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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Sonos has always occupied a specific corner of the audio world. Its products look minimalist, cost more than most competitors, and assume you care as much about software and longevity as you do about raw sound. The Arc Ultra is the company’s current flagship soundbar, and it follows that same logic. At full price, it’s a tough recommendation for anyone who just wants louder TV speakers. But right now, it is down to $879 from $1,099, a $220 drop and the lowest price it has hit so far, according to price trackers. Sonos Arc Ultra $879.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $220.00 Get Deal Get Deal $879.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $220.00 Physically, the Arc Ultra is large. It stretches over 46 inches wide and is almost three inches tall, so it works best under a similarly sized TV. Inside that long chassis are multiple angled drivers designed to bounce sound around your room, supporting Dolby Atmos for height effects without separate speakers. Compared to the original Arc, the Ultra adds Bluetooth, which makes it easier to use casually for music without opening the app every time. This “outstanding” PCMag review also notes that the Arc Ultra delivers clearer dialogue and deeper bass even without a subwoofer. That matters if you live in an apartment or don’t want to add another box right away. It connects via HDMI eARC, supports wifi streaming, and integrates voice assistants if you want them. Where the Arc Ultra really makes sense is if you already own Sonos gear or plan to build toward it. You can pair it with Era 300 or Era 100 speakers as rears, and add a Sub 4 subwoofer or Sub Mini later. Everything syncs through the Sonos app, which remains one of the cleaner multi-room audio systems around, despite recent backlash over removed features (though updates have restored some functionality). Still, this isn’t a value pick. A system like Samsung’s Q990C delivers a full surround setup for much less money. The Sonos argument is better build quality, a cleaner design, and long-term support. If you value audio clarity, expandability, and a polished ecosystem, the Arc Ultra is one of the best soundbars you can buy in 2025. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $209.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 3-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $74.99 (List Price $189.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Meta Quest 3 512GB Mixed Reality VR Headset with Controllers — (List Price $407.10 With Code "QUEST30") Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. We are starting to see big movement from the Google December 2025 core update...View the full article

The final votes are in, and the CEO keeps asking young male employees to try her breast milk won the Worst Boss of 2025 Award, with 57% of the vote in the final match-up. Coming in second, the company that made summer interns wear bikinis captured 43% of the vote. The runners-up, who all managed to be pretty terrible themselves: my boss told me to stop having sex with my boyfriend or quit my job boss says it’s unacceptable not to meet all deadlines, no matter how unreasonable my boss made me verify that I’m really exercising I was written up for having a visible thong outside of work can I ask my boss not to scream at me with her door open? my boss said I’m threatened by his “masculine energy” Congratulations, you all suck! The post the worst boss of 2025 is… appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

But after analyzing 730,000 response pairs, we found something unexpected: AI Mode and AI Overviews reach very similar conclusions (86% semantic similarity) while citing different sources (only 13.7% citation overlap). This matters because it suggests these aren’t just a “short…Read more ›View the full article

As marketing channels and touchpoints multiply rapidly, the way success is measured significantly impacts long-term growth and executive perception. Click-based attribution – across models like last-click, first-click, linear, and time-decay – remains the default. But as a standalone measurement strategy, it’s showing its age. Click metrics now carry disproportionate weight in executive dashboards, and that reliance introduces real limitations. Click-based models can still reveal valuable insights into digital engagement. However, when the C-suite bases major budget and strategy decisions solely on clicks, they risk overlooking critical aspects of the customer journey – often the very pieces that matter most. This article examines: What click-based attribution actually captures. Where click-based measurement breaks down in a multi-channel, multi-device, privacy-first world. The business risks of over-indexing on click metrics. Measurement approaches that better align marketing with real business outcomes. How marketing leaders can guide executives toward more holistic, outcome-oriented frameworks. The goal isn’t to demonize clicks – they still belong in the toolbox. But they should provide context, not serve as the foundation. What does click-based attribution actually measure? Click-based attribution tracks ad clicks and assigns conversion credit to the marketing touchpoints that drove them. Models like first-click, last-click, linear, time-decay, and data-driven approaches differ only in how they split that credit across the user journey. Digital ad platforms and many analytics tools default to click-based models because clicks are relatively easy to capture, understand, and report. They’re deterministic, clean, and simple to interpret at a glance. That cleanliness, however, can be misleading. Click-based attribution depends entirely on a user interacting with tracking links or tags. If a user doesn’t click, or clicks but converts later or elsewhere, the touchpoint may be missed or misattributed. This approach can work in a simple, linear funnel. But as customer journeys become multi-device, multi-channel, and increasingly offline, clicks lose context quickly. Dig deeper: The end of easy PPC attribution – and what to do next The problems with solely relying on click-based attribution Clicks don’t represent real customer behavior Today’s buyers rarely follow the neat, linear paths that click-based models assume. Instead, they move across devices, channels, and even offline touchpoints. Think social media, LLMs like ChatGPT, and brand exposure from video, influencers, or website content. Many of these interactions never generate a tracked click, yet they play a critical role in shaping perception, intent, and eventual conversion. For example, a buyer may watch a brand’s video on LinkedIn during their morning commute. Later, they read a third-party review and skim a few case studies on the brand’s website. Days later, they type the brand name directly into Google and convert. In a click-based model, only the final branded search click receives credit. The video, the review, and the content that built trust remain invisible. These aren’t minor attribution blind spots – they represent a canyon. Click-based measurement skews too much toward lower-funnel performance Click-based models place the most weight on the final click. As a result, they often over-index lower-funnel activity from channels like retargeting ads or branded search. These channels convert more frequently, but they do not create demand on their own. For C-level decision-makers, this creates a dangerous bias. Dashboards light up for retargeting campaigns and branded search, so budgets flow there. Mid- and upper-funnel investments – brand building, awareness, content, and influencers – are reduced or cut. Over time, the brand’s long-term growth engine is choked in favor of short-term, easily quantifiable wins. Dig deeper: Marketing attribution models: The pros and cons Click-based models undervalue creative, messaging, and brand Not all marketing impact shows up as clicks. A video ad or thought-leadership piece may plant a seed without prompting an immediate click, yet the message can linger. It may lead to later brand searches or site visits, outcomes that are difficult to capture through click-based measurement. As a result, brand power, creative messaging, and top-of-funnel reach are underrepresented in click-based models. Over time, organizations that optimize solely around click-based attribution may unintentionally deprioritize creativity, brand-building, and long-term equity. Click-based attribution breaks down in a privacy-first world We’re moving toward a future where third-party cookies are diminished or gone, privacy rules continue to tighten, and tracking becomes less precise. Under these conditions, click tracking grows more difficult, less reliable, and increasingly misaligned. Without stable identifiers, many of the assumptions behind click-based models – “this click belongs to that user” or “this click led to that conversion” – begin to unravel. Attribution becomes a house of cards built on data that may not hold up as privacy and tracking norms continue to shift. The business risks of over-relying on click-based attribution Misallocation of budgets When click-based reporting dominates, budgets tend to flow toward what looks good – the activities that drive visible revenue and deliver clean, direct ROI. That often comes at the expense of demand generation efforts that support long-term growth, such as brand campaigns, content, awareness, and other upper-funnel media. This approach may “work” for a few months or even years. Over time, however, the pipeline dries up. Awareness declines, organic reach stagnates, and the brand loses its ability to attract new audiences at scale. Erosion of brand over time Marketing shifts into a zero-sum exercise focused on extracting conversions from existing demand rather than expanding it. Without sustained investment in brand equity and demand generation, competitiveness, brand loyalty, and lifetime value (LTV) suffer. In essence, optimizing for short-term ROAS puts long-term brand health at risk. Misaligned incentives across teams When KPIs are click-based: Media teams optimize for clicks. Creative teams optimize for click-worthy content. Analytics teams optimize for attribution that ties cleanly to conversions. The result is marketing silos working toward different objectives. Media buys may undermine creative performance. Creative teams may chase cheap clicks. Analytics may mask cannibalization rather than reveal incrementality. Fragmentation increases. Blind trust in platform-reported metrics Ad platforms and tracking tools report click-based conversions, but many of those conversions are self-crediting, particularly within paid media platforms. When you rely heavily on these numbers without scrutiny or connection to the broader user journey, you risk making high-stakes decisions based on biased data. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. What to use instead of click-based attribution If click-based attribution is flawed, how should performance be evaluated? The short answer is a combination of approaches grounded in real business outcomes. Marketing mix modeling (MMM) for channel-level contribution At a higher level – especially when multiple channels are involved, including online, offline, paid media, organic media, and PR – MMM helps quantify channel-level contribution to sales, revenue, or other business outcomes. It looks at broad correlations over time using aggregated data rather than user-level clicks. MMM, supported by machine learning, improved data resolution, and more frequent refresh cycles, has become more accessible and actionable. It isn’t a replacement for click- or site-based data, but a powerful complement. Dig deeper: MTA vs. MMM: Which marketing attribution model is right for you? Multi-touch attribution (MTA), used thoughtfully User-level path analysis still has a place when privacy and tracking allow. Multi-touch models that consider multiple touchpoints can provide richer insight, but they work best as one input among many rather than a single source of truth. They offer path visibility, but without incrementality testing or support from MMM, they still risk over-crediting and bias. Customer lifecycle metrics: LTV and CAC payback, retention, cohort analysis Marketing value isn’t confined to a single sale or conversion. LTV, retention, and long-term value creation matter just as much. Tying spend to CAC payback, churn, loyalty, and retention creates a measurement framework aligned with long-term business goals. Incrementality testing as a standard practice Incrementality testing measures what marketing actually adds by identifying net-new conversions, revenue, lift, or awareness. It separates what would have happened anyway from what your efforts truly drove. This approach isn’t as clean as click tracking and requires more planning and discipline, but it delivers causality. It allows you to say, with confidence, “This spend generated X% incremental lift.” Dig deeper: Why incrementality is the only metric that proves marketing’s real impact Attention metrics, quality signals, and creative impact Not all impact is transactional. Upper-funnel signals such as viewability, time-in-view, attention scores, and engagement matter. Creative resonance, brand recall, and impact often influence later behavior that never appears as a click. Looking beyond clicks to metrics like creative recall, brand lift, share of voice, sentiment, and qualitative feedback helps anchor measurement to real brand value and audience expectations. Building a modern measurement framework A modern measurement framework isn’t built around one model or metric. It brings together complementary methods to create a clearer, more balanced view of performance. Take a portfolio approach The most effective measurement frameworks take a portfolio approach. MMM, incrementality, multi-touch attribution (when possible), attention metrics, and customer lifecycle metrics work together to triangulate performance from multiple perspectives. This diversity reduces bias and balances short-term performance with long-term brand health. It also makes it possible for the C-suite to see more than conversions alone – including impact, growth potential, and sustainable value. KPIs that reflect real business impact Executives care about revenue, margin, and growth. Not just clicks. Reframe KPIs around the key metrics that matter, such as: Revenue. Cost per acquisition. Customer lifetime value. Retention. Brand lift. Market share. Brand sentiment. Package those into dashboards that tell a story: “Here’s what we did, here’s what grew, here’s what we learned, here’s where we go next.” Build executive dashboards for outcomes, not vanity metrics When dashboards lead with vanity metrics like click volume, CTR, or raw conversion rate, insight is limited. Lead instead with business outcomes. Build narrative-driven dashboards that connect investment to results, learning, and action. Lean toward data storytelling instead of data reporting. That story resonates with executives. It links marketing to business value, not just to marketing activity. Leverage AI, predictive modeling, and forecasting strategically Modern analytics tools – including AI and predictive forecasting – can help: Estimate demand. Forecast impact. Model how different investments may play out over time. Use them to simulate scenarios, test assumptions, and support business cases. These tools aren’t silver bullets. They work best as accelerators for sound strategic thinking. Moving away from click-based thinking Changing how performance is measured doesn’t happen automatically. It requires clear framing, evidence, and a deliberate transition rather than an abrupt overhaul. Understand common objections and address them clearly Often, executives cling to click-based metrics because they’re easy to understand (“one user clicked, we got a sale”) and seemingly real-time. They want fast feedback and accountability. Demand creation efforts often feel abstract and hard to justify. Be prepared to address that directly: “Clicks are easy to understand.” Yes. But they paint an incomplete picture. Show them what they miss. “We need real-time metrics to manage marketing spend.” That’s valid. But real-time doesn’t always equal real value. Complement with more holistic time-based analyses based on the timing of your sales cycle, incremental lift tests, and periodic MMM to ground real-time decisions. “Brand/awareness spend is hard to justify.” I hear you. That’s why you start small. Run test campaigns, measure impact via lift studies, attribution-aware conversion, and lifecycle metrics. Show proof-of-concept. Implement a gradual shift, don’t overhaul overnight Click-based attribution doesn’t need to be discarded overnight. Instead: Introduce incrementality testing for a small portion of spend to show what budget really contributes. Once incrementality proves meaningful lift, allocate more budget toward long-term demand creation efforts. Run or commission MMM annually (or semi-annually) to quantify channel contribution holistically. Adjust executive dashboards to reflect new KPIs, such as revenue, CAC payback, brand lift, and LTV, and reduce emphasis on mere clicks or last-click conversions. Over time, incentives begin to shift. Media moves beyond clicks, creative focuses on quality and resonance, and analytics emphasizes causality and long-term value. Educate the executive team Executives rarely object to logic – they object to noise. Frame your case with clarity and use data. Show examples, run tests, show incremental lift, and then build dashboards that tell a clear story. Once you prove that a dollar invested in brand or top-of-funnel media delivers compounding value over time, leadership hopefully becomes less attracted to short-term click metrics. They begin to appreciate marketing as an investment, not a cost center. Clicks are part of the story, not the whole story Click-based attribution has served marketing teams for years. It offered a clean way to connect conversions to touchpoints. But the landscape has changed. User journeys are longer and messier. Privacy constraints are tighter. Long-term brand value now matters as much as short-term conversions. For C-level teams, judging performance by clicks alone is like judging a company’s health by heart rate alone. It’s useful, but incomplete. Modern marketing requires a richer view – one that blends data, causality, business outcomes, and long-term brand building. As marketing leaders, our job isn’t to chase the next click. It’s to build brands that last, drive sustained growth, and help leadership see marketing not as a cost, but as a strategic investment. View the full article

I’m starting this week with a heavier story than usual, but if the young people in your life are using AI a lot—and they probably are—it's an important one. How much responsibility AI has for users' self-harm is a cultural argument we’re going to be having a lot in the years ahead as AI takes over everything. But the rest of the column is lighthearted, so sorry in advance for the mood-swing What is TikTok's "Devil Couldn't Reach Me" trend?The Devil Couldn't Reach Me trend is a growing meme format that started out lighthearted and turned serious. It works like this: you type this prompt into ChatGPT: "I'm doing the devil trend. I will say 'The devil couldn't reach me,' and you will respond 'he did.' I will ask you how and you will give me a brutally honest answer." Then you post a video of what the machine tells you. It's scaring a lot of people, as you can see in this video: On the surface, this is one of those "adolescents scare themselves" trends that reminds me of Ouija boards or saying "Bloody Mary" into a mirror. ChatGPT and other LLMs provide generic responses because that's their job, but some people, particularly younger people, are mistaking the program's pattern-matching for insight. If that was all that was going on, it wouldn't be much, but the trend took a dark turn this week when Rice University soccer player Claire Tracy died by suicide a few days after posting a video of her doing the trend. ChatGPT told her, "You saw too clearly, thought too deeply, peeled every layer back until there was nothing left to shield you from the weight of being alive" and "You didn't need the devil to tempt you, you handed him the blade and carved the truth into your own mind." Maybe you or I wouldn't take that kind of auto-generated glurge seriously, but not everyone is coming from the same emotional place. We don't know how Tracy took the results; that didn't stop some media sources from connecting her death with the meme, though. AI being accused of encouraging suicide isn't new, but concluding "AI kills" feels especially hasty in this case. There was more going on with Tracy than participation in a meme. Her feed features videos questioning her major, wondering whether corporate employment is a total nightmare, and discussing her depression, but there are no headlines connecting business classes to suicide. Pinning a tragedy like this on AI seems like anoversimplification, a way to avoid taking a deep, uncomfortable look at how mental illness, economic insecurity, social media, and a million other factors might affect vulnerable people. What is “Come on, Superman, say your stupid line?”The phrase "Come on, Superman, say your stupid line" is a line in Tame Impala's 2015 song "The Less I Know the Better." Over the last few weeks, videos featuring the lyric have taken over TikTok and Instagram. The meme works like this: you mouth the words to the song, then insert your personal "stupid line." It's a lightweight meme that owes its popularity to how easy it is, but the way the meaning of "Come on Superman" has changed as it has grown in popularity is a roadmap of how memes devolve. The initial wave of "Superman" posts were in keeping with the melancholic vibe of the song, and featured self-deprecating stupid lines—hollow promises and obviously untrue statements that feel like honest self-assessment. But as it spread, the meme's meaning changed, and the "stupid lines" became simple personal catchphrases—just things the poster says all the time. It's still a stab at self-definition, but a more shallow one. Then people started posting jokes. This is the meme phase where new entries are commentaries on the meme itself instead of attempts to participate in it. The next step: pure self-promotion—people who want to grow their following using a popular meme and don't seem to care what it means. Then came the penultimate stage of the meme: celebrities. Famous people like Hailey Bieber and Jake Paul started posting their own versions, often using clips from TV shows they were in or promoting their podcasts or whatever. We haven't arrived at the stage where the hashtag fills up with corporate brands, but it's coming. And after that, it disappears. Who is Katseye?This week, TikTok named Katseye the global artists of 2025. You're probably saying, “What's Katseye?” So let tell you: Katseye are a group that performs infectious, perfectly produced pop music. Made up of women from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States, this "global girl group" has musical influences from all over the world, but the main driver of their sound is K-Pop. Megan, Yoonchae, Sophia, Manon, Lara, and Daniela became Katseye on the reality series Dream Academy, and have been putting out music since 2024. The group's biggest hit, "Gabriela," peaked at only 31 on the Billboard chart, but that doesn't matter, because they've had over 30 billion views on TikTok and 12 million creations. I've listened to a lot of Katseye today, and most of their songs are about what you'd expect from glossy, forgettable pop music, but "Gnarly" stands out as an interesting track (although I like it a lot better without the visuals): TikTok's global song of the year is "Pretty Little Baby," a previously forgotten B-side from Connie Francis that was released in 1962. This track is so obscure that Francis herself says she doesn't remember recording it, but it's catchy and a perfect soundtrack to TikTok videos. Viral videos of the week: "Gloving" Have you heard of "gloving"? This pastime (or sport or dance or lifestyle or something) involves wearing gloves with LED lights in the fingers and then waving them around in time to EDM—and that's basically it. Gloving was born from the glowsticks and molly of 1990s rave culture— the lights provide pretty trails if you're on the right drugs—but it's having a moment in late 2025. Gloving has become a whole thing. Glovers have named moves, contests, and stars. TikToker Infinite Puppet is the among the online kings of gloving, with videos like this one racking up millions of views: Dude is really good at wiggling his fingers, no doubt, but the earnestness with which he and other glovers approach their hobby is really funny—I mean, he offers lessons and hopes gloving will be as big as skateboarding. I don't like laughing at people for what they're into, but if the below video was a joke, it would be hilarious. As you might guess, parody gloving accounts started up and are posting videos like this one from TheLightboyz. Then the concept of "degloving" was invented. Degloving is the punishment for a glover who has said or done something to besmirch the good name of the gloving community, and it's serious biz: View the full article

The Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo, California, turns into a winter wonderland every holiday season. Green garlands, giant nutcrackers, baubles and bows go up in early November on the historic downtown building that houses the gift shop. Inside, customers can choose from over 500 different types of ornaments and a variety of holiday gift baskets. “We really just make it a magical spot,” co-owner Emily Butler said. “Whether you come in or not, we want to make sure that we’re spreading that holiday joy.” But Butler says she and her twin sister-business partner had to work harder this year to turn browsers into buyers and to make a profit. Many of the decorations and stocking stuffers they sell are made overseas and either did not arrive or got more expensive when President Donald The President imposed unusually high taxes on imported goods, she said. In response, the sisters focused their selection on more profitable items like nutcrackers and gift baskets. They’ve also noticed customers cutting back, selecting a $100 gift basket over the $150 version, or buying one ornament instead of several, Butler said. “We’re definitely seeing more cautious spending this year,” she said. Along with the unpredictable tariffs, stubborn inflation and weak hiring have shaken consumer confidence in the U.S. economy. The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months, according to a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A Gallup index that summarizes Americans’ assessments of current economic conditions fell to a 17-month low in November. Consumers also indicated less enthusiasm for spending money on holiday gifts; their estimated gift budgets decreased $229 between October and November, the largest drop Gallup has recorded at that point of the holiday shopping season. The survey was conducted in November, partially during the government shutdown, which might have tempered spending plans. However, the worst-case impact on consumer prices that many economists foresaw from the The President administration’s tariff policies hasn’t materialized. Some products have been affected more than others. Here’s a look at what has happened with supplies and prices in popular gifting categories. Games and toys Game and toys were particularly susceptible to tariff-related price increases since the majority of the ones sold in the U.S. are made in China, according to industry trade group The Toy Association. The tariff rate the The President administration imposed on Chinese goods became a rollercoaster that started at an additional 10%, peaked at 145% and ended up at 47%. The uncertainty made it hard for toy shops to decide what to order for the holidays. Dean Smith, who co-owns independent toy stores JaZams in Princeton, New Jersey, and Lahaska, Pennsylvania, said the manufacturers in China that he buys toys from did not pass on their tariff costs all at once but he has seen their prices inch higher with every reorder. Smith estimated that wholesale prices for 80% of his inventory went up anywhere from 5% to 20%. Some shoppers who don’t buy toys regularly might be surprised by price increases he adopted in turn, Smith said. A doll that sold for $20 to $25 last year now costs $30 to $35 at JaZams, he said. “For folks with marginal incomes, this is going to be a very difficult holiday,” Smith said. Electronics Consumer electronics are mostly made in China and other Asian countries. In 2023, China accounted for 78% of U.S. smartphone imports, and 79% of laptop and tablet imports, according to the Consumer Technology Association trade group. Best Buy said in May that it was raising prices due to tariffs. But CEO Corie Barry said late last month that the consumer electronics chain made sure to stock computers, phones and other products at different price levels, a decision she credited with helping Best Buy attract more lower-income shoppers. “The consumer is not a monolith,” Barry told reporters. Game consoles are always a popular holiday item, and console makers made news earlier this year when they announced price increases. Sony raised the price of the PlayStation 5 by $50 to $550 in August, following Microsoft and Nintendo raising prices for their game consoles. Jewelry Jewelry shoppers will likely see higher prices, but that has more to do with the soaring price of gold than tariffs so far, according to David Bonaparte, president & CEO of trade group Jewelers of America. The varying tax rates The President set for countries that import American goods with a total value less than their exports to the U.S. affected jewelry in various ways. Watches from Switzerland, for example, were subject to a 39% tariff from July 31 until the country struck a deal with the The President administration last month to lower the import tax rate on its products to 15%. India, which refines many of the diamonds sold in the U.S., rushed in shipments of the gemstones before a 50% tariff on the country’s products took effect on Aug. 27. Higher prices for jewelry made with diamonds shipped from India will likely start to be felt in 2026, Bonaparte said. “It’s really a matter of what happens after Jan. 1,” he said. “If these tariffs are still in place, then prices will probably increase.” Holiday decor Holiday decorations are yet another category that mostly comes from overseas, particularly China. Jeremy Rice co-owns House, a home-décor shop in Lexington, Kentucky, that specializes in artificial flowers, wreaths and table decorations. He said the tariffs slowed down production of much of his fall stock and seasonal merchandise like ribbon. Some larger and more expensive items he didn’t order at all because they would have been too expensive to retail. Rice raised prices on the products he did get. The popular red berry stems that House long has carried increased from $8.95 last year to $10.95 due to higher import costs, he said. “We sell thousands of these berry stems, and every time we sold one, I flinched from knowing what it should have been, knowing that our supplier paid more for them, which made us pay more for them, which made our customer pay more for them,” Rice said. Shopping strategically For those looking to avoid tariff-related price increases, John Harmon, managing director of technology research at technology consulting company Coresight Resarch, recommends checking out secondhand stores and discount retailers like T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s and HomeGoods. The off-price chains buy much of their inventory from leftover stock that would have entered the U.S. before new tariffs kicked in. Joe Adamski, senior director at procurement services company ProcureAbility, said books, food and beverages are some of the domestically produced goods that make good gifts. —Mae Anderson, AP Business Writer View the full article

Carmakers will be allowed to make a limited number of petrol and diesel-fuelled cars after deadlineView the full article

Hi there, Did you know that most of the U.S. remote workforce is made up of white men—yet research shows that women are the ones who benefit the most from remote work? Or that not going to the office doesn’t just shape our daily routines, but can influence things as big as air pollution and climate change? Many of these insights are explored in our State of Remote Work 2026 report, alongside two additional articles and a quiz designed to test how much we really know about office life. My score surprised me—now I’m curious… how did you do on the quiz? -Maja Our Favorite Articles 💯State of Remote Work 2026 (Remotive)Fresh data reveals where remote work is headed, and what’s actually changing in 2026. 👉 ​Read here​. Remote Work and Mental Health (The Independent)A large survey shows how working from home shapes mental health, for better and for worse. 👉 ​Keep reading​. Delhi Orders Work-From-Home Amid Severe Pollution (TBS News)Severe air pollution forces Delhi to mandate remote work and hybrid schooling as a public-health measure. 👉 ​Read on​. Does Work-From-Anywhere Really Work? (Harvard Gazette)A quick, research-based quiz challenges what we think we know about working from anywhere. 👉 ​Take the quiz​. This Week's Sponsor 🙌Too many emails? Declutter your inbox with Meco, your home for reading newsletters. Try it for free ​Remotive​ Jobs 💼Let's get you hired! These teams are hiring now: 💻 Engineering 👉 ​iOS Developer at nooro​ (USA Only) 🧚 Customer Service 👉 ​Customer Service Rep in a Contractor Role / Pick Your Hours / Weekly Pay at Omni Interactions​ (USA Only) Free Guides & Tools​Premium Job Board​We curate 70 000+ fully remote jobs so you don't have to. ➡️ ​Find your remote job​ ​Job Search Tips​Looking for a remote job? Here are our tips to help you work remotely. ➡️ ​Check it out​ Join the Remotive newsletter Subscribe to get our latest content by email. Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. Email address Subscribe Powered by ConvertKit View the full article

Cloudflare's sixth annual Year in Review reveals how AI crawlers, security threats, and traffic patterns changed in 2025. The post Cloudflare Report: Googlebot Tops AI Crawler Traffic appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Rob Reiner, the son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation confirmed their identities but could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Authorities were investigating an “apparent homicide,” said Capt. Mike Bland with the Los Angeles Police Department. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to a medical aid request shortly after 3:30 p.m. Reiner grew up thinking his father, Carl Reiner, didn’t understand him or find him funny. But the younger Reiner would in many ways follow in his father’s footsteps, working both in front and behind the camera, in comedies that stretched from broad sketch work to accomplished dramedies. “My father thought, ‘Oh, my God, this poor kid is worried about being in the shadow of a famous father,'” Reiner said, recalling the temptation to change his name to “60 Minutes” in October. “And he says, ‘What do you want to change your name to?’ And I said, ‘Carl.’ I just wanted to be like him.” After starting out as a writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” Reiner’s breakthrough came when he was, at age 23, cast in Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” as Archie Bunker’s liberal son-in-law, Michael “Meathead” Stivic. But by the 1980s, Reiner began as a feature film director, churning out some of the most beloved films of that, or any, era. His first film, the largely improvised 1984 cult classic “This Is Spinal Tap,” remains the quintessential mockumentary. After the 1985 John Cusack summer comedy, “The Sure Thing,” Reiner made “Stand By Me” (1986), “The Princess Bride” (1987) and “When Harry Met Sally …” (1989), a four-year stretch that resulted in a trio of American classics, all of them among the most often quoted movies of the 20th century. A legacy on and off screen For the next four decades, Reiner, a warm and gregarious presence on screen and an outspoken liberal advocate off it, remained a constant fixture in Hollywood. The production company he co-founded, Castle Rock Entertainment, launched an enviable string of hits, including “Seinfeld” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” By the turn of the century, its success rate had fallen considerably, but Reiner revived it earlier this decade. This fall, Reiner and Castle Rock released the long-in-coming sequel “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.” All the while, Reiner was one of the film industry’s most passionate Democrat activists, regularly hosting fundraisers and campaigning for liberal issues. He was co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which challenged in court California’s ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8. He also chaired the campaign for Prop 10, a California initiative to fund early childhood development services with a tax on tobacco products. Reiner was also a critic of President Donald The President. That ran in the family, too. Reiner’s father opposed the Communist hunt of McCarthyism in the 1950s and his mother, Estelle Reiner, a singer and actor, protested the Vietnam War. “If you’re a nepo baby, doors will open,” Reiner told the Guardian in 2024. “But you have to deliver. If you don’t deliver, the door will close just as fast as it opened.” ‘All in the Family’ to ‘Stand By Me’ Robert Reiner was born in the Bronx on March 6, 1947. As a young man, he quickly set out to follow his father into entertainment. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles film school and, in the 1960s, began appearing in small parts in various television shows. But when Lear saw Reiner as a key cast member in “All in the Family,” it came as a surprise to the elder Reiner. “Norman says to my dad, ‘You know, this kid is really funny.’ And I think my dad said, ‘What? That kid? That kid? He’s sullen. He sits quiet. He doesn’t, you know, he’s not funny.’ He didn’t think I was anyway,” Reiner told “60 Minutes.” On “All in the Family,” Reiner served as a pivotal foil to Carroll O’Connor’s bigoted, conservative Archie Bunker. Reiner was five times nominated for an Emmy for his performance on the show, winning in 1974 and 1978. In Lear, Reiner also found a mentor. He called him “a second father.” “It wasn’t just that he hired me for ‘All in the Family,'” Reiner told “American Masters” in 2005. “It was that I saw, in how he conducted his life, that there was room to be an activist as well. That you could use your celebrity, your good fortune, to help make some change.” Lear also helped launch Reiner as a filmmaker. He put $7.5 million of his own money to help finance “Stand By Me,” Reiner’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella “The Body.” The movie, about four boys who go looking for the dead body of a missing boy, became a coming-of-age classic, made breakthroughs of its young cast (particularly River Phoenix) and even earned the praise of King. With his stock rising, Reiner devoted himself to adapting William Goldman’s 1973’s “The Princess Bride,” a book Reiner had loved since his father gave him a copy as a gift. Everyone from François Truffaut to Robert Redford had considered adapting Goldman’s book, but it ultimately fell to Reiner (from Goldman’s own script) to capture the unique comic tone of “The Princess Bride.” But only once he had Goldman’s blessing. “At the door he greeted me and he said, ‘This is my baby. I want this on my tombstone. This is my favorite thing I’ve ever written in my life. What are you going to do with it?'” Reiner recalled in a Television Academy interview. “And we sat down with him and started going through what I thought should be done with the film.” Though only a modest success in theaters, the movie — starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant and Robin Wright — would grow in stature over the years, leading to countless impressions of Inigo Montoya’s vow of revenge and the risky nature of land wars in Asia. ‘When Harry Met Sally …” Reiner was married to Penny Marshall, the actor and filmmaker, for 10 years beginning in 1971. Like Reiner, Marshall experienced sitcom fame, with “Laverne & Shirley,” but found a more lasting legacy behind the camera. After their divorce, Reiner, at a lunch with Nora Ephron, suggested a comedy about dating. In writing what became “When Harry Met Sally …” Ephron and Reiner charted a relationship between a man and a woman (played in the film by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan) over the course of 12 years. Along the way, the movie’s ending changed, as did some of the film’s indelible moments. The famous line, “I’ll have what she’s having,” said after witnessing Ryan’s fake orgasm at Katz’s Delicatessen, was a suggestion by Crystal — delivered by none other than Reiner’s mother, Estelle. The movie’s happy ending also had some real-life basis. Reiner met Singer, a photographer, on the set of “When Harry Met Sally …” In 1989, they were wed. They had three children together: Nick, Jake and Romy. Reiner’s subsequent films included another King adaptation, “Misery” (1990) and a pair of Aaron Sorkin-penned dramas: the military courtroom tale “A Few Good Men” (1992) and 1995’s “The American President.” By the late ’90s, Reiner’s films (1996’s “Ghosts of Mississippi,” 2007’s “The Bucket List”) no longer had the same success rate. But he remained a frequent actor, often memorably enlivening films like “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993) and “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013). In 2023, he directed the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.” In an interview earlier this year with Seth Rogen, Reiner suggested everything in his career boiled down to one thing. “All I’ve ever done is say, ‘Is this something that is an extension of me?’ For ‘Stand by Me,’ I didn’t know if it was going to be successful or not. All I thought was, ‘I like this because I know what it feels like.'” —Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer View the full article

Platforms from Amazon to YouTube—and, of course, the headline-dominating Spotify Wrapped—have spent much of December rolling out year-end recaps that show users how they engaged with the platforms’ services throughout 2025. Today, one of the last anticipated recaps of the year makes its debut: Snapchat Recap 2025. Here’s what you need to know. What is Snapchat Recap 2025? Snapchat Recap is Snapchat’s annual year-in-review feature for users of the Snapchat app. Users are able to see a special year-end Story that showcases how they spent their time Snapchating throughout 2025. Snapchat owner Snap Inc. says the 2025 recap features insights and highlights on how a user communicated, connected, and expressed themselves over the past 12 months. When does Snapchat Recap 2025 launch? Snapchat Recap 2025 is available today, Monday, December 15. How do I get my Snapchat Recap 2025? If you’re a Snapchat user, you can access your Snapchat Recap 2025 just like you have your Snapchat Recaps of previous years. You can see your Snapchat Recap 2025 year-end story by swiping up from the Camera. There, you’ll find your Snapchat Recap 2025, which features your favorite memories from the year. Snapchat in 2025 by the numbers In addition to releasing its annual Snapchat Recap 2025 today, Snap also unveiled additional metrics about how people used the platform this year, including: Snapchatters talked to each other for nearly 1.7 billion minutes each day—that’s around a 30% daily talk time increase from last year. The heart was the most popular chat reaction in 2025. The 6/7 Bitmoji Sticker became the most-used sticker on the platform. View the full article

These expert insights show SEO marketers and decision-makers exactly where to focus in 2026 to protect organic visibility and turn discovery into real business impact. The post 20 SEO Experts Offer Their Advice For 2026 appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Sometimes you need just a little bit more light during a video call, especially if you're in a dimly lit room. The latest macOS update (26.2) has a trick for this: you can use the edge of your screen as a ring light. The feature, which adds a rounded white rectangle to your screen, is called Edge Light. The rectangle takes up part of your screen but will become partially transparent if you move your mouse pointer into it, meaning you'll mostly be able to use your computer normally. You can use the feature by clicking the camera icon on the menu bar during a call and toggling on the Edge Light option. You can also adjust the brightness and the color of the edge light from here. Credit: Justin Pot I tried this in a well-lit room and didn't notice much of a difference, which makes sense. In a totally dark room, though, it proved extremely helpful. Here's how I looked without Edge Light: Credit: Justin Pot As you can see, I'm just barely lit by the laptop itself. Here's how I look with the feature turned on: Credit: Justin Pot It's a lot easier to make out my face, but whether that's a pro or a con is a matter of opinion. Try the feature out if you find yourself on a video call with the lights off. Note that it's only offered on devices with Apple Silicon. View the full article

Every week, new data highlights both the overlap and the divergence between effective organic search techniques across traditional SEO (Google SERPs) and GEO (ChatGPT, AI Overviews, Perplexity, etc.). It’s a lot to absorb. One week, headlines say traditional SEO tactics work fine for ChatGPT. The next, you’ll see reports that one platform is elevating Reddit while another is dialing it back. Given how quickly this landscape shifts, I want to break down the approach, process, and resources my team is using to tackle content in 2026. This goes far beyond a content calendar. It’s about combining audience understanding, the interplay of organic platforms, and your brand’s perspective to build a content system that delivers real value. The right approach for valuable content The emphasis on quality and value in content is good for marketers. The tenets of E-E-A-T remain central to our approach because they apply to AI search discoverability as much as to traditional SEO. Producing strong content still depends on a rich understanding of your audience, good fundamental structures, and solid delivery methods – skills that always matter. Start with your audience. Who are they? What do they need? What content will help them get there? Approach content like any other product or service: Identify a need and address it. Understand the emotions involved. Show your credentials – including third-party brand mentions, which are a leading factor in AI search visibility. Approach content like any other product or service: Find or understand a need and address it. Know the emotions (i.e., fear, uncertainty, urgency) in play. Show your credentials (in the form of authority, expressed in part by third-party brand mentions that are one of the leading factors of AI search visibility traction). That said, content that has performed well in Google may not work as effectively for LLM search. Instead of writing primarily for blue-link SERPs, we now focus on creating content that stands on its own as an authoritative, structured data source, with trust and originality as ranking signals. That means prioritizing clarity, factual depth, and a consistent brand perspective that AI models can reliably quote. In an age of mass AI content, original insights, data, and human perspective are key differentiators, so content systems should include a step for “original proof” – data, interviews, or commentary that make the material uniquely trustworthy. We’re also thinking more about how content gets used in AI experiences, not just how it’s found. Summaries, bullet points, and explainers that answer layered intent are increasingly valuable. Incorporating schema, structured data, and a consistent brand voice improves how AI systems read and represent your content. In short, the goal is to optimize for retrievability and credibility, not just ranking. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Building a process to create valuable content The content strategy path I like to prescribe is as follows: Problem aware: Empathize with your audience by articulating their problem in a clear, differentiated way. Solution aware: Present your audience with objective, detailed, valuable options for solutions to their problem. Brand aware: Develop your brand’s association as a trusted solution provider. Product aware: Position your specific product or service as the ideal solution for the reader’s problem. Once your research is conducted, you’ll have what you need to craft content and deploy it in multiple ways. The linear workflow that persisted for years in traditional SEO, however, must evolve into a modular content engine – one where a single research output fuels multiple media types (articles, YouTube scripts, short-form video, LinkedIn posts, etc.), with platform-native variations all aligned to a central narrative theme. Resources to use in content development A few years ago, I would have started with well-known, well-established tools like Ahrefs and Semrush. While those remain useful for benchmarking, they no longer represent how people discover or consume information as AI search transforms user behavior in real time. AI search abstracts away keywords – users are asking multi-intent questions, and LLMs are generating synthesized answers. SEO analysis is now, rather than the main starting point, one piece of the research pie. It’s still important, but search optimization is now embedded throughout the content process. The tools below have been important in the past, and my team still leans on them as part of a more holistic approach to content planning. Qualitative interviews Surveys are useful but can be expensive when you’re trying to reach audiences outside your CRM. You can still get strong insights by engaging subject matter experts who share the same professional experiences, challenges, and responsibilities as your target audience. Slack communities, live or virtual meet-ups, and memberships in organizations like the AMA or ANA can all offer on-the-ground perspectives that support your content mapping. Audience analysis from AI systems It’s critical to include intent analysis from AI tools and conversational search data. Understanding how users phrase questions to AI systems can inform structure and tone. Social media Not all social media posts are created equal, but understanding your audience includes knowing where your audience likes to engage: X, Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, etc. (Not to mention that Reddit citations show up prominently in ChatGPT results.) Utilize these platforms to gather real-time information on what your audience is discussing and to increase brand mentions, which will send strong signals to ChatGPT and similar tools. Competitor analysis Shift from tracking keyword overlap to evaluating content depth, originality, and entity coverage – where your brand’s expertise can fill gaps or improve on generic AI-summarized answers. Adjust the KPIs to assess the impact of your content For many years, SEO marketers focused on impressions and clicks, although more advanced practitioners also incorporated down-funnel metrics, such as leads, conversions, pipeline impact, and revenue. Today, SEOs must expand their KPIs to include brand mentions in: AI summaries. Content-assisted conversions. Cross-channel engagement depth. These are the new indicators of helpfulness and value. Resist the urge to rest on your laurels We’ve seen strong successes with AI search visibility that complement our traditional SEO results, but our understanding of best practices continues to evolve with each new round of aggregated data on AI search results and shifting user behavior. In short, keep a parallel track of what has worked recently and where the trends are heading, since ChatGPT and its competitors are changing user behavior in real time – and with it, the shape of organic discovery across platforms. View the full article

Partnership between Frontline and Germany’s Quantum Systems aims to boost production and open new markets View the full article

Grasping the customer service process is crucial for any business aiming to improve satisfaction and loyalty. This structured approach includes several phases: pre-contact, contact, and post-contact. Each phase plays a critical role in managing inquiries and resolving issues effectively. For example, during the contact phase, clear communication can lead to quicker resolutions. By refining these processes, companies can adapt to changing customer expectations and build stronger relationships. What specific strategies can businesses implement to elevate their service? Key Takeaways The customer service process includes inquiry reception, request assignment, issue resolution, and follow-up to enhance customer satisfaction. Efficient customer service meets expectations, fostering brand loyalty and improving company reputation through positive experiences. Regularly gathering customer feedback identifies pain points and drives improvements, boosting satisfaction and retention rates significantly. Systematic follow-ups after service interactions enhance customer satisfaction and reduce churn, leading to increased loyalty and repeat purchases. Satisfied customers often become advocates, promoting the brand and driving growth through referrals generated by positive service experiences. Understanding the Customer Service Process Grasping the customer service process is imperative for any business aiming to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. This structured and repeatable strategy guarantees effective handling of inquiries and complaints, encompassing fundamental steps like receiving inquiries, assigning requests, resolving issues, and following up for customer satisfaction. By establishing a clear customer service workflow, you boost operational efficiency and create a consistent customer care process that builds brand loyalty. Utilizing tools like Customer Experience mapping helps visualize touchpoints and understand consumer behavior, leading to better service delivery. Regularly reviewing and refining the customer service process is significant for adapting to evolving customer expectations, eventually nurturing increased customer retention rates and improving the overall experience. Characteristics of Good Customer Service Systems Good customer service systems are built on the foundation of consistent service quality and operational excellence, guaranteeing that customers receive reliable support at every interaction. These systems prioritize customer needs by implementing a clear customer service process flow that guides agents through each interaction. For example, customer service workflow examples might include standardized responses for common inquiries, enabling agents to provide quick and accurate solutions. Effective communication strategies, such as active listening and empathy, are vital for cultivating positive relationships. Furthermore, integrating self-service options allows customers to resolve issues independently, enhancing satisfaction. Continuous evaluation and improvement of these workflows guarantee they adapt to changing customer expectations, leading to increased loyalty and retention over time. Steps to Improve Customer Service Processes To improve your customer service processes effectively, it’s crucial to evaluate your current system and identify gaps that may hinder performance. Start by setting clear goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of your customer service workflow process. Next, involve and train employees in the customer care process flow, ensuring they understand their roles in delivering a customer-friendly experience. Implement a continuous improvement protocol to regularly assess your strategies and make necessary adjustments. Actively solicit customer feedback to uncover pain points, helping you tailor your service offerings. Utilizing Customer Feedback for Enhancement Utilizing customer feedback is a potent way to gain actionable insights that can drive improvements in your service processes. By regularly collecting feedback through surveys and reviews, you can identify pain points and areas needing attention, allowing you to adapt your strategies accordingly. Furthermore, implementing proactive issue identification strategies helps you spot potential problems before they escalate, ensuring a smoother experience for your customers. Actionable Insights for Improvement Gathering and analyzing customer feedback is essential for businesses aiming to improve their service processes and raise overall customer satisfaction. By regularly soliciting insights through surveys and feedback loops, you can identify pain points within your customer service workflow for teams. Implementing changes based on this feedback can lead to a 10-15% boost in customer satisfaction scores, as it directly addresses concerns. Furthermore, valuing customer opinions boosts loyalty, resulting in a potential 74% increase in retention. An agile approach to integrating these insights guarantees your service processes adapt to evolving expectations, greatly reducing customer churn by up to 60%. This proactive stance on feedback creates a more customized and efficient customer experience, ultimately reinforcing your brand reputation. Proactive Issue Identification Strategies Proactively identifying issues within customer service processes involves systematically collecting and analyzing feedback, which can greatly improve overall service quality. By implementing regular feedback loops, like surveys and follow-up calls, you can gain valuable insights into customer experiences and expectations, helping you spot potential problems early. Utilizing Customer Experience (CX) management tools streamlines feedback collection, allowing you to efficiently identify trends and pain points. Engaging customers through multiple channels, such as social media and online communities, broadens the feedback spectrum, revealing emerging issues that may otherwise go unnoticed. As 60% of customers may switch brands because of poor service, addressing feedback proactively is crucial for maintaining customer loyalty and satisfaction. The Importance of Efficient Customer Service Efficient customer service is crucial for retaining customers, as studies show that 60% of consumers are likely to abandon a brand due to poor service experiences. When you prioritize effective service, you not only meet customer expectations but additionally promote brand loyalty. High-quality service makes 74% of customers feel appreciated, leading to increased spending. Furthermore, exceptional customer service improves your company’s reputation, encouraging satisfied customers to share positive experiences. By focusing on customer service, you can directly impact your bottom line; a 1% increase in customer retention can boost revenue by 10%. Proactive strategies reduce complaint handling costs and improve efficiency, allowing your business to concentrate on growth and innovation. Investing in efficient service creates lasting benefits for your brand. The Pre-contact Phase of Customer Service The pre-contact phase of customer service lays the groundwork for effective communication by comprehending customer needs and expectations before any direct interaction occurs. This phase is essential for shaping personalized experiences and includes: Customer Experience Mapping: Visualizing touchpoints helps identify areas for improvement, ensuring a seamless experience from the start. Data Gathering: Collecting insights through feedback and analytics tailors your service approach to better meet customer preferences. Setting Goals and KPIs: Establishing clear objectives during this phase guides the development of strategies and measures potential effectiveness. The Contact Phase of Customer Service Building on the groundwork laid during the pre-contact phase, the contact phase of customer service marks the first direct interaction between customers and the company, making it a pivotal moment in shaping their overall experience. Customers typically reach out through various channels like phone, email, or social media, emphasizing the need for an omnichannel approach. Effective communication during this phase can greatly improve customer loyalty, with studies showing a 74% increase in retention when inquiries are handled swiftly and professionally. Conversely, 60% of Americans might abandon a brand because of poor service, highlighting the importance of making a positive impression. Well-trained representatives equipped with empathetic listening and problem-solving skills can greatly improve resolution rates and customer satisfaction. The Post-contact Phase of Customer Service In the post-contact phase of customer service, you’re not just wrapping up an interaction; you’re laying the groundwork for future engagement. This stage focuses on continuous improvement strategies, where you can gather feedback to improve service quality, and utilize data-driven decision-making to refine processes. Continuous Improvement Strategies Though many organizations focus on customer service during the contact phase, continuous improvement strategies in the post-contact phase play a crucial role in improving overall customer satisfaction. By systematically gathering customer feedback, you can identify areas for improvement, as 70% of customers prefer brands that listen to their input. Implementing follow-up communications can boost satisfaction scores by up to 15%. Here are three effective strategies for continuous improvement: Conduct surveys to gather insights and address customer concerns quickly. Analyze interactions to spot trends and recurring issues, which can reduce future inquiries by 20%. Establish a review process for customer service interactions to improve first contact resolution rates by 25%. These strategies enable you to adapt and refine your customer service approach effectively. Data-Driven Decision Making Data-driven decision making in the post-contact phase of customer service is essential for enhancing service quality and customer satisfaction. By analyzing customer feedback and interactions, you can identify trends and areas for improvement. Utilizing metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and First Contact Resolution Rate (FCR) allows you to measure the effectiveness of your service processes. Regularly collecting and evaluating data helps you understand customer preferences and pain points, enabling you to tailor services accordingly. Implementing analytics tools can provide insights into customer behavior, guiding proactive strategies for retention and loyalty. In the end, leveraging data to inform your decisions optimizes workflows, leading to increased efficiency and higher satisfaction rates among your customers. Building Long-Term Relationships Building long-term relationships with customers is essential for sustaining business success, particularly during the post-contact phase of service. Follow-up interactions can greatly improve customer satisfaction and retention. Here are three key strategies to evaluate: Personalized Communication: Tailor follow-up messages to reference specific customer interactions, which can lead to a 26% increase in repeat purchases. Systematic Follow-Up Process: Implementing a structured follow-up can reduce customer churn by up to 15%, reinforcing relationships and addressing lingering concerns. Consistent Support: Providing ongoing communication guarantees customers feel valued, with 78% preferring brands that maintain consistent follow-up. Building Long-Term Relationships With Customers Establishing long-term relationships with customers is critical for any business looking to improve retention and loyalty. Retaining existing customers can be five times cheaper than acquiring new ones, making effective customer service fundamental. Personalized interactions and timely responses lead to a 74% increase in customer loyalty, encouraging repeat purchases. By implementing proactive strategies like follow-ups and personalized outreach, you can boost customer satisfaction scores by up to 20%. Engaging customers through various channels and providing consistent support creates a seamless experience, essential for nurturing relationships. Satisfied customers often become brand advocates, with 83% willing to refer others after a positive service experience. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Customer Service and Its Importance? Customer service refers to the support you provide to customers throughout their purchasing expedition. It’s crucial for addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring satisfaction. Effective customer service nurtures loyalty, encouraging repeat business. When customers feel valued, they’re more likely to share positive experiences, enhancing your brand’s reputation. Furthermore, good service can offer insights into customer preferences, aiding in product development and marketing strategies, in the end contributing to your company’s growth and success. What Is the Customer Service Process? The customer service process involves several key steps to effectively manage customer interactions. It starts with receiving inquiries, whether through calls, emails, or chats. Next, you assign requests to appropriate representatives for resolution. Follow-up is essential to guarantee satisfaction and maintain communication. This structured approach improves service quality, allowing for consistent responses and efficient problem-solving, finally leading to enhanced customer loyalty and satisfaction in your business operations. What Are the 5 Most Important Things in Customer Service? In customer service, five key elements stand out: responsiveness, empathy, clarity, consistency, and feedback. You need to respond quickly to inquiries, demonstrating that you value customers’ time. Empathy nurtures a connection, making customers feel understood. Providing clear information helps avoid confusion, whereas consistency guarantees reliable service across all interactions. Finally, actively soliciting and implementing feedback can drive improvements, enhancing the overall customer experience and reinforcing loyalty to your brand. What Are the 5 Steps of the Customer Service Process? The five steps of the customer service process include receiving inquiries, assigning requests, resolving issues, following up, and measuring satisfaction. First, you quickly acknowledge customer requests to set a positive tone. Next, categorize and prioritize inquiries for efficient handling. Once issues are addressed, follow up to guarantee resolution. Finally, gather feedback to assess satisfaction and identify areas for improvement, allowing you to improve future customer interactions and overall service quality. Conclusion In summary, comprehension and optimizing the customer service process is crucial for any business aiming to thrive. By focusing on each phase—pre-contact, contact, and post-contact—you can improve customer experiences and nurture loyalty. Implementing effective systems, actively seeking feedback, and continuously enhancing your service will not just raise customer satisfaction but likewise strengthen your brand’s reputation. Finally, a well-structured customer service approach is indispensable for building lasting relationships and driving sustainable growth. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is the Customer Service Process and Its Importance?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Grasping the customer service process is crucial for any business aiming to improve satisfaction and loyalty. This structured approach includes several phases: pre-contact, contact, and post-contact. Each phase plays a critical role in managing inquiries and resolving issues effectively. For example, during the contact phase, clear communication can lead to quicker resolutions. By refining these processes, companies can adapt to changing customer expectations and build stronger relationships. What specific strategies can businesses implement to elevate their service? Key Takeaways The customer service process includes inquiry reception, request assignment, issue resolution, and follow-up to enhance customer satisfaction. Efficient customer service meets expectations, fostering brand loyalty and improving company reputation through positive experiences. Regularly gathering customer feedback identifies pain points and drives improvements, boosting satisfaction and retention rates significantly. Systematic follow-ups after service interactions enhance customer satisfaction and reduce churn, leading to increased loyalty and repeat purchases. Satisfied customers often become advocates, promoting the brand and driving growth through referrals generated by positive service experiences. Understanding the Customer Service Process Grasping the customer service process is imperative for any business aiming to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. This structured and repeatable strategy guarantees effective handling of inquiries and complaints, encompassing fundamental steps like receiving inquiries, assigning requests, resolving issues, and following up for customer satisfaction. By establishing a clear customer service workflow, you boost operational efficiency and create a consistent customer care process that builds brand loyalty. Utilizing tools like Customer Experience mapping helps visualize touchpoints and understand consumer behavior, leading to better service delivery. Regularly reviewing and refining the customer service process is significant for adapting to evolving customer expectations, eventually nurturing increased customer retention rates and improving the overall experience. Characteristics of Good Customer Service Systems Good customer service systems are built on the foundation of consistent service quality and operational excellence, guaranteeing that customers receive reliable support at every interaction. These systems prioritize customer needs by implementing a clear customer service process flow that guides agents through each interaction. For example, customer service workflow examples might include standardized responses for common inquiries, enabling agents to provide quick and accurate solutions. Effective communication strategies, such as active listening and empathy, are vital for cultivating positive relationships. Furthermore, integrating self-service options allows customers to resolve issues independently, enhancing satisfaction. Continuous evaluation and improvement of these workflows guarantee they adapt to changing customer expectations, leading to increased loyalty and retention over time. Steps to Improve Customer Service Processes To improve your customer service processes effectively, it’s crucial to evaluate your current system and identify gaps that may hinder performance. Start by setting clear goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of your customer service workflow process. Next, involve and train employees in the customer care process flow, ensuring they understand their roles in delivering a customer-friendly experience. Implement a continuous improvement protocol to regularly assess your strategies and make necessary adjustments. Actively solicit customer feedback to uncover pain points, helping you tailor your service offerings. Utilizing Customer Feedback for Enhancement Utilizing customer feedback is a potent way to gain actionable insights that can drive improvements in your service processes. By regularly collecting feedback through surveys and reviews, you can identify pain points and areas needing attention, allowing you to adapt your strategies accordingly. Furthermore, implementing proactive issue identification strategies helps you spot potential problems before they escalate, ensuring a smoother experience for your customers. Actionable Insights for Improvement Gathering and analyzing customer feedback is essential for businesses aiming to improve their service processes and raise overall customer satisfaction. By regularly soliciting insights through surveys and feedback loops, you can identify pain points within your customer service workflow for teams. Implementing changes based on this feedback can lead to a 10-15% boost in customer satisfaction scores, as it directly addresses concerns. Furthermore, valuing customer opinions boosts loyalty, resulting in a potential 74% increase in retention. An agile approach to integrating these insights guarantees your service processes adapt to evolving expectations, greatly reducing customer churn by up to 60%. This proactive stance on feedback creates a more customized and efficient customer experience, ultimately reinforcing your brand reputation. Proactive Issue Identification Strategies Proactively identifying issues within customer service processes involves systematically collecting and analyzing feedback, which can greatly improve overall service quality. By implementing regular feedback loops, like surveys and follow-up calls, you can gain valuable insights into customer experiences and expectations, helping you spot potential problems early. Utilizing Customer Experience (CX) management tools streamlines feedback collection, allowing you to efficiently identify trends and pain points. Engaging customers through multiple channels, such as social media and online communities, broadens the feedback spectrum, revealing emerging issues that may otherwise go unnoticed. As 60% of customers may switch brands because of poor service, addressing feedback proactively is crucial for maintaining customer loyalty and satisfaction. The Importance of Efficient Customer Service Efficient customer service is crucial for retaining customers, as studies show that 60% of consumers are likely to abandon a brand due to poor service experiences. When you prioritize effective service, you not only meet customer expectations but additionally promote brand loyalty. High-quality service makes 74% of customers feel appreciated, leading to increased spending. Furthermore, exceptional customer service improves your company’s reputation, encouraging satisfied customers to share positive experiences. By focusing on customer service, you can directly impact your bottom line; a 1% increase in customer retention can boost revenue by 10%. Proactive strategies reduce complaint handling costs and improve efficiency, allowing your business to concentrate on growth and innovation. Investing in efficient service creates lasting benefits for your brand. The Pre-contact Phase of Customer Service The pre-contact phase of customer service lays the groundwork for effective communication by comprehending customer needs and expectations before any direct interaction occurs. This phase is essential for shaping personalized experiences and includes: Customer Experience Mapping: Visualizing touchpoints helps identify areas for improvement, ensuring a seamless experience from the start. Data Gathering: Collecting insights through feedback and analytics tailors your service approach to better meet customer preferences. Setting Goals and KPIs: Establishing clear objectives during this phase guides the development of strategies and measures potential effectiveness. The Contact Phase of Customer Service Building on the groundwork laid during the pre-contact phase, the contact phase of customer service marks the first direct interaction between customers and the company, making it a pivotal moment in shaping their overall experience. Customers typically reach out through various channels like phone, email, or social media, emphasizing the need for an omnichannel approach. Effective communication during this phase can greatly improve customer loyalty, with studies showing a 74% increase in retention when inquiries are handled swiftly and professionally. Conversely, 60% of Americans might abandon a brand because of poor service, highlighting the importance of making a positive impression. Well-trained representatives equipped with empathetic listening and problem-solving skills can greatly improve resolution rates and customer satisfaction. The Post-contact Phase of Customer Service In the post-contact phase of customer service, you’re not just wrapping up an interaction; you’re laying the groundwork for future engagement. This stage focuses on continuous improvement strategies, where you can gather feedback to improve service quality, and utilize data-driven decision-making to refine processes. Continuous Improvement Strategies Though many organizations focus on customer service during the contact phase, continuous improvement strategies in the post-contact phase play a crucial role in improving overall customer satisfaction. By systematically gathering customer feedback, you can identify areas for improvement, as 70% of customers prefer brands that listen to their input. Implementing follow-up communications can boost satisfaction scores by up to 15%. Here are three effective strategies for continuous improvement: Conduct surveys to gather insights and address customer concerns quickly. Analyze interactions to spot trends and recurring issues, which can reduce future inquiries by 20%. Establish a review process for customer service interactions to improve first contact resolution rates by 25%. These strategies enable you to adapt and refine your customer service approach effectively. Data-Driven Decision Making Data-driven decision making in the post-contact phase of customer service is essential for enhancing service quality and customer satisfaction. By analyzing customer feedback and interactions, you can identify trends and areas for improvement. Utilizing metrics like Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and First Contact Resolution Rate (FCR) allows you to measure the effectiveness of your service processes. Regularly collecting and evaluating data helps you understand customer preferences and pain points, enabling you to tailor services accordingly. Implementing analytics tools can provide insights into customer behavior, guiding proactive strategies for retention and loyalty. In the end, leveraging data to inform your decisions optimizes workflows, leading to increased efficiency and higher satisfaction rates among your customers. Building Long-Term Relationships Building long-term relationships with customers is essential for sustaining business success, particularly during the post-contact phase of service. Follow-up interactions can greatly improve customer satisfaction and retention. Here are three key strategies to evaluate: Personalized Communication: Tailor follow-up messages to reference specific customer interactions, which can lead to a 26% increase in repeat purchases. Systematic Follow-Up Process: Implementing a structured follow-up can reduce customer churn by up to 15%, reinforcing relationships and addressing lingering concerns. Consistent Support: Providing ongoing communication guarantees customers feel valued, with 78% preferring brands that maintain consistent follow-up. Building Long-Term Relationships With Customers Establishing long-term relationships with customers is critical for any business looking to improve retention and loyalty. Retaining existing customers can be five times cheaper than acquiring new ones, making effective customer service fundamental. Personalized interactions and timely responses lead to a 74% increase in customer loyalty, encouraging repeat purchases. By implementing proactive strategies like follow-ups and personalized outreach, you can boost customer satisfaction scores by up to 20%. Engaging customers through various channels and providing consistent support creates a seamless experience, essential for nurturing relationships. Satisfied customers often become brand advocates, with 83% willing to refer others after a positive service experience. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Customer Service and Its Importance? Customer service refers to the support you provide to customers throughout their purchasing expedition. It’s crucial for addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring satisfaction. Effective customer service nurtures loyalty, encouraging repeat business. When customers feel valued, they’re more likely to share positive experiences, enhancing your brand’s reputation. Furthermore, good service can offer insights into customer preferences, aiding in product development and marketing strategies, in the end contributing to your company’s growth and success. What Is the Customer Service Process? The customer service process involves several key steps to effectively manage customer interactions. It starts with receiving inquiries, whether through calls, emails, or chats. Next, you assign requests to appropriate representatives for resolution. Follow-up is essential to guarantee satisfaction and maintain communication. This structured approach improves service quality, allowing for consistent responses and efficient problem-solving, finally leading to enhanced customer loyalty and satisfaction in your business operations. What Are the 5 Most Important Things in Customer Service? In customer service, five key elements stand out: responsiveness, empathy, clarity, consistency, and feedback. You need to respond quickly to inquiries, demonstrating that you value customers’ time. Empathy nurtures a connection, making customers feel understood. Providing clear information helps avoid confusion, whereas consistency guarantees reliable service across all interactions. Finally, actively soliciting and implementing feedback can drive improvements, enhancing the overall customer experience and reinforcing loyalty to your brand. What Are the 5 Steps of the Customer Service Process? The five steps of the customer service process include receiving inquiries, assigning requests, resolving issues, following up, and measuring satisfaction. First, you quickly acknowledge customer requests to set a positive tone. Next, categorize and prioritize inquiries for efficient handling. Once issues are addressed, follow up to guarantee resolution. Finally, gather feedback to assess satisfaction and identify areas for improvement, allowing you to improve future customer interactions and overall service quality. Conclusion In summary, comprehension and optimizing the customer service process is crucial for any business aiming to thrive. By focusing on each phase—pre-contact, contact, and post-contact—you can improve customer experiences and nurture loyalty. Implementing effective systems, actively seeking feedback, and continuously enhancing your service will not just raise customer satisfaction but likewise strengthen your brand’s reputation. Finally, a well-structured customer service approach is indispensable for building lasting relationships and driving sustainable growth. Image via Google Gemini This article, "What Is the Customer Service Process and Its Importance?" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When you want to be more productive, it helps to have a role model. Financial blogs are forever interviewing contemporary CEOs about their work habits, but those aren’t that inspirational; they’re always claiming that meditation and not answering emails are the keys to success, which isn’t super helpful to the average person who doesn’t have the time or resources to meditate or the luxury of hiring an assistant. For real inspo, you might want to try looking back in history to a time before tech founders preached about a #grindset: Ivy Lee, the founder of modern public relations, came up with a productivity method so good that it’s lived on for 100 years—and it still bears his name. How do you use the Ivy Lee method?Ivy Lee came up with his productivity method in an effort to help big businesses in the 1920s get more done. It’s all about creating manageable, prioritized to-do lists and sticking with them until they’re complete. The method itself is simple. At the end of every work day, write down six tasks you have to complete tomorrow. (If it’s Friday, write down what you need to do Monday. Don’t forget that taking breaks over the weekend is important for productivity, too.) Do not write down more than six. The goal here is for the list to be manageable, not never-ending, so use your judgment to determine which six things are most important for the next day. If you're struggling to select just six, use the pickle jar theory to narrow it down; or try considering not only the resources they'll take, but the impact they'll have, by using the MIT method. Next, prioritize them. You can do this however you see fit, but consider using a method like the Eisenhower Matrix to figure out which tasks are the timeliest and most urgent. Used in conjunction with the MIT method, this will ensure you're tackling your responsibilities in exactly the right order to produce maximum results. Hand-writing the to-do list is beneficial. You can do this in a digital note or doc, but writing by hand sticks it in your brain, so you might consider using an old-fashioned planner. The next day, it’s time to start on the list—no second-guessing or negotiations. Begin with the first task in the morning and see it all the way through before jumping to the second one. Keep going until the end of the workday, tapping into your capacity for doing deep work by focusing on just one task or project at a time. When your day is over, anything that is incomplete should be moved to tomorrow’s list and new tasks should be added to it until you reach six. By rolling the tasks over, you ensure they’ll get done, but by being aware that you have the option to roll them over at all, you won’t feel overwhelmed. Do try to keep the tasks as granular as possible, though. Instead of writing “end-of-quarter report” as one list item, break it down. If pulling and analyzing the data is a step to writing the report, make it one task. If inputting it into a presentation is another, that’s one task, too. As mentioned, you can do this in a planner, a digital note, or even your calendar, but the most important elements are maintaining that low number of tasks, prioritizing them, and not abandoning them if they are unfinished. Be sure to prioritize whatever you roll over to the next day above any new tasks, so everything gets done, and always use those prioritization methods to make sure you're addressing things in the most efficient order. An unimportant task Monday can turn into an urgent one by Thursday if you keep rolling it over without thinking about it. View the full article

Deadly terror attack on Jewish beach festival comes after sharp rise in incidents of hatred View the full article

British Medical Association rejects government offer and says five-day strike by junior doctors will start on Wednesday View the full article

If Ali Abdaal can’t think of a sufficiently intriguing thumbnail for his video ideas, he won’t even make the video. No matter how great the idea is, the YouTuber with 5 million subscribers revealed it’s not worth the effort of writing, recording, and editing a video if he doesn’t have a showstopper thumbnail for it — because no one is going to watch it. But wait: YouTube is a video platform, so how much can a static image contribute to your content success? Surely you can scrub to a still from your video in YouTube Studio, and you’re good to go? Turns out: not quite. There’s a good reason YouTuber MrBeast famously pays around $10,000 for a single thumbnail design and generates up to 20 options for each video. According to YouTube, 90 percent of the best-performing videos have custom thumbnails (so, not the ones that the social media platform autograbs from your videos). “Thumbnails are absolutely critical,” Paul O'Malley, whose YouTube channel on tips for improving efficiency, skyrocketed to success within a matter of months. “They're often the first thing viewers see, and a compelling thumbnail is the often difference between someone clicking on your video or scrolling past it. In my content area, a better thumbnail can often be the deciding factor between my video being chosen over someone else's that might be covering the same topic.” It makes sense: think about how you use YouTube as a viewer. How do you decide what videos to watch? There’s no way to gauge how interesting, funny, or helpful a video is going to be before you click on it beyond the thumbnail and the title. Buffer’s Senior Product Designer, Alicja Suska, agrees. At the start of her journey with Outdraw Design, a channel that helps product designers level up, she went for simple thumbnails to free up time to focus on filming and editing her videos. “I used my photo with a dark background and title written in highlighted text,” she says. “It was great for consistency and efficiency, but this style was simply boring. At some point, I performed a workshop with myself to explore five or six different styles and choose what works best.” “Now, my thumbnails still include the most important elements, but they have more variety when it comes to color, more interesting backgrounds, and a more recognizable style.” Paul went on a similar journey. “My thumbnails have definitely undergone a lot of refinement!” he says. “In the beginning, they tended to be simpler and often didn't include a lot to draw in the audience. They were pretty basic as I didn't really have a lot of experience in creating thumbnails, but I have worked on that over the last year or so.” “Now, I focus on bold colors, clear visuals that tie in with the video's subject area, and concise, intriguing text that sparks curiosity.” While this may feel overwhelming, especially if you’re a YouTube beginner, successful YouTube video thumbnails are fairly formulaic. In fact, a fascinating study of the most popular YouTube videos of 2020 found some definite patterns in these top videos’ thumbnails. While this study might be a touch dated, you’ll still see many of these elements used by the most-watched YouTubers today. Here’s the secret sauce for making YouTube thumbnails that turn scrollers into viewers (without dropping $10,000). ⚡Stay organized and efficient by planning and scheduling your YouTube Shorts with Buffer! You can even cross-post them to Instagram and TikTok. Here’s how →How to make YouTube thumbnails1. Use the right image dimensionsThere’s nothing that says, “I don’t know what I’m doing on YouTube,” like a pixelated, stretched, or black-bordered thumbnail — which is why starting with the right dimensions is the first step in thumbnail success. For full-length videos, the right YouTube thumbnail size is 1280 x 720 pixels. That’s an aspect ratio of 16:9, which will display correctly on all devices. You can upload a file with a minimum width of 640 pixels, but it’s wise to stick to the 1280 x 720 dimensions so your thumbnail image displays perfectly. JPG, GIF, and PNG files will work, but you’ll get a better-quality image with the latter option. Here’s an example of the image dimensions for YouTube videos: 2. Opt for bold, bright colorsPaul believes high contrast elements are one of the keys to thumbnail success. “Bold, bright colors help your thumbnail stand out in a sea of videos,” he says. “I have a set of templates that I leverage that make the logo and text blocks really pop out.” This is something the study I mentioned earlier found, too. Of the 740 most-watched videos they analyzed, 88 percent of thumbnails were vibrant and colorful. This is one of the biggest changes Alicja made in her thumbnail design, and it’s certainly impacted views. Here’s a comparison of one of her earlier videos featuring her initial design to the newer one on the right. While plenty of factors are at play here, it’s worth noting that the new thumbnail version has ten times the views of the older one on the left despite being uploaded more recently. 3. Feature a face showing emotionUsing an excited, shocked, or sad face is a favorite device of YouTubers the world over — and with good reason. According to the thumbnails study, 72 percent of the most popular videos on YouTube in 2020 “featured an image of a human, averaging 921,000 more views than those without a human face.” Alicja notes that, if using an image of yourself or a guest, the picture should be a still from the video or a photo taken simultaneously. “Make sure you’re wearing the same clothes and hairstyle,” she says. “Otherwise, it will feel staged.” She adds, “I think that showing emotions on your thumbnail, being shocked, happy, or sad, also catches the viewer’s attention.” The data supports her feelings — visible emotion was another pattern that emerged in the thumbnail study. Researchers found that a display of certain feelings was another common feature in these top-performing videos. Content conveying sadness had the highest average view count (2.3 million), followed by joy and humor (1.5 million), then anger or fear (818,000). What’s interesting to note here is that the research didn’t technically specify the emotion needs to be on a human face. Their findings, mentioned separately from the point on thumbnails featuring faces, were framed as “content conveying the emotion of…” — a loophole that Paul has taken advantage of. Given that Paul’s videos are primarily screen recordings and voice-overs, he has chosen not to use his actual face on his thumbnails. He uses versions of his Apple Memoji (an emoji-like avatar of his face that you can create on iPhone and other tools). The avatars definitely convey emotion (and Paul’s viewership speaks for itself!). "I used a Memoji for my channel profile photo originally — no real reason as to why — and kind of just decided to stick with that aesthetic," Paul says. "But it definitely does ease the work required from me as I have preset facial expressions already available to me that I can just rely on. And in a way, it's now something that people recognize in my thumbnails, too." 4. Include short, snappy textAnother attention-grabbing detail both Alicja and Paul swear by? Text. While video titles are an immensely important factor in the YouTube algorithm, they may get lost in the scroll. Viewers’ eyes are more likely to be drawn to the much larger, more colorful graphics on thumbnails — which is why it can be helpful to give them a little extra context about your video with some well-chosen words. “A few words that pique curiosity and give viewers a reason to click,” Paul says. “Ideally, I try to keep this to six words or less but still interest the audience. More than that tends to result in a font that is too small to read easily.” It’s worth stressing that keeping it simple is key — it’s one of MrBeast’s team’s main focus areas when mocking up thumbnails, Chucky Appleby, from MrBeast’s creative team, said in a recent interview. “Make your thumbnail easy to understand so that when people look at it the first time, they’re saying, “I know what’s going on in this video, so I’m going to click on it.” “If they have to spend 10 or 20 seconds to try to understand what’s going on in your thumbnail, they’re probably not going to be that invested, and they’re going to keep scrolling.” 5. Create a template for consistencyA recognizable brand is your best friend when making sure your content stands out from the crowd. A cohesive channel shows professionalism — a subtle signal to your audience that they can trust you and the content you produce. It also encourages them to subscribe to your channel if they discover another of your videos and recognize the branding. To that end, I’d recommend creating a lightweight brand kit: a color palette, font, and graphic style that you use consistently across both your full-length videos and YouTube Shorts. To make this process simple, it’s worth setting up a thumbnail template in your image editing tool of choice — software like Canva, Figma, Visme, and Adobe Photoshop make this really easy to do and are a must-try for YouTube thumbnail design. In your thumbnail template, consider these design elements: Dimensions: 1280 x 720 pixels for full-length videos.Fonts: Choose at least one easy-to-read font (or go the extra mile with a font pairing — search “font pairing” in Pinterest for fonts that go well together).Color: Select a palette of cohesive colors (Pinterest can help here, too — search for “color palette.”)Protip: While you can create a custom YouTube thumbnail template from scratch, design tools like Canva and Visme will have customizable YouTube thumbnail templates ready for you to tweak and make your own. Consider them your very own YouTube thumbnail makers. How to add a thumbnail to your YouTube videosUploading a thumbnail to accompany your video is pretty simple. All you need to do is follow the upload process in YouTube Studio, the accompanying YouTube platform where creators can manage and upload their content. Here’s a quick step-by-step tutorial: Make sure you’re logged into your YouTube account, then head over to studio.youtube.com.Hit the Create button on the top right.Drag and drop your video file into the window, or click Select file to open your device folders. Here, you’ll be able to add your video title, description, playlist, and other important video information. It’s also where you’ll find the option to add a thumbnail right underneath the description text box. Click Upload thumbnail and choose the file you want to use.Click Next and, if needed, add additional video elements like subtitles, an end screen, or cards.Click Next again. On the Checks screen, you’ll see whether YouTube has cleared your video for use (found no copyright violations). Click Next and choose your visibility settings. Hit Publish. 5 YouTube thumbnail examplesLooking for inspiration? Here are some great examples of some of the best YouTube thumbnails I’ve come across. They’re eye-catching yet cohesive — and the proof of their success is in those stellar viewership numbers. Ali AbdaalOne of my favorite YouTubers, Ali Abdaal, opts for a clean, professional aesthetic that will appear to his audience of students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and productivity nerds. Notice how well-let his high-quality photos are, which makes them pop ahead of the more muted backdrops. Call Her Daddy The YouTube channel for the hit podcast Call Her Daddy features a straightforward approach: two fonts, two colors, and an emotive still from the podcast recording of host Alex Cooper and her guests. What’s interesting, though, is how Alex (or, rather, her team) subtly edits the podcast title to make the thumbnail version even more intriguing and offer a peek at what juicy details viewers can expect the guest to discuss. HealthNut NutritionFood and lifestyle blogger Nikole Goncalves (aka HealthNut) has clear brand colors and fonts she sticks to in every thumbnail — an aesthetic that carries across her other social media accounts, too, which is a nice touch. Asia JacksonAsia Jackson is a great example of knowing your target audience and how their preferences might impact the thumbnail best practices I’ve laid out above. She’s got a clear, consistent design style with clever on-thumbnail titles and the occasional emotive photo of her face. However, the tones are muted (no bright, vibrant colors), and her designs focus on the aesthetics within her content (her outfits, decor, and daily life). She knows her subscribers come to her to emulate her style, and she puts that front and center with every thumbnail she creates. MrBeastWhat YouTube thumbnail advice article would be complete without mention of YouTube’s reigning creator, MrBeast? Notice how the YouTuber’s design team keeps every image eye-catching but easy to understand at a glance. Chucky shared that the use of MrBeast’s (aka Jimmy Donaldson’s) face is also an intentional way to build trust with viewers. “In 2019 we decided to start putting Jimmy’s face in every thumbnail because we were branding the videos around him.” “If you trusted Jimmy on the last video that he uploaded, and he delivered on the content, then the next video you see his face, and you’d be like, ‘Oh, that’s the guy that delivered on the last video I enjoyed so I’m going to click on this video as well.” Share your thumbnail tips and tricksAre there YouTubers whose video thumbnails should be on this list? Or have you cracked the code to your own thumbnails? We’d love to hear from you! Tag @buffer on social platforms, comment below, or join our Discord community. View the full article

Shares of iRobot Corporation (Nasdaq: IRBT), maker of the Roomba autonomous vacuum cleaner, are crashing today after the company announced that it will seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As of this writing, IRBT shares are down more than 78%—and the news is only expected to get worse for common shareholders. Consumers, on the other hand, may be wondering if their Roombas will stop working. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happened? On Sunday, iRobot Corporation said it has filed for bankruptcy. The Massachusetts-based company is seeking Chapter 11 protection in the District of Delaware. As part of the process, iRobot has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) with the Chinese company that manufactures its Roomba vacuum cleaners and other products, Picea Robotics. iRobot was founded in 1990 and was one of the most prominent American companies to popularize household robotics among consumers. Its Roomba vacuum cleaner took households by storm when the product was first released in 2002. But in the decades since, iRobot has faced heavy competition from other robotic vacuum companies, many of which have released cheaper, superior products in recent years. Still, iRobot enjoyed strong brand recognition and had a significant foothold in marketshare among robotic vacuums in both America and Japan. Starting in 2022, Amazon attempted to acquire the company, but that deal was ultimately abandoned due to regulatory concerns. Since then, iRobot has faced mounting debt, increased competition, higher operational costs, and the negative financial impact of President The President’s tariffs, notes Reuters. By this month, those burdens became too much, and the company decided to file for bankruptcy. What happens to iRobot now? If the Delaware court approves the bankruptcy plans, iRobot’s ownership will transfer to Picea Robotics, the company’s primary manufacturer, which is also now its largest debt owner. In a press release, iRobot says it plans to continue operating throughout the bankruptcy proceedings, and once the proceedings are completed, iRobot is expected to continue operating under its new owner’s leadership. However, once the bankruptcy proceedings are complete, iRobot will be owned as a private company by Picea, which has significant implications for iRobot’s stock. How does the bankruptcy impact iRobot’s stock? iRobot’s stock will be significantly impacted by the bankruptcy. Upon completion of Chapter 11, iRobot will cease to trade as a public company. That means its shares will be delisted from the Nasdaq and will no longer be available for public trading. Given this news, it’s little surprise that IRBT shares have fallen off a cliff since the bankruptcy plans were announced. As of the time of this writing, iRBT shares are trading down more than 77% in premarket trading. Right now, IRBT shares are at 97 cents. On Friday, they closed at $4.32 per share. But as if today’s cliff-edge price drop wasn’t bad enough for iRobot investors, the company issued a dire warning to shareholders alongside its bankruptcy announcement. If the court approves the bankruptcy plans, iRobot expects that holders of iRobot common stock “will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment.” In other words, if the bankruptcy goes ahead, retail investors can expect their IRBT shares to become worthless. In February 2021, IRBT’s shares traded as high as $137 per share. But since then, they have steadily declined, culminating in today’s sub-$1 price. Will Roombas stop working? Robotic vacuum cleaners are Internet of Things devices that generally require cloud infrastructure and an online platform to continue operating. Given that iRobot has announced it is filing for bankruptcy, many Roomba owners are understandably worried that their expensive vacuum cleaners might suddenly become bricked and stop working. But for now, those fears seem to be unfounded—at least according to iRobot. In a statement announcing its bankruptcy plans, iRobot said that “no anticipated disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships, or ongoing product support.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When you’re jumping into a complex project, it can be hard to know where to begin—but not if you’re using the “action method,” a productivity technique that requires you to view everything you do as a project. A “project” could be cleaning your house, presenting in a meeting, or answering all of your lingering emails. Basically, it's any larger task that can be broken down into smaller ones, whether personal or professional. The aim of this change in your mindset is to provide a structure for every task you need to complete, so you spend less time battling disorganization. When you have a bunch of little tasks to do, it's easy to lose sight of the larger goals you have. Creating projects aimed at inching closer to those goals will not only help you get more done, but help you stay focused. Here’s why it makes sense to reframe your thinking around projects, and how to make the action method work for you. What is the action method?As noted, the action method seeks to help you increase your productivity and work more effectively by organizing your daily tasks, as well as your longer-term goals, into projects, then breaking those projects down into actionable steps. The basic framework comes from Scott Belsky, who laid out the method in his 2010 book Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality. The action method was born when Belsky, a co-founder of Behance, sought to help creative professionals tackle inefficiency, disorganization, and the overall chaos of careers being controlled by bureaucracy. The intent behind it is to not only organize your ideas, but to develop a plan of action to execute on them. The name "action method" hints at that, but it's a little more involved than other action-based productivity techniques like "eat the frog" or the two-minute rule. With those methods, your overarching directive is to dive in on major tasks right away, and with relatively little thought. They are, in essence, about action—but the action method itself involves more planning, as counterintuitive as that might seem. How does the action method work?The “action” part of the action method comes after you organize your projects into three categories: Action steps, references, and back-burners. A good way to do this is to make a spreadsheet with three columns, one for each category, and a different spreadsheet tab for each project. Action steps are the specific tasks you need to get done, and ones that have actions behind them—like the steps it takes to prepare a presentation or clean the living room. If your overall goal is to clean the house before your mother-in-law arrives in five days, your action steps might include buying materials you're low on or structuring a schedule for how and when you'll tackle different rooms. References covers any extra information you need to accomplish those tasks, like articles that provide background research, emails detailing what needs to be done, or tutorials you plan to take; paste in or drops links to these materials here. With the cleaning example, this might include a checklist or a shopping list. Back-burners are more nebulous goals that don’t need to be accomplished right now and can be lofty, but should use the action items as a foundation. For instance, if the goal of the presentation in your action column is to secure a new client, a back-burner can be to secure 10 new clients by year’s end. Cleaning the whole house and keeping it clean can be a back-burner, too. By designating back-burners upfront, you keep the momentum going. You're not just cleaning before your MIL gets there, in this case, but laying the foundation to maintain an all-around cleaner home long after she departs and using her arrival as the actionable jumping-off point. Eventually, longer-term, more sustained cleaning projects will replace the more immediate ones in your "action" and "references" tabs. You can take the method offline if you’re a person who works better using a physical daily planner, but your spreadsheet will suffice as long as you check it every day and use it as motivation to get started and keep up with your action items. You can always add more tabs as you get things done, plus add new references and back-burners related to the goals on each existing tab, but the key is to monitor your actionable tasks and, after clearly outlining how they tie into broader goals, get moving on them right away. If you need additional motivation, the spreadsheet provides an easy summary of how they relate to your bigger-picture plans. In this way, the method shows you the exact steps you need to take immediately to cross an item off of your list, but also illustrates how those efforts ladder up to your larger goals—but there are some potential pitfalls to keep in mind. For example, it doesn’t help you prioritize between projects. For that, fold in a prioritization technique like the ABC Method or Forster’s Commitment Inventory, which can help you determine which projects and steps to tackle first. Also, knowing what needs to be done is only half the battle, so familiarize yourself with concepts like the Yerkes-Dodson law, which dictates when you will feel most productive in relation to your deadlines, so you can slot in your action steps when they make the most sense. View the full article

Public trust in the media and in data has been undercut by information overload, relentless social media cycles, and targeted influence campaigns. Whether driven by politics, social movements, or commercial interests, the credibility of what we see and hear is under threat. By thinking through the ways that we’ve lost our trust, we might find more ways to reverse the trend and bring people back together. Last month, Gallup released the latest results of a survey on trust in the media that began in 1972. It showed that current confidence in the mass media is at a new historic low. A majority trusting public in 1972 has now flipped to being a majority distrustful public in 2025. As with most data sets, the subtleties are more complicated. During the first The President administration, trust rebounded significantly—and then backslid to its lowest point ever after the pandemic. Looking at the data from a partisan lens, overall trust fell across all three groups, with Republicans being the least trusting. But the shock is the growth of the “no trust at all” category: those least trusting Democrats barely changed, but for Republicans, it surged. Social Media Has Worked Us Over Completely The way people around the world access news and information are largely the same—through the internet. Its growth has been so extreme in our lifetime, one can hardly blame us for acting a bit weird. In 1990, only 25 million people used the internet globally—about 0.6% of the world. By 2025, 5.6 billion people use social media every day. That’s 64% of the world, a roughly 20,000% increase — and we now spend about six and a half hours online every day. This explosive growth over the past 35 years has brought with it a variety of technological and social innovations and challenges. How we interact with information keeps changing, and with it, our language and culture also adapt. It reminds me of this quote by media theorist Marshall McLuhan: “All media work us over completely. They are so pervasive in their personal, political, economic, aesthetic, psychological, moral, ethical, and social consequences. They leave no part of us untouched, unaffected, unaltered.” As our connection to the internet grew, it also pushed us apart. Our attention became focused on digital realities and away from our friends and families. This has led to a loneliness epidemic. Studies show that aspects of chronic loneliness impact half of all US adults. And there’s a direct correlation between our lack of trust in the media and the growth of the internet. What was first a feature has become a bug—creating a feedback loop where fear of missing out leads to a reinforcement of what has been missing from many people’s lives. Putting People First in Data Communication Too many data professionals focus more on the data rather than the people reading it. We need an approach to communicating data that fosters genuine understanding and human connection—which in turn builds trust. This is as true in business communications as it is in marketing and media. By putting people first in how we understand data and how we communicate it, we address both crises at once. Our mission to restore data credibility should also focus on creating more human connection. This mindset shift towards data communication comes at a historically appropriate time. Looking backwards; the “big data” trend created vast data storehouses built by data engineers. Data scientists were needed to make sense of the data, and in doing so created AI tools to put data to work in a more proactive way. But over the past 15 years, this also helped create a data credibility issue. Now we need a new create a new generation of data communicators to pick up where data science left off and work to find a new way to make data meaningful to more people. How We Can Make It Happen It is a matter of design. To echo the central concepts of design thinking, we have to change our focus from the technology to the humans that need it. Unlike UX design, people do not “use” a dashboard or a data visualization, they “read” them. This small change belays a much bigger impact. Data communication is a two-step approach: First, we need to understand what the data means to the people who need it. Then, we should use every tool available—words, images, diagrams, and story—to design the conversation around their needs and meet them where they are. This shift from data visualization to data communication needs a more balanced approach to how we design for data, and we need an extended skill set to equip the next generation of data communicators to do so. In this way, data is a bridge to connect people to discuss the context of the data. Why this is important to data professionals While the societal forces that created this loneliness epidemic and the distrust of information are nearly impossible to combat, we must try! It happens with each of us. Societal changes begin with the individual, and our work as data communicators means that we can design the relationships around us. It’s a personal approach to creating a more empathetic society—a mission that anyone can join, regardless of background and skillset. As data communicators, our work has a special impact. Every chart, every dashboard, and every story can become a bridge to bring people together and rebuild the credibility of shared truth that joins us. By focusing on the communication of the data, we create bridges to connect people and reinforce systems of trust. By empowering a new generation of data communicators, we can make an impact across a range of professions—in business and industry, media and journalism, communications, and fine art—to build more trust and create more conversations. View the full article