Ecommerce best practices, Divi 5 beginner’s guide, image optimization, SEO roadmap, AI skills, Bluesky finances and mindful eating. In the past month, I’ve seen a large uptick in spam on various Web sites. Some came from contact forms, others were comments and the most recent was a rash of fraudulent order attempts. For each of these scenarios, I’ve implemented Cloudflare Turnstile on the site and the issue was resolved. As the fraudulent orders were the most recent, I can’t say for sure if they have been stopped yet but I should know within the next couple of days. Just one more reason it is good to allow Cloudflare to handle your DNS and much of it is free. Check out all of this week’s news in the headlines below.

• 7 WordPress Best Practices For Ecommerce
• Restoring Trust while Preserving Safety
• Second Plaintiff to Join Class Action Against Automattic, Mullenweg Over WP Engine Dispute
• Another Fake Cloudflare Verification Targets WordPress Sites
• Matt Mullenweg Settles Caregiver Lawsuits Days Before Trial
• 7 smart ways to use AI in WordPress development
• 15,000 WordPress Sites Affected by Arbitrary File Upload Vulnerability in MasterStudy LMS Pro WordPress Plugin

• The sure sign that I am failing in the AI world
• Stop Obsessing Over Image Optimization
• Should We Stop Creating Informational Content?

• Google’s Sergey Brin Says AI Can Synthesize Top 1,000 Search Results
• 10 Off-Page SEO Strategies That (Still) Work
• Diagnosing and Fixing a Sudden Drop in Website Traffic: A Practical Guide
• Google’s CEO Says AI Overviews Website Referrals Are Increasing
• Future-Proofing WordPress SEO: How To Optimize For AI-Driven Search Features
• Generative Engines Are Breaking Web Analytics and Hurting Their Future
• How AI Mode Works and How SEO Can Prepare for the Future of Search
• Google’s Gary Illyes Warns AI Agents Will Create Web Congestion
• How To Use LLMs For 301 Redirects At Scale
• How To Create An SEO Roadmap That Actually Drives Results

• 8 AI skills you need to land your dream design job, according to the pros
• Coca-Cola’s bold new Vitaminwater logo hides a subtle design secret
• Perfect your panels and pacing with these comic art tips from an expert
• “The feedback from millions of users is that it really works” Krita’s project lead on the success of the free Photoshop alternative
• The history of the Audi logo: from script font to mergers and rings
• I tested the AlgoLaser Pixi, and while its diminutive size made me question its abilities, it won me over
• BrewDog gets its bite back with a vibrant design refresh
• Upside down and backwards: 9 must-try art exercises to break your drawing habits

• Erm… just checking, but social media’s dead now, right? Even Mark Zuckerberg knows it
• Texas is getting ready to ban social media for anyone under 18
• “Microsoft has simply given us no other option,” Signal says as it blocks Windows Recall
• Bluesky Still Figuring Out How to Make Money Without Spamming You With Ads
• Instagram Finally Adds Support for 3:4 Aspect Ratio Photos
• Bad Android Battery Life Recently? Blame Instagram
• WhatsApp Finally Launches an iPad App
• If You Get Your News on Social Media, It’s Probably a Political Echo Chamber

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

• Mindful Eating: What It Is and Expert Tips to Get Started
• Is the closure of McDonald’s CosMc’s restaurants really a branding fail?
• You’ve Heard of the Mediterranean Diet. Meet Its Climate-Conscious Cousin

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.