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Google says AI isn’t killing Search — it’s changing how people use it and making them search more often. AI Overviews help filter out low-value clicks while driving more total searches, Google’s VP of Search Liz Reid said in a new Bloomberg podcast interview. On AI killing clicks. Reid said AI mostly cuts “bounce” clicks — when users click a page, grab a quick fact, and leave. “So clearly people sometimes want to spend a couple of seconds, and other times they’ll spend a whole hour listening to things. And so one of the things we see with the shift with AI Overviews is that, you get more of this pronouncement with what’s your goal? “If all you were going to do was go to the webpage, see the fact, and immediately click back, you’re going to spend like a half a second on the page. Okay. You see those things shift. “But if what you were going to go in and do is read an article for five minutes, you’re still interested in reading that article for five minutes, right? “[AI Overviews] might help you point to the right page so we see fewer bounce clicks where a user would sort of go and immediately come back because they weren’t happy.” People want AI and the web. Reid said AI won’t replace websites — it works alongside them. “I think there’s this sort of myth that people want AI or the web… I actually think what we see is that people want AI on the web together.” People use AI for quick answers, but still turn to the web for deeper information: “Sometimes people really want quick answers… and sometimes they want to go deep.” That includes opinions and human perspectives: “People care often to hear people’s perspectives… their unique take.” AI helps users get started, she said: “There’s an opportunity… to help you get started and then make it easy for you to dig in.” AI Overviews are query-dependent. AI Overviews don’t show up for every search. Google decides based on what helps the user. If AI doesn’t help, Google sticks with regular results. “An important premise of this is that we shouldn’t give you AI for the sake of giving AI, right? The point is for it when we think it adds value to people. “So we have a variety of signals that try and help us understand, when is it adding value or not? And we get smarter over time as people … change how they ask questions [and] as the models get smarter. We don’t want to put an AI Overview if we think it’s not going to be high quality. So as the models have gotten more powerful, we can cover more cases, and just continue to develop really with the focus being what is the best response to give a user for the question they’ve asked.” Changing query behavior. People are searching in new ways. Queries are longer and more natural, Reid said. “We have seen, with AI Overviews, meaningfully longer queries. We see more natural language queries.” Users are also shifting away from keywords. “I do think one of the interesting things about the evolution of AI is that people stop talking just in keywordese as much, and they start expressing more of what they want. And then that becomes much easier for us to give an answer.” Instead of simplifying queries, users now describe their full problem. “They tell you the real problem, right? They don’t take their need and translate it to what the computer understands. They try to give the computer their actual need and expect us to do the translation. And I think that’s really exciting to see because when we can be more helpful, but also, like, those are real problems people had. “Let’s actually, if you go back to the [Google] mission, was ‘organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful’ like that useful part. Right. It’s not just that it’s organized. Is it useful to you? “And I think one of the most exciting things about AI, the transformation going on right now is that you can actually make information much more useful to people. … So people just ask more questions because we can actually do a better job meeting their needs.” Ads are evolving. Google says it can still make money from Search — even with AI answers: “Search only shows ads on… less than a quarter of queries.” Many AI Overview queries were never monetized: “There’s a whole bunch of queries… that you don’t make money on because many of them are not of commercial need.” But when people want to buy something, clicks still matter: “The answer doesn’t buy the pair of shoes, you actually have to buy the shoes, right? So you still have to go pick a merchant for that.” Reid also suggested AI could improve ads by making queries more detailed: “If people start expressing more of their need… you can actually create better ads.” And as search expands, so do opportunities: “There’s an expansion of queries… some of those queries are more commercial.” What Google is watching. One key signal for Google is whether people return to Search more often. “Does it cause people to come to search more often?” Reid said that’s a high bar: “It’s another thing to get you to decide you’re going to bother to unlock your phone.” It’s not just about doing more searches — it’s about coming back more often: “Not just use search more often, but come more often.” AI Mode vs. Search vs. Gemini. Google isn’t putting everything in one place. Different tools serve different needs, and users move between them. “There’s plenty of people who co-use across them.” Search and AI Mode are often used for information. “If it’s an informational query… the probability that they’re using search or AI Mode is going to be higher.” Gemini is used more for writing and creative tasks. “If it’s a creative query… those type questions are going to be more Gemini oriented.” AI Mode tends to handle more complex questions. “AI Mode tends to be… more longer complex, more conversational queries.” “AI slop” is not new — ranking is the solution. Low-quality content isn’t new — AI just makes more of it, Reid said: “Before AI slop, there was slop. There was human-generated slop. Now there’s AI-generated slop. There has always been slop on the web.” Reid said it doesn’t matter how much human/AI slop there is. What’s more important is whether Google can surface great web content while keeping the rate of spam and slop at a “very low rate.” “It’s not a problem you solve because some of the people generating the spam, right? There’s a lot of financial incentives associated with it. But … what people have come to trust Google is that it will show great information. And it’s a thing that we will continue to put a huge amount of effort in.” The interview. Google’s Liz Reid on Who Will Own Search in a World of AI | Odd Lots View the full article

OpenAI's public crawler docs now list OAI-AdsBot, a bot that may visit pages submitted as ChatGPT ads to check policy compliance and ad relevance. The post OpenAI’s Crawler Docs Now List OAI-AdsBot For ChatGPT Ads appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Google adds view-through conversion optimization to Demand Gen and expands Commerce Media Suite support. The post Google Adds View-Through Conversion Optimization To Demand Gen appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Google is rolling out new Demand Gen updates in Google Ads, aimed at helping advertisers convert faster and capture more new customers across YouTube and beyond. What’s happening. Demand Gen is now integrated into Commerce Media Suite, allowing advertisers to tap into retailers’ first-party catalog and conversion data to reach high-intent shoppers across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail. At the same time, new view-through conversion (VTC) optimization lets campaigns prioritize conversions that happen after an ad is viewed — not just clicked — speeding up performance. Why we care. these updates should make Demand Gen more effective at turning views into actual conversions. By using retailer data and optimizing for view-through activity, campaigns can capture more high-intent users—even if they don’t click. That means faster results and better new customer growth Between the lines. Google is leaning into signals beyond clicks, using richer commerce data and view-based attribution to drive results in more passive, discovery-heavy environments like YouTube. What to watch. Expect more Demand Gen announcements at upcoming events like Google Marketing Live, as YouTube continues to position itself as a full-funnel performance channel. Bottom line. Google is turning Demand Gen into a faster, more data-driven engine for converting high-intent audiences — especially on YouTube. Dig deeper. Demand Gen Drop – April 2026 View the full article

Traditional SEO metrics haven’t been good. We don’t need more studies to see what’s happening, but the data confirms it. Organic traffic is declining for most SEO clients right now. Seer Interactive found that organic CTR dropped 61% for queries with AI Overviews. Executives are watching their dashboards trend downward, often for months at a time. Most consultants I talk to aren’t prepared for the conversations that come with it. I’m not talking about the diagnostic part. Most of us can figure out why traffic dropped. I mean, the part where you sit across from a CMO and have to explain what’s happening, why, and what you think the company should do about it. That’s a different skill entirely, and we don’t talk enough about it. I’ve been in SEO for 13 years and have spent the last six running an agency where I personally lead client strategy and present results to senior executives at B2B SaaS companies. The following are the five things I’ve learned about delivering bad news in what is probably the hardest era in which to be an SEO consultant. 1. Executives are more predictable than you think A few years ago, one of my B2B SaaS clients came to me with a concern I wasn’t expecting. They had gone into their analytics and looked specifically at the performance of our team’s work, separated from the rest of the site’s organic traffic. The overall numbers we had been reporting looked fine. But when you isolated the work we were responsible for, the performance was flat. It had not grown at all since we started eight months prior. I looked over the numbers myself, and the client was right. When I dug into what had happened internally, the picture got worse. My team knew. They had seen that the work was underperforming, but they had made a decision many consultants make: they reported the numbers that looked good and avoided the ones that didn’t. Instead, they kept presenting overall traffic trends without flagging that our work specifically was not delivering. Nobody wants to walk into a meeting and say, “This didn’t work.” But hiding a failure is often worse than the failure itself. There are two reasons for this. The client will eventually find out. Mine did. And when they did, the damage to their trust in us was not about the underperformance. It was about the fact that we had either not caught it, or, worse, had not surfaced it for them. When you hide what isn’t working, you lose the opportunity to show the thing executives actually value most: that you’re able to recognize a problem, diagnose why it happened, and bring a revised plan to the table. This experience changed how I run every client engagement. I started by rebuilding our reporting to isolate the performance of our own work from overall site trends, and then I implemented the rule that underperformance gets surfaced early, with a diagnosis attached. Anecdotally, every executive I sit across from has been burned at least once by vendors who obscured their bad results. It’s the consultant who surfaces problems early and brings a plan to fix it who is doing something genuinely rare. Executives who reacted the worst to bad news were never the ones who received it directly. Instead, they were the ones who were left to discover it themselves, or who could tell that I was dancing around something and trying not to state the bad news directly. 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 2. Diagnose before you communicate Early last year, a prospect came to me concerned about a traffic decline. Their internal team assumed AI Overviews were eating their clicks. It makes sense, since that seems to be the default explanation for every problem right now, and sometimes it’s correct. But I’ve learned not to walk into a room with an assumption when I can walk in with a diagnosis. Before I said anything to the client, I had a look at their site myself. The first thing I wanted to see was whether there were actual keyword losses, and, if so, who replaced them. If competitors had taken those positions, then that would be an SEO problem. If, instead, AI Overviews had absorbed the clicks while rankings held or improved, that would indicate a structural market shift. These are two completely different situations that require completely different responses. I wanted to know which we were dealing with so that I could offer solutions from the get-go. What I actually found was a third issue entirely. The client had run a major PR campaign over the summer that had created a huge traffic spike. The quarter-over-quarter comparison was measuring against that spike, making normal performance look like a decline. When I pulled the timeline back further and compared pre-campaign to current, the trajectory was actually growth. It was just more stable growth than the spike had made everyone expect. That diagnosis changed the entire conversation. Instead of walking in and explaining a traffic loss, I walked in and explained what the data actually showed. The client went from concerned to confident in about five minutes. But I wouldn’t have gotten there if I had accepted the surface-level read. Other times, the diagnosis really is bad news. For example, I had another client with a genuine traffic problem, and, when I dug into it, I found that the cause was technical: a set of pages generating crawl waste that was dragging down the rest of the site’s performance. Luckily, I had seen this pattern before with another client and knew what the fix looked like. Because of that, I was able to come to the call and say: “I’ve identified what is causing this issue. I’ve seen this pattern before with another client, and I’m going to tell you what we did to fix it, what the recovery looked like, and my theory on what it will do for your site based on the data I am seeing.” That ability to diagnose builds trust from the onset of the project. No executive needs to hear an explanation of crawl budgets or parameterized pages. They need to hear that you’ve found the problem, that you’ve seen it before, and that you have a plan. But you can’t say any of that unless you’ve done the deep diagnostic work first. The thing that builds confidence in the room isn’t your delivery. Instead, it’s the quality of the diagnosis and the specificity of the plan behind it. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 3. Surprise bad news and failed experiments are different conversations There are two types of bad news you can end up delivering to a client, and the conversation you will end up having with your client depends entirely on which one you’re dealing with. Surprises The first type is what I think of as surprise bad news. These kinds of problems often happen when the work has been running without a clear strategic structure. You’ve been doing the SEO work. You’re finding opportunities, publishing content, optimizing pages, and staying busy. But there has been something missing. There hasn’t been a defined plan with specific bets tied to specific outcomes. When traffic starts dipping and someone asks you what happened, you’re left in a difficult position. Why? Because you don’t have a clean way to diagnose what has happened. You weren’t testing a specific hypothesis. You were just doing work. This happens way more frequently than most consultants would like to admit, especially when there’s no structured review cycle in place. When you’re constantly in “find more opportunities” mode, everything feels productive until the numbers go in the wrong direction. Failed experiments The second type of bad news you might have to deliver is regarding a failed experiment. This type is actually much easier to handle than surprises, even though the news might be just as bad. A failed experiment means you had a plan. You told your clients something like: “We are going to try this specific approach because we believe it will produce this specific result.” And then it didn’t. But, because you planned it deliberately, that means that you can evaluate the outcome. You can tell your client: “These elements performed, these didn’t, here is what the data shows, and here is what I want to try next based on what we’ve learned.” Taking deliberate bets to weed out surprises Almost every SEO consultant right now has to report traffic declines to their clients. That’s the reality of the market we’re in. Seer Interactive’s study found that AI Overviews now correlate with a 61% reduction in click-through rates for organic search. Yet, executives are seeing these numbers drop and still want to see growth. You’re going to have to deliver that bad news regardless. The difference is whether: You’ve already been tracking the trend, forming hypotheses about what’s driving it, and testing responses. Or it catches you off guard because you’ve only been watching a monthly report without looking deeply into the underlying patterns. The best protection against delivering bad news poorly isn’t better communication skills. It’s working in structured cycles where every major effort is a deliberate bet with a defined expected outcome. When something doesn’t work, you’re not delivering surprise bad news. You’re reporting on an experiment that all parties were comfortable trying. That’s a conversation most executives are completely comfortable having. After all, they run their own teams the same way. Once I shifted to this way of working with clients, I saw the dynamic in difficult conversations change fundamentally. But I also learned that, even when you have the right diagnosis and the right framing, when the executive hears the bad news matters almost as much as how they hear it. 4. Never arrive without a recommendation I’ve sat in enough client meetings to know the exact moment a conversation turns. It’s the moment after the bad news lands, and the client says, “OK, so what do we do now?” If there’s no answer ready, the room palpably changes. The bad news, which might have been completely manageable thirty seconds before, suddenly feels much worse. The worst case is when the client finds the problem before anyone on your team does. I’ve seen it happen. The client goes into their analytics, spots a decline, brings it up, and now you, the consultant, are on your back foot. No diagnosis. No theory about what caused it. Definitely no recommendation. Just scrambling to catch up on something that should have been caught first. The diagnosis and the recommendation aren’t separate steps. They’re one thing. If you’ve done a deep enough diagnosis to actually understand what happened, you almost always have a theory about what to do next. Showing up without a recommendation means you had not done thorough enough diagnostic work. These days, before I get on any call where I am presenting something, I make sure I’ve thought through at least two paths forward. Not vague ideas. Concrete options with tradeoffs. I recommend one, explain why, and present the other as a real alternative. The client ends up choosing between solutions instead of sitting with a problem. For example, I had a client whose legal team was blocking us from publishing comparison listicles, and the whole content strategy — that they had approved — had stalled. Instead of getting on a call with them and saying, “We have a blocker,” I came in with two alternative approaches. One approach was increasing outreach and placements on third-party listicles. The other was shifting the format entirely, and, instead, focusing on content like analyzing third-party reports in the client’s field instead of creating our own comparison content. The client picked one, and we moved forward. The blocker barely registered because it was already paired with a way through it. 5. The tough conversation builds the relationship My strongest client relationships were almost never the ones where everything went smoothly. They were the ones where something went wrong, I handled it well, and the client came out of it with more confidence in me than before. Many of the people these executives work with are spinning results or avoiding hard topics. When someone shows up and says, “This didn’t work, here is why, and here is what I think we should do instead,” it stands out. There’s a difference between transparency that feels like data-dumping and transparency that feels like strategic intelligence. The first erodes trust. The second builds it. I used to dread difficult months. Every hard conversation felt like a performance review of my work. After years of watching what actually happens when things go wrong, I now process those moments differently. Why? Because a smooth month doesn’t illustrate to the client anything about how I operate under pressure. A hard month where I catch a problem, diagnose it, and come up with a plan tells them everything. Those are trust deposits, and they compound over time. 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 The conversation is part of the work SEO is getting harder, and, in many cases, the numbers are going to go in the wrong direction. More of the work is happening in the conversation that follows. Explaining what happened, why, and what to do next isn’t a side skill anymore. It’s a core part of the job. That means showing up with a clear diagnosis, a point of view, and a plan. It means surfacing issues early, instead of waiting for someone else to find them. And it means treating every dip not just as a performance problem, but as a moment to demonstrate how you operate. Because, increasingly, that’s what clients are evaluating. Not just the results, but how you handle them. View the full article

Welcome to AI Decoded, Fast Company’s weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. You can sign up to receive this newsletter every week via email here. AI flattery drives engagement—and distorts judgment Social networks like Facebook and TikTok use a range of techniques to keep us engaged and scrolling (and ultimately viewing ads). One of the most effective is tailoring content to our tastes and preferences, a strategy that has proved highly addictive. Last month, a Los Angeles jury found that Meta’s and Google’s use of infinite scrolling and algorithmic recommendations caused a young user to become addicted, and ordered the companies to pay $6 million in damages. Other harms are harder to quantify. Those same algorithms have delivered radically different political news and information to users based on their views, creating ideological filter bubbles and—let’s face it—accelerating the kind of social division that helped produce our current political state. The makers of AI chatbots face similar pressures around engagement. They’re competing to become the default assistant on our desktops and phones. They need to convert free users into paying subscribers. They need revenue to offset the costs of massive infrastructure buildouts. Some will surely turn to advertising, which creates incentives to keep users chatting as long as possible. If endless scrolling and content algorithms powered the addictiveness of social networks, “AI sycophancy” may play a similar role for chatbots. You may have noticed that AI chatbots sometimes flatter you, praising your questions or ideas. Even when you’re wrong, they often soften corrections, wrapping them in compliments (“That’s a very understandable opinion, but . . .”). Research has borne this out I don’t believe big AI labs train their models solely for engagement. They argue that sycophantic behavior stems from a training phase called “reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF),” in which human reviewers grade and rank model responses. The goal is to produce outputs that resemble the most preferred responses. But “most preferred” reflects a mix of attributes, including relevance, scope, and completeness, not just tone. And yet users often prefer answers that are more supportive and complimentary, even when they’re less accurate, studies have shown. In some extreme cases, this sycophantic tendency has proved dangerous or tragic. The continual validation and support has led some users down a dark and delusional path toward suicide or psychotic breakdown. But I worry that the broader harm might be more subtle, longer-term, and less newsworthy. Sycophantic AI could reinforce narrow-mindedness in much the same way social media filter bubbles do. A study of 3,000 participants found that interacting with a sycophantic chatbot made people more likely to double down on their political beliefs, and to rate themselves as more intelligent and more competent than their peers. In other words, it can amplify the Dunning-Kruger effect, in which people with limited knowledge grow more confident in their views. A recent Stanford study found that chatbots’ tendency to flatter and validate users often leads them to give poor advice—counsel that might make a user feel good, but could also damage relationships with other humans in the real world. This suggests that the pull of feel-good responses during AI model training can outweigh the influence of factual data. “This creates perverse incentives for sycophancy to persist: The very feature that causes harm also drives engagement,” the researchers wrote. And while Facebook relies on a user’s clicks to determine their politics and interests, chatbots gather far richer and more nuanced information through conversation. With that information, the AI is perfectly capable of fine-tuning its outputs to deepen user trust. An agreeable and validating chatbot can also lull a user into a state of (unearned) trust. Research shows that coders, especially junior ones, can come to see AI as highly competent, making them more likely to accept AI-generated code without proper review or testing. Unfortunately, AI models still hallucinate and make mistakes—errors that can introduce bugs later on. AI companies can control the addictiveness of their chatbots by dialing sycophancy up and down, just like Facebook has experimented with different algorithms and feed designs. It took many years for the public, lawmakers, and now the courts, to wake up to what the social networks were doing. I suspect we’re just beginning to understand the personal, social, and political risks of engagement-driven chatbots. Unauthorized users accessed Anthropic’s restricted Mythos model on day one Bloomberg‘s Rachel Metz reported Tuesday that a small group of unauthorized users gained access to Anthropic’s unreleased and restricted Mythos AI model through a third-party vendor environment, citing documentation and a person familiar with the matter. This is scary news if what Anthropic says about its model is true. The company claims Mythos represents a big step up beyond existing AI models, particularly in its ability to identify exploitable vulnerabilities in software platforms and devising complex methods to capture or disable those systems. Anthropic granted access to the Mythos model to a relatively small group of cybersecurity firms and custodians of widely used software platforms who will use it to build up defenses against future AI-assisted attacks. The fear is that powerful AI models like Mythos could quickly sweep networks to identify software vulnerabilities, then attack them. According to Metz, the hacker group, operating in a private online forum, obtained access to Claude Mythos Preview on the same day Anthropic announced a limited testing program. Metz’s source provided screenshots and a live demonstration to support the claim. The group says it has used the model repeatedly, though not for cybersecurity purposes. Anthropic has not confirmed the breach. “We’re investigating a report claiming unauthorized access to Claude Mythos Preview through one of our third-party vendor environments,” a company spokesperson said. The breach, if confirmed, would be a very bad look for Anthropic and its partners. They pledged to defend against cyberattacks, not enable them. More AI coverage from Fast Company: The one thing Apple’s new CEO needs to get right on AI SpaceX doubles down on AI with its potential $60 billion Cursor buy ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ has an important lesson for AI skeptics Yelp adds AI-powered search and booking for local services Want exclusive reporting and trend analysis on technology, business innovation, future of work, and design? Sign up for Fast Company Premium. View the full article

Cull comes after years of low uptake for voluntary retirement schemeView the full article

Today's Bissett Bullet: “Growing your firm is possible even with limited time and resources, if you simply focus on the three most profitable exercises that build your credibility as an expert in your field.” By Martin Bissett See more Bissett Bullets here Go PRO for members-only access to more Martin Bissett. View the full article

When selecting the best CPA software for your firm, it’s crucial to contemplate various features that meet your specific needs. Different software options cater to varying firm sizes and requirements, from all-encompassing integrations to user-friendly interfaces. Our top seven picks highlight the strengths of each software, making it easier for you to find a solution that aligns with your goals. Comprehending these options will help you make an informed decision for your practice’s growth. Key Takeaways QuickBooks Online offers extensive integration with over 650 third-party apps, making it highly versatile for diverse CPA needs. Xero is cost-effective starting at $15/month, providing unlimited user access and an intuitive user interface for streamlined operations. FreshBooks excels in time tracking and client dashboards, with pricing ranging from $19 to $60 per month, ideal for small firms. Sage Intacct caters to mid to large firms, starting at $400/month, with advanced multi-entity reporting and customizable ERP integrations. Zoho Books is free for firms under $50,000, offering solid features and seamless integration with other Zoho applications for cohesive management. Key Features to Look for in CPA Software When selecting CPA software, it’s imperative to evaluate several key features that can markedly improve your workflow and client management. First, look for accounting practice management software that offers multi-client management capabilities. This is critical for handling different client needs efficiently, especially when managing diverse portfolios. Furthermore, verify the software integrates well with your existing tools, like accounting software and tax filing systems, to streamline your workflows. Tax compliance features should likewise be a priority; automated calculations for various jurisdictions help maintain accuracy with up-to-date tax law changes. In addition, advanced reporting and analytics capabilities can provide valuable insights into financial trends, aiding your strategic decision-making. Finally, consider user-friendly interfaces and responsive customer support, which are fundamental for effective training and smooth adoption within your accounting team. Choosing the right client management software for accountants will ultimately improve your service delivery. Top 7 CPA Software Options Now that you know what features to look for in CPA software, let’s explore the top seven options available today. Each software has unique capabilities, pricing structures, and plans that cater to different business needs. Key Features Overview Choosing the right CPA software can greatly impact your firm’s efficiency and productivity. QuickBooks Online leads the market with features like payroll integration, tax prep tools, and CPA-specific reporting templates. Xero stands out with unlimited user access and an intuitive dashboard, making it user-friendly. FreshBooks, initially an invoicing tool, now offers a thorough accounting solution, excelling in time tracking and client dashboards, even if its double-entry accounting is less robust. Sage Intacct is customized for mid to large firms, featuring advanced multi-entity reporting and real-time dashboards, ideal for complex data management. UltraTax CS is designed for tax professionals, providing IRS e-file integration and centralized client management, even though it requires dedicated training. Each is among the best CPA software options available. Pricing and Plans Selecting the right CPA software involves awareness of the various pricing plans available, as these can considerably influence your firm’s budget and capabilities. QuickBooks Online prices range from $30 to $200 per month and includes CPA-specific reporting templates. Xero is cost-effective, starting at $15 per month with unlimited users. FreshBooks, ideal for small businesses, ranges from $19 to $60 per month, focusing on invoicing and time tracking. Zoho Books is free for firms earning under $50,000 and costs $20 for others. For mid to large firms, Sage Intacct begins at $400 per month, featuring advanced ERP capabilities. Awareness of these options is vital when selecting billing software for accounting firms and effective accounting firm management software for your practice. Detailed Overview of Each Software Now, let’s break down the key features, pricing structures, and integration capabilities of each software option. You’ll see how QuickBooks Online stands out with its robust tax tools, whereas Xero offers great international support. FreshBooks and Zoho Books cater to small businesses, but you’ll notice their limitations in accounting features. Key Features Overview When evaluating CPA software options, grasping the key features of each platform is essential for making an informed decision. QuickBooks Online stands out with its CPA-specific reporting templates and payroll integration, making it the most popular accounting firm practice management software in the U.S. Xero allows unlimited users, appealing to international firms, but lacks in tax features. FreshBooks offers an intuitive interface and outstanding time tracking, ideal for small businesses. Zoho Books thrives in automation and integrates well with other Zoho products, but has limited tax capabilities. Thomson Reuters is designed for tax professionals, featuring IRS e-file integration but requires more training and has a higher cost. Each option caters to different needs in CPA practice management. Pricing Structures Explained Comprehending the pricing structures of various CPA software options is crucial for making a sound investment. QuickBooks Online ranges from $30 to $200 per month, offering CPA-specific reporting templates customized for your needs. Xero is appealing for growing firms, with prices between $15 to $78 per month and unlimited users on all plans. FreshBooks starts at $19, reaching up to $60, but you’ll incur extra costs for additional users, primarily targeting small businesses. Zoho Books is free for firms under $50,000 in revenue, charging $20 monthly for others, featuring automated workflows. Sage Intacct, priced around $400 per month, is aimed at mid to large firms, providing advanced multi-entity reporting, which positions it among the best software for accounting firms. Integration Capabilities Assessed Comprehending the integration capabilities of CPA software is essential for optimizing your accounting processes. QuickBooks Online offers seamless integration with over 650 third-party applications, enhancing your tax workflow management software experience. Xero stands out with its extensive app marketplace of over 1,000 integrations, connecting various financial and inventory solutions to streamline your client accounting software. FreshBooks integrates with major platforms like PayPal and Stripe for efficient payment processing, while simultaneously linking with project management tools like Asana and Trello. Zoho Books guarantees smooth integration with other Zoho applications, creating a cohesive suite for your business operations. Sage Intacct supports leading ERP systems and provides an open API, allowing for customizable and adaptable solutions customized to your firm’s needs across departments. Benefits of Using CPA Software Using CPA software can greatly augment your accounting processes, as it streamlines workflows by automating various tasks. This efficiency reduces the time you spend on manual data entry and repetitive processes, allowing you to focus on more strategic aspects of your practice. Benefit Description Impact Enhanced Efficiency Automates tedious tasks Saves time Advanced Reporting Provides insights into financial performance Informs decisions Cash Flow Management Automates invoicing and payment reminders Reduces overdue accounts Compliance Management Assists with tax regulations Minimizes filing errors How to Choose the Right CPA Software for Your Firm Selecting the right CPA software for your firm is a crucial step in enhancing your operations and guaranteeing long-term success. Start by evaluating your firm’s specific needs, including the number of clients, services offered, and team size. This appraisal helps confirm the software can support your workflows and future growth. Look for critical features such as multi-client management and automation tools to streamline tasks. The user interface is equally important; select software for CPA firms that your team can adopt easily to minimize the learning curve. Pricing structures should be reviewed carefully, considering subscription costs and any potential add-ons to align with your budget as you meet scalability requirements. Finally, research customer support options and available training resources, as these will be fundamental for effective implementation and ongoing usage of the best accounting practice management software for your firm. Integration Capabilities With Other Tools When you’re looking at CPA software, integration capabilities with other tools can greatly boost your firm’s efficiency and productivity. Effective integration allows your accounting firm practice management to connect seamlessly with tax workflow software, payroll systems, and document management tools. Leading options like QuickBooks Online and Xero offer extensive integration with third-party applications, enabling you to customize your tech stack to fit your specific business needs. Furthermore, tools such as Ignition App and AccountSight come with built-in integrations that eliminate the need for manual data entry, ensuring smooth data flow. In addition, API access can empower you to develop custom connections or utilize specialized applications for unique functions, tailoring the software to your operational requirements. By reducing the risk of errors and improving real-time data access, effective integration elevates accurate reporting and timely decision-making within CPA practices. Customer Support and Resources Available Effective customer support and accessible resources are crucial for users of CPA software, especially as they navigate complex accounting tasks. Many popular options, like QuickBooks Online and Xero, provide responsive customer support via live chat, phone, and extensive online resources available to assist you. FreshBooks, for instance, offers thorough training materials, including video tutorials and user guides, which help new users effectively practice accounting software. TaxDome and Jetpack Workflow are highly rated for their customer support, with users appreciating prompt responses and live assistance. Canopy stands out with a resource center filled with articles and webinars that improve your comprehension of the software and best practices in accounting. Furthermore, many CPA software solutions feature active user communities and forums, allowing you to share insights, ask questions, and learn from others, further boosting the customer support and resources available to you. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Most Effective Accounting Software for Accountants? The most effective accounting software for accountants often varies based on specific needs. QuickBooks Online is popular for its payroll integration and customizable reporting, whereas Xero offers unlimited user access at lower prices but lacks some tax features. FreshBooks suits service-based businesses but has weaker double-entry capabilities. Zoho Books provides automation and is affordable for small firms, whereas UltraTax CS is designed for tax professionals but may require extensive training and investment. What Software Do Big 4 Accounting Firms Use? Big 4 accounting firms use a variety of software to manage their operations and client engagements. They commonly rely on advanced ERP systems like SAP and Oracle for financial data management. Furthermore, proprietary tools such as Deloitte’s Greenhouse and PwC’s Halo support data analytics. For hosting and data storage, cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure and AWS are crucial. They likewise utilize collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and specialized tax software for compliance and reporting. What Is the Most Used Accounting Software in the USA? The most used accounting software in the USA is QuickBooks Online, which dominates the market with about 80% share, particularly among small and medium-sized businesses. As Xero trails as an international competitor, its U.S. user base remains limited. FreshBooks has shifted from invoicing to an all-encompassing accounting tool, enjoying high ratings for usability. Zoho Books stands out for startups, offering free services for businesses earning under $50,000 annually, catering to diverse needs in the market. What Is the Best Professional Tax Preparation Software? Choosing the best professional tax preparation software depends on your firm’s specific needs. UltraTax CS is excellent for complex situations, whereas Intuit ProConnect Tax Online offers a user-friendly experience for smaller firms. Drake Tax stands out in reporting and integration, perfect for efficient workflows. If you prioritize client communication, H&R Block Tax Software is a strong choice. For cloud-based flexibility, consider Wolters Kluwer CCH Axcess Tax, enhancing collaboration and data accessibility. Conclusion In summary, selecting the right CPA software can greatly improve your firm’s efficiency and effectiveness. By considering key features, integration capabilities, and customer support, you can find a solution that meets your specific needs. Each of the top seven options we’ve discussed offers unique advantages, making it crucial to evaluate them based on your firm’s size and requirements. Taking the time to choose wisely will enhance your workflow and finally benefit your clients. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Best CPA Software Options: Our Top 7 Picks" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re considering investing in a franchise, knowing where to start can be challenging. The right franchise websites can simplify your search by offering extensive listings and direct connections to franchisors. Websites like BizBuySell, Franchise.org, and All USA Franchises provide detailed investment information and user-friendly interfaces. Comprehending the key features of these platforms can greatly impact your investment experience. So, how do you identify the best one for your needs? Key Takeaways BizBuySell connects users to franchisors and provides broker support, making it ideal for international franchise seekers. All USA Franchises features the largest franchise database in the USA, categorized for easy navigation and selection. Franchise Direct offers a user-friendly interface suitable for both USA and international audiences, enhancing the search experience. Franchise Gator focuses on generating leads for franchisors, providing valuable opportunities for potential investors. Franchising.com serves as an informative resource, although it lacks direct contact options for users. Top Franchise Portals Overview When you’re looking to invest in a franchise, exploring top franchise portals can greatly streamline your search. These platforms serve as effective franchise search engines, providing thorough listings across various industries and regions. Notable franchise website platforms like BizBuySell and Franchise.org connect you directly with franchisors, enhancing communication and support for franchise transactions. Franchise Gator focuses on generating leads, while All USA Franchises boasts the largest number of listings in the USA, catering particularly to American investors. With user-friendly interfaces and efficient search functions, these websites make it easier for you to find relevant franchise information quickly. Their high traffic and conversion rates reflect their effectiveness, helping potential franchisees discover suitable business opportunities with ease. Key Features of Quality Franchise Websites Finding the right franchise opportunity hinges not just on the listings but also on the quality of the websites you use. Quality franchise websites stand out by offering: Extensive information, including investment requirements and contact details, all in one place. High traffic and effective conversion rates, signaling a reputable franchise website provider. A diverse selection of franchises across various sectors, enhancing your chances of finding a suitable match. User-friendly design and easy navigation, making it simple to find what you need. These elements are critical as they support your expedition in franchise brokerage, ensuring you have all the necessary tools and information at your fingertips to make informed investment decisions. Benefits of Using Franchise Portals Utilizing franchise portals can greatly improve your search for the right investment opportunity, as they consolidate a wealth of information about various franchises in one accessible location. These platforms provide thorough details, including investment requirements and operational specifics, allowing you to make informed decisions. High-quality web franchise sites exhibit extensive traffic and conversion rates, signifying their credibility in connecting you with suitable opportunities. You’ll as well find diverse franchise options across multiple industries and regions, which helps you identify business models that fit your investment level. Furthermore, access to expert contacts, like franchise brokers and franchisors, streamlines the purchasing process. Many portals include educational resources, such as industry reports, enhancing your awareness of the franchising environment. Comparison of Leading Franchise Websites When comparing leading franchise websites, you’ll notice key features that cater to different needs. For instance, whereas BizBuySell connects you directly with franchisors and brokers, All USA Franchises offers the largest selection of franchises, making it easy to search. Comprehending user experiences across these platforms can help you choose the best site for your investment goals. Key Features Comparison In the domain of franchise investment opportunities, comparing key features of leading websites can greatly streamline your search process. Each site offers unique benefits customized to different needs: BizBuySell: The top choice for franchise resale, it connects you directly with franchisors and provides extensive broker support for international users. All USA Franchises: Features the largest database of franchises in the USA, with categorized listings that simplify your search and support for brokers and advisors. Franchising.com: Serves as an informative resource with news and analytics, but it doesn’t facilitate direct contact with franchisors or resales. Franchise Direct: Offers a user-friendly interface focused on listings, appealing to both USA and international audiences, without direct contact options. These features can help you find the perfect franchise opportunity. User Experience Insights Maneuvering franchise websites can be a streamlined process, especially when you understand the user experience each platform offers. Websites like BizBuySell and Franchise Direct provide intuitive interfaces that improve navigation, allowing you to search efficiently for franchises customized to your preferences. High traffic and conversion rates indicate quality, with successful sites achieving around 0.3% conversion rates. In-depth content is essential; top portals feature organized layouts with investment requirements and industry reports. Sites such as Franchise.org promote direct communication with franchisors, adding value. Furthermore, Franchise Gator showcases diverse business models, catering to various investment levels. Website User Interface Direct Communication BizBuySell User-Friendly No Franchise Direct Intuitive No Franchise.org In-Depth Yes Franchise Gator Diverse Options No How to Choose the Right Franchise Opportunity When choosing the right franchise opportunity, you’ll first want to assess your budget, as investment requirements can vary widely. Next, evaluate the level of support offered by franchisors, since robust training and operational assistance can greatly impact your success. Assess Your Budget Evaluating your budget is crucial to selecting the right franchise opportunity, as it sets the foundation for your investment decisions. Start by examining your financial capacity with these key factors: Determine the minimum cash requirement, which can range from $199 for some franchises to $250,000 for others, like Wayback Burgers. Consider total investment costs, including ongoing royalties and operational expenses, to guarantee long-term sustainability. Explore financing options provided by franchisors, which can simplify funding through loans or payment plans. Research average return on investment (ROI) for various franchises, as higher potential earnings may justify a larger initial investment. Evaluate Franchise Support How can you guarantee your franchise investment is supported by a robust framework? Start by evaluating the franchisor’s support systems, focusing on thorough training programs and ongoing operational guidance, both crucial for your success. Examine the brand’s reputation and market presence, as established franchises tend to offer better resources. Furthermore, consider the marketing assistance available and the existence of peer support networks, which can improve your customer retention efforts. Review the financial performance, including profit margins and revenue growth, to confirm alignment with your financial goals. Finally, analyze feedback from current franchise owners regarding their satisfaction with the support they receive, as high satisfaction levels often indicate a franchisor’s commitment to helping franchisees thrive. Tips for Successful Franchise Investment Investing in a franchise can be a rewarding venture if you approach it with careful consideration and thorough research. Here are some tips to help you succeed: Research thoroughly: Look into owner satisfaction, financial performance, and brand reputation to guide your choice. Use franchise portals: These platforms offer detailed information on investment requirements, training programs, and market presence to streamline your decision-making. Assess franchisor support: Guarantee they provide ongoing training, marketing assistance, and operational guidance to boost your chances of success. Evaluate financial performance: Review Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document for insights into earnings potential and historical metrics. Future Trends in Franchise Investing As you consider your options in franchise investment, it’s important to stay informed about the emerging trends that are shaping the industry. The integration of technology is enhancing operational efficiency and customer engagement. Eco-friendly franchises are becoming attractive as consumers prioritize sustainability. Moreover, remote and virtual business models are redefining franchise opportunities, allowing operations without physical storefronts. Health and wellness franchises are booming, driven by a growing focus on fitness. Finally, adapting to consumer behavior changes is vital; franchises that innovate are more likely to succeed. Trend Description Technology Integration Improved efficiency and engagement through digital tools. Eco-Friendly Franchises Increased demand for sustainable business practices. Remote Business Models Opportunities for franchises without physical locations. Health & Wellness Growth Rising consumer interest in fitness and well-being. Innovative Adaptation Success through embracing changing consumer behaviors. Frequently Asked Questions Which Franchise Gives the Best Return on Investment? To find a franchise with the best return on investment, consider factors like brand recognition, owner satisfaction, and training support. Established franchises like McDonald’s and Subway often yield higher profits because of loyal customer bases. Look for those reporting low failure rates and thorough training, as these improve success chances. Furthermore, review the Item 19 disclosures in Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) for detailed earnings data to make informed decisions. Why Is It Only $10,000 to Open a Chick-Fil-A? Chick-fil-A‘s initial franchise fee is only $10,000 to attract potential franchisees, making it accessible compared to other franchises. Nevertheless, this low fee comes with conditions: franchisees must reinvest a significant portion of their profits to maintain brand standards and operational control. Although there are no royalties on sales, which allows you to keep more earnings, operational costs can be high. Extensive training and support from Chick-fil-A likewise guarantee franchisee success. What Is the 7 Day Rule for Franchise? The 7 Day Rule for franchises requires you to receive a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) at least seven days before signing any agreement or making payments. This allows you adequate time to review essential information, including financial performance and fees. The Federal Trade Commission enforces this rule to protect you from high-pressure sales tactics. Compliance is mandatory for franchisors in the U.S., and failing to follow it can result in legal consequences. What’s the Cheapest Franchise to Invest In? The cheapest franchise to invest in is SiteSwan Website Builder, requiring just $199 in cash. This low-cost option makes it accessible for many aspiring entrepreneurs. Other affordable franchises include Minuteman Press International, needing a minimum investment of $50,000, and Automated Investments at $100,000. These budget-friendly franchises often provide crucial training and support, enabling you to operate effectively while benefiting from established brand recognition and proven business models. Conclusion In summary, exploring the best franchise websites can greatly improve your investment experience. Platforms like BizBuySell, Franchise.org, and All USA Franchises provide valuable resources and connections to help you find the right franchise opportunity. By comprehending their features and benefits, you can make informed decisions and increase your chances of success. As the franchise environment continues to evolve, staying updated on trends will further equip you for fruitful investments in the future. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Best Franchise Websites for Investment Opportunities" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google is quietly testing a new “App Labs” beta inside Google Ads, giving app advertisers early access to experimental campaign features before wider rollout. What’s new. A dedicated tab within the App advertising hub where advertisers can try limited-time experiments, provide feedback, and explore tools still in development. Why we care. Google is giving early access to experimental features in Google Ads before they roll out widely. That means a chance to test, learn, and optimize ahead of competitors. Those who adopt early can gain a performance edge and adapt faster as new tools become standard. Zoom in. Features in App Labs are not guaranteed to launch permanently. Instead, they function as short-term tests, giving Google real-world input while offering advertisers a first-mover advantage. Between the lines. This is effectively a sandbox for app campaigns — and a signal that Google wants more advertiser input earlier in the product cycle. What to watch. Early adopters may gain performance advantages by testing and adapting to features before competitors even see them. First seen. This update was first spotted by Google Ads expert – Thomas Eccel who shared spotting the update on LinkedIn. View the full article

In an era where job markets are increasingly competitive, LinkedIn has released its 2026 Grad’s Guide, offering crucial insights tailored for small business owners and budding entrepreneurs. This resource highlights current hiring trends and demonstrates the vital importance of networking in securing roles, especially for the growing Gen Z workforce. With a staggering 44% of Gen Z citing a lack of the right connections as their biggest barrier to securing entry-level roles, the guide clearly illustrates how essential networking is to career advancement. Small business owners looking to attract emerging talent should recognize the advantage of fostering relationships and mentorship within their organizations. Amid a fluctuating job landscape, a notable 21% of Gen Z has already shifted gears, opting to create their own opportunities through side hustles or starting businesses. Nearly 69% more LinkedIn users in the U.S. have labeled themselves as “founders” compared to last year, indicating a significant rise in entrepreneurial endeavors. This trend opens avenues for small businesses to tap into a newly motivated talent pool eager to innovate and contribute fresh ideas. Current data reveals entry-level hiring has dipped by 6% year-over-year, a sharp contrast to the 10% decline at the mid-level. However, the guide stresses that entry-level roles still present viable opportunities, particularly in sectors where growth is evident, including tech, finance, construction, and real estate. Small businesses within these fields can benefit from this influx of talent if they adjust their recruitment strategies to appeal to these new job seekers. Interestingly, 72% of young office workers are contemplating a shift to skilled trades. As the economy evolves, so does the definition of stability and security in career choice. Small business owners, especially in the trades, should consider how they can market their operations as viable, fulfilling career paths. This pivot is vital for attracting talent, underscoring the importance of offering competitive wages, training programs, and growth opportunities. LinkedIn’s guide also emphasizes practical tools for job seekers, such as the AI-powered job search feature, designed to help candidates match with roles that suit their skills—an asset for both job seekers and employers. For small businesses, optimizing the hiring process through such technology can streamline recruitment and ensure a better fit between candidates and roles. Additionally, aspects like building an intentional network and showcasing proof of skill through projects or portfolios can help small businesses identify and recruit promising talent. By leveraging LinkedIn’s features, including the job tracker to monitor applications and foster connections, small business owners can find candidates who are not only qualified but also aligned with their organizational culture. However, there are challenges to consider. The shrinking pool of entry-level roles, combined with the rising entrepreneurial spirit among young workers, suggests that small businesses may need to enhance their appeal. Offering mentorship, clear career growth pathways, and a supportive work culture can attract talent seeking not just a paycheck, but a fulfilling career. The landscape of employment is evolving rapidly, and small business owners must be agile to keep pace. The insights from LinkedIn’s 2026 Grad’s Guide present a roadmap not just for job seekers, but also for small businesses eager to attract the upcoming generation of talent. Engaging with millennials and Gen Z on platforms they frequent, showcasing job flexibility, and providing a supportive environment are essential elements to thrive in this new employment paradigm. To dive deeper into these insights and strategies, visit LinkedIn’s official release here. As small businesses navigate these changing dynamics, the emphasis should remain on adaptability and connection. By aligning recruitment strategies with current trends, small businesses can not only survive the shifting job market, but also position themselves as employers of choice for the next generation of workers. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Gen Z Shapes Career Paths Amid Declining Entry-Level Job Opportunities" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Sometimes we love to hate serial killers, and sometimes we just kinda love 'em—a charming, sexy killer seems to be a contrast that's too juicy and entertaining for us to pass up. Late-stage capitalism, the climate crisis, and the insurance industry are far more likely to kill us, which is probably why we'd rather face the statistically less-likely threat of a cute and cunning murderer like Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg in You, which came to a planned conclusion after five seasons in 2025. But he's not the only one! Here, we're on the hunt for series leads who are at least morally ambiguous, if not downright evil. The Fall (2013 – 2016) Jamie Dornan's sexy young serial killer Paul Spector isn't the protagonist of The Fall, strictly speaking, but he co-leads with Gillian Anderson's police Superintendent DSU Stella Gibson across all three seasons of this crime drama. Much like Joe, Paul is, outwardly, a normal guy, and a family man, whom you might not suspect of being a stalker and a serial killer of professional women in Belfast. DSU Gibson is sent from London to help with a stalled investigation that leads her on a hunt for the clever Spector through physical dangers, mind-fuckery, and bureaucratic complications. Stream The Fall on Peacock and Prime Video. The Fall (2013 – 2016) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock Chloe (2022) Erin Doherty is Becky Green, a complete nobody (at least in her own mind), who becomes obsessed with her estranged childhood friend Chloe, who died, seemingly, by suicide. Lonely Becky comes up with a completely new identity with which to infiltrate Chloe's friend group, finding her life far more fulfilling than back when she was boring ol' Becky—even kicking off an affair with Chloe's widowed husband. Turns out, though, that there was more to Chloe's life and death than most people knew, and husband Elliot might just be keeping some secrets. Stream Chloe on Prime Video. Chloe (2022) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Ripley (2024) The Patricia Highsmith Tom Ripley novels have an impressive record of successful adaptations going back to the '50s, from René Clément's Purple Noon to Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley—which itself inspired Tommy Wiseau's cult "classic" The Room. Andrew Scott is perfectly cast in this series that doesn't reinvent the narrative, but gives it room to breathe over eight hours of deliberately paced neo-noir, in sumptuous monochrome, as poor, orphaned, but ambitious, Tom ingratiates himself with the wealthy Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) and his girlfriend, Marge (Dakota Fanning). His obsession with the good life soon becomes indistinguishable from his obsession with Marge and Dickie themselves, his studied nonchalance always ready to give way to everything boiling under the surface. Stream Ripley on Netflix. Ripley (2024) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Dexter (2006 – 2013) The show that dares to ask: What if a serial killer were kind of a nice guy who mostly wants to be helpful? Michael C. Hall stars as Dexter Morgan, a Miami-based forensic technician with bloody, murderous impulses. Fortunately (usually), he's learned to focus those impulses on dismembering baddies rather than the more sympathetic innocents who typically wind up in the crosshairs of this type of killer (looking at you, Joe Goldberg). So lovable is our Dexter that he led eight seasons of this show, popping up again in New Blood, Original Sin, and the ongoing Dexter: Resurrection. Stream Dexter on Paramount+. Dexter (2006 – 2013) at Paramount+ Learn More Learn More at Paramount+ Hannibal (2013 - 2015) By 2013, it really felt as though we'd seen more than enough of Hannibal Lecter and co., a series of Silence of the Lambs spin-offs and sequels having become increasingly tiresome. Still, producer Bryan Fuller went back to the source material here, once again adapting Thomas Harris's first Lecter novel with grand, operatic style and a visual flair unmatched on network television (you're still unlikely to find more gorgeously constructed scenes of carnage). What's more, the deeper, sexier relationship between the Doctor (Mads Mikkelsen) and profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) adds some brilliant subtext as the two work together to hunt serial killers. It ended a bit too early, but the three seasons still make for a satisfying meal. Stream Hannibal on Prime Video. Hannibal (2013 - 2015) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Glory (2022) There are at least a couple of different levels to The Glory, a justifiably well-received South Korean import, rather remarkably holding together despite some wild shifts in tone. Most obviously, it's a revenge drama, with a relatively simple set-up: Song Hye-kyo plays Moon Dong-eun, an elementary school homeroom teacher who's playing a very, very long game: her school bullies are grown up now, and their kids (some of them, anyway) are now in Dong-eun's care. Right where she wants them. Smartly, the show makes clear the extent of the past violence faced by Dong-eun (much of it hard to watch), and the resulting post-traumatic stress that's consumed her life. The parents of her tormentors were all far too wealthy for the girls to face any consequences for their actions, so Dong-eun feels like she has no choice. It could have been a revenge fantasy, or a straight horror show about a woman carrying out a questionable revenge, but, while it's hard to get behind Dong-eun, it's also hard to condemn her completely. Stream The Glory on Netflix. The Glory (2022) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Candy (2022) The real-life Candy Montgomery has been portrayed by Barbara Hershey, Jessica Biel in this Hulu miniseries and, just a year later, by Elizabeth Olsen over on HBO Max. Jessica Biel is so good here, though, that this one earns enough extra points to rise to the top of the Candy heap. In 1980, Montgomery was accused of murdering her neighbor, Betty Gore (Melanie Lynskey), following the woman's affair with Candy's husband, Allan (Pablo Schreiber). And with an axe, no less. Was it cold-blooded murder, self-defense, or a surprising combination of both? Stream Candy on Hulu. Candy (2022) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Bates Motel (2013 – 2017) Freddie Highmore stars here as Norman Bates, the Robert Bloch character based on Ed Gein, with Vera Farmiga as his mother Norma in her pre-dessicated-corpse days. Like a lot of media spun-off from Alfred Hitchcock's seminal Psycho, it's better than it has any right to be, with impressively compelling character development and several surprises, even if we already know more or less where it's all heading. Stream Bates Motel on Prime Video. Bates Motel (2013 – 2017) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Devil’s Hour (2022 – ) Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) joins Peter Capaldi (The Thick of It, Doctor Who) for a slightly convoluted but haunting series that throws in just about every horror trope that you can think of while still managing to ground things in the two lead performances. Raine plays a social worker whose life is coming apart on almost every level: She’s caring for her aging mother, her marriage is ending, her son is withdrawn, and she wakes up at exactly 3:33 a.m. every morning. She’s as convincing in the role as Capaldi is absolutely terrifying as a criminal linked to multiple killings (sometimes revealed in flashbacks) who can, seemingly, "remember" the future—shades of Silence of the Lambs, but with supernatural overtones. Stream The Devil's Hour on Prime Video. The Devil’s Hour (2022 – ) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Creep Tapes (2024 – ) Swinging back around from some of these more morally ambiguous (or at least potentially helpful) protagonists to a pure (charismatic) baddie, The Creep Tapes picks up from the two Patrick Brice-directed Creep found footage films, with writer/star Mark Duplass returning to the role of Josef, or Peachfuzz, or whatever the hell he's calling himself at any given time. Nearly an anthology, the show finds the charming, funny, forlorn-looking lead giving generally well-meaning people reasons to come and interview him on film, such that they tend to wind up documenting their own deaths. The show maintains the movies' sense of humor, as well as the constant conviction that we'd very likely be taken in by this compellingly manipulative sad-sack. Stream The Creep Tapes on Shudder. The Creep Tapes (2024 – ) at Shudder Learn More Learn More at Shudder View the full article

Google has introduced new capabilities within its new customer acquisition goals, including high-value customer bidding and retention targeting. Most Google Ads strategies still treat new customers as inherently more valuable. That assumption breaks down quickly. Not every new customer is worth acquiring, and not every existing customer is worth ignoring. Just because someone buys once doesn’t make them a customer for life. Likewise, some past buyers are far more likely to convert again than a net-new user. This is where Google’s high-value customer and retention bidding goals start to matter. How high-value customer bidding works in Google Ads Google uses predictive bidding to help determine who your high-value customers are. However, the primary signal is the customer match list you upload within your account. To make these adjustments, go to the customer lifecycle optimization section under Goals > Summary, then select Edit goal. Here, you’ll set a higher new customer value to bid more aggressively for high-value customers. Google will typically pre-populate a suggested value based on a higher LTV than your typical new customers. Review this carefully and decide how much higher you want to bid for a high-value new customer. Once you do this, Google reports that added amount as in-platform conversion value, on top of the actual value from the sale or lead. If you use a cost-per-conversion model, this discrepancy may not matter as much. However, for ROAS-based bidding, the additional value can artificially inflate your campaign’s ROAS. Google recently introduced a new column, original conversion value (found under the conversions columns section), to help separate the actual value from the additional value used to prioritize bidding. However, if you typically rely on conversion value/cost, that figure will still include the added value in its reporting. Dig deeper: Google Ads quietly rolls out a new conversion metric 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 Building and activating high-value customer audiences To help Google identify high-value customers, you’ll need to add an audience list of high-value customers. Consider what qualifies a high-value customer to you when creating this list. Did they have a particularly high average order value, or were they a lead for a higher-tier service you offer? Compile this list and upload it. You’ll need at least 1,000 active members in the YouTube or Search network for it to be eligible to serve, and we typically see match rates between 29%-62% — meaning you’ll likely need well over 1,000 for the list to become eligible. The more data you include for each record in your first-party data, the higher your match rate will typically be. An email address is the baseline, but adding email, phone, and address increases your chances of matching to a signed-in user. If you’d prefer a less manual approach, you can create and define audiences in Klaviyo and integrate them directly into your Google Ads account. Lists created from Klaviyo typically have high match rates. Once these settings are in place within the customer lifecycle optimization section, the next step is to optimize your campaigns. You can’t apply both bidding goals to the same campaign, and you wouldn’t want the same targeting or ad copy for these different customer types. Adjusting your bidding for high-value new customers is only available in Search and Performance Max campaigns and follows a similar setup. In campaign settings, expand the Customer acquisition section and select Adjust your bidding to help acquire new customers. From there, choose either Bid higher for new customers or Only bid for new customers. Either option uses your value adjustments to differentiate between new customers and high-value customers. Your ad copy and targeting should determine whether you run a campaign focused solely on new customers or one that includes both new and returning customers. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. How to use retention goals to re-engage lapsed customers To set bidding parameters for lapsed customers, or customer retention, return to the customer lifecycle optimization within the Goals section of the account. Scroll past the new customer section to find both lapsed customers and lapsed customers (high value). These lists will only populate if you have segmented customer data to support both. It’s worth noting that, for lapsed high-value customers, Google asks for data on existing high-value customers, suggesting predictive bidding to a lookalike audience may be used here as well. Like before, Google will pre-populate a suggested value and may also suggest lists. Review these before saving to ensure the data is accurate. The additional value you add to the incremental conversion value will appear in certain columns as conversion value attributed to the campaign using this bidding model. Bidding to lapsed customers is currently only available in Performance Max campaigns and isn’t yet available across Search. In campaign settings, go to Customer retention and select Adjust your bidding to help re-engage lapsed customers. We don’t yet have a list defined for lapsed customers in the above account, which is why the message in the yellow box appeared. Because this bidding is limited to Performance Max, lapsed customers may see ads across Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps, depending on the assets used and whether a feed is included. If you’re running a campaign specifically bidding higher to target lapsed customers, make sure your ad copy and messaging are tailored to that audience. 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 Lifecycle bidding only works if your strategy does Lifecycle bidding only works if your inputs are sound. The quality of your customer match lists, how you define value, and how you measure performance determine whether these goals improve results, or just make them look better on paper. Used correctly, they help prioritize the customers that matter most and re-engage those worth winning back. Used loosely, they can just as easily distort your reporting and mask what’s really driving performance. View the full article

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I have a question that might be suitable for “ask the readers.” When has someone reached out to you with a request to network that was compelling and made you actually want to respond? I’ve seen a lot of stories of bad networking on here — people asking vague questions, not seeming to know what they want, or reaching out with a request to “network” that’s obviously a veiled inquiry about a job. What does genuinely good networking look like? I’d love to hear from readers about requests they were happy to respond to or people who actually impressed them in a networking conversation. It’s especially helpful to hear examples of good networkers who were entry-level in their fields. Readers? The post what does good networking actually look like? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

The United States’ advanced manufacturing future may have an unexpected limiting factor: a dire shortage of welders. While venture capital has placed big bets on a cutting-edge future of data centers, defense tech, and robotics, actually making the physical devices remains a challenge without finding the right talent to melt, fuse and repair metal. The American Welding Society projects that the country will need more than 320,000 new welding professionals by 2030, which means hiring about 80,000 new welders every year. Path Robotics believes the future of America’s manufacturing workforce will be augmented with torch-wielding robots. The Columbus, Ohio-based company, which is about to make a foray into the shipbuilding industry with Rove, a new welding robot mounted on the back of a Boston Dynamics’ quadruped, was born in 2018 from the founders’ frustration when they tried to start a custom vehicle company with their father, a family business that struggled to grow with a shortage of skilled labor. Demand for their ATVs and motorcycles wasn’t the issue; it was finding enough help to get the work done on time, and welding was one of the toughest roles to fill. “It was four grueling years seeing what it was truly like to try to stand up a U.S. manufacturing company, and it was extremely tough and ultimately ended with failure,” said Andy Lonsberry, CEO of Path Robotics who co-founded the firm with his brother Alex. “It gave us a deeply rooted passion and understanding for how difficult it truly is to be a small to medium-sized U.S. manufacturing firm, and that experience has stuck with us.” Andy LonsberryAlex Lonsberry The new Rove robot, a mobile version of the company’s massive, fixed welding cells—huge robotic arms attached to an industrial-strength torch—has a level of mobility and balance that make it ideal for settings like shipyards, where a traditional human welder needs to bounce around the site, and often lean or bend over to make welds a few feet off the ground or scaffold. It’s basically a torch mounted on top of the famous dog-like Boston Dynamics robot, with a hose connected to a fuel source. Once it saunters into place, the device’s robotic arm stretches into position, a laser scans the welding site, and then a torch ignites and closes a seam. It can make precise welds due to the company’s Obsidian AI system, which utilizes extensive training and testing—including practice on Path’s own training ground—to allow welding robots to adapt and move. Training an AI system to weld requires extensive data, says Lonsberry; there’s no room for error when the wrong connection can ruin a project. Instead of fixed, assembly-line style operation, or doing one motion a million times, Lonsberry says their technology seeks to do a million different moves one time each. “Robots have been involved in manufacturing for 50 years,” said Lonsberry. “But that’s mainly been in automotive, where they’re doing the same motion over and over again. In addition to the company’s recent entry into shipbuilding (autonomous marine vessel company Saronic will be among the first to receive the new robots, which will officially hit the market in 2027 after beta testing) Path also sees a future for Rove in industries like AI data centers, in electrical energy infrastructure, and heavy construction, all unstructured construction environments with lots of variability. So far, Path has raised roughly $341 million, and employs more than 150 people at its Columbus headquarters, according to PitchBook. Path’s fixed welding tech has also already a number of smaller firms across the Midwest thrive, including Millerbernd, a heavy-duty steel fabricator in Minnesota, Maystele, a Wisconsin company that does custom metalwork for data centers and other clients, and Indiana’s Deister, which works in the aggregate and mining industries. For Lonsberry and his brother, it’s about tapping into what he calls “tribal knowledge” of welding skills and manufacturing know-how while building up a new generation of small businesses. “People always ask why didn’t we go to Silicon Valley, that’s where the talent and genius is,” said Lonsberry. “For us, we want to build a company for manufacturing, with manufacturers, with them directly. We want to learn about their biggest pain points. We want to be a drive away versus a flight away. We want to be obsessed with, like, their actual outcomes. Yeah, so that’s why we decided to stay here.” View the full article

For digital nomads, logging on to work from a cafe, co-working space, hotel lobby or airport lounge is a way of life. Remote working has been made possible by reliable high speed internet and turbocharged by the pandemic. For some remote workers, that includes working from somewhere other than their home, perhaps because their company doesn’t have a physical location in their area, or because they don’t have an ideal home office setup. Working in public, however, doesn’t come without privacy and security risks. Here’s a quick reminder of precautions to take: Read the rulebook Hybrid or fully remote working is the norm for many jobs, so it’s a good idea to check for guidance from your employer on what’s expected when working away from the office. Many companies and organizations have internal guidelines including best practices for working in public, or even offer privacy and confidentiality training for staff. Some discourage working in crowded public places like coffee shops because of data privacy risks. The British government spells it out in guidance for staff working with classified documents. “These environments can present additional risks, including being more freely accessible to people without the appropriate clearance and need-to-know.” If you’re planning to travel and work, some employers might also have rules forbidding staff from working from certain countries. Think visually Cafes and co-working spaces are often busy with strangers, most of whom will be minding their own business. But it’s still a good idea not to leave yourself exposed. Try to find a secluded place to sit to prevent others from seeing what’s on your screen, even if it’s by accident. It’s harder for someone to “shoulder surf” if you’ve got your back to a wall. To make it even harder for prying eyes, get a screen privacy filter. This is a thin film that has tiny louvres to prevent anyone from seeing your screen when looking at it from an angle. Be wary of the Wi-Fi It’s so tempting to log on to that free Wi-Fi network in the airport lounge or hotel lobby so you can check your email. But cybersecurity experts advise against it because the risks are high. Avoid a public Wi-Fi network that doesn’t need a password, because any data sent over it is vulnerable to theft or manipulation, the National Security Agency warns. Even if a Wi-Fi network requires a password, that doesn’t mean the data will be encrypted, the NSA says in a cybersecurity tip sheet. The agency warns about a number of cybersecurity risks involving public Wi-Fi. One possible danger is a rogue network that tricks people into joining. “A malicious actor can set up a fake access point, also known as an evil twin, to mimic the nearby expected public Wi-Fi, resulting in that actor having access to all data sent over the network,” the NSA says. Instead, use a mobile hotspot, which is more secure because it uses your cellphone signal to create a mini wireless network. Most iPhones or Android phones can do this. For even more security, use a VPN, or virtual private network. This is software that encrypts data traffic and routes it through private tunnels to secure servers to prevent anyone from being able to read it. Companies usually provide them for staff. If not, you can sign up for one yourself. Don’t forget the obvious measures There are other common-sense measures you can take in public. Beware of your surroundings. Sitting in a public place with a laptop in plain sight could make it an attractive target for thieves. If you need to leave your spot to go to the restroom, take your devices with you. Avoid having private conversations in public. If you’re on a noisy train car or in a busy hotel lobby talking on a Zoom call about a sensitive project, it might be tempting to raise your voice to make sure you’re being heard. But you can never be sure if anyone is eavesdropping. “In public areas be aware of whether you can be overheard by any unauthorized individuals, such as members of the public, or smart listening devices,” the British government’s guidance warns. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

Done right, a proposal helps a project manager establish credibility, close clients, acquire funding, and secure the necessary support and approval for projects to be implemented. The post Free Project Proposal Templates (+ Industry Examples) appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

The short answer: Digital transformation fails in most small businesses not because the technology is wrong, but because employees were never truly brought along. The software is the easy part. The people are the hard part, and they’re also the most important part. Here’s what small business owners consistently get wrong about digital transformation and how to fix it: Why Do Digital Transformation Efforts Fail in Small Businesses? The most common reason digital transformation fails in small businesses is not poor technology selection or inadequate training. It’s the gap between what leadership wants the technology to do and what employees are actually willing to embrace. There’s a term for this in enterprise software: shelfware. It refers to tools that have been purchased but never meaningfully used; put another way, subscriptions quietly accumulating while workflows stay unchanged. Small businesses are not immune. In fact, they may be more vulnerable, precisely because they lack dedicated IT or change management resources. In fact, about 53% of SaaS licenses are never used, according to data from AppVerticals When a 15-person business adopts a new project management tool and six months later only three people are using it consistently, that’s not a failed implementation. It’s a failed transformation. The operational improvements never materialize. The team works around the system rather than within it. In almost every case, the root cause isn’t the tool. It’s the failure to bring people along. Why Do Employees Resist New Technology at Work? When employees push back on new technology, it’s tempting to attribute it to stubbornness or a lack of tech-savviness. In reality, resistance is almost always rational. People resist when they don’t understand why a change is happening, when they had no say in it, or when past experience has taught them that new systems create more work, not less. The most common reasons employees disengage from digital transformation: Lack of context. “We’re switching to this new system” without explanation generates compliance at best. Employees who don’t understand the goal of a change have no reason to invest in it. Fear of displacement. In an era of accelerating AI adoption, many employees quietly worry that the “efficiency” a new tool delivers will come at the cost of their role. That fear rarely surfaces in a conversation, but it shapes behavior. Change fatigue. For employees who have lived through multiple waves of “this new system will change everything,” skepticism is a learned response. When every quarter brings a new platform, the rational move is to wait and see if this one actually sticks. No input, no investment. People support what they help create. When a tool is selected and rolled out without employee involvement, there’s no sense of ownership. It’s something that was done to them, not with them. How Can Small Businesses Improve Employee Buy-In for New Technology? Employee resistance isn’t something that lingers forever. It’s the product of the brute force by which transformations are typically approached. But when companies are mindful of how they bring employees onboard, resistance melts away. Here’s what actually works: 1. Involve employees before you’ve already decided Before selecting a new tool, ask your team which parts of their work consume the most time and produce the least satisfaction. Let their answers shape what you’re looking for. This surfaces insights you likely wouldn’t have identified yourself and creates shared purpose in whatever comes next. 2. Frame the benefit in their terms, not yours “This will improve our operational efficiency” is a leadership metric, not an employee motivation. “This will save each of you about two hours a week on status updates” is a benefit people can feel. Translate every business case into a personal one. 3. Find and empower your internal champions In every team, there are one or two people who are naturally curious about new tools and willing to figure things out. Identify them early, give them extra support and early access, and let them become the peer resource for everyone else. Adoption driven by a trusted colleague moves faster and sticks better than a mandate from leadership. 4. Celebrate visible wins early and publicly Momentum is fragile in the early stages of any transformation. Find the person or team whose work visibly improved because of the new system, and make that story public within your organization. Success stories are more persuasive than any training deck. What Leadership Behaviors Make or Break Digital Transformation? No amount of thoughtful employee engagement will matter if leadership sends a contradictory signal. When a leader announces that the team is moving to a new platform and then continues to manage everything through email and spreadsheets, the message is clear: this doesn’t really apply to me. The most effective leaders in digital transformation are visible users of the tools they’re asking their teams to adopt. They ask questions in the new system. They review dashboards in the new system. They do their work in the new system. That visibility signals that the change is real and permanent. Beyond visibility, psychological safety matters enormously. Employees need to feel that admitting confusion about a feature, or that a tool isn’t working for them, won’t reflect poorly on their performance. When feedback is welcomed and acted on, employees stay engaged. When it’s ignored, they go quiet and work around the system. Finally, set realistic time horizons. Meaningful digital transformation takes 12 to 18 months at minimum. Leaders who set that expectation clearly, and measure progress patiently, will see fundamentally different outcomes than those who expect a tool to transform a team in 30 days. The Bottom Line The technology available to small businesses today is remarkable. But that capability only translates into results if the people inside the business are genuinely using the tools, trusting them, and building their workflows around them. That kind of adoption doesn’t happen because of a subscription or a launch announcement. It happens because leadership laid the proper groundwork, which includes involving employees before decisions were made, communicating personal benefits at every level, and anointing champions across the organization who can lead the adoption charge, including senior executives. Digital transformation is ultimately a human project. The technology is the easy part. Before your next software purchase, try this: ask every person on your team to name the one thing in their workday that consistently slows them down or drains their energy. The answers will almost certainly change what you think you need to buy. Further Questions About Employee Buy-In for Digital Transformation How long does digital transformation take for a small business? Meaningful digital transformation typically takes 12 to 18 months for small businesses. This includes the time needed to select the right tools, onboard employees, refine workflows based on real use, and build genuine habits around the new systems. Organizations that expect transformation in 30 to 60 days consistently underestimate the human side of change. What is ‘shelfware’ and why does it matter for small businesses? Shelfware refers to software that has been purchased but never meaningfully used. For small businesses, this is a particularly costly problem, both financially and culturally. Financially, it means paying for capability that delivers no return. Culturally, failed tool rollouts erode employee trust in future change initiatives, making the next transformation harder before it even starts. Should employees be involved in selecting new business software? Yes, and the earlier the better. Employees who participate in the selection process are significantly more likely to adopt and consistently use new tools. Beyond improving adoption rates, involving employees often surfaces practical constraints and requirements that leadership wouldn’t have identified independently. It’s both a better process and a better outcome. This article, "Why Small Business Employees Are the Best Digital Transformation Strategy (and its Biggest Obstacle)" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The short answer: Digital transformation fails in most small businesses not because the technology is wrong, but because employees were never truly brought along. The software is the easy part. The people are the hard part, and they’re also the most important part. Here’s what small business owners consistently get wrong about digital transformation and how to fix it: Why Do Digital Transformation Efforts Fail in Small Businesses? The most common reason digital transformation fails in small businesses is not poor technology selection or inadequate training. It’s the gap between what leadership wants the technology to do and what employees are actually willing to embrace. There’s a term for this in enterprise software: shelfware. It refers to tools that have been purchased but never meaningfully used; put another way, subscriptions quietly accumulating while workflows stay unchanged. Small businesses are not immune. In fact, they may be more vulnerable, precisely because they lack dedicated IT or change management resources. In fact, about 53% of SaaS licenses are never used, according to data from AppVerticals When a 15-person business adopts a new project management tool and six months later only three people are using it consistently, that’s not a failed implementation. It’s a failed transformation. The operational improvements never materialize. The team works around the system rather than within it. In almost every case, the root cause isn’t the tool. It’s the failure to bring people along. Why Do Employees Resist New Technology at Work? When employees push back on new technology, it’s tempting to attribute it to stubbornness or a lack of tech-savviness. In reality, resistance is almost always rational. People resist when they don’t understand why a change is happening, when they had no say in it, or when past experience has taught them that new systems create more work, not less. The most common reasons employees disengage from digital transformation: Lack of context. “We’re switching to this new system” without explanation generates compliance at best. Employees who don’t understand the goal of a change have no reason to invest in it. Fear of displacement. In an era of accelerating AI adoption, many employees quietly worry that the “efficiency” a new tool delivers will come at the cost of their role. That fear rarely surfaces in a conversation, but it shapes behavior. Change fatigue. For employees who have lived through multiple waves of “this new system will change everything,” skepticism is a learned response. When every quarter brings a new platform, the rational move is to wait and see if this one actually sticks. No input, no investment. People support what they help create. When a tool is selected and rolled out without employee involvement, there’s no sense of ownership. It’s something that was done to them, not with them. How Can Small Businesses Improve Employee Buy-In for New Technology? Employee resistance isn’t something that lingers forever. It’s the product of the brute force by which transformations are typically approached. But when companies are mindful of how they bring employees onboard, resistance melts away. Here’s what actually works: 1. Involve employees before you’ve already decided Before selecting a new tool, ask your team which parts of their work consume the most time and produce the least satisfaction. Let their answers shape what you’re looking for. This surfaces insights you likely wouldn’t have identified yourself and creates shared purpose in whatever comes next. 2. Frame the benefit in their terms, not yours “This will improve our operational efficiency” is a leadership metric, not an employee motivation. “This will save each of you about two hours a week on status updates” is a benefit people can feel. Translate every business case into a personal one. 3. Find and empower your internal champions In every team, there are one or two people who are naturally curious about new tools and willing to figure things out. Identify them early, give them extra support and early access, and let them become the peer resource for everyone else. Adoption driven by a trusted colleague moves faster and sticks better than a mandate from leadership. 4. Celebrate visible wins early and publicly Momentum is fragile in the early stages of any transformation. Find the person or team whose work visibly improved because of the new system, and make that story public within your organization. Success stories are more persuasive than any training deck. What Leadership Behaviors Make or Break Digital Transformation? No amount of thoughtful employee engagement will matter if leadership sends a contradictory signal. When a leader announces that the team is moving to a new platform and then continues to manage everything through email and spreadsheets, the message is clear: this doesn’t really apply to me. The most effective leaders in digital transformation are visible users of the tools they’re asking their teams to adopt. They ask questions in the new system. They review dashboards in the new system. They do their work in the new system. That visibility signals that the change is real and permanent. Beyond visibility, psychological safety matters enormously. Employees need to feel that admitting confusion about a feature, or that a tool isn’t working for them, won’t reflect poorly on their performance. When feedback is welcomed and acted on, employees stay engaged. When it’s ignored, they go quiet and work around the system. Finally, set realistic time horizons. Meaningful digital transformation takes 12 to 18 months at minimum. Leaders who set that expectation clearly, and measure progress patiently, will see fundamentally different outcomes than those who expect a tool to transform a team in 30 days. The Bottom Line The technology available to small businesses today is remarkable. But that capability only translates into results if the people inside the business are genuinely using the tools, trusting them, and building their workflows around them. That kind of adoption doesn’t happen because of a subscription or a launch announcement. It happens because leadership laid the proper groundwork, which includes involving employees before decisions were made, communicating personal benefits at every level, and anointing champions across the organization who can lead the adoption charge, including senior executives. Digital transformation is ultimately a human project. The technology is the easy part. Before your next software purchase, try this: ask every person on your team to name the one thing in their workday that consistently slows them down or drains their energy. The answers will almost certainly change what you think you need to buy. Further Questions About Employee Buy-In for Digital Transformation How long does digital transformation take for a small business? Meaningful digital transformation typically takes 12 to 18 months for small businesses. This includes the time needed to select the right tools, onboard employees, refine workflows based on real use, and build genuine habits around the new systems. Organizations that expect transformation in 30 to 60 days consistently underestimate the human side of change. What is ‘shelfware’ and why does it matter for small businesses? Shelfware refers to software that has been purchased but never meaningfully used. For small businesses, this is a particularly costly problem, both financially and culturally. Financially, it means paying for capability that delivers no return. Culturally, failed tool rollouts erode employee trust in future change initiatives, making the next transformation harder before it even starts. Should employees be involved in selecting new business software? Yes, and the earlier the better. Employees who participate in the selection process are significantly more likely to adopt and consistently use new tools. Beyond improving adoption rates, involving employees often surfaces practical constraints and requirements that leadership wouldn’t have identified independently. It’s both a better process and a better outcome. This article, "Why Small Business Employees Are the Best Digital Transformation Strategy (and its Biggest Obstacle)" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google has confirmed a bug with the Google Search Console performance reports that specifically impacts “Job listing” and “Job details” search appearance filter. Starting April 16th Google had an issue logging this data. So Google is reporting zero clicks and impressions for these jobs reports. What Google said. Google wrote: “A logging error is preventing Search Console from reporting impressions and clicks for “Job listing” and “Job details” Search appearance types from April 16, 2026 onward. We’re working to resolve this issue. This issue affects data logging only.” Complaints. We first began noticing the complaints trickling in earlier this week, with several SEOs posting their concerns across social media. @rustybrick Seems there is a bug in GSC where impressions and clicks for Google jobs traffic is being reported 0 since 16th, but traffic is still coming in via google_jobs_apply UTMhttps://t.co/0Ed28Jvzdj— Max Peters (@maxjpeters) April 20, 2026 Why we care. If you noticed a drop in overall impressions and clicks, and then you dig in and find zero data from the job listings and details – then do not worry. This is a Google logging bug and it is on Google’s side. Google is still likely listing your job listings and sending traffic but it is not being tracked properly in Search Console right now. View the full article

Value, quality, and effectiveness—not cost savings—should define success. Accounting ARC With Liz Mason, Donny Shimamoto, and Byron Patrick Center for Accounting Transformation Go PRO for members-only access to more Center for Accounting Transformation. View the full article

Value, quality, and effectiveness—not cost savings—should define success. Accounting ARC With Liz Mason, Donny Shimamoto, and Byron Patrick Center for Accounting Transformation Go PRO for members-only access to more Center for Accounting Transformation. View the full article

The President official Michael Kratsios says Chinese entities stealing from American labsView the full article

Most enterprise SEO strategies die in slide decks. Beautiful presentations, airtight data, and solid recommendations, all collecting dust because nobody bought in. I’ve watched it happen at companies with eight-figure marketing budgets. I’ve also watched a single SEO insight convince a company to create an entirely new business unit and make a multimillion-dollar investment. The difference had nothing to do with the quality of the SEO work. I’ve spent 17 years finding out what it actually comes down to. Let me walk you through how to build an SEO strategy that gets the attention it deserves. The two ways enterprise SEO strategies fail Before I get into what works, let me talk about the two failure modes I see again and again. Leadership expects SEO to work like PPC The founder, CMO, or whoever the decision-maker is often doesn’t come from an SEO background or have experience standing up a successful organic program. Many come from performance marketing. They expect SEO to behave like PPC: invest money on Tuesday, see results on Wednesday. When it doesn’t, they deprioritize the channel, which creates a death spiral. Less investment leads to worse results, which “confirms” their bias that SEO doesn’t work. SEO gets stuck in a silo This one’s on us. SEO leaders who get too deep into the technical weeds, who can’t translate their work into business language, and who never get a seat at the table because they’re speaking a language nobody else in the room understands. They become consultants shouting into the void instead of strategic partners influencing decisions. Both failure modes share the same root cause: a disconnect between what SEO can deliver and how the organization thinks about growth. 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 Lead with narrative, back with data Most SEO leaders get this backwards. They walk into a meeting with the CEO armed with 40 slides of data: crawl reports, keyword rankings, and technical audits. Leadership doesn’t have time for that. They’re juggling a hundred priorities, and your data dump just became background noise. Start with the story instead: “Here’s the narrative.” “Here’s the opportunity.” “Here’s what I need from you to take us from A to B, and here’s how we’ll get there.” Then bring in the data to support the narrative. The higher you go in your SEO career, the more critical it is to be a listener first. Before I present anything to a new CEO or CMO, I invest time in understanding their leadership style, the organization’s macro challenges, and what the top three enterprise goals are. Not SEO goals — enterprise goals. Then I frame every recommendation through that lens: “As an enterprise, our goal is X. Here’s how this recommendation gets us there.” When you do that, friction disappears. Nobody can argue against working toward a goal they already signed up for. One tactic I’ve found consistently effective is anchoring conversations in competitor intelligence. Every CMO, every C-suite executive, cares deeply about competition. When I show them, “Here’s what competitor A has been doing for five years, and here’s the market position it earned them. I’m not asking for five years, but I need a year, and that’s being five times more efficient than they were,” the conversation shifts. You’re no longer justifying SEO’s existence. You’re helping them win a competitive battle they already care about. Retrofit your goals into their OKRs Here’s the cross-functional playbook that has worked for me across multiple enterprises. Your success at an enterprise depends on two teams: creative and engineering. But they have their own goals, their own KPIs, and their own OKRs. If you show up with a list of SEO requests, you’re just another stakeholder creating tickets. Instead, I start by genuinely understanding what each team is trying to achieve — and I mean actually understanding it, not assuming. In my first month at any new company, I schedule 30-minute 1:1s with the leads of every team I’ll need to work with: product marketing, engineering, creative, brand, and analytics. I ask three questions: What are your top two OKRs this quarter? What’s the biggest thing slowing you down? What does a win look like for you by year-end? I don’t mention SEO once in those conversations. By the end of that listening tour, I have a map: Product marketing wants revenue and retention. Engineering wants development velocity. Creative wants engagement metrics. Brand wants consistency. I know exactly how to position every SEO recommendation as a solution to something they already care about, in their language, toward their goals. In my previous role, I worked closely with a product marketing manager on naming a new feature. My research showed that thousands of prospects were searching for a specific term every month. Instead of framing it as an SEO recommendation, I said: “If you name this feature to match what people are already searching for, you’ll get free brand mentions, natural anchor text, and on-page relevance from day one. That directly hits your acquisition and retention target.” He got it immediately. That’s not an SEO win; it’s a product marketing win that SEO data enabled. This approach transforms you from a requestor into a force multiplier. You’re helping them hit their goals. Now they want to listen to you. Case study: Turning a sales insight into an SEO-driven business strategy The best example I can give of enterprise SEO that drove real business impact came from a conversation I wasn’t even supposed to be part of. Back in 2021, FreshBooks, my previous employer, was competing against a much larger incumbent, QuickBooks. Think David versus a Goliath with two times the feature set and more than a hundred times the budget. During a cross-functional meeting, I heard the director of sales mention that they were losing prospects at the finish line. The reason was that small business owners would get excited about the product, but ultimately defer to their accountant’s recommendation. And the accountants were all loyal to the incumbent. This was a business problem, but I saw a search-driven solution. I proposed building a professional accountant directory on our domain — a searchable database of FreshBooks certified partner accountants organized by city. (The approach was inspired by two concepts: Eli Schwartz’s product-led SEO framework and Ross Simmonds’ idea of building an SEO moat: something only your brand can do.) The domain already had strong authority. Keyword research showed significant search volume for terms like “accountant near me,” “bookkeeper in [city],” and similar local queries across hundreds of markets in the U.S. and Canada. The strategy was a triple win. Small business owners would find a vetted professional. Accountants would get qualified leads, and because our site outranked their own websites in their local markets, they had a strong incentive to join the program. For every accountant we onboarded, we’d gain multiple end customers they managed. It also addressed churn: freelancers who grew their businesses and hired accountants were leaving for the competitor. A partner accountant ecosystem would keep them. I built the full business case with sizing data, the potential to scale from low triple-digit partners to more than 10,000, and presented it up the chain: director of performance marketing, VP of marketing, and CMO. Each approved it. We hired an agency and spent six months building it. Did the directory launch? Not in its original form. Halfway through the build, the company recognized the strategic importance of the accountant channel so clearly that they created an entirely new business unit, invested multimillions in the accounting product line, and eventually built something much larger than what I’d originally proposed. That’s what a strategy that drives real organizational change looks like. The SEO insight didn’t just get approved; it fundamentally reshaped the company’s thinking about an entire market segment. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Why AI visibility makes cross-functional alignment non-negotiable Everything I’ve described — the narrative framing, the OKR retrofitting, and the cross-functional listening tour — used to be a competitive advantage. Now it’s the minimum requirement, because the AI visibility shift has made cross-functional alignment a survival skill, not a leadership style. We started tracking traffic coming from LLMs separately. What I found was revealing: conversion rates from LLM-referred traffic were four to six times higher than traditional organic. Users arriving through AI-assisted search had already done their research inside the LLM. They were arriving with high intent and ready to act. But here’s the challenge: roughly 85% of the sources that LLMs cite when generating responses about your products and services are third-party sites. If you want to influence what AI says about your products, you can’t do it alone. You need alignment with affiliate teams, PR, brand, product marketing, and even legal. I essentially did a roadshow internally, went to every department, and explained (with data): Customers are making buying decisions inside LLMs now. If we want to control the narrative about our brand and products in these AI-generated responses, every team needs to be on the same page. The affiliate team needs to know which third-party sites to prioritize. PR needs to think about how press coverage feeds into AI training data. Legal needs to understand the implications. All of our content, not just SEO content, needs to be optimized for how LLMs process and cite information. In the old world, you could publish content, build links, and win at SEO in relative isolation. That world is over. Enterprise SEO in the AI era requires the same cross-functional alignment I’ve been describing throughout this article, but now it’s not just a competitive advantage. It’s survival. Your first 30 days: Show, don’t tell If you’re stepping into an enterprise SEO leadership role for the first time, or inheriting a function that’s been siloed and undervalued, here’s the approach I’d recommend. Understand your product-market fit from the inside. Sit with finance, analytics, and data teams. Identify which customer cohorts deliver the best unit economics: ARPU, MRR, and LTV. Most SEOs never get this visibility, and it’s the single biggest unlock for building a strategy that leadership actually cares about. I call it the “know thy numbers” strategy. Nail down your ideal customer profile (ICP) with product marketing. Understand who the ideal customer is, where they are, and what content they’re looking for. Do an honest competitive assessment. What’s working, what’s not, and where are the gaps? Find one low-effort, high-impact win and execute it immediately. Show is 10 times more important than tell in enterprise SEO. Early wins build credibility. Once leadership sees tangible impact, they become more open to listening. The more they listen, the more you can educate, and the less friction you face. 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 Mindset over tactics Building an enterprise SEO strategy that drives real business impact isn’t about having the best technical audit or the most comprehensive keyword research. It’s about building an organization that thinks about search as a foundational growth lever. That means being a listener before you’re a presenter. It means speaking in business outcomes, not SEO jargon. It means helping your cross-functional partners hit their goals first, and baking SEO into their success. It means being willing to follow an insight wherever it leads, even if it ends up bigger than anything you originally proposed. The accountant directory I pitched was a six-month SEO project. The outcome was a multimillion-dollar business unit. That’s what happens when the organization believes SEO is worth investing in, because you’ve shown them why. View the full article