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With new updates in the search world stacking up in 2026, content teams are trying a new strategy to rank: LLM pages. They’re building pages that no human will ever see: markdown files, stripped-down JSON feeds, and entire /ai/ versions of their articles. The logic seems sound: if you make content easier for AI to parse, you’ll get more citations in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. Strip out the ads. Remove the navigation. Serve bots pure, clean text. Industry experts such as Malte Landwehr have documented sites creating .md copies of every article or adding llms.txt files to guide AI crawlers. Teams are even building entire shadow versions of their content libraries. Google’s John Mueller isn’t buying it. “LLMs have trained on – read and parsed – normal web pages since the beginning,” he said in a recent discussion on Bluesky. “Why would they want to see a page that no user sees?” His comparison was blunt: LLM-only pages are like the old keywords meta tag. Available for anyone to use, but ignored by the systems they’re meant to influence. So is this trend actually working, or is it just the latest SEO myth? The rise of ‘LLM-only’ web pages The trend is real. Sites across tech, SaaS, and documentation are implementing LLM-specific content formats. The question isn’t whether adoption is happening, it’s whether these implementations are driving the AI citations teams hoped for. Here’s what content and SEO teams are actually building. llms.txt files A markdown file at your domain root listing key pages for AI systems. The format was introduced in 2024 by AI researcher Simon Willison to help AI systems discover and prioritize important content. Plain text lives at yourdomain.com/llms.txt with an H1 project name, brief description, and organized sections linking to important pages. Stripe’s implementation at docs.stripe.com/llms.txt shows the approach in action: markdown# Stripe Documentation > Build payment integrations with Stripe APIs ## Testing - [Test mode](https://docs.stripe.com/testing): Simulate payments ## API Reference - [API docs](https://docs.stripe.com/api): Complete API reference The payment processor’s bet is simple: if ChatGPT can parse their documentation cleanly, developers will get better answers when they ask, “how do I implement Stripe.” They’re not alone. Current adopters include Cloudflare, Anthropic, Zapier, Perplexity, Coinbase, Supabase, and Vercel. Markdown (.md) page copies Sites are creating stripped-down markdown versions of their regular pages. The implementation is straightforward: just add .md to any URL. Stripe’s docs.stripe.com/testing becomes docs.stripe.com/testing.md. Everything gets stripped out except the actual content. No styling. No menus. No footers. No interactive elements. Just pure text and basic formatting. The thinking: if AI systems don’t have to wade through CSS and JavaScript to find the information they need, they’re more likely to cite your page accurately. /ai and similar paths Some sites are building entirely separate versions of their content under /ai/, /llm/, or similar directories. You might find /ai/about living alongside the regular /about page, or /llm/products as a bot-friendly alternative to the main product catalog. Sometimes these pages have more detail than the originals. Sometimes they’re just reformatted. The idea: give AI systems their own dedicated content that’s built for machine consumption, not human eyes. If a person accidentally lands on one of these pages, they’ll find something that looks like a website from 2005. JSON metadata files Dell took this approach with their product specs. Instead of creating separate pages, they built structured data feeds that live alongside their regular ecommerce site. The files contain clean JSON – specs, pricing, and availability. Everything an AI needs to answer “what’s the best Dell laptop under $1000” without having to parse through product descriptions written for humans. You’ll typically find these files as /llm-metadata.json or /ai-feed.json in the site’s directory. # Dell Technologies > Dell Technologies is a leading technology provider, specializing in PCs, servers, and IT solutions for businesses and consumers. ## Product and Catalog Data - [Product Feed - US Store](https://www.dell.com/data/us/catalog/products.json): Key product attributes and availability. - [Dell Return Policy](https://www.dell.com/return-policy.md): Standard return and warranty information. ## Support and Documentation - [Knowledge Base](https://www.dell.com/support/knowledge-base.md): Troubleshooting guides and FAQs. This approach makes the most sense for ecommerce and SaaS companies that already keep their product data in databases. They’re just exposing what they already have in a format AI systems can easily digest. Dig deeper: LLM optimization in 2026: Tracking, visibility, and what’s next for AI discovery Real-world citation data: What actually gets referenced The theory sounds good. The adoption numbers look impressive. But do these LLM-optimized pages actually get cited? The individual analysis Landwehr, CPO and CMO at Peec AI, ran targeted tests on five websites using these tactics. He crafted prompts specifically designed to surface their LLM-friendly content. Some queries even contained explicit 20+ word quotes designed to trigger specific sources. Across nearly 18,000 citations, here’s what he found. llms.txt: 0.03% of citations Out of 18,000 citations, only six pointed to llms.txt files. The six that did work had something in common: they contained genuinely useful information about how to use an API and where to find additional documentation. The kind of content that actually helps AI systems answer technical questions. The “search-optimized” llms.txt files, the ones stuffed with content and keywords, received zero citations. Markdown (.md) pages: 0% of citations Sites using .md copies of their content got cited 3,500+ times. None of those citations pointed to the markdown versions. The one exception: GitHub, where .md files are the standard URLs. They’re linked internally, and there’s no HTML alternative. But these are just regular pages that happen to be in markdown format. /ai pages: 0.5% to 16% of citations Results varied wildly depending on implementation. One site saw 0.5% of its citations point to its/ai pages. Another hit 16%. The difference? The higher-performing site put significantly more information in their /ai pages than existed anywhere else on their site. Keep in mind, these prompts were specifically asking for information contained in these files. Even with prompts designed to surface this content, most queries ignored the /ai versions. JSON metadata: 5% of citations One brand saw 85 out of 1,800 citations (5%) come from their metadata JSON file. The critical detail here is that the file contained information that didn’t exist anywhere else on the website. Once again, the query specifically asked for those pieces of information. The large-scale analysis SE Ranking took a different approach. Instead of testing individual sites, they analyzed 300,000 domains to see if llms.txt adoption correlated with citation frequency at scale. Only 10.13% of domains, or 1 in 10, had implemented llms.txt. For context, that’s nowhere near the universal adoption of standards like robots.txt or XML sitemaps. During the study, an interesting relationship between adoption rates and traffic levels emerged. Sites with 0-100 monthly visits adopted llms.txt at 9.88%. Sites with 100,001+ visits? Just 8.27%. The biggest, most established sites were actually slightly less likely to use the file than mid-tier ones. But the real test was whether llms.txt impacted citations. SE Ranking built a machine learning model using XGBoost to predict citation frequency based on various factors, including the presence of llms.txt. The result: removing llms.txt from the model actually improved its accuracy. The file wasn’t helping predict citation behavior, it was adding noise. The pattern Both analyses point to the same conclusion: LLM-optimized pages get cited when they contain unique, useful information that doesn’t exist elsewhere on your site. The format doesn’t matter. Landwehr’s conclusion was blunt: “You could create a 12345.txt file and it would be cited if it contains useful and unique information.” A well-structured about page achieves the same result as an /ai/about page. API documentation gets cited whether it’s in llms.txt or buried in your regular docs. The files themselves get no special treatment from AI systems. The content inside them might, but only if it’s actually better than what already exists on your regular pages. SE Ranking’s data backs this up at scale. There’s no correlation between having llms.txt and getting more citations. The presence of the file made no measurable difference in how AI systems referenced domains. Dig deeper: 7 hard truths about measuring AI visibility and GEO performance What Google and AI platforms actually say No major AI company has confirmed using llms.txt files in their crawling or citation processes. Google’s Mueller made the sharpest critique in April 2025, comparing llms.txt to the obsolete keywords meta tag: “[As far as I know], none of the AI services have said they’re using LLMs.TXT (and you can tell when you look at your server logs that they don’t even check for it).” Google’s Gary Illyes reinforced this at the July 2025 Search Central Deep Dive in Bangkok, explicitly stating Google “doesn’t support LLMs.txt and isn’t planning to.” Google Search Central’s documentation is equally clear: “The best practices for SEO remain relevant for AI features in Google Search. There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary.” OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity all maintain their own llms.txt files for their API documentation to make it easy for developers to load into AI assistants. But none have announced their crawlers actually read these files from other websites. The consistent message from every major platform: standard web publishing practices drive visibility in AI search. No special files, no new markup, and no separate versions needed. What this means for SEO teams The evidence points to a single conclusion: stop building content that only machines will see. Mueller’s question cuts to the core issue: “Why would they want to see a page that no user sees?” If AI companies needed special formats to generate better responses, they would tell you. As he noted: “AI companies aren’t really known for being shy.” The data proves him right. Across Landwehr’s nearly 18,000 citations, LLM-optimized formats showed no advantage unless they contained unique information that didn’t exist anywhere else on the site. SE Ranking’s analysis of 300,000 domains found that llms.txt actually added confusion to their citation prediction model rather than improving it. Instead of creating shadow versions of your content, focus on what actually works. Build clean HTML that both humans and AI can parse easily. Reduce JavaScript dependencies for critical content, which Mueller identified as the real technical barrier: “Excluding JS, which still seems hard for many of these systems.” Heavy client-side rendering creates actual problems for AI parsing. Use structured data when platforms have published official specifications, such as OpenAI’s ecommerce product feeds. Improve your information architecture so key content is discoverable and well-organized. The best page for AI citation is the same page that works for users: well-structured, clearly written, and technically sound. Until AI companies publish formal requirements stating otherwise, that’s where your optimization energy belongs. Dig deeper: GEO myths: This article may contain lies View the full article

“How’s that feature going?” “On track.” “When will it ship?” “Soon.” Neither side has numbers. Both sides leave uncertain whether they’re aligned. This conversation repeats weekly, same script, same ambiguity, same lack of shared data. Engineering has dashboards full of velocity charts, burndown graphs, and cycle time metrics. Product has roadmap views, prioritization scores, and stakeholder updates. These dashboards serve their respective teams but do nothing to create shared understanding between them. The cost of this fragmentation is $450 billion annually lost to context switching globally, much of it from people toggling between systems trying to piece together a complete picture. A product-engineering dashboard is different from a PM dashboard or an engineering dashboard. It shows the metrics that matter for alignment: whether product priorities are being executed, whether engineering capacity matches product ambition, and whether the work being done connects to the outcomes being sought. This guide covers how to build a dashboard that both teams trust and actually use. Why separate dashboards create problems Product and engineering teams typically maintain separate views of their work. This separation creates alignment gaps. Different tools, different views Product roadmaps live in PM tools like Productboard, Asana, or Monday. Engineering work lives in Jira. These tools have their own dashboards optimized for their own use cases, and even Jira’s efficiency features don’t address the cross-tool visibility problem. The PM dashboard shows roadmap items, prioritization rationale, and stakeholder commitments. It does not show sprint progress, story completion rates, or technical blockers. The engineering dashboard shows velocity, burndown, and cycle time. It does not show strategic priorities, customer impact, or roadmap alignment. Neither dashboard answers the question both teams need answered: are we building the right things at the right pace? Metrics without context Engineering metrics without product context can be misleading. A team with perfect velocity might be building the wrong things. High cycle time might be acceptable if the work is high complexity. Sprint completion rates do not indicate whether the completed work moved the product forward. Similarly, product metrics without engineering reality can be unrealistic. A roadmap showing four major features this quarter means nothing if engineering capacity supports two. Prioritization scores are theoretical until engineering estimates ground them. Manual reconciliation Without a shared dashboard, someone has to manually reconcile the views. Usually that falls to the PM, who checks Jira progress and updates the roadmap, or creates summary reports that combine data from multiple sources. This manual work is time-consuming and error-prone. The reconciliation happens periodically (weekly, monthly), which means the shared view is always somewhat stale. And the work of creating it takes time away from more valuable activities. What a product-engineering dashboard should show A good shared dashboard answers the questions both teams care about without drowning either in irrelevant detail. Roadmap-to-execution status The most important view: what roadmap items are in progress, and what is their actual status? For each current roadmap item, show: Roadmap priority and timeline: What was promised to stakeholders? This grounds the discussion in commitments. Linked engineering work: Which epics and stories implement this item? The connection should be explicit and visible. Engineering progress: What percentage of the linked work is complete? Is it on track based on current velocity? Risk indicators: Are there blockers? Has scope changed? Is the original timeline still achievable? This view lets anyone see whether roadmap commitments are being met without digging into individual tickets or asking for status updates. Capacity and commitment balance Engineering has finite capacity. Product has potentially infinite ideas. The dashboard should show whether these are in balance. Current sprint commitment: How much work is in the current sprint relative to typical velocity? Backlog depth: How many sprints of work are groomed and ready? A shallow backlog (less than one to two sprints ready) indicates a grooming problem. A deep backlog (more than four to six sprints) may indicate prioritization ambiguity. Resource allocation by roadmap item: What percentage of engineering capacity is going to each major initiative? This reveals whether actual work matches stated priorities. Unplanned work ratio: What percentage of sprint capacity goes to bugs, tech debt, or other unplanned work? High ratios reduce available capacity for roadmap items. Delivery performance over time Trends matter more than snapshots. The dashboard should show how delivery performance changes over time. Velocity trend: Is the team delivering more or less than in previous periods? Significant changes warrant investigation. Cycle time trend: How long does it take from work starting to work shipping? Increasing cycle time often indicates process problems or increasing complexity. Prediction accuracy: How often do items ship when originally planned? Poor prediction accuracy undermines stakeholder trust and planning reliability. Scope change frequency: How often do requirements change after work begins? Frequent scope changes indicate either premature commitment or poor requirements definition. Quality and technical health Shipping fast means nothing if quality suffers. Include quality indicators that engineering cares about. Bug rate: How many bugs are filed against recent releases? Rising bug rates indicate quality problems. Tech debt ratio: What percentage of capacity goes to paying down technical debt? Too little and debt accumulates. Too much and features do not ship. Escaped defects: How many bugs are found by customers versus caught in QA? Escaped defects indicate testing gaps. Deployment frequency and success rate: How often does the team deploy, and how often do deployments succeed? These are proxies for engineering health and confidence. Building the product-engineering dashboard Implementation depends on your tools and technical resources. Here are the common approaches. Using your PM tool If your PM tool supports robust dashboards (Asana, Monday, Notion with good integrations), you may be able to build the shared dashboard there. Advantages: PM is already comfortable with the tool. Easy to link roadmap items to dashboard views. Challenges: Getting Jira data into the PM tool requires integration. Native integrations often provide limited data. Engineering may not adopt a tool they do not already use. Using Jira Jira has dashboard capabilities that can show both engineering metrics and, with some work, product priorities. Advantages: Engineering is already there. Rich engineering metrics are available natively. Challenges: PMs may find Jira dashboards clunky. Roadmap context is not native to Jira. Building product-relevant views requires JQL expertise. Using dashboarding tools Tools like Looker, Tableau, or even Google Data Studio can pull data from multiple sources and create unified views. Advantages: Complete flexibility in what you display. Can combine data from any source. Professional visualization capabilities. Challenges: Requires data engineering to set up and maintain. Additional tool in the stack. Someone has to build and maintain the dashboards. Use software integrations Some integration platforms include dashboard capabilities that leverage the connections they maintain between your tools. Advantages: Dashboard is built on real-time synced data. Changes in either system are immediately reflected. Challenges: Dashboard capabilities vary by platform. May be less flexible than dedicated BI tools. Regardless of where your dashboard lives, you need data flowing from both product and engineering tools. For basic visibility, you need: Roadmap items with their priority and timeline Jira epics and stories linked to those roadmap items Current status of engineering work Velocity and capacity data from Jira Two-way sync platforms sync data between PM tools and Jira at the field level. This means your roadmap priority appears on the linked Jira epic, and Jira progress appears on your roadmap item. When the data is synchronized, building a dashboard on either side reflects the complete picture. Metrics that matter for product-engineering alignment Not all metrics deserve dashboard real estate. Focus on metrics that drive alignment and action. Good metrics for shared dashboards Roadmap item completion rate: What percentage of planned roadmap items shipped as intended? This is the ultimate measure of alignment between product ambition and engineering delivery. Time from prioritization to delivery: How long from when an item is prioritized to when it ships? This reveals the whole-system efficiency, not just engineering speed. Priority alignment: What percentage of engineering capacity goes to the top-priority roadmap items? If priority one items get less capacity than priority three items, something is wrong. Stakeholder satisfaction with predictability: Do stakeholders trust the dates product commits to? This is subjective but critical. Survey or ask directly. Metrics to avoid on shared dashboards Story points delivered: Story points are an internal engineering measure. They do not mean anything to product or stakeholders. Show features delivered, not abstract points. Individual contributor metrics: Tracking individual developer performance creates wrong incentives and does not serve alignment goals. Lagging vanity metrics: Page views, user counts, and revenue are important but do not belong on a product-engineering alignment dashboard. They measure outcomes, not the process that creates outcomes. Metrics nobody acts on: If a metric is just informational and never triggers action, it is clutter. Every metric should have a response when it moves outside acceptable range. Making the dashboard useful A dashboard that nobody looks at is worthless. Driving adoption requires intentional effort. Single source of truth The dashboard must be the authoritative source for alignment questions. If people still ask for status updates verbally or via email, the dashboard is not doing its job. Make the dashboard the first place anyone goes for status. Reference it in meetings. Link to it in status communications. When someone asks a question the dashboard answers, direct them to the dashboard. Accessible to both teams The dashboard should be equally accessible to product and engineering. If it lives in a tool one team does not use, that team will not look at it. Consider where to place the dashboard for maximum visibility. Slack or Teams integration to show key metrics. TV display in common area. Homepage of commonly-used tool. Regular review cadence Build dashboard review into existing meetings. Start sprint planning by looking at the dashboard. Begin stakeholder updates with dashboard screenshots. Make the dashboard a natural part of how work is discussed. Weekly review at minimum. Daily glances are better. The more frequently people look at the dashboard, the more likely they are to notice changes and act on them. Clear ownership Someone owns the dashboard. They are responsible for keeping it accurate, adding new metrics when needed, and removing metrics that are not useful. Ownership does not mean doing all the work. It means ensuring the dashboard serves its purpose and evolving it as needs change. Action-oriented design Each section of the dashboard should suggest action when metrics are concerning. Red indicators should have clear next steps. If velocity is trending down, the next action might be “investigate in retrospective.” If a roadmap item is at risk, the next action might be “PM and engineering lead sync to discuss scope.” A dashboard that shows problems but does not guide action creates anxiety without resolution. Improving your dashboard over time Your first dashboard will not be perfect. Expect to iterate. Start simple Launch with a minimal dashboard: roadmap items, their engineering status, and one or two key metrics. Add complexity only when the simple version is working and people want more. Simple dashboards get used. Complex dashboards get ignored while people ask for simpler views. Add metrics based on pain When alignment problems emerge, ask whether a metric would have caught them earlier. If the problem was a priority mismatch, add a priority alignment view. If the problem was scope creep, add a scope change tracker. Metrics should address real problems, not theoretical ones. Let your experience guide what to measure. Remove what isn’t used If nobody has looked at a section of the dashboard in a month, remove it. Dashboard real estate is valuable. Metrics that do not earn attention do not deserve space. Review dashboard usage periodically. Ask both teams what they find valuable and what they ignore. Calibrate thresholds Alert thresholds need tuning. Too sensitive and everything is always red, causing alert fatigue. Too loose and problems are not caught until they are crises. Watch how people respond to indicators. If red indicators are routinely ignored, the threshold is wrong. Adjust until indicators accurately reflect when attention is needed. The goal of a product-engineering dashboard A product-engineering dashboard is not about surveillance or accountability theater. It is about creating shared reality. When both teams see the same information, they can have informed conversations about tradeoffs, risks, and priorities. The best outcome is that the dashboard makes status meetings unnecessary. Everyone already knows the status. Meetings focus on problem-solving, not information gathering. When product and engineering share a view of their work, alignment becomes easier. Disagreements surface early when they are cheap to resolve. Trust builds because both sides see the same truth. If you are ready to build a unified view of your product and engineering work, see how Unito helps product and engineering teams stay aligned. View the full article

Maneuvering through the product return process can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. By comprehending the retailer’s return policy and following a clear step-by-step approach, you can simplify the experience. Start by checking if your item is eligible for return, then initiate the process online. Properly packaging the item and using the provided return label is essential for a smooth return. Stay tuned to learn more about each step to guarantee you handle your return effectively. Key Takeaways Review the retailer’s return policy to ensure item eligibility and understand specific deadlines and exclusions. Initiate the return process using the online form for efficiency and receive return labels upon approval. Securely package the item in original condition with all accessories, including necessary documentation for return processing. Track the return shipment using the provided tracking number to monitor its status and expected refund timelines. Communicate with customer service for any questions and to resolve issues during the return process. Understanding the Return Policy When you shop online or in-store, comprehending the return policy is crucial for guaranteeing a smooth experience if you need to return a product. A well-defined policy outlines eligibility criteria and specific exclusions, so you’ll know which items can be returned. Look for clear deadlines that indicate when you can initiate a return and how long processing will take. This helps manage your expectations regarding refunds or exchanges. You’ll likewise want to check the return info for the refund options available. Some Refund Retriever may offer a full refund, whereas others might provide partial refunds, store credit, or exchanges. Confirm the return policy is easily accessible, whether on the company’s website or included in the product packaging. This way, you’ll be informed of the rules before making a purchase, and you’ll be ready to provide a reason for return if needed, making the process smoother for everyone involved. Initiating the Return Process To initiate the return process, you should first check the retailer’s return policy to verify your item meets the eligibility criteria. Most retailers offer a straightforward online form where you can submit your return request, making the process quick and efficient. Once approved, you’ll receive return labels and instructions, so you can track your shipment and stay updated on your return status. Clear Return Policy A clear return policy is essential for managing customer expectations and ensuring a smooth return process. It should outline eligibility criteria, such as timeframes and specific product exclusions, so you know how to return something. Clear communication about the return process, including the necessary information and steps, is critical for a seamless experience. Moreover, defining refund options—like full refunds, partial refunds, store credit, or exchanges—helps clarify what to expect during your orders and returns. Make sure this policy is visible across all sales channels, including your website and product packaging, to minimize confusion. Criteria Details Examples Timeframe Returns must be initiated within 30 days 30-day return window Product Exclusions Non-returnable items are clearly listed Opened electronics Refund Options Options include full refunds or exchanges Store credit available Communication Channels Policy shared via website and packaging Emails and receipts Easy Return Initiation How can you easily initiate the return process for a product you no longer want? Start by visiting the retailer’s website or customer portal, where you’ll find a section dedicated to returns. Here, you can follow the steps to begin your return request. Most retailers will ask you to provide a reason to return the product, which helps them improve their services. Make sure you initiate the return within the timeframe specified in the return policy, usually between 14 to 30 days from your purchase date. Once your return request is approved, you’ll typically receive a prepaid return label via email, making it easy to return the item from home. Tracking Return Progress Once you’ve initiated the return process, tracking your return progress becomes essential to guarantee everything goes smoothly. You’ll typically receive tracking information via email or find it on the retailer’s website. This allows you to monitor your returned item’s status efficiently. If you’re wondering, “can I return?” rest assured that many Amazon retailers offer pre-paid shipping labels, which you can print directly from the return initiation page. Keep an eye on the estimated timeline, as most companies aim to process refunds within a few days after they receive the returned item. If you have questions or concerns during this process, don’t hesitate to utilize customer support channels for assistance, ensuring clarity and improving your overall experience. Preparing the Item for Return When you’re preparing an item for return, it’s vital to package it securely and include all necessary documentation. Start by placing the item back in its original packaging along with any accessories and manuals to meet the retailer’s return policy. Finally, verify to clearly label the package and include any required authorization codes to guarantee a smooth return process. Packaging the Product Securely Packaging the product securely is crucial for ensuring it arrives back to the retailer in good condition. Whenever possible, use the original packaging, as it’s designed to protect the item during transit and minimizes the risk of damage. Make sure to include all items, such as accessories, manuals, and warranty information, to comply with the retailer’s return policy. Securely seal the package with strong tape to prevent it from opening during shipping; open packages can lead to missing items or damage. If you don’t have the original packaging, choose a sturdy box or envelope that can withstand shipping conditions and keep the item from shifting. Finally, clearly label the package with the return address provided by the retailer. Including Required Documentation How can you guarantee your return is processed smoothly? Start by ensuring you include all required documentation. This means packing the item with its original packaging, accessories, and any bonus items. Don’t forget to print and attach the return label provided by the retailer. Including a copy of the original receipt or packing slip inside the package helps facilitate a smoother return process. Follow the retailer’s specific packaging instructions carefully to avoid damage, which could lead to a denied return. Finally, double-check that the item is in its original condition, as many retailers only accept returns of unused products in their original packaging. Required Documentation Purpose Notes Original Packaging Meets return policy Must be undamaged Return Label Track item Provided by retailer Original Receipt Facilitate refund Include in return package Accessories & Bonus Items Complete return Include all original items Follow Instructions Prevent damage Adhere to retailer guidelines Shipping the Returned Item To guarantee a smooth return process, using the pre-paid return label provided by the retailer is important, as it helps you avoid unnecessary shipping costs. Start by properly packaging the item, ideally in its original packaging, to prevent any damage during transit. This guarantees it arrives in good condition. Inside the package, include all relevant documentation, such as the return authorization form or packing slip, which facilitates the processing of your return. Next, drop off the package at the designated shipping carrier location or schedule a pickup. It’s significant to obtain a tracking number to monitor the return shipment, confirming it reaches the retailer. Keep in mind the return shipping deadline set by the retailer; this is critical for a successful return. By following these steps, you can efficiently manage the shipping process and minimize any potential issues with your return. Tracking Your Return Status Once you’ve shipped your returned item, the next step involves tracking its status to stay informed about its path back to the retailer. Most retailers provide a tracking number or link via email or their website, allowing you to monitor your return shipment in real-time. You can expect updates on your return status, including confirmation when the item arrives at the warehouse and when the refund process begins. Some retailers even offer automated notifications for key milestones, such as when your return is processed. Tracking your return helps manage your expectations regarding timelines, as many retailers aim to process refunds within a few days of receiving the item. If you run into any issues tracking your return, don’t hesitate to reach out to customer service for assistance; they can provide timely updates and help resolve any concerns regarding your return status. Processing Refunds and Exchanges When you initiate a return, comprehending the processing of refunds and exchanges is crucial for a smooth experience. Establishing a clear timeline is key; aim to complete transactions within a few days to improve your satisfaction and trust. Implementing a tracking system for your returns allows you to remain informed about your return status, ensuring transparency throughout the process. You’ll appreciate having multiple refund options available, such as full refunds, partial refunds, or store credit, catering to your preferences. Regular communication is significant; expect updates regarding your return, including confirmation of receipt, processing stages, and the final outcome of your refund or exchange. To boost efficiency, businesses should monitor turnaround times and gather customer feedback, identifying areas for improvement. Common Reasons for Returns Returns can often be a source of frustration for both customers and businesses. One of the leading causes of returns is unmet customer expectations, which usually arise from discrepancies between product descriptions and what you actually receive. Furthermore, product defects, like manufacturing errors or quality issues, contribute greatly to the return rate, highlighting the need for effective quality control. Customer errors, such as ordering the wrong size or color, likewise play a role, making clear product information and size guides crucial. Shipping issues, including damage during transit or receiving incorrect items, are common reasons for returns as well, pointing to the importance of collaborating with shipping providers to improve delivery processes. Tips for a Smooth Return Experience Maneuvering the return process doesn’t have to be a hassle, especially when you’re equipped with the right knowledge. First, make certain you understand the retailer’s return policy, focusing on eligibility criteria and deadlines. This awareness can prevent confusion and guarantee a smoother experience. Utilize pre-paid return labels provided by the retailer; they simplify shipping and reduce your out-of-pocket costs. It’s important to initiate your return quickly, as many retailers require returns to be started within 30 to 90 days for refunds or exchanges. Keep a record of your return tracking number, as this helps you monitor the status of your item and guarantees efficient processing. If you encounter any issues, don’t hesitate to contact customer service directly; they can provide immediate assistance and solutions to expedite your return. Following these tips can make your return experience much more seamless. Managing Future Returns To effectively manage future returns, it’s essential to analyze return data regularly, which helps you identify trends in the reasons customers are sending items back. By pinpointing these issues, you can address common problems and reduce future returns. Implementing quality control measures will further improve product satisfaction and minimize defects. Moreover, you should refine product descriptions and images to guarantee they align with customer expectations, as inaccuracies often lead to returns. Soliciting customer feedback through surveys and reviews provides valuable insights into their experiences, allowing you to make necessary adjustments to products or processes. Finally, monitor your shipping practices and collaborate with shipping providers to assure reliable delivery. This can markedly reduce damages during transit, ultimately contributing to lower return rates. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Steps Involved in Return Processing? To process a return, you start by submitting an online form with your return reason and resolution preference. After that, the return request is reviewed for eligibility. If approved, you’ll receive a return shipping label and instructions. Once you send the product back, the warehouse inspects it to determine its condition. Finally, you’ll be informed of the outcome, and refunds, exchanges, or store credits will be issued according to the policy timeline. What Is the Process of Product Return? The product return process starts with you initiating a return request, usually through an online portal or customer service. You’ll specify the reason for the return and what resolution you want. Once approved, you’ll receive shipping labels and packaging instructions. After you send the item back, the retailer inspects it to determine its condition. Finally, they’ll process your refund or exchange, aiming to complete this within a few days for your convenience. What Is the Big 5 Return Policy? The Big 5 return policy refers to the return practices of Amazon, Zappos, Nordstrom, Walmart, and Target. You’ll find that these retailers typically offer extended return windows, ranging from 30 to 90 days, allowing you ample time to decide on your purchases. They often provide free return shipping and easy-to-use online return portals, enabling you to initiate returns quickly and receive prepaid shipping labels, all while clearly communicating their return conditions. What Is the Return Process Flow? The return process flow starts when you initiate a return request, stating your reason and preferred resolution. The retailer then reviews your request based on their return policy, which considers factors like time limits and product condition. If approved, you’ll receive a return shipping label and instructions. After you ship the item back, it undergoes inspection. Finally, refunds or exchanges are processed, typically within a few days, ensuring a smooth resolution. Conclusion By following these steps, you can navigate the product return process efficiently. Always start by reviewing the retailer’s return policy to confirm eligibility, then initiate your return and prepare your item carefully. Use the provided shipping label and track your return to stay updated. Comprehending refund timelines and maintaining communication with customer service will further guarantee a smooth experience. With these guidelines, you can manage returns effectively, making future transactions easier. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Navigating the Product Return Process: A Step-by-Step Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Creating an effective customer satisfaction survey form is essential for comprehending your customers’ needs and improving their experiences. To achieve this, you need to define clear objectives that guide your question selection. It’s also significant to use a variety of question types, including Likert scales and open-ended questions, to gather extensive feedback. Keep your survey concise and visually appealing, as this encourages higher response rates. Knowing how to structure your survey effectively can make all the difference in the insights you gather. What specific strategies will help you maximize your survey’s effectiveness? Key Takeaways Define clear objectives to guide your survey questions, ensuring they align with your business goals and customer expectations. Use a mix of question types, including Likert scales and open-ended questions, to capture both quantitative and qualitative feedback. Keep the survey concise, ideally under 10 questions, to enhance engagement and improve response rates. Distribute surveys promptly after key interactions to maximize relevance and recall, using channels like email and in-app prompts. Regularly review and update your survey content to reflect changing customer preferences and industry trends for continued relevance. Understanding Customer Satisfaction and CSAT Surveys When you want to understand how customers feel about your products or services, Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) surveys are an effective tool at your disposal. These surveys typically use a scale from 1 to 5, allowing you to measure customer happiness accurately. To calculate your CSAT score, divide the number of satisfied customers—those who rate you a 4 or 5—by the total number of respondents, giving you a percentage that reflects overall satisfaction. A well-structured customer satisfaction survey form can help you pinpoint areas for improvement and better understand customer needs. You can improve your insights by implementing a feedback form template after key interactions, such as purchases or support engagements. This approach will give you timely data on customer perceptions and expectations, which can ultimately influence customer loyalty and retention, making this client survey form an essential component of your overall strategy. Importance and Benefits of Customer Surveys Customer surveys are crucial for businesses aiming to improve their grasp of client experiences and preferences. They provide critical insights that can elevate the overall customer experience, leading to increased loyalty and retention rates. Comprehending customer sentiments is fundamental, as positive experiences can result in a 91% likelihood of recommendations. Here are some key benefits of utilizing customer surveys: Identify areas for improvement: 89% of customer experience professionals note poor experiences lead to churn. Foster better relationships: Acting on feedback increases trust and brand loyalty. Adapt to market changes: Regular surveys help businesses keep up with evolving customer expectations. Utilize effective templates: A client feedback form template or a simple feedback form can streamline data collection. Creating and Structuring Customer Satisfaction Surveys To create effective customer satisfaction surveys, you need to start by defining your survey objectives clearly. This helps you tailor your questions to gather relevant information that aligns with your business goals. Defining Survey Objectives Defining clear objectives for your customer satisfaction survey is crucial, as it sets the foundation for effective data collection and analysis. Start by identifying what you want to achieve, which helps guide your question selection. Consider these key points: Measure customer satisfaction with specific products or services. Assess satisfaction with pricing, product value, and overall customer service experience. Customize questions to align with your unique business objectives. Regularly review and update content to reflect changing customer expectations. Using a survey spreadsheet template can streamline this process, allowing you to organize your objectives and questions efficiently. Question Types and Formats Creating a well-structured customer satisfaction survey involves selecting the right types of questions and formats. Utilizing various question types improves the depth and breadth of insights collected. Here’s a quick overview: Question Type Purpose Example Likert Scale Measures degrees of satisfaction “How satisfied are you?” Open-Ended Captures detailed feedback “What can we improve?” Multiple-Choice Offers specific options “Which service did you use?” Incorporating demographic and usage frequency questions helps segment responses, allowing you to tailor strategies for different customer groups. Keep surveys concise, ideally under 10 questions, to increase response rates and reduce fatigue. Survey Question Types and Best Practices When creating your customer satisfaction survey, it’s essential to understand the different types of survey questions you can use, such as Likert scale, open-ended, and binary questions. Each type serves a specific purpose, helping you gather both quantitative data and qualitative insights that can inform your business strategies. Furthermore, implementing best practices—like keeping surveys concise and personalizing them based on customer interactions—can greatly improve response rates and the overall quality of feedback you receive. Types of Survey Questions Comprehending the different types of survey questions is crucial for gathering meaningful feedback from your customers. Each question type serves a unique purpose, allowing you to capture various aspects of customer sentiment and experience. Here are four common types: Likert Scale Questions: Gauge opinions on a scale from ‘Strongly Agree’ to ‘Strongly Disagree’, providing nuanced insights. Open-Ended Questions: Allow respondents to elaborate on their experiences, offering qualitative feedback that highlights areas for improvement. Nominal Questions: Categorize responses without a specific order, useful for demographic data collection. Binary Questions: Provide quick, quantifiable data with two answer options (e.g., Yes/No), simplifying analysis. Understanding these types will help you design effective surveys that yield valuable insights. Best Practices for Surveys To effectively gather customer insights, it’s essential to implement best practices in survey design and execution. Start by utilizing a mix of question types, like Likert scale, open-ended, and multiple-choice questions, to capture both quantitative and qualitative data. Keep your surveys concise, ideally under 10 questions, to maintain engagement and reduce abandonment rates. Timing is also important; send surveys shortly after key touchpoints in the customer experience for timely feedback. Personalization improves the experience, so address customers by their first names and tailor questions to their specific interactions. Finally, regularly analyze feedback for trends and actionable insights, ensuring your survey evolves to reflect changing customer expectations and your business goals. Analyzing Survey Results Analyzing survey results is crucial for comprehending customer satisfaction and driving meaningful improvements in your business. To effectively analyze the data, consider these best practices: Use a mix of question types, like Likert scale, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions, to capture both quantitative and qualitative insights. Keep surveys concise, ideally under 10 questions, to maintain engagement and minimize abandonment. Craft clear and straightforward questions that serve a specific purpose, improving survey effectiveness. Time your surveys well, sending them shortly after key customer interactions to boost response rates and relevance. Regularly reviewing this data helps identify trends and actionable insights, enabling timely advancements in customer experience and satisfaction levels. Tools and Resources for Effective Surveys When you’re looking to create effective customer satisfaction surveys, leveraging the right tools and resources can make all the difference. Start with SurveyMonkey‘s expert-created survey templates, which streamline the creation process customized to your business needs. For a thorough view of customer interactions, integrate your surveys with CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot, guaranteeing automatic data syncing. To determine the appropriate number of responses for statistically significant results, employ the Sample Size Calculator, which assures reliable outcomes. Regularly review and update your survey questions to align with changing customer expectations and market conditions. Here’s a table highlighting key resources: Tool/Resource Purpose SurveyMonkey Expert templates for survey creation Salesforce/HubSpot Integration Automatic syncing of customer feedback Sample Size Calculator Guarantees statistically significant results Customer Feedback Guide Best practices for designing successful surveys Regular Review Practices Keeps surveys relevant to current customer expectations Strategies to Improve Survey Response Rates Improving survey response rates is crucial for gathering valuable customer feedback and insights. To improve your survey’s effectiveness, consider these strategies: Send surveys quickly after key touchpoints, like purchases or customer service interactions, as customers recall their experiences better. Offer incentives such as discounts or account credits; research indicates respondents prefer these over unrelated gifts. Keep it concise; limit your survey to under 10 questions to maintain engagement and reduce abandonment rates, as lengthy surveys can frustrate users. Utilize multiple channels for distribution, including email, in-app prompts, and social media, allowing customers to choose their preferred method, which increases response likelihood. Additionally, timing your surveys for ideal open and click-through rates, especially on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays, can greatly improve response rates. Implementing these strategies will help you gather more meaningful feedback from your customers. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 3 C’s of Customer Satisfaction? The 3 C’s of customer satisfaction are Consistency, Communication, and Customer Experience. Consistency means delivering the same quality and service across all interactions, which builds trust. Communication involves engaging with customers, listening to their feedback, and addressing concerns swiftly, enhancing their experience. Finally, Customer Experience encompasses every interaction from awareness to post-purchase support, greatly impacting the likelihood of repeat business and recommendations. Focusing on these elements can boost customer loyalty and revenue. How to Create a Customer Satisfaction Form? To create a customer satisfaction form, start by defining clear objectives that outline what insights you need, like overall satisfaction or specific feedback. Use a mix of question types, such as Likert scale and open-ended questions, to gather diverse responses. Keep the survey concise, ideally under ten questions, for better engagement. Distribute it swiftly after customer interactions to guarantee relevance. Finally, regularly analyze the data to identify trends and areas needing improvement. What Is the 5 Point Scale for Customer Satisfaction Survey? The 5-point scale for customer satisfaction surveys ranges from 1, indicating high dissatisfaction, to 5, signifying high satisfaction. This scale allows you to express your feelings about a product or service clearly. Using it simplifies your decision-making process, as you choose a single number that reflects your experience. Scores of 4 or 5 highlight satisfied customers, making it easier for businesses to analyze data, track trends, and identify areas for improvement effectively. What Are the Four Types of Customer Satisfaction Surveys? There are four main types of customer satisfaction surveys you should consider. First, Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) measures immediate contentment with specific interactions. Second, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) assesses your likelihood of recommending a product or service. Third, the Customer Effort Score (CES) gauges how easy it’s for you to complete tasks. Finally, Open-ended Feedback Surveys let you express detailed thoughts, capturing insights beyond structured questions. Each type serves a unique purpose. Conclusion In summary, creating an effective customer satisfaction survey form is crucial for comprehending customer experiences and improving services. By defining clear objectives and utilizing diverse question types, you can gather valuable feedback. Remember to keep your survey concise and visually appealing, as well as timing its distribution for best response rates. Regularly updating your survey will help you stay aligned with evolving customer expectations, eventually leading to improved satisfaction and loyalty. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Creating an Effective Customer Satisfaction Survey Form" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Understand why entity linking is becoming a strategic requirement for local SEO in AI search environments. The post Case Study: How Entity Linking Can Support Local Search Success appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

My mom taught me a neat trick when I went to college: Take the leftover veggies from dinner, chop some fine onion, add some hot sauce, and use it as your sandwich spread. I used the hack all the time — sometimes for breakfast on busy mornings and other times for snacking in late evenings. I was always surprised at how different yet familiar the sandwich tasted. That's content repurposing in a nutshell: You take existing content and adapt it into new formats for different platforms. But what most of us struggle with is practicing repurposing content regularly. It doesn’t become a part of workflows so easily, and it’s often more difficult than it looks. In this article, I’ll first answer some of the most common questions related to content repurposing to help you make it a non-negotiable part of your working process. Then, I’ll share various ways of repackaging various types of content — from long-form articles to short-form videos. Let’s dive in. Key takeawaysDifferent methods: Understand that crossposting is sharing as-is, reposting is repeating on the same channel, and repurposing is adapting content into new formats.Maximize reach: Repurposing helps expand reach and improves SEO by targeting similar keywords across different platforms.Workflow integration: Think about repurposing during the initial content creation phase to make the process easy.Quality over quantity: You don't need to be on every channel; focus on platforms where your audience is active and where you have the bandwidth to maintain quality.The 5-to-1 rule: Aim to create at least five smaller social media posts from every single long-form piece of content. Jump to a section: What is content repurposing, and why should I do it? How is repurposing content different from crossposting and reposting? When should I start repurposing content? How do I decide which content to repurpose first? How can I make content repurposing part of my workflow? Should I repurpose my content for every channel? 5 ways to repurpose long-form written content 5 ways to repurpose long-form video content 3 ways to repurpose social media content 3 ways to repurpose newsletter content Get the most out of every piece you create More content marketing resources What is content repurposing, and why should I do it?Think of content repurposing as recycling. With a couple of tweaks, even small ones, you can use your content again. It'll save you hours you would've spent creating something new from scratch — time you can use to engage with your audience or focus on strategy. And the benefits of repurposing content go above and beyond time-saving. In the digital marketing world, content repurposing: Helps you expand your content’s reach (because you share it multiple times in more than one format to new audiences)Enables you to create more content without burning out (because you don’t have to use brainpower to think of a new idea)Boosts your SEO efforts (friendly for search engines because you’re creating multiple content pieces targeting similar keywords)How is repurposing content different from crossposting and reposting?The commonality? All three (crossposting, reposting, repurposing) are ways to reuse your existing content. Crossposting is when you share a piece of content as-is on another social media platform. For example, you can post your TikTok video as an Instagram Reel and a YouTube Shorts video without changing anything since they are similar content types. Creator Laura Whaley does this regularly with her TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Reposting content is when you republish a piece of content on the same platform. For example, you repost a write-up on X (formerly Twitter) that previously got a ton of engagement and positive response from your audience. For example, Katelyn Bourgoin posted timeless advice on X in 2020 and repeated it in 2021, also on X. ⚡ Pro tip: It’s easy-peasy to do this with Buffer’s Duplicate feature. All you have to do is find the post on your queue or calendar and press the Duplicate button.Repurposing content is keeping the crux of a piece’s idea and adapting it for other social media channels. For example, you distill high-performing old blog posts into Instagram carousel posts. At Buffer, we regularly repurpose content — and one of our core strategies is turning our blogs into social media posts. For example, we turned this blog post on creating content pillars into an Instagram carousel (and even a thread on X). The difference is minute but crucial: Method Definition Primary Benefit Crossposting Sharing a piece of content as-is on a different platform. Saves time. Reposting Publishing the same piece of content again on the same platform. Doubles down on success. Repurposing Adapting the core idea into a new format (e.g., blog to video). Improves distribution and reach. In your social media marketing strategy, you need all three. Why? Crossposting saves time, reposting helps you double down on your success, and repurposing content helps you with content distribution. Here’s how you should approach the three methods: Crosspost content across social media channels wherever you canMonitor the posts getting the most reach and schedule them to be reposted after a certain time periodBake repurposing into your content creation workflow and post the same piece of content in various formats and channelsWhen should I start repurposing content?The short answer: start repurposing any time you have an existing piece you’d love more people to see — whether that’s a years-old evergreen post, a fresh launch announcement, or content you want to test on a brand-new platform. Do you already have a ton of content backlog? Then, you should start thinking about content repurposing immediately. Repackage those old pieces (begin with the popular posts) to get more value out of them. ⚠️ Note: Only repurpose the posts that are currently relevant. If a piece of content is outdated, refresh it with up-to-date information before repurposing it.Are you new to content creation (for social media or in general)? Then, try to embed content repurposing into your workflow. For instance, you could make it a task to turn every YouTube video you create into short-form videos for shorts, reels, and TikTok. This way, you get ahead of the game and don’t wait till you don’t get enough organic engagement to think about content repurposing. ⚠️ Note: Repurposing content doesn’t mean you have to be active on every channel possible. If your strategy currently includes only YouTube and TikTok, focus on repurposing only for those channels. You don’t need to think about Instagram just because it’s available. It’s better to ace two to three channels rather than do a mediocre job of managing five platforms simultaneously.Are you breaking into a new channel or platform? Then, start content repurposing right away. Most channels and platforms will give you an advantage if you post more frequently. To publish at a higher cadence, take the content you already have on other channels and repurpose it for the new platform. For example, if you’re trying to grow on Instagram Threads, you can easily repurpose (or even crosspost) content you posted on X since both platforms allow for a similar type of content. Read more: 8 Social Media Content Ideas to Incorporate into Your Strategy ⚠️ Note: When you’re hitting the ground running with a new channel or platform, sprinkle repurposed posts along with native content. If all your posts on the new channel are repackaged from somewhere else, they can come across as repetitive to your audience.Should you repurpose only old content?If you have an up-to-date content backlog, don’t limit yourself by repurposing only old content. Make content repurposing a part of your workflow for new posts too. This way, old posts will continue getting repurposed, and you’ll not accumulate more recent posts in your “needs to be repurposed” pile. Sprinkle the old repurposed and the new repurposed strategically across your content calendar. Should you repurpose only evergreen content?It's a bit of both, actually. You can’t repurpose time-sensitive old pieces. For example, if you’re launching a new product line, repurpose it across all platforms as soon as possible. It's news that’ll get old fast. If it’s already been more than a month since the launch, you can’t repurpose a “new” launch post. (This is why we’re advocates of embedding repurposing with content creation itself. It ensures no piece goes stale without getting repurposed.) You can repurpose irrelevant old content after refreshing it. For example, if you’re trying to repurpose a post on a work-related topic pre-pandemic, you need to first update it with the info and happenings of the post-pandemic world. Once refreshed, you can repurpose it (even if it isn’t “evergreen”) — because it’ll be relevant to your audiences today. How do I decide which content to repurpose first?Begin with the content that’s already proven itself — your highest-performing, still-relevant pieces — then work backwards through the rest of your library. But in reality, it's tough to figure out where to start. Should you concentrate on repurposing your old content backlog fast? Or should you put the spotlight on repurposing newly published content first? There's no single right answer here. What you should prioritize depends on your goals with content repurposing. For example, if your goal with content repurposing is to pump new life into pieces that are losing traffic, your priority should be repurposing your old posts. But if you aim to build brand awareness and expand your reach, your focus should be on repurposing posts that went live more recently. How can I make content repurposing part of my workflow?The easiest way to make content repurposing part of your workflow is to think about it from the start — right when you're creating content — like Chima Mmeje, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Moz: “I start thinking about repurposing opportunities from the moment I'm reviewing a content brief. It's a strategic part of content creation, with an eye on lifecycle and future engagement. I consider the desired metrics and target audiences, understanding where they spend their time online to inform our repurposing strategy. For instance, our recent post on AI for SEO serves as a stellar example of digital asset spin-offs; it's been repurposed into an engaging OG image, capitalizing on X’s (formerly Twitter) new link preview format to make a stronger visual impact.” Let's say you run a blog and an Instagram account. When you're writing a blog post, think about Instagram too: How can you structure your article so it’s easy to read on your website and as a carousel post?What is the information in your blog that can make for an engaging Instagram Reel?What information from your blog can you use to create an interactive Instagram Story?Can you turn your blog into a SlideShare presentation for an Instagram Live broadcast?Which graphics from your article will make for an excellent in-feed post?Try to create at least five mini posts from every long-form piece — whether video or written. Keeping repurposing at the center of content creation ensures you don’t have to spend many hours repackaging posts to be friendly for another channel or platform. Once you're done, take another look at your post. You might spot even more ways to repurpose it for the channels you're already using. Should I repurpose my content for every channel?No. Repurpose your newly-created or old content only for the channels you’re already active on or the channels you’re trying to build a community on. Content repurposing is an easier way to boost your online presence. But that doesn’t translate to being active and present everywhere. Justin Simon, Content Distribution Consultant for B2B SaaS and Creator of Content Repurposing Roadmap, agrees: “The two biggest mistakes are assuming you need to repurpose content into dozens of formats and then share it on every platform possible. Both of these mistakes will hold you back. The best thing you can do is create a repurposing plan that you will stick to. Even if that means creating only two types of content and distributing on a few key channels. Executing fewer things consistently will drive way more growth than if you try to do all the things at once and get burned out.” Don’t become active on different platforms just because you can repurpose content for them. Think: Is your target audience even present on the new channel?Do your customers like to hear from you on this platform? Do you and your team have the bandwidth to create a mix of native and repurposed posts for this new channel?Only add a new platform when it makes sense for your audience and when you actually have time to show up there consistently. Now that we've covered the basics, let's look at how repurposing actually works in practice. 5 ways to repurpose long-form written contentLong-form written content includes blog content, ebooks, research reports, whitepapers, and case studies. These are great for repurposing because they're packed with insights you can adapt into different formats. 1. Turn your e-books and research reports into blog postsLet's start with the easiest option: Repurpose your existing long-form content to another long-form content. For example, you can turn the various chapters of your e-book into blogs of their own. Or you could repurpose snippets from your research report into a blog. The company Influencer Marketing Hub does this regularly. They have a “State of Influencer Marketing” Report released every year. They repurpose this report into an article of its own — sharing only the key statistics from the whole report. 2. Turn snippets from long-form content into posts for X and LinkedIn, newsletters, and community repliesLong-form written content has a ton of information. From each piece, you can create multiple posts for X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn — because both social media platforms are text-friendly. We do this regularly at Buffer by creating a post on LinkedIn and X for every long-form blog we publish. For example, we recently talked about pivoting your personal brand in an article and revamped that post for LinkedIn. 💡 Notice how we also adapted the post to fit the platform? The language was snappy, and the structure was more skim-friendly on LinkedIn. Remember, repurposing isn’t crossposting. Make modifications to fit the platform.Similarly, you can share snippets from your long-form content in your newsletter, Facebook Groups, Reddit, or Quora. For instance, SparkToro regularly shares snippets of their articles (like this one about high-quality content) in their newsletter. ⚡ Pro tip: When sharing scraps from your long-form written content, always encourage people to read the whole piece with a call-to-action. This ensures you actually boost the traffic of your original piece.3. Turn long-form snippets into infographics for Instagram and PinterestCreating visual assets from written content isn’t as easy as repurposing it into another text-friendly format. Still, it’s worthwhile if you have a presence on a visual social media channel like Instagram or Pinterest. For instance, we recently converted our blog post about AI prompts into an carousel post for Instagram. ⚡ Pro tip: You can also share these graphics on X and LinkedIn with supporting text — a hybrid of repurposing and crossposting content. Both platforms support (and love) visual content. We posted the same AI prompts carousel on our LinkedIn profile.4. Turn long-form insights into a YouTube video or Instagram LiveYou can present your long-form content as a video on YouTube and Instagram, too. For example, HypeAuditor collaborated with an influencer marketing expert — Gordon Glenister — for a YouTube live webinar on their 2023 State of Influencer Marketing report. The best part? From your long-form video, you can create various short-form videos for other social media channels — further extending the reach of your original long-form written piece. 5. Turn quick takeaways from long-form content into Instagram Reels or TikTok videosYou can convert the takeaways from your long-form piece into an Instagram Reel or a TikTok video, too. Not every written piece can be distilled into a short 15 to 60 second clip, but if it has clear takeaways — and you’re active on Instagram or TikTok — give it a shot and see how your audience likes it. We do this ourselves at Buffer by sharing Instagram Reels about our blogs. For instance, we narrated the critical insights from our personal branding framework into a reel. ⚡ Pro tip: You can also use static images from within your long-form content with a voiceover in the background to make repurposing content more efficient.5 ways to repurpose long-form video contentYou likely publish various types of long-form videos such as webinars, tutorials, video podcasts, or live broadcasts. Since these videos are long and packed with useful information, they can be easily repurposed into different formats. 1. Turn long videos into short-form clipsThe easiest way to get more out of your long-form videos is to cut them into snippets for YouTube Shorts, reels, or TikTok. Share these across platforms to boost engagement. Creator Cleo Abrams does this regularly. Look at how she created an Instagram Reel from her YouTube video and encouraged her followers to watch the whole thing. And don’t think you can’t do this if you aren’t active on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. LinkedIn and X also love video content. Modash, for example, regularly cuts its video podcasts into posts for LinkedIn. No matter which platform you're using, you can edit your long-form videos into shorter clips that are easier to share and consume. 2. Turn video snippets into written takeaways for blogs, newsletters, and social mediaUse insights from your videos to create social media posts, blogs, and newsletters. For example, Justin Simon promoted his podcast by sharing an insight from the episode on LinkedIn. The post included a video snippet and a call to action to watch the full podcast. 3. Turn your video into a blog postSimilar to converting long-form content into videos, you can turn your videos into blog posts. For example, Ahrefs’ YouTube video about ChatGPT for SEO was later embedded into a detailed blog article. This helps you reach more people and gives your audience options for how they want to consume your content. 4. Turn a long video into an audio podcastIf your video content can work as an audio-only format, release it on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts. For example, Tommy Walker turned his live editing sessions into podcasts. This works really well for webinars, tutorials, or interviews where people don't need to see what's happening on screen. 5. Turn video stills into shareable social imagesIf your video contains static images or presentations, repurpose those images into shareable social media graphics. For example, YNAB shared a video about their redesign and repurposed it into an Instagram carousel with the same images. If your videos include presentations or static images, use those assets to create engaging posts on other social channels, promoting your original content. 💡Read more: What to Post on Instagram: 19 Examples from Small Businesses That You Can Make Your Own3 ways to repurpose social media contentSocial media content includes everything from LinkedIn posts to TikTok videos. Here are ways to maximize its value: 1. Turn X, Threads, and Bluesky threads or long posts into LinkedIn content, and vice versaX (formerly Twitter), Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn all work well for text-based content, which makes them great for cross-platform repurposing. Repurpose content between them by adjusting the phrasing, hook, and structure to suit each platform’s style. For example, a LinkedIn post about AI can be turned into a Twitter thread with slight tweaks. Chima Mmeje nails this. Look at how she repurposed her LinkedIn post about AI into a thread on X (formerly Twitter) by slightly tweaking the hook and the structure. 2. Turn text threads into Instagram carousels, and vice versaTurn your threads from X, Threads, or Bluesky into Instagram carousels using tools like Canva. Simply select a template, customize with your brand colors, and post. You can repurpose X threads into Instagram carousels using Canva 3. Turn Instagram Reels and TikTok videos on the same topic into a long-form videoYou likely publish various types of posts around the subtopics within your social media niche. If you’re active on reels, shorts, or TikTok, you can combine short-form videos around the same niche topic and convert them into long-form YouTube videos. Entertainment channels do this often. Take The Graham Norton Show — it combined various clips from the interviews with Emily Blunt to create a new (repurposed) video. 📣See how our Senior Content Creator, Tamilore Oladipo, filled up her calendar with questions from her community – and used Buffer's Community feature to translate them to content.3 ways to repurpose newsletter contentYou can repurpose newsletter content into social media posts, graphics, and videos to get more eyes on your work. 1. Turn newsletter snippets into posts for X and LinkedInPull out the most interesting parts of your newsletter and turn them into posts for social media. For example, John Bonini repurposed a newsletter about content strategy into a LinkedIn post. If you're running a small business, this is one of the quickest ways to boost engagement without adding hours to your workload. Just ensure you adapt the content to fit each platform’s style. 2. Turn newsletter insights into shareable images for Instagram and PinterestTurn newsletter insights into engaging graphics. For example, Splainer repurposed a newsletter about Elon Musk’s AI chatbot into an Instagram carousel with vibrant visuals. ⚡Pro tip: Add your brand colors and graphics to make the content feel more like yours.3. Turn newsletter sections into short-form videos for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube ShortsIf your newsletter has a consistent structure, repurpose sections into short videos. For example, The Know turns daily news into quick Instagram Reels by reading headlines in a list format. This helps you stay visible on social while driving people back to your newsletter. Get the most out of every piece you createRepurposing content helps you avoid burnout and get more from the work you've already done. Aim to repurpose at least five social media posts from each long-form piece. Build repurposing into your workflow, use Buffer to schedule everything, and you'll start seeing the benefits without the extra stress. More content marketing resources 28 Digital Marketing Tools for Small Businesses (+ Budget-Friendly and Free Options)40 Free High-Quality Social Media Icon Sets For Your Website27 Simple, Free SEO Tools to Boost Your Search Rankings in 2026How I Turned One Community Conversation Into Weeks' Worth of Content19 Newsletters for Creators and Marketers in 2026View the full article

If you missed out on a better era of consuming news and other online content, RSS either stands for RDF (Resource Description Framework) Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication, depending on who you ask—even Wikipedia includes both expansions of the initialism. Whatever the linguistic details, one of the main roles of RSS is to supply directly to you a steady stream of updates from a website. Every new article published on that site is served up in a list that can be interpreted by an RSS reader. In earlier, simpler internet times, RSS was the way to keep up to date with what was happening on all of your favorite sites. You would open your RSS reader and tap through newly published articles one by one, in chronological order, in the same way you would check your email. It was an easy way to keep tabs on what was new and what was of interest. Unfortunately, RSS is no longer how most of us consume "content." (Google famously killed its beloved Google Reader more than a decade ago.) It's now the norm to check social media or the front pages of many different sites to see what's new. But I think RSS still has a place in your life: Especially for those who don't want to miss anything or have algorithms choosing what they read, it remains one of the best ways to navigate the internet. Here's a primer on what RSS can (still!) do for you, and how to get started with it, even in this late era of online existence. How RSS works Inoreader will keep you right up to date. Credit: Inoreader RSS is essentially a standard for serving up text and images in a feed-like format, and not all that dissimilar to HTML. Typically, the feed includes the headline of an article, some of the text (often just the introduction), and perhaps the main image. RSS data isn't really readable in a browser tab, but it is in an app built to interpret RSS properly. The RSS standard actually remains the default way of distributing podcasts, with each new episode—together with the episode title, cover art, and descriptive blurb—appearing as a new entry in the feed of your podcast app of choice. When you subscribe to a new show through Pocket Casts or Apple Podcasts, you're essentially pointing the app towards the RSS feed for the podcast you want to listen to, and it takes care of serving up each new episode. In times gone by, websites would prominently display their RSS feed links somewhere on the front page. That's less common now, but you can often find these feeds if you dig deeper or run a web search for them (incidentally, the Lifehacker RSS feed can be found here). Some sites offer multiple RSS feeds covering different categories of content, such as tech or sports. Even when a site doesn't explicitly offer RSS feeds, the best RSS readers can now produce their own approximation of them by watching for new activity on a site, so you can direct the app toward the site you want to keep tabs on. In Google Discover for example, available on Android and iOS, you can keep tabs on new content on sites by tapping the Follow button that appears next to stories. The advantages of using an RSS reader Feedly has a choice of layouts to pick from. Credit: Lifehacker We're all different when it comes to how we consume news on the web: Some of us will browse social media feeds, some of us will load up the same sites every morning, and some of us will get updates via push notifications on our phones. The benefits of RSS will vary depending on how you like to stay up to date. However, RSS is clearly useful if you have a selection of favorite websites and you want to skim through everything they publish (or everything they publish in a certain category, if the site has several feeds). No one is choosing what you see but you—you have more control over your news diet, free from any choices made by an algorithm. Using RSS means you can catch up on everything, methodically and chronologically, even if you've been offline for a week (you don't have to catch up on everything, of course—but you can, if you want, as your feed will operate on an infinite scroll). It's also a cleaner, less cluttered way of using the internet, as you only need to click through on the specific articles you want to read. Some of the other advantages of RSS will depend on the reader app you're using. You might be able to sort your feeds in different ways, for example, or search back through the archives for specific types of stories, or add notes and bookmarks to links you're particularly interested in. If you've never given RSS a try, it's well worth giving it a go. The best RSS reader apps in 2026 You can load RSS feeds right into Google Chat. Credit: Lifehacker RSS readers aren't quite as ubiquitous as they once were, but you can still find quite a few if you take a look around. FeedlyThe best RSS reader currently in operation is arguably Feedly, which offers a bunch of features across free and paid-for plans (starting from $8 per month): It has a clean, clear interface, it can generate RSS feeds for sites that don't have them, it can sort feeds in a variety of ways, it can incorporate email newsletters, and plenty more besides. FeederFeeder is a good place to start for RSS newbies because it gets you up and running quickly, and offers a straightforward interface. It works seamlessly across all the major platforms, and if you need extra bells and whistles—including a real time dashboard, access to more feeds, and sophisticated filters for your feeds—paid plans start at $9.99 per month. Google ChatYou can actually subscribe to RSS feeds inside Google Chat, in spaces that are just for you or for groups of people. On the web, click the three dots next to Apps, then Find apps: Track down the one called Feeds, and once you've installed it, you can add it to any space and subscribe to feeds by clicking the + (plus) button to the left of the text input box. NewsifyNewsify has some specific features that may appeal to you, including a classic, newspaper-style layout and offline functionality. Available on Apple devices and the web, it offers an impressive level of customization and plenty of sharing tools, while a premium account (yours for $2.99 a month) adds features like full text feeds and AI summaries. InoreaderAnother RSS reader with a lot of fans is Inoreader. It has all the tools and features you need for carefully curating feeds, and keeps an extensive archive of everything you've ever looked at—handy if you need to retrace your steps. Pay for a premium plan (from $9.99 a month) to remove ads and access even more features, such as email newsletter support. NewsBlurFinally, there's NewsBlur, which is bursting at the seams with features: Story tagging, full text search, and third-party app integrations, for example. It's one of the best options for giving you control over how feeds in the app are presented. Many of the features are available for free, but for more features and more feeds, paid plans start at $36 a year. View the full article

Around the turn of the year, search industry media fills up with reviews and predictions. Bold, disruptive ideas steal the spotlight and trigger a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out). However, sustainable online sales growth doesn’t come from chasing the next big trend. In SEO, what truly matters stays the same. FOMO is bad for you We regularly get excited about the next big thing. Each new idea is framed as a disruptive force that will level the playing field. Real shifts do happen, but they are rare. More often, the promised upheaval fades into a storm in a teacup. Over the years, search has introduced many innovations that now barely raise an eyebrow. Just a few examples: Voice search. Universal Search. Google Instant. The Knowledge Graph. HTTPS as a ranking signal. RankBrain. Mobile-first indexing. AMP. Featured snippets and zero-click searches. E-A-T and E-E-A-T. Core Web Vitals. Passage indexing. AI Overviews. Some claimed these developments would revolutionize SEO or wipe it out entirely. That never happened. The latest addition to the SEO hype cycle, LLMs and AI, fits neatly into this list. After the initial upheaval, the excitement has already started to fade. The benefits of LLMs are clear in some areas, especially coding and software development. AI tools boost efficiency and significantly shorten production cycles. In organic search, however, their impact remains limited, despite warnings from attention-seeking doomsayers. No AI-driven challenger has captured meaningful search market share. Beyond ethical concerns about carbon footprint and extreme energy use, accuracy remains the biggest hurdle. Because they rely on unverified inputs, LLM-generated answers often leave users more confused than informed. AI-driven platforms still depend on crawling the web and using core SEO signals to train models and answer queries. Like any bot, they need servers and content to be accessible and crawlable. Without strong quality controls, low-quality inputs produce inconsistent and unreliable outputs. This is just one reason why Google’s organic search market share remains close to 90%. It also explains why Google is likely to remain the dominant force in ecommerce search for the foreseeable future. For now, a critical mass of users will continue to rely on Google as their search engine of choice. It’s all about data Fundamentally, it makes little difference whether a business focuses on Google, LLM-based alternatives, or both. All search systems depend on crawled data, and that won’t change. Fast, reliable, and trustworthy indexing signals sit at the core of every ranking system. Instead of chasing hype, brands and businesses are better served by focusing on two core areas: their customers’ needs and the crawlability of their web platforms. Customer needs always come first. Most users do not care whether a provider uses the latest innovation. They care about whether expectations are met and promises are kept. That will not change. Meeting user expectations will remain a core objective of SEO. Crawlability is just as critical. A platform that cannot be properly crawled or indexed has no chance in competitive sectors such as retail, travel, marketplaces, news, or affiliate marketing. Making sure bots can crawl a site, and algorithms can clearly understand the unique value of its content, will remain a key success factor in both SEO and GEO for the foreseeable future. Won’t change: Uncrawled content won’t rank Other factors are unlikely to change as well, including brand recognition, user trust, ease of use, and fast site performance. These factors have always mattered and will continue to do so. They only support SEO and GEO if a platform can be properly crawled and understood. That is why regular reviews of technical signals are a critical part of a successful online operation. Won’t change: server errors prevent indexing by any bot At the start of a new year, you should resist the fear of missing out on the latest novelty. Following the herd rarely helps anyone stand out. A better approach is to focus on what is certain to remain consistent in 2026 and beyond. What to do next Publishers can breathe a sigh of relief. There is no need to rush into a new tool just because everyone else is. Adopt it if it makes sense, but no tool alone will make a business thrive. Focus on what you do best and make it even better. Your customers will notice and appreciate it. At the same time, make sure your web platform is fast and reliable, that your most relevant content is regularly re-crawled, and that bots clearly understand its purpose. These are the SEO and GEO factors that will endure. Holistic SEO is both an art and a science. While it is far more complex in 2026, it is the unchanging foundational signals that matter most. View the full article

Interview with Perplexity AI offers insights into what makes AI answer engines different from regular search The post Perplexity AI Interview Explains How AI Search Works appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Here is a weird one - one person named Kunjal Chawhan spotted a Google AI Overview that had an HTML font strikethrough in the text. So it looks like Google is offering an answer, but it's struck through as a false answer...View the full article

Back in May, Google announced updates to shopping in AI Mode. One of those announcements is to help you narrow down your AI Mode results for shopping queries using query fan-out. Well, here is an example of that where Google AI Mode is prompting you to narrow down the options.View the full article

Yep, back on comments from Google on the LLMs.txt file. Another question came up on Bluesky asking if the fact that some Google properties still have the LLMs.txt files up, if that is some sort of endorsement from Google. John Mueller from Google said, simply, "no," it is not an endorsement.View the full article

Like many industries, architecture has jumped on the artificial intelligence bandwagon. AI tools are becoming everyday parts of the practice of architecture, from iterating design concepts to optimizing floor plans to accelerating the creation of construction documents. Some architecture firms are even branding themselves as “AI-driven.” AI’s infusion into architecture is well underway, but it’s also an ongoing process. Firms are finding new ways of making these emerging tools work for the way they design buildings, while also grappling with what AI could do to a profession so dependent on actual human intelligence. Fast Company asked architects from some of the top firms working in the U.S. and around the world how AI is making its way into their work and business, and what we might expect to see in the next year as AI adoption continues. Here’s the question we put to a panel of designers and leaders in architecture: How do you see AI changing architecture in 2026? Fluid movement AI is moving from experimentation to expectation, particularly in early-stage exploration. Its real value isn’t replacing creativity but removing friction from the design process and making it easier for architects to express intent and quickly see viable options. We’re moving toward a world where teams can load contextual project data and project outcomes and immediately explore design solutions, without getting bogged down in manual setup or repetitive tasks. With AI that supports seamless collaboration and iteration in context, architects will be able to collaborate freely with stakeholders and move fluidly between ideas, levels of details, and outcomes. The architects who succeed will be those who use AI to expand their creative range and sharpen decision-making, not replace it. – Amy Bunszel, EVP of architecture, engineering and construction solutions, Autodesk More rigorous and transparent design process In 2026, the question will no longer be whether firms use AI, but how responsibly and intentionally they do so. At WXY, we see AI as a way to make design processes more rigorous and transparent, not faster for the sake of efficiency alone. Used well, AI can strengthen analysis, clarify tradeoffs, and support more informed decision-making. Used poorly, it risks flattening complexity and distancing designers from accountability. The fundamental shift that AI will spur at WXY will be cultural, honing our understanding of judgment, authorship, and ethical use rather than the firm’s technical capability. – Claire Weisz, founding principal, WXY architecture + urban design Option curation, not object generation AI will continue to be less about sexy imagery, and more about rapid test-fitting. We’ve already created tools that incorporate climate analysis and evaluate massing iterations to maximize value for our clients. We will continue to develop systems with AI that enable option curation versus object generation, to assist more with early feasibility and storytelling. – Trent Tesch, principal, KPF Exploring, but safely AI is rapidly changing design practice, in everything from the legal review of contracts to building code reviews of design solutions to how we generate design visualization. Its greatest impact to date has been in areas of practice that have large data sets, or that focus on repetitive and easily automated tasks. When it comes to creative exploration, the tools are changing so rapidly that designers are working hard to keep up with everything from protecting our intellectual property to communicating, disseminating, and training applications across the firm. We are already sandboxing AI to help us explore different creative tools safely. – David Polzin, executive director of Design, CannonDesign Power of persuasion AI represents incremental (yet meaningful) gains in nearly every aspect of what we do as designers. From ideation and image generation to geometric optimizations and environmental analysis, AI is helping both architects and engineers move more quickly, be more creative, and communicate more persuasively. – Colin Koop, partner, SOM Augmented, not artificial, intelligence There is an amazing opportunity to test ideas; the challenge is people see it as an opportunity to speed up the process, but that will not happen. It is far more nuanced. We expect to see different types of people come into the profession—coders, data analysts—which will provide an opportunity to analyze how we work and craft a relevant tool to support the design solution. The emergence of AI has sparked debates about the future of design professions, particularly in the built environment sector. However, rather than threatening to replace architects, urban planners, and landscape designers, AI can reshape their role and amplify their capabilities. The design profession of the built environment stands at a crucial intersection where human creativity meets technological advancement, where spatial understanding meets digital simulation, and where physical materiality meets virtual modeling. Rather than being replaced by AI, design professionals’ roles aren;t diminishing but are evolving, becoming more vital than ever in our increasingly complex urban world. In a pervasive AI world, design and artificial intelligence should complement one another. Perhaps if we replace “artificial” with “augmented” we can get a better understanding how to use this powerful tool. While AI can process patterns and performance data, it cannot comprehend the subtle cultural tones, and community needs that inform great architecture and urban spaces. Designers bring this crucial layer of human insight, ensuring the built environment is not just technically efficient but culturally meaningful and socially sustainable. The future of architectural and urban design isn’t about choosing between human creativity and artificial intelligence – it’s about leveraging both to create spaces that are more sustainable, livable, and impactful than ever before. – Nick Leahy, co-CEO and executive director, Perkins Eastman Human-AI collaboration In 2026, the biggest challenge is not simply AI itself, but how humans and AI systems collaborate effectively – new workflows, authorship, copyright, ethical frameworks, responsibility of charge, and decision-making approaches to leverage “collaborative intelligence” rather than treating AI as a standalone tool. We have incorporated and will extend the use in 2026, of an AI “embedded partner”—an always-on reasoning layer that synthesizes emails, text, images, slides, presentations, calculation, drawings, data, and real-time context to support architects and engineers across ideation, analysis, images, coordination, presentations, and decision-making, rather than replacing human authorship. By seamlessly integrating multimodal understanding, rapid scenario evaluation, cross-domain knowledge retrieval, and natural-language collaboration, this cognitive partner enables designers to think faster, test deeper, and act with greater confidence while keeping creative and ethical control firmly human-led. AI-enabled tools will accelerate early-stage design through rapid scenario testing, optimizing massing, structure, energy, carbon, daylight, and indoor air quality simultaneously, allowing teams to explore orders of magnitude more options while focusing human effort on judgment, synthesis, and design intent. Also, this process will be informed by past and present project data. – Luke Leung, sustainable engineering studio leader, SOM View the full article

A great, fictional man once declared: “I believe virtually everything I read.” David St. Hubbins, lead singer and guitarist of Spinal Tap, mocked the earnest confidence of rock stars in the same way AI futurists are now mocking critical thinking itself. Right now, most of the tech industry has adopted St. Hubbins’ line without the irony. Google is embedding AI into Chrome. Tech leaders are declaring the end of websites. Hundreds of links will collapse into single answers, traffic will disappear, the open web gets hollowed out. The future belongs to whoever wins inclusion in the AI’s response, not whoever builds the best site. Sigh. We spent the last decade learning that you can’t believe everything on Facebook. Now we’re about to make the same mistake with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Clean story. Wrong conclusion. It assumes people will stop thinking critically about information just because it arrives in a prettier package. Same Problem, New Wrapper The fake news crisis taught us something: Polished presentation doesn’t equal reliable information. Nice formatting, confident tone, and shareable graphics do not come with a guarantee of truth. We had to relearn basic media literacy. Check the source. Understand methodology. Look for bias. Read multiple perspectives. Think critically. Now answer engines arrive with a seductive promise: “Don’t worry about all that. Just trust what we tell you.” This is fake news 2.0. The Work Slop Warning Harvard Business Review documented what happens when people stop interrogating AI outputs. They call it “workslop,” content that looks professional but lacks substance. Polished slides, structured reports, articulate summaries that are incomplete, missing context, and often wrong. Employees now spend two hours on average cleaning up each instance. One described it as “creating a mentally lazy, slow-thinking society.” Another said: “I had to waste time checking it with my own research, then waste more time redoing the work myself.” This is what happens when we outsource critical thinking. The polish looks good. The substance isn’t there. Someone downstream pays the price. If AI can’t reliably produce good work internally, where context and accountability exist, why would we blindly trust it externally, where neither exists? High Stakes Require Verification Imagine your doctor uses an AI summary for your diagnosis. Your lawyer relies on ChatGPT for contract advice. Your financial advisor trusts Gemini’s recommendations without checking. You’d demand they verify, right? Check sources. Show methodology. Prove they’re not just accepting whatever the algorithm says. Medical decisions, legal issues, financial choices, and safety concerns all require source transparency. You need to see the work. You need context. You need to verify. A chat interface doesn’t change that fundamental need. It just makes it easier to skip those steps. The existence of these facts points to a clear, yet countercultural conclusion. Websites Aren’t Going Anywhere Yes, discovery patterns are changing. Yes, traffic shifts. Yes, AI surfaces some content while burying others. That doesn’t make websites obsolete. It makes them more important. The sites that die will deserve it: SEO farms gaming algorithms, content mills producing garbage. The sites that survive will offer what compressed answers can’t: verifiable sources, transparent methodologies, deep context that can’t be summarized without losing meaning. When fake news dominated social media, the solution wasn’t “stop using sources.” It was “get better at evaluating them.” Same thing here. Answer engines are a new entry point, not a replacement for verification. The smart response to an AI answer isn’t “thanks, I believe you.” It’s “interesting, now let me dig deeper.” We’re Not That Lazy The “websites are dead” thesis assumes something bleak: that humans will stop being curious, critical, and careful about information that matters. That we’ll just accept whatever Google tells us. People want to understand things deeply, not just know the answer. They want to form opinions, not inherit them from algorithms. They want to verify claims when stakes are high. That requires going to sources. Comparing perspectives. Thinking critically instead of letting technology think for you. You can’t do all of that in a chat window. The Bar Just Got Higher AI answer engines aren’t killing websites. They’re exposing which ones were never worth visiting. The question isn’t whether websites survive. It’s whether your website offers something an algorithm can’t: real expertise, transparent sources, and content valuable enough that people want the full story, not just the summary. We learned this with fake news. Now we’re learning it again with answer engines. Trust, but verify. Always verify. View the full article

Navah Hopkins, the Microsoft Advertiser Ads Liaison, asked on LinkedIn if you will be adding Microsoft Advertising part of your marketing mix in 2026? The poll had over 200 responses, with most saying it is already included in that mix but 36% saying they will be adding it to the mix.View the full article

Streaming group is competing with Paramount for prized studio assetsView the full article

Google AI Mode is showing really light colored fonts for product pricing and inventory when you click on a product. This differs from the normal font type in the main Google Search results interface.View the full article

Search visibility isn’t what it used to be. Rankings still matter, but they’re no longer the whole story. Today, discovery happens across traditional search results, local listings, brand knowledge panels, and increasingly, AI-driven experiences that surface answers without a click. For marketers, that makes visibility harder to measure — and easier to lose. SEO teams now operate in a landscape where accuracy, consistency, and trust signals matter as much as keywords. Business information, reviews, and brand authority determine whether a brand shows up at all, especially as AI-powered search reshapes how results are generated and displayed. As a result, many brands think they’re visible — until they look closer. The Visibility Brief was created to show you what’s really happening. Built on real data from thousands of brands, it provides a practical view of how visibility plays out across today’s search and discovery ecosystem. Instead of focusing on a single channel or metric, it takes a broader view. The content highlights where brands are gaining ground, where gaps appear, and which trends are shaping performance. You’ll see how traditional search and AI-driven discovery now overlap, why data accuracy has become a baseline requirement, and where brands are losing exposure without realizing it. The goal is simple: help you understand how visibility is changing and what to focus on now. Watch or listen to the Visibility Brief to get a clearer view of today’s search landscape — and what it means for your brand’s visibility. Subscribe to the Visibility Brief on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. View the full article

For professionals looking to moodboard, but sick of juggling Instagram lists and Pinterest boards, Cosmos arrived in 2023 to woo millions of users in an otherwise crowded market. With a pared-back design, and an algorithm trained on a carefully seeded list of creatives, it topped the Design category in the App Store, and the company reports it’s now used by creative teams at companies including Nike, Apple, and Amazon, who snag over 10 million pieces of content a month from across the internet for their collections. This growth has been enough to raise a $15 million Series A from Matrix Partners, GV, Accel, and Squarespace CEO Anthony Casalena, as the company considers monetization strategies ranging from its premium subscriptions to an upcoming e-commerce play. The platform, despite launching much like Pinterest, will soon be a home for creative portfolios, more like how designers use Instagram and Behance. But as founder Andy McCune charts the company’s future, he’s openly wrestling with the right ways to employ the latest AI technologies to support the creative community—even as a sizable chunk of the community says they don’t want it at all. When to use AI, and when not to Generative AI, of course, is still as controversial as it is inevitable—while creatives I speak to are adopting it en masse as part of their own process, there’s a most certain ick factor among the public to the current wave of AI marketing and the rise of the catchall word of 2025: AI slop. “It’s very morally and ethically important to me to create a platform that champions the artists and the creatives,” says McCune. “Now, does that mean that we’re going to be a company that says, ‘AI-generated imagery does not have a place here’? That’s not a line that I want to draw.” Currently, Cosmos uses machine learning models to identify what it considers high-quality imagery that would appeal to its users’ tastes, airing that into their feeds. It also uses AI to track and automatically label image provenance. Whereas Instagram is so often a context-less smash-and-grab of other people’s work, Cosmos systems scour the web to figure out what film that compelling frame came from or who took that photo, and tag it appropriately. The company also offers a setting, much like Pinterest, allowing creatives to blur or block all AI content in their feeds. Cosmos shares that 10% of all users have actually opted to block AI content—which was higher than they originally anticipated. Very few people customize the settings in any app already, and Cosmos has done nothing to promote that the setting even exists. “It was definitely surprising to me,” says McCune. “And now we’re having some conversations around like, should that [setting] actually be in the onboarding?” At the same time, blocking AI is not a setting he wants to apply by default, even if it would be a way to distinguish Cosmos from its peers. When the setting first launched, it blurred people’s AI content—and that was enough to give its users whiplash. “All of a sudden, they went back into their mood boards, and they saw a bunch of their images that they had saved in the past get blurred out. And they’re like, ‘Wait, I didn’t know that I was saving AI images.’ And that was frustrating to them,” McCune notes. “They’re like, ‘I feel like I’ve been tricked,’ right? I think for the end consumer, it’s really important that you have a decision in that process of being able to choose what you see.” Why not just block AI? A big reason that McCune doesn’t want to block AI-generated content is that he knows some users want it, and more generally speaking, the design industry at his core will be using more AI tools into the future. Especially as he pivots Cosmos away from mere moodboarding to become someone’s own creative portfolio, he realizes that blocking AI generated work would block their voices—and their potentially cutting-edge experimentation. “I think [AI] will be one medium that people use to express themselves, just like you know, painting is one and digital photography is one, and graphic design is another,” says McCune. “I think it’s important for us if we really want to be a home for creatives to not pick and choose what mediums we think are holy or not.” And yet, there are lines around AI that McCune won’t cross because they feel off-mission, and somehow, at odds with his own creative community. “I will say that there is a very easy path for us to take right now, which we have not taken, which is to bring Gen AI into the forefront of the product,” says McCune. “We could have very quickly and very easily built a multibillion-dollar company, if you could just right-click on any image on Cosmos right now and prompt on top of that thing. That’s something that we have not done, because that is not the company that we want to build.” View the full article

A self-described “rat pack” of five “food-loving journalists” just bought the trademark to the defunct food magazine Gourmet, updated it for the modern reader, and brought it back as an online newsletter—all without consulting the magazine’s former publisher, Condé Nast. And if you didn’t know that already, you might’ve been able to guess it from the publication’s new wordmark. The logo looks nothing like what you’d expect from the magazine that shuttered in 2009. Instead of a crisp, delicate script, this wordmark is unapologetically blocky, chunky, and weird. It’s more reminiscent of forgotten sheet pan drippings: certainly not pretty too look at, but more delicious than you’d expect. Introducing the modern Gourmet: It’s pithy, recipe-obsessed, and designed for the home chef who’s sick of brightly lit photos of one-pan dinners. Gourmet A new, Substack-era food mag with no interest in being a crowd-pleaser The idea to bring back the magazine began when former Los Angeles Times writer and Gourmet cofounder Sam Dean noticed something strange. “He called me and was like, ‘Dude, I think I just figured something out,'” says graphic designer Alex Tatusian, another of the brand’s cofounders. “‘I’m on the U.S. Trademark Office site, and I’m pretty sure that Condé forgot to renew the trademark for Gourmet.’” Tatusian and Dean found three other collaborators, formed an LLC, and bought the trademark for a few thousand dollars. The creatives behind Gourmet follow in the footsteps of several other journalists and writers who have recently departed the endlessly beleaguered realm of traditional media in favor of their own self-published ventures. These include worker-owned shops like Hell Gate, Defector, and 404 Media, as well as food-based titles like Vittles and Best Food Blog, and even individual food creators like Molly Baz and Claire Saffitz. In the Gourmet founders’ opening salvo to readers, they propose that legacy brands “largely botched” the transition from print to digital, and diluted their missions in the process. “I think what I’ve seen in food media are these dual forces: The recipes have become more relatable or lowest common denominator, but it’s being put in these very shiny packages,” says cofounder Nozlee Samadzadeh. So in lieu of clicky “10 minute” recipes with flash photography, Gourmet’s founders want to make work for an audience that really, really enjoys food: long, reported features on Gavin Newsom’s Napa wine empire; odes to baked rice pudding; and manifestos for people who are sick of easy dinners. (And it won’t appeal to everyone.) Tatusian calls today’s Gourmet, which is available on the open source platform Ghost with a $7 monthly subscription, a “transmogrified” version of the original. Given its limited resources, it’s embracing an unapologetically craft-focused, funky, punk-rock approach designed for the modern newsletter resurgence. In short, it’s a wholesale rejection of the highly produced, SEO-optimized content that’s come to dominate the modern food media space. Gourmet’s ‘shit-stirring energy’ takes aim at expected design taste Looking through Gourmet’s new site feels a bit like being bombarded with a series of ingredients that don’t entirely go together. And for the publication’s general premise, that makes an odd kind of sense: It’s a group of young people, reviving a magazine that was once mainly for the wealthy elite, in an accessible format and on a shoestring budget. “You look at old Gourmet and there’s black letter Gothic text, and script, and cursive, and, God, they want you to be rich, you know what I mean?” Tatusian says. “It has such a classist energy. I think there’s something about that that we both want to celebrate, because it is beautiful and it is the history of this publication going way back, but we also need to lightly lampoon. With the whole crew, there’s a bit of a shit-stirring energy.” That spirit is embodied by the new Gourmet logo, which is perhaps the furthest image one could image from the publication’s buttoned-up, cursive font. The design was created by trombonist Zekkereya El-magharbel, who Tatusian discovered after noticing his charmingly off-kilter posters for jazz events in L.A. Each letterform looks almost like it was cut haphazardly from a piece of cardstock, with unexpected bumps, sharp angles, and wonky curves throughout. The process, Tatusian says, was a mix of El-magharbel responding to the prompt and picking up on “the energy of the magazine that we were going for—making something punk and unusual.” The publication’s illustration style, which mimics 19th century motifs, also pokes some lighthearted fun at what Tatusian calls the “hilarious formality” of older cooking and food magazines. In one key image at the top of the page, a real vintage line drawing is paired with a slapdash digital rendering of a red soda can. And, as a cheeky “so what?” to the broader food media landscape, the entire Gourmet site is rendered in what would traditionally be considered an off-putting brown. “It’s a little bit of a visual joke, in that people in food media are often telling you to put color in a dish when you’re styling something or in a photoshoot or on the page, because brown food is unappetizing, it’s disgusting, blah, blah, blah,” Tatusian says. “Actually, it’s not! We eat so much good brown and beige food.” Samadzadeh and Tatusian say they plan on running some image-centric stories in the future, but they don’t have a specific aesthetic vision in mind for the publication’s photography—instead, they’d rather let contributors bring their own styles to the work. For now, they’re more focused on creating the kind of food content that they’d like to read. “We do want them to be beautiful,” Tatusian says. “It’s not that we want them to be disgusting, but I also think that we’re also interested in how people spend time together around food, and not as much about making an Instagramable product out of all the art that we produce.” View the full article

The most qualified marketing candidates already know how to spot a bad ad. They scroll past headlines that don’t resonate, tune out vague language, and ghost messages that feel robotic. And when your job post reads like a corporate compliance document instead of an invitation to do meaningful work, they won’t even click. More than 80% of job seekers check company reviews and ratings before applying, according to Glassdoor. And it’s not just about perks: Edelman’s Trust Barometer found that nearly 6 in 10 employees choose where to work based on shared values. These aren’t surface-level preferences; they signal a deeper shift in expectations. Candidates want a reason to believe, not just a list of requirements. The shift is clear: Candidates now behave like consumers. They compare, research, and screen opportunities with the same discernment they apply to products. That makes your job post more than just a filter. It’s a first impression, a trust signal, and, if done well, a conversion tool. It’s time to start treating your recruitment process like a campaign. The tactics marketers use to capture attention, communicate value, and compel action are the same tactics that now determine whether you attract the right people or lose them to someone else. 1. START WITH SEGMENTATION, NOT GENERIC MESSAGING Too many job ads aim for the widest possible audience and miss the best-fit candidates in the process. Effective marketers learned this lesson long ago: The more precisely you define your audience, the more persuasive your message becomes. Segment your recruitment messaging by level, background, industry fluency, or even likely motivators. Speak differently to a mid-level paid media strategist than to a head of brand. When you identify what specific candidates care about—their career arc, their need for impact, their desire to work with modern tech stacks—you can write job ads that feel like they were written for one person, not one hundred. 2. EMOTIONAL STORYTELLING WINS OVER LOGICAL LISTS Marketers know how to sell ideas with stories, not specs. And they expect that same level of narrative craft when reading about a potential job. Instead of leading with company history, start with the role’s emotional hook. What will this person get to own, change, or build? What kind of team are they walking into? How will their work shape the customer experience? One small shift, from “We were founded in 2012” to “You’ll define how thousands of users discover their next step,” can transform how your post lands. The strongest applicants don’t apply for tasks. They apply for purpose. 3. TREAT JOB ADS LIKE LANDING PAGES Once your message is targeted and your story resonates, structure becomes the next make-or-break factor. A job post is essentially a landing page: It must be skimmable, structured, and compelling enough to inspire action. Use clear subheads. Prioritize the candidate’s perspective: what they’ll learn, lead, or influence. Include compensation early if possible. And always, always include a strong CTA. Would you ever run a marketing campaign without one? Formatting is part of your employer brand. If your job post is cluttered, hard to read, or missing details, the assumption is that your hiring process will feel the same way. 4. USE A/B TESTING TO MOVE FROM GUESSING TO GROWTH Most marketers live in testing platforms. Recruiters should, too. You can A/B test job titles (is “Paid Social Lead” more effective than “Growth Marketing Strategist”?), intros, compensation placement, or even whether adding team quotes improves apply rates. You’ll start to see trends. You’ll learn what tone resonates with passive candidates, what format converts better, and where drop-off happens. When you approach hiring with the mindset of growth marketing, you move from static job listings to evolving, performance-based messaging. Recruiting becomes less about gut instinct and more about insight. 5. BUILD EMPLOYER BRAND INTO EVERY TOUCHPOINT Every element of your hiring funnel—job descriptions, outreach messages, Glassdoor responses—speaks volumes about your company. The question is whether they all speak the same language. Strong employer branding isn’t about polished taglines; it’s about consistent, honest communication. Candidates should feel the same tone and clarity across the careers page, the interview emails, and the job post itself. When branding is aligned, candidates trust the experience. When it isn’t, they disengage. Even review sites matter. Candidates read them before applying. If your company’s response strategy looks defensive or silent, it will undercut even the best-crafted post. Think of these channels as the retargeting ads of recruiting; they reinforce or unravel the brand story you’ve worked to build. A job post is no longer a static announcement. It’s a performance asset. It carries weight, signals quality, and affects the caliber of people willing to bet on your company. The teams that understand this and build hiring processes that reflect it won’t merely fill seats. They’ll attract the kind of marketers who know how to move an audience and recognize when someone else knows how to do the same. View the full article

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Protein is everywhere these days. The cultural obsession with the macronutrient has become unavoidable; from constant protein-adjacent Instagram ads to protein-focused recipes and protein-filled Chipotle bowls, Starbucks drinks, and Pepsi products. All of these products are starting to sound like part of some big, loud, fitness influencer chorus. But there’s one brand that’s managed to break through the noise—often, by saying nothing at all. Early this month, the protein bar company David debuted a print campaign in the New York City subway system featuring plain images of its bars, with no text or embellishments, surrounded by a sea of blank white space. It’s the encapsulation of a marketing strategy that’s catapulted the brand into the cultural zeitgeist and the protein bar big leagues. Where other protein bars sport colorful, energetic packaging with bold fonts and crisp product imagery, David bars come in sleek gold packages with a serif wordmark and a few simple macronutrient descriptors. Instead of vying for consumer attention with eye-catching graphics and silly ads, David shows up online and in the real world with a distinctly minimalist aesthetic and serious, no-frills brand voice. It’s an approach that founder Peter Rahal describes as “anti-marketing”—but, counterintuitively, is actually a highly effective marketing tactic. Rion Harmon, executive creative director of the creative agency behind the David brand, Day Job, says an atypical ethos has guided the creative from the start: “[The brand] should not be your best friend.” “Every brand was trying so hard to win you over, to be just like you,” Harmon says. “David didn’t care. David was here to be effective. To design solutions. To create a superior product, with a superior brand.” How David built a protein-obsessed following Since it debuted last September, David has amassed an almost cult-like following of customers who patiently await its next protein innovation. David was founded by Rahal, a serial entrepreneur who also cofounded the brand RXbar; and Zach Ranen, who previously founded the better-for-you cookie brand Raize. After launching, the company managed to sell more than $1 million worth of bars in a week. By the following May, it had raised $75 million in Series A funding, at a $725 valuation—and, according to a report from The New York Times in September, it was on track to hit $180 million in retail sales this year. (David declined to share updated financial information with Fast Company.) This month, David announced that it would appear on shelves at Walmart and Target. Fitness gurus and casual protein-seekers alike are attracted to the David bar by its impressive macros (28 grams of protein for 150 calories and zero grams of sugar; a ratio that’s almost unbeatable in the bar category). But a large part of David’s meteoric success is also owed to its branding and marketing strategies. As a “student of the protein bar category,” Rahal says, he’s noticed that natural food players like Lärabar and his own RXBar kicked off a trend from around 2000 to 2015, wherein protein bar companies stopped using their packaging to signal a certain brand, but to instead convey flavor. “What happened is when you would look at the category, you would see confusion,” Rahal says. “Rather than identifying brands, it was organized by flavor. So you’d see purple, blue, green, red, yellow.” That was innovative in the 2010s, he adds, but it quickly turned the protein aisle into a colorful kaleidoscope of sameness. David returned to an earlier era of branding—think ’80s and ’90s candy bars, for example—when the primary goal of the packaging was to communicate brand, and the secondary goal was to communicate flavor. “One thing we did is make gold the primary focus,” Rahal says. “This is ironic because it’s actually really differentiated. I find it interesting how history repeats.” David’s brand guidelines are fairly straightforward: It stands out by embracing simplicity. Instead of adding more product descriptors or colors on its packaging, it subtracts them. “It’s loud by being quiet,” Harmon says. ‘Restraint can cut through when chaos is the norm’ Nowhere is that “less is more” philosophy more clear than in David’s latest print campaign in the NYC subway. The campaign comes directly on the heels of several other headline-grabbing subway brand stunts. Those include a controversial September campaign from the AI companion company Friend, which inspired intense vandalism, and, just over a month later, a campaign from the embryo screening company Nucleus Genomics that incited widespread backlash online. Both of these campaigns were intentionally designed with provocative copy and imagery to spark conversation. Compare that to David’s design—which is quite literally just a David bar on a blank canvas, with zero copy in sight—and the difference is almost visceral. “When everyone is doing one thing, there’s often an advantage in doing the opposite,” Harmon says. “A lot of shock-driven work depends on escalation. It has to keep pushing harder to stay visible. Restraint can cut through when chaos is the norm. This campaign isn’t trying to provoke a reaction so much as invite your own.” Rahal says he “doesn’t like marketing,” and prefers a non-traditional, “anti-marketing” approach whenever possible. It would be wrong to characterize David as a buttoned-up brand, though—in fact, it’s pulled several audacious marketing stunts in the last few months. Earlier this year, the brand introduced a real line of frozen boiled cod to its portfolio as a nod to its protein bars’ similar macronutrient profile (David declined to share sales data on the cod, though Rahal says it was “not that convenient and expensive.” You can still buy it online for $69.) And, this month, David sent out PR packages that included both a protein bar and a vibrator, alongside copy like, “Finish twice,” and “Pick your pleasure”; seemingly insinuating that its bars are orgasmic. Harmon and Rahal argue it’s still ultimately in line with the brand’s anti-marketing ethos. “David usually keeps things pretty straightforward,” he says. “This one seems like an outlier, but honestly it still fits the same principle. No fluff, no over-explaining, just the product in a context that feels true to the brand. If anything, it’s just a different take on the same idea.” Rahal adds, “The thinking is still ‘anti-marketing’: one clear message rooted in the product truth, delivered in a novel way.” View the full article