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You’re staring at an incident that looks familiar. The symptoms match something you saw three months ago: authentication failures cascading through the mobile app, then the web portal, then the partner integrations. You remember the pain of that incident clearly. What you can’t remember is whether you actually fixed the underlying problem or just patched the symptoms. You pull up the previous incident ticket. It shows the resolution: “Updated connection pool settings in the auth service.” But you’re looking at a Jira ticket, and the actual authentication service lives in a different team’s Azure DevOps backlog. The monitoring alerts came through PagerDuty. The customer complaints started in Zendesk. The infrastructure changes were tracked in ServiceNow. You’ve got fragments of a story scattered across five systems, and no clear line of sight from symptom to root cause. This is the gap where institutional knowledge goes to die. You can investigate all day long, but when the trail crosses a system boundary, you’re effectively starting over. That’s where root cause analysis (RCA) comes in. Why RCA fails when incident data lives in multiple systems The standard advice about pattern recognition in incident management assumes you have one place where incidents live. Check for similar symptoms, review the resolution notes, look at your historical data. Straightforward enough when your infrastructure team, your application teams, and your support organization all work in the same tool. Most operations don’t look like that. Your infrastructure incidents live in ServiceNow because that’s what the enterprise standardized on. Your development teams track their work in Jira or Azure DevOps because that’s what fits their workflow. Your support team uses Zendesk because that’s what customer-facing teams need. Each system has its own incident history, its own resolution patterns, its own tribal knowledge locked in comments and updates. When you’re investigating an incident, you’re trying to figure out if you’ve fought this battle before. Did someone already discover that when the cache invalidation timing shifts, it triggers authentication retries that overwhelm the connection pool? Maybe. But if they documented that discovery in a different ticketing system, you’re starting from scratch. Three engineers independently discover the same root cause across three separate incidents because nobody can see the pattern. The Jira ticket describes the application behavior. The ServiceNow incident captures the infrastructure response. The Azure DevOps work item documents the code fix. Individually, each looks like a discrete problem. Together, they’d tell you this is a systemic issue needing architectural attention. Root cause analysis also demands validating your hypothesis against evidence from multiple sources. When you think you’ve identified a root cause, you need corroboration: timestamps that line up, multiple independent observers seeing related symptoms, infrastructure changes that correspond to when problems started appearing. You suspect a deployment triggered the authentication cascade. You need to correlate the deployment timestamp from Azure DevOps with when errors started appearing in your monitoring system, when customer complaints hit Zendesk, and when your infrastructure team got alerted through ServiceNow. Each system stamps its events with its own clock, in its own timezone, using its own categorization scheme. Getting them to line up requires manual detective work: opening six browser tabs, exporting data to spreadsheets, building your own correlation timeline in a document that immediately goes stale. Without cross-system visibility, you can’t validate your hypothesis with confidence. You end up with plausible theories that feel right but lack hard evidence, or you chase red herrings because you can’t see the fuller picture. This is why so many root cause analyses end with “monitoring showed X, we fixed X, incident resolved.” That might be accurate. Or you might have fixed a symptom while the root cause waits to resurface under slightly different conditions next month. The timeline reconstruction problem nobody talks about The most basic requirement for effective RCA is knowing what happened when. Not what one system saw, but what actually occurred across your entire stack. In ServiceNow, you’ve got a major incident ticket opened at 14:23. In Zendesk, customer complaints started arriving at 14:15. In Azure DevOps, a deployment completed at 14:08. In PagerDuty, the first alert fired at 14:20. Already you have useful information: the customer impact preceded your monitoring detection by five minutes, and both followed a deployment by seven to twelve minutes. That correlation matters. But those timestamps only tell you part of the story. You need the context inside each system. The Zendesk tickets describe specific user workflows that failed. The PagerDuty alert shows which services were affected. The Azure DevOps deployment notes mention which configuration changed. The ServiceNow incident captures which teams were engaged and what actions they took. When you’re actively fighting an incident, you don’t have time to build this integrated view. You’re troubleshooting in whatever system is most relevant to your role, coordinating through war room calls, and sharing updates in Slack. The connective tissue between systems happens in people’s heads, not in their tools. It’s only during RCA that you need the complete picture. By then, the critical details have already dispersed across disconnected systems. Reconstructing the timeline means tracking down which engineer updated which ticket in which tool, which changes were documented where and which evidence exists in what system. Every cross-reference is a context switch, a search query, a manual correlation. The engineer is frantically opening six browser tabs, trying to line up timestamps across systems while the postmortem deadline approaches. This gets particularly brutal when you’re investigating something that happened weeks or months ago. The Slack channel is buried in history. The war room call wasn’t recorded. The engineer who had the key insight is on vacation. All you have are the tickets, scattered across tools that weren’t designed to form a coherent narrative together. Here’s what experienced problem managers know: the person who recognizes a pattern often isn’t the person who documented the previous incident. It’s someone who worked on a related problem in a different part of the stack, using a different tool, tracking their work in a different system. When an incident hits, your best asset isn’t your ticket history. It’s your network of people who’ve seen adjacent problems. Your infrastructure engineer who remembers that authentication issues correlate with database connection pool exhaustion. Your application developer who debugged a similar timeout pattern six months ago. Your support analyst who noticed this exact customer complaint pattern during the last major release. That knowledge exists in people’s heads because your systems don’t make it visible. The infrastructure engineer’s resolution is documented in ServiceNow. The developer’s fix is captured in Jira. The support analyst’s observation is buried in Zendesk ticket comments. None of them know the others exist until someone manually makes the connection. This is why major incidents often get resolved through hallway conversations and Slack threads rather than through formal RCA processes. Someone says “wait, I think I’ve seen this before” and drops a link to a ticket in a completely different system. Suddenly you’ve got context. The timeline makes sense. The pattern emerges. But that only works if the right people are in the room, if they remember the connection, if they happen to participate in that particular incident response. It’s fragile, personality-dependent, and it doesn’t scale. Why real-time workflow sync doesn’t solve retrospective learning The typical response to multi-system problems is workflow integration. Connect ServiceNow to Jira so that when a major incident is created, it automatically generates a development ticket. Link PagerDuty to Slack so alerts appear where your team already communicates. Build webhooks that push updates between systems when status changes. These integrations absolutely help during active incident response. They reduce manual coordination, keep teams aligned, and ensure important updates flow to the right places. If you’re integrating ServiceNow and Jira, you can track development work without forcing engineers to context-switch between tools. Real-time workflow synchronization matters when you’re trying to resolve an incident quickly. But workflow integrations optimize for forward motion: getting from incident detection to resolution faster. They don’t solve the retrospective problem. Looking back across multiple incidents to identify patterns, validate hypotheses, or learn whether you actually fixed the root cause or just papered over symptoms requires different infrastructure. A webhook that creates a Jira ticket from a ServiceNow incident doesn’t help you three months later when you’re trying to determine if the current authentication failures match a pattern from previous incidents. The tickets exist in both systems, linked by reference IDs. But when you’re doing RCA, you’re not following that one-to-one link. You’re searching for similar symptoms, looking across time ranges, trying to spot patterns that weren’t obvious during any individual incident. You need to query across systems: show me all ServiceNow incidents tagged with authentication failures in the last six months, along with any related Jira tickets, any Azure DevOps deployments that happened within two hours of incident start times, and any Zendesk tickets from customers reporting login problems. That query requires having the data synchronized across tools, not just systems that can push updates to each other during active incidents. What bidirectional synchronization enables for RCA What you actually need is persistent integration where the relationships between incidents, deployments, customer issues, and infrastructure changes remain visible over time. Not just real-time workflow handoffs, but stateful synchronization that maintains connections even as tickets evolve. When an engineer adds crucial context to a Jira ticket, that context syncs to the connected ServiceNow incident. When a customer files a follow-up Zendesk ticket about the same issue, it connects to the incident timeline. When a deployment in Azure DevOps correlates with incident timing, that relationship persists for future analysis. The sync preserves the incident lineage across system boundaries, so you can trace the full history of a problem regardless of which tools captured different parts of the story. The value shows up when you’re three months past an incident and trying to figure out if you’re seeing a pattern. Instead of reconstructing timelines manually from six different tools, you can look across the synchronized data: all incidents where authentication services degraded within four hours of a deployment, along with related customer complaints and infrastructure metrics. The answer comes from data that’s been continuously synchronized, not from emergency exports and manual correlation. This is particularly powerful for pattern recognition. When incident data lives fragmented across tools, you only see patterns within each system. Similar ServiceNow incidents look like discrete problems unless you can see that each one followed deployments tracked in Azure DevOps and triggered customer complaints documented in Zendesk. The pattern is only visible when you can look across all three sources simultaneously. Bidirectional synchronization also supports improved hypothesis validation. When you theorize that a configuration change caused cascading failures, you can validate that by correlating timestamps, affected systems, and customer impact across your tools. You’re not relying on manual timeline reconstruction or hoping an engineer remembers details from a previous incident. The evidence either supports your hypothesis or it doesn’t, because you can actually see the complete picture. For organizations serious about reducing repeat incidents, this kind of integration becomes necessary infrastructure. You can’t consistently improve what you can’t consistently measure. IT service management isn’t just about resolving individual incidents quickly. It’s about learning from them so you stop having the same incident repeatedly. That learning requires visibility across the ecosystem where incidents actually live. Unito maintains bidirectional synchronization across the ticketing and development tools your teams actually use. Not just during active incidents, but continuously, so your historical data remains connected when you need to do serious pattern analysis. The question isn’t whether you should consolidate onto a single platform. The question is whether you’ll keep fighting incidents with one hand tied behind your back, or whether you’ll build the cross-system visibility that makes effective root cause analysis possible. Ready to transform your ticket escalation workflow? Meet with a Unito product expert to see what a two-way integration can do for your workflow. Talk with sales View the full article

Oracle co-founder has agreed to backstop Paramount’s $108bn hostile bid personallyView the full article

Method is still used in some restaurants but campaigners say this ‘torture’ is avoidable View the full article

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” opened with $345 million in worldwide sales, according to studio estimates Sunday, notching the second-best global debut of the year and potentially putting James Cameron on course to set yet more blockbuster records. Sixteen years into the “Avatar” saga, Pandora is still abundant in box-office riches. “Fire and Ash,” the third film in Cameron’s science-fiction franchise, launched with $88 million domestically and $257 million internationally. The only film to open bigger in 2025 was “Zootopia 2” ($497.2 million over three days). In the coming weeks, “Fire and Ash” will have the significant benefit of the highly lucrative holiday moviegoing corridor. But there was a tad less fanfare to this “Avatar” film, coming three years after “Avatar: The Way of Water.” That film launched in 2022 with a massive $435 million globally and $134 million in North America. Domestically, “Fire and Ash” fell a hefty 35% from the previous installment. Reviews for “Fire and Ash” were also more mixed, scoring a series-low 68% “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet those quibbles are only a product of the lofty standards of “Avatar.” The first two films rank as two of the three biggest box-office films of all time. To reach those heights, the “Avatar” films have depended on legs more than huge openings. “Avatar” (2009), opened with $77 million domestically but held the top spot for seven weeks. It ultimately grossed $2.92 billion worldwide. “The Way of Water” also held strong to eventually tally $2.3 billion globally. James CameronSuzy Amis Cameron “The openings are not what the ‘Avatar’ movies are about,” said David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a newsletter on box office numbers. “It’s what they do after they open that made them the no. 2 and no. 3 biggest films of all time.” For “Fire and Ash” to follow in those footsteps, it will need robust ticket sales to continue for weeks. Working in its favor so far: strong word-of-mouth. Audiences gave it an “A” CinemaScore. In interviews, Cameron has repeatedly said “Fire and Ash” needs to perform well for there to be subsequent “Avatar” films. (Four and five are already written but not greenlit.) These are exceptionally expensive movies to make. With a production budget of at least $400 million, “Fire and Ash” is one of the costliest movies ever made. “James Cameron is not known for his low budget movies,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “You can’t exactly create the world of Pandora on the cheap. If you’re going to have a 3D movie, an epic film that’s three hours and 17 minutes, it’s a huge buy-in of money, time, resources, and then you have to hope the audience wants to once again go along on that ride.” “Fire and Ash” was especially boosted by premium format showings, which accounted for 66% of its opening weekend. A narrow majority of moviegoers (56%) chose to watch it in 3D. The “Avatar” films have always been especially popular overseas. “Fire and Ash” was strongest in China, where its $57.6 million opening weekend surpassed the two previous movies. ‘David’ overperforms and ‘Marty Supreme’ sets a record “Fire and Ash” didn’t have the weekend entirely to itself. A trio of other new wide releases made it into theaters in hopes of offering some counterprogramming: Lionsgate’s “The Housemaid,” Angel Studios’ “David” and Paramount Pictures’ “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.” In the race for second place, “David” came out on top. The animated tale of David and Goliath collected $22 million from 3,118 theaters, notching the best opening weekend for Angel Studios, the Christian-oriented studio that emerged with 2023’s surprise hit “Sound of Freedom.” “The Housemaid,” Paul Feig’s twisty psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, opened with $19 million 3,015 theaters. The Lionsgate release, which cost about $35 million to make, is set up well to be one of the top R-rated options in theaters over the holidays. Based on Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel, it stars Sweeney as a woman with a troubled past who becomes a live-in maid for a wealthy family. Trailing the pack was “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” which collected $16 million from 3,557 theaters. The G-rated film, based on the Nickelodeon TV series, is the first “SpongeBob” theatrical movie since 2015’s “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” All of this weekend’s new films will hope the ticket sales keep rolling in over the upcoming Christmas break. Starting Dec. 25, they’ll need to contend with some new wide releases, including A24’s “Marty Supreme,” with Timothée Chalamet; Focus Features’ “Song Sung Blue,” with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson; and Sony’s “Anaconda,” with Jack Black and Paul Rudd. Before expanding on Christmas, “Marty Supreme” opened in six theaters over the weekend, grossing $875,000 or $145,000 per theater. That was good enough for not only the best per-theater average of the year, but the best since 2016 and a new high mark for A24. The film, directed by Josh Safdie and starring Chalamet as an aspiring table tennis player in 1950s New York, is the most expensive ever for A24. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” $88 million. “David,” $22 million. “The Housemaid,” $19 million. “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” $16 million. “Zootopia 2,” $14.5 million. “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” $7.3 million. “Wicked: For Good,” $4.3 million. “Dhurandhar,” $2.5 million. “Marty Supreme,” $875,000. “Hamnet,” $850,000. —Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer View the full article

O btaining a business license in Texas involves several key steps customized to your specific business type and location. First, you’ll need to identify the licenses required for your operation, which can vary widely. Next, registering your business entity with the Secretary of State is essential, along with securing an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. If you’re selling taxable goods, don’t forget to apply for a sales and use tax permit. But that’s just the beginning; local municipalities often have additional requirements to take into account. Key Takeaways Determine the necessary licenses based on your business type and local regulations before starting the application process. Register your business entity with the Secretary of State if applicable, unless you are a sole proprietor. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for most business structures to facilitate tax reporting. Apply for a sales and use tax permit through the Texas Comptroller’s website if you will sell taxable goods or services. Check with local city or county authorities for any additional permits required for your specific business operations. Understanding Business Licenses in Texas When starting a business in Texas, you might wonder what licenses you’ll need to operate legally. Texas doesn’t require a general business license at the state level, but requirements vary based on your business type and local regulations. If you’re selling tangible goods or taxable services, you’ll likely need a sales and use tax permit. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships must file an Assumed Name Certificate if using a different name, but they don’t need to register with the Texas Secretary of State. Furthermore, certain industries, like food service, may require specific city licenses for business from local health departments. To guarantee compliance, consult the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for details on how to get a business license and where to get a business license. Types of Business Licenses Required Several types of business licenses may be required to operate legally in Texas, depending on the nature of your business activities. Additionally, Texas doesn’t have a general state-level business license; local municipalities may require specific licenses. Common types include sales and use tax permits, local health department permits for food service businesses, and specialized licenses for regulated industries like alcohol and firearms. If you’re running a sole proprietorship or general partnership, you won’t need to register with the Secretary of State, but you must obtain an Assumed Name Certificate for a different business name. Furthermore, if you’re considering an online business, check if you need a permit for online business. For those in Georgia, researching how to apply for a business license in GA is crucial, especially if you’re in areas like Atlanta GA. Steps to Apply for a Business License Comprehending the types of business licenses required is just the beginning; the next step is to navigate the application process. First, identify the licenses necessary for your specific business type and location. If you’re in Texas, register your business entity with the Secretary of State, except if you’re a sole proprietor. Then, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, needed for most business structures. If you plan to sell taxable goods, apply for a sales and use tax permit through the Texas Comptroller’s website. Finally, check with your local city or county for any additional permits. If you’re considering how to get a business license in GA or getting a business license in another state, the steps may vary. Costs Associated With Business Licenses Comprehending the costs associated with obtaining a business license is vital for any entrepreneur. In Texas, these costs can range from $15 to $1,000, influenced by the type of license and industry risks. Although there’s no general state-level requirement, local licenses may have various fees based on municipal regulations. If you’re forming an LLC or corporation, expect to pay $300 by mail or $310 online, separate from local business license costs. Furthermore, specific activities, like food service or health permits, could incur extra fees. Remember, timely renewal of business licenses is important, typically involving a base fee of $110, plus any other filing costs. Grasping these factors helps when asking, “how do I obtain a business license?” Licensing Considerations for Online Businesses When starting an online business in Texas, comprehension of the licensing requirements is crucial to avoid legal complications down the road. You’ll need to obtain a sales and use tax permit if you sell tangible goods or taxable services, which you can apply for online through the Texas Comptroller‘s website. If you’re operating from another state, you might wonder, “Does my GA business licensure work in Georgia?” You’ll need to check Texas regulations. In addition, consider federal licensing if you’re in regulated industries. Research local laws, as they may vary, and keep in mind that obtaining your business license number can take time. Consulting with a legal expert can help clarify these requirements and streamline your process, ensuring compliance with all necessary regulations. Frequently Asked Questions What License Is Best for a Small Business? The best license for your small business largely depends on your industry and location. If you’re selling goods, you’ll likely need a Sales and Use Tax Permit. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships don’t need a general business license but must file an Assumed Name Certificate if using a different name. If you want to protect personal assets, consider forming an LLC, which requires filing a Certificate of Formation with the state. Always check local requirements. Conclusion In conclusion, obtaining a business license in Texas involves identifying the necessary licenses based on your business type and location, registering your entity, and applying for permits as needed. It’s crucial to understand local regulations and any additional requirements that may apply to your specific situation. By following these steps and staying informed about compliance, you can guarantee that your business operates legally and efficiently. Take the time to research and complete all necessary paperwork to avoid future complications. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How Do You Obtain a Business License?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

O btaining a business license in Texas involves several key steps customized to your specific business type and location. First, you’ll need to identify the licenses required for your operation, which can vary widely. Next, registering your business entity with the Secretary of State is essential, along with securing an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. If you’re selling taxable goods, don’t forget to apply for a sales and use tax permit. But that’s just the beginning; local municipalities often have additional requirements to take into account. Key Takeaways Determine the necessary licenses based on your business type and local regulations before starting the application process. Register your business entity with the Secretary of State if applicable, unless you are a sole proprietor. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for most business structures to facilitate tax reporting. Apply for a sales and use tax permit through the Texas Comptroller’s website if you will sell taxable goods or services. Check with local city or county authorities for any additional permits required for your specific business operations. Understanding Business Licenses in Texas When starting a business in Texas, you might wonder what licenses you’ll need to operate legally. Texas doesn’t require a general business license at the state level, but requirements vary based on your business type and local regulations. If you’re selling tangible goods or taxable services, you’ll likely need a sales and use tax permit. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships must file an Assumed Name Certificate if using a different name, but they don’t need to register with the Texas Secretary of State. Furthermore, certain industries, like food service, may require specific city licenses for business from local health departments. To guarantee compliance, consult the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for details on how to get a business license and where to get a business license. Types of Business Licenses Required Several types of business licenses may be required to operate legally in Texas, depending on the nature of your business activities. Additionally, Texas doesn’t have a general state-level business license; local municipalities may require specific licenses. Common types include sales and use tax permits, local health department permits for food service businesses, and specialized licenses for regulated industries like alcohol and firearms. If you’re running a sole proprietorship or general partnership, you won’t need to register with the Secretary of State, but you must obtain an Assumed Name Certificate for a different business name. Furthermore, if you’re considering an online business, check if you need a permit for online business. For those in Georgia, researching how to apply for a business license in GA is crucial, especially if you’re in areas like Atlanta GA. Steps to Apply for a Business License Comprehending the types of business licenses required is just the beginning; the next step is to navigate the application process. First, identify the licenses necessary for your specific business type and location. If you’re in Texas, register your business entity with the Secretary of State, except if you’re a sole proprietor. Then, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, needed for most business structures. If you plan to sell taxable goods, apply for a sales and use tax permit through the Texas Comptroller’s website. Finally, check with your local city or county for any additional permits. If you’re considering how to get a business license in GA or getting a business license in another state, the steps may vary. Costs Associated With Business Licenses Comprehending the costs associated with obtaining a business license is vital for any entrepreneur. In Texas, these costs can range from $15 to $1,000, influenced by the type of license and industry risks. Although there’s no general state-level requirement, local licenses may have various fees based on municipal regulations. If you’re forming an LLC or corporation, expect to pay $300 by mail or $310 online, separate from local business license costs. Furthermore, specific activities, like food service or health permits, could incur extra fees. Remember, timely renewal of business licenses is important, typically involving a base fee of $110, plus any other filing costs. Grasping these factors helps when asking, “how do I obtain a business license?” Licensing Considerations for Online Businesses When starting an online business in Texas, comprehension of the licensing requirements is crucial to avoid legal complications down the road. You’ll need to obtain a sales and use tax permit if you sell tangible goods or taxable services, which you can apply for online through the Texas Comptroller‘s website. If you’re operating from another state, you might wonder, “Does my GA business licensure work in Georgia?” You’ll need to check Texas regulations. In addition, consider federal licensing if you’re in regulated industries. Research local laws, as they may vary, and keep in mind that obtaining your business license number can take time. Consulting with a legal expert can help clarify these requirements and streamline your process, ensuring compliance with all necessary regulations. Frequently Asked Questions What License Is Best for a Small Business? The best license for your small business largely depends on your industry and location. If you’re selling goods, you’ll likely need a Sales and Use Tax Permit. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships don’t need a general business license but must file an Assumed Name Certificate if using a different name. If you want to protect personal assets, consider forming an LLC, which requires filing a Certificate of Formation with the state. Always check local requirements. Conclusion In conclusion, obtaining a business license in Texas involves identifying the necessary licenses based on your business type and location, registering your entity, and applying for permits as needed. It’s crucial to understand local regulations and any additional requirements that may apply to your specific situation. By following these steps and staying informed about compliance, you can guarantee that your business operates legally and efficiently. Take the time to research and complete all necessary paperwork to avoid future complications. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How Do You Obtain a Business License?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Managing your inbox is a never-ending task, which is why we should seek to simplify it as much as possible. When emails pile up, you start overthinking what you need to do—I know I do, anyway. But if you pare down your options to the most basic and straightforward ones, it'll help ease your decision paralysis and keep you on top of things. That's what the "four Ds," or the 4D method, does. It’s easy to remember and easy to implement, which makes it helpful for anyone who has a pile of emails to contend with every day. Here’s how to follow it. What is the 4D method of inbox management?This method of managing your overflowing inbox has been around quite a while and rests on quick decision-making to help you easily weed through it all. Time-tested, it works—but only if you get what you’re supposed to do. 4D stands for, obviously, four “D” words: Delete the email Do what the email says Delegate what the email wants you to do Defer it Those are easy to remember and, once you get the hang of calling them to mind, easy to do. Proponents of the method, like Aleksandra Brzeska, business development manager at XTRF Translation Management System, say this works as long as you adhere to it. Here’s how to put it in action. How to use the 4D method of inbox management4D is similar to the one-touch rule. In fact, it relies on it, but takes it a step further. When using the one-touch rule, you make a decision about the email as soon as you open it up, but with that one, your focus is simply opening it the moment it comes in. For these techniques to work, you have to be opening every email, or at least looking at it and identifying from the subject line whether it’s worth opening. So, first things first, you’ll need to designate a time every day to sort through all your communications. Use timeboxing to block out time every morning, for example, to get this done. Make email management a core part of your daily to-do list when you use a method like the 3-3-3 list. When it’s time to go through your messages every day, set out to make a choice about each one, referring to the four options above. If it’s irrelevant, spam, or won’t ever require a follow-up, delete it. If it calls for a task that is doable right now, you’re responsible, and/or it’s pretty urgent, just do it. If it’s a less urgent task for someone else in your department or could be handled by another person without overloading them, delegate it and forward it their way. If it’s something that could or should be handled in the near future but doesn’t require immediate action, defer it by archiving it, putting it in a folder, or starring it. When this is done, go back through once more and archive or delete anything that’s now been done or delegated, clearing out your inbox for the next wave of messages. The benefit of using this method is that it makes decision-making simple, quick, and actionable, plus keeps your inbox low or close to zero. Removing unnecessary choices or procrastination streamlines the process and keeps you moving in just one of four ways, ensuring everything gets done or removed from your plate. View the full article

Power was restored Sunday to the bulk of the 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco impacted by a massive outage a day earlier that caused major disruptions in the city. About 17,000 customers remained without power as of noon Sunday, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said. PG&E said earlier its crews were working to restore electricity in several neighborhoods and small areas of downtown San Francisco following Saturday’s outage. PG&E in a statement said it expects to restore power to remaining customers no later than 2 p.m. Monday. “The damage from the fire in our substation was significant and extensive, and the repairs and safe restoration will be complex,” the utility said, referring to the substation at 8th and Mission streets. That fire has been blamed for some of the blackouts. The outage remains under investigation. PG&E said it mobilized additional engineers and electricians to help with restoration efforts. “This is a very complex work plan and will require the highest amount of safety focus to ensure safe work actions,” PG&E said. No injuries have been reported. The outage, which occurred shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday, left a large swath of the northern part of the city without power that began to grow in size. At its peak, the outage represented roughly one-third of the utility company’s customers in the city. At about 4 p.m. on Saturday, PG&E posted on X that it had stabilized the grid and no further outages were expected. Social media posts and local media reported mass closures of restaurants and shops and darkened street lights and Christmas decorations on Saturday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management said on X there were “significant transit disruptions” happening citywide and urged residents to avoid nonessential travel and treat down traffic signals as four-way stops. Waymo, the operator of driverless ride-hailing vehicles, suspended its services. At least one video posted on social media appeared to show a Waymo vehicle stopped in the middle of an intersection. —Jaimie Ding and Susan Haigh, Associated Press View the full article

Tokyo is one of those cities that feels endlessly deep. You can visit a dozen times and still discover new food stalls, hidden shrines, late-night bars, quirky subcultures, and neighborhoods that feel like completely different worlds. (I know because I’ve visited about 10 times already!) One of my favorite ways to explore Tokyo is by taking an Airbnb Experience. Led by locals and long-term residents, these tours give you a front-row seat to Tokyo’s food culture, nightlife, history, and crafts in a way you rarely get when wandering on your own. I’ve done a lot of Airbnb Experiences in Tokyo over the years and think they are often even better than traditional tours you find on Get Your Guide (though Arigato Travel is next level and the best traditional tour company in the city so don’t miss out on them). To help you pick from the endless Experiences you can find, below are my favorite in Tokyo that combine cultural immersion, hands-on learning, and just the right amount of fun: Learn to Make Authentic Sushi with a Trained Chef Sushi-making classes are common in Tokyo but this Airbnb Experience stands out because it’s done in an omakase restaurant. This class is given by a sushi master (or his apprentice). You don’t just learn how to shape rice or slice fish; you learn why certain cuts matter, how chefs season rice differently depending on style, and how to pair ingredients to highlight texture and flavor. The class is hands-on and surprisingly approachable. It’s a small group experience done in the morning so you can have a filling and fun breakfast experience before going out to explore Tokyo. I absolutely loved it. Book here! Shibuya Nightlife with Unlimited Drinks This is my favorite nightlife tour in Tokyo. The host, Suemi, and her friends provide the absolute best time. This Shibuya nightlife tour one takes you to 3-4 izakaya spots that are very untouristy and filled without locals. You get unlimited food and drinks and it’s a really great experience. My guide, Shugo, was outgoing, spoke conversational English, handled large group dynamics well, was entertaining, explained the culture of izakaya restaurants in detail, and stayed past when the Experienced ended. He was great! Additionally, Suemi and her friends also run an unlimited Sake tasting class, which is the best Sake class I’ve done in Tokyo. They go into incredible detail about how sake is made and use a lot of visuals so it’s really easy to understand. It’s a small group of six, which made the Experience really personable. If you take a Sake experience, take this one. (They also un a whiskey tasting experience that I haven’t done this one yet but I bet it’s just as good). Book here! Shinjuku Izakaya Tour This experience is similar in spirit to the Shibuya nightlife tour but set in one of Tokyo’s other major nightlife hubs. Shinjuku is packed with tiny izakaya spots, many of them hidden in narrow alleyways or upstairs spaces you’d never think to enter on your own. On this tour, Yuma (a knowledgeable sake sommelier) takes you to several of these small, local spots and walks you through how izakaya culture really works. You’ll try different styles of sake along the way and learn how to read menus, what to order, and how locals typically drink and eat in these settings. Yuma is outgoing, fun, and very good at explaining things clearly without overwhelming you. It’s social, relaxed, and a great way to experience Shinjuku nightlife without feeling lost or intimidated. Book here! Historic Tokyo Walking Tour This is one of the most educational experiences I’ve done in Tokyo. Instead of focusing on the usual tourist areas, this tour explores quieter neighborhoods that retain a strong connection to the city’s past. The host is a lecturer specializing in Japanese history and traditional culture, and it really shows in the depth of information shared throughout the walk. You’ll visit places like Nezu Shrine, walk through its tunnel of red torii gates, explore the old streets of Yanaka, and learn about the Edo period, the Meiji Restoration, and how the role of the samurai changed as Japan modernized. It’s a 2.5-hour walk that never feels rushed and gives you a much clearer understanding of how Tokyo became the city it is today. I learned a lot from this tour. Book here! Tokyo Coffee Culture Tour Tokyo has an burgeoning coffee scene and this tour does a great job of showing it to you. You explore Jimbocho and Kanda, two very under visited neighborhoods, to learn about both old-school kissaten and modern specialty cafés. You’ll learn about brewing techniques, flavor profiles, and how Japan developed such a meticulous approach to coffee. The tour includes visits to historic cafés, specialty shops leading Tokyo’s third-wave movement, and even wagashi shops where you’ll learn how traditional Japanese sweets pair with coffee. It’s a really thoughtful and unique afternoon experience. Book here! Organic matcha Tea Ceremony This one-hour experience is a great introduction to matcha and Japanese tea culture. You’ll learn about the history of matcha, its role in Japanese society, and how to tell high-quality matcha from lower-grade varieties. The host walks you through the traditional preparation process step by step. You’ll whisk and taste authentic matcha in a calm, traditional setting that feels worlds away from Tokyo’s busy streets. It’s short but memorable, and it gives you a much deeper appreciation for something you’ll see everywhere while traveling in Japan. Book here! Tokyo Ramen Tour Ramen is synonymous with Japanese food, and this tour helps you understand why it inspires such devotion. Over the course of about three hours, you’ll visit multiple ramen shops, each highlighting a different style or approach. You’ll learn about ramen’s origins, modern trends, and regional variations while tasting everything from classic bowls to more experimental or fusion styles. The guide explains broth types, noodle textures, and toppings in a way that’s easy to follow. Come hungry as this tour will absolutely fill you up! Book here! Shibuya and Harajuku Street Art Tour This tour takes you through Shibuya and Harajuku to see murals and installations hidden in alleyways and less obvious spaces. Street art is a much quieter, more underground scene in Tokyo (they Japanese aren’t so keen on murals on their buildings) so learning about where it is allowed and how the culture thrives in such a restrictive environment is really interesting. he tour also includes visual examples of murals before and after they were created, which adds helpful context. I think it is one of the most interesting and unique Airbnb Experiences and gives you a really good look at a side of Japan most people don’t see! Book here! *** There’s a lot of Airbnb Experiences in Tokyo and I know I’m probably I’m missing some really great ones (After all, I’m only one person) but these eight will give you a good start. Try to do at least one when you’re in Tokyo because most conventional organized tours are all cookie cutter experiences. These Airbnb tours are way more fun! Book Your Trip to Tokyo: Logistical Tips and Tricks Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. For places to stay, check out my article on my favorite hostels in Tokyo. If you want to stay in a hotel, check out this list of favorites. And, for a neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown of Tokyo, check out this post. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are: Safety Wing (for everyone below 70) Insure My Trip (for those over 70) Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage) Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too. Be sure to check out the Japan Rail Pass if you’ll be traveling around the country. It comes in 7-, 14-, and 21-day passes and can save you a ton of money! Want More Information on Tokyo? Be sure to visit my robust destination guide on Tokyo for even more planning tips! The post The 8 Best Airbnb Experiences in Tokyo appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. View the full article

Shares in Rocket Lab Corp were heading for their second day of gains on Monday after the aerospace manufacturer was named as one of four companies that will build tracking satellites for the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA). The stock (Nasdaq: RKLB) was up more than 4% in premarket trading on Monday as of this writing. That’s in addition to a jump of 17% on Friday when the news was announced. Share are now trading at record highs. What did the Space Development Agency announce? The SDA, a unit of the United States Space Force, said on Friday that it awarded four companies with contracts to build 72 satellites—or 18 apiece—with the aim of expanding missile tracking and defense systems. The total value of the award is $3.5 billion. In addition to Rocket Lab, the SDA also named Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies. The constellation of satellites is expected to launch in 2029. Long Beach California-based Rocket Lab has been gaining more attention recently for its Electron orbital rocket, which is lighter than the heavier vehicles manufactured by rivals SpaceX and Blue Origin. As Fast Company previously reported, the Electron’s lightweight nature gives it an edge in certain complex missions where precision and speed are prioritized. A head-turning market rebound After going public during the ill-fated SPAC craze of 2021, Rocket Lab stock struggled to rise above $10 a share. It limped along for well over three years. But the stock has really broken out this year as excitement has grown around satellite buildouts and Rocket Lab executed successful launches for companies like Kinéis, a French operator of internet-of-things satellites. For its third-quarter financial results released last month, Rocket Lab reported record revenue of $155 million and said it had secured a record 17 Electron launch contracts. The company reported a net loss of $18.3 million for the second quarter, much narrower than the $52 million net loss it reported a year earlier. As of Friday, Rocket Lab’s stock was up more than 182% year to date and was trading at $70.52 a share. View the full article

Learn why AI works best as a support tool, not a decision-maker, and why misplaced trust in autonomy is risky. The post Ironman, Not Superman appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Discovery now happens before search demand is visible in Google. In 2026, interest forms across social feeds, communities, and AI-generated answers – long before it shows up as keyword search volume. By the time demand appears in SEO tools, the opportunity to shape how a concept is understood has already passed. This creates a problem for how search marketing research is typically done. Keyword tools, search volume, and Google Trends are lagging indicators. They reveal what people cared about yesterday, not what they are starting to explore now. In a landscape shaped by AI Overviews, social SERPs, and shrinking organic real estate, arriving late means competing inside narratives already defined by someone else. Exploding Topics sits upstream of this shift. It helps surface emerging themes, behaviors, and conversations while they are still forming – before they harden into keywords, content clusters, and product categories. Used properly, it is not just a trend tool. It is a way to plan SEO, content, digital PR, and social-led search proactively. This article breaks down how to use Exploding Topics to identify future entities, validate them through social search, and build search visibility before demand peaks. Use Exploding Topics Trend Analytics to identify future entities – not just topics Most marketers who use Exploding Topics already understand its value for content ideation, and we will cover that. But its bigger opportunity is identifying future entities – concepts that search engines and AI systems will soon recognize as distinct “things,” not just keyword variations. This matters because modern search no longer operates purely on keywords. Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and other LLM-powered systems organize information around entities and relationships. Once an entity is established, the narrative around it hardens. Arrive late, and you are competing inside a story that has already been defined. Exploding Topics gives you visibility early enough to act before that happens. Example: Weighted sleep masks In Exploding Topics, you might notice “weighted sleep mask” rising steadily. Search volume remains low, and most keyword tools understate its importance. At a glance, it looks like a niche product trend that is easy to ignore. Look closer, and the signals are stronger: The phrase is consistent and repeatable. Adjacent topics are rising alongside it, including deep pressure sleep, anxiety sleep tools, and vagus nerve stimulation. Questions that signal intent are increasing. Early discussion focuses on understanding the concept, not just buying a product. This is the point where something shifts from being a product with an adjective to a named solution. In other words, it is becoming an entity. The traditional play Most brands wait until: Search demand becomes obvious, acting in December 2025 rather than July 2025. Competitors launch dedicated product pages. Affiliates and publishers surface “best” and “vs.” content. Only then do they create: A category page. A “What is a weighted sleep mask?” article or social-search activation. SEO content designed to chase presence, such as FAQs, SERP features, and rankings. By this point, the entity already exists, and the story around it has largely been written by someone else. In this case, NodPod is clearly dominating the entity. Acting earlier, while the entity is forming Using Exploding Topics well means acting earlier, while the entity is still being defined. Instead of starting with a product page, you: Publish a clear, authoritative explanation of what a weighted sleep mask is. Explain why deep pressure can help with sleep and anxiety. Address who it is for – and who it is not. Create supporting content that adds context, such as comparisons with weighted blankets or safety considerations. This work can be done quickly and at scale through reactive PR and social search activations. You are not optimizing for keywords yet. You are teaching social algorithms, search engines, and AI systems what the concept means and associating your brand with that explanation from the start. This is how brands can win at search in 2026 and beyond. This early, proactive approach: Helps search systems understand new concepts faster. Increases the chance your framing is reused in AI-generated answers. Positions your brand as the authority on the entity – not just a seller within the conversation. Dig deeper: Beyond Google: How to put a total search strategy together Validate emerging entities through social search Identifying an emerging entity is only the first step. The real risk is not being early to a conversation. It is being early to something that never takes off. This is where many SEO teams stall. They wait for search volume and arrive too late, publish on instinct and hope demand follows, or freeze under uncertainty and do nothing. There is a better middle ground: validate emerging entities through social search research and activation tests before scaling them into owned SEO and on-site experiences. Exploding Topics is straightforward. It shows what might matter. Social platforms tell you whether your audience actually cares. How social search becomes your validation layer Once Exploding Topics surfaces a potential emerging entity, the next step is not Keyword Planner. It is native search across platforms such as TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube, using either built-in trend tools or basic platform search. You are looking for signals like: Multiple creators independently explaining the same concept. Comment sections filled with questions such as “Does this actually work?” or “Is this safe?”. Repeated framing, metaphors, or demonstrations. Early how-to or comparison content, even if production quality is low. These signals point to intent. Curiosity is turning into understanding. Historically, this phase has always preceded measurable search demand. Revisiting the weighted sleep mask example After spotting “weighted sleep mask” in Exploding Topics, you might search for it on TikTok. What you want to see is a lack of heavy brand advertising. Mature ecommerce pushes or TikTok Shop funnels suggest the market is already established. Instead, look for creators – not brand channels – testing products, discussing solutions, and exploring the underlying problem. Focus on videos that explain pains, needs, and motivations, such as why pressure may help with anxiety. Check the comments for comparisons to other solutions. Look for questions raised in videos and comment threads. Tools like Buzzabout.AI can help do this at scale through topic analysis and AI-assisted research. These signals answer two critical questions: Are people actively trying to understand this concept? What language, framing, and objections are forming before SEO data exists? That is validation. Rethinking how SEO strategy gets built This is where search strategy shifts. Instead of asking, “Is there enough volume to justify content creation?” the better question is, “Is there enough curiosity to justify building authority early?” If social signals are weak: Pause. De-risk by testing with creators outside your owned channels. Avoid heavy investment in content that takes months to rank. If signals are strong: Scale with confidence. Work with creators and activate brand channels. Invest in entity pages, hubs, FAQs, comparisons, and PLP optimization. In this model, fast-moving social platforms become the testing layer. SEO is not the experiment, it’is the compounding layer. Dig deeper: Social and UGC: The trust engines powering search everywhere Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Editorial digital PR that earns links and LLM citations Most digital PR still works backward. A trend reaches mainstream awareness. Journalists write about it. Brands scramble to comment. PR teams try to extract links from a story that already exists. The result is short-term coverage, diluted impact, and little lasting search advantage. Exploding Topics makes it possible to reverse that dynamic by surfacing editorial narratives before they are obvious and positioning your brand as one of the sources that helps define them. In 2026, this matters more than ever. Links still matter, but they are no longer the only outcome that counts. Brand mentions, explanations, and citations increasingly feed the systems behind AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other LLM-driven discovery experiences. Why early narratives outperform reactive PR When a topic is everywhere, journalists are aggregating. When a topic is emerging, they are still asking questions. Exploding Topics surfaces concepts at the stage where: There is no consensus narrative. Definitions are inconsistent. Journalists are looking for clarity, not quotes. “What is this?” stories have not yet been written. This is the point where brands can move from commenting on a conversation to shaping it. From trend-jacker to narrative owner Instead of pitching “our brand’s take on X,” you lead with early signals you are seeing, why a concept is emerging now, and what it suggests about consumer behavior or the market. The difference is subtle but important. You are no longer reacting to coverage that already exists. You are creating the framing that journalists, publishers, and, eventually, AI systems reuse. LLMs do not learn from rankings alone. They learn from editorial context, repeated explanations, and how trusted publications describe and define emerging concepts over time. Done consistently, this approach compounds. As your brand becomes associated with spotting and explaining emerging narratives early, you move from reactive commentary to trusted source. Journalists begin to recognize where useful insight comes from, and that trust carries into more established coverage later on. You are no longer pitching for inclusion. Your perspective is actively sought out. The result is early narrative ownership and stronger access when mainstream coverage follows. An editorial window before mainstream coverage Before “weighted sleep mask” became a crowded ecommerce term in early 2025, there was a clear editorial window. Journalists had not yet published stories asking: “What is a weighted sleep mask?” “Are weighted sleep masks safe?” “Do they actually work for anxiety?” That was the opportunity. A PR-led approach at this stage includes: Supplying journalists with expert explanations of deep pressure and sleep. Sharing early insight into why the product category is emerging. Contextualizing it alongside weighted blankets and other anxiety tools. The result is not just coverage. It connects PR to search, curiosity, and discovery by helping define the concept itself. That earns links, builds brand mentions, and signals authority around emerging entities that LLMs are more likely to cite and summarize over time. Dig deeper: Why PR is becoming more essential for AI search visibility Content roadmaps and briefs that don’t rely on search volume Search volume is a poor starting point for content briefing. It reflects interest only after a topic is established, language has stabilized, and the SERP is already crowded. Used as a primary input, it pushes teams to chase demand instead of building authority. That is why so many brands end up rewriting the same “What is X?” post year after year. Better briefs start upstream. They use Exploding Topics to spot what is forming and social search to understand how people are trying to make sense of it. Reframing the briefing process The core shift is moving away from briefs built around keywords and volumes and toward briefs built around audience intent. That means focusing on three things: Problems people are beginning to articulate. Concepts that are not yet clearly defined or are actively debated. Language that is inconsistent, emotional, or exploratory. When content is approached this way, the objective changes. It is no longer “create X to rank for Y.” It becomes “explain X so the audience does not experience Y.” That shift matters. Designing content that compounds instead of expiring The goal for SEO content teams in 2026 and beyond should be to brief content that defines a concept clearly. That includes: Connecting it to adjacent ideas. Comparing it to established solutions. Answering questions within conversations that are still forming. This does not always require written content. The same work can happen through social search activations or digital PR. Approached this way, content grows into demand rather than chasing it. Instead of being rewritten every time search volume changes, it evolves through updates, expansion, and, where possible, stronger internal linking. As interest grows, the content does not need replacing. It needs refining. This is the type of material AI and LLMs tend to reference – timely, clear, explanatory, and grounded in real questions. Publication isn’t the end Publishing and waiting for content to rank is no longer the end of the brief. Teams need a clear plan for distribution and reuse. For emerging topics, that means contributing insight in relevant Reddit threads, Discord communities, niche forums, and creator comment sections. Not to drop links, but to answer questions, share explanations, and test framing in public. Those conversations feed back into the content itself, improving clarity and increasing the likelihood that your explanation is the one others repeat. With a social search activation approach, brands can scale messaging quickly by working with partners who interpret and distribute the brief in their own voice. When this works, SEO content stops being static and starts acting like a living reference point – one that contributes to culture and builds lasting brand recognition. Dig deeper: Beyond SERP visibility: 7 success criteria for organic search in 2026 Where this leaves SEO in 2026 Search demand does not appear fully formed. It develops across social platforms, communities, and AI-driven discovery long before it registers as keyword volume. Exploding Topics helps surface what is emerging. Social search shows whether people are trying to understand it. Digital PR shapes how those ideas are defined and cited. SEO compounds that work by reinforcing narratives that are already taking shape, rather than trying to test or invent them after the fact. In this model, SEO is the layer that turns early insight and clear explanation into durable visibility across Google, social platforms, and AI-generated answers. Search no longer starts on Google. The teams that act on that reality will influence what people search for next. View the full article

Social media managers are juggling multiple plates at once every day: brainstorming content ideas and creating text and video contentscheduling posts and engaging on multiple social media accountsanalyzing social media marketing performance and tweaking strategy based on data…And a lot moreWhew. It takes some elbow grease to keep the wheels spinning. But what if you don’t have to do all that every single day? What if you could automate the mundane, repetitive tasks to social media tools and focus on your core jobs that actually move the needle toward your return-on-investment (ROI)? Enter: Social media automation aka using software to automate repetitive tasks like scheduling posts, measuring performance, storing ideas, etc. This article will share ten tasks you can automate in your social media management strategy to free up some headspace and clear up that to-do list. Jump to a section: Why do you need social media automation? 1. Use digital bookmarks to save content ideas 2. Use social media listening tools to stay on top of niche trends 3. Use social media scheduling tools to publish your posts 4. Use social media analytics tool to analyze your performance 5. Use AI to refine your social media captions 6. Use chatbots to provide quick social media customer service 7. Use templates for faster content creation 8. Use social media collaboration tools to work with your team 9. Use social media monitoring software to track brand mentions 10. Use influencer discovery software to find creators The best social media automation tools you can use Why do you need social media automation?Social media automation has plenty of benefits. Here are the top three: Saving time: Take a simple task like social media scheduling. On the surface, it doesn’t sound like a lot of time saved. But when you think about publishing posts for multiple social media platforms over a long period of time, you get back a lot of hours.Less prone to human error: Social media managers are doing a lot, to put it mildly. It’s not unfair to assume you might forget to reply to a message or post on a new network because of the length of your to-do list. When you use a social media automation tool to manage your tasks, you shrink your margin of error significantly.More time for the fun (and more impactful) stuff: Relying on social media automation to do the repetitive tasks gives you more freedom and time to use your energy for the fun and more impactful tasks — like creating content and speaking to your target audience.Automation puts the wind in the sails for your social media marketing efforts. Let's dig into the meaty stuff now and talk about the actual tasks on your never-ending to-do list you can outsource to a social media automation tool. 1. Use digital bookmarks to save content ideasImagine you saw an inspo post or piece of content that’d be perfect for your social media campaign. Then, life happened (Slack pings, laundry is done, someone has commented on your post…you get it). That A+ content idea or inspiration is now lost in the abyss. Collecting and storing the right ideas when they strike you (or when you stumble on them) is one of the most important tasks in social media management. It’s also one of the easiest to get lost in the shuffle. The solution: A digital bookmark tool to save all your web links. You integrate it in your browser and save any idea you like in one click. This not only ensures you never lose a beloved piece of content, but also gives you a collection of social media post ideas to tap into when you’re creating content.Buffer’s Create space to store any content ideas you get while walking the dog, showering, or doing the dishes. Can you use an ordinary Notes app for this social media task? Of course. But Buffer can become your one-stop social media management suite — meaning you can store ideas, create posts, engage with your audience, track your social media performance, and even create your link in bio all from one tool.In a digital bookmark tool (like Raindrop) and in Buffer, you can organize your ideas into collections or group them using tags. This way, when you finally sit to batch-create your social media posts, you can find specific ideas for your various content pillars in a jiffy. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Raindrop, Buffer. 2. Use social media listening tools to stay on top of niche trendsSocial listening means observing what your audience is saying online and creating content around it. For instance, if you’re a haircare creator, you might notice trends around using rosemary water for hair growth and create a TikTok video on the topic. But how do you know what’s hot and trending in your industry? Yes, there are several newsletters you could subscribe to. And sure, if you’re spending time online everyday and working in a specific niche, you’d know what’s up — to a certain extent. It’s still easy to miss a beat or two. But there’s a better way to stay on top of trends than scrolling for multiple social networks every day for hours: Social listening tools. These automation tools help you uncover what your audience is searching for, what they are excited about, and related questions on a topic. Many social media tools also contain trending topics with in-depth data on which terms & topics are trending — like Google Trends for social media. ⚡ Pro-tip: Many social networks also help you do this for their specific channel like Pinterest’s trend forecast and Instagram’s “Reel Trends” feature. Keep an eye out for trends by spending time engaging with your audience on your social media accounts and scrolling for sometime. Match this data with your findings from social listening tools. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Exploding Topics, SparkToro. 3. Use social media scheduling tools to publish your postsScheduling posts is the easiest social media task you can automate. Many social platforms, like Instagram and LinkedIn, natively provide you the option to schedule posts in advance. But I wouldn’t recommend automating natively within social channels. Here’s why: Lack of visual planning: Social media networks don’t offer a drag-and-drop content calendar feature, making it tough to see and adjust your schedule at a glance. One-stop scheduling is sloooow: If you’re a creator or social media manager, you’re likely maintaining a consistent social media presence across multiple social networks. Scheduling posts natively on each channel can be too time-consuming for your workflow. Using a scheduling tool, you can plan content for multiple platforms in one place, saving time and reducing context switching. This feature is especially helpful if you’re cross-posting the same social media post across multiple channels.Now, the market’s saturated forehead-deep with social media publishing tools. Use the one that gets you the most bang for your buck. I recommend Buffer because: It’s easy to use — there’s no time wasted in a learning curveIt lets you create custom posts for each network (if you wish to)It’s a leader in releasing integrations with new social media platformsIt has a free tier and even its paid plans are quite affordable for small businessesIt’s a full-fledged social media management tool so you can do multiple tasks with just one softwareWhichever tool (or native feature) you choose, scheduling posts is the easiest social media task to automate. And it’s beginner-friendly because it doesn’t require you to relinquish a lot of control. So, if you’re just beginning with your social media automation strategy, begin by automating publishing your posts in advance. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Buffer. 4. Use social media analytics tool to analyze your performanceAnalyzing your social media metrics plays a big role in improving your strategy. You want to know how many likes, shares, comments, and saves your social media posts received. Robust analytics on every post can help you find patterns and recognize your best-performing topics, what your audience resonates the most with, etc. Collecting and dissecting your performance numbers natively is a tedious task. You have to note the performance data for posts on every social media account you have and then find patterns across multiple platforms. Social media analytics tools can automate collecting and analyzing all your performance metrics so you don’t have to do the math yourself. You’ll still need to tie back how your social media efforts contribute to your larger goals, but you can easily outsource the “gather how my posts are doing” job. In Buffer, you can set a timeframe and not only see the basic metrics like impressions, likes, yada yada, but also get answers to questions that actually matter — like, “Which is the best type of post for this social media channel?” or “At what time should I post to get the most social media engagement?” and even “How often should I post?” All of these answers are tailored to you and your social media accounts. The more you use Buffer, the more data you’ll have to make calculated insights into what’s working the best in your social media strategy. Gathering insights from the analysis to optimize the social strategy is your wheelhouse. But gathering those metrics? Delegate that to a software. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Buffer. 5. Use AI to refine your social media captionsAI is a big part of work today everywhere and social media management is no exception. You can use AI assistants to: Populate popular hashtags in a categoryWrite the first draft of your social media captionRefine your existing copy to be more clear and conciseGenerate post ideas by giving a simple prompt of your nicheRepurpose posts from one social media account for multiple platformsThe likes of ChatGPT are good for this, but many social media management platforms (like Buffer) are also AI-powered. Buffer, for example, comes with an in-built assistant so you can do all of the above tasks without switching a single tab. Many AI tools have excellent capabilities, but remember you can’t automate the task completely to them. Add your human voice and niche expertise into the mix. Read more about how we use AI at Buffer to strike the balance between automation and human. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: ChatGPT, Buffer. 6. Use chatbots to provide quick social media customer serviceIf you’ve used social media for customer service for even one day, you know the need for a chatbot that can quickly reply to customers’ comments and DMs, redirect them to the right help article, and sell products. Instagram has a native feature to help you set up frequently asked questions (FAQs) in your chat box. When someone starts a chat with you, they will first see the commonly asked questions and can tap for an automated reply (which seems real-time). But it’s not flexible or adaptable for various use cases. For a better social media engagement strategy, you can use either: A DM automation tool that automatically replies to customers’ comments or DMs with the right link or content. You know those “comment for link/access” types of social media posts — you can create them using a DM automation tool.A social media management platform with conversation management features. Such a tool can’t automate replies, but it can present you with a unified social media inbox for multiple accounts in one tab. For example, with Buffer's Community, you can see comments across different social media platforms in one tab and reply to them all at once. You can also save replies to answer FAQs and use AI assistance to reply faster.Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Buffer, Manychat. 7. Use templates for faster content creationTemplates have a wide variety of use cases. You can set up FAQs for customer service, as we discussed above, but you can also use them in the content creation process. For example, in any graphic design platform (like Canva), you can use templates to build off the visuals for a social media post. Perhaps you can templatize a certain type of content format (say, customer testimonial posts). Or on Instagram, you can use Reel templates to quickly edit your video. Think: What are some steps in your social media management process that are repeatable and can be streamlined? You’ll find plenty of areas that can benefit from a template (like building automated reports using a template). Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Canva. 8. Use social media collaboration tools to work with your teamIf you work in a team, you often need inputs from your coworkers on a social media post or you might need to approve what content is going live. Instead of Slacking each other back and forth, use a social media collaboration software that can help you streamline the process. In many social media management software (like Buffer) allows you to create content approval workflows and provide different levels of access for each specific team member. This means a creator can upload a post on the tool, a social media manager can approve it, and others can chime in with any notes or feedback they have. Collaborating with a team can add up a lot of hours in your social media management if done manually. It’s best to automate the task so no message is missed and every step of your workflow is followed. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Buffer. 📚Related reading: How to Use Buffer for Social Media Teams9. Use social media monitoring software to track brand mentionsSocial media monitoring involves tracking when someone mentions your brand in their post, Instagram Story, or comment. This helps catch feedback, register customer complaints, and spot user-generated content. But you’d get a notification for every brand mention, so why bother using a social media automation tool for this task? Here’s why: 1. You can miss notifications, especially if you get an influx of them 2. You can’t track brand mentions unless you were tagged Besides, you can use social media monitoring tools to track much more than just brand mentions — like your product name(s) or a competitor’s negative reviews. Many social media management software like Buffer allow you to respond to comments from inside the tool so you don’t have to toggle tabs continuously. Such automation tools are excellent to ensure you never leave an audience comment unanswered, regardless of whether you’re explicitly tagged. There are also some dedicated social media monitoring tools that help you combine social listening and monitoring in one software — you can track brand & product mentions alongside trends and news topics. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Buffer, Mention. 10. Use influencer discovery software to find creatorsIf your social media efforts involve running an influencer marketing campaign, you can use influencer discovery tools to find creators who match your criteria quickly. Most of these automation tools rely on filters to help you narrow down the kind of influencer you want. You can add filters related to different platforms — like follower count, reel views, engagement rate, etc. Many tools also support natural language AI search. This alone saves you a lot of time you would’ve spent scouting through different platforms hunting for relevant influencers. Not only do these tools help you with managing your social media campaigns, some influencer marketing tools also allow you to run paid campaigns from social posts of influencers. Social media automation tools I’d recommend for this task: Modash, SARAL. The best social media automation tools you can useIn summary, here are the tools mentioned you can use for social media automation: Buffer for social media management in general: building a content calendar, scheduling posts, collaborating with teammates, responding to your audience, and more.Raindrop to save content ideas from the web.Exploding Topics or SparkToro for social listening.ChatGPT for AI assistance with captions, copy, or generating post ideas.Manychat for DM automation.Canva for visual templates.Mention for social media monitoring.The above list can seem like a lot of tools to use simultaneously. I’d recommend using a dedicated social media management tool like Buffer to automate most of your tedious tasks and slowly add more to your tech stack as and when needed. Try to find tools that can help you complete multiple tasks so you don’t have the financial and the psychological burden of using too many social media automation platforms. Don’t automate the human interactionSocial media marketing automation is wonderful for keeping your online presence intact, but it’s crucial to draw a clear line between streamlining tasks and outsourcing empathy. Automating relationship-building itself can backfire — one ill-placed “So cute!” bot comment on a serious post is enough to lose a follower for good. For example, it’s great to use automation to answer a customer’s FAQs. But when queries need a personalized response, don’t use templates. Your audience can easily spot the automated response and they’ll feel like you’re not really listening to them. Avoid automating whatever activities give you the human touch on social media. This might mean responding to comments, showing up on videos, and replying to DMs thoughtfully. In the end, remember that automation should help you serve your audience better instead of diminishing their experience. View the full article

For as useful as emails are, they sure have a way of hampering productivity. Not only do endless emails bog you down and keep you stuck in a loop of endless replies, but the stress of even having to wade through both the important messages and the junk is enough to make you avoid your inbox altogether. There's a reason "answer emails" is always the example I use for a tedious-but-important task when I'm explaining more complicated, detailed productivity techniques. But there are smaller techniques you can apply directly to email management, too. To stay on top of your work, school, and personal correspondence, you need a productivity plan, but it doesn't have to be intense: You can try the simple “touch” rules of inbox management. The one-touch ruleStart reframing how you think of every email you get and consider them each an immediate priority. Crucially, I only mean the email itself is a priority; if you think too hard about this, you'll get overwhelmed fast. You don’t have to do whatever task is outlined in it the moment it arrives, but you do have to open it. The “one-touch” rule is similar to the “two-minute” rule of productivity in that way: A task that takes less than two minutes to complete should be done right away. Open the email, respond to it, and either delete or archive it, depending on if you’ll need it later. If it requires no response, even better. This method works best for people who get a lot of emails that aren’t necessary to respond to, like all-staff updates. The goal is to touch it once instead of coming back to it repeatedly and deliberating if and when you’ll respond or deal with it or instead of procrastinating, never opening it, and being unaware of its contents (or even existence) when you actually need to know what it said. Open it, take in the information, send feedback if necessary, and be done with it. The two-touch ruleIf you tend to have a lot of emails that need a response and the one-touch rule isn't working well, you can move on to a “two-touch” method to clear your mind and be more productive. On the first touch of the email, decide if you need to respond to it right away (making it one-touch) or it’s something that can or should be responded to later in the week. Use your email service’s flagging or snoozing functions to categorize it, so it is available to you easily when you’re ready to respond. Your first touch is still opening it right away—that’s key. Letting emails pile up is overwhelming, but opening them right away will help you maintain peace in your inbox. Designating a specific time to respond to non-urgent messages will also free you up to be more productive, as you’ll know you’ll get it done and won’t feel it weighing on you. Make sure you schedule time into your week to circle back on the flagged emails. Try building a 3-3-3 list to manage your to-dos, designating one of your three medium-sized or small tasks to opening all those saved messages. View the full article

Shares in Rocket Lab Corp were heading for their second day of gains on Monday after the aerospace manufacturer was named as one of four companies that will build tracking satellites for the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA). The stock (Nasdaq: RKLB) was up more than 4% in premarket trading on Monday as of this writing. That’s in addition to a jump of 17% on Friday when the news was announced. Share are now trading at record highs. What did the Space Development Agency announce? The SDA, a unit of the United States Space Force, said on Friday that it awarded four companies with contracts to build 72 satellites—or 18 apiece—with the aim of expanding missile tracking and defense systems. The total value of the award is $3.5 billion. In addition to Rocket Lab, the SDA also named Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies. The constellation of satellites is expected to launch in 2029. Long Beach California-based Rocket Lab has been gaining more attention recently for its Electron orbital rocket, which is lighter than the heavier vehicles manufactured by rivals SpaceX and Blue Origin. As Fast Company previously reported, the Electron’s lightweight nature gives it an edge in certain complex missions where precision and speed are prioritized. A stunning market rebound After going public during the ill-fated SPAC craze of 2021, Rocket Lab stock struggled to rise above $10 a share. It limped along for well over three years. But the stock has really broken out this year as excitement has grown around satellite buildouts and Rocket Lab executed successful launches for companies like Kinéis, a French operator of internet-of-things satellites As of Friday, Rocket Lab’s stock was up more than 182% year to date and was trading at $70.52 a share. View the full article

Google is testing appending "learn more" links to the end of the Google search ads text. So the Google Ad will have its normal ad description and at the end, Google is testing adding "Learn more" with an arrow to the right, in blue anchor underlined text.View the full article

GMBapi posted data that looks at tens of thousands of Google Business Profiles across multiple countries and showed that review deletions have increased significantly over the year, compared to previous periods.View the full article

Google quietly updated its AI Overviews ad documentation to say that ads in AI Overviews are supported in Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, and US. Previously, it just said it was available in the US and "will expand to select English speaking countries soon."View the full article

Anish Kattukaran, CPO at Google Home & Nest announced in the Google Gemini forums that Gemini will not be replacing Google Assistant by the end of 2025. He wrote, "We're adjusting our previously announced timeline to make sure we deliver a seamless transition, and will continue our work to upgrade Assistant users to Gemini on mobile devices into 2026."View the full article

OpenAI has added local knowledge panels to the ChatGPT results. When you ask for local information and then click on a business name, ChatGPT will load a local knowledge panel on the right side.View the full article

AI has been both a blessing and a curse for small businesses. Cheaper technology means that more minor players can level up their competitiveness without having to scale rapidly, but the technology’s reliance on data raises a host of concerns about privacy. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The news these days is dominated by stories of data breaches that erode trust and force organizations to take drastic action to prevent further harm. More data is emerging that small businesses are successfully navigating the tightrope between embracing exciting new technology and approaching a mystifying piece of AI with caution. Earlier this year, Zoho partnered with Michael Fauscette and Arion Research to conduct a global privacy and AI survey titled, The AI Privacy Equation — Balancing Innovation with Protection in the Modern Enterprise. The study spoke to 4,782 global business professionals, 47% of which are small or medium sized businesses. Plus, 33% of the companies surveyed have less than 100 employees. The results of this survey, published in September, paint a mixed but ultimately optimistic picture of how small businesses are wading into unknown privacy terrain. Ultimately, they understand the privacy risks presented by AI and have taken steps to get out ahead of them—and as the survey says, those companies who appropriately emphasize privacy are poised to create sustainable competitive advantages. Here are some factoids from the survey and what they mean for small businesses: “When examining organizational privacy concerns, customer data breaches dominate at 40.8% of top-ranked responses.” As the study lays out, “This primary focus reflects the reality that customer data breaches carry the highest potential for reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and business disruption. Organizations understand that customer trust forms the foundation of business relationships, making customer data protection the highest privacy priority.” While larger businesses can try to perform damage control when a data privacy issue arises, small businesses do not share that luxury. Their resources are stretched too thin and the competition for customer attention to begin with is far too fierce. News of an issue can proliferate quickly and ground a small business that would otherwise have launched. Rather than act reactively, it’s up to small business owners to proactively get ahead of privacy concerns before they become even remotely a reality. This process starts by codifying a stance on data privacy to be published on the company’s website and shared far-and-wide. Once this is in place, prospective customers will be able to compare it against those of other companies when they’re conducting exploratory research, meaning that these privacy policies will become competitive differentiators. It’s far easier for a small businesses to stake a claim in data privacy than, say, promising a gargantuan customer service team or the latest flashy pieces of technology. It’s also up to small businesses to address the other two major concerns identified by the privacy survey: employee privacy (18.6%) and regulatory compliance (14.6%). Luckily, the approach doesn’t have to be all that different. By developing data privacy policies for their customers and posting these policies online, small businesses will demonstrate to employees that they take data privacy seriously (perhaps even include employees in the creation of privacy policies) and provide a framework upon which to build mechanisms to maintain compliance. “Rather than weakening privacy protection, 41.3% of organizations report significantly strengthening privacy measures since implementing AI technologies, with an additional 25.5% somewhat strengthening their privacy approaches.” It may seem counterintuitive at first that greater AI adoption would lead to stronger privacy measures. After all, much of the chatter around privacy has to do with how AI has added much complexity to the privacy formula, as understanding of the technology is sparse and regulations or governance is even sparser. But as the survey highlights, the process of implementing AI requires companies to take a deep look at their inner workings best practices. These have to be fully fleshed out so they can be articulated to an AI’s large language model (LLM), thus ensuring new AI technology works within the proper contexts to best serve the business. Often in the hustle-bustle of trying to simply keep the lights on, small businesses will forego formalizing certain processes and continue business as usual, thinking the time will come later when big-picture reflection makes the most sense. AI implementation forces that sort of thinking in the more immediate future. It’s heartening to see that companies are increasing their AI knowledge along with the rise of that technology. According to the study, 37.2% of the companies surveyed strongly agree (5 out of 5) that they clearly understand the privacy implications of their AI systems, while 33.9% said they mostly agree, rating it 4 out of 5. This demonstrates that companies are confident in their ability to venture into unknown territory rather than view AI privacy as an insurmountable challenge.To succeed moving forward, small businesses have to meet this challenge head-on. A wealth of analytics and data help with these endeavors by supplying information about each step of a company’s workflow, particularly when analyzing risk. For example, according to the study, businesses correctly identified recording customer calls, training AI models on customer interactions, and remote work were three facets of a business that carried the highest privacy risks. Analytics focused on those three areas of operations will ensure that privacy efforts remain targeted for maximum effect, shoring up critical points where exposure may occur. “Organizations face three primary barriers to successful AI implementation — privacy and security concerns (37.2%), lack of technical expertise (36.6%), and cost concerns (32.3%).” Not surprisingly, the second and third most prominent blockers of a company’s AI implementation are skills gaps and high costs. But what’s a bit surprising, and heartening, is that the leading cause of pause is related to security and privacy. This indicates that companies are, rightfully, taking these topics seriously. As previously discussed, it’s unlikely that a small business will be able to avoid AI altogether. This means that these companies must begin focusing on upskilling their employees if they haven’t already. These folks need to learn how to get the maximum benefit from AI tools and how to interpret its output to make more informed business decisions. Fittingly, the survey found that companies are prioritizing data analysis and interpretation skills (55.7%), AI literacy and understanding (47.1%), and prompt engineering capabilities (39.6%) within their workforce development initiatives. The emphasis on data analysis skills shows that AI effectiveness requires high-quality data management and interpretation capabilities. Organizations willing to invest in these foundational skills create sustainable competitive advantages in AI implementation. Small businesses would be forgiven if they felt that the above level of technical knowledge far exceeded the demands they place on their employees. But given the rapid reimagining of almost every competitive landscape, it’s always helpful for companies to learn more about what they don’t already know in order to minimize surprise disruptions. Even a survey lesson on interfacing with AI can ease the transition to new technology down the road. In conclusion The AI Privacy Equation global survey offers many more encouraging data points. It demonstrates that all businesses need to focus on privacy, not just enterprise organizations. Companies of all sizes understand that AI is a powerful tool when used ethically and sustainably, and the risks of getting it wrong are simply too high. Ultimately, what small businesses should take away from this survey is that AI privacy is not something that can be solved in one fell swoop. Instead, companies should continue to adapt as the landscape changes around them. The survey suggests that organizations are willing to tackle this challenge head-on and understand the proper investments to make along the way—prioritizing people, processes, and governance structures to ensure AI finds its footing without becoming too invasive. As with most things, patience is also a virtue to AI privacy. This article, "AI Privacy Remains an Ongoing Priority, Even for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

AI has been both a blessing and a curse for small businesses. Cheaper technology means that more minor players can level up their competitiveness without having to scale rapidly, but the technology’s reliance on data raises a host of concerns about privacy. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The news these days is dominated by stories of data breaches that erode trust and force organizations to take drastic action to prevent further harm. More data is emerging that small businesses are successfully navigating the tightrope between embracing exciting new technology and approaching a mystifying piece of AI with caution. Earlier this year, Zoho partnered with Michael Fauscette and Arion Research to conduct a global privacy and AI survey titled, The AI Privacy Equation — Balancing Innovation with Protection in the Modern Enterprise. The study spoke to 4,782 global business professionals, 47% of which are small or medium sized businesses. Plus, 33% of the companies surveyed have less than 100 employees. The results of this survey, published in September, paint a mixed but ultimately optimistic picture of how small businesses are wading into unknown privacy terrain. Ultimately, they understand the privacy risks presented by AI and have taken steps to get out ahead of them—and as the survey says, those companies who appropriately emphasize privacy are poised to create sustainable competitive advantages. Here are some factoids from the survey and what they mean for small businesses: “When examining organizational privacy concerns, customer data breaches dominate at 40.8% of top-ranked responses.” As the study lays out, “This primary focus reflects the reality that customer data breaches carry the highest potential for reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and business disruption. Organizations understand that customer trust forms the foundation of business relationships, making customer data protection the highest privacy priority.” While larger businesses can try to perform damage control when a data privacy issue arises, small businesses do not share that luxury. Their resources are stretched too thin and the competition for customer attention to begin with is far too fierce. News of an issue can proliferate quickly and ground a small business that would otherwise have launched. Rather than act reactively, it’s up to small business owners to proactively get ahead of privacy concerns before they become even remotely a reality. This process starts by codifying a stance on data privacy to be published on the company’s website and shared far-and-wide. Once this is in place, prospective customers will be able to compare it against those of other companies when they’re conducting exploratory research, meaning that these privacy policies will become competitive differentiators. It’s far easier for a small businesses to stake a claim in data privacy than, say, promising a gargantuan customer service team or the latest flashy pieces of technology. It’s also up to small businesses to address the other two major concerns identified by the privacy survey: employee privacy (18.6%) and regulatory compliance (14.6%). Luckily, the approach doesn’t have to be all that different. By developing data privacy policies for their customers and posting these policies online, small businesses will demonstrate to employees that they take data privacy seriously (perhaps even include employees in the creation of privacy policies) and provide a framework upon which to build mechanisms to maintain compliance. “Rather than weakening privacy protection, 41.3% of organizations report significantly strengthening privacy measures since implementing AI technologies, with an additional 25.5% somewhat strengthening their privacy approaches.” It may seem counterintuitive at first that greater AI adoption would lead to stronger privacy measures. After all, much of the chatter around privacy has to do with how AI has added much complexity to the privacy formula, as understanding of the technology is sparse and regulations or governance is even sparser. But as the survey highlights, the process of implementing AI requires companies to take a deep look at their inner workings best practices. These have to be fully fleshed out so they can be articulated to an AI’s large language model (LLM), thus ensuring new AI technology works within the proper contexts to best serve the business. Often in the hustle-bustle of trying to simply keep the lights on, small businesses will forego formalizing certain processes and continue business as usual, thinking the time will come later when big-picture reflection makes the most sense. AI implementation forces that sort of thinking in the more immediate future. It’s heartening to see that companies are increasing their AI knowledge along with the rise of that technology. According to the study, 37.2% of the companies surveyed strongly agree (5 out of 5) that they clearly understand the privacy implications of their AI systems, while 33.9% said they mostly agree, rating it 4 out of 5. This demonstrates that companies are confident in their ability to venture into unknown territory rather than view AI privacy as an insurmountable challenge.To succeed moving forward, small businesses have to meet this challenge head-on. A wealth of analytics and data help with these endeavors by supplying information about each step of a company’s workflow, particularly when analyzing risk. For example, according to the study, businesses correctly identified recording customer calls, training AI models on customer interactions, and remote work were three facets of a business that carried the highest privacy risks. Analytics focused on those three areas of operations will ensure that privacy efforts remain targeted for maximum effect, shoring up critical points where exposure may occur. “Organizations face three primary barriers to successful AI implementation — privacy and security concerns (37.2%), lack of technical expertise (36.6%), and cost concerns (32.3%).” Not surprisingly, the second and third most prominent blockers of a company’s AI implementation are skills gaps and high costs. But what’s a bit surprising, and heartening, is that the leading cause of pause is related to security and privacy. This indicates that companies are, rightfully, taking these topics seriously. As previously discussed, it’s unlikely that a small business will be able to avoid AI altogether. This means that these companies must begin focusing on upskilling their employees if they haven’t already. These folks need to learn how to get the maximum benefit from AI tools and how to interpret its output to make more informed business decisions. Fittingly, the survey found that companies are prioritizing data analysis and interpretation skills (55.7%), AI literacy and understanding (47.1%), and prompt engineering capabilities (39.6%) within their workforce development initiatives. The emphasis on data analysis skills shows that AI effectiveness requires high-quality data management and interpretation capabilities. Organizations willing to invest in these foundational skills create sustainable competitive advantages in AI implementation. Small businesses would be forgiven if they felt that the above level of technical knowledge far exceeded the demands they place on their employees. But given the rapid reimagining of almost every competitive landscape, it’s always helpful for companies to learn more about what they don’t already know in order to minimize surprise disruptions. Even a survey lesson on interfacing with AI can ease the transition to new technology down the road. In conclusion The AI Privacy Equation global survey offers many more encouraging data points. It demonstrates that all businesses need to focus on privacy, not just enterprise organizations. Companies of all sizes understand that AI is a powerful tool when used ethically and sustainably, and the risks of getting it wrong are simply too high. Ultimately, what small businesses should take away from this survey is that AI privacy is not something that can be solved in one fell swoop. Instead, companies should continue to adapt as the landscape changes around them. The survey suggests that organizations are willing to tackle this challenge head-on and understand the proper investments to make along the way—prioritizing people, processes, and governance structures to ensure AI finds its footing without becoming too invasive. As with most things, patience is also a virtue to AI privacy. This article, "AI Privacy Remains an Ongoing Priority, Even for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In 2026, success belongs to marketers who turn strategy into execution, integrating AI, creativity, and community to build authority. The post The Top 10 Digital Marketing Trends For 2026 appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. From technological advances and geopolitical changes to workplace culture shifts and market pressures, 2025 has been a year of change, uncertainty, and disruption. I’m Gwen Moran, and for nearly three years as Modern CEO’s editor, I’ve had a front-row seat as Mansueto Ventures CEO and Chief Content Officer Stephanie Mehta talks to business leaders and experts to help CEOs navigate the modern world. Every year, I recap some of the key insights from a year of interviews with the array of leaders featured in the newsletter. Here are four themes that we saw repeatedly in 2025. Uncertainty and change were everywhere Leaders faced nearly constant change—and more than a few curveballs—this year. When E.l.f. Beauty CEO Tarang Amin was named inaugural Modern CEO of the Year near the end of 2024, little did he know that tariffs, blowback over an influencer scandal, and attacks on the diversity efforts that E.l.f. champions were awaiting him in the coming months. When we asked CEOs to share their thoughts on leading during times of great uncertainty, we got responses representing industries from architecture to pharmaceuticals. Some of the changes we saw this year will have lasting ripple effects. Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman talked about closing one of the world’s largest and most well-known philanthropies over the next two decades. What had become an annual check-in with former SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley was canceled after she and the company parted ways, leaving TIAA’s Thasunda Brown Duckett as the only Black woman currently leading a Fortune 500 company. AI still dominates the conversation One of the most pressing mandates many CEOs face is figuring out how to realize the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). And they were forthcoming about their opportunities and challenges this year. Weber Shandwick CEO Jim O’Leary discussed how his firm’s multifaceted AI use is giving him back what most leaders value most: time. O’Leary estimates that AI saves him one to two hours per day. This spring, Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach said the quiet part out loud when he discussed how his company made head count cuts to invest in AI. Then, during the summer, seven leading C-level execs gave us a peek at how they are using AI to do their own jobs. Regardless of their path, leaders don’t succeed in a bubble This year’s reporting showed us that there are many paths to the CEO’s office, from intern to chief financial officer—and even a comeback story as former Beautycounter CEO Gregg Renfrew took the reins at her new beauty company, Counter. Despite their different backgrounds, they have one thing in common: They need great people around them to succeed. Leaders shared insights about performance management, the importance of strategic partnerships, the challenges of keeping CEOs safe, and what happens next in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Additionally, one of our top-performing pieces was about how boards need to focus more on their No. 1 job: succession planning. Creativity and community fuel growth Modern CEO dropped dispatches from Cannes Lions in June. It was clear that this “Festival of Creativity” has grown into an important event for CEOs. As Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO of the Female Quotient, a community of women in business, put it: “Any CEO who wants to grow, innovate, and stay culturally relevant will benefit from being here.” The importance of creativity is a message AKQA Global CEO Baiju Shah discusses with the next-generation business leaders he teaches at Northwestern University. He believes that a fusion of technology and creativity is essential for businesses, especially in the age of AI. Another recurring theme in this year’s coverage was “community.” Cult brand co-CEO AJ Kumaran, who heads chicken chain Raising Cane’s, attributes his company’s success to a rigorous focus on its community. And your community includes your team, too: WorkJam CEO Steven Kramer explained how enlisting the wisdom of frontline workers can help you find market insights and solutions. What lessons did you take away from Modern CEO in 2025? Were there issues of Modern CEO that helped you or gave you something to think about this year? We’d love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts in an email message to stephaniemehta@mansueto.com. Read more: other Modern CEO highlights Conscious capitalism isn’t dead Why your company’s next CEO might be a multi-hyphenate Modern CEO readers share their thoughts on top leaders View the full article

When I talk with business leaders about Gen Z, the same frustration often bubbles up: “They won’t stay.” It’s said with a kind of bewildered shrug, as if the younger generation has suddenly rewritten the rules out of thin air. I heard it again last week during a radio segment I did about generational dynamics at work. The host asked why Gen Z feels so comfortable moving on so quickly. Here’s what I’ve learned after a decade teaching them, coaching them, and watching them navigate the workplace: Gen Z doesn’t think they’re doing anything unusual. And frankly, once you look at the data, it’s hard to argue with them. A new Youngstown State University study of 1,000 full-time U.S. professionals found that nearly half of Gen Z workers are already planning to leave their jobs—not for higher pay, but for better growth. That is the highest rate of all generations surveyed. It’s not impulsiveness. It’s not disloyalty. It’s something far more reasonable. It’s “growth hunting.” What Companies Assume—and What’s Actually Happening There’s a familiar script about young workers: They’re too quick to leave, too impatient, too everything. That narrative has been around for so long that many leaders use it as the default explanation without thinking. But when nearly one out of two early-career workers say they can’t picture a future where they are, that points to something systemic—not personal. Here’s what the data actually shows. Eighty-six percent of Gen Z say they won’t pursue upskilling unless their employer helps pay for it. That’s not a lack of drive. That’s the reality of trying to build a career while carrying historic student debt and paying rent that climbs faster than wages. Forty-three percent say they’re too burnt out to take on education outside of work. That’s not an excuse. That’s a sign that the modern workload has pushed people to their limit long before you ever ask them to add night classes. And seventy-six percent say the main thing blocking their advancement is cost—not interest, not effort, not ambition. Cost. Taken together, the message is straightforward: This generation isn’t avoiding responsibility. They’re asking employers to share it. Why Growth Hunting Makes Sense Right Now Older generations built careers around staying put and climbing step by step. That path made sense when wages matched living costs and companies offered predictable ladders. Gen Z is coming of age in a completely different economy. Careers don’t unfold in neat lines anymore. Skills expire quickly. Entire industries shift in a few years. And the price of staying competitive keeps climbing. So Gen Z does the logical thing: They move toward the places where they can grow. They’re not chasing titles. They’re chasing momentum. Every semester, I watch students who are smart, thoughtful, and deeply motivated figure out how to build a career in a landscape that changes constantly. They’re not waiting for permission. But they will absolutely walk if an employer refuses to invest in them. And honestly, that’s rational. Growth hunting is not about impatience. It’s about survival. The Leadership Miss That Keeps Repeating For years, companies have preached the language of “development” and “continuous learning.” They’ve told young employees to take initiative, expand their skills, stay ahead. Gen Z listened. And now they want to know why the bill for that development keeps landing on their doorstep. You can’t ask workers to level up and then close the door to the support they need to do it. You can’t talk about retention and then offer no path forward. You can’t position upskilling as essential and then make it unaffordable. This is where the generational disconnect becomes obvious. Companies say they want a future-ready workforce. Gen Z is asking them to mean it. A Cultural Standoff That Was Bound to Happen This feels like the moment where the values of Gen Z and the habits of corporate culture finally collide. Not because Gen Z is rebelling, but because they’re taking organizations at their word. If you say you value growth, you have to create it. If you say you care about development, you have to invest in it. Otherwise, Gen Z will simply walk toward someone who does. And here’s the twist: They don’t feel guilty about it. They’re not sneaking out the back door. They’re leaving through the front—head high—because the expectations were never mutual to begin with. What Employers Can Do This doesn’t require an overhaul. It just takes intention. And while every organization is different, here are a few approaches that can make a real difference. Put money behind upskilling. Even partial funding shifts the relationship. Make advancement transparent. When people have to guess, they eventually stop trying. Tackle burnout before talking development. Growth can’t happen when people are running on empty. Promote based on readiness rather than time served. Tenure alone doesn’t tell you who’s capable. Ask employees what growth actually means to them. The answers are often more practical than leaders expect. These aren’t the only steps, but they’re a meaningful start. And they’re far more achievable than most leaders realize. The Future Belongs to the Growth Hunters Gen Z isn’t running from work. They’re running toward growth. They know what it costs to stay still, and they’re not willing to pay that price. Not anymore. They aren’t rejecting the workplace. They’re asking it to evolve with them. When employers offer real development, this generation will show up with incredible commitment. When they don’t, Gen Z moves on with the same honesty and clarity they bring to everything else. That clarity is a gift if leaders choose to use it. Because building a workplace where people can grow isn’t just good for Gen Z. It’s good for everyone. 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