Why Sponsoring WordPress Content Creators is a Win for Your Brand

WordPress powers more than 40% of all websites on the internet. This ecosystem runs on more than just code.

Most companies in the space already invest in developers. And they absolutely should.

Sponsoring dev hours keeps the platform secure, performant, and future‑ready. But that’s only half the equation.

There’s another high‑leverage, often overlooked opportunity hiding in plain sight: sponsoring the educators and content creators who teach people how to actually use WordPress.

When you back the folks who publish tutorials, host podcasts, create courses, or run newsletters, you’re investing in brand visibility, smoother user onboarding, and long‑term ecosystem growth. These are all outcomes that compound over time.

Let’s explore why content creators matter, where their value lies, and how companies can think more strategically about supporting them.

How Sponsorships Currently Work in WordPress

Sponsorship isn’t new to WordPress. For years, companies have funded developers to work on core, maintain plugins, and strengthen the platform’s foundations.

The rationale is simple: when the platform is more secure, performs better, and stays future‑proof, everyone benefits.

Developer sponsorships are the standard practice. You’ll find teams funding contributors to core releases, bug fixes, and testing. Some back performance or security initiatives. Others send developers to events like WordCamps and Contributor Days, where they actively shape the roadmap and make the platform better for everyone.

This model works because it’s understood as an investment in shared infrastructure. A faster, more stable WordPress means fewer support tickets, better customer experiences, and more confidence in the ecosystem as a whole.

Even if a company can’t draw a straight line from sponsored dev hours to immediate revenue, they know the impact compounds over time.

But code is only part of the infrastructure that keeps WordPress thriving. Just as developers build the tools, content creators build understanding, trust, and adoption around those tools. They’re the ones producing tutorials, guides, and videos that show people how and why to use what developers create.

When you step back, it’s clear to see: sponsoring creators is another kind of infrastructure investment. It’s one that powers growth, expands reach, and strengthens the ecosystem in ways code alone simply can’t.

The Business Case for Sponsoring WordPress Educators

So, why should a company put dollars behind WordPress educators and content creators? Because their work delivers measurable, lasting impact in ways few other investments can.

Here’s why:

First, they give you direct access to an engaged audience i.e. people already invested in WordPress who trust the content creator’s voice. A mention or tutorial from someone they follow carries more weight than any ad.

Second, creators produce evergreen product education. A well‑made video or blog post lives online for years, guiding new users and onboarding them to your product long after the initial campaign ends.

Third, they drive community‑led product adoption. When creators show how your plugin or service solves real problems, it’s less of a pitch and more of a recommendation from within the community. That kind of endorsement fuels organic growth.

Finally, sponsoring educators helps reinforce the overall strength of the WordPress ecosystem. When creators thrive, they keep teaching, informing, and inspiring others to build on WordPress, thus benefiting every company in the space.

The bottom line: Sponsoring educators and content creators is an investment that compounds into brand visibility, product adoption, and a healthier, more vibrant WordPress community.

This Isn’t a Zero-Sum Game

A common pushback we hear from companies goes something like this: “We already sponsor developers. Isn’t that enough?”

It’s a fair question, but it assumes sponsorship is a zero‑sum game, where supporting one group means neglecting another. In reality, dev and educator sponsorships serve different, equally vital purposes:

• Developer sponsorship is about stability and innovation. It funds the core code, performance, and security work that keeps WordPress evolving.
• Educator sponsorship is about growth and adoption. It funds the people who show users how to leverage that innovation and why they should.

Think of it this way: developers build the platform, educators unlock its potential for the broader community. Both are essential for a thriving ecosystem.

Plenty of leading companies already embrace this two‑pronged approach. Pressable sponsors both devs and community educators. Kinsta funds core contributions and partners with content creators. GoDaddy and Bluehost do the same, as do others like The WP World, Weglot, and PatchStack.

Imagine a realistic scenario:

You sponsor a WordPress YouTuber with 20,000 subscribers to create a tutorial on your plugin. That video earns 10,000 views in its first month. If even 2% of viewers try your product, that’s 200 new users. And that’s before factoring in the ongoing views the content will collect over time.

It’s not devs or educators. It’s both. And together, they multiply your impact.

What Makes a Sponsorship Work

One of the trickiest parts of pitching sponsorships to companies is explaining that, at its core, you’re funding the business of creating WordPress content.

This isn’t about buying a certain number of clicks or demanding a fixed cadence of videos. It’s about enabling educators and creators to keep publishing freely and organically, just like funding core developers allows them to write code without dictating what they build.

That shift in mindset is critical. Sponsorship shouldn’t be seen as a simple transaction where every dollar must return an immediate deliverable. Instead, think of it as investing in the infrastructure that fuels user engagement, product adoption, and trust over time.

Of course, we recognize most sponsors still want to see alignment with their business goals, and that’s fair. But ROI in open‑source ecosystems is often measured in sustainability, not just short‑term metrics.

How to Do Sponsorships the Right Way

Let’s start with what not to do:

• Don’t just slap your logo on a YouTube video and call it a day.
• Don’t pressure creators to churn out overly promotional content that alienates their audience.

Here’s what you should do instead:

• Find creators whose audience overlaps with your ideal customers.
• Invest in long‑term relationships rather than one‑off deals.
• Let creators retain their authentic voice so sponsorship feels like a genuine recommendation, not an ad.

When to sponsor a dev: When you need contributions to core, testing, security, and infrastructure.

When to sponsor an educator: When launching a product, expanding to new audiences, increasing community goodwill, or improving user onboarding.

Types of creators to consider sponsoring:

• Bloggers
• YouTubers
• Newsletter authors
• Course creators

Note: Not all creators serve the same role.

When considering sponsorships, it’s also worth looking at the mission behind the content. Some creators produce educational resources purely as a contribution to the community — think of independent newsletters, podcasts, or roundups that exist to inform and connect rather than to sell. Others create content as a marketing channel for their own paid services or agencies.

Neither approach is “wrong” per se, but the impact is different. Sponsoring a creator whose platform is primarily a community resource often means your support goes straight into sustaining content that benefits everyone. For brands that want their sponsorship dollars to feel like a true investment in the broader WordPress ecosystem, this distinction can be an important one.

Conclusion

Sponsoring developers sustains the WordPress platform. Sponsoring educators spreads it. Both are essential if we want the ecosystem to not only remain stable but also continue to grow, thrive, and welcome new users.

We’ve looked at how sponsorships currently work — primarily funding developers to maintain security, performance, and innovation — and why that model should expand to include content creators.

To recap, educators give your brand access to trusted audiences, create evergreen learning resources, drive community‑led product adoption, and strengthen WordPress as a whole. And importantly, effective sponsorship is not just a transactional exchange. Think of it as an investment in the people who fuel growth, trust, and adoption across the ecosystem.

If you’re ready to take action, start exploring the creators already doing great work in the space. We’ve put together listicles to help:

• Top 8 Active, English Podcasts to Sponsor in WordPress
• Top 10 WordPress Newsletters For Companies To Sponsor
• Top 10 WordPress YouTube Channels For Companies To Sponsor

Find creators, build relationships, and sponsor strategically. Your brand (and the community) will benefit for years to come.