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Today’s hustle culture has turned burnout into something we either brag about or shamefully hide. Instagram is packed with videos of employees clocking out at 8 pm only to go home and wrap up their day. We joke about living on caffeine and a constant influx of notifications. And so, when we finally hit a The post Burnout symptoms aren’t a personal failure. They’re a warning system. appeared first on RescueTime Blog. View the full article

I have always found it annoying to search for anything in Apple's Messages app. Admittedly, things have gotten better in recent years, especially as Messages allows you to use search filters now, but my biggest complaint still stands: searching in Messages can be both slow and complicated, particularly if you just want to find a specific text. If you have the same experience, I have good news: I've found a workaround that offers a massive improvement to Apple's built-in search function. The problem with searching in MessagesFor most people, the easiest way to search for texts on an iPhone involves opening the Messages app, tapping the search bar near the base of the screen, and typing in what you're looking for. You'll receive a variety of results, but that's the problem: It's too much information. When I search for a person's name, for example, Messages in iOS 26 shows a list of four chats where the name is mentioned, followed by two chat threads, pinned chats, shared notes, links, photos, locations, and documents. This is great when I want a more in-depth search, but when I'm just looking for a specific message, these extra details just get in the way. The fastest way to search for texts in iOS 26That's where our hack comes in. First, open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, then install the Search and Open Messages shortcut. This shortcuts takes advantage of actions released in iOS 26, which allow you to look for text messages and open them in a single tap. Once the shortcut is installed, you can run it from the Shortcuts app, or add it to your iPhone's Home Screen for easier access. The shortcut will prompt you to type what you want to search for, and almost instantly, it'll list all the chats containing those words. In some cases, it even highlights the exact sentence containing those words. It'll find keywords in images you share, as well: These appears as "blank" entries in the search results, but if you tap through, you'll see the image the search identified. The moment you tap a result, the shortcut instantly takes you to the relevant part of the chat, and doesn't make you scroll through hundreds of results to find the right one. This is the kind of functionality Apple needs to add directly to Messages. But, for now, this shortcut workaround will have to do. View the full article

A reader writes: I’m having trouble figuring out how to navigate a situation with a coworker, John. When I first started at this company a year ago, John was the one who trained me, and he was courteous and communicative throughout the process. I wound up as casual work friends with him, but over the year I’ve seen him do and say things that have given me a very bad gut feeling. Most of these things involve his wife, Gladys, who works here in a different department but who eats lunch with us occasionally. Although John is usually thoughtful and respectful to me and his other coworkers, everything he says to Gladys is some sort of subtle put down or disagreement with what she is doing, sometimes to the point of outright yelling at her. No one else in our coworker friend circle takes outward issue, I suspect in part because John is the oldest and has been here the longest, but it makes me incredibly uncomfortable, and frankly I have strong suspicious that he is an abusive spouse — perhaps not through physical violence, but he puts a lot of pressure on what she eats and how much. The first time it happened, since it was out of line with the rest of his work presence, I figured it might be one bad moment, but it’s an established pattern at this point and even if he is not outright abusive, the best case scenario is still that he’s a huge jerk. I no longer want anything to do with this guy outside of the times we need to be in the same room or otherwise cooperate for work reasons. I do feel as though I can remain professional and polite in these situations, but further friendly interactions between us make my skin crawl now. I’m having trouble figuring out how to navigate this for a few reasons. First, I only ever see Gladys during these lunches; she works in a separate building I don’t have access to. We don’t have a close enough relationship where I could talk to her about any of this, and I can’t try to change that without getting closer to John. Second, even if I did have specific and actionable evidence I could take to HR, I wouldn’t want to start anything official unless Gladys asked me to — I do not want to put her in a worse position by making John angry. For similar reasons, it seems like a very bad idea to tell John outright that I no longer want to be friends with him because I don’t like how he treats his wife. I’ve been trying to gradually and amicably spend less time with him outside of necessary interactions, and am hoping I can accomplish this in a way that feels like a natural drift apart. In the event he notices and asks me about it, though, I have absolutely no idea how to respond. I do suspect he will notice eventually since there was a past situation where he was upset for weeks when another coworker similarly stopped friendly contact with him (the way he handled that situation was another red flag for me, and I wonder now if that coworker had the same reasons I do). Is there a better way to exit this situation that wouldn’t risk endangering Gladys? And beyond that, is any of this something I should try to speak up about to supervisors or HR? None of this has ever happened when they’ve been present. I think you’re handling it the best way available to you, given the constraints of not really knowing Gladys, having limited info about their relationship, and needing to work with John. John is a jerk, so it makes sense to minimize the amount of interaction you have with him and back away from a social relationship. If he ever asks you about it, you can employ the bland responses that are time-honored traditions when you don’t want to spend time with someone but also don’t want to get into a big Feelings talk about it: * “No, just busy with work!” * “Hmmm, I haven’t realized that, just busy I guess.” * “I’m good, just have my hands full with the X project.” … and so forth. In some situations — and especially if he’s pushing about why you’re not joining him for lunch anymore, in particular — I think it would be fine to say, “Frankly, the way you talk to your wife makes me really uncomfortable and I don’t want to be around that.” And there’s an argument for saying it here, as a method of demonstrating that there are social consequences to his behavior. But if you believe that risks making things worse for Gladys, then that gets a lot muddier. That calculation can be very difficult; on one hand, if there is abuse, her safety matters more than the principle of Something Must Be Said. On the other hand, no one saying anything can reinforce some of the ways abusers keep their victims trapped, like by telling them that no one would believe there’s a problem / people think they deserve the abuse / etc. Of course, in this situation, we don’t know much about what’s going on and John may just be an enormous jerk but not an abusive one, so this is mostly a theoretical leap … but if you’re concerned about abuse, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-7233) can talk to you about what you’re seeing and give you more tailored advice. Otherwise, though, if you do find yourself stuck at a lunch table with John again and he yells at Gladys again (!), you should feel feel to respond to that the same way you would if he were yelling at any other colleague: tell him to knock it off, tell him to leave the table … whatever you’d do if he were yelling at anyone else. I don’t know exactly what John said about Gladys’s food intake, but depending on the specifics you might be able to say anything from “Can we not diet-police, please?” to “That’s really disrespectful” to “Wow, leave her alone.” If you ever had contact with Gladys away from John — or can orchestrate a reason to — you could also say to her, “Are you doing alright? The way John talked to you at lunch earlier wasn’t okay.” But if John yells at Gladys on work grounds (or at work events, or when colleagues are around), I do think that’s something you can share with your boss or HR. That’s different than “this guy doesn’t seem very nice to his wife” (which is a problem but not a work problem) and has moved into the realm of “something not okay is happening in our workplace.” The post my coworker is awful to his wife, who also works here appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

If you look at job postings on Indeed and LinkedIn, you’ll see a wave of acronyms added to the alphabet soup as companies try to hire people to boost visibility on large language models (LLMs). Some people are calling it generative engine optimization (GEO). Others call it answer engine optimization (AEO). Still others call it artificial intelligence optimization (AIO). I prefer large model answer optimization (LMAO). I find these new acronyms a bit ridiculous because while many like to think AI optimization is new, it isn’t. It’s just long-tail SEO — done the way it was always meant to be done. Why LLMs still rely on search Most LLMs (e.g., GPT-4o, Claude 4.5, Gemini 1.5, Grok-2) are transformers trained to do one thing: predict the next token given all previous tokens. AI companies train them on massive datasets from public web crawls, such as: Common Crawl. Digitized books. Wikipedia dumps. Academic papers. Code repositories. News archives. Forums. The data is heavily filtered to remove spam, toxic content, and low-quality pages. Full pretraining is extremely expensive, so companies run major foundation training cycles only every few years and rely on lighter fine-tuning for more frequent updates. So what happens when an LLM encounters a question it can’t answer with confidence, despite the massive amount of training data? AI companies use real-time web search and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to keep responses fresh and accurate, bridging the limits of static training data. In other words, the LLM runs a web search. To see this in real time, many LLMs let you click an icon or “Show details” to view the process. For example, when I use Grok to find highly rated domestically made space heaters, it converts my question into a standard search query. Dig deeper: AI search is booming, but SEO is still not dead The long-tail SEO playbook is back Many of us long-time SEO practitioners have praised the value of long-tail SEO for years. But one main reason it never took off for many brands: Google. As long as Google’s interface was a single text box, users were conditioned to search with one- and two-word queries. Most SEO revenue came from these head terms, so priorities focused on competing for the No. 1 spot for each industry’s top phrase. Many brands treated long-tail SEO as a distraction. Some cut content production and community management because they couldn’t see the ROI. Most saw more value in protecting a handful of head terms than in creating content to capture the long tail of search. Fast forward to 2026. People typing LLM prompts do so conversationally, adding far more detail and nuance than they would in a traditional search engine. LLMs take these prompts and turn them into search queries. They won’t stop at a few words. They’ll construct a query that reflects whatever detail their human was looking for in the prompt. Suddenly, the fat head of the search curve is being replaced with a fat tail. While humans continue to go to search engines for head terms, LLMs are sending these long-tail search queries to search engines for answers. While AI companies are coy about disclosing exactly who they partner with, most public information points to the following search engines as the ones their LLMs use most often: ChatGPT – Bing Search. Claude – Brave Search. Gemini – Google Search. Grok – X Search and its own internal web search tool. Perplexity – Uses its own hybrid index. Right now, humans conduct billions of searches each month on traditional search engines. As more people turn to LLMs for answers, we’ll see exponential growth in LLMs sending search queries on their behalf. SEO is being reborn. 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 Dig deeper: Why ‘it’s just SEO’ misses the mark in the era of AI SEO How to do long-tail SEO with help from AI The principles of long-tail SEO haven’t changed much. It’s best summed up by Baseball Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler: “Keep your eye on the ball and hit ’em where they ain’t.” Success has always depended on understanding your audience’s deepest needs, knowing what truly differentiates your brand, and creating content at the intersection of the two. As straightforward as this strategy has been, few have executed it well, for understandable reasons. Reading your customers’ minds is hard. Keyword research is tedious. Content creation is hard. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds. Happily, there’s someone to help: your favorite LLM. Here are a few best practices I’ve used to create strong long-tail content over the years, with a twist. What once took days, weeks, or even months, you can now do in minutes with AI. 1. Ask your LLM what people search when looking for your product or service The first rule of long-tail SEO has always been to get into your audience’s heads and understand their needs. This once required commissioning surveys and hiring research firms to figure out. But for most brands and industries, an LLM can handle at least the basics. Here’s a sample prompt you can use. Act as an SEO strategist and customer research analyst. You're helping with long-tail keyword discovery by modeling real customer questions. I want to discover long-tail search questions real people might ask about my business, products, and industry. I’m not looking for mere keyword lists. Generate realistic search questions that reflect how people research, compare options, solve problems, and make decisions. Company name: [COMPANY NAME] Industry: [INDUSTRY] Primary product/service: [PRIMARY PRODUCT OR SERVICE] Target customer: [TARGET AUDIENCE] Geography (if relevant): [LOCATION OR MARKET] Generate a list of 75 – 100 realistic, natural-language search queries grouped into the following categories: AWARENESS • Beginner questions about the category • Problem-based questions (pain points, frustrations, confusion) CONSIDERATION • Comparison questions (alternatives, competitors, approaches) • “Best for” and use-case questions • Cost and pricing questions DECISION • Implementation or getting-started questions • Trust, credibility, and risk questions POST-PURCHASE • Troubleshooting questions • Optimization and advanced/expert questions EDGE CASES • Niche scenarios • Uncommon but realistic situations • Advanced or expert questions Guidelines: • Write queries the way real people search in Google or ask AI assistants. • Prioritize specificity over generic keywords. • Include question formats, “how to” queries, and scenario-based searches. • Avoid marketing language. • Include emotional, situational, and practical context where relevant. • Don't repeat the same query structure with minor variations. • Each query should suggest a clear content angle. Output as a clean bullet list grouped by category. You can tweak this prompt for your brand and industry. The key is to force the LLM (and yourself) to think like a customer and avoid the trap of generating keyword lists that are just head-term variations dressed up as long-tail queries. With a prompt like this, you move away from churning out “keyword ideas” and toward understanding real customer needs you can build useful content around. Dig deeper: If SEO is rocket science, AI SEO is astrophysics 2. Use your LLM to analyze your search data Most large brands and sites don’t realize they’ve been sitting on a treasure trove of user intelligence: on-site search data. When customers type a query into your site’s search box, they’re looking for something they expect your brand to provide. If you see the same searches repeatedly, it usually means one of two things: You have the information, but users can’t find it. You don’t have it at all. In both cases, it’s a strong signal you need to improve your site’s UX, add meaningful content, or both. There’s another advantage to mining on-site search data: it reveals the exact words your audience uses, not the terms your team assumes they use. Historically, the challenge has been the time required to analyze it. I remember projects where I locked myself in a room for days, reviewing hundreds of thousands of queries line by line to find patterns — sorting, filtering, and clustering them by intent. If you’ve done the same, you know the pattern. The first few dozen keywords represent unique concepts, but eventually you start seeing synonyms and variations. All of this is buried treasure waiting to be explored. Your LLM can help. Here’s a sample prompt you can use: You're an SEO strategist analyzing internal site search data. My goal is to identify content opportunities from what users are searching for on my website – including both major themes and specific long-tail needs within those themes. I have attached a list of site search queries exported from GA4. Please: STEP 1 – Cluster by intent Group the queries into logical intent-based themes. STEP 2 – Identify long-tail signals inside each theme Within each theme: • Identify recurring modifiers (price, location, comparisons, troubleshooting, etc.) • Identify specific entities mentioned (products, tools, features, audiences, problems) • Call out rare but high-intent searches • Highlight wording that suggests confusion or unmet expectations STEP 3 – Generate content ideas For each theme: • Suggest 3 – 5 content ideas • Include at least one long-tail content idea derived directly from the queries • Include one “high-intent” content idea • Include one “problem-solving” content idea STEP 4 – Identify UX or navigation issues Point out searches that suggest: • Users cannot find existing content • Misleading navigation labels • Missing landing pages Output format: Theme: Supporting queries: Long-tail insights: Content opportunities: UX observations: Again, customize this prompt based on what you know about your audience and how they search. The detail matters. Many SEO practitioners stop at a prompt like “give me a list of topics for my clients,” but this pushes the LLM beyond simple clustering to understand the intent behind the searches. I used on-site search data because it’s one of the richest, most transparent, and most actionable sources. But similar prompts can uncover hidden value in other keyword lists, such as “striking distance” terms from Google Search Console or competitive keywords from Semrush. Even better, if your organization keeps detailed customer interaction records (e.g., sales call notes, support tickets, chat transcripts), those can be more valuable. Unlike keyword datasets, they capture problems in full sentences, in the customer’s own words, often revealing objections, confusion, and edge cases that never appear in traditional keyword research. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 3. Create great content The next step is to create great content. Your goal is to create content so strong and authoritative that it’s picked up by sources like Common Crawl and survives the intense filtering AI companies apply when building LLM training sets. Realistically, only pioneering brands and recognized authorities can expect to operate in this rarefied space. For the rest of us, the opportunity is creating high-quality long-tail content that ranks at the top across search engines — not just Google, but Bing, Brave, and even X. This is one area where I wouldn’t rely on LLMs, at least not to generate content from scratch. Why? LLMs are sophisticated pattern matchers. They surface and remix information from across the internet, even obscure material. But they don’t produce genuinely original thought. At best, LLMs synthesize. At worst, they hallucinate. Many worry AI will take their jobs. And it will — for anyone who thinks “great content” means paraphrasing existing authority sources and competing with Wikipedia-level sites for broad head terms. Most brands will never be the primary authority on those terms. That’s OK. The real opportunity is becoming the authority on specific, detailed, often overlooked questions your audience actually has. The long tail is still wide open for brands willing to create thoughtful, experience-driven content that doesn’t already exist everywhere else. We need to face facts. The fat head is shrinking. The land rush is now for the “fat tail.” Here’s what brands need to do to succeed: Dominate searches for your brand Search your brand name in a keyword tool like Semrush and review the long-tail variations people type into Google. You’ll likely find more than misspellings. You’ll see detailed queries about pricing, alternatives, complaints, comparisons, and troubleshooting. If you don’t create content that addresses these topics directly — the good and the bad — someone else will. It might be a Reddit thread from someone who barely knows your product, a competitor attacking your site, a negative Google Business Profile review, or a complaint on Trustpilot. When people search your brand, your site should be the best place for honest, complete answers — even and especially when they aren’t flattering. If you don’t own the conversation, others will define it for you. The time for “frequently asked questions” is over. You need to answer every question about your brand—frequent, infrequent, and everything in between. Go long Head terms in your industry have likely been dominated by top brands for years. That doesn’t mean the opportunity is gone. Beneath those competitive terms is a vast layer of unbranded, long-tail searches that have likely been ignored. Your data will reveal them. Review on-site search, Google Search Console queries, customer support questions, and forums like Reddit. These are real people asking real questions in their own words. The challenge isn’t finding questions to write about. It’s delivering the best answers — not one-line responses to check a box, but clear explanations, practical examples, and content grounded in real experience that reflects what sets your brand apart. Dig deeper: Timeless SEO rules AI can’t override: 11 unshakeable fundamentals Expertise is now a commodity: Lean into experience, authority, and trust Publishing expert content still matters, but its role has changed. Today, anyone can generate “expert-sounding” articles with an LLM. Whether that content ranks in Google is increasingly beside the point, as many users go straight to AI tools for answers. As the “expertise” in E-E-A-T becomes table stakes, differentiation comes from what AI and competitors can’t easily replicate: experience, authority, and trust. That means publishing: Original insights and genuine thought leadership from people inside your company. Real customer stories with measurable outcomes. Transparent reviews and testimonials. Evidence that your brand delivers what it promises. This isn’t just about blog content. These signals should appear across your site — from your About page to product pages to customer support content. Every page should reinforce why a real person should trust your brand. Stop paywalling your best content I’m seeing more brands put their strongest content behind logins or paywalls. I understand why. Many need to protect intellectual property and preserve monetization. But as a long-term strategy, this often backfires. If your content is truly valuable, the ideas will spread anyway. A subscriber may paraphrase it. An AI system may summarize it. A crawler may access it through technical workarounds. In the end, your insights circulate without attribution or brand lift. When your best content is publicly accessible, it can be cited, linked to, indexed, and discussed. That visibility builds authority and trust over time. In a search- and AI-driven ecosystem, discoverability often outweighs modest direct content monetization. This doesn’t mean content businesses can’t charge for anything. It means being strategic about what you charge for. A strong model is to make core knowledge and thought leadership open while monetizing things such as: Tools. Community access. Premium analysis or data. Courses or certifications. Implementation support. Early access or deeper insights. In other words, let your ideas spread freely and monetize the experience, expertise, and outcomes around them. Stop viewing content as a necessary evil I still see brands hiding content behind CSS “read more” links or stuffing blocks of “SEO copy” at the bottom of pages, hoping users won’t notice but search engines will. Spoiler alert: they see it. They just don’t care. Content isn’t something you add to check an SEO box or please a robot. Every word on your site must serve your customers. When content genuinely helps users understand, compare, and decide, it becomes an asset that builds trust and drives conversions. If you’d be embarrassed for users to read your content, you’re thinking about it the wrong way. There’s no such thing as content that’s “bad for users but good for search engines.” There never was. Embrace user-generated content No article on long-tail SEO is complete without discussing user-generated content. I covered forums and Q&A sites in a previous article (see: The reign of forums: How AI made conversation king), and they remain one of the most efficient ways to generate authentic, unique content. The concept is simple. You have an audience that’s already passionate and knowledgeable. They likely have more hands-on experience with your brand and industry than many writers you hire. They may already be talking about your brand offline, in customer communities, or on forums like Reddit. Your goal is to bring some of those conversations onto your site. User-generated content naturally produces the long-tail language marketing teams rarely create on their own. Customers Describe problems differently. Ask unexpected questions. Compare products in ways you didn’t anticipate. Surface edge cases, troubleshooting scenarios, and real-world use cases that rarely appear in polished marketing copy. This is exactly the kind of content long-tail SEO thrives on. It’s also the kind of content AI systems and search engines increasingly recognize as credible because it reflects real experience rather than brand messaging many dismiss as inauthentic. Brands that do this well don’t just capture long-tail traffic. They build trust, reduce support costs, and dominate long-tail searches and prompts. In the age of AI-generated content, real human experience is one of the strongest differentiators. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with The new SEO playbook looks a lot like the old one For years, SEO has been shaped by the limits of the search box. Short queries and head terms dominated strategy, and long-tail content was often treated as optional. LLMs are changing that dynamic. AI is expanding search, not eliminating it. AI systems encourage people to express what they actually want to know. Those detailed prompts still need answers, and those answers come from the web. That means the SEO opportunity is shifting from competing over a small set of keywords to becoming the best source of answers to thousands of specific questions. Brands that succeed will: Deeply understand their audience. Publish genuinely useful content. Build trust through real engagement and experience. That’s always been the recipe for SEO success. But our industry has a habit of inventing complex tactics to avoid doing the simple work well. Most of us remember doorway pages, exact match domains, PageRank sculpting, LSI obsession, waves of auto-generated pages, and more. Each promised an edge. Few replaced the value of helping users. We’re likely to see the same cycle repeat in the AI era. The reality is simpler. AI systems aren’t the audience. They’re intermediaries helping humans find trustworthy answers. If you focus on helping people understand, decide, and solve problems, you’re already optimizing for AI — whatever you call it. Dig deeper: Is SEO a brand channel or a performance channel? Now it’s both View the full article

Moving to Brazil has emerged as a popular option for expats and digital nomads, whether for a summer or for a lifetime. The warm, inviting, rich, and social culture, incredibly low cost of living, and high quality of life against a backdrop of great infrastructure (in the right places) underpinned by safety (also in the ... Read moreView the full article

When considering franchise investments, it’s essential to understand the various factors that influence franchise prices. Initial franchise fees can differ greatly, whereas ongoing royalty percentages usually range from 6% to 10%. Franchisor support and training can impact your success, and market demand, economic conditions, and competition likewise play important roles. Brand strength and geographic location further affect costs. By examining these elements closely, you can better navigate the intricacies of franchise pricing. What might surprise you is how these factors interact with each other. Key Takeaways Initial franchise fees vary significantly, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, influenced by the brand and industry type. Ongoing royalty percentages typically range from 6% to 10% of gross sales, impacting overall profitability. The strength of the brand plays a crucial role, with established brands often commanding higher franchise fees. Geographic location affects franchise prices, with urban areas generally having higher costs due to increased market potential. Market demand and economic conditions, such as disposable income and consumer trends, significantly influence franchise pricing strategies. Initial Franchise Fees and Startup Costs When considering a franchise opportunity, comprehension of initial franchise fees and startup costs is vital, as these expenses can vary widely. Typically, initial franchise fees range from $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the brand and industry. Startup costs can additionally differ greatly; low-cost franchises may require under $50,000, whereas high-investment options can exceed $1 million. Beyond the franchise cost, you’ll need to account for additional expenses such as equipment, inventory, legal fees, marketing, and training. These costs can markedly impact your initial investment. Moreover, unforeseen expenses like higher operating costs or mandatory upgrades may arise, influencing your overall profitability. Industry type plays a pivotal role too; food franchises usually demand larger investments compared to service-based businesses. Ongoing Royalty Percentages Ongoing royalty percentages typically fall between 6% and 10% of your gross sales, and grasping these fees is vital for your franchise’s financial health. These royalties considerably contribute to the franchisor’s revenue, enabling them to fund marketing, training, and operational support for franchisees. Depending on your franchise’s industry, these percentages may vary; for instance, service-based franchises often have lower royalty rates than food franchises. Evaluating these ongoing fees is important, as they directly impact your profitability and cash flow over time. Moreover, comprehending the structure of these royalties, including whether they cover extra services or marketing fees, can help you plan effectively. Remarkably, a Chick-fil-A operator salary reflects the financial dynamics influenced by these ongoing percentages. Financial Performance of Existing Franchises When you’re evaluating the financial performance of existing franchises, you’ll want to take into account key factors like profitability of current locations, historical revenue trends, and return on investment. These metrics not only provide insight into how well the franchise is doing but furthermore play a vital role in determining franchise pricing and potential success for new franchisees. Comprehending these aspects can help you make informed decisions about entering a franchise system and evaluating its long-term viability. Profitability of Current Locations The profitability of current franchise locations serves as a significant benchmark for prospective franchisees, as it provides a clear picture of the potential financial returns on investment. Comprehending how much money do Chick-fil-A owners make is fundamental, as their success can highlight the profitability of the franchise. Here are three key factors to reflect on: Average royalty fees typically range from 6-10% of gross sales, impacting overall financial health. Franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) reveal average sales and profit margins, aiding in investment assessments. A strong brand presence correlates with higher profitability, attracting more customers. Additionally, successful franchises typically break even within 2.5-3 years, making the evaluation of existing profitability critical for informed decision-making. Historical Revenue Trends Grasping historical revenue trends is essential for evaluating the financial performance of existing franchises. Successful franchise systems typically break even within 2.5 to 3 years, indicating a positive cash flow trajectory. The average royalty fee, ranging from 6 to 10% of gross sales, is crucial for the franchisor’s financial health and ongoing support for franchisees. In their first year, many franchises invest 20 to 30% of their total budget in marketing and brand development, considerably boosting revenue. Remarkably, around 90% of franchise systems achieve profitability, highlighting their financial potential compared to independent startups. If you’re considering how much it’s to own a Chick-fil-A, these revenue trends can provide valuable insights into its financial viability and growth prospects. Return on Investment Grasping the return on investment (ROI) is crucial for anyone considering entering the franchise world, especially after reviewing historical revenue trends. To understand how ROI impacts franchise prices, consider these key factors: Franchisees expect a minimum ROI after accounting for fees and expenses, typically achieving it within 2.5 to 3 years. The difference between pre-franchise fee returns and acceptable benchmarks influences the maximum fees franchisors can charge. Financial modeling of unit performance helps assess typical outcomes, affecting franchisee recruitment and system health. Additionally, factors like industry type, geographic location, and the franchisor’s brand strength greatly influence the financial performance and ROI of existing franchises, ultimately shaping the overall environment of franchise prices. Franchisor Support and Training When considering a franchise opportunity, comprehension of the support and training offered by the franchisor is crucial for your success. Franchisors typically provide thorough training programs lasting from a few days to several weeks, ensuring you grasp operational procedures and business management. Ongoing support often includes marketing assistance and troubleshooting, enhancing your ability to thrive. The quality of this training greatly impacts franchise performance; strong support systems correlate with higher profitability and lower failure rates. Many franchisors offer specialized training in areas like sales techniques and customer service. Furthermore, you’ll gain access to a network of experienced franchisees for mentorship, providing valuable insights to navigate early challenges. This support is fundamental, especially when considering the franchise for Chick-fil-A cost. Market Demand for the Franchise Concept Grasping the market demand for a franchise concept is crucial for evaluating its potential profitability. Factors influencing this demand include: Consumer Trends: A growing interest in health and wellness franchises reflects changing preferences regarding healthier living. Economic Conditions: Rising disposable incomes and low unemployment rates boost demand in sectors like food and retail, leading to increased franchise prices. Industry Competition: High competition raises franchise prices as potential franchisees seek established brands. For instance, you’re likely curious about how much does a Chick-fil-A franchise make. Comprehending these dynamics helps you gauge if investing in a franchise aligns with market trends, eventually impacting its value and potential returns. Competitive Landscape in the Target Market Comprehending the competitive terrain in your target market is vital for setting appropriate franchise prices. If you’re in a saturated market, you might need to lower fees to attract franchisees. Urban areas typically face higher competition, impacting your pricing strategy. It’s fundamental to analyze your competitors’ pricing models to stay competitive during offering value. Consumer preferences likewise drive price fluctuations, which can either inflate or deflate your franchise fees. Strong brands, like Chick-fil-A, can justify higher fees because of better recognition and customer loyalty. Recognizing these factors can guide your pricing decisions effectively. Factor Impact on Franchise Prices Market Saturation May lower fees Geographic Location Affects pricing strategies Competitor Pricing Models Influences your pricing Brand Strength Justifies higher fees Economic Conditions and Trends Comprehending economic conditions and trends is crucial for determining franchise prices, as these factors can greatly impact your financial strategies. Here are three key elements to ponder: Inflation Rates: Higher inflation can increase operational costs, leading to higher franchise fees. Employment Rates: A robust job market boosts disposable income, enhancing consumer spending and demand for franchises. Geographic Disparities: Urban areas often command higher franchise prices owing to greater market potential compared to rural regions. For instance, the average Chick-fil-A owner salary can be greatly affected by these trends, reflecting broader economic conditions. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 4 P’s of Franchising? The 4 P’s of franchising are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product refers to what you offer, ensuring it meets market demand. Price involves setting competitive fees and royalties to attract franchisees while remaining profitable. Place relates to choosing strategic locations based on demographics and competition. Finally, Promotion encompasses your marketing strategies to build brand awareness and drive consumer interest, essential for the success and growth of your franchise. Why Does It Only Cost $10k to Own a Chick-Fil-A Franchise? Owning a Chick-Fil-A franchise costs only $10,000 primarily because of the company’s unique business model. Chick-Fil-A covers most startup costs, such as equipment and construction, which can exceed $1 million. This structure allows you to focus on operations without hefty initial investments. Although you must invest your own capital, you don’t own the physical assets, reducing financial risk. The company’s thorough training and support further improve your chances of achieving profitability quickly. What Factors Contribute to the High Cost of Maintaining a Franchise? Maintaining a franchise can be costly because of several factors. You’ll face ongoing operational expenses like staff salaries and technology fees, which can reach $100,000 annually. Furthermore, royalty fees between 6% to 10% of gross sales greatly impact your profitability. Marketing contributions and hidden costs, such as training and local advertising, can further strain your budget. It’s crucial to plan for these expenses to make certain your franchise remains financially viable over time. What Are the 4 R’s of Franchising? The 4 R’s of franchising are Rights, Responsibilities, Revenue, and Relationships. Rights grant you legal permission to operate under the franchisor’s brand. Responsibilities involve adhering to operational standards and fulfilling financial obligations. Revenue encompasses the initial fees and ongoing royalties you’ll pay, in addition to the profits you can expect. Finally, Relationships emphasize the importance of communication and trust between you and the franchisor, which can greatly influence your franchise’s success. Conclusion In conclusion, grasping the key factors that influence franchise prices can help you make informed decisions. Initial fees, ongoing royalties, and franchisor support all play significant roles in your investment. Furthermore, the financial performance of existing franchises, market demand, competitive dynamics, and economic conditions further shape pricing strategies. By considering these elements, you can better assess the true cost of a franchise and its potential for success in your chosen market. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "7 Key Factors Affecting Franchise Prices" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

I remember it clearly: my first freelance gig, back in 2005. On the way there, I’d see Freelancers Union posters in the subway, and it felt like a lowkey way of seeing my future home — that’s exactly what I’m joining, once I get started on my career. I’d look around the train and wonder how many other passengers were also freelancers, building their lives quietly in parallel. That day’s work was low wage street intercept — stopping people, showing them big studio movie trailers, and asking how likely they were to watch the film. It wasn’t the foot in the door I imagined for filmmaking, but like most freelancing, it built real skills: how to talk to strangers, how to translate creative ideas into language people can actually hear, and how to listen for what’s underneath their answers. For more stable work, I took a “temporary” job as a writer and aide of a local city councilman. And that role taught me something harder - the difference between having a voice and having a say. I didn’t have much of a say back then, and I knew too many people who didn’t either. Not because we were voiceless (there’s no such thing), but because we were strategically ignored — hierarchically hushed — kept outside the rooms where decisions were made. Whatever you call it, I didn’t like it. I couldn’t unsee it. So I put some of my creative dreams on hold and went into public service. I was elected to the State Assembly and later to the City Council at 28, and the contrast was immediate. In government, you see what stability looks like up close: prestige, protections, flexible schedules, and influence that comes standard with the job. I watched colleagues get comfortable inside those luxuries. I fought to stay grounded in why I joined in the first place. Representing East New York — one of the most underfunded communities in the city — taught me about power: who has it, who keeps it, who loses it, and why. It also taught me something stronger than power: advocacy, which can bend power toward the will of the people. That belief shaped everything I did. I created the nation’s first Office of Nightlife because the city needed to stop treating nighttime workers like they were disposable or invisible. Bartenders, musicians, dancers, service workers — people dismissed by the 9-to-5 crowd as “creatures of the shadows” — were building a real economy, and they deserved real support. Then in 2015, more than a decade after I first saw those posters, Freelancers Union came to my office and we got to work. Together, we passed the nation’s first Freelance Isn’t Free law, grounded in something basic: if you do the work, you deserve to get paid - without having to plead for your own paycheck. After a decade of public service, I came home to Freelancers Union. I started on March 2, 2020. Days later, New York became the global epicenter of COVID-19, and freelancers were hit immediately. Work vanished, anxiety spiked, and people needed support faster than systems were built to deliver it. We pushed hard for federal relief that included independent workers — especially Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and PPP forgivable loans — and we built direct support through emergency cash grants and expanded free legal help, while continuing the long fight for portable benefits. As the city reopened, we rebuilt community and infrastructure, not just services. We reestablished the Freelancers Hub in a post-pandemic world because independent work shouldn’t mean isolation. We launched the Photo Hub with our partners at ASMPNY because working creatives deserve access to professional tools without added costs and gatekeeping. We’ve helped grow the Freelance Isn’t Free movement nationally with statewide wins in New York, California, and Illinois, and progress in cities like Seattle, Columbus, and Minneapolis. And most recently, launched the Freelancers Legal Hub, which has helped members collect over $250,000 in unpaid invoices in the past year alone. This job has also been deeply personal. I’ve been moved by our gatherings — people of every background and belief showing up with the same hope: to build a life through what they can do. I’ve watched members find mentors, collaborators, and confidence here. I’ve seen people stand taller simply because they were finally in a room where they didn’t have to explain why their work is real. Over these past six years, my role hasn’t just been to lobby or advocate. A big part of the job has been carrying you into rooms you weren’t in — making sure decision makers saw the full truth of freelance work and the value you create. This fight for dignity didn’t just build policy; it built community. And personally, it inspired me and reminded me who I am: last year I dusted off my filmmaking dreams and shot a movie. To our members: thank you for trusting us, challenging us, and showing up when it counted. To our board: thank you for trusting my vision, especially when the path wasn’t obvious. To my team: thank you for punching above your weight, again and again, and keeping the work grounded in what members actually need. You carried this organization through its hardest period with discipline and heart. Now I’m resigning to serve as the NYC Commissioner of Media and Entertainment in the Zohran Mamdani administration. I say “new role,” not “new mission,” because I’ll still be fighting for the same kinds of people: the independent workers and creatives who make New York feel alive and keep its culture moving. I’m leaving Freelancers Union with gratitude and confidence. We are no longer strategically ignored because our unified voice is hard to miss. We laid a strong foundation, and I believe the union’s next era will be even stronger. Thank you for letting me serve. With gratitude, Rafael Espinal View the full article

I remember it clearly: my first freelance gig, back in 2005. On the way there, I’d see Freelancers Union posters in the subway, and it felt like a lowkey way of seeing my future home — that’s exactly what I’m joining, once I get started on my career. I’d look around the train and wonder how many other passengers were also freelancers, building their lives quietly in parallel. That day’s work was low wage street intercept — stopping people, showing them big studio movie trailers, and asking how likely they were to watch the film. It wasn’t the foot in the door I imagined for filmmaking, but like most freelancing, it built real skills: how to talk to strangers, how to translate creative ideas into language people can actually hear, and how to listen for what’s underneath their answers. For more stable work, I took a “temporary” job as a writer and aide of a local city councilman. And that role taught me something harder - the difference between having a voice and having a say. I didn’t have much of a say back then, and I knew too many people who didn’t either. Not because we were voiceless (there’s no such thing), but because we were strategically ignored — hierarchically hushed — kept outside the rooms where decisions were made. Whatever you call it, I didn’t like it. I couldn’t unsee it. So I put some of my creative dreams on hold and went into public service. I was elected to the State Assembly and later to the City Council at 28, and the contrast was immediate. In government, you see what stability looks like up close: prestige, protections, flexible schedules, and influence that comes standard with the job. I watched colleagues get comfortable inside those luxuries. I fought to stay grounded in why I joined in the first place. Representing East New York — one of the most underfunded communities in the city — taught me about power: who has it, who keeps it, who loses it, and why. It also taught me something stronger than power: advocacy, which can bend power toward the will of the people. That belief shaped everything I did. I created the nation’s first Office of Nightlife because the city needed to stop treating nighttime workers like they were disposable or invisible. Bartenders, musicians, dancers, service workers — people dismissed by the 9-to-5 crowd as “creatures of the shadows” — were building a real economy, and they deserved real support. Then in 2015, more than a decade after I first saw those posters, Freelancers Union came to my office and we got to work. Together, we passed the nation’s first Freelance Isn’t Free law, grounded in something basic: if you do the work, you deserve to get paid - without having to plead for your own paycheck. After a decade of public service, I came home to Freelancers Union. I started on March 2, 2020. Days later, New York became the global epicenter of COVID-19, and freelancers were hit immediately. Work vanished, anxiety spiked, and people needed support faster than systems were built to deliver it. We pushed hard for federal relief that included independent workers — especially Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and PPP forgivable loans — and we built direct support through emergency cash grants and expanded free legal help, while continuing the long fight for portable benefits. As the city reopened, we rebuilt community and infrastructure, not just services. We reestablished the Freelancers Hub in a post-pandemic world because independent work shouldn’t mean isolation. We launched the Photo Hub with our partners at ASMPNY because working creatives deserve access to professional tools without added costs and gatekeeping. We’ve helped grow the Freelance Isn’t Free movement nationally with statewide wins in New York, California, and Illinois, and progress in cities like Seattle, Columbus, and Minneapolis. And most recently, launched the Freelancers Legal Hub, which has helped members collect over $250,000 in unpaid invoices in the past year alone. This job has also been deeply personal. I’ve been moved by our gatherings — people of every background and belief showing up with the same hope: to build a life through what they can do. I’ve watched members find mentors, collaborators, and confidence here. I’ve seen people stand taller simply because they were finally in a room where they didn’t have to explain why their work is real. Over these past six years, my role hasn’t just been to lobby or advocate. A big part of the job has been carrying you into rooms you weren’t in — making sure decision makers saw the full truth of freelance work and the value you create. This fight for dignity didn’t just build policy; it built community. And personally, it inspired me and reminded me who I am: last year I dusted off my filmmaking dreams and shot a movie. To our members: thank you for trusting us, challenging us, and showing up when it counted. To our board: thank you for trusting my vision, especially when the path wasn’t obvious. To my team: thank you for punching above your weight, again and again, and keeping the work grounded in what members actually need. You carried this organization through its hardest period with discipline and heart. Now I’m resigning to serve as the NYC Commissioner of Media and Entertainment in the Zohran Mamdani administration. I say “new role,” not “new mission,” because I’ll still be fighting for the same kinds of people: the independent workers and creatives who make New York feel alive and keep its culture moving. I’m leaving Freelancers Union with gratitude and confidence. We are no longer strategically ignored because our unified voice is hard to miss. We laid a strong foundation, and I believe the union’s next era will be even stronger. Thank you for letting me serve. With gratitude, Rafael Espinal View the full article

There's little worse than losing an hour or two of hard work, just by clicking on the wrong button or pressing the wrong key in Microsoft Word—a mistake that sees your well-crafted document (or a sizable portion of it) disappear before your eyes. A slip of the fingers isn't the only way you can potentially lose work, either. Maybe you just have the misfortune to be busy at your computer when a power outage happens—taking your desktop, Microsoft Word, and your unsaved work along with it. However, before you begin all over again, there are some tricks you can try to bring your work back. Use Undo (Ctrl+Z or Cmd+Z) Word keeps an undo history. Credit: Lifehacker Sometimes, all you need is the undo command—hit Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (macOS) to undo your last action in Word. It might be enough to restore that table you accidentally deleted, or bring back that huge block of text you moved to the clipboard and have since lost track of. This won't save you from a power outage, and it doesn't include all actions (it won't bring back a file you've closed, for example). However, it'll work a lot of the time when you've made a mistake, and Word always keeps a record of your last 100 actions in the app, so you can go back a fair way. There's also an undo button up in the top left corner of the Word interface: Click on this to undo the last action, or click the arrow next to it to see a list of previous actions and choose where you want to go back to. To the right of the undo button is the redo button, which works the same way but in the opposite direction. Open previous file versions Accessing previous versions in Word. Credit: Lifehacker Word also has a file version history feature you can utilize to bring back lost work: It essentially saves past versions of your document at regular intervals, so you can go back in time, and even all the way back to the file's creation. It's like a super undo, which works between app restarts as well. In Word for Windows, you can find these older incarnations of your document by heading to File > Info > Version History. If you're using Word on macOS, it's File > Browse Version History. A new sidebar opens on the right, showing all the available previous versions, and the date and time they were saved. There is a caveat to this, though, which is you have to have your document saved in the cloud (in OneDrive) for this to work. If you're working with a local file that's only saved on your computer and you try and access version history, you'll be prompted to save it to OneDrive instead (which will turn on version history). Find unsaved documents on your system Unsaved documents are sometimes still available. Credit: Lifehacker Word actually saves files temporarily to your computer every so often, so if the program crashes without warning, you should see an autorecovery dialog pop up the next time you load Word, asking if you want to recover the old file. If not, you can see partially saved files by clicking Click File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents. That's only for Windows, however—if you're on macOS, you're relying on the auto-recovery process. Word for both Windows and macOS lets you set how often auto-recovery files are saved: Head to File > Options > Save (Windows) or Word > Preferences > Save (macOS). The default is every 10 minutes, but you can adjust this if needed. If you're still not seeing your file, you can try checking the temporary cache folder manually. On Windows, check "C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word" or "C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles." On macOS try "/Users//Library/Containers/com.Microsoft/Data/Library/Preferences/AutoRecovery"—adding in your own username where relevant. Save your work to the cloud OneDrive gives you various extra options—including AutoSave. Credit: Lifehacker These days, Microsoft Word will tend to push you to save your work in OneDrive in the cloud. There are multiple benefits for this, including the version history feature mentioned above, and the option to collaborate on documents with other people. It also enables another handy feature: AutoSave. This is exactly what it sounds like, and means that every time something is changed in your document, it quickly syncs to the cloud. You'll see the AutoSave button in the top left hand corner enabled when it's active, and the document name at the top of the app window will indicate when saves are in progress. Should Word or your PC crash, your work should be safe. AutoSave is enabled by default for files saved to OneDrive, but you can customize this behavior by heading to File > Options > Save on Windows) or Word > Preferences > Save on macOS. View the full article

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

An analysis of approximately 16,000 U.S. queries shows text ads increasing their click share by 7-13 points year over year. The post Google Text Ad Click Share Rises Sharply In Some Verticals appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Anderson Cooper, who has reported for CBS’ “60 Minutes” for the past two decades in addition to hosting a weeknight news program on CNN, said Monday that he’s leaving the CBS broadcast to spend more time with his family. His decision comes at a time of turmoil at “60 Minutes.” Cooper appeared on the show Sunday night, introducing a brief piece on filmmaker Ken Burns. It’s not likely to be his last time on the show; he’s expected to finish the current broadcast season, which ends in May. “Being a correspondent at ’60 Minutes’ has been one of the great honors of my career,” Cooper said in a statement. “I got to tell amazing stories, and work with some of the best producers, editors and camera crew in the business. For nearly 20 years, I’ve been able to balance my jobs and CNN and CBS, but I have little kids now and I want to spend as much time with them as possible, while they still want to spend time with me.” Cooper’s exit from what remains the most prestigious show in television news is sure to raise questions about whether it had anything to do with the leadership of Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News since last fall. Cooper’s spokesperson said Monday he had no additional comment. He has contributed stories to “60 Minutes” since the 2006-2007 television season in a unique job-sharing arrangement with CNN. His prime-time cable news show, “Anderson Cooper 360,” has aired since 2003. In a statement, CBS News praised Cooper for his two decades of work. “We’re grateful to him for dedicating so much of his life to this broadcast, and understand the importance of spending more time with family,” CBS said. “’60 Minutes’ will be here if he ever wants to return.” His exit comes at a time of unease at the Sunday night newsmagazine known for its ticking stopwatch. At Weiss’ direction, the show in December held off at the last minute showing a report from correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi about the The President administration’s immigration policy. She said a greater effort was needed to get an interview with administration officials, while Alfonsi complained privately that the decision was political in nature. The story aired a month later with additional administration comments, but no on-camera interviews. President Donald The President sued “60 Minutes” for how it handled an interview with his 2024 election opponent, Kamala Harris. Much to the consternation of many at the broadcast, CBS’s parent company Paramount Global settled with The President out-of-court. Cooper’s exit from CBS was first reported by the online news site Breaker. David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social. —David Bauder, AP Media Writer View the full article

An analysis of 1.2 million ChatGPT citations reveals why AI favors front-loaded, entity-rich, definitive writing over traditional “ultimate guide” formats. The post The Science Of How AI Pays Attention appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

This week we're taking a look at some hyper-specific cultures within the larger youth culture. They run the gamut from the truly disturbing Looksmaxxing community, to the strange world of hardcore audiophiles, to the nostalgic domain of the bebot girls. What's a bebot girl? I'm glad you asked! What is a "Bebot Girl"?TikTok is being taken over by Bebot Girls. "Bebot" is Filipino slang from the 2010s that means "babe" or "baddie." The bebot girl trend is posting videos of the transformation from a regular person to a bebot, that is, a Filipino baddy from the 1990s. This is usually accomplished through period-appropriate makeup like heavy bronzer, frosty inner eyes, and striking metallic eyeshadow. It looks like this: and this: The trend started with TikToker @bellepauleen posting this video, which revived the term. The bebot anthem and soundtrack to the these videos is Black Eyed Peas 2005 song "Bebot." Bebot girls seems like part of the same nostalgia trend that brought us Millennial Optimism and nostalgia for 2016, but with a huge dose of Filipino pride. If you want to watch bedot girl videos all day, check out the hashtag. Who is Clavicular?This week in people who are famous to your children but not you, we have Clavicular. His real name is Braden Peters, he was born in 2005, and he is the world's most famous looksmaxxer. Looksmaxxing (as you can read in my Gen Z and Gen A slang glossary) is maximizing one’s physical attractiveness through personal grooming, working out, and dressing stylishly. That doesn't sound terrible in theory, but in practice, looksmaxxing is nihilistic vanity. To the Looksmaxxer, there's a single standard for male attractiveness: basically being a lantern-jawed white dude. And there is nothing more important than looks. Being smart, cool, interesting, good-hearted, talented etc. does not matter; the only quality that is worthwhile is how you look. Looksmaxxers are insanely obsessive about defining what makes a person attractive. They measure their canthal tilt (the angle of the eyes), obsess over their maxilla (upper jaw), and know their exact biacromial width (the span of the clavicle.) Clavicular's is 19.5 inches, hence the name. Clavicular's fame comes from his Kick channel, where he films himself rating other people's looks, walking around being handsome, giving advice to his followers on how they can "ascend," (become more attractive) and going on dates. As expected, he does sell an online course. To achieve his look, Clav says he's been injecting himself with testosterone since he was 14, takes steroids regularly, and smashed his cheekbones with a hammer so they would grow more prominent. There are rumors that he takes meth to keep his weight down too. Although he describes himself as apolitical, Clavicular's associates include right-wing influencers Nick Fuentes, Sneako, Andrew Tate, and more. He says the n-word all the time. So all this is very bad, and it's all growing in popularity among boys of the brainrot generation. So be warned, I guess: Young boys are not OK. What is a "Big John machine"?While niche communities like Looksmaxxers are depressing, many young people are into much less dire interest groups, like audiophiles. Within that community, audio equipment is sometimes referred to as "Big John machines," because people are demonstrating their ridiculously expensive audio set-ups by playing a Geoff Castelucci cover of Jimmy Dean's 1961 novelty hit "Big Bad John." It started with a post on Reddit's audiophile subreddit, describing the original song as "an interesting example of how good audio systems can bring out more life in a recording." So people started posting videos of extremely exotic and expensive systems playing the song. Like this system with $2 million speakers: Then people started posting their own systems playing the song. Or just middle-of-the-road gear. Then people started posting the cheapest gear that can play "Big Bad John," like this: and this: Viral video of the week: The Leaf TestRecently, TikTokers Toni & Austin posted the following 11-second video, dubbed "The Leaf Test." In it, Toni says, "I found a leaf," and Austin responds "It's beautiful, just like you." She sighs. He panics, presumably having said the wrong thing. It's mildly funny, but it went viral in a huge way—over 18 million views— for maybe the wrong reasons. Despite it being very, very clear that the clip is a joke, the video's comment section is full of anger, with people saying things like, "Dump her ungrateful ass," "He deserves someone better," and "Can we normalize not doing test on our boyfriends he gave a perfect and valid answer and how are we still gonna get upset??" People started making response videos: It spread off TikTok. Reddit got extra mad about the leaf test. I don't know if there's any way to measure this, but the internet has made people way less able to understand when someone is being ironic or sarcastic, whether it's misinterpreted written posts on Threads or joke videos on TikTok. The internet seems to have made people less likely to moderate their responses; people are fast on the trigger. View the full article

Over two months ago, Google began testing its AI-powered configuration tool. It allows you to ask AI questions about the Google Search Console performance reports and it would bring back answers for you. Well, it now seems like this tool is rolling out more broadly, maybe to everyone. AI-powered configuration. AI-powered configuration “lets you describe the analysis you want to see in natural language. Your inputs are then transformed into the appropriate filters and settings, instantly configuring the report for you,” Google said. Rolling out now. If you login to your Search Console account and click on the performance report, you may see a note at the top that says “New! Customize your Performance report using Al.” When you click on it, you get into the AI tool: More details. As we reported earlier, Google said “The AI-powered configuration feature is designed to streamline your analysis by handling three key elements for you.” Selecting metrics: Choose which of the four available metrics – Clicks, Impressions, Average CTR, and Average Position – to display based on your question. Applying filters: Narrow down data by query, page, country, device, search appearance, or date range. Configuring comparisons: Set up complex comparisons (like custom date ranges) without manual setup. Why we care. This is only supported in the Performance report for Search results. It isn’t available for Discover or News reports, yet. Plus, it is AI, so the answers may not be perfect. But it can be fun to play with and get you thinking about things you may not have thought about yet. So give it a try. View the full article

Foreign minister says both sides ready to work towards a potential agreementView the full article

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Today marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, which in Chinese tradition is all about action, boldness, and taking on new challenges. And what better way to celebrate a year that should be full of red hot, blazing energy than with a hand-crafted cowboy hat from Stetson? The color? Red, of course. The company, started by John Batterson Stetson in 1865, invented the cowboy hat. Today, it’s still known for embracing the spirit of the West with its quality hats, boots, and outerwear. And to mark the year of intensity, which hasn’t happened in 60 years, the brand is partnering with Gold House to turn an iconic cultural item—the cowboy hat—into a modern-day crown fit for 2026. A good year to celebrate and support Asian-Pacific founders The partnership is all for a good cause, too. The one-of-a-kind hat, handcrafted in Texas, will be auctioned off (specific details about the auction are forthcoming), with all funds going directly to the Gold House Foundation in order to further the nonprofit’s work in supporting Asian-Pacific culture and entrepreneurs. “Celebrating while redefining our most storied beliefs, symbols, and rituals is core to Gold House,” Bing Chen, CEO of Gold House, said in a statement shared with Fast Company. “We are honored to partner with Stetson—an originator—to re-honor who created and who gets to wear the United States’ most pronounced crown—the cowboy hat—for the Year of the Fire Horse.” Given that this year is also America’s 250th birthday, celebrating Asian-Pacific culture makes sense. While history often fails to mention it, America’s pivotal Transcontinental Railroad was primarily built by Chinese laborers. Its construction inevitably led to the Gold Rush of the late 1840s and early 1850s that kick-started America’s economic boom. The Stetson-Gold House hat is mostly bright red, but it features a gold horse and gold trim meant to honor those contributions. While cowboy culture and fashion will forever be relevant in America, this partnership is a timely reminder that it’s also ever-important to revisit our country’s true history, especially the pieces and people who are far too often left out of history books. Hats off to that. View the full article

Courts ruled against Google, regulators push forward, and appeals loom. Here’s where every proceeding stands and what it signals for search and monetization. The post Google Lost Two Antitrust Cases, But Stock Rose 65% – Here’s Why appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

For the past decade—and really, for its entire 84-year history—the laundry detergent brand Tide has been trying to simplify the process of doing of laundry. From its original all-in-one powder to 1980s-era liquid soap to the 2012 introduction of the packet-based Tide Pod, the brand and its parent company Procter and Gamble have regularly reformulated the core product to accommodate the seemingly simple but highly diverse act of washing one’s clothes. “There are 55 unique steps we’ve identified in the laundry process,” says Marchoe Northern, president of North America fabric care at Procter and Gamble. “Our job is to continue to think about ways to solve today’s modern need challenges.” That’s why Tide has spent the last 10 years creating a new kind of detergent product in the form of a fabric-like tile called Tide evo. Developed to streamline the way people add detergent to their laundry load, Tide’s new tile format requires little more than dropping a pre-dosed tile or two into a washing machine. The Tide tile is a new form factor, but not just for novelty’s sake. The tile was developed by a team of 15 PhD-level chemists and engineers to eliminate the need for any fillers or non-cleaning ingredients. Unlike typical powder or sheet detergents that rely on fillers and liquid soaps that are dissolved in water, Tide evo is a 100% concentration of cleaning ingredients like surfactants, enzymes, alkalinity builders, and polymers. Detergent designed for four senses It took the company a decade to figure out how to do this, using a proprietary approach to spin these cleaning ingredients into fibers that can be woven together. Each Tide evo tile is made up of more than 15 miles of these fibers, which gradually dissolve when added to water. In contrast to other detergents that have plastic packaging and weights that increase shipping-related emissions, Tide evo is lightweight and comes in a fully recyclable box. The tile is safe to touch, and in more than two years of market research Tide conducted among consumers in Colorado Spings, Colorado, the company found that people wanted to do more than just touch them. “Typically, people pick up a tile, they kind of flex it to see if it’ll break or crumble, and then they put it up to their nose to smell it,” says Northern. Leaning into consumers’ sensorial inclination, Northern explains that the company designed the tile itself to be a visually appealing diamond, and engineered its recyclable paperboard box to make an audible click when it’s closed. “This actually engages four of your five senses,” she says. The fifth sense, taste, is one Tide definitely does not want to engage. In 2018, the brand had a major PR catastrophe on its hands when people on the internet created the “Tide Pod challenge,” daring each other to eat the candy-colored detergent pods. This proved incredibly dangerous. Many people were hospitalized, and there have been incidences where the ingestion of detergent pods has led to death. The Tide evo is comparably visually simple, with its diamond shape, a monotone color, and a pliable, fabric-like feel. A sample box sent by the company pops open to reveal two neat rows of eight tiles, with no other adornment or packaging. Picking up a tile, it feels like a dense sponge. It is as unappetizing as a fuzzy piece of felt. Chemically, though, the tile mimics the innovative function of the Tide Pod, which separated its stain removal, whitening, and brightening capabilities into the capsule’s multicolored chambers, allowing them to be deployed at different times during the wash cycle. Tide evo does this through its six layers, which are made up of woven fibers of surfactants, and embedded with cleaning ingredients formulated to perform different tasks, from breaking down stains to whitening to removing odors. “This is really first-of-its-kind technology,” says Jennifer Ahoni, Tide’s scientific communications director and principal scientist. On a recent video call, Ahoni offered a science class demonstration of the tile in action. She placed a single layer of the Tide tile on top of a beaker and began slightly soaking it with a stream of water from a squeeze bottle. Within a few seconds, the tile began to dissolve, eventually opening up a hole in the center and leaving a pool of soapy water below. In another beaker, she fully dissolved a single layer of a tile into water with a few twirls of a tweezer before dropping in a small piece of polyester-cotton fiber that had been soaked with bright orange chili oil. Almost immediately small globs of the orange oil can be seen lifting out of the fabric and rising up to the surface of the soapy water like the inside of a lava lamp. “What you’re seeing here is that concentration. When you’re taking out the extras, the fillers, the water, and just focusing on the cleaning technologies, you can get this instant activation which translates to instant clean,” she says. Getting to this point has required a large but undisclosed investment. Procter and Gamble has filed 50 different patents related to the product, from the tile itself to the manufacturing process required to produce it. None of the company’s existing facilities were capable of producing the tiles as they’ve been developed, so an entirely new plant had to be built in Alexandria, Louisiana. But Northern says the time and expense will all be worth it. “We have high degrees of confidence because it’s arguably our most tested product before launch,” she says. Internal projections forecast annual sales to reach up to $500 million. Tide evo will officially be hitting stores across the U.S. in April. View the full article

Anthropic's Claude is an AI bot that keeps up a steady pace when it comes to pushing out new features, and the latest upgrade of note sees three useful features make their way down to free users, having previously been exclusive to the paid-for plans. If you're choosing between AIs and comparing the features available on the free plans, then there's now more of a case to be made for choosing Claude over a competitor like ChatGPT or Gemini for your next batch of AI tasks. The three new features now available to free users on Claude are file creation, external plug-ins called Connectors, and bundles of instructions called Skills. Here's how you can make use of them. File creation in ClaudeClaude's file creation capabilities let you create Word documents, PowerPoint slideshows, Excel spreadsheets, and PDFs from right inside a conversation. You can either supply the bot with all text, data, and other information you want included, get Claude to invent everything itself, or something in between. For example, if you've got a long list of names and scores, Claude can put them into a spreadsheet for you. If you've got a series of images, Claude can combine them into a PDF and describe them. You can get it to analyze and visualize data, produce presentations based on reports, and create summary documents. A simple prompt can create a file in Claude. Credit: Lifehacker To enable file creation for your account, click your profile icon (bottom left) in Claude on the web, then select Settings > Capabilities and enable Code execution and file creation. With that done, you just have to prompt Claude with the type of file you want to make and what you want included, supplying any information as needed (or telling the AI where to find it online). As usual with these AI bots, the more detail and specificity you can provide, the better—the end result is then more likely to be closer to what you were aiming for. I got it to quickly come up with the results of a fictional sports day race, and produce a spreadsheet from it. While it's not the most demanding of tasks, Claude completed it correctly. Claude ConnectorsConnectors can hook Claude up to a variety of other apps, sites, and services: So if you want to get it to design something for you in Canva, or manage your messages in Slack, or find some travel deals on Trivago, then Claude can do that for you. The full list of current Connectors gives you some idea of what's possible. To get to the Connectors from the Claude prompt box, click the small + (plus) icon in the lower left corner, then choose Add connectors. You can search through Connectors by name, and filter them by type and category. When you select one you like, you'll need to supply your account credentials and give Claude permission to access your account. Use Connectors to connect Claude to other apps. Credit: Lifehacker Your Connectors of choice are then available from the same sub-menu in the prompt box: You can add more plug-ins and remove existing ones from there. You can either select an app, or specify the name of it in your prompt and Claude should understand what you mean. You can ask for outputs, run searches, and communicate through your connected services. Connectors can give Claude some handy extra talents. With the Canvas Connector, for example, I was able to create a basic bit of artwork for a birthday party flyer—something that the AI wouldn't have been able to do on its own. I find that access was spotty, however, perhaps a sign of a lot of free users now making use of these tools. Claude SkillsWith Skills, you can "teach Claude how to complete specific tasks in a repeatable way" (in the words of the official support document). In old-school computer talk, they might be referred to as macros: batches of set instructions that Claude can repeat whenever you need something doing in a particular way. Templates are a good example, whether they're for emails or documents. Rather than just getting Claude to write an email for you, you can set down some basic parameters for the job that include guidelines on tone, length, and style, as well as crucial bits of information (such as your contact details) that always need to be included. You've got three options for creating Skills. Credit: Lifehacker Click your account profile icon (bottom left) in Claude on the web, then choose Settings > Capabilities and click Add under Skills to get started. You can create a Skill through a Claude conversation, by writing out the instructions, or by uploading a Skills file (which is handy for including extra items such as code snippets, as described here). I took the Create with Claude route to put together a basic way of summarizing PDF reports, with specific guidelines on how many paragraphs and headings to use, and the tone of voice to apply. In the future, rather than typing out those instructions every time I need something summarized, I can just invoke the Skill. View the full article

Rand Fishkin just published the most important piece of primary research the AI visibility industry has seen so far. His conclusion – that AI tools produce wildly inconsistent brand recommendation lists, making “ranking position” a meaningless metric – is correct, well-evidenced, and long overdue. But Fishkin stopped one step short of the answer that matters. He didn’t explore why some brands appear consistently while others don’t, or what would move a brand from inconsistent to consistent visibility. That solution is already formalized, patent pending, and proven in production across 73 million brand profiles. When I shared this with Fishkin directly, he agreed. The AI models are pulling from a semi-fixed set of options, and the consistency comes from the data. He just didn’t have the bandwidth to dig deeper, which is fair enough, but the digging has been done – I’ve been doing it for a decade. Here’s what Fishkin found, what it actually means, and what the data proves about what to do about it. Fishkin’s data killed the myth of AI ranking position Fishkin and Patrick O’Donnell ran 2,961 prompts across ChatGPT, Claude, and Google AI, asking for brand recommendations across 12 categories. The findings were surprising for most. Fewer than 1 in 100 runs produced the same list of brands, and fewer than 1 in 1,000 produced the same list in the same order. These are probability engines that generate unique answers every time. Treating them as deterministic ranking systems is – as Fishkin puts it – “provably nonsensical,” and I’ve been saying this since 2022. I’m grateful Fishkin finally proved it with data. But Fishkin also found something he didn’t fully unpack. Visibility percentage – how often a brand appears across many runs of the same prompt – is statistically meaningful. Some brands showed up almost every time, while others barely appeared at all. That variance is where the real story lies. Fishkin acknowledged this but framed it as a better metric to track. The real question isn’t how to measure AI visibility, it’s why some brands achieve consistent visibility and others don’t, and what moves your brand from the inconsistent pile to the consistent pile. That’s not a tracking problem. It’s a confidence problem. 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 AI systems are confidence engines, not recommendation engines AI platforms – ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI, Perplexity, Gemini, all of them – generate every response by sampling from a probability distribution shaped by: What the model knows. How confidently it knows it. What it retrieved at the moment of the query. When the model is highly confident about an entity’s relevance, that entity appears consistently. When the model is uncertain, the entity sits at a low probability weight in the distribution – included in some samples, excluded in others – not because the selection is random but because the AI doesn’t have enough confidence to commit. That’s the inconsistency Fishkin documented, and I recognized it immediately because I’ve been tracking exactly this pattern since 2015. City of Hope appearing in 97% of cancer care responses isn’t luck. It’s the result of deep, corroborated, multi-source presence in exactly the data these systems consume. The headphone brands at 55%-77% are in a middle zone – known, but not unambiguously dominant. The brands at 5%-10% have low confidence weight, and the AI includes them in some outputs and not others because it lacks the confidence to commit consistently. Confidence isn’t just about what a brand publishes or how it structures its content. It’s about where that brand stands relative to every other entity competing for the same query – a dimension I’ve recently formalized as Topical Position. I’ve formalized this phenomenon as “cascading confidence” – the cumulative entity trust that builds or decays through every stage of the algorithmic pipeline, from the moment a bot discovers content to the moment an AI generates a recommendation. It’s the throughline concept in a framework I published this week. Dig deeper: Search, answer, and assistive engine optimization: A 3-part approach Every piece of content passes through 10 gates before influencing an AI recommendation The pipeline is called DSCRI-ARGDW – discovered, selected, crawled, rendered, indexed, annotated, recruited, grounded, displayed, and won. That sounds complicated, but I can summarize it in a single question that repeats at every stage: How confident is the system in this content? Is this URL worth crawling? Can it be rendered correctly? What entities and relationships does it contain? How sure is the system about those annotations? When the AI needs to answer a question, which annotated content gets pulled from the index? Confidence at each stage feeds the next. A URL from a well-structured, fast-rendering, semantically clean site arrives at the annotation stage with high accumulated confidence before a single word of content is analyzed. A URL from a slow, JavaScript-heavy site with inconsistent information arrives with low confidence, even if the actual content is excellent. This is pipeline attenuation, and here’s where the math gets unforgiving. The relationship is multiplicative, not additive: C_final = C_initial × ∏τᵢ In plain English, the final confidence an AI system has in your brand equals the initial confidence from your entity home multiplied by the transfer coefficient at every stage of the pipeline. The entity home – the canonical web property that anchors your entity in every knowledge graph and every AI model – sets the starting confidence, and then each stage either preserves or erodes it. Maintain 90% confidence at each of 10 stages, and end-to-end confidence is 0.9¹⁰ = 35%. At 80% per stage, it’s 0.8¹⁰ = 11%. One weak stage – say 50% at rendering because of heavy JavaScript – drops the total from 35% to 19% even if every other stage is at 90%. One broken stage can undo the work of nine good ones. This multiplicative principle isn’t new, and it doesn’t belong to anyone. In 2019, I published an article, How Google Universal Search Ranking Works: Darwinism in Search, based on a direct explanation from Google’s Gary Illyes. He described how Google calculates ranking “bids” by multiplying individual factor scores rather than adding them. A zero on any factor kills the entire bid, no matter how strong the other factors are. Google applies this multiplicative model to ranking factors within a single system, and nobody owns multiplication. But what the cascading confidence framework does is apply this principle across the full 10-stage pipeline, across all three knowledge graphs. The system provides measurable transfer coefficients at every transition and bottleneck detection that identifies exactly where confidence is leaking. The math is universal, but the application to a multi-stage, multi-graph algorithmic pipeline is the invention. This complete system is the subject of a patent application I filed with the INPI titled “Système et procédé d’optimisation de la confiance en cascade à travers un pipeline de traitement algorithmique multi-étapes et multi-graphes.” It’s not a metaphor, it’s an engineered system with an intellectual lineage going back seven years to a principle a Google engineer confirmed to me in person. Fishkin measured the output – the inconsistency of recommendation lists. But the output is a symptom, and the cause is confidence loss at specific stages of this pipeline, compounded across multiple knowledge representations. You can’t fix inconsistency by measuring it more precisely. You can only fix it by building confidence at every stage. The corroboration threshold is where AI shifts from hesitant to assertive There’s a specific transition point where AI behavior changes. I call it the “corroboration threshold” – the minimum number of independent, high-confidence sources corroborating the same conclusion about your brand before the AI commits to including it consistently. Below the threshold, the AI hedges. It says “claims to be” instead of “is,” it includes a brand in some outputs but not others, and the reason isn’t randomness but insufficient confidence. The brand sits in the low-confidence zone, where inconsistency is the predictable outcome. Above the threshold, the AI asserts – stating relevance as fact, including the brand consistently, operating with the kind of certainty that produces City of Hope’s 97%. My data across 73 million brand profiles places this threshold at approximately 2-3 independent, high-confidence sources corroborating the same claim as the entity home. That number is deceptively small because “high-confidence” is doing the heavy lifting – these are sources the algorithm already trusts deeply, including Wikipedia, industry databases, and authoritative media. Without those high-authority anchors, the threshold rises considerably because more sources are needed and each carries less individual weight. The threshold isn’t a one-time gate. Once crossed, the confidence compounds with every subsequent corroboration, which is why brands that cross it early pull further ahead over time, while brands that haven’t crossed it yet face an ever-widening gap. Not identical wording, but equivalent conviction. The entity home states, “X is the leading authority on Y,” two or three independent, authoritative third-party sources confirm it with their own framing, and the AI encodes it as fact. This fact is visible in my data, and it explains exactly why Fishkin’s experiment produced the results it did. In narrow categories like LA Volvo dealerships or SaaS cloud computing providers – where few brands exist and corroboration is dense – AI responses showed higher pairwise correlation. In broad categories like science fiction novels – where thousands of options exist and corroboration is thin – responses were wildly diverse. The corroboration threshold aligns with Fishkin’s findings. Dig deeper: The three AI research modes redefining search – and why brand wins Authoritas proved that fabricated entities can’t fool AI confidence systems Authoritas published a study in December 2025 – “Can you fake it till you make it in the age of AI?” – that tested this directly, and the results confirm that Cascading Confidence isn’t just theory. Where Fishkin’s research shows the output problem – inconsistent lists – Authoritas shows the input side. Authoritas investigated a real-world case where a UK company created 11 entirely fictional “experts” – made-up names, AI-generated headshots, faked credentials. They seeded these personas into more than 600 press articles across UK media, and the question was straightforward: Would AI models treat these fake entities as real experts? The answer was absolute: Across nine AI models and 55 topic-based questions – “Who are the UK’s leading experts in X?” – zero fake experts appeared in any recommendation. Six hundred press articles, and not a single AI recommendation. That might seem to contradict a threshold of 2-3 sources, but it confirms it. The threshold requires independent, high-confidence sources, and 600 press articles from a single seeding campaign are neither independent – they trace to the same origin – nor high-confidence – press mentions sit in the document graph only. The AI models looked past the surface-level coverage and found no deep entity signals – no entity home, no knowledge graph presence, no conference history, no professional registration, no corroboration from the kind of authoritative sources that actually move the needle. The fake personas had volume, they had mentions, but what they lacked was cascading confidence – the accumulated trust that builds through every stage of the pipeline. Volume without confidence means inconsistent appearance at best, while confidence without volume still produces recommendations. AI evaluates confidence — it doesn’t count mentions. Confidence requires multi-source, multi-graph corroboration that fabricated entities fundamentally can’t build. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. AI citability concentration increased 293% in under two months Authoritas used the weighted citability score, or WCS, a metric that measures how much AI engines trust and cite entities, calculated across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity using cross-context questions. I have no influence over their data collection or their results. Fishkin’s methodology and Authoritas’ aren’t identical. Fishkin pinged the same query repeatedly to measure variance, while Authoritas tracks varied queries on the same topic. That said, the directional finding is consistent. Their dataset includes 143 recognized digital marketing experts, with full snapshots from the original study by Laurence O’Toole and Authoritas in December 2025 and their latest measurement on Feb. 2. The pattern across the entire dataset tells a story that goes far beyond individual scores. The top 10 experts captured 30.9% of all citability in December. By February, they captured 59.5% – a 92% increase in concentration in under two months. The HHI, or Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, the standard measure of market concentration, rose from 0.026 to 0.104 – a 293% increase in concentration. This happened while the total expert pool widened from 123 to 143 tracked entities. More experts are being cited, the field is getting bigger, and the top is pulling away faster. Dominance is compounding while the long tail grows. This is cascading confidence at population scale. The experts who actively manage their digital footprint – clean entity home, corroborated claims, consistent narrative across the algorithmic trinity – aren’t just maintaining their position, they’re accelerating away from everyone else. Each cycle of AI training and retrieval reinforces their advantage – confident entities generate confident AI outputs, which build user trust, which generate positive engagement signals, which further reinforce the AI’s confidence. It’s a flywheel, and once it’s spinning, it becomes very, very hard for competitors to catch up. At the individual level, the data confirms the mechanism. I lead the dataset at a WCS of 23.50, up from 21.48 in December, a gain of +2.02. That’s not because I’m more famous than everyone else on the list. It’s because we’ve been systematically building my cascading confidence for years – clean entity home, corroborated claims across the algorithmic trinity, consistent narrative, structured data, deep knowledge graph presence. I’m the primary test case because I’m in control of all my variables – I have a huge head start. In a future article, I’ll dig into the details of the scores and why the experts have the scores they do. The pattern across my client base mirrors the population data. Brands that systematically clean their digital footprint, anchor entity confidence through the entity home, and build corroboration across the algorithmic trinity don’t just appear in AI recommendations. They appear consistently, their advantage compounds over time, and they exit the low-confidence zone to enter the self-reinforcing recommendation set. Dig deeper: From SEO to algorithmic education: The roadmap for long-term brand authority AI retrieves from three knowledge representations simultaneously, not one AI systems pull from what I call the Three Graphs model – the algorithmic trinity – and understanding this explains why some brands achieve near-universal visibility while others appear sporadically. The entity graph, or knowledge graph, contains explicit entities with binary verified edges and low fuzziness – either a brand is in, or it’s not. The document graph, or search engine index, contains annotated URLs with scored and ranked edges and medium fuzziness. The concept graph, or LLM parametric knowledge, contains learned associations with high fuzziness, and this is where the inconsistency Fishkin documented comes from. When retrieval systems combine results from multiple sources – and they do, using mechanisms analogous to reciprocal rank fusion – entities present across all three graphs receive a disproportionate boost. The effect is multiplicative, not additive. A brand that has a strong presence in the knowledge graph and the document index and the concept space gets chosen far more reliably than a brand present in only one. This explains a pattern Fishkin noticed but didn’t have the framework to interpret – why visibility percentages clustered differently across categories. The brands with near-universal visibility aren’t just “more famous,” they have dense, corroborated presence across all three knowledge representations. The brands in the inconsistent pool are typically present in only one or two. The Authoritas fake expert study confirms this from the negative side. The fake personas existed only in the document graph, press articles, with zero entity graph presence and negligible concept graph encoding. One graph out of three, and the AI treated them accordingly. What I tell every brand after reading Fishkin’s data Fishkin’s recommendations were cautious – visibility percentage is a reasonable metric, ranking position isn’t, and brands should demand transparent methodology from tracking vendors. All fair, but that’s analyst advice. What follows is practitioner advice, based on doing this work in production. Stop optimizing outputs and start optimizing inputs The entire AI tracking industry is fixated on measuring what AI says about you, which is like checking your blood pressure without treating the underlying condition. Measure if it helps, but the work is in building confidence at every stage of the pipeline, and that’s where I focus my clients’ attention from day one. Start at the entity home My experience clearly demonstrates that this single intervention produces the fastest measurable results. Your entity home is the canonical web property that should anchor your entity in every knowledge graph and every AI model. If it’s ambiguous, hedging, or contradictory with what third-party sources say about you, it is actively training AI to be uncertain. I’ve seen aligning the entity home with third-party corroboration produce measurable changes in bottom-of-funnel AI citation behavior within weeks, and it remains the highest ROI intervention I know. Cross the corroboration threshold for the critical claims I ask every client to identify the claims that matter most: Who you are. What you do. Why you’re credible. Then, I work with them to ensure each claim is corroborated by at least 2-3 independent, high-authority sources. Not just mentioned, but confirmed with conviction. This is what flips AI from “sometimes includes” to “reliably includes,” and I’ve seen it happen often enough to know the threshold is real. Dig deeper: SEO in the age of AI: Becoming the trusted answer Build across all three graphs simultaneously Knowledge graph presence (structured data, entity recognition), document graph presence (indexed, well-annotated content on authoritative sites), and concept graph presence (consistent narrative across the corpus AI trains on) all need attention. The Authoritas study showed exactly what happens when a brand exists in only one – the AI treats it accordingly. Work the pipeline from Gate 1, not Gate 9 Most SEO and GEO advice operates at the display stage, optimizing what AI shows. But if your content is losing confidence at discovery, selection, rendering, or annotation, it will never reach display consistently enough to matter. I’ve watched brands spend months on display-stage optimization that produced nothing because the real bottleneck was three stages earlier, and I always start my diagnostic at the beginning of the pipeline, not the end. Maintain it because the gap is widening The WCS data across 143 tracked experts shows that AI citability concentration increased 293% in under two months. The experts who maintain their digital footprint are pulling away from everyone else at an accelerating rate. Starting now still means starting early, but waiting means competing against entities whose advantage compounds every cycle. This isn’t a one-time project. It’s an ongoing discipline, and the returns compound with every iteration. See the complete picture of your search visibility. Track, optimize, and win in Google and AI search from one platform. Start Free Trial Get started with Fishkin proved the problem exists. The solution has been in production for a decade. Fishkin’s research is a gift to the industry. He killed the myth of AI ranking position with data, he validated that visibility percentage, while imperfect, correlates with something real, and he raised the right questions about methodology that the AI tracking vendors should have been answering all along. But tracking AI visibility without understanding why visibility varies is like tracking a stock price without understanding the business. The price is a signal, and the business is the thing. AI recommendations are inconsistent when AI systems lack confidence in a brand. They become consistent when that confidence is built deliberately, through: The entity home. Corroborated claims that cross the corroboration threshold. Multi-graph presence. Every stage of the pipeline that processes your content before AI ever generates a response. This isn’t speculation, and the evidence comes from every direction. The process behind this approach has been under development since 2015 and is formalized in a peer-review-track academic paper. Several related patent applications have been filed in France, covering entity data structuring, prompt assembly, multi-platform coherence measurement, algorithmic barrier construction, and cascading confidence optimization. The dataset supporting the work spans 25 billion data points across 73 million brand profiles. In tracked populations, shifts in AI citability have been observed — including cases where the top 10 experts increased their share from 31% to 60% in under two months while the overall field expanded. Independent research from Authoritas reports findings that align with this mechanism. Fishkin proved the problem exists. My focus over the past decade has been on implementing and refining practical responses to it. This is the first article in a series. The second piece, “What the AI expert rankings actually tell us: 8 archetypes of AI visibility,” examines how the pipeline’s effects manifest across 57 tracked experts. The third, “The ten gates between your content and an AI recommendation,” opens the DSCRI-ARGDW pipeline itself. View the full article

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the revered leader’s assassination, died Tuesday. He was 84. As a young organizer in Chicago, Jackson was called to meet with King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis shortly before King was killed and he publicly positioned himself thereafter as King’s successor. Jackson led a lifetime of crusades in the United States and abroad, advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues from voting rights and job opportunities to education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders, and through his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms, pressuring executives to make America a more open and equitable society. And when he declared, “I am Somebody,” in a poem he often repeated, he sought to reach people of all colors. “I may be poor, but I am Somebody; I may be young; but I am Somebody; I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody,” Jackson intoned. It was a message he took literally and personally, having risen from obscurity in the segregated South to become America’s best-known civil rights activist since King. Santita Jackson confirmed that her father died at home in Chicago, surrounded by family. “Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the Jackson family said in a statement posted online. “We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family.” Fellow civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton said his mentor “was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself.” “He taught me that protest must have purpose, that faith must have feet, and that justice is not seasonal, it is daily work,” Sharpton wrote in a statement, adding that Jackson taught “trying is as important as triumph. That you do not wait for the dream to come true; you work to make it real.” Despite profound health challenges in his final years including a rare neurological disorder that affected his ability to move and speak, Jackson continued protesting against racial injustice into the era of Black Lives Matter. In 2024, he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and at a City Council meeting to show support for a resolution backing a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. “Even if we win,” he told marchers in Minneapolis before the officer whose knee kept George Floyd from breathing was convicted of murder, “it’s relief, not victory. They’re still killing our people. Stop the violence, save the children. Keep hope alive.” Calls to action, delivered in a memorable voice Jackson’s voice, infused with the stirring cadences and powerful insistence of the Black church, demanded attention. On the campaign trail and elsewhere, he used rhyming and slogans such as: “Hope not dope” and “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it then I can achieve it,” to deliver his messages. Jackson had his share of critics, both within and outside of the Black community. Some considered him a grandstander, too eager to seek out the spotlight. Looking back on his life and legacy, Jackson told The Associated Press in 2011 that he felt blessed to be able to continue the service of other leaders before him and to lay a foundation for those to come. “A part of our life’s work was to tear down walls and build bridges, and in a half century of work, we’ve basically torn down walls,” Jackson said. “Sometimes when you tear down walls, you’re scarred by falling debris, but your mission is to open up holes so others behind you can run through.” In his final months, as he received 24-hour care, he lost his ability to speak, communicating with family and visitors by holding their hands and squeezing. “I get very emotional knowing that these speeches belong to the ages now,” his son, Jesse Jackson Jr., told the AP in October. A student athlete drawn to the Civil Rights Movement Jesse Louis Jackson was born on Oct. 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, the son of high school student Helen Burns and Noah Louis Robinson, a married man who lived next door. Jackson was later adopted by Charles Henry Jackson, who married his mother. Jackson was a star quarterback on the football team at Sterling High School in Greenville, and accepted a football scholarship from the University of Illinois. But after he reportedly was told Black people couldn’t play quarterback, he transferred to North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, where he became the first-string quarterback, an honor student in sociology and economics, and student body president. Arriving on the historically Black campus in 1960 just months after students there launched sit-ins at a whites-only diner, Jackson immersed himself in the blossoming Civil Rights Movement. By 1965, he joined the voting rights march King led from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. King dispatched him to Chicago to launch Operation Breadbasket, a Southern Christian Leadership Conference effort to pressure companies to hire Black workers. Jackson called his time with King “a phenomenal four years of work.” Jackson was with King on April 4, 1968, when the civil rights leader was slain at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Jackson’s account of the assassination was that King died in his arms. With his flair for the dramatic, Jackson wore a turtleneck he said was soaked with King’s blood for two days, including at a King memorial service held by the Chicago City Council, where he said: “I come here with a heavy heart because on my chest is the stain of blood from Dr. King’s head.” However, several King aides, including speechwriter Alfred Duckett, questioned whether Jackson could have gotten King’s blood on his clothing. There are no images of Jackson in pictures taken shortly after the assassination. In 1971, Jackson broke with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to form Operation PUSH, originally named People United to Save Humanity. The organization based on Chicago’s South Side declared a sweeping mission, from diversifying workforces to registering voters in communities of color nationwide. Using lawsuits and threats of boycotts, Jackson pressured top corporations to spend millions and publicly commit to diversifying their workforces. The constant campaigns often left his wife, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, the college sweetheart he married in 1963, taking the lead in raising their five children: Santita Jackson, Yusef DuBois Jackson, Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson Jr., and two future members of Congress, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Luther Jackson and Jesse L. Jackson Jr., who resigned in 2012 but is seeking reelection in the 2026 midterms. The elder Jackson, who was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1968 and earned his Master of Divinity in 2000, also acknowledged fathering a child, Ashley Jackson, with one of his employees at Rainbow/PUSH, Karen L. Stanford. He said he understood what it means to be born out of wedlock and supported her emotionally and financially. Presidential aspirations fall short but help ‘keep hope alive’ Despite once telling a Black audience he would not run for president “because white people are incapable of appreciating me,” Jackson ran twice and did better than any Black politician had before President Barack Obama, winning 13 primaries and caucuses for the Democratic nomination in 1988, four years after his first failed attempt. His successes left supporters chanting another Jackson slogan, “Keep Hope Alive.” “I was able to run for the presidency twice and redefine what was possible; it raised the lid for women and other people of color,” he told the AP. “Part of my job was to sow seeds of the possibilities.” U.S. Rep. John Lewis said during a 1988 C-SPAN interview that Jackson’s two runs for the Democratic nomination “opened some doors that some minority person will be able to walk through and become president.” Jackson also pushed for cultural change, joining calls by NAACP members and other movement leaders in the late 1980s to identify Black people in the United States as African Americans. “To be called African Americans has cultural integrity — it puts us in our proper historical context,” Jackson said at the time. “Every ethnic group in this country has a reference to some base, some historical cultural base. African Americans have hit that level of cultural maturity.” Jackson’s words sometimes got him in trouble. In 1984, he apologized for what he thought were private comments to a reporter, calling New York City “Hymietown,” a derogatory reference to its large Jewish population. And in 2008, he made headlines when he complained that Obama was “talking down to Black people” in comments captured by a microphone he didn’t know was on during a break in a television taping. Still, when Jackson joined the jubilant crowd in Chicago’s Grant Park to greet Obama that election night, he had tears streaming down his face. “I wish for a moment that Dr. King or (slain civil rights leader) Medgar Evers … could’ve just been there for 30 seconds to see the fruits of their labor,” he told the AP years later. “I became overwhelmed. It was the joy and the journey.” Exerting influence on events at home and abroad Jackson also had influence abroad, meeting world leaders and scoring diplomatic victories, including the release of Navy Lt. Robert Goodman from Syria in 1984, as well as the 1990 release of more than 700 foreign women and children held after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. In 1999, he won the freedom of three Americans imprisoned by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor. “Citizens have the right to do something or do nothing,” Jackson said, before heading to Syria. “We choose to do something.” In 2021, Jackson joined the parents of Ahmaud Arbery inside the Georgia courtroom where three white men were convicted of killing the young Black jogger. In 2022, he hand-delivered a letter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, calling for federal charges against former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke in the 2014 killing of Black teenager Laquan McDonald. Jackson, who stepped down as president of Rainbow/PUSH in July 2023, disclosed in 2017 that he had sought treatment for Parkinson’s, but he continued to make public appearances even as the disease made it more difficult for listeners to understand him. Earlier this year doctors confirmed a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, a life-threatening neurological disorder. He was admitted to a hospital in November. During the coronavirus pandemic, he and his wife survived being hospitalized with COVID-19. Jackson was vaccinated early, urging Black people in particular to get protected, given their higher risks for bad outcomes. “It’s America’s unfinished business — we’re free, but not equal,” Jackson told the AP. “There’s a reality check that has been brought by the coronavirus, that exposes the weakness and the opportunity.” Former Associated Press writer Karen Hawkins, who left The Associated Press in 2012, contributed to this report. Associated Press writers Amy Forliti in Minneapolis and Aaron Morrison in New York contributed. —Sophia Tareen, Associated Press View the full article

When you think about customer service, consider its direct impact on your business’s success. Effective customer service not only retains customers but likewise encourages their loyalty, which is essential for sustainable growth. By addressing concerns and personalizing interactions, you can improve your brand’s reputation considerably. This discussion will explore various aspects of customer service, highlighting key benefits and strategies that can help your business thrive in a competitive market. Let’s examine how these elements come together. Key Takeaways Exceptional customer service builds trust and loyalty, leading to repeat business and reduced customer acquisition costs. Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your business, enhancing brand reputation and attracting new clients. Good service can significantly increase customer spending, driving revenue growth and improving average order values. Retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, with high-quality service boosting retention rates. Happy employees provide better customer service, resulting in positive interactions that enhance overall customer experience and satisfaction. Understanding Customer Service Customer service is a fundamental component of any business, as it encompasses the assistance and support offered to customers throughout their purchasing experience. The customer service definition includes the guidance provided before, during, and after a purchase, ensuring that clients feel valued and supported. This support serves as the primary point of contact for customers, where representatives work diligently to address concerns swiftly and effectively. Streamlined service processes are essential for resolving issues efficiently, whereas effective follow-up is critical when transferring inquiries to other departments. A strong focus on customer service greatly influences customer perceptions of your company and its products, ultimately impacting overall satisfaction levels. The Importance of Customer Service Customer service plays an essential role in building trust and loyalty among your customers, which can lead to repeat business and lower acquisition costs. By enhancing your brand’s reputation through positive interactions, you not just attract new customers but additionally retain existing ones who are likely to recommend your services. In the end, effective customer service drives revenue growth, making it a critical component of any successful business strategy. Building Trust and Loyalty When businesses prioritize excellent service, they not merely improve customer satisfaction but furthermore cultivate trust and loyalty among their clientele. The importance of customer care is evident, as 70% of repeat sales come from customers who feel valued. Honest communication boosts confidence, with 97% of loyal customers likely to recommend your business. High-quality service nurtures loyalty, with 89% of customers likely to repurchase after a positive experience. Retaining existing customers is likewise more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, which can be 5 to 25 times pricier. Customer Experience Impact on Loyalty Positive Interaction 89% Likely to Repurchase Honest Communication 97% Likely to Recommend Friendly Service 73% Remain Loyal Enhancing Brand Reputation Building on the foundation of trust and loyalty, enhancing brand reputation plays a pivotal role in a business’s long-term success. Exceptional customer service considerably contributes to this reputation, with 81% of people trusting recommendations from friends and family. When customers experience good service, 89% are likely to repurchase, linking customer satisfaction directly to brand loyalty. Loyal customers, nurtured through excellent service, have a 97% chance of giving positive recommendations, further improving public perception. Companies prioritizing customer service see a direct correlation between customer satisfaction and reputation, as satisfied customers often leave authentic reviews. In the end, a strong reputation founded on great customer service leads to competitive advantages, increasing customer retention and market share. Driving Revenue Growth Excellent customer service can greatly drive revenue growth, making it a crucial aspect of any successful business strategy. The importance of customer support is evident, as good service can lead to a 140% increase in customer spending. When customers experience excellent service, about 89% are likely to repurchase, directly impacting your revenue. Furthermore, loyal customers often share their positive experiences, providing free advertising that boosts sales. Retaining existing customers is more cost-effective, as acquiring new ones can be 5 to 25 times more expensive. Personalized interactions can further improve loyalty, with a 42% increase in customers willing to pay a premium. In the end, a strong focus on customer service is critical for sustainable revenue growth. Retaining Your Customers Retaining your customers is crucial for any business, especially since keeping existing clients is much more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, costing five to twenty-five times more. Approximately 70% of repeat sales come from existing customers, underscoring the importance of client service in driving revenue. Fast and effective customer support can prevent 68% of customers from leaving because of poor treatment, highlighting the need for responsive assistance. When you provide good customer service, your retention rate can soar to 89%, as satisfied customers are more likely to repurchase. In addition, loyal customers often become brand advocates, with 97% willing to recommend your business based on their positive experiences. Encouraging Customer Loyalty To encourage customer loyalty, it’s crucial to build trust and rapport with your clients. By implementing personalized engagement strategies, you can create memorable experiences that make customers feel valued. Furthermore, reward and incentive programs can further strengthen their commitment to your brand, making them more likely to return and recommend your services to others. Building Trust and Rapport Building trust and rapport with customers is vital for encouraging loyalty, as strong relationships can greatly impact your business’s bottom line. The importance of guest service can’t be overstated; excellent customer service can increase repeat sales by about 70% for existing customers, compared to just 5-20% for new ones. Honest communication about products and pricing builds confidence, making customers 89% more likely to repurchase after a positive experience. Additionally, loyal customers, who develop through strong rapport, have a 97% chance of providing positive recommendations, enhancing your brand’s reputation. Even negative interactions can become opportunities for loyalty, as effective conflict resolution can turn dissatisfied customers into brand advocates, solidifying the trust necessary for long-term success. Personalized Engagement Strategies Strong relationships with customers create a foundation for loyalty, but how you engage with them on a personal level can greatly improve that bond. Personalized engagement strategies, like customized communications and recommendations, can drive a 140% increase in customer spending based on past positive experiences. When customers receive personalized service, they’re 42% more likely to pay a premium for friendly interactions. Furthermore, 89% of customers are likely to repurchase after a positive service experience, showcasing the impact of effective customer service definition and examples. By utilizing customer feedback to create personalized experiences, you boost overall satisfaction, leading to long-term relationships. Reward and Incentive Programs Reward and incentive programs play a vital role in nurturing customer loyalty by encouraging repeat business and improving overall engagement. By implementing these programs, you can greatly boost retention, as acquiring new customers is 5 to 25 times more expensive than keeping existing ones. Customers who engage in rewards programs often spend 140% more after positive interactions, highlighting the benefits of customer service in this situation. Personalized discounts that align with customer preferences can further strengthen loyalty, as 73% of consumers view customer experience as critical in their buying decisions. Moreover, loyal customers are 97% more likely to recommend your brand, creating organic growth and free advertising, making rewards programs a smart investment for your business. Building a Strong Culture and Reputation Establishing a positive company culture is essential for improving customer experience, as it greatly influences how customers perceive your brand. When your customer service department prioritizes employee well-being, you create a positive work environment that reflects in the quality of service provided. Research shows that 73% of consumers consider customer experience a key factor in their purchasing decisions, which emphasizes the need for a strong company culture. Having a clear brand identity and defined values helps differentiate your business from competitors, promoting customer loyalty and advocacy. Positive interactions with your staff can boost your brand’s reputation, as 97% of loyal customers are likely to recommend your services to others. Moreover, implementing rewards programs and discounts strengthens customer loyalty, encouraging repeat purchases. By focusing on these elements, you not only build a solid reputation but also create lasting relationships with your customers. Generating Referrals Positive customer experiences play a crucial role in generating referrals, as satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your brand to others. In fact, loyal customers who enjoy their interactions with your business are 97% likely to provide referrals to friends and family, which can greatly boost your customer acquisition through word-of-mouth marketing. The importance of customer service is evident here; 81% of consumers trust recommendations from family and friends over traditional advertising, making referrals a formidable tool for growth. When you provide excellent customer service, you not only promote satisfaction but also encourage positive online reviews. Approximately 92% of consumers read reviews before purchasing, further illustrating how critical customer service is to your reputation. Furthermore, customers who’ve great experiences are likely to share them, with 72% discussing their positive experiences with at least six others, amplifying your brand’s exposure and enhancing potential referrals. Boosting Sales When customers receive timely and effective support, they’re less likely to abandon their online purchases, which can greatly boost sales. By providing excellent customer care, you can prevent up to 52% of potential cart abandonments, directly improving your sales opportunities. Satisfied customers tend to spend more; positive experiences can increase their spending by nearly 140%. With around 68% of customers leaving a business because of poor treatment, the benefits of customer care become clear—it’s crucial for retaining your sales. Engaging with existing customers through personalized service not merely nurtures loyalty but can also reveal cross-sell opportunities, further increasing revenue. Moreover, happy customers often share their experiences through word-of-mouth, acting as a significant marketing tool that drives new sales and elevates your brand reputation. As a result, investing in customer service is a strategic move that can lead to substantial financial benefits for your business. Upselling Products When you focus on effective communication techniques, your chances of successfully upselling products increase greatly. Customized recommendations can guide your customers toward complementary items they may have overlooked, enhancing their overall experience. Effective Communication Techniques Effective communication techniques are crucial for successful upselling in customer service. By comprehending customer needs and preferences, you can greatly improve your upselling efforts. Here are some effective strategies: Ask open-ended questions to identify what customers truly want. Use empathy and product knowledge to make relevant suggestions. Leverage data from past purchases to tailor your offers. When you skillfully apply these techniques, you increase the likelihood of conversion by up to 30%. Moreover, providing a rewards program can cultivate loyalty, as 89% of customers are more likely to return after a positive experience. Tailored Recommendations Strategies Customized recommendations are a potent strategy for enhancing upselling efforts in customer service. By integrating customer service with CRM systems, you can access order histories, allowing for personalized suggestions that resonate with existing customers. Since current customers are 60-70% more likely to buy again, leveraging these relationships can greatly boost your sales. Upselling during interactions can increase average order values by up to 30%, especially when you personalize offers based on previous purchases and preferences. Furthermore, 42% of customers are willing to pay a premium for friendly, personalized service. Utilizing customer feedback from service interactions helps you better understand their needs, paving the way for relevant upselling opportunities, aligning perfectly with the customer service definition. Improving Employee Happiness Improving employee happiness is crucial for improving customer service outcomes and driving overall business success. Happy employees are 73% more likely to provide exceptional customer service, which boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty. A positive work environment helps reduce stress and burnout, greatly improving morale and productivity among your customer service team. Consider these key factors for improving employee happiness: Continuous training and recognition boost confidence and job satisfaction. Providing tools and resources empowers agents, allowing them to handle more interactions effectively. An engaged workforce can lead to a 21% increase in profitability, showcasing the importance of customer service. When your employees feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to deliver outstanding service, eventually benefiting your business. Prioritizing employee happiness not just improves service delivery but also creates a thriving workplace culture that contributes to long-term success. Staying Competitive in the Marketplace In today’s competitive marketplace, delivering exceptional customer service is crucial if you want to stand out from your rivals. Why is customer service important? It’s simple: excellent service can lead to a 70% likelihood of repeat sales from existing customers. When your business is known for great service, you attract more customers and retain the ones you have, enhancing your brand reputation and giving you a competitive edge. Furthermore, prioritizing customer experience can result in a 140% increase in spending from satisfied customers, helping you stay ahead. Remember, 89% of customers are likely to repurchase after a positive service experience, highlighting the need for a loyal customer base. By focusing on customer service, you not only meet expectations but exceed them, ensuring you remain a strong contender in your industry. With such significant benefits, it’s clear that investing in customer service is crucial for lasting success. Proactive Customer Engagement Proactive customer engagement plays a significant role in improving the overall customer experience by anticipating potential issues and addressing them before they escalate. When you focus on this approach, you’re not just solving problems; you’re building a strong foundation for customer loyalty. This is what great customer service means. It increases the likelihood of repeat sales from existing customers up to 70%. By actively seeking customer feedback, you can identify strengths and weaknesses in your service. Implementing support centers and detailed FAQs minimizes customer effort, boosting satisfaction scores. With proactive outreach, you reduce incoming inquiries and improve customer effort scores, making interactions smoother. Brands that excel in this area cultivate loyalty and positive word-of-mouth, with 89% of customers likely to repurchase after a good service experience. Gathering and Analyzing Feedback Gathering and analyzing feedback is essential for businesses aiming to improve their customer service. By using surveys and focus groups, you can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your offerings, allowing targeted improvements that boost customer satisfaction and retention. Anonymous feedback mechanisms encourage honest responses, leading to accurate insights into customer perceptions. Feedback Method Benefits Key Metrics Surveys Identify strengths and weaknesses Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Focus Groups Gain deeper insights Net Promoter Score (NPS) Anonymous Feedback Encourage honest responses Customer Effort Score (CES) Regularly evaluating customer satisfaction metrics provides actionable insights that drive strategic decisions. Proactive engagement in soliciting feedback can prevent issues from escalating, eventually enhancing what customer service means for your business and nurturing long-term loyalty. Providing Effective Training Effective training is crucial for enhancing customer service skills among employees, as it directly impacts their ability to interact positively with customers. When you invest in effective training, you reap several advantages of customer care that can lead to improved outcomes for your business. Ongoing training keeps staff updated on new products and service best practices, enhancing their effectiveness. Well-trained employees are 73% more likely to create positive customer interactions, boosting loyalty and retention. A structured training schedule nurtures confidence, resulting in better service quality and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, continuous improvement in training helps identify weaknesses and empowers agents to handle inquiries more efficiently. Personalized coaching can greatly improve agent performance, raising customer satisfaction scores and encouraging brand advocacy. Essentially, effective training is a cornerstone of exceptional customer service, contributing to a better overall customer experience. Real-World Examples of Good Customer Service In relation to customer service, real-world examples can provide valuable insights into effective practices that lead to success. Companies like Amazon exemplify the best definition of customer service by leveraging customer feedback to innovate their offerings, resulting in high satisfaction and loyalty rates. Research shows that 89% of customers are likely to repurchase after experiencing good service, underscoring the link between exceptional support and increased sales. Zappos stands out with its free shipping and 365-day return policy, encouraging a loyal customer base. Starbucks personalizes experiences through its rewards program, achieving a 24% increase in retention and spending. The Ritz-Carlton empowers employees to spend up to $2,000 to resolve issues on the spot, showcasing the effectiveness of proactive customer service in enhancing satisfaction and brand reputation. These examples highlight how good customer service can transform customer relationships and drive business success. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Benefits of Good Customer Service to a Business? Good customer service offers numerous benefits to your business. It increases customer retention, as satisfied customers are likely to return, which is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. By providing excellent service, you can boost repeat purchases, leading to higher sales. In addition, loyal customers tend to refer others, enhancing your brand’s reputation. In the end, strong customer service can give you a competitive advantage, as it encourages recommendations and strengthens customer loyalty. What Are the 5 Most Important Things in Customer Service? In customer service, five important elements stand out. First, effective communication guarantees clarity and comprehension. Second, responsiveness to inquiries and issues promotes customer satisfaction. Third, product knowledge allows you to provide accurate information, enhancing trust. Fourth, empathy helps you connect with customers on a personal level, nurturing loyalty. Ultimately, consistency in service reinforces reliability, encouraging repeat business. What Is the 3 Key of Customer Service? The three key elements of customer service are responsiveness, empathy, and communication. Responsiveness guarantees you address inquiries swiftly, which can improve customer retention. Empathy allows you to understand customer emotions and needs, nurturing trust and loyalty. Effective communication assures clarity about your products and services, boosting customer confidence. What Are the Key Benefits of Customer Experience to Our Business? The key benefits of customer experience to your business include increased customer retention, as satisfied customers are more likely to return. A strong customer experience improves your brand’s reputation, leading to positive recommendations that attract new clients. Happy customers tend to spend more, boosting your revenue considerably. Furthermore, investing in excellent customer service creates long-term relationships, which reduces competition and cultivates loyalty, ultimately driving consistent growth for your business. Conclusion In summary, effective customer service is vital for your business’s success. By prioritizing customer satisfaction, you improve retention and loyalty, leading to increased revenue and a strong reputation. Proactively engaging with customers and gathering feedback allows you to identify areas for improvement, whereas providing effective training guarantees your team delivers exceptional service. In the end, investing in customer service cultivates long-term relationships that contribute to sustained growth and profitability, making it a pivotal aspect of any successful business strategy. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Key Benefits of Customer Service for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When you think about customer service, consider its direct impact on your business’s success. Effective customer service not only retains customers but likewise encourages their loyalty, which is essential for sustainable growth. By addressing concerns and personalizing interactions, you can improve your brand’s reputation considerably. This discussion will explore various aspects of customer service, highlighting key benefits and strategies that can help your business thrive in a competitive market. Let’s examine how these elements come together. Key Takeaways Exceptional customer service builds trust and loyalty, leading to repeat business and reduced customer acquisition costs. Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your business, enhancing brand reputation and attracting new clients. Good service can significantly increase customer spending, driving revenue growth and improving average order values. Retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, with high-quality service boosting retention rates. Happy employees provide better customer service, resulting in positive interactions that enhance overall customer experience and satisfaction. Understanding Customer Service Customer service is a fundamental component of any business, as it encompasses the assistance and support offered to customers throughout their purchasing experience. The customer service definition includes the guidance provided before, during, and after a purchase, ensuring that clients feel valued and supported. This support serves as the primary point of contact for customers, where representatives work diligently to address concerns swiftly and effectively. Streamlined service processes are essential for resolving issues efficiently, whereas effective follow-up is critical when transferring inquiries to other departments. A strong focus on customer service greatly influences customer perceptions of your company and its products, ultimately impacting overall satisfaction levels. The Importance of Customer Service Customer service plays an essential role in building trust and loyalty among your customers, which can lead to repeat business and lower acquisition costs. By enhancing your brand’s reputation through positive interactions, you not just attract new customers but additionally retain existing ones who are likely to recommend your services. In the end, effective customer service drives revenue growth, making it a critical component of any successful business strategy. Building Trust and Loyalty When businesses prioritize excellent service, they not merely improve customer satisfaction but furthermore cultivate trust and loyalty among their clientele. The importance of customer care is evident, as 70% of repeat sales come from customers who feel valued. Honest communication boosts confidence, with 97% of loyal customers likely to recommend your business. High-quality service nurtures loyalty, with 89% of customers likely to repurchase after a positive experience. Retaining existing customers is likewise more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, which can be 5 to 25 times pricier. Customer Experience Impact on Loyalty Positive Interaction 89% Likely to Repurchase Honest Communication 97% Likely to Recommend Friendly Service 73% Remain Loyal Enhancing Brand Reputation Building on the foundation of trust and loyalty, enhancing brand reputation plays a pivotal role in a business’s long-term success. Exceptional customer service considerably contributes to this reputation, with 81% of people trusting recommendations from friends and family. When customers experience good service, 89% are likely to repurchase, linking customer satisfaction directly to brand loyalty. Loyal customers, nurtured through excellent service, have a 97% chance of giving positive recommendations, further improving public perception. Companies prioritizing customer service see a direct correlation between customer satisfaction and reputation, as satisfied customers often leave authentic reviews. In the end, a strong reputation founded on great customer service leads to competitive advantages, increasing customer retention and market share. Driving Revenue Growth Excellent customer service can greatly drive revenue growth, making it a crucial aspect of any successful business strategy. The importance of customer support is evident, as good service can lead to a 140% increase in customer spending. When customers experience excellent service, about 89% are likely to repurchase, directly impacting your revenue. Furthermore, loyal customers often share their positive experiences, providing free advertising that boosts sales. Retaining existing customers is more cost-effective, as acquiring new ones can be 5 to 25 times more expensive. Personalized interactions can further improve loyalty, with a 42% increase in customers willing to pay a premium. In the end, a strong focus on customer service is critical for sustainable revenue growth. Retaining Your Customers Retaining your customers is crucial for any business, especially since keeping existing clients is much more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, costing five to twenty-five times more. Approximately 70% of repeat sales come from existing customers, underscoring the importance of client service in driving revenue. Fast and effective customer support can prevent 68% of customers from leaving because of poor treatment, highlighting the need for responsive assistance. When you provide good customer service, your retention rate can soar to 89%, as satisfied customers are more likely to repurchase. In addition, loyal customers often become brand advocates, with 97% willing to recommend your business based on their positive experiences. Encouraging Customer Loyalty To encourage customer loyalty, it’s crucial to build trust and rapport with your clients. By implementing personalized engagement strategies, you can create memorable experiences that make customers feel valued. Furthermore, reward and incentive programs can further strengthen their commitment to your brand, making them more likely to return and recommend your services to others. Building Trust and Rapport Building trust and rapport with customers is vital for encouraging loyalty, as strong relationships can greatly impact your business’s bottom line. The importance of guest service can’t be overstated; excellent customer service can increase repeat sales by about 70% for existing customers, compared to just 5-20% for new ones. Honest communication about products and pricing builds confidence, making customers 89% more likely to repurchase after a positive experience. Additionally, loyal customers, who develop through strong rapport, have a 97% chance of providing positive recommendations, enhancing your brand’s reputation. Even negative interactions can become opportunities for loyalty, as effective conflict resolution can turn dissatisfied customers into brand advocates, solidifying the trust necessary for long-term success. Personalized Engagement Strategies Strong relationships with customers create a foundation for loyalty, but how you engage with them on a personal level can greatly improve that bond. Personalized engagement strategies, like customized communications and recommendations, can drive a 140% increase in customer spending based on past positive experiences. When customers receive personalized service, they’re 42% more likely to pay a premium for friendly interactions. Furthermore, 89% of customers are likely to repurchase after a positive service experience, showcasing the impact of effective customer service definition and examples. By utilizing customer feedback to create personalized experiences, you boost overall satisfaction, leading to long-term relationships. Reward and Incentive Programs Reward and incentive programs play a vital role in nurturing customer loyalty by encouraging repeat business and improving overall engagement. By implementing these programs, you can greatly boost retention, as acquiring new customers is 5 to 25 times more expensive than keeping existing ones. Customers who engage in rewards programs often spend 140% more after positive interactions, highlighting the benefits of customer service in this situation. Personalized discounts that align with customer preferences can further strengthen loyalty, as 73% of consumers view customer experience as critical in their buying decisions. Moreover, loyal customers are 97% more likely to recommend your brand, creating organic growth and free advertising, making rewards programs a smart investment for your business. Building a Strong Culture and Reputation Establishing a positive company culture is essential for improving customer experience, as it greatly influences how customers perceive your brand. When your customer service department prioritizes employee well-being, you create a positive work environment that reflects in the quality of service provided. Research shows that 73% of consumers consider customer experience a key factor in their purchasing decisions, which emphasizes the need for a strong company culture. Having a clear brand identity and defined values helps differentiate your business from competitors, promoting customer loyalty and advocacy. Positive interactions with your staff can boost your brand’s reputation, as 97% of loyal customers are likely to recommend your services to others. Moreover, implementing rewards programs and discounts strengthens customer loyalty, encouraging repeat purchases. By focusing on these elements, you not only build a solid reputation but also create lasting relationships with your customers. Generating Referrals Positive customer experiences play a crucial role in generating referrals, as satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your brand to others. In fact, loyal customers who enjoy their interactions with your business are 97% likely to provide referrals to friends and family, which can greatly boost your customer acquisition through word-of-mouth marketing. The importance of customer service is evident here; 81% of consumers trust recommendations from family and friends over traditional advertising, making referrals a formidable tool for growth. When you provide excellent customer service, you not only promote satisfaction but also encourage positive online reviews. Approximately 92% of consumers read reviews before purchasing, further illustrating how critical customer service is to your reputation. Furthermore, customers who’ve great experiences are likely to share them, with 72% discussing their positive experiences with at least six others, amplifying your brand’s exposure and enhancing potential referrals. Boosting Sales When customers receive timely and effective support, they’re less likely to abandon their online purchases, which can greatly boost sales. By providing excellent customer care, you can prevent up to 52% of potential cart abandonments, directly improving your sales opportunities. Satisfied customers tend to spend more; positive experiences can increase their spending by nearly 140%. With around 68% of customers leaving a business because of poor treatment, the benefits of customer care become clear—it’s crucial for retaining your sales. Engaging with existing customers through personalized service not merely nurtures loyalty but can also reveal cross-sell opportunities, further increasing revenue. Moreover, happy customers often share their experiences through word-of-mouth, acting as a significant marketing tool that drives new sales and elevates your brand reputation. As a result, investing in customer service is a strategic move that can lead to substantial financial benefits for your business. Upselling Products When you focus on effective communication techniques, your chances of successfully upselling products increase greatly. Customized recommendations can guide your customers toward complementary items they may have overlooked, enhancing their overall experience. Effective Communication Techniques Effective communication techniques are crucial for successful upselling in customer service. By comprehending customer needs and preferences, you can greatly improve your upselling efforts. Here are some effective strategies: Ask open-ended questions to identify what customers truly want. Use empathy and product knowledge to make relevant suggestions. Leverage data from past purchases to tailor your offers. When you skillfully apply these techniques, you increase the likelihood of conversion by up to 30%. Moreover, providing a rewards program can cultivate loyalty, as 89% of customers are more likely to return after a positive experience. Tailored Recommendations Strategies Customized recommendations are a potent strategy for enhancing upselling efforts in customer service. By integrating customer service with CRM systems, you can access order histories, allowing for personalized suggestions that resonate with existing customers. Since current customers are 60-70% more likely to buy again, leveraging these relationships can greatly boost your sales. Upselling during interactions can increase average order values by up to 30%, especially when you personalize offers based on previous purchases and preferences. Furthermore, 42% of customers are willing to pay a premium for friendly, personalized service. Utilizing customer feedback from service interactions helps you better understand their needs, paving the way for relevant upselling opportunities, aligning perfectly with the customer service definition. Improving Employee Happiness Improving employee happiness is crucial for improving customer service outcomes and driving overall business success. Happy employees are 73% more likely to provide exceptional customer service, which boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty. A positive work environment helps reduce stress and burnout, greatly improving morale and productivity among your customer service team. Consider these key factors for improving employee happiness: Continuous training and recognition boost confidence and job satisfaction. Providing tools and resources empowers agents, allowing them to handle more interactions effectively. An engaged workforce can lead to a 21% increase in profitability, showcasing the importance of customer service. When your employees feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to deliver outstanding service, eventually benefiting your business. Prioritizing employee happiness not just improves service delivery but also creates a thriving workplace culture that contributes to long-term success. Staying Competitive in the Marketplace In today’s competitive marketplace, delivering exceptional customer service is crucial if you want to stand out from your rivals. Why is customer service important? It’s simple: excellent service can lead to a 70% likelihood of repeat sales from existing customers. When your business is known for great service, you attract more customers and retain the ones you have, enhancing your brand reputation and giving you a competitive edge. Furthermore, prioritizing customer experience can result in a 140% increase in spending from satisfied customers, helping you stay ahead. Remember, 89% of customers are likely to repurchase after a positive service experience, highlighting the need for a loyal customer base. By focusing on customer service, you not only meet expectations but exceed them, ensuring you remain a strong contender in your industry. With such significant benefits, it’s clear that investing in customer service is crucial for lasting success. Proactive Customer Engagement Proactive customer engagement plays a significant role in improving the overall customer experience by anticipating potential issues and addressing them before they escalate. When you focus on this approach, you’re not just solving problems; you’re building a strong foundation for customer loyalty. This is what great customer service means. It increases the likelihood of repeat sales from existing customers up to 70%. By actively seeking customer feedback, you can identify strengths and weaknesses in your service. Implementing support centers and detailed FAQs minimizes customer effort, boosting satisfaction scores. With proactive outreach, you reduce incoming inquiries and improve customer effort scores, making interactions smoother. Brands that excel in this area cultivate loyalty and positive word-of-mouth, with 89% of customers likely to repurchase after a good service experience. Gathering and Analyzing Feedback Gathering and analyzing feedback is essential for businesses aiming to improve their customer service. By using surveys and focus groups, you can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in your offerings, allowing targeted improvements that boost customer satisfaction and retention. Anonymous feedback mechanisms encourage honest responses, leading to accurate insights into customer perceptions. Feedback Method Benefits Key Metrics Surveys Identify strengths and weaknesses Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Focus Groups Gain deeper insights Net Promoter Score (NPS) Anonymous Feedback Encourage honest responses Customer Effort Score (CES) Regularly evaluating customer satisfaction metrics provides actionable insights that drive strategic decisions. Proactive engagement in soliciting feedback can prevent issues from escalating, eventually enhancing what customer service means for your business and nurturing long-term loyalty. Providing Effective Training Effective training is crucial for enhancing customer service skills among employees, as it directly impacts their ability to interact positively with customers. When you invest in effective training, you reap several advantages of customer care that can lead to improved outcomes for your business. Ongoing training keeps staff updated on new products and service best practices, enhancing their effectiveness. Well-trained employees are 73% more likely to create positive customer interactions, boosting loyalty and retention. A structured training schedule nurtures confidence, resulting in better service quality and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, continuous improvement in training helps identify weaknesses and empowers agents to handle inquiries more efficiently. Personalized coaching can greatly improve agent performance, raising customer satisfaction scores and encouraging brand advocacy. Essentially, effective training is a cornerstone of exceptional customer service, contributing to a better overall customer experience. Real-World Examples of Good Customer Service In relation to customer service, real-world examples can provide valuable insights into effective practices that lead to success. Companies like Amazon exemplify the best definition of customer service by leveraging customer feedback to innovate their offerings, resulting in high satisfaction and loyalty rates. Research shows that 89% of customers are likely to repurchase after experiencing good service, underscoring the link between exceptional support and increased sales. Zappos stands out with its free shipping and 365-day return policy, encouraging a loyal customer base. Starbucks personalizes experiences through its rewards program, achieving a 24% increase in retention and spending. The Ritz-Carlton empowers employees to spend up to $2,000 to resolve issues on the spot, showcasing the effectiveness of proactive customer service in enhancing satisfaction and brand reputation. These examples highlight how good customer service can transform customer relationships and drive business success. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Benefits of Good Customer Service to a Business? Good customer service offers numerous benefits to your business. It increases customer retention, as satisfied customers are likely to return, which is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. By providing excellent service, you can boost repeat purchases, leading to higher sales. In addition, loyal customers tend to refer others, enhancing your brand’s reputation. In the end, strong customer service can give you a competitive advantage, as it encourages recommendations and strengthens customer loyalty. What Are the 5 Most Important Things in Customer Service? In customer service, five important elements stand out. First, effective communication guarantees clarity and comprehension. Second, responsiveness to inquiries and issues promotes customer satisfaction. Third, product knowledge allows you to provide accurate information, enhancing trust. Fourth, empathy helps you connect with customers on a personal level, nurturing loyalty. Ultimately, consistency in service reinforces reliability, encouraging repeat business. What Is the 3 Key of Customer Service? The three key elements of customer service are responsiveness, empathy, and communication. Responsiveness guarantees you address inquiries swiftly, which can improve customer retention. Empathy allows you to understand customer emotions and needs, nurturing trust and loyalty. Effective communication assures clarity about your products and services, boosting customer confidence. What Are the Key Benefits of Customer Experience to Our Business? The key benefits of customer experience to your business include increased customer retention, as satisfied customers are more likely to return. A strong customer experience improves your brand’s reputation, leading to positive recommendations that attract new clients. Happy customers tend to spend more, boosting your revenue considerably. Furthermore, investing in excellent customer service creates long-term relationships, which reduces competition and cultivates loyalty, ultimately driving consistent growth for your business. Conclusion In summary, effective customer service is vital for your business’s success. By prioritizing customer satisfaction, you improve retention and loyalty, leading to increased revenue and a strong reputation. Proactively engaging with customers and gathering feedback allows you to identify areas for improvement, whereas providing effective training guarantees your team delivers exceptional service. In the end, investing in customer service cultivates long-term relationships that contribute to sustained growth and profitability, making it a pivotal aspect of any successful business strategy. Image via Google Gemini and ArtSmart This article, "Key Benefits of Customer Service for Your Business" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article