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If you're tired of X and Threads, it might be time to move to greener, or perhaps bluer, pastures. Lifehacker's own Joel Cunningham moved to Bluesky way back in 2024, and since then, a lot of our writers and editors have followed suit and are living it up over on the butterfly site. It turns out that, with the right platform, it's possible to like social media again. Bluesky is quite unlike most other social media networks. You have a lot of control over who sees your posts and how they reply to them, plus you can block and mute users en masse and tweak moderation settings just so. If you're new to Bluesky, or if you've just been using the default settings, it's time to dig deeper into all the ways you can customize your experience. Use starter packs to find people to follow Credit: Khamosh Pathak If you've just started using Bluesky, your feed will feel quite light, especially if you want to venture outside of the algorithmically driven Discover feed and look at what makes the app unique. But there are ways to get past this issue. Bluesky calls them Starter Packs, and anyone can create and share them. Starter Packs are essentially lists of profiles that you can follow with just one click. A website like Bluesky Starter Pack is a great place to discover these packs, since it lets you search and filter based on your interests or even which accounts are the most popular. Open a Starter Pack and click the Follow All button if you want to follow everyone in the list. Or, you can open a Starter Pick and pick and choose people to follow individually. Find and pin feeds Credit: Khamosh Pathak Bluesky really encourages you to go outside of your typical network of mutuals, and that's why there's a Feeds section in the sidebar. Anyone in the community can build a custom feed, and you can subscribe to it with just a click. That means you don't have to stick to the usual defaults, like your Following feed, and can instead browse through posts however you wish. Bluesky has a few algorithmically generated feeds like Discover and Popular with Friends, but the vast majority of feeds are custom-made. You can search for any topic, and when you like what you see, you can click Pin Feed to add it to the top of your scrolling window. Then, all you need to do is tap or click on a pinned feed to swap to it. Try AT Protocol apps like Flashes and Deck Blue Credit: Pranay Parab Just like Mastodon, Bluesky encourages third-party apps. Developers can directly plug in to the underlying AT Protocol and create their own apps on top of Bluesky. This means, yes, there is a TweetDeck alternative for Bluesky, in both a website form and as a Mac app (I prefer the Mac app, honestly). If you're more into photos, you can also try out Flashes or Pinksky, which recreate the Instagram experience by focusing on photos and videos. Securely sign up for third-party apps using app passwords Credit: Khamosh Pathak Bluesky doesn't have a traditional authentication system where you can sign into third-party apps by simply connecting them to your Bluesky account (like you can using your Google or Apple accounts). So how do you use all those third-party apps built on the AT Protocol? Simple: uniquely generated app passwords. Each Bluesky service or app will ask you for a unique app password that will only work for that particular service, and isn't the same as your main Bluesky password. This way, your Bluesky account won't be compromised even if the app has a leak, and you can quickly change the password or revoke access if you no longer want to use that service. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > App Passwords > Add App Password to create a new app password. Make sure to give it a unique name, so you can easily find it. You can delete an app password using the Delete button next to the service name. Choose who gets to reply to you, and how Credit: Khamosh Pathak As social media platforms go, Bluesky offers perhaps the best moderation tools in the business. A prime example is how you can restrict replies to your posts. Go to Settings > Moderation > Interaction Settings, and you'll find a plethora of options. You can open up replies to everyone, or you can even go nuclear and block anyone from replying to your posts. Then there are the granular options. You can restrict replies to just your followers, people you follow, people you mention, or you can create a list of people who are allowed to reply to you. While you're here, you can also disable the "Allow Quote Posts" feature, so others on the platform can't repost your posts directly on their pages. Take control of your posts, even after they're in the wild Credit: Bluesky If someone has quoted your post and you would rather they didn't, you can quickly fix that. Go to the post, click the three-dots menu, and choose the Detach quote option. The post will remain as is, but your quote wll be removed. Similarly, you can quickly hide replies to a post. Choose a reply, click the three-dots menu, and from here, you can choose to hide the reply for you, or for everyone. Note that this won't prevent people who can see your posts from screenshotting them to share as images. Use community-created mute and block lists Credit: Khamosh Pathak Bluesky has community lists to help you subscribe to new accounts, and also to block accounts en masse. You'll find many moderation lists for different types of posters online, either by searching on Bluesky or looking at third-party websites like ClearSky. This way, you can quickly block brands, grifters, or whoever else you might not want to see in one click. This is a great way to sort out at least the more infamous or nefarious profiles. To use a moderation list, open it, click Subscribe, and then choose either Mute accounts or Block accounts. Follow any profile using RSS Credit: Khamosh Pathak We say it often at Lifehacker: you really should be using RSS. Just like Bluesky, it's another way to find or read new blogs and news without relying on an algorithm. And you can even follow Bluesky profiles in your RSS reader of choice, no setup required. Go to a Bluesky profile and add '/rss' to the end of the URL. Then, copy it and add it as a source in your RSS reader of choice. Easy peasy. Repeat this for as many profiles as you want, sort them in easy to access folders, and you can now read posts and links from your favorite Bluesky profiles right in your RSS reader, so you can easily mix them in with your articles and blogs. Use your own domain name as your username Credit: Khamosh Pathak This is one of my favorite features. Bluesky lets users and organizations change their handles to their own, custom domain addresses. A handle like "@lifehacker.bsky.social," which is written in the default format, can be changed to just say "lifehacker.com". This works through a form of simplified self-verification (though Bluesky now also offers a traditional verification system). You'll need access to your domain manager to pull it off. Go to Settings > Account > Handle and choose I have my own domain. Then, input your domain address. Bluesky will show you the DNS records that you need to update using your domain manager. Once that's done, click Verify DNS Record and wait for the handle to update automatically. Post to Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon at the same time Credit: Justin Pot Even if you're on Bluesky, that doesn't mean you only have to use Bluesky. You can treat Bluesky as your home base, and still post your content to other networks like Threads and Mastodon at the same time, using an app like Croissant. It's a simple app that lets you connect your Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon accounts all at once, taking advantage of their fediverse connectivity. You can then use Croissant to draft your posts, and send them out to all three networks at once. You can schedule posts, too, which is helpful if you're using Bluesky in a professional capacity. Croissant costs $2.99/month, or $19.99/year. View the full article

HBO Max might be getting a brand update. Again. The streaming service has notoriously waffled between different names and logos over the past several years. More recently, it got caught up in an intense bidding war between Netflix and Paramount Skydance to acquire its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. On February 27, Netflix finally admitted defeat and abandoned its takeover bid—meaning Paramount is set to acquire WBD for $110 billion. The transaction is expected to close later this year. This supersized deal will undoubtedly have major ripple effects across the broader entertainment industry. But, for HBO, it might mean yet another blow to an already diluted brand. In an investor call on March 2, Paramount CEO David Ellison said the company plans to merge HBO Max with its existing streaming service, Paramount Plus. Bringing the two streamers together, he said, will give the company “a little over 200 million direct-to-consumer subscribers.” Ellison did not share any details about what such a move might look like in practice, but did clarify that he intends to allow HBO Max’s leadership to continue operating the streamer without too much oversight. According to Stephanie Gilmore, head of strategy in North American at the brand design agency Design Bridge and Partners, this deal looks “rosy” from a business perspective at both HBO Max and Paramount. However, she says, the merger could easily turn south if HBO loses its distinct brand voice in the process. What’s next for HBO Max? For Paramount, Gilmore says, the logic of combining HBO Max and Paramount Plus is fairly straightforward: It should increase revenue by allowing Paramount to offer better subscription prices for a broader catalog of content. The downfall, she says, will come if executives don’t allow the HBO brand to continue to live up to the high-quality content that it’s become known for, “in turn harming the brand and decreasing the content diversity that makes the case for bundling in the first place.” Long before it was a streaming service called HBO Max, HBO was a legacy cable network known for its prestige programming, like The Sopranos and The Wire. More recent hits like Game of Thrones, The White Lotus, and Succession have cemented HBO’s reputation for delivering unique, zeitgeist defining-television. Compared to other major players like Netflix and Disney Plus, it has a grittier, more edgy brand reputation. “The caliber and consistency of content is HBO’s differentiator,” Gilmore says. “It’s what its equity is built on, and at a time when taste in general is being flattened and undervalued, and other platforms are designing content to specifically satisfy our incessantly scrolling, dopamine-seeking minds, we need providers like HBO to stay true what they stand for and deliver on their promise of considered, curated content.” Fast Company reached out to Paramount Skydance to ask about its plans for the brand under a merged streaming service. HBO Max’s history of brand woes Paramount will be walking a fine line to preserve HBO’s distinct reputation, considering that the brand’s identity has already been repeatedly diluted by a series of unfortunate rebrands over the past several years. In 2020, HBO was riding high. Streaming numbers were up due to a pandemic-based spike in viewership, and hits like Euphoria were helping HBO stand out amidst the streaming wars. At the time, the brand was owned by the media conglomerate WarnerMedia, and was represented by the name “HBO Max” in white text on a purple background. HBO Max included access to classic shows from HBO’s cable days, content from Warner Bros. library, as well as new “Max Originals” designed specifically for the streaming service. If that sounds slightly confusing, things were about to get much worse. In 2023, WarnerMedia merged with Discovery to create WBD. This meant bringing even more content, including Discovery shows and CNN, into the HBO Max ecosystem. Under this new leadership, HBO Max was renamed Max and the purple brand color was replaced with a bright blue. At the time, experts called it the biggest brand blunder of the year, while the public simply continued referring to the streamer by its former name. WBD tried to patch this up just two years later in April 2025, when it scrapped the blue color scheme for a black-and-white look that harkened back to HBO’s origins. Finally, in perhaps one of the quickest rebrand reversals in history (barring Cracker Barrel), WBD announced in May 2025 that it would restore the name “HBO Max,” now also in black-and-white. This cartoonish game of branding telephone undoubtedly took a toll on HBO Max’s brand perception. But, as of earlier this year, it seemed like the brand was on an upward trajectory: embracing the name its consumers actually use once again; opting for a visual identity with some historical ties; and even poking some lighthearted fun at its own mishaps on X. With the new deal underway, it remains to be seen whether HBO Max will get yet another facelift. For Gilmore, though, one thing is certain: If the brand loses its unique approach to content, its viewer base will go with it. View the full article

When Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant first joined the company as chief brand officer back in 2021, he saw a unique opportunity in the brand’s cultural potential. “Sports, entertainment, music, food…it was like the Beautiful Mind meme with the equations spinning,” he told me in 2024. “They just needed someone to put it on the wall.” None of his moves since embody this idea more than Live Mas LIVE, Taco Bell’s live stage show in the spirit of Apple’s WWDC. The show began in 2024, when Taco Bell fanatics (myself included) traveled to Las Vegas to watch company execs unveil the brand’s new and limited edition menu items for the year. It was an absurdly perfect premise (a fast food company doing a product launch?!), but now it seems that Taco Bell is beating Apple at its own game. The company’s upcoming Live Mas event—happening on March 3 at Hollywood Palladium—is evolving beyond the WWDC model by going full-fledged variety show. The upshot? This is a company that is so in on its own joke that it’s turning that joke into real culture. This year’s show is hosted by artist Vince Staples and will feature musical acts Doja Cat and Benson Boone, sports stars like NFLer Davante Adams, projected no. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza. An edited version of the live show will stream exclusively on NBCUniversal’s Peacock on March 10. Global chief brand officer Taylor Montgomery describes this year’s version as be a cross between the White House Correspondents’ dinner and the Emmys… which sounds a little weird! But so far, the brand’s thesis—that building content around its hardcore fans is a path to broader success and results—appears to be proving out. Parent company Yum Brands’ most recent earnings saw Taco Bell as the brightest spot in its portfolio, with 8% growth last year. Incremental evolution Tresvant and Montgomery originally got the idea for Live Mas LIVE after watching Apple’s WWDC developer event in June 2023. Montgomery remembers wondering, “If Apple can do [an event like] that, with, like, a $1,000 iPhone made out of titanium that most of America can’t afford, why can’t we?” The first two years of LIVE were designed to tap into Taco Bell’s rabid fanbase, which is deeply invested in its menu items. This year, though, the company is doubling down on the entertainment aspect of branded entertainment. “The most successful brands, I believe, are starting to behave more like entertainment companies,” says Montgomery. “The bar for what consumers want to engage with, whether you’re a brand that operates in QSR, or you’re an entertainment company or a music company, they’re all the same.” Walking the line between high-profile experiential brand event and streaming entertainment is a tight needle to thread, and Taco Bell is approaching it with some caution. Even though the Palladium holds about 3,500 people, the brand is only hosting an audience of about 400, with tickets given to L.A. area Taco Bell Rewards Members on a first-come, first-served basis. Onstage there is a seemingly random collection of famous names. Ariana Madix (Love Island USA, Vanderpump Rules), Ashley Park (Emily in Paris), Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live), comedian Devon Walker, athletes like Davante Adams, and Fernando Mendoza, and artists like DJ Pee.Wee (aka Anderson .Paak), Doja Cat, Benson Boone, Myke Towers, Yeat and more. All they seemingly have in common is a genuine taste for Taco Bell. “There’s so many people around the world that love Taco Bell, so for this one we threw up the bat signal and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to do something crazy in Hollywood, but that’s never been done before. Who’s in?’” says Montgomery. Experimentation as execution When I attended the inaugural Live Mas LIVE in Las Vegas, there was a atmosphere of creative experimentation. The audience of about 200 was primarily hardcore fans of the brand and fast-food influencers, with a smattering of celebrity. It was mostly just Montgomery, Tresvant, and chief food and innovation officer Liz Matthews taking turns to unveil the year’s line-up of limited edition products. It had the vibe of food truck party that also happened to be a corporate retreat. This year is a significant leveling up in terms of the show’s scale and the talent in attendance. But the brand is not taking too many chances, with a relatively small live audience, it will be able to curate the show edit before it hits Peacock a week later. That built-in layer of safety illustrates how Live Mas LIVE is very much still an ongoing experiment. Montgomery says they plan to iterate on the LIVE format for years—perhaps growing its audience or loosening the guardrails—as long as its hardcore fans are happy to come along for the ride. He’s found that the thing that matters the most is simply giving people something to be excited about. (Like, say, a key lime pie–meets–Mtn Dew Baja Blast Pie.) “When you do things that are wild and innovative, it helps people really connect with us, sets expectations that we will give them that entertainment and levity and things to talk about with all of their friends,” he says. Cultural researcher Matt Klein, author of award-winning cultural intel and research newsletter ZINE, says that even if the event is uneven or doesn’t draw millions of viewers to Peacock, more brands should take this approach. Not as a blueprint, but a sign to experiment more intently in their own way. “In a culture in which we are so afraid to make any creative decision without a bajillion data points and 500 slides to back up why we should do this, this is an organization that is playing with culture,” says Klein. “They’re rolling up their sleeves and just experimenting. They’re zagging, and that is worth applause.” It’s critical that the experimentation isn’t just for fun. Montgomery says that because they combine entertainment with real upcoming new and limited edition menu items, the fan reactions in-person and online play a valuable role far beyond the single event. “We actually use it like a live focus group,” says Montgomery, about the entertainment format and the new menu items. “Let’s see what consumers say, and if they go for it, okay, awesome, we’ll put it on the calendar. If not, okay, then let’s think about something else. So I think we have used it a lot as a cultural thermostat on my brand view.” Whatever happens this year, it will just be the newest dish from the brand’s entertainment test kitchen. View the full article

Calculating Customer Retention Rate (CRR) effectively is crucial for comprehending how well a business retains its customers over time. By using the formula CRR = ((E – N) / S) x 100, you can measure the percentage of existing customers who stay loyal. This metric not merely highlights customer satisfaction but additionally informs strategic decisions. As you explore the nuances of retention and churn rates, you’ll uncover valuable insights that can drive your business forward. Key Takeaways Use the formula CRR = ((E – N) / S) x 100, where E is end customers, N is new customers, and S is start customers. Track customer numbers regularly to ensure accurate calculations for both the beginning and end of the period. Analyze retention trends over multiple periods to identify patterns and inform business strategies. Compare your CRR with industry averages to gauge your performance against competitors. Utilize CRM systems and analytics tools to automate data collection and improve calculation accuracy. Understanding Customer Retention Rate Grasping customer retention rate (CRR) is vital for any business aiming to build a loyal customer base and improve profitability. The customer retention definition highlights it as the percentage of existing customers who remain active over a specific period. To understand how to calculate retention rate, you’ll use the retention rate formula: CRR = ((E – N) / S) x 100. Here, E represents the number of customers at the end of the period, N is the number of new customers acquired, and S is the number of customers at the start. High customer retention statistics suggest strong customer satisfaction and loyalty, whereas a declining rate may point to issues with onboarding or value delivery. Tracking CRR is fundamental for evaluating long-term business health, as returning customers are often less costly to maintain and typically spend more over time, indicating a solid foundation for future growth. Importance of Customer Retention Comprehending the significance of customer retention is fundamental for any business endeavoring for sustainable growth. The importance of customer retention can’t be overstated, as it directly impacts your bottom line. Here are key reasons to prioritize it: Cost-Effectiveness: Retaining an existing customer costs five times less than acquiring a new one. Profitability Boost: A mere 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a profit boost of 25% to 95%. Stability: High retention rates contribute to predictable revenue streams, reducing the pressure of constant customer acquisition. Industry Insights: The average customer retention rate varies by industry, with e-commerce and retail sectors averaging between 30% to 63%. Understanding what’s a good customer retention rate helps you align strategies effectively. A high retention rate means satisfied customers who are likely to return, making it vital for your business strategy. Key Metrics for Measuring Retention Key metrics for measuring customer retention play a vital role in grasping how well your business maintains its customer base over time. The customer retention rate formula is foundational, calculated as CRR = ((E – N) / S) x 100, where E is the number of customers at the end, N is new customers acquired, and S is customers at the start. Comprehending retention rate definition helps you understand how effectively you’re keeping customers engaged. Furthermore, customer lifetime value (CLV) is significant, as it estimates the total revenue expected from a customer throughout their relationship with your business. To measure customer retention effectively, consider using cohort analysis to track specific customer groups over time. Finally, the Net Promoter Score® (NPS) provides insights into customer loyalty and satisfaction, indicating the likelihood of customers recommending your services to others. Together, these metrics offer an all-encompassing view of retention performance. Customer Retention Rate Formula To effectively measure your company’s ability to retain customers, it’s vital to comprehend the Customer Retention Rate (CRR) formula. The customer retention rate calculation formula is simple: Identify customers at the start (S) Determine customers at the end (E) Count new customers acquired (N) Apply the formula: CRR = ((E – N) / S) x 100 For instance, if you start with 1,000 customers, gain 200 new ones, and end with 1,050, your retention rate would be 85%, calculated as ((1,050 – 200) / 1,000) x 100. To define retention rate, focus on the customers retained over a specific period, excluding new acquisitions. Comprehending this customer turnover formula helps you identify trends and improve your retention strategies, making it vital for evaluating customer loyalty and engagement effectively. Steps to Calculate Customer Retention Rate Calculating your customer retention rate is essential for comprehending how well you keep your customers engaged over time. To get started, define a specific measurement period, like monthly or annually, for consistent data comparison. Then, gather three key data points: the number of customers at the start (S), the number at the end (E), and the new customers acquired during that period (N). You can use a customer retention rate calculator or apply the retention formula: Customer Retention Rate = [(E – N) / S] x 100. For example, if you begin with 1,000 customers, gain 200 new ones, and end with 1,050, your retention rate would be 85%. Regularly evaluate this rate to understand trends and optimize your strategies. Knowing how to measure customer retention rate helps in determining your business’s effectiveness in retaining clients using the client retention rate formula efficiently. Retention Rate vs. Churn Rate Grasping the distinction between retention rate and churn rate is crucial for analyzing your business’s customer engagement. Comprehending both metrics can help you identify areas for improvement. Here’s a quick breakdown: Retention Rate measures the percentage of customers who remain active over a period. Churn Rate indicates the percentage of customers who stop doing business during the same timeframe. Customer Turnover Rate can be used interchangeably with churn rate, highlighting customer loss. To compute retention rate, use the formula: [ text{Retention Rate} = left(frac{E – N}{S}right) times 100 ]. High retention rates signal customer satisfaction, whereas high churn rates often reveal dissatisfaction or competitive pressures. Knowing how to compute retention rate effectively allows you to track customer behavior, enabling more targeted engagement strategies. Grasping retention rates meaning can lead to improved customer loyalty, ultimately benefiting your bottom line. Analyzing Retention Data Analyzing retention data is a crucial process for understanding customer engagement and improving business strategies. By tracking customer engagement metrics over defined time periods, you can identify trends in behavior that affect your customer retention rate. Utilizing cohort analysis enables you to compare retention rates across different segments, revealing insights into the effectiveness of your marketing and service strategies. Monitoring churn rates alongside retention rates helps you understand the overall health of customer relationships, pinpointing areas needing improvement. Furthermore, tracking customer lifetime value (CLV) in conjunction with retention data provides a thorough view of the long-term revenue potential of retained customers. Regularly evaluating customer feedback through surveys and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) further improves your analysis, pinpointing specific pain points in the customer experience. Strategies for Improving Retention Rate To improve your customer retention rate, start by clearly communicating expectations to your customers. When they understand what to expect, you minimize misunderstandings and dissatisfaction. Furthermore, implement personalized engagement strategies that cater to individual preferences, enhancing their overall experience and encouraging loyalty. Clear Communication Expectations Clear communication of expectations is essential for enhancing customer retention rates, as it helps align customer comprehension from the outset. To effectively define retention in business, consider these strategies: Clearly define product or service expectations during onboarding to minimize misunderstandings. Utilize customer feedback mechanisms to assess if expectations are being met and adjust communications as needed. Implement proactive communication strategies, such as regular updates about new features or changes. Set measurable and realistic goals for customer interactions, ensuring customers know expected response times and support availability. Personalized Engagement Strategies Personalized engagement strategies play a crucial role in improving customer retention rates by making customers feel valued and understood. By tailoring communications based on individual behavior and preferences, you can greatly improve your customer retention cost. Implement loyalty programs and utilize customer feedback for personalized service delivery. Here’s a quick overview of effective strategies: Strategy Description Impact on Retention Personalized Follow-ups Send thank-you notes or product suggestions Strengthens customer relationships Data Analytics Analyze engagement patterns Customizes user experiences Loyalty Programs Reward repeat purchases Encourages frequent engagement Feedback Utilization Address individual needs Demonstrates commitment to satisfaction Tools for Measuring Customer Retention In terms of measuring customer retention, having the right tools can make all the difference. You’ll want to utilize crucial calculation tools, track key metrics, and gather resources that can help you analyze retention data effectively. Essential Calculation Tools To effectively measure customer retention, various calculation tools are fundamental for gaining insights into customer behavior and satisfaction. Here are four important tools to contemplate: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot track customer interactions and retention metrics, assisting in client retention calculations. Analytics Software: Tools such as Google Analytics help evaluate user behavior, providing data to calculate the customer retention rate by industry. Survey Tools: Use SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics to gather Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) data, significant for comprehending retention rate def. Data Visualization Tools: These help interpret retention metrics visually, identifying trends related to the average retention rate by industry and aiding in retention value formula calculations. Tracking Metrics and Resources Effective tracking of customer retention metrics is crucial for comprehending how well your business keeps its customers engaged. Utilize Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems like Salesforce or HubSpot to systematically manage and analyze b2b customer retention statistics. Implement analytics tools such as Google Analytics to gain insights into user retention rates across segments, helping you understand customer behaviors. Survey tools like SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics can aid in collecting Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) data. Regularly reviewing these metrics allows you to calculate client retention rates and assess your customer retention cost formula. Analyzing Retention Data Analyzing retention data is crucial for comprehending how well your business retains customers and identifies areas for improvement. To effectively measure client retention statistics, consider using these tools: CRM Systems: Platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot track customer interactions and retention metrics. Analytics Software: Google Analytics offers insights into user behavior, helping you understand retention rate meaning. Survey Tools: Use SurveyMonkey or Qualtrics to gather NPS and CSAT data, informing your retention strategies. Data Visualization: Tools for visual reports help illustrate trends, making it easier to communicate findings. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Formula for Customer Retention Rate? The formula for customer retention rate (CRR) is straightforward. You can calculate it using the following: CRR = [(E – N) / S] x 100. Here, E represents the number of customers at the end of a period, N is the number of new customers acquired during that period, and S is the number of customers at the start. This formula helps you gauge how well you’re keeping existing customers engaged over time. What Are the Three R’s of Customer Retention? The three R’s of customer retention are Retention, Revenue, and Relationships. Retention focuses on keeping customers engaged over time, which directly impacts business stability. Revenue highlights the financial benefits of retaining customers, as they usually spend more and guarantee consistent cash flow. Relationships emphasize building trust and loyalty, leading to increased customer advocacy and referrals. Together, these elements create a strong foundation for effective customer retention strategies that promote long-term engagement and satisfaction. What Is KPI for Customer Retention? Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for customer retention help you measure how effectively you keep your customers over time. Common KPIs include the Customer Retention Rate, which shows the percentage of customers retained during a specific period, and the Churn Rate, indicating the percentage of customers lost. Furthermore, Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) estimates total revenue from a customer throughout their relationship with your business, whereas Repeat Purchase Rate reflects customer loyalty through repeated transactions. What Is a Good Customer Retention Rate? A good customer retention rate typically ranges from 60% to 80%, depending on your industry. For example, Shopify businesses often see retention rates between 30% and 60%, whereas Salesforce companies might aim for 90% or higher. Comprehending these benchmarks helps you gauge your performance. Conclusion In summary, calculating your Customer Retention Rate is crucial for comprehending how well you’re keeping your existing customers. By using the CRR formula and analyzing the resulting data, you can gain insights into customer loyalty and satisfaction. This knowledge not merely helps in evaluating your business’s performance but additionally guides strategic decisions to improve retention efforts. Remember, enhancing your retention rate can lead to increased profitability and long-term success for your business. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How to Calculate Customer Retention Rate Effectively" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Officials urge residents to return to normal but holidaymakers are cancellingView the full article

In a world where social media and digital communication intertwine with creativity, Google Gemini has introduced a powerful new tool that promises to transform how small businesses can engage with their audiences through music. Lyria, the latest addition to Gemini’s lineup, allows users—especially small business owners—to easily create customized music tracks tailored to their specific needs, whether to promote a product or simply engage with customers in a fresh way. Imagine being able to craft a catchy jingle for your upcoming promotion or create a unique soundtrack for your product launch event without needing a professional background in music composition. Lyria’s capabilities pave the way for small business owners to harness the power of sound in their marketing efforts, bringing an often-overlooked element of engagement to the forefront. Lyria operates on a straightforward premise: users can input various types of prompts to generate personalized music tracks featuring unique lyrics or instrumentals. For example, a café owner can input, “Create a jazz track about my signature espresso,” and receive a delightful tune that captures the spirit of their brand. This kind of functionality provides an innovative way for small businesses to express their unique identity beyond traditional marketing methods. Lyria is more than just text prompts for generating music; it allows users to upload images or videos to inspire artistic direction. A business owner might upload a picture of a seasonal dish or a cozy corner of their shop, prompting Lyria to produce a tailored soundtrack. This integration of visuals and audio offers a compelling way for businesses to create brand narratives that resonate with customers, enhancing their overall experience. Versatility is a core feature of Lyria, as it accommodates a broad range of genres and eras. Whether a small business wishes to evoke nostalgic feelings with ‘90s hip-hop or something entirely unique, such as a fusion of K-pop with jazz elements, Lyria provides the tools to bring those musical visions to life. Small business owners can blend genres, add specific instruments, and influence how the music transitions from one section to the next, thus ensuring that the final product is precisely in line with their vision. Beyond just creating music, Lyria also enables users to write lyrics or have the AI generate them. This empowers small business owners to keep a personal touch on their marketing materials. For instance, a spa could prompt Lyria to generate soft lyrics focused on relaxation for their promotional video, integrating both audio and message seamlessly. After crafting their unique tracks, users can easily share their creations through social media or direct messaging, facilitating a broad reach to potential customers. A well-produced jingle or memorable sound could become a talking point among followers or even in local marketing campaigns, showcasing the brand’s creativity and cultural engagement. While Lyria offers an array of advantages for small business owners seeking innovative marketing strategies, challenges do exist. As with any technology, there may be a learning curve associated with effectively using the platform to achieve the desired output. Business owners will need to dedicate time to experiment with different prompts and sounds to refine their final products. Additionally, the need for meaningful visuals and sound selections must align with the brand’s identity, requiring careful consideration to avoid diluting the message. “Lyria is designed to streamline the creative process, allowing anyone to be their own music producer,” said a representative from Google Gemini. This democratization of music creation presents significant opportunities for small business owners who previously may not have had the resources to produce custom audio content. As small business owners explore the potential of Lyria, they can enhance their marketing strategies by creating personalized music that resonates with their clientele. This innovation illustrates how technology continues to shape the small business landscape, providing new avenues for creativity and connection. For those interested in exploring this exciting tool, check out the official introduction here. With a little experimentation, businesses might discover their next viral tune that captures the essence of their brand. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Google’s Lyria: Create Custom Music Tracks with Unique Inspirations" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

I tend to go out of my way to avoid using Meta AI, but today, I gave it a fair shake. That's because, as reported by Bloomberg, Meta's AI service is now testing a shopping assistant. The idea is to compete with similar services from AI platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini, where users tap into the power of generative AI to search the web for product recommendations. That's all fine and well in theory, but in execution, Meta AI's shopping assistant is a bit of a disaster—even if it is only in testing. Meta AI's shopping suggestions are uselessWhen I tried accessing Meta AI's web app logged out, I didn't see the shopping assistant. But once I signed into my Meta Account, a number of additional options appeared—including "Shopping." When you click the option, a new "Shopping research" option appears in the model selector, alongside "Thinking" and "Fast." While you can type your own prompt into the search bar, a number of suggestions appear below, too. At this time, I see things like "Help me find a signature scent," "Show me mid-century modern living room furniture," or "Find a one-of-a-kind gift for my friend." Finally, AI is here to help you spend money when you can't think of anything to buy. I was pretty intrigued by that last prompt. Meta AI doesn't know my friend, and yet, it's going to find me a "one-of-a-kind" gift they'll love? I had to see what the bot would come up with. After Meta AI thought for a while (11.6 seconds, or so it tells me), the bot indeed confirmed my suspicions, asking for more info about my friend. It needed details like hobbies and interests, budget, and special memories I could incorporate into the gift. You would think that some gift ideas of my own would pop up by just thinking through these questions myself, but I needed the AI's help, so I offered the following made-up answers to test it out: "Their hobbies and interests are music, biking, and going to the movies. My budget is $100. We went on vacation to Hawaii and we missed our flight home." The AI thought for 45.8 seconds, before returning with its "one-of-a-kind" gift ideas. Its favorite was something that combined my "friend's" interest in music and our fake vacation to Hawaii: a ukulele. One-of-a-kind, indeed. Meta AI reasoned that, "a Ukulele Starter Kit is the perfect way to bring the island vibes home. The Kala Learn to Play Ukulele Concert Starter Kit is right at your budget and comes with everything they'd need to start, including lessons and a tuner. It's a great hobby for a music lover and a direct connection to Hawaii." Other unique gifts included three different types of portable speakers. Thanks. "For the movie buff," Meta AI suggested a scratch-off poster of 100 movies everyone should see. Or, as a "subtle nod to our trip," a movie poster of film shot in Hawaii. This, I'll admit, is a bit more unique, even though I'd never actually buy that. After scrolling past some bike accessories, though, I really hit gold: "A Custom Hawaiian Shirt would be hilarious," said the generative AI chatbot. Credit: Lifehacker Meta AI isn't much more helpful if you search for products yourselfAfter failing to find a perfect gift for my fake friend, I gave a custom prompt a try next: "I need a new couch for my living room." This was a bit more helpful. The bot returned a list of five different couches, each with a description of the design and brand, in addition to a carousel of 12 couches of varying prices. To narrow it down, the bot asked me some questions about my home and interests, like how big my living room was and what style I was looking for. I sent the bot the following: "My living room is 200 sq. feet. I want a modern leather couch under $2000." This returned what seemed to be a relevant list of couches, each within budget and style. I also learned about some new brands I didn't know before the search, like Article and Poly & Bark. Finally, I asked Meta AI for help finding a new MacBook. I said I needed something fast, but under $1,200. It thought, then brought back three decent options: a 13-inch M4 MacBook Air for $999, a 15-inch M4 Air for $1,199, or an M3 MacBook Air with extra storage for $1,030. There's nothing wrong with those suggestions, but there were two issues I found with the result. First, the link for that third MacBook Air recommendation didn't actually go to a listing, but the homepage for Abed Tahan, a store based in Lebanon. A quick search of the site returned results for the M3 MacBook Air in question, but it was more expensive than Meta AI said it was, and the store doesn't ship to the U.S. Second, I asked Meta AI whether these results were the latest newest models, and it confirmed they were—despite the fact that Apple had announced new M5 MacBooks this morning. If the bot was working on a limited knowledge base, that'd be one thing, but it performs web searches with each query. It should be able to find this information. While there are some apparent plusses to Meta AI's shopping assistant, like its ability to find furniture that fits a particular room size and style, I feel pretty confident that I won't be using it. The fact that some products links don't actually work, and that it can't reliably give you the most up-to-date products on the market, defeats the entire purpose of a shopping tool. I'll be sticking to my usual shopping research: a traditional search engine combined with real user experiences. View the full article

Oil prices are on the rise, hitting an 18-month high as of Tuesday as the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran continues. The war against Iran, which started in earnest over the past weekend, has disrupted oil and gas shipments in the Middle East, constricting supply, and with no clear timetable as to when the war could end (or if there’s a plan for a drawdown), markets are spooked about the potential for a prolonged conflict and market hiccups. Specifically, concerns about shipments getting through the Strait of Hormuz—a busy shipping lane for fossil fuel-carrying tankers—have been effectively stopped, and no one knows with any certainty as to when it could reopen. Additionally, insurers have cancelled war risk coverage policies for ships and vessels traveling through the region, increasing costs. That likely means that shippers will increase shipping rates in turn. Reuters reports that several tankers have already been damaged as a result of the conflict, and around 150 ships were stranded around the Strait of Hormuz as of Monday. Iran, too, is a large oil exporter, and the war itself could stifle production and further impact supply. As of December 2025, Iran was shipping out around 1.9 million barrels of crude oil per day. Oil prices, as a result, shot up in recent days. Brent crude, which is the global benchmark in the oil market, was trading at more than $82 per barrel as of midday Tuesday. That’s up almost 13% over the past week, and the highest price since July 2024. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (commonly called “WTI”), the other main crude benchmark, was likewise trading near $76 per barrel, up around $10 from a week ago. Unfortunately for consumers, the increased oil prices are likely to be felt at home and at the pump. U.S. gas prices have gone up, and are now averaging more than $3 per gallon. Heating oil and propane are likely to follow suit. The concerns, now, are what happens next. Several analysts in the energy and investment bank sectors have warned that crude oil prices could increase to $100 per barrel if the war and disruptions to shipping continue. Again, it’s unknown if or when the U.S. and Israel plan to back down, or whether the situation will de-escalate; or when the oil markets will be able to get a handle on what’s going on and adjust. But some analysts are saying that there is good news: The U.S. economy isn’t nearly as exposed, currently, as it once was to oil supply shocks. Joe Brusuelas, principal and chief economist for RSM, writes that the U.S. currently produces almost 19% of the world’s oil, amounting to only 0.4% of its GDP. That means that “the American economy is far less exposed to economic and inflation disruptions” related to crude oil crises, he writes, and that “the risk to the growth and inflation outlook is modest.” So, while concerns related to the broader economy and inflation aren’t over the top, it doesn’t, unfortunately, mean that gas prices and utility bills won’t go up as a result in the near future. View the full article

A reader writes: My workplace occasionally recognizes staff birthdays, but isn’t consistent. Sometimes there’s cake, sometimes bagels, sometimes nothing, and it’s often a last-minute announcement which can be frustrating to people who already have food planned out for the day. Someone brought up the idea of bringing back a past practice: the monthly celebration of all January (for example) birthdays in one go. This could allow for consistent “observance” of birthdays, planning ahead on whether you bring a lunch, and less worrying about the impact on the budget. I know not everyone feels the same way about their birthday so I turned to AAM for insights on how to start something like this and all I could find with a cursory search is stories of office birthdays gone wrong. What do workplaces do that get it right? The biggest pitfall with office birthday celebrations is when they’re done unevenly: some people get a cake or a card or a gathering while other people get nothing. Most often this happens because there’s no formal system and it’s just based on someone happening to remember, without enough thought toward ensuring it’s consistent. Other times it happens because one person is in charge of it and when they’re out, there’s no back-up system to keep it covered — and sometimes it means they are the person whose birthday is overlooked, which can particularly sting when they’ve been organizing celebrations for everyone else. I’ve talked here before about that being the reason why you really, really need to either have formal system or skip birthdays completely. When you let it happen informally, it’s practically guaranteed that someone will end up feeling slighted. The best systems I’ve seen for birthdays are these: 1. One celebration each month for everyone whose birthday falls in that month. Sometimes that’s its own separate thing (“there’s cake in the kitchen for all our March birthdays — happy birthday to Cecilia, Falcon, Imogen, and Ralph!”) and sometimes it’s tacked on to the end of a monthly staff meeting or something like that. 2. A custom that if it’s your birthday and you want to celebrate it, you bring in treats for the office. That way if you’re not a birthday person, you can quietly skip it — and if you are, it’s guaranteed to be celebrated because you’re in charge of it (and it’s guaranteed to be a treat you like, too). The list of things definitely not to do: Don’t take up collections where people are asked to pitch in money for other people’s birthdays. They’re at work to earn money, not spend it. Respect it when people opt out of birthday stuff. Don’t let this happen: my coworker insists on celebrating my birthday even though I’ve asked her not to Don’t be an ass about Leap Year birthdays. The post how should we handle birthdays at work? appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

If you’re looking to improve your social media engagement, consider implementing a variety of interactive posts. Options like polls, quizzes, and “This or That” questions can quickly capture your audience’s attention. Furthermore, creative posts such as “Caption This Photo” and behind-the-scenes content can provide unique opportunities for interaction. These strategies not just encourage participation but also nurture a stronger connection with your followers. Explore how these ideas can transform your social media approach. Key Takeaways Create engaging polls and surveys to gather audience feedback and increase interaction rates significantly. Use “This or That” questions to encourage quick decisions and spark lively conversations among followers. Post fun quizzes or trivia related to your brand to boost engagement and encourage sharing among users. Host “Caption This Photo” contests to invite creativity and foster a sense of community through user participation. Organize AMAs to facilitate direct interaction, allowing followers to ask questions and build trust with your brand. Polls and Surveys When you incorporate polls and surveys into your social media strategy, you not only engage your audience but likewise gain valuable insights into their preferences. Polls, especially on platforms like Instagram Stories and Twitter, invite quick participation and can greatly boost engagement. In fact, interactive post ideas like these can lead to a 20% increase in responses, making them a worthwhile addition to your content. Surveys can help you tailor your offerings, as 72% of consumers appreciate brands seeking their feedback through interactive content. Furthermore, using polls and surveys can double your engagement rates compared to static posts, enhancing your overall visibility and reach. Caption This Photo “Caption This Photo” posts spark creativity and encourage your followers to participate actively. By sharing an engaging image and inviting captions, you not just boost comments but additionally promote a sense of community among your audience. To maximize interaction, choose visually appealing or humorous images, and consider offering small prizes for the best captions to further motivate engagement. Encourage Creativity How can you spark creativity and engagement among your followers? One effective method is to use “Caption This Photo” posts. By inviting your audience to create captions for interesting or funny images, you encourage them to express their creativity and humor. This format requires minimal effort, making it simple for followers to participate and share their thoughts. To improve engagement, choose eye-catching and relatable images that capture attention. Moreover, consider offering small prizes or recognition for the best captions, which can motivate participation further. Engaging in this type of content can greatly increase comment activity, improving your post visibility within social media algorithms. Foster Community Interaction Engaging your audience through “Caption This Photo” posts not just sparks creativity but also cultivates a sense of community among your followers. By inviting them to contribute humorous or insightful captions, you encourage participation that promotes connection. This format allows followers to showcase their creativity, making them feel valued within the group. Incorporating intriguing images is essential, as visuals grab attention and prompt immediate interaction, often resulting in higher comment activity. Furthermore, offering small prizes or recognition for the best captions can further incentivize involvement, creating excitement around your posts. As followers join the conversation, they improve overall engagement, which boosts your post’s visibility in the platform’s algorithm, benefiting your outreach efforts greatly. This or That Questions Even though many social media strategies focus on elaborate campaigns, “This or That” questions provide a straightforward way to engage your audience. These simple engagement tools encourage followers to make quick decisions, which promotes interaction and conversation. By posing relatable questions, you can spark increased comment activity, as followers enjoy sharing their preferences and explaining their choices. Customizing these questions to reflect your brand’s identity or current trends makes them even more engaging. Regularly utilizing “This or That” questions helps maintain a lively community, ensuring your followers stay interested and involved with your content. Posts requiring minimal effort, like choosing between two options, can greatly boost your engagement rates compared to more complex interaction formats. Quizzes and Trivia Quizzes and trivia can be influential tools for boosting engagement on social media platforms. These formats encourage your followers to test their knowledge and share their results, nurturing interaction and community participation. Using platforms like Instagram Stories and Facebook for quizzes allows for real-time participation and immediate feedback, which can greatly increase engagement. Trivia questions can cover a wide range of topics, from brand-specific information to general knowledge, making them versatile for various audiences. Engaging trivia not only attracts attention but also leads to higher sharing rates, as followers often invite friends to join in on the fun, broadening your content’s reach. Incorporating quizzes into your content strategy can improve brand loyalty, as many users enjoy interactive content that deepens their connection with brands. Behind-the-Scenes Content Behind-the-scenes content is an impactful way to connect with your audience by showcasing team member spotlights and insights into daily operations. When you share these moments, you not merely humanize your brand but invite followers to feel involved in your experience. This transparency can improve trust and engagement, setting your brand apart in a competitive market. Team Member Spotlights When you showcase team member spotlights, you create opportunities for your audience to connect with the individuals behind your brand, nurturing authenticity and trust. Featuring your team in behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand, making it relatable and encouraging comments and shares. Highlighting unique skills and contributions of individual team members improves your brand’s overall narrative and promotes audience loyalty. Research shows that brands sharing behind-the-scenes content experience increased engagement because of a sense of exclusivity and insider access. Regularly rotating team member spotlights keeps your content fresh and engaging, ensuring followers look forward to learning more about the team and their roles within the company. This strategy not just builds relationships but also strengthens your brand’s community. Daily Operations Insights Comprehending daily operations offers your audience a valuable perspective on how your brand functions behind the scenes. By sharing behind-the-scenes content, you can promote authenticity and transparency, which improves brand loyalty. Engaging posts can create emotional connections, making your audience feel valued. Consider featuring: Office tours showcasing your workspace Team introductions to highlight individual roles Product development processes to explain how items are created Candid moments from daily team interactions User-generated content to encourage followers to share their experiences Regularly incorporating these insights humanizes your brand and can lead to increased customer spending, as followers feel more connected. This approach not only boosts engagement but likewise encourages a community surrounding your brand. User-Generated Content (UGC) User-generated content (UGC) plays a crucial role in modern marketing strategies, offering brands a unique way to connect with their audiences. UGC builds trust and credibility, as 79% of consumers report it greatly influences their purchasing decisions. By encouraging customers to share their experiences, you nurture a sense of community, with half of consumers wanting to see more UGC from their favorite brands. Utilizing branded hashtags helps track and showcase this content, enhancing visibility and engagement. Brands featuring UGC can experience a 28% boost in engagement rates since it resonates better with audiences compared to traditional marketing. Engaging customers through UGC initiatives not only strengthens brand loyalty but additionally increases overall participation in your marketing efforts. Fun Challenges and Contests Engaging your audience through fun challenges and contests can greatly improve your brand’s presence on social media. These activities not just create excitement but additionally encourage participation, leading to increased interactions. To maximize your engagement, consider these strategies: Offer enticing prizes to motivate participation. Use unique hashtags to track entries and build community. Promote contests across multiple platforms for wider visibility. Organize interactive challenges like photo contests or themed competitions. Showcase user-generated content to improve brand loyalty. Fill in the Blank How can you spark creativity and conversation among your followers? One effective method is by utilizing fill-in-the-blank posts. This approach requires minimal effort from followers, making it easy for them to engage. Common prompts like “The best way to start the morning is ______” encourage quick responses, nurturing lively discussions. By inviting followers to share their thoughts, you create a sense of community and connection around shared interests. This format not only boosts comment activity considerably but likewise allows followers to express their unique perspectives. Implementing fill-in-the-blank posts can improve engagement levels as they stimulate creative thinking in a fun and approachable way, in the end driving interaction on your social media platforms. Ask Me Anything (AMA) An Ask Me Anything (AMA) session invites your audience to engage directly by submitting questions, which can greatly improve interaction. These real-time discussions encourage participation and create a sense of community, making followers feel valued. Engaging Question Prompts Why not think about hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session to boost your social media engagement? AMAs invite your followers to submit questions, encouraging direct interaction and building trust. They create a sense of community, leading to increased engagement. Here are some engaging question prompts to ponder: What’s your favorite product and why? How did you start your path in this industry? What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them? What’s a personal goal you’re currently working on? What tips would you give someone just starting out? Promoting your AMA in advance can improve participation, as followers will prepare questions, increasing overall interest. Engaging with your audience during the session provides valuable insights into their preferences and interests. Real-Time Interaction Benefits During engaging with your audience in real time, an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session offers significant benefits that can improve your brand’s presence on social media. By promoting direct interaction, AMAs build trust and create a personal connection with your followers, as they can ask questions and receive immediate responses. Brands often see up to 50% more comments and interactions during these sessions compared to standard posts, leading to increased engagement rates. Hosting AMAs on platforms like Instagram or Reddit provides valuable insights into audience preferences, allowing you to tailor content and products accordingly. Furthermore, these sessions nurture a sense of community, as followers engage with both your brand and each other, sparking lively discussions and shared experiences. Encouraging Audience Participation Engaging your audience through an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session is an influential way to encourage participation and cultivate a sense of community. By hosting AMAs, you can promote direct connections with your followers, making them feel valued. Here’s how to make the most of your AMA: Choose the right platform: Use Instagram Stories or live video for real-time interaction. Promote in advance: Build excitement and visibility through announcements. Encourage advance submissions: Let followers think of meaningful questions for a lively discussion. Provide real-time answers: Respond swiftly to improve trust and engagement. Gather insights: Use the feedback to tailor your content and offerings to audience interests. Implementing these strategies can lead to increased participation and dynamic interactions. Opinion-Based Posts How can opinion-based posts transform your social media engagement? These posts invite your followers to share their thoughts, which encourages meaningful discussions and increases comment activity. In fact, 71% of consumers engage more with relatable content. By posing open-ended questions, like “What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long day?”, you encourage personal experiences that lead to richer interactions. Simple “This or That” questions, such as “Coffee or tea?”, require minimal effort and drive quick responses, boosting engagement rates. Utilizing polls and surveys can gather valuable insights into audience preferences, enhancing brand loyalty. Moreover, engaging with trending topics allows you to connect with current interests, as 78% of users say company posts influence their buying decisions. Frequently Asked Questions What Type of Social Media Posts Get the Most Engagement? Posts that encourage interaction, like polls and quizzes, tend to receive higher engagement than static content. Visuals, particularly videos ranging from 2 to 5 minutes, capture more attention on platforms. Open-ended questions and “This or That” posts likewise stimulate comments and discussions. Furthermore, user-generated content nurtures community and trust, whereas contests and giveaways create excitement, motivating followers to engage and share. Each of these strategies effectively boosts audience participation. What Is the 5 5 5 Rule on Social Media? The 5 5 5 rule on social media involves a balanced approach to content sharing. You should post five informative or entertaining pieces, followed by five promotional posts about your products or services, and then five posts that directly engage your audience. This strategy helps maintain follower interest by mixing valuable content with promotions, nurturing trust and loyalty over time. It encourages diverse content as you enhance engagement metrics through interactive posts. How to Boost Engagement on Social Media? To boost engagement on social media, you should incorporate interactive posts like polls and quizzes, which encourage participation. Sharing user-generated content builds community trust and can greatly improve engagement rates. Furthermore, leverage seasonal themes and timely events to connect with your audience. Regularly posting behind-the-scenes content nurtures authenticity, whereas using intriguing visuals increases attention. Aim for a mix of these strategies to create a compelling online presence that resonates with your audience. How to Make a Catchy Social Media Post? To make a catchy social media post, start with a strong, attention-grabbing headline. Use eye-catching visuals, as they greatly increase engagement. Incorporate interactive elements like polls or questions to encourage participation. Keep your captions concise and relatable, since shorter posts tend to perform better. Finally, utilize trending hashtags to boost visibility; including at least one can improve engagement. Conclusion Incorporating engaging social media posts, such as polls, quizzes, and behind-the-scenes content, can greatly improve audience interaction. These strategies not only promote immediate participation but additionally cultivate a sense of community among followers. By varying your content with creative prompts and opinion-based discussions, you can maintain interest and stimulate meaningful conversations. Implementing these tactics consistently will help build a loyal audience and enhance your overall social media presence, leading to increased engagement and brand recognition. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "10 Fun Social Media Posts to Boost Engagement" 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 32-inch ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWG gaming monitor has earned stellar review for its excellent visuals, refresh rate flexibility, and other impressive gaming-focused features. If you've been looking to upgrade your setup, right now is a good time: It’s $200 off, reaching its lowest price ever—$799 (originally $999). 32-inch ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWG Gaming Monitor $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.00 at Amazon $999.00 Save $200.00 This 32-inch monitor has a 4K UHD WOLED panel that delivers high contrast and deep blacks, making games, movies, and TV shows look more vivid. Compared to a traditional OLED panel, WOLED (White OLED) uses a white light source with filters to provide deeper blacks, faster response times, and more uniform images across a range of lighting conditions. The TrueBlack Glossy coating is better at reducing glare than a matte screen while delivering a clearer picture (though some reviews claim it’s still not bright enough to mitigate intense glare if bright light hits the screen directly). A native 4K, 165 Hz refresh rate allows for high-detail gaming and multimedia use, while its Frame Rate Boost mode offers versatility for playing different kinds of games. For example, FHD at 330 Hz also makes it a solid choice for competitive shooting games and high-FPS play. The monitor has an overall 0.03 ms response time, which is best-in-class, and minimizes motion blur. Other notable features include NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync support, and reduced burn-in risk due to OLED Care Pro and the Neo Proximity Sensor. If you’re looking for a gaming monitor with dual-mode features, nearly instantaneous response time across a range of refresh rates, low input lag, and inky blacks, the 32-inch ASUS ROG Strix OLED XG32UCWG monitor for gamers is a great choice . While it doesn’t offer 240 Hz+ at 4K like some elite models, it delivers a lot for this $800 price point. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $119.00 (List Price $179.00) Samsung Galaxy S26, Unlocked Android Smartphone + $100 Gift Card, 512GB, Powerful Processor, Galaxy AI, Immersive Viewing, Durable Battery, 2026, Black — $899.99 (List Price $1,199.99) Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro AI Noise Cancelling 2.0 Wireless Earbuds (Black) + $30 Amazon Gift Card — $249.99 (List Price $279.99) Google Pixel 10a 128GB 6.3" Unlocked Smartphone + $100 Gift Card — $499.00 (List Price $599.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $329.00 (List Price $349.00) 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) Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $99.99 (List Price $119.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

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Starmer says HMS Dragon will sail to island following drone attack on runway at RAF baseView the full article

Anthropic is taking steps to make it easier to switch to Claude. While the AI chatbot app is popular among developers and vibecoders, it's also been infamous for keeping its more advanced features behind a paywall (and for rate-limiting free users). But now, Claude is finally catching up to ChatGPT and bringing its memory feature to free users. The move follows Claude overtaking ChatGPT in the App Store to become the #1 most downloaded free app in the U.S., so the timing makes sense. As for what could have caused the sudden interest in the app, OpenAI recently announced that it will be working with the U.S. Department of Defense (unofficially titled the Department of War), a day after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei expressed concern about unrestricted AI use by governments. Alongside the new free memory feature, Claude is also introducing a free import tool to help you bring your AI context along with you when moving from other chatbots. Technically, it's more of a guided prompt to feed into other bots, but the idea is that it can help new users avoid blank-slate syndrome. Within 24 hours of using the tool, Claude will theoretically know all the personal details you've previously shared with the chatbots you're importing from, including special instructions, your career, and your ongoing projects, making it easier to converse with Claude. How to enable memory in Claude for freeWhile Claude's memory feature is available for free for all users, it's not enabled by default. Let's fix that. Open the Claude website or the app, click the Profile icon, and go to Settings. Here, in the Capabilities section, you'll see a new Memory section up top. Enable the Generate memory from chat history feature. Now, Claude will automatically start remembering key details about your life as you share them. According to Anthropic, Claude "will automatically summarize your conversations and create a synthesis of key insights across your chat history (not including chats in projects). This synthesis is updated every 24 hours and provides context for every new standalone conversation." Say you're a dentist and you ask Claude for dental implants research; it will know that you're learning about implants the next time you ask a related question. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Of course, this does mean that Claude will start remembering your personal data, too, or at least your personal context. Claude does offer a couple of ways to get around this. If you try to disable memory (from the same menu where you enabled it), you'll see two other options. For a less severe workaround, you can use the Pause memory option to stop the chatbot from creating new memories while keeping its current memories intact. Or, you can choose the Reset memory option to permanently delete all memories, including project-specific memories. That way, you can manually dump what Claude knows about you every once in a while. Credit: Khamosh Pathak While you're in the Memory settings, you can also use the new Import feature. Click the Start Import button to bring up the new menu. Up top, you'll see a prompt that you'll have to copy. After that, paste it into ChatGPT or Gemini to snag your memories from these bots. You'll get your results in a Markdown file. Back in Claude, paste the Markdown file into the textbox below the prompt you copied and click Add to memory. Claude will synthesize it, and it will add its data to its memory file. View the full article

Google will begin enforcing a minimum daily budget for Demand Gen campaigns starting April 1, 2026. What’s happening: The Google Ads API will require a minimum daily budget of $5 USD (or local equivalent) for all Demand Gen campaigns. The change is designed to help campaigns move through the “cold start” phase with enough spend for Google’s models to learn and optimize effectively. The update will roll out as an unversioned API change, applying across all buying paths. Technical details: In API v21 and above, campaigns set below the threshold will trigger a BUDGET_BELOW_DAILY_MINIMUM error, with additional details available in the error metadata. In API v20, advertisers will receive a generic UNKNOWN error, with the specific validation failure referenced in the unpublished error code field. The rule applies when modifying budgets, start dates, or end dates in ways that push daily spend below the $5 floor — covering both daily and flighted budgets. Impact on existing campaigns. Current Demand Gen campaigns running below the minimum will continue serving. However, any future edits to budgets or scheduling will require compliance with the new floor. Why we care. For advertisers and developers, this adds a new compliance layer to campaign management workflows. Systems will need updating to catch and handle the new validation errors before deployment. The bottom line. Google is standardizing a minimum investment threshold for Demand Gen — prioritizing performance stability, while requiring advertisers to adjust budgets and automation accordingly. View the full article

Modified images of strikes circulate as fighting intensifies across the Middle EastView the full article

US and Israeli strikes against an expansive list of targets cause heavy damage in residential areas and civilian casualtiesView the full article

Sens. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., released new legislative language Monday night that includes a ban on institutional investors' purchase of single family homes and a temporary ban on the Federal Reserve issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency. View the full article

A note to corporations everywhere: Asking politely for the internet to stop making fun of you often has the opposite effect. Microsoft may have just learned that lesson the hard way, after it accidentally helped a not-so-nice nickname go viral. As Microsoft’s AI assistant Copilot is integrated into features across the company’s products—from its controversial Recall feature, to a dedicated AI button on Windows keyboards—it’s catching more and more flak, including a new term coined just to clown on Copilot: “Microslop,” a portmanteau of “Microsoft” and “AI slop.” The word was flying freely on Microsoft’s official Copilot Discord server, until users noticed a new filter had gone into effect. On March 1, Windows Latest reported that users’ messages were being blocked if they contained “Microslop,” instead garnering a message from server moderators reading, “Your message contain phrase that is inappropriate.” Microsoft is tired of 'Microslop,' and it's now blocking 'Microslop' comments in Copilot's official Discord server 😂 pic.twitter.com/OR2FFU69h8 — Windows Latest (@WindowsLatest) March 1, 2026 But a small slap on the wrist wasn’t about to stop an army of “sloppers,” as one user described themselves. Instead, Discord users brainstormed workarounds for the filter, like swapping one letter for a number—“Microsl0p,” with a zero instead of a one, was a popular choice—or inventing new terms that conveyed the same message. “Sloppysoft” and “MicroStop No-Pilot” were among the new pitches (not quite as catchy, but they get the point across). Things on Discord got even more dire when Microsoft locked the server after the backlash, blocking users from viewing the chat history and sending new messages. News of the “Microslop” filter quickly broke containment, spreading across social media and creating plenty of new fans of the word, who immediately added it to their lexicons. “Keep saying Microslop it seems to make them very upset,” one poster quipped. MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP MICROSLOP https://t.co/7mGjY2a9cQ — The Act Man (@TheActMan_YT) March 3, 2026 pic.twitter.com/EsSTKkMTOW — RΛSTΞRIZΞD DΩΩM (@rasterized_doom) March 1, 2026 Keep saying Microslop it seems to make them very upset 🤭 https://t.co/IijcFSqVPl — Is this a 3D model? (@IsThisA3DModel) March 2, 2026 Folks were quick to point out a phenomenon that Microsoft apparently forgot: the Streisand effect. Named for Barbra Streisand, whose attempts to bury a photo of her mansion only drew more attention to the picture, the Streisand effect describes when attempts to censor information instead encourage interest in it. If Microsoft had let “Microslop” slide, the term might have lived and died on Discord—but now, it’s going viral across social media instead. You're not going to win this one Microslop. https://t.co/XLlHTgcMJA pic.twitter.com/xLxgW67LN7 — Reid Southen (@Rahll) March 2, 2026 But was the filter made to protect Microsoft’s ego, or simply to keep the server spam-free? Microsoft claims the latter. In a statement to Fast Company, a spokesperson for Microsoft explained that the filter was meant to block a targeted spam campaign on the server, not to outright ban the term permanently. “The Copilot Discord channel has recently been targeted by spammers attempting to disrupt and overwhelm the space with harmful content not related to Copilot,” the spokesperson said. “Initially, this spam consisted of walls of text, so we added temporary filters for select terms to slow this activity.” “We have since made the decision to temporarily lock down the server while we work to implement stronger safeguards to protect users from this harmful spam and help ensure the server remains a safe, usable space for the community,” added the spokesperson. View the full article

A reader writes: My workload is mostly comprised of overflow tasks from other departments. I generally like this because it gives me a variety of things to do. I regularly deal with four managers. Three of them are good to work with. One, Alex, is … not. While the others always do a capacity check-in with me (asking if I have the bandwidth to take new work on), Alex regularly assigns me things without asking at all. It is not unusual that I will go on lunch and come back to a bunch of new tasks waiting for me with no discussion prior to assignment. The things Alex assigns me have exceptionally short deadlines, are often missing key pieces of information, and are often assigned to me and then she suddenly becomes unreachable. For example, she assigned a task midday and then didn’t respond to my questions to fill in any of the blanks for hours. It feels like she assigns me things and then runs away from the computer for the rest of the day. She also will regularly start a task, decide she doesn’t have the bandwidth to complete it, and then toss the half completed task at me with a “complete this for me, will you?” and little else. This means I have to stop everything else I am doing to try and figure out where she left off/how important it is because there is no documentation. Most of the time, I just end up redoing her work because the pieces they “completed” were rushed and done incorrectly. Then, when I kill myself to meet her incredibly short deadlines, I have to chase her for approval. Recently I was assigned something she wanted in two days, which I did, and when I asked her to approve it, she said she wouldn’t have any time to review it for five days. To me, if the project can just sit there for five days with nobody looking at it, then it wasn’t the rush I was led to believe. I like Alex as a person and I know she has a busy life outside of work, so I try to give her grace and understanding. When this started happening, I explained politely why these issues make my job harder and we talked about how to keep it from happening in the future. At the time, she seemed understanding and apologetic and I felt good about where we left things. But it feels like the conversation went in one ear and out the other, because again I just got three new things assigned to me without a heads-up, missing information and with incredibly short deadlines. I understand things happen and sometimes things happen last minute or information gets delayed, but this feels constant and I am trying to manage workflows from four people. I previously flagged this situation with my direct manager, but at the time said I was just mentioning the issue for transparency and that she didn’t need to take action because I was dealing with it myself. However, since it keeps happening, I am not sure what to do or how to articulate my issues in a productive way. I don’t want to be a tattletale and rat anybody out and I also don’t want to seem like I am just bitching to my boss about people having a different work ethic than me. I will fully admit, I am pretty type A and super organized, which is part of the reason I have the job I have. But this legitimately sucks and my hair is falling out from stress! What should I do? You can read my answer to this letter at New York Magazine today. Head over there to read it. The post my coworker gives me rush projects, then disappears appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Costs at the pump exceed level at the end of the Biden administrationView the full article

As small businesses continue to navigate the complex landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), recent developments between Intel and SambaNova offer fresh insights into enhancing AI capabilities. This strategic collaboration aims to provide efficient AI inference solutions that could potentially transform how small enterprises leverage technology. The partnership centers around building high-performance AI systems using Intel® Xeon® processors, a familiar name in the tech community. This could be particularly beneficial for small businesses looking to implement AI solutions without the need for hefty investments in new infrastructure. With AI workloads diversifying, the push for heterogeneous infrastructure—integrating various compute, memory, and networking systems—has accelerated. By synchronizing SambaNova’s expertise in AI infrastructure with Intel’s reliable hardware, small business owners may see a credible pathway to robust AI applications. For many organizations, AI can feel like a daunting task, laden with uncertainties about implementation and cost. SambaNova’s approach to AI workload may very well offer a chance to simplify that process, particularly for AI-native companies and model providers. “For customers with AI workloads well-suited to SambaNova’s approach, the combination of Intel CPUs and SambaNova’s AI platform can provide a compelling rack-level inference option,” says an Intel representative. This indicates that using these combined technologies can facilitate smoother and faster AI operations. Small businesses might find the potential for improved scalability very appealing. As operations streamline, teams can more easily adapt to increasing data influx or customer demands. The collaboration is also promising cost-effective solutions tailored to fit a variety of budgets—important for small business owners who need to stretch every dollar. While the announcement highlights the immediate benefits, small business owners should also keep an eye on some challenges that could arise with this development. For instance, integrating new technologies typically requires not only financial investment but also a commitment to training staff and altering existing processes. The collaboration does not shift Intel away from its ongoing investments in its GPU capabilities either—implying that businesses will need to stay updated as additional frameworks develop. Intel’s continued roadmap for competition in the AI space reinforces that small businesses will have access to ongoing improvements and innovation. However, the rapidly evolving nature of technology means small businesses must be agile and prepared to adapt quickly. This combination of Intel’s established products and SambaNova’s innovative approach could yield a powerful toolkit, but business owners will have to invest time in assessing their specific needs and workflows. The multi-year strategy discussed also aligns with Intel’s vision for edge-to-cloud engagements, indicating they are focused not just on data centers but on providing comprehensive solutions that suite various business sizes and types. This could translate to more tailored offerings for small enterprises, which is often overlooked in the broader tech landscape. As AI continues to evolve, small business owners equipped with the right solutions will be better positioned to harness its power. By leveraging the combined strengths of Intel and SambaNova, businesses may not only unlock efficiencies within their operations but also open new avenues for growth and innovation. For more details on this collaboration, you can visit the original press release here. As these developments unfold, it will be crucial for small business owners to stay informed and ready to embrace the opportunities that powerful AI infrastructure presents. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Intel and SambaNova Join Forces to Transform AI Inference Solutions" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article