WordPress, the content management software created by Matt Mullenweg, already powers over 23% of all websites on the Internet.
With the acquisition of WooThemes the company has now the potential to become a major player in the online education market, both in terms of reach and revenue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJOfTB8-daA
Automattic, the company that runs the commercial arm WordPress.com, announced the acquisition of WooThemes, which is one of the oldest commercial WordPress theme shops. Founded in 2008, the founders bootstrapped their startup to roughly $15 million in annual revenue. Though details of the acquisition have not been shared, Peter Kafka at re/code said that his sources estimate the deal at $30 million in cash and stock. The entire team will join Automattic.
Like WordPress, WooThemes has a large footprint on the Internet. According to Post Status their e-commerce plugin WooCommerce has a 20% market-share among the top one million websites. I suggest you read Brian Krogsgard’s post for all the details, it’s a great analysis of the deal, and its potential in general.
From Live to Self Paced
Of course, we want to focus on the potential WooCommerce has in the online education space. In my last post I wrote about the decline of live tutoring on the Internet. One way tutors have coped with it is by creating self-paced learning content, either in the form of online courses or downloadable material like e-books or podcasts. Needless to say that e-commerce is a key factor in the equation.
So far, most of WooThemes’ different plugins and themes have only been available for self-hosted WordPress installations. As online tutors tend to prefer hosted solutions that offer an additional layer of service and security, the addition of WooCommerce to Automattic’s WordPress.com has the potential to draw a sizeable crowd to the hosted WordPress platform.
A MOOC for Everyone
And there is more. WooThemes also created a plugin that turns a WordPress blog into a course platform, similar to a MOOC or online course provider like Udemy. Brian Krogsgard asked Matt Mullenweg about the future of Sensei. It seems likely that the plugin will become a free plugin (now $129) while being maintained and extended by the WordPress team.
Also Read: Overview: LMS MOOC Solutions for Small Institutions and Individuals
Sensei is a really powerful tool, enabling tutors to create state of the art online courses. With additional resources and likely becoming free of charge, Sensei could become a viable alternative to course marketplaces like Udemy or WizIQ.
With the acquisition, WordPress users will have the option to go for a paid, hosted e-commerce or MOOC website on WordPress.com or run their own storefront or online course with the freely available software from WordPress.org. This unique combination could turn WordPress into a leading online education SaaS provider.
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