Eight intriguing articles from May.

Looking at the articles for this month's Super8 you might wonder what our theme is for May. Well, it's connection. In all its many forms and interpretations.

Connection binds us as humans and helps create meaningful relationships. Internet connectivity enables us to scroll, and scroll, and scroll. As Marketers, connection helps us understand our audience. Seb Griffiths is this month's Super8 curator and has brought together a mix of learning, practical tips, new knowledge, occupations you probably never knew existed, as well as a heavy dose of inspiration. So settle in and find a comfy spot to do some reading. Welcome to Super8 in May.

1. How to design 404 pages that will turn your users' frustration into delight.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Wix.
• Contributed by: Bridget Noonan.

404 pages are a reality of the modern web for sites small and large. You've no doubt landed on one when a page can't be found on the website you're visiting. Sometimes, it's inevitable no matter how diligent a website owner might be. The links to these types of pages are commonly known as 'link rot'. A study from Ahrefs found that over the last nine years, at least 66.6% of links to sites have 'rotted' in their study of more than two million websites. So as a content creator, how can you create an amazing experience with a 404 page and not lose your visitors? Wix has some great practical tips.

2. When security and accessibility clash: why are banking applications so inaccessible?

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Nic Chan.
• Contributed by: Timocles Copland.

Do you love your banking app? I mean, really love it and think it's an amazing experience for you as a customer. Responses would no doubt vary depending on who you bank with, where you are in the world, as well as your level and expectation of digital literacy. Sometimes, simple banking operations feel needlessly complex. This is especially true of anything requiring verification. There is an inherent tension between accessibility and security. Nic Chan writes about where the primary pain points exist, with a focus on the impacts for disabled people. Nic suggests creating additional pathways for users of banking apps.

3. The new iPad ad essentially flips AI‑weary creatives the bird.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Mike Pearl.
• Contributed by: Sebastian Griffiths.

Apple's latest iPad is by all accounts an impressive (though expensive) piece of tech, managing to pack an extremely powerful ARM processor into a form factor that has surprised many members of the technology press. However, their in-house promotional advertisement entitled 'Crush!' has raised a few shackles. Criticism was fast and visceral, whether focusing on the Saw-esque horror aesthetic or the crushing of creative tools and associated symbolism. It feels tone-deaf at a time when some creatives are starting to feel the pinch of AI-generated content, and Apple is pivoting to an 'all-in' approach to AI. Mike Pearl, writing for Mashable, shares his thoughts…while noting that a hated advertisement isn't necessarily an unsuccessful one.

4. The cloud under the sea.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Josh Dzieza.
• Contributed by: Matt Agar.

Before you next open your favourite social media platform or check that email, read this article first. Verge takes a deep dive into the world of submarine cable maintenance—specifically the many kilometres that crisscross the world and connect the internet. These cables carry 99% of the world's data! Focusing on the crews that face treacherous conditions to ensure we can refresh our feeds, this piece is a captivating journey to the unseen frontlines of digital infrastructure.

5. How I tricked my brain to like doing hard things.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Vinuki Vidhara.
• Contributed by: Nina Wan.

How do you make difficult tasks more compelling? Stop doing the easy things that constantly give you a hit of dopamine, the pleasure molecule that makes us desire things. It's easier said than done. However, if you cut out external sources of pleasure, such as the internet, technology, and junk food, you should start feeling bored, and that's the secret sauce. The theory goes that if you can get yourself feeling bored for a good amount of time, you might start feeling motivated to move on to bigger tasks. A tough challenge, but worth trying out in a small way!

6. An anonymous source shared thousands of leaked Google Search API documents with me; everyone in SEO should see them.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Rand Fishkin.
• Contributed by: Sebastian Griffiths.

Google has historically been understandably cagey about how their organic search algorithm works. Some say their lack of transparency stems from a fear of people gaming the system if they have too much detail. A set of API docs has leaked that gives an unprecedented level of insight into how 'the algorithm', actually a set of microservices, works. Rand Fishkin, of Moz fame, dusted off his SEO hat to cover this. Some of the info in the leaked docs confirm things that were suspected, while other parts shed light on aspects of search rankings that Google explicitly denied exist. Take a dive inside what has been a black box until now.

7. Facebook's AI spam isn't the 'dead internet': it's the zombie internet.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Jason Koebler.
• Contributed by: Stefan Imbesi.

The 'Zombie Internet' is a term coined by Jason Koebler to describe the wasteland of AI-generated content and interactions on Facebook. Yep, we are already there friends. While some of this AI spam is being boosted by bots, some is being interacted with (unknowingly) by real people. Facebook's emphasis on injecting AI-powered recommendations into feeds has created a mix of bots, hijacked human accounts, and humans becoming less and less able to discern reality. The tech giant continues to enable this trend as its executives prioritise the mass adoption of AI technology over addressing the issues.

8. Secrets of the octopus takes us inside the world of these 'aliens on earth'.

Image use

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Jenniffer Ouellett.
• Contributed by: Isabel Silvis.

Our last article feature of this month's Super8 is the latest nature documentary from National Geographic and Disney+. It offers a fascinating look into the intelligence and behaviour of octopuses. Dr. Alex Schnell, whose research focuses on the evolution of intelligence in these marine creatures, shares her background as a marine biologist as well as fascinating experiences in her study of the octopus. The three-part series aims to showcase the complex minds of these 'aliens on Earth' and foster a greater sense of interconnectedness between humans and the natural world.