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UK-based bank is dominant in financing trade flows around the worldView the full article

Timing can make or break many things: Heating leftover pizza in the microwave, delivering a punchline for a joke, canceling a free trial — and it’s no less important when it comes to the best time to post on Twitter. OK, OK: Posting your tweets at the right time might not be as critical as, say, preventing soggy pizza, but it’s still an important consideration when it comes to your social media marketing strategy. I hear what you’re thinking: X no longer has a chronological feed — how can the time you post matter so much when X’s algorithm is in the driver’s seat? Posting times might not be as vital as they were in Twitter’s early days, but they still seem to affect content performance on X. Remember: X/Twitter’s algorithm values engagement — which is why we used engagement rate as the metric to measure the success of more than 1 million tweets sent through Buffer. Our findings were fascinating. We uncovered definite patterns in what posting times, days, and content types tend to get more engagement than others, helping us make some recommendations about not only the best time to post on Twitter, but the best day and the best content format to post as well. Let’s take a closer look. The best time to post on Twitter/XThe best time to post on Twitter or X is 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Tweets posted at those times tend to have the highest engagement rates, according to our analysis of more than 1 million tweets. The next best time to post on Twitter is Tuesday at 8 a.m., followed by Monday at 8 a.m. 🌅 Tweeting during mid-morning every weekday tends to yield solid engagement. Other notable posting times are all during this period. The darkest slots represent the time slots with the highest engagement rates and, we extrapolate, the best time to post on Facebook. The light to white blocks are the time slots with the lowest engagement — times that are perhaps left out of your posting schedule. According to demographic data from Statista, 36.6% of Twitter users are between 25 and 34. The second-largest age group of users, 34.2%, are between 18 and 24. This suggests that Twitter users are likely logging on to check their feeds as they arrive and settle in at work in the morning. On most weekdays, the peak hours for social media engagement are similar. Engagement tends to climb from the early morning on weekdays, peaking at around 9 a.m., then slowly petering out in the early afternoon, towards the end of the workday. 🌏Wait, what time zone? To make this data easier to understand, our data scientist Bufferoo has done some mathematical magic to make the recommended time zones universally applicable. In other words, no need to convert — consider all the recommendations local time. Whether you're in EST (Eastern Standard Time), PST (Pacific Standard Time), or IST (Indian Standard Time), the times apply to you.The best time to post on Twitter/X on MondayThe best time to post on Twitter on Monday for maximum engagement is 8:00 a.m., with other optimal posting times at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Early morning tweets tend to perform well as our data suggests Twitter users tend to check their feeds before diving into work. The best time to post on Twitter/X on TuesdayThe best time to post on Twitter or X on Tuesday is 8 a.m., followed closely by 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. This makes sense — Tuesday is one of the highest engagement days on the platform, with users settling into their weekly routines. The best time to post on Twitter/X on WednesdayThe best time to post on Twitter on Wednesday is 9 a.m., with 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. also being strong posting windows. Midweek engagement peaks as people look for fresh content while taking a break from work. Wednesday is definitely worth adding to your posting schedule, too, as these slots were among the peak times in our analysis. High engagement time slots tend to go slightly later on Wednesday too, with some early afternoon times offering good results. The best time to post on Twitter/X on ThursdayOn Thursday, the best time to post on Twitter is 9 a.m., with 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. also performing well. As the weekend approaches, engagement remains high as users look for updates and trending conversations. The best time to post on Twitter/X on FridayThe best time to post on Friday is 8 a.m., with 9 a.m. and 7 a.m. also being optimal posting times for maximum engagement. Morning tweets tend to do best as people check Twitter before winding down for the weekend. The best time to post on Twitter/X on SaturdaySaturday engagement is lower overall, but the best time to post on Twitter is 8 a.m., with other peak hours at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Even on the weekend, early-morning posting times tend to perform better than later in the day. The best time to post on Twitter/X on SundaySunday has the lowest engagement levels, but if you must tweet on Sunday, the best time to post on Twitter is 8 a.m., with 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. also being peak times to post for maximum engagement on this slower day. The best time to post on Twitter/X for each day of the weekMonday: 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m.Tuesday: 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m.Wednesday: 9 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m.Thursday: 9 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m.Friday: 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 7 a.m.Saturday: 8 a.m., 7 a.m., 9 a.m.Sunday: 8 a.m., 7 a.m., 9 a.m.💡Just as there’s no one-size-fits-all best time to post, there’s no single best time to post across all social media platforms. Here’s the best time to post on Instagram, the best time to post on LinkedIn, the best time to post on Facebook, and the best time to post on TikTok.The best (and worst days) of the week to post on Twitter/XThe best day of the week to tweet is Tuesday. Wednesday comes in second place in terms of engagement on the platform, and Thursday comes third (though, as you’ll see from the graph below, Monday and Friday aren’t too far behind). The worst day of the week to post on Twitter is Sunday, with Saturday only slightly better. While some posting times seem to see solid engagement on the weekend, you’re probably better off sticking to tweeting on weekdays. If you prefer to batch-prep content for your Twitter account during downtime on the weekends (high five for that), you might want to schedule posts for weekdays instead. This is where social media scheduling tools like Buffer really shine. Experiment by systematically going through the times on the list above, scheduling posts in those slots, and then tracking their social media performance to see what works best for your specific target audience. The best type of content to post on Twitter/XDespite X’s ongoing push for video — rolling out longer uploads, higher resolution options, and even revenue-sharing for video creators — our data shows that text-based posts still reign supreme when it comes to engagement. Text posts received 30.04% more engagement than video posts and 37.10% more engagement than image or photo posts. It makes sense when you think about what sets X apart from other social platforms. While TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are battling for video dominance, X has always been a text-first platform — a place for real-time updates, hot takes, and punchy one-liners. That said, video did outperform image posts, earning 5.43% more engagement than pictures. On the other end of the spectrum, posts with links and retweets were both poorer performers. The former makes sense — social media platforms tend to want to keep users there, rather than having them click out to other content and sites. The performance of retweets (which includes quote tweets, too) is also worth noting. While it’s a great way to show support for other creators, retweets shouldn’t be a primary focus if you’re looking to grow your following on X. The best time for you to post on Twitter/XWhile tweeting at specific times may yield brilliant results right out the gate, it’s not a given that some timing tweaks will supercharge your content’s performance on X. How come? Well, all target audiences are different. The timing that works to engage one cohort may not work for another. While the general best times to post on Twitter are a great jumping-off point, it’s important to fine-tune your social media strategy and figure out what gets the best results for you. Now, how do you do that? Especially now that, unlike other social media platforms, Twitter analytics are behind the paywall of X Premium. A social media management tool like Buffer can help. Buffer’s X analytics compares the performance of all your tweets and connects the dots for you. Here, you’ll find recommendations for: The best day of the week for you to postThe best content format to post (image, video, text, or link)How often to post per day or weekTo find them: Head to the Analytics tab at the top left.Here, you’ll find your Analytics Overview. You’ll see how your content has performed over the period you set with the date dropdown on the top right.Click on the Answers tab. You’ll find all of the recommendations I mentioned above in this window. Click on the Posts tab to see the performance of specific tweets and hashtags. Make sure your X profile is connected as a channel in Buffer. 🎉 Try out Buffer's Analytics for free for 14 days, so you can put all the features I've mentioned in this article (plus loads of other social media platforms and features) to the test. We offer basic analytics on our free plan too! Get started here → Your checklist for high-performing X/Twitter postsNailing down the best time to post can give your content a better chance of success — but even the perfect time is not a magic spell for going viral on Twitter. There are a host of factors at play here when it comes to success on the platform. If you want to grow your following on X and social media presence as a whole, tick all the boxes below. Conduct a profile audit: A half-finished or unappealing profile won’t earn you any new followers. Make sure your Twitter account profile is complete, with a high-quality profile picture and cover image, a thorough bio, and a link-in-bio URL.Comment on global events: X is where folks turn for up-to-the-minute, real-time news and commentary. If something is gaining traction in your niche, share your opinion.Post visual content: As discussed above, video tends to perform best, but it’s worth experimenting with photos and other images to see what resonates with your followers.Connect with your followers: Don’t post and ghost — remember that Twitter is a social platform. Engage with your followers by responding to their comments and DMs and connecting with other Twitter influencers/creators in your niche.Lean into strong hooks: Gain followers by getting your audience emotionally invested from the very first line. Use a strong statement, a straightforward question, an eye-popping statistic, or a teaser that hints at an unfolding story.Share real-life stories: Connect with your audience on a human level by sharing relatable content about your life.Be consistent: X is a particularly fast-paced platform — post daily (or multiple times if you have the bandwidth) if you’re committed to growing your Twitter account.Keep an eye on your analytics: Use the methods above to learn from your metrics and take action.Consider X Premium: Buffer’s Tami Oladipo put X Premium to the test and uncovered what seemed to be an uptick in post performance.For more details on the above, be sure to check out our guide to getting more followers on Twitter. What have you found most helpful when determining your best time to post on X/Twitter? Let us know @buffer on all our social media accounts! View the full article

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Influencers, how many late payments are you waiting on? Odds are, more than one. Influencer marketing is a booming $10 billion industry, but for creators, inconsistent cash flow remains a major pain point. Brand budgets shift, campaign timelines change, and payments can take months to land. For many influencers who rely on brand deals as their main source of income, financial instability is the norm. According to the Wall Street Journal, fewer than 13% of online influencers earned more than $100,000 last year—while nearly half made $15,000 or less. A fintech startup called Alchemy wants to change that. Founded by Isaac Wagschal, the company has launched a $100 million fund to provide creators with upfront payments based on projected future income. Since January, Alchemy has already distributed millions. Growing as a creator takes time, money, and the right opportunities landing in your inbox. But unpredictable income is one of the biggest obstacles to scaling. Some months bring multiple sponsorships; others are completely dry. And while traditional financial institutions are slowly warming to the creator economy, access to capital remains limited—especially for creators still building their brands. (If you’ve ever tried asking a bank for a loan as a freelancer, you get it.) Alchemy’s approach is different. It looks at an influencer’s full income stream—brand deals, Patreon, AdSense, and more—then uses the past six months of earnings to project the next six. Based on that, Alchemy prepurchases a portion of the creator’s expected revenue, providing a lump-sum payment upfront. A flat fee, typically around 1.15 times the amount advanced, is added. Say a creator is projected to earn $100,000 in the next six months. Alchemy might advance $30,000 by purchasing 30% of that income. When the full $100,000 eventually comes in—whether it takes six months or a year—Alchemy collects its 30%, plus a $4,500 fee. There’s no loan, no interest, and no fixed repayment schedule. If a creator underperforms, Alchemy takes the hit. To streamline the process, Alchemy is partnering with top creator agencies, managers, and influencer platforms to embed its financial tools directly into brand deal workflows. The goal: make upfront payments the industry norm. “The creator economy is booming, yet too many influencers are stuck waiting months for sponsorships and delayed payments to clear,” Wagschal said in a press release. “Creators should have financial access that matches the speed of the digital world.” View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My mentee was fired for using a vulgar term I work in a regulated industry and there are specific education and license requirements to work here. My company has a mentorship program for those who are new to the industry. I am one of those with the highest non-management title at my company, and my manager encouraged me sign up for the program. I was assigned an entry-level employee from my company, “Wendy.” I thought things were going well. Wendy was bright and on the ball. But Wendy was let go from her job and I’m wondering if I should have done more to advocate for her. I think this was a misunderstanding. Wendy had (to me) expressed her admiration for one of the managers at our company. This manager, “Caitlin,” is several levels above my own manager and is well-known in our industry. The misunderstanding happened over something Wendy said that was meant to be a compliment, but Caitlin felt it was an insult. Wendy said Caitlin was “serving C-word” (not abbreviated when she said it). She meant this as a compliment. (I’m almost 50, and I am not on social media so I have never heard this saying but apparently it is supposed to be complimentary). Caitlin didn’t see it that way. She thought Wendy was insulting her. Caitlin felt Wendy was calling her a name to other people, clients, and online when she found out Wendy had been saying it. (Wendy never used the phrase in front of me.) I understand both sides. I completely understand why Caitlin thought it was an insult. I also see Wendy’s point of view and have never known her to be malicious. In fact, Wendy has always shown the opposite. My question isn’t about who was right, but whether I should have done more to advocate for Wendy. I feel guilty for not pushing back to my manager when Wendy was let go over this. I feel like I could have spoken up about this being a misunderstanding and how Wendy was bright, did good work, and was nice to everyone around her — basically how out of character it would be for Wendy to insult anyone, especially someone she admired. No one blames me for what happened and I was asked to participate in the mentorship program again. But I am afraid I did a disservice by not pushing back on Wendy being let go, and I’m afraid of making the same mistake again. What do you think? I would appreciate hearing what you think. First, for people who don’t know the expression, it basically means “unapologetically feminine and powerfully badass.” It is intended to be complimentary — and it very much would not sound that way to anyone who didn’t know the meaning. Anyway, this isn’t on you. You really weren’t in a position to intervene; mentors don’t typically have that power (unless they have significant influence and authority in general, but that would be something that existed independently of their mentor role). Yes, you could have explained where Wendy was coming from, but I imagine Wendy did that herself anyway. The issue is that she displayed pretty terrible judgment! It would be one thing for her to have said that about Caitlin once, but saying it repeatedly was just tremendously bad judgment in a work context, where lots of people won’t know the meaning of a very vulgar and insulting-sounding slang phrase. Her intentions matter, but the outcome matters too, and the outcome in this case was that she was going around using a wildly vulgar phrase about a well-known woman in your industry without contemplating that it might be misunderstood or otherwise become an issue. I wouldn’t have fired her for it (to me it’s a coaching moment, not a firing one) but I’m also not surprised that someone did. There was no real room for you to do anything differently. If you’d heard Wendy use the phrase, you could have corrected her, but you didn’t. Your job as a mentor is to support your mentee’s growth, give advice, and be a sounding board, but the role isn’t that of a manager or a mediator. You were well-positioned to be a sort of character witness, yes, but I’m not sure it would have mattered in this case. This was Wendy’s mistake, not yours. 2. Interview question: which position in a band would you choose? I was driving around listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and sometimes Young and started pondering a theoretical Interview question: if given a choice, which member would you choose to be? I realize far too few people know that band so I started pondering a different question: assuming you would play any position, which position in a band would you choose (lead singer, lead guitar, bass, or drums)? The idea is that question could potentially give somebody an idea of just how confident in themselves a person is. A person who picks drums is someone who can keep a project moving and is reliable but is not necessarily out front leading, for example. I am not in any danger of conducting interviews any time soon, but since I spend quite a lot of my working day on the road, I think of things like this. I’m curious what you think! Well … it could be something to ponder outside of a work setting, but I would recommend against it as an interview question! Too many people don’t know enough about music to know how to even begin thinking about which position they’d choose. And even if they do have a well-informed answer, it won’t tell you the kinds of things you need to learn to make a good hire. You don’t want to ask candidates questions just for the sake of asking questions, or because a question seems fun — you want to get really clear on what’s needed to excel in that position and then ask questions specifically designed to get at those things. Unless you are putting together a new prefab boy band, this question won’t do that. A boring answer to a fun question, sorry. 3. I think my manager wants me to be a different person I am a middle school teacher. I recently started at a new school with a very corporate culture. I received an employee evaluation from my principal. Evaluations from principals are pretty normal, but this was a very lengthy evaluation with a lot of corporate jargon, which I’m not used to. Reading the evaluation made me feel like the principal dislikes me personally and wants me to change my personality. One of the things it said was that I “did not contribute to a collegial environment.” This might just mean that she doesn’t think I speak up enough at meetings, since she mentioned that when we met to discuss the evaluation, but the language makes it sound like people find me actively unpleasant. I don’t know what I could have done to make people feel this way. I asked a friend who works in the corporate world what she thought, and she said not to ask for clarification and not to disagree — she said all they want to hear in response to these evaluations is “yes, I’ll do that.” It’s true that I’m not very talkative or bubbly, but I don’t think I’m unpleasant. I resent being expected to pretend to be someone I’m not. This has me feeling like they don’t really want me here and I should leave this school and possibly education altogether. Am I misreading this? Whoa, wait — that’s a big leap that isn’t warranted by what’s happened. Your friend’s advice was bad and you should disregard it. No good manager just wants to hear “yes, I’ll do that” in response to feedback if you don’t understand what it means. They want you to implement the feedback, yes — but you can’t do that if you don’t understand it, and in that case you need to ask questions so that you do. Ideally you’d go back to your principal, say you’re taking the feedback seriously, and ask for more information so you can make sure you’re both on the same page. Ask for more specifics about what she’s asking you to do differently. You can’t evaluate the feedback without that. After learning more, if you still think you’re being asked to change your entire personality, you can think about whether it’s a role you want to stay in. But there’s no way to assess this without getting more information — and jumping to possibly leaving the entire field over one person’s unclear feedback would be recklessly premature. 4. Interviewer wants me to tell them my current salary During an initial job interview, the interviewer disclosed that they were originally looking for someone more junior than my experience, but they were reconsidering the experience needed to be successful in the role and believed that it may needed to be a more senior position. Fast forward multiple interviews — I’ve asked for the salary range they would pay for the role, and the HR manager says they don’t know and that the team has not discussed it. They would like me to disclose my salary. I am hesitant to share because my cash requirements would differ based on the equity package and its structure, and I don’t think this can be adequately explained with a simple number. I likely have one more interview before we get to an offer. In this scenario, is there any advantage to me being a first mover and disclosing my salary range with the caveat that it’s flexible based on equity package? There’s no reason you need to disclose your salary. Instead, you should tell them the range you’re looking for — the range that would make you seriously consider leaving your current job for this one, along with whatever caveats you have about the structure of the equity package. That’s the part that’s relevant to them, not what you’re making now. 5. I was fired for something my boss said was OK to do I asked my boss if it was okay to drive a company vehicle home. He said it was okay. His boss told him to write me up and fire me, so he did. Is this legal? Also, should my boss had been fired as well for telling me that I was allowed to? What can I do? Is suing the company a possibility? If I do sue, would I win, or would I just be losing more money and wasting time? It’s not illegal to fire you for an unfair reason (and this definitely sounds unfair). Most employees in the U.S. are at-will, meaning that you can be fired for any reason at all, as long as it’s not based on illegal discrimination (i.e., firing you because of your race, gender, religion, disability, or other protected class) or retaliation for engaging in legally protected conduct (like firing you for making a good faith complaint of sexual harassment or discrimination). There are two exceptions to this: (1) if you have a contract, which most U.S. workers don’t, or (2) if your company has an employee manual that commits to always using specific disciplinary procedures before firing someone; if it does, they’re usually obligated to follow those procedures first. But aside from that, it’s generally legal to fire someone for any reason, even if the reason is unfair or illogical. People often hear the term “wrongful termination” and assume it means that there’s legal recourse if you were fired for a wrong or unfair reason, but it really just means that you were fired for one of the illegal reasons above. However, you can file for unemployment, and if you explain you were fired for doing something your manager specifically gave you permission to do, your chances of getting benefits are good. I’m sorry this happened. View the full article

PayPal has announced new features that make cryptocurrency more accessible and usable in everyday commerce, aiming to eliminate common barriers and drive broader adoption among consumers and merchants alike. With these enhancements, users can now buy, sell, hold, send, and spend cryptocurrencies through the PayPal platform, integrating digital currencies into routine purchases. The company emphasizes its mission to enable seamless crypto payments at millions of merchants without requiring changes to existing payment systems. PayPal users can select supported cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, during checkout just like a credit or debit card. The transaction is handled by PayPal, providing a familiar and straightforward process. PayPal also offers features like recurring purchases and price alerts, giving users more control over their crypto portfolios. Additionally, the platform now supports transferring crypto to friends and family, whether they use PayPal or external wallets. A newly introduced feature allows users to assign wallet addresses with custom names—such as JohnDoe.eth—and save them to an address book, making transfers easier and more secure. For merchants, PayPal presents an opportunity to tap into the growing crypto economy without the need for new integrations or backend overhauls. By leveraging PayPal’s infrastructure, businesses can access trillions of dollars in crypto holdings without installing new checkout tools. Transactions are settled in USD and automatically converted to the merchant’s local currency, eliminating the complexity of managing cryptocurrency. The company highlighted that these developments allow merchants to increase sales potential and enhance customer loyalty while positioning themselves as forward-thinking. Merchants do not need a crypto wallet, and no direct crypto management is required to benefit from the integration. Security and trust remain central to PayPal’s approach. The company offers buyer and seller protection for eligible purchases funded with crypto. In addition, PayPal is the first payments platform to reimburse users up to $50,000 at no additional cost for unauthorized crypto transfers, adding an extra layer of confidence for customers. As the cryptocurrency market surpasses $3.25 trillion and continues to expand, PayPal is positioning itself as a key player in bridging traditional commerce and digital finance. By integrating crypto into its suite of payment tools, PayPal aims to unlock new opportunities for consumers and businesses navigating the evolving digital economy. Image: PayPal This article, "PayPal Expands Crypto Capabilities to Simplify Everyday Transactions" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

PayPal has announced new features that make cryptocurrency more accessible and usable in everyday commerce, aiming to eliminate common barriers and drive broader adoption among consumers and merchants alike. With these enhancements, users can now buy, sell, hold, send, and spend cryptocurrencies through the PayPal platform, integrating digital currencies into routine purchases. The company emphasizes its mission to enable seamless crypto payments at millions of merchants without requiring changes to existing payment systems. PayPal users can select supported cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, during checkout just like a credit or debit card. The transaction is handled by PayPal, providing a familiar and straightforward process. PayPal also offers features like recurring purchases and price alerts, giving users more control over their crypto portfolios. Additionally, the platform now supports transferring crypto to friends and family, whether they use PayPal or external wallets. A newly introduced feature allows users to assign wallet addresses with custom names—such as JohnDoe.eth—and save them to an address book, making transfers easier and more secure. For merchants, PayPal presents an opportunity to tap into the growing crypto economy without the need for new integrations or backend overhauls. By leveraging PayPal’s infrastructure, businesses can access trillions of dollars in crypto holdings without installing new checkout tools. Transactions are settled in USD and automatically converted to the merchant’s local currency, eliminating the complexity of managing cryptocurrency. The company highlighted that these developments allow merchants to increase sales potential and enhance customer loyalty while positioning themselves as forward-thinking. Merchants do not need a crypto wallet, and no direct crypto management is required to benefit from the integration. Security and trust remain central to PayPal’s approach. The company offers buyer and seller protection for eligible purchases funded with crypto. In addition, PayPal is the first payments platform to reimburse users up to $50,000 at no additional cost for unauthorized crypto transfers, adding an extra layer of confidence for customers. As the cryptocurrency market surpasses $3.25 trillion and continues to expand, PayPal is positioning itself as a key player in bridging traditional commerce and digital finance. By integrating crypto into its suite of payment tools, PayPal aims to unlock new opportunities for consumers and businesses navigating the evolving digital economy. Image: PayPal This article, "PayPal Expands Crypto Capabilities to Simplify Everyday Transactions" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Retailers are increasingly turning to AI agents to stay competitive in a fast-evolving marketplace, according to Salesforce’s sixth Connected Shoppers Report. The report reveals that 75% of retail decision-makers believe AI agents will be essential to beat the competition within the next year. Salesforce’s findings are based on dual surveys of 8,350 shoppers and 1,700 retail industry leaders. The data points to a shifting landscape marked by rising customer acquisition costs, increasing returns, and changing consumer behaviors that require a new approach to retail operations. AI and Unified Commerce Emerge as Strategic Priorities To manage growing complexities across digital and physical retail channels, retailers are prioritizing AI and unified commerce. These approaches are aimed at creating seamless customer experiences while controlling operational costs. “When retailers connect their sales channels, customer data, and operations in one platform, they create seamless shopping experiences both online and in-store,” said Michelle Grant, Director of Retail Strategy and Insights at Salesforce. “This unified approach boosts productivity and drives growth throughout the business.” The report shows that 76% of retailers plan to increase investment in AI within the next year. Customer service is currently the top use case for AI agents, where they are used to respond to inquiries, track orders, and handle returns around the clock. Velia Carboni, CIO of SharkNinja, highlighted the role of Agentforce — Salesforce’s agentic AI layer — in improving customer loyalty. Carboni described Agentforce as “key to helping us build a community that keeps consumers coming back.” Retailers Expand AI Agent Applications Beyond customer service, retailers foresee AI agents playing a broader role in optimizing websites, marketing, inventory management, and employee training. “AI agents represent the next wave of retail AI innovation — digital labor that promises to reshape how retailers scale their workforces, serve and market to customers, and streamline operations,” Grant said. Barriers and Progress Toward Unified Commerce Effective AI implementation requires integration across systems, yet many retailers still operate with disconnected platforms. According to the report, 81% of retailers say inefficient processes and technology reduce store associate productivity. Additionally, 49% of shoppers have abandoned purchases due to friction in the ordering process. To address these challenges, 86% of retailers are pursuing unified commerce initiatives. By linking cross-channel and departmental operations, unified commerce improves efficiency, enhances the shopping experience, and enables AI systems to perform more effectively. Consumers Show Growing Interest in AI Agents The shift toward AI agents is not limited to retailers. The report notes that 39% of all shoppers — and 54% of Gen Z — already use AI for product discovery. Gen Z consumers are 10 times more likely than baby boomers to report frequent AI use in shopping. Shoppers expressed strong interest in using AI agents for managing loyalty points, handling returns, and providing customer service — aligning with retailers’ focus areas. Among Gen Z shoppers, 63% are open to agents making purchases on their behalf. However, shopper trust remains critical. The top factors influencing trust in AI agents include data privacy, on/off controls, approval requirements before purchases, data transparency, and access to human customer service. “The data is clear: retailers and shoppers are both moving toward an AI agent future,” said Grant. “But success depends on addressing both sides of the equation — building the connected technology foundation retailers need while delivering the trust and transparency shoppers demand.” Image: Salesforce This article, "Salesforce Report: 75% of Retailers Say AI Agents Will Be Essential by 2026" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Retailers are increasingly turning to AI agents to stay competitive in a fast-evolving marketplace, according to Salesforce’s sixth Connected Shoppers Report. The report reveals that 75% of retail decision-makers believe AI agents will be essential to beat the competition within the next year. Salesforce’s findings are based on dual surveys of 8,350 shoppers and 1,700 retail industry leaders. The data points to a shifting landscape marked by rising customer acquisition costs, increasing returns, and changing consumer behaviors that require a new approach to retail operations. AI and Unified Commerce Emerge as Strategic Priorities To manage growing complexities across digital and physical retail channels, retailers are prioritizing AI and unified commerce. These approaches are aimed at creating seamless customer experiences while controlling operational costs. “When retailers connect their sales channels, customer data, and operations in one platform, they create seamless shopping experiences both online and in-store,” said Michelle Grant, Director of Retail Strategy and Insights at Salesforce. “This unified approach boosts productivity and drives growth throughout the business.” The report shows that 76% of retailers plan to increase investment in AI within the next year. Customer service is currently the top use case for AI agents, where they are used to respond to inquiries, track orders, and handle returns around the clock. Velia Carboni, CIO of SharkNinja, highlighted the role of Agentforce — Salesforce’s agentic AI layer — in improving customer loyalty. Carboni described Agentforce as “key to helping us build a community that keeps consumers coming back.” Retailers Expand AI Agent Applications Beyond customer service, retailers foresee AI agents playing a broader role in optimizing websites, marketing, inventory management, and employee training. “AI agents represent the next wave of retail AI innovation — digital labor that promises to reshape how retailers scale their workforces, serve and market to customers, and streamline operations,” Grant said. Barriers and Progress Toward Unified Commerce Effective AI implementation requires integration across systems, yet many retailers still operate with disconnected platforms. According to the report, 81% of retailers say inefficient processes and technology reduce store associate productivity. Additionally, 49% of shoppers have abandoned purchases due to friction in the ordering process. To address these challenges, 86% of retailers are pursuing unified commerce initiatives. By linking cross-channel and departmental operations, unified commerce improves efficiency, enhances the shopping experience, and enables AI systems to perform more effectively. Consumers Show Growing Interest in AI Agents The shift toward AI agents is not limited to retailers. The report notes that 39% of all shoppers — and 54% of Gen Z — already use AI for product discovery. Gen Z consumers are 10 times more likely than baby boomers to report frequent AI use in shopping. Shoppers expressed strong interest in using AI agents for managing loyalty points, handling returns, and providing customer service — aligning with retailers’ focus areas. Among Gen Z shoppers, 63% are open to agents making purchases on their behalf. However, shopper trust remains critical. The top factors influencing trust in AI agents include data privacy, on/off controls, approval requirements before purchases, data transparency, and access to human customer service. “The data is clear: retailers and shoppers are both moving toward an AI agent future,” said Grant. “But success depends on addressing both sides of the equation — building the connected technology foundation retailers need while delivering the trust and transparency shoppers demand.” Image: Salesforce This article, "Salesforce Report: 75% of Retailers Say AI Agents Will Be Essential by 2026" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The country’s top groups are re-evaluating their strategies as they race to remain competitiveView the full article

Firefighters in North and South Carolina were battling multiple wind-driven wildfires Monday in rugged terrain that complicated containment efforts, officials said. Millions of trees knocked down by Hurricane Helene last year combined with long stretches of dry weather this spring are making for a long and active fire season in the Carolinas, North Carolina State University forestry and environmental resources professor Robert Scheller said. “Helene just dropped tons of fuel on the ground,” Scheller said. “Then these flash droughts allow that fuel to dry out very fast.” Both South Carolina and North Carolina have issued statewide bans on outdoor burning. North Carolina fires Mandatory evacuations continue for about 165 properties in parts of Polk County in western North Carolina, about 80 miles west of Charlotte, according to county spokesperson Kellie Cannon. Three fires burned at least 7.5 square miles in the county and the two larger blazes were completely un-contained, Cannon said in a social media update Monday morning. The Black Cove Fire, one of the larger ones, was moving toward neighboring Henderson County, Cannon said. Kim Callaway, who lives near one of the evacuated areas in Polk County, has prepared her home, WLOS-TV reported. “We’ve already actually evacuated everything that we thought that was important,” Callaway said. “And now we’re just staying at the house and trying to do what we can to get our house prepared if the firemen need to show up and hold the line.” A downed power line sparked the Black Cove Fire, but the causes of the other two fires in Polk County were under investigation, according to North Carolina Forest Service spokesperson Jeremy Waldrop. A number of other wildfires burning across the state including one that damaged 500 vehicles at a salvage yard in Burke County, officials said. South Carolina fires Two fires in the South Carolina mountains have led Gov. Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency. One fire was in Table Rock State Park in Pickens County and the other was on Persimmon Ridge in Greenville County. Winds and difficult mountainous terrain allowed blazes to grow, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said. The Table Rock Fire expanded to more than 2 square miles, including several hundred acres that firefighters intentionally burned to try to contain the flames, officials said. The Persimmon Ridge Fire, which started Saturday, spread to more than 1.25 square miles despite many dozens of water drops, the commission said. Human activity ignited both the Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires. No injuries had been reported, and while no structures were imminently threatened, voluntary evacuations of about 100 homes remained in place. How a September hurricane is creating March fires Scheller, the North Carolina State University professor, predicted this busy fire season if the region saw dry weather following Helene. Scientists saw something similar in 2022 when a fire burned more than 51 square miles of timberland in the Florida Panhandle. The Bertha Swamp Road Fire almost directly followed the eye pattern from 2018’s Hurricane Michael and the fallen pine trees left behind. Pines and their waxy needles dry out and become very flammable, Scheller said. The fallen trunks can also block roads and paths used to fight fires, experts said. The last ingredient to fuel wildfires is dry weather. Despite recent rain, the Carolinas are undergoing an extreme drought, according to federal monitors. The common denominator for many fires on the East Coast is human activity, whether people burn debris, light a campfire that isn’t well watched or toss out cigarette, Scheller said. And more people living next to areas that can burn make fires a bigger threat, he said. New Jersey fire A forest fire burning in New Jersey’s million-acre Pinelands region was 100% contained on Monday morning, the New Jersey Forest Fire Services said in a post on X. The fire was first spotted Saturday and burned through about 3.5 square miles. That blaze led authorities to evacuate two campgrounds in Wharton State Forest, officials said. The cause was under investigation. Fire forecast A front moving off the East Coast brought rain and more humidity to the area, helping firefighters Monday. But not much rain fell and temperatures are expected to get warmer and the air drier as the week goes on, likely meaning another round of wildfires unless people follow burn bans and fire safety. “It is absolutely paramount that folks respect the statewide ban on all open burning,” North Carolina Forest Service spokesperson Philip Jackson said. View the full article

North Sea could produce an extra 2bn to 3bn barrels with ‘right’ levers, forecasts Offshore Energies UKView the full article

Simplification drive comes as the FCA launches its strategy for next five-yearsView the full article

For some Google searchers the ability to go to page two of the search results is simply not possible. The classic Google pagination bar is missing at the bottom of the results for some searchers.View the full article

Discover how the Delphi technique can help you cut through noise, align stakeholders, and make smarter decisions—especially on complex, high-stakes projects. This guide breaks it all down with real-world examples, templates, and tips tailored for digital project managers. The post The Delphi Technique In Project Management: Harnessing Group Wisdom appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

Law enforcement agencies silent on what legal experts say could be a violation of the US espionage actView the full article

Google is now rolling out access to AI Mode to its second batch of users. Google first allowed Google One AI Premium subscribers access to AI mode, when it first launched on March 5th. If you opted into AI Mode and are based in the United States, you may now have access. How to access AI Mode. Once you again access then you should be able to access AI Mode – here is how: Go to www.google.com, enter a question in the Search bar, and tap the “AI Mode” tab below the Search bar. Go directly to the AI Mode tab on Google Search at: google.com/aimode. In the Google app, tap the AI Mode icon below the Search bar on the home screen. The initial bug. When Google emailed me and hundreds of other searchers with their invites to try AI Mode at around 5:20pm ET today, many were unable to access it. When you clicked the “Try now” button, it told you to opt in and wait to get access. I covered these details on the Search Engine Roundtable. What is AI Mode. AI Mode is a new tab within Google Search, right now only for those accepted into the Google Search Labs experiment, that brings you into a more AI-like interface. Google said AI Mode “is particularly helpful for queries where further exploration, reasoning, or comparisons are needed.” AI Mode lets you explore a topic and get comprehensive AI-based answers without you needing to do those comparisons and analyses yourself. We saw rumors of this news and it is finally officially here, for some of you. I have a detailed write up on AI Mode over here. Why we care. AI Mode may reveal the future of Google Search and search futures that may be incorporated into Google Search in the days ahead. So see if you have access and play around with it so you can understand how this new Google Search feature works. View the full article

About 30 minutes ago, Google sent out a batch of invites to its new AI Mode. I was one who got that email but when I click on the "try now" button, it still tells me I am on the waitlist and I can't access it just yet.View the full article