Custom WordPress development, Beaver Builder, DonDivi, rebrand, social commerce, author pages, pop art, GIMP, YouTube marketing and balanced diet. I had an interesting development on a Web site where the client suggested a third party could help makeover a Web site. When a number of suggestions came in, I asked for clarification and explained the reasoning for why some things had been done in a particular way. When all was said and done, there were some minor changes made to text on a couple of pages and the third party felt the design was greatly improved. The reality is there were really no changes made to the design. The biggest challenge with this site and with many sites is getting clients to supply great content. There were some big developments from Elegant Themes and more in this week’s news. Check out all the stories below!

• The Cost Of Custom Website Development Versus WordPress (2025)
• Newfold Digital Slashes WordPress Contributions to 20 Hours Per Week
• Over 1,000 WordPress Sites Infected with JavaScript Backdoors Enabling Persistent Attacker Access
• Why WordPress is a tough sell for marketing students
• From 2017 to Now: How Influencer Marketing Has Transformed in WordPress space
• Beaver Builder 2.9 & Themer 1.5: Multi-Layer Backgrounds, Enhanced Color Picker, Loop Module

• How to Effectively Rebrand Your Website Step-by-Step in 2025
• You’re sitting on a million-dollar business idea – and don’t even know it
• A turning point for a blog, AI self-soothing, and the death of a mascot
• Social Commerce: How Marketers Can Drive Sales Through Emerging Platforms
• Pricing Your Web Design Services: Hourly vs. Fixed Packages
• Rebrand vs refresh: Why brands should hold fire on launching a whole new identity
• LinkedIn Lists Top 15 In-Demand Skills, Makes Related Courses Free
• 14 of the Best AI Marketing Tools We’ve Tried & Spied in 2025
• The Death of Coding Jobs: How AI, No-Code, and Corporate Greed Are Killing the Industry

• Google Researchers Improve RAG With “Sufficient Context” Signal
• Bing Webmaster Tools Adds Data Comparison & UX Improvements
• Ask An SEO: What Should Be On Your Author Pages?
• The 7 Phases of the Search Demand Lifecycle: Going Beyond Search Volume
• Google Explains Why Indexed Pages May Not Appear In Search
• Google Provides Timeline To Improve Publishers’ Search Visibility
• Google Business Profile Suspensions Rise, But Appeals Are Delayed

• Umbro’s logo design dispute knows no end
• Farewell Photoshop? Google’s new AI lets you edit images by asking.
• Pop art: 14 artists every designer should know
• Zeroheight Releases Its Design Systems Report 2025
• Adobe’s latest projects are packed with AI agents – here’s a sneak peek
• After 20 years, GIMP could finally be the free Photoshop alternative I hoped for
• Our Interfaces Have Lost Their Senses — And It’s Time to Bring Them Back!
• I’m mesmerised by these clever line art animations

• 10 New YouTube Marketing Strategies With Fresh Examples For 2025

Each week we’ll share a meme that we find thought provoking or just plain funny.

• Why We Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day
• Florida man eats feral pig meat, contracts rare biothreat bacteria
• Achieve a Balanced Diet by Cutting Back on These 11 Foods

If you see some important news that you feel we should share with our readers, please let us know and we’ll consider including it in our next post.