Sell WordPress Care Plans? You Might Need to Rename Them.
- If you use terms like “WordPress Management” or “WordPress Care Plan” in your agency’s marketing copy, you may need to consider a change.
- Last week, the WordPress Foundation secured the trademarks for the terms “WordPress Hosting” and “Managed WordPress” in the UK and Australia.
- This represents a significant win for Automattic as it continues its work to lock down how the WordPress trademark can be used in marketing for products and services.
- While Automattic’s trademark focus is currently on hosting companies, agencies need to pay attention, too.
- “The right to use the WordPress marks for commercial purposes (e.g., selling software, hosting, and agency services) is owned by Automattic.”
- It’s time to take a hard look at adjusting our marketing language from “WordPress Care Plans” to something like “Care Plans for WordPress websites” or just “Website Care Plans.”
- Even though the US Patent and Trademark Office ruled last month that terms like “Hosted WordPress” and “Managed WordPress” are “merely descriptive” and cannot be trademarked, this is a decision Automattic plans to challenge.
- And even if the USTPO decision stands, the WordPress Foundation can still prevent violators from sponsoring (and attending?) WordPress events.
WordPress Core Development Stalls as Automattic Pulls Back Again
- In its latest response to WP Engine, Automattic has cut back its weekly Five for the Future pledge to just 19 hours per week (down from 4,000 hours per week prior to the recent unpleasantness).
- Core Committers warn of potential burnout as they balance increased workloads with mentorship and code review responsibilities.
- However, in a recent podcast interview, Matt Mullenweg frames the slowdown as a strategic “back to basics” approach, focusing on cutting outdated features and improving the overall WordPress experience.
Deep Research AIs Are Revolutionizing SEO Content Strategies
- Deep Research AI tools from both Google and OpenAI have begun to transform digital marketing research strategies by analyzing and synthesizing information from across the web.
- These tools combine Reasoners (chain-of-thought models) and Agents (autonomous systems) to automatically sifting through search results to deliver precise information.
- Unlike traditional generative AI models like ChatGPT, this new generation of research tools can help create unique, authoritative content that meets Google’s E-E-A-T helpful content guidelines.
- It’s important to understand the difference between the two deep research models: OpenAI is recommended for strategic insights, while Google’s version works better for quick competitive snapshots.
- Access to Google’s tool starts at $19.95 per month as part of the Google One “AI Premium” plan. OpenAI’s Deep Research is currently only available as part of the $200/mo ChatGPT Pro subscription.
Worth a Look
- PathfinderSEO’s Lindsay Halsey has announced that they are shifting from a software-focused approach to a guided SEO solution, offering agencies training, coaching, and community support to navigate the rapid evolution of search engines.
- Does your company suck at YouTube? Jamie Marsland gives 8 reasons why, and it boils down to why you’re using YouTube in the first place.
- Google has begun testing AI-only search results. Even though this is just an experiment, is this where all search is headed?
- DuckDuckGo has launched privacy first AI search results and anonymized access to popular AI chatbots.
