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The GRADIENT: Why Taste Is the New Moat

Google Answers Why Some SEOs Split Their Sitemap Into Multiple Files

Google’s John Mueller answered a question about why some websites use multiple XML sitemaps instead of a single file. His answer suggests that what looks like unnecessary complexity may come from reasons that are not immediately obvious. The question came from an SEO trying to understand why managing multiple sitemap files would be preferred over

Amazon’s move caused by rising fuel costs tied to war in Iran

This story was first published by Digiday sibling ModernRetail Amazon will impose a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on merchants’ fulfillment fees beginning April 17, as rising fuel costs tied to conflict in the Middle East pressure supply chains. “Elevated costs in fulfillment and logistics have increased the cost of operating across the industry. We

Elizabeth Goodspeed on why design writing needs designers writing

Of course, the more I write, the easier it’s gotten to identify what makes something feel like me. I’ve realised the deciding factor is less about the exact words – or even the specific subject – than the overall remit of a piece: whether what I’m writing gives space for me to express how I think about

Llms.txt Was Step One. Here’s The Architecture That Comes Next

The conversation around llms.txt is real and worth continuing. I covered it in a previous article, and the core instinct behind the proposal is correct: AI systems need clean, structured, authoritative access to your brand’s information, and your current website architecture was not built with that in mind. Where I want to push further is

Agentic Commerce Is the Hottest Buzzword That Nobody’s Figured Out

It was hard to avoid the chatter about agentic commerce at this year’s Shoptalk. From panels to private side discussions, it was everywhere, our retail editor Kathryn Lundstrom reported. The only problem: No one—platforms, retailers, third-party tech companies, or marketers—have figured it out. Agentic commerce is such a nascent concept that it’s uncertain how consumers

Did somebody say Lego World Cup 2026 sets?

There have been a lot of new Lego sets to get excited about lately, including major builds from the Pokémon X Lego collab as well as a teased K-pop Demon Hunters range launching this summer, starting with Derpy the Tiger. One collab that I didn’t see coming – World Cup 2026 Lego sets! Announced today,

The Antidote to Brain Rot

Instead of trying to quit scrolling altogether, consider a more realistic antidote to “brain rot”: learning. In a world filled with short-form content that chips away at our focus, committing to something structured—like a course, certification, or new skill—can help rebuild attention span, deepen understanding, and bring a sense of clarity back to our thinking.

AI Leads All Reasons For U.S. Job Cuts In March, Report Says

Artificial intelligence led all employer-cited reasons for U.S. job cuts in March, accounting for 15,341 of the month’s 60,620 announced layoffs, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That’s 25% of all cuts for the month, up from roughly 10% in February. Since Challenger began tracking AI as a reason in 2023, employers have

HubSpot moves to outcome-based pricing for some Breeze AI agents

HubSpot announced today that it is moving to outcome-based pricing for two of its Breeze AI agents, effective April 14, 2026. The pricing change applies to Customer Agent and Prospecting Agent, and HubSpot hopes the outcome-based pricing will better reflect the value these agents deliver for customers and make them easier to use. According to

Purple Puppet Brand Identity

The Purple Puppet Logo Rebranding project aimed to refresh and modernize the visual identity of the existing PP brand. The scope of the project involved redesigning the logo, facelifting the mascot, creating a dynamic animation, and establishing a vibrant purple gradient color palette to enhance the overall brand identity. The result is a bright, recognizable

Who Owns SEO In The Enterprise? The Accountability Gap That Kills Performance

Enterprise SEO doesn’t fail because teams don’t care, lack expertise, or miss tactics. It fails because ownership is fractured. In most large organizations, everyone controls a piece of SEO, yet no single group owns the outcome. Visibility, traffic, and discoverability depend on dozens of upstream decisions made across engineering, content, product, UX, legal, and local

Meta’s bid to woo creators to Facebook just might work, despite its recent legal woes

Earlier this month, Meta announced its Facebook Creator Fast Track, a program aimed at attracting more creators to the platform by offering guaranteed payouts depending on their follower size on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. It’s a clear attempt to build up a robust creator space on a somewhat untapped platform, and there are some benefits

Elisava’s Master’s in Graphic Design is about what design can do for others, and what you can do for design

The programme culminates in a public graduate show, where a full exhibition of each student’s project is hosted, marking the culmination of their numerous research-led, interdisciplinary practices. One such example is the Cloud Watching Society, from creative duo Amaya and Ángela, who created and branded the institution as a foil for our increasingly digital and

Building An In-House PPC Team

AI and automation in ad platforms are well established. Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising are heavily invested in automated features, and the technical barrier to entry has never been lower. However, that accessibility comes with a tradeoff. Two common challenges surface when bringing a PPC team in-house: Campaigns are easier to launch than they are

The Feeding Frenzy Fueling Food Media M&A

This story was originally published in On Background with Mark Stenberg, a free, weekly newsletter that explores the key themes shaping the media industry. You can sign up for it here. In the past year, interest in food media has grown from a simmer to a boil. The uptick began last March, when the food technology

The new Supergirl trailer is getting some surprising comparisons

It’s going to be another big summer for super heroes. Ahead of Spider-Man Brand New Day in July, the new Supergirl movie is coming to the big screen as part of the DC Universe. Warner Bros and DC just dropped a new Supergirl trailer, and while it’s sparked more interest from fans than the first

How To Do Evergreen Content In 2026 (And Beyond)

Fair to say the majority of evergreen content will not drive the value it did five years ago. Hell, even one or two years ago. What we have done for the last decade will not be as profitable. AIOs have eroded clicks. Answer engines have given people options. And to be fair, people are bored

The agentic web meets the digital ad ecosystem

Adtech vendors were among the early adopters of machine learning, using it to help optimize campaign performance over the past decade. Social media platforms use AI to help build creative units. But there are a number of use cases for AI and agents in the advertising ecosystem, including audience research and insights, which are flying

Illustrations for Turisanda :: Behance

About Turisanda 1924: Turisanda 1924 is a historic Italian tour operator, part of the Alpitour World group, specializing in organized trips, high-end tours, tailor-made experiences, and luxury vacations worldwide. With nearly 80 years of experience, the brand stands out for its exclusive and personalized itineraries. About the request: A series of images for the Turisanda

Google Answers Why Core Updates Can Roll Out In Stages

Google’s John Mueller responded to a question about whether core updates roll out in stages or follow a fixed sequence. His answer offers some clarity about how core updates are rolled out and also about what some core updates actually are. Question About Core Update Timing And Volatility An SEO asked on Bluesky whether core

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