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Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a new chip that it said showed quantum computing is “years, not decades” away, joining Google and IBM in predicting that a fundamental change in computing technology is much closer than recently believed. Quantum computing holds the promise of carrying out calculations that would take today’s systems millions of years and could unlock discoveries in medicine, chemistry and many other fields where near-infinite seas of possible combinations of molecules confound classical computers. Quantum computers also hold the danger of upending today’s cybersecurity systems, where most encryption relies on the assumption that it would take too long to brute force gain access. The biggest challenge of quantum computers is that a fundamental building block called a qubit, which is similar to a bit in classical computing, is incredibly fast but also extremely difficult to control and prone to errors. Microsoft said the Majorana 1 chip it has developed is less prone to those errors than rivals and provided as evidence a scientific paper set to be published in academic journal Nature. When useful quantum computers will arrive has become a topic of debate in the upper echelons of the tech industry. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said last month that the technology was two decades away from overtaking his company’s chips, the workhorses of artificial intelligence, reflecting broad skepticism. Those remarks prompted Google, which last year showed off its own new quantum chip, to say that commercial quantum computing applications are only five years away. IBM has said large-scale quantum computers will be online by 2033. Microsoft’s Majorana 1 has been in the works for nearly two decades and relies on a subatomic particle called the Majorana fermion whose existence was first theorized in the 1930s. That particle has properties that make it less prone to the errors that plague quantum computers, but it has been hard for physicists to find and control. Microsoft said it created the Majorana 1 chip with indium arsenide and aluminum. The device uses a superconducting nanowire to observe the particles and can be controlled with standard computing equipment. The chip Microsoft revealed Wednesday has far fewer qubits than rival chips from Google and IBM, but Microsoft believes that far fewer of its Majorana-based qubits will be needed to make useful computers because the error rates are lower. Microsoft did not give a timeline for when the chip would be scaled up to create quantum computers that can outstrip today’s machines, but the company said in a blog post that point was “years, not decades” away. Jason Zander, the Microsoft executive vice president who oversees the company’s long-term strategic bets, described Majorana 1 as a “high risk, high reward” strategy. The chip was fabricated at Microsoft labs in Washington state and Denmark. “The hardest part has been solving the physics. There is no textbook for this, and we had to invent it,” Zander said in an interview with Reuters. “We literally have invented the ability to go create this thing, atom by atom, layer by layer.” Philip Kim, a professor of physics at Harvard University who was not involved in Microsoft’s research, said that Majorana fermions have been a hot topic among physicists for decades and called Microsoft’s work an “exciting development” that put the company at the forefront of quantum research. He also said that Microsoft’s use of a hybrid between traditional semiconductors and exotic superconductors appeared to be a good route toward chips that can be scaled up into more powerful chips. “Although there’s no demonstration (of this scaling up) yet, what they are doing is really successful,” Kim said. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Peter Henderson and Jamie Freed) View the full article

As the Trump administration continues to dismantle federal agencies, one that plays a critical role in U.S. infrastructure and election security faces an uncertain future. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), housed in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and tasked with enforcing cybersecurity and protecting American infrastructure across all levels of government, placed multiple members of its election security team on administrative leave over the last few weeks, according to reports by the Associated Press and TechCrunch. The 17 reported election security team members, part of the agency’s foreign influence and disinformation teams, were placed on administrative leave as part of an overall review of the team, with a particular focus on those two operations. A DHS spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied that number. On Friday, the Trump administration separately fired more than 130 members of CISA, the DHS confirmed. “We are making sweeping cuts and reform across the federal government to eliminate egregious waste and incompetence that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer,” a DHS spokesperson wrote in an email to Fast Company. The DHS declined to answer any specific questions but noted that it is currently “actively identifying” other positions it deems wasteful. (The White House did not respond to Fast Company’s request for comment.) Although it may be too early to understand the full impact of these personnel shifts, some experts warn that the moves could have serious consequences for future elections. “Some of the staff who were put on administrative leave were the regional election security advisers,” says Derek Tisler, a lawyer with the Brennan Center for Justice, a left-wing think tank. “This was a group of election security experts, and they played a vital role in providing on-the-ground support, connecting local election officials to all of the various services and expertise that CISA has to offer.” CISA, an agency created by President Donald Trump in 2018, was a “critical” resource to local election offices in the past three elections, Tisler tells Fast Company. The agency would help state and local officials protect their election systems against physical and cyber attacks. However, CISA found itself in Trump’s crosshairs after the agency released a statement saying the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history” (Trump falsely claimed that the election was rigged). Trump responded by firing the then-director of CISA—one of his own appointees—through a Tweet. Trump is not the only Republican to target CISA. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has been leading a crusade against the agency for the past two years. The Ohio congressman subpoenaed the agency for election-related documents, and the Judiciary Committee labeled it the “nerve center” of government censorship. Tisler says CISA’s election security team has been vital because elections are so decentralized: There are more than 8,000 local election jurisdictions across the country that often have very small offices. CISA has valuable election security experts and resources that these offices can call upon. CISA, tasked with overseeing all critical infrastructure, does much more than police election security. Several of its flagship projects have encouraged awareness surrounding best practices for cybersecurity. The agency runs a database of exploited network vulnerabilities for businesses to refer to and has also encouraged tech companies to promote secure development practices in its “Secure by Design” campaign. Tisler fears that, should CISA dwindle in size, election security will become increasingly vulnerable to both foreign and domestic threats. Since the 2016 election, interference from foreign adversaries—like China, Iran, and Russia—has threatened American election security. Among the 130 CISA members fired by Trump, several were “working to counter Chinese hacking threats,” according to CNN’s Zachary Cohen. Cybersecurity experts on both sides of the aisle have spoken very positively of CISA and the assistance it offers, according to Hugh Thompson, executive chairman of the cybersecurity conference RSAC. The cybersecurity community has become accustomed to partnering with CISA. “If you believe that you’re currently under attack, CISA would be one of the places that you would go to and either report the incident or get some feedback from them,” Thompson says. The administration’s approach to cybersecurity has made headlines outside of the job cuts at CISA. Last week, Trump tapped as his new national cyber director the RNC executive Sean Cairncross, who doesn’t have any background in cybersecurity. And over the weekend, CISA temporarily froze all of its election security work. But experts agree that it’s still too early to tell whether these changes are cause for panic or just a sign of mass government overhaul. “This is a constantly emerging space,” says Tisler. “We’re going to lose a lot of the support that we’ve built up to fend off attacks. What exact impact will that have? It’s hard to say, but it’s certainly concerning that there is going to be less support and less response available against cyber attacks.” View the full article

Explore the importance of image geolocation data for SEO. Find out how it can provide valuable information about the location and context of your images. The post Ask An SEO: Is There Any SEO Benefit To Image Geolocation Data? appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Elon Musk’s work for President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency has turned Tesla dealerships and showrooms into protest zones, and the recent wave of demonstrations has inspired the beginnings of a new visual language of protests in Trump’s second term. Protests were organized at more than three dozen Tesla locations over the weekend, where people spoke out against DOGE access to government data and cuts the agency has made to government programs. Turnout varied widely from a dozen or so protesters at some events to hundreds who showed up to a protest in San Francisco. These protests represent a more visible sign of anger at Musk, by using one of his most powerful and accessible visual proxies in the public domain—the Tesla brand—as a platform for dissent. Decatur, Georgia. February 15th, 2025. [Photo: Erik S Lesser/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock] Messaging for higher stakes The signage at these recent protests stands in contrast to that of protests four years ago. When Trump first took office in 2017, protests like the Women’s March inspired a new generation of Instagram-friendly protest signs. “Protest is the new brunch” read one sign at a protest outside Trump’s then-Washington, D.C., hotel. “So bad, even introverts are here,” read another at a protest in New York City. For Millennial and Gen Z protesters who were too young to protest the Vietnam or Iraq wars, these cute, clever signs signaled a mass movement that was new and novel. A 2018 Pew Research Center survey found that more than a quarter of U.S. adults said they had attended a protest in the previous five years. Columbus, Ohio. February 9th, 2025. [Photo: Paul Becker/Becker1999/Flickr] Trump’s second inauguration, though, wasn’t met with another Women’s March. Even considering the higher turnout of protests during Trump’s first term, the tone of protest signs during that period are trivial by comparison. This time around, visuals indicate a rightful feeling among protestors that the stakes are much higher—and protest signs in recent days outside Tesla dealerships and showrooms from Arlington, Virginia; Berkley, California; Seattle; as well as outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., show as much. Seattle, Washington. February 15th, 2025. [Photo: Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images] Images of Musk giving a straight-arm salute at Trump’s inauguration rally compared to a Nazi salute are popular, with messages like “Tesla Funds Fascists,” which appeared on a sign in Seattle. At a protest in Arlington, Virginia, one sign showed the Nazi symbol with a line through it and the words “Get Musk Out of Our Government.” Other signs feature pro-democracy messages or criticize Musk, the world’s richest man, for holding so much power despite the fact that the American public did not elect him, and the Senate did not confirm him. At a protest outside a Tesla showroom in San Francisco, signs read, “Uphold Our Constitution,” “Uphold the Rule of Law,” “Unelected, Greedy, Dangerous,” and “Defund Elon, No More Government Contracts.” At a protest in Manhattan, signs included “Friendly Reminder, Elon Musk is Not the President” and “Presidents Are Not Kings.” New York, New York. February 15th, 2025. [Photo: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg/Getty Images] Although many of the protest signs are serious in nature, humor isn’t completely out of the question, as seen in a sign that read “Bad DOGE.” One sticker that went viral on TikTok warns “Don’t Buy a Swasticar.” While some signs would work equally well in 2017 as 2025, there is less affinity for cringey puns, and the tone is less flippant. Tesla protest’s business impact Musk’s businesses have come under attack for their owner’s politics. In addition to dealer protests, anti-Musk bumper stickers for Teslas rocketed up the Amazon sales chart after the election last year, and calls to boycott Musk’s companies growing. Singer Sheryl Crow announced she got rid of her Tesla. The electric car company saw a sharp 16% drop in sales between December and January, although that could be attributable to a variety of factors, including a focus on end of year sales. “It’s still too early to see any (Musk backlash) in the Tesla numbers,” Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights for Cox Automotive, told CNN. Protest may no longer be the new brunch, but a different visual language is emerging for a new era where protests are less of a fad. Criticizing Trump as fascist isn’t new, but Musk’s salute gives the line of attack a striking new visual while Trump’s attempts to expand his executive powers gives it a heightened sense of urgency. Messages on signs today are more pointed because the threat to democracy protesters are demonstrating against is less abstract, it’s things DOGE is doing right now. View the full article

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AI chatbots like ChatGPT have become ubiquitous and vital to how many knowledge workers, content creators, and business owners operate. But as powerful as ChatGPT is, it’s not the only player in the game — and sometimes, exploring alternatives can reveal new ways to streamline your workflow. That’s where this guide comes in. Instead of just rating chatbots based on generic criteria like accuracy, speed, and creativity, I wanted to see how they perform in a real-world content workflow. So, I paid for the subscriptions (courtesy of Buffer’s AI Tools stipend that will help me recoup those costs) and fed them data from my own social media, and gave a structured challenge to each one designed to evaluate how well they take existing inputs and turn them into meaningful insights. Let’s dive into the details and determine which chatbot delivers the best results. The experiment: How I tested the chatbotsThere’s no shortage of AI chatbot comparisons online, but many focus on isolated prompts rather than real-world use cases — especially those relevant to you, our audience of creators, and small business owners. To truly test how useful these tools are for creators, I needed a challenge that mirrored how we actually use AI in a content workflow. So, instead of throwing random questions at each chatbot, I set up a structured experiment: I uploaded a CSV file with 60 days of my LinkedIn posts and their performance data—real engagement metrics from my latest posts.I gave each chatbot a series of interconnected prompts to see how well it could analyze, generate, and refine content.I kept everything within one continuous conversation, testing their ability to retain and apply context.What I was testing forThis test was designed to evaluate each chatbot across five key areas: Data analysis: Can it break down LinkedIn performance metrics and extract useful insights?Creativity & content generation: Can it generate fresh, non-generic (super important) content ideas based on real engagement data?Format adaptation: Can it transform a high-performing idea into multiple content formats (LinkedIn post, Twitter thread, short-form video script)?Strategic insights: Does it offer clear, actionable advice to improve content performance?Workflow optimization: Can it help streamline content planning, repurposing, and tracking?🚧It’s important that I clarify here: I'm no machine learning engineer, simply someone who has played around with enough chatbots, and has a decent context of different social media needs. So if you’re looking for a very technical analysis, you won’t find it here.The chatbotsI selected five leading AI chatbots for this experiment, each with different strengths, pricing, and features: ChatGPTClaudeGoogle Gemini (formerly Bard)Perplexity AIDeepSeekNow, let’s get into the challenge and see how they performed. The challengeEach chatbot was given the same structured test — a continuous conversation where they had to analyze LinkedIn performance data, generate new content ideas, adapt content across formats, offer strategic insights, and create a workflow for ongoing content success. After uploading the CSV file containing my posts and data, I asked each bot these questions: Here’s my LinkedIn performance data. What types of posts performed best and why?Based on what worked, suggest five new LinkedIn content ideas.Take the best-performing idea and turn it into a LinkedIn post, a Twitter thread, and a short-form video script.How can I improve my LinkedIn engagement rate based on this dataset?Create a content workflow that helps me repurpose high-performing content and track engagement.Here are the results. ChatGPTBest at retaining context Rating: 3.5/5 Pricing: Free with limited access; $20 per month for GPT-4 ChatGPT is OpenAI’s flagship chatbot and arguably the most well-known AI tool on this list. With its ability to generate structured responses, adapt content across formats, and provide strategic recommendations, it’s a strong contender for creators looking to streamline their workflow. ChatGPT started strong analyzing the average performance of each post type, showing that analysis, and then giving a strong, nuanced list of takeaways and recommendations. It didn’t state anything too unique (videos performed best, carousel posts had the most impressions), but the insights were good to have. However, the request for engagement rate improvement ideas showed off ChatGPT’s data analysis capabilities even better. It broke down the engagement rate data by post type, day, and even hour. Then, more impressively, it gave a list of actionable tips, including the best time to post on LinkedIn according to my data — something none of the other tools did. Other suggestions it made were to prioritize video and text posts and improve my early engagement strategy by responding to the comments in the first 30 minutes of posting. ChatGPT also really shined in delivering hyper-relevant ideas. When asked for unique content ideas, the bot gave me a list that played off my existing high-performing topics and formats. For example, it recommended I share a behind-the-scenes of my LinkedIn video process, an idea I’ll definitely be using. When asked to turn one of the ideas into different formats, it pulled from its memory of our previous chats, plus the context it had about my preferred voice and tone, to deliver well-structured and relevant results. The final request for a workflow initially seemed promising, with a clean, structured visual chart mapping out how to repurpose content. But while that was nice to look at, it wasn’t until I asked for a more practical version — something i could turn into a Notion page or Google Doc, that it became actually useful. This is something I repeatedly struggle with when using ChatGPT to kickstart a visual reference for what my templates or dashboards might look like — getting anything immediately actionable can be difficult. And that’s where the next tool on our list excels. I’ll conclude with a caveat here: I’ve had a ChatGPT account for a while now — at least a full year — so the bot had a lot of context to pull from as it can retain context from previous chats. So, that definitely influenced its performance and responses. However, I’d call that a point in its favor as it means that it will give you better responses with frequent use. 👩🏾‍⚖️Final verdict: ChatGPT is a strong option for content creators who need structured insights, detailed engagement strategies, and adaptable content formats. However, its responses often require additional refinement to become truly actionable. Frequent use improves its recommendations, making it a solid choice for the long term.Claude AIBest for generating workflow mockups Rating: 3.5/5 Pricing: Free with limited use; $20 per month Developed by Anthropic, Claude AI is designed to be a conversational, long-form assistant with a focus on thoughtful and structured responses. Unlike some of the other chatbots in this experiment, Claude approaches tasks with a more methodical and organized style, making it a compelling option for those who prioritize clarity in their workflows. But how well does that translate to practical scenarios? Well, instead of going through the prompts chronologically, I want to focus on Claude’s visualization capabilities and state, for the record, that they are the best of the bunch. From the first prompt, Claude translated the data into something super easy to look at, along with the recommendations that were par for the course for every chatbot tool. Having the data presented in a bar chart immediately gave me a clear understanding of my next steps. It continued this trend throughout the conversation without being prompted. My favorite thing about Claude, by far, is its ability to code and create a visual mockup of a workflow or database within the chat in a little preview window on the right. This has made it ten times easier to create Notion pages that do exactly what I need, with minimal time spent figuring out where to place which element. Claude had some interesting ideas on the content front, including a “creator tools revealed” video and a suggestion to ask a community question each week. However, interesting did not always translate to relevant, as it didn’t consider the actual content of the posts within the CSV file it had in its memory. Overall, the ideas shared weren’t as relevant to me and my content as they could have been. However, I was pleased by the formatting of the ideas that it did gave me — when asked for a LinkedIn post and short-form video script based on the first idea it shared, it delivered something that could have been pasted as-is (if not for the totally made-up information). In terms of providing a simple analysis of the data, it returned some interesting results, including a suggestion to keep posts to 600 characters or less, which I’ll be using going forward. 👩🏾‍⚖️Final verdict: Claude AI stands out as the best chatbot for visualization and structured formatting. If you need clear, data-driven charts and workflow previews, it’s hard to beat. However, its content generation lacks precision and relevance, requiring extra input and validation to ensure accuracy. It also doesn’t have search capabilities, which is important to consider before you subscribe.Perplexity AIBest for research and discovery Rating: 2.5/5 Pricing: Free with limited features; $20 per month Perplexity AI takes a unique approach compared to other chatbots, allowing users to select different models, including some already featured in this experiment. This flexibility makes it a strong research tool, particularly for content creators who need AI assistance in uncovering trends, following up on key insights, and gathering information. Although the consensus around Perplexity is that it’s a great tool for research, not necessarily for strategy, and I’d be inclined to agree after this experiment. To start with what was great about it, Perplexity’s ability to send you down a rabbit hole was a major plus in my book. Whenever you ask a question, it hyperlinks portions of the message that you can “follow up” on. Then, it uses the context of the message thread to create a decent follow-up. I can see this tool being useful in the research phase of working on your content strategy, especially when looking for inspiration. However, as a collaborative partner that can ideate alongside you, it didn’t perform great. The analysis it did in both analytical questions was very surface level, with good but generic recommendations on how to take action. Perplexity also returned a pretty standard “AI made this” workflow that was good, but didn’t encourage any deeper thought for me. It did generate a helpful daily workflow that can fit nicely into my current approach to content, so I gave it points for that. Its content ideas also fell short, with copy that didn’t consider my usual tone and style and felt pretty standard for most AI tools overall. Even though this is a common trait across most tools, I expected better for it having my data and content in its memory. 👩🏾‍⚖️Final verdict: Perplexity AI excels in research and content discovery, but it falls short in strategic execution. If you need a chatbot that helps you find sources, follow research threads, and explore ideas, Perplexity is one of the best options available. However, for content planning, engagement strategies, or workflow optimization, it doesn’t offer the depth or creativity needed to be a strong collaborative partner.DeepSeekBest for the budget-conscious user Rating: 2.5/5 Pricing: Free DeepSeek is a lesser-known AI model that positions itself as a free alternative to more widely used chatbots. While that makes it an appealing option for budget-conscious users, I was curious to see whether it could hold its own in terms of content ideation and strategic, data-driven recommendations. However, my experience with DeepSeek wasn’t the best from the start, as it kept returning a “The server is busy” message. I spent more time hopping back in to check if my prompts would go through, so keep that in mind. At first, I toggled on DeepSeek R1, the platform’s advanced-level thinking feature. However, the tool spent so much time “thinking” that I decided to run two chats: one with and one without. The results from the chat without R1 were pretty generic but not quite as generic as, say, Gemini. I’d put the experience with DeepSeek below Perplexity and above Gemini. While it caught certain topics and gave interesting ideas, it didn’t go as deep or wide as I would have liked. With R1, however (pictured on the right), its performance increased significantly as it went beyond generic observations and recommendations. The only disadvantage is, of course, its speed. DeepSeek had some interesting ideas, but nothing I hadn’t seen before. It recommended the same ideas as a couple of other chatbots, which is more of a sign that you really can’t outsource your thinking to these tools. 👩🏾‍⚖️Final verdict: If you’re on a budget and just need an AI for basic brainstorming and content structuring, DeepSeek in R1 mode is worth trying, but it’s not a tool to rely on for strategic content planning fully. It’s also still so new that it doesn’t quite feel fair to compare it to the other tools. For its age and speed, however, I’d say it's a solid, free option.Google GeminiBest for easy integration into your existing Google kit Rating: 2/5 Pricing: Free with limited features; $20 per month Formerly known as Bard, Google’s Gemini is positioned as a real-time AI assistant with deep integration into Google Search and other tools. Given its access to live information and Google’s vast dataset, I was curious to see whether it could provide a more data-informed and strategic approach to content planning. I also took advantage of the Buffer organization’s access to Gemini Advanced, the recently released upgrade to the tool. Since I hadn’t used Gemini much before this experiment, it was the first tool I tried — but I quickly found that its recommendations were pretty generic and also failed to go beyond surface-level analyses. For example, in the first response, it failed to recognize that though my carousel posts (the Documents) received more impressions, they didn’t get as high engagement. Gemini repeated the same weak analysis when asked for suggestions based on engagement rate data. Additionally, the suggested strategies are broad best practices that don’t tie back to the actual data I shared. Its content creation and repurposing abilities were not much better, as it only produced generic ideas that had nothing to do with my content. However, I will give it one point for getting the structure of a LinkedIn post down pat. 👩🏾‍⚖️Final verdict: Gemini is a quick and structured AI assistant that works in a pinch but falls short for tasks beyond surface-level requests. While it can help with basic formatting and brainstorming, it doesn’t yet have the depth and personalization needed for content optimization.Other chatbots to tryMicrosoft CopilotAlong with a dedicated website, Microsoft’s Copilot comes free with Microsoft products and has additional AI capabilities with enterprise plans. However, I didn’t include it in the main list because it runs on ChatGPT anyway, so that analysis gives a sense of what to expect from Copilot. Meta AIMeta AI is a free, conversational chatbot integrated across all Meta products. However, it didn’t make the list as you can’t upload files to it, striking it out in my book. It’s also generally less advanced in long-form content generation and is more of a true chatbot. Bizi.cxBizi is the side project of Joe Delgado, a software engineer here at Buffer. It's a self-described work in progress with some rough edges, but he shared that it has replaced his use of ChatGPT entirely. It’s currently free to use. Do your own thinkingIf there’s one takeaway from this experiment, it’s that no AI chatbot can do your thinking for you—but the right one can definitely make the process easier. Each tool on this list had its own strengths. ChatGPT and Claude handled structured insights and content adaptation well, while Perplexity excelled in research and discovery. DeepSeek showed promise, especially in R1 mode, but wasn’t the most reliable. And Gemini? Fast and easy to use, a great option if you use Google's ecosystem heavily. But here’s the thing: your needs will always determine the best tool for you. Are you looking for a chatbot to refine your content ideas? To analyze past performance? To brainstorm in a way that inspires you? AI can help — but only if you know how to prompt it, refine its responses, and guide it toward useful outcomes. At the end of the day, AI chatbots are just assistants, not replacements. The magic still comes from your strategy, creativity, and ability to execute. So, if you bring AI into your workflow, make sure it’s working for you — not the other way around. View the full article

Donald Trump is the first US president to voice a pessimistic worldviewView the full article

To update the Obama Foundation’s visual identity ahead of the opening of former President Barack Obama’s presidential center in Chicago next year, the designers tasked with the project had to figure out what to do with its already iconic typeface: Gotham. GQ first commissioned the geometric sans-serif typeface in 2000, but Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign made it famous (at least in design circles). The type has since become something of a default font for politics, even being co-opted, ironically, by President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. In effect, the aim for the Obama Foundation’s rebrand was clear: The designers had to make a completely saturated typeface feel fresh again. “That was a key challenge at the beginning of the project,” Tom Crabtree, creative director at the brand design studio Manual, tells Fast Company. “[Gotham is] simple, it’s very neutral, but for me, it didn’t really have that sort of fresh, vibrant, youthful energy.” [Image: Manual]Vibrancy and youthfulness were key to conveying the organization’s message of forward momentum, community engagement, and the power of individual action to create lasting change. Manual worked on the brand refresh alongside the digital product agency Work & Co, which updated Obama.org and other digital design projects. Sara Soskolne, who worked on the original Gotham at the type foundry Hoefler&Co. and is now a type designer at Monotype, also contributed. Their work, which is now live on the Obama Foundation website, will continue to roll out into next year with the center’s opening. [Image: Manual]Three new versions of GothamManual collaborated with Soskolne to create three bespoke versions of Gotham to keep the established Obama brand equity the typeface offers while still pushing it forward. Their first reinvention is Gotham Slab Condensed, a slab-serif display typeface designed for editorial use around communications related to civics, history, and education. [Image: Manual]The second iteration is Gotham Stencil Condensed, which uses a stencil effect meant to look more contemporary. It’s intended for use in communications around community engagement and sustainability. Gotham Inline Condensed uses a striped letterform that evokes the stripes in the Obama campaign O logo; it will be utilized for communications about athletics, music, and performance. [Image: Manual]“Gotham feels new again,” Crabtree says. “It uses the bones of a typeface, but it sort of modulates in different ways.” That modulation and versatility are crucial for the refreshed identity, which will show up online, in assets for the Obama Foundation’s programming and work, and on wayfinding signage, ticketing, and maps at the presidential center, which will serve as a community hub, museum, and library. The branding needs to communicate more traditional, presidential, and somber messages, but also be dynamic for a foundation that seeks to inspire a new generation of leaders. [Image: Manual]“Part of the museum experience is learning about the presidency and looking back,” Crabtree says. “But I think the Obama Foundation is a very forward-looking organization, and the presidential center is, I would say, as much, if not more, about looking forward as it is having a library and talking about the legacy of the presidency.” [Image: Manual]Expanded use of color That forward-looking attitude also shows up in the center’s varied color palettes, which aren’t limited to the red, white, and blue of the former president’s campaign materials. Obama Foundation programs like My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, an initiative for boys and young men of color, and Girls Opportunity Alliance, founded by former first lady Michelle Obama, have their own distinct color stories, while the annual Democracy Forum event uses gradients. [Image: Manual]Parker Sapp, a product management leader at Work & Co, says his team first prototyped the 2026 version of Obama.org as it would look after the center’s opening, then returned its focus to the current website. And while the agency has worked on nonprofit projects before, Sapp says it was a pleasant surprise to discover “how committed to innovation and good design the Obama Foundation’s team is—which is fitting when you consider President Obama was the country’s first digital president.” It’s a design-forward approach that looks nothing like what we’ve seen from a presidential library before, and it’s perfectly suited for a brand that’s synonymous with hope and change. View the full article

The upside of friends, roommates, or family members sharing a multiline phone plan is everyone has a lower monthly bill. The downside, however, is one person is ultimately responsible for both paying that bill—and gathering what is owed to him or her from their friends each month. AT&T is offering a new way to divvy things up, though. The carrier, on Thursday, will introduce AT&T SplitPay, which will individually bill people on select shared wireless plans. The service will be available immediately. “College kids are Venmo-ing each other to share accounts,” says Erin Scarborough, AT&T’s President of Broadband & Connectivity Initiatives. “They’re having to calculate account charges per line and we’re taking that frustration out for them.” AT&T says it is patenting the technology behind SplitPay, which has been in the works for over a year. While the company plans to restrict its use to its own cellular network initially, it is considering licensing the technology to other companies (that would, as an example, let people sharing a streaming service split the cost automatically). SplitPay might make it easier for people to pay their share of a bill, but the primary account holder is still ultimately responsible for ensuring any financial obligations are met. Each person on the plan will get a text asking them to pay whatever their share of the bill is (including all fees). If they fail to do so, however, the primary account holder will receive a notification five days before the bill is due, letting them know who hasn’t yet paid. If that person neglects to make a payment, the primary account holder will be charged and will have to recover the money from their friend (or family member) separately. SplitPay will allow for recurring payments as well, to minimize this scenario. To sign up for the SplitPay service, AT&T account owners can log on to att.com/splitpay and assign a payor to each line. Several companies, from Google to Airbnb, have tested out group payment methods in the past, but AT&T says the individual billing for a shared account is an industry first. “Eighty-five percent of our customers have multiple line and we believe at least half of those are using split pay on their own in some form,” says Scarborough. “This is the first and only [payment system] of its kind in our industry. We’re happy to solve a pain point and solve it first.” View the full article

These home lenders with between 100 and 499 employees are considered among their staffs the best mortgage company to work for in 2025. View the full article

Ice storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes occur more frequently than hurricanes and earthquakes and those insurance claims can stack substantially. View the full article

Existing rightwing political outfit will be taken over by a newly registered business called Reform 2025 LtdView the full article

Grow your blog with blogging tools like ContentShake AI, Adobe Express, Keyword Magic Tool, and Asana. View the full article

Blogging has gained immense popularity, offering significant opportunities to establish and expand a business. The crucial factor in building a successful blog lies in pinpointing your blog niche and producing tailored content for a specific audience that is interested in that niche. In this article, we will explore the most profitable blog niches to assist you in discovering a lucrative blog niche idea for your own blog. What is a Blog Niche? A blog niche essentially refers to the subject your blog is about, and it tends to be the blog’s focus. Instead of writing a general blog about many different issues, a blog niche is meant to be more specialized and tailored. A blog niche is important for various reasons since it can help you generate relevant blog post ideas and cement you as an expert in the niche. For example, you could be a finance expert and choose a finance niche for your blog to communicate what you’ve learned and your ideas or opinions about different aspects of finance. Identifying the Most Profitable Blog Niches: Our Methodology As small business owners and entrepreneurs, selecting the right blog niche is crucial for success. Here are some things we considered as we built this list: Audience Interest and Size (Weight: 30%) High audience interest ensures steady traffic. Consider niches with a broad or deeply passionate audience. Monetization Potential (Weight: 25%) Some niches offer better opportunities for monetization (affiliate marketing, sponsored content, product sales). Evaluate how other blogs in the niche are making money. Content Longevity (Weight: 20%) Evergreen content can drive traffic for years. Avoid niches that are trend-based or have a short life span. Competition and Saturation (Weight: 15%) Highly saturated niches might be challenging but can indicate profitability. Look for sub-niches or unique angles within popular niches. SEO Opportunities (Weight: 10%) Niches with numerous SEO opportunities can boost visibility. Assess keyword competitiveness and search volume. By evaluating these criteria, you can better understand which blog niches might offer the most profitability. It’s about balancing audience interest, monetization prospects, and the competitive landscape to find a niche that not only resonates with you but also has a strong market potential. Profitable Blog Niches to Consider There are many profitable blog niches that you can consider across a variety of different topics. When looking at the most profitable blog niches, it’s important t to select a niche that you are passionate about and have knowledge on. Moreover, identifying your target audience based on the niche will help you craft a successful blog. Some of the most profitable blogging niches include the following: Personal Finance Personal finance blogs have emerged as one of the most profitable blog niches, driven by a growing interest among individuals in managing their finances. This niche encompasses a variety of topics, including budgeting, saving, investing, retirement planning, tax strategies, and debt management. As a personal finance blogger, you have the opportunity to educate people on making informed financial choices, making this niche appealing to a wide range of age groups and income levels. Digital Marketing and Online Business Another profitable blogging niche to explore is digital marketing and managing your own online business. This niche encompasses a variety of topics, including online marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content creation, and affiliate marketing, among others. Additionally, you can provide tips for running online businesses and write about subjects related to digital marketing and online entrepreneurship. As part of your digital marketing and online business niche, you could explain current trends and digital marketing methods and share your expertise. You could also micro niche by only focusing on specific topics within social media or SEO as part of your blogging journey. Health and Fitness Health and fitness have become an increasingly popular topic, and It’s the perfect blog niche if you are interested in teaching people how to adopt healthy habits and exercise routines. As part of the health and fitness niche, you could write helpful articles and content about physical health, well-being, and exercise. Health and fitness blogs include sub-niches such as nutrition, workouts, weight loss, yoga, meditation, mental health, and more. Niching down even more into subjects like specific exercise styles and routines are also profitable blog niches to consider. You could make money through affiliate income by sharing health-related products that you like and generate blog income through ads and partnerships. Food Blog and Recipe Blogs Food blogs and recipe blogs were among the first types of blog topics on the internet, but they are still very popular with users. Food and recipes are not a saturated niche; in fact, the interest has grown even more as users look to find new recipes and restaurants to try. If you’re not sure how to start a food blog, think about what interests you most about food and recipes – is it trying something new or teaching people how to make certain dishes? The food niche can be a great way to start a blog and explore new cuisines, foods, recipes, and more. There are also sponsored post opportunities from restaurants and companies, which is why it remains one of the most profitable blog niches. Personal Development and Self-Care Another lucrative niche to explore is the personal development and self-care sector. Bloggers in this niche can delve into various self-improvement topics, including personal growth, mental health, mindset transformation, and more. Sub-niches in this area may encompass mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, relationships, and goal-setting, among others. This niche may be ideal for individuals who want to offer practical tips and advice on personal development or share their own experiences related to personal growth through a blogging platform. Travel Blogs If you’re thinking about whether to start a travel blog, it could be a good idea considering its enduring popularity. The travel blog niche continues to be one of the most profitable niches as interest and appetite for traveling grow. Travel bloggers aim to inspire and excite their users to explore new places and cultures by sharing their experiences through their WordPress blogs or other channels. Your travel blog could focus on a sub-niche like adventure or luxury travel. Or you could provide practical advice on budgeting, planning, packing, and transportation. Additionally, you can make money online through your travel blog through brand partnerships and sponsored posts such as a specific blog topic to make money blogging about travel. Parenting Niche Parenting blogs have grown in popularity over the last few years, and it’s one of the top niche ideas to explore if you’re looking for blog ideas. The parenting niche is one of the best blogging niches because it can be pretty broad and easy to make your own. For example, your parenting blog could focus on topics such as parenting, including child development, education, behavior, health, and more. As part of your blogging strategy, you could start a blog focusing on a micro niche such as a particular age range (e.g., newborns, toddlers, or teenagers) or a specific parenting style. More blog ideas could focus on specific parenting aspects, such as discipline, nutrition, sleep, or play. Lifestyle If you’re interested in relatively simple blogging business ideas, a lifestyle blog is one of the most profitable or niche ideas to consider. The premise of lifestyle blogs is straightforward since you show your life, how you go about the day, and exciting things about your life. In addition, lifestyle blogs are about your personal interests, and you can make your blog more engaging by including topics such as fashion, travel, food, beauty, and wellness. You might consider launching a lifestyle blog that shares your experiences, opinions, and recommendations on your interests, which can help you create multiple income streams through sponsored posts and affiliate income. Making Money Online Another profitable niche to consider is blogging about how to make more money, mainly how to make money online. Niche ideas within this topic could include affiliate marketing, blogging, e-commerce, online surveys, and other opportunities for generating income online. This could include designing online courses, such as a blogging course, or creating content with helpful tips, advice, and practical ways for people to make money online. Micro niche ideas could include teaching people to start a blog, building an online store, and creating and selling digital products to make money. Education Online education has become a hot topic and is now considered one of the most profitable blog niches. As an education blogger, you could focus on creating content such as lesson plans, teaching strategies, educational policy, and more. Or you could create tutorials and walkthroughs for different subjects and grade levels (e.g., teaching high school science or elementary school math) to help children supplement their learning. Fashion Fashion bloggers have been a vital part of the internet, and there is still a lot of opportunity within this niche. Having your own fashion blog could be the most profitable blog niche for you, depending on the audience and interest you can capture. There is a lot of appetite for inspiration and guidance on fashion, and many bloggers have been able to make money through their fashion blogs. As a fashion blogger, you could cover sustainable fashion, luxury fashion, streetwear, beauty, and more. Another micro niche within fashion is to create content such as outfit ideas, fashion trends, makeup tutorials, product reviews, and more. Technology With technology evolving quickly, another profitable blog niche to consider is starting your technology blog. Of course, there are many sub-niches and micro-niche ideas within the technology umbrella, so what you can speak passionately about is really up to you. The technology blog niche could include topics such as the latest tech news and product reviews or focus on issues such as software development, hardware reviews, mobile technology, or cybersecurity, among others. For example, some tech blogs provide tips and advice, while others undertake detailed analyses and commentary on the latest smartphones, laptops, or gaming consoles. Another focus is to create content related to mobile technology, including news and reviews for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. DIY For homeowners and renters alike, DIY blogs are a popular option. Many people have decided to learn new skills and seek tutorials, advice, and tips. The DIY niche is wide and varied, including home improvement, crafting, cooking, recycling, and upcycling materials. As a DIY blogger, you could provide step-by-step instructions, creative ideas, and inspiration for their projects. You could also share your own experiences, techniques, and recommendations NicheAudience & FocusMonetization OpportunitiesKey Features 1. Personal FinanceAll age groups & income levels; focuses on money management.Sponsored content, partnerships, advertising, affiliate marketingTopics include budgeting, saving, investing, retirement, taxes, debt management 2. Digital Marketing & Online BusinessEntrepreneurs, marketers; focuses on online business strategies.Affiliate marketing, advertising, sponsored postsSEO, social media marketing, content creation, affiliate marketing 3. Health & FitnessHealth-conscious individuals; focuses on wellness and exercise.Affiliate income, ads, partnershipsNutrition, workouts, weight loss, yoga, mental health 4. Food & Recipe BlogsFood enthusiasts; focuses on culinary exploration and recipes.Sponsored posts from restaurants, affiliate marketingDiverse cuisines, restaurant reviews, cooking tutorials 5. Personal Development & Self-CareIndividuals seeking growth; focuses on mental and emotional well-being.Affiliate marketing, sponsored contentMindfulness, meditation, self-improvement, relationships 6. Travel BlogsTravel enthusiasts; focuses on exploring cultures and destinations.Brand partnerships, sponsored postsBudgeting for travel, adventure, luxury experiences 7. Parenting NicheParents; focuses on child-rearing and family life.Sponsored content, affiliate marketingChild development, education, nutrition, parenting styles 8. LifestyleGeneral audience; focuses on personal interests and daily life.Sponsored posts, affiliate incomeFashion, travel, food, beauty, wellness 9. Making Money OnlineEntrepreneurs, freelancers; focuses on online income strategies.Affiliate marketing, online coursesBlogging, e-commerce, digital products, surveys 10. EducationStudents, educators; focuses on learning and teaching resources.Sponsored content, affiliate marketingLesson plans, educational policy, tutorials 11. FashionFashion enthusiasts; focuses on trends and style advice.Brand partnerships, affiliate marketingSustainable fashion, luxury, streetwear, beauty tips 12. TechnologyTech enthusiasts; focuses on latest technology and reviews.Advertising, sponsored reviewsTech news, software development, hardware reviews, mobile technology 13. DIYHomeowners, crafters; focuses on do-it-yourself projects.Sponsored posts, affiliate marketingHome improvement, crafting, upcycling, tutorials How to Find More Profitable Blogging Niches If you’re passionate about a subject and dedicated to building your blog, you could turn almost any blog niche into a profitable blog. Here’s how you can find more blogging niches: Step 1: Identify Your Interests Take some time to identify your interests, such as hobbies, profession, skills, and talents. This will assist you in narrowing down the niches that excite you and in which you feel confident enough to maintain a blog. Step 2: Check Google Trends Once you’ve identified your niche, look at sources such as Google Trends to understand the search trends related to your niche, including volume and topics of interest. This will help you understand how profitable the blog could potentially be. Step 3: Search for Other Blogs Once you have narrowed down some topics, evaluate the competition, including other bloggers. Look at how often they post, how much engagement they tend to get, and what users seem to like/dislike about these blogs so you can build a stronger presence. Step 4: Register a domain If you’re ready to commit to your niche, you can start by getting a free domain name and setting up your blog. Based on the Google Trends data and the competition, you can start to build a blog that covers topics audiences are interested in while adding your unique spin and passion. Why Picking a Blogging Niche Matters There are many reasons why picking a blogging niche is important: Build a following: A blogging niche is important to build a dedicated following of readers and cultivate interest In your blog. Tailored content: While it’s easy to stay general when it comes to blogging, creating niche content ensures that your content is tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience. It positions you as an expert in the subject area. Differentiation: Picking a blog niche is essential for standing out and having a unique selling point that users will gravitate to. Motivation: Having a niche makes it easier to create content consistently since it will be an area you are passionate about and want to develop. You’ll be more motivated to keep the blog going and make it successful when it’s a topic you’re passionate about. What Makes a Profitable Blog Niche To delve deeper into what makes a blog niche profitable, it’s important to understand that the key lies in finding a balance between your interests and the market demand. Here’s an expanded view on this topic: Alignment with Personal Interests and Expertise: The most sustainable and profitable blogs often stem from the blogger’s genuine interest and expertise in the subject. This alignment ensures: Consistency in Content Creation: When you are passionate about a topic, it’s easier to produce content regularly and maintain quality. Authenticity: Genuine enthusiasm and expertise attract audiences, fostering the development of a loyal community. Market Demand and Audience Interest: It’s crucial that your chosen niche has an existing audience that is actively seeking information or solutions in that area. This involves: Researching Trending Topics: Use tools like Google Trends or social media analytics to understand what your target audience is interested in. Identifying Gaps in Existing Content: Look for areas that are underrepresented or have room for a fresh perspective. Potential for Monetization: A profitable niche should offer various avenues for generating income. This includes: Sponsored Posts and Partnerships: Working together with brands and businesses that align with your niche. Advertising: Utilizing ad networks or direct advertising deals. Affiliate Marketing: Earning commissions by promoting products or services. Selling Products or Services Such as e-books, courses, merchandise, or consulting services. Positioning as an Expert or Authority: To stand out in your niche, it’s important to: Showcase Credentials and Experience: Share your qualifications or unique experiences that make you a credible source. Provide High-Quality, Valuable Content: Offer insights, detailed guides, or solutions that are not readily available elsewhere. Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, conduct surveys, or create community platforms to understand and cater to their needs. Long-term Engagement and Retention Strategies: Keeping your audience engaged over time is critical for a profitable blog. This can be achieved by: Consistent Posting Schedule: Regular updates keep your audience coming back. Email Newsletters and Subscriptions: Encourage visitors to subscribe for updates or exclusive content. Community Building: Create forums or groups where readers can interact and discuss topics related to your blog. Scalability and Evolution: A profitable niche should allow for growth and adaptation over time. Consider: Expanding into Related Topics: As your audience grows, explore adjacent areas that might interest them. Keeping Up with Industry Changes: Stay informed about new developments in your niche to keep your content relevant. A profitable blog niche is not just about picking a popular topic; it’s about matching your passion and expertise with what your audience is seeking and then leveraging that alignment to create valuable, monetizable content. Image: Envato Elements This article, "The Most Profitable Blog Niches (And How to Enter Them)" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Blogging has gained immense popularity, offering significant opportunities to establish and expand a business. The crucial factor in building a successful blog lies in pinpointing your blog niche and producing tailored content for a specific audience that is interested in that niche. In this article, we will explore the most profitable blog niches to assist you in discovering a lucrative blog niche idea for your own blog. What is a Blog Niche? A blog niche essentially refers to the subject your blog is about, and it tends to be the blog’s focus. Instead of writing a general blog about many different issues, a blog niche is meant to be more specialized and tailored. A blog niche is important for various reasons since it can help you generate relevant blog post ideas and cement you as an expert in the niche. For example, you could be a finance expert and choose a finance niche for your blog to communicate what you’ve learned and your ideas or opinions about different aspects of finance. Identifying the Most Profitable Blog Niches: Our Methodology As small business owners and entrepreneurs, selecting the right blog niche is crucial for success. Here are some things we considered as we built this list: Audience Interest and Size (Weight: 30%) High audience interest ensures steady traffic. Consider niches with a broad or deeply passionate audience. Monetization Potential (Weight: 25%) Some niches offer better opportunities for monetization (affiliate marketing, sponsored content, product sales). Evaluate how other blogs in the niche are making money. Content Longevity (Weight: 20%) Evergreen content can drive traffic for years. Avoid niches that are trend-based or have a short life span. Competition and Saturation (Weight: 15%) Highly saturated niches might be challenging but can indicate profitability. Look for sub-niches or unique angles within popular niches. SEO Opportunities (Weight: 10%) Niches with numerous SEO opportunities can boost visibility. Assess keyword competitiveness and search volume. By evaluating these criteria, you can better understand which blog niches might offer the most profitability. It’s about balancing audience interest, monetization prospects, and the competitive landscape to find a niche that not only resonates with you but also has a strong market potential. Profitable Blog Niches to Consider There are many profitable blog niches that you can consider across a variety of different topics. When looking at the most profitable blog niches, it’s important t to select a niche that you are passionate about and have knowledge on. Moreover, identifying your target audience based on the niche will help you craft a successful blog. Some of the most profitable blogging niches include the following: Personal Finance Personal finance blogs have emerged as one of the most profitable blog niches, driven by a growing interest among individuals in managing their finances. This niche encompasses a variety of topics, including budgeting, saving, investing, retirement planning, tax strategies, and debt management. As a personal finance blogger, you have the opportunity to educate people on making informed financial choices, making this niche appealing to a wide range of age groups and income levels. Digital Marketing and Online Business Another profitable blogging niche to explore is digital marketing and managing your own online business. This niche encompasses a variety of topics, including online marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content creation, and affiliate marketing, among others. Additionally, you can provide tips for running online businesses and write about subjects related to digital marketing and online entrepreneurship. As part of your digital marketing and online business niche, you could explain current trends and digital marketing methods and share your expertise. You could also micro niche by only focusing on specific topics within social media or SEO as part of your blogging journey. Health and Fitness Health and fitness have become an increasingly popular topic, and It’s the perfect blog niche if you are interested in teaching people how to adopt healthy habits and exercise routines. As part of the health and fitness niche, you could write helpful articles and content about physical health, well-being, and exercise. Health and fitness blogs include sub-niches such as nutrition, workouts, weight loss, yoga, meditation, mental health, and more. Niching down even more into subjects like specific exercise styles and routines are also profitable blog niches to consider. You could make money through affiliate income by sharing health-related products that you like and generate blog income through ads and partnerships. Food Blog and Recipe Blogs Food blogs and recipe blogs were among the first types of blog topics on the internet, but they are still very popular with users. Food and recipes are not a saturated niche; in fact, the interest has grown even more as users look to find new recipes and restaurants to try. If you’re not sure how to start a food blog, think about what interests you most about food and recipes – is it trying something new or teaching people how to make certain dishes? The food niche can be a great way to start a blog and explore new cuisines, foods, recipes, and more. There are also sponsored post opportunities from restaurants and companies, which is why it remains one of the most profitable blog niches. Personal Development and Self-Care Another lucrative niche to explore is the personal development and self-care sector. Bloggers in this niche can delve into various self-improvement topics, including personal growth, mental health, mindset transformation, and more. Sub-niches in this area may encompass mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, relationships, and goal-setting, among others. This niche may be ideal for individuals who want to offer practical tips and advice on personal development or share their own experiences related to personal growth through a blogging platform. Travel Blogs If you’re thinking about whether to start a travel blog, it could be a good idea considering its enduring popularity. The travel blog niche continues to be one of the most profitable niches as interest and appetite for traveling grow. Travel bloggers aim to inspire and excite their users to explore new places and cultures by sharing their experiences through their WordPress blogs or other channels. Your travel blog could focus on a sub-niche like adventure or luxury travel. Or you could provide practical advice on budgeting, planning, packing, and transportation. Additionally, you can make money online through your travel blog through brand partnerships and sponsored posts such as a specific blog topic to make money blogging about travel. Parenting Niche Parenting blogs have grown in popularity over the last few years, and it’s one of the top niche ideas to explore if you’re looking for blog ideas. The parenting niche is one of the best blogging niches because it can be pretty broad and easy to make your own. For example, your parenting blog could focus on topics such as parenting, including child development, education, behavior, health, and more. As part of your blogging strategy, you could start a blog focusing on a micro niche such as a particular age range (e.g., newborns, toddlers, or teenagers) or a specific parenting style. More blog ideas could focus on specific parenting aspects, such as discipline, nutrition, sleep, or play. Lifestyle If you’re interested in relatively simple blogging business ideas, a lifestyle blog is one of the most profitable or niche ideas to consider. The premise of lifestyle blogs is straightforward since you show your life, how you go about the day, and exciting things about your life. In addition, lifestyle blogs are about your personal interests, and you can make your blog more engaging by including topics such as fashion, travel, food, beauty, and wellness. You might consider launching a lifestyle blog that shares your experiences, opinions, and recommendations on your interests, which can help you create multiple income streams through sponsored posts and affiliate income. Making Money Online Another profitable niche to consider is blogging about how to make more money, mainly how to make money online. Niche ideas within this topic could include affiliate marketing, blogging, e-commerce, online surveys, and other opportunities for generating income online. This could include designing online courses, such as a blogging course, or creating content with helpful tips, advice, and practical ways for people to make money online. Micro niche ideas could include teaching people to start a blog, building an online store, and creating and selling digital products to make money. Education Online education has become a hot topic and is now considered one of the most profitable blog niches. As an education blogger, you could focus on creating content such as lesson plans, teaching strategies, educational policy, and more. Or you could create tutorials and walkthroughs for different subjects and grade levels (e.g., teaching high school science or elementary school math) to help children supplement their learning. Fashion Fashion bloggers have been a vital part of the internet, and there is still a lot of opportunity within this niche. Having your own fashion blog could be the most profitable blog niche for you, depending on the audience and interest you can capture. There is a lot of appetite for inspiration and guidance on fashion, and many bloggers have been able to make money through their fashion blogs. As a fashion blogger, you could cover sustainable fashion, luxury fashion, streetwear, beauty, and more. Another micro niche within fashion is to create content such as outfit ideas, fashion trends, makeup tutorials, product reviews, and more. Technology With technology evolving quickly, another profitable blog niche to consider is starting your technology blog. Of course, there are many sub-niches and micro-niche ideas within the technology umbrella, so what you can speak passionately about is really up to you. The technology blog niche could include topics such as the latest tech news and product reviews or focus on issues such as software development, hardware reviews, mobile technology, or cybersecurity, among others. For example, some tech blogs provide tips and advice, while others undertake detailed analyses and commentary on the latest smartphones, laptops, or gaming consoles. Another focus is to create content related to mobile technology, including news and reviews for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. DIY For homeowners and renters alike, DIY blogs are a popular option. Many people have decided to learn new skills and seek tutorials, advice, and tips. The DIY niche is wide and varied, including home improvement, crafting, cooking, recycling, and upcycling materials. As a DIY blogger, you could provide step-by-step instructions, creative ideas, and inspiration for their projects. You could also share your own experiences, techniques, and recommendations NicheAudience & FocusMonetization OpportunitiesKey Features 1. Personal FinanceAll age groups & income levels; focuses on money management.Sponsored content, partnerships, advertising, affiliate marketingTopics include budgeting, saving, investing, retirement, taxes, debt management 2. Digital Marketing & Online BusinessEntrepreneurs, marketers; focuses on online business strategies.Affiliate marketing, advertising, sponsored postsSEO, social media marketing, content creation, affiliate marketing 3. Health & FitnessHealth-conscious individuals; focuses on wellness and exercise.Affiliate income, ads, partnershipsNutrition, workouts, weight loss, yoga, mental health 4. Food & Recipe BlogsFood enthusiasts; focuses on culinary exploration and recipes.Sponsored posts from restaurants, affiliate marketingDiverse cuisines, restaurant reviews, cooking tutorials 5. Personal Development & Self-CareIndividuals seeking growth; focuses on mental and emotional well-being.Affiliate marketing, sponsored contentMindfulness, meditation, self-improvement, relationships 6. Travel BlogsTravel enthusiasts; focuses on exploring cultures and destinations.Brand partnerships, sponsored postsBudgeting for travel, adventure, luxury experiences 7. Parenting NicheParents; focuses on child-rearing and family life.Sponsored content, affiliate marketingChild development, education, nutrition, parenting styles 8. LifestyleGeneral audience; focuses on personal interests and daily life.Sponsored posts, affiliate incomeFashion, travel, food, beauty, wellness 9. Making Money OnlineEntrepreneurs, freelancers; focuses on online income strategies.Affiliate marketing, online coursesBlogging, e-commerce, digital products, surveys 10. EducationStudents, educators; focuses on learning and teaching resources.Sponsored content, affiliate marketingLesson plans, educational policy, tutorials 11. FashionFashion enthusiasts; focuses on trends and style advice.Brand partnerships, affiliate marketingSustainable fashion, luxury, streetwear, beauty tips 12. TechnologyTech enthusiasts; focuses on latest technology and reviews.Advertising, sponsored reviewsTech news, software development, hardware reviews, mobile technology 13. DIYHomeowners, crafters; focuses on do-it-yourself projects.Sponsored posts, affiliate marketingHome improvement, crafting, upcycling, tutorials How to Find More Profitable Blogging Niches If you’re passionate about a subject and dedicated to building your blog, you could turn almost any blog niche into a profitable blog. Here’s how you can find more blogging niches: Step 1: Identify Your Interests Take some time to identify your interests, such as hobbies, profession, skills, and talents. This will assist you in narrowing down the niches that excite you and in which you feel confident enough to maintain a blog. Step 2: Check Google Trends Once you’ve identified your niche, look at sources such as Google Trends to understand the search trends related to your niche, including volume and topics of interest. This will help you understand how profitable the blog could potentially be. Step 3: Search for Other Blogs Once you have narrowed down some topics, evaluate the competition, including other bloggers. Look at how often they post, how much engagement they tend to get, and what users seem to like/dislike about these blogs so you can build a stronger presence. Step 4: Register a domain If you’re ready to commit to your niche, you can start by getting a free domain name and setting up your blog. Based on the Google Trends data and the competition, you can start to build a blog that covers topics audiences are interested in while adding your unique spin and passion. Why Picking a Blogging Niche Matters There are many reasons why picking a blogging niche is important: Build a following: A blogging niche is important to build a dedicated following of readers and cultivate interest In your blog. Tailored content: While it’s easy to stay general when it comes to blogging, creating niche content ensures that your content is tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience. It positions you as an expert in the subject area. Differentiation: Picking a blog niche is essential for standing out and having a unique selling point that users will gravitate to. Motivation: Having a niche makes it easier to create content consistently since it will be an area you are passionate about and want to develop. You’ll be more motivated to keep the blog going and make it successful when it’s a topic you’re passionate about. What Makes a Profitable Blog Niche To delve deeper into what makes a blog niche profitable, it’s important to understand that the key lies in finding a balance between your interests and the market demand. Here’s an expanded view on this topic: Alignment with Personal Interests and Expertise: The most sustainable and profitable blogs often stem from the blogger’s genuine interest and expertise in the subject. This alignment ensures: Consistency in Content Creation: When you are passionate about a topic, it’s easier to produce content regularly and maintain quality. Authenticity: Genuine enthusiasm and expertise attract audiences, fostering the development of a loyal community. Market Demand and Audience Interest: It’s crucial that your chosen niche has an existing audience that is actively seeking information or solutions in that area. This involves: Researching Trending Topics: Use tools like Google Trends or social media analytics to understand what your target audience is interested in. Identifying Gaps in Existing Content: Look for areas that are underrepresented or have room for a fresh perspective. Potential for Monetization: A profitable niche should offer various avenues for generating income. This includes: Sponsored Posts and Partnerships: Working together with brands and businesses that align with your niche. Advertising: Utilizing ad networks or direct advertising deals. Affiliate Marketing: Earning commissions by promoting products or services. Selling Products or Services Such as e-books, courses, merchandise, or consulting services. Positioning as an Expert or Authority: To stand out in your niche, it’s important to: Showcase Credentials and Experience: Share your qualifications or unique experiences that make you a credible source. Provide High-Quality, Valuable Content: Offer insights, detailed guides, or solutions that are not readily available elsewhere. Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, conduct surveys, or create community platforms to understand and cater to their needs. Long-term Engagement and Retention Strategies: Keeping your audience engaged over time is critical for a profitable blog. This can be achieved by: Consistent Posting Schedule: Regular updates keep your audience coming back. Email Newsletters and Subscriptions: Encourage visitors to subscribe for updates or exclusive content. Community Building: Create forums or groups where readers can interact and discuss topics related to your blog. Scalability and Evolution: A profitable niche should allow for growth and adaptation over time. Consider: Expanding into Related Topics: As your audience grows, explore adjacent areas that might interest them. Keeping Up with Industry Changes: Stay informed about new developments in your niche to keep your content relevant. A profitable blog niche is not just about picking a popular topic; it’s about matching your passion and expertise with what your audience is seeking and then leveraging that alignment to create valuable, monetizable content. Image: Envato Elements This article, "The Most Profitable Blog Niches (And How to Enter Them)" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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Members of a Senate committee grilled Labor secretary-designate Lori Chavez-DeRemer on Wednesday about her past support of pro-union legislation, her position on raising the federal minimum wage and her willingness to disagree with President Donald Trump. Democrats sought assurances during the nominee’s confirmation hearing that Chavez-DeRemer would protect private data held by the Department of Labor. Republican members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions asked if she still backed a bill that would have made it easier for workers to unionize. Union leaders have described Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican member of Congress from Oregon and former mayor of a small city on the edge of liberal-leaning Portland, as a friend of organized labor. But workers’ rights advocates question if she would be able to uphold that reputation in an administration that has fired thousands of federal employees. “We are moving toward an authoritarian society where one person has enormous power. Will you have the courage to say, ‘Mr. President, that’s unconstitutional, that’s wrong?’” Vermont independent Bernie Sanders asked in his opening remarks. The tension between the relatively pro-union record from her one term as a congresswoman and the current White House priorities had Chavez-DeRemer walking a fine line during the hearing, sometimes repeating answers or deflecting by saying she’s not a lawyer and no longer serves as a House lawmaker. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana who chairs the committee, said the Trump administration had an opportunity to enact a pro-American agenda. He said business owners were concerned about Chavez-DeRemer’s past support in Congress of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. A section of the PRO Act would have overturned state “right to work” laws that give employees the right to refuse to join a union in their workplace. During her opening statement, Chavez-DeRemer described the proposed law as “imperfect.” When Cassidy asked her if she still supported it, she declined to give a yes or no answer. “I do not believe the secretary of Labor should write the laws. It would be up to Congress to write the law,” she said. She later said she supports states’ “right to work” laws, which allow employees to refuse to join a union in their workplace. A provision of the PRO Act sought to overturn such laws. Sanders, the committee’s ranking member, asked Chavez-DeRemer if she would be a rubber stamp for the administration or stand with workers. “If confirmed, my job will be to implement President Trump’s policy vision,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “And my guiding principle will be President Trump’s guiding principle—ensuring a level playing field for businesses, unions, and, most importantly, the American worker.” Some political observers surmised that Trump picked Chavez-DeRemer to be his Labor secretary as a way to appeal to voters who are members of or affiliated with labor organizations. She is the daughter of a Teamster member. If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer would be in charge of the Department of Labor’s nearly 16,000 full-time employees and a proposed budget of $13.9 billion in fiscal year 2025. She would set priorities that impact workers’ wages, ability to unionize, and health and safety, as well as employers’ rights to fire employees. But it’s unclear how much power she would be able to wield as Trump’s Cabinet moves to slash U.S. government spending and the size of the federal workforce. During his first month in office, the president froze trillions of dollars in federal funding and offered buyouts to most federal workers. His administration last week started laying off nearly all probationary employees who had not yet gained civil service protection. Billionaire Elon Musk, who leads Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, has called for getting rid of entire agencies. “It’s quite possible that no matter what the secretary of Labor stands for, the billionaire embedded in the Trump administration, who is so keen on destroying the institutions, will be interested in gutting the Department of Labor,” said Adam Shah, director of national policy at Jobs with Justice, a nonprofit organization that promotes workers’ rights. “ In January, Trump fired two of three Democratic commissioners serving on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal agency that enforces civil rights in the workplace. He also fired the acting chair of the National Labor Relations Board, Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve as an NLRB member, as well as Jennifer Abruzzo, the board’s general counsel. The firings left both independent agencies without the quorum needed to take actions. Asked Wednesday whether the EEOC and NLRB should have enough members to carry out its mission to protect workers, Chavez-DeRemer answered “yes.” Senators also sought assurance that Chavez-DeRemer would protect sensitive data. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut asked if she would deny Musk or his representatives access to information about competitors or labor violations at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Musk’s companies are the subject of several OSHA investigations. Chavez-DeRemer said the decision belonged to Trump. “I work for the president of the United States, if confirmed, and I will serve at the pleasure of the president on this issue,” she said. The answer did not satisfy Murphy. “You have the ability to disagree with the president. You certainly serve at his pleasure, but that doesn’t mean that you have to take actions that you believe to be unethical,” Murphy said. “If the president asks you to give access to information that benefits a friend of his who has pending investigations, you wouldn’t say no?” “I would certainly consult with the Department of Labor solicitors. I would certainly consult with the White House and their attorneys. But until I am confirmed and in the Labor Department, I would not be able to say, specific to this, without having the full picture,” Chavez-DeRemer said. Fourteen Democratic states have challenged the Musk-led DOGE from accessing government data systems or participating in worker layoffs, including at the Labor Department. A federal judge on Tuesday refused to grant a restraining order to block the access. Many major unions, including the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers, endorsed Trump’s Democratic opponent in the presidential race, former Vice President Democrat Kamala Harris. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse a presidential candidate, but the union endorsed Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination. During her committee testimony on Wednesday, Chavez-DeRemer said Trump had carried off the “single greatest political achievement of all time” by attracting votes from working-class Americans, many of whom traditionally voted for Democrats, and from rank-and-file union members. —By Cathy Bussewitz, Associated Press Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed to this report. View the full article

When you walk outside, you might be concerned about how a nearby idling car or a faraway factory are polluting the air you breathe. But when you’re inside, the products you use to make your home smell good—like wax melts, air fresheners, or diffusers—warrant the same worries. These products create nanoparticles that pollute your indoor air, at times even making the air inside your home more polluted than the urban outdoors. Researchers at Purdue University have been studying how everyday products create air pollution inside our homes. In a lab that resembles a tiny house—called the Purdue zero Energy Design Guidance for Engineers (zEDGE) lab—they study the emissions that come from cleaning products, essential oil diffusers, air fresheners, scented wax melts, disinfectants, and even deodorant and hair care products. Though you might burn some wax melts or use an essential oil diffuser as a way to mimic the fresh, clean air of a forest or a field of flowers, it’s actually those fragrances that cause pollution. These scented household products emit volatile organic compounds that can then react with the indoor air, including with oxidants like ozone. The result are nanoparticles that, though just a few nanometers in size—or even as small as 1 nanometer—can impact your health. (A human hair, for contrast, is about 80,000 nanometers). These tiny particles can penetrate deep into our lungs and move to other organs; breathing nanoparticles has been associated with health impacts on respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems. This “tiny house lab,” which sits outside of Purdue’s Delon and Elizabeth Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering, allows researchers to comprehensively study indoor air quality. [Photo: Kelsey Lefever/Purdue University] “People spend 90% of their time indoors, yet indoor air pollution remains largely unregulated and understudied,” Nusrat Jung, an assistant professor in Purdue’s Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, said via email. Jung and Brandon Boor, also a civil engineering professor, have been working in the zEDGE lab together to study the formation of these tiny particles indoors and compare them to outdoor air. Scientists have been studying indoor air more frequently, especially during the pandemic; gas stoves have become the most prominent culprits of indoor air pollution, along with other types of combustion. But Jung and Boor’s work shows that we need to pay attention to other sources of indoor particulate matter, too. “Our research shows that indoor nanoparticles can form and grow at rates much faster than those observed outdoors, largely due to the significant release of reactive fragrances from scented household products,” Boor says. Purdue University engineers Nusrat Jung, left, and Brandon Boor study the impact of everyday products and activities on a home’s air quality. [Photo: Kelsey Lefever/Purdue University] In their latest study, published earlier this month, they looked specifically at wax melts—which are often touted as a safer, cleaner option than candles and incense, the burning of which produces pollutants. But even though wax melts are flame-free, they still release nanoparticles in concentrations comparable to candles, gas stoves, and diesel engines. This emphasizes Jung and Boor’s general findings that scented household products release pollution, “often exceeding levels found in heavily polluted outdoor environments,” Jung says. Those pollution levels even occur with ostensibly “natural” products like plant-based cleaners or essential oils. They’ve found that using “citrus-scented air fresheners, essential oil diffusers, wax warmers, and terpene-based cleaners can elevate indoor nanoparticle concentrations by 10 to 1,000 times above typical urban outdoor levels,” she adds. The inside of Purdue’s tiny house lab has various sensors and equipment to accurately and precisely measure pollutant emissions from common household activities in real time. [Photo: Kelsey Lefever/Purdue University] Proper ventilation is key. But if you’re opening a window to dilute your indoor air pollution, you could also be adding in more outdoor ozone, which then reacts with those fragrances to generate even more nanoparticles. Instead, air purifiers could help reduce pollution levels. Choosing fragrance-free products could also reduce indoor air pollution. Jung and Boor say they will continue to research how everyday scented products impact our indoor air quality. They also hope to better understand what specific ingredients are causing those nanoparticles to form, as well as what role is played by ventilation, air circulation, and other chemicals already in our air. “The findings from our Purdue zEDGE test house are not just academic; they have real implications for building design, ventilation strategies, consumer product formulations, and public health guidelines,” Jung says. “As we continue to push the boundaries of indoor air quality research, our goal is to empower people with the knowledge and tools to create healthier indoor environments. Because the air we breathe inside should be just as much of a priority as the air outside.” View the full article

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Hunters were once the greatest human threat to the country’s only unique wolf species. Today, it’s motorists. That fact was brought home last June, when red wolf breeding male No. 2444 was struck and killed on U.S. 64 near Manns Harbor, North Carolina. His death likely meant five pups he’d been providing for died, too. “We were hoping the mother would return and resume care, but she never did,” Joe Madison, head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s red wolf recovery program, said during a recent visit to the site. For decades, conservationists have pushed for changes to U.S. 64, a busy two-lane highway to the popular Outer Banks that runs straight through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge—one of just two places in the world where red wolves run free. They may finally be getting their wish. In late December, the Federal Highway Administration awarded the first grants under a new $125 million Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. Unless the grants are somehow undone by President Donald Trump, part of the money will help state agencies and nonprofit groups rebuild a 2.5-mile section of the highway with fencing and a series of culverts, or small underpasses, to allow red wolves—as well as black bears, white-tailed deer, and other animals—to pass safely underneath traffic. “When you build wildlife bridges or underpasses, you reduce human-wildlife conflict,” said Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm, who studies wildlife migrations but is not directly involved in the project. “There is increasing awareness that reducing traffic collisions is smart for wildlife, smart for people too.” Other agency grants will support new bridges and underpasses for mule deer in Idaho, pronghorn antelope in New Mexico, and cougars and bears in Oregon, among other projects. But what’s notable about the U.S. 64 project is that the goal is twofold: reducing dangerous collisions and roadkill—and saving a critically endangered species. There are thought to be fewer than 20 red wolves left in the wild; besides Alligator River, the other remaining habitat is in the nearby Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Madison calculates that No. 2444 represented 7% of the known wild red wolf population. “So, every time you get a mortality, that’s a significant hit,” he said. Reducing roadkill—and saving a species? Wildlife crossings have proliferated across the U.S. in the past 20 years with broad nonpartisan support. Most often, the objective is safety. One congressional report estimated that dangerous highway collisions with large animals kill hundreds of people and cost more than $8 billion each year. Researchers have learned a lot about what works for different species. “Pronghorn don’t want to go through tunnels or close spaces, so they avoid underpasses and need bridges,” said Arthur Middleton, an ecologist who studies animal migration at the University of California, Berkeley. “Whereas deer will go under or over.” Gray wolves and coyotes—and, presumably, red wolves—will also use underpasses, or culverts, of 6 or 8 feet in diameter. Fencing is critical to funnel the animals to the structures. Along U.S. 30 in Wyoming, seven small underpasses and fencing cut mule deer collisions by 81%. In Canada, a series of overpasses and underpasses along the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park reduced collisions with hooved animals by 94%. But whether wildlife crossings can help prevent extinctions is a harder question to answer. “Conservation was always a part of the story, but now we’re seeing crossings increasingly pop up that have conservation as a primary rationale,” said Ben Goldfarb, author of the book Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. Some of the most ambitious crossings for conservation have just been built, and it will take time to assess the results. Outside Los Angeles, a wildlife crossing over 10 lanes of U.S. 101 is expected to open in 2026. The primary aim is to help connect the habitat of mountain lions, which need to cross the freeway to find suitable mates. Inbreeding among mountain lions in the L.A. region has already led to genetic mutations and decreased fertility. In Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, construction of a wildlife bridge spanning BR 101 was finished in 2020, then native seedlings were planted in a soil bed. Once those trees mature, researchers will study if the target species—an endangered monkey called a golden lion tamarin—uses the bridge regularly. Experts say the trees are necessary for creatures like monkeys or sloths to move across the bridge. Species that scamper on the ground, including foxes, anteaters, and armadillos, are already crossing. Hope at the end of the tunnel underpass for red wolves? While it’s not certain that a wildlife crossing can save the last red wolves, scientists say that doing nothing will almost certainly hasten their demise. Canis rufus, often called “America’s wolf,” once roamed from central Texas to southern Iowa and as far east as Long Island, New York. After being declared extinct in the wild, red wolves were reintroduced in North Carolina in 1987. For about 20 years, the population grew steadily to reach around 120 animals. Then their numbers crashed—with vehicle collisions a primary culprit. One study found that vehicle strikes had killed about 5% of the red wolf population each year between their reintroduction and 2022. Marcel P. Huijser, a study coauthor and a research ecologist at Montana State University’s Western Transportation Institute, warned that the cost of doing nothing, “including losing a wild species, can be far higher than the cost of implementing effective mitigation.” In North Carolina, Fish and Wildlife biologists have tried other measures to prevent crashes—like flashing road signs and reflective collars—without much success. Following No. 2444’s death, conservation groups like the Wildlands Network and the Center for Biological Diversity pushed for another solution. In September, the North Carolina Department of Transportation submitted a grant application for the Red Wolf Essential Survival Crossings Under Evacuation Route, or RESCUER, project. Plans for the U.S. 64 wildlife crossing call for a series of underpass structures—several of them big enough for wolves and other large mammals to pass through—and the accompanying fencing. The exact number and size of the underpasses has yet to be determined, said Travis W. Wilson, eastern habitat conservation coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The estimated total cost for the project is about $31.5 million, including $4 million in private donations raised by conservation groups and an anonymous donor’s matching grant. “This is one of the most important wildlife connectivity projects in the country,” said Beth Pratt, founder of the nonprofit The Wildlife Crossing Fund, which raised funds for the project. “Critically endangered red wolves will disappear if we do nothing.” —By Allen G. Breed and Christina Larson, Associated Press The Associated Press’s Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP’s climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. View the full article

The many different Types of self employment jobs have quite a range. There are dog walkers and accountants, landscapers and delivery drivers. There are self-employed jobs that are so much fun, they don’t feel like work. Often that happens when a hobby becomes a career. Regardless of the type of work performed, all self-employed individuals share a common obligation: they must pay taxes. This includes both income tax and self-employment tax. As a self-employed person, you can file self-employment income taxes yourself. You can get the paperwork needed from the internet and do it yourself, or you can use tax software for small business owners. Or you can hire a tax professional. Remember, this is federal income tax. You’ll also owe state income tax. What’s the Difference Between Income Tax and Self Employment Tax? Income taxes are the taxes you pay based on your net earnings. Self-employment taxes are additional taxes paid by self-employed individuals. What are Self Employment Taxes? Self-employed individuals pay social security and medicare taxes in addition to income tax. Employers take those taxes out when they do payroll. Since you don’t have an employer, you are responsible for paying self-employment taxes. How Much are Self-Employment Taxes? The self employment tax for social security and medicare is 15.3%. Of that, 12.4% goes to social security tax and the medicare tax is 2.9%. That’s the total for social security and medicare taxes if you’re single and make a net income below a certain threshold. If you’re single and exceed that threshold (congratulations, by the way), the medicare tax will be an additional 9% (3.8% total). There are various calculations based on your marital status and earnings from self-employment. Your taxable income is your net earnings, not the total of your business income. Additional Medicare Taxes for Self-Employed Professionals Although the social security tax remains standard, the medicare tax can vary according to your marital status and amount of net earnings from self-employment. When do You Have to Pay Self Employment Tax? Self employment taxes and income taxes should be made by quarterly estimated tax payments. For making quarterly estimated payments, you should use IRS Form 1040-ES, which is the Estimated Tax for Individuals. This form includes blank vouchers that you can print out. Alternatively, you can file electronically through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. Self-employed people will still file annual taxes. That’s when you’ll use IRS Form 1040 paired with IRS Schedule C, where you’ll fill in the information used to calculate your profit or loss. Your tax liability may be more or less, depending on whether you’ve over or underestimated your quarterly estimated taxes. The deadline for filing annually for a self-employed individual is the same as everybody else’s federal income tax return deadline, except for a deferral allowed by the CARES Act (see below). Self Employment Tax Deferral Through the CARES Act, workers could defer self employment taxes that were due during a specific period. Half of the self employment taxes due at that time were to be paid by the end of the following tax year, with the remaining half paid by the end of the subsequent tax year. How to File Your Self-Employment Taxes As an independent contractor/self employment individual, you have to keep good records to aid in tax preparation. Even more importantly, for ease in completing your tax return, you have to know where they are. Before beginning your federal income tax return, collect all the necessary documentation to substantiate your business expenses and gross income. These items are essential for calculating your net earnings from self-employment. Additionally, ensure you have the records of your quarterly estimated taxes paid, which were based on your projections for gross income and expenses for your estimated income tax payments. Filling Out Your Self-Employment Tax Form Since your self-employment tax is based on your net earnings from self-employment, the first thing you need to do is fill out your Schedule C. Schedule C: Profit and Loss Statement for Self-Employed This is the form where you record your business expenses, such as what you spent for travel, education and certifications, office equipment and supplies, materials and similar. Your expenses will be specific to the type of work you do as an independent contractor/self-employed person. You’ll add up your total income and the total of your expenses. The different between the two is either profit or loss applied to your tax bill. It’s important to keep the standard deduction in mind as you add up deductions. The standard deduction is $12,550. If your deductions will be less than that amount, you’ll just use the standard deduction. 1040 Self Employed This form includes your general information, such as your address and social security number. People who receive a W2 use the straight 1040. You’ll use the 1040 SE, which has a place for you to record the bottom line from your Schedule C. Once you’ve completed those forms for your tax return, you’ll have the number for your net earnings from self employment. You’ll use that number to calculate your self-employment tax, including social security and Medicare taxes. When you pay estimated taxes, you’ll also include that information. Self Employed W2 Sometimes self employed people receive a W2 from an employer who didn’t withhold payroll taxes. In that case on your tax return you must pay the income tax due, as well as the self employment tax for social security and medicare. Self Employment Tax Deductions If you run your own business, you’ll quickly get savvy about what you can use for a qualified business income deduction. Your self-employment earnings number will be reduced by any income tax deduction, such as: Purchase of computer, laptop, printer, and software for the business Office Supplies Travel such as airfare and vehicle mileage (keep records) Advertising costs Depreciation of equipment Education and certifications What about the home office deduction? Tax professionals often advise against using this deduction. It’s often stated that using the home office deduction makes it more likely that you’ll be audited by the IRS. Is that true? What matters is that as long as you have accurate, provable records, the home office deduction may work for you. For example, you have a dedicated office room, separate business and internet phone line, etc. Before you use this deduction, you may want to get tax advice from a tax preparation professional. Also, making itemized deductions doesn’t always make sense. The annual standard deduction for a single filer was raised to $12,550. If your deductions won’t be higher than that amount, just use the standard deduction. The standard deduction may even get you a higher tax refund. Self Employed Health Insurance Deduction You can deduct the cost of your health insurance premiums as tax deductions as you’re calculating your net earnings. Read More: best tax software for self-employed Tax Write-Offs for Self-Employed The best tax write-off for a self-employed individual is a retirement plan. Money contributed to a retirement plan is deducted from your gross earnings – then called adjusted gross income. Your level of income affects your tax rate, and your tax rate impacts how much you pay as a self employed business owner. For example, if you earn $32,000 gross from self-employment and contribute $6,000 (the annual limit, although you can contribute $7,000 the first year) to an IRA, your adjusted gross income is $26,000. That will change how much you pay to Social Security and Medicare and may help you get a tax refund. Such contributions are also one way to offset capital gains. Remember, if money isn’t taxed when it goes in, it will be taxed when it is withdrawn. You have two main choices: IRA (Individual Retirement Account) – An IRA can either be a traditional IRA, where taxes are not deducted from contributions, or a Roth IRA, where contributions are taxed beforehand. It may be beneficial to seek professional tax advice to figure out which type is most suitable for your situation. 401K – Monies contributed are pre-taxed. You can set up a 401K for your business and even do so for employees if you have them. A tax professional can help with those decisions. How to Pay Self-Employment Tax Calculate your total self-employment tax based on your net earnings. Once you have the annual total of what you owe according to social security and medicare taxes withheld when you made quarterly payments, figure the difference. Then, based on net profit and previous quarterly payments, calculate your self-employment taxes owed. If you owe, you’ll be able to print a payment voucher from Schedule 1040 SE and send a check. Or you can pay electronically. How to Report Self-Employment Income Without a 1099 Many independent contractors don’t receive a 1099. Instead, their clients pay them by check, payment App or other method. During the year, you should record and tally payments made to you. As independent wage earners, you should have a business bank account. Using deposit records made to the business account, it should be easy to feed the deposit information (as income) into your tax preparation software or tax paperwork. You will always need documentation to support the numbers you use on your tax return. Having a record of deposits makes that easier. You should also have a dedicated credit card for your business. If you use the credit card for all or for the bulk of your purchases and expenses, tax time could be a breeze. Depending on the card you select, you could be earning points, rewards, or cash back on your spending in the meantime. Do I need to pay self-employment taxes? Yes, without a doubt. What happens if you don’t pay self-employment tax on time? If you don’t pay on time, the IRS will charge you a penalty. The penalty will be 2.66% on the amount owed. That percentage will be applied monthly to the growing total. What Is the Federal Self Employment Tax Rate? The self-employment tax rate is 15.3% (12.4 for SS and 2.9 for Medicare). With traditional employment taxes, the employer pays half of that (7.65%), and the employee is charged half (taken out of the paycheck). Since you don’t have an employer, the 7.65% amount can be used as a tax deduction. Is Disability Insurance for Self Employment Tax Deductible? No, the amount you pay for disability insurance is NOT tax deductible. That doesn’t mean you should go without it. In fact, disability insurance is relatively inexpensive, especially in comparison to the difference it will make for you should you become injured in some way and unable to work. However, you should be able to deduct dental, vision, and medical expenses if you spend more than your adjusted gross income. For instance, suppose you earned a gross income of $40,000 last year. After contributing $6,000 to an IRA, your adjusted income would be $34,000. You may have affordable health insurance but a high deductible that you paid out of pocket. Or you may not have vision or dental insurance. What if you needed two root canals, and paid more than $5,000 total for both? In the example, that’s more than 7.5% ($4,533) of the AGI. You may be able to deduct those costs. Of course, you’ll need documentation, including bills and records of your payments. If you have multiple medical expenses, it may be time to use a tax professional or tax software that includes professional assistance. What is the difference between self-employment tax and income tax? Let’s review. As you now know, the two are related – and you can’t have one without the other. In short, if you’re self-employed, use Schedule C to calculate deductions (if you have more than $12,500). If not, use the standard deduction. Make quarterly payments for the se tax, based on your best estimates. When you do the annual filing, use your net income earnings to see how much se tax you owe based on that figure. Using the totals from your quarterly payments, subtract what you’ve already paid. Make a payment for the remainder. Image: Depositphotos This article, "How to File Self Employment Taxes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article