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Financier assumes effective control of Howard Hughes and will shift its strategy to hunt for acquisitionsView the full article

This week’s reads are all about alignment between what we do and what matters to us. Remote work gives us more options. But the real challenge? Choosing what fits. We're diving into purpose, values, freedom, and the kinds of roles that support the way you want to work. Vic Our Favorite Articles 💯Remote Real Talk: Andrew Gobran (Doist) on Career Values and Remote Job Search Strategy (Remotive)Andrew shares what it means to work with intention, not just flexibility, and how job seekers can shift their mindset to stand out. ​Read it here​. Remote Work Wasn't The Goal. Freedom Was (Reddit)A quiet reminder from the digital nomad community that it's not the laptop life we're chasing, it's what it allows. ​Check out the thread here​. Workers Say Ideal Roles Are Hybrid or Fully Remote (SIA)A new survey shows the demand for flexibility is still strong. It's not just about location: it's about having more say in how you work. ​Learn more​. Carlos Barria | ReutersGoogle Forcing Some Remote Workers To Come Back 3 Days a Week or Lose Their Jobs (CNBC)A sharp contrast to worker preferences: this headline from Google reveals the tension between flexibility and control. ​Keep reading​. This Week's Sponsor 🙌Too many emails? Declutter your inbox with Meco, your home for reading newsletters. Try it for free Remotive Jobs 💼Let's get you hired! These teams are hiring now: 💻 Engineering 👉 ​Software Engineer - Infrastructure Team at Discourse​ (Worldwide) 👉 ​Senior Backend Engineer at Volatus Health​ (Worldwide) 👉 ​Senior Front End Developer at Missive​ (Americas, Europe, Israel) 👉 ​Senior Ruby on Rails Developer at Proxify​ (CET -/+3 hours) 🎨 Design 👉 ​Web Designer (Framer) at Contra​ (Worldwide) 👉 ​3D Logo Designer at Contra​ (Worldwide) 📈 Marketing 👉 ​Content Creator/Influencer Content Creator/Influencer at JLS Trading Co​ (Worldwide) Free Guides & Tools​Public Job Board​We curate 2,000 remote jobs so you don't have to! ​Find your remote job →​ ​Exclusive Webinar​3 Mistakes to Avoid When Looking For A Remote Startup Job (And What To Do Instead) ​Register for free →​ ​Job Search Tips​Looking for a remote job? Here are our tips to help you work remotely ​Check it out → Join the Remotive newsletter Subscribe to get our latest content by email. Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. Email address Subscribe Powered by ConvertKit View the full article

Skywatchers, you’re in for a treat. You’re going to want to look up into the night late Monday, May 5 into the early hours of Tuesday, May 6, to see the debris of Halley’s comet as it lights up the sky with a meteor shower called the Eta Aquarids. Here’s everything you need to know about the Eta Aquarids and the chance to see debris from Halley’s comet in 2025. What are Halley’s comet and the Eta Aquarids meteor shower, anyway? While Halley’s comet itself only travels around the sun every 75 or so years, each time it returns to the inner solar system, it sprays debris (ice and rock) into space, which results in two meteor showers each year: the Eta Aquarids in May, and the Orionids in October, creating what we know as shooting stars. (Halley’s comet was last seen in 1986, and won’t come around again until 2061.) When comets pass by the sun, the dust they emit eventually creates a “dusty trail” around their orbits. Then, when Earth passes through these trails, they interact with our atmosphere, creating those dazzling shows of light in the sky. The Eta Aquarids peak early in the month of May, and are known for their speed; they travel at about 40.7 miles per second into Earth’s atmosphere, according to NASA. That’s important, because fast meteors can leave glowing incandescent “trains” of debris, which last for several seconds to minutes. During the peak of the Eta Aquarids, viewers can see up to 50 meteors each hour, depending on visibility. What’s the best time to see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in 2025? Peak viewing is this Monday night, May 5 into Tuesday morning, May 6 in the predawn hours, according to NASA’s Bill Cooke, who told the AP that visibility will likely be affected by the moon, which will be two-thirds full. The good news: viewing opportunities will last through the month until May 28. You can view the Eta Aquarids in both the northern and southern hemispheres, but the southern hemisphere is preferable. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, viewers can expect to see about 10 meteors an hour, depending on your latitude and conditions that night. Expect to see “Earthgrazers,” which are long meteors “that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon,” per NASA. NASA viewing tips for the Eta Aquarids meteor shower Our friends at NASA offer these tips: Find a viewing spot away from city or street lights. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east. You may want to bring a blanket or a lounge chair. Look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient. The show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse. View the full article

Most F1 cars can reach speeds of well over 200 mph, but the newest automobiles in the F1 stable go much much slow. Built from 400,000 Lego pieces, the life-size Lego cars can drive 12 mph—not bad for a bunch of plastic bricks. To mark the start of a multiyear partnership, the Danish toy maker created 10 drivable, full-scale Formula 1 cars that debuted at the Miami Grand Prix. The racing series’ 20 competitors, including speed demons Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, drove the Lego cars at Sunday’s prerace Drivers’ Parade for millions of fans watching from the grandstands and on television. The “big build” cars took Lego builders a collective 22,000 hours over eight months to assemble the four million pieces. It’s Lego’s most challenging project by size and scale, according to Chief Marketing Officer Julia Goldin. The cars showcase each team’s distinctive livery but share the cockpit, chassis, and components necessary to cover the circuit’s three-mile inaugural lap. “We each want to push the art of impossible, to push the boundaries,” Goldin told Fast Company in an interview on Friday at the trackside Lego Garage. Drivable, life-size Legos Lego has made a mark with life-size, or larger-than-life, public art installations at institutions from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Volvo Museum in Sweden. But the Formula 1 cars boast a novel distinction, says Marcel Šťastný, the project’s lead engineer: They’re ready for the race track. The nearly 1:1 scale models reach about 12 mph using automotive parts contained within the structure and authentic Pirelli tires. They herald Lego’s new Speed Champions product line based on race cars from Ferrari, McLaren, and other teams, with accessories from driver minifigures in full racing gear to replacement hub caps. Of course, they differ from actual Formula 1 cars in two key ways: performance and design. A modern F1 car uses a 1.6-liter V6 turbo engine and two electric motors to produce around 1,000 horsepower and travel upwards of 200 mph. And unlike the official single-seat race cars, Lego’s design fits two people. Lego created the dual cockpit specifically in order to accommodate each team’s driver pairs during the parade. “The beginning of the concept was really fitting two people inside, and then we built the rest of the car around the cockpit,” says Jonathan Jurion, the project’s senior designer. But making room for two people inside the car wasn’t the project’s only challenge. Since the competitors didn’t get a test run ahead of the public debut, Lego also had to create adjustable seats and pedals within the cockpit to accommodate the drivers’ heights. The project’s engineering manager specialist Martin Šmida says his team used animation runs and personal measurements to ensure a fit on race day. And then there was the compressed timeline, with the project kicking off last August. “We did 10 cars in the amount of time it would normally take to do one car,” Jurion says. “We didn’t want to cut any corners, so we had to think out of the box how to streamline the process while creating a custom design for each one.” From CAD to hand-built Despite a frenetic start off the line, the project began with the same computer-aided design exercise used by the 400-plus Lego products launched each year. “We model the cars first in the computer because it’s a huge amount of bricks,” Jurion says. “We have specialists who work on the shapes and forms, and others who work on the design of the detailing and logos.” The design then shuffles through the pipeline, to technical engineers and manufacturing engineers “who make sure that we can build these, because it’s not really an easy task,” he adds. Designers and engineers used foam mockups to collaborate on a layout that hid the drivetrain, which includes a motor and a 105 amp-hour battery. (Lego cut its teeth last year on a full-scale McLaren P1 that Lando Norris took for a spin on England’s Silverstone Circuit. But instead of traditional Lego bricks, that car used bolts, gears and pins from Lego’s advanced Technic system.) “We have special builders who really know how to build these huge builds, and they take the building instructions from the manufacturing engineers and then build them, kind of layer by layer, like we would build a house,” Jurion adds. The cars were assembled by hand at Lego’s factory in the Czech Republic but glued together for their Formula 1 debut. “All the bricks you can see are off-the-shelf bricks,” Jurion says. “Potentially, if anyone has enough bricks, they could build them at home.” “Gluing the bricks together is obviously something that we don’t want our fans to do in real life, but we had to do it so that we keep the cars together,” he added. “We don’t want to lose any bricks on track.” Multiyear growth Lego and Formula 1 alike have long had loyal fans willing to shell out top dollar for the experience, but both brands have surged in popularity—especially among women, children and families, according to Goldin—since the COVID-19 pandemic. A new audience turned, or returned, to Lego sets during lockdown, boosted by the LegoMasters reality television series, while Netflix’s Drive to Survive, now filming its eighth season, has brought millions of new fans to motorsports. Data show that F1 has seen a particular surge in growth among children between ages 8 and 12. Lego continues to grow, as well, slated to begin construction on its first U.S. factory, a $1 billion factory outside Richmond, Virginia, in mid-2027. Goldin declined to provide the total investment figure for the Formula 1 partnership but says there’s more to come. “This sets the bar high, but we definitely don’t think of this as a one-off.” View the full article

The death of Joann fabrics is turning out to be a big gain for at least one other retailer. Following the beloved craft chain’s bankruptcy and subsequent plan to wind down its operations, discount retailer Burlington Stores—formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory—is moving to scoop up dozens of leases from former Joann locations across more than 20 states, court documents reveal. The 45 locations, some of which have been home to Joann’s stores for decades, were listed as being taken over by various Burlington subsidiaries on a bankruptcy court filing last week, with the company expected to assume control of most of the leases on June 1. In January, Joann filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for a second time in less than a year, having succumbed to inflationary pressures and shifting habits among consumers who had embraced at-home crafts during the early years of the pandemic. The company has since said it would close every location, with a sizable chunk of those stores closing for good last week. All of Joann’s almost 800 stores are expected to be closed by the end of May. The relatively quick wind-down creates an opportunity for other retailers that are looking for space, with leases available for low cure amounts or no cure price at all, court records show. The transfer of leases to Burlington is not a done deal, as interested parties still have time to object. Fast Company reached out to Burlington for comment and additional details. ‘2,000-store target’ Headquartered in Burlington, New Jersey, Burlington Stores offers merchandise at so-called off prices, specializing in apparel, footwear, and of course coats. The company formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory earned $504 million in profit on revenue of $10.6 billion in fiscal 2024. Last week’s filing shows Texas as the state with the most Joann stores that will be transferred to Burlington, with nine locations in the Lone Star state, followed by California with five. The filing also offers a window into the growth plans of a brick-and-mortar brand with ambitions to significantly increase its store count. While many chain retailers have reduced their physical footprint or shuttered entirely over the past few years, Burlington has been growing at a healthy clip. The company opened more than 100 net new stores in 2024, CEO Michael O’Sullivan said in an earnings release in March, and it plans to open another 100 locations this year. Burlington has also been relocating dozens of locations that O’Sullivan described as “oversized,” part of a national trend in which retailers are trying to do more with smaller-format stores. As of the end of its last fiscal year, Burlington operated 1,108 stores in 46 states, along with Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. It has said it has a long-term target of 2,000 stores. In addition to Burlington, the filing also listed other retailers that were taking over a handful of Joann locations, including Hobby Lobby, Boot Barn, and furniture retailer Massa Gallery. Below you can find the full list of locations that Burlington is seeking to take over. The oldest lease on the list, in Flagstaff, Arizona, dates back to April 1979. Arizona 1717 N Dysart Road in Avondale, AZ 1514 S Riordan Ranch St in Flagstaff, AZ Arkansas 3835 North Mall Ave in Fayetteville, AR California 5885 Lincoln Avenue in Buena Park, CA 26583 Carl Boyer Drive in Santa Clarita, CA 2210 Daniels St in Manteca, CA 3010 Ming Ave in Bakersfield, CA 12779 Main Street in Hesperia, CA Colorado 2580 South Colorado Blvd in Denver, CO 7360 South Gartrell Road in Aurora, CO Florida 10261 River Marsh Drive Ste 149 in Jacksonville, FL 540 N us Hwy 441 in Lady Lake, FL 1131 S Federal Hwy in Pompano Beach, FL Georgia 2655 N. Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 1074 Bullsboro Drive Unit #6 in Newnan, GA Illinois 7511 Lemont Rd Ste 101 in Darien, IL 2056 N. State Route 50, Bourbonnais, IL Kentucky 4600 Shelbyville Rd Ste 280 in Louisville, KY Massachusetts 96 Providence Highway in East Walpole, MA Michigan 9052 Highland Road in White Lake, MI Mississippi 3875 North Gloster Street in Tupelo, MS Nebraska 10521 S. 15Th Street in Bellevue, NE New Mexico 558 E. Main St., Farmington, NM New York 3225 State Route 364 in Canandaigua, NY 1530 County Route 64 in Horseheads, NY North Carolina 80 South Tunnel Road Suite 30 in Asheville, NC Ohio 4600 W Broad Street in Columbus, OH 3872 Paxton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH Boardman Poland Road, Youngstown, OH Oregon ​​783 Lancaster Dr. Ne. Suite #133 in Salem, OR South Carolina 1120 Seaboard Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 1215-B North Main Street in Summerville, SC Texas 1219 North Fry Road in Katy, TX 10515 N Mo Pac Expy Bldg 1 in Austin, TX 9500 S I-35 Frontage Rd. Building K, Austin, TX 4127 N Hwy 75 in Sherman, TX 2640 West University Dr in Denton, TX 2050 West University Dr Suite 250 in Mc Kinney, TX 19105 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy., Mesquite, TX 10501 Gateway Blvd W Bld 9 in El Paso, TX 201 University Oaks Blvd in Round Rock, TX Utah 720 W. Telegraph in Washington, UT Washington 700 Ocean Beach Hwy Ste 100 in Longview, WA Wisconsin 1226 Koeller St in Oshkosh, WI 4045 Commonwealth Ave in Eau Claire, WI View the full article

What once was seen as a tax loophole is now becoming a mainstream strategy for business continuity—if done right. The Concierge CPA With Jackie Meyer For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

What once was seen as a tax loophole is now becoming a mainstream strategy for business continuity—if done right. The Concierge CPA With Jackie Meyer For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Jackie Meyer. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. You'd think we get enough drama from news and social media—but honestly, we live for it. Netflix has stories of tortured romance; parental struggles; political victories; and all manner of triumphs and tragedies, whether entirely fictional or inspired by true events. Past Lives (2023) Greta Lee plays Nora, whose family emigrated from South Korea to the United States when she was a child. Years later, and then over the course of several years, she reunites with childhood friend Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), forcing an examination of her life as it is, and as it might have been. Certainly among the best of the last five years, the film's exploration of roads not taken builds to a powerful emotional punch. You can stream Past Lives here. The Two Popes (2019) With a bit of extra relevance in recent days, this biographical film from director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) dramatizes a key period in the relationship between then-Pope Benedict XVI and his soon-to-be successor, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (later Francis). Following the Vatican leaks scandal of 2012, Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) finds himself weakened both physically and in terms of his authority—as he considers resigning the Papacy, he summons Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce), the leading contender to replace him. The two debate theology and struggle with their own futures in a near two-hander than earned each of the actors Academy Award nominations. You can stream The Two Popes here. The Six Triple Eight (2024) Tyler Perry directs this war drama, and it's likely his best movie yet, with a powerhouse lead performance from Kerry Washington as the real-life Major Charity Adams, commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. During World War II, a backlog in mail delivery was causing tremendous harm to troop morale, and so this battalion of Black women was charged with getting letters delivered; Perry's greatest achievement here is making an extremely convincing case for the significance of mail sorting. Once deployed to Germany, the women come under fire from enemy soldiers, as well as from fellow allied soldiers who see no place for women, and particularly Black women, in wartime. You can stream The Six Triple Eight here. The Long Game (2023) The drama here is quietly understated, though the stakes are very real. Jay Hernandez heads up the cast here to tell the true story of a group of teens from Del Rio, Texas of the 1950s, who set out to play golf at a white country club as the San Felipe Mustangs. They could be caddies, of course—but to actually play?! The kids went on to win the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship, with Long Game dramatizing the triumphs, setbacks, and extremely overt racism on the road to that victory. You can stream The Long Game here. Society of the Snow (2023) The true story of the 1972 Uruguayan rugby team lost in the Andes following a plane crash has been the subject of multiple documentaries and two previous dramas (the best known being, almost certainly, Frank Marshall's cannibalism-heavy Alive from 1993). For all that Andes-crash content, this is the best of all of them: a thoughtful and tasteful take on what's sometimes been presented as a salacious drama, with director J. A. Bayona emphasizing both the physical perils faced by the team and the spiritual toll of survival. You can stream Society of the Snow here. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) Sweaty, smoky clubs; outspoken (often openly queer) women who accepted no bullshit—women like Bessie Smith, Lucille Bogan, Gladys Bentley, and, of course, Ma Rainey. The 1920s blues scene was a moment, and Wolfe’s movie goes a long way to resurrecting the era with its contained but explosive story of one stormy Chicago recording session. Based on August Wilson’s play, it’s packed with brilliant performances, led by Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in his final film role. You can stream Ma Rainey's Black Bottom here. The Power of the Dog (2021) Jane Campion came roaring back after an absence from the director's chair of a decade or so, with this, the most acclaimed film of her career to date. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil Burbank, as beguiling as he is cruel, who runs a family ranch in 1925 with his far gentler brother, George (Jesse Plemons). Phil's callousness sparks into flame when George finds love with a local waitress (Kirsten Dunst), his brother's happiness shifting their power dynamic uncomfortably, and leaving Phil to contemplate (or, rather, to avoid contemplating) his feelings for the man who taught him how to be a cowboy years earlier. You can stream The Power of the Dog here. Shirley (2024) A woman president? What's next?! Academy Award winner John Ridley (screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave) directs this quite necessary biopic of sometimes-forgotten pioneer Shirley Chisholm. The first Black woman elected to Congress (in 1969), Chisolm ran a forcefully progressive campaign for president just three years later. Even if the movie is a bit formulaic, in the ways that these things sometimes are, Regina King (perhaps unsurprisingly) gives a moving, illuminating performance as the idiosyncratic trailblazer. You can stream Shirley here. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018) Charmingly unwieldy name aside, Guernsey is a cute and clever period drama based on the popular novel from Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Lily James stars as Juliet Ashton (pen name: Izzy Bickerstaff), a writer in 1946 who finds herself entranced by the titular society, formed during the German occupation of the island. Like the book before it, the quirkiness of the story's characters masks dark undertones related to the horrors of the just-concluded war, lending the film a surprising emotional depth. Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco) directs. You can stream The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society here. Anyone but You (2023) A loose spin on Much Ado About Nothing, Anyone But You stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as a couple who meet, hit it off for about a minute—and then immediately start to get on each other's nerves. Until, of course, they need wedding dates and find themselves surrounded by scheming friends. As Shakespeare taught us, of such inauspicious beginnings are great romances sometimes born. It's not wildly out there as rom-com premises go, but the movie is briskly directed and boasts strong chemistry (a must) between Sweeney and Powell. You can stream Anyone but You here. Beginners (2010) Better late than never: That’s the message of Beginners, in which Hal, played by Christopher Plummer (beginning his own late-career resurgence) comes out to his son, Oliver (Ewan McGregor). As Hal begins to live his life more openly and finds love with a younger man, he also develops a more honest relationship with his son. As a result, the two become closer than they ever were before, and their relationship inspires Oliver to pursue a new romance of his own—and to generally live life on his own terms. It’s a movie about how, sometimes, being true to yourself is the best way to be a good parent. You can stream Beginners here. Do the Right Thing (1989) Director Spike Lee had his greatest triumph with this funny, quotable, and ultimately explosive film about the racial tensions percolating in a Brooklyn neighborhood on a hot summer day. Stylish, funny, humane, and, ultimately, a gut punch. You can stream Do the Right Thing here. Scoop (2024) The reliably great Gillian Anderson plays real-life British journalist Emily Maitlis, who lead the BBC2 team that secured the disastrous interview with Prince Andrew (Rufus Sewell) that laid bare his associations with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein—and by "disastrous," I mean that it was a disaster for the Prince, who couldn't seem to stop himself from making things worse. A juicy and compelling true story. Keeley Hawes and Billie Piper also star. You can stream Scoop here. Passing (2021) This gorgeous black-and-white adaptation of the once-controversial 1929 novel explores the dramatized history of some light-skinned African-Americans attempting to pass as white. Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson play old friends who reunite unexpectedly after years apart; one is married to a Black man and living in Harlem while the other is married to an odious, racist white doctor who has no idea his wife isn’t the woman he thinks she is. The fallout both women experience as a result of their chance encounter is an indictment of a society that would place so much value on skin color, yes, but it’s also a challenging consideration of the choices people will make for self-preservation, and it offers no easy answers. You can stream Passing here. May December (2023) Todd Haynes directs this insightful, moving, and also deliberately campy story of an actress visiting the woman she'll be playing in a film. The movie's deft, and unexpected, blending of tones makes it pretty consistently fascinating, and the lead performances from Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton saw them all as Oscar nomination frontrunners, even if no actual nods were forthcoming. You can stream May December here. Carol (2015) The chemistry between Rooney Mara’s Therese and Cate Blanchett’s Carol is palpable from the moment their eyes meet across a crowded department store—but it’s the 1950s, and theirs is a love that dare not speak its name, even to one another. That’s just how things were back then (luckily, queerphobia has been entirely eradicated). The women suffer for their love in Todd Haynes' modern classic, but the tears come less when things are going bad as when it starts to feel like they might just possibly start to go a little right. You can stream Carol here. Nyad (2023) Annette Bening stars as the real-life Diana Nyad, who swam from Florida to Cuba in her 60s—powered largely by an unyielding willfulness. The movie succeeds in large part because of the performances from and chemistry between lead Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, both of whom received Oscar nominations for their work here. The movie makes a strong case that age is inevitably a weakness in many ways, but can also be a source of surprising strength. You can stream Nyad here. The Lost Daughter (2021) Inspired, in part, by ancient Greek mythology, this psychological drama was probably never destined to be a crowd-pleaser—but it’s a genuinely confident, bold debut from writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal. Olivia Colman (who got a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her trouble) plays Leda Caruso, a middle-aged college professor who develops a rather disturbing obsession with a woman and her young daughter while on holiday in Greece. Jessie Buckley also got an Oscar nod for playing a younger version of Leda, and Gyllenhaal picked up a nomination for her screenplay. You can stream The Lost Daughter here. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019) Chiwetel Ejiofor wrote and directed (also co-starred) in the biographical, family-friendly (in the best sense) film based not he memoir of William Kamkwamba (played here by Maxwell Simba). Born to a family of farmers in Kasungu, Malawi, William barely manages to stay in school (essentially blackmailing a teacher in lieu of being able to afford tuition), but his persistence pays off: the young engineering prodigy develops a design for a windmill that might be able to save the village from the impacts of drought and a global economic downturn—but only if he can convince his family that the sacrifices required to build his machine will be worth it. You can stream The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind here. Judy (2019) Renée Zellweger won an Oscar for her portrayal of screen legend Judy Garland in this biopic that focuses on the last year of her life, contrasting the period of trial with scenes from her early life, and drawing straight lines between the treatment of a child actor with the troubles of an aging star. There are some biopic tropes here, and the film builds to a necessarily tragic conclusion, but there's a great deal of heart and humanity here, and Zellweger offers up a very worthy performance. You can stream Judy here. Twilight (2008) Say what you like about Catherine Hardwicke's adaptation of the Stephenie Meyer's novel: the movie was a blockbuster and a genuine pop culture phenomenon, touching on the drama and trauma of teen romance in grand, nearly operatic, style. The movie was released during the country's last major economic downturn, and some sparkly vampires might be just the comfort watch you need in more recently troubling times. You can stream Twilight here. Goodfellas (1990) Martin Scorsese's epic take on the life of real-life mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) is an indisputable classic of the genre—in fact, it's the movie people think of first when you mention gangster movies. Scorsese has rarely been better, but the movie's performances (from Liotta, Robert De Niro, Lorraine Bracco, and Joe Pesci) are where it soars. You can stream Goodfellas here. Rustin (2023) Colman Domingo gives a stellar performance (he earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination) as the title's Bayard Rustin, the gay Civil Rights leader who planned the March on Washington. Domingo is all charm here as a man desperate to advance a movement focused on his skin color but is less certain how to treat his sexuality. Not only is it an intersectional corrective to our very straight-centered vision of the Civil Rights Movement, it's a stylish and moving biopic in its own right. You can stream Rustin here. The Boys in the Band (2020) An update of the 1968 play (previously adapted to the screen by William Friedkin in 1970), Boys in the Band keeps its period setting and premise: Michael (Jim Parsons) is hosting a very gay birthday for his friend Harold (Zachary Quinto), joined by their friends Donald (Matt Bomer) and Larry (Andrew Rannells). Everyone's ready to cut loose without the pressure of having to act straight—until they're joined unexpectedly by married Alan (Brian Hutchison), and everyone has to decide how far they're willing to shove themselves back in the closet. You can stream The Boys in the Band here. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Google is testing replacing the local pack in the search results with AI Overviews...View the full article

To keep your Meta Ads performing at their best, it’s essential to regularly test new ad formats. This article explores the role of UGC and EGC ads – and how to effectively test them in your Meta campaigns. Understanding UGC and EGC ads User-generated content (UGC) refers to videos typically created by actual users of your product or service, often testimonials or a series of testimonials edited together. In some cases, UGC may even come from the company founder, recorded casually on a phone or using other non-professional methods. These videos are often recorded on a phone – or styled to look that way, even if professionally produced – to create an intentionally unpolished, organic feel. This helps them blend seamlessly into users’ social feeds and encourages engagement before viewers realize they’re watching an ad. UGC can also be replicated through influencer-created content. It’s common to pay an influencer to review a product or service and then obtain permission to repurpose their video as an ad. Employee-generated content (EGC) is content created by employees, such as the well-known “what it’s like to work at Amazon” ads. These videos typically highlight positive employee experiences and how the company has impacted their lives. EGC ads are usually part of a long-term branding strategy to enhance a company’s reputation and ultimately drive sales, even when the ad doesn’t promote specific products or hiring initiatives. While EGC can support recruitment efforts, it’s often used purely for brand storytelling. Dig deeper: A testing primer for B2B paid social creative optimization How to test UGC ads UGC ads can be tested using various formats, such as: Influencer product demos or reviews. Customer testimonial videos. Even the owner or creator recording a product walkthrough. The most common formats include: Product-in-use demonstrations. Review-style videos. “Unboxing” videos where someone opens the product packaging to show what’s inside. When testing UGC ads, you’ll often see an increase in view rates or CTR. However, it’s important to track whether that engagement leads to meaningful outcomes like sales or high-quality website traffic. This can be monitored through Meta Ads, Google Analytics, or third-party tracking tools. Higher views and clicks are only valuable if they translate into actual results. UGC vs. standard ads UGC ads typically run alongside standard formats, such as image ads or professionally produced videos. It’s best to test both types simultaneously and simply keep whichever performs best – regardless of whether it’s UGC. One reason to continue testing traditional, polished ads has to do with how the brain filters information – a concept rooted in the reticular activating system (RAS). This part of the brain helps determine what you pay attention to versus what gets ignored. For instance, if you’re shopping for a car, you suddenly start noticing and engaging with car ads, but when you’re not in the market, those same ads fade into the background. This effect explains why a conventional ad that looks like a car ad might outperform a UGC-style video that blends in like a friend’s social post. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach – performance will vary month to month – so it’s worth consistently testing both formats. UGC remains a strong contender, especially on Meta, YouTube, and TikTok. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Using AI to make UGC video ads with characters A newer form of UGC uses AI-generated avatars or characters instead of real people. These videos follow the same casual, testimonial-style format but feature animated or AI-created figures to present or review the product. This approach helps the ad stand out – similar to how Geico has long used its animated gecko. Thanks to advancements in AI, even smaller brands with limited budgets can now experiment with this type of content to promote their products or services. Dig deeper: Top AI tools and tactics you should be using in PPC How to test EGC ads EGC ads are a strong addition to your Meta Ads strategy as a long-term branding campaign. While they typically don’t drive direct sales, they help strengthen your brand’s reputation and communicate your company’s values. These ads are often used by large brands with bigger budgets. Amazon, Walmart, and Goodwill, for example, have created EGC ads highlighting their offerings to employees and how they’ve positively impacted their lives. That said, EGC ads aren’t just for major corporations. If you have extra budget, you can test this format by running a separate Meta campaign with its own budget and objective. Instead of optimizing for conversions, you’d likely choose a goal like engagement, clicks, video views, or impressions. Rather than promoting a specific product or service, the landing page should align with the message of the ad, focusing on: Employee stories. Company values. Charitable efforts. Other reputation-building content. This format can also extend to ads featuring charitable initiatives. For example, TOMS promotes its giving model: “For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, a pair of new shoes is given to a child in need.” This could be used as EGC, UGC, or general branding content. These types of ads help showcase a company’s values and impact, rather than focusing solely on what they sell. Maximize your Meta Ad results: Test UGC, EGC, and more As with all Meta Ads (and other platforms), consistently testing a mix of formats – UGC, EGC, and traditional ads – helps maintain performance and keeps your creative strategy fresh. Each format offers unique strengths: UGC brings authenticity, EGC builds brand trust, and traditional ads provide polish and clarity. By regularly experimenting and analyzing results, you’ll be better equipped to adapt, optimize, and grow your campaigns over time. Dig deeper: Here’s why PPC now looks more like paid social and what it means View the full article

Pharrell Williams has high hopes for the Met Gala, the first to focus exclusively on Black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme. “I want it to feel like the most epic night of power, a reflection of Black resiliency in a world that continues to be colonized, by which I mean policies and legislation that are nothing short of that,” he recently told Vogue. “It’s our turn.” Indeed. And welcome to the first Monday in May. How to watch the 2025 Met Gala Vogue will livestream the gala starting at 6 p.m. Eastern on Vogue.com, its YouTube channel and across its other digital platforms. Teyana Taylor, La La Anthony and Ego Nwodim will host the stream. Emma Chamberlain will also do interviews on the carpet. The Associated Press will livestream celebrity departures from the Mark Hotel beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern and will stream the gala carpet on delay beginning at 6:30 p.m. The feeds will be available on YouTube and APNews.com. E! will begin live coverage at 6 p.m. on TV. The livestream will be available on Peacock, E! Online and YouTube, along with the network’s other social media feeds. Who’s hosting the 2025 Met Gala? This year, the fundraising gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosted by a group of Black male celebrities, including Williams, the musical artist and Louis Vuitton menswear director, and Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, and A$AP Rocky, with NBA superstar LeBron James as honorary chair. They’re joined by Vogue’s Anna Wintour, the mastermind behind the gala, considered the year’s biggest and starriest party. Also guaranteed to show up is a second tier of hosts from a variety of worlds: athletes Simone Biles and husband Jonathan Owens; Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson; filmmakers Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Regina King; actors Ayo Edebiri, Audra McDonald and Jeremy Pope; musicians Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Janelle Monáe and André 3000; author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; artists Jordan Casteel, Rashid Johnson and Kara Walker; playwrights Jeremy O. Harris and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; and fashion figures Grace Wales Bonner, Edward Enninful, Dapper Dan and Olivier Rousteing. The gala raises the bulk of the curation budget for the museum’s Costume Institute. This year’s Met Gala dress code is… It’s more like a firm suggestion. From Wintour. This year, it’s about tailoring and suiting as interpreted through the history and meaning of Black dandyism across the Atlantic diaspora. The theme is inspired by the annual spring exhibition, which this year is based in large part on “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” a book written by Monica L. Miller. She is guest curator of the exhibit. “Historical manifestations of dandyism range from absolute precision in dress and tailoring to flamboyance and fabulousness in dress and style,” Miller writes in the exhibit catalog. “Whether a dandy is subtle or spectacular, we recognize and respect the deliberateness of the dress, the self-conscious display, the reach for tailored perfection, and the sometimes subversive self-expression.” How the dress code goes, in terms of taste and style, is anyone’s guess. Wintour has a hand in virtually all things gala, so the presumption is things can’t go too far off the rails. She recently knocked down the rumor that she approves all looks, telling “Good Morning America” she’ll weigh in if asked. The exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” draws on other sources beyond Miller’s book. It’s organized into 12 sections. Each symbolizes a characteristic of dandy style as defined by Zora Neale Hurston in her 1934 essay, “Characteristics of Negro Expression.” Among them: ownership, presence, distinction, disguise, freedom, respectability and heritage. Presumably, for gala guests who do deep-dive research (or have stylists to do it), some of these factors will play out on the museum steps that serve as the event’s red carpet. Who else is going to show up? The guest list amounts to about 450 high-profile people from tech, sports, art, entertainment and more. The mix, Williams said, is a must. “It’s so important to me to have successful Black and brown people of every stripe in the room: not just athletes and actors and actresses, entertainers, but also authors, architects, folks from the fintech world,” he told Vogue. “We’ve got to invest in each other. We’ve got to connect with each other, because it’s going to take everybody to coalesce the force of Black and brown genius into one strong, reliable force.” For full coverage of the Met Gala, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/met-gala —Leanne Italie, AP Lifestyles Writer View the full article

The top Wi-Fi news stories from the past week - enjoy. The post Roundup: WWC Mountain View, first Wi-Fi HaLow Global Summit, two new WiFi NOW Hall of Famers, 5 years of 6 GHz Wi-Fi, & Notre Dame’s Wi-Fi 6E. appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

The old turn-it-off-and-on-again adage has helped successfully troubleshoot computers for years, but there's more than one way to restart your hardware and software—including a lesser known option on Windows that may well be new to you. Having spent many years writing about tech, it isn't often that I come across something I didn't already know about. So when I stumbled across this old BetaNews article about an emergency restart feature in Windows, I was taken aback. It showed a screen and a keystroke combination I had genuinely never heard of before. A bit more digging revealed that this has been in Windows for decades, making it even stranger that I'd never come across it. Official information on this emergency restart in Windows seems to be thin on the ground, or has perhaps been lost to time. Essentially though, it seems to replicate what a long press on your PC's power button would do: A quick, no-questions-asked reboot of your computer, with the minimum of fuss. The Windows enthusiasts over on Reddit have spotted this feature before, and there appear to be plenty of people on the boards who hadn't come across it until their attention was drawn towards it. If you dig into those threads you'll find some technical information on what exactly is going on behind the scenes, and the different calls that the feature might be making. It's worth emphasizing that this is very much a last resort option, as indeed the feature itself will tell you. You're not going to get a chance to save anything you're working on, as is the case if you force a reboot by pressing and holding the power button. How to access the emergency restart option Use at your own risk. Credit: World of OSes If all is well with your Windows computer, you can of course click the Start menu button on the taskbar, then the power button on the right, and then Restart. But what if your computer has crashed and left you hanging, so you can't click anything? What if the situation is so bad that the Start menu has mysteriously disappeared? To get to the emergency restart option, you need to press the familiar Ctrl+Alt+Del keyboard shortcut, known by pretty much everyone who's ever had to fix a Windows PC at some point. This shortcut is designed to work even if your computer is otherwise unresponsive, and gives you access to options for locking your PC, signing out of your account, and bringing up the Task Manager. Down in the lower right corner, there's also a power button: Click this and you get the standard Sleep, Shut down, and Restart options. However, if you hold down Ctrl and then click the power button, that takes you to the emergency restart page, together with the warning about losing any unsaved data. Click OK, and your computer will reboot itself almost instantly. If you can get to the screen after Ctrl+Alt+Del, then you'll want to try the normal restart option first—you'll only need to go down the holding Ctrl route if that doesn't work. Presumably, that will be because there's a program or a part of the Windows code that isn't shutting down properly to clear the way for a restart. Should you need yet another way of restarting your computer without using the Start menu, you can do it from the command prompt or PowerShell utility, too: Just type "shutdown /r" and hit Enter. There are a host of extra flags you can add to that command if needed, including setting a timer for the restart and forcing applications to close: You can read full instructions here. Having now familiarized myself with the emergency restart option in Windows, I'm off to find more features that I haven't come across—even though they've been around for years. Any suggestions are most welcome. View the full article

French president warns that curbing scientific research puts America’s economy and democracy at riskView the full article

President Donald The President is opening a new salvo in his tariff war, targeting films made outside the U.S. In a post Sunday night on his Truth Social platform, The President said he has authorized the Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to slap a 100% tariff “on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.” “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” he wrote, complaining that other countries “are offering all sorts of incentives to draw” filmmakers and studios away from the U.S. “This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda!” It wasn’t immediately clear how any such tariff on international productions could be implemented. It’s common for both large and small films to include production in the U.S. and in other countries. Big-budget movies like the upcoming “Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning,” for instance, are shot around the world. Incentive programs for years have influenced where movies are shot, increasingly driving film production out of California and to other states and countries with favorable tax incentives, like Canada and the United Kingdom. Yet The President’s tariffs are designed to lead consumers toward American products. And in movie theaters, American-produced movies overwhelming dominate the domestic marketplace. China has ramped up its domestic movie production, culminating in the animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” grossing more than $2 billion this year. But even then, its sales came almost entirely from mainland China. In North America, it earned just $20.9 million. In New Zealand, where successive governments have offered rebates and incentives in recent years to draw Hollywood films to the country, the film industry has generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue driven by the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films, which featured the country’s pristine and scenic vistas. More recently, the blockbuster “Minecraft” movie was filmed entirely in New Zealand, and U.S. productions in 2023 delivered $1.3 billion New Zealand dollars ($777 million) to the country in return for NZ$200 million in subsidies, according to government figures. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was awaiting more details of The President’s measures before commenting on them but would continue to pitch to filmmakers abroad, including in India’s Bollywood. “We’ve got an absolutely world class industry,” he said. “This is the best place to make movies, period, in the world.” The Motion Picture Association, which represents major U.S. film studios and streaming services, didn’t immediately respond to messages Sunday evening. The MPA’s data shows how much Hollywood exports have dominated cinemas. According to the MPA, the American movies produced $22.6 billion in exports and $15.3 billion in trade surplus in 2023. The President, a Republican, has made good on the “tariff man” label he gave himself years ago, slapping new taxes on goods made in countries around the globe. That includes a 145% tariff on Chinese goods and a 10% baseline tariff on goods from other countries, with even higher levies threatened. By unilaterally imposing tariffs, The President has exerted extraordinary influence over the flow of commerce, creating political risks and pulling the market in different directions. There are tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, with more imports, including pharmaceutical drugs, set to be subject to new tariffs in the weeks ahead. The President has long voiced concern about movie production moving overseas. Shortly before he took office, he announced that he had tapped actors Mel Gibson, Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone to serve as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood to bring it “BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” U.S. film and television production has been hampered in recent years, with setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hollywood guild strikes of 2023 and the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Overall production in the U.S. was down 26% last year compared with 2021, according to data from ProdPro, which tracks production. The group’s annual survey of executives, which asked about preferred filming locations, found no location in the U.S. made the top five, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Toronto, the U.K., Vancouver, Central Europe and Australia came out on top, with California placing sixth, Georgia seventh, New Jersey eighth and New York ninth. The problem is especially acute in California. In the greater Los Angeles area, production last year was down 5.6% from 2023 according to FilmLA, second only to 2020, during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Last, October, Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, proposed expanding California’s Film & Television Tax Credit program to $750 million annually, up from $330 million. Other U.S. cities like Atlanta, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco have also used aggressive tax incentives to lure film and TV productions. Those programs can take the form of cash grants, as in Texas, or tax credits, which Georgia and New Mexico offer. “Other nations have been stealing the movie-making capabilities from the United States,” The President told reporters at the White House on Sunday night after returning from a weekend in Florida. “If they’re not willing to make a movie inside the United States we should have a tariff on movies that come in.” Associated Press writers Gary Field in Washington and Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report from Washington. —Jill Colvin and Jake Coyle, Associated Press View the full article

Live and on-demand video constituted an estimated 66% of global internet traffic by volume in 2022, and the top 10 days for internet traffic in 2024 coincided with live streaming events such as the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match and coverage of the NFL. Streaming enables seamless, on-demand access to video content, from online gaming to short videos like TikToks, and longer content such as movies, podcasts and NFL games. The defining aspect of streaming is its on-demand nature. Consider the global reach of a Joe Rogan podcast episode or the live coverage of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launch—both examples demonstrate how streaming connects millions of viewers to real-time and on-demand content worldwide. I’m a computer scientist whose research includes cloud computing, which is the distribution of computing resources such as video servers across the internet. ‘Chunks’ of video When it comes to video content—whether it’s a live stream or a prerecorded video—there are two major challenges to address. First, video data is massive in size, making it time-consuming to transmit from the source to devices such as TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones. Second, streaming must be adaptive to accommodate differences in users’ devices and internet capabilities. For instance, viewers with lower-resolution screens or slower internet speeds should still be able to watch a given video, albeit in lower quality, while those with higher-resolution displays and faster connections enjoy the best possible quality. To tackle these challenges, video providers implement a series of optimizations. The first step involves fragmenting videos into smaller pieces, commonly referred to as “chunks.” These chunks then undergo a process called “encoding and compression,” which optimizes the video for different resolutions and bitrates to suit various devices and network conditions. When a user requests an on-demand video, the system dynamically selects the appropriate stream of chunks based on the capabilities of the user’s device, such as screen resolution and current internet speed. The video player on the user’s device assembles and plays these chunks in sequence to create a seamless viewing experience. For users with slower internet connections, the system delivers lower-quality chunks to ensure smooth playback. This is why you might notice a drop in video quality when your connection speed is reduced. Similarly, if the video pauses during playback, it’s usually because your player is waiting to buffer additional chunks from the provider. Dealing with distance and congestion Delivering video content on a large scale, whether prerecorded or live, poses a significant challenge when extrapolated to the immense number of videos consumed globally. Streaming services like YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix host enormous libraries of on-demand content, while simultaneously managing countless live streams happening worldwide. A seemingly straightforward approach to delivering video content would involve building a massive data center to store all the videos and related content, then streaming them to users worldwide via the internet. However, this method isn’t favored because it comes with significant challenges. One major issue is geographic latency, where a user’s location relative to the data center affects the delay they experience. For instance, if a data center is located in Virginia, a user in Washington, D.C., would experience minimal delay, while a user in Australia would face much longer delays due to the increased distance and the need for the data to traverse multiple interconnected networks. This added travel time slows down content delivery. Another problem is network congestion. As more users worldwide connect to the central data center, the interconnecting networks become increasingly busy, resulting in frustrating delays and video buffering. Additionally, when the same video is sent simultaneously to multiple users, duplicate data traveling over the same internet links wastes bandwidth and further congests the network. A centralized data center also creates a single point of failure. If the data center experiences an outage, no users can access their content, leading to a complete service disruption. Content delivery networks To address these challenges, most content providers rely on content delivery networks. These networks distribute content through globally scattered points of presence, which are clusters of servers that store copies of high-demand content locally. This approach significantly reduces latency and improves reliability. Content delivery network providers, such as Akamai and Edgio, implement two main strategies for deploying points of presence. The first is the “Enter Deep” approach, where thousands of smaller point-of-presence nodes are placed closer to users, often within internet service provider networks. This ensures minimal latency by bringing the content as close as possible to the end user. The second strategy is “Bring Home,” which involves deploying hundreds of larger point-of-presence clusters at strategic locations, typically where ISPs interconnect: internet exchange points. While these clusters are farther from users than in the Enter Deep approach, they are larger in capacity, allowing them to handle higher volumes of traffic efficiently. Infrastructure for a connected world Both strategies aim to optimize video streaming by reducing delays, minimizing bandwidth waste and ensuring a seamless viewing experience for users worldwide. The rapid expansion of the internet and the surge in video streaming—both live and on demand—have transformed how video content is delivered to users globally. However, the challenges of handling massive amounts of video data, reducing geographic latency and accommodating varying user devices and internet speeds require sophisticated solutions. Content delivery networks have emerged as a cornerstone of modern streaming, enabling efficient and reliable delivery of video. This infrastructure supports the growing demand for high-quality video and highlights the innovative approaches needed to meet the expectations of a connected world. Chetan Jaiswal is an associate professor of computer science at Quinnipiac University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

You’ve probably heard of Charles and Ray Eames, the designers behind the iconic Eames chair and ottoman, and Georgia O’Keefe, the trailblazing artist. But you might not know about how these artists were connected during their careers—or the art that came from their camaraderie. Herman Miller, in collaboration with the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, is bringing that history to light with a new limited-run furniture line. The New Mexico Collection, set to be released on May 20, celebrates the Eameses, O’Keeffe, and designer Alexander Girard, the founding director of Herman Miller’s textile division. Included in the launch are 300 special Eames Wire Chairs, retailing for $1,995, and 100 iterations of the never-before-sold Girard Snake Table, retailing for $895. Both of the items offer a look into the intertwined artistic legacies of three designers whose work continues to shape the art world today. An oft-overlooked network of friends Georgia O’Keeffe first met Alexander Girard and his wife, Susan, when the couple moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1953. O’Keeffe had already been living in the remote rural town of Abiquiú, New Mexico, since the 1940s, and was already a household name across the country at the time of their meeting for her lush and evocative depictions of the natural world, many of which were inspired by flora and fauna native to her local surroundings. “[The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum] can’t say for sure exactly when and how they met, but suffice it to say there weren’t too many world renowned artists and designers living in that area, and apparently they felt a real kinship,” says Kelsey Keith, brand creative director at Herman Miller. For the New Mexico collection, Keith visited the museum’s archives, where she learned that there are records of 20 to 30 years of correspondence between the Girards and O’Keeffe—not just to advise each other on artistic projects, which they did plenty of, but also to trade the kinds of casual stories that maintain a decades-long friendship. “They ended up traveling together all over the world,” Keith says. “Girard and his wife would go on these folk art collecting trips to Central and South America and to Japan, and [O’Keeffe] actually accompanied them on some of those trips. I think you have to be pretty good friends with someone to take those kinds of trips together.” It was through the Girards that the Eameses entered the picture. Girard was already close to the Eameses; in fact, the design duo had actually landed him his job. When the Eameses first began to design furniture for Herman Miller in the ‘40s (the company has now owned the exclusive distribution rights to Eames designs for decades), Charles and Ray asked for Girard to be brought on with them as “a real design partner, not just someone to sort of decoratively apply fabrics after the fact,” Keith says. Through this professional collaboration, the Girards and the Eameses became both close colleagues and friends. The Girards soon introduced the Eameses to O’Keeffe. While their friendship wasn’t as close, since the Eameses lived a state away from O’Keeffe in Los Angeles, they also kept up a correspondence, and were known to attend the Girards’ annual Christmas parties. At the heights of their careers, the personal links between Girard, O’Keeffe, and the Eameses informed the work of all four creatives. A new design and a revived prototype The new Eames Wire Chair Low Base and Girard Snake Table both serve as a window into this period of artistic cross-pollination. The chair is inspired by a wire chair originally gifted by Ray Eames to O’Keeffe as decor in her Abiquiú home and studio. O’Keeffe’s home and studio are now preserved as museum exhibitions, and for good reason: Her minimalist-yet-aesthetically pleasing and highly curated approach to interior design draws visitors to view her former residence year-round. Suffice it to say, O’Keeffe had high standards when it came to outfitting her space. Ray’s chair surpassed them. “Georgia loved [the chair] so much that she wrote a thank-you note and actually asked for another one just like it, which is hilarious—that someone sends you a gift, and you’re like, ‘I love it so much, can I have one more?’” Keith says. “But she could do that, obviously. The original chair has a little label on it that Ray hand-drew to Georgia.” Instead of making an exact replica of Ray’s original gift to Eames, Herman Miller decided to create a product that would merge elements of the Eames’ design and O’Keeffe’s interior decor. The New Mexico Collection’s wire chair is a classic Eames frame on a low base, an homage to the fairly low ceilings and smaller furniture in O’Keeffe’s home. The chair is upholstered in a bikini style (think two inverted triangles stacked together) with an ochre and sienna striped fabric designed by Girard and intended to match with the Abiquiú home’s adobe interiors. While the new wire chair is a contemporary design made from archival elements, the Girard Snake Table is a close replica of a prototype made by Girard in the ‘50s that was never widely produced (though it occasionally pops up on auction sites.) The table features a splayed-leg aluminum base and steel top, printed with a custom illustration of a snake made by Girard. Snake imagery was a preoccupation of both Girard’s and O’Keeffe’s. O’Keeffe was so enamored with the snake’s form, in fact, that when an archaeologist fan sent her a preserved skeleton, she had it encased in a bench in her living room. Today, visitors to the O’Keeffe house will find the snake’s final resting place, as well as an original pillow made by Girard featuring one of his snake drawings. “This is New Mexico, so snake motifs are really prevalent,” Keith says. “I think what’s interesting about this is that Girard interpreted that motif in his own way—in a very graphic sense—and then [O’Keeffe] also took inspiration from the natural world, and had this snake skeleton embedded in the banco in her house.” For Keith, the New Mexico Collection truly came together when she was able to see the final products arranged in O’Keeffe’s home, overlooking the New Mexico landscape through sweeping glass windows. “I will say, I think we hit it just right, because when we brought in the limited-run products to photograph in [O’Keeffe’s] house, they fit so perfectly, it looks like they were meant to be there,” Keith says. View the full article

Bad data = bad strategy. Duplicate conversions are one of the most overlooked – and most damaging – problems in conversion tracking. If your reporting inflates the number of conversions, your performance strategy is based on fiction. You’re not just getting the wrong numbers. You’re optimizing toward the wrong outcomes. This issue impacts everything: Bidding. Budget allocation. Long-term growth. This article breaks down: Why duplicate conversions happen. How to find them. Most importantly, how to eliminate them for good. The cost of inaccurate conversion data Paid search loves precision. Conversion data is your north star when optimizing for leads, purchases, or any user action that matters to your business. But if that data is compromised by duplicate tracking, you’ll be steering in the entirely wrong direction without realizing it. What’s at risk? Overstated ROAS and underreported CPA: This will lead you to think a campaign is profitable when it’s not. Wasted ad spend: Poor-performing campaigns get more budget than they deserve. Misguided optimization: Your automation and smart bidding strategies will now be optimizing on inaccurate, faulty signals. Duplicate conversions don’t just affect performance; they distort your entire campaign ecosystem. What causes duplicate conversions? Duplicate conversions are when the same action (i.e., form fill, purchase, etc.) is unintentionally recorded more than once. This can happen across platforms, tools, and user behaviors. Here are the common culprits. Technical misfires One of the most common causes of duplicate conversions is the incorrect implementation of conversion tags. Tags can fire more than once if the trigger settings are too broad or misconfigured. In some cases, event listeners are added multiple times during a single session, causing multiple conversion logs for a single action. Confirmation pages can also be problematic, especially if they’re not isolated from refreshes or revisits. When a user reloads a “thank you” page, the conversion tag may fire again unless specifically prevented. GA4 and GTM event conflicts It’s increasingly common for advertisers to accidentally track the same event twice when setting up both Google Tag Manager (GTM) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4). GA4’s Create Event feature lets you build custom events within the platform, but if you’ve already implemented the same event via GTM, you’re logging it twice. This creates duplicate events with the same names and parameters, making your conversion data unreliable and inflating your totals. Plugin and platform overlap Platform integrations can cause duplicate conversions when they layer tracking functionality on top of your custom setup. For example, Shopify’s Google Sales Channel automatically adds Google Ads tracking by default. If you’ve also installed GTM with your own conversion tags, you’re now recording the same event from two different sources. Similarly, third-party checkout or form plugins often include their own tracking scripts, which can fire alongside your primary implementation, resulting in multiple conversion entries for the same user action. User behavior Sometimes, duplicate conversions happen even when the tracking setup is technically correct because of how users interact with your site. A user refreshing a confirmation page can cause the conversion event to fire again. Likewise, if a user revisits the confirmation page from their browser history or a saved link, that same conversion might be counted again. Without built-in safeguards, these behaviors can turn a legitimate conversion into two or three recorded events. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. How to prevent duplicate conversions: Best practices Cleaning up your conversion tracking isn’t just about fixing a problem; it’s about ensuring your business decisions are made using reliable data. Here are the key practices every advertiser should follow to eliminate/prevent duplicate conversions. Audit your Google Ads conversion actions Start by reviewing your conversion actions in Google Ads. Go to Goals > Conversions > Summary and inspect each currently active action. Are multiple actions tracking the same outcome, like a lead form submission or purchase? Are you tracking the same event in two different ways, like one from your website and another imported from your CRM? These overlaps are a common source of duplication. Choose the cleanest, most consistent source for each conversion type and remove any redundant actions as they are no longer needed. Avoid double-tracking in GA4 and GTM Google Analytics 4 gives you multiple ways to define your events, but using more than one for the same action can cause issues. A common mistake is defining an event like “purchase” in Google Tag Manager and then creating that same event inside GA4’s Create Event tool. When this happens, GA4 may log the event twice from the same trigger. Choose one method to define each event – either GTM or GA4 – and stick with it to avoid duplication. Consider server-side tracking Server-side tracking shifts the conversion data collection from the user’s browser to your server. This gives you greater control over when and how data is sent to platforms like Google Ads or GA4. Because the data is handled on your server, it’s less likely to be affected by things like browser refreshes, ad blockers, or inconsistent page loads. Yes, the setup is more advanced and may require developer support, but the payoff is a cleaner, more reliable tracking system. Test and monitor your tracking setup You don’t know what you don’t know, which is why regularly testing your conversion tracking is important. Use tools like: GA4’s DebugView to watch how events are processed in real time. Google Tag Assistant to see which tags are firing and when. Don’t just solely rely on live pay-per-click traffic. Test your setup prior to your ads going live in a staging environment. This makes it easier to identify problems before they affect your real conversion data. Use unique transaction IDs (ecommerce) Assign a unique transaction ID to each purchase is also a great way to ensure duplication does not happen. This ID should be passed along with the conversion event, allowing platforms like GA4 and Google Ads to recognize and ignore duplicates. Unique transaction IDs help systems distinguish between a new conversion and a repeated action from the same transaction. Track clean or fall behind Your Google Ads campaigns will succeed or fail based on the quality of the data you provide. If your conversion actions are duplicated, you’re not just seeing inflated numbers – you’re making decisions based on faulty inputs. And that puts your bidding strategies, budget allocation, and performance reporting at risk. Just like a Google Ads campaign, clean conversion tracking isn’t something you set and forget. It’s an ongoing habit. The more disciplined you are about maintaining it, the more reliable your performance and the insights will be. View the full article

Key Takeaways Definition & Importance: Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that influences consumer decisions based on the actions and experiences of others. It’s essential for building trust and credibility, particularly in digital marketing. Types of Social Proof: Include reviews and testimonials, user-generated content, influencer partnerships, social media engagement, and targeted campaigns highlighting customer experiences to enhance brand authenticity. Influence on Consumer Behavior: Positive experiences shared by others, like reviews and social media interactions, validate choices for potential customers, making them more likely to trust and purchase from your brand. Strategic Implementation: Utilize testimonials prominently in your marketing, encourage authentic customer feedback through social media, and create engaging campaigns to foster community interaction and brand loyalty. Case Studies Insights: Successful brands, like GymShark and Partake Foods, demonstrate the effective use of social proof in building trust through visible customer engagement and feedback. Conversely, lack of engagement can harm brand loyalty. Continuous Adaptation: Monitor your social media analytics and adapt strategies based on customer feedback and engagement rates to maintain and enhance your brand’s online presence. In today’s digital world, social proof has become a powerful tool that influences our decisions. Whether you’re scrolling through reviews, checking out testimonials, or observing the popularity of a product, you’re likely relying on the experiences of others to guide your choices. This phenomenon taps into our innate desire for validation and reassurance, making it a crucial element for brands and businesses looking to build trust. Understanding social proof can transform how you engage with your audience. By leveraging the behaviors and opinions of others, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates with potential customers. As you explore the dynamics of social proof, you’ll discover how it can elevate your marketing strategy and enhance your credibility in a crowded marketplace. Understanding Social Proof Social proof plays a crucial role in shaping consumer behavior, particularly for small businesses on social media platforms. By leveraging reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content, you can enhance your credibility and foster trust among potential customers. Definition of Social Proof Social proof refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals rely on the actions and experiences of others to inform their decisions. In the context of small business social media, this could mean consumers choosing your products based on positive reviews from others or engaging with your brand because they see peers or influencers doing so. Essentially, it validates your offerings and strengthens your online presence. Types of Social Proof Reviews and Testimonials Reviews from satisfied customers serve as powerful endorsements. Positive testimonials shared on platforms like Facebook and Instagram can significantly influence new customers. User-Generated Content Content created by your customers showcases their genuine experiences with your products. This fosters community interaction and enhances brand authenticity. Encouraging customers to share their experiences using specific hashtags increases your organic reach. Influencer Partnerships Collaborations with influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram can amplify your brand’s message. Their followers may view your offerings as more trustworthy due to the influencer’s endorsement. Social Media Engagement High engagement rates on your social media posts reflect a strong community presence. Frequent interactions, such as likes, shares, and comments, signify to potential customers that others find value in your brand. Social Media Campaigns Campaigns that highlight customer feedback and experiences can showcase your commitment to quality. Regularly sharing success stories across social media channels builds credibility and promotes brand awareness. By understanding and implementing these types of social proof within your social media strategy, you can strengthen your brand’s reputation and drive customer confidence. The Psychology Behind Social Proof Understanding social proof is essential for leveraging its power in your small business strategy. This psychological phenomenon influences consumer behavior significantly, particularly in uncertain situations. How Social Proof Influences Decisions Social proof shapes decisions by validating choices based on others’ behaviors. When consumers see positive reviews, testimonials, or social media posts from satisfied customers, they often perceive those actions as endorsements. For instance, a high engagement rate on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram can encourage potential customers to trust your brand. Implementing user-generated content in your marketing strategy amplifies this effect, as customers share their experiences, reinforcing your brand’s credibility. The Impact of Social Proof on Behavior Social proof impacts consumer behavior profoundly, particularly in digital environments. When individuals observe others interacting with your brand—whether through social media engagement on platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn, or participating in Facebook groups—they’re more likely to follow suit. Community management plays a pivotal role here; your proactive engagement can foster a sense of belonging and trust. Utilizing influencer partnerships effectively also enhances your social proof, as followers often view influencers as relatable figures. By sharing compelling video content and inspiring storytelling through social media campaigns, you can further boost your online presence and brand awareness, ultimately driving customer interaction and loyalty. Applications of Social Proof in Marketing Social proof plays a crucial role in shaping your marketing strategies, especially for small businesses. Utilizing the actions and opinions of your customers can significantly influence potential buyers. Utilizing Testimonials and Reviews Customer reviews are key in establishing trust. You can boost credibility by showcasing authentic testimonials on your website and social media platforms. Highlight verified reviews prominently; 86% of businesses assert that these reviews are critical in purchase decisions. Examples include featuring feedback on your home page, product pages, or in dedicated sections on social media posts. Collect reviews from platforms like Trustpilot, Google, and Yelp, and consider integrating them into your content calendar. This approach not only fosters confidence but also enhances your online presence. Social Media Influence Social media is an effective channel for leveraging social proof. By utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, you can encourage user-generated content that showcases real experiences with your products. Engage your audience through storytelling and engaging video content. Create campaigns that encourage sharing and highlight their contributions to your brand’s narrative. Utilize specific hashtags to boost content visibility and enhance organic reach. monitor engagement rates and adapt your strategy based on social media analytics and customer feedback. By incorporating influencer marketing, you can expand your reach and tap into established trust networks. Social media followers are more likely to engage with a brand that highlights community management and customer interactions, creating a thriving online community. Case Studies of Effective Social Proof Social proof significantly influences consumer decisions. Numerous brands showcase successful strategies that small businesses can learn from. Success Stories from Brands GymShark: This fitness apparel brand prominently features customer reviews and testimonials, effectively building trust and community. By showcasing authentic customer feedback, GymShark enhances brand credibility and fosters a loyal customer base. Partake Foods: Partake Foods employs user reviews directly on product pages, amplifying positive feedback such as “You can’t just eat one.” This encourages visitors to make purchases, showcasing the power of visual testimonials in driving sales. Tofino Soap Company: Tofino Soap Company enables customers to share positive reviews along with images of their purchases. This strategy acts as a built-in recommendation platform, influencing potential buyers through relatable experiences. Lessons Learned from Failures Lack of Engagement: Brands that fail to manage community interaction miss opportunities to leverage customer feedback. Ignoring comments on social media platforms can lead to a decline in trust and absence of brand loyalty. Inconsistent Branding: Small businesses that do not maintain brand consistency across social media platforms dilute their messaging. Irregular engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter negatively impacts their social media presence and audience retention. Underutilizing User-Generated Content: Many brands overlook the potential of user-generated content. Not incorporating this visual storytelling limits authenticity and decreases the connection with the audience, reducing overall engagement rates. By understanding these successes and failures, your small business can develop a stronger social media strategy that leverages social proof effectively. Emphasizing authentic customer interactions and consistent engagement across platforms fosters trust and enhances brand awareness. Conclusion Harnessing the power of social proof can transform your marketing efforts. By showcasing authentic customer experiences and leveraging user-generated content, you can build trust and credibility with your audience. Remember that social proof isn’t just about numbers; it’s about creating a community where your customers feel valued and heard. When you effectively implement social proof strategies, you’re not only enhancing your brand’s reputation but also driving customer loyalty and engagement. Stay attuned to the evolving landscape of social proof and adapt your approach to resonate with your audience. This will position your business for success in a competitive market. Frequently Asked Questions What is social proof? Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where individuals make decisions based on the actions and experiences of others. It refers to the tendency to rely on feedback, reviews, and endorsements from peers to validate choices, especially in uncertain situations. How does social proof affect consumer behavior? Social proof influences consumer behavior by providing validation and reassurance. Positive reviews, testimonials, and social media interactions can enhance trust in a brand, encouraging potential customers to make purchases based on popular opinion and community feedback. What types of social proof can businesses use? Businesses can use various types of social proof, including customer reviews, testimonials, user-generated content, influencer partnerships, and active social media engagement. These methods help establish credibility and foster trust among potential customers. Why is social proof important for small businesses? For small businesses, social proof is crucial as it builds trust and credibility in a competitive market. By showcasing positive customer experiences and leveraging social media, they can enhance their online presence and attract more customers. How can businesses effectively implement social proof? Businesses can effectively implement social proof by prominently featuring customer testimonials on their websites and social media. Encouraging user-generated content, engaging in community interactions, and collaborating with influencers can further expand their reach and strengthen brand trust. What are common mistakes with social proof strategies? Common mistakes include lacking engagement with followers, inconsistent branding, and underutilizing user-generated content. These issues can diminish a brand’s credibility and hinder audience connection, limiting the effectiveness of social proof. Can social proof drive sales? Yes, leveraging social proof can significantly drive sales. By building trust and credibility through positive customer experiences and social media interactions, businesses can encourage potential customers to feel confident in their purchasing decisions. Image Via Envato This article, "Harnessing Social Proof to Boost Trust and Sales for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Definition & Importance: Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that influences consumer decisions based on the actions and experiences of others. It’s essential for building trust and credibility, particularly in digital marketing. Types of Social Proof: Include reviews and testimonials, user-generated content, influencer partnerships, social media engagement, and targeted campaigns highlighting customer experiences to enhance brand authenticity. Influence on Consumer Behavior: Positive experiences shared by others, like reviews and social media interactions, validate choices for potential customers, making them more likely to trust and purchase from your brand. Strategic Implementation: Utilize testimonials prominently in your marketing, encourage authentic customer feedback through social media, and create engaging campaigns to foster community interaction and brand loyalty. Case Studies Insights: Successful brands, like GymShark and Partake Foods, demonstrate the effective use of social proof in building trust through visible customer engagement and feedback. Conversely, lack of engagement can harm brand loyalty. Continuous Adaptation: Monitor your social media analytics and adapt strategies based on customer feedback and engagement rates to maintain and enhance your brand’s online presence. In today’s digital world, social proof has become a powerful tool that influences our decisions. Whether you’re scrolling through reviews, checking out testimonials, or observing the popularity of a product, you’re likely relying on the experiences of others to guide your choices. This phenomenon taps into our innate desire for validation and reassurance, making it a crucial element for brands and businesses looking to build trust. Understanding social proof can transform how you engage with your audience. By leveraging the behaviors and opinions of others, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates with potential customers. As you explore the dynamics of social proof, you’ll discover how it can elevate your marketing strategy and enhance your credibility in a crowded marketplace. Understanding Social Proof Social proof plays a crucial role in shaping consumer behavior, particularly for small businesses on social media platforms. By leveraging reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content, you can enhance your credibility and foster trust among potential customers. Definition of Social Proof Social proof refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals rely on the actions and experiences of others to inform their decisions. In the context of small business social media, this could mean consumers choosing your products based on positive reviews from others or engaging with your brand because they see peers or influencers doing so. Essentially, it validates your offerings and strengthens your online presence. Types of Social Proof Reviews and Testimonials Reviews from satisfied customers serve as powerful endorsements. Positive testimonials shared on platforms like Facebook and Instagram can significantly influence new customers. User-Generated Content Content created by your customers showcases their genuine experiences with your products. This fosters community interaction and enhances brand authenticity. Encouraging customers to share their experiences using specific hashtags increases your organic reach. Influencer Partnerships Collaborations with influencers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram can amplify your brand’s message. Their followers may view your offerings as more trustworthy due to the influencer’s endorsement. Social Media Engagement High engagement rates on your social media posts reflect a strong community presence. Frequent interactions, such as likes, shares, and comments, signify to potential customers that others find value in your brand. Social Media Campaigns Campaigns that highlight customer feedback and experiences can showcase your commitment to quality. Regularly sharing success stories across social media channels builds credibility and promotes brand awareness. By understanding and implementing these types of social proof within your social media strategy, you can strengthen your brand’s reputation and drive customer confidence. The Psychology Behind Social Proof Understanding social proof is essential for leveraging its power in your small business strategy. This psychological phenomenon influences consumer behavior significantly, particularly in uncertain situations. How Social Proof Influences Decisions Social proof shapes decisions by validating choices based on others’ behaviors. When consumers see positive reviews, testimonials, or social media posts from satisfied customers, they often perceive those actions as endorsements. For instance, a high engagement rate on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram can encourage potential customers to trust your brand. Implementing user-generated content in your marketing strategy amplifies this effect, as customers share their experiences, reinforcing your brand’s credibility. The Impact of Social Proof on Behavior Social proof impacts consumer behavior profoundly, particularly in digital environments. When individuals observe others interacting with your brand—whether through social media engagement on platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn, or participating in Facebook groups—they’re more likely to follow suit. Community management plays a pivotal role here; your proactive engagement can foster a sense of belonging and trust. Utilizing influencer partnerships effectively also enhances your social proof, as followers often view influencers as relatable figures. By sharing compelling video content and inspiring storytelling through social media campaigns, you can further boost your online presence and brand awareness, ultimately driving customer interaction and loyalty. Applications of Social Proof in Marketing Social proof plays a crucial role in shaping your marketing strategies, especially for small businesses. Utilizing the actions and opinions of your customers can significantly influence potential buyers. Utilizing Testimonials and Reviews Customer reviews are key in establishing trust. You can boost credibility by showcasing authentic testimonials on your website and social media platforms. Highlight verified reviews prominently; 86% of businesses assert that these reviews are critical in purchase decisions. Examples include featuring feedback on your home page, product pages, or in dedicated sections on social media posts. Collect reviews from platforms like Trustpilot, Google, and Yelp, and consider integrating them into your content calendar. This approach not only fosters confidence but also enhances your online presence. Social Media Influence Social media is an effective channel for leveraging social proof. By utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, you can encourage user-generated content that showcases real experiences with your products. Engage your audience through storytelling and engaging video content. Create campaigns that encourage sharing and highlight their contributions to your brand’s narrative. Utilize specific hashtags to boost content visibility and enhance organic reach. monitor engagement rates and adapt your strategy based on social media analytics and customer feedback. By incorporating influencer marketing, you can expand your reach and tap into established trust networks. Social media followers are more likely to engage with a brand that highlights community management and customer interactions, creating a thriving online community. Case Studies of Effective Social Proof Social proof significantly influences consumer decisions. Numerous brands showcase successful strategies that small businesses can learn from. Success Stories from Brands GymShark: This fitness apparel brand prominently features customer reviews and testimonials, effectively building trust and community. By showcasing authentic customer feedback, GymShark enhances brand credibility and fosters a loyal customer base. Partake Foods: Partake Foods employs user reviews directly on product pages, amplifying positive feedback such as “You can’t just eat one.” This encourages visitors to make purchases, showcasing the power of visual testimonials in driving sales. Tofino Soap Company: Tofino Soap Company enables customers to share positive reviews along with images of their purchases. This strategy acts as a built-in recommendation platform, influencing potential buyers through relatable experiences. Lessons Learned from Failures Lack of Engagement: Brands that fail to manage community interaction miss opportunities to leverage customer feedback. Ignoring comments on social media platforms can lead to a decline in trust and absence of brand loyalty. Inconsistent Branding: Small businesses that do not maintain brand consistency across social media platforms dilute their messaging. Irregular engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter negatively impacts their social media presence and audience retention. Underutilizing User-Generated Content: Many brands overlook the potential of user-generated content. Not incorporating this visual storytelling limits authenticity and decreases the connection with the audience, reducing overall engagement rates. By understanding these successes and failures, your small business can develop a stronger social media strategy that leverages social proof effectively. Emphasizing authentic customer interactions and consistent engagement across platforms fosters trust and enhances brand awareness. Conclusion Harnessing the power of social proof can transform your marketing efforts. By showcasing authentic customer experiences and leveraging user-generated content, you can build trust and credibility with your audience. Remember that social proof isn’t just about numbers; it’s about creating a community where your customers feel valued and heard. When you effectively implement social proof strategies, you’re not only enhancing your brand’s reputation but also driving customer loyalty and engagement. Stay attuned to the evolving landscape of social proof and adapt your approach to resonate with your audience. This will position your business for success in a competitive market. Frequently Asked Questions What is social proof? Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where individuals make decisions based on the actions and experiences of others. It refers to the tendency to rely on feedback, reviews, and endorsements from peers to validate choices, especially in uncertain situations. How does social proof affect consumer behavior? Social proof influences consumer behavior by providing validation and reassurance. Positive reviews, testimonials, and social media interactions can enhance trust in a brand, encouraging potential customers to make purchases based on popular opinion and community feedback. What types of social proof can businesses use? Businesses can use various types of social proof, including customer reviews, testimonials, user-generated content, influencer partnerships, and active social media engagement. These methods help establish credibility and foster trust among potential customers. Why is social proof important for small businesses? For small businesses, social proof is crucial as it builds trust and credibility in a competitive market. By showcasing positive customer experiences and leveraging social media, they can enhance their online presence and attract more customers. How can businesses effectively implement social proof? Businesses can effectively implement social proof by prominently featuring customer testimonials on their websites and social media. Encouraging user-generated content, engaging in community interactions, and collaborating with influencers can further expand their reach and strengthen brand trust. What are common mistakes with social proof strategies? Common mistakes include lacking engagement with followers, inconsistent branding, and underutilizing user-generated content. These issues can diminish a brand’s credibility and hinder audience connection, limiting the effectiveness of social proof. Can social proof drive sales? Yes, leveraging social proof can significantly drive sales. By building trust and credibility through positive customer experiences and social media interactions, businesses can encourage potential customers to feel confident in their purchasing decisions. Image Via Envato This article, "Harnessing Social Proof to Boost Trust and Sales for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Everyone works with text while on their Macs, and PopClip is a simple and effective way to speed up all your text workflows. On the surface, it's really simple. The app, also available on mobile, simply adds a small popover menu to your screen every time you select text on your Mac. By default, it gives you access to four commonly used actions: search, cut, copy, and paste. This alone is good enough for most people, but the app can do a lot more. Mobile is a bit more limited, but on Mac, you can customize the popover menu by adding or removing features, and there's a big extension directory to make this even better. With some tweaking, you can use it for relatively basic operations such as text transformations, or more advanced ones such as sending text to the translation service of your choice. PopClip's free trial lets you use text actions 250 times, and once you've exhausted those, you can buy the app for $12 or $25. The lower price guarantees two years of updates, after which you can continue using it without new features, but if you pay more, you get access to app updates for as long as PopClip is in active development. Customizing PopClip Credit: Pranay Parab Customizing PopClip is a bit annoying, because the app's window is quite small and uses tiny font sizes. Click its menu bar icon to get started. The good news is that you won't have to use the menu bar window much, so I can look past its tiny size and barebones UI. In the app's window, begin by clicking the home icon, which will allow the app to launch at login. This way, you won't have to keep activating PopClip every time you restart your Mac. Next, go to the gear icon tab and change the size and position (above or below the selected text) of the popover menu to suit your needs. A larger size is more intrusive, but it makes it easier to click the buttons in the menu. On the same page, you can record a keyboard shortcut to access PopClip without using the mouse, too. The next tab has a puzzle piece icon, and it lets you configure your actions or add additional actions not included in the default set, like translation or dictionary tools. Uncheck the options you don't use, and drag the four dots next to each action upwards or downwards to reorder them. Finally, go to the next tab to customize a list of excluded apps. PopClip's menus won't appear when you select text in those apps. Adding extensions to supercharge the app Credit: Pranay Parab PopClip's real magic comes from its extension support. Just go to the extensions directory page, select any extensions you like, download them, and open the downloaded files. This automatically adds those extensions to PopClip. Simply go to back to the puzzle piece icon in the settings to see your new additions. There are plenty of extensions on this page, and it can be hard to stop adding them to the app, because most of them are quite useful. The extensions page even has an RSS feed, and you can add it to the RSS reader of your choice to get informed whenever a new tool shows up. It's hard to make a definitive list of the best PopClip extensions, since that depends on what you want to do with the app. Personally, I like to select text and send it into third-party apps (to quickly create to-dos or calendar entries, translate text, etc.), and there are plenty of great actions for that. I'm also a big fan of the Append to Clipboard action, which lets me copy multiple bits of text and adds it all to the clipboard. This way, I can quickly copy an excerpt and add the article's URL to the clipboard, then paste them both to a social media post in one go. Without PopClip, that would require pasting twice, plus switching between tabs. View the full article

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Saturday that he wants to step down as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year. The revelation came as a surprise because the 94-year-old had previously said he did not plan to retire. Buffett, one of the world’s richest people and most accomplished investors, took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965 when it was a textiles manufacturer. He turned the company into a conglomerate by finding other businesses and stocks to buy that were selling for less than they were worth. His success made him a Wall Street icon. It also earned him the nickname “Oracle of Omaha,” a reference to the Nebraska city where Buffett was born and chose to live and work. Here are some of his best and worst investments over the years: Buffett’s Best National Indemnity and National Fire & Marine: Purchased in 1967, the company was one of Buffett’s first insurance investments. Insurance float—the premium money insurers can invest between the time when policies are bought and when claims are made—provided the capital for many of Berkshire’s investments over the years and helped fuel the company’s growth. Berkshire’s insurance division has grown to include Geico, General Reinsurance and several other insurers. The float totaled $173 billion at the end of the first quarter. Buying blocks of stock in American Express, Coca-Cola Co. and Bank of America at times when the companies were out of favor because of scandals or market conditions. Collectively, the shares are worth over $100 billion more than what Buffett paid for them, and that doesn’t count all the dividends he has collected over the years. Apple: Buffett long said that he didn’t understand tech companies well enough to value them and pick the long-term winners, but he started buying Apple shares in 2016. He later explained that he bought more than $31 billion worth because he understood the iPhone maker as a consumer products company with extremely loyal customers. The value of his investment grew to more than $174 billion before Buffett started selling Berkshire Hathaway’s shares. BYD: On the advice of his late investing partner Charlie Munger, Buffett bet big on the genius of BYD founder Wang Chanfu in 2008 with a $232 million investment in the Chinese electric vehicle maker. The value of that stake soared to more than $9 billion before Buffett began selling it off. Berkshire’s remaining stake is still worth about $1.8 billion. See’s Candy: Buffett repeatedly pointed to his 1972 purchase as a turning point in his career. Buffett said Munger persuaded him that it made sense to buy great businesses at good prices as long as they had enduring competitive advantages. Previously, Buffett had primarily invested in companies of any quality as long as they were selling for less than he thought they were worth. Berkshire paid $25 million for See’s and recorded pretax earnings of $1.65 billion from the candy company through 2011. The amount continued to grow but Buffett didn’t routinely highlight it. Berkshire Hathaway Energy: Utilities provide a large and steady stream of profits for Berkshire. The conglomerate paid $2.1 billion, or about $35.05 per share, for Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy in 2000. The utility unit subsequently was renamed and made several acquisitions, including PacifiCorp and NV Energy. The utilities added more than $3.7 billion to Berkshire’s profit in 2024, although Buffett has said they are now worth less than they used to be because of the liability they face related to wildfires. Buffett’s Worst Berkshire Hathaway: Buffett had said his investment in the Berkshire Hathaway textile mills was probably his worst investment ever. The textile company he took over in 1965 bled money for many years before Buffett finally shut it down in 1985, though Berkshire did provide cash for some of Buffett’s early acquisitions. Of course, the Berkshire shares Buffett began buying for $7 and $8 a share in 1962 are now worth $809,350 per share, so even Buffett’s worst investment turned out OK. Dexter Shoe Co.: Buffett said he made an awful blunder by buying Dexter in 1993 for $433 million, a mistake made even worse because he used Berkshire stock for the deal. Buffett says he essentially gave away 1.6% of Berkshire for a worthless business. Missed opportunities. Buffett said that some of his worst mistakes over the years were the investments and deals that he didn’t make. Berkshire easily could have made billions if Buffett had been comfortable investing in Amazon, Google or Microsoft early on. But it wasn’t just tech companies he missed out on. Buffett told shareholders he was caught “sucking his thumb” when he failed to follow through on a plan to buy 100 million Walmart shares that would be worth nearly $10 billion today. Selling banks too soon. Not long before the COVID pandemic, Buffett seemed to sour on most of his bank stocks. Repeated scandals involving Wells Fargo gave him a reason to start unloading his 500 million shares, many of them for around $30 per share. But he also sold off his JP Morgan stake at prices less than $100. Both stocks have more than doubled since then. Blue Chip Stamps: Buffett and Munger, Berkshire’s former vice chairman, took control of Blue Chip in 1970 when the customer rewards program was generating $126 million in sales. But as trading stamps fell out of favor with retailers and consumers, sales steadily declined; in 2006, they totaled a mere $25,920. However, Buffett and Munger used the float that Blue Chip generated to acquire See’s Candy, Wesco Financial and Precision Castparts, which are all steady contributors to Berkshire. —Josh Funk, AP Business Writer View the full article

Today (Monday, May 5, 2025) is Cinco de Mayo. The day celebrates the May 5, 1862, victory of Mexico against France in the Battle of Puebla. However, while Cinco de Mayo celebrates an important event in Mexican history, the day is widely observed in communities across America and is now frequently one used to celebrate Mexican-American culture in the United States. Many brands in America—especially restaurant chains—like to participate in Cinco de Mayo by offering deals and freebies to customers. This is especially true of restaurants that serve Mexican or Mexican-American food. Here are some deals to be had today if you are up for celebrating Cinco de Mayo with your tastebuds. Baja Fresh Use the code CINCO at checkout to get $5.55 off your order of $20 or more. California Pizza Kitchen The pizza chain is offering free white corn guacamole and chips to customers who show this web page to their server. California Tortilla The Mexican food chain is offering a coupon for a free taco on their next visit to people who purchase something today. Chipotle Chipotle is offering several Cinco de Mayo deals, including $0 delivery fees when using the promo code DELIVER and free chips and Queso Blanco when using the promo code CINCO25. The company is also giving away the chance to win one of 50,000 burritos when you play its Burrito Builder experience on Roblox. Full details of the offers can be found here. Del Taco Get a free burrito with any $10 purchase. Jack In the Box The fast food chain is giving away free Tiny Tacos of any style if you order in the app and spend at least $5 today. Laredo Taco Company Buy one burrito and get one free. 7-Eleven Order Laredo Taco Company food through the 7NOW Delivery app and get 50% off the total as long as the order is $20 or more. View the full article

Discover 10 practical tips to write website content that attracts, engages, and converts in 2025. View the full article

This week, the Out-of-Touch Guide grapples with an eternal question of man vs. beast, sees Gen Z throw a hilarious right cross at millennial decorating trends, contemplates whether refusing to wash your face is a skincare routine or a cry for help, and explains why serving booze at weddings has become a generational flashpoint. What is "100 men vs. 1 Gorilla?"In a video posted three years ago, TikToker yuri5kpt2 was the first online to ask a seemingly simple question: who would win in a fight between 100 men and a single gorilla? It took some time for the general population to catch on to this intriguing hypothetical, but critical mass was achieved this week, and the debate has spread everywhere online. My first thought was 100 men are taking it, without a doubt. I mean, it's a hundred guys! But then I considered the overwhelming power of an enraged gorilla, how it could literally tear off limbs and bite off faces, and the scale started tipping heavily the other way. I mean, look at this thing: On the other hand, actual primatologist Dr. Tara Stoinski gives it to humans: But I don't think she's considering the panic factor. If the question assumes 100 average dudes with no training, I'm guessing about 99 of them run screaming as soon as the most unlucky of the bunch has his face bitten off. I know I would. But the gorilla is going to panic when it sees a mob of 100 men screaming at the top of their lungs! Then there's stamina to consider. According to this (self-proclaimed) animal expert, the gorilla would be gassed after killing 30 or 40 dudes, so the men would ultimately triumph, but only after taking heavy casualties. Right now, I'm leaning slightly toward humans, based on the combined stamina of 100 people and our natural survival instinct. This is the kind of question that won't be answered until someone does it for real, and good luck making that happen with all the "laws" we have. Because this is 2025, the question couldn't be left to quietly drift away like previous internet imponderables like "what would you do if a super intelligent, deadly snail was following you?" Instead, it's become a part of the tedious "gender wars" with people hijacking the format to ask questions like, "Can we get 100 women vs. accountability?" Responses include "how about 100 men vs. shutting the fuck up?" Can we just have one fight between a gorilla and 100 men without people ruining it? What is "caveman skincare?"Moving up the evolutionary ladder from gorillas, we have "caveman skincare," a minimalist approach to personal hygiene that involves not washing your face, or at least not using soap. The idea has been kicking around since at least the 1960s, but TikToker Tia Zakher brought it to the world's attention in April by documenting her experiment of not applying any products to her face, or even washing it at all. The idea is to "reset" your skin to a more natural, and presumably healthier, state. The result is not exactly pretty. But this is temporary, at least according to Zakher. She says the uneven, bumpy skin on her face is a build-up of dead skin cells that would normally be washed away, and underneath is healthy, clear skin. Most commenters don't seem to agree, and suggest that it's actually a fungal infection, or maybe she's rage-baiting, faking it for the attention, or it's just gross. There's a lot going on here culturally. Widespread interest in the technique seems like a backlash to the elaborate, expensive skincare routines many people feel they need, and the online trashing of Zakher is depressingly predictable, given that she's a young woman who is doing something other than presenting herself as alluringly as possible. But all that aside, is this actually a good idea? According to dermatologists, not really, but a little, maybe, kind of. "It could temporarily help some people whose skin is extremely irritated from overuse of products, as it reduces the chances of chemical irritation," dermatologist Dr. Angela J. Lamb told Teen Vogue, but she added that if you're still wearing makeup and working out, not washing will likely clog your pores and could make acne worse or lead to fungal infections. According to another dermatologist quoted by Teen Vogue, Dr. Asmi Berry, the caveman method is not backed by scientific evidence, and there's a better approach to dealing with strengthening your skin. "Stick to a gentle cleanser, a hydrating moisturizer, and a mineral sunscreen," Dr. Berry suggests. What is millennial green and why is it so cringe?Maybe it's my inner mean girl, but I can't get enough of members of Generations Z noticing lame details about millennial culture and savagely roasting them for it. First it was being overly into Harry Potter, then eating at millennial burger joints, and now it's "millennial green." Sometimes called "sage" or "forest green," Millennial green is an evolution of the "sad beige" aesthetic from a few years ago. It hovers around here on the Pantone scale: Credit: Pantone Once you notice it, you notice it everywhere—just as evolution eventually leads to crabs, all decorating eventually leads to millennial green. I love this trend because millennials are still young enough to care what kids think of their decorating choices, and they're posting funny/poignant videos about discovering that they're not cool: Wait, I just realized that Lifehacker's color is kind of a millennial green. We're not super cringe, are we? Oh my god. I'm going to rethink my life now. Gen Z and cash bars at weddingsOK, I'm back. Our website may be millennial green, but at least Lifehacker understands the importance of free booze at weddings. With June marriage season approaching, many young people are defending the practice of charging their guests for drinks at their weddings. This is against the order of nature and should not be allowed. Check out the discussion in this X comment section: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. On the other side of the debate are Gen Z members calling people "alcoholics" for expecting free drinks. Seriously, people should be able to have whatever kind of wedding they'd like, but this debate highlights another cultural divide between Gen Z and We Who Have Come Before: Youngsters aren't drinking as much as previous generations, proving that the real generation gap isn’t about napkin colors; it’s whether you think vodka should come with a price tag. Viral video of the week: I Hid in Viral YouTube Videos and Nobody Noticed… This weeks' viral video is about viral videos. So meta. YouTuber Airrack has made a name for himself with challenge and prank videos, often involving sneaking into and hiding in unlikely places, like the Superbowl or Disneyland. This week, he decided to sneak into other YouTubers' videos. The idea is that Airrack would disguise himself and appear in the background of videos from online celebrities like cooking YouTuber Nick Digiovanni, fitness influencer Jesse James West, filmmaker Darman, gadget-maker Mark Rober, and car destroyer Whistlin' Diesel. If the commenters spot him, they get a point. If they don't, Airrack does. I won't spoil the ending, but Airrack has promised that if he loses, he'll do whatever the most upvoted comment says. That comment is "Legally change your name to diddy," which really raises the stakes. Whether the entire project is a delightful sitcom-crossover-style experiment or an annoying influencer stunt depends on your point of view, but the kids, as they say, love it. View the full article