Nishat's Weekly Reads 📖 Issue #2 — The May 2026 Catch-Up

Hey,

This one’s a bit different. May was a heavy reading month for me, so instead of the usual short weekly note, here’s the full monthly haul, sorted into topics so it’s easier to skim. Pick whatever catches your eye, skip the rest. No homework here.

A few big things were happening in the background all month: Google kept reshaping how AI shows up in search, WordPress shipped a massive new version, and a lot of smart people on LinkedIn were thinking out loud about where marketing and creator work are headed. So that’s roughly how this is organized.

🔍 Google, AI Search & Tech News

Google spent the whole month tweaking how its AI features show links, sources, and answers. This was the single biggest theme of my reading list this month.

How AI Mode and AI Overviews help you explore the web — Google’s own explainer on new ways it shows source links inside AI answers. Read the full blog
Google’s Liz Reid on AI search changes, query shifts, and AI slop — Google’s search boss on how people’s queries are changing. Read the full blog
Liz Reid Of Google Interviewed By Bloomberg — A second interview, more detail on her thinking. Read the full blog
Google On Keyword Fragmentation And User Needs In AI Search — Why one keyword can now mean many different intents. Read the full blog
Google updates AI search to include quotes from Reddit and other sources — More forum and community content showing up in AI answers. Read the full blog
Google Shares Insight On Black Box AI Models In Search — A rare admission of how unpredictable these systems can be. Read the full blog
Google Tests ‘Ask YouTube’ Conversational Search Experiment — A chat-style way to search YouTube directly. Read the full blog
Google’s Insight On “Browsy” Queries: What It Means For SEO — A new way Google is thinking about exploratory searches. Read the full blog
Google Search AI Overview Ask Anything Box Sticks As You Scroll — A small but telling UI change to keep people in AI Mode longer. Read the full blog
Google AI Overviews With Author Names & Source — AI answers are starting to credit who actually wrote the thing. Read the full blog
Google Says Spam Policies Apply To AI Responses In Search — Confirmation that AI-generated answers aren’t exempt from spam rules. Read the full blog
Google On Not Publishing Commodity Content — Why generic, easily-copied content is losing in this new landscape. Read the full blog
Google’s Guide to Optimizing for Generative AI Features on Google Search — Google’s own official playbook for AI-era visibility. Read the full blog
AI traffic grows but retail sites lag in AI search visibility — Retailers are struggling to show up in AI answers compared to other sectors. Read the full blog
Data Shows AI Citation Patterns Reveal Strategic SEO Opportunities — A data-backed look at what actually gets cited by AI engines. Read the full blog
Rise in “Crawled — currently not indexed” (Marie Haynes) — A growing technical headache showing up across many sites. Read the full blog
What’s a visitor in the age of AI? (Joost.blog) — A thoughtful piece questioning what “traffic” even means anymore. Read the full blog
Google Search Revenue Hits 19% Growth: What Pichai’s AI Claims Really Mean — Reading between the lines of Google’s earnings call. Read the full blog
Ranking vs Grounding: They’re Not the Same — A sharp distinction between traditional ranking and how AI “grounds” its answers. Read the full blog
How to reverse-engineer LLM brand visibility & why it matters — A practical framework for figuring out why AI mentions some brands and not others. Read the full blog
Adthena launches ChatGPT ads intelligence platform — A new tool for tracking how brands show up inside ChatGPT. Read the full blog
It Works Until It Doesn’t: AI Content Strategies That Backfire — Cautionary tales on relying too heavily on AI for content. Read the full blog
How AI-Generated Content Performs: Experiment Results — A real test of whether AI-written articles actually rank. Read the full blog
The NEW SEO Rulebook. Here’s What the Data Actually Says — A myth-busting roundup of what’s actually changed in SEO. Read the full blog
Searchers just want you to be helpful — A grounding reminder underneath all the algorithm chatter. Read the full blog
SEO isn’t just about being seen — it’s about being believed and chosen — Trust as the new ranking factor. Read the full blog
17 Content Types to Survive Google’s Zero-Click Era — Formats that still work even when people don’t click through. Read the full blog
Google Is Building an AI Agent That Could Be Its Answer to OpenClaw — Google’s internal AI agent project, codenamed “Remy.” Read the full blog
Move Over Siri. This AI Doesn’t Just Hear You, It Feels How You Speak — A look at emotion-sensing voice AI. Read the full blog
DoorDash adds AI tools to speed up merchant onboarding, edit photos of dishes — Practical AI use case outside the marketing world. Read the full blog
Anthropic doubles its estimate of what Claude Code tokens will cost engineers — A cost-of-AI-coding story worth knowing about. Read the full blog

📈 SEO & Site Strategy

The missing guide to SEO domain migrations (Joost.blog) — A step-by-step on the part of SEO everyone gets nervous about. Read the full blog
Google says Search Query Reports may not show actual user searches — A reminder that even Google’s own tools have blind spots. Read the full blog
Google’s product packs are now a primary sales channel: Data — Visual product listings are quietly becoming a major traffic source. Read the full blog
Google Business Profile Local Panel With Show More Action Buttons — A small local-search UI update worth knowing about. Read the full blog
Google Ads Search Terms Report Shows Best Approximation Of The User’s Intent — Useful context for anyone running search ads. Read the full blog
Google Lists Best Practices For Read More Deep Links — Technical guidance on linking deeper into long pages. Read the full blog
How to Use Reddit for SEO [Without Spamming] — A non-spammy approach to getting visibility on Reddit. Read the full blog

A whole month of feature drops and ad-platform news across Reddit, TikTok, Instagram, X, YouTube, and Meta.

Reddit marketing for SaaS: Insights from 117 brands — A data study on what’s actually working for SaaS brands on Reddit. Read the full blog
Reddit releases new small business marketing guide — Reddit’s own official starter guide for small businesses. Read the full blog
Reddit highlights rising opportunities for CPG marketers — A growing trend among consumer goods brands using Reddit. Read the full blog
Reddit shares key trends for in-app financial services research — People are quietly using Reddit to research big financial decisions. Read the full blog
LinkedIn launches Ad Agency Certification — A new credential for agencies running LinkedIn ads. Read the full blog
Expand Event Promotion on LinkedIn with Off-Platform Event Ads — LinkedIn ads can now point to events hosted elsewhere. Read the full blog
X introduces rebuilt AI-powered ad platform — A ground-up rebuild of X’s advertising system. Read the full blog
X boosts incentives for original content creators — More money on the table for creators who post original work. Read the full blog
Instagram adds AI Creator labels — Transparency labels for AI-generated content from creators. Read the full blog
Instagram updates algorithm to benefit original creators — Another nudge in favor of original posts over reposts. Read the full blog
Major ad tool announcements from TikTok World 2026 — TikTok’s big annual rollout of new advertiser tools. Read the full blog
TikTok introduces 2026 FIFA World Cup creator correspondents — TikTok creators get official press-style access to the World Cup. Read the full blog
TikTok launches counterfeit goods detection initiative — A new system to catch fake-product listings and content. Read the full blog
TikTok launches ad-free offering in UK — A paid, ad-free tier rolling out for UK users. Read the full blog
YouTube publishes brand growth playbook — YouTube’s own framework for how brands should think about growth on the platform. Read the full blog
How to optimize content for social search on Meta technologies — Meta’s guidance on showing up in in-app search. Read the full blog
OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Ads to Users Not Logged In — Ads are coming to ChatGPT even for people without an account. Read the full blog

💼 Marketing & Career Voices

A lot of LinkedIn essays this month from people thinking out loud about marketing leadership, AI, and where the work is headed.

Gary Vaynerchuk gives us a marketing reality check — GaryVee’s usual blunt take on what’s actually working right now. Read the full blog
Why even the top 1% need a CMO to reach the next peak — A case for senior marketing leadership even at the highest levels. Read the full blog
Practical ways to accelerate AI adoption — Down-to-earth tips for getting a team comfortable with AI tools. Read the full blog
Forget the AI Model Era. Here’s What Actually Matters for Marketers Now — A contrarian take on what marketers should really be focused on. Read the full blog
Old school heart, new school tech: The emerging Frontier CMO playbook — Blending classic marketing instincts with new AI tools. Read the full blog
Start taking agency with agents (and set your calendar for Google Marketing Live) — Thoughts on AI agents ahead of Google’s big marketing event. Read the full blog
Beware the Boost Tax — A warning about over-relying on paid boosting for organic-feeling content. Read the full blog
Are Creators The Stars of the Future? — A reflection on where creator influence is actually heading. Read the full blog
AVOD’s Next Phase: How TikTok Changed Micro-Drama, And How Meta And Netflix Reacted — A deep dive into short, addictive drama content and who’s copying whom. Read the full blog
Why Major Video Platforms Are Adding TikTok-Like Video Feeds — The TikTok-ification of basically every app with a feed. Read the full blog
The Cold Water Era — A reality-check piece on overhyped marketing trends. Read the full blog
Issue #17: The Store That Sold One Thing. What To Do If That Thing Discontinued. — A small-business lesson dressed up as a fun story. Read the full blog
#Issue 34: What Unusual Support Tickets Reveal About Customers — Customer support as an underrated source of insight. Read the full blog
From relay race to growth engine: smarter, faster, stronger! — Rethinking how marketing teams should hand off work internally. Read the full blog
Do Androids dream of electric sheep? How marketers can bring soul to AI — A thoughtful piece on keeping marketing human even with AI everywhere. Read the full blog
How to Replace “Dopamine Scrolling” With Growth That Actually Changes Your Life — A personal-development angle on breaking the scroll habit. Read the full blog
Your Video Clips Are Failing — A breakdown of why most short-form video content underperforms. Read the full blog

🛠️ WordPress & Web Dev World

May was a massive month for WordPress — version 7.0 “Armstrong” shipped, and there was no shortage of opinions about it.

WordPress 7.0 “Armstrong” — The official announcement of the big new release. Read the full blog
WordPress 7.0 Release Candidate 3 — The last testing milestone before launch. Read the full blog
WordPress 7.0 Is Here: Everything You Need to Know — A complete rundown of what actually changed. Read the full blog
WordPress 7.0 Ships With AI Infrastructure, Modernized Dashboard, and New Design Tools — The headline features in plain terms. Read the full blog
React 19 Upgrade in WordPress — A technical look at WordPress’s move to the newest React. Read the full blog
WordPress 7.1 Call for Volunteers — Already recruiting help for the next release. Read the full blog
Accessibility Improvements in WordPress 7.0 — What got better for users with disabilities. Read the full blog
WordPress 6.9 Server Compatibility — Hosting and server requirements heading into the new version. Read the full blog
What’s new for developers? (May 2026) — A monthly roundup straight from the WordPress dev blog. Read the full blog
AI Contributor Weekly Summary – 20 May 2026 — Progress notes from the team building WordPress’s AI features. Read the full blog
Safely Using AI API Keys in WordPress Connectors — A security-minded look at a new risk area. Read the full blog
Patchstack CEO Warns WordPress 7.0 Could Trigger “Absolute Rush” To Steal AI API Keys — A blunt security warning from a major WordPress security vendor. Read the full blog
SiteGround Auto-Installs AI Plugin on Customer Sites, Calls WordPress 7.0 a ‘Watershed Moment’ — A controversial move that didn’t sit well with everyone. Read the full blog
The State of WordPress Security 2026 (GuardingWP) — A broader look past the usual “WordPress is insecure” headlines. Read the full blog
Should Hosting Companies Own WordPress Products? (The WP Minute) — A debate about conflicts of interest in the hosting world. Read the full blog
Liquid Web Retires StellarWP in Botched Rollout, Drawing Backlash — A cautionary tale in brand transitions gone wrong. Read the full blog
I Love WordPress. There’s Nothing for Me at WordCamp. — A personal, slightly critical essay on the community’s events. Read the full blog
WordPress isn’t dying. It’s disaggregating (Alex Standiford) — An optimistic reframing of where WordPress is headed. Read the full blog
The WordPress community has a major denial problem (Brendyn Montgomery) — A more pointed critique of the community’s blind spots. Read the full blog
WordPress Student Clubs Build Momentum — Grassroots education efforts gaining traction. Read the full blog
WordPress Academy for young people in Krakow — A local initiative teaching WordPress to young people. Read the full blog
Help us help others contribute to WordPress — A call for mentors in the open-source community. Read the full blog
WordPress Documentation Team Closes 200+ Issues — and Needs Your Help — Behind-the-scenes work that rarely gets attention. Read the full blog
WordCamp Asia 2026 Community Booth: A Retrospective — Notes from a recent community event. Read the full blog
How to get started contributing to WordPress (The WP Minute) — A beginner-friendly guide to joining the project. Read the full blog
Back on WordPress (Danny van Kooten) — A personal story about returning to the platform after years away. Read the full blog
Indebted: The Ugandan WordPress Dream (HeroPress) — A moving personal story from the global WordPress community. Read the full blog
How to Stand Out as a WordPress Developer in Today’s Job Market (Olga Gleckler) — Career advice for developers in a tougher hiring market. Read the full blog
What 8 Years of Building Dynamic WordPress Websites Taught Us (Crocoblock) — Lessons from nearly a decade in the trenches. Read the full blog
The Case for Content Modeling Without Code (Brian Coords) — A technical argument for simpler content structures. Read the full blog
Envato Ends Exclusive Author Model, Moves All Sellers to Flat 50% Revenue Share — A big shake-up for the marketplace’s sellers. Read the full blog
Grow the ecosystem, not just yourself (Dries Buytaert) — A founder’s perspective on healthy open-source competition. Read the full blog
An Open Letter to WooCommerce and the Woo Community — A pointed message to one of WordPress’s biggest plugins. Read the full blog
Focus on Niche SaaS: Why WordPress Builders Get Distracted — A case for staying narrow instead of building everything. Read the full blog
FluentCRM 3.0: The Next Generation of WordPress Automation — A major update to a tool close to home. Read the full blog
FluentCommunity 2.4.0: Bulk Member Import, Group Messaging & Smarter Sidebar — More new features from the FluentCommunity team. Read the full blog
Automattic’s Radical Speed Month Wraps Up With Podcast, Payment and Publishing Tools Among 400+ Projects — A huge internal sprint at one of WordPress’s biggest companies. Read the full blog
The 7 Functions Every Business Has (And Why Most Solopreneurs Neglect At Least One) — A useful framework for anyone running a small operation. Read the full blog

✍️ Creator Economy, Newsletters & Personal Essays

The slower, more reflective reads of the month.

Four Questions with Maki from DoshDosh.com (CoryMiller.com) — An old-school blogging interview with a lot of staying power. Read the full blog
Five Good Eggs - Remarkable Communication — A piece on what makes writing genuinely memorable. Read the full blog
Open Tab: Emily Sundberg — A candid interview with a sharp media writer. Read the full blog
Open Tab: Ashlee Vance — A behind-the-scenes look at writing biographies of tech founders. Read the full blog
Guess who might buy New York Magazine (Emily Sundberg) — Media-industry gossip with real substance underneath. Read the full blog
Scott Galloway had the audience. Here’s what he came for. — A profile of the outspoken media personality. Read the full blog
3 Game-Changing Self-Promotion Strategies from Under-the-Radar Creators (Justin Welsh) — Practical tactics from people who aren’t household names yet. Read the full blog
How to Build Digital Leverage (aka work smarter) (Justin Welsh) — A solid breakdown of working smarter, not harder, online. Read the full blog
Three models for building community for your podcast — Practical approaches to turning listeners into a real community. Read the full blog
Faith in the Possible (Reid Hoffman) — A reflective, optimistic piece from the LinkedIn co-founder. Read the full blog
The Letter — A short, personal piece worth the few minutes it takes to read. Read the full blog
“The Cold Man” Ad Campaign (SwipeFile) — A breakdown of a clever, slightly cheeky ad campaign that worked. Read the full blog
The Silence of the Beast (Jim Louderback) — A deep dive into why MrBeast’s team has gone quiet, plus a wider look at AI’s effect on creators. Read the full blog

That’s the whole month. If anything here sparks a thought, hit reply. Always happy to talk about any of it.

Talk soon, Nishat

🔍 Google, AI Search & Tech News

📈 SEO & Site Strategy

📱 Social Platform Updates

💼 Marketing & Career Voices

🛠️ WordPress & Web Dev World

✍️ Creator Economy, Newsletters & Personal Essays