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If you don’t know, that’s a problem. ChatGPT influences millions of product decisions every day—and unlike Google, it gives you zero impressions data, no Search Console, and no built-in analytics. In this guide, I’ll show you how to monitor your…Read more ›View the full article

At least 25 million people have had their personal information stolen in a major hack on business services company Conduent. The data breach itself isn't new—it was initially disclosed in January 2025, and Conduent has already notified millions of individuals whose data was compromised in the incident. However, the breach is now believed to be larger in scale than previously reported, possibly among the largest to affect healthcare. Who is Conduent? Conduent is a New Jersey-based business processing outsourcing (BPO) company that provides services like printing, payment, and document and claims processing to state and federal government agencies as well as large commercial and transportation organizations. According to the company's 2025 annual report, these offerings include disbursement of benefits, such as food assistance and child support, and administration of government healthcare programs (like Medicaid). For large corporations, services include workplace and unemployment benefits management. Conduent was spun off from Xerox in 2017 and now employs around 51,000 people worldwide. What happened with the Conduent breach?In January 2025, Conduent suffered an outage that was later confirmed to be the result of a "cybersecurity incident." The disruption lasted several days, during which agencies across the U.S. were unable to process some benefit payments. While the breach was discovered in January, hackers reportedly gained access to Conduent's systems months earlier on October 21, 2024. The Safepay ransomware gang later took credit for the attack. While Conduent confirmed in April 2025 that client information had been stolen in the breach, it didn't begin notifying affected individuals until October. According to those notices, the compromised data included names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, health insurance policy information, and medical information. How many people were impacted by the breach? The scope of the breach continues to grow, but the total number of individuals affected currently sits around 25 million. The greatest impact appears to be in Texas and Oregon, though residents in California, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Mexico have also received notices. (For reference, the total number of users impacted by the 2024 ransomware attack on Change Healthcare is now estimated at 190 million.) What to do if you were affectedIf you receive a notice saying your information was compromised, you should take every precaution to secure your identity: At a minimum, ensure your credit is frozen, and set up a one-year fraud alert on your credit files to prevent someone from applying for credit using your information. None of the notices we've seen have offered any type of credit monitoring or identity theft protection services to affected individuals, but you could utilize these services as well. At this point—given the ubiquity of data breaches and information compromise—you should be keeping a close eye on your credit report and financial accounts at all times to quickly catch anything suspicious. If you do find fraudulent activity, report it to your bank and/or credit issuer immediately, and file an identity theft report. View the full article

Google’s AI Overviews now appear across search results with varying frequency. However, in certain categories, they dominate entirely. According to Adthena: Finance queries see AI Overviews on 79% of longer searches with five or more words. Retail shows 84% visibility for comparison and product discovery queries in the 9-10 word range. Healthcare also triggers high AI Overview penetration even when users are searching short medical questions of 1-3 words. You know organic traffic faces headwinds. What you might underestimate is how severe the downstream impact on paid search can be. Here’s what that looks like in practice. AI Overviews’ impact on paid search AI Overviews are systematically changing paid search, affecting everything from click volume to auction dynamics and conversion behavior. They are accelerating structural trends that are already reshaping search, including SERP saturation, automated bidding, Performance Max adoption, and broad match expansion. What makes AI Overviews significant is the speed of the rollout. In many verticals, Google had compressed what would have normally been a multi-year transition into mere months. Understanding the impact on your own paid search efforts requires examining how AI answers have reshaped each component of your campaign performance. 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 Overviews drive lower response rates So, how much have response rates been impacted by AI Overviews? Recent data from Seer Interactive reveals the scale of the decline. Paid CTR on queries featuring AI Overviews plummeted by 68%, dropping from 19.7% to 6.34% between June 2024 and September 2025. At the same time, we saw organic CTR fall 61% on the same queries, but the steeper paid decline suggests AI Overviews reshape where paid ads appear and who clicks them, not simply their overall presence. The trend accelerated sharply in July 2025 when paid CTR collapsed from approximately 11% to 3% in a single month. One month. This happened as Google expanded AI Overviews more aggressively into commercial and navigational queries, demonstrating AI Overviews’ direct impact on paid search response rates. What we’re finding is that these declines are the most severe for non-branded informational queries. But it’s not all bad news. Branded search and high-intent transactional queries are showing greater resilience, with many advertisers seeing minimal impact on their core conversion-driving terms. AI Overviews contribute to higher CPCs through inventory compression We’re also finding a direct correlation between AI Overviews and the cost of paid search campaigns. That’s because the response rate decline is directly driving cost-per-click (CPC) inflation through supply and demand mechanics. Google Search spending grew 9% year-over-year in Q1 2025, but click growth was only 4%. That 5% gap represents more dollars chasing fewer clicks across many industries. AI Overviews amplify this CPC inflation through several mechanisms. Some of that has to do with ad positioning. Research on ad positioning shows that ads that appear above an AI Overview still perform reasonably well. But the ads below are seeing a dramatic reduction in impression share and CTR. At the same time, double-serving policies are concentrating impression share among larger advertisers, which is forcing smaller ones to bid more aggressively. Automated bidding systems optimize toward conversion predictions rather than cost efficiency, which means campaigns are paying premium CPCs as the click inventory shrinks. AI Overviews collapse the consideration phase We’re also seeing a dip in the consideration phase of the buyer’s journey. Customer journeys that used to take up to a few days, AI Overviews can now compress into minutes by handling the research and comparison activities that traditionally occurred across multiple search sessions. For example, think back to how in, say, 2023 a search for [best project management software for remote teams] would have triggered a multi-day sequence for users who would first, perhaps, click through to organic results, then read some comparison articles, then perhaps visit some vendor websites, and, finally, after maybe 7-14 days, they might finally convert. Today, when you search for [best project management software for remote teams], you could convert in a single session. An AI Overview can give users everything they need at once: a comparison table with features, pricing, and use cases, then refined recommendations for two or three options. People could decide in hours instead of weeks. This compression reshapes campaign performance in three ways: Smaller retargeting pools: Retargeting pools shrink dramatically because fewer clicks during research means there are fewer users entering remarketing audiences. While Google has lowered audience minimums from 1,000 to 100 users, the shift is meant to help boost small business campaigns, but it still means that a campaign that historically would have built up a 10,000-user pool from informational traffic might now capture only 3,000 users. Less brand awareness: Brand awareness suffers when users never visit your site during research, entering the purchase decision having consumed AI-generated comparisons rather than experiencing your messaging directly. AI Overviews mentions are a must: AI citation creates a winner-take-all dynamic. Being mentioned in AI Overviews becomes a primary determinant of visibility. Brands that appear in the AI answer capture disproportionate traffic, while those excluded lose ground entirely. AI Overviews create a quality-over-quantity trade-off The journey compression caused by AI Overviews is producing a counterintuitive economic outcome. As click volume declines, conversion rates improve. A benchmark analysis of 16,446 campaigns confirms the pattern. While overall click volume declined across nearly all query types in 2025, 65% of industries actually saw improved conversion rates. For many of those industries, the jump was substantial. For example, education and instruction saw conversion rates jump 43.87% year-over-year, while sports and recreation climbed 42.43%. So why is this happening? The improved conversion rates are reflective of AI Overviews pre-qualifying users by answering their basic questions before they click ads. This filters out a lot of the users who are simply seeking general information without any intention to convert and leaving only high-intent prospects. These improved conversion rates could also potentially partially offset CPC inflation in many scenarios. For example, let’s say a business software campaign is generating 1,000 clicks at $2.00 CPC. The campaign generated a 5% conversion rate, resulting in 50 conversions at a $40 CPA. Then, let’s say, Google rolled out AI Overviews for their keywords, and it compressed the customer journey. The same campaign might then generate fewer clicks, say 700, at $2.90 CPC and a higher 7% conversion rate, producing 49 conversions at $41.43 CPA. The effective cost increase is only 3.6% despite 45% CPC inflation and 30% volume decline. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 4 strategic pivots for the AI search era Paid search still offers opportunities for advertisers who adapt quickly. Let’s look at four strategies you can incorporate into your own campaigns that align with the new realities of AI-mediated search. 1. Monitor informational intent performance and optimize accordingly Since AI Overviews are fundamentally changing the economics of informational queries, they require extra scrutiny from you. Implement systematic monitoring rather than blanket exclusions of informational keywords to identify which keywords still deliver value and which have become budget drains. Begin by understanding which informational keywords still hold value. Informational keywords like “what is,” “how to,” and “guide to” are being cannibalized by AI Overviews at substantial rates. In finance, AI Overviews appear on 79% of longer queries, while in retail they show up on 84% of comparison searches. However, transactional keywords like “buy,” “best,” “compare,” and “near me” maintain higher CTRs because AI typically doesn’t complete transactions. The user needs to click away from AI Overviews to complete their transaction. We’re still seeing 69% of transactional searches in AI Mode result in clicks to websites. Branded search remains largely intact, with AI Overviews primarily affecting non-branded informational queries. To identify which informational keywords still perform, follow these steps: Start by pulling 90 days of Google Ads query data. Next, you’ll want to flag queries that contain informational trigger words. Then, cross-reference that data with Google Search Console, since GSC now tags these in performance reports, to identify which queries trigger AI Overviews. Finally, you can calculate CTR and conversion rate for informational versus transactional queries to establish your baselines. For the informational queries that show less than 1% CTR and less than 50% of your average conversion rate, you have three options: Test whether you can improve performance by focusing on creative optimization for unique offers rather than information. Reduce your bids on those queries to maintain presence at a lower cost while continuing to monitor for changes. Shift your budget toward transactional and navigational keywords that are performing better, while maintaining minimal informational presence to bolster brand visibility. Note: An important exception applies for brands that are consistently being cited in AI Overviews. Since cited brands are seeing a 91% paid CTR lift, this suggests that these informational keywords could become strategic assets. If your brand appears in AI Overviews for informational queries like “best accounting software for freelancers,” it may warrant maintaining or increasing bids on those terms. You’ll also want to scrutinize for any uncited queries more aggressively to see if you’re missing any opportunities. 2. Prioritize feed quality Yes, generative AI can summarize and compare, but it can’t invent price, inventory, or availability from thin air. This creates a structural advantage if you have robust product feeds in Google Shopping, Hotel Ads, and local inventory. Google’s AI Mode shopping experience, powered by the Shopping Graph with 50 billion product listings refreshed hourly, relies entirely on structured product data from Merchant Center feeds. When users search, for example, for “breathable bamboo crib sheets under $40,” the AI can only surface products whose feeds include that level of attribute specificity. Shopping ads now appear directly within AI Overviews for queries with commercial intent, powered by existing Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. Feed optimization requires four priorities: Attribute enrichment must include contextual details like “waterproof for rainy commutes” or “red couch for small apartment” that match natural language queries. Real-time accuracy matters as Google updates listings hourly and outdated data filters products out of AI Mode entirely. Structured data completeness determines visibility. Google’s AI prioritizes products with rich, complete attribute data over listings with minimal information. Rich media assets have become table stakes. Google’s AI prioritizes listings with five or more product images and video content, with virtual try-on features integrated across Search, Shopping, and Images, driving visual discovery. 3. Craft creative that differentiates Since users have already learned about the features and benefits they were querying in AI Overviews before clicking, your ad must answer why they should choose you and why they should choose you now. Lead with unique value propositions instead of generic benefits. For example: “Project Management Software for Teams” is generic and would convert less often than a specific offering like “14-Day Free Trial + Free Migration from Asana/Monday.” An overly-general value prop like “Tax Preparation Services” would be expected to underperform something much more specific and unique like “Same-Day CPA Review | $50 Off Filing This Week.” You’ll also want to leverage ad extensions aggressively. Research shows that ads can appear above or below AI Overviews depending on query type and industry. When AI Overviews pushes everything down the page, extensions are your way to stay visible. Ads that use all available sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets can occupy 2-3 times the SERP real estate of basic ads. Taking up that extra space is critical as ads now appear within AI Overviews themselves for commercial intent queries. You can use responsive search ads to test value proposition hypotheses at scale. Start by loading Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) with diverse headlines that test: Urgency (i.e., “Limited Availability”). Risk reversal (i.e., “No Credit Card Required”). Social proof (i.e., “4.9 Stars, 5,000+ Reviews”). Differentiation (i.e., “Only Platform with Native Zapier Integration”). Then let Google’s machine learning identify which messages resonate with high-intent users who’ve already completed their research. If your brand is cited in AI Overviews for specific use cases, reference those directly. For example, if AI Overview consistently recommends your accounting software for “freelancers,” you’ll want to include “Built for Freelancers” in headlines to align with the recommendation users just consumed. 4. Embrace audience data These days, it’s all about the data. As keyword-based targeting becomes less reliable in an AI-dominated search environment, first-party audience data is becoming more and more your sustainable competitive advantage. When AI answers queries without regard to keyword precision, your existing customer relationships represent what AI can’t disintermediate. What we mean is that you know your audience already. Take advantage of that. Customer Match lists allow you to upload email lists, phone numbers, and CRM data, with Google lowering the minimum from 1,000 to 100 users in 2025. Remember, users who’ve already engaged with your brand will convert at significantly higher rates than cold traffic and search with intent to re-engage rather than research. It’s also important to build granular website visitor segments based on the behaviors that signal purchase intent. You want to represent all prospects who have moved beyond research: Product page viewers who didn’t convert. Abandoned cart users. Visitors to pricing and comparison tools. Users with 10+ minute sessions. Target these audiences with messaging that assumes they’ve already completed their evaluation through AI-powered search. Use similar audiences and lookalikes to help Google’s AI identify users who match your highest-value customer profiles. Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns work best when fed customer lists and purchase history, which allows for identifying intent patterns beyond keywords. In the AI Overview environment, shift your budget from old-school, keyword-heavy Search campaigns to audience-driven Performance Max and Demand Gen formats that prioritize first-party data. Build email capture mechanisms through gated content and progressive profiling. Then, integrate your CRM with Google Ads to activate customer data for targeting and bidding. A good place to start is by reallocating an underperforming informational query budget to audience-based campaigns, and then scaling based on results. First-party data provides higher signal quality than behavioral targeting alone, which gives advertisers with robust data infrastructure measurable advantages in conversion rates and customer acquisition costs. 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 Adaptation is the key to today’s search success AI Overviews are changing paid search. There’s no doubt about it. And the data shows the real pressure paid search is facing. But there’s good news: you can still succeed if you adapt your strategy to match how search works now — not how it worked two years ago. Start by monitoring which of your informational queries are still working, rather than excluding them all. Then, prioritize feed quality for Shopping campaigns. Make sure you write ads that differentiate rather than inform. And definitely build first-party audience lists before your competitors do. View the full article

ChatGPT ecommerce traffic converted 31% higher than non-branded organic search across 94 ecommerce sites in 2025, but it still drove a small share of revenue. That’s based on a 12-month GA4 analysis by Visibility Labs covering January through December 2025. Why we care. This data shows that AI referral traffic converts at a higher rate than traditional non-branded search traffic, but the volume remains small. This signals emerging value, not a replacement channel. Higher conversion rate. ChatGPT traffic converted at 1.81% vs. 1.39% for non-branded organic (31% higher). It outperformed organic in 10 of 12 months. Visibility Labs attributes the higher rate to intent compression. Users often refine product needs in ChatGPT before clicking. By the time they reach a product page, they may be closer to purchase than a typical search visitor still comparing options. Key findings. ChatGPT’s conversion advantage is clear, but growth is slowing and volume remains small. Massive traffic growth: ChatGPT visits grew 1,079%, from 1,544 in January to 18,202 in December. Non-branded organic grew 17% over the same period. Lower AOV: Average order value was $204 for ChatGPT vs. $238 for organic, a 14.3% gap. Higher revenue per session: Despite lower AOV, ChatGPT generated $3.65 per session vs. $3.30 for organic (10.3% higher). Small revenue share: ChatGPT drove $474,000 in revenue vs. $32.1 million from non-branded organic — 1.48% of organic revenue, rising to 2.2% in the second half of 2025. Growth tied to product updates: Visibility Labs links the first-half spike to shopping carousel features introduced in April 2025. Growth began flattening around August. Still dwarfed by organic: Non-branded organic traffic was 70x larger than ChatGPT overall, narrowing to 47x in Q4. Early 2025 volatility included months with just 15 to 37 ChatGPT-attributed conversions, limiting statistical confidence until midyear. The attribution gap. GA4 referral data likely understates ChatGPT’s influence. According to Visibility Labs: Many users get product recommendations from ChatGPT, then search for the brand or product on Google before purchasing. Those conversions are typically attributed to branded organic search. Set up post-purchase surveys to better capture AI-influenced revenue. About the data. Visibility Labs analyzed 12 months of GA4 data (January to December 2025) from 94 seven- and eight-figure ecommerce brands, comparing 9.46 million non-branded organic sessions to 135,000 ChatGPT referral sessions. The study excluded homepage and blog traffic to focus on commercial-intent visits more likely to evaluate and purchase products. The report. ChatGPT Traffic Converts 31% Better than Non-Branded Organic Search (94 eCommerce Sites Analyzed) View the full article

We’re bringing the SEJ newsroom to a screen near you. On March 11 from 12–3pm ET, we’ve gathered our own search experts, alongside some very special guests, to help you master AI search visibility this year. This is SEJ Live, a new series we’ve been building behind the scenes, and I couldn’t be more excited to see it come to life. Here’s why this matters right now: I’m seeing a huge disconnect between leadership and the marketing teams doing the work. Leadership wants performance yesterday, but those with their feet on the ground know that customer behaviors have changed. The […] The post We’re Bringing The SEJ Newsroom To You, Live [Free Event] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

RF inefficiency can no longer be corrected digitally and 'after the fact' without triggering thermal runaway, QuantalRF says. The post QuantalRF: AI workloads are exposing legacy RF designs as the ‘hidden bottleneck’ holding back Wi-Fi performance appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

For decades, a legal degree felt like a golden ticket, a safe career choice because a robot could never take a lawyer’s job. Today consumers are increasingly turning to new technologies like generative artificial intelligence for answers to their legal questions without the assistance of a lawyer. No wonder: The high cost of legal services places them beyond the reach of most Americans. Some outside the profession see this market failure as an opportunity. Legal technology startups armed with AI agents are securing billion-dollar evaluations, and after recent leaps in AI models and new features—including one from Anthropic that can help automate legal tasks—some legal and tech stocks went into shock. The sense that “something big is happening” also left at least some lawyers wondering whether the robots are finally coming for their jobs, and asking if this is the beginning of the end of the legal profession? It doesn’t need to be. Lawyers could try to wage what will certainly be a losing campaign against the encroachment of new technologies on areas of American life typically dominated by lawyers. Instead, the American legal profession can learn to run with the machines and not against them, fulfilling their ethical duty to ensure all Americans have access to justice by harnessing these technologies to deliver affordable and accessible legal services at scale. These two powerful phenomena—the emergence of new technologies and the fact that tens of millions of Americans face their legal problems without a lawyer—will certainly encourage Americans to rely on new and widely available tools regardless of whether the information and guidance these consumers receive is accurate. And it often isn’t. Indeed, according to one recent report, there are nearly 1,000 documented cases of lawyers and unrepresented litigants referencing fictitious court decisions and other legal authorities in court filings because of AI “hallucinations”: instances where the AI fabricated the legal sources upon which those litigants relied to their detriment, resulting in fines and other punishments from the courts. The tragic reality driving many Americans to these imperfect alternatives to professional legal help is not that consumers are choosing between a lawyer and a bot; they are all too often facing their legal problem with no lawyer at all. This is especially true in areas where the fees available to lawyers are low, yet the stakes for the consumer high: where a tenant faces eviction, an immigrant is at risk of deportation, a homeowner might lose their home to foreclosure, or a victim of identity theft faces a mountain of debt they did not accumulate themselves. Roughly 93% of low-income and half of middle-income Americans go without adequate legal representation when confronted with legal problems like these. This access-to-justice crisis, as bad as it is, leads to larger and even more troubling concerns. When lawyers are not available to vindicate important interests, that threatens other critical values all Americans should cherish: individual liberty and dignity, civil rights, equal justice, and the rule of law. But this isn’t the first time that the legal profession has faced these sorts of challenges. At the turn of the 20th century, industrialization led to reorganization of the bar into larger and larger law firms to respond to the growing and more complex demands of their clients. Simple technologies like the telephone, telegraph, and typewriter made the practice of law more efficient, allowing lawyers to provide more comprehensive services to their corporate clients. Ironically, many of the measures elites in the bar formulated to respond to these societal and technological changes led to the current market failure. Indeed, instead of welcoming more lawyers into the profession to meet the growing need for its services, elites in the bar erected barriers to entry where few existed before (at least if you were white and male). They built high walls and wide moats to prevent dilution of the legal services market, including requiring an expensive legal education and more challenging bar exams before an aspiring lawyer could begin to practice. These requirements had the desired effect: limiting access to the profession and artificially inflating the cost of legal services. What is more, many of these barriers endure and continue to drive up the cost of legal services today. This time is different though. Never before has it looked like technology could truly displace lawyers. Indeed, tools like CitizenshipWorks, an online portal that helps individuals apply for citizenship, and Depositron, which assists tenants in New York seeking a return of their security deposit from their former landlords, are meeting critical needs without the fees a lawyer might otherwise charge for these services. Think of it as the expansion of TurboTax-like products to other areas of the law. There are certainly situations where there is no substitute for a living, breathing lawyer, like when a criminal defendant is facing a felony charge, or when a complex and novel business transaction requires unique legal skills. But when the alternative is no legal representation at all, as is the case with far too many American consumers with far simpler legal needs—needs that can be met through technological innovations—the profession has an obligation to find ways to address those needs, even when doing so will bring down the price of legal services or displace some traditional legal jobs. In the face of such threats to their position in society, however, lawyers must remember that the point of the legal system is not to serve as a full-employment plan for lawyers; it is to help people solve their legal problems. This market opportunity is one that lawyers can actually seize. Instead of ignoring new technologies or erecting even higher walls to their adoption, the legal profession should embrace and shape these technologies, creating an array of options for individuals, families, and businesses to address their legal problems at lower cost, and at scale. Big Law is already adopting many of these new tools to serve their well-heeled clients; the present cost of building effective systems may mean that the widespread adoption of such technologies at the high-end of the legal services market actually makes the access-to-justice gap worse, not better. Instead of exacerbating legal access inequality, the profession should build bridges—aided by new technologies—that will span the chasm between those who require legal assistance and those who can afford it, even if the services that solve Americans’ legal problems in the not-so distant future are not always delivered by lawyers alone. There’s plenty of legal work to go around. Lawyers should be the ones figuring out how to put new technologies to use to serve the legal needs of all Americans in creative, ethical, effective, affordable, and accessible ways. When they do that, they will serve the profession’s most important values and functions, and advance what should be its highest ideals. View the full article

In the domain of sales, excelling in effective prospecting techniques is vital for your success. You’ll want to dedicate specific time blocks for outreach and set clear goals for those sessions. Segmenting your prospects allows for customized messaging that resonates. Utilizing digital events can improve lead generation, as you reach out through preferred channels, like LinkedIn, increases engagement. These strategies form the foundation of a resilient sales approach, but there’s more to explore. Key Takeaways Allocate dedicated time blocks for prospecting to enhance focus and maintain a consistent sales pipeline. Segment prospects by demographics and interests to tailor messaging and address unique pain points effectively. Host digital events like webinars to engage prospects and position your brand as an industry expert. Leverage preferred communication channels, such as personalized emails and LinkedIn, for higher engagement rates. Utilize CRM tools to organize customer data, prioritize leads, and facilitate timely follow-ups for better sales outcomes. Book Intentional Time for Prospecting Booking intentional time for prospecting is crucial for any sales professional aiming to boost their outreach effectiveness. By scheduling dedicated blocks in your calendar, just like client meetings, you improve your focus and consistency. Top salespeople dedicate over four hours each week to these activities, ensuring a steady sales pipeline. To create an effective prospecting plan, choose ideal times that align with both your energy levels and your prospects’ availability, as this can increase engagement. Set clear goals for each session, such as the number of outreach attempts or meetings secured, to track your progress. Finally, minimize distractions during these hours by using “do not disturb” settings, which can greatly improve your productivity and connection rates using creative prospecting ideas. Segment Your Prospects to Make Emotional Connections Segmenting your prospects is essential for creating meaningful emotional connections that can improve your sales outreach. By grouping prospects based on demographics, interests, or product needs, you can tailor your messaging to address unique pain points. This amplifies engagement and greatly boosts your chances of successful outreach. Utilize sales prospecting ideas, like the EY Future Consumer Index, which identifies key segments—Affordability, Health, Planet, Society, and Experience. Focus on high-value prospects by ordering segments by sales potential, improving your efficiency. Utilize Digital Events for Lead Generation As you look for effective ways to generate leads, consider the potential of digital events, like webinars, which can improve your outreach strategy. These events serve as an underutilized tool for prospecting, positioning your brand as an industry expert as you educate potential customers. Hosting webinars can fill your sales pipeline with interested prospects, as attendees often share similar interests and needs. Research shows that 82% of buyers accept meetings initiated by sellers, highlighting the importance of engaging prospects early. Digital events likewise nurture community, allowing potential customers to interact with your brand and each other, enhancing engagement and trust. Utilizing digital platforms enables scalability and accessibility, reaching a wider audience and accommodating varying time zones, greatly increasing your lead generation potential. Reach Out on Your Buyers’ Preferred Channels After exploring how digital events can improve your lead generation, it’s important to reflect on how you connect with your prospects once they’ve shown interest. Reaching out through their preferred channels is essential for effective engagement. Most buyers prefer email, with 80% of them favoring this for initial contact. LinkedIn is likewise effective; 82% of buyers accept meetings initiated there, especially when you provide customized content. Here’s a quick overview of these channels: Channel Preference Rate Key Insights Email 80% Personalized emails yield 26% higher open rates. LinkedIn 82% Customized content increases meeting acceptance. General Outreach 91% Prospects are open to connecting with sales reps. Make your outreach brief, relevant, and value-driven. Target Thriving Industries Identifying and targeting thriving industries is vital for maximizing your sales prospecting efforts, especially as certain sectors, like technology and healthcare, continue to experience significant growth. By focusing on these industries, you can achieve higher conversion rates, as they often see increased investment and demand for innovative solutions. Research shows that 71% of buyers like to connect early in the sales process, so targeting industries where buyers actively seek new ideas is critical. Engaging with sectors prioritizing digital transformation can yield better results, as 82% of buyers accept meetings initiated by sellers who provide relevant insights. Leveraging data analytics to pinpoint high-potential industries improves your efficiency, increasing your chances of securing valuable meetings and conversions. Embrace a Numbers Game Mindset Sales success relies heavily on the comprehension that it’s a numbers game, where persistence and consistency often differentiate high achievers from their peers. To thrive in sales, remember these key points: It typically takes about nine attempts to connect with a prospect; many give up after just four to six. A staggering 68% of salespeople abandon their efforts after one follow-up, whereas top performers know that consistent outreach boosts conversion rates. Set specific goals for your outreach sessions, like aiming for a certain number of calls or emails to maximize engagement opportunities. Streamline Prospecting With CRM Tools To effectively streamline your prospecting efforts, leveraging CRM tools is essential, as they centralize customer data and improve organization within your sales process. A sales CRM allows you to track interactions with prospects, promoting more efficient prospecting. By using lead management features, you can segment prospects based on their characteristics, ensuring personalized engagement that resonates with their needs. Advanced CRM systems analyze data patterns, helping you prioritize high-potential leads and allocate resources effectively. Automation tools within these platforms facilitate timely follow-ups, keeping prospects engaged without overwhelming your team. A well-implemented CRM boosts prospecting effectiveness by supporting data-driven decision-making and enabling continuous improvement through performance tracking and analysis, ultimately resulting in higher conversion rates and better overall results. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 P’s of Prospecting? The five P’s of prospecting are preparation, personalization, persistence, process, and performance measurement. First, you need to prepare by researching your potential buyers. Next, personalize your outreach to address their specific needs. Persistence is key, as it often takes multiple attempts to connect. Establish a systematic process for following up with leads. Finally, measure your performance regularly to refine your strategies and adapt to changing circumstances, ensuring continuous improvement in your prospecting efforts. What Is the 30 Day Rule in Prospecting? The 30 Day Rule in prospecting suggests that you should re-engage leads who’ve shown interest within the last 30 days. This timeframe is essential, as research indicates prospects are most receptive to follow-ups during this period. Prioritizing timely outreach can greatly improve your chances of securing meetings and advancing leads toward conversion. What Is the Best Prospecting Technique? The best prospecting technique combines personalized outreach with a multi-touch approach. Personalized emails typically see a 26% higher open rate, whereas a campaign with eight touches can greatly boost meeting rates. Cold calling likewise proves effective, especially for high-level executives, as 69% accept calls from new salespeople. Furthermore, leveraging referrals increases trust, raising the likelihood of conversion. Continuously evaluating and adapting your strategies based on feedback and market trends can further improve results. What Are the Three Keys to Prospecting Success? To achieve prospecting success, focus on three key areas. First, dedicate intentional time for prospecting, as consistent engagement is essential. Second, understand and segment your prospects by demographics and pain points to tailor your outreach effectively. Finally, leverage technology, such as CRMs, to streamline efforts and track engagement. Conclusion Incorporating these seven crucial sales prospecting techniques can greatly improve your outreach efforts. By scheduling dedicated time, segmenting prospects, and utilizing digital events, you can create more meaningful connections. Furthermore, focusing on preferred communication channels and targeting thriving industries helps optimize your approach. Embracing a numbers game mindset and leveraging CRM tools guarantees organized follow-ups and persistent engagement. By applying these strategies consistently, you can enhance your prospecting success and in the end drive better sales outcomes. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Sales Prospecting Techniques for Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In the domain of sales, excelling in effective prospecting techniques is vital for your success. You’ll want to dedicate specific time blocks for outreach and set clear goals for those sessions. Segmenting your prospects allows for customized messaging that resonates. Utilizing digital events can improve lead generation, as you reach out through preferred channels, like LinkedIn, increases engagement. These strategies form the foundation of a resilient sales approach, but there’s more to explore. Key Takeaways Allocate dedicated time blocks for prospecting to enhance focus and maintain a consistent sales pipeline. Segment prospects by demographics and interests to tailor messaging and address unique pain points effectively. Host digital events like webinars to engage prospects and position your brand as an industry expert. Leverage preferred communication channels, such as personalized emails and LinkedIn, for higher engagement rates. Utilize CRM tools to organize customer data, prioritize leads, and facilitate timely follow-ups for better sales outcomes. Book Intentional Time for Prospecting Booking intentional time for prospecting is crucial for any sales professional aiming to boost their outreach effectiveness. By scheduling dedicated blocks in your calendar, just like client meetings, you improve your focus and consistency. Top salespeople dedicate over four hours each week to these activities, ensuring a steady sales pipeline. To create an effective prospecting plan, choose ideal times that align with both your energy levels and your prospects’ availability, as this can increase engagement. Set clear goals for each session, such as the number of outreach attempts or meetings secured, to track your progress. Finally, minimize distractions during these hours by using “do not disturb” settings, which can greatly improve your productivity and connection rates using creative prospecting ideas. Segment Your Prospects to Make Emotional Connections Segmenting your prospects is essential for creating meaningful emotional connections that can improve your sales outreach. By grouping prospects based on demographics, interests, or product needs, you can tailor your messaging to address unique pain points. This amplifies engagement and greatly boosts your chances of successful outreach. Utilize sales prospecting ideas, like the EY Future Consumer Index, which identifies key segments—Affordability, Health, Planet, Society, and Experience. Focus on high-value prospects by ordering segments by sales potential, improving your efficiency. Utilize Digital Events for Lead Generation As you look for effective ways to generate leads, consider the potential of digital events, like webinars, which can improve your outreach strategy. These events serve as an underutilized tool for prospecting, positioning your brand as an industry expert as you educate potential customers. Hosting webinars can fill your sales pipeline with interested prospects, as attendees often share similar interests and needs. Research shows that 82% of buyers accept meetings initiated by sellers, highlighting the importance of engaging prospects early. Digital events likewise nurture community, allowing potential customers to interact with your brand and each other, enhancing engagement and trust. Utilizing digital platforms enables scalability and accessibility, reaching a wider audience and accommodating varying time zones, greatly increasing your lead generation potential. Reach Out on Your Buyers’ Preferred Channels After exploring how digital events can improve your lead generation, it’s important to reflect on how you connect with your prospects once they’ve shown interest. Reaching out through their preferred channels is essential for effective engagement. Most buyers prefer email, with 80% of them favoring this for initial contact. LinkedIn is likewise effective; 82% of buyers accept meetings initiated there, especially when you provide customized content. Here’s a quick overview of these channels: Channel Preference Rate Key Insights Email 80% Personalized emails yield 26% higher open rates. LinkedIn 82% Customized content increases meeting acceptance. General Outreach 91% Prospects are open to connecting with sales reps. Make your outreach brief, relevant, and value-driven. Target Thriving Industries Identifying and targeting thriving industries is vital for maximizing your sales prospecting efforts, especially as certain sectors, like technology and healthcare, continue to experience significant growth. By focusing on these industries, you can achieve higher conversion rates, as they often see increased investment and demand for innovative solutions. Research shows that 71% of buyers like to connect early in the sales process, so targeting industries where buyers actively seek new ideas is critical. Engaging with sectors prioritizing digital transformation can yield better results, as 82% of buyers accept meetings initiated by sellers who provide relevant insights. Leveraging data analytics to pinpoint high-potential industries improves your efficiency, increasing your chances of securing valuable meetings and conversions. Embrace a Numbers Game Mindset Sales success relies heavily on the comprehension that it’s a numbers game, where persistence and consistency often differentiate high achievers from their peers. To thrive in sales, remember these key points: It typically takes about nine attempts to connect with a prospect; many give up after just four to six. A staggering 68% of salespeople abandon their efforts after one follow-up, whereas top performers know that consistent outreach boosts conversion rates. Set specific goals for your outreach sessions, like aiming for a certain number of calls or emails to maximize engagement opportunities. Streamline Prospecting With CRM Tools To effectively streamline your prospecting efforts, leveraging CRM tools is essential, as they centralize customer data and improve organization within your sales process. A sales CRM allows you to track interactions with prospects, promoting more efficient prospecting. By using lead management features, you can segment prospects based on their characteristics, ensuring personalized engagement that resonates with their needs. Advanced CRM systems analyze data patterns, helping you prioritize high-potential leads and allocate resources effectively. Automation tools within these platforms facilitate timely follow-ups, keeping prospects engaged without overwhelming your team. A well-implemented CRM boosts prospecting effectiveness by supporting data-driven decision-making and enabling continuous improvement through performance tracking and analysis, ultimately resulting in higher conversion rates and better overall results. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 5 P’s of Prospecting? The five P’s of prospecting are preparation, personalization, persistence, process, and performance measurement. First, you need to prepare by researching your potential buyers. Next, personalize your outreach to address their specific needs. Persistence is key, as it often takes multiple attempts to connect. Establish a systematic process for following up with leads. Finally, measure your performance regularly to refine your strategies and adapt to changing circumstances, ensuring continuous improvement in your prospecting efforts. What Is the 30 Day Rule in Prospecting? The 30 Day Rule in prospecting suggests that you should re-engage leads who’ve shown interest within the last 30 days. This timeframe is essential, as research indicates prospects are most receptive to follow-ups during this period. Prioritizing timely outreach can greatly improve your chances of securing meetings and advancing leads toward conversion. What Is the Best Prospecting Technique? The best prospecting technique combines personalized outreach with a multi-touch approach. Personalized emails typically see a 26% higher open rate, whereas a campaign with eight touches can greatly boost meeting rates. Cold calling likewise proves effective, especially for high-level executives, as 69% accept calls from new salespeople. Furthermore, leveraging referrals increases trust, raising the likelihood of conversion. Continuously evaluating and adapting your strategies based on feedback and market trends can further improve results. What Are the Three Keys to Prospecting Success? To achieve prospecting success, focus on three key areas. First, dedicate intentional time for prospecting, as consistent engagement is essential. Second, understand and segment your prospects by demographics and pain points to tailor your outreach effectively. Finally, leverage technology, such as CRMs, to streamline efforts and track engagement. Conclusion Incorporating these seven crucial sales prospecting techniques can greatly improve your outreach efforts. By scheduling dedicated time, segmenting prospects, and utilizing digital events, you can create more meaningful connections. Furthermore, focusing on preferred communication channels and targeting thriving industries helps optimize your approach. Embracing a numbers game mindset and leveraging CRM tools guarantees organized follow-ups and persistent engagement. By applying these strategies consistently, you can enhance your prospecting success and in the end drive better sales outcomes. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Sales Prospecting Techniques for Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Search isn’t disappearing, but the habit is changing. This article breaks down why agents are replacing browsing with delegation. The post When Google Is No Longer A Verb: Search Becoming Infrastructure appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Investment banks hawk complex hedging strategies as ‘whack-a-mole’ sell-off rips through US stocksView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Samsung Odyssey G50D is currently down to $229.99 on Amazon, marked down from $429.99. That is a big drop, and according to price trackers, it is the lowest price this model has hit. For that money, you are getting a 32-inch screen with 1440p resolution, which is sharper than standard 1080p but not as demanding as 4K. It is designed mainly for gaming, and the headline feature is the 180Hz refresh rate. In simple terms, that means the screen can show up to 180 frames per second. If you play fast games like shooters or racing titles, movement looks smoother and feels more responsive compared to a regular 60Hz display. 32" Samsung Odyssey G50D 2560x1440 QHD Fast IPS 180Hz Gaming Monitor $229.99 at Amazon $429.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $229.99 at Amazon $429.99 Save $200.00 In real use, it performs well for competitive gaming. Input lag is low, so your actions feel instant. It supports AMD FreeSync and is certified as G-SYNC compatible for NVIDIA graphics cards, which helps reduce screen tearing and stuttering. There is still a bit of blur in very fast scenes, but nothing unusual for a monitor in this price range. You can hit the full 180Hz over DisplayPort with an 8-bit signal. Over HDMI, you are capped at 144Hz. The monitor also does not get bright enough for highlights to stand out, and the local dimming system does little to improve contrast. If you mainly play RPGs or story-driven games in low light and care about deep contrast, this will not impress you. For daytime use or a well-lit room, brightness is strong enough to fight glare. One area where this monitor surprises is comfort. You can raise or lower it, tilt it, swivel it side to side, and even rotate it vertically. That makes it easy to adjust for long sessions or different desk setups. It also supports VESA mounting if you want to use a monitor arm. Viewing angles are decent, so the image does not wash out when you sit slightly off to the side. Overall, this is a practical gaming monitor. It focuses on speed and size rather than stunning picture quality. If you want smooth gameplay at 1440p without spending a lot, this deal makes sense. If you care more about deep contrast and cinematic visuals, you may want to look at higher-end options. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $139.99 (List Price $179.00) Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 6.9" 512GB Privacy Display Smartphone + $200 Gift Card — $1,299.99 (List Price $1,699.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $329.00 (List Price $349.00) Google Pixel 10a 128GB 6.3" Unlocked Smartphone + $100 Gift Card — $499.00 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Gray) — $379.99 (List Price $499.99) Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $99.99 (List Price $119.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Google is expanding beta access to text guidelines for all advertisers globally in AI Max, giving brands more control over how AI-generated ad copy aligns with their standards. What’s happening. Text guidelines are now available worldwide across AI Max for Search and Performance Max campaigns, with full language and vertical support. The feature lets you shape AI-generated creative using natural-language instructions — such as excluding certain terms or avoiding specific phrases — to ensure messaging stays on-brand. Why we care. As AI-powered creative becomes central to your performance marketing, brand safety and tone control are top concerns. Text customization helps you match ads to user intent, and the new guidelines layer ensures they don’t drift from your brand positioning. You can guide AI with guardrails like “don’t imply our products are cheap” or “avoid language like ‘only for,’” helping you maintain consistency at scale. Early adopters like BYD have seen higher leads at lower costs, showing that combining AI speed with human-guided safeguards can directly improve your campaign results. Bottom line. Keeping AI-generated ads aligned with your brand voice is likely high on your task list, so Google’s expanded text guidelines meet that need, giving you practical, easy-to-use tools to stay in control while leveraging AI at scale. View the full article

Data shows sharp rise in Americans applying, but overall number of people granted British citizenship fell last yearView the full article

While originators are not the primary focus of the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act going into effect on March 5, the way they do business is going to change. View the full article

Communicating on group chats has quickly become a way of life, but what are the rules? We used to use email, the phone or talk in person. Now we use platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp or Slack to coordinate a night out with friends, a kids’ birthday party, a work project or even to discuss sensitive military information — as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did by sharing details of airstrikes in a Signal chat. But while group chats have exploded in popularity because of their informality, that also creates its own challenges: discussions can veer off topic, repetitive or basic questions can irritate group members, and that viral meme you think is funny could also offend. The principles of digital etiquette remain the same as other kinds of etiquette, but they are also “context specific and many of the rules are implicit rather than explicit,” said Rupert Wesson, a director at Debrett’s, the British etiquette guide, who outlined key tips for The Associated Press: Think before messaging Etiquette is always based on the idea of care and consideration for others, Wesson said. So it helps to think about how the recipients might be affected by your message. That means, for example, not wasting other members’ time by asking questions that could be easily answered by doing a Google search, or scrolling up or searching through the previous posts. The Trent Windsurfing Club near Nottingham, England, which communicates with members using both WhatsApp and email, spells out other considerations in a 15-point list on its website. “Don’t get angry if someone doesn’t respond to your messages in a group. No one is obliged to do so. Better send him/her a direct message,” the club says. Also, “Before sending a video, picture, meme or any content, analyze if such material will be in the interest of the majority of the members of the group.” And avoid sending videos or files that are very large, because “nobody likes to saturate the memory of their smartphone or waste their data/internet plan on nonsense,” its guidance says. The club did not respond to a request for comment. Remember the aim of the chat Always consider the chat group’s purpose. For those created with a specific and practical function in mind, just stick to the task and don’t post any more than you need to, Wesson said. On the other hand, “some groups are there for frivolity and here, more is more,” he added. It should be obvious, but don’t post personal stuff in a company or business-related chat, and refrain from posting work-related material in a group with friends or family. It doesn’t hurt to lurk first before weighing in, partly because on some chat platforms new members can’t see what was posted before they joined. “It is always best to err on the side of caution until you are very clear on the purpose and culture of the group,” Wesson said. Consider the size of the group Do you need to respond to every message? There’s often someone who feels the need to type out a reply to every post, even if it’s just to say “thanks.” But doing so in a big group might be somewhat akin to an email reply-all storm. Wesson advises considering how many people are in the chat. “If there are three of you in the group, a response, if only an emoji, is almost expected,” Wesson said. “In group of 50 or more it is practically a criminal offense.” Keep it clean and decent, especially at work This is an especially important point when it comes to work communications, with many white collar workers now using chat platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams rather than email to communicate. These platforms feel less formal than email but don’t forget to follow the same guidelines as you do with other company communications. “Assume anything messaged can be forwarded and be especially cautious of work chats (however informal they appear),” Wesson said. “As countless people have discovered at employment tribunals, any diversion into anything indecorous can be career limiting.” Less can be more in chats Chat messages should be short and sweet. One reason is that your words could come across differently depending on the person reading the message, so stick to using short sentences to avoid being misinterpreted. If it’s about work, and you want to discuss something in more length and detail, consider an in-person meeting, a phone call, or email instead. “No one wants to read a 7-inch-long unformatted message when an organized attachment would have worked better,” the experts at The Emily Post Institute — the American equivalent of Debrett’s — advised in a blog post on business communications. Message clarity and style matter It’s not a college essay, so the rules around grammar, punctuation or even emoji don’t need to be too strict. “You should not feel too constricted and nor should you judge others for playing fast and loose with the King’s English,” Wesson said. “Just let brevity and clarity be your guide.” Speaking of emoji, they’re fun and can convey your meaning as well as the most thoughtful turn of phrase, Wesson said. But don’t abuse them because they can be a “minefield.” There’s a world of difference between, for example, the crying emoji and the crying with laughter emoji, he said. It’s best to play it safe and avoid emoji when, for example, sending condolences, Wesson said. How to properly leave a chat group If you’re getting annoyed by the number of message notifications from a big chat group, or you feel uncomfortable because of some of the comments, just put it on mute. And don’t be afraid to leave the group if you don’t need to be in it. Before leaving, consider letting the chat administrator know. “The group administrator has a responsibility to ensure the chat serves its purpose and that things don’t get too out of hand,” Wesson says. What should admins do if certain people are causing problems? “If things are going awry, deleting a member is an option but perhaps a little drastic. A quiet DM or a brief muting should always be considered first,” Wesson says. If you do leave the chat, should you say farewell? Again, it depends on the context. If it’s for a one-off event with a lot of people you don’t know, there’s probably no need. But if, say, you’re part of a remote work project, it would be a good idea to notify everyone. “When leaving make it clear that you are removing yourself immediately so the chat does not fill up with people wishing you farewell,” Wesson said. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

This week, you’ll find seven impressive store deals that you shouldn’t overlook. For instance, the Asperex Laptop Battery Bank is available at 46% off, making it a great travel companion with its compact design and multiple ports. Furthermore, LED Under Cabinet Lights are priced at just $17 for two, featuring energy-efficient motion sensors. You’ll likewise discover crucial clothing items for only $5 each. These deals are time-sensitive, so let’s explore what else is available this week. Key Takeaways The Asperex Laptop Battery Bank is on sale for $69.97, offering 20,000 mAh capacity and 165 watts output at 46% off. Grab the Inton Desk Clamp for $28, featuring multiple ports and a space-saving design perfect for clutter-free workstations. Affordable LED Under Cabinet Lights are available at $17 for two, with motion sensors and easy USB-C charging for home enhancement. All clothing items, including t-shirts and jackets, are discounted to $5 each, making it a great time to refresh your wardrobe. Explore home essentials priced at $5 each, ensuring you stock up on necessary kitchen tools and other items at a reduced rate. Power Solutions Regarding energy solutions, having reliable and efficient options can greatly improve your productivity. The Asperex Laptop Battery Bank, now 46% off at $69.97, offers a robust 20,000 mAh capacity and a strong 165 watts output. With both USB-C and USB-A ports, it’s designed for your on-the-go lifestyle, making it flight-approved for travel. Its built-in retractable charging cord features a magnetic closure, guaranteeing compact storage and easy access. Another excellent option is the Inton Desk Clamp, priced at $28. It provides six 120V ports, two USB-A, and one USB-C port, making it ideal for workstations that need more energy. This clamp design allows flexible placement, enhancing workspace efficiency without the clutter of multiple extension cords. Investing in these energy solutions guarantees you stay charged, so don’t forget to check the best grocery deals this week as you’re at it, maximizing your savings. Lighting Solutions After guaranteeing your devices stay energized with reliable solutions, it’s time to focus on lighting that improves your environment. One of the best grocery store deals this week features LED Under Cabinet Lights, which consist of 10-inch LED light strips equipped with motion sensors. These lights are perfect for illuminating dark cabinets and storage spaces. Battery-powered, they offer easy USB-C charging for added convenience. Installation is hassle-free, thanks to their magnetic attachment system and optional metal stickers. Priced at just $17 for a set of two, each light only costs $8.50, making it an economical choice for enhancing your home’s lighting. The motion sensor functionality guarantees the lights activate automatically, improving user convenience as well as conserving energy. These LED lights not only brighten your space but furthermore provide a smart solution for any area that needs extra illumination. Don’t miss out on this practical lighting option! Tools and Accessories Tools and accessories play a crucial role in ensuring that your DIY projects and repairs are executed efficiently and effectively. This week, you can score some fantastic deals. The Electric Precision Screwdriver Set, originally priced at $80, is available for $70 with a 10% off coupon, making it a reliable choice for repairs. It features a rechargeable screwdriver with a built-in ring light and a magnetic parts mat for organization. For versatile cutting needs, consider the Liu 55-piece oscillating multi-tool blade set, perfect for general use. Furthermore, the R tool, designed for fine and coarse cuts, is on sale for $18, down from $26, ideal for pruning tasks. If you’re looking to streamline packaging tasks, check out the Zeit Box Cutter, which features two blades and a USB charger for $44.99. Don’t miss out on these best grocery deals that improve your toolkit! Specialty Tools Specialty tools are designed to tackle specific tasks that standard tools mightn’t handle effectively, making them invaluable for both DIY enthusiasts and professionals. For instance, the Zeit Box Cutter, priced at $44.99, surpasses at efficiently opening boxes and breaking down cardboard. It comes with two blades and a USB charger, available in colors like “mocha mouse,” emphasizing speed and ease for packaging tasks. Another excellent option is the Tai talk mini chainsaw, currently on sale for $66.46, down from $90. This 6-inch chainsaw is perfect for pruning and trimming, includes two batteries, and features a built-in oil tank for convenience. If you’re looking for advanced diagnostics, consider the Launchpro X431 OBD2 scanner, priced at $850 but comes with a $70 coupon. It offers 38+ resets and two years of free updates, making it a smart investment for automotive enthusiasts. Don’t forget to check for the best grocery shopping deals as you’re at it! Home Essentials This week, you’ll find a great selection of affordable home items that can improve your living space. From crucial kitchen tools to cozy bedding options, these products offer both functionality and comfort. With deals like these, it’s a perfect time to stock up on everything you need for a well-equipped home. Affordable Home Items When you’re looking to improve your living space without overspending, affordable home necessities can make a significant difference. This Saturday, you can find a variety of crucial items priced at just $5, down from the usual $6. If you need to brighten up dark areas, consider the LED under cabinet lights available for $17 per set of two, a budget-friendly choice. For those small repairs around the house, the electric precision screwdriver set is priced at $70 after coupon discounts. The store encourages bulk purchasing, so you can stock up on these vital home goods without breaking the bank. Don’t miss out on these deals; they could be among the best grocery store deals this week. Essential Kitchen Tools Even though you may not think of your kitchen as a place requiring specialized tools, having the right vital kitchen tools can greatly improve your cooking experience and efficiency. Check out the electric precision screwdriver set, perfect for electronic repairs, available for $70 after applying a 10% off coupon. For those dark cabinets, the LED Under Cabinet Lights, featuring motion sensors, are only $17 for a set of two. Another important item is the R tool, a double-sided hand tool for pruning, now priced at $18 with an additional $360 off coupon. Don’t forget the versatile Liu 55-piece oscillating multi-tool blade set for general use and the Zeit Box Cutter for efficient box opening, priced at $44.99. Look for the best coupons this week to maximize your savings. Cozy Bedding Options As the colder months approach, finding cozy bedding options becomes vital for maintaining comfort in your home. This Saturday, take advantage of incredible home deals with bedding items available at a flat price of just $5 each. You can explore a variety of materials and styles, ensuring you find the perfect match for your bedroom décor and personal taste. The store’s selection includes comforters, sheets, and pillowcases, catering to all your sleeping needs. This low pricing encourages you to purchase in bulk, allowing for a mix-and-match experience that can transform your bedroom. Revitalizing your home necessities with these cozy bedding options is now easier than ever, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your comfort this winter. Electronics Deals This week, you’ll find some impressive deals on vital electronics that can improve your daily life. For instance, the Asperex Laptop Battery Bank, with its 20,000 mAh capacity and 46% discount, is a great option for keeping your devices charged on the go. Furthermore, you can snag handy tools like the Electric Precision Screwdriver Set and innovative lighting solutions such as motion-sensor LED Under Cabinet Lights, all at discounted prices. Power Bank Highlights When you’re on the go, having a reliable energy bank can make all the difference, and the Asperex Laptop Energy Bank stands out as an excellent choice. Priced at just $69.97, it’s currently available at a remarkable 46% discount. With a robust capacity of 20,000 mAh and an output of 165 watts, this energy bank can charge multiple devices simultaneously. It features both USB-C and USB-A ports, allowing for versatile charging options. Furthermore, the built-in retractable energy cord with a magnetic closure improves portability, making it easy to use during travel. This flight-approved energy bank is perfect for frequent travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Don’t forget to shop deals on home and garden for other useful accessories! Essential Tool Discounts Having the right tools at your disposal can greatly impact your efficiency and success in various projects. This week’s in-store deals feature crucial tool discounts that you shouldn’t overlook. The Electric Precision Screwdriver Set is now $70, down from $80, and includes a magnetic parts mat and a rechargeable screwdriver with a built-in ring light for easy electronic repairs. The Liu 55-piece oscillating multi-tool blade set offers versatility for general use. For packaging tasks, the Zeit Box Cutter is available for $44.99 and includes two blades and a USB charger. Furthermore, the Tai Talk mini chainsaw is on sale for $66.46, and the Launchpro X431 OBD2 scanner is priced at $850, with a $70 coupon available for advanced automotive diagnostics. Innovative Lighting Solutions As you explore innovative lighting solutions, consider the practical benefits of LED Under Cabinet Lights, intended to improve visibility in various spaces. These 10-inch strips, priced at just $17 for a set of two, feature motion sensors that automatically activate when you enter a dimly lit area. Battery-powered and easily rechargeable via USB-C, they offer great convenience and portability. The magnetic attachments and optional metal stickers allow for effortless installation on different cabinet types, making them versatile for kitchens, closets, or any dark space. During this week’s sale, don’t miss out on electronic discounts that make upgrading your home lighting both affordable and efficient. Augment your environment with these smart lighting solutions today. Clothing Offers This week, shoppers can take advantage of an incredible clothing offer, with all items priced at just $5 each, down from the regular price of $6. With such a low price point, it’s a perfect time to stock up on necessities or try something new. The store features a variety of clothing options, ensuring there’s something for everyone, whether you need casual wear or formal attire. Here’s a quick look at some options available: Category Item Price Casual Wear T-shirts $5 Formal Attire Dress Shirts $5 Outerwear Jackets $5 Activewear Sweatpants $5 Accessories Hats $5 Don’t miss these offers near me today, and remember to check back regularly for updated promotions! Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Cheapest Place to Buy Stuff? The cheapest place to buy stuff often depends on local options and specific needs. Discount stores, outlet malls, and online retailers frequently offer significant savings. Look for flat pricing models, like those that charge a set amount for all items, simplifying your shopping experience. Furthermore, take advantage of sales and promotions, which can further reduce costs. Always compare prices across different platforms to guarantee you’re getting the best deal available. What Is the Best Daily Deal Site? The best daily deal sites vary based on your needs, but popular options include Groupon, Rakuten, and Slickdeals. These platforms offer significant discounts on diverse products, often featuring flash sales and exclusive promotions. They simplify shopping with flat pricing models, making it easier to compare deals. Engaging with the community by liking and sharing deals can improve your shopping experience, increasing the visibility of attractive offers as you save money effectively. What Are Crazy Hot Deals? Crazy Hot Deals is an outlet store located in Houston, TX, offering a variety of home items, electronics, and clothing at a flat price. This Saturday, all items will be available for just $5, down from the usual $6. The store encourages bulk purchasing to maximize savings, making it appealing for budget-conscious shoppers. You can additionally stay updated on promotions through their website and social media channels for the latest offers. Who Are the Biggest Off-Price Retailers? The biggest off-price retailers include T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross Stores. These companies specialize in selling branded merchandise at reduced prices, often 20-60% lower than traditional stores. They purchase excess inventory and discontinued items from manufacturers, allowing for significant savings. Significantly, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls generate over $30 billion in annual sales. Their business model emphasizes quick turnover and a constantly changing inventory, encouraging frequent shopping for unique finds at discounted prices. Conclusion In conclusion, this week offers a range of attractive deals across various categories, from energy solutions like the Asperex Laptop Battery Bank to practical home necessities such as LED Under Cabinet Lights. You can additionally find affordable clothing items, all priced at just $5 each. These discounts present valuable opportunities to improve your home and wardrobe as you save money. Be sure to take advantage of these limited-time offers before they expire, ensuring you get the best for your budget. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Don’t Miss These 7 Store Deals This Week" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This week, you’ll find seven impressive store deals that you shouldn’t overlook. For instance, the Asperex Laptop Battery Bank is available at 46% off, making it a great travel companion with its compact design and multiple ports. Furthermore, LED Under Cabinet Lights are priced at just $17 for two, featuring energy-efficient motion sensors. You’ll likewise discover crucial clothing items for only $5 each. These deals are time-sensitive, so let’s explore what else is available this week. Key Takeaways The Asperex Laptop Battery Bank is on sale for $69.97, offering 20,000 mAh capacity and 165 watts output at 46% off. Grab the Inton Desk Clamp for $28, featuring multiple ports and a space-saving design perfect for clutter-free workstations. Affordable LED Under Cabinet Lights are available at $17 for two, with motion sensors and easy USB-C charging for home enhancement. All clothing items, including t-shirts and jackets, are discounted to $5 each, making it a great time to refresh your wardrobe. Explore home essentials priced at $5 each, ensuring you stock up on necessary kitchen tools and other items at a reduced rate. Power Solutions Regarding energy solutions, having reliable and efficient options can greatly improve your productivity. The Asperex Laptop Battery Bank, now 46% off at $69.97, offers a robust 20,000 mAh capacity and a strong 165 watts output. With both USB-C and USB-A ports, it’s designed for your on-the-go lifestyle, making it flight-approved for travel. Its built-in retractable charging cord features a magnetic closure, guaranteeing compact storage and easy access. Another excellent option is the Inton Desk Clamp, priced at $28. It provides six 120V ports, two USB-A, and one USB-C port, making it ideal for workstations that need more energy. This clamp design allows flexible placement, enhancing workspace efficiency without the clutter of multiple extension cords. Investing in these energy solutions guarantees you stay charged, so don’t forget to check the best grocery deals this week as you’re at it, maximizing your savings. Lighting Solutions After guaranteeing your devices stay energized with reliable solutions, it’s time to focus on lighting that improves your environment. One of the best grocery store deals this week features LED Under Cabinet Lights, which consist of 10-inch LED light strips equipped with motion sensors. These lights are perfect for illuminating dark cabinets and storage spaces. Battery-powered, they offer easy USB-C charging for added convenience. Installation is hassle-free, thanks to their magnetic attachment system and optional metal stickers. Priced at just $17 for a set of two, each light only costs $8.50, making it an economical choice for enhancing your home’s lighting. The motion sensor functionality guarantees the lights activate automatically, improving user convenience as well as conserving energy. These LED lights not only brighten your space but furthermore provide a smart solution for any area that needs extra illumination. Don’t miss out on this practical lighting option! Tools and Accessories Tools and accessories play a crucial role in ensuring that your DIY projects and repairs are executed efficiently and effectively. This week, you can score some fantastic deals. The Electric Precision Screwdriver Set, originally priced at $80, is available for $70 with a 10% off coupon, making it a reliable choice for repairs. It features a rechargeable screwdriver with a built-in ring light and a magnetic parts mat for organization. For versatile cutting needs, consider the Liu 55-piece oscillating multi-tool blade set, perfect for general use. Furthermore, the R tool, designed for fine and coarse cuts, is on sale for $18, down from $26, ideal for pruning tasks. If you’re looking to streamline packaging tasks, check out the Zeit Box Cutter, which features two blades and a USB charger for $44.99. Don’t miss out on these best grocery deals that improve your toolkit! Specialty Tools Specialty tools are designed to tackle specific tasks that standard tools mightn’t handle effectively, making them invaluable for both DIY enthusiasts and professionals. For instance, the Zeit Box Cutter, priced at $44.99, surpasses at efficiently opening boxes and breaking down cardboard. It comes with two blades and a USB charger, available in colors like “mocha mouse,” emphasizing speed and ease for packaging tasks. Another excellent option is the Tai talk mini chainsaw, currently on sale for $66.46, down from $90. This 6-inch chainsaw is perfect for pruning and trimming, includes two batteries, and features a built-in oil tank for convenience. If you’re looking for advanced diagnostics, consider the Launchpro X431 OBD2 scanner, priced at $850 but comes with a $70 coupon. It offers 38+ resets and two years of free updates, making it a smart investment for automotive enthusiasts. Don’t forget to check for the best grocery shopping deals as you’re at it! Home Essentials This week, you’ll find a great selection of affordable home items that can improve your living space. From crucial kitchen tools to cozy bedding options, these products offer both functionality and comfort. With deals like these, it’s a perfect time to stock up on everything you need for a well-equipped home. Affordable Home Items When you’re looking to improve your living space without overspending, affordable home necessities can make a significant difference. This Saturday, you can find a variety of crucial items priced at just $5, down from the usual $6. If you need to brighten up dark areas, consider the LED under cabinet lights available for $17 per set of two, a budget-friendly choice. For those small repairs around the house, the electric precision screwdriver set is priced at $70 after coupon discounts. The store encourages bulk purchasing, so you can stock up on these vital home goods without breaking the bank. Don’t miss out on these deals; they could be among the best grocery store deals this week. Essential Kitchen Tools Even though you may not think of your kitchen as a place requiring specialized tools, having the right vital kitchen tools can greatly improve your cooking experience and efficiency. Check out the electric precision screwdriver set, perfect for electronic repairs, available for $70 after applying a 10% off coupon. For those dark cabinets, the LED Under Cabinet Lights, featuring motion sensors, are only $17 for a set of two. Another important item is the R tool, a double-sided hand tool for pruning, now priced at $18 with an additional $360 off coupon. Don’t forget the versatile Liu 55-piece oscillating multi-tool blade set for general use and the Zeit Box Cutter for efficient box opening, priced at $44.99. Look for the best coupons this week to maximize your savings. Cozy Bedding Options As the colder months approach, finding cozy bedding options becomes vital for maintaining comfort in your home. This Saturday, take advantage of incredible home deals with bedding items available at a flat price of just $5 each. You can explore a variety of materials and styles, ensuring you find the perfect match for your bedroom décor and personal taste. The store’s selection includes comforters, sheets, and pillowcases, catering to all your sleeping needs. This low pricing encourages you to purchase in bulk, allowing for a mix-and-match experience that can transform your bedroom. Revitalizing your home necessities with these cozy bedding options is now easier than ever, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to improve your comfort this winter. Electronics Deals This week, you’ll find some impressive deals on vital electronics that can improve your daily life. For instance, the Asperex Laptop Battery Bank, with its 20,000 mAh capacity and 46% discount, is a great option for keeping your devices charged on the go. Furthermore, you can snag handy tools like the Electric Precision Screwdriver Set and innovative lighting solutions such as motion-sensor LED Under Cabinet Lights, all at discounted prices. Power Bank Highlights When you’re on the go, having a reliable energy bank can make all the difference, and the Asperex Laptop Energy Bank stands out as an excellent choice. Priced at just $69.97, it’s currently available at a remarkable 46% discount. With a robust capacity of 20,000 mAh and an output of 165 watts, this energy bank can charge multiple devices simultaneously. It features both USB-C and USB-A ports, allowing for versatile charging options. Furthermore, the built-in retractable energy cord with a magnetic closure improves portability, making it easy to use during travel. This flight-approved energy bank is perfect for frequent travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Don’t forget to shop deals on home and garden for other useful accessories! Essential Tool Discounts Having the right tools at your disposal can greatly impact your efficiency and success in various projects. This week’s in-store deals feature crucial tool discounts that you shouldn’t overlook. The Electric Precision Screwdriver Set is now $70, down from $80, and includes a magnetic parts mat and a rechargeable screwdriver with a built-in ring light for easy electronic repairs. The Liu 55-piece oscillating multi-tool blade set offers versatility for general use. For packaging tasks, the Zeit Box Cutter is available for $44.99 and includes two blades and a USB charger. Furthermore, the Tai Talk mini chainsaw is on sale for $66.46, and the Launchpro X431 OBD2 scanner is priced at $850, with a $70 coupon available for advanced automotive diagnostics. Innovative Lighting Solutions As you explore innovative lighting solutions, consider the practical benefits of LED Under Cabinet Lights, intended to improve visibility in various spaces. These 10-inch strips, priced at just $17 for a set of two, feature motion sensors that automatically activate when you enter a dimly lit area. Battery-powered and easily rechargeable via USB-C, they offer great convenience and portability. The magnetic attachments and optional metal stickers allow for effortless installation on different cabinet types, making them versatile for kitchens, closets, or any dark space. During this week’s sale, don’t miss out on electronic discounts that make upgrading your home lighting both affordable and efficient. Augment your environment with these smart lighting solutions today. Clothing Offers This week, shoppers can take advantage of an incredible clothing offer, with all items priced at just $5 each, down from the regular price of $6. With such a low price point, it’s a perfect time to stock up on necessities or try something new. The store features a variety of clothing options, ensuring there’s something for everyone, whether you need casual wear or formal attire. Here’s a quick look at some options available: Category Item Price Casual Wear T-shirts $5 Formal Attire Dress Shirts $5 Outerwear Jackets $5 Activewear Sweatpants $5 Accessories Hats $5 Don’t miss these offers near me today, and remember to check back regularly for updated promotions! Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Cheapest Place to Buy Stuff? The cheapest place to buy stuff often depends on local options and specific needs. Discount stores, outlet malls, and online retailers frequently offer significant savings. Look for flat pricing models, like those that charge a set amount for all items, simplifying your shopping experience. Furthermore, take advantage of sales and promotions, which can further reduce costs. Always compare prices across different platforms to guarantee you’re getting the best deal available. What Is the Best Daily Deal Site? The best daily deal sites vary based on your needs, but popular options include Groupon, Rakuten, and Slickdeals. These platforms offer significant discounts on diverse products, often featuring flash sales and exclusive promotions. They simplify shopping with flat pricing models, making it easier to compare deals. Engaging with the community by liking and sharing deals can improve your shopping experience, increasing the visibility of attractive offers as you save money effectively. What Are Crazy Hot Deals? Crazy Hot Deals is an outlet store located in Houston, TX, offering a variety of home items, electronics, and clothing at a flat price. This Saturday, all items will be available for just $5, down from the usual $6. The store encourages bulk purchasing to maximize savings, making it appealing for budget-conscious shoppers. You can additionally stay updated on promotions through their website and social media channels for the latest offers. Who Are the Biggest Off-Price Retailers? The biggest off-price retailers include T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross Stores. These companies specialize in selling branded merchandise at reduced prices, often 20-60% lower than traditional stores. They purchase excess inventory and discontinued items from manufacturers, allowing for significant savings. Significantly, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls generate over $30 billion in annual sales. Their business model emphasizes quick turnover and a constantly changing inventory, encouraging frequent shopping for unique finds at discounted prices. Conclusion In conclusion, this week offers a range of attractive deals across various categories, from energy solutions like the Asperex Laptop Battery Bank to practical home necessities such as LED Under Cabinet Lights. You can additionally find affordable clothing items, all priced at just $5 each. These discounts present valuable opportunities to improve your home and wardrobe as you save money. Be sure to take advantage of these limited-time offers before they expire, ensuring you get the best for your budget. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Don’t Miss These 7 Store Deals This Week" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Foldable phones still carry a price premium, so a drop like this changes the math. Right now, the 2024 Motorola Razr+ (unlocked, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage) is discounted to $417.09 on Woot for the next five days or until inventory lasts. Amazon lists it at $549.95, and price trackers show its previous low was $499.99, so it’s a sizable drop for a current-generation foldable. That said, this is an open-box unit, meaning it may have been a photo sample or simply had damaged packaging, but it functions like new. Prime members get free standard shipping, while others pay $6. The phone ships unlocked and includes a one-year Motorola limited warranty. 2024 Motorola Razr+ $417.09 at Woot $549.95 Save $132.86 Get Deal Get Deal $417.09 at Woot $549.95 Save $132.86 The aluminum frame of the Razr+ 2024 has rounded edges that feel better in hand, and its vegan leather back adds grip and resists fingerprints. Folded, it takes up less space than most slab phones and fits easily into smaller pockets. The hinge feels firm and stable when opening and closing, and the phone carries an IPX8 rating, so it can survive submersion in water rather than just splashes. The crease is visible when the screen is off and can catch light at certain angles, but it reportedly fades during normal use. The main camera performs well in daylight with detailed shots and balanced color, though low-light images fall short of what you get from top-tier Samsung or Google phones. The four-inch outer OLED display is large enough to run full apps. You can reply to messages, check directions, or scroll social feeds without flipping it open. Inside, the 6.9-inch OLED panel is sharp and responsive, with a high refresh rate that keeps animations smooth. Performance is powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor with 12GB of RAM. In daily use, apps open quickly, and multitasking feels fluid. The 256GB of storage gives most users plenty of room, but with no microSD slot, storage is fixed and cannot be expanded. Battery life is around 14.5 hours, edging out some competing flip phones, including Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5, notes this PCMag review. Charging tops out at 45W, but you have to supply your own charger. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $139.99 (List Price $179.00) Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 6.9" 512GB Privacy Display Smartphone + $200 Gift Card — $1,299.99 (List Price $1,699.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $329.00 (List Price $349.00) Google Pixel 10a 128GB 6.3" Unlocked Smartphone + $100 Gift Card — $499.00 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Gray) — $379.99 (List Price $499.99) Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $99.99 (List Price $119.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Researchers compared two ways to improve rankings in LLMs: Shadow Model and Query-based solutions. The post How Researchers Reverse-Engineered LLMs For A Ranking Experiment appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

The stock prices of the so-called Quantum Four are back on the rise today, after already accruing significant gains yesterday as well. The upward trend is a reversal for IonQ, D-Wave, Rigetti, and Quantum Computing Inc., which have all seen their shares decline since the beginning of the year. Why are they on the rise again? Here’s what you need to know: What’s happened? Yesterday, the stock prices of America’s four largest publicly traded quantum computing companies all rose significantly. As of yesterday’s close, here’s where the quantum computing companies’ stock prices stood: IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ): up 6.23% to $33.59 D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS): up 5.31% to $19.65 Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI): up 6.98% to $17.63 Quantum Computing Inc. (Nasdaq: QUBT): up 7.03% to $8.68 But the upward momentum hasn’t stopped there. Currently in premarket trading, the stock prices of all four quantum companies are surging again. According to Yahoo Finance data, as of the time of this writing in premarket trading, the four companies’ stock prices are up the following amounts: IONQ: up around 15% QBTS: up around 7% RGTI: up around 5.5% QUBT: up around 5.5% The last two trading days have marked (so far) a dramatic reversal for the stock prices of these four companies. Since the beginning of the year, shares of all four companies had tumbled between 15% and 25% as of yesterday’s close. From a great 2025 to a rough 2026 No doubt about it, most quantum computing stocks had a great run in 2025. During the year, most saw their prices surge. IonQ rose from around $32 in the beginning of the year to over $73 per share by September. D-Wave saw its price jump from around $6 per share in early 2025 to over $46 by October. Rigetti saw its stock go from around $9 per share in early 2025 to as high as $58 in October. Even Quantum Computing Inc., which started the year down significantly from its 2024 highs, at around $9 in January 2025, saw its price surge to more than $25 by late September. But by late 2025, the mood surrounding quantum stocks had shifted. Yes, individual investors began feeling more apprehensive about the prospect of massive returns, particularly after the stock performed so well throughout most of 2025, because quantum computing is still a nascent technology with few real-world use cases yet—meaning massive profits for these small companies are still years away. But quantum stocks also took a hit due to factors beyond the companies’ control, particularly thanks to general fears of a worsening economy, an increasingly likely AI bubble, and uncertainty around inflation, interest rates, and geopolitics. These factors cause many investors to pull money from highly volatile assets—including AI stocks, cryptocurrencies, and, yes, quantum stocks—and park it in safe-haven assets like gold and bonds to protect gains they had made in those volatile assets until that point. This quantum selloff continued into 2026. Even with yesterday’s stock price rises, the Quantum Four have declined significantly year to date. Why are quantum stocks back on the rise? The recent share price rise indicates that investor appetite for quantum computing stocks is also on the rise again. The question is why? The most likely answer seems to point to one quantum computing company in particular: IonQ. Yesterday, the Maryland-based company announced its fourth-quarter 2025 financial results. And those results equated to a blowout quarter. For Q4 2025, IonQ announced revenue growth of 429% year over year. In Q4 2024, IonQ brought in $11.7 million in revenue, and in Q4 2025, that revenue leaped to $61.9 million. The company also reported a 202% rise in full-year fiscal revenue. For its fiscal 2025, IonQ brought in $130 million in revenue, up from $43.1 million in 2024. Of course, those revenue numbers are still small change compared to what the legacy tech and AI giants bring in every quarter—but they do show that there is growing demand for the quantum technologies that IonQ is developing. As for why the three other Quantum Four companies are seeing their stock prices rise too, it’s likely a case of “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Historically, when one of the Quantum Four announces good news (such as revenue increases), the stock prices of the other companies tend to rise. The investor logic behind this is that if there is increasing demand for quantum technology solutions, that demand will likely benefit all companies operating in the space. Of course, it’s worth noting that quantum stocks are still highly volatile, so while they are up significantly over the past 24 hours, there’s no guarantee that the bumpy ride for Quantum Four stocks is over. View the full article

See why the infinite tail demands narrower focus, stronger entity signals, and deeper topical coverage. The post From Visibility Engineering To Preference Engineering: The Rise Of The Infinite Tail appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Remember when it was easy to rank partial-match domains and headings to commercially intended search queries? When paired with the right methodologies and conversion-optimized widgets, you could silently earn tens of thousands of dollars in affiliate revenue per month with minimal maintenance. It was possible to get by with just updating articles for relevancy and freshness signals, for example. Pressure-testing Google’s spam update Before the experiment, I had spent several months scaling an affiliate initiative in a much more above-board way for a longstanding website in a YMYL category. We had success with hiring subject matter experts (SMEs) to write helpful, educational content that actually informed readers. While the new content primarily targeted commercially intended keywords, that wasn’t the website’s sole purpose for existing. There were also thousands of pages of user-generated content (UGC) that inspired the new content, and visitors would navigate from them to convert, as well. We had brand trust, original research, expert insights, and everything else you’d expect from a reputable publisher. It was a perfect mix: verticalized legacy UGC with thousands of earned backlinks and a commercial lever that served a preexisting demand while adhering to industry best practices. It was a truly helpful experience. The experiment: Scaling AI without trust If the first model was built on trust and earned authority, this one would remove those signals entirely. During that time, influencers on LinkedIn were doing the same thing. Except they were using AI to generate thousands of pages by scraping and rewriting content, or by programmatically aggregating public data. That’s when I searched in my couch pillows for a few dollars and bought three domains that partially matched the following queries: “best welding schools,” “best plumbing schools,” and “best electrical schools.” The goal? Intentionally test a set of low-trust, high-scale tactics that are commonly promoted online and see how long they would persist. I then used AI to make the websites pretty, fetched public data with a vibe-coded Python API call, and used ChatGPT to template all of the subheadings and paragraph text you would typically see ranking across the web. Within a few hours, with the help of liquid content, I published thousands of bottom-funnel pages across three websites. I was able to inject public data, target superlatives by program type and state, and include a directory with individual, templated pages per school. I even leveraged aggressive internal linking practices that prioritized crawl coverage over user intent. The setup violated almost every long-term trust signal — which made it a useful test of how the system would react. All three sites shared the same traits: Zero brand signals. Programmatic AI-generated content. Public data aggregation. Aggressive internal linking. No original research or authorship signals. Dig deeper: What 4 AI search experiments reveal about attribution and buying decisions 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 Confirmed: The data shows Google’s spam updates work The websites worked briefly. Indexation was fast, pages surfaced for long-tail queries, and impressions climbed faster than expected. Within their first couple of months, all three websites were generating about 200 in-market clicks each. But as you can see, they flatlined hard during the first December spam update since their inception. In fact, clicks dropped to 0. I tried turnkey data updates and adding a few performance-boosting plugins, but they never recovered. In isolation, I’m not certain that any single one of these tactics caused the failure more than another. In combination, these tactics produced a site whose only defensible value was ranking in and of itself. Once that signal stopped being useful, nothing remained The insight isn’t that the websites failed — it’s that Google tolerated them just long enough to learn from them. Does affiliate content marketing still work? Yes, affiliate content marketing still works as a monetization layer, but not as a growth engine. There are plenty of websites that provide a helpful user experience while adhering to best practices and generating affiliate revenue. As to how, refer to Google’s documentation on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content, where you can learn more about evaluating whether your website is publishing “content that’s created primarily for people, and not to manipulate search engine rankings.” “If the ‘why’ is that you’re primarily making content to attract search engine visits, that’s not aligned with what our systems seek to reward. If you use automation, including AI-generation, to produce content for the primary purpose of manipulating search rankings, that’s a violation of our spam policies.” However, even when following best practices, the rise of AIO, the great decoupling, and dozens of other factors have made affiliate marketing less successful than it once was. Fortunately, there’s an alternative. Dig deeper: Inside Google’s secret search systems: 1,200 experiments, AI agents, and entities Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Where is content heading in 2026? The real takeaway isn’t that Google cracked down on spam, or that affiliate content marketing stopped working. It’s that businesses built on a single, cheaply replicable distribution channel are exposed the moment that channel changes. The next era of content will increasingly disadvantage businesses that treat search as their sole distribution channel. Instead of focusing on easily replicable topics, many industry practitioners are shifting toward verticalized research and benchmarks that spark real conversations within communities. Content is no longer a series of pages intended to rank. Rather, it’s a combination of discovery, discourse, and thought leadership that spans many channels. Discovery, discourse, and thought leadership Hypothetical: You’re a SaaS business in the financial technology space that provides businesses with enhanced financial forecasting. Instead of publishing landing pages that target “best financial forecasting software” or “most affordable financial forecasting software” (the SaaS equivalent of bottom-funnel ranking pages), consider doing deep dives with industry leaders who have something valuable to add to the conversation. Rely on their insights to identify the largest gaps in financial forecasting in 2026 and validate: Does my product truly solve this? If it does, you may have found a perfect wedge into the community. If not, there’s your roadmap. Use these problem-and-solution insights to develop landing pages with interactive assessments paired with benchmarking reports informed by industry-leading organizations. The “why” is that the content exists to help organizations contextualize both where they are and where they want to be. While these assessments or studies may not rank in the first position in Google for high-volume search queries, you can instead leverage owned channels, partner distribution, paid media, and more to put them in front of your ideal clients. These insights serve as a launching pad for communicating learnings from real conversations that aren’t easily replicated. By doing so across many different channels, you effectively enhance your ability to be everywhere. If you execute well and provide true value, not only do you contribute to a community, but you may unlock the growth you’ve been after all along. Companies like Stripe and its “Developer Coefficient” and HubSpot and its “State of Marketing” are doing this exact thing. Dig deeper: 3 GEO experiments you should try this year 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 Content in 2026: Fewer pages, deeper moats This model looks very different from scaling thousands of programmatic pages. It also comes with tradeoffs: Slower feedback loops. Less attributable ROI. Fewer “quick wins.” More dependence on distribution and partnerships. In 2026, content is about fewer pages, deeper insight, a stronger point of view, and assets that are harder to replicate. The spam update didn’t kill my niche websites for Christmas, but it exposed how thin the margin is for anything built without trust. Search marketing isn’t about avoiding content penalties — it’s about building things that can’t be easily copied with AI. View the full article

For most of modern business history, accounting has been something leaders looked at periodically. Numbers were reviewed and reports arrived on a schedule (often monthly, quarterly, or at tax time). Accounting happened when there was time, not necessarily when insight was needed. Across industries, a new model is taking shape: always-on accounting. These are systems that capture financial activity continuously, organize it automatically, and surface insights in real time. While this shift is relevant everywhere, it’s especially visible in the rental housing market where millions of small, independently run businesses (often managed by individuals or families who balance day jobs) are adopting operating standards once associated only with large enterprises. I’ve experienced this evolution from multiple sides. I’ve been a renter, an investor, and the cofounder and CEO of a property management software company, and over the past decade I’ve worked closely with thousands of small rental business owners. Across all of those perspectives, I’ve been at the forefront of a major shift reshaping how these businesses operate: Accounting is no longer something that’s checked on periodically; it’s something that runs continuously. FROM PERIODIC REVIEW TO CONTINUOUS AWARENESS Traditional accounting systems relied heavily on manual processes. Financial data lived across spreadsheets, folders, and disconnected tools. Capturing expenses, categorizing transactions, and reconciling accounts took hours of focused work, which meant most businesses reviewed their numbers periodically due to time constraints. As accounting technology has matured, many of the tasks that once demanded human attention now happen automatically. Transactions flow in without manual entry. Expenses are captured at the moment they occur. Data is categorized consistently in the background. The systems themselves maintain continuity. That technological shift enables a behavioral one. Instead of treating accounting as something to revisit at set intervals, business owners can operate with continuous awareness. Financial insight doesn’t need to be reconstructed; it’s already there. Patterns surface naturally over time. Trends become clearer, not because leaders are checking more often, but because the information is always current. We’ve seen similar transitions before. Cloud infrastructure replaced periodic system checks with real-time monitoring. Analytics platforms turned marketing into an ongoing feedback loop. Finance is now following the same path, moving from static snapshots to living systems. WHY RENTAL HOUSING IS LEADING THE WAY Small rental businesses are a revealing example of this shift. They operate at the intersection of entrepreneurship and long-term asset ownership, often run by people balancing full-time careers, families, and other responsibilities. Efficiency matters. Clarity matters even more. For years, accounting was the last major workflow to modernize. Rent collection became digital. Communication went mobile. But financial tracking often remained manual, fragmented, or delayed. Modern property management software systems now pull in transactions automatically, extract data from receipts, categorize expenses by property, and generate up-to-date profit-and-loss views with minimal effort. What once required hours of administrative work now happens effortlessly in real time. The result is more than cleaner records; it’s confidence. When financial insight is always current, owners engage with their businesses differently. They spend less time wondering if something was missed and more time understanding what the numbers are telling them. ACCOUNTING AS INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT PAPERWORK One of the most meaningful mindset shifts I’ve observed is how accounting is now viewed: not as paperwork, but as infrastructure. Always-on accounting supports operations the way reliable connectivity or modern logistics do. It reduces friction, minimizes human error, and creates a single source of truth that decisions can build on. In rental housing, this has implications beyond individual businesses. Small operators collectively provide homes for millions of people. When they run with better financial visibility, they’re better positioned to maintain properties proactively, manage cash flow sustainably, and navigate economic shifts with steadiness. What looks like operational efficiency at the business level often translates into stability at the community level. A BROADER LESSON FOR SMALL BUSINESSES EVERYWHERE What’s happening in rental housing reflects a broader trend across the economy. Small businesses are increasingly adopting systems that assume continuity rather than reminders, thanks to automation technology that works without constant prompting. The best tools today don’t ask owners to remember tasks or reconcile gaps later. They capture activity automatically and organize it intelligently. This shift reduces cognitive load, which is one of the most underappreciated constraints on entrepreneurship. When leaders aren’t mentally tracking loose ends, they have more capacity for strategy, creativity, and long-term thinking. Always-on accounting frees attention. And attention is one of the most valuable resources any business has. BETTER SYSTEMS CHANGE BEHAVIOR, NOT JUST WORKFLOWS The most interesting impact of always-on accounting isn’t speed. It’s behavior. When people trust their numbers, conversations change. Instead of asking whether the data is complete, they focus on what it reveals. Better-informed decisions can be made earlier with greater confidence. In rental businesses, this often means treating properties less like side projects and more like durable enterprises. In other industries, the takeaway is similar: Clarity reshapes leadership. Accounting becomes something owners engage with at a higher level—reviewing trends, comparing periods, and planning next moves—rather than something they have to reconstruct under pressure. THE FUTURE OF SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING IS ALWAYS-ON The future of accounting won’t be defined by louder dashboards or more complex reports. It will be defined by systems that are always on, working continuously in the background. In rental housing, that means books that are always current and decisions that are always informed. In the broader business landscape, it signals a shift toward tools that support momentum instead of interrupting it. Always-on accounting represents a larger evolution in how small businesses operate: fewer fire drills, more foresight; less reconstruction, more understanding. Confidence doesn’t come from having more data; it comes from knowing the data is already there when you need it. And as more businesses adopt systems built for continuity, that confidence is becoming the new standard. Ryan Barone is cofounder and CEO of RentRedi. View the full article

For decades, digital transformation raised hopes of simpler work. And while many companies found complexity instead of clarity, the story isn’t over. AI brings a new wave of hope and energy, and with that, a new kind of tension. Whenever I connect with business leaders, I can feel their deep optimism and sincere sense of responsibility to deliver on AI transformation. Leaders want to boost productivity and stand by their people. They’re guiding teams through uncertainty while inspiring them to embrace change. That’s why AI transformation is a people challenge as much as a tech challenge. Org charts are shifting. Roles are evolving. And the new priority for leaders is equipping people with the skills and wisdom to adopt AI and power this transformation with confidence. Leaders can do this with a three-step playbook: 1. BUILD THE HR ORGANIZATION FOR THE FUTURE. If HR operating models don’t evolve, leaders are asking their people to build the future on quicksand. AI demands new ways of working, which is why HR leaders are stepping into hybrid positions that mirror the real world of work, where talent and technology are intrinsically linked. That starts by making HR and IT true partners so they can co-create AI experiences that solve real business problems. Fifty-five percent of organizations have launched 100+ AI use cases, but only 19% are tracking how those use cases impact business goals. Siloed efforts can’t scale. That’s why we’ve built what we call an “AI Factory,” a model to collect, evaluate, and prioritize use cases quickly and ethically, at scale, across the business. Employees have submitted thousands of AI use case ideas. About 100 of them have gotten past our prioritization framework—meaning we believe they can deliver ROI, safely and at scale—and we’ve prioritized about a quarter that demonstrate the most value. As technology evolves, so must the roles around it. Leaders need to imagine new roles that move HR from an administrative function to a strategic hub. Think AI orchestration designers, or AI ethics officers. These roles are tailored to the company’s business needs and critical to a people-centric AI transformation. 2. ENABLE AI ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION AND RESKILL WITH URGENCY. AI is already increasing what employees can do and changing their daily tasks. To lead through change, we need to understand not just what people need to learn, but how they learn best. It starts with the concept of an “AI heatmap” to identify which tasks can be automated or augmented and quantify potential gains. That insight helps leaders rethink how they grow and support their teams. By using AI and data, we can map current skills, surface gaps, and design targeted, real-time development paths. Then, we need to do the hard work: Train people to know, work with, build, and lead with AI. We’ve built an AI-native learning model through ServiceNow University to do just that. Our goal is to train 3 million learners by 2027. And this isn’t just a nice-to-have. The skills gap is real. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs report, 63% of employers see it as a major barrier to transformation. If we don’t close this gap now, we’ll never realize AI’s full potential. 3. TRANSFORM THE WORKFORCE LIKE IT’S YOUR FULL-TIME JOB (IT IS!). Leaders are steering through massive change. Some employees will fear the unknown. Organizations that invest in an agile, resilient workforce, one person at a time, will win the AI race. That’s why leaders need to take an “X-ray” of their organization—not just charts and systems, but a deep look at the workforce structure, skills, and capacity to grow. Then, they can start closing gaps and ensuring AI is adopted in a way that’s human at the core while fueling business growth. Old org charts need a rebrand. Work is more dynamic and cross-functional. And now, we have AI working alongside people. Because of this, we need to move beyond traditional, linear models of change management toward continuous, adaptive, and decentralized change readiness. This agentic AI workforce will require thoughtful planning, human wisdom, a focus on well-being, and a strong culture at the core. That’s why collaboration and orchestration are critical. If leaders get this right, they can unlock new business models and real growth. THE RESULT? VALUE Leaders who follow these steps can supercharge business results while avoiding the pitfalls that slow AI adoption. At ServiceNow, we track adoption and ROI through our AI Control Tower, a real-time measurement that creates a flywheel of value: unlock time, reinvest it, and grow faster. The opportunity is clear: Embrace AI, lead with confidence, and bring people along the journey. The organizations that thrive will help people and AI technology co-create, not just coexist. Jacqui Canney is chief people and AI enablement officer of ServiceNow. View the full article