# Dynamic Post Grid — Growth Roadmap

**Current:** 30 active users, v1.6.0
**Goal:** Grow to 1,000+ active users in 6 months

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## Why We're Stuck at 30 Users

Competitors like The Post Grid (100K+), PostX (40K+), and Smart Post (20K+)
give away features in their FREE versions that we don't offer at all.

Users try free plugins first. If the free version doesn't do what they need,
they never come back.

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## Competitor Free Features vs Ours

| Feature | The Post Grid Free | PostX Free | Our Free (1.6.0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grid layouts | 2 | 7+ | 1 |
| List layouts | 2 | Yes | 1 |
| Hover effects | 3 | Yes | 10 (ahead) |
| Masonry | Yes | Yes | Yes (ahead) |
| AJAX filter | Basic | Yes | Basic |
| AJAX pagination | Basic | Yes | Load More only |
| Gutenberg blocks | 3 | 45+ | 0 |
| Elementor widget | 3 | Yes | 1 |
| Pre-made templates | 16 | 250+ | 0 |
| News ticker | 0 (pro) | Yes (free) | 0 |
| Query builder | Basic | Advanced | Basic |
| Shortcode generator | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| REST API | 0 | 0 | Yes (ahead) |
| Abilities API | 0 | 0 | Yes (ahead) |
| Transient caching | 0 | 0 | Yes (ahead) |

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## Quick Wins — What to Build First

These are free features that close the gap with competitors and attract users.

### Priority 1: Gutenberg Blocks (blocks per grid/list/slider)
**Why:** Every major competitor has Gutenberg blocks. We have zero.
Users on block editor can't use our plugin without Elementor.
**Effort:** Medium (new file: `includes/gutenberg-blocks.php`)
**Impact:** HIGH — unlocks entire block editor audience

Blocks to build:
- `depg/post-grid` — Grid layout block
- `depg/post-list` — List layout block
- `depg/post-masonry` — Masonry layout block
- `depg/post-filter` — Filterable grid block

### Priority 2: AJAX Filter + Pagination Rebuild
**Why:** Our current filter disappears after filtering (bug we fixed, but UX
is still basic). Competitors have dropdown/accordion styles, URL updates,
numbered pagination. Users expect this.
**Effort:** Medium (JS rewrite in `depg-filter.js`)
**Impact:** HIGH — filter is the #1 most used feature

Features:
- Dropdown filter style (compact)
- Accordion filter style (sidebar)
- Numbered page navigation (1, 2, 3...)
- Deep-linking: URL updates with `?depg_category=news`
- Smooth scroll to top after filter

### Priority 3: More Grid Layout Variants
**Why:** The Post Grid gives 2 grid layouts free. We have 1.
Users want variety. Even 2-3 extra presets make a difference.
**Effort:** Low (CSS + template variants)
**Impact:** MEDIUM — visual variety attracts users

Add 3 new grid presets:
- `grid-2`: Large first post + 2-column rest (magazine style)
- `grid-3`: Equal cards with category badge overlay
- `grid-4`: Overlay style (image + title on hover)

### Priority 4: Pre-made Templates / Starter Layouts
**Why:** PostX gives 250+ patterns. The Post Grid gives 16.
Users want to import a layout and go, not build from scratch.
**Effort:** Medium (JSON templates + import function)
**Impact:** HIGH — reduces time-to-value for new users

Start with 8 templates:
- Blog grid (3-col, sidebar)
- Magazine hero + grid
- News ticker + 2-col grid
- Portfolio masonry
- WooCommerce product grid (basic)
- Category archive page
- Minimal list layout
- Featured post + recent grid

### Priority 5: News Ticker Widget
**Why:** PostX gives this free. The Post Grid charges for it pro.
It's simple to build and high-visibility on news/magazine sites.
**Effort:** Low (JS marquee + shortcode/block)
**Impact:** MEDIUM — popular with news sites

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## What NOT to Build Yet (Pro Features — Future)

These are features competitors lock behind paid plans.
We'll build them later when we have enough free users to convert.

| Feature | Competitor Pricing | When to Build |
|---|---|---|
| Slider/Carousel | Pro only ($31/yr) | After 500+ users |
| WooCommerce layouts | Pro only | After 500+ users |
| Archive page builder | Pro only | After 1,000+ users |
| Single post builder | Pro only | After 1,000+ users |
| AI content generation | Pro only | After 2,000+ users |
| Front-end submission | Pro only | After 2,000+ users |
| Table of contents | Pro only | After 1,000+ users |

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## Version Plan

### v1.7.0 — Gutenberg Blocks + Filter Rebuild (target: 2 weeks)
- [ ] Gutenberg block: `depg/post-grid`
- [ ] Gutenberg block: `depg/post-list`
- [ ] Gutenberg block: `depg/post-masonry`
- [ ] Gutenberg block: `depg/post-filter`
- [ ] AJAX filter with dropdown style
- [ ] AJAX numbered pagination
- [ ] URL deep-linking for filters
- [ ] 3 new grid layout presets

### v1.8.0 — Templates + News Ticker (target: 2 weeks)
- [ ] 8 pre-made starter templates (JSON)
- [ ] One-click template import UI
- [ ] News ticker shortcode
- [ ] News ticker Gutenberg block
- [ ] Elementor news ticker widget

### v1.9.0 — Polish + Query Builder (target: 2 weeks)
- [ ] Visual query builder UI (replace shortcode attrs)
- [ ] Custom post type support (full)
- [ ] ACF field display in grid cards
- [ ] Element visibility controls (toggle title/excerpt/meta/thumbnail)
- [ ] Performance audit + lazy loading

### v2.0.0 — Slider + WooCommerce (target: 4 weeks)
- [ ] Slick.js carousel integration
- [ ] 3 slider presets (standard, center mode, fade)
- [ ] WooCommerce product grid
- [ ] Product hover (quick view, add to cart)
- [ ] Price badge overlay

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## User Growth Strategy

### WordPress.org Optimization
1. **Banner** — Update plugin banner to show grid/masonry/list preview
2. **Icon** — Professional plugin icon (256x256)
3. **Description** — Rewrite to highlight Gutenberg + Elementor + Masonry + Filter
4. **Tags** — Already set: `post grid, elementor, woocommerce, posts, grid`
5. **Screenshots** — Add 8+ screenshots showing each layout type

### Content Marketing
1. **YouTube tutorial** — "How to Create a Post Grid in WordPress (2026)"
2. **Blog post** — "Elementor Post Grid vs The Post Grid: Which is Better?"
3. **Comparison page** — Free vs Pro competitor comparison

### Community
1. **Respond to ALL support tickets** within 24 hours
2. **Ask happy users for reviews** (5-star reviews = more installs)
3. **WordPress.org forums** — Answer questions in related plugin forums

### Distribution
1. **WPBeginner** — Submit for inclusion in "Best Post Grid Plugins" lists
2. **Facebook groups** — WordPress developers, Elementor community
3. **Reddit** — r/Wordpress, r/WordpressPlugins

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## Our Unique Advantages (Marketing Angle)

1. **JSON layout export/import** — Share layouts between sites (nobody else does this)
2. **REST API** — Headless WordPress grid support
3. **Abilities API** — Fine-grained permissions for multisite/agency
4. **Built-in caching** — No caching plugin needed for grids
5. **10 hover effects free** — Most competitors give 3
6. **Lightweight** — No jQuery dependency, clean CSS

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## Success Metrics

| Metric | Current | 3 months | 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 30 | 200 | 1,000 |
| WordPress.org rating | 0 | 4.5+ (10 reviews) | 4.7+ (50 reviews) |
| Support tickets resolved | 0 | 100% in 24h | 100% in 12h |
| Features shipped | v1.6.0 | v1.8.0 | v2.0.0 |

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*Last updated: July 18, 2026*