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You’ve likely heard about holiday pay in employee compensation. Employees receive extra pay when they take paid time off for holidays. Understanding this concept can be immensely important as you prepare your business for the holidays or begin hiring for the first time. In this article, we’ll break down what holiday pay entails and whether it should be on your list of employee benefits. What is Holiday Pay? Holiday pay is a part of employee compensation, typically extra wages given during holidays. In the U.S., it stems from both federal laws and industry norms. Federal guidelines set the foundation, while industries often add their own practices, ensuring workers are rewarded for their holiday hours. The Difference Between Paid Holidays and Holiday Pay It’s important to grasp the difference between a paid holiday and getting extra for working on one. A paid holiday means you get your usual pay for the day off, while holiday pay means extra earnings for putting in hours on a holiday. Paid Holidays: What Are They? In the U.S., we’re talking about the classic typical paid holidays like New Year’s Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving. These are days when folks typically take a breather, and employers often ensure their team gets this time without missing out on their regular pay. How Holiday Pay Works Holiday pay sweetens the deal. If you’re clocking in on a holiday, you’ll usually see a little extra in your paycheck. This could be a bump in your hourly rate or even a special bonus. It’s a way for employers to show appreciation for the effort of putting in work on a holiday, giving employees an extra nudge to be there when it counts. Eligibility and Requirements for Receiving Holiday Pay Let’s explore who typically qualifies for holiday pay. Eligibility is often determined by factors like your job type, industry, and the specifics of your employment agreement. While these criteria can differ, understanding them is essential. Who is Entitled to Receive Holiday Pay? Eligibility for holiday pay varies depending on your employment status. Typically, full-time employees receive more holiday pay benefits compared to part-time or contractual workers. Additionally, the details may be influenced by your employer’s policies and the specific nature of your work. Common Practices in Different Industries Different industries have their own take on holiday pay. In healthcare, it’s common to ensure staff working holidays receive extra compensation. In the hospitality industry, bonuses or higher hourly rates on holidays are common. Office jobs often follow standard holiday pay practices outlined in employment contracts or company policies. Finding a common standard and communicating it to employees so that they understand their compensation and what is expected of them is among the hardest parts of being a manager. How Much is Holiday Pay? Now, let’s talk dollars and cents when it comes to holiday pay. It’s not just a flat amount; it can vary based on several factors. Let’s break it down. Standard Rates vs. Overtime Pay Holiday pay can vary in its form. In some cases, it is paid at your standard hourly rate, while in others, it may be higher, such as overtime pay. The exact rate typically depends on your employer’s policies and agreements. Factors Influencing Holiday Pay Amounts Several things play into how much holiday pay you might get. Here’s a closer look at several factors: Job Role Different positions within a company might have varying pay scales. For example, managerial roles might receive a different holiday pay rate than entry-level positions. Some roles, especially those in essential services like healthcare or public safety, might get higher holiday pay due to the nature and demand of their jobs on holidays. Tenure with the Company Employees with longer tenure at the company may receive increased holiday pay as recognition for their loyalty and experience. Some businesses have a tiered system where holiday pay increases with each year of service. Size of the Employer Larger companies might have more established policies and budgets for holiday pay, potentially offering more generous rates. Smaller businesses, while they may have a tighter budget, sometimes offer competitive holiday pay to retain their staff. Company’s Financial Health A company that has had a successful financial year might decide to reward its employees with higher holiday bonuses or pay. Conversely, a business facing financial struggles might offer reduced holiday pay or none at all. Presence of a Union or Collective Bargaining Agreement In organizations with robust unions or collective bargaining agreements, holiday pay rates may be standardized and are often higher compared to non-unionized settings. Location and Cost of Living Businesses located in areas with a higher cost of living might offer more holiday pay to help offset living expenses. Regional laws and standards might also dictate minimum holiday pay rates. Policy on Holiday Pay Not all companies offer holiday pay. For those that do, the way they calculate it can vary—some might offer a fixed bonus, others might provide double-time pay, and some might give an extra percentage of the daily rate. The number of holidays recognized by a company can also influence overall holiday earnings. Employee Performance Some companies might offer performance-based bonuses during the holiday season, meaning an employee’s recent performance could influence their holiday pay. Industry Norms Some industries may typically provide more generous holiday pay because of competitive pressures or the specific requirements of the work. For example, the hospitality industry might offer higher holiday pay rates to incentivize working during peak holiday times. Understanding these variables is crucial for employees when negotiating contracts or for employers when establishing fair and competitive holiday pay policies. Types of Holidays and Implications for Pay Let’s break down the different holidays in the U.S. and what they mean for your pay. Each has its own set of implications, from federal holidays to religious observances. CriterionFederal HolidaysReligious HolidaysFloating Holidays DefinitionHolidays recognized by the federal government, often marking national events or historical figures.Important days in various religions; they may vary greatly among different religious groups.Personal days that an employee can take off at their choosing, sometimes offered by businesses in lieu of, or in addition to, fixed holidays. Examples- New Year’s Day- Christmas (Christian)Typically not fixed to any specific day. - Independence Day- Hanukkah (Jewish)Employee chooses the day based on personal or family needs. - Thanksgiving- Eid (Islamic) Mandatory OfferingIn the U.S., businesses are not required to close or offer time off for federal holidays, but many choose to do so.Not mandatory, but businesses may offer to accommodate employees' religious practices.At the discretion of the business. Some companies offer them, some don’t. Schedule ImpactFixed dates; businesses can plan ahead for closures or reduced staffing.May change every year, especially for lunar calendars. Can make scheduling more challenging.Can be unpredictable, as employees select dates based on personal needs. Might create short-staff situations if not managed. Diversity & InclusivityBroadly recognized, but doesn’t accommodate all cultural or religious observances.Accommodating religious holidays promotes inclusivity and respects diversity.Promotes inclusivity by allowing employees to choose days important to them, whether cultural, religious, or personal. Financial ImplicationIf businesses decide to offer additional pay (like double time), it's on fixed, predictable days.Offering additional pay might be less predictable due to varying observances among employees.If offering additional pay, cost is less predictable due to the personal nature of these holidays. Legal ConsiderationsWhile not mandated for private businesses, some regulations might apply to federal contractors or other sectors.Employers must reasonably accommodate religious practices, including observances, unless it creates undue hardship.Largely determined by company policy, but must be applied consistently to avoid discrimination. Employee Morale & SatisfactionSeen as standard in many industries, can affect morale if not offered.Recognizing and accommodating boosts morale among diverse employee groups.Highly valued for their flexibility, allowing employees to observe personal or cultural events. Federal Holidays vs. Religious Holidays Federal holidays like Independence Day often mean paid time off, while religious holidays may require accommodations or special pay arrangements. Understanding the distinctions helps employers navigate these situations effectively. Floating Holidays: A Flexible Option Floating holidays are gaining traction for their adaptability. They let employees choose when to take their day off, catering to diverse cultural or personal preferences. Offering this option shows consideration for individual needs and promotes a more inclusive work environment. Holiday Season and Pay Considerations Employers might offer additional incentives to keep their workforce engaged during busy holiday seasons, like the end of the year. Bonuses, extra pay, or even additional time off can be part of these seasonal considerations. It’s a way to say thanks for the extra effort during the holidays. Utilize work schedule apps or online calendars to schedule these extra breaks in a way that won’t harm your business. Holiday Pay Policy and Calculations When it comes to offering holiday pay, companies usually have a clear policy in place. This policy outlines who’s eligible for holiday pay, how much they’ll get, and when they’ll receive it. Companies consider factors like employment contracts, federal and state laws, and internal guidelines to create a solid holiday pay policy. How to Calculate Holiday Pay Calculating holiday pay might seem tricky, but it follows a straightforward formula. Start by figuring out how much the employee normally earns. Next, work out the average daily earnings over a certain period. Finally, multiply that average by the number of days they’re taking off. This way, you make sure they’re fairly paid for their holiday time. The Role of the Fair Labor Standards Act The FLSA plays a crucial role in holiday pay regulations. It sets the minimum wage, overtime rules, and standards for employee classifications. When it comes to holiday pay, the FLSA doesn’t mandate it, but it can affect how companies approach holiday compensation. Complying with FLSA guidelines ensures fair treatment and pay for employees during holidays. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ovc16NUta94%3Fsi%3D85B6ynjTl7miiuym FAQs: Holiday Pay Are paid holidays the same as federally recognized holidays? Paid holidays and federally recognized holidays aren’t always identical. While federally recognized holidays like New Year’s Day and Independence Day are commonly paid, companies may offer additional paid holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Check your company’s policy to see which holidays they provide paid leave for. How does working on religious holidays differ from a federal holiday? Working on religious holidays versus federal holidays varies. Federal holidays are recognized nationwide, and most businesses close or provide extra pay. Religious holidays depend on an employee’s faith and company policies. Accommodations may include time off, flexible hours, or swapped workdays. How should holiday pay be calculated for hourly employees? Calculating holiday pay for hourly employees follows a simple formula. Start by determining their regular hourly rate. Then, calculate their average daily earnings over a specific period, often the past few weeks. Finally, multiply that average by the number of holiday hours worked. What is the difference between holiday pay and paid holidays? Holiday pay refers to the additional compensation employees receive when they work on holidays. It’s an extra payment beyond their regular wages. Paid holidays, on the other hand, are days when employees receive their regular pay even though they’re not working, typically on federally recognized holidays or as per company policy. Creating a standard policy that can easily be communicated can simplify hiring and keep current employees happy. Image: Envato Elements This article, "What is Holiday Pay and Should You Offer It?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

You’ve likely heard about holiday pay in employee compensation. Employees receive extra pay when they take paid time off for holidays. Understanding this concept can be immensely important as you prepare your business for the holidays or begin hiring for the first time. In this article, we’ll break down what holiday pay entails and whether it should be on your list of employee benefits. What is Holiday Pay? Holiday pay is a part of employee compensation, typically extra wages given during holidays. In the U.S., it stems from both federal laws and industry norms. Federal guidelines set the foundation, while industries often add their own practices, ensuring workers are rewarded for their holiday hours. The Difference Between Paid Holidays and Holiday Pay It’s important to grasp the difference between a paid holiday and getting extra for working on one. A paid holiday means you get your usual pay for the day off, while holiday pay means extra earnings for putting in hours on a holiday. Paid Holidays: What Are They? In the U.S., we’re talking about the classic typical paid holidays like New Year’s Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving. These are days when folks typically take a breather, and employers often ensure their team gets this time without missing out on their regular pay. How Holiday Pay Works Holiday pay sweetens the deal. If you’re clocking in on a holiday, you’ll usually see a little extra in your paycheck. This could be a bump in your hourly rate or even a special bonus. It’s a way for employers to show appreciation for the effort of putting in work on a holiday, giving employees an extra nudge to be there when it counts. Eligibility and Requirements for Receiving Holiday Pay Let’s explore who typically qualifies for holiday pay. Eligibility is often determined by factors like your job type, industry, and the specifics of your employment agreement. While these criteria can differ, understanding them is essential. Who is Entitled to Receive Holiday Pay? Eligibility for holiday pay varies depending on your employment status. Typically, full-time employees receive more holiday pay benefits compared to part-time or contractual workers. Additionally, the details may be influenced by your employer’s policies and the specific nature of your work. Common Practices in Different Industries Different industries have their own take on holiday pay. In healthcare, it’s common to ensure staff working holidays receive extra compensation. In the hospitality industry, bonuses or higher hourly rates on holidays are common. Office jobs often follow standard holiday pay practices outlined in employment contracts or company policies. Finding a common standard and communicating it to employees so that they understand their compensation and what is expected of them is among the hardest parts of being a manager. How Much is Holiday Pay? Now, let’s talk dollars and cents when it comes to holiday pay. It’s not just a flat amount; it can vary based on several factors. Let’s break it down. Standard Rates vs. Overtime Pay Holiday pay can vary in its form. In some cases, it is paid at your standard hourly rate, while in others, it may be higher, such as overtime pay. The exact rate typically depends on your employer’s policies and agreements. Factors Influencing Holiday Pay Amounts Several things play into how much holiday pay you might get. Here’s a closer look at several factors: Job Role Different positions within a company might have varying pay scales. For example, managerial roles might receive a different holiday pay rate than entry-level positions. Some roles, especially those in essential services like healthcare or public safety, might get higher holiday pay due to the nature and demand of their jobs on holidays. Tenure with the Company Employees with longer tenure at the company may receive increased holiday pay as recognition for their loyalty and experience. Some businesses have a tiered system where holiday pay increases with each year of service. Size of the Employer Larger companies might have more established policies and budgets for holiday pay, potentially offering more generous rates. Smaller businesses, while they may have a tighter budget, sometimes offer competitive holiday pay to retain their staff. Company’s Financial Health A company that has had a successful financial year might decide to reward its employees with higher holiday bonuses or pay. Conversely, a business facing financial struggles might offer reduced holiday pay or none at all. Presence of a Union or Collective Bargaining Agreement In organizations with robust unions or collective bargaining agreements, holiday pay rates may be standardized and are often higher compared to non-unionized settings. Location and Cost of Living Businesses located in areas with a higher cost of living might offer more holiday pay to help offset living expenses. Regional laws and standards might also dictate minimum holiday pay rates. Policy on Holiday Pay Not all companies offer holiday pay. For those that do, the way they calculate it can vary—some might offer a fixed bonus, others might provide double-time pay, and some might give an extra percentage of the daily rate. The number of holidays recognized by a company can also influence overall holiday earnings. Employee Performance Some companies might offer performance-based bonuses during the holiday season, meaning an employee’s recent performance could influence their holiday pay. Industry Norms Some industries may typically provide more generous holiday pay because of competitive pressures or the specific requirements of the work. For example, the hospitality industry might offer higher holiday pay rates to incentivize working during peak holiday times. Understanding these variables is crucial for employees when negotiating contracts or for employers when establishing fair and competitive holiday pay policies. Types of Holidays and Implications for Pay Let’s break down the different holidays in the U.S. and what they mean for your pay. Each has its own set of implications, from federal holidays to religious observances. CriterionFederal HolidaysReligious HolidaysFloating Holidays DefinitionHolidays recognized by the federal government, often marking national events or historical figures.Important days in various religions; they may vary greatly among different religious groups.Personal days that an employee can take off at their choosing, sometimes offered by businesses in lieu of, or in addition to, fixed holidays. Examples- New Year’s Day- Christmas (Christian)Typically not fixed to any specific day. - Independence Day- Hanukkah (Jewish)Employee chooses the day based on personal or family needs. - Thanksgiving- Eid (Islamic) Mandatory OfferingIn the U.S., businesses are not required to close or offer time off for federal holidays, but many choose to do so.Not mandatory, but businesses may offer to accommodate employees' religious practices.At the discretion of the business. Some companies offer them, some don’t. Schedule ImpactFixed dates; businesses can plan ahead for closures or reduced staffing.May change every year, especially for lunar calendars. Can make scheduling more challenging.Can be unpredictable, as employees select dates based on personal needs. Might create short-staff situations if not managed. Diversity & InclusivityBroadly recognized, but doesn’t accommodate all cultural or religious observances.Accommodating religious holidays promotes inclusivity and respects diversity.Promotes inclusivity by allowing employees to choose days important to them, whether cultural, religious, or personal. Financial ImplicationIf businesses decide to offer additional pay (like double time), it's on fixed, predictable days.Offering additional pay might be less predictable due to varying observances among employees.If offering additional pay, cost is less predictable due to the personal nature of these holidays. Legal ConsiderationsWhile not mandated for private businesses, some regulations might apply to federal contractors or other sectors.Employers must reasonably accommodate religious practices, including observances, unless it creates undue hardship.Largely determined by company policy, but must be applied consistently to avoid discrimination. Employee Morale & SatisfactionSeen as standard in many industries, can affect morale if not offered.Recognizing and accommodating boosts morale among diverse employee groups.Highly valued for their flexibility, allowing employees to observe personal or cultural events. Federal Holidays vs. Religious Holidays Federal holidays like Independence Day often mean paid time off, while religious holidays may require accommodations or special pay arrangements. Understanding the distinctions helps employers navigate these situations effectively. Floating Holidays: A Flexible Option Floating holidays are gaining traction for their adaptability. They let employees choose when to take their day off, catering to diverse cultural or personal preferences. Offering this option shows consideration for individual needs and promotes a more inclusive work environment. Holiday Season and Pay Considerations Employers might offer additional incentives to keep their workforce engaged during busy holiday seasons, like the end of the year. Bonuses, extra pay, or even additional time off can be part of these seasonal considerations. It’s a way to say thanks for the extra effort during the holidays. Utilize work schedule apps or online calendars to schedule these extra breaks in a way that won’t harm your business. Holiday Pay Policy and Calculations When it comes to offering holiday pay, companies usually have a clear policy in place. This policy outlines who’s eligible for holiday pay, how much they’ll get, and when they’ll receive it. Companies consider factors like employment contracts, federal and state laws, and internal guidelines to create a solid holiday pay policy. How to Calculate Holiday Pay Calculating holiday pay might seem tricky, but it follows a straightforward formula. Start by figuring out how much the employee normally earns. Next, work out the average daily earnings over a certain period. Finally, multiply that average by the number of days they’re taking off. This way, you make sure they’re fairly paid for their holiday time. The Role of the Fair Labor Standards Act The FLSA plays a crucial role in holiday pay regulations. It sets the minimum wage, overtime rules, and standards for employee classifications. When it comes to holiday pay, the FLSA doesn’t mandate it, but it can affect how companies approach holiday compensation. Complying with FLSA guidelines ensures fair treatment and pay for employees during holidays. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ovc16NUta94%3Fsi%3D85B6ynjTl7miiuym FAQs: Holiday Pay Are paid holidays the same as federally recognized holidays? Paid holidays and federally recognized holidays aren’t always identical. While federally recognized holidays like New Year’s Day and Independence Day are commonly paid, companies may offer additional paid holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Check your company’s policy to see which holidays they provide paid leave for. How does working on religious holidays differ from a federal holiday? Working on religious holidays versus federal holidays varies. Federal holidays are recognized nationwide, and most businesses close or provide extra pay. Religious holidays depend on an employee’s faith and company policies. Accommodations may include time off, flexible hours, or swapped workdays. How should holiday pay be calculated for hourly employees? Calculating holiday pay for hourly employees follows a simple formula. Start by determining their regular hourly rate. Then, calculate their average daily earnings over a specific period, often the past few weeks. Finally, multiply that average by the number of holiday hours worked. What is the difference between holiday pay and paid holidays? Holiday pay refers to the additional compensation employees receive when they work on holidays. It’s an extra payment beyond their regular wages. Paid holidays, on the other hand, are days when employees receive their regular pay even though they’re not working, typically on federally recognized holidays or as per company policy. Creating a standard policy that can easily be communicated can simplify hiring and keep current employees happy. Image: Envato Elements This article, "What is Holiday Pay and Should You Offer It?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In another devastating blow to customers and employees of Joann Inc, the popular fabric and crafts retailer is moving to close a significant chunk of its brick-and-mortar locations as part of ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, according to a court filing on Wednesday. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection a second time last month, had initially said it would continue operating its approximately 800 stores as it restructured and sought a buyer. However, it told a court this week that it has now identified a number of underperforming locations during the bidding process that it wants to close as a way of cutting costs. “As the sale process progressed, and prospective bidders continued to conduct diligence and refine their potential bids, the Debtors and their advisors were able to identify a subset of underperforming stores that are unlikely to be considered or included in any going concern bid,” lawyers for the retailer said in the court filing. The filing lists hundreds of locations across more than 40 states, with big states like California, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan being hit the hardest. Joann says in the filing that it would like to begin store closing sales immediately. It warns that additional locations are likely to close as well. Reached for comment by Fast Company, Joann spokesperson Amanda Hayes confirmed the closings in a statement. “As part of the ongoing Chapter 11 process and our efforts to maximize the value of the business, JOANN has filed a motion seeking court authority to begin closing approximately 500 stores across the nation,” the statement read. “This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our Team Members, our customers and all of the communities we serve. A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time. Right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward for JOANN.” A difficult needle to thread Founded in 1943, Joann has faced significant challenges in recent years, with factors such as the pandemic, inflation, and the broader shift to online retail hindering its operations. It was taken private last year when it filed for bankruptcy a first time, but it said at the time that it expected to continue operations once it emerged. A second bankruptcy came at the beginning of this year. Although Joann told customers that stores would remain open during the process, it warned that it could go out of business if it is unable to find a suitable buyer. Gordon Brothers, the restructuring firm that recently took control of embattled retailer Big Lots, has emerged as a “stalking horse” bidder for Joann. If it is successful, the firm is likely to liquidate and close all stores. This story is developing…. View the full article

Google Ads is rolling out mandatory brand guidelines. It requires you to officially document your business names and logos by March – or face automated changes to your ad campaigns. The big picture. The move represents Google’s latest effort to standardize brand presentation across its advertising platforms while giving businesses more control over their digital identity. Key details: Advertisers must update their brand guidelines before March. If no action is taken, Google will automatically select “top-performing” business names and logos based on campaign data. The change affects how brands appear across all Google’s ad platforms. Why we care. Clear brand identity boosts ad performance, trust, and competitive advantage. If needed, you should update your brand guidelines now to maintain control and align with your marketing strategy. What’s next. Businesses have until March to complete their brand guideline updates before automatic changes take effect. First seen. We were made aware of this update when Arpan Banerjee when he shared the alert he saw on X: Go deeper. Google provides tools for updating brand guidelines through their advertising platform, allowing companies to maintain control over their brand identity. View the full article

Learn how audience layering in Google Ads can help you reach the right people and maximize the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns. The post Layering Success: How To Target High-Intent Users In Google Ads appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Smashing Pumpkins' legendary frontman Bill Corgan and confrontational comedian Bill Burr look alike—both have shaved heads, stubbly beards, blue eyes, and similar facial structures. They look so much alike they could be brothers; so much alike that a lot of people think they are brothers. While it's possible, these people are probably wrong. Why people think Bill Corgan and Bill Burr are brothersThe rumor started with Corgan's appearance on Howie Mandel's podcast back in January. On the show, Corgan recounts the following conversation that he said happened a decade prior: My stepmother said to me, "Do you know who Bill Burr is?" Now at that point, I had never heard of Bill Burr … She said, "Well, he's this comedian…" And I think I even somehow called up a picture on the phone, and I kind of noticed right away, "Gee, he really looks like my father." Bill Burr looks more like my father than Bill Burr looks like me or I look like Bill Burr. So I said to my mother, "Why are you asking me this?"... She goes, "I think he might be one of your father's illegitimate children. Bill Burr might be one of the children that your father sired in his days being a traveling musician… My father did once tell me that I had a half-brother named Bill, who was born around the same time as me." A lot of people look like other people, so that doesn't mean much, and a single piece of family lore is anything but conclusive, but this evidence was apparently enough for Mandel to try to get to the bottom of it, in probably the worst way possible. Corgan and Burr: Worst. Family. Reunion. Ever.In a more recent episode of Howie Mandel Does Stuff, Mandel hosted Bill Burr and surprised the comedian with a special appearance from Corgan so the pair could compare notes on their fathers. Despite Mandel's assurance that he was "doing it out of love," the ambush did not go well. "You're an asshole," Burr tells Mandel. "He's just doing this for the fucking ratings," Burr adds. Corgan says he was told Burr was aware he was appearing on the show, but it seems Burr had no idea. Mandel eventually leaves the pair alone to talk things out. It's an uncomfortable, creepy conversation. Burr says his dad had multiple families. Corgan says his dad told him he was a musician where Burr's dad told him he was a dentist. Corgan points out that Bill Burr can't sing, and Billy Corgan isn't funny, so maybe they aren't related. It doesn't really reach any conclusion. Ultimately, the familial status of Corgan and Burr is inconclusiveThe bottom line is there isn't any solid reason to think that Bill and Billy have the same father. "They look alike" and "my mom said something once" isn't enough evidence to believe this rumor (even if Burr and Corgan believe it). Unless the results of a DNA test are made public, I'd file this under "probably not true." It's extremely unlikely for any person to become famous—there are a lot of singers and comedians out there—and it seems astronomically unlikely that two people would become famous at a Burr/Corgan level, but in two distinct fields. These aren't nepo babies we're talking about. The unique combination of talent, drive, personality, and luck that adds up to a career like either of these men is almost never seen. Two half-brothers developing all that independently is possible, but it would be a hell of a coincidence. The on-air results of the impromptu "family reunion" are inconclusive. Burr refers to "our dad" often on the podcast, and overall seems to accept the premise that they have the same father, but maybe he's playing along with the bit Mandel set up. Burr is a comedian so he knows how to run with a premise. He appeared on Mandel's show to promote an upcoming project, and seems to have succeeded wildly. I don't have any evidence one way or the other, and my gut says this is genuine, but I wouldn't exactly be surprised if this all turned out to be an elaborate set-up designed to get people talking and boost the careers of all three men; it wouldn't be the first time. Speaking of— Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are probably not brothers eitherMatthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson look alike too. Unlike Corgan and Burr, the actors are pals, but there's a rumor that they're brothers too. Just as Corgan's mother brought up the possibility that he was related to Burr, McConaughey's mom brought up a possible family relationship with Harrelson. “We're all sitting around in Greece one night talking and my mom out of nowhere in a little pause goes, ‘Oh, I knew your dad, Woody...,’ ” McConaughey said in an interview. “And we all went, ‘What was the ellipsis about?' ...And she goes, ‘Just saying, we might have frequented the same place out in West Texas one time when he was on furlough.' ” The pair have mentioned doing DNA tests in the past, but, so far, haven't released any results. Again, I don't know if it was a publicity stunt for a movie, but I wouldn't be surprised. View the full article

In 2025, my LinkedIn feed became flooded with SEO thought leaders scrambling to define and stake their claim on the future of consumer search: generative engine optimization (GEO). Yet, most industry experts face a stark reality – few truly understand how to influence brand visibility in AI-driven search platforms and large language models (LLMs), let alone explain what this shift means for search marketing or how brands can capitalize on it. This article unpacks the rise of GEO, debunks common myths, and outlines what businesses must do to adapt before they fall behind. AI search and LLMs: A new era of information discovery AI-driven search platforms, like Google’s AI Overviews and Microsoft Bing’s AI-powered results, are redefining how users find information, moving from traditional keyword-based ranking to dynamic, AI-generated answers. Meanwhile, LLMs, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, power these systems by synthesizing vast amounts of data to provide conversational, non-deterministic responses. Ultimately, brands that adapt to how AI retrieves, interprets, and generates information could increase their long-term visibility, while those that don’t risk losing a critical new traffic source. To better understand how these changes are impacting users, I set out to explore the growing friction in organic search and the misconceptions surrounding GEO. Increasing user friction threatens the value of SERPs for consumers In October, Fractl (disclosure: I co-founded the agency) studied AI adoption in consumer search. We found that nearly half (48%) of respondents had used ChatGPT or a similar tool within the past week. As of January, ChatGPT is the 8th most visited website in the world, attracting 4.79 billion visits per month. Anyone who isn’t studying how to drive brand visibility in AI platforms is already too far behind to be spearheading your marketing efforts and hedging your brand’s future traffic sources. A few weeks ago, when nearly every Google query forced me to complete a tedious CAPTCHA, I felt like I was witnessing the beginning stages of Google Search’s slow collapse. Surely, a novice searcher would be even more frustrated than me by the growing friction and declining SERP quality, which would further accelerate the shift to newer, more valuable search platforms. I ran off to our own survey platform to run a quick pulse survey of 1,000 Americans, seeking to understand “What frustrates users most about Google’s search experience?” What I found was that the average consumer felt many of the same frustrations I felt every day as a search marketer: Google’s search experience frustrates users primarily due to excessive ads cluttering results (66.4%), making it harder to find valuable, organic content. Many also dislike inaccurate or misleading AI-generated summaries (44.7%), which can lead to misinformation. Irrelevant search results (38.8%) further add to the dissatisfaction, reducing efficiency. Privacy concerns, such as data tracking (35.9%) and frequent CAPTCHA interruptions (27.6%), also contribute to a less-than-ideal user experience, disrupting seamless browsing. The open-ended responses were the most entertaining (and something I plan to expand upon during my SMX Advanced session this summer in Boston). Dig deeper. Survey: 54% of people look through more search results vs. 5 years ago For today’s entertainment value – it’s not just our industry that has been sharing these frustrations over Google’s volatile SERPs, as the open-ended responses alluded to many of the same concerns we’ve all lamented over: Content quality issues “Lately all the search results are always from Reddit.” “Lack of relevant results in general – often, I will search for something and it will give me results for the opposite of what I searched for.” “Filtering certain links.” “It will provide out-of-date information.” “Multiple results with the same information.” AI-related frustrations “Please remove the AI-generated answers.” “The AI in general – usually I am on Google to go on other webpages.” “No toggle to remove AI search, search parameters seem to get ignored.” “Inability to opt out of AI summaries.” CAPTCHA complaints “Captcha services that refuse to accept answers, particularly the ones that load new images in over five-second delays.” “CAPTCHAs that are largely nonsensical/hard to understand what is wanted from the user.” Monetization and bias concerns “That search results are influenced by money paid to Google.” “Pushing Google apps, like always trying to open Google Maps.” “Sponsored websites.” “The censorship of conservative viewpoints and people.” While I’m not alone in my CAPTCHA frustrations, many users (36.8%) rarely encounter CAPTCHAs (1-2 times per week), while 32.5% never experience them. However, 22.1% reported occasional disruptions (3-5 times per week), and a smaller group (6.8%) faced them frequently (6+ times per week), with 1.8% dealing with daily interruptions. (Hello, fellow digital marketers!) But here’s the kicker: despite these interruptions, Google still holds its ground as the dominant search engine for 82.6% of respondents. That said, friction does lead to shifts. Around 11.4% of users are exploring privacy-first alternatives like DuckDuckGo and Brave, while 3.8% are venturing into AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Claude. This signals an emerging shift in consumer behavior driven by usability pain points that other search products are solving for. With increasing search quality concerns nudging users toward different search experiences, it’s only a matter of time before these small behavioral shifts compound into more significant market trends. Google still dominates consumer search – and likely will for the next few years. However, the rise of alternative search engines, AI-driven discovery tools, and direct interactions with LLMs means diversification should be on your radar if you work in marketing. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. How to drive brand visibility with generative engine optimization: Myths vs. facts Generative AI is changing how people search, but brands are still approaching it with an outdated SEO playbook. It’s time to debunk the biggest misconceptions about GEO and outline what actually works to increase brand visibility in AI-generated responses. To deepen our understanding of the current industry beliefs around AI rankings, my co-founder, Kristin Tynski, and I analyzed the past six months of mentions of “ChatGPT+Rankings” and “AI+Rankings” on LinkedIn. We found 403 unique LinkedIn posts that provided a view of how AI is discussed in professional circles, which we further analyzed through multi-label classification, sentiment analysis, temporal trend mapping, and advanced topic modeling. By leveraging a Latent Dirichlet allocation analysis for topic modeling, we were able to quickly distill the topics of interest for those who are on the bleeding edge of AI in marketing. Majority of conversations focusing on four key themes: AI in business strategy: Focus on workflow automation, decision support, and predictive analytics. Digital marketing and SEO: Emphasis on content automation, ranking strategies, and data-driven marketing. Customer engagement and chatbots: Exploration of AI’s role in customer service and the balance between automation and human interaction. AI ethics and misinformation: Discussion of bias, transparency, and responsible AI deployment. Most LinkedIn posts spanned multiple topic clusters, reinforcing that professionals view AI as an integrated force influencing various business functions. Frequent keyword pairings included: “AI and automation.” “Content optimization and predictive analytics.” “Chatbot and customer engagement.” This indicates a view of AI as a comprehensive tool for operational and strategic improvement. Compared to past data, current discussions showed a trend toward more positive sentiment and a heightened focus on ethical considerations. Above all else, the highest-engagement posts commonly articulated the view that “AI is a partner, not a replacement,” emphasizing the need for human oversight. After years of testing AI workflows and developing proprietary tools, we’ve seen firsthand how AI’s efficiency, combined with human strategy, drives brand growth and maximizes marketing ROI. Yet, many brand leaders still don’t understand how AI engines work. Skepticism is rising as everyone scrambles to establish thought leadership in a space they barely grasp. In an industry long plagued by snake oil salesmen, separating fact from fiction has never been more critical for marketers who want to stay on the bleeding edge of innovation and the future of search. Myth 1: AI search works like Google’s live web indexing Reality: LLMs primarily rely on pre-trained datasets, but some models can retrieve real-time information through internet-connected sources and RAG. Understanding the difference in AI models is key to understanding how to potentially influence your brand’s visibility in these up-and-coming answer engines. Seer Interactive put together a helpful chart to help drive this industry education: Simply put, while Google’s search index is continuously refreshed, most LLMs rely on historical snapshots of the web and are not updated in real time. Unless explicitly retrained, they may miss new articles, trends, or emerging discussions. While Tynski believes this will change before the end of the year, frequent retraining remains prohibitively expensive, meaning most models still operate on static data that can be months – or even years – old: GPT 4o: Last training update was December 2023. Claude 3.5 Sonnet: Trained on data up until April 2024. As a result, real-time events and newly published content may not always appear in AI-generated responses unless the model has direct access to live data sources. Key takeaways for adapting your brand strategy for LLM visibility In cases where AI-driven search platforms leverage real-time search integrations (e.g., ChatGPT’s “Search the web”), it’s valuable for brands to leverage proactive and reactive PR strategies to maintain frequent and fresh mentions that will be integrated into real-time data queries against authoritative news sources. Because LLMs don’t have fixed rankings and AI responses vary based on query phrasing, context, and model updates, businesses should use tracking tools to monitor their brand visibility across major AI models for a wide range of relevant queries. Dig deeper: Decoding LLMs: How to be visible in generative AI search results Myth 2: Links are the key to ranking in AI responses Reality: LLMs prioritize brand mentions, contextual relevance, and entity associations. For decades, SEO revolved around link building. Earning backlinks from high-authority sites was the golden ticket to building domain authority, trust signals, and rankings. But LLMs don’t “rank” content the same way Google does. They don’t crawl and index live web pages. They generate responses based on pre-trained data, considering word frequency, contextual relevance, and surrounding content. However, context matters as much as the mention itself. LLMs aggregate references from multiple sources and generate responses non-deterministically. As such, the visibility of a brand or idea depends on how often and in what context it appears across reputable training data. Some AI-powered search engines, like Perplexity, use retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) – pulling from live search results to refine AI-generated responses. While this means traditional rankings still influence LLM-driven search, being part of a trusted corpus matters more than individual rankings. Ultimately, appearing in trusted, widely referenced sources – especially those with a strong likelihood of being part of an LLM’s training data – significantly increases your brand’s chances of being mentioned in AI-generated answers. This should be a big win for digital PR teams who constantly tout the benefits of a text mention for clients who become enraged when a journalist covers their brand name without providing a link. Tips for maximizing brand visibility in AI search with mentions and context Build your brand’s topical authority across entities by developing brand thought leaders and expert commentary to position your brand as a valuable source within high-context discussions across publishers and Q&A forums. Develop industry analyses and research-backed content that build brand authority and increase credible mentions, ensuring AI models reference and retrieve your content in responses. Leverage digital PR to secure brand mentions in high-authority publications, increasing your brand’s share of voice in LLM training data, including the diverse and credible publications outlined above. Dig deeper: How to monitor brand visibility across AI search channels Myth 3: It’s impossible to know which sources LLMs use for training data Reality: Research and monitoring tools can inform likely training sources and brand visibility. Although AI companies don’t disclose their full training datasets, there are ways to research and approximate where LLMs pull data from. For example, you can query ChatGPT for a list of publishers OpenAI has partnered with for its training data. While this response won’t be immediately exhaustive, it can provide clues about high-priority domains your digital PR team might want to prioritize for brand mentions depending on your vertical and brand expertise: Associated Press (AP): In July 2023, OpenAI and AP signed a deal allowing the AI company to license AP’s content archive going back to 1985 for training purposes. News Corp: In May 2024, OpenAI entered into an agreement with News Corp to integrate news content from The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, The Times, and The Sunday Times into its AI platform. The Atlantic and Vox Media: In May 2024, OpenAI signed deals with The Atlantic and Vox Media to share content, aiming to enhance the accuracy of AI models like ChatGPT by incorporating reliable news sources. Condé Nast: In August 2024, Condé Nast, publisher of titles such as The New Yorker, Vogue, and Vanity Fair, entered a multi-year deal with OpenAI, allowing the AI company to use content from its properties in ChatGPT and other products. Axel Springer: In December 2023, Axel Springer, owner of publications like Politico and Business Insider, partnered with OpenAI to have its content summarized within ChatGPT, including paywalled articles, with links and attribution. Future: In December 2024, OpenAI partnered with Future, bringing content from over 200 media brands, including Marie Claire, PC Gamer, and TechRadar, to ChatGPT. Hearst: In October 2024, OpenAI announced a partnership with Hearst, integrating content from its magazines and newspapers, such as the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, ELLE, and Runner’s World, into ChatGPT. GEDI: In September 2024, OpenAI partnered with GEDI, an Italian media group, to provide ChatGPT users access to high-quality Italian-language journalism. TIME: In June 2024, OpenAI entered a multi-year partnership with TIME, granting access to 101 years of archival content to enhance its products and display in response to user inquiries. Le Monde and Prisa Media: In March 2024, OpenAI signed contracts with Le Monde and Prisa Media to bring French and Spanish news content to its AI models. Reddit: In May 2024, Reddit and OpenAI announced a partnership to integrate Reddit’s content into OpenAI products, including ChatGPT, providing real-time, structured content to enhance AI tools. Axios: In January 2025, OpenAI announced a content partnership with Axios, expanding its work with the news industry. Beyond querying LLMs directly, there are tools that analyze which publishers and articles influence LLM training. Understanding how your brand appears in these datasets is crucial, as it affects AI-generated content, search visibility, and overall brand perception. Ways to track sources for LLM training data Use tools to monitor how your brand appears in Common Crawl data to understand how your content and brand mentions influence LLM training, AI-generated responses, and brand visibility. Use platforms like SparkToro and BuzzSumo to help identify which sites influence your audience and likely have a high influence in your industry from which AI models may be drawing data​. Pioneering strategies in the age of agentic workflows In 2025, SEO is about building the kind of brand trust and semantic authority that LLM-based ranking systems value, in the same way we have always suspected of Google. If you’re driving AI adoption within your organization, understanding the pitfalls of AI and developing trends in this emerging search frontier will help ensure your career for years to come. Position AI as an enhancement, not a replacement: AI should augment workflows, streamline processes, and improve decision-making – but human expertise remains essential for trust and strategic oversight. Proactively address AI ethics and misinformation: Brands should establish clear AI ethics guidelines, ensure transparency in AI-generated content, and prioritize credibility to build long-term audience trust. Leverage AI chatbots with human oversight: AI-powered engagement tools enhance customer interactions but require monitoring and fine-tuning to maintain accuracy and user experience. Drive brand credibility and visibility in LLMs: Consistently publishing high-quality content and securing brand mentions in trusted sources strengthens your brand’s entity recognition, contextual relevance, and authority – ultimately increasing visibility in AI-generated responses. Track your brand’s presence in AI models: Use monitoring tools to analyze how AI platforms reference your brand in key search queries. Optimize your content strategy by assessing your visibility against competitors for common FAQs relevant to your target audience. Companies that embrace this evolving search landscape will be the ones dominating brand visibility in the future of AI-driven search over the next 12-36 months. Brands that hesitate may find themselves losing valuable traffic to competitors who were early adopters in the age of AI. View the full article

There is some chatter in the SEO community that Google Image Search may be down ranking, lowering the rankings, of AI-generated images, in favor of non-AI-generated images within the Google Image search results.View the full article

Google is making more changes to the Google Publisher Center, in March Google News will fully transition to automatically generated publication pages in March.View the full article

Microsoft has updated Bing Webmaster Tools to make selecting the date ranges a lot easier in the performance reports. Now the date selectors are very quick to select, and not deeper inside a menu option.View the full article

UK Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed extradition of Joseph El-Khouri, curbing the reach of US prosecutorsView the full article

Google has posted a notice in the Google Ads console reminding advertisers about the upcoming brand guidelines changes that are now slotted for March 2025. This change was communicated numerous times and the deadline has been pushed off here and there.View the full article

In this post, we’ll explore 15 different franchise financing options for small business owners. So whether you’re looking for a traditional loan or something more creative, there’s sure to be an option that’s perfect for you. Let’s get started! What Is Franchising? Franchising allows entrepreneurs to own and operate their own businesses with the support of a larger, more established company. Franchises offer brand recognition and a proven business model, which can be helpful for new business owners as they get started. Franchise business owners should have a business plan to guide them as they grow their businesses. READ MORE: See our Franchise Guide How Much Can Financing a Franchise Cost? Franchising offers an excellent opportunity to become your own boss and attain independence. However, it is crucial to comprehend the startup costs associated with it before making any commitments. Typically, the initial investment for most franchises falls between $75,000 and $500,000. The franchise fee will vary based on the specific franchise opportunity. Overall, the costs associated with owning a franchise can differ depending on the brand, the size of the business, and its location. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct thorough research to fully grasp all the expenses involved before embarking on your franchise journey. Should You Get Financial Assistance Paying for Your Franchise Business? Franchise loans are available from many different lenders, and they can be a great way to finance your franchise business. Here are five things to consider to help determine your financing needs: How much money do you need to borrow? If you need equipment financing to buy expensive items like ovens and coolers, a business loan may be your best bet. What are the terms of the loan? Be sure to understand the interest rate, repayment schedule, and any fees associated with the loan. What is the duration for repaying the loan? Understanding this will assist you in figuring out the amount of monthly payments you can manage. What is your credit score? Your credit score will affect the interest rate you qualify for, so it’s important to know what it is before you apply for a loan. What is the interest rate on the loan? The interest rate will affect your monthly payments, so be sure to compare rates from different lenders before choosing one. What Personal Assets Play a Role in Franchise Financing? When you seek a business loan to finance your franchise, the lender will probably require a personal guarantee. This indicates that you will be personally accountable for repaying the loan if your business cannot fulfill this obligation. Additionally, the lender may request collateral, which refers to an asset that can be used to back the loan. Savings and Investment Portfolios If you have money saved up in a savings account or investment portfolio, you may be able to use it as collateral for a business loan. Your investment portfolio or savings account can also be used to make a down payment on a franchise loan. Severance Package If you’re leaving your current job to start a franchise, you may be able to use your severance package as collateral for a loan. This can help you get the financing you need to get your business off the ground. Home Equity If you have equity in your home, you may be able to use it as collateral for a loan. Using your home equity as collateral can help you secure a lower interest rate and possible tax benefits such as the interest being tax-deductible. Retirement Funds If you have money saved in a retirement account, you may be able to use it as collateral for a business loan. You’ll likely be able to borrow a larger amount than you would without retirement funds as collateral, and the loan may have a lower interest rate. Choosing the Best Franchise Financing Options: Our Methodology When it comes to selecting the right financing options for your franchise, it’s crucial to consider various factors to ensure your small business’s success. We understand that every entrepreneur’s needs are unique, so we’ve developed a comprehensive set of criteria to guide you through this essential decision-making process. Each criterion will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most important, allowing you to prioritize according to your specific circumstances. Interest Rates (5/5): The interest rate on your franchise financing significantly impacts your overall costs. Lower interest rates can save you substantial money in the long run, making this a top priority. Loan Term (4/5): Consider the length of the loan term. Longer terms may come with lower monthly payments but potentially higher total interest costs. Loan Amount (4/5): Assess whether the financing option provides the necessary capital to meet your franchise’s specific needs. Adequate funding is crucial for a successful start. Repayment Flexibility (4/5): Evaluate whether the financing allows for flexibility in making repayments. Options like interest-only payments during the initial phase can ease financial strain. Credit Requirements (4/5): Understand the credit score and financial history necessary to qualify for the financing option. Your creditworthiness can affect your eligibility and interest rates. Collateral Requirements (3/5): Determine whether the financing requires collateral. Collateral may include personal assets or business assets, impacting your risk exposure. Origination Fees (3/5): Be aware of any initial fees related to the financing. Elevated origination fees can raise the total expense of borrowing. Approval Speed (3/5): Take into account how urgently you require funds and the usual approval timeline associated with the financing option. Quick approval can be vital for franchise financing in time-sensitive situations. Lender Reputation (5/5): Research the reputation of the lending institution. A reputable lender is more likely to provide transparent terms and excellent customer service. Prepayment Penalties (2/5): Determine whether there are penalties for paying off the loan early. Understanding prepayment terms can help you avoid unexpected costs. Additional Services (2/5): Some lenders offer value-added services, such as business coaching or networking opportunities. Consider whether these extras align with your needs. Customer Reviews (4/5): Seek out reviews and testimonials from other franchisees who have used the same financing option. Real experiences can provide valuable insights. CriteriaDescriptionImportance (1-5) Interest RatesThe rate at which you'll be borrowing funds. Lower rates can save you money in the long run.5 Loan TermThe length of the loan agreement. Longer terms may have lower monthly payments but higher overall costs.4 Loan AmountThe total funding available to meet your franchise's specific needs.4 Repayment FlexibilityFlexibility in making repayments, including options like interest-only payments during the initial phase.4 Credit RequirementsThe minimum credit score and financial history needed to qualify for the financing.4 Collateral RequirementsWhether the financing requires collateral, which can include personal or business assets.3 Origination FeesUpfront fees associated with the financing, which can impact the overall cost of borrowing.3 Approval SpeedThe typical approval timeline for the financing option, which can be crucial for time-sensitive opportunities.3 Lender ReputationThe reputation of the lending institution, as reputable lenders offer transparent terms and good customer service.5 Prepayment PenaltiesWhether there are penalties for paying off the loan early. Understanding prepayment terms can avoid unexpected costs.2 Available Franchise Loan Options Business loans are available through a variety of financial institutions. Let’s take a look at some of your financing options: SBA Loans The Small Business Administration offers various SBA loans to help small businesses get started. The SBA 7(a) loan program is the most popular option, and it offers loans up to $5 million. Other SBA loan programs include the 504 loan program, which offers loans up to $5 million for equipment and real estate, and the microloan program, which offers loans up to $50,000. Franchisor Financing Many franchisors offer financing to help franchisees get started. Franchisor financing can be in the form of loans, lines of credit, or royalty-based financing. If you’re considering franchisor financing, be sure to compare the terms and rates from different lenders before choosing one. Commercial Bank Loan Commercial banks provide various loan options for small businesses, such as business loans, lines of credit, and equipment financing. While loans from commercial banks generally feature lower interest rates compared to other loan types, qualifying for these loans can often be more challenging. Retirement Funds If you have a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement account, you can use Rollover As Business Startups (ROBS). With ROBS, you can roll over the funds from your retirement account into a new business without paying taxes or penalties. This can be a good option if you have a large amount of money saved in a retirement account. Personal Savings If you have money saved in a savings account or investment portfolio, you may be able to use it to finance your franchise. Using your savings can help you avoid taking on debt, but it will also tie up your assets in the business. Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is a way to raise money by soliciting donations from a large group of people. With crowdfunding, you can set up a profile on a website and solicit donations from friends, family, and strangers. Crowdfunding can be a good option if you don’t have access to traditional forms of financing. Term Loans A term loan is a type of business loan that offers a fixed amount of money for a set period of time. Term loans are typically repaid in monthly installments, and they can be used for a variety of purposes, such as funding equipment purchases or expanding your business. Small Business Credit Card A small business credit card can be a good option for financing your franchise. Small business credit cards typically have low interest rates and offer rewards, such as cashback or points, that can be used to offset the cost of your franchise. Equipment Financing If you need to purchase equipment for your franchise, you may be able to finance it through an equipment loan or lease. Equipment financing can be a good option if you don’t have the cash to purchase the equipment outright. Business Lines of Credit A business line of credit is a type of revolving credit that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as funding inventory or covering unexpected expenses. Business lines of credit typically have lower interest rates than other types of financing, such as credit cards. Credit Union Loans Credit unions provide a variety of loan products similar to those available at commercial banks. Unlike banks, credit unions are member-owned, which often allows them to offer lower interest rates and reduced fees. Home Equity Loan & HELOCs If you own a home, you may be able to use the equity you’ve built up to finance your franchise. Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are two common types of home equity financing. Home equity loans offer a fixed amount of money for a set period of time, while HELOCs offer a line of credit that can be used as needed. Severance Package If you’ve been laid off from your job, you may be able to use your severance package to finance your franchise. Severance packages typically include a lump sum of cash that can be used for a variety of purposes. Start a Partnership If you can’t afford the costs to open a franchise on your own, consider starting a partnership. With a partnership, you can pool your resources with another person or business to finance your franchise. Family & Friends If you have family or friends who are willing to invest in your franchise, you may be able to use their money to finance your business. However, you should be aware that taking money from friends or family can put a strain on your relationships. How Do You Qualify for Franchise Financing? When trying to get a business loan to meet your franchise financing needs, there are a few things that lenders will look at to determine if you qualify. Here are five things that may be considered: Personal credit score: Your score and personal credit history will be one of the first things a lender looks at when considering you for a loan. It’s important to know what your credit score is before you apply for a loan so you can be prepared. Business credit score: In addition to your personal credit score, the lender will also look at your business credit score. This is a score that’s based on the financial history of your business. Personal guarantee: A personal guarantee indicates that you are personally accountable for repaying the loan if your business cannot fulfill this obligation. Lenders may request a personal guarantee when evaluating your application for a loan. Collateral: collateral is an asset that can be used to secure the loan. The lender may ask for collateral in the form of a savings account, investment portfolio, or home equity. Ability to repay: The lender will also consider your ability to repay the loan. They’ll look at things like your income, debts, credit history, and other factors to determine if you can afford the loan payments. Can You Buy a Franchise with No Money? No matter how you slice it, you’re going to need some money to finance a franchise. Franchises typically cost at least tens of thousands of dollars. If you don’t have any money or the ability to borrow some, then buying a franchise will not be an option for you. Can You Get SBA Loan Financing for a Franchise? The SBA provides loan programs that business owners can utilize to finance a franchise. However, not every franchise will meet the eligibility criteria. The SBA has established specific guidelines that a franchise must adhere to in order to qualify for financing. Image: Envato Elements This article, "Top Funding Options for Aspiring Franchise Owners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In this post, we’ll explore 15 different franchise financing options for small business owners. So whether you’re looking for a traditional loan or something more creative, there’s sure to be an option that’s perfect for you. Let’s get started! What Is Franchising? Franchising allows entrepreneurs to own and operate their own businesses with the support of a larger, more established company. Franchises offer brand recognition and a proven business model, which can be helpful for new business owners as they get started. Franchise business owners should have a business plan to guide them as they grow their businesses. READ MORE: See our Franchise Guide How Much Can Financing a Franchise Cost? Franchising offers an excellent opportunity to become your own boss and attain independence. However, it is crucial to comprehend the startup costs associated with it before making any commitments. Typically, the initial investment for most franchises falls between $75,000 and $500,000. The franchise fee will vary based on the specific franchise opportunity. Overall, the costs associated with owning a franchise can differ depending on the brand, the size of the business, and its location. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct thorough research to fully grasp all the expenses involved before embarking on your franchise journey. Should You Get Financial Assistance Paying for Your Franchise Business? Franchise loans are available from many different lenders, and they can be a great way to finance your franchise business. Here are five things to consider to help determine your financing needs: How much money do you need to borrow? If you need equipment financing to buy expensive items like ovens and coolers, a business loan may be your best bet. What are the terms of the loan? Be sure to understand the interest rate, repayment schedule, and any fees associated with the loan. What is the duration for repaying the loan? Understanding this will assist you in figuring out the amount of monthly payments you can manage. What is your credit score? Your credit score will affect the interest rate you qualify for, so it’s important to know what it is before you apply for a loan. What is the interest rate on the loan? The interest rate will affect your monthly payments, so be sure to compare rates from different lenders before choosing one. What Personal Assets Play a Role in Franchise Financing? When you seek a business loan to finance your franchise, the lender will probably require a personal guarantee. This indicates that you will be personally accountable for repaying the loan if your business cannot fulfill this obligation. Additionally, the lender may request collateral, which refers to an asset that can be used to back the loan. Savings and Investment Portfolios If you have money saved up in a savings account or investment portfolio, you may be able to use it as collateral for a business loan. Your investment portfolio or savings account can also be used to make a down payment on a franchise loan. Severance Package If you’re leaving your current job to start a franchise, you may be able to use your severance package as collateral for a loan. This can help you get the financing you need to get your business off the ground. Home Equity If you have equity in your home, you may be able to use it as collateral for a loan. Using your home equity as collateral can help you secure a lower interest rate and possible tax benefits such as the interest being tax-deductible. Retirement Funds If you have money saved in a retirement account, you may be able to use it as collateral for a business loan. You’ll likely be able to borrow a larger amount than you would without retirement funds as collateral, and the loan may have a lower interest rate. Choosing the Best Franchise Financing Options: Our Methodology When it comes to selecting the right financing options for your franchise, it’s crucial to consider various factors to ensure your small business’s success. We understand that every entrepreneur’s needs are unique, so we’ve developed a comprehensive set of criteria to guide you through this essential decision-making process. Each criterion will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most important, allowing you to prioritize according to your specific circumstances. Interest Rates (5/5): The interest rate on your franchise financing significantly impacts your overall costs. Lower interest rates can save you substantial money in the long run, making this a top priority. Loan Term (4/5): Consider the length of the loan term. Longer terms may come with lower monthly payments but potentially higher total interest costs. Loan Amount (4/5): Assess whether the financing option provides the necessary capital to meet your franchise’s specific needs. Adequate funding is crucial for a successful start. Repayment Flexibility (4/5): Evaluate whether the financing allows for flexibility in making repayments. Options like interest-only payments during the initial phase can ease financial strain. Credit Requirements (4/5): Understand the credit score and financial history necessary to qualify for the financing option. Your creditworthiness can affect your eligibility and interest rates. Collateral Requirements (3/5): Determine whether the financing requires collateral. Collateral may include personal assets or business assets, impacting your risk exposure. Origination Fees (3/5): Be aware of any initial fees related to the financing. Elevated origination fees can raise the total expense of borrowing. Approval Speed (3/5): Take into account how urgently you require funds and the usual approval timeline associated with the financing option. Quick approval can be vital for franchise financing in time-sensitive situations. Lender Reputation (5/5): Research the reputation of the lending institution. A reputable lender is more likely to provide transparent terms and excellent customer service. Prepayment Penalties (2/5): Determine whether there are penalties for paying off the loan early. Understanding prepayment terms can help you avoid unexpected costs. Additional Services (2/5): Some lenders offer value-added services, such as business coaching or networking opportunities. Consider whether these extras align with your needs. Customer Reviews (4/5): Seek out reviews and testimonials from other franchisees who have used the same financing option. Real experiences can provide valuable insights. CriteriaDescriptionImportance (1-5) Interest RatesThe rate at which you'll be borrowing funds. Lower rates can save you money in the long run.5 Loan TermThe length of the loan agreement. Longer terms may have lower monthly payments but higher overall costs.4 Loan AmountThe total funding available to meet your franchise's specific needs.4 Repayment FlexibilityFlexibility in making repayments, including options like interest-only payments during the initial phase.4 Credit RequirementsThe minimum credit score and financial history needed to qualify for the financing.4 Collateral RequirementsWhether the financing requires collateral, which can include personal or business assets.3 Origination FeesUpfront fees associated with the financing, which can impact the overall cost of borrowing.3 Approval SpeedThe typical approval timeline for the financing option, which can be crucial for time-sensitive opportunities.3 Lender ReputationThe reputation of the lending institution, as reputable lenders offer transparent terms and good customer service.5 Prepayment PenaltiesWhether there are penalties for paying off the loan early. Understanding prepayment terms can avoid unexpected costs.2 Available Franchise Loan Options Business loans are available through a variety of financial institutions. Let’s take a look at some of your financing options: SBA Loans The Small Business Administration offers various SBA loans to help small businesses get started. The SBA 7(a) loan program is the most popular option, and it offers loans up to $5 million. Other SBA loan programs include the 504 loan program, which offers loans up to $5 million for equipment and real estate, and the microloan program, which offers loans up to $50,000. Franchisor Financing Many franchisors offer financing to help franchisees get started. Franchisor financing can be in the form of loans, lines of credit, or royalty-based financing. If you’re considering franchisor financing, be sure to compare the terms and rates from different lenders before choosing one. Commercial Bank Loan Commercial banks provide various loan options for small businesses, such as business loans, lines of credit, and equipment financing. While loans from commercial banks generally feature lower interest rates compared to other loan types, qualifying for these loans can often be more challenging. Retirement Funds If you have a 401(k) or 403(b) retirement account, you can use Rollover As Business Startups (ROBS). With ROBS, you can roll over the funds from your retirement account into a new business without paying taxes or penalties. This can be a good option if you have a large amount of money saved in a retirement account. Personal Savings If you have money saved in a savings account or investment portfolio, you may be able to use it to finance your franchise. Using your savings can help you avoid taking on debt, but it will also tie up your assets in the business. Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is a way to raise money by soliciting donations from a large group of people. With crowdfunding, you can set up a profile on a website and solicit donations from friends, family, and strangers. Crowdfunding can be a good option if you don’t have access to traditional forms of financing. Term Loans A term loan is a type of business loan that offers a fixed amount of money for a set period of time. Term loans are typically repaid in monthly installments, and they can be used for a variety of purposes, such as funding equipment purchases or expanding your business. Small Business Credit Card A small business credit card can be a good option for financing your franchise. Small business credit cards typically have low interest rates and offer rewards, such as cashback or points, that can be used to offset the cost of your franchise. Equipment Financing If you need to purchase equipment for your franchise, you may be able to finance it through an equipment loan or lease. Equipment financing can be a good option if you don’t have the cash to purchase the equipment outright. Business Lines of Credit A business line of credit is a type of revolving credit that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as funding inventory or covering unexpected expenses. Business lines of credit typically have lower interest rates than other types of financing, such as credit cards. Credit Union Loans Credit unions provide a variety of loan products similar to those available at commercial banks. Unlike banks, credit unions are member-owned, which often allows them to offer lower interest rates and reduced fees. Home Equity Loan & HELOCs If you own a home, you may be able to use the equity you’ve built up to finance your franchise. Home equity loans and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are two common types of home equity financing. Home equity loans offer a fixed amount of money for a set period of time, while HELOCs offer a line of credit that can be used as needed. Severance Package If you’ve been laid off from your job, you may be able to use your severance package to finance your franchise. Severance packages typically include a lump sum of cash that can be used for a variety of purposes. Start a Partnership If you can’t afford the costs to open a franchise on your own, consider starting a partnership. With a partnership, you can pool your resources with another person or business to finance your franchise. Family & Friends If you have family or friends who are willing to invest in your franchise, you may be able to use their money to finance your business. However, you should be aware that taking money from friends or family can put a strain on your relationships. How Do You Qualify for Franchise Financing? When trying to get a business loan to meet your franchise financing needs, there are a few things that lenders will look at to determine if you qualify. Here are five things that may be considered: Personal credit score: Your score and personal credit history will be one of the first things a lender looks at when considering you for a loan. It’s important to know what your credit score is before you apply for a loan so you can be prepared. Business credit score: In addition to your personal credit score, the lender will also look at your business credit score. This is a score that’s based on the financial history of your business. Personal guarantee: A personal guarantee indicates that you are personally accountable for repaying the loan if your business cannot fulfill this obligation. Lenders may request a personal guarantee when evaluating your application for a loan. Collateral: collateral is an asset that can be used to secure the loan. The lender may ask for collateral in the form of a savings account, investment portfolio, or home equity. Ability to repay: The lender will also consider your ability to repay the loan. They’ll look at things like your income, debts, credit history, and other factors to determine if you can afford the loan payments. Can You Buy a Franchise with No Money? No matter how you slice it, you’re going to need some money to finance a franchise. Franchises typically cost at least tens of thousands of dollars. If you don’t have any money or the ability to borrow some, then buying a franchise will not be an option for you. Can You Get SBA Loan Financing for a Franchise? The SBA provides loan programs that business owners can utilize to finance a franchise. However, not every franchise will meet the eligibility criteria. The SBA has established specific guidelines that a franchise must adhere to in order to qualify for financing. Image: Envato Elements This article, "Top Funding Options for Aspiring Franchise Owners" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Google is testing adding filters to the latest post carousel. These filters can show recent posts, video posts, posts from Instagram, or Facebook. View the full article

Survey reveals trends in local reviews: trust in word-of-mouth, growing focus on recent feedback, and the importance of owner responses in shaping customer trust. The post Surprising Review Stats To Feed Your Local Strategy [Study] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. When economic analysts talk about a cyclical change, they’re talking about short-term fluctuations driven by the business cycle. When those same analysts talk about a secular change, they’re talking about long-term, structural shifts in the economy. Sometimes a trend can be a little of both. One example: First-time homebuyers keep getting older. In 1991, the median age of first-time homebuyers in the U.S. was 28 years old. In 2024, it was 38 years old. In other words, the median first-time U.S. homebuyer in 2024 (age 38) has been out of high school for 20 years but is also only 24 years away from the earliest age at which they could receive Social Security benefits (age 62). Some of that increase is driven by how strained housing affordability has gotten over the past three years. And some of that increase is driven by secular changes, which are happening across the developed world, as younger generations are delaying life events compared to previous generations—attending school longer, marrying later, buying homes later, and having children later. It isn’t just first-time homebuyers. Repeat homebuyers are getting older, too. In 1991, the median age of repeat homebuyers in the U.S. was 42 years old. In 2024, it was 61 years old. While delayed life events and fewer homebuyers in their twenties and thirties are driving up the median age of repeat buyers, there are other factors. Part of the reason repeat buyers are older stems from the fact that the overall U.S. population is skewing older as the giant baby boomer generation ages and birth rates decline. Another factor is that older U.S. homeowners with substantial equity or even a paid-off primary residence are a little less sensitive to the recent mortgage rate shock. If they need to buy, some have taken the plunge over the past couple of years, avoiding 6% and 7% mortgage rates by simply paying all cash. View the full article

After decades of fielding questions about travel points, loyalty programs, and rewards credit cards, you’d think that Brian Kelly—the founder of The Points Guy—would tire of the subject. Instead, he’s more energized than ever, a passion he channeled into his new book, How to Win at Travel. In 300-plus pages, Kelly delivers more than just strategies for maximizing credit cards and points. He’s created a travel bible of sorts, one that makes planning and logistics as rewarding as the trip itself. Brian Kelly [Photo: Brandon Launerts/courtesy Simon & Schuster] It’s a book built for every kind of traveler, from those working towards their first bucket-list trip to people trying to stretch points for a family of five. “Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure book,” Kelly says. Here, he tackles some of the peskiest travel dilemmas: what to do when your flight goes sideways, when to cash in your points, how to stay on the right side of locals, and more. In your book, you note that we’re in the “platinum age” of travel, a departure from what people considered the Golden Age of travel. What do you mean by that? People are wistful for aviation in the 1960s, a time when people dressed up to fly. They were served meals on china with silver cutlery—we’ve all seen the pictures. But the truth is travel at that time was less convenient overall, and inaccessible except for the very rich. And everyone was smoking! Today, travel is safer, much less expensive, and we have tons of options. On top of that we have this points ecosystem, open to everyday people, that can unlock elite travel status. In your book, you write, “Loyalty is less about travel and more about personal finance and harnessing the power of your spending.” Can you explain? Points and travel can be an entry point into better finances, by paying your cards every month, bringing up your credit score, and so on. You’re starting with a reward that’s positive reinforcement for being smart about your financial health. What are three of your top tips for redeeming points and miles today? The first is to use technology to your advantage. The company Point.Me searches for flights based on your points across 33 loyalty programs on more than 150 airlines. [Brian Kelly is an investor in Point.Me.] Also, let the deals determine where you go. Even if you’re not flexible on your dates, you don’t have to travel where everyone else is going. In fact, it’s often better not to. Third, don’t hoard your points. They become less valuable over time. When you rack up these huge balances, you’re just losing money to inflation. When it comes to booking award travel with an airline, you know a lot of next-level tricks. Can you tell us about zone-based and distance-based airline rewards, and how you can use them to your advantage? These are the two types of rewards airlines use. For distance-based rewards, the math is pretty simple. The longer distance you fly, the more miles you pay, though distances are grouped together, so you can maximize these rewards when the price doesn’t exactly correlate to the distance of the flight. Zone-based rewards often have something that I call sweet spots. Turkish Airlines, for example, includes Hawaii in the same zone as the Continental U.S. So even though it’s much farther to, say, fly New York to Honolulu, so you can often fly there for the same number of miles as you would traveling a much shorter distance, like New York to Boston. What are “awards holds,” and when do you use them? Awards tickets can come and go in an instant, and it’s frustrating when you miss a deal. Some airlines, like Air France, American, and Lufthansa, allow you to hold your ticket for a certain number of days. It costs anywhere from $0 to $35. This permits you to make your other travel reservations and get your life in order before you book. In the past, we’ve seen credit cards offer travelers big points bonuses, which help you along the path to free travel. Are there ways to anticipate great offerings? In general, the industry is moving toward more personalized offers. So don’t ignore snail mail and promotional emails from credit card companies. Some might think it’s tedious to go through all that mail. I think of it as a treasure hunt. You also advise people to sign up for memberships to organizations that have travel benefits. What are some that people might not know about? AARP memberships, which start at $15 a year, offer great travel deals, and most people don’t know that you don’t need to be over 55 to join. I also love the American Bar Association, from $129 a year. It’s also open to a wider range of professions—like paralegals, law students, policymakers—than you might think, and the membership means steep discounts on loads of luxury hotels. When it comes to booking travel, you don’t love online travel agencies, like Expedia or Priceline, which are known as OTAs. Why not? How should travelers use them? OTAs revolutionized the travel industry 20 years ago, and I still use them to compare travel deals before I book. But when you book with an OTA, you are their customer. They own you. They don’t even pass your email along to airlines or hotels. So when things go wrong, you’ve inflicted a world of pain on yourself because you can’t go to the hotel or airline for help. You’ve agreed to the OTA’s terms, and often their customer service is lacking, if it exists at all. What are your top tips for what you call “turning off the friction of travel”? Book through the right travel channel—directly or with a travel agent that has deep relationships with the hotels you’re staying in and the destination you’re visiting. Also make sure your contacts are up to date, so your airline or hotel can contact you easily if something goes wrong. If you fly with certain airlines often, read their contract of carriage. Having a basic understanding of your rights can go a long way when you’re working with an agent in person or over the phone. What kinds of information can you find in the contract of carriage? There’s the flat tire rule—a grace period if you’re delayed or late for a flight—and airlines will book you free of charge on the next available flight. It’s also good to know which partner airlines are available to you, so you can search options from those airlines before speaking with a gate agent about rebooking. I always pull up specific flights and have all of the information ready before speaking with an agent. As of October of last year, the Department of Transportation also finally required airlines to automatically refund passengers if their flights are canceled. They’re still not required to compensate you, though. European and Canadian airlines are. For that reason, it’s worth flying on a European or Canadian airline when flying from the U.S. When flying back into the U.S., our airlines are beholden to European rules so compensation is on the table. Any advice for avoiding long lines at the airport? Definitely get Global Entry. Many rewards credit cards offer it as a travel perk, and now kids under 18 can get it for free. Clear can also be worth it, but not always. It depends on the airports you frequent. And if your flight plans go sideways, consider calling the foreign-language customer service line while waiting to speak to a gate agent. It’s the same service but often has a much shorter wait time. View the full article

Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of The New Way We Work podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions. Q: How can I get over decision paralysis? A: I feel this one. I think we all do. By most estimates, the average person makes around 35,000 decisions per day. Most of those are small choices like what to wear, what to have for lunch, what to post on social media. Hopefully you’re not paralyzed by those choices. But you also shouldn’t discount them completely. If you spend too much time mulling over the less consequential parts of life, you can end up with decision fatigue. Decision fatigue leaves your brain too tired to make the choices that really matter. It’s why some of the most successful people either automate or outsource those thousands of little choices (and why former President Obama always wore the same types of suits). After you cut down on the mental load of those thousands of small choices, you will hopefully have a bit more space to think about life’s big decisions: Should you leave your job? Should you get divorced? Should you have a child? Where should you go on vacation? Narrow your options That last example might not seem as high stakes, but it serves as a good example of one of the things that makes people feel stuck in decision-making: too many choices. When your options are unlimited, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and want to give up. Here it might help to narrow it down by thinking about what time of year you are traveling, what type of trip you want, your budget, who is traveling with you, if you want to fly or drive, etc. Hone down those smaller choices and you’ll be left with far fewer options. Ask for impartial advice In the vacation example, you probably want to get the input of the other people you are travelling with. With other decisions that impact others in your life, like job change or moving, factoring in the needs and opinions of those impacted is certainly important. But, after you have that information, if the final choice is yours, you can still feel stuck. That’s when it might be good to ask someone who doesn’t have a stake in the outcome. Trying to decide on the best all inclusive resort for a spring break trip? Post the question in your local parenting group. Trying to decide which couch would look best in your living room? Post the pictures side by side and let people vote. Trying to decide if you should change careers? Talk to a friend who knows you well. Ask yourself the right questions I love a good pro/con list, and it’s a staple of decision-making. The problem is it weighs everything equally. When deciding to move, for example, the pro of having a bigger yard isn’t really comparable to the con of adding an hour to your commute or leaving your kid’s beloved school. That’s why asking yourself questions that probe a little deeper can help you arrive at a better decision. Try questions like: Does this take you closer to your goals? How do you think you’ll feel about this decision in five years? Is this something that you think you “should” do vs. something that you actually want to do? Check your gut (and your whole body) Another good piece of advice when it comes to decision-making? Pretend that you’ve made your choice and sit with it for a few hours or overnight (the classic “sleep on it” approach). If you imagine you’ve already told your boss that you quit and you feel lighter, it’s a pretty good indication of what you should do. When a decision is important, you can feel it physically. Leadership consultant Diana Chapman says the best decisions are accompanied by a “whole-body ‘yes‘”: When you’ve made the best decision you feel it in your whole body—head, heart, and gut. Still can’t decide? Here’s some more advice: 3 simple ways to become less anxious and more decisive Try these neuroscience-backed tactics to train your brain to make better decisions Your ultimate decision-making guide to help you make better choices faster 5 ways to prevent decision fatigue from ruining your productivity View the full article

Currency jumps nearly 3% against US dollar on growing hopes of end to Ukraine warView the full article

Trade is wrongly blamed for the relative decline of the USView the full article

Social media marketing has become a necessity in most businesses' toolkits today. And B2B companies are no different. If you’re saying, “But we sell to other businesses, not individuals, why do we need to practice social media marketing?” remember there’s still a human behind every B2B purchase, too. Numbers tell the same story: 75 percent of B2B buyers use social media to make buying decisions60 percent of B2B marketers say social media is the most effective channel for driving revenueThat said, there are key differences between how you formulate a B2B social media strategy and a B2C social media strategy. This article will highlight those and help you create a solid social media strategy for your B2B company. B2B social media marketing vs. B2C social media marketing: How should your strategy differ?B2B social media marketing isn’t the same game at a different level; it’s a different league altogether. Here’s why: B2B social media marketing is more complex. B2B social media is less straightforward by the very nature of its products. While B2C products are usually not technical, B2B social media requires an in-depth understanding of complex topics and features.On the flip side, this complexity is also what keeps things interesting — ensuring your social media marketing efforts are always fresh. In B2C, social media marketing can start to blend after you reach a certain threshold of success.B2B social media marketing has a much longer sales cycle. Almost all B2B purchases require either multiple decision-makers or an extensive evaluation by an individual. This is because the average order value of a B2B purchase exceeds B2C averages (sometimes by a mile and more).Consumers can purchase mascara on a whim, but they won’t casually drop hundreds of dollars for a yearly subscription to a B2B tool.B2B social media marketing creates a wider impact. A B2B purchase is rarely for just one person; a whole team uses the tool. This means that while B2B social media marketing is hard(er) work and a long game, the impact is also wider.B2B social media marketing attribution is tougher. Since sales cycles can run astronomically long in B2B purchases, it’s difficult to attribute direct purchases via social media marketing in B2B. For example, a company might’ve discovered your B2B product via social media, but closing them might’ve taken one year — making it nearly impossible to attribute this sale in your social media performance reports. In B2C, attribution is usually more straightforward.Despite all the differences, B2B social media marketing has a lot more in common with traditional social media strategies. Regardless of the business type: Both B2C and B2B social media marketing need to keep buyers front and center. Don’t use social media channels as a megaphone to talk about you, you, you. Instead, use social posts to help and entertain your potential buyers. Your goal is to alleviate their pain points via relevant content — regardless of company type.Both B2C and B2B social media marketing need an in-depth understanding of their target audience. You can’t create impactful social media content if you don’t know your potential buyers’ pain points and how you can help them.Both B2C and B2B social media marketing require interaction as much as posting. Social media isn’t a one-way street. You need to engage by responding to comments, direct messages (DMs), and having meaningful conversations with your buyers. You can’t build a solid social media community and foster genuine connections if you post and ghost.Both B2C and B2B social media marketing need social listening. You need to know what your buyers are thinking, which trends they are following, and what industry news is affecting them & how. Social listening is about keeping a pulse on what’s going on in your target audience’s life. It’s non-negotiable if you want to succeed with your social media strategy.Now that you know the shared qualities and the core differences between B2C vs. B2B social media marketing, let’s address the elephant in the room: B2B social media content is boring. How do you cast a boring-repellent on your B2B social media marketingBefore we get into how you can use a Hogwarts spell to transform boring B2B content into interesting, it’s important to note both “boring content” and “high-quality content” are subjective terms. What you think is boring might not actually be boring for your target audience. Just swap your social media feed with a friend’s and you’ll see their For You page is drastically different from yours. It might be uninteresting to you, but it’s keeping them hooked. So don’t sweat creating complex and technical content if you’re confident your audience will love it. Still, most B2B social media companies have a snooze-worthy social media presence. It largely comes down to three issues: 1. Not having a thorough understanding of your target audienceYou need to know what your target audience thinks & worries about, who influences their purchases, and what they use social media for. This is easier to do in the B2B industry because you have sales reps and customer success departments who know your potential customers’ pain points very well. Ask for their help — B2B social media marketing (and any marketing, for that matter) is cross-functional. Cognism’s overall digital marketing strategy does this exceptionally well. They often create educational LinkedIn content and relatable memes that prove how well they understand their potential customers. 2. Not entrenching yourself in the subcultures of your target social media platformsB2B social media marketing isn’t about being on many social media platforms. It’s about being at the right ones (more on that in the next section). And more importantly, it’s about understanding the specific sub-culture of your chosen social platform. For example, TikTok is all about participating in trends, showing your face, letting loose, and honing in on authenticity. You don’t need to create your content in a suit; it needs to be casual. But LinkedIn is drastically different. Here, you can share product tips and be much more company-focused than you can be on TikTok. Twitter (now X) always has its own trends specific to industry news or location. You can only ace all of this once you’ve spent a lot of time and energy not only creating social media content, but using these platforms to understand how your potential customers use it. Tl;dv is a great example because they regularly create TikTok content that hits just right with their target audience. You can tell they know and understand how TikTok works — the pacing, the content ideas, and the quick transitions, all match the TikTok vibe. Plus, they know their audience’s pain points (and how to make fun of them). When I asked Ian Evans (part of the organic social media team at tl;dv) about he finds such relatable content ideas, he explained the comments are the goldmine: “Even if our video is only a basic joke, it can often prompt people to share their experiences or stories in the comment section. We can get new ideas but also learn what our audience finds funny/not funny.” 3. Not knowing your B2B product from top to tailYou can know your target audience and how to use different social media platforms. But it’s all for nothing if you don’t know the product you’re selling.You need to know which features fulfill what desires, why your customers choose you over your competitors, what’s on your product roadmap & why, and how your existing customers use your product. All this info will help you create social media content that will truly resonate with your target audience. TallyForms does this best — regularly highlighting and promoting their new features & templates using social content. Customer feedback matters, even the not-so-good ones. 🫣 Our new complaint form template helps you: 📝 Categorize issues clearly ⚡️ Set priority levels 📎 Collect supporting docs ✨ Track desired resolutions Free template here: https://t.co/g9uSnZLt97 pic.twitter.com/YoijwRBszp — Tally (@TallyForms) December 10, 2024 What happens when you check all the boxes above? You create B2B social content that’s truly engaging, relatable, and fun. Trust me, your potential customers can smell it when you: a) don’t know them well, b) don’t know the social media platform, and c) don’t know your own product. This is why they scroll away instead of stopping to listen to what you have to say. And the best part is if you’ve aced product, customer, and social media platform knowledge, content ideas will overflow. How to create a B2B social media strategy in 6 steps There are many, many ways to create a social media strategy. But it all follows roughly the same big steps. You can shift the orders of some of these steps (for example, you can determine your social media goals before you narrow down your social media channels), but the rough path stays similar. Step 1: Narrow down your social media goalsWhy do you want to be on social media platforms? What do you want to achieve with a social media presence? How does social media marketing help you meet your overall business goals? The first and the most crucial part of creating a social media strategy is knowing exactly what you desire to accomplish using social media channels. It’s tempting to just start creating social media posts, but random posting will just get you random results. And worst of all: you won’t be able to prove the impact of your efforts if you don’t set concrete social media goals. These goals should also have a tangible KPI attached to them so you know how to measure their impact. For instance, if you want to generate leads using your social media marketing strategy, maybe you assess the impact by calculating how many website visitors came via your unique link or how many potential leads filled “social media” as their source of brand knowledge. The next question: What social media goals should you set as a B2B company? Since B2B purchases involve a long sales cycle and thorough purchasing decisions, it’s best to have more realistic goals like increasing brand awareness or sourcing top talent. You can also use your social media page to grow other areas of your marketing strategy — like getting people to sign up to your newsletter or potential leads to register for your webinar. For example, BetterUp often promotes its live webinars using LinkedIn. Now, can you set multiple social media goals? Yes, but always set priorities for your goals so you don’t get distracted from what’s truly important. Ian Evans at tl;dv strives for both awareness and goals. He explains how to strike that balance: “We strive for both conversations and awareness, but it’s a balance. When the views are up, it’s easier to aim for conversions because we’ve got more eyeballs. When the views have been in a slump, we can go back to our roots and post the more enjoyable/shareable content, even if it’s got a weaker CTA.” In the beginning, though, tl;dv was also partial toward brand awareness as a social media goal. Remember that different social channels can have a different content strategy, too. For example, maybe you’re using LinkedIn to source talent and TikTok for lead generation. To accomplish this, you’ll need to create different social media posts for different social media channels (employee advocacy program on LinkedIn, customer success stories on TikTok). Lastly, don’t forget that your social media goals can (and should!) evolve as your business priorities change. Keep shifting with them as your company moves forward. This doesn’t mean you switch your social strategy every quarter, but you take a more holistic approach to move your social media marketing plans in tandem with your business growth. Step 2: Determine which social media platforms you should be onShould you be on all social media sites? There are some advantages to being present everywhere and being an early adopter of new social platforms but quantity doesn’t mean quality. It’s better to ace one platform at a time before adding another. Why? All social platforms have their own vibe, subculture, etc. You can’t dive deep into all social platforms simultaneously without burning outYou can repurpose existing content for new social platforms as you add them graduallyNow, what is the right social media channel for your B2B business? Prioritize the social channels your potential buyers use to learn more about products like yours. For example, Dock often posts about its features on LinkedIn with a “little things you’ll love content series” since most of its customer base (sales teams) are present on the platform and are open to new tool recommendations. That last part is crucial because your audience might be active on Instagram, but they might not want B2B businesses on their feed. They aren’t in the buying or consideration mindset while using this social media channel. Yes, you can eventually start creating Instagram content as a B2B business, too, but it’s ideally last on your list. Add it after you’ve already aced the social channels where your audience is open to discovering B2B products. A study by Content Marketing Institute found LinkedIn delivers the best value for B2B marketers. Another research confirmed this finding and added X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube (in that order) are the other channels of choice in the B2B space. I’d advise not to rely on external research alone to determine the right social media channel to prioritize, though. Ask your existing customers what social platforms influence their purchasing decisions the most. While you’re at it, also ask them what kind of content they find the most relevant, helpful, and engaging from B2B companies. Your existing customers are the source of the most accurate information about your specific B2B social media marketing. Why? Because your leads also behave like them. Step 3: Decide your content pillarsContent pillars are the foundation of your marketing strategy. They are the key themes or topics you want to focus on and become known for in your B2B social media efforts. Think of content pillars as the first thing you want your audience to think of when they hear your company’s name. For example, when someone says beehiiv, I instantly think of email marketing, brand sponsorships, and newsletters. This is because they’ve consistently published content around these topics — enough for it to become sticky in my mind. You should have broadly three to five content pillars, and any social posts you create should fit into one of these buckets as much as possible. Now, how do you find your content pillars? The first source is always customer research. What do your buyers care about? What kind of content do they want to see? Which content influences them the most? Apart from speaking to your customers, you can also use tools like SparkToro to see where your audience’s interests lie.The second source is competitive analysis. What are your competitors posting about? Is educational content getting more engagement than entertaining content? What questions or feedback is your shared audience leaving in the comments section? Competitor research can provide valuable insights into what your content pillars can be.Lastly, experiment and find out! Use your social media performance metrics to determine what kind of posts get the most engagement, questions, DMs, and website visits. Double down on them. It might take a while to find your footing, but it’s going to be rock solid once you get there.⚡Pro-tip: While you’re experimenting with various content topics/pillars, also experiment with content formats. Maybe your LinkedIn page loves carousels but video content takes off on X. Content creation is just as much about the different formats as it is about the topics.Remember that your content pillars must be broad enough to have various sub-topics. This ensures you never run out of content ideas and (almost) always have something fresh to say. For example, one of your content pillars can be customer stories. Under this, you can create content around customer testimonials, repurpose case studies to show social proof, and showcase how other companies use your features. These are various umbrellas of their own under a single content pillar. 💡Learn more: How To Create Content Pillars For Social MediaStep 4: Create a content calendarA content calendar is the place where you fit all the execution pieces into the puzzle. Once you’ve narrowed down your overall marketing strategy, social channels, and content pillars, the next thing to do is the actual work: content creation. I’d advise creating content in advance for the week or month (more lovingly called content batching) and scheduling them using a social media management tool like Buffer. Using Buffer, you can schedule your posts in advance and not worry about doing it manually. Not just this: You can also store your content ideas as they come to you. Those shower breakthroughs should always have a place on the shelf, right? Pro-tip: While creating a content calendar, leave some space to create trending content. Trends are often fleeting, so they can rarely be planned in advance with a content calendar. This also applies to reacting to industry news that’s time-sensitive. Another pro-tip: And don’t forget to create content for the predictable days in your audience’s life. For example, if you sell accounting software, you can always have a tax reminder post whenever the tax is due in your audience’s location. For example, Air created many holiday-centric social content that would be relatable for their target buyers. 💡Pssst…wondering how often you should post on each social media platform? Check our social media benchmarks guide.Step 5: Analyze your social media insightsMonitoring your social media performance can help you get an even deeper insight into what’s resonating with your potential customers. For example, a certain topic always tends to increase your social media followers — proving it strikes the right chord with your target audience. If you use Buffer, you get these social media insights at your fingertips in a few clicks. You can know the best content format for a social media platform, best day & time to post, and create beautiful, branded reports. Your social media efforts need to shift shape using these analytics. If you consistently see a type of post or content pillar underperforming, for instance, it’s time to cut it loose. These analytics should help you nurture relationships with your audience even further. Mark it in your calendars to run a fine-toothed comb on your social media analytics and gather concrete insights. Step 6: Amplify your social media contentYou can reach a wider audience via your B2B social media marketing strategy if you add the following things into the mix: Social media adsInfluencer partnershipsUser-generated contentAn example I love is Modash’s frequent partnerships with Sophie Miller of Pretty Little Marketer to promote their software. This collaboration gives Modash a chance to build brand awareness not just via their own organic content, but also by using other trusted voices in the same industry. These are people your decision makers trust and seek advice from. Find subject matter experts and thought leaders trusted in your industry and form influencer collaborations with them. User-generated content is when customers and/or brand advocates proactively share how they’re using your B2B tool. Reshare it on your own social media account: It’s the best form of social proof. You can also encourage your customers to do this by offering rewards for sharing their honest reviews on social media. 💡Learn more: A Straightforward Approach to User Generated Content that ConnectsWhen it comes to social media advertising, remember two things: Experiment with social media ads on the channel that has given you the best performance to increase your chances of a positive return on investment (ROI) Introduce paid advertising when you have to run a specific social media campaign for a business change like a new feature launch or introduce a rebrandAll these methods are paid ways to grow your social media efforts. Add them when you’ve exhausted your organic marketing strategy and need to add fire to the fuel. B2B social media marketing is never “done”Building a B2B social media marketing strategy isn’t a one-and-done task, it’s a recurring one. Today, you might be able to practice content creation on one platform and choose to create thought leadership LinkedIn articles. Tomorrow, as your competence develops, resources expand, and business goals move forward, your social strategy can evolve to include TikTok trends. You will constantly iterate and improve upon your social strategy: maybe you introduce new target audiences and need to create content that caters to them. Or perhaps your decision makers’ priorities change and your content creation on social media needs to adapt to it. Set a reminder to evaluate your strategy once a quarter. Reflect on what’s going right, what can improve, and what has changed. View the full article

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