Hello, I’m Matt Knighton
Technology changes.
People still matter.
Educator, community builder, advisor, and the founder of MRK WP.
Matt Knighton
Founder, MRK WP
I make the complicated
feel a little clearer.
My work brings together software development, business advice, WordPress, and education. The common thread is helping people get more value from the technology they already use.
With MRK WP, I help businesses build faster websites, organize their knowledge for AI search, and create practical workflows their teams can own.
I share what I learn through videos, articles, and community. If you’re curious about what comes next, you’re in the right place.
Brands I’ve worked with
Since 2000. Some names you’ll know.
Most of these brands worked with MRK WP directly. Others came earlier, when I worked as a contractor or inside larger agency teams. Every project taught me something I still bring to yours.
the history
A quick breakdown of how we got here.
Knowing someone, really requires knowing their story.
The Early Years
After the dotcom crash in the 2000s I ended up working in Finance and Banking. The internet was in its early years and took a while to find its feat after the 1999 hype cycle.
Banking and Finance
My web development started when I built the intranet for the social club at an Insurance and Investment company. I learned about using tables, javascript and photo editing tools to make websites. Static HTML was the main flavour of the internet at this time. ASP and Perl was part of the way to make dynamic websites and the first version of PHP came out making sites that little bit easier.
Flash MX with ActionScript 2.0 Released
In 2004 ActionScript was released into 2.0 and flash games on the internet. Flash broke a lot of boundaries and became a great way to make interactive websites. I was hooked. In my holidays from my banking job I made more money coding than I could working at the bank and my internet career began.
Real Internet Development Begins
Flash became a big thing on the early internet. The internet was for laptops and computers. The iPhone is launched.
Flash Games and Websites
I stepped out into the freelance world and began to get some good contracts. I got to work with Publicis Digital and make some really cool campaigns for Coca Cola and HP.
Working for Agencies
After working in Freelance I got a few gigs with different technical agencies. This started with "The Farm" and I got to work on Pizza Hut Campaigns, Girl Friday with the ABC and some other small jobs. Again, everything was Flash, but something started at this time: Google Maps and Javascript were finally becoming a thing and the browser wars were about to kick off again.
iPhone Released in July 2007
One of the biggest events happened for a new internet: the iPhone was released. Steve Jobs made it clear — No Flash.
Joomla and Opensource
I started using PHP and Joomla a lot in 2007. It was a great CMS and PHP started to mature as a language. I started participating in the Open Source community and speaking at events.
Start My Own Company
In 2008 I moved to Parkes to help on the family farm and help at the local church. It was a big change and my business went with me. The Financial Crisis began.
Apps and Mobile Internet
The mobile internet takes off. Phones become useful for more than Snake games, texting and calls. Everyone wants to make "An App".
Mobile Internet
I started building Apps in 2009 and had some success. Most of my apps were based on PhoneGap, and Javascript and HTML toolsets for building mobile apps with existing web technology.
Web 2.0
The new version of the internet is in full swing. Gmail, Google Docs and all the real online tools start kicking into gear. I ended up selling Business Catalyst which was later bought by Adobe.
PHP and Frameworks
I started building applications for clients and still got lots of gigs for agencies.
Internet TV and Video
I ended up doing applications for Billabong and Vans at this time. Streaming live action sports starts to be a thing.
The Rise of Google, Amazon, Facebook, SEO and Web 2.0
The internet is becoming a place for people to have their apps and lives occur. New levels of code and tooling means websites become applications. Everyone wants to make "An App for that" or its "Uber for Gardening". If you are struggling to remember this — Google it.
VISA Paywave
Touch to Pay and Mobile Payments start taking off. I worked with the team on the first website for VISA Paywave.
The Rise of WordPress
After making a set of web apps for Optus I asked the team "How could we have made this better?", they all answered with the same thing — we should have used WordPress.
SEO Becomes Essential
During this time I worked with Australia Post and Think Digital. This led me to see what small businesses really faced in learning how to use the internet. I spoke at a number of locations around Australia, met with businesses and helped get them understanding SEO.
YouTube and Netflix
Internet TV starts to take over in these years. Video for Business and for training gets bigger and I add video editing and filming to my skillset.
The Big 5
Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook just get bigger and bigger. These 5 have now become the internet. Just about every individual is connecting to the internet with the same methods, using the same platforms.
Primary Connection for People is the Internet
The lockdown changed how the world connected. Smartphone adoption, online ordering and all that it covers changed the world. "Jump on a Zoom" becomes a thing to "Stay Safe".
Lockdown
COVID lockdowns in Australia brought most businesses to a standstill but the internet boom of all time started. At this point we were busy all the time.
WordPress Plugins
Building fast means using plugins, themes and modern builders to help businesses. Integration of systems becomes more important than ever.
E-Learning and Video
E-Learning and Video remains a big deal. We keep making videos on YouTube and drawing traffic over SEO.
The Beginning of AI
ChatGPT launches and all of a sudden the AI internet arrives.
AI is Taking Over
Search has fundamentally changed, but so has how people build the internet. WordPress and Web traffic starts to shift — or has it?
AI Starts Taking Over
In 2024 we started seeing web traffic shift. Platform dynamics changed and WordPress as a dominant ecosystem started to evolve.
AI Slop vs Real Value
AI is starting to be great in 2025, but there is a lot of slop too. Some stuff is great, but low-effort content makes people skeptical. Quality human voice matters more than ever.
The Great Content Shift
In 2026 the transformation of search has hit full swing. Most long-tail searches mean AI responds directly using website information.
The Evolution of Traditional Search
Search changes in 2026: people converse with AI alongside doing their own research. Most content consumed is algorithm-fed to people on YouTube and community platforms. Welcome to the new internet.
What Does This Mean For You & Me?
The internet has changed, search has changed and where we are going is a big unknown. But there is fantastic opportunity in this new connected world. What do you want to do? Let’s figure that out together.
Agency partners
The agencies I work alongside.
The Wizard of Oz
Matt is a veteran WordPress developer and SEO Master who knows his technology inside and out. You’ll get expert help and insights from Matt throughout your project’s lifecycle. I often refer to him as the Wizard of Oz to our clients and partners.
Matt and the team enabled our agency to talk tech and ensure our clients can trust our WordPress skillset. I can pitch WordPress to any client with confidence knowing I have this great team backing me up every step of the way.
Let’s figure it out together
You don’t have to
build alone.
A little guidance. A good conversation. A better next step.
Start with a 20-minute call. I read every enquiry myself.