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President Donald The President wants to keep home prices high, bypassing calls to ramp up construction so people can afford what has been a ticket to the middle class. The President has instead argued for protecting existing owners who have watched the values of their homes climb. It’s a position that flies in the face of what many economists, the real estate industry, local officials and apartment dwellers say is needed to fix a big chunk of America’s affordability problem. “I don’t want to drive housing prices down. I want to drive housing prices up for people that own their homes, and they can be assured that’s what’s going to happen,” The President told his Cabinet on Jan. 29. That approach could bolster the Republican president’s standing with older voters, a group that over time has been more likely to vote in midterm elections. Those races in November will determine whether The President’s party can retain control of the House and Senate. “You have a lot of people that have become wealthy in the last year because their house value has gone up,” The President said. “And you know, when you get the housing — when you make it too easy and too cheap to buy houses — those values come down.” But by catering to older baby boomers on housing, The President risks alienating the younger voters who expanded his coalition in 2024 and helped him win a second term, and he could wade into a “generational war” in the midterms, said Brent Buchanan, whose polling firm Cygnal advises Republicans. “The under-40 group is the most important right now — they are the ones who put The President in the White House,” Buchanan said. “Their desire to show up in an election or not is going to make the difference in this election. If they feel that Donald The President is taking care of the boomers at their expense, that is going to hurt Republicans.” The logic in appealing to older voters In the 2024 presidential election, 81% of The President’s voters were homeowners, according to AP VoteCast data. This means many of his supporters already have mortgages with low rates or own their homes outright, possibly blunting the importance of housing as an issue. Older voters tend to show up to vote more than do younger people, said Oscar Pocasangre, a senior data analyst at liberal think tank New America who has studied the age divide in U.S. politics. “However, appealing to older voters may prove to be a misguided policy if what’s needed to win is to expand the voting base,” Pocasangre said. Before the 2026 elections, voters have consistently rated affordability as a top concern, and that is especially true for younger voters with regard to housing. Booker Lightman, 30, a software engineer in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, who identifies politically as a libertarian Republican, said the shortage of housing has been a leading problem in his state. Lightman just closed on a home last month, and while he and his wife, Alice, were able to manage the cost, he said that the lack of construction is pushing people out of Colorado. “There’s just not enough housing supply,” he said. Shay Hata, a real estate agent in the Chicago and Denver areas, said she handles about 100 to 150 transactions a year. But she sees the potential for a lot more. “We have a lack of inventory to the point where most properties, particularly in the suburbs, are getting between five and 20 offers,” she said, describing what she sees in the Chicago area. New construction could help more people afford homes because in some cases, buyers qualify for discounted mortgage rates from the builders’ preferred lenders, Hata said. She called the current situation “very discouraging for buyers because they’re getting priced out of the market.” But pending construction has fallen under The President. Permits to build single-family homes have plunged 9.4% over the past 12 months in October, the most recent month available, to an annual rate of 876,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The President’s other ideas to help people buy houses The President has not always been against increasing housing supply. During the 2024 campaign, The President’s team said he would create tax breaks for homebuyers, trim regulations on construction, open up federal land for housing developments and make monthly payments more manageable by cutting mortgage rates. Advisers also claimed that housing stock would open up because of The President’s push for mass deportations of people who were in the United States illegally. As recently as October, The President urged builders to ramp up construction. “They’re sitting on 2 Million empty lots, A RECORD. I’m asking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to get Big Homebuilders going and, by so doing, help restore the American Dream!” The President posted on social media, referring to the government-backed lenders. But more recently, he has been unequivocal on not wanting to pursue policies that would boost supply and lower prices. In office, The President has so far focused his housing policy on lobbying the Federal Reserve to cut its benchmark interest rates. He believes that would make mortgages more affordable, although critics say it could spur higher inflation. The President announced that the two mortgage companies, which are under government conservatorship, would buy at least $200 billion in home loan securities in a bid to reduce rates. The President also wants Congress to ban large financial institutions from buying homes. But he has rejected suggestions for expanding rules to let buyers use 401(k) retirement accounts for down payments, telling reporters that he did not want people to take their money out of the stock market because it was doing so well. There are signs that lawmakers in both parties see the benefits of taking steps to add houses before this year’s elections. There are efforts in the Senate and House to jump-start construction through the use of incentives to change zoning restrictions, among other policies. One of the underlying challenges on affordability is that home prices have been generally rising faster than incomes for several years. This makes it harder to save for down payments or upgrade to a nicer home. It also means that the places where people live increasingly double as their key financial asset, one that leaves many families looking moneyed on paper even if they are struggling with monthly bills. There is another risk for The President. If the economy grows this year, as he has promised, that could push up demand for houses — as well as their prices — making the affordability problem more pronounced, said Edward Pinto, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right think tank. Pinto said construction of single-family homes would have to rise by 50% to 100% during the next three years for average home price gains to be flat — a sign, he said, that The President’s fears about falling home prices were probably unwarranted. “It’s very hard to crater home prices,” Pinto said. —Josh Boak, Associated Press View the full article

Generative engine optimization (GEO) represents a shift from optimizing for keyword-based ranking systems to optimizing for how generative search engines interpret and assemble information. While the inner workings of generative AI are famously complex, patents and research papers filed by major tech companies such as Google and Microsoft provide concrete insight into the technical mechanisms underlying generative search. By analyzing these primary sources, we can move beyond speculation and into strategic action. This article analyzes the most insightful patents to provide actionable lessons for three core pillars of GEO: query fan-out, large language model (LLM) readability, and brand context. Why researching patents is so important for learning GEO Patents and research papers are primary, evidence-based sources that reveal how AI search systems actually work. The knowledge gained from these sources can be used to draw concrete conclusions about how to optimize these systems. This is essential in the early stages of a new discipline such as GEO. Patents and research papers reveal technical mechanisms and design intent. They often describe retrieval architectures, such as: Passage retrieval and ranking. Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows. Query processing, including query fan-out, grounding, and other components that determine which content passages LLM-based systems retrieve and cite. Knowing these mechanisms explains why LLM readability, chunk relevance, and brand and context signals matter. Primary sources reduce reliance on hype and checklists. Secondary sources, such as blogs and lists, can be misleading. Patents and research papers let you verify claims and separate evidence-based tactics from marketing-driven advice. Patents enable hypothesis-driven optimization. Understanding the technical details helps you form testable hypotheses, such as how content structure, chunking, or metadata might affect retrieval, ranking, and citation, and design small-scale experiments to validate them. In short, patents and research papers provide the technical grounding needed to: Understand why specific GEO tactics might work. Test and systematize those tactics. Avoid wasting effort on unproven advice. This makes them a central resource for learning and practicing generative engine optimization and SEO. That’s why I’ve been researching patents for more than 10 years and founded the SEO Research Suite, the first database for GEO- and SEO-related patents and research papers. Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with Why we need to differentiate when talking about GEO In many discussions about generative engine optimization, too little distinction is made between the different goals that GEO can pursue. One goal is improving the citability of LLMs so your content is cited more often as the source. I refer to this as LLM readability optimization. Another goal is brand positioning for LLMs, so a brand is mentioned more often by name. I refer to this as brand context optimization. Each of these goals relies on different optimization strategies. That’s why they must be considered separately. The three foundational pillars of GEO Understanding the following three concepts is strategically critical. These pillars represent fundamental shifts in how machines interpret queries, process content, and understand brands, forming the foundation for advanced GEO strategies. They are the new rules of digital information retrieval. LLM readability: Crafting content for AI consumption LLM readability is the practice of optimizing content so it can be effectively processed, deconstructed, and synthesized by LLMs. It goes beyond human readability and includes technical factors such as: Natural language quality. Logical document structure. A clear information hierarchy. The relevance of individual text passages, often referred to as chunks or nuggets. Brand context: Building a cohesive digital identity Brand context optimization moves beyond page-level optimization to focus on how AI systems synthesize information across an entire web domain. The goal is to build a holistic, unified characterization of a brand. This involves ensuring your overall digital presence tells a consistent and coherent story that an AI system can easily interpret. Query fan-out: Deconstructing user intent Query fan-out is the process by which a generative engine deconstructs a user’s initial, often ambiguous query into multiple specific subqueries, themes, or intents. This allows the system to gather a more comprehensive and relevant set of information from its index before synthesizing a final generated answer. These three pillars are not theoretical. They are actively being built into the architecture of modern search, as the following patents and research papers reveal. Patent deep dive: How generative engines understand user queries (query fan-out) Before a generative engine can answer a question, it must first develop a clear understanding of the user’s true intent. The patents below describe a multi-step process designed to deconstruct ambiguity, explore topics comprehensively, and ensure the final answer aligns with a confirmed user goal rather than the initial keywords alone. Microsoft’s ‘Deep search using large language models’: From ambiguous query to primary intent Microsoft’s “Deep search using large language models” patent (US20250321968A1) outlines a system that prioritizes intent by confirming a user’s true goal before delivering highly relevant results. Instead of treating an ambiguous query as a single event, the system transforms it into a structured investigation. The process unfolds across several key stages: Initial query and grounding: The system performs a standard web search using the original query to gather context and a set of grounding results. Intent generation: A first LLM analyzes the query and the grounding results to generate multiple likely intents. For a query such as “how do points systems work in Japan,” the system might generate distinct intents like “immigration points system,” “loyalty points system,” or “traffic points system.” Primary intent selection: The system selects the most probable intent. This can happen automatically, by presenting options to the user for disambiguation, or by using personalization signals such as search history. Alternative query generation: Once a primary intent is confirmed, a second LLM generates more specific alternative queries to explore the topic in depth. For an academic grading intent, this might include queries like “German university grading scale explained.” LLM-based scoring: A final LLM scores each new search result for relevance against the primary intent rather than the original ambiguous query. This ensures only results that precisely match the confirmed goal are ranked highly. The key insight from this patent is that search is evolving into a system that resolves ambiguity first. Final results are tailored to a user’s specific, confirmed goal, representing a fundamental departure from traditional keyword-based ranking. Google’s ‘thematic search’: Auto-clustering topics from top results Google’s “thematic search” patent (US12158907B1) provides the architectural blueprint for features such as AI Overviews. The system is designed to automatically identify and organize the most important subtopics related to a query. It analyzes top-ranked documents, uses an LLM to generate short summary descriptions of individual passages, and then clusters those summaries to identify common themes. The direct implication is a shift from a simple list of links to a guided exploration of a topic’s most important facets. This process organizes information for users and allows the engine to identify which themes consistently appear across top-ranking documents, forming a foundational layer for establishing topical consensus. Google’s ‘stateful chat’: Generating queries from conversation history The concept of synthetic queries in Google’s “Search with stateful chat” patent (US20240289407A1) reveals another layer of intent understanding. The system generates new, relevant queries based on a user’s entire session history rather than just the most recent input. By maintaining a stateful memory of the conversation, the engine can predict logical next steps and suggest follow-up queries that build on previous interactions. The key takeaway is that queries are no longer isolated events. Instead, they’re becoming part of a continuous, context-aware dialogue. This evolution requires content to do more than answer a single question. It must also fit logically within a broader user journey. Patent deep dive: Crafting content for AI processing (LLM readability) Once a generative engine has disambiguated user intent and fanned out the query, its next challenge is to find and evaluate content chunks that can precisely answer those subqueries. This is where machine readability becomes critical. The following patents and research papers show how engines evaluate content at a granular, passage-by-passage level, rewarding clarity, structure, and factual density. The ‘nugget’ philosophy: Deconstructing content into atomic facts The GINGER research paper introduces a methodology for improving the factual accuracy of AI-generated responses. Its core concept involves breaking retrieved text passages into minimal, verifiable information units, referred to as nuggets. By deconstructing complex information into atomic facts, the system can more easily trace each statement back to its source, ensuring every component of the final answer is grounded and verifiable. The lesson from this approach is clear: Content should be structured as a collection of self-contained, fact-dense nuggets. Each paragraph or statement should focus on a single, provable idea, making it easier for an AI system to extract, verify, and accurately attribute that information. Google’s span selection: Pinpointing the exact answer Google’s “Selecting answer spans” patent (US11481646B2) describes a system that uses a multilevel neural network to identify and score specific text spans, or chunks, within a document that best answer a given question. The system evaluates candidate spans, computes numeric representations based on their relationship to the query, and assigns a final score to select the single most relevant passage. The key insight is that the relevance of individual paragraphs is evaluated with intense scrutiny. This underscores the importance of content structure, particularly placing a direct, concise answer immediately after a question-style heading. The patent provides the technical justification for the answer-first model, a core principle of modern GEO strategy. The consensus engine: Validating answers with weighted terms Google’s “Weighted answer terms” patent (US10019513B1) explains how search engines establish a consensus around what constitutes a correct answer. This patent is closely associated with featured snippets, but the technology Google developed for featured snippets is one of the foundational methodologies behind passage-based retrieval used today by AI search systems to select passages for answers. The system identifies common question phrases across the web, analyzes the text passages that follow them, and creates a weighted term vector based on terms that appear most frequently in high-quality responses. For a query such as “Why is the sky blue?” terms like “Rayleigh scattering” and “atmosphere” receive high weights. The key lesson is that to be considered an accurate and authoritative source, content must incorporate the consensus terminology used by other expert sources on the topic. Deviating too far from this established vocabulary can cause content to be scored poorly for accuracy, even when it is factually correct. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Patent deep dive: Building your brand’s digital DNA (brand context) While earlier patents focus on the micro level of queries and content chunks, this final piece operates at the macro level. The engine must understand not only what is being said but also who is saying it. This is the essence of brand context, representing a shift from optimizing individual pages to projecting a coherent brand identity across an entire domain. The following patent shows how AI systems are designed to interpret an entity by synthesizing information from across its full digital presence. Google’s entity characterization: The website as a single prompt The methodology described in Google’s “Data extraction using LLMs” patent (WO2025063948A1) outlines a system that treats an entire website as a single input to an LLM. The system scans and interprets content from multiple pages across a domain to generate a single, synthesized characterization of the entity. This is not a copy-and-paste summary but a new interpretation of the collected information that is better suited to an intended purpose, such as an ad or summary, while still passing quality checks that verbatim text might fail. The patent also explains that this characterization is organized into a hierarchical graph structure with parent and leaf nodes, which has direct implications for site architecture: Patent conceptCorresponding GEO strategyParent Nodes (Broad attributes like “Services”)Create broad, high-level “hub” pages for core business categories (e.g., /services/).Leaf Nodes (Specific details like “Pricing”)Develop specific, granular “spoke” pages for detailed offerings (e.g., /services/emergency-plumbing/). The key implication is that every page on a website contributes to a single brand narrative. Inconsistent messaging, conflicting terminology, or unclear value propositions can cause an AI system to generate a fragmented and weak entity characterization, reducing a brand’s authority in the system’s interpretation. The GEO playbook: Actionable lessons derived from the patents These technical documents aren’t merely theoretical. They provide a clear, actionable playbook for aligning content and digital strategy with the core mechanics of generative search. The principles revealed in these patents form a direct guide for implementation. Principle 1: Optimize for disambiguated intent, not just keywords Based on the “Deep Search” and “Thematic Search” patents, the focus must shift from targeting single keywords to comprehensively answering the specific, disambiguated intents a user may have. Actionable advice For a target query, brainstorm the different possible user intents. Create distinct, highly detailed content sections or separate pages for each one, using clear, question-based headings to signal the specific intent being addressed. Principle 2: Structure for machine readability and extraction Synthesizing lessons from the GINGER paper, the “answer spans” patent, and LLM readability guidance, it’s clear that structure is critical for AI processing. Actionable advice Apply the following structural rules to your content: Use the answer-first model: Structure content so the direct answer appears immediately after a question-style heading. Follow with explanation, evidence, and context. Write in nuggets: Compose short, self-contained paragraphs, each focused on a single, verifiable idea. This makes each fact easier to extract and attribute. Leverage structured formats: Use lists and tables whenever possible. These formats make data points and comparisons explicit and easily parsable for an LLM. Employ a logical heading hierarchy: Use H1, H2, and H3 tags to create a clear topical map of the document. This hierarchy helps an AI system understand the context and scope of each section. Principle 3: Build a unified and consistent entity narrative Drawing directly from the “Data extraction using LLMs” patent, domainwide consistency is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a technical requirement for building a strong brand context. Actionable advice Conduct a comprehensive content audit. Ensure mission statements, service descriptions, value propositions, and key terminology are used consistently across every page, from the homepage to blog posts to the site footer. Principle 4: Speak the language of authoritative consensus The “Weighted answer terms” patent shows that AI systems validate answers by comparing them against an established consensus vocabulary. Actionable advice Before writing, analyze current featured snippets, AI Overviews, and top-ranking documents for a given query. Identify recurring technical terms, specific nouns, and phrases they use. Incorporate this consensus vocabulary to signal accuracy and authority. Principle 5: Mirror the machine’s hierarchy in your architecture The parent-leaf node structure described in the entity characterization patent provides a direct blueprint for effective site architecture. Actionable advice Design site architecture and internal linking to reflect a logical hierarchy. Broad parent category pages should link to specific leaf detail pages. This structure makes it easier for an LLM to map brand expertise and build an accurate hierarchical graph. These five principles aren’t isolated tactics. They form a single, integrated strategy in which site architecture reinforces the brand narrative, content structure enables machine extraction, and both align to answer a user’s true, disambiguated intent. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Aligning with the future of information retrieval Patents and research papers from the world’s leading technology companies offer a clear view of the future of search. Generative engine optimization is fundamentally about making information machine-interpretable at two critical levels: The micro level of the individual fact, or chunk. The macro level of the cohesive brand entity. By studying these documents, you can shift from a reactive approach of chasing algorithm updates to a proactive one of building digital assets aligned with the core principles of how generative AI understands, structures, and presents information. View the full article

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

If you were up late celebrating the Seattle Seahawks’ win at the Super Bowl last night, you may need help from caffeine to get you through your busy Monday routine. You’re in luck. Today (Monday, February 9), Starbucks Rewards members can get a free tall (12-ounce) coffee with the purchase of another beverage. Find out what you need to do to score your free cup of Joe from Starbucks. Starbucks has added its brand-new 1971 Roast to the menu Starbucks’s hometown team, the Seattle Seahawks, won the big game last night, but that’s not the only win that the coffee chain is celebrating. On Monday, February 9, Starbucks is officially introducing its brand-new coffee blend, 1971 Roast, to the world. The name is tied to its history. The coffee company first opened its doors at Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1971. The dark-roast blend features coffees from Colombia, Sumatra, and Brazil. It includes notes of toasted sugar and rich walnut. Starbucks is also welcoming the following globally inspired pastries to its menu today: Dubai Chocolate Bite Cookie Croissant Swirl Berry Blondie Strawberry Matcha Loaf Chocolate Pistachio Loaf Yuzu Citrus Blossom In celebration of the new 1971 Roast, Today, Starbucks Rewards members can get a free 12-ounce iced or brewed coffee with the purchase of another drink. If you’re headed into the office this morning, this deal is a perfect excuse to grab a coffee for you and a coworker. Here’s how to get a free cup of coffee at Starbucks If you’re a Starbucks Rewards member, you’ll find a free coffee coupon in the Starbucks app. You can claim your free 12-ounce coffee with the purchase of another drink at the register, drive-thru, or by ordering ahead through the app. Here’s how to redeem your freebie: At the drive-thru or register, order a beverage, and ask them to add a free tall coffee. When scanning your Starbucks Rewards account at checkout, the coupon will be applied. When ordering ahead in the app, add both beverages to your cart and apply the coupon to redeem your free 12-ounce coffee. Visit StarbucksMonday.com for the full details about this promotion. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Things seemed very quiet this week in the world of youth culture, so I asked my always-connected son what kids were talking about. "Dad, the Epstein files," he said. "That's all anyone is talking about." I like to keep things light here, but it's not possible at the moment; The Epstein files are the culture right now, no matter what age you are. Younger people are trying to figure out how to fit this massive thing into their idea of the world, just like you probably are. Smaller kids are contextualizing the files by visiting/making Roblox Epstein Islands and joking about it in school (then asking their folks what it really means). For young 'uns, it seems like "Epstein's Island" is becoming shorthand for a forbidden haunted place, like "Diddy Party" was 14 years ago—wait, I mean five months ago. Older young people are making Epstein Phonk videos on TikToks, making memes out Epstein's sweater and putting themselves in pictures from the files with AI. They're also poring over the millions of documents, like everyone, and they think they found something that older people might have overlooked. Is Jeffrey Epstein playing Fortnite? Among the many conspiracy theories circulating about the Epstein files is that Jeffrey Epstein was playing Fortnite last week. Even for conspiracy theories, this is a stretch, as it requires that Epstein be alive, but here's the evidence: A YouTube receipt addressed to “littlestjeff1" is included in the files, and there was a player using that handle playing Fortnite last week. That's all. Despite a sane reaction being, "OK, so what?" the rumor apparently caused enough commotion that Fortnite's parent company addressed it, saying it was a player who changed their handle after the name was posted online in connection with Epstein: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Like any internet theory, you can dig into it deeper, but you'll find only unverifiable screenshot "evidence" that anyone could have made at any time, elaborate theories connecting unrelated data points to land on baseless conclusions, a lot of passionate people defending the theory, and a company doing desperate damage control. It's a morass, and a really bleak look at the foreseeable future of American culture. Jeffrey Epstein's actual gaming connectionThe Fortnite thing looks like bullshit, but Epstein actually was a gamer. Well, he had an XBox Live account, anyway. Among the documents in the files is an email from Microsoft, sent on December 19, 2013, permanently suspending the account associated with Epstein's email address. It's a boilerplate ban message, citing "harassment, threats, and/or abuse of other players" that has been "determined to be severe, repeated, and/or excessive." A follow-up email reveals that Epstein was banned from Live because Epstein was a registered sex offender. "This action is based on the New York Attorney General's partnership with Microsoft and other online gaming companies to remove New York-registered sex offenders from online gaming services to minimize the risk to others, particularly children," the email reads. What does "phonk" mean? Let's talk about the word "phonk," since it came up earlier in the column and it's about art instead of depravity. "Phonk" has a complicated history. It was coined in the 2010s by rapper SpaceGhostPurrp to describe his take on 1990s Southern hip hop that featured slow, "chopped and screwed" production and the use of vintage Memphis rap vocals. Interestingly, the elements of phonk spread mainly through SoundCloud and other online outlets, so it's a subgenre of music that grew without a geographic "base." (Bonus explainer: SpaceGhostPurrp is an underground rapper widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the 2010s "internet rap" era.) But when kids talk about "phonk" nowadays, they usually mean something else. In the late 2010s, a genre emerged from Russia that was dubbed "drift phonk." Drift phonk began as the soundtrack of videos of cars drifting. It's fast, often features heavy distortion—and, unlike SpaceGhost's "phonk," which is good, drift phonk is bad. To me. Judge for yourself. Anyway, "drift phonk" gradually just became "phonk" and spread from car videos to become the most common soundtrack to brainrot videos. What is a “boy aquarium"?More slang! "Boy aquarium" is a TikTok slang term that describes hockey games. The word is closely linked to the popularity of HBO's hockey-player romance series Heated Rivalry, and posting videos about the boy aquarium is becoming popular on TikTok. Some are very funny: What's the deal with ChatGPT caricatures?If your feed is filling up with weird cartoon version of the people you're in parasocial relationships with, here's the deal: The new trend is asking ChatGPT or another AI to come up with a caricature of you based on only the interactions you've had with it. It's popular, because it's easy to do, and kind of funny—or so I thought before I tried it. Credit: Stephen Johnson/Gemini Jesus—I want to punch myself in the face. Viral video of the week: A duck with a clover on its headThis week's viral video is a duck with a clover on its head. There are many, many cute ducklings who never did anything bad to anyone on TikTok's baby ducks hashtag. Look at this little guy just cheepin' away! This duckling is trying on hats because he thinks he's people! Here's some lil' babies taking a bird bath. This one fell asleep in a mug! View the full article

A leading U.S. health official on Sunday urged people to get inoculated against the measles at a time of outbreaks across several states and as the United States is at risk of losing its measles elimination status. “Take the vaccine, please,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator whose boss has raised suspicion about the safety and importance of vaccines. “We have a solution for our problem.” Oz, a heart surgeon, defended some recently revised federal vaccine recommendations as well as past comments from President Donald The President and the nation’s health chief, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about the efficacy of vaccines. From Oz, there was a clear message on the measles. “Not all illnesses are equally dangerous and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But measles is one you should get your vaccine.” An outbreak in South Carolina in the hundreds has surpassed the recorded case count in Texas’ 2025 outbreak, and there is also one on the Utah-Arizona border. Multiple other states have had confirmed cases this year. The outbreaks have mostly impacted children and have come as infectious disease experts warn that rising public distrust of vaccines generally may be contributing to the spread of a disease once declared eradicated by public health officials. Asked in the television interview whether people should fear the measles, Oz replied, “Oh, for sure.” He said Medicare and Medicaid will continue to cover the measles vaccine as part of the insurance programs. “There will never be a barrier to Americans get access to the measles vaccine. And it is part of the core schedule,” Oz said. But Oz also said “we have advocated for measles vaccines all along” and that Kennedy “has been on the very front of this.” Questions about vaccines did not come up later in a Kennedy interview on Fox News Channel’s “The Sunday Briefing,” where he was asked about what kind of Super Bowl snack he might have (probably yogurt). He also he eats steak with sauerkraut in the mornings. Critics of Kennedy have argued that the health secretary’s longtime skepticism of U.S. vaccine recommendations and past sympathy for the unfounded claim that vaccines may cause autism may influence official public health guidance in ways contrary to the medical consensus. Oz argued that Kennedy’s stance was supportive of the measles vaccine despite Kennedy’s general comments about the recommended vaccine schedule. “When the first outbreak happened in Texas, he said, get your vaccines for measles, because that’s an example of an ailment that you should get vaccinated against,” Oz said. The Republican administration last month dropped some vaccine recommendations for children, an overhaul of the traditional vaccine schedule that the Department of Health and Human Services said was in response to a request from The President. The President asked the agency to review how peer nations approach vaccine recommendations and consider revising U.S. guidance accordingly. States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While federal requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the administration’s guidance on vaccines. U.S. vaccination rates have dropped and the share of children with exemptions has reached an all-time high, according to federal data. At the same time, rates of diseases that can be protected against with vaccines, such as measles and whooping cough, are rising across the country. Kennedy’s past anti-vaccine activism Kennedy’s past skepticism of vaccines has come under scrutiny since The President first nominated him to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. During his Senate confirmation testimony last year, Kennedy told lawmakers that a closely scrutinized 2019 trip he took to Samoa, which came before a devastating measles outbreak, had “nothing to do with vaccines.” But documents obtained by The Guardian and The Associated Press undermine that testimony. Emails sent by staffers at the U.S. Embassy and the United Nations said that Kennedy sought to meet with top Samoan officials during his trip to the Pacific island nation. Samoan officials later said Kennedy’s trip bolstered the credibility of anti-vaccine activists before the measles outbreak, which sickened thousands of people and killed 83, mostly children under age 5. Mixed messaging on autism, vaccines Oz’s comments mark a broader pattern among administration officials of voicing discordant and at times contradictory statements about the efficacy of vaccines amid an overhaul of U.S. public health policy. Officials have walked a fine line in criticizing past U.S. vaccine policy, often at times appearing to express sympathy for unfounded conspiracy theories from anti-vaccine activists, while also not straying too far from established science. During a Senate hearing Tuesday, Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, said no single vaccine causes autism, but he did not rule out the possibility that research may find some combination of vaccines could have negative health side effects. But Kennedy, in Senate testimony, has argued that a link between vaccines and autism has not been disproved. He has previously claimed that some components of vaccines, like the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal, may cause childhood neurological disorders such as autism. Most vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella do not contain thimerosal. A federal vaccine advisory board overhauled by Kennedy last year voted to no longer recommend thimerosal-containing vaccines. Administration public health officials often cite the need to restore trust in public health systems after the coronavirus pandemic, when vaccine policy and the general public health response to the deadly pandemic became a highly polarizing topic in American politics. Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the public health system also spread during the pandemic, and longtime anti-vaccine activist groups saw a swell in interest from the wider public. Kennedy, who for years led the anti-vaccine activist group Children’s Health Defense, has been criticized for ordering reviews of vaccines and public health guidelines that leading medical research groups have deemed settled science. Public health experts also criticized the president for making unfounded claims about highly politicized health issues. During a September Oval Office event, The President asserted without evidence that Tylenol and vaccines are linked to a rise in the incidence of autism in the United States. —Matt Brown, Associated Press View the full article

Hi there, A recent article we published suggests that if your one-way commute matches the U.S. average of 26 minutes, you’re spending around nine full days a year just getting to and from work. Stretch that to a 60-minute commute, and it becomes nearly 21 days: almost an entire month of your life, every year, spent in traffic or on a train. Imagine what you could do with that time. More focus, more rest, more moments with the people you love. Whatever your answer, remote work offers a way to reclaim it. Enjoy today’s reads. — Maja Our Favorite Articles 💯80+ Remote Work Statistics for 2026 (Remotive)Despite the headlines screaming about RTO's, the data tells a different story: WFH has settled into a new normal that benefits both employees and employers.👉 ​Read here​. The Return of Co-Working (Wall Street Journal)Economic uncertainty and the rise of artificial intelligence are compelling more companies to embrace flexibility for their workspace. 👉 ​Read on​. WFH Isn’t Disruption-Proof (Slate)When well-intended routines turn into shared rituals, they can quietly undermine focus and morale instead of supporting them. 👉 ​Keep reading​. Emotional Intelligence Is Becoming a Core Work Skill (HR Dive)The article makes the case that emotional intelligence may be the most valuable skill we can build for the future of work. 👉 ​Learn more​. This Week's Sponsor 🙌Too many emails? Declutter your inbox with Meco, your home for reading newsletters. Try it for free Remotive Jobs 💼Discover your next remote role among 125,000+ listings on Remotive.com. Guides & Tools​Premium Job Board​We curate 125,000+ fully remote jobs so you don't have to. ➡️ ​Find your remote job​ ​Job Search Tips​Looking for a remote job? Here are our tips to help you work remotely. ➡️ ​Check it out​ Join the Remotive newsletter Subscribe to get our latest content by email. Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. Email address Subscribe Powered by ConvertKit View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Beats Powerbeats Fit earbuds are currently down to $179.95 on Amazon, their lowest price yet, according to price trackers. They’ve replaced the older Fit Pro in Beats’ lineup and made some meaningful improvements, especially in sound quality and fit. Beats Powerbeats Fit Workout Earbuds $179.95 at Amazon $199.99 Save $20.04 Get Deal Get Deal $179.95 at Amazon $199.99 Save $20.04 The new design swaps the traditional ear hook for a redesigned fit wing, which does a good job of keeping the buds stable without pinching. Whether you’re mid-sprint or mid-squat, they stay put. The physical controls on each bud are simple to use, with a press-and-hold gesture that can be customized to toggle ANC modes, activate Siri, or control volume. These are fitness earbuds first, so it’s not shocking that Beats prioritized a bass-forward sound over an even, studio-style profile. That said, the low end doesn’t drown everything out. Mids take a step back, but vocals and instruments still come through clearly enough to keep things engaging, especially during workouts. The 9.5mm drivers handle thump-y playlists with ease, and battery life holds up—roughly six hours with ANC on, stretching to 24 with the case. You’ll get another hour of playback if you skip ANC altogether. The case itself charges via USB-C and is water-resistant (IPX4), though there’s no wireless charging, which feels like a miss at this price point. In terms of platform support, iPhone users will get the most out of these thanks to Apple’s H1 chip. That means easy device switching, built-in Siri control, and Find My integration. Android users get a solid experience too, with a well-designed app offering most of the same controls. Noise canceling on the Powerbeats Fit is decent, too—it cuts out low-end rumbles and some chatter, but it’s not full silence, notes this PCMag review. Overall, they’re a solid pick for active users who care about secure fit, strong bass, and iOS integration. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $139.99 (List Price $179.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.99 (List Price $349.00) Blink Mini 2 1080p Security Camera (White) — $23.99 (List Price $39.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones — $229.00 (List Price $349.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

If you’re relying on GA4 alone to measure the impact of AI SEO, you’re navigating with a broken compass. Don’t misunderstand me. It’s a reasonable launch pad. But to understand how audiences discover, evaluate, and ultimately choose brands, measurement must move beyond the bounds of Google’s tooling. SEO is a journey, not a destination. If you optimize only for attributable visits, large parts of that journey disappear from view. Sessions are an outcome. They can’t contextualize consideration sets increasingly shaped by algorithms and AI well before a visit ever happens. Don’t lose potential customers in the Bermuda Triangle of traditional SEO measurement. Harness the power of share of voice to steer user intent. Guide them to you by mapping your brand visibility in AI analytics. Measuring AI visits with GA4 Links are becoming more prevalent in AI systems. Traffic is climbing. GA4 makes it easy to set up a custom report to track these sessions. Create an exploration with “session source / medium” as the dimension and “sessions” as the metric. Then apply this regex filter on the referrer: .*(chatgpt|openai|claude|gemini|bard|copilot|perplexity|you\.com|meta\.ai|grok|huggingface|deepseek|mistral|manus|alexaplus|edgeservices|poe).* Don’t be concerned if the output report is messy. That’s normal. Many AI systems send multiple sets of partial referral information. Some send none at all, so sessions appear as dark traffic. This report is an easy first step. But don’t be fooled into thinking it can measure the impact of AI on your brand on its own. The most viewed AI outputs – Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode – can’t be seen here. They are attributed to either “google / organic” or “(direct) / (none),” depending on how the user accessed Google. With these limitations, looking only at GA4 traffic from generative AI is not a holistic enough data source to understand the reality of usage by your target audience and the impact on your brand. Other data sources are needed. Dig deeper: LLM optimization in 2026: Tracking, visibility, and what’s next for AI discovery Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools don’t separate AI queries Bing Webmaster Tools technically reports Copilot data. But in the most Microsoftesque fashion, chat is combined with web metrics, obscuring the chat data and making the report ineffective for understanding the impact of generative AI. This approach laid the foundation for Google Search Console to do the same. AI Overviews and AI Mode impressions and clicks are lumped in with Search, and the Gemini app is not included at all. What you can do is look for more conversational-style queries using a Google Search Console regex, such as: ^(who|what|whats|when|where|wheres|why|how|which|should)\b|.*\b(benefits of|difference between|advantages|disadvantages|examples of|meaning of|guide to|vs|versus|compare|comparison|alternative|alternatives|types of|ways to|tips|pros|cons|worth it|best|top)\b.* But this is becoming less valuable as query fan-out becomes the standard, making synthetic queries indistinguishable from human queries while inflating impression numbers. Worse, both GSC and BWT will become increasingly myopic as websites are bypassed by MCP connections or accessed directly by AI agents. Again, other data sources are needed. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. AI agent analytics with log files Both Google and ChatGPT offer AI agents that can browse and, with permission, convert on a human’s behalf. When an AI agent uses a text-based browser, it can’t be tracked by cookie-based analytics. If the agent switches to a visual browser, it often accepts cookies, 78% of the time in my testing. But this creates problems in GA4: Odd engagement metrics. These are agent behaviors, not human ones. An unnatural resurgence of desktop traffic. Agents use desktop browsers exclusively. An uptick in Chrome. Agents run on Chromium. On the plus side, agentic conversions are recorded, but they are attributed to direct traffic. As a result, many SEOs are turning to bot logs, where AI agent requests can be identified. But those requests are not a headcount of humans sending agents to complete tasks. When an agent renders a page in a visual browser, it fires multiple requests for every asset. CSS. JS. Images. Fonts. A bloated front end equals inflated request counts, making raw volume a vanity metric. The insight lies not in totals, but in paths. Follow the request flow through the site to the conversion success page. If there are plenty of requests but none reach the conversion path, you know the journey is broken. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Dig deeper: How to segment traffic from LLMs in GA4 Traditional SEO reporting isn’t up to the task of tracking AI To track the impact of AI SEO, you need to reassess your reporting. Its benefits extend beyond the bounds of GA4, Google Search Console, and log file analysis, all of which assume the user reached your website directly from an AI surface. That’s not required for brand value. Many SEO tools are now adding AI tracking, or are built entirely around it. The methodology is imperfect, with chat outcomes that are probabilistic, not deterministic. It’s similar to running focus groups. With an unbiased sample, unbiased prompts, and regular testing, the resulting trends are valuable, even if any individual response is not. They reveal the set of brands an AI system associates with a given intent, forming a consensus view of a credible consideration set. But AI search analytics tools are not all created equal. Make sure your tool tracks not only website citations, but also in-chat brand mentions and citations of brand assets such as social media profiles, videos, map listings, and apps. These are no less valuable than a website link. Recognizing this reflects SEO’s growth. As an industry, we are returning to meaningful marketing KPIs like share of voice. Understanding brand visibility for relevant intents is what ultimately drives market share. It’s not SEO’s job to optimize a website. It’s to build a well-known, top-rated, and trusted digital brand. That is the foundation of visibility across every organic surface. View the full article

Some people love watching the Super Bowl for the game. Others love it for the commercials. If you’re in the latter group, you’ll probably have noticed that the ad spots in between commercial breaks during Super Bowl LX last night were dominated by one big theme: artificial intelligence. As noted by AdWeek, the television advertising analytics firm iSpot found that nearly a quarter of all commercials during the 2026 Super Bowl featured AI in some way. To be more precise, 15 out of the 66 commercials—or 23% of them—either used AI in their creation (like the entirely AI-generated ad from the vodka maker SVEDKA) or were spots by big tech companies directly advertising their AI services. It’s the spots by those big tech companies that show how the race to capture the attention of non-techie consumers has heated up. Most of the big tech companies that advertised their AI during the Super Bowl last night have spent hundreds of billions combined building out their AI systems. Now they want to make sure their user numbers grow big enough to justify their capital expenditures. Here’s a list of tech companies that ran AI-related spots last night: Amazon The fun spot stars a paranoid Chris Hemsworth who distrusts the company’s new Alexa+ AI assistant. Genspark The AI workplace assistant startup’s ad starred Mathew Broderick and is notable because its script was actually generated by the Genspark AI platform, notes iSpot. Google The search giant’s ad takes the heartwarming route, with a mother using Gemini to generate images of a family’s new house in order to make her child feel better about the move. Meta/Oakley The ad, directed by Spike Lee, showcases the comapnies’ AI smart glasses. Microsoft The Redmond company’s ad is all about a coach using Microsoft Copilot in Excel to find the best linebackers. It should be noted that while this ad ran during the Super Bowl, it aired online several weeks earlier. OpenAI The ChatGPT maker’s ad focuses on its new Codex software development tools. View the full article

Telehealth company Hims & Hers dropped its plan to offer a knockoff version of the weight-loss pill Wegovy on Saturday — two days after it announced the new drug and one day after the Food and Drug Administration threatened to restrict access to the ingredients needed to copy popular weight-loss medications. Hims had said Thursday that it would offer a compounded version of the new Wegovy pill that drugmaker Novo Nordisk just began selling last month. Novo immediately threatened to sue Hims, and then the FDA said Friday that it plans to take decisive steps to limit access to the active ingredients in popular GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound. Hims’ own website still touted the new semaglutide pill offering Saturday afternoon — hours after it announced on X that it will no longer sell the medicine. Semaglutide is the chemical name for Wegovy. “Since launching the compounded semaglutide pill on our platform, we’ve had constructive conversations with stakeholders across the industry. As a result, we have decided to stop offering access to this treatment,” Hims said in its statement. “We remain committed to the millions of Americans who depend on us for access to safe, affordable, and personalized care.” Hims didn’t say Saturday whether it will make any changes to the compounded versions of injectable weight-loss medications it has been selling as a result of the FDA action. The San Francisco-based company had planned to significantly undercut Novo’s price of $149 per month for the Wegovy pill by selling its version at $49 for the first month and $99 per month thereafter. Hims and other similar companies got started several years ago by offering cheap generic versions of drugs for hair loss, erectile dysfunction and other health issues before branching out into the multibillion market for obesity medications. Novo plans to tout its new FDA-approved Wegovy pill in a celebrity-filled Super Bowl ad on Sunday. The Danish pharmaceutical giant didn’t immediately comment Saturday on Hims’ decision to drop the knockoff. Rival drugmaker Eli Lilly has said that it expects the FDA to approve an oral version of its orforglipron weight loss medication later this spring. But Wegovy is the first pill to hit the market. The compounded medicine that Hims had planned to sell wasn’t approved and had not gone through trials to demonstrate that it would be effective. The FDA permits specialty pharmacies and other companies to make compounded versions of brand name drugs when they are in short supply. And the booming demand for GLP-1 drugs in recent years prompted companies like Hims to jump into the multibillion-dollar market for the drugs, with many patients willing to pay cash. In 2024, the FDA said that GLP-1 drugs were no longer in a shortage, which was expected to put an end to the compounding. But companies like Hims relied on an exception to keep selling their versions of the medications because the practice is still permitted when a prescription is customized for the patient. —Josh Funk, AP Business Writer View the full article

This month presents a variety of store promotions and discounts that you shouldn’t overlook. From Yogurtland‘s BOGO yogurt offer on October 27 to significant savings on beauty products like Lancome, there’s something for everyone. Home and garden enthusiasts can find deals on Miracle-Gro and Ninja appliances, whereas winter footwear and crucial kits are affordably priced at Skechers and Walgreens. Stay tuned to discover all the top deals and how you can maximize your savings this October. Key Takeaways Enjoy a buy one, get one free yogurt or ice cream at Yogurtland on October 27, perfect for sharing with friends. Snag 20 luxury Lancome products for just $71, a savings of over 90% on high-quality skincare and makeup. Purchase a 2-pack of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food for as low as $9.39, ideal for nurturing multiple plants. Get the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer for $129.99, featuring a Smart Cook System and a large capacity for versatile cooking. Save on cleaning tools with the Shark Cyclone Pet Handheld Vacuum at $25 and the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum for $99, both designed for effective pet hair removal. BOGO Yogurt or Ice Cream Cups at Yogurtland on Oct. 27 On October 27, you can take advantage of Yogurtland’s exciting buy one, get one (BOGO) offer on yogurt or ice cream cups, which means you can enjoy double the dessert for the price of one. This promotion is accessible for both iOS and Android users, ensuring that everyone can participate. Whether you want to treat yourself or share a sweet moment with a friend, this deal is a fantastic way to indulge without overspending. Yogurtland offers a wide selection of flavors and toppings, allowing you to customize each cup to fit your taste. This limited-time offer not only satisfies your cravings but additionally helps you stick to your budget. If you’re likewise looking for other savings, consider checking for Macy’s coupon codes today to maximize your shopping experience. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy delicious frozen treats! Shark Cyclone Pet Handheld Vacuum, Just $25 Shipped at HSN If you’re looking for effective cleaning solutions, the HSN is currently available for just $25 shipped at HSN, marked down from its regular price of $70. This strong vacuum is particularly designed to tackle pet hair and debris, making it an ideal choice for pet owners. Its compact and lightweight design allows for easy maneuverability, letting you reach tight spaces and corners that larger vacuums can’t access. Customers have consistently praised its performance, noting how efficiently it cleans. This deal at HSN is a limited-time offer, so it’s a perfect opportunity to upgrade your cleaning tools without overspending. Furthermore, if you’re also shopping for home furnishings, don’t forget to check for a Macy’s furniture discount code to save even more on your purchases. Whether you’re dealing with pet messes or everyday debris, the Shark Cyclone is a reliable solution that won’t break the bank. Vera Bradley Throw Blankets Dropped to $12.34 at Target Vera Bradley Throw Blankets are now available at Target for an impressive price of $12.34, greatly reduced from their original retail price of $65. This significant discount makes it an excellent opportunity for those looking to improve their home decor or gift quality items. Here are some key features of these blankets: Stylish Patterns: Each blanket showcases Vera Bradley‘s signature patterns, ensuring they fit seamlessly with any decor. Versatile Use: Perfect for cozying up on the couch or adding a decorative touch to your bedroom. Great for Gifting: With the holidays approaching, these blankets make thoughtful gifts that recipients will appreciate. Availability may vary by location, so it’s wise to check your local Target or their website. Furthermore, you may find coupons which could further lower your total. Don’t miss out on this remarkable deal! Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack, as Low as $9.39 on Amazon If you’re looking for an affordable way to care for your indoor plants, the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack at just $9.39 on Amazon is a great option. This product not just encourages lively growth but likewise improves the overall health of your plants, making it suitable for both beginners and seasoned gardeners. With enough supply for multiple plants or extended use, this deal is timely and worth considering before stock runs out. Affordable Plant Care Solution In regards to nurturing your indoor plants, having the right care solutions can make all the difference. The Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack, available for as low as $9.39 on Amazon, is an excellent choice for plant enthusiasts. This affordable option provides crucial nutrients and encourages lively growth. Here are a few benefits of using Miracle-Gro: Promotes stronger root systems, ensuring your plants thrive. Improves overall appearance, making your greenery more attractive. Trusted brand reputation among plant lovers for effectiveness. Don’t forget, as you’re shopping, look out for deals like a Macy’s coupon code furniture to save even more on your indoor gardening supplies. Investing in your plants has never been easier or more affordable! Boost Indoor Plant Growth Boosting indoor plant growth is vital for maintaining a lively and healthy home environment, and the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack, available for as low as $9.39 on Amazon, offers an effective solution. This specially formulated plant food provides fundamental nutrients, ensuring your indoor plants thrive with lively foliage. Applying it’s simple, allowing you to give your plants the right nourishment without hassle. The 2-Pack option is perfect for those with multiple plants or larger indoor gardens, extending its usability. Users have praised its effectiveness, making Miracle-Gro a trusted choice for indoor plant care. Plus, if you’re shopping for fragrances, don’t forget to check out the Macy’s promo code fragrance for additional savings on your shopping spree! Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer, Just $129.99 on Amazon The Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer, now available for just $129.99 on Amazon, represents a significant discount from its regular price of $250. This versatile appliance is designed to make your cooking experience easier and more enjoyable. Here’s what you can expect: Smart Cook System: Achieve perfect cooking results with various foods. Large Capacity: Accommodates up to 5 pounds, ideal for family meals. Multiple Functions: Air fry, roast, bake, and dehydrate all in one device. With an impressive average customer rating of 4.7 stars, it’s highly praised for its performance and ease of use. If you’re looking for a great deal, consider combining this purchase with a Macy’s discount promo code for additional savings on kitchen necessities. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your cooking capabilities as you save money! Become a KCL Insider and Get Even More Savings Becoming a KCL Insider opens the door to exclusive member discounts, giving you early access to sales that can greatly improve your savings. As an Insider, you’ll additionally receive valuable couponing tips customized to help you maximize your budget across various products and promotions. This streamlined approach not just boosts your shopping experience but guarantees you never miss out on the best deals available. Exclusive Member Discounts Joining the KCL Insider program reveals a wealth of exclusive benefits intended to improve your shopping experience. By becoming a member, you gain access to deals and tips that boost your savings. Here are some key advantages: Early access to the hottest deals, ensuring you never miss significant discounts. Exclusive tips and tricks for effective couponing, maximizing your shopping efficiency. Special deals reserved only for members, including savings on items like Macy’s coupon code perfume. With the KCL Insider program, you’ll additionally stay informed about the latest shopping trends and promotions customized for you. This membership makes your shopping more rewarding, allowing you to level up your couponing game as you enjoy the best savings available. Early Access Sales How can you get ahead of the crowd during sales events? By becoming a KCL Insider, you gain early access to the hottest deals, ensuring you’re among the first to snag limited-time offers. As a member, you’ll tap into exclusive savings opportunities that improve your shopping experience. During major sales events like Black Friday, you’ll have an edge over others, accessing deals that may not be available to the general public. Plus, you’ll discover insider tricks for effective couponing, which can help you maximize savings on your purchases. For instance, when shopping for that perfect fragrance, you can combine a Macy’s promo code perfume with early access offers to enjoy even greater discounts. Don’t miss out on these benefits! Insider Couponing Tips To maximize your savings during shopping, you’ll want to learn effective couponing strategies that can improve your overall experience. Becoming a KCL Insider offers exclusive advantages, letting you access the hottest deals first. Here are some insider tips: Sign up for exclusive savings that stack on existing markdowns. Gain insights into the latest deal trends and sales events. Enjoy member-only promotions that aren’t available to the public. Skechers Water-Repellent Winter Boots, Only $40 Shipped at QVC This month, you can grab a pair of Skechers Water-Repellent Winter Boots for only $40, shipped directly to your door through QVC. These boots feature a water-repellent design, ensuring your feet stay dry and comfortable in wet winter conditions. Not only are they functional, but their stylish look makes them suitable for everyday wear, allowing you to maintain both comfort and style during the colder months. Compared to similar winter boots typically priced higher, this promotion provides excellent value for shoppers looking for budget-friendly options. Additionally, with shipping included in the price, you don’t have to worry about additional costs. If you’re also on the hunt for great deals, don’t forget to check out Macy’s promo code shoes for additional savings on other footwear. With these Skechers boots at such a low price, it’s an ideal time to upgrade your winter wardrobe without breaking the bank. Get 20 Lancome Products for $71 ($726 Value) This month, you can grab 20 Lancome products for just $71, a remarkable discount from their total value of $726. The promotion includes a diverse range of skincare and makeup items, allowing you to explore various products during savings considerably. Keep in mind, this limited-time offer highlights the luxury of Lancome’s high-quality beauty line, making it a smart choice for any makeup enthusiast. Incredible Value Savings An incredible opportunity awaits beauty enthusiasts with the chance to purchase 20 Lancome products for only $71, a remarkable discount from the original retail value of $726. This deal offers you an incredible savings of over 90%, making it an ideal time to explore high-quality beauty products. Here’s what you can expect from this limited-time offer: A diverse range of skincare and makeup items Well-regarded products known for effectiveness and luxury A chance to try multiple items at a fraction of the cost Don’t forget to check for Macy’s fragrance coupons to maximize your savings even further. Availability is limited, so act quickly to secure this exceptional deal as supplies last. Variety of Products Discover a remarkable opportunity to improve your beauty routine with 20 Lancome products for just $71, a striking reduction from the original value of $726. This bundle features a varied selection of skincare and makeup items, allowing you to explore new favorites or replenish your go-tos. Each product is thoughtfully curated, reflecting Lancome’s dedication to quality and effectiveness. From luxurious creams to lively lip colors, this collection caters to all beauty needs. Additionally, by using coupons at Macy’s, you can maximize your savings even further. This promotion not merely showcases the brand’s commitment to high-value offerings but also serves as an excellent chance for both beauty enthusiasts and casual users to elevate their collection. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Limited Time Offer If you’re looking for a way to improve your beauty collection without breaking the bank, consider taking advantage of the limited-time offer on 20 Lancome products for just $71, a staggering drop from the original price of $726. This exclusive deal is perfect for beauty enthusiasts wanting to explore high-end items. Here’s what you’ll get: A variety of skincare necessities Must-have makeup products A chance to expand your beauty collection Quantities are limited, so it’s wise to act quickly before this offer sells out. Plus, don’t forget to check for a Macy’s perfume coupon to save even more on your beauty haul! Don’t miss out on this exceptional opportunity. Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum, Only $99 at Walmart For just $99, the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum at Walmart provides an excellent opportunity for pet owners looking to maintain a clean home without breaking the bank. This vacuum is particularly designed to tackle pet hair, making it an ideal choice for anyone with furry friends. With specialized attachments, it improves its ability to remove stubborn pet hair from carpets, upholstery, and hard surfaces. Customers have rated the vacuum highly for its performance and ease of use, which contributes to its popularity among pet owners. This promotion not only represents significant savings compared to its regular price but likewise guarantees you invest in a reliable cleaning solution. By purchasing the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum, you’re taking a step toward a cleaner environment, making it easier to manage pet hair and keep your home tidy. Don’t miss this chance to grab a top-rated vacuum at such an affordable price. This 8-Piece Essentials Kit Is Just $6.29 at Walgreens You can grab an 8-Piece Vital Kit at Walgreens for just $6.29, making it a fantastic option for those in need of everyday items. This budget-friendly kit offers significant savings compared to purchasing each item separately, enhancing its value. Here’s what you can expect in the kit: Vital toiletries Basic first aid supplies Convenient travel-sized items This promotion is an excellent opportunity to stock up, especially with the holiday season approaching. Whether you’re preparing for travels or just want to replenish your home supplies, this kit is perfect for on-the-go convenience. Availability may vary by location, so it’s a good idea to check with your local Walgreens to confirm they’ve it in stock. And as you’re at it, don’t forget to look for shoe store coupons to maximize your savings on other vital items! Frequently Asked Questions Which Sales Promotion Is Most Effective? The most effective sales promotion often combines discounts with urgency. Time-sensitive offers, such as flash sales, create a pressing need to buy quickly. Furthermore, Buy One Get One (BOGO) deals encourage larger purchases by providing perceived value. Discounts on popular items, especially during peak seasons, tend to attract more customers. Combining these strategies with incentives like gift cards can improve customer loyalty and drive repeat visits, making them highly effective overall. Should I Buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? When deciding between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consider the types of products you need. Black Friday often features significant discounts on electronics and appliances, whereas Cyber Monday tends to offer better deals on fashion and home goods. Furthermore, Black Friday sales may begin on Thanksgiving, giving you early access. Cyber Monday, on the other hand, might provide extended return policies. Researching specific items beforehand will help you maximize savings and choose the best shopping day for your needs. Which Website Has the Best Deals? When you’re looking for the best deals, consider your shopping needs first. Amazon typically offers significant discounts on electronics, whereas Target surpasses in home goods and food promotions. HSN is known for household appliances, showcasing exclusive deals. Best Buy is ideal for tech enthusiasts, featuring substantial savings on gadgets. Walmart is a strong choice for toys and seasonal items. Evaluate each site based on what you need, as each has unique strengths and promotions. What Is the Biggest Sale Event of the Year? The biggest sale event of the year is Black Friday, celebrated on November 24, 2023. During this event, major retailers offer discounts ranging from 20% to 70% on a wide array of products, including electronics, home goods, clothing, and toys. Many retailers start their promotions as early as Thanksgiving Day, leading to increased consumer spending. To maximize your savings, consider using price trackers and deal aggregators to find the best prices available. Conclusion This month, take advantage of these exceptional store promotions and discounts to maximize your savings. From Yogurtland’s BOGO yogurt offer to the incredible deal on 20 Lancome products, there’s something for everyone. Don’t overlook the home necessities like the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food and Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer. Whether you’re shopping for winter boots at Skechers or a necessities kit at Walgreens, these offers provide great opportunities to save. Make sure you don’t miss out. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Best Store Promotions and Discounts You Can’t Miss This Month" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This month presents a variety of store promotions and discounts that you shouldn’t overlook. From Yogurtland‘s BOGO yogurt offer on October 27 to significant savings on beauty products like Lancome, there’s something for everyone. Home and garden enthusiasts can find deals on Miracle-Gro and Ninja appliances, whereas winter footwear and crucial kits are affordably priced at Skechers and Walgreens. Stay tuned to discover all the top deals and how you can maximize your savings this October. Key Takeaways Enjoy a buy one, get one free yogurt or ice cream at Yogurtland on October 27, perfect for sharing with friends. Snag 20 luxury Lancome products for just $71, a savings of over 90% on high-quality skincare and makeup. Purchase a 2-pack of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food for as low as $9.39, ideal for nurturing multiple plants. Get the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer for $129.99, featuring a Smart Cook System and a large capacity for versatile cooking. Save on cleaning tools with the Shark Cyclone Pet Handheld Vacuum at $25 and the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum for $99, both designed for effective pet hair removal. BOGO Yogurt or Ice Cream Cups at Yogurtland on Oct. 27 On October 27, you can take advantage of Yogurtland’s exciting buy one, get one (BOGO) offer on yogurt or ice cream cups, which means you can enjoy double the dessert for the price of one. This promotion is accessible for both iOS and Android users, ensuring that everyone can participate. Whether you want to treat yourself or share a sweet moment with a friend, this deal is a fantastic way to indulge without overspending. Yogurtland offers a wide selection of flavors and toppings, allowing you to customize each cup to fit your taste. This limited-time offer not only satisfies your cravings but additionally helps you stick to your budget. If you’re likewise looking for other savings, consider checking for Macy’s coupon codes today to maximize your shopping experience. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy delicious frozen treats! Shark Cyclone Pet Handheld Vacuum, Just $25 Shipped at HSN If you’re looking for effective cleaning solutions, the HSN is currently available for just $25 shipped at HSN, marked down from its regular price of $70. This strong vacuum is particularly designed to tackle pet hair and debris, making it an ideal choice for pet owners. Its compact and lightweight design allows for easy maneuverability, letting you reach tight spaces and corners that larger vacuums can’t access. Customers have consistently praised its performance, noting how efficiently it cleans. This deal at HSN is a limited-time offer, so it’s a perfect opportunity to upgrade your cleaning tools without overspending. Furthermore, if you’re also shopping for home furnishings, don’t forget to check for a Macy’s furniture discount code to save even more on your purchases. Whether you’re dealing with pet messes or everyday debris, the Shark Cyclone is a reliable solution that won’t break the bank. Vera Bradley Throw Blankets Dropped to $12.34 at Target Vera Bradley Throw Blankets are now available at Target for an impressive price of $12.34, greatly reduced from their original retail price of $65. This significant discount makes it an excellent opportunity for those looking to improve their home decor or gift quality items. Here are some key features of these blankets: Stylish Patterns: Each blanket showcases Vera Bradley‘s signature patterns, ensuring they fit seamlessly with any decor. Versatile Use: Perfect for cozying up on the couch or adding a decorative touch to your bedroom. Great for Gifting: With the holidays approaching, these blankets make thoughtful gifts that recipients will appreciate. Availability may vary by location, so it’s wise to check your local Target or their website. Furthermore, you may find coupons which could further lower your total. Don’t miss out on this remarkable deal! Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack, as Low as $9.39 on Amazon If you’re looking for an affordable way to care for your indoor plants, the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack at just $9.39 on Amazon is a great option. This product not just encourages lively growth but likewise improves the overall health of your plants, making it suitable for both beginners and seasoned gardeners. With enough supply for multiple plants or extended use, this deal is timely and worth considering before stock runs out. Affordable Plant Care Solution In regards to nurturing your indoor plants, having the right care solutions can make all the difference. The Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack, available for as low as $9.39 on Amazon, is an excellent choice for plant enthusiasts. This affordable option provides crucial nutrients and encourages lively growth. Here are a few benefits of using Miracle-Gro: Promotes stronger root systems, ensuring your plants thrive. Improves overall appearance, making your greenery more attractive. Trusted brand reputation among plant lovers for effectiveness. Don’t forget, as you’re shopping, look out for deals like a Macy’s coupon code furniture to save even more on your indoor gardening supplies. Investing in your plants has never been easier or more affordable! Boost Indoor Plant Growth Boosting indoor plant growth is vital for maintaining a lively and healthy home environment, and the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 2-Pack, available for as low as $9.39 on Amazon, offers an effective solution. This specially formulated plant food provides fundamental nutrients, ensuring your indoor plants thrive with lively foliage. Applying it’s simple, allowing you to give your plants the right nourishment without hassle. The 2-Pack option is perfect for those with multiple plants or larger indoor gardens, extending its usability. Users have praised its effectiveness, making Miracle-Gro a trusted choice for indoor plant care. Plus, if you’re shopping for fragrances, don’t forget to check out the Macy’s promo code fragrance for additional savings on your shopping spree! Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer, Just $129.99 on Amazon The Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer, now available for just $129.99 on Amazon, represents a significant discount from its regular price of $250. This versatile appliance is designed to make your cooking experience easier and more enjoyable. Here’s what you can expect: Smart Cook System: Achieve perfect cooking results with various foods. Large Capacity: Accommodates up to 5 pounds, ideal for family meals. Multiple Functions: Air fry, roast, bake, and dehydrate all in one device. With an impressive average customer rating of 4.7 stars, it’s highly praised for its performance and ease of use. If you’re looking for a great deal, consider combining this purchase with a Macy’s discount promo code for additional savings on kitchen necessities. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your cooking capabilities as you save money! Become a KCL Insider and Get Even More Savings Becoming a KCL Insider opens the door to exclusive member discounts, giving you early access to sales that can greatly improve your savings. As an Insider, you’ll additionally receive valuable couponing tips customized to help you maximize your budget across various products and promotions. This streamlined approach not just boosts your shopping experience but guarantees you never miss out on the best deals available. Exclusive Member Discounts Joining the KCL Insider program reveals a wealth of exclusive benefits intended to improve your shopping experience. By becoming a member, you gain access to deals and tips that boost your savings. Here are some key advantages: Early access to the hottest deals, ensuring you never miss significant discounts. Exclusive tips and tricks for effective couponing, maximizing your shopping efficiency. Special deals reserved only for members, including savings on items like Macy’s coupon code perfume. With the KCL Insider program, you’ll additionally stay informed about the latest shopping trends and promotions customized for you. This membership makes your shopping more rewarding, allowing you to level up your couponing game as you enjoy the best savings available. Early Access Sales How can you get ahead of the crowd during sales events? By becoming a KCL Insider, you gain early access to the hottest deals, ensuring you’re among the first to snag limited-time offers. As a member, you’ll tap into exclusive savings opportunities that improve your shopping experience. During major sales events like Black Friday, you’ll have an edge over others, accessing deals that may not be available to the general public. Plus, you’ll discover insider tricks for effective couponing, which can help you maximize savings on your purchases. For instance, when shopping for that perfect fragrance, you can combine a Macy’s promo code perfume with early access offers to enjoy even greater discounts. Don’t miss out on these benefits! Insider Couponing Tips To maximize your savings during shopping, you’ll want to learn effective couponing strategies that can improve your overall experience. Becoming a KCL Insider offers exclusive advantages, letting you access the hottest deals first. Here are some insider tips: Sign up for exclusive savings that stack on existing markdowns. Gain insights into the latest deal trends and sales events. Enjoy member-only promotions that aren’t available to the public. Skechers Water-Repellent Winter Boots, Only $40 Shipped at QVC This month, you can grab a pair of Skechers Water-Repellent Winter Boots for only $40, shipped directly to your door through QVC. These boots feature a water-repellent design, ensuring your feet stay dry and comfortable in wet winter conditions. Not only are they functional, but their stylish look makes them suitable for everyday wear, allowing you to maintain both comfort and style during the colder months. Compared to similar winter boots typically priced higher, this promotion provides excellent value for shoppers looking for budget-friendly options. Additionally, with shipping included in the price, you don’t have to worry about additional costs. If you’re also on the hunt for great deals, don’t forget to check out Macy’s promo code shoes for additional savings on other footwear. With these Skechers boots at such a low price, it’s an ideal time to upgrade your winter wardrobe without breaking the bank. Get 20 Lancome Products for $71 ($726 Value) This month, you can grab 20 Lancome products for just $71, a remarkable discount from their total value of $726. The promotion includes a diverse range of skincare and makeup items, allowing you to explore various products during savings considerably. Keep in mind, this limited-time offer highlights the luxury of Lancome’s high-quality beauty line, making it a smart choice for any makeup enthusiast. Incredible Value Savings An incredible opportunity awaits beauty enthusiasts with the chance to purchase 20 Lancome products for only $71, a remarkable discount from the original retail value of $726. This deal offers you an incredible savings of over 90%, making it an ideal time to explore high-quality beauty products. Here’s what you can expect from this limited-time offer: A diverse range of skincare and makeup items Well-regarded products known for effectiveness and luxury A chance to try multiple items at a fraction of the cost Don’t forget to check for Macy’s fragrance coupons to maximize your savings even further. Availability is limited, so act quickly to secure this exceptional deal as supplies last. Variety of Products Discover a remarkable opportunity to improve your beauty routine with 20 Lancome products for just $71, a striking reduction from the original value of $726. This bundle features a varied selection of skincare and makeup items, allowing you to explore new favorites or replenish your go-tos. Each product is thoughtfully curated, reflecting Lancome’s dedication to quality and effectiveness. From luxurious creams to lively lip colors, this collection caters to all beauty needs. Additionally, by using coupons at Macy’s, you can maximize your savings even further. This promotion not merely showcases the brand’s commitment to high-value offerings but also serves as an excellent chance for both beauty enthusiasts and casual users to elevate their collection. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Limited Time Offer If you’re looking for a way to improve your beauty collection without breaking the bank, consider taking advantage of the limited-time offer on 20 Lancome products for just $71, a staggering drop from the original price of $726. This exclusive deal is perfect for beauty enthusiasts wanting to explore high-end items. Here’s what you’ll get: A variety of skincare necessities Must-have makeup products A chance to expand your beauty collection Quantities are limited, so it’s wise to act quickly before this offer sells out. Plus, don’t forget to check for a Macy’s perfume coupon to save even more on your beauty haul! Don’t miss out on this exceptional opportunity. Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum, Only $99 at Walmart For just $99, the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum at Walmart provides an excellent opportunity for pet owners looking to maintain a clean home without breaking the bank. This vacuum is particularly designed to tackle pet hair, making it an ideal choice for anyone with furry friends. With specialized attachments, it improves its ability to remove stubborn pet hair from carpets, upholstery, and hard surfaces. Customers have rated the vacuum highly for its performance and ease of use, which contributes to its popularity among pet owners. This promotion not only represents significant savings compared to its regular price but likewise guarantees you invest in a reliable cleaning solution. By purchasing the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum, you’re taking a step toward a cleaner environment, making it easier to manage pet hair and keep your home tidy. Don’t miss this chance to grab a top-rated vacuum at such an affordable price. This 8-Piece Essentials Kit Is Just $6.29 at Walgreens You can grab an 8-Piece Vital Kit at Walgreens for just $6.29, making it a fantastic option for those in need of everyday items. This budget-friendly kit offers significant savings compared to purchasing each item separately, enhancing its value. Here’s what you can expect in the kit: Vital toiletries Basic first aid supplies Convenient travel-sized items This promotion is an excellent opportunity to stock up, especially with the holiday season approaching. Whether you’re preparing for travels or just want to replenish your home supplies, this kit is perfect for on-the-go convenience. Availability may vary by location, so it’s a good idea to check with your local Walgreens to confirm they’ve it in stock. And as you’re at it, don’t forget to look for shoe store coupons to maximize your savings on other vital items! Frequently Asked Questions Which Sales Promotion Is Most Effective? The most effective sales promotion often combines discounts with urgency. Time-sensitive offers, such as flash sales, create a pressing need to buy quickly. Furthermore, Buy One Get One (BOGO) deals encourage larger purchases by providing perceived value. Discounts on popular items, especially during peak seasons, tend to attract more customers. Combining these strategies with incentives like gift cards can improve customer loyalty and drive repeat visits, making them highly effective overall. Should I Buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? When deciding between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consider the types of products you need. Black Friday often features significant discounts on electronics and appliances, whereas Cyber Monday tends to offer better deals on fashion and home goods. Furthermore, Black Friday sales may begin on Thanksgiving, giving you early access. Cyber Monday, on the other hand, might provide extended return policies. Researching specific items beforehand will help you maximize savings and choose the best shopping day for your needs. Which Website Has the Best Deals? When you’re looking for the best deals, consider your shopping needs first. Amazon typically offers significant discounts on electronics, whereas Target surpasses in home goods and food promotions. HSN is known for household appliances, showcasing exclusive deals. Best Buy is ideal for tech enthusiasts, featuring substantial savings on gadgets. Walmart is a strong choice for toys and seasonal items. Evaluate each site based on what you need, as each has unique strengths and promotions. What Is the Biggest Sale Event of the Year? The biggest sale event of the year is Black Friday, celebrated on November 24, 2023. During this event, major retailers offer discounts ranging from 20% to 70% on a wide array of products, including electronics, home goods, clothing, and toys. Many retailers start their promotions as early as Thanksgiving Day, leading to increased consumer spending. To maximize your savings, consider using price trackers and deal aggregators to find the best prices available. Conclusion This month, take advantage of these exceptional store promotions and discounts to maximize your savings. From Yogurtland’s BOGO yogurt offer to the incredible deal on 20 Lancome products, there’s something for everyone. Don’t overlook the home necessities like the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food and Ninja Foodi Smart XL Air Fryer. Whether you’re shopping for winter boots at Skechers or a necessities kit at Walgreens, these offers provide great opportunities to save. Make sure you don’t miss out. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Best Store Promotions and Discounts You Can’t Miss This Month" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Nothing’s Ear (a) earbuds launched at $109, which always felt a little ambitious for a midrange pair trying to punch above its weight. But at their current sale price of $58.99 right now, their lowest price to date (according to price trackers), they’re in a range where the design, sound quality, and software finally make sense for the money. Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds with ChatGPT Integration, 45dB Hybrid Noise Cancelling Earbuds, Hi-Res Audio, Advanced Equaliser, Dual Connect, 6 Mics, 42.5H Playtime Earbuds Wireless Bluetooth White $58.99 at Amazon $109.00 Save $50.01 Get Deal Get Deal $58.99 at Amazon $109.00 Save $50.01 The Ear (a) look unmistakably Nothing, with a transparent shell that shows off the internals. They fit snugly without much fiddling, and the IP54 rating means sweat, dust, and light rain won’t be a problem. That said, the case itself is only IPX2, so it can handle splashes but not much else. Sound is where these earbuds mostly earn their keep. The 11mm dynamic drivers deliver a bass-forward presentation that still manages to stay relatively balanced. Low-end hits with real weight, especially at moderate to higher volumes, and doesn’t immediately swallow vocals or guitars, notes this PCMag review. You can tweak things further in the Nothing app, either by choosing preset EQ modes or manually adjusting bass, mids, and highs. Codec support is strong for the money, with AAC, SBC, and LDAC all on board over Bluetooth 5.3, plus multipoint for two devices at once. Noise cancellation is effective for the price, particularly on the default High setting. It reduces low-frequency rumble and busy background sounds well, though rivals from Sony or Bose still do more heavy lifting in this area. The controls are stem-based pinches and feel consistent once you learn them. Playback, calls, track skipping, and noise modes are all handled without needing to pull out your phone, and the app lets you customize most gestures. There’s even a pinch-to-speak ChatGPT feature if you’re using a Nothing phone. Battery life lands around 9.5 hours with ANC off or 5.5 hours with it on, with the case extending that to roughly 33 or 19 hours, respectively. Those numbers will drop if you use higher-quality codecs or listen at a loud volume, but they’re competitive. In short, Nothing Ear (a) makes the most sense for someone who values sound tuning, bass-heavy audio, and a slick design, all for under $60. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $139.99 (List Price $179.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.99 (List Price $349.00) Blink Mini 2 1080p Security Camera (White) — $23.99 (List Price $39.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones — $229.00 (List Price $349.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

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I hold the key to the Ferrari in my hand. I press it, like a puzzle piece, into a notch by my right hip. Yellow fades from the key as the hue enters the shifter and the dashboard comes to life with a wave of yellow. I’m enchanted. My foot can’t wait to slam down on the pedal. The only thing I’m missing is . . . the entire rest of the car. Even for a legendary automaker launching its first EV, it was a preposterous pitch: Ferrari’s big car reveal would not show the car. And it wouldn’t show the car’s interior, either. Instead, journalists were asked to fly—some of them halfway across the world—to scope out a steering wheel, a few chunks of dashboard, a center console, and a seat. I can count the designers I’d do that for, not on one hand, but on one finger. As it happens, that was the designer pointing the way. While the world will never get a ride in Jony Ive’s long lost Apple Car, they will get a spiritual sequel with a 1,000+ horsepower upgrade, Jony Ive’s spin on Ferrari. Ferrari meets Silicon Valley Designed over the last five years with the firm LoveFrom, the Ferrari “Luce” (translation to “light” or “illumination”) is a generationally important car for the Italian automaker as it transitions to an electric future. Everything from the car’s form, to its layout, to its buttons, to an e-ink key that’s the size and shape of a Zippo lighter, to the vehicle’s interface and typeface, was designed through the gaze of the San Francisco firm. It’s nearly impossible to ignore the Venn diagram between Ferrari’s first electric vehicle and the golden era of Apple products. And you certainly don’t need to squint to spot some of Ive’s favorite materials, like the prominent use of anodized aluminum and Gorilla Glass across the components. But this outcome seems largely by Italy’s own design. Ferrari’s CEO, Benedetto Vigna, spent two decades on semiconductors before turning to Italian supercars in 2021. He wants to carve a future for Ferrari in a rapidly changing world, and also crack the code to court new customers, like Silicon Valley billionaires, to spend some of their fortune on cars. The project—to be fully revealed later this year before shipping in October—was led by the aforementioned Ive and Marc Newson. Before co-founding LoveFrom, they were best friends for decades, and collaborators on projects ranging from a 1.5-ton desk auctioned for charity to the Apple Watch. Ive, of course, defined the modern era by designing products ranging from the iMac to the iPhone. While Newson, a lesser-known name in Apple history, is a star in his own rite. He’s also an almost archetypal designer to reimagine a luxury automaker. Long before he posted his own exploits racing vintage cars on his Instagram, he crafted just about every object imaginable (including a public bathroom for Japan, Nikes built for space, and the influential Ford 021C), with a particular penchant for high-end brands. His Lockheed Lounge is still the most expensive piece of furniture ever sold by a living designer. (Get a deep look into his career and design process here.) Backing the two of them, of course, are the industrial, UX, mechanical, and graphic design experts at LoveFrom—many of whom worked with Ive during his days at Apple. Ive, as it turns out, had good reason for extending the hype cycle for LoveFrom’s first major client outside of Apple. If they showed the body of the Luce now, it’s all anyone would notice. Meanwhile, LoveFrom has been working for years on dozens of components inside the car, each of which they treated as beloved products all their own. Ferrari’s chief design officer, Flavio Manzoni, frames the Luce as something of a capsule project that’s independent from Ferrari’s full lineup, which offered LoveFrom license to create a thesis that can live self-contained. “This is very inspiring, and certainly will influence everything [we do],” says Manzoni. “But it also must be kept as something really singular and unique. Everything has been done interpreting the soul of a very special car.” Deconstructed and organized atop white tables during the preview, I could appreciate not only the Luce’s components like its wheel, but its subcomponents of knobs, switches, and paddles—perhaps a dozen different buttons each offering their own feeling. With nested, CNCd aluminum housings, you can almost see a watch, or a game controller, or just some irresistibly interesting thingamabob living harmoniously inside another. The vehicle is an ecosystem of mini gadgets. Pulse-rocketing supercars couldn’t be more disparate from the ever-serene atmosphere inside LoveFrom’s San Francisco studio, where fresh cut flowers casually adorn each nook. As I sit with Ive and Newson at a long white table, upon soft blue, yellow, and orange stools mirrored by their Moncler collection at the far end of the room, the duo conjures a whole other thought space, riffing on their high-octane handiwork. “We really wanted every part, every component, to be designed as an individual product. So it’s like dozens and dozens of cameras and watches. The idea [was] we could spend the time and invest the care on every part and have it work,” says Ive. “Even the forms are very self-contained and modular.” The components, as it turned out, are worth talking about. As the auto industry inevitably transitions to electric, LoveFrom’s design team created a love letter to tactile interface, offer solutions to blending digital and physical experiences in the vehicle, and tease the sort of auteur-driven work that’s disappeared in an increasingly blanded and averaged automotive industry that sold its soul chasing Tesla. “We’re very aware that we love the sounds of our big old Ferrari engines,” says Ive. “And so rather than trying to figure out some sort of surrogate or something inauthentic to [compensate], we worked so hard to try and create as visceral and direct connection with the object [as possible].” Focusing the driver’s experience A Ferrari is a driver’s car, and without looking around at any other spectacle in the Luce, the driver experience has been designed for focus. It begins with the car’s seats, which seem plucked from somewhere between a race car and a living room. After sinking into them, drivers place their key into the console, and they take the wheel. Most wheels tilt up and down independently from the car’s instrument panel, making it sometimes difficult to be comfortable while having a clear line of sight through the wheel to your gauges. But the Luce moves this entire rig as one unified gesture: The wheel, steering column, and instrument panel shift as one. (What I hear was a particular engineering challenge for both safety and mitigating vibration.) The wheel feels like a natural conclusion to Ferrari’s last few generations of fussing with its own icon. The manufacturer added controversial touch capabilities in 2019, before reversing course last year with a modernized, more mechanical option that can be retrofitted into older vehicles. The LoveFrom wheel reads rounder all around, veering more toward vintage Ferrari than an oblong reference to F1. Its aluminum core is earnestly exposed rather than obfuscated in leathers and rubber. The controls gently reorganize Ferrari mainstays, like the bold red Manettino dial (to adjust your driving mode), into something you feel like your brain can process alongside new touches like left and right buttons (they’re turn signals). The instrument panel—or binnacle—is not just a wide screen with widgety virtual controls: it’s a collection of four screens. Three round screens, making up the speedometer and other dials, live recessed inside a fourth screen. Lenses and parallax effects give the panels additional depth and physicality. But that physicality is more than an illusion of pixels and refraction: the speedometer needle is real. The combined effect will be something drivers haven’t exactly seen or felt before, punctuated by a pared back interface that tells most of the story through the three hues of the Tricolore—without it feeling like a trip through our grocery store’s international aisle. Chris Wilson, who you know for his work on the Apple Watch UI, worked with Ferrari engineers to marry onscreen UX with its new torque shifting technology. While electric motors require no shifting, pulling the paddle on the left side of the wheel provides a virtual downshift (turning the dial green while motors slow the car to recoup energy). When it’s time for an extra jolt of power, the interface blinks red, and you pull the paddle on the right. Meanwhile, the numbers you see on the instrument panel are part of a new typeface family called “LF Maranello” designed by LoveFrom’s Antonio Cavedoni, who worked alongside Wilson on Apple’s San Francisco typeface before making LoveFrom’s own. Bucking the wide stance letters Ferrari is known for, the clean san serif is an amalgamation of midcentury Ferrari engine stamping, the numbers on old Ferrari dials (themselves often plucked from whatever watch manufactures were already using), and local signage from Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello. With the slightest expressive indulgences—a curvy flag on the 1, a short stem on the 4—it manages to look vintage and contemporary at the same time. “The hardware is geometrically perfect,” says Cavedoni. “But here, we can do anything.” Fixing human factors at high speeds Over two days of previews, Ive doesn’t mince words about the influential approach Tesla has taken, in which, through some desperate attempt to create sci-fi mystery, the vehicles mask the simplest functions. One such example is the way a Tesla handles its gaspers (that’s the technical term for the fans built into the dash). Whereas Tesla literally hides them so well you can only control them via a screen, LoveFrom’s gaspers almost glow. With spherical aluminum bodies, they could double as Macbook satellite speakers. You twist a ring, and a visible, central flap swings open or closes with a satisfying click. You don’t need to dig through a UI, or even squint to look for an “X” symbol on some dial on the dash. The object explains itself. “Clarity is so important. Not only in terms of physical interaction, but intellectual clarity,” says Newson. Since Elon Musk stuck what Ive calls “an iPad” into the center of a Tesla, a disjointed center screen has increasingly taxed the experience of driving. It’s why I was perhaps the most and least surprised by LoveFrom’s choice to have a tablet in the center of the vehicle. However, Luce’s tablet is foundationally different. It’s entirely unnecessary for driving, and, perhaps ironically, a screen that’s usable without looking at it. The tablet sits atop a large aluminum handle, which allows you to tilt the screen or blindedly rest your palm for a point of reference. That handle also adds impact protection from a series of aluminum toggle switches that live in the bottom of the display, managing tasks like climate control and seat warming. Yes, these switches appear straight out of midcentury Ferrari design language. And yes, LoveFrom produced four thick books charting the history of Ferrari gifted to the company at the start of their collaboration. But the team bristles when I characterize the choice for toggle switches as an homage. Newson points out the toggle itself is a known typology, “because it’s the best tool for the job.” That’s why it’s in the Luce and all sorts of vintage control panels, he notes—and that’s also why we innately think toggles are so cool. “If you look at helicopters from the ‘50s, ‘60s, they weren’t screwed up with design,” says Ive. “Their beauty was a function of them being so brilliantly utilitarian. And I think so often stuff just gets ugly when design gets in the way.” Setting the stage for performance But that’s not to say the Luce is some unflinching commitment to minimalism, or that a serious commitment to craft requires the driver to never crack a smile. In the upper right hand corner of that tablet is a “multigraph.” At a glance, it looks like a clock with physical minute and hour hands that could be straight out of a fine timepiece. But a split second later, it can turn into a compass or one of two stopwatches (in 60-second, and 5-second launch variants). Unlike typical timepieces, the hands will spin independently from one another, animating in an unexpected way. Is this touch purely about function? Ha! Of course not—a virtual clock could appear on the screen in the same spot. It’s LoveFrom stunting, taking its own metaphorical Ferrari out of the garage and bringing fans along for the ride. “We’re introducing an impediment…an engineering challenge, but it makes it way more engaging,” says Ive, before holding his own iPhone into the air looking like an Uber driver scanning for their next ride. “Or it could just be [that] mounted.” We see a similar celebration of driver engagement with Luce’s launch control. This is a setting that preps the car, the battery, and the driver to coax the maximum straight-line power for acceleration. Instead of pressing a button on the wheel, this new launch control requires the driver to hold the brake while reaching above their head and pull on a cylindrical, pneumatic handle. After a few seconds, I’m told, the car’s entire cabin lights up orange, enlisting everyone into the vehicle to hold on with dramatic flare. Back in LoveFrom’s studio, Ive and Newson deconstruct their code-orange approach. “The Ferrari brand is extremely visceral. And in some ways there’s a theatricality you really need to embrace,” says Newson. “So things like the launch control, things like the key ceremony—there’s a nice, ‘humor’ is the wrong word…” “…It’s tough to figure out the word for the yellow of the key translating into the car…I mean, it’s sort of funny,” chuckles Ive. “It’s fun—joyful. It needs to be,” says Newson. “No one needs a Ferrari, sorry to say, but you own a Ferrari, because it will just be a much more fun way of [driving].” “We love that there was such a focus on being fun and joyful to drive, and it’s like, no apology,” says Ive. View the full article

We’ve all been there. A client wants to scale their Google Ads account from €10,000 per month to €100,000. So, you do what any good PPC manager would do: Refine your bidding strategy. Test new ad copy variations. Expand your keyword portfolio. Optimize landing pages. Improve Quality Scores. Launch Performance Max campaigns. Three months later, you’ve increased ad spend by 15%. The client is… fine with it. But you know you should be doing better. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most pay-per-click (PPC) optimization work is sophisticated procrastination. What the theory of constraints teaches us about PPC The theory of constraints, developed by Eliyahu Goldratt for manufacturing systems, reveals something counterintuitive. Every system is limited by exactly one bottleneck at any given time. Making your marketing team twice as efficient won’t help if production capacity is the constraint. Similarly, improving your ad copy click-through rate (CTR) by 20% won’t move the needle if your real constraint is budget approval or landing page conversion rate. The theory demands radical focus. Identify the single weakest link and treat everything else as less important. Applied to PPC, this means: Stop optimizing everything. Find your number one constraint. Fix only that and then move on. Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with 7 constraints that prevent PPC scaling In my years of managing PPC accounts, I’ve found that almost every scaling challenge falls into one of seven categories: 1. Budget Signal: You could profitably spend more, but you’re capped by client approval. Example: Your campaigns are profitable at €10,000 per month with room to spend €50,000, but your client won’t approve the additional budget. Sometimes it’s risk aversion, but other times it’s a cash flow issue. The fix: Build a business case demonstrating profitability with a higher spend. Show historical return on ad spend (ROAS), competitive benchmarks, and projected returns. What to ignore: Avoid ad copy testing, keyword expansion, bidding optimization, and new campaigns. None of this matters if you can’t spend more money anyway. Dig deeper: PPC campaign budgeting and bidding strategies 2. Impression share Signal: You’re already capturing 90%+ impression share and can’t buy more traffic. Example: You’re targeting a niche B2B market with only 1,000 relevant searches per month. The fix: Expand to related keywords or use broader match types. Alternatively, enter new geographic markets or add complementary platforms like Microsoft Ads or LinkedIn Ads. What to ignore: Don’t worry about bidding optimization, since you’re already buying almost all available impressions. 3. Creative Signal: You have high impression share but low CTRs, resulting in a premium cost per click (CPC). Example: You’re showing ads on 80% of searches, but CTR is 2% when the industry average is 5%. The fix: Aggressively test ad copy, better message-market fit, and more compelling. What to ignore: Avoid keyword expansion. Your ads are already visible, they just aren’t getting clicks. 4. Conversion rate Signal: You’re generating strong traffic volume and acceptable CPC, but terrible conversion rates. Example: You’re getting 10,000 clicks per month. But you have a 1% conversion rate when you should be getting 5%+. The fix: Optimize landing pages, improve offers, and refine sales funnels. What to ignore: Don’t launch more traffic campaigns. You’re already wasting the traffic you have. 5. Fulfillment Signal: Your campaigns could generate more leads. But the client’s sales or operations team can’t handle more. Example: You’re generating 500 leads per month, but sales can only process 100. The fix: This is a client operations issue, not a PPC issue. Help them identify it, but know that the solution lies outside your control. Do more business consulting for your client while maintaining the current PPC level. What to ignore: Pause all PPC optimization, as the system can’t absorb more volume. 6. Profitability Signal: You can scale volume, but cost per acquisition (CPA) is too high to be profitable. Example: You need €50 CPA to break even, but you’re currently at €80 CPA. The fix: Improve unit economics through better targeting or creative optimization. Alternatively, help the client rethink their pricing or improve customer lifetime value (LTV). What to ignore: Set aside volume tactics until the economics work at the current scale. 7. Tracking or attribution Signal: Attribution is broken, so you can’t confidently scale the campaign. Example: You’re seeing complex multi-touch customer journeys where you can’t definitively prove PPC’s contribution. The fix: Implement better tracking and test different tracking stacks (e.g., server-side, fingerprinting, or cookie-based). You can also update your attribution modeling or develop first-party data capabilities. What to ignore: Avoid scaling any channel until you know what actually drives results. Dig deeper: How to track and measure PPC campaigns Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. The diagnostic framework Identifying your constraint requires methodical analysis rather than gut feeling. Here’s how to uncover what’s holding your account back. Run an audit Start by benchmarking critical metrics: Impression share: If you’re capturing less than 50% of available impressions, your constraint is likely budget or bids preventing you from competing effectively. CTR: Performance below industry benchmarks signals a creative constraint where your messaging isn’t resonating with searchers. CPC: Unusually high CPCs often indicate a Quality Score constraint, which reflects poor ad relevance or landing page experience. Conversion rate: If this metric lags compared to historical performance or industry standards, your constraint is the landing page. Search volume: If you’ve already captured the majority of relevant searches, your constraint is inventory exhaustion. Don’t overlook operational metrics either. Check fulfillment capacity by determining how many leads your client’s team can handle per month. Finally, document your approved budget against what you could profitably spend. If there’s a sizable difference, budget approval is your primary constraint. Ask the critical question With your audit complete, resist the temptation to create a prioritized list. Instead, force yourself to answer one question: “If I could only fix one of these metrics, which would unlock 10x growth?” That single metric is your constraint. Everything else, regardless of how suboptimal it appears, is secondary until you’ve broken through this bottleneck. Apply radical focus Once you’ve identified your primary constraint, it’s time to change your entire approach. This is where marketers tend to fail. They acknowledge the constraint but continue hedging their efforts across multiple fronts. Why constraints are dynamic (and why that’s good) Understanding constraint theory means recognizing that bottlenecks shift as you scale. Consider a typical scaling journey. In month one, you’re stuck at a €10,000 monthly budget despite profitable performance metrics. Your constraint is budget, so leadership won’t approve more ad spend. You build the business case, secure approval, and immediately scale to €30,000 monthly spend. Success, right? Not quite. You’ve just revealed the next constraint. By month two, you’re capturing 95% of core keyword inventory. Your new constraint is impression share, as you’ve exhausted available traffic in your primary audience. The fix is to expand to related terms and broader match types to bring new searchers into your funnel. This expansion takes you to €50,000 per month. Month three presents a new challenge. Your expanded traffic converts at 2% while your original core traffic maintains 5% conversion rates. Your constraint has shifted to conversion rate. The broader audience needs different messaging or a modified landing page experience. So, you focus exclusively on improving the post-click experience until conversion rate recovers to 4%. This lets you scale to €80,000 per month. By month four, your sales team is drowning in 500 leads per month, which more than they can effectively manage. Your constraint shifts from the PPC account to fulfillment capacity. The client hires additional sales staff to handle volume, and you scale to €120,000 per month. Each new constraint is proof you’ve graduated to the next level. Many accounts never experience the problem of fulfillment constraints because they never break through the earlier barriers of budget and inventory. Common traps to avoid when scaling PPC The ‘optimize everything’ approach When you try to optimize everything, you might spend: 10 hours optimizing ad copy (+0.2% CTR) 10 hours improving landing page (+0.5% CVR) 10 hours refining bid strategy (+3% efficiency) After investing 30 hours, you only achieve 5% account growth. Instead, identify the primary constraint (e.g., conversion rate).Then, invest all 30 hours in landing page optimization. Continue to monitor your conversion rate. Shiny object syndrome Say your budget is capped by the client at €10,000 by client. But you spend 20 hours testing Performance Max because it’s new and interesting. After running those tests, you achieve zero scale. And your budget is still capped at €10,000. Instead, recognize that your primary constraint is budget approval. Build a business case, secure approval, and start scaling immediately. Analysis paralysis If you wait for perfect Google Analytics 4 tracking before scaling, competitors may move forward with good enough attribution. This can mean losing six months with no scale. Aim for 80% accurate tracking. Perfect attribution is rarely the actual constraint. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with How to implement the theory of constraints in your agency or in-house team For your next client strategy call Don’t say: “We’ll optimize your campaigns across multiple dimensions, bidding, creative, targeting, and see what drives the best results.” Instead, say this: “Before we optimize anything, I need to diagnose your constraint. Once I identify it, I’ll focus exclusively on fixing that bottleneck while maintaining everything else. When it’s resolved, we’ll tackle the next constraint. This is how we’ll reach your goals.” For your team Implement a Constraint Monday ritual. Every Monday, each account manager identifies the primary constraint for their top three accounts. The team focuses the week’s efforts on moving those specific constraints. On Friday, review the results. Did the constraint move? If yes, what’s the new constraint? If not, you had the wrong diagnosis. Try again. From tactical to strategic PPC scaling The difference between a good PPC manager and a great one isn’t technical skill. Instead, it’s the ability to identify constraints. Good PPC managers optimize everything and achieve incremental gains. Great PPC managers identify the one thing preventing scale and fix only that, achieving exponential gains. When you master the theory of constraints, you stop being seen as a tactical campaign manager and start being recognized as a strategic growth partner. You’re no longer reporting on CTR improvements and Quality Score gains. You’re diagnosing business constraints and unlocking growth that seemed impossible. That’s the shift that transforms PPC careers and accounts. View the full article

A thread at Reddit asked if a one-year-old website can beat a four-year-old website in SEO and perform better in Google Search. John Mueller from Google answered with his classic "it depends."View the full article

His presidency may eventually be seen as an aberration rather than a permanent shiftView the full article

Over the past week or so, Google has been testing a new format for link cards in the AI Overviews within Google Search. When you place your mouse cursor over a link clip icon, a new overlay will show you the page/site cards that line of text is being sourced from.View the full article

The Google preferred sources deeplink button feature is broken and has been since at least last Wednesday. When you click on a button to make a site a preferred source, such as for this site, it does not pre-fill in the site's URL in the box, as it should. You can retype it in the box but it does not pre-fill it for you.View the full article

Solopreneurs wear many different hats but also need to use a bewildering array of different tools to operate their businesses. Suppose everything from managing clients to handling projects to tracking expenses and more could be managed by just one app? ”So that’s why we have brought Zoho Solo as a single point solution,” says Ashok Ramamoorthy, Director of Product Management for Zoho Solo. Zoho launched this specialized freemium app in September 2024 in the U.S. and Canada specifically for solopreneurs like you. A paid version offers more robust features for $96 a year. Zoho Solo exists as a mobile app only with no current desktop version available. So download it from the appropriate app store depending on your device. The Pain Point Seems Pretty Obvious You might run a life coaching business from a spare room in Eugene, Oregon. Or maybe you offer a handyman service providing help to homeowners in Detroit, Michigan. In either case, you operate your business alone. And you use a ton of tools. You track clients and contacts across half a dozen social and messaging apps. You send invoices with one app, take payments with a second and do your bookkeeping on a third. The results include fragmented workflows, lack of seamless data exchange, manual processes reducing productivity and disconnected systems resulting in inefficiency. “They’ll be using at least ten to twelve tools to manage that business,” Ramamoorthy explains. And this explains precisely why the company built Zoho Solo in the first place. Too Many Tools and Too Little Time All these tools take too long to use because so often data must be taken from one and added into another manually. Automation often proves impossible because tools don’t belong to the same ecosystem or talk to one another. This also makes having a good overview of your business more problematic. “They’ll be using Google spreadsheets or maybe they may be using a free invoicing solution,” says Ramamoorthy. “But the problem here is the data doesn’t tie up together, which means you’ll not be able to identify at the end of the day which customer is paying you more, which task has taken you a longer time,” he states. One App to Replace Them All Zoho believes the answer involves uniting all these functions and more in one application. “So just imagine the power of this application where all the essential workflows, like all the essential data you need to run your business, are under one hood,” says Ramamoorthy. “Which means you can manage the work simultaneously. You can create invoices. You can typically do anything which helps you do your business more effectively.” he adds. “It’s a suite of essential business functions and all in one toolkit platform.” The company expresses the ambition to gradually make the evolving Zoho Solo into a single unifying replacement for those other tools. To get a better feel of just what Zoho Solo does, we take a deep dive into what’s on offer. Solve the Contact Conundrum First, Zoho Solo allows you to manage your business contacts all in one place. Think of this as a big digital rolodex … or a list of contacts on your phone. But in this case, you have more than just a list of names. Because Zoho Solo allows you to categorize them as partners, customers and leads. How cool is that? You now possess a 360 degree view of all your contacts and their relationships to your business. Take a look at how Zoho Solo helps you build and maintain that list. Collect Names at your Next Event Whether you work as a financial consultant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin or a tax attorney in San Antonio, Texas, you likely attend events and mixers. There you meet both potential clients and important connections who may prove vital to your business in the future. Don’t try to jot down a name and a contact number on a cocktail napkin – which you’ll be unable to decipher later. Instead, whip out your phone if you’ve already downloaded the Zoho Solo app. You’ll find a variety of options. Add Some Contacts with A Few Clicks Zoho One makes creating and segmenting your list simple. “So right now the application provides three ways to add your contacts. One is obviously a manual way of adding the name and other details,” says Ramamoorthy. When attending a chamber of commerce mixer or similar event, our financial consultant might meet potential partners like attorneys, CPAs and insurance specialists. While our tax attorney might meet partners like wealth managers, estate planners and tax preparation firms. Build and Segment Your List At the same event our financial consultant might meet with potential leads or clients like retirees, pre-retirees or professionals with young families. Meanwhile our tax attorney might bump into potential leads and clients including high net worth individuals, and business owners. Zoho Solo allows you to enter names, contact information and any other relevant details as easily as you might send a snarky text or selfie. Then segment these people into partners, clients and leads for later retrieval. Scan Your Contact Info Right From a Business Card Oh, and if contacts have business cards, that simplifies things even further. “The application provides an option to scan a business card and it automatically extracts the data out of it and they can act as a contact,” Ramamoorthy explains. No more stuffing business cards in your wallet or pockets. This also saves you time trying to organize business cards or manually transfer the information to digital later. Consolidate Your Digital Contacts But what if you already have a large collection of digital contacts spread over a number of digital platforms? Suppose you work as a fashion or lifestyle influencer in New York City or LA, for example. Contacts cram your LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and even Google Chat accounts. But they represent a mix of followers, potential sponsors, potential customers for your affiliate products and more. What if you want to consolidate all these into one big list? Well, so long as you load all these apps onto your phone, Zoho Solo makes this a breeze! “For example, assume that you have synced your Instagram contacts or synced your Google contacts,” explains Ramamoorthy. “It’s a single click to import from your phone into Zoho Solo. It is very easy.” Kick the Tires On These Other Features Look at these other features to make the life of a solopreneur easier. Zoho Solo makes it easier to manage projects. “When it comes to your work management, you can primarily log your job or tasks within the application,” Ramamoorth says. Imagine you serve as an SEO consultant for clients all over the world, a career coach with clients throughout North America or an attorney with clients mostly in Southern California. In each case, tracking your hours proves crucial to how you bill clients. ”In the case of consultants or in the case of coaches or lawyers, time is money for them,’” Ramamoorthy adds. Track Hours You Work For Clients Expertly Zoho Solo’s work management tool allows you an overview of your day in a single place. Log in and it starts tracking your hours. If you provide SEO services to clients, this might include providing a website audit examining a site’s crawlability, architecture, mobile friendliness and more. Deliverables would include a report with suggestions to improve both search ranking and user experience. If you run a career counseling service, you’ll spend time administrating and evaluating tests to assess a client’s suitable career paths. Your service may also include creation of an individualized job search strategy for your client and perhaps creating resumes and cover letters for them. Create a Billable Timesheet For Your Invoice All of this allows for creation of a billable timesheet which you can send to your clients. Zoho Solo does all this for you! Imagine the time you save and the productivity you gain. You now can add an itemized list of completed tasks with your invoice. And Zoho says more features are on the way. “In the future we will be bringing Meetings as a part of this so you can initiate client meetings within the application,” Ramamoorthy explains. “And with the help of the timer and Meetings you will be able to do efficient meetings and consulting.,” he adds. Bill and Collect Payments Whether you work as a virtual assistant in Edmonton, Alberta or a content creator in Little Rock, Arkansas, billing becomes a job in itself. A variety of third party software options allows you to create and send invoices. But going through your timesheet and creating an itemized invoice takes more time away from your main business. You operate as a solopreneur after all with no billing department or help of any kind. Fortunately, the free version of Zoho Solo allows you to create and send invoices with time sheets already created for you in the work management section of the app. “You can have your own logo, you can have your taxation number and it is local tax compliant,” Ramamoorthy says. Track Expenses With Ease Whether you work as a shared ride driver in Memphis, Tennessee, or a personal shopper in Albany, New York, you must track expenses. “When it comes to your business, it’s always very important to track your expenses because this is one place where you generally miss out where you’re losing money,” explains Ramamoorthy. Fortunately, Zoho Solo offers a unified way to scan receipts and record expenses even categorizing them by type. The app also offers a way to link expenses to specific clients or jobs. This allows you to see at a glance which clients or jobs cost the most and which are most profitable once subtracting your expenses. Integrate Third Party Payment Portals with Zoho Option Coming Soon When it comes to getting paid, Zoho Solo integrates with third party payment options like PayPal, Stripe, Verifone, Braintree, CSG Forte Payments, and Authorize.net. How does it work? Well, with the click of a button, you can integrate your existing payment portal with Zoho Solo. This means when you send your invoice a URL allows customers or clients to use a credit card or other payment of choice. And the payment will appear in your payment portal. Zoho Solo also plans to integrate its own Zoho Payments portal into the app as an alternative to third party options. Take Your Business’s Temperature Finally, Zoho Solo offers a way to create and customize reports to check on your business’s progress. For example, you might create reports showing income by customer or client, by profit and loss, or invoices by year or by month. This reporting system allows you to uncover insights including identifying your most valuable customers or most profitable times of the year. It can even help you see at a glance whether or not your business is truly profitable or how far you are away from profitability. The App Is Mightier than the Pen (and Paper) Truthfully, however, Zoho believes many of the top solopreneurs to benefit from Zoho Solo will be those who currently use no digital tools at all. In fact, Ramamoorthy explains one reason the company introduced a freemium app was to encourage more solopreneurs to move to a digital platform in the first place. “Solopreneurs use pen and paper to manage their business, so they are not growing effectively,” he explains. Zoho also candidly admits the aim of encouraging you to move to the more robust Zoho One or other Zoho packages as your business grows. Final Thoughts Whether you run a one person plumbing business in Fresno, California or a one person graphic design studio in Boise, Idaho, you wear a lot of hats. If you use a flurry of digital tools from PayPal to Microsoft Excel, you may suffer severe inefficiencies and lack of productivity. If your favorite business tool is still a legal pad and a ballpoint pen, you may face significantly greater challenges still. Fortunately, an answer exists. Download the free Zoho Solo app. Or spend a bit extra for the paid version. Start improving your productivity and getting a better picture of your business today. This article, "Zoho Solo Unifies Workflows for Busy Solopreneurs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Solopreneurs wear many different hats but also need to use a bewildering array of different tools to operate their businesses. Suppose everything from managing clients to handling projects to tracking expenses and more could be managed by just one app? ”So that’s why we have brought Zoho Solo as a single point solution,” says Ashok Ramamoorthy, Director of Product Management for Zoho Solo. Zoho launched this specialized freemium app in September 2024 in the U.S. and Canada specifically for solopreneurs like you. A paid version offers more robust features for $96 a year. Zoho Solo exists as a mobile app only with no current desktop version available. So download it from the appropriate app store depending on your device. The Pain Point Seems Pretty Obvious You might run a life coaching business from a spare room in Eugene, Oregon. Or maybe you offer a handyman service providing help to homeowners in Detroit, Michigan. In either case, you operate your business alone. And you use a ton of tools. You track clients and contacts across half a dozen social and messaging apps. You send invoices with one app, take payments with a second and do your bookkeeping on a third. The results include fragmented workflows, lack of seamless data exchange, manual processes reducing productivity and disconnected systems resulting in inefficiency. “They’ll be using at least ten to twelve tools to manage that business,” Ramamoorthy explains. And this explains precisely why the company built Zoho Solo in the first place. Too Many Tools and Too Little Time All these tools take too long to use because so often data must be taken from one and added into another manually. Automation often proves impossible because tools don’t belong to the same ecosystem or talk to one another. This also makes having a good overview of your business more problematic. “They’ll be using Google spreadsheets or maybe they may be using a free invoicing solution,” says Ramamoorthy. “But the problem here is the data doesn’t tie up together, which means you’ll not be able to identify at the end of the day which customer is paying you more, which task has taken you a longer time,” he states. One App to Replace Them All Zoho believes the answer involves uniting all these functions and more in one application. “So just imagine the power of this application where all the essential workflows, like all the essential data you need to run your business, are under one hood,” says Ramamoorthy. “Which means you can manage the work simultaneously. You can create invoices. You can typically do anything which helps you do your business more effectively.” he adds. “It’s a suite of essential business functions and all in one toolkit platform.” The company expresses the ambition to gradually make the evolving Zoho Solo into a single unifying replacement for those other tools. To get a better feel of just what Zoho Solo does, we take a deep dive into what’s on offer. Solve the Contact Conundrum First, Zoho Solo allows you to manage your business contacts all in one place. Think of this as a big digital rolodex … or a list of contacts on your phone. But in this case, you have more than just a list of names. Because Zoho Solo allows you to categorize them as partners, customers and leads. How cool is that? You now possess a 360 degree view of all your contacts and their relationships to your business. Take a look at how Zoho Solo helps you build and maintain that list. Collect Names at your Next Event Whether you work as a financial consultant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin or a tax attorney in San Antonio, Texas, you likely attend events and mixers. There you meet both potential clients and important connections who may prove vital to your business in the future. Don’t try to jot down a name and a contact number on a cocktail napkin – which you’ll be unable to decipher later. Instead, whip out your phone if you’ve already downloaded the Zoho Solo app. You’ll find a variety of options. Add Some Contacts with A Few Clicks Zoho One makes creating and segmenting your list simple. “So right now the application provides three ways to add your contacts. One is obviously a manual way of adding the name and other details,” says Ramamoorthy. When attending a chamber of commerce mixer or similar event, our financial consultant might meet potential partners like attorneys, CPAs and insurance specialists. While our tax attorney might meet partners like wealth managers, estate planners and tax preparation firms. Build and Segment Your List At the same event our financial consultant might meet with potential leads or clients like retirees, pre-retirees or professionals with young families. Meanwhile our tax attorney might bump into potential leads and clients including high net worth individuals, and business owners. Zoho Solo allows you to enter names, contact information and any other relevant details as easily as you might send a snarky text or selfie. Then segment these people into partners, clients and leads for later retrieval. Scan Your Contact Info Right From a Business Card Oh, and if contacts have business cards, that simplifies things even further. “The application provides an option to scan a business card and it automatically extracts the data out of it and they can act as a contact,” Ramamoorthy explains. No more stuffing business cards in your wallet or pockets. This also saves you time trying to organize business cards or manually transfer the information to digital later. Consolidate Your Digital Contacts But what if you already have a large collection of digital contacts spread over a number of digital platforms? Suppose you work as a fashion or lifestyle influencer in New York City or LA, for example. Contacts cram your LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and even Google Chat accounts. But they represent a mix of followers, potential sponsors, potential customers for your affiliate products and more. What if you want to consolidate all these into one big list? Well, so long as you load all these apps onto your phone, Zoho Solo makes this a breeze! “For example, assume that you have synced your Instagram contacts or synced your Google contacts,” explains Ramamoorthy. “It’s a single click to import from your phone into Zoho Solo. It is very easy.” Kick the Tires On These Other Features Look at these other features to make the life of a solopreneur easier. Zoho Solo makes it easier to manage projects. “When it comes to your work management, you can primarily log your job or tasks within the application,” Ramamoorth says. Imagine you serve as an SEO consultant for clients all over the world, a career coach with clients throughout North America or an attorney with clients mostly in Southern California. In each case, tracking your hours proves crucial to how you bill clients. ”In the case of consultants or in the case of coaches or lawyers, time is money for them,’” Ramamoorthy adds. Track Hours You Work For Clients Expertly Zoho Solo’s work management tool allows you an overview of your day in a single place. Log in and it starts tracking your hours. If you provide SEO services to clients, this might include providing a website audit examining a site’s crawlability, architecture, mobile friendliness and more. Deliverables would include a report with suggestions to improve both search ranking and user experience. If you run a career counseling service, you’ll spend time administrating and evaluating tests to assess a client’s suitable career paths. Your service may also include creation of an individualized job search strategy for your client and perhaps creating resumes and cover letters for them. Create a Billable Timesheet For Your Invoice All of this allows for creation of a billable timesheet which you can send to your clients. Zoho Solo does all this for you! Imagine the time you save and the productivity you gain. You now can add an itemized list of completed tasks with your invoice. And Zoho says more features are on the way. “In the future we will be bringing Meetings as a part of this so you can initiate client meetings within the application,” Ramamoorthy explains. “And with the help of the timer and Meetings you will be able to do efficient meetings and consulting.,” he adds. Bill and Collect Payments Whether you work as a virtual assistant in Edmonton, Alberta or a content creator in Little Rock, Arkansas, billing becomes a job in itself. A variety of third party software options allows you to create and send invoices. But going through your timesheet and creating an itemized invoice takes more time away from your main business. You operate as a solopreneur after all with no billing department or help of any kind. Fortunately, the free version of Zoho Solo allows you to create and send invoices with time sheets already created for you in the work management section of the app. “You can have your own logo, you can have your taxation number and it is local tax compliant,” Ramamoorthy says. Track Expenses With Ease Whether you work as a shared ride driver in Memphis, Tennessee, or a personal shopper in Albany, New York, you must track expenses. “When it comes to your business, it’s always very important to track your expenses because this is one place where you generally miss out where you’re losing money,” explains Ramamoorthy. Fortunately, Zoho Solo offers a unified way to scan receipts and record expenses even categorizing them by type. The app also offers a way to link expenses to specific clients or jobs. This allows you to see at a glance which clients or jobs cost the most and which are most profitable once subtracting your expenses. Integrate Third Party Payment Portals with Zoho Option Coming Soon When it comes to getting paid, Zoho Solo integrates with third party payment options like PayPal, Stripe, Verifone, Braintree, CSG Forte Payments, and Authorize.net. How does it work? Well, with the click of a button, you can integrate your existing payment portal with Zoho Solo. This means when you send your invoice a URL allows customers or clients to use a credit card or other payment of choice. And the payment will appear in your payment portal. Zoho Solo also plans to integrate its own Zoho Payments portal into the app as an alternative to third party options. Take Your Business’s Temperature Finally, Zoho Solo offers a way to create and customize reports to check on your business’s progress. For example, you might create reports showing income by customer or client, by profit and loss, or invoices by year or by month. This reporting system allows you to uncover insights including identifying your most valuable customers or most profitable times of the year. It can even help you see at a glance whether or not your business is truly profitable or how far you are away from profitability. The App Is Mightier than the Pen (and Paper) Truthfully, however, Zoho believes many of the top solopreneurs to benefit from Zoho Solo will be those who currently use no digital tools at all. In fact, Ramamoorthy explains one reason the company introduced a freemium app was to encourage more solopreneurs to move to a digital platform in the first place. “Solopreneurs use pen and paper to manage their business, so they are not growing effectively,” he explains. Zoho also candidly admits the aim of encouraging you to move to the more robust Zoho One or other Zoho packages as your business grows. Final Thoughts Whether you run a one person plumbing business in Fresno, California or a one person graphic design studio in Boise, Idaho, you wear a lot of hats. If you use a flurry of digital tools from PayPal to Microsoft Excel, you may suffer severe inefficiencies and lack of productivity. If your favorite business tool is still a legal pad and a ballpoint pen, you may face significantly greater challenges still. Fortunately, an answer exists. Download the free Zoho Solo app. Or spend a bit extra for the paid version. Start improving your productivity and getting a better picture of your business today. This article, "Zoho Solo Unifies Workflows for Busy Solopreneurs" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article