ResidentialBusiness

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Posted a status update on what we're seeing from the Google March 2025 core update...View the full article

In 2025, all signs point to SEO moving beyond a fixation on the Google search box and toward multi-modal search. As search behavior becomes increasingly fragmented across platforms – LLM search, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, and more – relying solely on Google will limit your organic growth. What’s more important than ever is building your brand organically across platforms, technologies, and interactions. Your brand is the connective tissue that ties everything together, whether users are searching for products, services, or simply information. While optimizing for non-brand keywords remains valuable, it shouldn’t be at the expense of a broader brand-building strategy. This article covers: How to shift your priorities to expand brand visibility and awareness. Key brand-focused KPIs to track your progress. How to collaborate with paid teams to strengthen your brand presence. How to shift your priorities to address organic brand building Get busy with PR If you’ve been investing in PR consistently for your business, excellent. PR has always been valuable for brand building and brand integrity, but it’s more valuable than it has been in a long time. A couple of years ago, we valued PR for its ability to get backlinks and high-quality placements that we could distribute on other channels. Today, PR helps establish your brand as an authority. Whether you’re running a DIY digital PR effort or working with an agency, securing mentions in credible publications sends strong signals to both Google and LLMs. If you haven’t been investing in PR, it’s time to lean into it. Make sure your expectations for PR are clear and reasonable. It’s a great play for influence and awareness, but it’s unlikely to be a major source of direct leads unless you score a big win on the right topic. Empower your brand’s voice(s) Getting your CEO out and speaking or writing about big topics is good. Deploying several key members of your team? Even better. A matrix of sources that covers both strategic and tactical levels of discussion on key topics is a great starting point. From there, identify forums and outlets where those discussions are (or should be) happening, and start contributing – or begin the digital PR approach that will open doors for you to contribute. Build a repository of proprietary content Whether it’s LLMs or trade journalists, everyone loves proprietary data and research. Brainstorm topics you can own with a differentiated point of view, and set aside resources to collect information unique to your brand. Let’s say you’re in telehealth. Researching average waiting room stays by state or the intervals between referrals and actual specialist appointments can generate valuable insights. These topics would be catnip for your key platforms Keep a close eye on your structured data Structured data is a key factor in Google search efforts, but it’s also valuable in connecting your brand to the larger set of industry data. The more cleanly structured your data, the easier it is for Google and LLMs to ingest, and the more frequently your brand will be surfaced when that data is relevant to a query. Beef up your owned and partner media The more ways you can use your website (and leverage your partners) to associate your brand name with your key topics, the more material you’ll provide to discovery platforms. Here are some recommendations I frequently deliver to clients: Create detailed case studies that name the brand in the context of industry success stories. Use consistent phrasing (“{brand} {adjective} {keyword}”) to solidify LLM associations. Have external sites and partner companies mention the brand in content that also discusses competitors. Use FAQ pages that answer “Which {brands} use {technique} to provide {solutions}?” with direct brand mentions. Dig deeper: Branded search and SEO: What you need to know Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. KPIs to help you track your brand-building progress Along with standard SEO KPIs (i.e., rankings, impressions, clicks, and CTR), below are a few brand-centric metrics to focus on: Visibility in LLM search models: I calculate this simply: the number of mentions divided by the number of questions you feed into the models. Because AI content can be more volatile than traditional search rankings, it’s important to analyze this regularly and track progress over time. Brand search volume over time. Brand search traffic over time. Brand mentions on sites your audience frequents, whether that’s Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, etc. Dig deeper: How to segment traffic from LLMs in GA4 How to work with your paid search colleagues to build the brand While direct-response campaigns aren’t likely to do much for SEO brand-building, top-of-funnel campaigns – such as YouTube ads or LinkedIn thought leader ads – can have key organic benefits. Are those PPC activities, for instance, correlating with an increase in brand search volume? Suppose you’re advertising on more educational or informative non-brand keywords on Google. Are you inserting your brand’s name into the conversation around that topic so that people reference your brand more on other channels? Paid search’s power to influence people – not just to purchase, but to associate your brand with key topics – makes it a great partner in organic brand-building. Any communication you can foster to establish ties between paid search influence and organic brand strength will benefit both efforts. Dig deeper: How to maximize PPC and SEO data with co-optimization audits Wrapping up As you’ve probably already worked out, following these recommendations will also strengthen your Google performance. In particular, they will boost your chances of citations in AI Overviews and create more opportunities for your brand to rank high in search results. For example, by having top Reddit content pulled onto the SERP for relevant queries. The key is to take a more expansive view of SEO and intentionally position your brand as the authority on your preferred topics. It might not sound dramatic, but this approach will pull you out of keyword rabbit holes and put you in a stronger position to develop your brand across the greater organic landscape. Dig deeper: SEO beyond Google: Building your brand on Reddit, Quora, TikTok and more View the full article

Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

In what could be one of the most high-profile fintech public offerings this year, Swedish Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) giant Klarna has filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to an initial proposed public offering. Here’s what you need to know about Klarna’s IPO. What’s happened? On March 14, Klarna Group plc announced that it had filed paperwork with the SEC “relating to a proposed initial public offering of its ordinary shares.” The paperwork is known as a “registration statement” on Form F-1 and is the latest sign that Klarna’s IPO is coming sooner rather than later. It includes a preliminary prospectus that offers a detailed look into the company’s financial performance and potential risk factors. What is Klarna? Klarna is a fintech company based in Sweden. Though it has its fingers in several aspects of fintech, the company is best known for its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services. BNPL allows consumers to purchase an item today but pay for it in installments—usually four spread over a number of months. Klarna says it has approximately 93 million active users and counts 675,000 merchants as partners across 26 countries as of 2024. The company says that in that same year, it helped facilitate $105 billion of gross merchandise volume. Klarna was originally founded as “Kreditor” in 2005, making the company 20 years old this year. Kreditor changed its name to Klarna in 2010. Interestingly, in its F-1 filing with the SEC, Klarna revealed it had remained a profitable company for the first 14 years of its existence. But then, it decided to expand into the U.S. in 2019. “In 2019, we strategically decided to expand our successful operating model into additional geographies, with a particular focus on the United States, and in the following three years expanded into 12 additional markets,” the company wrote. “While our expansion in the United States has contributed to an increase in our GMV, it has also led to net losses in recent periods. In 2023, our operating loss started to decline and we began generating positive Transaction margin dollars in the United States, while continuing to grow our GMV and the number of active Klarna consumers and merchants worldwide.” When is Klarna’s IPO date? Klarna has not set an IPO date yet. There are still several steps it needs to go through before it can hold its actual IPO. The company had previously filed IPO paperwork confidentially with the SEC in November. What is Klarna’s stock ticker? That is one of the few firm details we do know about Klarna’s future IPO. Klarna stock will trade under the ticker “KLAR.” What stock exchange will Klarna trade on? Klarna intends to trade its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). How much will Klarna seek to raise in its IPO? Klarna Hasn’t officially announced that yet. However, Bloomberg reports that the Swedish company is seeking to raise “at least” $1 billion USD. What is Klarna’s valuation? If the company raises around $1 billion in its IPO, Bloomberg says the company’s valuation could be more than $15 billion. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As you embark on this year's spring cleaning, take it seriously. Upgrade your supplies and tools so you can do the best possible job. Some of the tools I've featured here save you time, some of these get your stuff even cleaner, and some of them will save you money by reducing the single-use products you rely on. When it's time for spring cleaning, these are a good jumping-off point to get your home in order and keep it in order. Upgraded cleaning tools for the kitchen O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop, Bucket Floor Cleaning System $34.96 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Learn More Learn More $34.96 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg JOYMOOP Mop and Bucket with Wringer $39.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $39.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Swiffer WetJet starter kit $24.94 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $28.99 Save $4.05 Shop Now Shop Now $24.94 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $28.99 Save $4.05 Yicotira reusable microfiber mop pads $9.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $9.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Helio Air Broom three-piece kit $34.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $39.99 Save $5.00 Shop Now Shop Now $34.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $39.99 Save $5.00 Bissell CrossWave OmniForce $368.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $368.99 at Amazon SEE 3 MORE Around your kitchen, it might be time to replace the tools that will help you clean everything from the floor to the countertops. In this room, everything gets dirty way faster than you expect it, so it's important to have the tools to help you keep the mess at bay. Regular old brooms and mops are fine, but a little upgrade can make a big difference as you're following my room-by-room cleaning checklist. It’s time to invest in a mop bucket with a wringing attachment, but as it turns out, it’s not a huge investment at all: The O-Cedar set is reasonably priced (and includes a cloth mop and refill head, too). You can also use the wringer on washcloths before you clean with them so you’re not getting your granite or hardwood too wet. Or check out this mop option that combines old-school techniques with a modern, eco-friendly approach: The Joymoop mop and bucket set features a flat head similar to the Swiffer, but you put reusable fabric pads on it and wring them out in the accompanying bucket. The bucket has a wet and dry chamber so you can squeeze dirty water out away from the clean stuff. While you're at it, upgrade your Swiffer, too. I recommend the WetJet over the PowerMop, but take your time considering the two options, both of which include built-in bottles of spray solution that make mopping absurdly easy. If you're using a Swiffer, this is the perfect time to invest in some reusable Swiffer pads so you have something dependable for spring cleaning and are set up all year. There are a few third-party options on the market, but your best bet is this set of four microfiber mop heads with an elastic band that helps them stay snug around the head of the device. Another superior broom swap is the silicone sweeper set from Helio Air. You get a long-handled and handheld broom, but instead of bristles, these have silicone wipers similar to squeegees, making it easy to sweep up everything from debris to liquid. If you really want to upgrade your cleaning—not only in the kitchen, but everywhere in your home—I can't say enough good things about the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce, a multi-surface wet/dry vacuum that has revolutionized how I clean my floors. You can use it just as a powerful vacuum or with the mop function, which also still features suction, and with its decently long-lasting charge of half an hour or so, it speeds up the process of managing carpets, rugs, and hardwood tremendously. I always get all my surfaces done in well under the 30 minutes. Upgraded cleaning tools for the living room Handheld blinds cleaner $10.35 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $12.90 Save $2.55 Shop Now Shop Now $10.35 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $12.90 Save $2.55 Chom Chom pet hair remover $24.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $3.00 Shop Now Shop Now $24.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $27.99 Save $3.00 OKP K5 Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop $129.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $50.00 Shop Now Shop Now $129.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $50.00 SEE 0 MORE The living room presents its own set of cleaning challenges, ones that require all kinds of cleaning tools and techniques to keep it looking presentable. Your spring cleaning here is going to involve a lot of vacuuming, dusting, and refreshing of upholstery, which is all pretty basic, but to kick it up a notch, try these: Pick up a blinds cleaner to easily clean between individual blinds on your window. You can also use tongs with microfiber cloths rubberbanded around the sides, but isn’t having a specific device a little more elegant? Upgrade your lint roller to the Chom Chom roller, which captures hair and lint in an internal chamber, making it easy to clean out like a vacuum. It never needs refills and can be used over and over again. This is also where I'm going to make yet another vacuum suggestion: If you don't have a robot vacuum, get one now in honor of spring cleaning. You have a lot of options here that run across a spectrum of prices well into $1,000+ territory, but I've had an OKP robot vacuum for two years and love it. The brand usually charges between $125 and $150 for its devices, they connect to your phone with an app, and they work just right. I let mine roam around while I clean other things and it makes life a lot simpler by capturing dirt and dust and minimizing the effort I need to use when I pull out my Bissell. Upgraded cleaning tools for the bathroom Groove gap cleaning tool $4.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $4.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Leebein electric spin scrubber $39.98 at Amazon $59.99 Save $20.01 Shop Now Shop Now $39.98 at Amazon $59.99 Save $20.01 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 Shop Now Shop Now $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 Pine-Sol 2x concentrated formula $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Shop Now Shop Now $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Fabuloso 2x concentrated cleaner $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 Shop Now Shop Now $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 SEE 2 MORE Bathrooms are the dirtiest rooms in the home, so they require the most work to clean. You have plenty of tools for the task, but some could probably use a little update. Stop using an old toothbrush to scrub nooks and crannies when you could be using a special gap-cleaning brush, like this one from Rienar. Unlike the poor old toothbrush that’s become your go-to scrubber, the handle on this is actually designed for you to scrub things, plus the bristles are really long, so you can get into cracks more easily. Upgrade how you clean the shower altogether with a cordless spin scrubber that revolves 500 times per minute and features a long pole that will stop you from ever needing to crouch down and try to scrub the inside of your shower again. It has brush heads to clean everything from tile to windows. Leave streaky glass cleaner behind with the cordless window vacuum from Sharper Image. You fill it with water, spray that water onto your glass, then suck it into a separate reservoir for dirty water. It comes with a removable, washable filter and an extension handle for larger surfaces. Since upgrading my regular old melamine sponge to the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy, I've been consistently impressed with how much faster and more efficiently I can scrub. I use it to remove sticky adhesive, tub rings, and basically any mess I come across. Obviously, it's ideal for the bathroom, but works well in kitchen situations, too, so it's a lucky thing you get five in a pack. Finally, consider some double-concentrated cleaner. I love my 2x-concentrated Pine Sol and Fabuloso because they reduce the effort I need to use when I'm scrubbing. I've tested them out on all kinds of grime, comparing them to the standard versions (which don't actually cost significantly less!) and can say with confidence they really do bust through messes quicker. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In addition to checklists, tips, and tricks that can elevate your tidying game this spring, you're going to need products. It's a good idea to stock up so that once you get going, you know you won't have to take any breaks to gather missing reinforcements. The products can help you do more than clean, though—they can even make cleaning easier and more fun, which is good news for those of us who don't love cleaning up. If you’re like me and find cleaning more monotonous than fulfilling, why not use some tools that can make the endeavor easier? Spring cleaning tools for the kitchen OKP Robot Vacuum $119.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $149.99 Save $30.00 Shop Now Shop Now $119.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $149.99 Save $30.00 Bissell CrossWave OmniForce $368.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $368.99 at Amazon TOPIST Angry Mama microwave cleaner $8.89 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $8.89 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg EyeVac Home touchless vacuum $149.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $149.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Broombi silicone broom $34.95 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $34.95 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 2 MORE Cleaning the kitchen can be more daunting than other spots around the house because not doing it well it can have real effects on your health. That doesn’t mean, however, that it has to be a slog. There are some creative tools out there that can help you whip your kitchen into shape in no time. Kick off the entire spring cleaning season by upgrading your vacuum, which will come in handy around the kitchen, yes, but the whole house, too. I have two suggestions: First, you can't go wrong with a robot vacuum, which can end up doing a huge chunk of the floor-cleaning work for you while you focus on other things. I have one from OKP that works just fine, but you also have the option to really level up with automatic devices that can both vacuum and mop, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. That leads me to your second option, which costs significantly less than the $1,700 you'd spend on the above. The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce is a dual vacuum/mop that, yes, you have to operate yourself, but it will clean the hell out of your floor. This is what I use when I'm cleaning my own home and since I started being able to mop and vacuum at the same time, I'll never go back to the old way. Devices like this might cost more than your standard broom or Swiffer, but they're innovative, easy to use, and more effective, too—which is what you need for spring cleaning. For more innovation, ease of use, and efficiency in your kitchen, consider these other tools and gadgets: The Topist Angry Mama microwave cleaner is a fun device that steams your microwave for you. Just fill it with vinegar and water and nuke it for seven minutes to let it do the dirty work on your behalf. It's shaped like an angry lady, which is whimsical, and handles the job of getting stuck-on gunk un-stuck while you work on something else. The EyeVac Home touchless stationary vacuum is like a dust pan, but way cooler. You sweep all your crumbs, dirt, debris, and junk over to the suction device and it sucks it up with 1,000 watts of power. Check out this video for a review and to see it in action. Keep in mind that you do need to clean the filters pretty regularly. An investment like this can be helpful in a garage or storage space, too, making it an all-around spring cleaning win. To use the above, you’ll need a good broom, but you should get a cool, multifunction one, like the TikTok-famous, fan-favorite Broombi, a long-handled squeegee that makes quick work of pet hair, dust, and grime in a way traditional bristles can’t. This is a better option than bulkier brooms on the market because it can serve more purposes: It can more effectively corral wet or gooey messes on hard floors, in addition to dry ones, and can also fit more easily under appliances. Spring cleaning tools for the bathroom Holikme drill brush attachment set $19.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $24.00 Save $4.01 Shop Now Shop Now $19.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $24.00 Save $4.01 Ariant electric spin scrubber $33.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $49.99 Save $16.00 Shop Now Shop Now $33.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $49.99 Save $16.00 FMART T9Pro window cleaning robot $159.79 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $169.79 Save $10.00 Shop Now Shop Now $159.79 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $169.79 Save $10.00 Ecovacs Winbot W1 Pro Window Cleaning Robot $399.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $399.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Toilet gel stamp $14.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $14.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Cleancult toilet bowl cleaner sheets $7.49 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $7.49 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 3 MORE The bathroom can get truly filthy, so it’s also where you’ll really need to get creative. No worries: There are plenty of cool tools out there to help you get this done. Stop hand-scrubbing everything—you have better options. For one, you can get a 20-pack of these drill brush attachments, which attach directly to your electric drill and can buff, brush, scour, and polish using the drill's power instead of your own. Or try a designated electric scrubber brush, a long-handled scrubber that is always going viral on TikTok for its ease of use in getting the grime out of grout, tile, and more. Another popular tool on TikTok is the robot window-cleaning vacuum, which sticks to windows and mirrors and mimics the motions of a human hand. Your shower doors, mirrors, and windows all around the house will thank you. Try the FMART T9pro as a cheaper gateway to the world of robot glass cleaning, but know you may eventually love it so much you level up to more expensive ones, like the EVOVACS Winbot W1 Pro, which has quick cleaning, deep cleaning, and spot-stain removal modes. Make cleaning your toilet quicker and, if you can believe it, cuter with this stamp-on deodorizing gel. Stick a flower-shaped stamp to the side of the toilet bowl and every time you flush, it’ll clean a little bit and release a nice scent. You can even put stamps in your sinks to keep them smelling fresh, too. I've used these a few times and find them helpful, but for what it's worth, ahead of my spring cleaning, I'm waiting on some dissolvable toilet-cleaning sheets to see if I like them better. Again, they're a lot easier to use than a big scrubbing brush. All you have to do is flush. Spring cleaning tools for the living room Furemover pet hair broom $19.31 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $19.31 at Amazon Microfiber mop slippers $15.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $15.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg KIDSCLEANCAR ride-on cleaning cart $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 Shop Now Shop Now $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 Hiware blind cleaner $6.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $6.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg SEE 1 MORE Cleaning the living room might be the most fulfilling, since you get to chill there and enjoy the fruits of your labor afterward. Double that fulfillment by making it fun with these tools. The FURemover pet hair broom is described by its fans as a “life changer” and if you watch some demos, you’ll see why: It acts like an indoor rake, easily pulling pet fur and human hair out of carpets and upholstery so you can finally get rid of it. To quickly clean hard floors and have some fun doing it (or at least more fun than you do with your regular mop), try mopping slippers that allow you to glide or shuffle around, using the microfiber soles to scrub and dry your floor as you go. Your kids can get in on the action (and stay distracted while you clean) with the KIDSCLEANCAR, a little go-kart that uses paper towels to mop or dry as kids scoot around. I don't have any kids, but if I did, I'd put them to work like this. In demos, reviewers call it “genius.” To tackle your window blinds, grab the Hiware duster brush, a zany-looking device that uses multiple prongs and speciallydesigned microfiber covers to get into all the cracks that normally take forever to clear out by hand. General spring-cleaning product upgrades Pine-Sol 2x concentrated formula $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Shop Now Shop Now $16.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $19.49 Save $2.50 Fabuloso 2x concentrated formula $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 Shop Now Shop Now $4.47 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $5.49 Save $1.02 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 Shop Now Shop Now $8.18 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $8.99 Save $0.81 SEE 0 MORE There are some innovative cleaning products out there that are just, well, cleaning products. They're not necessarily as amusing to look at or use as the Angry Mama, nor are they as genius as a go-kart that puts your kids to work, but they work better, faster, or harder than other products, which can cut down the time you have to devote to this whole endeavor. After some rigorous testing, I recommend all-purpose cleaner that is labeled "2x concentrated," especially Pine Sol and Fabuloso. These cut through dirt a lot faster than the regular formulations, smell just as good, and, typically don't cost much more (if any more) money. If you read enough of my cleaning content, you'll also soon come to find I am a big fan of the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Ultra Foamy, which is a melamine sponge like the regular Magic Eraser, except it has pods of soap inside. I use this for everything. I have used it to power through adhesive and goo, clean under my appliances, and so much more. View the full article

Just like a deep “spring cleaning” clears out the clutter after a long winter or a rejuvenating scalp massage melts away stress after a tough work week, we all need a refresh occasionally. The same goes for your website – which can quickly get cluttered with outdated, unoptimized content. That’s why taking the time to reset, refresh, and re-optimize your content is so important. A content refresh isn’t just about tidying up, though. It’s also about making room for new ideas, renewed value for your readers, and timely relevance in the eyes of search engines. This can improve your website’s speed and rankings and drive new visitors to take action (subscriptions, purchases, etc.). Below are a few simple yet effective ways to refresh your content to increase traffic and engagement on your website. 5 powerful reasons to refresh your content Beyond just giving your content a “fresh face,” there are many reasons to update your content for users and search engines. Users appreciate the upgrade to more relevant and valuable information, and search engine algorithms appreciate recent sources, data, and references. So, if you’re weighing the pros and cons of doing a content refresh, the following benefits might convince you it’s a worthy cause. Unlock new traffic opportunities A content refresh usually begins with a content audit, allowing you to identify low-ranking and untapped keyword opportunities. For example, you might have an old blog post previously ranking at Position 1 for “best PPC ad strategies,” but it’s now ranking at Position 5. At the same time, you might not be ranking for “best PPC marketing strategies.” This could be your chance to weave it into your content. Targeting more keywords creates more traffic opportunities. Refreshing your content helps you optimize for new terms, reaching more visitors and customers. Breathe new life into old content Remember that fantastic blog post you published in 2018? The one that got all those likes and shares? Just because an article is old doesn’t mean it should fade into oblivion. A content refresh can breathe new life into articles of years past, renewing your traffic and engagement. What’s likely needed is a bit of an update: Revised title. Recent sources. Relevant internal links. New stats. Etc. Refreshing this content can make it more applicable to today’s users. Then, you can reshare the article on socials, email, etc., and get fresh traffic. You already took the time to write the content. Why not make the most of your investment and keep your content working for you? Dig deeper: Improving or removing content for SEO: How to do it the right way Recover previous traffic or engagement loss Your content refresh might be more reactive than proactive, and that’s OK. If your traffic drops, audit the cause and look for opportunities to recover with keyword and on-page improvements. Traffic loss isn’t always due to algorithm changes. It often happens as content becomes outdated. If an audit shows traffic loss on your blog or service pages, you can update your content to regain traffic with better metadata, sources, and E-E-A-T best practices. Satisfy Google’s ‘freshness’ priorities Google likes “fresh” content. This means content that’s timely, valuable to the user, and updated regularly (when needed). This does not mean, however, “optimizing” content strictly for SEO’s sake. Google explicitly advises against artificially making content appear fresh: “Are you changing the date of pages to make them seem fresh when the content has not substantially changed? Are you adding a lot of new content or removing a lot of older content primarily because you believe it will help your search rankings overall by somehow making your site seem “fresh?” (No, it won’t)” Instead, focus on meaningful updates that enhance your content with more helpful, relevant, and up-to-date information. Only update the dates on your articles if it makes sense. Ensure your content is relevant to the times to satisfy Google’s “freshness” priorities. Google may then reward you with improved rankings and traffic. Adapt to ever-changing consumer interests Consumer interests change, just as our world constantly changes with new trends, technologies, news stories, etc. Your content can quickly become outdated as old trends become irrelevant, tech and tools become obsolete, and stories fade into history. For example, user interest in “remote work” skyrocketed in 2020, reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the workplace. However, remote work is more of the norm today, so the search volume for these queries has slowly plateaued. Updating your content keeps you relevant and attracts the right customers as interests and search trends change. Dig deeper: Creating new content vs. optimizing old webpages: Which is better for SEO? Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. 8 content refresh strategies to update your content Now for the good stuff. How do you refresh old content to boost traffic, engagement, and sales? It all starts with a content audit to assess what exists and what needs improvement. From there, it’s about making the right tweaks. 1. Prune out the underperformers (strategically) Content pruning refers to deleting or archiving old content that no longer drives results in terms of traffic, sales, etc. But before you start deleting old content, take a strategic approach to determine what actually deserves to be cut. First, use Google Search Console to identify pages with little to no traffic or those with declining performance over time. Export this data to a spreadsheet to compare and prioritize updates. Next, review the pages or articles closely. Look for outdated information, thin content, unoptimized metadata, broken source links, or topics that no longer align with your brand’s focus. Then, decide whether to update or consolidate these pages. Instead of removing content entirely, consider merging it with relevant pages or posts to regain traffic value. Finally, if the content is truly unsalvageable, consider deleting it. Just redirect the old URL to a more relevant, live page on your website. Make sure to track your pruning efforts. Record which pages have been revised, consolidated, or deleted – and whether these changes have had a tangible impact on site performance. Over time, removing low-performing content can improve website quality, making it easier for high-value pages to rank. Dig deeper: Google warns against content pruning as CNET deletes thousands of pages 2. Add new keywords In most cases, your old content won’t be a total dud. Instead, it might just need fresh content and updated keywords. Again, this is where you can unlock new traffic opportunities. Review Google Search Console for underperforming pages using a similar process outlined above. Look for pages that used to rank in positions 1–4 but have dropped or those that were on Page 1 and have fallen to Page 2. Then, identify the keywords that declined in rankings. You may need to optimize your metadata and body content to ensure these keywords are specifically included. There may also be missed keyword opportunities. Using an SEO tool like Semrush, analyze competitor content and keyword gaps to discover relevant terms you aren’t targeting. For example, you might have a blog post ranking well for “social media marketing strategies” but missing out on opportunities like: “Social media growth tips.” “Best social media tactics.” “Social media marketing for engagement.” Expanding your keyword targeting can help capture a broader audience and drive more traffic. Dig deeper: Why a content gap analysis should be part of your SEO strategy 3. Update links to relevant, recent sources One of the easiest ways to refresh outdated content is to update old sources. Just as your content ages, the external articles or pages you link to may also become outdated. In that case, it’s time to link to a more recent source. For instance, if you have an article highlighting “Top Instagram Marketing Tools” but reference a statistic from 2017 or a strategy that was outdated by 2020, update it with more recent data. Similarly, if you reference specific tools, news stories, or articles – or link to old pages on your website – make sure these links are: Live (not broken). Relevant to the topic. Ideally no more than three years old. You don’t want to direct readers to a broken page or an outdated resource. Do a status check of your content at least once a year to ensure your sources remain current. 4. Refresh your internal linking structure As new content is added, we often forget about older pages and articles and, in turn, forget to link to them. However, failing to link to them is a missed opportunity to direct new traffic to existing areas of your website. For example, if you publish a new article titled “CEO shares 8 strategies for scaling a $3M agency” and only link to your “CEO mindset quotes” article from last month, you might overlook the chance to link to older but highly relevant articles – such as “How to build a scalable business model” or “5 key leadership skills for growing a company.” Ideally, each new piece of content will link to recent articles as well as slightly older but still valuable pages on your website. This isn’t to say you should link to outdated content, but rather ensure evergreen resources continue to get exposure. With that in mind, pay attention to these aspects of your internal linking strategy: No orphan pages: Identify content with no internal links pointing to it and add relevant links where possible. Optimized anchor text: Use descriptive anchor text that relates to the page you’re linking to, improving click-through rates. Updated site navigation: Keep your site’s navigation links relevant and current to maintain a well-structured, user-friendly experience. 5. Expand sections with new insights and data A content refresh is about ensuring your content is packed with value for your visitors. SEO tweaks help, but they won’t compensate for low-value content – especially as Google prioritizes E-E-A-T. Most of your content refresh efforts should focus on actually reading the content and deciding whether more value could be added. This might involve: Elaborating on previous points Adding new industry insights Referencing relevant examples or stories Including expert opinions, interviews, studies, or tools Strengthening these elements enhances user experience and reinforces E-E-A-T signals, helping Google recognize your content as credible and authoritative. This process can feel subjective, especially when conducting your own content audit. A good approach is to Google your target keyword (relative to the piece of content you’re optimizing) and analyze the top-ranking pages. Are competing articles providing more tips, insights, and examples than you? Are they covering more creative strategies or citing newer studies? How can you level up your content to demonstrate more value, insight, and authority? You may also find more recent sources that cover the topic better than your current version. That’s an opportunity to improve your content, expand key sections, and reference the latest data. By doing so, you’re likely to see SEO payoffs – whether in higher rankings, increased keyword visibility, or greater traffic volume. Dig deeper: How to use AI to refresh old blog content 6. Add media, images, assets, and quotes When your content is as good as it can be and you’ve made all the SEO tweaks you can think of, it may be time to think outside the box. This is where many brands get creative by adding unique media, videos, images, and quotes. Say you have the best article on “Hottest home decor trends for 2025,” but you routinely fluctuate between positions 2 or 3 in the search results. What else can you do? Consider creating an eye-catching video highlighting the topic, with examples of the home decor trends and interior designers’ recommendations for the coming year. Your competitors can’t easily recreate this, and it could drive additional traffic through the Google Videos tab, YouTube, and beyond. Similarly, you could expand on a previous study with an infographic highlighting your article’s main points. This gives readers another piece of media to engage with and may even increase the chances of it being shared on social media. If you’re stumped on how to level up the content itself, consider adding more value via visual assets. This can help drive engagement, open up additional traffic channels (social, YouTube, etc.), and solidify your rankings in the SERPs. Dig deeper: Visual content and SEO: How to use images and videos in 2025 7. Improve formatting, grammar, and readability Another way to improve old content is to reformat it. In the early days of SEO, writing an article as a wall of text was common. Not anymore. Readers want content that’s easy to scan, understand, and digest. If much of your old content consists of long-form articles with minimal structure, consider making these improvements: Break up long paragraphs with descriptive, strategically placed headings. Split run-on sentences into shorter, more concise sentences. Add a table of contents for long-form content, allowing readers to jump to relevant sections. Reorganize lists of items or recommendations as bullet points or numbered lists. Limit paragraphs to two or three sentences at a time to keep them scannable. Add images or videos intermittently to break up long sections of text visually. Use bold or italicized text to highlight key points and make takeaways stand out. Include clear calls to action (CTAs) to guide the reader on the next step, such as completing a form or checking out a related article. Use a grammar checker to fix misspellings, grammar issues, and run-on sentences. Conducting a quality control check on old content allows you to make quick improvements that can significantly impact performance. These tweaks elevate the user experience and can help drive more engagement, subscriptions, and sales. Dig deeper: What is content readability and how to make your content easier to read 8. Replenish and repurpose My favorite way to refresh old content is by repurposing it – using it in new formats or on different platforms. The best way to do this is with blog articles, transforming long-form pieces into social media posts and video content. First, turn a few key insights from your original blog post into social media posts. Use a design tool like Canva to add excerpts as quotes to Instagram graphics and carousels. You don’t have to write anything new, just repurpose what you already have. Then, I like to embed a long-form video with SEO value in the article. I might use the blog article itself as a script for the video. The video gets published on YouTube, opening up a new source of traffic. To take it further, you can break up the longer video into shorter soundbites for Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. Some creators even upload the videos to Spotify and Apple Podcasts as podcast episodes. The repurposing strategy can grow from there. Repurposing content extends its lifespan and helps you reach new audiences across various channels. Using what you already have requires far less effort than creating new content from scratch for each unique channel. Dig deeper: Repurposing content: How to extend the life of your content assets Refresh, re-optimize, and repeat Chances are, you have some really old content that could drive great results if you only gave it a chance. Don’t let valuable content die off. Breathe new life into it with these simple refresh strategies. Do a content refresh at least once a year to catch these often missed opportunities. You might uncover: New keywords to target. New audiences to reach. New studies to reference. New ways to drive traffic through social media, video, and beyond. Save money, save time, and elevate results with a purposeful content refresh. View the full article

Consumers are urged to check their kitchens and pantries after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a notice that warned about health risks associated with select chowder soups. A recall has been issued for the select chowder soup products due to fears they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. The bacterium can cause a potentially deadly form of food poisoning known as Botulism. Here’s what you need to know about the recall. What’s happened? The FDA has posted a notice of a voluntary recall being conducted by the SeaBear Company of Anacortes, Washington. SeaBear initiated the recall after the company became concerned that select lots of two of its chowder soup products had the potential to harbor the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. SeaBear initiated the voluntary recall after discovering that there was a pouch sealing issue on the product’s packaging caused by a mechanical issue with some of the company’s equipment. The packaging seal could not be fully bonded, which means some of the chowder soup packages had the ability to leak. Which products are affected? According to SeaBear Company, there are two SeaBear Smokehouse chowder soup products included in this recall. Those products are: Brand: SeaBear Smokehouse Product: SeaBear Salmon Chowder Net wt.12oz. UPC: 0 34507 07001 3 Impacted lot codes: view list here Brand: SeaBear Smokehouse Product: Alehouse Clam Chowder Net wt 12oz UPC: 0 34507 07021 1 Impacted lot codes: view list here Images of the packaging of the recalled products can be found here. Where were the recalled products sold? SeaBear Company says the recalled products were distributed through physical retail stores in the following states: Alaska California Colorado Oregon Washington The products were also sold nationwide at seabear.com. SeaBear says the impacted products were sold between 10/1/2024 and 03/14/2025. Thankfully, the company’s notice states that there have been no reports of illness due to the recalled products so far. What is botulism? Botulism is a type of potentially deadly form of food poisoning. It is caused by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says botulism is a rare but serious illness. There are five types of the disease—all of which are medical emergencies, according to the agency. What are the symptoms of botulism? There are five types of botulism, but the CDC says that all five types have some of the same symptoms, including: Difficulty swallowing Muscle weakness Double vision Drooping eyelids Blurry vision Slurred speech Difficulty breathing Difficulty moving the eyes Foodborne botulism symptoms may also have the following symptoms: Vomiting Nausea Stomach pain Diarrhea Botulism may occur in adults, children, and infants. In infants, symptoms of botulism may also include: Constipation Poor feeding Drooping eyelids Pupils that are slow to react to light Face showing less expression than usual Weak cry that sounds different than usual What do I do if I have the recalled products? SeaBear’s recall notice says that those who have the recalled chowder soup products in their possession should not consume them. Instead, owners of the products should contact SeaBear’s customer service team for a full refund. SeaBear’s customer service contact phone number is 1-800-645-3474; the email is smokehouse@seabear.com. Full details of the product recall can be found here. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Lifehacker's Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide aims to bring you all the best spring cleaning ideas, but I won't lie: Some of them are pretty labor intensive. But whether you don't have the time for a major undertaking or you're just feeling a little lazy this year, there are still ways you can spring clean your home to get it in shape for the months ahead. Clean your microwave the easy wayA microwave is supposed to be cleaned every two weeks, but if that's too often for you (it's OK to be honest), you're probably looking at some serious grime in there. Cleaning it is actually remarkably easy, though, and you can make a big improvement on the mess with just a little effort. Here's my big how-to on cleaning the microwave, but the basic gist involves quartering a lemon and putting two slices into a microwave-safe bowl or mug full of water, then nuking them on high for at least three minutes, until you start to see steam forming in the window. Once it's nice and steamy, don't open the door. Instead, let it sit for five minutes. When you do open the door, you'll have a wet microwave interior you can clean with a sponge. The citrusy steam will have loosened any stuck-on gunk, and you can hopefully wipe it right out. Take the turntable out and soak it in the sink, then clear any crumbs or goo from the bottom of the machine. Just like that, what was once a gross microwave is a sparkling-clean appliance—and all you did was heat up a lemon. Take the easy way out with your oven tooWhile you're at it, you can do something similar to your oven: Heat it to 150 degrees, shut it off, then put a pot of water on the bottom rack and an oven-safe container of ammonia on the top rack. Close the door and let the two sit overnight. In the morning, open the door for at least 15 minutes to air the oven out, then add a few drops of dish soap to the ammonia, dip in a wash rag and scrubbing sponge, and use them to wipe away the softened grease and grime. Put your bathtub and dishwasher to workOne of my favorite lazy cleaning hacks involves looking at the bathtub not just as a place to clean your body, but a place to clean all kinds of stuff from around your house. I'm not someone who throws a lot of dinner parties, but I've heard great things from people who've tossed an abundance of dirty dishes into the bathtub for a good soak. I have used mine for is cleaning things like oven racks and my broom, plus my synthetic rugs. Fridge shelves, purifier filters, plant pots—think of all those big, unwieldy items that are a pain to wipe down. Running a bath with some gentle dish soap and plopping them in for a soak saves a whole lot of time and effort. The same goes for your dishwasher. It's easy to overlook its potential for cleaning non-dish things, but most small plastic or metal items like stove knobs, dustpans, and toothbrush holders can go in there for a washing up, which leaves you with more time to clean other things with your own two hands. Set it and forget it in the bathroomBefore bed one night, you can knock out two major tasks in the bathroom and let your cleaning supplies do the real work while you sleep. First, I have been obsessed with these toilet-cleaning sheets for a few days now. They're dissolvable papers covered in cleaning product, so you just toss them into the toilet and let them disappear. Put one of these in there before bed and, if necessary, give it all a good scrub with your toilet brush before flushing. Second, descale and de-gunk your shower head overnight by tying a sandwich bag full of vinegar around it. This is one of those age-old, tried-and-true hacks that really works. When you remove the bag in the morning, scrub the shower head with an old toothbrush to make sure all the blockages are out of the holes, then run it for a minute or two. Clean your ceiling fan without making a messYou need to clean your ceiling fan so it's not littering dust all around your room, but usually that means you have to litter dust all around the room by brushing it off, then vacuuming it all up. That's a lot of work, but this hack isn't: Grab an old pillowcase and slide it over each blade, one at a time. Pull the pillowcase back toward yourself, with the top dragging across the top of the blade. All of the dust will come off with it and land in the case. You can just dump it out, then toss the pillowcase in the wash. Clean the washing machine without climbing inside of itYou do need to clean your washing machine once in a while, but you don't have to put your whole torso into that small drum to maneuver around in there with a sponge. I've tried a few different methods, usually just involving vinegar, and they've all required no real work on my part. I either dump a cup of vinegar straight into the drum or in the detergent slot, and run the machine through a hot cycle with no clothes inside. The vinegar really helps with de-stinking the device and, in turn, de-stinking the clothes you wash in it. And don't have to do anything but dump a little in there and let the machine run. Clean under big appliances in secondsOne task I always associate with spring cleaning is the annual hauling-out of major appliances like the fridge and oven. (Do I ever actually do that? Not really, but I associate it with spring cleaning because I know I'm supposed to.) You can make this less taxing with a very simple hack: Cut a hole in a sponge, stick a long-handled tool like a spatula or broom handle into the hole, and shove it as far as you can under each appliance. Scrub back and forth as best you can. I have a more in-depth tutorial here, but it really is as easy as it sounds. It doesn't preclude you from ever having to pull those appliances all the way out, but doing it regularly means it will be a lot less gross when you do. View the full article

Forever 21 is facing another bankruptcy. The company that operates the fast-fashion retail brand, called F21 OpCo, LLC, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Delaware court. And while it plans to close its U.S. stores and hold going-out-of-business sales, there is still a chance for a sale that could keep some operations running. For now, Forever 21 stores and its website will stay open as the company sells off inventory and looks for buyers. The move mirrors a similar one made recently by Joann, the beloved arts and fabric chain, which had initially hoped to keep its stores operating before ultimately deciding to liquidate and shut its doors for good. Like Joann, Forever 21 is now in its second bankruptcy; it also filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2019, just months before the pandemic. What happens next for Forever 21? The apparel retailer is seeking a buyer to keep parts of the business alive rather than shutting down completely, although there’s no guarantee that will happen. As Forever 21 explained in a press release, “In the event of a successful sale, the Company may pivot away from a full wind down of operations to facilitate a going-concern transaction.” This means that if someone buys the business, Forever 21 might not shut down completely. Fast Company has reached out to Forever 21 for comment. The company has faced increasing competition from cheaper and faster brands, in particular China-based Temu and Shein. Forever 21 inked a deal with the latter of those brands in 2023 that would allow its clothes to be sold on the platform. In addition to competition, the company also cited rising costs and changing shopping habits as reasons for its precarious financial situation. Once a go-to store for trendy, affordable fashion, Forever 21 has struggled to keep up with online retailers and brands that move faster in the digital world. Forever 21’s international stores, which are run by different companies, are not affected by the bankruptcy. But in the United States, the future of Forever 21 depends on whether a buyer steps in. If not, this could truly mark the end of a fast-fashion era. View the full article

As you know, Thursday, March 13, 2025 at around 12:30 pm ET Google announced the March 2025 core update, the first core update of the 2025 year. I was expecting to see a lot of volatility by now and while we are seeing some sites report volatility, it does not feel as widespread or heated as a normal core update - YET.View the full article

Sometimes the trickiest part of cleaning is knowing where to start—and, once you've started, where to go from there. A handy checklist can help you move through the task systematically and easily. That's where these room-by-room checklists can help. Below, you'll find links to advice on how to complete many of the tasks you'll be facing. I've also turned the cleaning checklists into a downloadable spreadsheet you can print out, so you can mark off each chore as you go. Your kitchen spring cleaning checklist Before you start cleaning, take a minute to make sure you have everything you need. Nothing saps your mojo quite like having to leave the house to buy supplies, so make sure you have these basics on hand: Plain dish soap A good brush set A basic scrubbing sponge A heavy-duty melamine sponge Baking soda White vinegar Easy Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner A good broom A mop A scrubbing cleaner for metal, like Brasso Now it’s time to move on to the various things you need to actually clean. Start from the top and make your way down, so you clean all the dirt you’ve knocked to the floor at the very end. Start by removing your oven racks and putting them in the bathtub with dish soap and water to clean them. They should be soaking while you do everything else. Steam your microwave by nuking a quartered lemon in a bowl with a cup of water for three minutes. Since it has to sit in there for five minutes after that, move on to cleaning the exterior with a mixture of one part vinegar to one part water. Once the five minutes is up, wipe the steam from inside the microwave. Move on to the fridge. Remove all the food and wipe down your shelving and interior with soapy water, then make sure you dry it with paper towels or a clean rag. You can also pop your fridge shelves in the bathtub with the oven racks if they’re really dirty, but that may hold up part of your other cleaning efforts, since you’ll have food all over your counter while your shelves soak. Try to attempt this when you’re low on food, so you don’t have as much to deal with, or put your food back along the bottom of the fridge after you've wiped down the shelf-less interior with a mixture of one cup of baking soda and a gallon of water. Clean your upper kitchen cabinets, removing everything inside. And don’t forget to clean the tops of them, either, with a sponge and soapy water. Do the lower kitchen cabinets now, using the same methods: Pull everything out and clean inside with the crevice tool on the OXO brush set, then soapy water. While all the appliances are out on the counter, clean them one by one. There are detailed ways to clean everything from toasters to coffee machines and grinders to air fryers, so do each one before putting it away. Use this time to clean anything that is a small appliance, is constantly sitting on your countertops, or both. A blender gets cleaned during this part, as do things like your coffee machine accessories. Make sure the cupboards and appliances are all dry before putting anything back. Next, move straight to the stovetop. Use baking soda to clean the burners by slowly adding some to a cup of water and mixing until it forms a paste you can coat the burners with. With your racks still in the bathtub, you can scrub the interior of your oven with oven cleaner. After 20 minutes, remove the baking soda paste from the burners with a damp cloth. Once you've used the sink to clean your appliances, you have to clean the sink itself. If it's stainless steel, use an abrasive cleaner, like Bar Keepers Friend ($11.89 for a pack of two canisters) and a scouring pad. For anything else, a soft cloth and soapy water will work. (One extra step you can take is to polish your chrome fixtures with baby oil, which makes them look super sparkly.) This is a good time to clean the walls between your cabinets and your back splash. Dish soap and water will work, as will the Magic Eraser, but if you have cooking grease splatters to deal with, try mixing salt and vinegar to make a DIY grease-busting solution. You’ve cleared the countertops of the appliances from the cupboard and likely gotten crud from the stovetop all over them, so it’s time to tackle those now. Remove anything that might be on them, use the crevice tool to get crumbs out of the corners, and then go in with soap and water or all-purpose cleaner. If you have granite countertops, be extra careful: Use a non-scratch sponge or rag and soap and water, nothing else. By now, the floors are dirty, but that’s no problem: You’re almost done. First, get your oven racks and fridge shelves out of the bathtub and dry them well. Put them back where they belong. Once that’s done, corral any debris or crumbs on the floor with your broom and mop the whole thing with soapy water. Go relax in another room while it dries. Your bathroom spring cleaning checklistA lot of those kitchen-cleaning tools are going to be useful in the bathroom, too, but you should also pick up these: Soft Scrub with bleach An electric scrubbing brush A FlexiSnake Drain Weasel Double-concentrated cleaner The bathroom is a small space, so you have to be smart about the order in which you clean it so you don't end up going over the same spots too many times. Luckily, most of the things in there are made of hard materials and only require simple wiping, which you can (and should) do while softer materials, like bath mats and curtains, are in the wash. Here's your checklist: We're going to start at the top of the room. Dust light fixtures and vents first, so you don’t get dust on everything else once it’s all clean. Let dust and grime fall down to the counters and floors; we'll be cleaning those in a moment. Throw the shower curtains, bath mats, towels, and any linens or fabrics (like a toilet seat cover) in the wash. This will give you time to clean the hooks and rods that support them and will have them clean and ready to be replaced after you finish with the bathroom overall. Tackle the bathtub or shower, focusing on decluttering old shampoo bottles, wiping down the interior glass, descaling the shower head, and getting rid of any soap rings around the interior. It can be helpful to run the shower on a hot temp for a few minutes before doing this, just to loosen everything up and get it wet in there, but it's up to you. Wipe down all mirrors and tile surfaces outside the tub next. If you opt to steam up the shower before cleaning it, make sure you do this step next, since the mirrors and tile will also get steamy. Clean your bathroom sink, first by sticking your Drain Weasel down the drain to remove hair and gunk, then focusing on removing rings and buildup from the bowl. Clean and polish your faucet and handles when you finish with the bowl. Here's where some Brasso or Soft Scrub comes in handy. Clean your soap dish or tray, removing soap buildup, and do the same for your toothbrush holder. Pour some cleaner in the toilet bowl and let it sit for a moment. While it's in the toilet bowl, you wipe down the exterior, as well as the top and bottom of the seat and cover, then scrub out the bowl with your toilet brush and flush at the end. Clean and polish the toilet handle after you've flushed. Remove the toilet paper roll and disinfect that holder, too. We're being thorough today. Wipe down shelves and cabinets, which probably involves pulling everything down off and from inside of them. This is a great opportunity to declutter and organize your medicine cabinet and shelves. Here are my medicine cabinet organization tips and here are some examples of how I organize various shelves in my bathroom. Clear the countertops and wipe them down, too, also wiping anything on them (like containers holding q-tips, a water cup, etc.). Clean the towel racks and hooks, which should still be empty while their usual contents are in the wash. Take out the trash and scrub inside the can. Scrub all the grout and focus on cracks in the floor, really forcing it out. (Don't worry; we're about to clean all the dust and grime off the floor, finally.) Vacuum any dust or hair from the floor. We're almost done. Mop and disinfect the floor. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, like door handles and light switches. Replace whatever was in the wash, like curtains and mats. Your living room spring cleaning checklistBy now, you have most of the products you'll need to get all this done, so let's move right into what you need to do. First, go around and pick up any and all fabrics or soft items. I’m talking about blankets, throw pillow cases, cushion covers, small mats, doilies—you name it. Stick all those in the wash while you get to work cleaning the room. Again, start at the top so dust and grime fall to the floor, where you can get them later. This means clean your ceiling fan and ceilings, including any vents and lights up there and, especially, the corners where cobwebs start to collect. Dust and wipe down any lamps. Clean your TV and other electronics. Dust them off first, then use an appropriate method to actually wipe them down. Here’s a guide on cleaning your TV without breaking it. Unplug all of them before you do this, of course. Got any mirrors or photos hanging around the joint? Wipe those down now. Next, clear all your surfaces. Pull everything off of your shelves, end tables, and media center. Pile it all up in the center of the room, then dust and wipe down the surfaces you just cleared. If you plan to move your furniture to dust and vacuum behind it, do that now, while it’s all lighter without the burden of its usual contents. Wipe down baseboards, vacuum behind shelving, and do whatever needs doing back there. If you don’t plan to move out furniture (your call!) skip this step, since we are handling baseboards and vacuuming for the whole room closer to the end. Turn your attention to that of stuff you made pile of. Before putting everything back where it came from, do a round of decluttering. Click here to learn a few of the best decluttering methods and go through this list of questions to ask yourself while you declutter. If something isn’t serving you anymore, it’s got to go. It doesn’t need space on your freshly cleaned shelves. Wipe down everything you decide to keep, then put it back where it belongs. Go back to dusting. Dust and wipe down your furniture, potted plants, tables, and anything lower toward the ground. Again, if dust flies off of something onto the floor, this is no problem; we will vacuum it later. Pay special attention to your couch or other upholstered furniture. Remove cushions, if you can, and vacuum underneath them. Clean the cushions themselves however you normally do that, but if you don’t have your own way, feel free to steal my favorite. Wipe down your baseboards and clean vents low to the ground. It’s finally time to vacuum! If you have a large rug, move that and vacuum under it before replacing it and vacuuming over it. Otherwise, really spend some time on this step. Vacuum the corners where the floor meets the wall, use the brush attachment to really get after your vents, and don’t rush. You just dislodged a lot of dust and dirt onto this floor. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces. This means remotes, the handles that control your recliner, light switches, video game controllers, phone chargers, and more. Replace all the linens and fabrics you had in the wash. Your bedroom spring cleaning checklistFinally, let's tackle your bedroom. Here is everything you need to do now so you can go to sleep in a peaceful, clean room tonight. I recommend doing the bedroom last not only because it's the room company is least likely to see, but also because it feels the best to finish up in a room that's all for you. You'll get a major sense of accomplishment sinking into a fresh bed after cleaning the whole house. Pick up all the bedding, small rugs, curtains, and any other fabrics. Put those in the wash. Dust the ceiling fan, vents, and corners. Wipe down mirrors, glass, pictures, and any other smooth, flat surfaces, especially anything hanging on the wall. Clean your windows, wiping out the windowsill and any blinds, as well as the handles and glass. Pull everything off your flat surfaces, from nightstands to shelves. Pile it up on the bed. Wipe down those surfaces. Declutter everything in the pile, just like you did in the living room. Again, here are the best decluttering methods. Once you’ve decided what to keep, wipe it all down and put it away where it goes. Next, turn your attention to the closet and dressers. This is optional, if you don’t really have time to fully declutter all your clothes, but I do recommend it, if only to clean the interior of those spaces. Pull everything out and pile all that on the bed. Really wipe down the interior of every drawer and all over the inside of your closet. As you’re putting clothes away, declutter a bit. Be conscientious about what you put back. If you haven’t worn it in a while, it’s damaged, or it’s out of style or doesn’t even fit anymore, give yourself permission to just toss it. Only the best clothes deserve to be in your clean closet and drawers. Clean your mattress while the sheets are off. Vacuum it, spot treat it, and make sure you do all this now so it has a little time to dry before you put the sheets back on. (Just wait until after you clean your shelves and closets, since dust from the piles you made on the bed might get into the mattress.) Dust any lamps. Don't forget things like string lights, vanity mirror lights, or those little peel-and-stick lights you got off Amazon that one time for no reason. Oh, and nightlights, too. Clean any electronics, from TVs to alarm clocks. Dust any furniture you might have, like ottomans or chairs. If you have a vanity or a desk, make sure you wipe down, organize, and clean that, too. Wipe down the baseboards all around the room and get any floor vents, too. It’s time to vacuum. Don’t just do the floor, but make sure you get under the bed, in the blinds of the windows, under any cushions, and in every corner. Use your brush attachment on vents. Replace all the linens that were in the wash. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and items, including but not limited to lamp switches, light switches, remotes, video game controllers, phone and device chargers, drawer pulls, and more. Walk through your regular morning and night routines, considering what you reach for and touch, then wipe those things down well. View the full article

Getting an idea of how much a dental visit is going to cost can be difficult, even if it’s staring you straight in the mouth. One company hopes to change that, using artificial intelligence to give patients and dentists real-time cost estimates—all while the drills are still buzzing and fluoride is flowing. Overjet, a dental AI platform, just launched the Dental Clarity Network, a collaboration of dentists and health insurance providers that aims to give more clarity into dental billing. The first initiative of the Network is the deployment of ReviewPass, a program that helps deliver real-time cost estimates and insurance coverage information related to tons of dental procedures—effectively, helping dental patients avoid “surprise” bills that they weren’t expecting. Put another way, if you’ve ever found yourself at the dentist, and an issue is discovered that needs to be remedied—be it a filling, or something else—you may not have any idea if your insurance will cover it, or how much you’ll be on the hook for, out of pocket. Yet, the work needs to be done, so you may tell the dentist to go ahead and do it, and then wait weeks for a bill to arrive—or not. That’s what ReviewPass is hoping to clear up. The idea ropes in dentists (care providers), patients, and insurers, leveraging AI to quickly figure out if a procedure is covered under a patient’s insurance plan, and get an idea of how much everything will cost. This, as opposed to the dentist and insurer going back and forth for weeks, all while the patient waits in the dark with a sore jaw. The Dental Clarity Network is launching with some big partners on board, too. Including insurers like MetLife and Humana, and the Dental Care Alliance, which comprises more than 400 dental practices in 24 states. Overall, Overjet estimates that ReviewPASS should be able to reach more than 100 million dental patients in the U.S. “What we’re introducing is a group of major dental payers and provider groups coming together to work on reducing costs and providing more clarity to patients,” says Wardah Inam, Overjet’s CEO. “What we’ve done is help payers build out the infrastructure for real-time claims to happen. While the patient is in the chair, they’ll know whether a treatment must be covered,” she says. The root of the issue is that most dentists don’t know, off the top of their heads, the intricacies of each dental insurance plan. And, as such, can’t tell a patient with certainty whether a specific treatment or procedure is covered by their plan. So, many times, they simply do the procedure, and then go back and forth with the insurer to determine whether it was covered by the plan, or if they need to bill the patient and have them pay out of pocket. “People don’t realize how much time payers and providers waste talking to each other,” says Inam. It eats up a lot of time and money, inflating costs. As a result, Inam thinks that Overjet will help “significantly reduce costs” for insurers and providers, which might trickle down to patients. But a big question: Why the sudden urge to increase transparency into pricing, particularly from insurers, who tend to benefit from opaque billing practices? Inam says it’s because, over the long run, the potential cost-savings are too much to ignore. Everybody should win: Dentists and insurers reduce administrative and overhead costs, and patients get more clarity on what procedures may be covered or not covered, and how much they’re ultimately staring at in terms of dental bills. And once dentists and patients get a taste of it, Inam thinks it’ll be a game-changer. “It’s the first step,” she says. “When individuals have frictionless experiences, they don’t go back. Once they start getting real-time information about their bills, they’re not going back.” View the full article

From automating review responses to suppressing negative search results, AI is making online reputation management (ORM) faster, smarter, and more effective. But while AI offers powerful tools, businesses must use them strategically to maintain authenticity and trust. Here’s how AI is reshaping ORM – and what brands need to do to keep up. Online reputation management in the age of AI In today’s digital-first world, a brand’s online reputation is more than just a reflection of its customer service. It’s a key driver of success or failure. A single negative news story, an influx of bad reviews, or even an outdated piece of content ranking high on Google can influence consumer trust and business performance. How a company appears in search results, on review platforms, and across social media determines its credibility. Historically, reputation management relied on human-driven efforts: Monitoring brand mentions. Crafting strategic content. Responding to reviews. Suppressing negative search results. But the landscape has shifted. With AI, ORM is evolving faster than ever, enabling brands to automate key processes, fine-tune strategies, and effortlessly expand their reach. To stay ahead, brands must embrace an AI-driven approach while maintaining human oversight. AI-powered content creation: The key to reputation control One of the most significant ways AI is changing reputation management is through content creation. Search engine results are heavily influenced by content relevance, engagement, and optimization. Traditionally, companies needed teams of writers, PR professionals, and SEO experts to: Create and distribute content designed to outrank negative search results. Highlight brand strengths. Shape public perception. Now, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Jasper can generate search-optimized articles, blog posts, press releases, and social media content within minutes. This helps businesses expand their online presence with well-crafted, authoritative content that boosts credibility and improves search visibility. For example, if a business faces an outdated but damaging news article on Google’s first page, AI can generate positive content showcasing its achievements, thought leadership, and customer success. When properly optimized and distributed, this fresh content boosts visibility and pushes negative results down – an ORM strategy AI accelerates. However, AI-generated content isn’t a silver bullet. Human oversight is essential to maintain authenticity, accuracy, and ethics. Search engines may flag low-quality automated content, and AI-generated responses to reviews or PR crises must align with the brand’s voice and values. Dig deeper: Online reputation management: Top 10 hurdles and how to overcome them Search engine suppression: AI’s role in pushing down negative content A negative article ranking high on Google can damage a brand for years, even if outdated or misleading. Traditional ORM relied on SEO-driven, high-authority content to outrank harmful search results – a process that once took months or years. AI has sped this up by identifying content gaps, optimizing keywords, and automating link building. Instead of manually researching Google’s ranking factors, AI analyzes thousands of search results to create high-ranking content strategies. For example, AI tools can: Identify why a negative article ranks high and suggest more engaging, authoritative content to compete. Detect SEO weaknesses and recommend content clusters to strengthen search visibility. Automate backlinking to earn links from high-authority sites and boost rankings. AI is also transforming multimedia content creation. AI-generated video scripts, transcriptions, and keyword-rich descriptions help brands rank across multiple formats, not just text. However, ethical concerns remain. Manipulating search results without transparency can backfire if content feels inauthentic. The best approach combines AI-driven insights with human storytelling and expert perspectives to create content that is both optimized and genuinely valuable Dig deeper: 9 strategies for removing negative content from the web Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. AI in online review management: Responding faster and smarter Customer reviews can make or break a brand’s reputation. A few negative Google reviews can erode trust, while a wave of positive ones boosts credibility and sales. Managing reviews at scale has always been challenging, but AI is making it far more efficient. AI-powered sentiment analysis now enables brands to: Track and analyze customer feedback in real time across platforms. Spot patterns in complaints before they escalate. Automate personalized responses to protect brand reputation. For instance, a restaurant chain receiving hundreds of daily reviews can use AI to: Scan for negative sentiment. Flag urgent issues. Draft professional, personalized replies. Businesses can approve AI-generated responses instead of manually responding to each review, ensuring speed, consistency, and a human touch. However, over-relying on AI risks robotic-sounding replies that feel inauthentic. A serious complaint met with a generic response can make matters worse. The key is balancing AI’s efficiency with human oversight for meaningful interactions. Dig deeper: How to handle negative Google reviews: Remove, respond, recover Real-time reputation monitoring and crisis management Reputation threats don’t always stem from bad reviews or outdated news. A single viral tweet or Reddit thread can spark a brand crisis in hours. AI now helps businesses monitor and respond in real time. AI-driven ORM tools scan millions of online conversations to detect: Spikes in brand mentions, signaling potential PR crises. Emerging negative sentiment trends before they escalate. Fake news or misinformation campaigns. If an influencer with millions of followers posts a negative tweet, AI can instantly alert the ORM team, allowing them to respond proactively before the issue gains traction. AI also tracks sentiment over time, helping brands refine their reputation strategy. But speed alone isn’t enough. Response quality matters. AI can draft crisis statements, but human expertise is essential for tone, strategy, and brand alignment. Automated responses should support, not replace, thoughtful crisis management. Dig deeper: Reddit: Your new online reputation challenge The future of AI in online reputation management AI isn’t the future of ORM – it’s already here. Brands that embrace AI-driven strategies will gain a competitive edge in protecting and strengthening their reputation. However, AI isn’t a substitute for human expertise. The best ORM strategies combine AI’s efficiency with ethical considerations, human insight, and authentic storytelling. Brands that strike this balance will not just manage their digital narrative but build lasting trust. The real question isn’t whether AI will shape ORM – it already does. The question is: Is your brand using AI to its full potential? View the full article

The time has come for the Google Assistant to be replaced by Gemini, Google's younger and better assistant (despite it being wrong way too often). Google announced, "Over the coming months, we're upgrading more users on mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini; and later this year, the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices or available for new downloads on mobile app stores."View the full article

Judges rule deal can go ahead with only a small change to releases freeing directors from future litigationView the full article

The US president and his followers are entering new and dangerous territoryView the full article

Few topics are simultaneously so celebrated and misunderstood as human potential. On the one hand, we have an influx of near-perpetual articles urging people to unlock or fulfill their own potential, saying essentially that anything else equates to failure. On the other hand, if we ask an average leader or HR professional how to define or explain potential, we are unlikely to get a logical, rational, or scientifically valid answer. And yet, there is a well-established science on human potential, with decades of empirical research resulting in replicable generalizations to predict and explain why some people perform better than others (across different work settings), and why some people develop more than others. What is talent? To understand these findings and their implications, we must start with a basic understanding of talent—since we can’t fully grasp the meaning of potential unless we properly define talent to begin with. Although definitions vary, talent is the ability to display extraordinary levels of performance, irrespective of luck or effort. In any area of competence, measuring the collective output of a team or group of individuals will identify a Pareto-like distribution whereby 20% or so of individuals account for 80% or so of results, output, or productivity. That 20% is comprised by the “vital few,” and while effort and luck may play a role in shaping their performance, in environments where everyone is motivated and incentivized to give their best, consistent differences between the vital few and the rest will largely boil down to talent. So, if talent is how we explain someone’s inclusion among the “vital few,” when luck and hard work aren’t viable explanations, such that talent is basically performance minus effort (the more talented you are at something, the less effort you need to exert to achieve high levels of performance), then what is potential? Potential = nascent talent Potential is talent before you can see it, or nascent talent. That is, talent in the making, or talent waiting to be unfolded. For example, at 25, Mozart, Messi, Picasso, Serena Williams, and Nina Simone displayed such levels of talent that you didn’t even need to have much expertise in their fields of competence to admire their performance and be impressed by their achievements. At age 5, however, they were already giving signs of their extraordinary potential—particularly to the trained eye (e.g., scouts, teachers, mentors, and critics) they appeared to show evidence of an enormous capacity for developing future talent, turning them not so much into a promise, but a rather safe bet. Although most humans lack Mozart’s, Messi’s, Picasso’s, Serena’s, and Simone’s talents—even when we look at the proportionate talents they may exhibit in their own strongest field of competence—the general rule still applies: Their potential is generally not limited to what they have already accomplished, or even their current talents. Indeed, due to lack of incentives, motivation, external politics, and unfairness, not to mention poor career choices (and a lack of accurate constructive feedback), it is rather common for people to “punch below their weight” and spend much of their professional lives not fulfilling their potential. How can you work out if you may be one of them? Consult with brutally honest experts If you want a clear-eyed assessment of your progress, stop asking friends or colleagues who will sugarcoat their feedback. Instead, seek out: Someone who knows your industry deeply (not just a general career coach) Someone who has no problem telling you the truth, even if it hurts Someone who has achieved what you want to achieve and can compare you to real benchmarks, not just make you feel good And, even if you go to the right person for this, it will help if you probe or prompt them in an effective way, namely not fishing for compliments, but rather encouraging them to provide you with a reality check. Ask direct, uncomfortable questions like: “Based on my skills and progress, would you hire me? If not, why?”; “If I keep working the way I am now, where will I be in five years?” Listen. Don’t argue or make excuses. If they say you lack a skill or need to network more, entertain the notion that these suggestions can make you better. And, if you can’t find someone willing to be brutally honest with you, that’s already a red flag. Look at who’s passing you by One of the clearest signs that you’re not fulfilling your potential is when people with similar or even fewer skills surpass you in career, income, or occupational prestige. How to do it? Here are some ideas: Make a list of 5–10 people in your field who started around the same time as you. Compare their progress to yours: Are they getting promoted faster? Are they earning more? Are they building more meaningful industry connections? If they’re ahead, ask why: Is it better skills? More risk-taking? Stronger networking? A better ability to sell themselves? A stronger work ethic? If less talented people are doing better than you, it’s not always because they’re lucky (though luck always helps). More likely, they’re doing something you’re not. Identify what they’re doing better and assess whether you should emulate it—if not, then come up with your own strategy for doing better. Measure growth in real terms, not effort Every culture values hard work, yet at the same, when it comes to career success (especially the type that is dependent on other people’s assessment of your performance) you rarely get points for trying hard—only for getting results. Many people feel like they’re working at full capacity, but when you measure actual output, it turns out they’re just spinning their wheels. Perhaps this is why, as Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella pointed out, there’s a big discrepancy between how employees evaluate their own work ethic, and how their bosses do, with 85% of managers believing that employees are slacking, while 85% of those employees feeling overworked. How to improve your self-assessment of both input (work ethic) and output (results): Instead of asking “Am I working hard?”, ask “What measurable improvements have I made in the last 6 months?,” “What can I do now that I couldn’t do a year ago?” Track concrete progress in key areas. For example: If you’re a writer, have your pieces improved in quality and impact? Have you increased your actual productivity? If you’re a salesperson, have your numbers improved? If you’re a leader, is your influence on the team growing? Are you actually making your team better, more productive, and so on? It is often helpful to keep a monthly log of tangible progress on your tasks and deliverables. If you’re not moving forward, adjust immediately—change your strategy, skill set, or work habits. Find the bottleneck that’s holding you back Every person who isn’t fulfilling their potential has at least one critical flaw that is limiting them—a “bottleneck” that prevents success, no matter how hard they work. What you can do: Identify the one thing that, if improved, would unlock the most progress. Be honest—what’s your biggest career liability? Weak technical skills or a lack of expertise? Are you falling behind in your industry? Lack of confidence? Are you bad at self-promotion? Poor networking? Do people with less skill get better opportunities because they know the right people or are better than you at office politics? Inability to execute? Do you start things but never finish? Fix the bottleneck first. For instance, if networking is the issue, don’t waste time improving technical skills—go to industry events and meet the right people first. In short, though there is no clear-cut answer to the perennial question of whether you are fulfilling your potential or not, you can try to gather credible evidence and data points to at least get a better sense of the likely answer, and pinpoint improvement areas. A final consideration: If this exercise makes you uncomfortable, that’s a good sign. Just like physical pain is a useful signal that something is malfunctioning and needs to be attended, so too the psychological “pain” we experience when we notice we are not as good as we would like to be opens the gateway and pathways to development and improvement. View the full article

Fabrice Canel from the Microsoft Bing team told SEOs that instead of focusing on traffic and rankings, they should focus on conversions and click value. He said on X, "SEOs should focus on conversion."View the full article

Digiday reported that a Google spokesperson told them they made link updates to AI Overviews in May 2024 that added more links and made it easier for searchers to click on links. But I don't think that is true, that didn't come until August 2024, and did they really help drive clicks to your sites?View the full article

Find out how Agentic AI simplifies SEO workflows, allowing human experts to leverage agents for increased efficiency and improved rankings. The post Agentic AI In SEO: AI Agents & Workflows For Ideation (Part 1) appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Google added returnPolicyCountry to the return policy code examples within the Google Merchant Center structured data document. This is because Google requires returnPolicyCountry for MerchantReturnPolicy.View the full article

Imagine you own a restaurant and you get all your reservations online through your booking system; you even tell people to book online when they call, via an automated message. But then, all of a sudden, Google decides to hijack that booking link and replace it with Google Assistant's calling feature.View the full article

Google has switched from updating its googlebot.json file, the file that contains the list of IP addresses Googlebot uses, from weekly to daily. Gary Illyes from Google said this was done based on feedback from the community.View the full article