Enterprise WordPress
“I believe there will be existential threats to the Enterprise layer of WordPress and that’s not good for the whole Enterprise, for the whole WordPress ecosystem.”
The growth and adoption of WordPress is increasing within both smaller and larger businesses. According to Lagolago-Craig, WordPress is becoming the CMS of choice in the enterprise space due to its scalability and security. While WordPress has successfully maintained its roots as both an intuitive and reliable platform, it continues to adapt to the more complex needs of enterprise businesses.
When you compare proprietary solutions (more traditionally used by the enterprise) to open source, you’ll quickly discover that an open-source solution lends itself more to longevity since it can easily adapt to your website changes and revisions over the years.
“The Enterprise WordPress system is very robust,” Lagolago-Craig says. “It’s got an aggressive road map because of the ecosystem that’s driving it.”
WP Engine Hosting
“You have better hosting options and you have better people options because the ecosystem is large.”
There are a number of advantages for enterprise businesses to migrate to WP Engine hosting. WP Engine’s Enterprise plan, for example, features advanced technology to increase scalability, deliver on-demand analytics, and provide enterprise-grade security.
When deciding on a managed hosting plan, businesses should take technical expertise, security and budget into consideration.
At its core, the foundation of the WP Engine Enterprise plan is its increased speed-to-market—even in the face of unexpected traffic spikes or any other disruption. Lagolago-Craig credits WP Engine with its WordPress expertise and solid customer service, further enhanced by its global and market-specific presence.
Website Design
“You look at the end-to-end experience, not just the last mile of a client experience.”
One of XWP’s core strengths is website design and development, as evidenced in their work for myLAB Box, an at-home medical testing provider originally looking to improve the accessibility of at-home COVID tests. XWP partnered with myLAB Box to create a re-imagined user experience to make their products and services more discoverable in their medical journey.
XWP’s plan also included performance improvements; a more powerful hosting platform; speed; and ongoing support.
By integrating human-centered design and personalization into the overall user experience, XWP helped myLAB Box to drive creative solutions for their entire catalog of products, including tests for infertility. Effective web design is all about improving the user experience. There’s a whole psychology behind web design, from the brand experience to the overall look and feel of your website.
To learn more about XWP, visit their website and follow them on LinkedIn and Twitter at @xwp. To keep up with Myles Lagolago-Craig, follow him on LinkedIn.
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