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From answering complex queries to generating creative content, large language models (LLMs) are designed to deliver “zero-click” results – concise, direct answers that eliminate the need for further research. This shift raises a critical question: if users no longer need to visit a website to get the information they want, what happens to web traffic? While the broader implications for the future of websites are a conversation for another day, there’s a more immediate and tactical issue worth examining – links. Specifically: What kind of links are LLMs providing, and how can brands generate traffic from them? The critical role of links in LLM outputs Links in LLM results function as citations, giving users a way to verify the information presented and explore the original source material. This is especially important for maintaining accuracy and reliability, particularly in sensitive or complex topics. For brands, these citation links are the only viable path to generating inbound traffic from LLMs. The good news: Referral traffic from LLMs is up nearly 400%. If LLMs are driving significantly more traffic, then the nature of the links they provide becomes even more important. What the data tells us: Branded vs. third-party links I analyzed hundreds of prompts and categorized the resulting links into three buckets: The brand’s official domain. Third-party domains. Third-party domains that mention the brand name. The data revealed that only 9% of links pointed to the actual branded domain. This presents a clear problem for brands – they’re being mentioned in responses, but not receiving the direct credit of a link to their own site. Dig deeper: Optimizing LLMs for B2B SEO: An overview Real-world examples: Retail and financial services Here are a couple of practical examples from the retail and financial services sectors. In the retail case, I was shopping for a raincoat for an upcoming golf trip to Bandon Dunes. The results for raincoats were decent, but only one link in Perplexity pointed to Patagonia. The rest directed me to third-party sites. The same pattern emerged with a financial services and insurance prompt. The brands mentioned were the major players you’d expect, but every link pointed to third-party lead aggregator sites – sites that typically resell traffic back to those same brands, monetizing it through arbitrage. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Why LLMs prefer third-party sources From the LLM’s perspective, linking to a third-party site is a logical choice. It mirrors how people seek information in the real world. If you’re deciding which coat to buy, you don’t ask Patagonia for an unbiased opinion. LLMs appear to apply the same logic, favoring third-party sources that seem more “neutral.” This perceived neutrality is intended to provide a better user experience. However, nearly all of these third-party sites are monetizing traffic in some way, often by profiting from the brands they’re linking away from. Dig deeper: How to optimize your 2025 content strategy for AI-powered SERPs and LLMs What brands can do about it: A 3-step framework So what can brands do about it? Right now, there are three key actions to take: Step 1: Understand your results If you haven’t already, analyze how your brand appears across various LLMs and identify which links are being surfaced. You need a clear picture of the landscape before making any strategic decisions. Step 2: Audit the links Are the links coming from third-party sites? Do those sites have strong inbound link profiles or rely on user-generated content? These insights will shape how you approach Step 3. Step 3: Build a hypothesis LLMs are constantly evolving, and the inputs they rely on remain a bit opaque, so start testing. Based on the patterns you’ve observed, create control and test groups, then adjust your content and link strategies accordingly. Measure impact, revisit Step 1, and refine. Dig deeper: How to segment traffic from LLMs in GA4 Rethinking link equity in the AI era Links have long been the backbone of the web – and they now play a critical role in how LLMs are trained and how they deliver information. As these models become more deeply integrated into our daily lives, the importance of links will only grow. By understanding how links function within LLM outputs, brands can better navigate this shifting landscape and ensure they remain a credible, visible, and accessible part of the conversation. View the full article

A reader writes: In February, I changed companies and took on a manager position for the first time as the current manager was being promoted. While the exiting manager introduced me to the different people I would be supervising I was taken aback when “Benjamin” immediately assured me that despite looking like he was 21 or 22, he had worked there for years. If you had asked me to guess his age, I would have said 41 or 42. In the moment I was stunned, not sure if it was a joke, and just said I looked forward to working with him. Later the exiting manager told me that he’s been doing that for years. The first time at a lunch meeting with a potential client, Benjamin made a big deal of having his ID ready and despite the best efforts of the others would not let the conversation move on until he had thoroughly discussed how often he gets carded and how no one believes his actual age. During a presentation, he started by talking about how he was qualified despite his youthful appearance while everyone waited uncomfortably for him to finish and begin the actual presentation. The exiting manager claimed he talked with Benjamin several times, but Benjamin insisted it was necessary to inform people of his true age because everyone would assume he was younger and not treat him as an equal. Finally Benjamin threatened to complain to HR, who in turn told the manager to leave it alone. The manager said Ben’s usual work is good, so he just kept him away from in-person and Zoom meetings with people outside the team and hoped that when Ben turns 40 this year he’ll finally drop it. Since I officially took on the manager role, I’ve noticed Ben will try to bring up his supposed youthful looks at every opportunity. If someone went to their kid’s school, he insists that when he went to his nephew’s high school winter concert a few months ago he was mistaken for a student. If someone goes on vacation, he talks about how hard it is to get a rental car when everyone thinks he’s too young to be the person on the paperwork. You get the idea. He is good at what he does and always volunteers to help others, so I was willing to chalk this up as a harmless if annoying quirk. Recently, however, when Ben took a long lunch for a doctor’s appointment, I was walking by the break room and overheard his colleagues making fun of him. They were talking about how he would be in tomorrow with nothing but stories about how the doctor actually claimed he was aging backwards, how the nurses couldn’t believe his birthday, etc. in a frankly mean-spirited way. And the “jokes” and impressions of him got worse from there. I chose to eavesdrop and confirmed this isn’t a one-off conversation; Ben is the office joke. From what I heard, the consensus from the older workers was that he is competent but needs therapy, while the younger ones called him “delulu” and said he is the last person they would ask for help with anything considering how “obviously detached” from reality he is. I don’t want to have a culture of bullying, so I tried talking to a few of Ben’s colleagues privately. Their sentiments can be summed up as: we’re always nice to his face and if he stopped talking about it we would too, but his lies are so obvious and outrageous that people are going to inevitably talk. I’m not sure what to do. Do I frankly tell him how badly him professional reputation is being damaged and hope the whole team doesn’t implode? Do I pray this is a joke that has gone on too long and telling him so will get him to drop it? Do I try to stop people from talking about him? Do I ignore it and try to maintain the current status quo? Do I wait until I am more established to do something? Do I escalate it to someone? Do I find a picture of him when he was 20 and a picture of him now and tell him, “Corporate wants you to find the difference” a la The Office? What on earth. This fixation would be weird even if he did look a lot younger than he is, but it’s especially bizarre since he doesn’t (and in fact, you actually originally guessed his age to be slightly older than he actually is). Is there such a thing as age dysmorphia? If you didn’t know the history about Ben complaining to HR when the previous manager tried to address this, I’d say to definitely just talk to him. You wouldn’t need to frame it as “no one thinks you’re that young”; you could frame it as, “Talking so frequently about your age is becoming disruptive, derailing meetings, and distracting from the good work you otherwise do. None of us here are focused on age, and I expect we’ll treat everyone respectfully regardless of what age anyone guesses they are.” In other words, it’s not your job to correct whatever age dysmorphia he has going on, but it is your job to say this has become disruptive and he needs to stop making it such a focus. But since there’s already an HR history with it, you’d likely benefit from touching base with them first. Explain that it has affected Ben’s relationships with others and the way he’s perceived, and that you believe it’s a disservice to him not to let him know. Who knows, maybe you’ll find out that the previous manager addressed it differently and there’s more room for you to try the approach above. Or maybe HR will tell you to leave it alone. If you’re told to leave it alone, then I tend to agree with Ben’s colleague that people are inevitably going to talk. That said, you don’t need to accept mean-spiritedness on your team and you overhear anything like that again, you should shut it down with something along the lines of, “Regardless of what he’s doing, I want us to speak respectfully about each other.” People will still talk about it — because what he’s doing is really weird, and it’s not realistic to expect his coworkers not to be bursting to reality-check it with others — but you can at least make it clear that they need to be discreet about it / you’re going to call it out if you hear it. The post my employee keeps insisting he looks much younger than he is (but he doesn’t) appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Google’s AI Overviews appeared in 13.14% of all U.S. desktop searches in March, up from 6.49% in January. That’s a 102% surge in just two months, according to a new analysis of more than 10 million keywords by Semrush and Datos. Why we care. Google’s introduction of AI Overviews was the biggest shift since the arrival of featured snippets a decade ago. Google is forever changed and is becoming more of an answer engine than a search engine. That’s because AI Overviews generate answers rather than pointing searchers to websites, which studies have shown is impacting traffic and CTRs for many types of websites. Triggers. AI Overviews tend to appear for low-risk, fact-based content. However, Google is slowly creeping into conversion territory, according to Semrush: 88.1% of triggered queries are informational (e.g., “what is BMR”). 8.69% are commercial queries – up from 6.28% in January. 1.43% are navigational queries – this is double from 0.74% in January. Industry trends. The top five industries where AI Overview grew since January were: Science: Up 22.3% Health: Up 20.3% People & Society: Up 18.8% Law & Government: Up 15.2% Travel: Up 14.3% On the other end, real-time information categories (e.g., News, Sports) were the least unaffected – perhaps suggesting that “Google is still wary of covering recent events with AI-generated content,” according to Semrush. For now anyway. Zero click. AI Overview queries show higher-than-average zero-click rates. However, when comparing the same keywords pre- and post-AI Overview, zero-click behavior actually declined slightly, according to Semrush. It fell to 36.2% in March from 38.1% in January. As Semrush put it: “That suggests AI Overviews do not automatically increase zero-click behavior.” The study. Semrush AI Overviews Study: What 2025 SEO Data Tells Us About Google’s Search Shift View the full article

Shares of Palantir Technologies slumped more than 13% on Tuesday, after quarterly results and a raised forecast failed to meet the high expectations of Wall Street investors, who had driven the stock price up significantly ahead of earnings. The data analytics company’s stock had gained 63% ahead of earnings this year, following a more than fourfold increase last year, fueled by AI-powered growth and government contracts. “We believe we have reached a point where respectable earnings beats and raised guidance aren’t enough to materially move the stock to the upside,” Morningstar analyst Mark Giarelli said. Palantir is set to lose more than $40 billion from its market valuation of $292.06 billion if losses hold. The Denver, Colorado-based company is a significant beneficiary of increased AI-driven demand and strong government contracts, with its AI software solutions being widely used across U.S. commercial sectors such as healthcare, energy, and automotive. Palantir’s total revenue grew 39% in the first quarter to $883.9 million, with U.S government revenue up 45% from a year earlier. Analysts had expected quarterly revenue of $862.8 million, according to data compiled by LSEG. Despite the seasonally light quarter, analysts noted strong demand for Palantir’s solutions, with its U.S. business driving results and securing the “lion’s share” of new customers in the quarter. “Despite recent uncertainty introduced from tariff announcements, Palantir continues to see underlying momentum in the business, landing a record number of $1M deals,” analysts at D.A. Davidson said. The company now expects full-year revenue to be between $3.89 billion and $3.90 billion, up from its earlier forecast of sales between $3.74 billion and $3.76 billion. At least 9 brokerages raised their price target for Palantir after earnings, bringing the PT median to $96.46. Palantir’s 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio is 202.07, compared with Snowflake’s 131, Salesforce’s 23.48 and Datadog’s 54.81. —Harshita Mary Varghese, Reuters View the full article

When then-former president Donald The President introduced a line of NFTs in December 2022, he was widely mocked for it. The digital trading cards alternately depicted The President as a muscle-bound superhero, a cowboy, and an astronaut—like some antiquated fever dream of inspirational masculinity. Coming so soon after a stinging midterm election, in which nearly as many The President-backed candidates in competitive races lost as those who won, it seemed like a desperate, cringy cash grab from a political supernova, mid-explosion. All the ridicule around The President’s stratospheric self-image, however, turned out to be a blip. Crucially, the NFTs sold out in less than 24 hours, raising an estimated $4.4 million, and like seemingly every obstacle in The President’s charmed political career, he incurred no lasting damage from the episode. Now that The President has resumed his presidency, his White House has apparently internalized this lesson. Its official X account now regularly blasts out similarly cringy portraiture, culminating over the weekend in AI-assisted images of The President as the next pope and a shredded Sith Lord from Star Wars. Government channels are reaching uncharted levels of embarrassment, having ratcheted up the 4chan factor both to emphasize The President’s world-beating dominance and communicate official policy. And they may just be getting warmed up. Ever since the inauguration in January, the White House’s X account has served up a cosmic gumbo of horn-tooting and antagonistic trolling. Reflecting the president’s relentless command of the attention economy, it often retweets various characters from the The President Cinematic Universe—JD Vance, Elon Musk, and Kristi Noem, for instance—in between provocative posts designed to reach maximum eyeballs. The account codified its house style for the latter early on with an exhibition of mirthful hostility. Viral entries in this genre included an “ASMR” video about deportations, a Valentine’s Day card about deportations, and a Studio Ghibli–style AI rendering of, well, more deportations. Last weekend, however, the account went into overdrive. Beyond the AI rendering of Pope The President, in the wake of Pope Francis’s recent death, and the May the Fourth–timed image of the president wielding a red lightsaber, there were similar posts celebrating the ostensible defunding of PBS and NPR, several posts mocking the groundswell of support for mistakenly imprisoned immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, some celebrating The President’s attacks on DEI, and a 46-hour video entitled “Lo-Fi MAGA Video to Relax/Study To,” slowly listing The President’s accomplishments next to a cartoon-The President writing from the Resolute Desk. (The use of the word “study” in that title suggests which age group this account is tweeting for.) While the tweet depicting The President as Pope Francis’s successor had the furthest reach, with 103 million views, and proved the most contentious, with Catholics responding in an uproar, the Star Wars post might be the most mortifying of the bunch. Why is The President more yoked than a Wrestlemania contestant, for instance? And why is his lightsaber incorrectly the color of the bad guys in the Star Wars universe? (Or correctly colored, as Luke Skywalker himself joked.) There’s a world of difference between Candidate The President selling worthless digital trinkets cosplaying various boyhood fantasies, and the White House tweeting such pap from the perch of the presidency. Now that these dispatches come from the communications apparatus of the U.S. government, they’re more than just embarrassing or cringe. Considering that, as some are pointing out online, all White House tweets are preserved in the Library of Congress, these goofy-cruel schoolyard taunts will now have a permanent echo in American history. Coming right on the heels of the Biden’s administration’s blissfully boring institutional tone, the The President 2 White House’s X account is giving rocket-ship-level whiplash. Social channels during Biden’s term were so comparatively tame, it was kind of a big, boundary-pushing deal in 2022 when some of Biden’s staffers and a Democratic Senator posted Dark Brandon memes, depicting Biden as a supernatural mastermind equipped with fiery eye-lasers. It was an even bigger deal when Biden himself posted the meme in a playful tweet following last year’s Super Bowl. What is happening on the official White House X account these days, however, would seem like an escalation even if it came straight after The President’s first term. Between 2017 and 2020, the president’s Twitter account was a constant source of brazen, combative, and often inflammatory posts, while the official accounts generally maintained a more traditional posture. With sanitized summaries of all the unfurling chaos, the official White House account acted as a normalizing Zamboni, cleaning up after The President’s headline-generating posts, to preserve the thin veneer of politics as usual. Now, the administration’s official communications channels are in sync with The President’s belligerent, reality-defiant brand, but with the juvenile posting sensibility of X owner Musk to boot. Any given day on X might find the White House’s account framing The President’s personal beliefs as those of the U.S. government—and woe betide those who share any opposing views. This unified front suggests a deep erosion within the U.S. government of any remaining distance between The President and Not The President. It’s a show of supremacy so clear, one couldn’t even miss it from a galaxy far, far away. It seems to be gaining a following, too. On Monday morning, Semafor released a report that the White House’s X account had garnered two billion impressions in The President’s first 100 days. For an administration that so clearly thrives on generating attention of any kind, it seems like a big win. The billions of impressions the White House’s The President-y posts keep racking up only underscores how all of this will look in posterity, though. There’s a good reason the Library of Congress has no wood engravings of a buff Abe Lincoln freeing America’s slaves with a turbo-musket—and it’s not because AI didn’t exist back then. View the full article

Maybe it's not fair to call a medical diagnosis "trendy," but more and more adults in the U.S. are seeking treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD, once regarded as a childhood disease, has made the transition to adulthood: About 15.5 million adults in the U.S. have been "officially" diagnosed with the disorder, and a growing group of others believe they have ADHD. A lot of them are wrong, but that's OK. Fed by a steady stream of online influencers and pop science, more and more people are self-diagnosing with ADHD, autism, depression, and other mental disorders. Very few of them are qualified to make these diagnoses. While it’s easy to scoff at someone self-diagnosing a complex mental illness after watching a TikTok, the rise in self-diagnosis, however flawed, points to an unmet need for mental health care. The double-edged sword of "awareness"A recent survey found that more than half of the members of Generation Z get health information from TikTok, and there are over four million videos tagged #ADHD on the platform. It's in the top 10 of health-related hashtags, and the top 100 videos on the subject have a collected view total of nearly half a billion. So ADHD awareness is high, particularly among young people, and that's a good thing. The disease is under-diagnosed and under-treated in adults in the U.S. ADHD has been linked to job loss, depression, substance abuse, and higher morbidity rates. Talking about the disorder online de-stigmatizes it, and may lead many to seek treatment they might not have previously. And treatment is effective. So it's great that more people are wondering if they have ADHD—but that awareness has a downside. A recent study of 100 of the most popular #ADHD videos (with a combined view-count of around half a billion) indicates that more than 50% of the claims made about the disorder in these videos are misleading. With each false claim in a TikTok video, the popular perception of what ADHD actually is strays further from a mental illness toward a trendy collection of quirks. Why you're (probably) wrong about your self-diagnosed ADHDYou can't tell if you have ADHD from an online quiz or from relating to someone else's video. Self-diagnosis lacks the objectivity and clinical context of a professional diagnosis, and even doctors can find it difficult to recognize ADHD. Among people who seek treatment, ADHD is usually accompanied by other psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and/or alcohol abuse. Medical professionals, with training and experience, often treat those co-morbidities instead of the underlying problem, so it's no surprise that average people scrolling TikTok so often get it wrong. But those mistakes still serve an important purpose. Maybe it's not ADHD, but maybe that's not the pointADHD is not sometimes forgetting appointments or zoning out in meetings occasionally. Popular ADHD videos on social media often equate common life experiences—losing your keys, hyperfixation on hobbies, blurting out thoughts—as symptoms. Those could be indicative of the disorder, or they could be just part of being human. It's a spectrum, and, as with autism, this can lead to overgeneralization and people believing normal human experiences are part of a mental illness; conversely, it can lead to neurotypical people viewing a serious mental health issue as something quirky, cute, or funny. This is not good, but it beats the alternative of having no explanation or language to talk about a mental illness. When people say, “I think I have ADHD,” they often mean something like: “I’m struggling, and maybe this is why." Whether the impulsivity and inability to focus they are experiencing fit the diagnostic criteria of ADHD or not, paying attention, noticing patterns, and taking mental health seriously are important. Maybe that's not a medical diagnosis, but it can be an important act of self-reflection. For many, putting a name to the struggle is a first step toward seeking support, even if the label isn’t exactly accurate. Why people are drawn to misleading ADHD videosIt's easy to blame social media for spreading misinformation about healthcare—it does, constantly—but people choose to get medical information from social media for understandable reasons. Many regard the way medicine is practiced as impersonal, even scary, and view doctors as untrustworthy. Social media figures, on the other hand, are charismatic, non-threatening, non-judgmental, and don't charge for their time. In a perfect world, ADHD TikTok would be a gateway to medical evaluation and treatment, but too often, it becomes the end of the line. Non-evidence-based "treatments" gain traction. Skepticism of doctors hardens into full-blown mistrust. And as research shows, frequent social media use often correlates with worse patient-provider relationships—though it's unclear which is the cause and which the effect. Social media will (probably) continue to serve as a support systemTikTok, Instagram, and Facebook aren't optimal ways to approach diagnosis or treatment, but given the current realities of the healthcare system, it may be the best many people can do. Until structural changes make mental health care more affordable and accessible, platforms like TikTok will continue to serve as makeshift support systems. Flawed as they are, they’re filling a gap the medical system has yet to close. And for now, that may be the only starting point available to millions. View the full article

Prioritizing growth to sell is a perfectly reasonable business strategy. Being acquired by a larger group at some point (like Poppi’s recent sale to PepsiCo) makes sense for many—to generate cash flow for expansion, take a shortcut to economies of scale or market penetration, or just cash in for early retirement. But not for me. Early on in my business journey at Bulletproof, we considered a buyout from a renowned global comms agency. But when they starting asking for growth projections and questioning whether we could achieve them, we walked away. We went on to smash those projections within three years—that’s when I truly started to realize we would be better off independent. Really, who would want to report to someone who doesn’t believe in your vision? Putting independence first Growing a good business is about relevance, internal culture, and excellence—qualities that risk dilution under a larger group. You can so easily lose your way and what you stand for—just look at the recent headlines around Ben and Jerry’s, with original CEO, David Stever, ousted for the political activism that was always at the heart of the original business. Also, as you relinquish control, you invariably compromise on how you pursue innovation or map the future. It’s why I’ve always put independence first. But if you don’t want to bank on acquisition in your strategy for scale, how can you nurture expansion, while retaining your independent spirit? In fact, independence and global success go together quite nicely, you just need to embrace the right mindset. Always striving for relevance Different leaders will always have different qualities, but independence, to me, is about embracing a certain restlessness. A business shouldn’t just be about creating great work, but about being at the cutting edge of culture—about being relevant. For that, you need to be constantly moving, searching, never settling. We could be a perfectly good business of 50 people in London, sticking to a clearly defined niche—very well-off but ultimately very bored. Or we can be the business that doesn’t settle, one that embraces new technology, new opportunity and innovation without having to deal with interminable layers of approval. It’s a choice you need to actively make and embrace. Embracing imperfection To do so, though, you need to allow yourself to make mistakes. In fact, being able to make mistakes, without being dragged over the coals for every misstep, is one of the biggest luxuries of independence. We’ve made many mistakes at Bulletproof. For example, we messed up when we thought we could crack New York without having people on the ground and soon learned that it wouldn’t work. From a personal point of view, I made the mistake of thinking I could do it all—run the business and be the creative head. For a long time, I didn’t accept that there were people better suited to running parts of the business. It’s a mistake I wish I’d made a lot earlier. You don’t grow a business, you grow people. So being independent is about embracing that imperfection and learning from those gaffes along the way. If you don’t, you never progress. It goes hand-in-hand with persistence. As a business founder or leader, you take things personally, so you’re protective over the business and its people. But you have to learn from mistakes and move on quickly. The right approach to scale Pursuing scale as a marker of success has its place. But progress means that you must grow for the right reasons—and without compromising quality. For us, scale is about growing talent and capabilities to complement our strengths. It’s never about scale for the sake of it. For example, we dismissed the idea of franchising our name for global expansion, even though we received a few approaches. Maintaining control over quality was far more important than spreading our name in this way. A better way to think about scale is that it’s all about the right talent. Hard work, determination, nurturing, kind individuals who attract the right work and embody your values. If you get this right, you can scale. Articulate your vision To ensure that quality, you also need conviction—and vision. People can help you with every other aspect of running a business, but the vision needs to come from the top. It needs to be both externally and internally facing. That way you will always have a road map of what you want to achieve and why, and you’ll always know how to take your team on that journey, At Bulletproof, our vision is to challenge the creative agency networks through doing the most compelling, commercially creative work on the planet. To prove there is a different way of doing things. Keep your fighting spirit But underpinning it all needs to be a fighting spirit. Things start to fall apart when you think you’ve “made it’” Don’t forget the early days, which invariably are hard. I didn’t come from a lot, for example. You should always nurture the mindset to spot the opportunities when they present themselves. Diageo is now one of our largest clients, but it all started with a $20,000 brief for a cocktail in a can. Sometimes businesses reach a certain size and only go for the million-dollar briefs—but that’s not how you grow, especially not as an independent business. You can see this fight, this alertness to opportunity, in many of the world’s most respected entrepreneurs. These leaders always look to evolve their enterprises, both into new markets and within their business practices, and their fight and drive keeps them relevant. Nike’s Phil Knight is a great example. His book Shoe Dog is a personal favorite. In it, he speaks so honestly about what they went through, and the hustle of the early days. It’s what makes running a fiercely independent business so rewarding. With it will come the growth that is truly rewarding—and the freedom to say no when a buyer comes knocking. View the full article

“Well, it took a minute,” said Spike Lee, surveying the glittering Met Gala crowd during cocktail hour through bright orange glasses that matched his New York Knicks cap. “But we’re here now, that’s the most important thing.” Lee was referring to the fact that for the very first time, the Met Gala was making a point of celebrating Black style and Black designers — something he felt was an overdue milestone, but a very welcome one. “Long overdue,” Lee repeated. “But we’re here to celebrate. And who knows what’s gonna happen because of this event? There’s gonna be reverberations around the world.” Lee was echoing an excitement that many of the approximately 400 guests — luminaries in sports, music, fashion, film, theater and more — shared as they sipped cocktails or toured the gala’s accompanying exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The show is an exploration of Black menswear from the 18th century onward, with dandyism as a unifying theme. Another film director, Baz Luhrmann, was touring the exhibit, designed by curator Monica L. Miller, a Barnard professor who literally wrote the book on dandyism: “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. He, too, mused on the importance of this year’s theme. “Sometimes the subjects are fun, sometimes you go, that’s interesting. But this is a subject where you go, why has light not been shone on this before?” Luhrmann said. “Black sartorial power on culture is so great but how much talk has there been about it?” Thinking of a departed friend For Whoopi Goldberg, the most important person of the evening wasn’t actually there. It was her late friend, André Leon Talley, the fashion editor and personality who was so important to Black style, and with whom she’d attended previous galas. Talley, who died in 2022, is honored in the exhibit; there’s a caftan he wore, among other objects. And Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton has said he was an inspiration for the show. “I think they did him proud,” Goldberg said during cocktails. “I’m very happy to be here again, but spectacularly happy to see how they took care of him.” Asked what Talley would have thought of the show, she guessed he’d say: “I’m glad you understand.” And she added: “What better way to honor him?” Goldberg was dressed head to toe — meaning mini-top hat to spats-inspired shoes, to handbag – in Thom Browne. “He said. ‘Will you come?'” Goldberg said of Browne, whose suits, particularly, are hugely popular. “And I said, when you’re done, just put it on me, and I’m good. I feel incredible.” So what is dandyism? It was a favored topic of conversation; every guest had a slightly different way of defining what a dandy is. For director Lee, it was simple: “Doing your own thing.” For Audra McDonald, it was about “a sense of reclaiming” one’s own identity and worth. The Broadway actor, currently starring in “Gypsy,” was among the first guests examining the exhibit, along with her husband and fellow actor, Will Swenson. Over at cocktails, the Rev. Al Sharpton was describing dandyism as a form of activism: the silent kind. “It means to me that even in the midst of being in a socially limited situation, we celebrate. I refuse to submit to just having a menial job. I’m gonna dress up . I’m gonna tip my hat. It’s a sense of rebellion without having to speak it.” A crucial sense of timing Sharpton was full of praise for the Met having chosen this moment to honor Black style. “It comes at a very important time,” he said. “To make a statement of diversity at the highest cultural level — which is the Met Gala — when diversity is under attack by the highest office in the land is more than if I could do a hundred marches. This is a monumental night.” Broadway actor Alex Newell agreed. It was the performer’s third Met Gala in a row, but this one had a special meaning. “It’s nice to see us represented this way,” Newell said. “Just when it is needed the most.” A flower-filled night sky Once gala guests climb the steps outside and enter the museum’s Great Hall, they encounter each year a monumental centerpiece, usually floral. This year, it was hundreds — thousands? — of flower petals suspended from the ceiling, with lighting evoking a starry sky. The petals also hung over the Great Hall staircase, which guests ascended to greet the awaiting receiving line of gala hosts. The petals — made of fabric, truth be told – were meant to symbolize narcissus flowers, and there were also reflecting pools, nodding to the myth of Narcissus. The greeting was not only visual but musical: An orchestra, accompanied by swaying singers, played favorites like Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing,” Guests then either proceeded to view the exhibit, or head straight to cocktails in the airy Engelhard Court. Often, they seem to prefer socializing, but this year the exhibit was filled with guests. Honoring Oscar (Wilde, that is) One of the more famous dandies, historically speaking, was Oscar Wilde. And so there was symmetry in the fact that Sarah Snook — the “Succession” star — was dressed in a way Wilde would have liked. It was certainly intentional. Snook now is appearing on Broadway in “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” the stage adaptation of Wilde’s 1891 novel in which she plays all 26 roles. “Yes, There’s definitely an echo,” Snook said with a smile, about her striking (and aristocratic-looking) black suit. “Oscar would be happy.” Snook said she was enjoying her night off at the gala — conveniently for the many guests from Broadway, theaters are dark on Mondays. “I’m loving the celebration of beautiful things,” Snook said of her gala experience. There are always first-timers At every Met Gala, there are newbies — and they’re often rather starstruck. One of them was model Christian Latchman, 19, wearing a dramatic white ensemble that combined trousers with a long skirt. If he looked familiar, that’s because Latchman is the face in the photograph on the cover of the exhibit’s massive hardcover catalog. Asked to sum up his feelings about the evening, he said simply: “Astonishment. That’s the word for it.” Also new to the gala was actor Keith Powers, who sat on the sidelines, soaking it in. Was it all intimidating? Overwhelming? “All of the above,” he said. “It makes me anxious — and happy, and inspired.” A call to dinner, tuba included Cocktails are fun, but dinner at the Met Gala sounds even more fun — that’s where guests get an A-plus musical performance, for one thing. But music also accompanies the call to dinner. This time, it was the New York-based High and Mighty Brass Band who did the honors, snaking through cocktails with drums, trombones, a tuba and The Presidentets. Then guests headed off — slowly — to dinner, where they feasted on a menu by chef Kwame Onwuachi. Dinner began with papaya piri piri salad, and moved on to creole roasted chicken with a lemon emulsion, and cornbread with honey curry butter and barbecue greens. Dessert? That was a “cosmic brownie” with powdered sugar doughnut mousse. For more coverage of the 2025 Met Gala, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/met-gala —Jocelyn Noveck, AP National Writer View the full article

Provide clients with actionable information they can use to move their businesses forward. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

Provide clients with actionable information they can use to move their businesses forward. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

When Cadillac designed its new ultraluxury EV, the handcrafted Celestiq, the design team had to completely rethink its battery pack: a standard EV battery wouldn’t fit inside. “We had a challenge, because due to the low roof height and the expressive proportions, there wasn’t room for a typical battery in this vehicle,” says Tony Nausieda, chief engineer of electrical propulsion systems at GM. “It would have been probably pretty straightforward to do something like an internal combustion powertrain, but that was not at all what anybody wanted to do. This was conceived to be an electric vehicle.” They couldn’t compromise on the low lines of the car. It also had to be spacious inside—including in the back seat, because the type of person who owns a bespoke vehicle that starts at $340,000 often uses a driver. And the battery needed to be big enough to give the car at least 300 miles of range. To tackle the challenge, they took a new approach to the layout of the battery cells. In other GM vehicles, the cells are stacked vertically in a tray. (The company calls the arrangement “toast” since it looks like slices of bread.) But for the Celestiq, the battery cells lie horizontally. And instead of having a uniform height, the battery pack varies from front to back. “It’s more of a topographical situation,” Nausieda says. Underneath the passenger seat in the front, the stack of cells is slightly higher; under the second row footwell, the stack is very short to provide as much legroom as possible. Because there was much more room under the second-row seat cushions, the batteries are stacked higher there. Once the engineers had gotten to that point, there were still 25 miles short of what the car needed in range. So, they designed a new console in the interior, from front to back, and added 24 more battery cells in the tunnel they’d created. “That put us comfortably above that 300-mile limit,” he says. The unusual arrangement was possible because GM’s “Ultium” battery system, created in a partnership with LG Energy Solution, was designed for flexibility, with cells, modules, and packs that can be built in different configurations. The Celestiq’s particular battery pack design is unlikely to be repeated in other models, since it’s more difficult to assemble; the luxury car is made by hand and doesn’t need to be made at scale. But it’s one example of the car company’s road map to move from a one-size-fits-all battery to developing the ideal battery for a particular car. In this case, the designers didn’t have a choice. Typically, “your vehicle design and configuration is really somewhat bounded by the propulsion technologies that you have available to you,” says Nausieda. But with the Celestiq, the design came first and the engineers had to make the battery work. “We took a clean sheet of paper approach and made sure that we had the right battery to support this vehicle and not compromise,” he says. View the full article

Phone notifications are tricky to balance: too many of them, and you're constantly distracted by buzzes and pings. Too few of them, and you risk missing something important, from a relative in trouble to a great deal on headphones (two ends of the importance scale there, but you get the idea). Over the years, Apple and Google have tweaked and refined the notification systems built into iOS and Android, but there's still room for improvement. The native features that are currently in place work fine, but lack the sort of granular control you need to properly manage the alerts you want and the alerts you don't want. Enter BuzzKill: It's Android only (sorry, iPhone users), and it'll cost you $4, but it does a fine job of managing notifications for you. It hits the sweet spot to give you a powerful set of options to manage without feeling overwhelming or cluttered, and it just might be the notification solution you've been looking for. Unfortunately there's no free trial to take advantage of, though the developer does promise to refund you your money if you're not happy with the app—and as I take you through some of the features it offers here, you should get a good idea of whether or not this is an app you're going to find useful on your own phone. Creating rules in BuzzKill Rules have certain criteria attached to them. Credit: Lifehacker Load up BuzzKill for the first time, and once you've given it the necessary permissions to run in the background and access your notifications, you're ready to add your first rule: Tap on Create rule to do this. That then leads you to a rule builder that will look familiar if you've ever attempted to set up filters for your email. There are two parts to each rule: how to identify the notifications that qualify it (tap any app and contains anything to specify the criteria), and then the action to take for matching alerts (tap do nothing to set an action). To begin with, you'll need to pick a specific app— whether it's Uber, WhatsApp, or anything else you've got installed—and you can select multiple apps per rule. You can leave a rule to apply to all notifications from your chosen app(s), or you can specify further filters. BuzzKill is able to look for words or phrases inside notifications, plus certain notification attributes for the notification—such as whether or not it has an image in it, or whether it's from a group conversation (handy for those group chats). You can build up some quite complex filters this way, and it's even possible to nest certain criteria in sub-groups. You can ask BuzzKill to match all the filter rules you've listed, or just some of them (so a rule might be applied to messages from group chats or with images in them, or only when both of those criteria are met, for example). All you then need to do is specify the action that BuzzKill needs to take, and it's here that the app really proves its value. You can do everything from mute an alert, to make sure it's unmuted even if your phone is silenced—so BuzzKill is useful for getting your attention for important notifications as well as reducing distractions from more minor ones. You can also invoke popular automation tool Tasker from BuzzKill for even more control. Managing rules in BuzzKill Head to the Explore tab for inspiration for your rules. Credit: Lifehacker Once you've started creating rules in the app, they can be managed from the Rules tab: Simple toggle switches let you enable or disable them, and you can also delete and duplicate rules by tapping the three dots in the top left corner of the rule box. Over on the History tab, you can see stats relating to all the notifications that have come in on your phone, with filters and summaries available if you need them. One handy feature on this screen is the option to create a new rule based on a notification you've already received: Just tap on the notification and pick Create rule. The Explore tab gives you some examples of what BuzzKill can do, and it's a great resource for finding inspiration. For example, you can set up automatic replies to incoming messages, or snooze alerts that arrive together in quick succession, or create a custom vibration for communications from a particular contact. Head to the Settings tab and you can play around with some of the app options. From here you're able to give BuzzKill control over persistent notifications that stick around in the status bar, and create shortcuts for quickly triggering rules from the home screen or the quick settings panel on Android. I've found BuzzKill most useful for shushing apps that I don't particularly want to hear from during the day, without losing those notifications altogether—above and beyond the features that you get with Android itself. Creating and managing rules is also straightforward, and there's an export tool for moving them to another device (BuzzKill is particularly privacy-conscious, and doesn't connect to the web). View the full article

In 2023, I said that creator-led content marketing would shape the future of search. Two years later, that future has arrived – faster and more broadly than expected. In the past year alone, adoption has surged among consumers and, in turn, brands. The conversation has grown bigger, faster-moving, and more complex than I initially imagined. Today’s users no longer just “Google it.” They discover and trust information through: TikTok videos. Reddit threads. YouTube Shorts. Instagram Reels. Community forums. Google has adapted, integrating user-generated content and lived experiences directly into its search results via features like Perspectives, Short videos, and Forums. The rise of AI-generated content has flooded the web, increasing the value of creator-authenticated, human-driven content. In 2025, brands must build trust and demand attention by partnering with real people telling authentic stories – optimized not only for Google but for a “search everywhere” world. Why creator-led content took over discovery Creators were already gaining traction as powerful drivers of consumer trust in 2023. Influencer marketing had emerged and matured. TikTok had reshaped entertainment consumption. Audiences were leaning into peer-to-peer recommendations. Fast forward to 2025, and several forces have cemented creator-led content as a dominant force: Post-pandemic loyalty shifts: Trust now lives with individuals, not corporations. Experience-first content expectations: Consumers want to hear from people who have been there and done it. Whether they’re reviewing a product, traveling to a destination, or trying a service, firsthand experience is prioritized in content. The rise of Gen Z as a search-shaping force: Gen Z, now a major consumer demographic, has redefined how discovery happens. They prefer the immediacy, relatability, and experience-led answers offered by social search platforms like TikTok and Reddit over traditional search engines. As Gen Z habits spread, they are influencing older generations too, introducing Millennials, Gen X, and even Boomers to new search behaviors and cementing platforms like TikTok and YouTube as legitimate search destinations. Dig deeper: Social search is Gen Z’s Google: Are you visible where it matters? Search as a behavior, instead of a platform The idea of “search” being synonymous with Google has fractured. While Google still commands a huge slice of global search activity, the user journey increasingly starts elsewhere or features touchpoints across multiple channels: TikTok: Now a primary discovery engine for Gen Z and Millennials (with increasing coverage across older demographics too) for product recommendations, reviews, how-to content, intent-led inspiration, and tutorials. Reddit: Seemingly recognized by Google itself as a repository of authentic, nuanced conversations, leading to a deeper integration of Reddit content into SERPs. YouTube: Short-form content (YouTube Shorts) is appearing more prominently in both YouTube’s internal search and Google’s main search results. In response, Google has adapted. Its Forums and Short videos feeds surface insights from creators, forum posts, social content, and more – a clear effort by Google to move beyond the traditional 10 blue links. Discovery is no longer limited to websites. It happens across creators, conversations, and communities. It’s now the job of SEO professionals to understand this journey from users’ perspectives and demand attention at those touchpoints, all while Google is stitching these surfaces together on their SERPs with increasing numbers of SERP features. How AI accelerated the creator-led revolution When generative AI hit the mainstream in late 2022, it triggered a seismic shift in content creation. Suddenly, anyone could produce articles, images, and videos at scale. While this democratization unlocked opportunities, it also created a crisis of quality. Users quickly grew skeptical. Over-optimized, lifeless content lost credibility. In response, Google doubled down on experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), while highlighting genuine insights from real people across the web within those new filters. In this era of search, creators are emerging as a beacon of authenticity. Their firsthand experiences, opinions, and personal narratives offer something AI cannot replicate: genuine human nuance. Interestingly, some of the smartest creators are now blending AI as a tool, using it to scale their production while keeping the human core intact. The future isn’t AI vs. humans. It’s AI plus human authenticity. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. What winning looks like now: Creator-led search strategies 1. Discovery through social search TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit are no longer secondary platforms. They are primary discovery engines, especially for Gen Z and Millennial audiences. Brands must embrace a social search strategy, ensuring that creator-driven conversations, short-form videos, and community discussions naturally position them during vital discovery moments. Authenticity is key: the goal isn’t polished ads, but real experiences that create organic momentum across platforms. 2. Scaling search through UGC and creator partnerships Not many brands can manufacture the scale of discoverability that is possible and required to be successful. By partnering with creators and encouraging UGC, brands can decentralize their search presence by: Enabling hundreds – even thousands – of micro-moments. Letting real people talk about their products, services, and experiences. Driving discovery through these distributed, authentic interactions. Each authentic post, review, or video becomes a node of search-everywhere discovery, increasing surface area across: Social search platforms. Traditional search engines. 3. Building AI recognition through brand mentions As LLMs increasingly power search interfaces, brand mentions across trusted creator content and UGC will likely play a crucial role in how brands are represented by AI systems. In a future where chat-based discovery becomes the norm, brands repeatedly cited by creators, reviewers, and authentic sources will have a stronger semantic presence. This will make it more likely they are surfaced, recommended, and trusted by AI-driven search experiences. 4. Achieving SERP dominance across formats Google’s SERPs today are a tapestry of content types: Traditional organic rankings. News features. Paid promotion. Short-form videos. People Also Ask (PAA). Discussion forums. A variety of other SERP features. Winning brands will not rely on ranking traditionally. They will dominate multiple surfaces simultaneously, appearing through: Their own optimized content. Creator-led discussions. Social search crossovers. AI Overviews citing trusted creators and publishers alike. The future of SERP visibility is multi-format and multi-source. Creator-led content isn’t just an accessory to this – it can be a central lever for visibility, authority, and relevance in modern search. What’s next: The future of discovery is personal and participatory As we look ahead, three clear trends are shaping the future of search and discovery: Hyper-personalization: Search engines will increasingly tailor results to individual interests, communities, and trusted sources. Multimodal discovery: Search inputs, as with outputs, will continue expanding. Users will “search” using their favorite creators’ video snippets, voice prompts, and images. Search is diversifying on both sides of the conversation, leading to a landscape that features more than just typed queries. It’s all going to be powered by AI-led interfaces. Participatory search: Consumers won’t just passively receive information; they’ll engage in dynamic conversations with creators, communities, and AI assistants alike. The brands that thrive will be those who embed themselves within these systems and touchpoints, not just broadcast at them. The creator-led future is already here Creator-led content isn’t a trend – it’s the new baseline for how discovery happens online. Audiences crave authenticity. In a fragmented search landscape, trust is earned through experience, community, and voice. Brands that understand this – and are willing to create with creators and their communities of users, not just talk about them – will be the ones who win the moments that matter. The future of search is here: it’s human, experiential, and everywhere. The question now is: will your brand show up where it counts? View the full article

Next week’s conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics is a solemn affair steeped in centuries-old traditions. But far from the Sistine Chapel where cloistered cardinals will cast votes, people are placing bets on who will be chosen as the next pope. From cash bets on websites to online games modeled after fantasy football leagues and casual wagers among friends and families, the popularity of guessing and gambling on the future of the papacy is increasing worldwide, experts and participants say. It’s even topped the Europa League soccer tournament and Formula One drivers’ championship, said Sam Eaton, U.K. manager for Oddschecker, a leading online platform analyzing odds across sports, events and other betting markets. “There’s a huge level of interest globally,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve had a market like this where we’ve had so many countries interested in seeing odds.” Around the world, thousands of bets on the next pope Hundreds of thousands of people from some 140 countries have visited Oddschecker to review each cardinal’s chances of becoming the next pope, Eaton said. He noted special eagerness in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States. In the U.K., about 30,000 pounds (almost $40,000) have been wagered with one leading online betting platform as of this week, Eaton said—a far cry from 1.2 million pounds on the singing contest Eurovision but still noteworthy as a trend, with the conclave days away. “Betting on the next pope is definitely a niche market in the grand scheme of things, but it generates global interest,” said Lee Phelps, a spokesman for William Hill, one of the U.K.’s biggest bookmakers. “Since April 21, we’ve taken thousands of bets, and it’s the busiest of all our non-sports betting markets,” said Phelps, who expects a surge in interest once the conclave begins Wednesday. Betting on elections, papal conclaves and all manner of global events is almost a tradition of its own in the U.K., but such betting is not legal in the United States. BetMGM, one of the world’s top sports-betting companies, said it would not have any bets up. But Eaton noted that in the unregulated, illegal space, one of the biggest sites has $10 million wagered so far in pope bets. Fantasy “teams” of cardinals In Italy, betting on the papal election—and all religious events—is forbidden. Some people in Rome are making friendly, informal wagers—the equivalent of $20 on a favorite cardinal, with the loser pledging to host a dinner or buy a pizza night out. Others are turning to an online game called Fantapapa, or Fantasy Pope, which mimics popular fantasy football and soccer leagues. More than 60,000 people are playing, each choosing 11 cardinals—as if for a soccer team—whom they believe have the best shot at becoming the next pope. They also draft the top contender, or captain. As with online wagers, the No. 1 choice for fantasy players has been Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, closely followed by Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. “It’s a really fun game to play with friends and have a laugh,” Italian student Federico La Rocca, 23, said. “Initially my dad sent it to me ironically, but now that it’s going to be the conclave, I decided to have a go and try it.” La Rocca said he chose Tagle because “he looks like a nice guy and fun person.” Players’ selections determine the number of points they rake in. But what’s the jackpot? “Eternal glory,” joked Mauro Vanetti, who created the game when Francis was hospitalized earlier this year. Vanetti said he and his co-founder are against gambling, but they wanted to create something fun around the event. “It seems like in Italy there’s a certain inquisitiveness about the mechanisms of the Catholic hierarchy, but it’s a critical curiosity, a sarcastic and playful curiosity, so we were interested in this jesting spirit for such a solemn event,” Vanetti said. “In some ways it deflates the sacredness, in a nonaggressive way.” Some concerns about betting on a solemn event Beyond simply picking who the next pope will be, players and gamblers also can guess how many tries it will take the cardinals to choose the leader, which day of the week he’ll be elected, what new name he will decide on, or where his priorities will land on the progressive-conservative scale. While the game and some of the bets have a novel or fun nature, anti-gambling advocates have raised overall concerns about legal gaming and the growing popularity of wagering on all manner of events. A study published last fall found that 10% of young men in the U.S. show behavior that indicates a gambling problem, which is a rising concern in other parts of the world, too. And for gambling around the papacy in general, some have raised religious concerns. Catholic teaching doesn’t go so far as to call games of chance or wagers sinful, but its Catechism warns that “the passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement.” It says gambling becomes “morally unacceptable” if it gravely affects a person’s livelihood. Hui reported from London. AP writers Giovanna Dell’Orto in Rome and Mark Anderson in Las Vegas contributed. Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. —Maria Grazia Murru and Sylvia Hui, Associated Press View the full article

Key Takeaways Income Variation: Business owner earnings fluctuate widely, influenced by factors like industry, location, and business size, making it crucial to set realistic financial goals. Average Earnings: Sole proprietorships earn between $20,000 and $100,000, LLCs range from $50,000 to $200,000, while corporations typically exceed $100,000 annually. Key Influencers: Market research, funding options, business models, and location play significant roles in determining income potential for business owners. Profit Margins: Understanding average profit margins across industries—like retail (25%) and consulting (40%)—helps in evaluating potential profitability and financial success. Regional Differences: Earnings can vary significantly based on location, with urban business owners generally earning more due to larger markets, while rural areas may present lower income opportunities but could have reduced operational costs. Comparison with Salaried Roles: On average, small business owners earn more than salaried employees, highlighting the growth potential that entrepreneurship can offer despite its inherent income variability. Curious about how much business owners really make? You’re not alone. Many aspiring entrepreneurs wonder what kind of income they can expect when they take the leap into ownership. The truth is, earnings can vary widely based on factors like industry, location, and the size of the business. Understanding these nuances can help you set realistic financial goals and make informed decisions. Whether you’re dreaming of starting a small local shop or a tech startup, knowing the potential earnings can shape your strategy and motivate you on your journey. Let’s dive into the numbers and uncover what business owners typically earn. Overview of Business Owner Earnings Business owner earnings vary widely based on several key factors, such as industry, location, and business size. For small business owners, understanding these variances is crucial for setting realistic financial goals. Average Income Ranges Sole Proprietorships typically report earnings between $20,000 and $100,000 annually, heavily dependent on the owner’s efforts and market conditions. LLCs may see average earnings ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, as these business structures often include limited liability and tax benefits that can influence net income. Corporations often yield higher earnings, typically exceeding $100,000, due to their ability to attract investment and scale operations. Influencing Factors Industry: Service providers, like consultants or contractors, often earn lower initial incomes compared to retail or technology-focused businesses. Market Research: Conducting thorough market research illuminates potential customer bases and aids in estimating expected sales, crucial for financial planning. Funding: Options like venture capital or angel investors can boost a business’s growth potential, directly impacting potential earnings. Business Model: An effective business model aligned with customer needs can enhance profitability, whereas poorly defined models might not sustain financial success. Location: Operating in areas with higher consumer spending, such as urban centers, often leads to better earning opportunities than rural locations. Profit Margin Considerations Understanding your profit margin is vital. Typical margins range as follows: Industry Average Profit Margin Retail 25% Food Service 15% Consulting Services 40% E-commerce 20% Growth Strategy Impact A clear growth strategy can dramatically affect your earnings. Implementing effective marketing techniques, such as SEO and social media outreach, helps boost sales and customer acquisition. Additionally, focusing on product development and innovation can lead to new revenue streams and increased profitability over time. Recognizing these elements ensures you can navigate your financial goals as a small business owner effectively. Factors Influencing Business Owner Income Income for business owners often varies based on multiple factors. Understanding these elements helps you set realistic financial expectations and create effective strategies. Industry Variability Industry significantly impacts earnings for small business owners. For example, technology entrepreneurs can expect higher income averages, with owners in computer and mathematical occupations earning around $113,140 per year. In contrast, business owners in floral design might only make about $35,500 annually. Variability in demand and profit margins across industries plays a critical role in shaping your earning potential. Industry Average Income Computer and Mathematical $113,140 Retail Median 25% profit margin Food Service Median 15% profit margin Consulting Services Median 40% profit margin E-Commerce Median 20% profit margin Your choice of market influences customer acquisition, sales processes, and overall business model. Business Size and Structure The size and legal structure of your business also affect income. Small businesses structured as an LLC often generate larger profits compared to sole proprietorships or partnerships, with earnings ranging from $50,000 to $200,000. Corporations typically see even higher figures, often exceeding $100,000. Sole Proprietorship: Typically earns between $20,000 and $100,000 annually. LLC: Income can range significantly, influenced by market conditions and operational efficiency. Corporation: Often achieves higher average incomes due to more extensive funding options and growth potential. The legal structure you choose determines your tax obligations, funding options, and limitations in liability. Formulating a solid business plan that considers these elements will aid in optimizing earnings and ensuring sustainable growth. Average Income Figures for Business Owners Business owners face diverse income levels based on various factors, including structure, size, and industry. Understanding these figures can help you set realistic financial expectations as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey. Small Business Owners The average annual salary for small business owners in the United States is approximately $71,813, according to Payscale data. Most small business owners, about 86.3%, earn less than $100,000 per year. Income varies significantly among self-employed business owners; incorporated business owners reported a median income of $50,347 in 2016, while unincorporated owners reported $23,060. Average annual revenue for small businesses typically ranges around $46,978. Revenue can fluctuate substantially based on employee count; businesses with 1-4 employees averaged $387,000, while those with 10-19 employees averaged $2,164,000. Establishing a solid business plan, understanding your market, and identifying effective funding options can enhance your income potential in a small business context. Franchise Owners Franchise owners often experience different income dynamics compared to independent small business owners. The average income for franchise owners varies widely due to the specific franchise, industry, and location. Initial investments can range from $10,000 to over $500,000, depending on the franchise model and associated fees. On average, franchise owners earn about $50,000 to $125,000 annually, but some top-performing franchises report earnings exceeding $250,000. Factors like brand recognition, established business model, and customer acquisition strategies contribute to success in franchising. Emphasizing innovation and effective marketing can further bolster your franchise’s profitability. Understanding franchise agreements and seeking legal advice during the setup can help avoid pitfalls and enhance revenue generation. Comparison with Salaried Employees Business earnings often differ from salaried employees’ income due to varying structures and profit potentials. Understanding these distinctions helps you gauge your financial prospects in entrepreneurship. Average Income Comparison The average small business owner salary ranges from $70,781 to $99,979, while typical U.S. salaried employees earn between $50,000 and $70,000 annually. These figures highlight that small business ownership can lead to higher income potential as profitability grows. Income Type Average Salary Small Business Owner $70,781 – $99,979 Salaried Employee $50,000 – $70,000 Factors Impacting Earnings Business owners face unique financial elements that employees might not consider. Profitability relies heavily on various factors such as: Industry: Certain sectors yield higher earnings. Technology or finance business owners typically earn more than those in retail or services. Ownership Structure: Your chosen legal structure, whether LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation, affects taxes and profit distributions. Business Model: A well-structured business model directly influences revenue streams and scalability. Scalability can lead to significant growth in income. Revenue Variability Income inconsistency is common for small business owners. Your earnings might fluctuate due to market shifts or operational challenges. Utilizing strategic marketing, understanding your target audience, and enhancing customer acquisition efforts can stabilize this income. Embracing innovation in your product development and focusing on branding also substantially impacts revenue and overall profitability. Neglecting these elements could lead to stagnant income, unlike traditional salaried positions with consistent paychecks. Financial Implications Consider the implications of taxes, accounting, and cash flow management as a small business owner. Salaried employees typically have taxes withheld automatically, while business owners must actively manage and plan for tax liabilities. Fostering a solid budgeting strategy and maintaining expenses closely will help maintain financial health. By grasping these differences between small business ownership and salaried employment, you can create actionable plans tailored to achieve your business goals effectively. Regional Differences in Earnings Earnings for business owners can vary significantly across regions in the United States. Location impacts income due to differences in cost of living, market demand, and economic opportunities. Urban Areas: Business owners in metropolitan regions often report higher earnings due to a larger customer base. For example, cities like New York and San Francisco provide access to diverse markets and higher-paid clientele. Rural Areas: Owners in rural areas typically face lower income potential. Limited market size and fewer customers can restrict earnings. However, lower operational costs may balance this out. State Impacts: The economic environment of each state influences income levels. For instance, business owners in states with lower taxes, such as Wyoming or Texas, may retain more earnings compared to those in higher-tax areas like California or New York. Industry Variation: Earnings also differ based on local industry presence. Regions with a strong tech scene, such as Silicon Valley, attract entrepreneurs who often earn higher incomes. Conversely, areas supporting traditional industries may offer less lucrative positions. Market Research Necessity: Conducting thorough market research can help you understand the earning potential in your specific area. Analyze competitors and consumer behavior to gauge how local factors might affect your income as a small business owner. By recognizing these regional differences, you can strategize effectively, setting realistic income expectations based on your location and industry. Conclusion Understanding the income potential as a business owner is crucial for your entrepreneurial journey. By recognizing the factors that influence earnings, you can better navigate the complexities of ownership. Whether you’re considering a sole proprietorship or a corporation, it’s clear that your industry and location will play significant roles in your financial success. As you plan your business strategy, keep in mind that setting realistic financial goals is essential. With the right approach to market research and an effective growth strategy, you can enhance your profitability. Your path to entrepreneurship might be challenging but with informed decisions, you can achieve the income you desire. Frequently Asked Questions What is the average income for small business owners? The average annual income for small business owners is approximately $71,813, with 86.3% earning less than $100,000. Earnings can vary widely based on business type, location, and market conditions. How much do franchise owners typically earn? Franchise owners usually earn between $50,000 and $125,000 annually, with top performers exceeding $250,000. Earnings depend on brand recognition and effective marketing strategies. What factors influence business income? Business income can vary significantly due to factors such as industry type, location, business size, and ownership structure. Understanding these variables can help set realistic financial goals. How do income levels differ between business structures? Sole Proprietorships typically earn between $20,000 and $100,000, LLCs range from $50,000 to $200,000, and Corporations often earn over $100,000 annually. What are the average earnings in different industries? Average earnings vary by industry: technology entrepreneurs earn around $113,140, while floral designers earn about $35,500. Profit margins also differ, such as retail at 25% and consulting at 40%. How do earnings compare between small business owners and salaried employees? Small business owners earn between $70,781 and $99,979 annually, while typical U.S. salaried employees earn between $50,000 and $70,000, highlighting the potential for higher income in entrepreneurship. Why is location important for business earnings? Location significantly impacts income due to variations in cost of living, market demand, and economic opportunities. Urban areas typically provide higher earning potential compared to rural areas. What is the impact of market research on earnings potential? Conducting thorough market research helps entrepreneurs understand their specific earning potential based on regional factors and industry trends, enabling them to make informed business decisions. How can small business owners improve their profitability? To enhance profitability, small business owners should focus on developing a clear growth strategy, effective marketing, and continuous innovation within their business operations. Image Via Envato This article, "Understanding How Much Do Business Owners Make and What Influences Their Earnings" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Income Variation: Business owner earnings fluctuate widely, influenced by factors like industry, location, and business size, making it crucial to set realistic financial goals. Average Earnings: Sole proprietorships earn between $20,000 and $100,000, LLCs range from $50,000 to $200,000, while corporations typically exceed $100,000 annually. Key Influencers: Market research, funding options, business models, and location play significant roles in determining income potential for business owners. Profit Margins: Understanding average profit margins across industries—like retail (25%) and consulting (40%)—helps in evaluating potential profitability and financial success. Regional Differences: Earnings can vary significantly based on location, with urban business owners generally earning more due to larger markets, while rural areas may present lower income opportunities but could have reduced operational costs. Comparison with Salaried Roles: On average, small business owners earn more than salaried employees, highlighting the growth potential that entrepreneurship can offer despite its inherent income variability. Curious about how much business owners really make? You’re not alone. Many aspiring entrepreneurs wonder what kind of income they can expect when they take the leap into ownership. The truth is, earnings can vary widely based on factors like industry, location, and the size of the business. Understanding these nuances can help you set realistic financial goals and make informed decisions. Whether you’re dreaming of starting a small local shop or a tech startup, knowing the potential earnings can shape your strategy and motivate you on your journey. Let’s dive into the numbers and uncover what business owners typically earn. Overview of Business Owner Earnings Business owner earnings vary widely based on several key factors, such as industry, location, and business size. For small business owners, understanding these variances is crucial for setting realistic financial goals. Average Income Ranges Sole Proprietorships typically report earnings between $20,000 and $100,000 annually, heavily dependent on the owner’s efforts and market conditions. LLCs may see average earnings ranging from $50,000 to $200,000, as these business structures often include limited liability and tax benefits that can influence net income. Corporations often yield higher earnings, typically exceeding $100,000, due to their ability to attract investment and scale operations. Influencing Factors Industry: Service providers, like consultants or contractors, often earn lower initial incomes compared to retail or technology-focused businesses. Market Research: Conducting thorough market research illuminates potential customer bases and aids in estimating expected sales, crucial for financial planning. Funding: Options like venture capital or angel investors can boost a business’s growth potential, directly impacting potential earnings. Business Model: An effective business model aligned with customer needs can enhance profitability, whereas poorly defined models might not sustain financial success. Location: Operating in areas with higher consumer spending, such as urban centers, often leads to better earning opportunities than rural locations. Profit Margin Considerations Understanding your profit margin is vital. Typical margins range as follows: Industry Average Profit Margin Retail 25% Food Service 15% Consulting Services 40% E-commerce 20% Growth Strategy Impact A clear growth strategy can dramatically affect your earnings. Implementing effective marketing techniques, such as SEO and social media outreach, helps boost sales and customer acquisition. Additionally, focusing on product development and innovation can lead to new revenue streams and increased profitability over time. Recognizing these elements ensures you can navigate your financial goals as a small business owner effectively. Factors Influencing Business Owner Income Income for business owners often varies based on multiple factors. Understanding these elements helps you set realistic financial expectations and create effective strategies. Industry Variability Industry significantly impacts earnings for small business owners. For example, technology entrepreneurs can expect higher income averages, with owners in computer and mathematical occupations earning around $113,140 per year. In contrast, business owners in floral design might only make about $35,500 annually. Variability in demand and profit margins across industries plays a critical role in shaping your earning potential. Industry Average Income Computer and Mathematical $113,140 Retail Median 25% profit margin Food Service Median 15% profit margin Consulting Services Median 40% profit margin E-Commerce Median 20% profit margin Your choice of market influences customer acquisition, sales processes, and overall business model. Business Size and Structure The size and legal structure of your business also affect income. Small businesses structured as an LLC often generate larger profits compared to sole proprietorships or partnerships, with earnings ranging from $50,000 to $200,000. Corporations typically see even higher figures, often exceeding $100,000. Sole Proprietorship: Typically earns between $20,000 and $100,000 annually. LLC: Income can range significantly, influenced by market conditions and operational efficiency. Corporation: Often achieves higher average incomes due to more extensive funding options and growth potential. The legal structure you choose determines your tax obligations, funding options, and limitations in liability. Formulating a solid business plan that considers these elements will aid in optimizing earnings and ensuring sustainable growth. Average Income Figures for Business Owners Business owners face diverse income levels based on various factors, including structure, size, and industry. Understanding these figures can help you set realistic financial expectations as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey. Small Business Owners The average annual salary for small business owners in the United States is approximately $71,813, according to Payscale data. Most small business owners, about 86.3%, earn less than $100,000 per year. Income varies significantly among self-employed business owners; incorporated business owners reported a median income of $50,347 in 2016, while unincorporated owners reported $23,060. Average annual revenue for small businesses typically ranges around $46,978. Revenue can fluctuate substantially based on employee count; businesses with 1-4 employees averaged $387,000, while those with 10-19 employees averaged $2,164,000. Establishing a solid business plan, understanding your market, and identifying effective funding options can enhance your income potential in a small business context. Franchise Owners Franchise owners often experience different income dynamics compared to independent small business owners. The average income for franchise owners varies widely due to the specific franchise, industry, and location. Initial investments can range from $10,000 to over $500,000, depending on the franchise model and associated fees. On average, franchise owners earn about $50,000 to $125,000 annually, but some top-performing franchises report earnings exceeding $250,000. Factors like brand recognition, established business model, and customer acquisition strategies contribute to success in franchising. Emphasizing innovation and effective marketing can further bolster your franchise’s profitability. Understanding franchise agreements and seeking legal advice during the setup can help avoid pitfalls and enhance revenue generation. Comparison with Salaried Employees Business earnings often differ from salaried employees’ income due to varying structures and profit potentials. Understanding these distinctions helps you gauge your financial prospects in entrepreneurship. Average Income Comparison The average small business owner salary ranges from $70,781 to $99,979, while typical U.S. salaried employees earn between $50,000 and $70,000 annually. These figures highlight that small business ownership can lead to higher income potential as profitability grows. Income Type Average Salary Small Business Owner $70,781 – $99,979 Salaried Employee $50,000 – $70,000 Factors Impacting Earnings Business owners face unique financial elements that employees might not consider. Profitability relies heavily on various factors such as: Industry: Certain sectors yield higher earnings. Technology or finance business owners typically earn more than those in retail or services. Ownership Structure: Your chosen legal structure, whether LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation, affects taxes and profit distributions. Business Model: A well-structured business model directly influences revenue streams and scalability. Scalability can lead to significant growth in income. Revenue Variability Income inconsistency is common for small business owners. Your earnings might fluctuate due to market shifts or operational challenges. Utilizing strategic marketing, understanding your target audience, and enhancing customer acquisition efforts can stabilize this income. Embracing innovation in your product development and focusing on branding also substantially impacts revenue and overall profitability. Neglecting these elements could lead to stagnant income, unlike traditional salaried positions with consistent paychecks. Financial Implications Consider the implications of taxes, accounting, and cash flow management as a small business owner. Salaried employees typically have taxes withheld automatically, while business owners must actively manage and plan for tax liabilities. Fostering a solid budgeting strategy and maintaining expenses closely will help maintain financial health. By grasping these differences between small business ownership and salaried employment, you can create actionable plans tailored to achieve your business goals effectively. Regional Differences in Earnings Earnings for business owners can vary significantly across regions in the United States. Location impacts income due to differences in cost of living, market demand, and economic opportunities. Urban Areas: Business owners in metropolitan regions often report higher earnings due to a larger customer base. For example, cities like New York and San Francisco provide access to diverse markets and higher-paid clientele. Rural Areas: Owners in rural areas typically face lower income potential. Limited market size and fewer customers can restrict earnings. However, lower operational costs may balance this out. State Impacts: The economic environment of each state influences income levels. For instance, business owners in states with lower taxes, such as Wyoming or Texas, may retain more earnings compared to those in higher-tax areas like California or New York. Industry Variation: Earnings also differ based on local industry presence. Regions with a strong tech scene, such as Silicon Valley, attract entrepreneurs who often earn higher incomes. Conversely, areas supporting traditional industries may offer less lucrative positions. Market Research Necessity: Conducting thorough market research can help you understand the earning potential in your specific area. Analyze competitors and consumer behavior to gauge how local factors might affect your income as a small business owner. By recognizing these regional differences, you can strategize effectively, setting realistic income expectations based on your location and industry. Conclusion Understanding the income potential as a business owner is crucial for your entrepreneurial journey. By recognizing the factors that influence earnings, you can better navigate the complexities of ownership. Whether you’re considering a sole proprietorship or a corporation, it’s clear that your industry and location will play significant roles in your financial success. As you plan your business strategy, keep in mind that setting realistic financial goals is essential. With the right approach to market research and an effective growth strategy, you can enhance your profitability. Your path to entrepreneurship might be challenging but with informed decisions, you can achieve the income you desire. Frequently Asked Questions What is the average income for small business owners? The average annual income for small business owners is approximately $71,813, with 86.3% earning less than $100,000. Earnings can vary widely based on business type, location, and market conditions. How much do franchise owners typically earn? Franchise owners usually earn between $50,000 and $125,000 annually, with top performers exceeding $250,000. Earnings depend on brand recognition and effective marketing strategies. What factors influence business income? Business income can vary significantly due to factors such as industry type, location, business size, and ownership structure. Understanding these variables can help set realistic financial goals. How do income levels differ between business structures? Sole Proprietorships typically earn between $20,000 and $100,000, LLCs range from $50,000 to $200,000, and Corporations often earn over $100,000 annually. What are the average earnings in different industries? Average earnings vary by industry: technology entrepreneurs earn around $113,140, while floral designers earn about $35,500. Profit margins also differ, such as retail at 25% and consulting at 40%. How do earnings compare between small business owners and salaried employees? Small business owners earn between $70,781 and $99,979 annually, while typical U.S. salaried employees earn between $50,000 and $70,000, highlighting the potential for higher income in entrepreneurship. Why is location important for business earnings? Location significantly impacts income due to variations in cost of living, market demand, and economic opportunities. Urban areas typically provide higher earning potential compared to rural areas. What is the impact of market research on earnings potential? Conducting thorough market research helps entrepreneurs understand their specific earning potential based on regional factors and industry trends, enabling them to make informed business decisions. How can small business owners improve their profitability? To enhance profitability, small business owners should focus on developing a clear growth strategy, effective marketing, and continuous innovation within their business operations. Image Via Envato This article, "Understanding How Much Do Business Owners Make and What Influences Their Earnings" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Dive into the findings on AI Overviews and Google Search. Is the promise of growing web traffic being fulfilled? The post Testing Google’s Post-AIO Traffic Claims appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $179.99 (down from its original $299.99), the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G55C curved gaming monitor is one of those deals that feels tempting on specs alone. SAMSUNG 27-Inch Odyssey G55C Series QHD 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor $179.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $299.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $179.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $299.99 Save $120.00 It’s got a 1440p resolution, a 1000R curve that pulls you into the action, a 165Hz refresh rate with FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility to keep screen tearing to a minimum, and features like Samsung’s Virtual Aim Point and Contrast Enhancer adding a little extra gaming flair without overcomplicating the experience. On paper, that’s more than enough for casual and mid-tier gamers. That said, it’s not without its issues. If you’re sensitive to input lag or picky about motion clarity, the G55C might leave you wanting more. Fast-paced games show noticeable blur and smearing, especially with dark transitions, and the input lag at 165Hz and 60Hz can reportedly feel sluggish (oddly enough, gameplay feels snappier at 120Hz). Additionally, the backlight strobing feature, meant to reduce motion blur, introduces ghosting and can’t be used with VRR on. HDR is supported, but you’ll want to keep expectations in check—it gets bright enough to fight off some glare, but not enough to deliver meaningful HDR performance. It works decently with consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, but you’ll have to tweak settings to avoid compatibility hiccups with 4K and HDR signals. You also won’t find any USB-C ports or a USB hub here, and there are no built-in speakers either. Plus, its narrow viewing angles mean once you move off to the side or stand up, the picture quality takes a hit—so it’s not ideal for couch co-op or multitasking with someone else. But for solo gaming on a budget, especially if you're playing slower-paced or story-driven games, it delivers a big screen with immersive visuals and decent contrast. If you're considering alternatives, the Dell G2724D Gaming Monitor makes a good case for itself with similar specs, but it comes at a higher price point of $314. View the full article

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The The President administration’s layoffs across the federal workforce have already left tens of thousands of employees without jobs or on indefinite leave. But many federal agencies have since been instructed to make even deeper cuts to their workforce. In total, at least 12% of the 2.4 million workers employed by the federal government could be impacted, according to the New York Times. For many workers, the sweeping cuts have upended the stability that federal jobs long promised. They also significantly impact women and people of color, effectively making them another attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts—something that has been a priority for the The President administration. The diversity of federal agencies An analysis by the National Women’s Law Center takes a closer look at how these job cuts are chipping away at the diversity of the federal workforce, which has historically mirrored the demographics of the overall U.S. workforce. As of September 2024, nearly half of federal workers (46%) were women and about 41% were people of color. (Since the administration took down current demographic data on the federal workforce in March, the NWLC analysis draws on data from September 2024.) Among the agencies that have been ordered to further reduce headcount, women accounted for an even higher percentage of their employees relative to the overall federal workforce, according to the NWLC. The administration wants to cut 80,000 employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs, for example, where women comprise 64% of the workforce. The Department of Education’s workforce, of which 63% are women, has already been slashed in half—and President The President is striving to shutter the agency altogether. Proposed layoffs at a number of other cabinet departments and agencies where women and people make up the majority of the workforce could impact tens of thousands of employees. Black workers, for example, account for 36% of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as compared to 18% of the overall federal workforce. Latinos and Indigenous workers, too, are employed at higher rates by certain federal agencies that have been marked for layoffs, relative to the overall workforce. How probationary workers are affected The The President administration has targeted probationary workers, in particular, who are not entitled to the same rights as federal workers with tenure. Probationary workers are typically in their first year of service or have recently been promoted to a new role. They also lack the protections that other federal workers have against being fired without cause. Nearly 25,000 of these workers have reportedly been fired; some were temporarily reinstated in response to court orders, but a new ruling in April granted The President the ability to fire them yet again. Probationary workers are often younger and earlier in their career, but they’re also more likely to be women: The NWLC reports that half of probationary employees across the federal workforce are women, but in certain departments, well over 60% of them can be women. The same is true among people of color, who make up 46% of probationary workers overall and a far larger percentage of those workers at specific agencies like the Treasury Department and the Social Security Administration. The benefits of a federal job Beyond offering a measure of job stability, federal roles are often a source of solid benefits that are harder to come by in the private sector, like 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Federal jobs also offer greater salary transparency and narrower wage gaps, mitigating the pay inequities that are more likely to impact women and people of color in the workplace: As of September 2024, women in the federal workforce were paid 95 cents for every dollar that men earned, a stark contrast from the 83 cents per dollar earned by women across the U.S. workforce. (The NWLC found that some departments had even narrower gender wage gaps prior to the recent layoffs.) View the full article

Google introduces AI Max for Search, expanding query reach, adaptive creative, and better controls to boost performance while maintaining transparency for advertisers. The post It’s Official: Google Launches AI Max for Search Campaigns appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Hot on the heels of Oura’s AI Advisor, another app feature from the smart ring company is leaving beta and becoming available to all users: meal logging. But this isn’t just another calorie tracking app—Oura’s Meals feature provides feedback on what you’re eating and when, without judging you for how much. Oura Ring 4 $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Glucose tracking is also coming to the app, and Oura has announced a partnership with Dexcom to sell the Stelo continuous glucose monitor, which can be purchased without a prescription. If you use the Stelo monitor, you can view some glucose statistics in the Oura app, including how your blood glucose responds to the meals you track. How Oura’s meal tracking worksOnce you have the Meals feature enabled (it’s rolling out to everyone today, the company says), just tap the plus sign in the lower right corner and select “Log a meal.” The simplest way to log a meal is to take a photo of your food, but don’t worry if you forget until your plate is clean. You can tap “Text input” at the bottom to type in a description of what you ate, or select one of your recent meals if you’re repeating something you ate within the past few days. The app takes a few seconds to think, and then it tells you what it believes you ate. (You can correct it if it’s wrong—more about that below.) Then it gives you some text feedback about your meal and a little section of statistics judging whether the meal was high or low in protein, fiber, and other factors—mostly macronutrients, but also how “processed” the meal was. The feedback encourages you to eat more protein and vegetables, without getting negative about your choices, and I appreciate that. Oura says in its press release: “Oura’s guidance avoids penalizing food choices, instead presenting non-judgmental insights that help members make informed choices based on their health objectives, whether that’s improving energy levels, maintaining metabolic health, or enhancing dietary balance.” The advice is gentle and the results are usually correct Credit: Beth Skwarecki Oura’s conclusions about what’s in a food photo have usually been correct for me, but sometimes it misses an ingredient—for example, it might log a “rice and beans bowl” but not notice that there was also chicken in the mix. The description might suggest that I could include protein next time. As I said earlier, this is no big deal, because you can correct this at the bottom of the screen. Scroll down and you’ll see a list of the ingredients or components of your meal. You can remove components that weren’t actually there and add anything that the AI missed. I found this process quick and easy. In a few taps, the app would then tell me that I did a great job getting both protein and fiber in my meal, and the stats would look correct. The text feedback on the meals is sometimes helpful, but at other times is too vague and generic to be of any real use. The few shreds of cabbage in my rice bowl contain anthocyanins? I don’t actually care. Garlic was valued in ancient civilizations for its medicinal properties? Great, that’s super important to know when I’m logging some garlic bread as a snack. I do sometimes enjoy that it suggests a way I could improve the meal next time—usually by adding some veggies or protein—but when I do log a meal with veggies and protein, it then just suggests that I might want to have the meal with “extra veggies” next time. I loved seeing a graphic of my meal timing Credit: Beth Skwarecki I’ve been disorganized with my eating lately, sometimes snarfing down snacks throughout the day and not sitting down to a real dinner until late in the evening. I know that late meals can affect my sleep, and that mealtimes are important for setting your body’s clock. So I was delighted to see that Oura tracks the time of meals as well as their content. Each meal I log is shown on a circle that represents my day. My sleep times and wind-down (bedtime) hours are shown in blue and green, respectively. There’s a yellow dot for each meal I logged today, and a yellowish area showing the times I normally eat. Right now, the app judges my mealtimes as “irregular.” Harsh, but true. I can see on the circular graphic just how late I’ve been eating. Where Oura’s Meals feature falls shortThe functions of the Meals feature seem to work quite well, but so many functions are missing. For example, I can only see that nice graph of meal timing after I log a meal! There’s no way to access it just to take a peek. I tried asking the AI Advisor about my meal patterns, and it describes them to me in text, but says it can’t generate graphs or images to share with me. I also wish I could see a summary of how I’m doing on protein, fiber, level of processing, and the other factors Oura tracks. But again, these only show up when you log a meal, and aren’t available otherwise. The Advisor will describe them to me in broad terms (“Your meals show balance, but your fiber and added sugar trends stand out”) but I hoped for better. Another feature it’s missing—which I’m actually OK with—is that it doesn’t seem to care how much food you’re eating. It doesn’t know how many grams of protein I’ve eaten, and certainly has no clue about the number of calories. On the one hand: excellent. I don’t need another app assuming that I want to lose weight or making me measure everything as I log it. “Yes, that’s rice” is so much easier to tell the app than “I ate exactly 205 grams of rice.” But on the other hand, the recommendations would make more sense if the app had a sense of balance. Did I eat a lot of chicken breast and a small amount of candy today, or the other way around? Those would be drastically different eating patterns, worth giving drastically different advice. View the full article

Instacart is launching a new stand-alone app called Fizz, designed for groups to order snacks and drinks ahead of parties for a flat $5 delivery fee. The platform, developed in collaboration with the hugely popular event invite app Partiful, enables partygoers in the 30 U.S. states where alcohol delivery is legal to add items to a shared cart from nearby participating grocery stores. Instead of splitting the bill, each user is prompted to pay only for what they’ve added, with an option to include a tip for the shopper. Back in February, Instacart’s chief product officer, Daniel Danker, approached Partiful CEO Shreya Murthy about partnering on the app. The teams began development in earnest in March, with Danker crediting artificial intelligence and mutual enthusiasm for the app’s rapid progress. “There aren’t a lot of consumer apps being built these days, and there aren’t a lot of people solving some of these really core needs for customers in a simple and delightful way,” Danker tells Fast Company. Murthy says she was intrigued by the opportunity to address the common challenge of figuring out what to bring to a party—and finding time to pick it up. “Think about the last time you went to a house party. There was probably this implicit social expectation for you to bring a bottle of wine or a pack of beer,” Murthy says. “As for me, as a guest who would go to parties, that was actually kind of annoying because I’d forget. . . . And I can’t show up to this party empty-handed. “We basically productized BYOB,” she adds, referring to “bring your own bottle.” Instacart is one of the biggest players in the gig economy. It went public in September 2023, and its shares have risen nearly 57% since then. Partiful, launched in 2020, has also seen rapid growth—it reported a 600% increase in user activity in 2024 and was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. Fizz incorporates Partiful’s web-friendly design, meaning users don’t need to download the Fizz app to place orders. Party hosts can either start a cart and share the link in a group chat or create a typical Partiful invite and toggle the “group order” option to generate a shared cart on the event page. Guests can then add their items and see what others have selected. Each person pays for their share, while the host schedules the delivery and pays the $5 fee. Fizz orders will be fulfilled by Instacart shoppers. Danker notes that the more items in a cart, the more shoppers will earn. He also anticipates higher tips due to the low delivery fee. “If people didn’t feel like they spent a bunch on fees,” he says, “then they feel really generous when it comes to the tips.” View the full article