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The winter sky has some brightly lit star patterns visible this month, including a triangle featuring Mars at one of its points, making it worthwhile to brave the winter temperatures for stargazing. These shapes aren't constellations, but asterisms: groups of stars that form recognizable patterns but that don't have official locations from the International Astronomical Union. The Big and Little Dippers are asterisms, for example, though their stars are part of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The Winter Triangle, which is especially visible now, is made up of the stars Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse, which are found within the constellations Canis Major, Canis Minor, and Orion, respectively. And the asterism is part of an even larger asterism known as the the Winter Circle (or Winter Hexagon), which is also visible in the winter sky from December to mid-April. For the next few weeks (until about mid-March), there's another triangle lighting up the night. The "Mars Triangle" is an even less official shape—not technically an actual asterism—with the name merely a suggestion by Space.com. If you connect Mars with Pollux and Castor, both from the constellation Gemini, you get smaller isosceles triangle, with the Red Planet as the brightest of the three points. This triangle will slowly shift as Mars moves relative to the fixed stars until they are all in a straight line in early April. Unlike asterisms, the so-called Mars Triangle is temporary and in flux. Where (and when) to look for the Winter and Mars TrianglesThe Winter Triangle is visible in the Northern Hemisphere now through the rest of this month. Look high in the southeast sky, near Orion's belt, after sunset. Sirius, the brightest of the three stars, will appear first, followed by Procyon and Betelgeuse. The triangle is visible until the early morning hours, when it will set toward the west-southwest. (The Winter Triangle appears in the Southern Hemisphere between May and August.) To see the Mars Triangle, Space.com suggests looking east around 6:30 p.m. local time. Mars is the brightest point and currently the vertex of the triangle, with Castor and Pollux making up the base. The triangle will be visible until about mid-March, though again, the shape will shift significantly between now and then. The Winter Circle, which includes Sirius and Procyon (from the Winter Triangle), Castor and Pollux (from the Mars Triangle), as well as Rigel, Capella, and Aldebaran, rises in the east and sets in the west throughout the winter. View the full article

While having lunch with a few fellow business owners recently, our conversation turned to the topic on every entrepreneur’s mind—artificial intelligence. It turns out that AI tools have quietly woven themselves into our daily routines, whether we’re brainstorming, researching, or synthesizing data, were also using it in slightly different ways. Tools like ChatGPT are like Swiss Army Knives for productivity and creativity. It’s no surprise that in the latest McKinsey Global Survey on AI, 65% of organizations reported regularly using AI—the technology is here to stay. That said, leaning too heavily on AI can go awry. If you delegate content creation to ChatGPT, for example, it runs the risk of plagiarizing. The generative AI tool is also a notorious liar. In 2023, one startup found that ChatGPT made things up about 3% of the time. That same year, a Google chatbot’s false claim caused the company’s market value to tumble by around $100 billion. The key is strategic integration with safeguards in place. If you’re curious about how to integrate AI smartly into your business, here are some friendly tips to get you started while keeping things safe and effective. Use AI’s strengths—without losing your own ChatGPT can supercharge your creativity. Wharton professor Christian Terwiesch pitted the large language model (LLM) against humans to determine which group could generate better business ideas. (Spoiler alert: The robots came out victorious.) Commenting on his findings, Terwiesch said that everybody should be using ChatGPT to help them generate ideas—if nothing else, your idea pool will improve. He called it a “no-brainer.” I like to use ChatGPT to get the ball rolling on creative brainstorming. Using simple prompts, you can ask ChatGPT to help you generate ideas and then choose and refine the best ones. ChatGPT can also summarize dense, lengthy information in seconds. It can break down concepts in as simple terms as you’d like—just begin your prompt with something like, “Pretend you are explaining this to [a 12-year-old, a college kid, etc.].” Importantly, the best practices with ChatGPT entail using the LLM as a jumping-off point, without delegating your creativity entirely. To me, the idea is to assign ChatGPT the rote or manual parts of your work to make more time and space for wide swaths of impactful, deeply creative work—the work that leads to innovation and breakthroughs. In sum, use ChatGPT for tasks like summarizing information and generating ideas, not as a replacement for your own critical thinking and expertise. Always verify information from AI Fact-checking is a practice that we sometimes take for granted. The New Yorker, known for its historically rigorous fact-checking department, employs around 30 people to verify the facts in every single story. As one former fact-checker explained, “Each word in the piece that has even a shred of fact clinging to it is scrutinized.” ChatGPT, however, has no fail-safe in place. That’s why leaders must be skeptical of anything presented as a fact, verify information with sources, and encourage employees to do the same. If ChatGPT generates a summary of something—for example, the latest news on DeepSeek—the summary will include the names of sources hyperlinked to the corresponding web addresses. I recommend checking each one, as ChatGPT has a tendency to link to a source that does not contain the relevant information. In short, never take information from ChatGPT at face value. Be clear about how AI should be used Finally, it’s critical for leaders to be transparent about how employees can use generative AI tools. For starters, this signals to employees that they should leverage LLMs—if they’re not, the company’s competitors and their colleagues will. I regularly encourage Jotform employees to seek out new ways to automate their busywork, including using generative AI tools, to make more time for tasks that feel personally meaningful, motivating, and inspiring. Failing to communicate corporate policies surrounding AI creates a risk that employees will misuse it—for example, handing over the reins for their creative work, or essentially copying and pasting other people’s work product based on the LLM’s results. Without clear guidance, employees may encounter problems with data security, ethical concerns, and regulatory compliance issues. There’s no shortage of fear and anxiety surrounding AI, especially regarding its potential to take human jobs. Transparency can help employees understand AI’s role as a productivity and creativity booster, rather than a threat, fostering innovation and meaningful productivity. By setting clear expectations, leaders create a culture where AI enhances work and advances individuals on their career paths, rather than disrupting them. View the full article

Don't let international PPC campaigns overwhelm you. Dive into these Google Ads settings to ensure targeted results and avoid costly mistakes. The post 13 Google Ads Settings To Check When Running International PPC Campaigns appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Fast-fashion clothing chain Forever 21 is reportedly getting ready to shutter hundreds of locations as it considers filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. If it does, it would be the second wave of mass store closings and second bankruptcy that the chain has undergone in less than six years. Here’s what you need to know about Forever 21’s reported closures. Forever 21 may close 200 stores—or all of them This week, Bloomberg reported that Forever 21 may close 200 locations in the United States as part of a potential second bankruptcy process that the retailer is considering. If Forever 21 can’t find a buyer during the bankruptcy process, the chain would reportedly close all of its remaining U.S. stores. The situation mirrors what’s been happening with the fabric-and-crafts chain Joann, which is in the process of trying to find a buyer and may be forced to go out of business if it is unsuccessful. A count on Forever 21’s store locator tool reveals that is has 359 stores in the United States. Forever 21’s intellectual property is owned by brand management firm Authentic Brands Group, while its operations are run by Catalyst Brands, a joint venture operated by retail group SPARC and, as of this month, JCPenney. Catalyst Brands owns other retailers including Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, and Nautica. Last month, it said publicly that it was “exploring strategic operations” for Forever 21. Fast Company reached out to Forever 21 and Catalyst Brands for comment. Catalyst Brands has not confirmed that it will initiate bankruptcy proceedings for Forever 21. In a statement provided to Bloomberg, the company said, “Forever 21’s operating company, which is the brand licensee in the US, continues to explore strategic options, including a potential sale, while also reducing costs and optimizing its store footprint. The efforts are ongoing and no final decisions regarding the outcome of the process have been made.” Forever on the brink Forever 21 has been struggling for years with slowing sales, a weakening brand image, and increased competition from online retailers. In September 2019, the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the time, the company said it would be closing about 350 of its 800 stores worldwide. Less than six months later, it was announced that two of Forever 21’s biggest landlords, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners, were teaming up with Authentic Brands Group to buy the struggling chain for $81 million. But since then, Forever 21 has continued to face existential pressures, including declining foot traffic and the rise of online fast fashion retailers like Temu and Shein. In 2023, Forever 21 entered a partnership with Shein that allowed its clothes to be sold on the Chinese shopping platform and saw Shein’s clothing being sold in Forever 21 stores. Still, the partnership doesn’t seem to have been enough to turn Forever 21’s fortunes around. Shein is more popular than ever, while Forever 21 still continues to struggle with much of the same pressures it has for years. Forever 21 did not respond to a request for more information about a potential bankruptcy timeline or which locations might be closed. We will update this post if we hear back. However, as Bloomberg notes, if Forever 21 does file for bankruptcy and go out of business it will not affect Authentic Brands Group’s ownership of the brand’s IP. The publication reports that Authentic already plans to license the Forever 21 brand to other parties. View the full article

The layoffs of roughly 7,000 IRS probationary workers beginning this week likely mean the end of the agency’s plan to go after high-wealth tax dodgers and could spell disaster for revenue collections, experts say. The majority of employees shown the door at the federal tax collector are newly hired workers focused on compliance, which includes ensuring that taxpayers are abiding by the tax code and paying delinquent debts, among other duties. The IRS layoffs, one of the largest purges of probationary workers this year across the government, could also hurt customer service and tax return processing during tax season this year, the union representing Treasury Department employees warned Thursday. The upheaval comes less than two months before the tax filing deadline and as the Department of Government Efficiency under Trump adviser Elon Musk seeks to shrink the size of the federal workforce in an effort to radically cut spending and restructure the government’s priorities. Vanessa Williamson, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said on a Thursday call with reporters that the layoffs at the IRS will disproportionately harm enforcement efforts. “When you underpay and understaff the IRS, the agency doesn’t have the power or the resources it needs to go after wealthy tax evaders with their high priced lawyers,” she said, adding, “The result is, of course, a disaster for revenue.” The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022, gave the IRS $80 billion and the ability to hire tens of thousands of new employees to help with customer service and enforcement as well as new technology to update the tax collection agency, though congressional Republicans later clawed back some of the money. Former IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, appointed by Biden, placed a particular focus on aggressively auditing high-income tax cheats as well as executives who use business aircraft for their personal use while still writing it off as a tax expense and wealthy people who sought to get favorable tax treatment through Puerto Rico without meeting certain tax requirements. A Congressional Budget Office report issued last year describes how rescissions in funding for the IRS affect baseline projections of future revenues, offering a variety of scenarios depending on the severity of the cuts. A $5 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $5.2 billion from 2024 to 2034 and increase the deficit by $0.2 billion. A $20 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $44 billion and increase the deficit by $24 billion for the same period. A $35 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $89 billion and increase the cumulative deficit by $54 billion. “If you starve the IRS, you’ll be providing a feast for the tax evaders,” Williamson said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during his confirmation hearing last month that “we do not have a revenue problem in the United States of America, we have a spending problem.” However, both revenues and spending will be an ongoing point of contention for congressional Republicans, who are trying to come up with how to pay for extending provisions of President Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Penn Wharton Budget model estimates that permanently extending Trump’s tax cuts would increase deficits by $4 trillion over the next decade. Chye-Ching Huang, executive director of NYU’s Tax Law Center, called the layoffs “misguided” and said they “will hurt everyday Americans who pay their taxes and count on the IRS to pay refunds on time while encouraging wealthy people and large businesses to cheat on their taxes.” Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said: “In the middle of a tax filing season, when taxpayers expect prompt customer service and smooth processing of their tax returns, the administration has chosen to decimate the whole operation by sending dedicated civil servants to the unemployment lines.” The union representing IRS workers has already filed multiple legal challenges over the administration’s mass layoffs. Mark Mazur, a former assistant secretary for tax policy at Treasury, said that since most of the laid-off workers were in the IRS’ small business and self-employment division, employees who had handled bigger corporate enforcement cases will be forced to stop their work and handle easier small-business cases. “For sure this mean less enforcement activity,” and the deterrence effect of audits will be diminished, he said. Representatives from Treasury, the IRS and the White House did not respond to Associated Press requests for comment on Thursday. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report. —Fatima Hussein, Associated Press View the full article

Do you have a knack for crafting handmade items? Have you always dreamed of turning this passion into a profitable venture? You’re in the right place. You can combine your skills and ambition to create an array of handmade items to sell. From personalizing interiors with your unique crafts to making someone’s day with a bespoke gift, your handmade creations can have countless uses and buyers. Why Should You Make and Sell Crafts? Selling handmade items is a great way to start your own craft business. Of course, establishing a business is always a nerve-wracking endeavor, but there are a variety of solid reasons why you should make and sell crafts, including: Independence – When you start your own handicraft business, you get to be your own boss. As the business owner, you make the decisions and decide when and where you want to make and sell your crafts. Monetization – By making and selling crafts, you can earn money from the skills you already have and turn a profit from what was once a hobby. Low Stress – Since you control your own craft business, you won’t have the stress of a commute, a demanding boss or even laundry since you can work from home wearing lounge clothes or pajamas. Supplemental Income – You don’t have to quit your day job to start selling handcrafted goods. Your craft business can also be a side gig that helps supplement your primary income. Sharper Skills – As you develop your own business selling handmade items, you can further enhance your skills or even learn new ones through online courses and workshops. READ MORE: 50 Craft Business Ideas Top Handmade Things to Sell for Profit Before we get into the details of making and selling these handmade items, let’s start with a quick summary. The table you’re about to see shows the main skills you need, the materials you should have, where you can sell, and how much money you could possibly make for each of the 20 handmade things. It’s like a guide, helping you see the bigger picture as you choose which handmade product fits best with what you can do and what you have. #ItemSkills RequiredMaterials NeededPotential MarketplacesProfitability Potential 1Handmade JewelryJewelry makingBeads, wire, pendantsOnline and local marketplacesHigh 2SoapSoap makingSoap base, scents, essential oilsOnline stores, craft fairsMedium 3T-shirtsGraphic design, fabric decoratingT-shirts, fabric decorating suppliesOnline marketplaces, local eventsHigh 4Subscription BoxesCuratingVaries based on box contentOnlineHigh 5Pet ProductsVaries based on productVaries based on productOnline and local marketplacesHigh 6Wall ArtPainting, printmakingCanvas, paint, printing suppliesOnline stores, local galleries, craft fairsMedium 7Tote BagsSewingFabric, sewing suppliesOnline and local shopsMedium 8Wooden ToysWoodworkingWood, woodworking toolsOnline and local marketplacesHigh 9Home DecorCraftingMason jars, canvas, ribbon, etc.Etsy, online and local shopsMedium 10SculpturesSculptingClay, sculpting toolsOnlineMedium 11DollsDoll makingFabric, fiber, plasticOnline and local shopsMedium 12Hair AccessoriesCraftingVarious crafting suppliesOnlineLow to Medium 13ScarvesKnitting or CrochetingYarnOnline and local marketplacesLow to Medium 14PillowsSewingFabric, sewing suppliesOnline and local marketplacesMedium 15HatsKnitting or fabric craftingYarn, fabricOnline and local marketplacesMedium 16FurnitureUpholstery or woodworkingFabric, wood, toolsOnline and local marketplacesHigh 17BlanketsQuilting, knitting, sewing, crochetingFabric, yarn, quilting materialsOnline and local marketplacesMedium 18CandlesCandle makingWax, wicks, fragrance oilsOnline and local marketplacesMedium 19PinsCraftingMaterials for pinsOnline and local craft fairsLow to Medium 20RugsWeavingRug materialsOnlineMedium When you’re ready to turn your hobby into a thriving small business, you just need a craft idea and supplies to sell handmade products online or at local craft fairs. Check out the following handmade things you can sell for profit: Handmade Jewelry You can easily create your own handmade jewelry by simply stringing beads onto wire to design bracelets or necklaces. Additionally, jewelry makers can purchase affordable components to craft earrings, pendants, lockets, and other accessories to sell locally or in an online marketplace. Soap With the right materials, you can craft your own handmade soaps and bath bombs to sell at craft fairs or in an online store. You can even add selected scents and essential oils to both bar soaps, liquid soaps and bath bombs to add a competitive edge to your creations. T-shirts You can make and sell a variety of handmade clothing to start your own small business. In fact, a T-shirt business is a popular way to make a profit at online marketplaces and local events. You can create designs on a computer and print them onto shirts or transfers. You also can design your own custom T-shirt designs with a variety of fabric decorating supplies. Subscription Boxes You can sell curated gifts and subscription boxes that you create at your home or office. Choose a popular product niche like candles, candy or cosmetics, then fill a box with both purchased and homemade crafts for your subscribers each month. READ MORE: The 100 Best Things to Make and Sell from Home Pet Products Pet products are in high demand and make a viable business opportunity for those seeking profitable crafts. Whether you make and sell pet toys, pet treats, or pet clothing, pet owners will be interested in your products, whether sold locally or in an online marketplace. Wall Art If you love to paint, you can place your designs onto canvas and sell the wall art online or at local galleries or craft fairs. You can even transform your handmade crafts into printed copies and sell prints to earn even more extra money from a single design. Tote Bags Tote bags, diaper bags, and other homemade items made for carrying personal goods come in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy a large and diverse market. Entrepreneurs who are skilled with a sewing machine can start a small business by making unique handmade bags and selling them online or in a local shop. Wooden Toys Skilled woodworkers can use their tools and create unique toys for children. Whether you’re crafting wooden blocks, wooden cars, dollhouses or even rocking horses, you can find demand from parents seeking gifts and turn a profit by selling handmade toys from wood. Home Decor Crafty and creative entrepreneurs can launch a small business by designing handmade home decor using supplies such as mason jars, canvas, ribbons, napkins, and other materials. The possibilities for crafting home decor are limited only by your imagination, making it an excellent choice for handmade items to sell in an Etsy shop. Sculptures Another form of fine art that small business owners can create and sell online is sculpture. While a sculpture may seem like just another handmade craft, it requires a significant amount of skill to produce products for an online business. Fortunately, there are numerous online DIY tutorials available for those eager to learn. More Handmade Items to Sell Online or Locally Are you seeking more inspiration for starting an online business focused on selling homemade crafts? Whether you plan to offer premium handmade furniture or affordable digital products, there are numerous ideas for handmade items to sell, both online and in your local community, including: Dolls All varieties of dolls make great gifts, keepsakes, and collectible items, so it’s no wonder they are also an effective outlet to start a small business. You can make dolls from fabric, fiber, plastic, or all sorts of other materials and place them on sale anywhere, selling craft items, toys, or collectibles. Hair Accessories Handmade accessories for hair are a simple craft that can be a profitable online business venture. If you don’t know how to make these profitable crafts, you can study online tutorials and learn to make hair accessories to sell, then decorate them in an original and creative way. Scarves Scarves are incredibly popular handmade accessories, and crafty entrepreneurs can create them by either knitting or crocheting yarn. Creative crafters even can try making scarves by combining decorative fabric, embroidering their creations or decorating them with unique and original designs. Pillows With some basic sewing skills, you can stitch together fabric and create all sorts of decorative pillows to sell. A popular handmade item for consumers to buy, pillows and pillow covers can be made in all shapes and sizes and practically any material. They also can be turned into original creations by painting or decorating them. Hats Don’t stop selling handmade scarves. You can increase your profits by also making beautifully crafted hats to coordinate with them. You can knit or crochet hats, or you can craft them from fabric or other materials. Then, put them for sale at a local shop or online marketplace Furniture Are you skilled with upholstery or woodworking? You can build furniture items and sell them online or locally. You’ll need tools and equipment, but you can sell your handmade furniture for a significant profit, provided you account for the increased cost of shipping. Blankets People love handmade blankets, and they can be crafted with a variety of techniques, including quilting, knitting, sewing, crocheting and more. Blanket sellers even can offer personalized blankets, decorated with custom names, dates and other details. Candles Much like they can with handmade soaps, crafters can create a variety of creative and unique candle products by adding signature fragrance combinations. Entrepreneurs selling candles can also use interesting and unique jars and molds to craft in-demand products that sell. Pins Creative entrepreneurs can make handmade pins in a plethora of styles and designs to sell online or at local craft fairs. Whether you are making buttons with unique graphics or enamel pins with intricate designs, you’re sure to find a market for unique handmade pins. Rugs Handcrafting full-sized rugs might require a long and complicated process, but you still can make and sell handmade rugs if you specialize in smaller rugs and mats made with similar weaving techniques. Even smaller-sized rugs will appeal to online buyers seeking to add small yet unique touches to their home decor. What Handmade Items Sell the Best? What handmade items sell the best? Whether you’re attending a local craft fair or you plan to sell crafts online, you want to choose an item that sells and generates a profit. When deciding which handmade items to make and sell, it’s really important to consider what’s currently in demand. The popularity of handmade items can depend on a variety of factors, including current trends, seasonality, and market demographics. While certain items consistently perform well, the key to success is providing a unique twist on a product that makes it stand out in the marketplace. Here are some of the most profitable and best-selling handmade items: Handmade Beaded Jewelry and Enamel Pins: Jewelry remains a cornerstone of the handmade market because of its versatility and broad customer appeal. Beaded jewelry, in particular, is not only cost-effective to produce but also offers ample opportunities for creative expression. Similarly, enamel pins have gained popularity for their uniqueness and collectible nature. By offering a range of designs and styles, you can meet the diverse tastes of your customers. Vinyl Wall Art: Vinyl wall art is another top-selling product. These items appeal to customers looking to personalize their homes or offices. From inspirational quotes to graphic designs, the possibilities are endless. As long as your designs resonate with your audience, vinyl wall art can be a profitable venture. Candles: Handmade candles, especially those with unique fragrances and attractive packaging, are in high demand. Consumers appreciate the ambiance, scent, and aesthetics of a well-made candle. Scented candles also make excellent gifts for a variety of occasions, further boosting their sales potential. DIY Bath Bombs: Bath products, such as DIY bath bombs, have seen a rise in popularity, partly due to the self-care trend. Bath bombs are fun to make and use, plus they can be customized with various scents, colors, and ingredients to cater to different preferences. Offering a range of bath bombs that cater to different skin types or moods can help broaden your customer base. However, remember that the “best” items to sell depend largely on your own skills, interests, and preferences of your target audience. It’s also important to note that what sells well in one region or platform may not necessarily sell well in another. Continually researching market trends and getting feedback from customers can help you keep your product offerings fresh and appealing. Marketing Strategies for Handmade Crafts Successfully selling handmade items often hinges on effective marketing strategies that showcase the uniqueness and quality of your crafts. Here are essential marketing tactics to consider for your handmade business: Develop a Strong Brand Identity: Your brand should reflect the uniqueness of your handmade crafts. This includes a memorable business name, a distinctive logo, and a consistent aesthetic across your products and marketing materials. Your brand identity should resonate with your target audience and set you apart from competitors. Utilize Social Media: Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are ideal for showcasing handmade items. Regularly post high-quality photos of your products, engage with your followers, and use relevant hashtags to increase your visibility. Consider collaborating with influencers or other crafters to expand your reach. Create an Engaging Online Store: Whether you use platforms like Etsy or have your own website, make sure your online store is visually appealing, user-friendly, and provides detailed information about your products. High-quality images, compelling product descriptions, and easy navigation are key. Participate in Local Markets and Craft Fairs: Physical presence in local markets and craft fairs can significantly boost your visibility. These events allow customers to see and feel your products firsthand and can help establish a loyal local customer base. Leverage Email Marketing: Collect email addresses from your customers and website visitors to build an email list. Send out regular newsletters with updates, new product launches, and exclusive offers to keep your audience engaged. Offer Customization Options: Personalization can be a unique selling point for handmade crafts. Offering customization options for your products can attract customers looking for unique, personalized items. Utilize Customer Reviews and Testimonials: Positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers can be powerful marketing tools. Showcase these on your website and social media to build trust and credibility with potential customers. Create a Blog or Vlog: Share your crafting process, the story behind your crafts, or DIY tips through a blog or vlog. This not only engages your audience but also helps in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), driving more traffic to your site. Run Online Advertisements: Consider using paid online advertising through Google Ads or social media platforms. Target your ads to reach your specific audience based on interests, demographics, and browsing behavior. Engage in Community and Networking Events: Join crafting communities online and offline. Networking with other crafters and participating in community events can open up opportunities for collaborations, joint ventures, and gaining valuable insights into the market. READ MORE: 25 Places to Sell Handmade Crafts Online What Is the Easiest Thing to Make and Sell? In the crafts business, some products certainly are easier to make than others. One of the easiest crafts to make and sell is handmade soap and candles. The unskilled craftsperson should not be discouraged, however, as plenty of online tutorials are available to learn almost any craft, and serious entrepreneurs even can sharpen their skills by attending a workshop at a local college. Conclusion The world of handmade crafts offers an exciting and lucrative opportunity for creative individuals to turn their passion into a profitable venture. Whether you’re a seasoned artisan or just starting out, there are compelling reasons to make and sell crafts and a wide range of handmade items that can generate significant income. Starting your own craft business provides a sense of independence that many crave. You become the master of your craft, making decisions about when, where, and how you create and sell your handmade products. This level of autonomy allows you to shape your business according to your vision and preferences. Monetization is another compelling reason to delve into the world of crafting. Your skills and creativity can be transformed into a source of income. What was once a hobby can become a profitable enterprise. Many successful crafters have turned their passion into a full-time career, earning a living doing what they love. The low-stress aspect of running a craft business is particularly appealing. Say goodbye to long commutes, demanding bosses, and office attire. With a craft business, you have the flexibility to work from the comfort of your own home, donning lounge clothes or pajamas if you wish. This flexibility is especially valuable for those seeking a work-life balance or juggling multiple responsibilities. Craft businesses can also provide an additional source of income. You don’t need to leave your day job to start your crafting journey. Beginning on a small scale and gradually expanding your business is a practical approach. Your craft business can offer that extra financial support, enabling you to follow your passion while still relying on your main source of income. Moreover, engaging in a craft business offers an opportunity for skill enhancement and growth. You can continuously refine your craft, learn new techniques, and even take online courses and workshops to expand your skill set. This process of self-improvement can be immensely satisfying, and it can lead to the creation of more intricate and valuable handmade products. In terms of profitability, the handmade crafts market is robust. The demand for unique, handcrafted items continues to grow as consumers seek products with a personal touch. Crafters can leverage this demand to create profitable businesses. However, success in this field requires more than just crafting skills; it involves strategic planning, marketing, and a keen understanding of market trends. The article also provides valuable insights into the top handmade things to sell for profit. From handmade jewelry and soap to T-shirts and subscription boxes, there’s a wide array of options to explore. These suggestions encompass a range of crafting skills and materials, catering to various interests and market segments. Handmade jewelry, for instance, allows for creativity with beads, precious metals, and unique designs. Crafting soap provides an opportunity to experiment with scents and essential oils, giving your products a competitive edge. T-shirt businesses leverage custom designs and fabric decorating techniques to create marketable items. Subscription boxes offer a curated selection of handmade and purchased crafts, providing customers with a delightful surprise each month. Pet products cater to the growing pet owner demographic, offering a wide range of opportunities, from toys to treats. Wall art allows painters to showcase their artistic talents, with prints expanding the reach of their work. Image: Envato Elements This article, "Handmade Items to Sell" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Do you have a knack for crafting handmade items? Have you always dreamed of turning this passion into a profitable venture? You’re in the right place. You can combine your skills and ambition to create an array of handmade items to sell. From personalizing interiors with your unique crafts to making someone’s day with a bespoke gift, your handmade creations can have countless uses and buyers. Why Should You Make and Sell Crafts? Selling handmade items is a great way to start your own craft business. Of course, establishing a business is always a nerve-wracking endeavor, but there are a variety of solid reasons why you should make and sell crafts, including: Independence – When you start your own handicraft business, you get to be your own boss. As the business owner, you make the decisions and decide when and where you want to make and sell your crafts. Monetization – By making and selling crafts, you can earn money from the skills you already have and turn a profit from what was once a hobby. Low Stress – Since you control your own craft business, you won’t have the stress of a commute, a demanding boss or even laundry since you can work from home wearing lounge clothes or pajamas. Supplemental Income – You don’t have to quit your day job to start selling handcrafted goods. Your craft business can also be a side gig that helps supplement your primary income. Sharper Skills – As you develop your own business selling handmade items, you can further enhance your skills or even learn new ones through online courses and workshops. READ MORE: 50 Craft Business Ideas Top Handmade Things to Sell for Profit Before we get into the details of making and selling these handmade items, let’s start with a quick summary. The table you’re about to see shows the main skills you need, the materials you should have, where you can sell, and how much money you could possibly make for each of the 20 handmade things. It’s like a guide, helping you see the bigger picture as you choose which handmade product fits best with what you can do and what you have. #ItemSkills RequiredMaterials NeededPotential MarketplacesProfitability Potential 1Handmade JewelryJewelry makingBeads, wire, pendantsOnline and local marketplacesHigh 2SoapSoap makingSoap base, scents, essential oilsOnline stores, craft fairsMedium 3T-shirtsGraphic design, fabric decoratingT-shirts, fabric decorating suppliesOnline marketplaces, local eventsHigh 4Subscription BoxesCuratingVaries based on box contentOnlineHigh 5Pet ProductsVaries based on productVaries based on productOnline and local marketplacesHigh 6Wall ArtPainting, printmakingCanvas, paint, printing suppliesOnline stores, local galleries, craft fairsMedium 7Tote BagsSewingFabric, sewing suppliesOnline and local shopsMedium 8Wooden ToysWoodworkingWood, woodworking toolsOnline and local marketplacesHigh 9Home DecorCraftingMason jars, canvas, ribbon, etc.Etsy, online and local shopsMedium 10SculpturesSculptingClay, sculpting toolsOnlineMedium 11DollsDoll makingFabric, fiber, plasticOnline and local shopsMedium 12Hair AccessoriesCraftingVarious crafting suppliesOnlineLow to Medium 13ScarvesKnitting or CrochetingYarnOnline and local marketplacesLow to Medium 14PillowsSewingFabric, sewing suppliesOnline and local marketplacesMedium 15HatsKnitting or fabric craftingYarn, fabricOnline and local marketplacesMedium 16FurnitureUpholstery or woodworkingFabric, wood, toolsOnline and local marketplacesHigh 17BlanketsQuilting, knitting, sewing, crochetingFabric, yarn, quilting materialsOnline and local marketplacesMedium 18CandlesCandle makingWax, wicks, fragrance oilsOnline and local marketplacesMedium 19PinsCraftingMaterials for pinsOnline and local craft fairsLow to Medium 20RugsWeavingRug materialsOnlineMedium When you’re ready to turn your hobby into a thriving small business, you just need a craft idea and supplies to sell handmade products online or at local craft fairs. Check out the following handmade things you can sell for profit: Handmade Jewelry You can easily create your own handmade jewelry by simply stringing beads onto wire to design bracelets or necklaces. Additionally, jewelry makers can purchase affordable components to craft earrings, pendants, lockets, and other accessories to sell locally or in an online marketplace. Soap With the right materials, you can craft your own handmade soaps and bath bombs to sell at craft fairs or in an online store. You can even add selected scents and essential oils to both bar soaps, liquid soaps and bath bombs to add a competitive edge to your creations. T-shirts You can make and sell a variety of handmade clothing to start your own small business. In fact, a T-shirt business is a popular way to make a profit at online marketplaces and local events. You can create designs on a computer and print them onto shirts or transfers. You also can design your own custom T-shirt designs with a variety of fabric decorating supplies. Subscription Boxes You can sell curated gifts and subscription boxes that you create at your home or office. Choose a popular product niche like candles, candy or cosmetics, then fill a box with both purchased and homemade crafts for your subscribers each month. READ MORE: The 100 Best Things to Make and Sell from Home Pet Products Pet products are in high demand and make a viable business opportunity for those seeking profitable crafts. Whether you make and sell pet toys, pet treats, or pet clothing, pet owners will be interested in your products, whether sold locally or in an online marketplace. Wall Art If you love to paint, you can place your designs onto canvas and sell the wall art online or at local galleries or craft fairs. You can even transform your handmade crafts into printed copies and sell prints to earn even more extra money from a single design. Tote Bags Tote bags, diaper bags, and other homemade items made for carrying personal goods come in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy a large and diverse market. Entrepreneurs who are skilled with a sewing machine can start a small business by making unique handmade bags and selling them online or in a local shop. Wooden Toys Skilled woodworkers can use their tools and create unique toys for children. Whether you’re crafting wooden blocks, wooden cars, dollhouses or even rocking horses, you can find demand from parents seeking gifts and turn a profit by selling handmade toys from wood. Home Decor Crafty and creative entrepreneurs can launch a small business by designing handmade home decor using supplies such as mason jars, canvas, ribbons, napkins, and other materials. The possibilities for crafting home decor are limited only by your imagination, making it an excellent choice for handmade items to sell in an Etsy shop. Sculptures Another form of fine art that small business owners can create and sell online is sculpture. While a sculpture may seem like just another handmade craft, it requires a significant amount of skill to produce products for an online business. Fortunately, there are numerous online DIY tutorials available for those eager to learn. More Handmade Items to Sell Online or Locally Are you seeking more inspiration for starting an online business focused on selling homemade crafts? Whether you plan to offer premium handmade furniture or affordable digital products, there are numerous ideas for handmade items to sell, both online and in your local community, including: Dolls All varieties of dolls make great gifts, keepsakes, and collectible items, so it’s no wonder they are also an effective outlet to start a small business. You can make dolls from fabric, fiber, plastic, or all sorts of other materials and place them on sale anywhere, selling craft items, toys, or collectibles. Hair Accessories Handmade accessories for hair are a simple craft that can be a profitable online business venture. If you don’t know how to make these profitable crafts, you can study online tutorials and learn to make hair accessories to sell, then decorate them in an original and creative way. Scarves Scarves are incredibly popular handmade accessories, and crafty entrepreneurs can create them by either knitting or crocheting yarn. Creative crafters even can try making scarves by combining decorative fabric, embroidering their creations or decorating them with unique and original designs. Pillows With some basic sewing skills, you can stitch together fabric and create all sorts of decorative pillows to sell. A popular handmade item for consumers to buy, pillows and pillow covers can be made in all shapes and sizes and practically any material. They also can be turned into original creations by painting or decorating them. Hats Don’t stop selling handmade scarves. You can increase your profits by also making beautifully crafted hats to coordinate with them. You can knit or crochet hats, or you can craft them from fabric or other materials. Then, put them for sale at a local shop or online marketplace Furniture Are you skilled with upholstery or woodworking? You can build furniture items and sell them online or locally. You’ll need tools and equipment, but you can sell your handmade furniture for a significant profit, provided you account for the increased cost of shipping. Blankets People love handmade blankets, and they can be crafted with a variety of techniques, including quilting, knitting, sewing, crocheting and more. Blanket sellers even can offer personalized blankets, decorated with custom names, dates and other details. Candles Much like they can with handmade soaps, crafters can create a variety of creative and unique candle products by adding signature fragrance combinations. Entrepreneurs selling candles can also use interesting and unique jars and molds to craft in-demand products that sell. Pins Creative entrepreneurs can make handmade pins in a plethora of styles and designs to sell online or at local craft fairs. Whether you are making buttons with unique graphics or enamel pins with intricate designs, you’re sure to find a market for unique handmade pins. Rugs Handcrafting full-sized rugs might require a long and complicated process, but you still can make and sell handmade rugs if you specialize in smaller rugs and mats made with similar weaving techniques. Even smaller-sized rugs will appeal to online buyers seeking to add small yet unique touches to their home decor. What Handmade Items Sell the Best? What handmade items sell the best? Whether you’re attending a local craft fair or you plan to sell crafts online, you want to choose an item that sells and generates a profit. When deciding which handmade items to make and sell, it’s really important to consider what’s currently in demand. The popularity of handmade items can depend on a variety of factors, including current trends, seasonality, and market demographics. While certain items consistently perform well, the key to success is providing a unique twist on a product that makes it stand out in the marketplace. Here are some of the most profitable and best-selling handmade items: Handmade Beaded Jewelry and Enamel Pins: Jewelry remains a cornerstone of the handmade market because of its versatility and broad customer appeal. Beaded jewelry, in particular, is not only cost-effective to produce but also offers ample opportunities for creative expression. Similarly, enamel pins have gained popularity for their uniqueness and collectible nature. By offering a range of designs and styles, you can meet the diverse tastes of your customers. Vinyl Wall Art: Vinyl wall art is another top-selling product. These items appeal to customers looking to personalize their homes or offices. From inspirational quotes to graphic designs, the possibilities are endless. As long as your designs resonate with your audience, vinyl wall art can be a profitable venture. Candles: Handmade candles, especially those with unique fragrances and attractive packaging, are in high demand. Consumers appreciate the ambiance, scent, and aesthetics of a well-made candle. Scented candles also make excellent gifts for a variety of occasions, further boosting their sales potential. DIY Bath Bombs: Bath products, such as DIY bath bombs, have seen a rise in popularity, partly due to the self-care trend. Bath bombs are fun to make and use, plus they can be customized with various scents, colors, and ingredients to cater to different preferences. Offering a range of bath bombs that cater to different skin types or moods can help broaden your customer base. However, remember that the “best” items to sell depend largely on your own skills, interests, and preferences of your target audience. It’s also important to note that what sells well in one region or platform may not necessarily sell well in another. Continually researching market trends and getting feedback from customers can help you keep your product offerings fresh and appealing. Marketing Strategies for Handmade Crafts Successfully selling handmade items often hinges on effective marketing strategies that showcase the uniqueness and quality of your crafts. Here are essential marketing tactics to consider for your handmade business: Develop a Strong Brand Identity: Your brand should reflect the uniqueness of your handmade crafts. This includes a memorable business name, a distinctive logo, and a consistent aesthetic across your products and marketing materials. Your brand identity should resonate with your target audience and set you apart from competitors. Utilize Social Media: Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook are ideal for showcasing handmade items. Regularly post high-quality photos of your products, engage with your followers, and use relevant hashtags to increase your visibility. Consider collaborating with influencers or other crafters to expand your reach. Create an Engaging Online Store: Whether you use platforms like Etsy or have your own website, make sure your online store is visually appealing, user-friendly, and provides detailed information about your products. High-quality images, compelling product descriptions, and easy navigation are key. Participate in Local Markets and Craft Fairs: Physical presence in local markets and craft fairs can significantly boost your visibility. These events allow customers to see and feel your products firsthand and can help establish a loyal local customer base. Leverage Email Marketing: Collect email addresses from your customers and website visitors to build an email list. Send out regular newsletters with updates, new product launches, and exclusive offers to keep your audience engaged. Offer Customization Options: Personalization can be a unique selling point for handmade crafts. Offering customization options for your products can attract customers looking for unique, personalized items. Utilize Customer Reviews and Testimonials: Positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers can be powerful marketing tools. Showcase these on your website and social media to build trust and credibility with potential customers. Create a Blog or Vlog: Share your crafting process, the story behind your crafts, or DIY tips through a blog or vlog. This not only engages your audience but also helps in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), driving more traffic to your site. Run Online Advertisements: Consider using paid online advertising through Google Ads or social media platforms. Target your ads to reach your specific audience based on interests, demographics, and browsing behavior. Engage in Community and Networking Events: Join crafting communities online and offline. Networking with other crafters and participating in community events can open up opportunities for collaborations, joint ventures, and gaining valuable insights into the market. READ MORE: 25 Places to Sell Handmade Crafts Online What Is the Easiest Thing to Make and Sell? In the crafts business, some products certainly are easier to make than others. One of the easiest crafts to make and sell is handmade soap and candles. The unskilled craftsperson should not be discouraged, however, as plenty of online tutorials are available to learn almost any craft, and serious entrepreneurs even can sharpen their skills by attending a workshop at a local college. Conclusion The world of handmade crafts offers an exciting and lucrative opportunity for creative individuals to turn their passion into a profitable venture. Whether you’re a seasoned artisan or just starting out, there are compelling reasons to make and sell crafts and a wide range of handmade items that can generate significant income. Starting your own craft business provides a sense of independence that many crave. You become the master of your craft, making decisions about when, where, and how you create and sell your handmade products. This level of autonomy allows you to shape your business according to your vision and preferences. Monetization is another compelling reason to delve into the world of crafting. Your skills and creativity can be transformed into a source of income. What was once a hobby can become a profitable enterprise. Many successful crafters have turned their passion into a full-time career, earning a living doing what they love. The low-stress aspect of running a craft business is particularly appealing. Say goodbye to long commutes, demanding bosses, and office attire. With a craft business, you have the flexibility to work from the comfort of your own home, donning lounge clothes or pajamas if you wish. This flexibility is especially valuable for those seeking a work-life balance or juggling multiple responsibilities. Craft businesses can also provide an additional source of income. You don’t need to leave your day job to start your crafting journey. Beginning on a small scale and gradually expanding your business is a practical approach. Your craft business can offer that extra financial support, enabling you to follow your passion while still relying on your main source of income. Moreover, engaging in a craft business offers an opportunity for skill enhancement and growth. You can continuously refine your craft, learn new techniques, and even take online courses and workshops to expand your skill set. This process of self-improvement can be immensely satisfying, and it can lead to the creation of more intricate and valuable handmade products. In terms of profitability, the handmade crafts market is robust. The demand for unique, handcrafted items continues to grow as consumers seek products with a personal touch. Crafters can leverage this demand to create profitable businesses. However, success in this field requires more than just crafting skills; it involves strategic planning, marketing, and a keen understanding of market trends. The article also provides valuable insights into the top handmade things to sell for profit. From handmade jewelry and soap to T-shirts and subscription boxes, there’s a wide array of options to explore. These suggestions encompass a range of crafting skills and materials, catering to various interests and market segments. Handmade jewelry, for instance, allows for creativity with beads, precious metals, and unique designs. Crafting soap provides an opportunity to experiment with scents and essential oils, giving your products a competitive edge. T-shirt businesses leverage custom designs and fabric decorating techniques to create marketable items. Subscription boxes offer a curated selection of handmade and purchased crafts, providing customers with a delightful surprise each month. Pet products cater to the growing pet owner demographic, offering a wide range of opportunities, from toys to treats. Wall art allows painters to showcase their artistic talents, with prints expanding the reach of their work. Image: Envato Elements This article, "Handmade Items to Sell" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We had more ranking volatility with the Google Search results, this time we reported on it on Thursday. There are some rumors of a local update where Google would remove an organic listing when it shows in the local pack...View the full article

Geotargeting is one of the most powerful tools in a PPC advertiser’s arsenal. Whether you’re running ads for a local business, an international ecommerce brand, or a luxury travel destination, targeting the right locations can significantly impact performance. While most advertisers understand the basics (i.e., choosing countries, cities, or setting a radius), many aren’t fully leveraging the more advanced geotargeting capabilities available in Google Ads today. The ability to target based on intent, real-time conditions, competitor locations, and hyperlocal precision can give campaigns a serious competitive edge. This article explores the full spectrum of geotargeting tactics, from the basics to the more advanced strategies that can refine audience targeting, improve conversion rates, and increase return on ad spend (ROAS). Traditional geotargeting methods 1. Country and regional targeting The simplest form of geotargeting allows businesses to show ads to users based on country or regional selection. This works well for brands operating at scale but lacks precision for businesses that rely on local demand. Example A UK-based SaaS company may want to target the U.S. market but only focus on high-adoption regions like New York, California, and Texas rather than running ads across all 50 states. Limitations Treats all areas within a country as equal, even though demand and competition vary. Leads to wasted spend if not refined with bid adjustments. 2. City and postal code targeting Focusing on specific cities or postcodes allows businesses to reach local audiences more precisely. This benefits industries such as real estate, hospitality, and professional services. Example A law firm in London might target users searching for “divorce lawyer near me” but only within London postcodes, ensuring that leads are relevant and within their service area. Limitations Too restrictive if potential customers are willing to travel from outside the targeted area. Requires regular analysis to avoid missing valuable leads from nearby locations. 3. Radius (proximity) targeting Radius targeting allows advertisers to show ads to users within a defined distance from a specific location. This is useful for businesses that rely on foot traffic or serve customers in a limited geographic area. Example A premium car dealership in Manchester could set up a 10-mile radius targeting its showroom to reach high-intent buyers searching for “luxury cars for sale near me” or “BMW dealership Manchester.” By refining the radius, the dealership ensures ads reach potential customers likely to visit in person for a test drive. Limitations In competitive urban areas, limiting the radius too much may exclude potential customers willing to travel further for high-value purchases. In rural areas, expanding the radius may dilute relevance if the dealership’s offerings are not compelling enough to attract long-distance buyers. 4. Location-based bid adjustments Rather than outright including or excluding locations, advertisers can adjust bids based on how different regions perform in terms of conversions, revenue, or ROAS. Example A high-end jewelry brand finds that conversion rates are higher in Mayfair and Kensington than in other parts of London. To optimize budget efficiency, they increase bids by 25% in those areas while decreasing bids elsewhere. Limitations Requires continuous optimization to avoid over- or under-bidding in specific areas. Location performance changes over time due to seasonality and local market trends. Dig deeper: Location targeting in Google Ads: Balancing automation and control Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Advanced geotargeting tactics 5. Targeting based on location intent Google Ads allows advertisers to target users based on where they are and what they are searching for. This is useful for the travel, real estate, and luxury industries, where the decision-making process often happens before the user is physically in the target location. Example An international university in London may want to target prospective students not only in the UK but also in India, Nigeria, and China, where many students research study opportunities abroad. Instead of only showing ads to users physically in London, the university can serve ads to students in those countries who are searching for “best universities in the UK” or “London MBA programs.” How to implement In Google Ads Location Settings, choose Presence or interest rather than just those physically present. Source: Google Ads Help – Location Targeting 6. Competitor location targeting Targeting users near competitor locations can be an effective strategy for businesses in industries like retail, hospitality, and automotive sales. Example A luxury car dealership could target users who are physically at a competing dealership, serving them ads with offers for test drives, trade-in deals, or financing options. How to implement Identify competitor addresses. Set up custom radius targeting around those locations. Use ad copy highlighting unique selling points, such as better pricing or exclusive offers. 7. Weather-based geotargeting Dynamic weather-based targeting allows advertisers to trigger ads based on real-time weather conditions, which can significantly impact consumer behavior. Example A luxury beach resort in the Caribbean could increase bids for users in cold-weather cities like Toronto or Chicago when snowstorms are forecast, positioning the hotel as the perfect escape from winter. How to implement Use Google Ads Scripts or third-party weather APIs to adjust bids and trigger ad copy changes based on local weather conditions. 8. Hyperlocal targeting with geofencing Geofencing allows businesses to create ultra-precise boundaries where ads are triggered when users enter a specific area. This is commonly used for real-time engagement, such as promoting in-store offers or event-based advertising. Example A luxury department store in London could set up a geofence around Oxford Street, serving ads to users who are shopping nearby and offering exclusive in-store promotions. How to implement Use Google Ads radius targeting with mobile-preferred ads. Ensure ad creative is tailored for immediate action, such as in-store discounts or event promotions. 9. Local inventory ads for physical stores For retailers with brick-and-mortar locations, local inventory ads (LIAs) allow businesses to show whether a product is in stock at a nearby store, helping drive foot traffic. Example A high-end fashion retailer like Gucci could show ads displaying “This handbag is available at Harrods,” encouraging shoppers to visit the store rather than buy online. How to implement Enable local inventory ads in Google Merchant Center. Connect real-time inventory data to Google Ads. Source: Google local inventory ads guide Dig deeper: 10 advanced strategy ideas for Google Ads Get your ads in the right place at the right time Geotargeting has evolved beyond basic location selection. Today, you can fine-tune campaigns using location intent, competitor radius targeting, weather-based bidding, and real-time bid adjustments to improve efficiency and engagement. For brands looking to gain a competitive advantage through geotargeting, thinking beyond simple location settings and exploring dynamic, data-driven approaches is key. As Google continues to refine its location-based advertising tools, staying ahead of these trends will be critical for optimizing ad spend and driving higher-quality leads. View the full article

Google posted a new Google Ads update for Response search ads (RSAs) where up to two RSA headlines can serve in the space that previously only sitelinks were eligible for when Google's system predicted they would improve performance.View the full article

Ultraconservative opposition allege Tusk government planning to interfere in presidential electionView the full article

Prime minister’s note to ministers repudiates older views on globalisation and immigration View the full article

Google is testing a new box that highlights that you can book the hotel at the official site, the hotel's direct website. This does not look like a sponsored result, but just a way to highlight the official website of the hotel.View the full article

Microsoft has this new style for some of the Bing Search Copilot answers. They can show a card or box that has a tabbed carousel where you can swipe through different sections of an article to get different categories of answers for the topic.View the full article

Google will soon stop placing your Google Ads on parked domain names by default. Instead, you will need to opt in to showing your ads on these parked domains. View the full article

I was watching comedian and political commentator Bill Maher talk about Reverse Improvement (RI), and it struck me how profoundly relevant this idea is to the leadership challenges highlighted in this article and the themes we’ve explored in my upcoming book, TRANSCEND: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI. Reverse Improvement, as Maher describes it, occurs when technological progress unintentionally diminishes core human skills and values. Maher’s idea of RI isn’t just about clunky tech updates or frustrating software upgrades—it’s about a much larger, more insidious phenomenon: how technological “advancements” can subtly, and sometimes drastically, lead to the erosion of fundamental human skills and values. The concept of RI highlights a key dilemma facing leaders in the age of AI: When does technological progress stop being an improvement and start becoming a regression? As AI and automation handle tasks once dependent on human creativity, intuition, and problem-solving, we risk outsourcing not just labor but also our intellectual and emotional core. RI warns us of this subtle decay—a decline that happens not in obvious ways but slowly, through overreliance on tools meant to help us. As AI transforms the workplace, it’s easy to view automation as a form of progress. But if AI makes us less self-aware, less creative, and less empathetic, are we truly improving? Or are we succumbing to RI—replacing meaningful human effort with efficiency at the cost of long-term growth? This tension is exactly why mindful leadership, grounded in principles like self-awareness, right intention, and resilience, is more important than ever. AI, Reverse improvement, and the risks of dependency Not all technological upgrades lead to better outcomes. Many improvements, particularly in the context of AI, can unintentionally diminish the very skills that made us successful in the first place. A leader who once relied on keen observation and strategic thinking may, over time, rely on AI-generated insights without questioning their validity. An employee who once developed persuasive narratives may now rely on AI to draft content, losing the ability to connect ideas creatively. This erosion of skills is why leaders must maintain mindfulness in how they integrate AI into their workflows. Mindfulness, as taught by Eastern and Buddhist philosophy, emphasizes the importance of being present, aware, and intentional. Leaders who embody these qualities recognize when AI is genuinely enhancing their abilities versus when it’s causing stagnation. Reverse Improvement occurs when leaders fail to pause and evaluate whether technological progress aligns with long-term human development. AI may offer convenience, but convenience can come at the cost of resilience, problem-solving, and self-reflection—skills critical to effective leadership. Recognizing when AI helps vs. when it hurts We don’t lose skills all at once—we lose them gradually, as dependency on AI subtly erodes our mental muscles. Self-awareness, a core tenet of mindfulness, helps leaders recognize when this erosion is happening. Self-aware leaders evaluate whether they are engaging with AI as a tool or relying on it as a crutch. For example, a marketing leader who once crafted compelling campaigns may now rely on AI-driven algorithms to optimize strategies. Without self-awareness, they may stop developing their storytelling abilities, assuming the AI will always “know best.” But self-aware leaders pause, reflect, and ask: “Am I still growing, or am I letting AI take over my creative instincts?” Action Plan: Leaders should integrate mindfulness practices directly into their daily routines and team interactions. This can include short reflective meetings where leaders and teams pause to evaluate decisions and their alignment with long-term goals. Additionally, conducting regular assessments of AI’s role within workflows will ensure leaders remain in control, using AI to complement rather than override human judgment. By fostering an environment of ongoing reflection, leaders can continuously recalibrate their strategies to balance innovation with intentional decision-making. Leading with purpose, not automation for automation’s sake Purpose-driven leadership ensures that leaders consider the ethical, human, and long-term consequences of their decisions. RI occurs when leaders pursue technological upgrades without questioning their value beyond short-term productivity gains. AI should free up human potential for higher-order tasks, such as creative problem-solving and relationship-building. However, when AI is implemented without the right intention, it can lead to the opposite effect—de-skilling employees and fostering dependency. Leaders with the right intention ask: “How does this technology enhance, rather than replace, human growth?” Action Step: Leaders should develop a structured framework for evaluating new AI tools by integrating key criteria such as ethical considerations, employee impact, long-term strategic alignment, innovation potential, and risk management. This framework should assess the tool’s ability to foster creativity and innovation while identifying potential operational disruptions, ethical risks, and unintended consequences. To ensure comprehensive evaluation, governance protocols should be established to monitor compliance with organizational policies, data privacy standards, and ethical guidelines. In addition, diverse stakeholders across departments should be involved to assess both short-term efficiency gains and long-term human development outcomes. By embedding periodic reviews of AI’s effectiveness, leaders can balance technological progress with sustainable, human-centered growth while mitigating risks and driving continuous innovation. Building human strengths alongside technological progress Resilience in leadership means embracing change without losing core strengths. Technological progress can undermine resilience when we allow machines to do the hard work that builds character and cognitive stamina. Leaders who embrace resilience understand that problem-solving, creativity, and emotional intelligence are developed through struggle, effort, and reflection—not instant solutions. AI can certainly assist with repetitive tasks, but leaders must ensure that the hard, growth-oriented work of leadership remains intact. For example, instead of relying solely on AI to analyze market trends, resilient leaders involve their teams in brainstorming sessions to sharpen their strategic thinking. Action Step: Leaders can prioritize activities that involve manual problem-solving, creative brainstorming, and team collaboration. These exercises help maintain and strengthen cognitive and strategic thinking abilities, preventing skill atrophy in a tech-driven world. Resilience also requires leaders to create a culture that values learning through experience. Rather than shielding teams from challenges by automating solutions, resilient leaders encourage problem-solving, risk-taking, and adaptive learning. By facing difficulties head-on, teams can strengthen their critical thinking and innovation skills. Balancing AI and humanity: Avoiding RI through the middle way Buddhist philosophy’s middle way teaches us to avoid extremes and seek balance. In the context of AI and RI, this means integrating technology thoughtfully, ensuring that it complements human effort rather than replacing it. The key to leadership in a tech-driven world is not to reject AI, but to integrate it in ways that amplify human strengths while preserving creativity, empathy, and resilience. Leaders who follow the Middle Way avoid the extremes of either over-relying on AI or rejecting its benefits entirely. They understand that technology can enhance human potential, but only when used with mindful intention and purpose. From reverse improvement to mindful progress Technological progress sometimes can be deceptive. What appears to be an upgrade may, in fact, be a step backward if it causes us to detach from our core human capacities. True progress isn’t measured by how much we automate or accelerate—it’s measured by how much we grow, both individually and collectively. Mindful leaders will recognize that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity and judgment. We must remain devoted to creating a future where technological innovation drives genuine improvement—not just in productivity but in the development of resilient, purposeful, and empathetic individuals. View the full article

Last week, Shameem Adhikarath spotted a sponsored label on top of the "People also consider" box within the Google Search results. I figured it was a bug with ads not loading but then Shay Harel spotted the same thing a week later. Is this another bug or is this a new ad unit?View the full article

Disability rights could be under threat. People with disabilities are protected from discrimination and given equal access to education, healthcare, employment, and public services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. However, Republican attorneys general in 17 states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia) have sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), asking courts to declare Section 504 unconstitutional. Last May, HHS required that 504 services be provided to people experiencing gender dysphoria. The lawsuit argues that gender dysphoria doesn’t fall under the definition of who should get 504 services. However, it then goes on to ask that 504 be eliminated entirely. “Because Section 504 is coercive, untethered to the federal interest in disability, and unfairly retroactive, the Rehabilitation Act is not constitutional,” the lawsuit argues. What will happen if 504 is eliminated? If 504 is rolled back, it would be up to individual states to decide how much they want to protect people with disabilities from discrimination, as well as which services—if any—they want to provide. This includes services like 504 plans, in which schools lay out the individual accommodations that students with disabilities will receive (for example, extra time on tests or braille notes) so these students can participate in class. Currently, 8.5 million students in public schools have 504 plans. The first round of legal briefs is due on February 25. How to support disability rights ADDitude magazine is encouraging people to contact their state representatives and senators and voice their support for 504. If you live in a state that’s suing to eliminate 504, you can also contact your attorney general and request that your state withdraw from the lawsuit. If you live in a state that’s not suing to eliminate 504, you can contact your attorney general and ask that your state submit a brief on the importance of 504 protections. View the full article

Investing in Google Shopping with only one of each product can be daunting. This post breaks down how to find success and scale. The post How To Drive Google Shopping Growth With Only One Of Each Product appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Yellowjackets is back with more chaos, more wilderness—and a main title that is grungier than ever. Ever since the first season premiered in 2021, the show’s opening credits have been one of the most frenetic on television. Blink and you’ll miss something. Set against the grungy song “No Return” by Craig Wedren and Anna Waronker, the title is meant to feel like an assault on the senses. It is 90 seconds long, and the longest frame lasts about a second. This makes for a tense intro, in which our brains are bombarded with flickering images faster than we can process them. And that’s precisely the point. “We want this to be glitched so much that if someone takes a still, they can’t really figure it out,” says Mason Nicoll, executive creative director of creative studio Digital Kitchen. Digital Kitchen, which has designed main titles for True Blood, Narcos, and Dexter, first dreamed up the concept for the Yellowjackets’ main title in 2021, when season one premiered. The show is set in the ’90s, and the team drew inspiration from ’90s skater videos, and drew from the jittery, low-fi aesthetic of the 1999 film The Blair Witch Project. The result was borderline chaotic, but the distressed look provided an additional benefit: it helped disguise key shots by distorting them beyond recognition. [Image: courtesy Digital Kitchen]The team has replicated this approach ever since. But with each season, they swap old frames for new ones that hint at what’s to come. Season one teased the show’s mysterious symbol, season two introduced eerie snowy landscapes and blood-soaked imagery. Season three now features dark caves, an upside-down image of a bleeding Jesus, and a lot of screaming faces. It’s also glitchier than ever. “We went to town,” says Nicoll, noting that the first cut was about 30% more hectic than the final version. Does this hint at even more madness to come? “It seems like it,” he says. “It does feel like every season just escalates and gets crazier.” Season 3 title sequence: No context, just vibes The truth is, Nicoll doesn’t know what will happen this season. Not exactly. Sometimes, main title designers get a full synopsis to help them sprinkle in clues. Other times, they only see the pilot and work with the showrunners to create the right tone. With Yellowjackets, Nicoll says he knew the most in season one—and the least in season three. This year, the showrunners sent the team a whopping 70 shots to work with, but Nicoll explains the shots were all out of context, so his team had to piece the story together and interpret it themselves. It goes without saying they have more insight than the average viewer, but when the shots arrive at random, some mystery remains inevitable. [Image: courtesy Digital Kitchen]Sometimes, the team gave away too much without even realizing it. That’s what happened when the team initially included a new shot of the Antler Queen from season three in the title sequence. If you remember, the identity of the Antler Queen was shrouded in mystery for the first two seasons. At first, we thought it was Lottie. Then—spoilers ahead—we learned it was actually Natalie. So, when Digital Kitchen added this new shot of the Antler Queen, the showrunners’ reaction, as Nicoll remembers it, was something along the lines of: “hell no!” The team quickly reworked the shot, glitching it so much that viewers could no longer tell who was under the antlers. The obscured frame now appears around the one-minute mark—and we are left to wonder: has the wilderness chosen a new Antler Queen? A ‘Blair Witch Project’ fever dreamAbout half of the shots in the main title come from the show, but the intro wouldn’t be the disquieting fever dream it is today without the other half. From the very beginning, Digital Kitchen leaned into The Blair Witch Project’s “found footage” aesthetic, making it seem like the images were filmed by the high school girls themselves. [Image: courtesy Digital Kitchen]To make this footage appear authentic, the team hired lookalike actors in L.A. and shot additional scenes with an old DV camcorder from the ’90s. In one scene, art director Rachel Brickel filmed the actors running into a parking lot while she was crouched inside a shopping cart that Nicoll was pushing. “I remember thinking ‘I see a speed bump in front of us,’ and I’m like ‘oh man this is going to hurt,'” she recalls with a laugh. It did hurt, but she got the shot. [Image: courtesy Digital Kitchen]To achieve the look of a worn-out VHS tape with a “corrupted” signal, Brickel’s team played the footage through a “really old” tube TV from the ’90s and ran it through special equipment to further remix and distort the picture. Then, they took that altered footage and glitched it even more on the computer. “We wanted to show the beauty of glitches,” she says. [Image: courtesy Digital Kitchen]The resulting aesthetic of the Yellowjackets season 3 title sequence may not be ideal for someone prone to migraines. I, for one, can’t watch it more than twice in a row without needing to rest my eyes. But for the average viewer who isn’t poring over every single frame, the intro isn’t meant to be fully absorbed in one sitting. It’s designed to reveal itself as the season unfolds—and to keep you away from that dreaded “skip” button. View the full article

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Branded is a weekly column devoted to the intersection of marketing, business, design, and culture. Not so long ago, Jeff Bezos seemed on the cusp of a triumphant second act. Handing off the CEO reins to his Amazon empire, he shifted attention to his rocket company, Blue Origin, with a mission to help humanity colonize the solar system; a couple of years ago, he even personally rode one its rockets into space. Meanwhile, he was treated as a hero for buying an ailing Washington Post, and under his ownership, the reenergized paper greeted the first Trump presidency with a dire but defiant new slogan: “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” Even in the rarified realm of tech centibillionaires, Bezos seemed pretty alpha. These days . . . not so much. In the past couple of weeks alone, Blue Origin announced it would lay off 10% of its workforce, and the Post attracted attention for declining to publish an ad critical of the second Trump presidency and the murky role of fellow (or rival) mega-billionaire Elon Musk. Whether Bezos had any direct role in the latter decision (the Post isn’t talking), it adds to a series of incidents that suggest an effort to stay on the administration’s good side. In other words, Bezos’s personal brand seems to have faded from hard-charging, fearless visionary to just another rich guy trying to stay relevant. To be sure, Jeff Bezos isn’t exactly in danger of losing his mega yacht. Amazon is still thriving—its share price hit a record high earlier this month, and its revenue just surpassed Walmart’s—albeit under its new CEO. But consider the contrast to Musk, whose portfolio also includes a rocket company (SpaceX) and a media platform (the former Twitter). Even before the new Trump administration took office with Musk practically riding shotgun, SpaceX had established itself as a fixture in America’s space program, and notched achievements like a space walk and the furthest-out orbital flight in 50 years. The Bezos brand, meanwhile, has bogged down. Blue Orbit’s layoffs of an estimated 1,000 employees—the company pointed to a workforce that had become bloated during a period of fast growth—followed a successful launch of its 320-foot New Glenn reusable rocket. But that launch was about five years later than originally planned, and the company is widely seen as lagging behind SpaceX (even though it is actually a couple of years older). It will surely remain in the hunt for NASA and Department of Defense contracts, but not in the lead. “We’re obviously huge fans,” Blue Origin’s CEO has said of the new Trump regime’s seemingly space-friendly agenda. Lots of tech leaders seem to be jockeying to be perceived as, if not already “huge fans,” then at least optimistic and noncritical players in whatever the Trump agenda turns out to be. But few have attracted more critical blowback for this apparent attitude shift than Jeff Bezos. Again, Musk is the most glaring contrast, having become a de facto-power player within the administration, a role he both amplifies and leverages with his X social media network. Bezos was just one tech titan—alongside Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, among others—attending Trump’s inauguration, donating to his inaugural fund, and joining the crowd of chief executives seeking to curry favor with, or at least escape the spite of, the president. But while many have been accused of shamelessly displaying fealty, Bezos has taken the most lumps. This traces back to his ownership of the Post and the surprising decision that the paper would not make a presidential endorsement, just as it was poised to endorse Kamala Harris—and shortly before Blue Origin’s CEO was to have a meeting with Trump. Bezos denied any quid pro quo, but critics saw the incident as kowtowing. Subsequent episodes—a cartoonist quitting the Post when one of her anti-Trump pieces was rejected, and now the paper’s decision to turn away ads from the nonpartisan advocacy group Common Cause’s calling for Musk’s ouster from his ill-defined government role—have only added to a sense of caution and vulnerability that feels like the opposite of vintage Bezos. As the Post itself has reported, it’s not just Blue Origin that will need smooth government relations. Amazon (where Bezos remains executive chairman) has major federal contracts for its cloud division, with billions more in Pentagon contracts up for grabs in the years ahead. And in the past, Trump hasn’t been shy about blaming “Jeff Bozo” for Post coverage he didn’t like, and other perceived slights. The main criticism of Peak Bezos was that he could be severely demanding and hypercompetitive. Given the president’s penchant for retribution, maybe the most competitive move Bezos still has is not antagonizing him. And for the moment, at least, that seems to be working. Trump certainly hasn’t had anything negative to say about Jeff Bezos lately. Maybe with this version of Bezos, he needn’t bother. View the full article

After years of working in PR and branding for luxury beauty, Jaimee Lupton decided to break away and disrupt the space by making beauty products that are accessible. With her business partner and real-life partner Nick Mowbray, she launched Monday haircare in 2020. Lupton saw a gap in the market for a brand that was targeted toward a younger demographic. There were few haircare brands that addressed the needs of younger customers, and even fewer who knew how to speak to those customers through their branding, messaging, and packaging. Lupton knew the power of a personalized message, and she created Monday with that in mind. The haircare company has received its fair share of accolades since it launched. Beauty outlet Glossy named Monday Haircare Brand of the Year for 2024, and the company has 21 other major beauty awards to its name, including from Allure, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and InStyle. It’s currently the number-one haircare brand globally on TikTok, according to statistics from the platform measured by the most liked and most followed haircare brands. The brand is on track to reach half-a-billion dollars of retail sales—no easy feat for five years of business. The success of Monday then set her up to self-fund other brands. It also put her on the radar of retailers, which began to ask Lupton to work with them to create new bespoke brands. She has since done so with retail partners including Target, Walmart, and Ulta. In the span of five years, Lupton founded five other beauty brands, with more currently in development, maker her a kind of big box Gen Z beauty whisperer in the process. [Photo: Monday] Lupton’s bespoke portfolio of accessible brands Lupton’s most recent brand launch is Daise, a range of playful, mood-matching fragrance and bodycare, which launched February 1 at Target. It’s a clear play for younger, emerging markets, Lupton says, referring to the specific spending potential of Gen Z. “They’re in control of $450 billion of spending power, and that’s set to increase by 48% before 2030, so they’re a huge demographic that we need to be able to target,” says Lupton, referring to a 2021 World Economic Forum statistic cited by Snapchat and November 2022 Gen Z report by Afterpay. She also notes, referring to a report by consumer insights platform aytm, that Gen-Alpha is now the fastest emerging group of beauty consumer. Daise is a way to tap into that purchasing power early, too. [Photo: Daise] It seems to be working. The brand had $1 million in retail sales in just one week, according to Daise sale statistics, and is forecasting over $50 million in retail sales in the first year. The company hit $400,000 of sales in the first four days of launch in Ulta. On February 1, Daise launched at Target. Lupton says that the number of sales are looking more impressive every day as the brand builds. Lupton described Daise’s creation as a way to build a fun self-care brand where beauty could meet play, and isn’t taken too seriously. This manifests in the fragrance’s many form factors, like spritz, mists, and foams, all with youthful appeal. The visual brand is all very Gen Z-oriented, utilizing many of the visual tools of brands targeting similar demographics. It includes bright, sunny colors, like yellow and light purple, with a sans serif all caps type, and bold gradients with combinations such as pink and orange or blue and green that seem to speak to a younger generation. Its form factors also stand out on the shelf. The body foam, which comes in a uniquely styled body whip, is one example. Daise is one of the first brands to do this at Target and Ulta, creating a product range that is unique to consumers, especially for younger consumers. (Suncare brand Vacation is perhaps most known for popularizing this novel form factor, with its whipped sunscreen that comes in a spray can.) The body mist, bath bombs, and lip balm come in the shape of a flower, with designs including sprinkles or daisies. [Photo: Being] Prior to Daise, Lupton launched Being Haircare in July of 2024 with Walmart, after the mega-retailer asked Lupton to create a haircare brand that was in one aisle and on one shelf, and that could target everyone across demographics and for every hair type. The brand has vivid, color-on-color packaging that carries through to its website, type, photography, and styling. Being was the number-one brand for the retailer in the haircare space in the first three months of its launch. Similarly to Daise, Lupton harnessed Instagram and TikTok marketing as they launched in store aisle endcaps. “It’s all around being you,” says Lupton. “And it’s not a segregation of brands. We’re a unisex brand, and the products are shopping arranged for each hair type,” noting it will expand into masks and treatments. [Photo: Being] Lupton has a few other brands in her portfolio. There’s Châlon, which according to its website, she made with a leading Parisian perfumer to create scents that convey elegance and tradition but “fit into modern life.” Then there’s Osāna Naturals, which is described on its website as a skin- and haircare range “crafted with care to nourish both body and mind.” Both ranges are free from sulfates, phthalates, and parabens, and are certified cruelty-free, dermatologically tested, and suitable for all skin types. While the brands may target different sectors, the mission across her portfolio of brands stays the same: providing accessible beauty for everyone. Digital-first with a major retail footprint Lupton’s “North Star” is to be a modern day L’Oreal: creating accessible brands that modern consumers want. To do so, Lupton has taken a two-prong approach: the brands have an in-house digital team, but they are also partnering with big retailers. With this strategy, she taps into a beauty business model that has proven success: launching a digital-first brand with a brick-and-mortar retail footprint. “I would say we’re 90% digital in terms of our marketing spend, and we create really unique ways in which we speak to [consumers] on digital platforms,” Lupton says, citing the brand’s “creator studios,” influencers its consumers “naturally migrate toward,” and UGC content which together creates a multiplatform digital brand destination. Though Lupton markets her brands as a direct-to-consumer, the digital-first marketing approach is complimented by physical presence in stores like Target, which she views as tween destinations. She explained that the goal is to make the products accessible in terms of price point and purchasability—being able to go to a store and grab a product off the shelf. Retail partners are a big part of how far they have been able to go. Lupton plans on continuing to grow her brands and expand her portfolio into a bigger range, including treatments and styling. There is a lot in the pipeline for Lupton. She has about 22 brands in development, and intends to roll out all of them in the next three years. View the full article

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has updated its website, and in theory, it’s a model of government transparency. The site lists savings the department claims to have made from cuts, along with bar charts and tables that purport to show the department’s work and the size and scope of the federal government. But there’s a big problem: You can’t trust the numbers. The website’s homepage is a feed of DOGE’s X posts, and there are pages that claim to show savings, list government spending, and number the size of the executive branch workforce, its total wages, and federal regulations. When the site was updated this week with new data, DOGE initially showed what it claimed was more than $16 billion saved from spending cuts. But the biggest line item in the department’s so-called wall of receipts incorrectly stated an $8 million contract canceled for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was for $8 billion. That error alone cuts the savings DOGE claims to have achieved roughly in half. Screenshots of various infographics on the doge.gov site, taken February 20, 2025 [Images: Doge.gov] Elon Musk, who President Donald Trump tapped to lead DOGE’s efforts, attempted to inoculate himself from errors while speaking last week in the Oval Office, acknowledging, “We will make mistakes, but we’ll act quickly to correct any mistakes.” Still, the site doesn’t make it easy to fact-check DOGE’s work. Though its “wall of receipts” co-opts the design of a spreadsheet and includes links to Federal Procurement Data System receipts, it isn’t sortable by column, and it front-loads cuts that are red meat to Trump’s base, like media subscriptions for Politico Pro and Bloomberg Terminal that government officials used to stay informed about their jobs. An NPR review of the more than 1,100 contracts DOGE initially listed found just $2 billion in savings from contracts that it could confirm were canceled, a number that grew to $6.5 billion in savings when accounting for contracts that hadn’t yet been canceled as of Wednesday but that DOGE included in its total nonetheless. NPR and current and former federal contracting officers it spoke to found other examples where DOGE data may be inaccurate, like line items that claim to be for a contract’s maximum-though-not-necessarily-actual value or that don’t take into account contracts that have been partially spent already. In the grand multitrillion scheme of government spending, $2 billion is actually quite minuscule. In fact, SpaceX, just one of Musk’s businesses, has contracts with the Defense Department worth roughly $22 billion. The DOGE website’s data visualization includes bar charts with a hover effect, so bars change colors when users move their mouse over data like federal employee salary or years of tenure, and tables for spending list columns like “agency,” “description,” and “value.” Visually, the effect is one of authority and accuracy. Beyond the flash, however, is a site that claims to show citizens what DOGE is doing but does more to obscure the facts and overwhelm with details than it does to inform. It’s a shrewd political play that creates the perception of methodology and empirical fact, but is really just data visualization as propaganda. View the full article

Learn the basics of SEO—from keyword research to technical SEO—to rank higher in search results. View the full article