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Google Maps content moderation now uses Gemini to detect fake reviews and suspicious profile edits. Learn how these new tools protect businesses. The post Google Maps Gets An Upgrade To Combat Fake Reviews appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Google Ads has 718 reviews on TrustPilot with a 1.1-star rating. That’s a shockingly low score for a platform that has helped countless businesses grow and created entire careers in digital marketing. Let me preface this by saying that this isn’t meant to be an angry rant. Google Ads has provided incredible opportunities, but the overwhelming number of negative reviews clearly shows that advertisers face serious frustrations daily. Poor support, unexplained account suspensions, rising costs, and a lack of transparency have left many users feeling helpless. These aren’t just isolated issues – they’re widespread problems that need attention. So, what exactly is going wrong? And more importantly, how can it be fixed? Here’s a breakdown of the most common complaints about Google Ads – and what could be done to improve the platform. Poor customer support Users frequently report that customer support is unresponsive, slow, or provides generic, unhelpful responses. Many of us have experienced the customer service loop of Google Ads: Contact support. They submit a ticket. Ask you to allow 3-5 days for a resolution. After eight days, you contact support again, and the process repeats with no resolution. Several weeks or months later, the issue may be resolved – or not. It’s unclear what the internal protocol is for Google Ads support; it doesn’t seem to follow the standards of most major companies. There appears to be a lack of account notes and follow-up. Users report contacting support for the same issue, opening a ticket, but receiving no further response. Another ticket is then opened, and the cycle continues. If a customer support representative remembers, they may send an email with the reference number. When contacting support a second time, little to no information can be provided using the reference number. Support often says, “There is no update on your ticket; please allow 3-5 more days.” This is a nightmare for business owners, freelancers, and ad agencies trying to manage their Google Ads accounts and resolve issues quickly. If Google Ads consistently sent feedback surveys, it could significantly improve customer support. However, many users are no longer receiving the surveys – either after a phone call or because the link is not sent after a live chat. If you do receive a survey via email or see one pop up in your account, be sure to fill it out thoroughly. We can’t expect to improve customer service without providing constant feedback. Account suspensions Account suspensions without clear explanation and slow response times are common complaints with Google Ads. While Google Ads needs to suspend accounts that blatantly violate their policies, they should be handled more quickly for accidental violations that can be resolved with a simple ad rewrite. Many new accounts are suspended quickly but approved slowly, often taking weeks or months, if ever – despite the issues being corrected to comply with Google Ads’ policies. When accounts are suspended, the explanation is often vague. Customer support representatives typically just read what’s on the screen, offering no further explanation, resolution, or assistance. A frequent reason for account suspensions or ad disapprovals is a “Policy Violation,” but the specific policy is rarely cited. Even after the user resolves the issue, the account or ad may still be delayed in approval, sometimes taking weeks or months. For advertisers in sensitive categories (i.e., mental health services, supplements, housing, employment, recruiting, technical support services, or financial services), quick suspensions and slow resolutions can be devastating. These businesses often have everything in place to comply with Google Ads’ policies but may have made a minor mistake during ad setup. Another common suspension reason is “Circumventing Systems Policy,” but once again, the explanation is unclear, causing frustration over the lack of transparency in enforcement. This often happens with businesses that hire multiple agencies or freelancers over time, leading them to be unaware of how many Google Ads accounts were set up under their name. Even worse, Google Ads support typically fails to explain this situation clearly, making it difficult for businesses to track who created all the accounts that got suspended. If these agencies or freelancers are responsible, are they now banned from running ads on Google across any account? This policy and review process urgently needs rethinking. Agency owner and PPC expert Menachem Ani shared: “Reps can no longer help with some of the things they were able to help with in the past. For example, we have a client whose account was suspended – but our reps can’t do anything to help us.” “While I believe that Google’s intentions are good, the reality is that many accounts get suspended incorrectly with no recourse.” Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Lack of results Many reviews complain about a lack of results with Google Ads. This often stems from a lack of understanding of how to use the platform effectively. Basic strategies – such as choosing the best keywords, writing effective ads, controlling bidding and budgets, building relevant landing pages, and adding negative keywords – could have helped prevent these negative reviews. Google Ads can improve by following the lead of other software companies and offering in-depth tutorials to help users get the most out of the platform. Collaborating with industry experts outside Google to create tutorials would also help users make informed decisions about their ad spend. Currently, Google’s advice often contradicts guidance from industry-leading publications. Instead of conflicting guidance, open collaboration could align best practices, ensuring users who invest time in learning Google Ads can actually apply their knowledge effectively. The running joke is that learning how to run Google Ads from Google is like learning how to play Blackjack from the casino – they don’t have your best interests in mind. PPC industry leader Brad Geddes specifically calls out “Recommendations I always ignore,” which, ironically, are the same recommendations that Google Reps and account notifications often advise users not to ignore. A collaboration between industry experts and Google Ads could be mutually beneficial, helping both the platform and its users. If new users take Google’s tutorials and certifications only to lose substantial amounts of money on Google Ads, they may not continue investing in the platform. It’s unclear why the worst advice on running Google Ads comes directly from Google Ads and its reps. Rising costs Advertisers have also voiced concerns about the rising costs of Google Ads, which have become even more problematic in recent years. Search Engine Land’s Danny Goodwin reported on Google Ads’ price manipulation: “The U.S. Department of Justice hammered Google over search ad price manipulation and more in its closing statement on search advertising.” Many business owners, freelancers, ad agencies, and industry experts are worried about these rising costs and the lack of transparency. Boris Beceric, Google Ads consultant and coach, remarked: “Google is a monopoly that’s raising prices without telling advertisers about it.” Google Ads’ newest update for double service ads now allows the same business’s ad to appear twice on the same page. Will this cause further issues for advertisers concerned about rising costs, or will it help boost results? PPC expert Navah Hopkins also noted: “Google is officially making it fair game to have more than one spot on the SERP. I have thoughts on this, but I want to see how performance actually shakes out in Q2.” We will have to wait and see if this helps with rising costs or hurts them. Issues with Google reps and Teleperformance Many Google Ads users also express frustration with Teleperformance, Google’s outsourced customer support team. Complaints often include poor advertising results due to Google Reps’ advice, overly aggressive outreach, and generic or scripted responses. Advertisers also report trust issues with Google reps, particularly after one made unauthorized changes to a business’s Google Ads account. Andy Youngs, co-founder of The PPC People, highlighted this, discovering a recent instance where a Google rep altered an account without approval. TrustPilot reviews, Reddit, and nearly every social media channel are filled with complaints about Google reps. However, Google Ads has not made significant changes to the program. Matt Janaway, CEO of Marketing Labs, stated: “We get calls daily from reps that have been assigned to our client accounts. It’s very convoluted, and when we don’t engage – because we can’t possibly engage them all – they try to go directly to our clients instead!” “This happens regularly. And the scare tactics they use are quite ludicrous.” The simple solution for Google Ads would be to train their reps to provide useful advice and assign them to a smaller number of accounts. An even simpler solution might be to remove the program entirely, given the overwhelming amount of negative feedback. So, what can we do? Direct feedback is the best way to push for change. While posting frustrations online might feel satisfying, it’s unlikely Google Ads will see or act on them. Instead, be sure to complete the surveys Google sends via email or within your account, offering detailed and constructive feedback. If you want to voice concerns publicly, you can share them on platforms like TrustPilot (Google Ads TrustPilot page), Reddit, industry forums, or social media – but always keep it professional and solution-focused. For direct communication, use Google’s official feedback and support forms: Google Ads Complaint and Feedback Form. Google Ads Customer Support. View the full article

Those hoping that the stock market pain from President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements last week was over are in for a rude awakening this morning. As of the time of this writing, stock markets across the world have gotten hammered, adding to fears of a new so-called “economic nuclear war.” Here’s what you need to know about the latest developments in Trump’s tariff trade war and how the markets are reacting. Bill Ackman: Trump tariffs are “economic nuclear war” One of the most headline-grabbing pieces of news related to the ongoing stock market crash is comments from billionaire hedge fund manager and Trump supporter Bill Ackman. Yesterday, Ackman took to X to warn that Trump’s tariffs, the worst of which are scheduled to go into effect this Wednesday, April 9, are equivalent to “economic nuclear war.” In a post on X, Ackman said that the tariffs on America’s allies and enemies across the globe mean America is “in the process of destroying confidence in our country as a trading partner, as a place to do business, and as a market to invest capital.” Ackman suggested that Trump should “call a 90-day time out” on the tariffs so the administration can negotiate with its trading partners. However, Ackman warned, “If, on the other hand, on April 9th we launch economic nuclear war on every country in the world, business investment will grind to a halt, consumers will close their wallets and pocket books, and we will severely damage our reputation with the rest of the world that will take years and potentially decades to rehabilitate.” Will Trump and his administration heed Ackman’s advice? That’s unknown. But they certainly didn’t seem to have similar thoughts over the weekend, when Trump’s administration spent much of the time doubling down on the tariffs that are currently sinking Americans’ retirement savings and already raising the prices American consumers pay for goods. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump boasted that many of the tariffs “are already in effect, and a beautiful thing to behold.” Trump went on to proclaim that “Some day people will realize that Tariffs, for the United States of America, are a very beautiful thing!” Markets plunge around the world—again However, outside of Trump and his administration, it’s unlikely that many Americans feel that the tariffs are “a beautiful thing to behold”—at least if they have a 401(k) pension or other retirement plans. That’s because, as of the time of this writing, stock markets around the world are crashing yet again, following major crashes on Thursday and Friday of last week—the two trading days after Trump announced his tariffs on April 2. Today, the third trading day after Trump’s tariff announcement, markets in Asia and Europe have already plummeted, according to data from Yahoo Finance. In Japan, the country’s Nikkei 225 stock market fell 7.83% on Monday, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell a staggering 13.22%. Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index fell 7.34%. European markets are currently in the middle of their trading day and are also getting hit hard. The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 is currently down 3.62% as of the time of this writing. France’s CAC 40 is down 3.92%, and Germany’s DAX Performance Index is down 3.66%. American stock markets are also down in pre-market trading, suggesting that U.S. markets are in for another rough session when they open at 9:30 a.m. ET. S&P 500 Futures: down 1.79% Dow Futures: down 1.93% Nasdaq Futures: down 1.95% Big Tech and Big Retail sink—again Given that S&P, Dow, and Nasdaq futures are all down as of the time of this writing, it should come as little surprise that major U.S. tech companies and retailers are also seeing their shares sink for the third trading day in a row after Trump’s tariffs were announced. Many U.S. tech companies and most U.S. retailers rely on products, parts, or components that come from Asia, which is the region of the world hit hardest by Trump’s tariffs. Here is how major tech companies are currently trading as of the time of this writing in pre-market trading: Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG): down 1.48% Amazon.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN): down 2.09% Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL): down 2.75% Meta Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: META): down 2.24% Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT): down 1.61% NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA): down 3.39% Shopify Inc. (Nasdaq: SHOP): down 5.55% Tesla, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA): down 4.84% And here is how major U.S. retailers are currently trading in pre-market: RH (NYSE: RH): down 0.47% V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC): down 4.93% Five Below, Inc. (Nasdaq: FIVE): down 2.11% Wayfair Inc. (NYSE: W): down 4.91% SharkNinja, Inc. (NYSE: SN): down 1.56% Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT): down 1.02% Costco Wholesale Corporation (Nasdaq: COST): down 0.96% Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT): down 2.21% While many of these stocks are seeing low double-digit drops in pre-market this morning, keep in mind that most were hammered much, much harder last Thursday and Friday. Now cryptocurrencies are crashing, too But it’s not just stock markets and individual stocks that are falling today. Now cryptocurrencies are being hit fairly hard, too. As of the time of this writing, major digital assets are down, including: Bitcoin: down 6.79% to $77,141.06 Ethereum: down 16.28% to $1,495.82 Solana: down 15.12% to $100.89 Dogecoin: down 14.85% to $0.1398 Official Trump: down 14.4% to $7.69 Banks say the odds of a global recession are increasing Finally, it should be noted that now a second major investment bank has come out to say that, due to Trump’s tariffs, the odds of a new global recession are increasing. Last week, J.P.Morgan upped the odds of a global recession due to Trump’s tariffs to 60% (up from 40% before the tariffs were announced). Now, Goldman Sachs has also raised its odds. Pre-Trump tariffs, Goldman Sachs said that there was a 35% chance of a recession. Now Goldman Sachs says that the chance has jumped to 45%, notes Reuters. View the full article

Popular culture for kids has fragmented so much lately that what's familiar to one 14-year-old might be utterly foreign to another. But the progress toward everyone having their own personal culture isn't complete. So I'm taking a look at some of things all (well, most) kids relate to and love, including A Minecraft Movie, Labubus, and the literary techniques developed by Spanish author Jorge Luis Borges in the 1940s (for real). Will A Minecraft Movie become a generational touchstone? I'm writing this on the day A Minecraft Movie comes out, and signs point to the release being one of those vanishingly rare events that capture the collective imaginations (and disposable incomes) of a generation. It's a cultural event that everyone (under a certain age) will experience and remember. But probably for a different reason than you expect. The main audience for the movie is younger kids (and their bored parents who are dragged into theaters, of course). Six-year-olds are going to love seeing Minecraft on screen in a genuine way, but many teenagers are attending the movie ironically. It's like that time kids gathered the squad and wore suits to the Minions movie a few years ago. A Minecraft Movie hasn't been getting good pre-release reviews, but it is getting good pre-release memes. And there is no better marketing for hard-to-reach kids than their peers making TikToks. I love that the memes all seem to tacitly accept that the movie will be bad, like this one, in which the trailer is cut down to only words from the video game: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Or vids like this one with a single cheesy phrase: or this one with a ton of cheesy phrases: Or this brain-rot video: If I had any money at all, I'd bet it all on the creators of the movie having made it like this on purpose. They know that little kids are going to love A Minecraft Movie regardless of the bad CGI, the canned "catchphrases," and the clichéd plot; kids are terrible at critical thinking. They also must know that older kids wouldn't accept a kiddie version of Minecraft if they took it seriously. Minecraft, the game, is so open-ended that the version of it a teenager experiences is very different than the one a little kid experiences: There's no way to "stay true" to the source material like you can with Super Mario, so the movie's producers didn't try. They leaned into the cheesiness instead, in the hopes of catching an ironic wave because there's nothing older kids like more than laughing at things they used to like (even though we adults know that, deep in their hearts, they still love it.) Or I could be wrong and the thing could be a flop; what am I, Nostradamus? What's the deal with Labubus? Credit: Labubu Parents: if you haven't heard of Labubus, I predict you'll know everything possible about them between now and Christmas. The slightly edgy-looking plush dolls with vinyl faces are destined to become the must-have toy of the 2025 holidays—we're talking Beanie-Babies-in-1997 levels of hysteria here, so be prepared. A creation of Hong Kong-based illustrator Kasing Lung, Labubus were first marketed in 2015 by a company called Pop Mart. Over the last decade, they've taken over Asian markets, spread to Europe and America, and have recently reached worldwide critical mass. The popularity is partly because the characters are undeniably adorable and cool, but also because they're collectible. People love collecting things. Labubus are available as keychains, dolls, and emblazoned on other merchandise. There are over 300 variations of the toy, with more on the way, so you'll never run out of Labubus to buy, ever. A main difference between Labubus and Beanie Babies is that Labubus are sold in black boxes, so a buyer doesn't know exactly what they're getting before the purchase. Some are more rare than others, so if you want to collect 'em all, you're going to be getting a lot of doubles. As you'd expect, there's a ton of Labubu content on social media and a thriving secondary market for the toys, full of collectors and quick-buck artists, has sprung up. Ordinarily, I'd suggest would-be Labubu millionaires take a look a what happened to people who "invested" in Beanie Babies and invest in a IRA instead, but I'm not sure that advice applies: If you invest in Labubus instead of a mutual fund, at least you'll have some cool dolls to hug. Yarn face makeup trend terrifies, intrigues The "yarn face" makeup trend on TikTok isn't being widely practiced yet, but I hope it catches on: Using makeup for reasons other than "so I look prettier" is the kind of subversion of expectations the world needs more of. It's scary and weird, but I want to see people walking around looking like they were crocheted every time I go outside. The technique was invented by extremely talented SFX makeup artist @annamurphyyy in this video, which was was viewed over 52 million times: Before long, other cosmetic influencers responded with their own takes on the trend, resulting in videos like these: Viral video of the week: My Most UNHINGED Video [Amanda The Adventurer 2] This week's viral video, "My Most UNHINGED Video [Amanda The Adventurer 2]" has been viewed over four million times on its first day online. It's from game-streamer CoryxKenshin, and works on a lot of levels. Here's some explanation: 1) Game streaming: This isn't exactly new, but young people love watching other people play videos games, often for long stretches; this video is over two and a half hours long. 2) CoryxKenshin: This streamer has over 20 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. He mainly plays horror games, a popular genre for streamers, probably because watching people get scared is fun. 3) Reaction videos: CoryxKenshin might be described as a combination of game streamer and reactor. His videos are half about the game he's playing and half about his reaction to it. 4) Amanda the Adventurer 2: A sequel developed by indie studio MANGLEDmaw Games, Amanda the Adventurer 2 is a puzzle-heavy horror game about a kids' TV show from the early 2000s that's connected to something supernatural and sinister involving missing children. It is an example of "analog horror" and horror revolving around nostalgia for childhood, both popular among young people. 5) Analog horror: This popular-among-younger-people analog horror subgenre isn't usually gory or overly violent. It's not usually adult horror. The idea is to create a disconcerting, dreadful vibe through highlighting the limitations of older forms of media, then breaking the tension with an occasional jump scare. You play Amanda the Adventurer 2 by controlling a character who is watching old VHS tapes of a children's TV show. Amanda, the show's main character, invites interaction from the audience. She's somehow alive inside the VHS tapes, and you progress in the game by figuring out what Amanda wants and giving it to her (or not giving it to her), thus unveiling the story behind the tapes and the missing children. Like many popular horror games, Amanda's scares are based on referencing media the audience remembers from childhood—in this case, Dora the Explorer. 6) Multi-layered, nested narrative: Creating complex fictional structures that distance the reader from the story was popularized in horror literature by Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, but you can go back further and credit Phillip K. Dick or Jorge Luis Borges if you want. The interesting part to me is how artistic conventions that were once the sole purview of pointy-headed intellectuals are now fully accepted by 14-year-olds who have never read a book. Consider what you're doing right now: You're reading a description of a YouTube video of a person playing a game in which the "real" person watches VHS tapes of a fictional character that's based on "actual" fictional character Dora the Explorer. Like I said: There are many levels. View the full article

Google Ads or Meta Ads: Where should your budget go? Compare costs, intent, and performance to make the smartest choice for your business goals. The post Budget Allocation: When To Choose Google Ads Vs. Meta Ads appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

With customers now discovering content across traditional search engines, LLMs, social media, and beyond, the need for an integrated, omnichannel strategy is more important than ever. Relying on isolated channel strategies no longer works. Customers engage with brands across multiple touchpoints before making decisions, and they expect seamless, personalized experiences. An effective omnichannel approach aligns all marketing efforts – ensuring consistency, maximizing visibility, and driving meaningful interactions. As omnichannel marketing continues to evolve, integrating SEO across all channels is essential for sustained growth. This article explores why a unified strategy is critical and how SEO can work across channels to enhance the customer journey and drive results. Why an omnichannel approach to SEO is critical in 2025 Here are seven trends that make an omnichannel approach vital to business success and growth. 1. The shift away from third-party cookies The decline of third-party cookies has made it harder for brands to track users across the buyer journey. An omnichannel approach to data collection and centralization helps mitigate these challenges and lays the foundation for an effective strategy. 2. Growth of LLMs and AI-powered search The growth of alternate avenues for audiences to find information adds to the complexity of the buyer’s journey. This presents additional attribution challenges. 3. Zero-click searches and decreasing top-funnel traffic Due to the rise in zero-click searches, traffic to websites from top-of-the-funnel information-seeking terms is declining. 4. Importance of SEO Despite the growth in zero-click searches, SEO remains the primary source of traffic for most businesses and the channel with the highest long-term ROI. AI Overviews and AI-generated results mainly pull information from the top organic results. 5. Search is multi-modal This means written content is not the only content you need to optimize. To effectively saturate SERPs, you must optimize all your digital assets, including images, videos, and PDFs. 6. Personalized experiences Personalization is key to customer engagement. Up to 71% of consumers expect it, while 76% find generic content frustrating, per a McKinsey study. Businesses that prioritize personalized marketing can see up to a 40% increase in revenue. An omnichannel approach ensures marketers focus on customer intent rather than marketing channels. 7. Unified customer experience with agent economy The growth of artificial intelligence has resulted in the emergence of an agent economy, where AI agents are beginning to revolutionize marketing and digital experiences. They can easily connect dots across multiple channels to deliver a unified customer experience. Tackling the visibility dilemma in customer journeys With all the changes in the industry, consumer behavior, and technological advancements, we need to answer important questions that marketers are confused about. How can you learn about audience intent even when they do not visit the site after a search? How do you gather data on your audience’s behavior after they leave your site if they do not convert during their first visit? How can you develop effective SEO, paid, zero-click, and content strategies with limited visibility into the customer journey and insights into customer intent and personas? How can you provide personalized experiences without third-party data, limited traffic, and visibility into your customers’ journeys? This is where an omnichannel approach can help businesses enhance visibility, drive meaningful interactions, and create a seamless path to conversion. Building blocks of an omnichannel strategy A true omnichannel strategy is no longer limited to traditional marketing channels like SEO, paid, email, social media, etc. Today, it is about delivering a unified experience at every stage in the customer journey at every touchpoint. It includes effectively using channel-agnostic strategies and tactics, such as personalization, AI agents, conversion optimization, A-B testing, and co-optimization. Here are five building blocks for creating an omnichannel strategy that truly engages your audiences consistently across touchpoints in an AI-powered world. Reliable data Ensure you have the necessary infrastructure to gather and segment customer data accurately. AI can then be layered to: Build audience cohorts. Predict user journeys. Deliver real-time personalized experiences. Dig deeper: How to boost your marketing revenue with personalization, connectivity and data Artificial intelligence Having an organizational AI strategy is key to ensuring the effective use of AI, not just for content generation but also for improving: Efficiency. Process automation. Customer data segmentation. Forecasting. Real-time personalization at scale. And more. Dig deeper: 4 pillars of an effective enterprise AI strategy Digital assets Having a digital asset manager that lets you centralize, optimize, and distribute all your digital assets across marketing channels is key to ensuring consistency and reducing duplication. Dig deeper: Visual optimization must-haves for AI-powered search Infrastructure Search-friendly infrastructure and content management system are crucial for effectively crawling and indexing your content, and delivering an engaging, personalized experience to your visitors. Dig deeper: How to select a CMS that powers SEO, personalization and growth Structured data and entity optimization All search engines, including LLMs, detect entities within your content to understand what your content is all about. Structured data – or schema markup – helps search engines detect entities and all your digital assets. This helps maximize your content visibility and SERP saturation. Dig deeper: Future-proof your SERP presence: 6 areas to focus on Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. 9 steps to integrating SEO into an omnichannel customer journey You can start developing your omnichannel strategy while closing any gaps you have identified in the building blocks. Step 1: Audience and intent mapping Start with your audience and intent. Identifying target audience personas and their intent is the first step in audience mapping. It is important to review: Content performance: Evaluate performance of page types or templates to understand gaps in content strategy (e.g., category pages vs. product details pages vs. location pages vs. blog content). Search engagement insights: Search console data can help identify high-intent terms with low click-through rates. This information can inform zero-click and CTR optimization strategies. Channel overlaps: Identifying how visitors overlap across channels is key to crafting an integrated and unified experience. For example, paid and organic channels must work together to saturate the full funnel and maximize ROI from both channels. Conversion optimization: Content with high engagement can provide insights into visitor intent. This can help define A-B tests, UI/UX enhancements, and personalization strategies. Step 2: Define clear strategic goals The next step is to have clear and smart goals that you want your omnichannel strategy to achieve: Set specific, measurable business objectives (revenue growth, customer retention, growing market share, etc.) Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for channel-specific and overall performance. For example, if the goal is to improve visibility, the primary KPIs should be around impressions, clicks and rich results visibility. Traffic or conversions can be secondary KPIs but should not be the primary success criteria. Create baseline metrics to measure improvement against current performance. Develop a measurement framework that accounts for cross-channel attribution challenges. Step 3: Map the customer journey across all touchpoints Traditional funnel is changing rapidly. Brands should be ready to respond to customers across all touchpoints fast and with quality. Develop a comprehensive understanding of how customers interact with your brand: Create detailed personas representing your target audience segments. Identify patterns in cross-channel journeys using path analysis in analytics and create common use cases. Aggregate and centralize data across customer touchpoints (website analytics, CRM, sales data, app usage, etc.) Segment customers based on behavioral patterns rather than just demographics. Quantify the value/attribution as a combination of different journey paths and touchpoints. Measure channel preference and effectiveness across different customer segments. Step 4: Omnichannel audit Based on your goals and journey maps, evaluate your current channel gaps and capabilities: SEO audit: Analyze search visibility metrics, technical health scores, and overall SEO performance. Content audit: Measure content performance data, topical and entity coverage, competitive gaps, engagement rates, conversion impact, and cross-channel content effectiveness. Local presence assessment: Evaluate local search visibility metrics and location-specific engagement. Experience audit: Analyze drop-off points and measure cross-channel friction. Data and technology assessment: Evaluate data collection and measurement framework to optimize your data infrastructure. Full-funnel audit: Learn from your visitors. Past visitor data can provide meaningful insights into audience segments, what visitors engage with, and where they drop off in the conversion funnel. This can help identify opportunities for co-optimization, A-B tests and delivering personalized experiences across channels. Step 5: Develop your integrated channel strategy Here, focus on aligning your channels to ensure they work together seamlessly and support your overall business goals. Prioritize channels according to attribution data and customer value metrics. Leverage machine learning and predictive analytics to forecast the impact of each channel. Use predictive analytics to determine the optimal channel mix. Set channel-specific targets that ladder up to overall business objectives. Create frameworks for continuously testing and validating channel effectiveness. Define how channels will complement and support each other across the customer journey. Step 6: Content orchestration strategy While a content strategy focuses on what content is needed, a content orchestration strategy also encompasses distribution frameworks that enhance audience interaction with your content. Friction analysis Analyze how your audience engages with your content to identify friction points. This process helps you identify, rectify, and optimize: Inconsistencies. Intent misalignments. Delivery mechanisms (text, images, video, etc.). Content intelligence Assess the performance of your existing content across various channels and identify competitive gaps and opportunities based on audience personas and business goals. Here are a few steps to evaluate content gaps and refine your strategy: Identify underperforming content for optimization. Spot gaps in content that need to be addressed across channels and stages of the customer journey. Recognize cross-linking opportunities to create content hubs. Prioritize new content to close competitive gaps and achieve business goals. Cross-channel content strategy After identifying friction points and content gaps, develop a tailored content strategy for each channel, prioritizing based on business goals: Broader informational content to enhance awareness during the discovery stage of the customer journey (e.g., social media, blog content). Comparison content for the consideration stage (e.g., product pages). Landing pages focused on specific buying-intent terms during the conversion stage. Content optimization Optimizing content extends beyond targeting the right keywords. Your content optimization strategy should include: Closing topical gaps in content that create friction. Developing an entity optimization strategy to maximize content discoverability. Implementing a click-through rate (CTR) strategy to enhance traffic from discovered content. Optimizing visual content. Establishing an engagement and conversion optimization strategy that includes personalization, calls to action optimization, A/B testing, messaging strategies, UI/UX optimization, and conversion rate optimization (CRO). Dig deeper: The complete guide to optimizing content for SEO (with checklist) Step 7: Infrastructure and technical SEO To give your content the best chance of being crawled, indexed, understood, and featured in search results for the right terms, focus on the following: Fix technical SEO issues related to crawling, indexing, and user experience. Ensure mobile optimization across all digital properties. Deploy nested schema markup to enhance search visibility. Improve page speed for all web properties and optimize Core Web Vitals. Test cross-device compatibility. Implement proper canonicalization for multi-regional brands. Prioritize web accessibility by following ADA and WCAG guidelines to enhance user experience and search visibility. Step 8: Engagement and conversion optimization Utilize unified customer data to enhance user engagement and drive conversions: Deliver personalized content at scale for each audience segment in real time. Personalization strategies can be based on various factors such as marketing channel or campaign, visitor location, search intent, and past behavior. Identify and deploy AI agents that assist audiences in quickly finding information, engaging in meaningful interactions, and making real-time decisions. Develop remarketing strategies informed by visitor behavior. Implement A/B testing across channels, ensuring consistent test and control groups. Measure performance across channels and optimize based on business goals and success KPIs. Step 9: Continuously test, measure, learn, and optimize Refine your strategy through ongoing testing and data-driven adjustments to improve performance across all channels. Monitor performance metrics across all channels. Establish BI dashboards that connect and integrate data across channels. Implement attribution models that effectively account for complex customer journeys. Regularly test new channel integrations and enhancements to the customer journey. Gather feedback from customers regarding their cross-channel experiences. Refine your strategy based on evolving search engine algorithms and changing customer behavior. SEO’s role in delivering a unified, cross-channel experience Integrating SEO into the omnichannel customer journey isn’t simply for improving search presence. Ultimately, it’s about creating discoverable, unified, and personalized experiences that guide customers naturally toward conversion. By implementing this nine-step framework, you can: Break down departmental silos. Align cross-functional teams around customer needs. Build truly seamless engagement models that drive sustainable growth. View the full article

On Friday afternoon, Danny Goodwin covered a 170 or so page PDF that Search Engine Land received from an anonymous tip named "Preference Ranking Guidelines." It looks to me similar to the Google Quality Raters guidelines that continuously leaked until Google began publishing them for all to see.View the full article

Chancellor-in-waiting comments after Donald Trump announced 20% levies on all European exportsView the full article

It’s no secret: Landing a job in today’s economy can feel overwhelmingly difficult. Qualified candidates regularly apply to hundreds—sometimes even thousands—of positions before receiving that one coveted offer. In fact, over half of unemployed job seekers have been searching for four months or longer, highlighting how competitive the market has become. And it’s not just the job market itself that’s challenging. We’re living through one of the most turbulent periods in modern history: The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.1%, the highest in over two years. 23,000+ tech layoffs occurred in the first three months of 2025 alone. Nearly 50% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Consumer debt hit an all-time high of $18.04 trillion, with credit card delinquencies increasing sharply. University degrees are no longer a guarantee of success. Even government jobs, once considered safe, are under threat. It’s no wonder many job seekers feel anxious or fearful about asking for more. Negotiation expert and career coach Ted Leonhardt notes that the fear of asking for higher pay has always been an obstacle. And in today’s volatile environment, that fear can feel even more paralyzing. But he emphasizes: Workers at any level are more vulnerable today than any time in memory, perhaps since the Great Depression. This makes knowing your worth and advocating for yourself all the more essential. Here are six essential tips for confidently negotiating your salary in today’s tough economy. 1.Hide your desperation A Pew Research Center survey found that most U.S. workers did not ask for higher pay the last time they were hired, with men slightly more likely than women to negotiate (32% vs. 28%). Even if you’re surviving on ramen and desperately need the job, don’t let it show. Employers often interpret eagerness as desperation, leading to lower initial offers. Take your time to respond—usually 24 to 48 hours—and subtly indicate you’re considering multiple opportunities. This helps maintain your negotiating power. Leonhard further advises: “Always be developing a new opportunity for yourself. A side gig. A better job elsewhere.” Having other options in progress or appearing to can drastically reduce that sense of desperation. 2. Know your worth and back it up with data Before negotiating, gather salary benchmarks from sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, and LinkedIn Salary. Present clear, data-backed reasons for your requested salary based on your experience, skills, and current market rates. Leonhardt succinctly puts it: “Know your value and use it as leverage. Leverage is always your superpower.” Staying true to your worth can provide dividends. Annie Papp, executive vice president at Career Group Companies, advises that: “In any job market, applicants should be prepared to come right out and ask for a raise or negotiate higher compensation. While it may seem obvious, most people don’t do this, assuming their employer will offer a raise without prompting—which is rarely the case.” 3. Quantify your value Make a detailed list of your accomplishments and quantify your impact whenever possible. For example: “Increased sales by 300% within one year” or “Managed projects that increased revenue by $X amount.” Even before the negotiation, review this to remind yourself of your accomplishments and the value you bring, boosting your confidence. 4. Bet on yourself and plan for the future If the job offer isn’t quite where you want it to be, focus on creating a clear path to get there over the next year. Jason Giagrande, CEO of Hospitality Farm, suggests: “Bet on yourself. Propose a lucrative bonus structure with aggressive milestones or KPIs that your boss would be happy to pay if accomplished. Everyone wins, and it will motivate your growth individually as well as help your company grow.” Not only does this show initiative, but it also aligns your compensation with company goals, making it easier for employers to say yes. 5. Be willing to walk away (if you truly are) One key to negotiation success is the willingness to walk away. Listen carefully, remain composed, and always take time to consider the offer before responding. 6. Consider negotiating benefits, not just salary If salary negotiations stall, consider other forms of compensation. Diversify your requests to reach a deal that satisfies both sides. Signing bonuses, professional development funds, flexible work arrangements, or extra vacation days can all hold significant value. “This market is different because employers are being more cautious when it comes to hiring and budgeting. A few years ago, on the heels of the pandemic, applicants could negotiate higher salaries much more easily because every employer was in a desperate race to retain talent. Now, that’s not the case. The frenzy has slowed, and employers are taking their time.” While inflated salary increases may no longer be the norm, advocating for growth is still crucial. “Losing strong talent can ultimately have a far greater cost than providing a reasonable raise,” Papp says. If higher compensation isn’t immediately feasible, ask for a timeline to revisit the conversation. Finally, Leonhardt offers a lasting piece of advice: “Always be developing your connections and community both online and off. Connections with those you help are always the best opportunity for your continuously evolving future.” Negotiation can feel intimidating, especially in a fragile, uncertain world. But by advocating for yourself thoughtfully and strategically, you’re not just setting yourself up for immediate success—you’re safeguarding your long-term career stability. View the full article

Google can show search ads with video formats. I mean, Google has been doing this for a while now, but they are kind of rare to see. This latest one is a video ad from Adidas.View the full article

A short, medium and long-term guide to Donald Trump’s ‘liberation day’ dutiesView the full article

After initially going live on Wednesday morning, Microsoft did not officially announce the launch of Copilot Search in Bing until late Friday afternoon. Microsoft said, "Copilot Search seamlessly blends the best of traditional and generative search together to help you find what you need '" and meet you where you're at in your discovery journey."View the full article

Google has a new search refinement or expansion feature they are titling "Relevant topics." This reminds me of People also ask, Things to do, and the other ways Google tries to get you to search more after conducting your first search.View the full article

French commissioner Stéphane Séjourné signals Brussels is caving in to pressure from European alcohol industry View the full article

The concern now among bankers and hedge fund managers is that something, somewhere could breakView the full article

Google's John Mueller said if you have hreflang tags that point to a 301 redirect, it is probably okay. But you probably also want to automate the process of setting up those hreflang tags so that there is no redirect.View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. Interim leadership is on the rise in the U.S. Nearly a quarter of new CEOs named in the first two months of 2025 were hired on an interim basis, versus 8% in the same period last year, according to a recent report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The surge in interim leadership coincides with significant tumult in the C-suite. The Challenger report shows that 247 U.S. companies named new CEOs in February, the second-highest total for any month since the firm started tracking CEO changes in 2002. “A lot of times when a company brings in an interim CEO it’s when they’ve been caught off guard by the CEO’s departure,” says Andy Challenger, senior vice president of the outplacement firm. “It’s not part of a structured succession plan.” An interim CEO can buy a board time to conduct a thoughtful search for the right executive, especially if it feels the company needs skills that the existing leadership team lacks. Management experts say they’re also seeing companies—particularly mid-market and investor-backed businesses—hire temporary CEOs during changes such as restructuring, merger integration, or executing a new strategy. “Their expertise can be crucial to navigating complex changes that require seasoned leadership—even temporary solutions can be transformative for an organization,” says Sunny Ackerman, global managing partner of on-demand talent at Heidrick & Struggles, the executive search firm. The Temp-to-perm CEO Interim roles also can serve as a “tryout” for prospective CEO candidates. And companies can engage an interim executive while they figure out what they need in a leader. Ackerman recalls working with her team on an early-stage medical technology company that sought to replace its founder with a full-time CEO. Heidrick & Struggles brought in a life sciences consultant who had been a CEO to create a plan for market entry. The board then hired that consultant as interim CEO to execute the plan. Once they saw his operational skills and market expertise in practice, the board eventually decided to convert him to permanent CEO. Other temp-to-perm CEOs include Chipotle’s Scott Boatwright, who went from interim in August 2024 to permanent status three months later, and Lance Tucker, who last month was named CEO of Jack in the Box after a 36-day stint as interim CEO of the restaurant company. Avoid leadership limbo Companies need to be careful not to let interim leadership linger. “If [an] interim is in place too long, it may communicate the wrong message to the market and employees and create uncertainty about the future leadership of the organization and its strategy,” says Janice Ellig, CEO of executive search firm Ellig Group. “Employees and the market like certainty. They want to know who is at the helm and what direction they are headed.” And in the absence of clear guidance from the board, some interim chiefs may act like caretakers instead of leaders, causing the company to lose ground during the search for a permanent CEO. One thing’s for sure: Interim CEOs aren’t going away. Ackerman notes that many of the CEOs exiting business right now are baby boomer and Gen X retirees who are eager to remain active by taking on interim roles, “generating a larger pool of independent talent than we’ve ever seen before,” she says. Are you a temp-to-perm leader? Are you a CEO or leader who turned a temporary or interim role into a permanent one? How did you win your role? Send your stories to me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com. I’d love to share your experiences in a future newsletter. Read more: temps in the C-suite The great fractionalization may be coming to your leadership team How to step in as an interim manager Interim CEO posts: intense and eye-opening View the full article

Transform your reports with insights that matter. Discover how to create impactful SEO client reports that drive business results. The post How To Write SEO Reports That Get Attention From Your CMO appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Consultants are helping clients lower the customs value of imports to cut the cost of new leviesView the full article

Think you know which social platform has the most engagement? The data might surprise you. Social media trends are always evolving, but lately, engagement has been shifting in unexpected ways. LinkedIn is seeing record-high interactions, Pinterest is quietly on the rise, and Threads — once a breakout success — is settling into more stable patterns. Meanwhile, Instagram’s engagement is lower than ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s losing relevance. If you’ve ever felt like social media engagement is unpredictable, you’re not alone. But while platforms and algorithms change, one thing remains the same: understanding the data gives you an edge. At Buffer, we analyzed millions of posts across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, Threads, and Pinterest to uncover where engagement is thriving, slowing down, and what it all means for your content strategy. Here’s what we found: Which platforms have the highest and lowest engagement rates this yearHow audience behavior is shifting across social mediaWhat’s behind LinkedIn’s engagement surge and Instagram’s engagement dipHow to adjust your content strategy based on 2025’s engagement trendsIf you want to stay ahead of the curve and make smarter content decisions, this article has the insights you need. Let’s dive in. What is engagement rate and why does it matter?Engagement rate is one of the most important social media metrics — but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. At its core, engagement rate measures how much people interact with your content relative to how many people see it. It’s not just about visibility — it’s about connection. For example: A post that reaches 10,000 people but gets only a few likes? Low engagement.A post that reaches 1,000 people but sparks hundreds of interactions? High engagement.That’s why engagement rate is one of the strongest indicators of content performance. It tells you: How well your content connects with your audience.How likely your content is to be amplified by the platform’s algorithm.Whether your audience is passive or actively engaging.The key considerations about engagement rate dataBefore we dive into the rankings, here are some key considerations to reflect the nuance of this report: Engagement rate ≠ Total engagement volume. Platforms with massive reach — like Instagram — may have lower engagement rates but still drive more total interactions than smaller, higher-engagement platforms like LinkedIn. A 1% engagement rate on Instagram could mean thousands of interactions, while a 6% engagement rate on LinkedIn might result in far fewer total engagements.Each platform encourages different behaviors. LinkedIn prioritizes comments and discussions, while Instagram thrives on shares and saves. These behavioral differences mean a 6% engagement rate on LinkedIn doesn’t equate to a 6% engagement rate on TikTok.What counts as engagement varies by platform. Saves on Instagram, pins on Pinterest, and comments on YouTube all count as engagement, but they reflect different user behaviors and levels of intent.Not all engagement is public. Private interactions — like bookmarks, DMs, and link clicks — aren’t always reflected in engagement rate calculations.How we calculate engagement rateAt Buffer, we calculate engagement rate using the following formula: (Total Interactions / Total Impressions) × 100 = Engagement Rate (%) To provide the most accurate view of engagement trends, we analyze engagement rates in two ways: Averages which help us compare platforms at a high level—showing where engagement is strongest overall.Medians over time which reveal the story of how engagement is evolving month by month.Now that we understand what engagement rate really measures — and its nuances across platforms — let’s get into the rankings. Average engagement rates by platform: Who’s leading the engagement game?To determine where users are engaging the most, we analyzed average engagement rates across eight major social platforms over a one-year timeframe. Here’s how they stack up: Platform Average Engagement Rate (%) LinkedIn 6.50% 📈 Facebook 5.07% TikTok 4.86% Threads 4.51% YouTube 4.41% Pinterest 3.46% X (Twitter) 2.31% Instagram 1.16% At first glance, the average engagement rates across these platforms tell us a few key things: LinkedIn is the top performer. With a median engagement rate of 6.50%, LinkedIn has outpaced all other platformsFacebook engagement remains steady. At 5.07%, Facebook continues to generate strong engagementTikTok ranks higher than YouTube for engagement. With 4.86%, TikTok remains a leader for short-form video, with YouTube not far behind with 4.41%Threads has outpaced X/Twitter in engagement. Threads’ 4.51% engagement rate is significantly higher than X’s 2.31%Instagram’s engagement rate is the lowest. At 1.16%, Instagram’s engagement is significantly lower than other platforms, though private interactions (DMs, saves) likely contribute to hidden engagement that isn’t captured in public metrics.Now, while these median numbers provide a broad comparison of which platforms drive the most engagement overall, they don’t capture how engagement has shifted over time. To understand how engagement is evolving, we decided to look at median engagement rates over the year between January 2024 to January 2025. Engagement patterns between January 2024 to January 2025Engagement rates don’t exist in a vacuum. User behavior, algorithm changes, and broader industry shifts all influence how people interact with content. While the overall median engagement rates tell us which platforms perform best overall, the median engagement rates over time reveal how engagement is changing month by month. Here’s what we found from analyzing median engagement rates from January 2024 to January 2025. 1. LinkedIn’s engagement is steadily risingWith an average engagement rate of 6.50%, LinkedIn leads all platforms, but the real story is its growth over time. In January 2024, LinkedIn’s median engagement rate was 6.00%. By January 2025, it had risen to 8.01%. What could be driving this increase? Less content saturation = higher visibility. Only 1% of LinkedIn users post regularly, meaning content has less competition and more potential reach.The algorithm rewards conversations. Posts with early engagement are boosted to second- and third-degree connections, expanding visibility.More diverse content formats are succeeding. Carousels see significant engagement, and the platform just introduced video.LinkedIn remains the strongest platform for authority-building and organic reach. If you’ve been posting inconsistently, now is the time to lean in. 2. Instagram’s engagement is evolvingWhile Instagram has the lowest average engagement rate (1.16%), its interaction patterns are shifting rather than simply declining. In January 2024, Instagram’s median engagement rate was 2.94%. By January 2025, it had adjusted to 0.61%. This change reflects a broader shift in how users engage with content rather than a loss of platform relevance. What’s behind the shift? More content is being consumed than ever. With reels and stories dominating, users are watching more but interacting differently — passive engagement is rising, even if likes and comments aren’t as visible.Engagement is becoming more private. Saves, DMs, and shares are increasing, but these interactions don’t contribute to public engagement metrics.Reels success depends on depth, not just views. High-performing reels tend to spark conversation or encourage sharing, while others may generate views without direct engagement.Instagram engagement isn’t disappearing — it’s moving behind the scenes. Create saveable content for the algorithm, share your posts with friends, and reply via DM — that’s where real engagement is happening. 3. Threads’ engagement is stabilizing after an initial surgeThreads launched with high engagement, but its numbers have steadily declined from 4.76% in February 2024 to 3.60% in February 2025. While Threads still outperforms X/Twitter in engagement rate, its growth phase has leveled out. What’s behind the shift? The early adopter effect is fading. When Threads launched, engagement was high as users explored the platform. As more users join, engagement is now spreading out across a larger content pool.More content = more competition. Initially, with fewer users posting, content was more visible. Now, as more creators share content, engagement is becoming more distributed.**Algorithm shifts are influencing visibility.** Threads started with a purely chronological feed, but Meta has since introduced ranking signals, making engagement less predictable.Threads remains a high-engagement platform, but success now depends on participation, not just presence. Prioritizing conversations, real-time engagement, and interactive content will help sustain engagement as the platform matures. 💡We only started collecting engagement data from Threads in February 2024.4. TikTok engagement remains high, but patterns are changingWith an average engagement rate of 4.86%, TikTok is still one of the strongest platforms for engagement, but its median engagement rate has gradually declined from 5.14% in January 2024 to 4.56% in January 2025. What’s behind the shift? TikTok’s algorithm is rewarding retention over interactions.** Watch time and replays are now bigger engagement drivers than likes or comments, shifting what “high engagement” looks like on the platform. Pro tip: Keep your videos above 1-minute as we’ve found that longer TikToks perform better in the algorithm.Short-form video competition is increasing. With Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and even LinkedIn embracing video, TikTok is no longer the only dominant player in the space.More brands and advertisers = more polished content. TikTok’s early success was built on authentic, unpolished content, but as brands ramp up their presence, engagement rates have become less predictable.TikTok is still a powerhouse for engagement, but the type of engagement that matters is shifting. Focus on content that drives watch time and shares, not just likes and comments. 5. YouTube Shorts engagement is catching up to TikTokYouTube Shorts’ 4.41% average engagement rate puts it just behind TikTok, but its median engagement rate has risen from 3.95% in January 2024 to 4.71% in January 2025. What’s driving the increase? YouTube’s search advantage. Unlike TikTok, YouTube content is discoverable long after posting, meaning shorts have a longer engagement lifespan than TikTok videos.Higher audience intent. YouTube users are actively searching for content, while TikTok users are passively scrolling, leading to more engaged viewers on shorts.Monetization is attracting creators. With more ad revenue opportunities, creators are investing more in shorts content, leading to higher-quality videos that retain engagement.YouTube Shorts is becoming a major competitor to TikTok for short-form video. If you’re already creating vertical video content, repurposing it for shorts could extend its lifespan and reach. 💡15+ Tips to Grow On YouTube Shorts6. Pinterest’s engagement is quietly risingPinterest engagement has grown from 3.08% in January 2024 to 5.26% in January 2025, making it one of the strongest platforms for long-term engagement. Why is Pinterest growing? It’s a search-driven platform, not a feed-based one. Unlike TikTok or Instagram, Pinterest users actively seek out content, meaning engagement is more intentional than passive scrolling.Pins have a long shelf life. A single Pin can generate engagement for months or even years, unlike Instagram posts that disappear quickly.More users are treating Pinterest like a search engine. As Google’s search algorithms shift, more users are turning to Pinterest for inspiration and discovery.If you create evergreen content — such as guides, tutorials, and infographics — Pinterest offers long-term engagement potential. Unlike other platforms where content fades quickly, your content on Pinterest can drive engagement long after you post it. 💡How to Use Pinterest – And Why You Should as a Creator or Business7. Facebook’s engagement remains steady despite changesFacebook’s 5.07% average engagement rate is strong, and its median engagement rate has remained stable at around 5.45% over the past year. Why is Facebook engagement holding steady? Facebook Groups continue to drive strong engagement. Unlike brand pages, niche Groups see some of the highest interaction rates on the platform.Meta is investing in new monetization tools. Features like subscriptions, Facebook reels monetization, and ad revenue sharing are keeping creators active.Facebook’s demographic is highly engaged. While younger audiences gravitate toward TikTok and Instagram, Facebook’s core user base (ages 30+) remains actively engaged.Facebook remains a high-value platform for community-driven engagement — especially if you leverage Groups and interactive content. 8. X/Twitter engagement continues to declineX (formerly Twitter) has dropped from 3.47% in January 2024 to 2.15% in January 2025, making it the second-lowest platform for engagement after Instagram. What’s driving the decline? Algorithm changes have reduced organic reach.** X is prioritizing paid subscribers and recommended content, making organic engagement harder to achieve.More users are lurking rather than engaging. Many users consume content without liking, commenting, or reposting, leading to lower engagement rates.Platform instability is affecting creator investment. With frequent policy shifts and monetization changes, fewer creators are prioritizing X.Unless you’re focused on news, politics, or real-time commentary, engagement on X will require more effort and consistency to maintain. What the data means for your content strategyKnowing where engagement is highest is one thing — figuring out how to use that insight in your strategy is another. A high engagement rate doesn’t automatically make a platform the best fit for you. The key question is: What are your goals, and which platform aligns with them? Here’s how to refine your approach based on the data. 1. Pick the platform that aligns with your goalsNot all engagement is equal, and different platforms serve different purposes. Here's how you can adjust based on what you're trying to achieve: For high engagement per post: Focus on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Pinterest. LinkedIn and Facebook have strong engagement through comments and community-driven content. Pinterest excels at evergreen content, driving steady engagement long after posting.For massive reach potential: Go with Instagram and TikTok. While Instagram’s engagement rate may be lower, it offers vast reach, and TikTok’s discovery algorithm allows even smaller accounts to go viral.For video-focused engagement: TikTok and YouTube Shorts are the best platforms. Short-form video drives some of the highest engagement rates, and repurposing video across platforms (TikTok, YouTube, Instagram) can boost your reach without extra work.For real-time conversations: If your goal is immediate interactions, go with Threads or X (Twitter). Both excel in real-time discussions, with Threads gaining traction for organic engagement and X still being key for news-driven content.Takeaway: Instead of trying to be everywhere, focus on the platforms that align with your specific goals. Don’t just chase high engagement rates — consider how each platform fits your content objectives. 2. Adapt your content format for each platformEach platform prioritizes different formats based on user behavior. Here’s how you can tailor your content: LinkedIn is about conversation starters. Use long-form posts, carousels, and documents to encourage discussions and showcase expertise.Instagram’s engagement is increasingly happening behind the scenes — so focus on Reels that generate saves and shares, not just likes.TikTok favors content that keeps people watching. Go for quick hooks and engaging narratives that are visually compelling from the start.Pinterest excels with evergreen content that gets better over time. High-quality visuals, step-by-step guides, and search-optimized content will perform best here.Takeaway: Tailor your content to the platform—what works on Instagram doesn’t necessarily work on LinkedIn. Focus on creating platform-first content that aligns with user expectations and engagement behaviors. 💡The Best Content for Major Social Media Platforms (+ Ideas and Examples)3. Fine-tune your posting strategy for maximum engagementEngagement isn’t just about what you post — it’s about when and how often you post. Each platform rewards different posting behaviors, so optimizing your frequency is key. For LinkedIn and Facebook: Focus on quality over quantity. Posts that sustain engagement over time tend to do better, so one well-crafted post a few times a week can be enough.For Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts: These platforms thrive on frequency. Post daily to increase visibility and maintain engagement, but always prioritize quality content that resonates with your audience.For Threads and X: Engage in real-time conversations — post multiple times a day if possible, but engage actively with others’ content to build a community.Takeaway: Match your posting frequency to the platform’s algorithm. Some platforms reward quality posts over consistency (LinkedIn, Facebook), while others, like TikTok and Instagram, reward daily posts that build momentum. Play to the strengths of each platformA high engagement rate doesn’t automatically mean a platform is the right fit for you. What matters most is how well a platform aligns with your goals — whether that’s visibility, deep engagement, video performance, or real-time interaction. Instead of trying to be everywhere at once, focus on the platforms that play to your strengths and audience behaviors. Adapt your content format, posting strategy, and engagement approach to work with the strengths of each platform rather than against them. View the full article

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Asian and European indices and US futures fall after worst week for Wall Street equities since pandemicView the full article

According to the latest Gallup State of the Workplace report, employees are seeking new jobs at the highest level since 2015. This trend has been coined “The Great Detachment.” A key reason for this is increasing employee dissatisfaction with management. For instance, Gallup’s research shows that those who work in companies with bad management practices are nearly 60% more likely to be stressed, and stress is the second most-cited factor influencing employees’ decisions to quit. People’s values have also changed post-COVID-19. Employees prioritize well-being. They expect their contribution to be recognized, and if they aren’t valued or supported, they aren’t prepared to tolerate it. The rise of Gen Z in the workplace also needs to be considered. They now make up 27% of the workforce across the 38 high-income countries that make up the OECD. This generation wants to be coached, not directed, and if they don’t feel that they’re progressing or that their employer wants to cultivate them, they’ll simply leave. Yet, management practice has remained unchanged, with managers still using outdated and clunky methods unsuited to today’s workplace. Managers are ill-equipped to give feedback and handle challenging conversations in this rapidly changing work environment and consequently default to directing employees rather than enabling them. Companies need to upskill their middle managers urgently to keep employees engaged and stop hemorrhaging talent. After all, talent is critical for success—companies in the top quartile of employee engagement achieve 23% higher profitability than those in the bottom quartile. If you’re losing your top talent to your competitors and suspect poor management may be a cause, here are three things to do: 1. Shift the prevailing management mindset from ‘managing’ to ‘enabling’ Managers are often high-performing employees promoted for their technical strengths rather than their people skills. Their management style is typically “command and control”—simply directing and providing solutions for employees’ problems without engaging their capabilities. This can be incredibly demotivating for employees, signalling their ideas aren’t valued or welcomed. Over time, they lose autonomy over their work and wait for direction from their managers before following their instructions, leading to increased disengagement. Managers urgently need to change their mindset from perceiving themselves as the manager and solver of all problems to becoming the enabler of other people’s talents and capabilities. Affording team members the space to contribute creates opportunities for them to grow and advance. To do this, managers need to adopt an enquiry-led approach by learning to ask powerful and insightful questions that encourage reflection at the point that would be most helpful to someone’s thinking. Instead of asking “why” questions such as “Why did this happen?” shift to asking “what” questions. For instance, “What are the reasons behind this outcome?” or “What could have gone better?” “What” questions remove the personal sting from a “why” question and promote reflection without triggering defensiveness. This simple change signals a shift from being the all-knowing manager to being a supportive enabler, which is beneficial not only for employee growth but also for building an inclusive and collaborative team culture. 2. Give better feedback to stimulate high performance Giving feedback is often associated with challenging conversations, as managers try to share something they want people to change or improve upon. Moving to more intentional, appreciative and developmental feedback can support employee development. Instead of constantly identifying problems or behaviors that need fixing, managers should seek out moments when someone has excelled in a particular situation. Visibly pointing out the skills or behaviors that made a positive difference to outcomes is a great way to build trust and an openness to constructive feedback. It also creates an environment where employees look forward to coming to work and are motivated to build on their strengths and contribute at their best, increasing job satisfaction. 3. Encourage more collaboration within teams Rather than defaulting to a “command and control” style of fixing everyone’s problems, managers must develop their awareness and tune in to coachable moments throughout the day. For example, instead of stepping in to solve every issue brought to them, managers learn to recognise the potential for a better outcome by engaging team members to explore their problem-solving capabilities, giving them the space to suggest ideas and talk them through. They might ask what ideas they’ve thought of themselves that could offer a way forward and explore the steps they would need to take to progress those options. Using a more purposeful approach to asking questions intended to stimulate other people’s thinking in the flow of work has been recognised as an advance in management practice known as Operational Coaching.® Practitioners learning this new approach stop firefighting and instead adapt their management style to engage their team, acknowledge their capabilities, and invite greater collaboration. This demonstrates that employees’ thinking and contributions are valued, increasing employee satisfaction, and managers win back valuable time from not stepping in to every problem. Why these strategies help retain top talent As a result of the behavioral work we were engaged in, we developed the STAR® model to help managers apply these skills in their daily lives. STAR® consists of four steps: STOP – Step back and change state THINK – Is this a coachable moment? ASK – Powerful questions and actively listen RESULT – Agree on next steps and an outcome from the conversation By applying this model, managers can learn to adopt new coaching-style “behaviors” in the moment, enabling them to challenge, support, and grow the capabilities of their team members in ways that measurably benefit both the individual and the organization. When employees feel valued for their contributions, have autonomy in their work, and sense their managers care for their development and advancement, their relationship with work improves. As workplaces evolve, businesses must recognize the need to shift managers from their task-focused mindset to a people-focused mindset. This simple but vital step will help foster an environment that values every employee and ensures that top talent is appreciated, nurtured, and retained. View the full article

Donald Trump’s tariffs could cause long-lasting damage to US alliances, influential Wall Street banker tells shareholdersView the full article

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