Welcome to this week’s edition of the EasyWP Dispatch. In this wrap-up, we look at Automattic’s recent acquisition of Beeper, which has established itself as a major new player in the world of direct messaging. We also cover Woo’s strategic domain name reversion back to WooCommerce.com and the important role of web design in driving customer engagement. Join us as we uncover the trends shaping the web this week.

Automattic acquires Beeper app

This week, Beeper, the buzz-worthy multinetwork messaging app, was acquired by WordPress parent company Automattic. The move marks a major merger of the growing direct messaging industry and content publishing world. Despite Beeper being forced to abandon its goal to provide encrypted iMessage access to all users in late 2023, Ars Technica points out that its role in prompting regulatory scrutiny over Apple’s messaging monopoly cannot be ignored. 

This acquisition also signals a new era for messaging within Automattic’s ecosystem, which already includes WordPress.com, Gravatar, and Tumblr. However, as Beeper continues to make waves in the messaging landscape under Automattic’s ownership, its impact on the broader web publishing industry remains to be seen.

Woo.com domain going back to WooCommerce.com

In a strategic move aimed at fixing brand recognition and accessibility, Woo will transition its domain name back to WooCommerce.com on April 9, 2024. The decision follows complaints from users about locating WooCommerce resources due to the domain change to Woo.com. These issues were exacerbated by lost rankings in Google’s March update. Recognizing the importance of aligning with the well-established WooCommerce brand, a team of SEO experts hired by the company recommended this change, according to a recent company blog post.

Rebrands are already a big investment, and this reversal proves that changing your domain name can negatively impact revenue, even for big brands. As with the previous domain change in October 2023, the company is asking web publishers to change any URL references from Woo.com to WooCommerce.com in their blog posts and pages. 

Is your web design driving customers away? 

Studies show that a website’s design significantly impacts its credibility, with 75% of its perceived trustworthiness attributed to design. Digital Journal recently published a roundup of common web design flaws that can drive users away, showing what to look for when evaluating your own sites. 

The biggest issue they point out is neglecting accessibility rules like poor color contrast and inadequate alt text, which limits how many users can enjoy your site. Lack of responsive experiences across all screen sizes is also a widespread problem since over 58% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. While branding and appearance are certainly important, the article points out that prioritizing decoration over usability can really get in the way of growth. Check out the full list of common issues to help you assess your own website. 

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