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Energy and utilities emerge as big winners from fears that artificial intelligence will upend software industryView the full article

Discover how to create a fool-proof project schedule, including the methods, software tools, and expert tips to keep your project on track. The post How to Create a Project Schedule: Techniques, Examples & Tools appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

In medicine, “rare” is often used to describe conditions that affect relatively few people. But when you work in healthcare long enough—especially at the very beginning of life—you realize rare diseases are not rare at all. As a neonatologist, I cared for newborns whose symptoms didn’t follow a familiar script. An infant struggling to breathe. A baby who couldn’t feed. A child whose development stalled without a clear explanation. In the NICU, there is no luxury of time. Families are desperate for answers, and clinicians are making high-stakes decisions with incomplete information. Too often, we treated what we could see while suspecting there was something deeper we could not yet name. We ordered a multitude of tests and brought in specialists to consult, but days often turned into weeks. Sometimes answers came, but often they came too late to change the course of care. Those moments stay with you, and those are the moments that brought me here to GeneDx. THE HIGH COST OF UNCERTAINTY The phrase “diagnostic odyssey” is frequently used in healthcare, but it understates the reality for families. For patients with rare disease, the path to a diagnosis often stretches across years—marked by repeated hospitalizations, unnecessary procedures, and conflicting opinions. All the while, disease progresses and the emotional and financial burden on families quietly compounds. For clinicians, that uncertainty is more than frustrating; it limits our ability to act decisively. Without a precise diagnosis, treatments are often generalized rather than targeted, care coordination remains fragmented, and families are left carrying the burden of unanswered questions. From a system perspective, the consequences are significant: longer lengths of stay, higher costs, avoidable interventions, and missed opportunities for earlier, more effective care. What makes this particularly challenging is that, increasingly, we have the tools to do better. Genomic medicine has transformed our ability to identify the underlying causes of disease—especially in pediatrics and rare conditions where traditional diagnostic approaches fall short. When used early, genomic testing can shorten the path to answers from years to weeks, days, or even hours. It can inform clinical decisions, guide care planning, and help families understand what lies ahead. Over the past couple of years, genomic technology has evolved. Costs and turnaround time have declined significantly, shifting genomics from a theoretical solution to a viable tool in everyday clinical practice. Now, it’s a matter of increasing awareness and broadening access to all patients who could benefit. OPEN TESTING ACCESS As Rare Disease Month continues, the question is no longer whether we can diagnose rare disease more effectively, but whether we are willing to make those tools part of routine care. In other areas of medicine, advances that improve accuracy and outcomes eventually become standard practice. Standard newborn screening, imaging technologies, and clinical protocols did not remain optional once their value was clear. They became embedded in care. Genomics is at a similar inflection point. The opportunity before us is not simply technological—it is systemic. Integrating genomics earlier into care pathways requires thoughtful implementation, clinician support, payer alignment, and real-world evidence. It requires collaboration across health systems, medical societies, advocacy groups, and policymakers. And it requires a shared understanding that earlier, more precise diagnoses are not an added extra—they are foundational to good medicine. A RARE OPPORTUNITY Rare disease challenges healthcare to be better—more precise, more compassionate, and more proactive. It forces us to confront the limits of traditional diagnostic models and to rethink when and how we deploy the tools now at our disposal. For me, this work is deeply personal. It is shaped by years at the bedside, by conversations with families searching for answers, and by a belief that uncertainty should not be the default starting point of care. Over the course of my career, I have worked across nearly every layer of the healthcare system—as a practicing physician, a health system partner, and a clinical leader within payer and innovation organizations. I’m bringing that experience with me as I help usher in the future of genomic medicine at GeneDx. Here I see a rare opportunity to help move genomics from the margins of medicine to its foundation, to shorten diagnostic journeys that have gone on far too long, and to build a healthcare system that delivers clarity when it matters most. Ending the diagnostic odyssey is not about technology alone. It is about trust. It is about giving clinicians the confidence to act and families the answers they deserve. And it is about recognizing that rare disease is not a niche problem, but something that impacts 1 in 10 Americans and thus, touches all of us. Linda Genen, MD, MPH, is chief medical officer of GeneDx. View the full article

Deputy leader hails ‘huge opportunity’ to create sovereign wealth fund, but experts give sceptical response View the full article

You’re invited to a holiday party with a dress code—cocktail attire. Instead of panic-scrolling through a bunch of dresses that look great on someone else and questionable on you, you open your laptop. A runway show starts in your living room. The lighting is cinematic. The music hits. And every model walking the runway is YOU. Same body, same proportions, same posture. You toggle the scene from dramatic spotlights to natural daylight to a candlelit restaurant, watching how each dress moves and fits in real life before you pick the one that feels right. But this isn’t just a better shopping experience; it is a design process that’s likely to yield an outfit that appeals more to you. Historically, garment design has been a slow and expensive process. A designer hands a sketch off to pattern makers and sample rooms. Time goes by. One physical sample comes back. The designer evaluates it on a single body type. Often, that body type is very specific. Every iteration is costly and constrained by physics and time. With AI, designers can sketch an idea and instantly see it rendered across fabrics, colors, environments, and a wide range of body types. They can iterate in real time, stress-test designs before cutting a single piece of fabric, and design with diversity rather than retrofitting it later. The result is faster timelines, fewer samples, and fashion built for real people, starting from the very first pixel. HOW AI ACCELERATES DESIGN AI also gives fashion designers more authorship. The designer doesn’t have to rely solely on their intuition and experience to guess how something might work in the real world. They can simulate it with different fabrics, silhouettes, and colors, and test fit immediately. You can see how a silk bias-cut dress behaves on a tall body versus a petite one, how a structured jacket reads when someone sits, walks, or raises their arms. You can design for movement, not just a static pose. This is a sharp break from how inclusive sizing has traditionally worked. Brands used to design for one idealized sample size and then grade up or down later. Sometimes, that starting point may be a plus-size model, but even then, only one body type is considered for the design. With AI, you can start with many bodies at once, treating variation as a first-class design constraint instead of an afterthought. The tooling compounds into revenue by expanding who the product works for. On the consumer side, this changes the emotional relationship with clothing. Returns are one of the dirtiest secrets in e-commerce. People order three sizes, keep one, and ship the rest back. Not because they’re careless, but because the system gives them no better option. When you can see a garment on your body, in your lighting, and in your life, you don’t need to guess anymore. None of this means fashion becomes automated or soulless. If anything, the opposite happens. When designers are freed from the slow, mechanical parts of the process, they can spend more time on taste, storytelling, and craft. Beyond the runway, people will ultimately see your work on a variety of body types. Now you can apply your creativity to designing garments with this in mind. AI expands the surface area where creativity can play. FINAL THOUGHTS We’ve seen this movie before in other creative industries. Photography went digital. Music went from studios to laptops. Film editing moved from physical reels to software timelines. Each shift caused panic, then democratization, then an explosion of new voices and formats. Fashion has lagged because it’s physical by default. AI is the bridge that finally connects imagination to reality without so much friction in between. Yana Welinder is the founder of yanabanana.ai. View the full article

Danish group is struggling to compete with rival Eli Lilly View the full article

Throughout Kim Kardashian’s two-decade career in the public eye, the reality TV star’s entrepreneurial endeavors have included shapewear clothing brand Skims, makeup brand KKW Beauty, cofounding a private equity firm, and a super popular mobile game. But with her latest venture, Kardashian is stretching her mogul credentials into beverages, which has been familiar terrain for celebrities. She has become a “cofounder” of the energy drink company called Update. Though the startup has existed for four years—meaning Kardashian wasn’t a day-one founder—Update’s CEO and cofounder Daniel Solomons tells Fast Company that she has been a steady customer since 2023 and two years ago, began to offer feedback on the brand’s formula and packaging. Update isn’t disclosing if Kardashian took an equity stake in the brand as part of her appointment as a cofounder, though Solomons says that “she genuinely loved how the product made her feel.” On Tuesday the upstart energy drink also announced a 4,000 store distribution deal with Walmart that begins on March 1. Before the Walmart deal, Update was primarily sold through direct-to-consumer channels, and Solomons noticed on his Shopify account that especially large orders were being placed by Kardashian’s team. He was able to reach out to her through mutual connections. Daniel Solomons “That organically just turned into a situation where she was really excited to get involved, reached out, and wanted to partner up and formalize it,” says Solomons. “I’m really bullish about the growth of the category and how we can add to that.” REBRANDING THE ‘TECH BRO’ ENERGY Solomons says Kardashian helped advise on Update’s new packaging and product formulation. Solomons says the startup’s initial labeling was too “masculine, tech bro” and Update wanted to aspire to a design that’s more gender neutral. The relaunched portfolio adds new grape and pineapple flavors and Update made tweaks to the berry, peach, and mandarin flavors, a process called reformulation. It is especially common for food and beverage startups to reformulate after they debut when they are able to get in-market consumer feedback. Solomons says the changes were intended to make the beverages “more true to fruit,” meaning as close to the real taste profile of, say, an actual pineapple. Update also involved Walmart, sending the retailer formula samples and packaging assets to get its feedback. Later this year, the brand expects to expand into additional major retailers and will launch more products beyond the core lineup. Solomons says Update also brings a distinct proposition to the market by using the lab-produced paraxanthine, rather than caffeine, as the active ingredient to deliver energy. There have been few studies on paraxanthine, though early research suggests that it is relatively safe. Paraxanthine is a compound that the human body produces after consuming caffeine and Solomons claims that it has a similar bitter taste profile, but doesn’t have the jittery side effects that some experience when drinking caffeine-based coffee or energy drinks. BETTING ON A BUZZY, BOOMING CATEGORY Update is aiming to get a firmer foothold in the fast-growing U.S. energy drinks and shots market whose sales grew by 65% to $23.9 billion during a five-year period ending in 2024, according to Mintel. The market researcher estimates sales will hit $33.4 billion by 2029. “It is a darling category right now,” Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, tells Fast Company. He says energy drinks sales are far outpacing coffee and tea, two rival caffeine-focused beverage categories. The market is dominated by three players that command 70% of sales: Monster Beverage, Red Bull, and Celsius Holdings. The larger players Monster Energy and Red Bull have lately reported double-digit sales increases, while Celsius’s revenue for the first nine months of 2025 jumped 75% from the prior year, as the core brand grew, but also due to the recent acquisitions of Rockstar Energy and Alani Nu, the later sold in colorful packaging and marketed heavily to women. Alani Nu was founded in 2018 by fitness influencer and coach Katy Hearn and sold five years later for $1.8 billion to Celsius. Monster and Celsius are expected to release their fourth-quarter earnings this Thursday. Energy drinks have benefited from a decades-long trend of favoring cold drinks over hot and, more recently, the skyrocketing price of coffee due to tariffs, which has led some shoppers to defect when looking for their energy fix. Celsius, in particular, has been credited with luring more female drinkers into a category that was traditionally marketed to extreme sports lovers, branding that was the core of both Red Bull and Monster. CELEBRITIES BOOST MARKETING, BUT DON’T ENSURE LONGEVITY While Kardashian’s involvement will give Update a marketing jolt, especially through any support the star may offer through her Instagram and TikTok channels that have a combined 364 million followers, there’s no guarantee that a celebrity-backed beverage brand will be a hit with consumers. Look no further than sports and energy drink brand Prime Hydration, which was founded by internet personalities Logan Paul and Olajide “KSI” Olatunji. Bloomberg reported it was set to surpass $1.2 billion in annual sales by the end of 2023, a mere two years after it launched. But sales have sputtered, with the Prime’s energy drink volume dropping 57% for the first nine months of 2025 from the prior-year period, according to Beverage Digest. Zoa Energy, cofounded by actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, got a boost when it sold a majority stake to Molson Coors in 2024. But the five-year-old brand has less than 1% of the total U.S. energy drink market, which is also where Prime stands in the category. “I suspect consumers are starting to get wary of it now,” says Stanford. “Because every celebrity has a beverage brand now. People can only consume so many drinks.” View the full article

When you hear the term “contact page,” you probably think of a simple page containing contact info and maybe a form. I’m here to tell you why that’s a big miss from a local SEO perspective and show you how to build a contact page that builds your prominence with Google and helps you convert more leads. Google pays special attention to your contact page The former head of Google Business Profile Support, Joel Headley, once told me that Google specifically crawls and parses your contact page to gather information about your business. This led me to realize that most businesses have awful contact pages. They list their name, address, and phone number (NAP), embed a contact form, and call it a day. Google is saying, “Give me data about your business,” and you’re saying, “No data for you.” What you need to do instead is give your contact page the same level of care and attention as a multi-location landing page. Here are the must-haves for a contact page that converts site visitors into paying customers: Business identity. Contact information. Trust factors and social proof. Location-specific content. Amenities. Call to action. 1. Business identity Just like every other page on your site, your contact page should reflect your brand. This means you should include: Your business logo (that matches all your other marketing materials and real-world signage). Your slogan (bonus points if you can work some keywords into it for added SEO value). A short introduction that explains what your business does, where it’s located, and what your unique value proposition (UVP) is. Dig deeper: The local SEO gatekeeper: How Google defines your entity 2. Complete contact information You won’t believe how many businesses forget to include their contact information on their contact page. Here’s what you absolutely have to include: Full business name. Contact form and an email address people can write to (I recommend both). Complete address. Phone and text numbers. Social media links. Hours of operation (including any holiday, seasonal, or special hours). Shopping options (e.g., in-store pickup, curbside pickup, delivery, appointment only). Embedded Google Map to your business (not your address). A common mistake businesses make is embedding a map of their business address on Google Maps instead of their actual Google Business Profile. Make sure you embed a map in your business listing on Maps so that whenever someone clicks it, they send engagement signals to your profile. Practically, this means: Search for your business name on Google Maps. Bring up your profile. Click the Share button. Click the Embed a map tab. Copy and paste the code into your contact page. A link to your Google Maps listing. A few years ago, Holly Starks conducted a case study to test whether driving directions affected local rankings. She set up Google Maps driving directions on 100 cell phones, put them in her car, and drove to the business. The results were dramatic. The business’s rankings jumped from the 20s to number 1. In the past, I recommended writing driving and walking directions on your contact page. Now, with Starks’ findings in mind, adding a link to your Google Maps listing with anchor text like “Get driving directions” is even better. It encourages people to use Google Maps driving directions and can increase engagement signals to your Business Profile. Accepted payments. Parking details. Including detailed business information helps customers contact and visit you and signals to traditional search engines and AI search tools that your business is legitimate and credible. Bonus tips for your contact form: Add a compelling call to action (you can use the same CTA throughout your page). Set up form conversion tracking. Avoid spam by including reCAPTCHA, using a plugin, requiring double opt-in, and formatting your email address so bots can’t read it (e.g., hello (at) domain (dot) com). Make sure your contact section matches your Google Business Profile as a signal of legitimacy. Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with 3. Trust factors and social proof Your contact page shouldn’t just tell people how to reach you. It should prove they’re making the right decision before they ever click or call. Clear expectations Be clear about what a customer can expect once they reach out to you and confirm they’ve made the right choice in contacting you: How long are response times? 24 hours? 2 business days? What are the next steps? What can they expect from your team? Is there any useful information you can give them about your team, your location, or anything else that sets you apart from your competitors? Experience and credentials Reinforce trust and increase your page’s conversion rate by listing any: Industry associations you’re a member of (locally and nationally). Local chamber of commerce groups. Professional groups and associations. Meetup groups. Neighborhood associations. Better Business Bureau rating. Tip: Link each association name to your business’s profile on its website. Dig deeper: Local SEO sprints: A 90-day plan for service businesses in 2026 Awards and accomplishments Include any awards your business has received or mentions in the press, and link each one to the relevant article or website. If you’ve been mentioned frequently in the press, you can create a dedicated media section on the page. Reviews and testimonials Embed reviews from other sites and include testimonials on your contact page to build trust. You can increase reviewers’ credibility by including their photos, names, cities, and a link to their websites or directly to the review platform they used. Be sure to include your overall review rating and total number of reviews. Remember, customers don’t expect your business to have a perfect 5-star rating. A rating around 4.7-4.9 signals you’re a real business, not one that’s purchased all its reviews. Customer reviews not only build trust and increase conversions, they also add unique, locally relevant content to the page, which is great for traditional and AI search performance. Tip: This section is also great for requesting reviews, since repeat customers might visit your contact page. Add a Google review request link with a call to action to generate more reviews for your Google Business Profile. Dig deeper: 7 local SEO wins you get from keyword-rich Google reviews Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 4. Location-specific content Create content that references local information and explains exactly what your business does, where it’s located, and why prospects should choose you. Here are some ideas for local content: Include photos and descriptions of your team members. Tell visitors about the customers you serve and your areas of expertise. If you’re located in a popular neighborhood or area, mention that in your content. Highlight any customer satisfaction guarantees or price-match policies. Mention any upcoming events, volunteer efforts, or relevant partnerships. Dig deeper: Top SEO tips for location-specific websites 5. Amenities Start by reviewing your Google Business Profile’s attributes section and consider listing those attributes on your contact page, such as whether the business is family- or women-owned, neurodivergent-friendly, or offers outdoor seating or home delivery. Then list any other attributes your business has that Google doesn’t provide as options. Detailed business attributes help search engines, LLMs, and customers understand that you meet specific needs. This can be especially useful for AI search, where people use more conversational queries, such as “Give me a list of cafes in Seattle that are wheelchair accessible and have free WiFi.” 6. A clear CTA button If you’re going to do all this work to make a killer contact page, don’t forget to put the cherry on top. Sprinkle strategically placed calls to action throughout the page to encourage visitors to contact you. Make them bright, animated, eye-catching, and convincing. Treat your contact page like a local SEO asset If you want a contact page that helps people reach out to you, informs search engines and LLMs about your business, and converts visitors into customers, treat it like a multi-location landing page. Save this list so you remember every section your contact page needs. Do this, and your contact page will outperform 99% of your competitors’ contact pages, because most businesses do a terrible job with them. View the full article

Home Depot’s fourth-quarter performance was muted by ongoing caution from American consumers in a weak housing market, but the home improvement retailer topped Wall Street expectations. The Atlanta company earned $2.57 billion, or $2.58 per share, for the three months ended Feb. 1. Stripping out one-time charges or benefits, earnings were $2.72 per share, topping analyst projections for per-share earnings of $2.53, according to FactSet. A year earlier it earned $3 billion, or $3.02 per share. An extra week in fiscal 2024 added approximately 30 cents per share to the year-ago quarter. Home Depot’s stock rose more than 3% before the market opened on Tuesday. Revenue totaled $38.2 billion, down from $39.7 billion a year earlier. The extra week in the prior-year period added about $2.5 billion of sales. Wall Street was looking for revenue of $38.09 billion. Sales at stores open at least a year, a key indicator of a retailer’s health, edged up 0.4%. In the U.S., comparable store sales climbed 0.3%. Chair and CEO Ted Decker said in a statement that Home Depot’s quarterly results “were largely in-line with our expectations, reflecting the lack of storm activity in the third quarter and ongoing consumer uncertainty and pressure in housing. Adjusting for storms, underlying demand was relatively stable throughout the year.” Customer transactions dropped 1.6% in the quarter. The amount shoppers spent rose to $91.28 per average receipt from $89.11 a year earlier. Home Depot and other retailers have seen customers cut back on their spending amid concerns about inflation and economic uncertainty. A frozen housing market has added to more tepid spending, particularly for Home Depot. The U.S. housing market has been in a slump dating back to 2022, the year mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows that fueled a homebuying frenzy at the start of this decade. And consumer confidence declined sharply in January, hitting the lowest level since 2014 as Americans grow increasingly concerned about their financial prospects. Neil Saunders, the managing director of GlobalData, said there has been a shift in the behavior of homeowners because of the housing market and the economy, with more people taking on smaller projects now. “The broader truth here is that Home Depot does best for big scale improvement tasks and major DIY jobs and is a major destination for consumers undertaking such work,” Saunders wrote Tuesday. “Unfortunately, the market did not play ball over the final quarter with the number of projects undertaken down by 1.5%, mostly driven by a sharp decline in bigger ticket projects, such as full remodels.” That sent more homeowners to local hardware stores, which can easily fulfill orders for smaller projects. For fiscal 2026, Home Depot anticipates adjusted earnings to be approximately flat to up 4% from fiscal 2025’s $14.69 per share. The company foresees total sales growth of about 2.5% to 4.5% and comparable sales growth to be approximately flat to up 2%. —Michelle Chapman, AP Business Writer View the full article

Threads doesn’t just reward replies — it was built for them. Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, has said this more than once, and he hasn’t minced words on it, either: "The sum of all your replies is about as valuable as the sum of all the value of all your posts," he told Platformer. Turns out, he wasn't exaggerating. We have data to back up just how powerful responding on Threads can be. Replying to comments on your Threads posts can boost engagement by around 42% — the highest lift we've seen across any platform — according to Buffer data scientist Julian Winternheimer's analysis of over 128,000 Threads posts. Julian found that when creators and brands engage back in their comments on Threads, their posts perform dramatically better relative to their own baseline. The platform's design actively rewards conversation in ways that other social networks don't. His analysis spanned other major platforms too, and while every single one saw an engagement boost from comment replies, the effect on Threads was significantly higher. LinkedIn, in the second spot, saw only (can we even say only here?) a 30% boost. Let's dig into what makes Threads different, how Julian analyzed the data, and what this means for how you show up on the platform. ✨Need help staying on top of all your Threads comments? Buffer's new Community feature pulls all your comments across platforms into a single dashboard. Get it free → Jump to a section: The analysis How replying to comments impacts Threads engagement Why Threads rewards replies more than any other platform How to stay on top of your comments on Threads Making comment engagement part of your Threads routine The analysisTo understand whether replying to comments actually moves the needle on Threads, Julian needed to account for a tricky reality: bigger accounts naturally get more engagement than smaller ones. Comparing them directly wouldn't tell us much. So instead of asking "Do accounts that reply perform better,” he asked: "Does the same account perform better on posts where it replies versus posts where it doesn't?" This approach — using what's called a fixed-effects regression model — lets us isolate the impact of replying by comparing each account to itself. All the variables that make accounts unique (follower count, niche, posting frequency) are already baked into the comparison. Julian also ran Z-score analyses as a cross-check. This measures how each post performed relative to that account's typical engagement — basically, did this post overperform or underperform compared to what's normal for that brand or creator? Both methods pointed to the same conclusion. And when you see that kind of consistency, it's hard to dismiss as random chance. A few things worth noting upfront: This is correlation, not guaranteed causation. It's possible that posts that naturally take off get more creator replies simply because there's more activity to respond to.That said, this pattern showed up across all six platforms Julian analyzed (Threads, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Bluesky), with lifts ranging from 5% to 42%. Threads topped the list by a significant margin.Julian's Threads dataset included over 128,000 posts, which gives us solid ground to stand on statistically.How replying to comments impacts Threads engagementPosts where creators replied to comments saw about 42% higher engagement on average — even after controlling for whether the post received any comments at all. Julian's analysis found that engagement wasn't just slightly higher for posts with replies — it was dramatically higher. Around two-thirds of profiles showed positive effects when they replied to comments. The Z-score analysis backed this up. Posts with creator replies consistently scored above an account's typical engagement level, while posts without replies sat below. What makes this particularly striking is the gap between Threads and other platforms. For comparison's sake, here’s a look at the impact on other platforms: Platform Engagement lift (vs. baseline) Threads +42% LinkedIn +30% Instagram +21% Facebook +9% Twitter/X +8% Bluesky +5% Why Threads rewards replies more than any other platformCritics were quick to dismiss Threads as a Twitter copycat at its initial launch in 2023. But three years on, the platform has amassed over 400 million monthly active users. It’s become clear that Threads was, as Meta promised, designed from the ground up to prioritize conversation over broadcasting. The platform wants to be a place where people connect with each other, not just shout into the void. The platform's architecture makes this really clear: replies get the same visual weight as original posts. When you scroll through your feed, a thoughtful reply sits at the same level as the post that sparked it. "Elevating the reply to the same level as the original post allows for much more robust, diverse discourse," Mosseri explained in an interview with The Verge. "Which is part of the reason we didn't just try to shove this thing into the feed on Instagram or a separate tab." The result is a platform where conversation is rewarded algorithmically. Here's what happens when you reply to comments on Threads: You extend the thread's lifespan: Each reply adds to the post's total engagement signals, which tells Threads' algorithm that this conversation is worth showing to more people. A post with active discussion stays in feeds longer than one that collected a few likes and went quiet. You signal relationship strength: Threads pays attention to who interacts with whom. When you consistently engage with someone's comments, the platform learns that connection matters — and is more likely to show your future posts to them (and theirs to you). You model the behavior you want to see: When people see you actually participating in the conversation you started, they're more likely to jump in themselves. It creates a virtuous cycle where engagement begets more engagement. How to stay on top of your comments on ThreadsMosseri's advice to "reply much more than you post" sounds great in theory. In practice, it can feel a little overwhelming — especially if you're used to platforms where posting is the primary activity and engagement is secondary. Here's how to think about it differently on Threads: Don't think of your posts as finished products: Every post is an invitation to chat. Think of them as conversation starters. The real work (and the real opportunity) happens in the replies. Your replies don't need to be long: Sometimes "Exactly!" or "I hadn't thought about it that way" is enough to keep a thread going. The goal is to participate in conversation rather than be the dominant voice. Engage beyond your own posts: Mosseri has also emphasized the value of replying to other people's posts, not just comments on your own. When you add thoughtful replies to posts from people in your niche or community, you're increasing your visibility while building relationships. Watch the ratio: If you're posting 5 times a day but only replying to a handful of comments, you're missing Threads' core mechanic. Try flipping that: maybe post 2-3 times and spend the rest of your time engaging with others. This feels quite different from how most of us were taught to use social media. But Threads isn't most social media platforms! Making comment engagement part of your Threads routineThe 42% engagement boost is compelling. But only if you can actually sustain the habit of replying consistently. Here's what's worked for me (and what hasn't): Treat Threads like a (really big) group chat: I check Threads more frequently than I check LinkedIn or Instagram, but for shorter bursts. Five minutes here, ten minutes there. I'm not scheduling posts and walking away — I'm popping in, seeing what's happening, adding to conversations. Reply first, post second: When I open Threads, my first move is to check notifications and reply to comments on my recent posts. Only after that do I consider posting something new. This keeps me from falling into the trap of churning out content without actually engaging. Don't let perfect be the enemy of done: Some days I write thoughtful, paragraph-long replies. Other days it's something lighter, like a thought paired with a GIF (peak millennial, I know). Both contribute to the conversation. Both signal to Threads that I'm present. Use Buffer's Community feature to stay organized: As someone juggling multiple platforms, having all my comments in one place has been a lifesaver. I can see which Threads posts have unanswered comments without opening the app and getting sucked into scrolling. It's free for up to 3 platforms, and it includes a Comment Score that tracks your reply consistency over time. Set realistic expectations: You don't need to reply to every single comment to see results. Around two-thirds of accounts in Julian's study saw positive effects, which suggests that even moderate engagement makes a difference. The key is consistency, not perfection. Threads was built for repliesJulian's cross-platform study analyzed nearly 2 million posts, and Threads' 42% engagement lift stands alone at the top. Threads really was built for replies: The architecture, the algorithm, the culture... everything points toward conversation being the primary activity rather than an afterthought. If you're trying to grow on Threads, the math is pretty straightforward: spend more time engaging than broadcasting. Reply to comments on your posts. Reply to other people's posts. Keep conversations going. The 42% boost isn't guaranteed for every post or every account, but the odds are strongly in your favor if you're willing to treat Threads like the conversation platform it was designed to be. ✨Get access to Community, along with all of Buffer's planning and scheduling features, for free for up to 3 social platforms. Get started in under 1 min →More Threads resourcesThe Best Time to Post on Threads in 2026 — Data from 2.5M PostsHow to Get More Followers on Threads: 10 Tactics to Help You GrowThe Top Threads Features + How to Use ThemEverything I’m Trying to Grow to 1,000 Followers on ThreadsView the full article

If you’re looking to save on quality tools, Home Depot‘s DeWalt promo codes offer some impressive opportunities. You can save up to 40% on select electric tools and access exclusive bundle deals that can cut costs by 30%. Daily deals might even provide discounts of up to 60%. Plus, Pro Xtra members receive additional perks. Curious about limited-time offers on accessories? There’s more to uncover that could improve your savings even further. Key Takeaways Sign up for email alerts to receive the latest DeWalt promo codes and exclusive offers at Home Depot. Utilize seasonal promotions to stack with existing codes for maximum savings on DeWalt tools. Join Pro Xtra to access exclusive discounts of 5-15% on DeWalt products and bulk pricing. Check daily deals for discounts up to 60% on select DeWalt items and combine with other promotions. Look for limited-time offers on accessories with discounts of up to 30% or more during major sales. Save Up to 40% on Select DeWalt Power Tools Home Depot frequently offers up to 40% off select DeWalt power tools, making it an excellent opportunity for contractors and DIY enthusiasts to improve their tool collection without breaking the bank. These home store deals are particularly appealing as they allow you to save considerably on a variety of energy tools, including drills and saws. You can stack Home Depot DeWalt promo codes with seasonal promotions to maximize your savings, further reducing your total costs. Moreover, keep an eye out for special buys that might include extra discounts or even free tools with qualifying purchases. To stay updated on the latest offers, consider signing up for Home Depot’s email alerts. This way, you’ll gain access to exclusive promo codes and further savings opportunities throughout the year. By taking advantage of these promotions, you can boost your toolkit while maintaining your budget effectively. Exclusive DeWalt Bundle Deals for Maximum Savings For those looking to maximize savings on their tool purchases, exclusive DeWalt bundle deals at Home Depot present a valuable opportunity. These bundles can save you up to 30% when you buy a combination of crucial tools. Typically, you’ll find items like drills, impact drivers, and saws, often accompanied by batteries and chargers, which improve both value and convenience. Furthermore, special promotions may include free tools or accessories with qualifying purchases, further increasing your savings. Seasonal events, like Black Friday, highlight limited-time DeWalt bundle offers, making it an ideal moment to invest in quality tools at reduced prices. Pro Xtra members likewise gain access to exclusive discounts on these bundles, which can greatly benefit contractors and regular shoppers. Bundle Type Potential Savings Basic Tool Set 20% off Advanced Tool Set 30% off Seasonal Promo Free accessory Daily Deals: Get Up to 60% Off DeWalt Items Daily Deals at Home Depot offer you the chance to save up to 60% on select DeWalt items, making it an excellent opportunity to upgrade your tool collection. These promotions are perfect for both professionals and DIY enthusiasts looking for high-quality tools at a fraction of the cost. Make sure to check out the following items often included in the Daily Deals: DeWalt drills DeWalt saws DeWalt tool sets Other crucial DeWalt accessories Discounts on DeWalt items can vary, so visiting the website regularly is a smart move to snag the best offers. The Daily Deals section updates frequently, ensuring you have access to the latest promotions. To maximize your savings, consider combining these deals with other promotions, such as seasonal sales or membership discounts, for even greater discounts on DeWalt tools. Pro Xtra Members Enjoy Additional Discounts on DeWalt If you’re a Pro Xtra member, you’ll find that additional discounts on DeWalt products can greatly improve your savings. Home Depot offers exclusive discounts ranging from 5% to 15% on high-quality DeWalt tools. Plus, you can benefit from special bulk pricing on over 4,000 products, making your purchases even more cost-effective. Here’s a quick overview of the savings you can access: Discount Type Details Exclusive Discounts 5-15% off on DeWalt products Bulk Pricing Special rates on over 4,000 items Price Matching Extra 10% off if you find a lower price Additionally, as a member, you earn rewards points on every purchase, which can be used for future DeWalt buys. Regular promotions and the Pro Special Buy of the Week often feature even more discounted options, ensuring you always get the best deal. Limited-Time Offers on DeWalt Accessories and Equipment Limited-time offers on DeWalt accessories and equipment can provide you with substantial savings, especially when you take advantage of Home Depot’s exclusive promo codes. These promotions often feature significant discounts, making it a great time to stock up on crucial tools. Consider the following benefits of these limited-time offers: Discounts up to 30% on various DeWalt accessories and equipment. Special bundles that include free accessories when you buy select tools. Seasonal promotions with discounts reaching up to 40% during major sales events. Daily deals in the Special Buy of the Day section, sometimes offering savings of 50% or more. To maximize your savings, sign up for Home Depot newsletters for instant access to exclusive promo codes and notifications on these limited-time offers. This way, you’ll stay informed and never miss a chance to save on high-quality DeWalt products. Frequently Asked Questions How to Get Home Depot Promo Codes? To get Home Depot promo codes, start by signing up for their email newsletter, which often offers immediate discounts. Check the “Special Offers” section on their website for current promotions. Follow Home Depot on social media for flash sales and exclusive codes. Consider joining the Pro Xtra program for personalized discounts. Finally, pay attention to seasonal sales events, like Black Friday, where you can find significant discounts and promo codes. Do Professionals Get a Discount at Home Depot? Yes, professionals can get discounts at Home Depot. Through the Pro Xtra loyalty program, registered users receive exclusive savings ranging from 5-15% on bulk purchases and special pricing on thousands of products. If you’re an active-duty service member, veteran, or spouse, you can furthermore access a 10% military discount after verifying your status. In addition, Home Depot offers price matching with an extra 10% off for in-store purchases, enhancing your savings potential greatly. What Discounts Does Home Depot Give? Home Depot offers various discounts, including seasonal sales that can provide up to 40% off on select tools and equipment. You can likewise take advantage of significant savings on energy tool combo kits, with discounts reaching $150. If you join the Pro Xtra program, you might receive 5-15% off bulk purchases. Furthermore, signing up for email newsletters often gives you immediate discounts, like $5 off your first purchase, enhancing your shopping experience. How to Get a Home Depot Contractor Discount? To get a Home Depot contractor discount, you should sign up for the Pro Xtra loyalty program. This program offers volume pricing discounts ranging from 5-15% on eligible purchases. Once registered, you’ll gain access to exclusive mobile coupons, early sales events, and a price match guarantee, which includes an extra 10% off competitor prices. Regularly check the Pro Xtra section for additional offers and discounts available only to members, maximizing your savings. Conclusion In conclusion, taking advantage of Home Depot’s DeWalt promo codes can lead to substantial savings on quality tools. With discounts of up to 40% on select electric tools, exclusive bundle deals, and daily offers reaching 60% off, there are numerous opportunities to save. Pro Xtra members benefit from additional discounts, whereas limited-time accessory deals can improve your toolkit at reduced prices. Staying informed through email alerts can help you never miss a great offer. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Must-Have Home Depot DeWalt Promo Codes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re looking to save on quality tools, Home Depot‘s DeWalt promo codes offer some impressive opportunities. You can save up to 40% on select electric tools and access exclusive bundle deals that can cut costs by 30%. Daily deals might even provide discounts of up to 60%. Plus, Pro Xtra members receive additional perks. Curious about limited-time offers on accessories? There’s more to uncover that could improve your savings even further. Key Takeaways Sign up for email alerts to receive the latest DeWalt promo codes and exclusive offers at Home Depot. Utilize seasonal promotions to stack with existing codes for maximum savings on DeWalt tools. Join Pro Xtra to access exclusive discounts of 5-15% on DeWalt products and bulk pricing. Check daily deals for discounts up to 60% on select DeWalt items and combine with other promotions. Look for limited-time offers on accessories with discounts of up to 30% or more during major sales. Save Up to 40% on Select DeWalt Power Tools Home Depot frequently offers up to 40% off select DeWalt power tools, making it an excellent opportunity for contractors and DIY enthusiasts to improve their tool collection without breaking the bank. These home store deals are particularly appealing as they allow you to save considerably on a variety of energy tools, including drills and saws. You can stack Home Depot DeWalt promo codes with seasonal promotions to maximize your savings, further reducing your total costs. Moreover, keep an eye out for special buys that might include extra discounts or even free tools with qualifying purchases. To stay updated on the latest offers, consider signing up for Home Depot’s email alerts. This way, you’ll gain access to exclusive promo codes and further savings opportunities throughout the year. By taking advantage of these promotions, you can boost your toolkit while maintaining your budget effectively. Exclusive DeWalt Bundle Deals for Maximum Savings For those looking to maximize savings on their tool purchases, exclusive DeWalt bundle deals at Home Depot present a valuable opportunity. These bundles can save you up to 30% when you buy a combination of crucial tools. Typically, you’ll find items like drills, impact drivers, and saws, often accompanied by batteries and chargers, which improve both value and convenience. Furthermore, special promotions may include free tools or accessories with qualifying purchases, further increasing your savings. Seasonal events, like Black Friday, highlight limited-time DeWalt bundle offers, making it an ideal moment to invest in quality tools at reduced prices. Pro Xtra members likewise gain access to exclusive discounts on these bundles, which can greatly benefit contractors and regular shoppers. Bundle Type Potential Savings Basic Tool Set 20% off Advanced Tool Set 30% off Seasonal Promo Free accessory Daily Deals: Get Up to 60% Off DeWalt Items Daily Deals at Home Depot offer you the chance to save up to 60% on select DeWalt items, making it an excellent opportunity to upgrade your tool collection. These promotions are perfect for both professionals and DIY enthusiasts looking for high-quality tools at a fraction of the cost. Make sure to check out the following items often included in the Daily Deals: DeWalt drills DeWalt saws DeWalt tool sets Other crucial DeWalt accessories Discounts on DeWalt items can vary, so visiting the website regularly is a smart move to snag the best offers. The Daily Deals section updates frequently, ensuring you have access to the latest promotions. To maximize your savings, consider combining these deals with other promotions, such as seasonal sales or membership discounts, for even greater discounts on DeWalt tools. Pro Xtra Members Enjoy Additional Discounts on DeWalt If you’re a Pro Xtra member, you’ll find that additional discounts on DeWalt products can greatly improve your savings. Home Depot offers exclusive discounts ranging from 5% to 15% on high-quality DeWalt tools. Plus, you can benefit from special bulk pricing on over 4,000 products, making your purchases even more cost-effective. Here’s a quick overview of the savings you can access: Discount Type Details Exclusive Discounts 5-15% off on DeWalt products Bulk Pricing Special rates on over 4,000 items Price Matching Extra 10% off if you find a lower price Additionally, as a member, you earn rewards points on every purchase, which can be used for future DeWalt buys. Regular promotions and the Pro Special Buy of the Week often feature even more discounted options, ensuring you always get the best deal. Limited-Time Offers on DeWalt Accessories and Equipment Limited-time offers on DeWalt accessories and equipment can provide you with substantial savings, especially when you take advantage of Home Depot’s exclusive promo codes. These promotions often feature significant discounts, making it a great time to stock up on crucial tools. Consider the following benefits of these limited-time offers: Discounts up to 30% on various DeWalt accessories and equipment. Special bundles that include free accessories when you buy select tools. Seasonal promotions with discounts reaching up to 40% during major sales events. Daily deals in the Special Buy of the Day section, sometimes offering savings of 50% or more. To maximize your savings, sign up for Home Depot newsletters for instant access to exclusive promo codes and notifications on these limited-time offers. This way, you’ll stay informed and never miss a chance to save on high-quality DeWalt products. Frequently Asked Questions How to Get Home Depot Promo Codes? To get Home Depot promo codes, start by signing up for their email newsletter, which often offers immediate discounts. Check the “Special Offers” section on their website for current promotions. Follow Home Depot on social media for flash sales and exclusive codes. Consider joining the Pro Xtra program for personalized discounts. Finally, pay attention to seasonal sales events, like Black Friday, where you can find significant discounts and promo codes. Do Professionals Get a Discount at Home Depot? Yes, professionals can get discounts at Home Depot. Through the Pro Xtra loyalty program, registered users receive exclusive savings ranging from 5-15% on bulk purchases and special pricing on thousands of products. If you’re an active-duty service member, veteran, or spouse, you can furthermore access a 10% military discount after verifying your status. In addition, Home Depot offers price matching with an extra 10% off for in-store purchases, enhancing your savings potential greatly. What Discounts Does Home Depot Give? Home Depot offers various discounts, including seasonal sales that can provide up to 40% off on select tools and equipment. You can likewise take advantage of significant savings on energy tool combo kits, with discounts reaching $150. If you join the Pro Xtra program, you might receive 5-15% off bulk purchases. Furthermore, signing up for email newsletters often gives you immediate discounts, like $5 off your first purchase, enhancing your shopping experience. How to Get a Home Depot Contractor Discount? To get a Home Depot contractor discount, you should sign up for the Pro Xtra loyalty program. This program offers volume pricing discounts ranging from 5-15% on eligible purchases. Once registered, you’ll gain access to exclusive mobile coupons, early sales events, and a price match guarantee, which includes an extra 10% off competitor prices. Regularly check the Pro Xtra section for additional offers and discounts available only to members, maximizing your savings. Conclusion In conclusion, taking advantage of Home Depot’s DeWalt promo codes can lead to substantial savings on quality tools. With discounts of up to 40% on select electric tools, exclusive bundle deals, and daily offers reaching 60% off, there are numerous opportunities to save. Pro Xtra members benefit from additional discounts, whereas limited-time accessory deals can improve your toolkit at reduced prices. Staying informed through email alerts can help you never miss a great offer. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "5 Must-Have Home Depot DeWalt Promo Codes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 were designed with workouts in mind, but their $249.99 list price has made them a harder sell unless you really value a locked-in fit. Right now, however, Grade-A refurbished pairs are $159.99 at Woot. For comparison, new units are listed at around $212 on Amazon, and used pairs are about $168. According to price trackers, the previous low was about $179.95, so this dip is roughly $20 below that mark. All told, that’s a $90 discount if you don’t mind a pre-owned device that has been tested and verified to work as intended. Prime members also get free shipping, while non-Prime customers pay a $6 fee. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $159.99 at Woot $249.99 Save $90.00 Get Deal Get Deal $159.99 at Woot $249.99 Save $90.00 The adjustable ear hooks of these earbuds keep them secure during runs, strength training, or high-impact workouts, and the IPX4 rating means sweat and light splashes won’t cause problems. The sound leans bold, with strong bass that keeps pace with hip-hop and electronic playlists. Active noise canceling reduces background noise at the gym, while transparency mode lets you hear traffic and announcements during outdoor runs. They also pair easily with Apple devices and support features similar to AirPods, though in a design that is more secure for exercise. For more on how these stack up in Apple’s ecosystem, see Senior Technology Editor Jake Peterson’s coverage of the Powerbeats Pro 2 fitness features in iOS 26. Setup is simple, though if you need help with it, you can follow Lifehacker’s guide on how to configure every feature of your Powerbeats Pro 2. Battery life runs about eight to 10 hours per charge, and the case stretches total listening time to roughly 45 hours. That said, the built-in heart rate tracking is not flawless. Our Senior Health Editor, Beth Skwarecki, found it did not always sync reliably, especially when an iPhone was juggling workout apps and music at the same time. There is also no companion equalizer app, so you cannot tweak the sound profile beyond what Beats has tuned. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $157.90 (List Price $179.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $329.00 (List Price $349.00) Google Pixel 10a 128GB 6.3" Unlocked Smartphone + $100 Gift Card — $499.00 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $299.99 (List Price $599.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Gray) — $379.99 (List Price $499.99) Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $99.99 (List Price $119.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

It’s another bad day for Bitcoin. Over the past 24 hours, the digital token has declined nearly 4.5%, putting it just above $63,000 and within range of its 52-week low. But this time, Bitcoin’s fall seems to have nothing to do with the token itself—or the broader cryptocurrency market. Rather, its steep drop seems to be driven by three unrelated factors, to varying degrees. Here’s what you need to know: Bitcoin approaches 2026 and 12-month lows Since Bitcoin hit an all-time high of just over $126,000 per coin in October, the digital token poster child has had a dramatic fall from grace. The coin’s momentum, which seemed unstoppable last fall, has sharply reversed course. At its current price of around $63,192, it is now down 50% from its all-time high. And this isn’t even the worst drop that Bitcoin has suffered recently. Earlier this month, Bitcoin fell to $62,353 before rebounding. Now, Bitcoin is again within touching distance of this February’s low. To be fair to Bitcoin, it isn’t the only major cryptocurrency seeing steep declines over the past 24 hours. Here’s how Bitcoin compares to other major coins as of the time of this writing: Bitcoin: down 4.5% Ethereum: down 4.7% BNB: down 3.2% XRP: down 4.5% Crypto de-risking may be a driving factor Why are all these tokens down so much over the past 24 hours? Interestingly, the fall seems to have little to do with the cryptocurrencies themselves. Instead, today’s crypto decline seems to be spurred by de-risking activity. “De-risking” is when investors take their money out of high-risk, volatile assets, by selling those assets and investing the proceeds of those sales into other assets that are considered lower risk, and thus less volatile. Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general are high-risk, volatile assets because their prices can swing widely over a short period of time (hello, today’s drops and Bitcoin’s 50% fall over the last six months). Besides cryptocurrencies, other high-risk, volatile assets can include various types of stocks—like those in the tech sector. In contrast, safe-haven, low-volatility assets include things like gold and government bonds. High-risk, volatile assets can see their prices swing wildly in response to external factors unrelated to the assets themselves. These swings occur because external factors can introduce significant uncertainty into markets. Uncertainty can lead to losses, so investors try to mitigate future losses by selling high-risk assets to lock in any gains or prevent further declines from affecting their portfolio. And over the past 24 hours, there has been a hat trick of external uncertainties that is likely leading some crypto investors to derisk. The President’s new tariffs, Iran, and AI are weighing on investors’ minds Over the past 24 hours, three events have occurred that risk injecting significant uncertainty into the economy, and they are likely weighing heavily on the minds of crypto investors. Most significantly of the three is that The President’s new tariffs are now in effect. Last week, the president suffered a dramatic loss when the Supreme Court struck down his signature tariff policy, and thus, the majority of his Liberation Day tariffs could no longer be collected. In response, The President vowed to use other methods to impose tariffs on countries around the world. Those tariffs, of up to 15%, are now in effect. However, in many cases, the new tariffs’ timeframe may be limited to just 150 days without additional approval from Congress, which the legislative body may or may not give. All this is causing great uncertainty for businesses and governments, and ultimately risks impacting the economy and markets—again. Also, in the past 24 hours, America is closer than ever to invading Iran. The President administration officials are due to meet Iranian counterparts in Geneva on Thursday, and if those talks fail, many fear that the president will make good on his threat to attack the country. Many experts say a war with Iran could be a prolonged one, and prolonged wars have habits of negatively impacting the global economy. Finally, yesterday, an announcement from Anthropic spooked investors in legacy SaaS (software-as-a-service) companies. As reported by CNBC, Anthropic announced that its Claude AI could now modernize legacy COBOL systems. COBOL is a computer programming language that has been around since the 1950s and is still the backbone of most corporate systems. After Anthoripic’s announcement, shares in IBM sank, as IBM generates significant revenue from maintaining these legacy COBOL systems. Now Anthoripic says its Claude tools can quickly “Identify [COBOL] risks that would take human analysts months to surface.” As a result, IBM shares dropped 13%. But Anthropic’s news also spooked investors with significant holdings in legacy software companies. Tech stocks can already be volatile, and more proof that AI could have a significant impact on legacy tech companies sent shivers down investors’ spines. Given the triple uncertainties of tariffs, Iran, and AI, it’s no wonder why investors seem to be de-risking from volatile assets like Bitcoin in an attempt to protect their gains or prevent further portfolio losses. View the full article

Technical SEO “best practices” increasingly reflect CMS and plugin defaults, not individual site decisions, according to 2025 HTTP Archive analysis. The post Web Almanac Data Reveals CMS Plugins Are Setting Technical SEO Standards (Not SEOs) appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said the central bank should focus on getting inflation to its 2% target before making any additional cuts to short-term interest rates. View the full article

How often do you review your PPC ad copy? Not just analyzing the performance of each asset within the ad platform, but also reviewing your ads in the context of how they appear next to competitor ads? Are you using the exact same messaging as your competitors? Does your offer stand out from theirs? Which ads are bland and generic, and which provide concrete calls to action and compelling selling points? Let’s walk through several tips for writing paid search copy that stands out in search results and converts customers for your brand. 1. Think about how assets will appear together, not just individually When you’re writing Responsive Search Ads, it’s easy to fall into the trap of simply filling in all 15 headline options and all four descriptions. However, if each headline essentially says the same thing with slightly different wording, your ad copy will appear bland and repetitive in the SERP when two or three headlines are shown together. For instance, if this example ad showed the following, it would be less helpful: “Project Management Software – Project Management Solution – Project Management” Instead, it says: “Project Management Software – Trusted by 3 Million Users” If you want to test multiple headlines with slightly different wording, pin them to the same position so the ad platform can rotate between them, but not show both at the same time. Zoho appears to be doing this by using both “Preferred by 3 Million Users” and “Trusted by 3 Million Users” as options. Dig deeper: The anatomy of compelling search ad copy 2. Don’t obsess over ad strength The visibility of the ad strength rating looms over every Google Ads account. Don’t let chasing an Excellent score consume your focus. Focus more on making sure each headline and description speaks accurately to your benefit points than on including the maximum number of each. Pinning may negatively impact ad strength, but as discussed above, it can help make your messaging cleaner. 3. Use AI as a partner, but don’t blindly outsource all your copy to AI Google and Microsoft make ad writing easy, generating text for all your ad assets with a single click. Your LLM of choice can also spin out halfway acceptable copy with the right prompt. These tools can provide a helpful starting point, but they shouldn’t be the final result you use without careful review. Don’t skip the human touch when reviewing the copy you get back. Problems can range from copy that doesn’t reflect your brand voice to flat-out inaccuracies. In industries such as finance and healthcare, where legal guidelines matter, AI-generated copy may not be compliance-friendly. Dig deeper: How to write high-performing Google Ads copy with generative AI Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 4. Include value propositions, and back them up It’s not enough to claim that you’re the “Best Local Contractor” in your area. Think of concrete ways to reinforce superlative statements like this. For instance, “Voted Best Local Contractor by [News Outlet]” provides a tangible source for the claim. Mention awards or rankings from organizations your prospective customers are likely to recognize. Incorporating numbers, where possible, also helps bring credibility to your messaging claims. Years in business. If you’ve been around a long time, stating this positions you well against newer players in the market. Number of customers served. Number of locations for physical businesses. Number of connectors for a software product. Number of active users. Number of trips booked. Number of properties managed. One word of caution: If you include numbers that are likely to change over time, such as how many customers you serve, revisit them periodically and update them for accuracy. Ranges are fine, too, for example, “Over 500 Locations.” 5. Highlight ease of effort In today’s busy culture, saving time and hassle can be one of your biggest selling points. Think about where the product or service you’re promoting can reduce effort for your target audience. Open an account in 10 minutes. Complete your application online. Schedule a same-day appointment. Conduct your consultation remotely. Repairs done while you wait. Make sure you can back up what you promise here, and consider whether current customer reviews reflect the experience your claims describe. Dig deeper: How to assemble captivating Google Ads copy Your customers search everywhere. Make sure your brand shows up. The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need. Start Free Trial Get started with 6. Offer a ‘free’ hook Just like free samples at Trader Joe’s, mentions of “free” in ad copy immediately draw a user’s attention. What can you offer as a free entry point for potential customers? Free demo. Free trial. Bonus for new customers. Free college application. Free quote. Free content, such as ebooks, whitepapers, or webinars. Whether it’s a trial of a software product or a free visit to your home to assess what’s needed for pest control, this type of offer can be what convinces prospects to fill out a form and enter your sales funnel. For instance, Strayer University highlights, “Pass 3 Bachelor’s Courses, Earn 1 Tuition Free.” In an age of skyrocketing college costs, that’s an attractive reason to click and learn more. 7. Turn off automated assets If you’re not careful with your account settings, Google and Microsoft can automatically generate assets, from ad copy to sitelinks, without your review. That can create concerns for compliance and for overall messaging accuracy. Make sure you turn off this option at the account level to avoid issues with unwanted copy or unexpected links to irrelevant pages. Dig deeper: When to trust Google Ads AI and when you shouldn’t 8. Highlight pricing where it makes sense for your brand When people are comparison shopping, they usually want quick visibility into cost. Of course, providing pricing may be more or less straightforward depending on your business, and price isn’t always a primary selling point for every brand. If you’re in an industry where showing a cost is simple, including it in your ad copy can help. When your pricing is competitive, mentioning it helps you stand out. If your pricing is higher than most competitors, showing that cost may help filter out people you don’t want clicking your ads. For example, lower-priced competitors may cater to small businesses, while your company serves enterprise-level organizations that need more robust solutions. If you offer multiple price tiers or clearly defined costs for different services, consider using price assets to highlight them. For example, you might break out cost by number of users for a SaaS product. 9. Mention locations in regional campaigns If your business serves a particular region, mention locations in your ad copy to create a local connection. For example, if you just opened a new store in Buckwheat County, including “Now Open in Buckwheat County” can help appeal to users in that area. Your ad will likely stand out against national brands running generic messaging. You can set up ad groups based on regional keywords and tweak your headlines to reference those locations. Also consider using location insertion to dynamically include regions in your copy. Dig deeper: Localization in Google Ads: How to structure multi-market campaigns 10. Review and revise your ad copy Now that we’ve covered ways to improve your paid search copy, take a moment to review your current ads. Where can you better think through how assets combine? What value propositions aren’t you mentioning yet? How can you tailor your wording more directly to customers’ concerns, such as by highlighting pricing or regions? Start creating new copy variants and testing them to improve your PPC performance. Your ad doesn’t compete in isolation — it competes in the SERP Paid search success isn’t about filling every field or chasing an Excellent ad strength score. It’s about how your messaging appears next to competitors in the SERP. Review your ads in context. Look at how assets combine. Strengthen value propositions, highlight what makes you different, and test new variations. If your ad sounds like everyone else’s, it won’t stand out. Make sure it does. View the full article

Neuroscientists have found birding is actually a brain hack. A new study published in JNeurosci, the Journal of Neuroscience found birdwatching may actually alter the structure and function of your brain—what is known as neuroplasticity—effectively helping to boost cognitive abilities, especially in more seasoned bird watchers. “Our brains are very malleable,” lead researcher Erik Wing, a research associate at York University in Toronto, explained. Wait, what exactly is neuroplasticity? Neuroplasticity is basically the process or way your brain learns, creates memory, and adapts to experiences and trauma, according to Psychology Today. Research shows that while the brain changes and develops the most in childhood, it continues to do so throughout your life. Today, neuroscientists see the brain as a dynamic and flexible organ, one that can “reorganize connections” through “wiring” and “rewiring.” How bird watching helps your brain The new study of 58 adults compared the brains of 29 expert birders (ages 24 to 75), and 29 beginners around the same age. It found something interesting: The MRIs of the expert birders’ brains had more density when it came to areas governing perception and attention, than those of the novices. Again, they didn’t divide the two groups based on a person’s age—but based on their birding knowledge and expertise. Birding, which involves deep concentration and the ability to identify different birds, alters brain activity and structure in the same way becoming an expert musician or athlete does. That’s because they all require extensive brain training. So, what did the study conclude? In short, it found the process of becoming an expert birder boosted brain cognition. And while it doesn’t stop brain aging, it does suggest that it could help minimize age-related declines in the future. View the full article

Microsoft has implemented and continues to deploy mitigations against prompt injection attacks in Copilot, the company announced last week. Spammers were using the "Summarize with AI" type of buttons to trick AI engines into believing or trusting a specific company or response.View the full article

One of the many constitutional duties of the president is giving a State of the Union address to Congress. Article II, Section 3 only mandates that this act happen “from time to time,” but it has become an annual event. Tuesday, February 24, will technically mark President The President’s first State of the Union address of his second term—even though he lectured Congress in 2025. That speech was labeled an “address to a joint session of Congress,” so The President could speak on his goals for his second term. Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s SOTU address. What topics could The President speak about? Most pundits agree, the economy will be front and center. President The President even teased this himself last Wednesday, February 18, at the White House. “Watch the State of the Union. We’re going to be talking about the economy. We inherited a mess,” he stated. This could mean he will spend some time blaming his predecessor President Joe Biden for the country’s ills. Vice President JD Vance also confirmed that economics will take precedence. “You’re going to hear a lot about the importance of bringing jobs back into our country, of reshoring manufacturing, of all these great factories that are being built,” he explained in a Fox News interview. Recent polling shows the need for The President to tackle this important issue ahead of the midterm elections. According to a recent Associated Press NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey, only 39% of American adults approve of his economic leadership. He loses a percentage point for immigration. Add these low numbers predate Friday’s Supreme Court ruling, which declared that some of The President’s tariffs exceeded executive powers. Either way, The President is going into the State of the Union with low poll numbers. Are Democrats boycotting the SOTU? The Democratic party is expected to display varying acts of dissent during The President’s State of the Union Address. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries plans to attend, but outlined his expectations for his fellow party members. “Either attend with silent defiance” or “not attend,” he instructed. He doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s ejection of Texas Representative Al Green. Many are taking the second option, including Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut; and representatives Greg Casar of Texas and Pramila Jayapal of Washington. These lawmakers are instead attending another event, the “People’s State of the Union,” organized by MoveOn and MeidasTouch. This will take place on the National Mall. Another counter-programming event will be held at the National Press Club: It’s is being called the “State of the Swamp.” Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is scheduled to appear. Additionally, Senator Patty Murray of Washington is planning on meeting with constituents instead. Who is giving the Democratic response? After President The President has his say, the Democrats have their turn to speak. This year, they have elected Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia to represent their interests. She is a vocal The President critic and is not expected to hold back. Senator Alex Padilla of California will give the Democratic Spanish-language response. Who is giving the Progressive response? Democrat Representative Summer Lee of Pennsylvania will also speak. She will give the Working Families Party’s response. Since American politics is dominated by a two-party system, this progressive group allows members to be a part of another party while also closely aligning with Democrats. How to stream the SOTU live The State of the Union 2026 speech is scheduled to begin tonight (Tuesday, February 24) 9 p.m. ET. Most major networks such as NBC, CBS, and ABC will cover the speech, as will major cable networks including C-SPAN. If you have an over-the-air antenna, you can watch it for free on a broadcast network or PBS. Traditional cable subscribers are also covered. You can also find SOTU 2026 on live-TV streaming services such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. Last but not least, you can easily live-stream the State of the Union speech for free on the YouTube channel of PBS News. We’ve embedded that video below. View the full article

Google reportedly updated its Google Ads support contact form to add a disclaimer and checkbox to say you authorize "Google Ads specialist on behalf of your company to make the changes above directly to your company's Google Ads account to reproduce and troubleshoot the issue."View the full article

Microsoft Advertising is testing an update to the shopping ads carousel that can show multiple images in a single card. Essentially, you are seeing a carousel within a carousel for Bing shopping ads.View the full article

Apparent network of energy companies’ vast reach revealed by FTView the full article

A cabinet of sycophants makes an already erratic US president a greater threatView the full article

Google is testing removing the dates from the articles shown in the Google Discover feed. This is a limited test, Google confirmed, to see the impact of removing the date value.View the full article