Feb 24 2025
Mullenweg & Automattic Sued in Class Action Filing Over WPE Dispute via @sejournal, @martinibuster

A new lawsuit seeking class action status alleges that WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg and Automattic engaged in unfair business practices to harm managed WordPress web host WP Engine (WPE) and its customers.

According to the lawsuit:

“Plaintiff and the class seek equitable relief pursuant to Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17203 to end Defendants’ wrongful practices including requiring Defendants to cease its tortious interference with contract.”

…Plaintiff and the class also seek an order requiring Defendants to make full restitution of all monies it received through its wrongful conduct, along with all other relief permitted under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200 et seq.”

The lawsuit makes multiple claims against Mullenweg and Automattic:

  • That defendants interfered with access to WordPress resources, disrupting WPE customers.
  • Interfered with customers’ ability to manage their websites hosted on WP Engine (WPE).
  • The lawsuit claims that the actions were not legitimate trademark enforcement efforts but a pretext for degrading WP Engine’s services and pressuring customers to leave.
  • The complaint also accuses the defendants of monopolistic behavior, alleging that they wielded control over the WordPress ecosystem for financial gain, harming WPE customers.

According to the legal filing:

“Defendants deliberately wielded their power over the WordPress.org website like a cudgel, not only blocking access to the website but stealing resources like the ACF plugin, forcing visitors to click a checkbox asserting they are not associated with WPE, publishing WPE customer website addresses in an attempt to pressure customers to leave WPE, and repeatedly threatening future consequences including the risk of additional service disruptions for class members who did not leave WPE. “

Why the Lawsuit Seeks Class Action Status

The legal filing asserts that the lawsuit qualifies for class action certification based on allegations that Mullenweg and Automattic engaged in conduct that harmed not just the plaintiff but a broader group of WP Engine (WPE) customers. The plaintiff contends that the defendants’ actions, including interfering with WPE’s services, blocking access to essential WordPress tools, disrupting and degrading service, and pressuring customers to leave WPE, resulted in harm that, according to the lawsuit, meets the criteria for class certification under Rule 23. The lawsuit claims that WPE customers faced service disruptions, financial losses, and potential security risks.

The justification for the class action is outlined in paragraph 58 of the lawsuit:

“Plaintiff brings this action as a class action pursuant to Rules 23(a) and 23(b)(1)-(3) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, on behalf of himself, his business and a Nationwide Class defined as:

All persons in the United States who had ongoing active WPE WordPress Web Hosting Plans on or before September 24, 2024 through December 10, 2024.”

The legal filing asserts that numerous public statements and court records, including filings related to WP Engine, support the allegation that the defendants caused harm to the plaintiff and the alleged class. It then details the plaintiff’s personal experiences as further evidence of the alleged harm.

Section III, ‘Plaintiff’s Experiences,’ outlines how the defendant’s actions harmed the plaintiff, Keller, including:

  • Service Disruptions
  • Business and Financial Impact
  • Personal Website Impact
  • Security Risks
  • Customer Relationship Concerns
  • Consideration of Alternative Hosting

The legal filing details the following:

“Defendants’ interference significantly impacted the business of Plaintiff Keller. While Plaintiff Keller was happy with WPE services and intended to continue using WPE services, the service disruption and degraded service, coupled with repeated public statements and threats made by Defendants, led Plaintiff to explore moving his website and all those operated by his business to another managed web host.

Plaintiff’s livelihood revolves around building and operating websites, and significant disruptions will impact his business including his own capacity to fulfill his contractual obligations to his own clients.

Plaintiff Keller’s websites were significantly impacted by outages despite WPE’s attempts to create workarounds.

Plaintiff Keller has had to spend significant time and expense responding to the service disruptions and degradations, preparing for moving his and his clients’ websites to a new host, and in investigating a new host environment after a long and successful prior partnership with WPE. He is not alone in the harm he has suffered.

Plaintiff Keller’s personal website was also significantly impacted. Access to the WordPress backend was available intermittently, and Plaintiff Keller received emails related to this downtime.

Plaintiff Keller pays WPE $3,300 per year for its “Scale Plan,” 2 additional websites, and GeoTargeting and Multi-Site services. Due to Defendants’ actions, Plaintiff Keller was unable to update his website in a standard marketing cycle adjustment. Plaintiff Keller had to spend time and expense to manage, update, and modify his website as a result of Defendants cutting off WPE
from the WordPress ecosystem and therefore, did not receive the benefit of his bargain with WPE as Plaintiff Keller had to do the work that he pays WPE for.”

A New Phase In Dispute Between Mullenweg/Automattic And WPE

This class action lawsuit is a new phase in the dispute between Mullenweg, Automattic and WP Engine. It expands the legal battle to include claims from individual customers. With allegations of unfair competition, monopolistic behavior, and deliberate service disruptions, the class action lawsuit adds another layer to a dispute that has led some in the WordPress community to call for a change in governance to the WordPress open source project.

Read the text of the lawsuit here: (PDF)

Featured Image by Shutterstock/BCFC

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 21 2025
ChatGPT Referral Traffic To Publishers Remains Minimal via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

ChatGPT referrals to publishers increased with the introduction of web search, but remain a minor share of overall traffic.

  • ChatGPT referrals to publishers are growing eightfold but remain under 0.1% of total traffic.
  • The New York Post, The Guardian, and Forbes saw the most ChatGPT-driven visits.
  • Traditional search engines still drive majority of publisher traffic.
Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 21 2025
Google Faces EU Charges Over Alleged DMA Breaches via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

The European Commission is reportedly preparing to charge Google with not fully complying with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

According to sources, Google’s recent tweaks to its search algorithms haven’t satisfied regulators’ requirements, prompting the EU to step up its scrutiny.

Key Details

Under the DMA, tech companies are expected to offer a level playing field in the EU.

The probe on Google focuses on whether the company is pushing its services, such as Google Shopping, Flights, and Hotels, over competitors.

Regulators are concerned that by giving these in-house services a leg up, Google could be stifling competition.

Failure to adhere to the DMA rules could cost a company up to 10% of its global annual revenue, which shows how significant the potential penalties could be.

Google’s Response

In response to regulatory pressure, Google has gradually changed its European search results.

These adjustments address complaints from price-comparison sites, airlines, hotels, and small retailers.

Google details the changes it’s made in response to the DMA in a blog post. Key changes include:

  • Greater Visibility for Comparison Sites: Google says it’s made over 20 changes to increase the visibility of comparison sites for flights, hotels, and shopping.
  • Balanced Search Options: Google has introduced new units that let users choose between results that lead to comparison sites or those that go directly to supplier websites.
  • New Ad Options for Competitors: Google has launched new ad formats for comparison sites. These allow them to directly show more detailed information, like prices and images, in search results.
  • Testing Simpler Search Formats: Google tested simpler search formats in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia. They removed features like hotel location maps and returned to a basic list of ten links to see how users reacted.

However, these measures have been criticized as not going far enough to level the playing field.

Google’s EMEA competition director, Oliver Bethell, has stated that the company is working toward a balanced solution with the Commission. However, he warned that further changes might negatively impact the search experience.

This investigation isn’t only targeting Google. The EU is casting a wide net over major tech companies, with similar DMA probes against companies like Apple and Meta.

Broader Context

These potential charges come amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Europe, adding another layer to the situation.

U.S. President Donald Trump has openly supported American tech giants, arguing that fines imposed by the EU are essentially a disguised tariff. This political pressure has raised concerns about how external influences might impact regulatory decisions.

The upcoming months will be crucial for Google and other tech companies under the EU’s scrutiny. Stay tuned as we monitor this evolving story and its implications for the SEO community.

Featured Image: Ivan Marc/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 21 2025
Hostinger Horizons Enables Anyone To Build Web Apps With AI via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Hostinger announced a new service called Hostinger Horizons that allows anyone to build interactive online apps (like an AI-based website builder) without having to code or hire programmers. The new service allows users to turn their ideas into web applications by prompting an AI to create it.

AI Democratizes Entrepreneurship

In the early days of the Internet it seemed like people with backgrounds from Stanford University and Harvard Business School had access to the resources and connections necessary to turn ideas into functioning web apps. Over time, platforms like WordPress lowered the barrier to entry for starting and running online businesses, enabling virtually anyone to compete toe to toe with bigger brands. But there was still one last barrier and that was the ability to create web apps, the functionalities that power the biggest ideas on the Internet. Hostinger Horizons lowers that barrier, enabling anyone to turn their idea into a working app and putting entrepreneurial success within reach of anyone with a good idea. The significance of this cannot be overstated.

AI Powered Web App Builder

Hostinger Horizons is an AI-powered no-code platform created specifically for individuals and small businesses that enables them to create and publish interactive web applications without having to use third-party integrations or requiring programming knowledge.

The new platform works through an AI chat interface that creates what users are asking for while also showing a preview of the web app. A user basically prompts what they want, makes feature requests, tells it what to change and preview the results in real-time.

Hostinger Horizons speeds up the time it takes to create and deploy a functioning web app. Hosting and all other necessary services are integrated into the service, which simplifies creating web apps because there’s no need for third party services and APIs. Once an app is created an online a user can still return to it, edit and improve it in minutes. It promises to be a solution for fast prototyping without the technical and investment barriers that are typically associated with translating a good idea to deployment on the web.

The Hostinger announcement noted that simple web apps only takes minutes to create:

“Early access trials show that simple web apps, such as a personal calorie tracker, a language-learning card game, or a time management tool, can be built and published in minutes.”​

How Hostinger Horizons Works

The new service combines AI-powered chat, with real-time previews and the ability to instantly publish the app to the web.

Hostinger provides all the necessary elements to get the work done:

  • Domain name registration
  • Email services
  • Multilingual support (80+ languages)
  • Supports image uploads
  • Supports user-provided sketches and screenshots
  • Voice prompting
  • Web hosting

Giedrius Zakaitis, Hostinger Chief Product and Technology Officer, offered these insights:

“Web apps have turned ideas into million-dollar startups, but building one always required coding or hiring a developer. We believe it is time to change the game. Just like Hostinger AI Website Builder introduced a new kind of site-building experience, Hostinger Horizons will democratize web apps so that anyone can bring their unique and exciting ideas online…”

Hostinger Horizons is an AI-powered no-code platform that is specifically designed to enable individuals and small businesses to build and publish fully functional web apps with no coding experience or external integrations needed. Users can just prompt what they want through an AI chat interface with real-time previews. It even allows uploading screenshots and sketches.

Hostinger Horizons promises to dramatically simplify the process of turning an idea into a working business by bundling hosting, domain registration, and email services into one solution.

Four reasons that make this a breakthrough service:

  1. Rapid Prototyping: Create, modify, and deploy interactive apps in real-time, including rapid revisions after the app is published.
  2. Integrated Services: Hosting and other essential tools are built in, eliminating reliance on third-party providers.
  3. Democratized Development: Hostinger Horizons enables anyone to turn their ideas into an online business without technical barriers.
  4. Supports 80+ languages

Creating Complex Websites With AI

What can you do with Hostinger Horizons? It seems like the right question to ask is what can’t you do with it. I asked Hostinger if the following applications of the technology was possible and they affirmed that the short answer is yes but that some of the ideas that I suggested may not be 100% straightforward to implement but that they were indeed possible to create.

Money makes the web run and I think applications that many would be interested in are ways to interactively engage users by enabling them to accomplish goals, capture leads, product comparison, improved shopping experiences and follow-up emails.

Since Hostinger Horizons handles hosting, domain registration, and email in a single platform, entrepreneurs and businesses can build these kinds of web pages by describing it to the AI chat interface, iteratively improving it and then publishing the finished project when it’s ready.

This could be useful to a restaurant, a law office, or a product review site, for example. Here are examples of the kinds of things I’d like to see it do.

Restaurant:

  • Reservation & Loyalty App
    Allows users to sign up and reserve tables and receive follow up reminders and offers.
  • Interactive Menu Explorer
    Can enable users to browse a menu according to dietary preferences and capture contact information for special offers.

Legal Office

Could be used to generate questionnaires and streamline the intake.

Product Reviews

  • Can encourage users to provide their requirements and preferences and then generate a summary of product reviews with quick links to where to purchase them.
  • Interactive Comparison Tools with links to where to purchase

Read more:

Prompt, refine, go live: We are set to disrupt the web app market with a fully integrated no-code solution — Hostinger Horizons

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 21 2025
Google Responsive Search Ads Just Got More Flexible via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson

Google Ads just rolled out an update to Responsive Search Ads (RSAs), and while it may not seem groundbreaking at first glance, it could have a noticeable impact on how advertisers optimize their campaigns.

This update focuses on how Google assembles ad assets, giving marketers more control over messaging while still leveraging AI-driven automation. If you’ve ever been frustrated with how Google randomly mixes and matches your headlines and descriptions, this change is worth paying attention to.

Here’s what’s changing, why it matters, and how it could impact PPC performance.

What’s Changing With Responsive Search Ads?

In the announcement from Google, there’s one main component of how RSAs are changing.

Before diving into the update, it’s important to note the change that Google implemented last year. In February 2024, Google updated Responsive Search Ads to be able to show only one headline if it was predicted to improve performance.

Now, they’re building off that update with these key aspects.

New Ways To Use Headline Assets 

Previously, Google’s approach to Responsive Search Ads was all about maximum automation—headlines and descriptions were combined dynamically, sometimes in ways that didn’t make complete sense.

With this update, Google is adjusting its system to create more cohesive and logical ad combinations.

Starting now, up to two (2) headlines are eligible to serve in previously reserved spaces for sitelinks – if they’re predicted to improve performance.

Below is an example Google provided on what this change could look like:

Image credit: Google, February 2025

If a user clicks on any of those allocated headlines, they’ll be directed to the ad’s final URL.

While the specifics of Google’s algorithm tweaks aren’t spelled out, the general goal is clear: ads should make more sense contextually.

Advertisers won’t have to worry as much about disjointed messaging or assets being strung together in ways that feel unnatural to users.

Asset Pinning and Reporting Expectations

Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin took to LinkedIn to provide a clear, thought-out update regarding how asset pinning and combination reporting would be affected.

Per Marvin’s post, existing asset pinning will be respected. If headlines are pinned in positions 1 or 2, and if descriptions are pinned in position 1, those will still serve in those dedicated positions.

As for combination reporting, advertisers will still be able to see the most commonly served combination of headlines and descriptions. In this update, it will also show which headlines served as a sitelink.

The stats will be reported at the headline and not the sitelink level, per user feedback in initial testing.

How Does This Impact Advertisers?

This update isn’t just a behind-the-scenes tweak—it has real implications for how advertisers structure their ads and optimize ad performance. Here’s why:

  • More Consistent Messaging = Better Engagement. Disjointed or awkward ad combinations have long been an issue with RSAs. By improving how assets are paired, Google is helping advertisers deliver messages that feel more natural and cohesive, which could lead to higher click-through rates (CTR).

  • Stronger Brand Control. While RSAs are still dynamic, this update reduces the likelihood of brand messaging getting lost in automation. Advertisers can have more confidence that key value propositions and calls to action will appear in logical combinations.

  • Improved Performance Insights. With better visibility into how Google structures ad assets, advertisers can make more informed decisions about which headlines and descriptions to test, adjust, or remove. This leads to more efficient A/B testing and better data-driven optimizations over time.

  • Potential for Higher Quality Scores. If Google’s adjustments result in more relevant ad combinations, it could improve expected CTR, which is a major factor in Quality Score. Higher Quality Scores can lead to lower cost-per-click (CPC) and better ad placements.

Wrapping Up

Google’s update to Responsive Search Ads is a step toward more intelligent automation, helping advertisers maintain better messaging consistency while still benefiting from AI-driven optimizations.

While this won’t eliminate the need for careful asset planning, it does make RSAs a more reliable tool for brands that want to scale their search campaigns efficiently.

If RSAs have frustrated you in the past, now might be the time to revisit them.

With better asset pairing and improved visibility into ad assembly, this update could give advertisers a bit more control—without taking away the automation that makes RSAs so powerful.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 20 2025
Does Google Traffic Affect YouTube Recommendations? What To Know via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

In a recent social media discussion, Rene Ritchie, YouTube’s Creator Liaison, addressed questions about how Google traffic affects YouTube recommendations.

The conversation centered on whether brief view durations from Google Search referrals could negatively impact a channel’s performance.

There is concern that if viewers only watch a video for a short time, this behavior might lead YouTube to recommend the video less frequently.

The question comes from the account @AdventureCrews on X, who write:

“if a channel gets massive external views from Google Search and the viewer only watches for < 2min, does this negatively impact the video or can YouTube decipher this? The content is adventure travel.”

YouTube’s Response

Ritchie explained that viewership data is important, but the effect of traffic mainly comes from where it originates.

This means the algorithm looks at watch time differently depending on how users find the content.

For example, videos clicked from the YouTube homepage are assessed differently than those accessed through external sources like Google Search.

He states:

“Traffic sources primarily affect the same traffic source. So the recommendation system (Browse > Home Page), for example, will look at watch time for the video when it’s clicked on from the Home Page, not from external sources, Sub feed, etc.”

What This Means

This clarification offers reassurance to creators.

Even if a video gets many views from outside searches, having a shorter watch time from that traffic doesn’t decrease its chances of being recommended by YouTube.

The platform mainly uses engagement metrics; like watch time from within YouTube, to decide what to recommend.

For more about how YouTube’s recommendation system works, see:

Featured Image: Danille Nicole Wilson/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 20 2025
WordPress Offers New 100-Year Domain Name Registrations via @sejournal, @martinibuster

WordPress.com updated their 100-year domain and hosting plan, unlocking the opportunity to secure a domain name for a one hundred year period for only $2,000.  The new service is a breakout from the 100-year plan which is another offering that includes hosting and other benefits for $38,000.

100 Year Domain Name Registration

The new domain name registration is available for .com, .org, .net, or .blog domains and is managed in a trust account controlled by the person registering the domain. This service was previously available as part of a 100-year plan that came with hosting at a price of $38,000. The domain registration fee of $2,000 is more affordable and a good value for those who require the security of knowing the domain isn’t changing hands by mistake.

WordPress.com offers the following benefits:

  • No expiration surprises.
  • No lost domains due to admin mistakes.
  • No stress about renewals—ever (or 100 years, whichever comes first).
  • A full century of security for your domain.
  • One setup. 100 years of ownership.

They’ve also reimagined their 100-year plan so that it comes with numbered trust accounts controlled by the owner of the domain and hosting plus contingencies that guarantee the continued web presence should anything happen to WordPress.com or Automattic.

Read more about the new 100-year domain name registration:

Secure Your Domain For the Next Century

Featured Image by Shutterstock/gcafotografia

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
Feb 19 2025
Google Brings Circle To Search To iPhone via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google is expanding ‘Circle to Search’ to iPhones, allowing users to search for anything on their screens.

Google isn’t calling it by that name, though, because you can use “whatever gesture comes naturally.”

If you’ve seen how it works on Android, it essentially does the same thing on iPhones.

The big difference is you can only activate it from the Google or Chrome apps, whereas ‘Circle to Search’ on Android is built into the operating system.

Additionally, Google is expanding AI Overviews within Lens search results.

‘Search Screen With Google Lens’ On iOS

Previously exclusive to Android, this ‘Circle to Search‘ alternative expands visual search on iOS.

How It Works

iPhone users can now open the Chrome or Google apps and tap the three-dot menu to initiate a screen-wide Lens search.

Instead of taking a screenshot or navigating to another tab, you can highlight, draw, or tap on the part of the screen you want to identify.

Google will then return information about the object you’ve identified.

Expanding AI Overviews

Circle to Search employs Google Lens, which uses an online image database to help you identify objects.

Google says new AI models allow Lens to recognize more unusual or unfamiliar things.

For those “unusual” searches, Google says an AI Overview will appear with information about what your camera is pointing at.

This overview details what you see and includes links to web resources. You can see an example below:

This is all done without prompts. You won’t need to ask a specific question or add extra keywords to find what you need.

However, you can refine your search with follow-up questions if you choose to.

Availability

These new features are rolling out to iOS users this week and will be available globally for Chrome and Google apps.

For AI Overviews, English-language users in select locations will see them first in the Google app on Android and iOS, followed soon by Chrome on desktop and mobile.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments