Unsplash Awards, WordPress Lawsuit Update, Why Websites Still Matter, Behind the Questions

Wishing all our American clients a very Happy Thanksgiving! I’m so thankful to work with such wonderful people—thank you for choosing to partner with us!

Unsplash Awards 2024

Unsplash has been a wonderful resource of free photos for over 10 years (!). The winners of their annual photography awards have been announced and above is my favorite shot from the Food & Drink category finalists.

WordPress vs WP Engine

As noted last week, I’ve been following the lawsuit filed by WP Engine against WordPress.org, Automattic, and Matt Mullenweg, alleging extortion, abuse of power, defamation, antitrust violations, and more (!).

As anticipated, based on today’s preliminary injunction hearing, it appears that the judge will grant relief to WP Engine. The proposed details will be refined by WP Engine over the holiday weekend and then submitted on Monday.

(There are no issues with hosting on WP Engine, and websites hosted there are not at risk. The lawsuit was initiated by WP Engine against WordPress, with no legal action taken by WordPress against WP Engine.)

Why Websites Still Matter

The Verge featured GoDaddy’s SEO, Ama Bhutani, on a podcast discussing the enduring importance of websites. According to Bhutani, websites are as important today as they were 20 years ago. While social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube offer affordable and effective human ways to direct market, there are still many reasons to also build a website.

After reaching someone on social media, a website allows businesses to direct them to a platform they own and control—a space that fully represents their brand. Whether it’s accepting payments, showcasing an art gallery, providing detailed information, or effectively finding products that match their needs, websites lend legitimacy to businesses and help them serve customers more effectively.

Even among Millennials and Gen Z, GoDaddy surveys show that four out of five people say they check a small business’s website for legitimacy before making a purchase, often reviewing testimonials too. Bhutani says having a good website makes business owners feel more confident about what they’re doing as well as building customer trust.

Behind the Questions

This Friday, I’m giving a talk at the University of Auckland’s annual Statistics Teachers’ Day on designing effective survey questions. I love the quote, “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” It’s a brilliant quote, and the irony deepens when you ask who said it—the answer is anything but simple this time. It’s often attributed to Dr. Seuss, but there’s no clear documentation, and even his official biographer says he never said it!