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Surge in demand for premium leisure will help airline group boost profits, says chief executive Ben SmithView the full article

In the wake of Donald Trump’s reelection as U.S. president, a growing chorus of voices is calling on liberals to toughen up and tone down the moral high ground. If the left wants to claw back power, they argue, it’s time to play dirty. Enter: dark woke. The term began circulating online soon after Trump was sworn in for his second term. A video of someone sprinting up to a Cybertruck and spraying its silver shell with spray paint? Dark woke. New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calling the new Republican government “rapists” and, in response, telling critics to “cry more”? Dark woke. #DarkWoke is rising. pic.twitter.com/2taP6TzHo2 — Right Wing Cope (@RightWingCope) February 3, 2025 Even elected Democrats seem to be testing the waters. California Representative Robert Garcia recently claimed he’s borrowing from House member Marjorie Taylor Greene’s playbook by bringing a “dick pic”—a photo of Elon Musk—to a Department of Government Efficiency subcommittee meeting. It’s not just a terminally online trend. TikToker and self-described “Regina George liberal” Suzanne Lambert echoed the sentiment in a CBS interview, urging Democrats to “be meaner.” Her reasoning: “You fight fire with fire: I want people to feel more comfortable fighting back, and I want them to see someone fighting for them.” It’s the latest evolution of what was once known, during Trump’s first term, as the dirtbag left—a label for young progressives who ruthlessly mocked their political enemies. During the 2024 election, then-President Joe Biden’s campaign also briefly embraced the Dark Brandon meme, which reimagined the 81-year-old Democratic nominee as a cooler internet alter-ego. “I think the “dark woke” stuff had to happen eventually because the liberal side of the culture war has not been overtly cruel enough to fit into American politics,” one X user mused last month. I think the “dark woke” stuff had to happen eventually because the liberal side of the culture war has not been overtly cruel enough to fit into American politics — Liv (@Liv_Agar) February 1, 2025 However, one interpretation of “dark wokeism” essentially boils down to slurs but said in a leftist way. On X, this is framed as a backlash against the “namby-pamby language policing that no one likes” in liberal politics. “Most people think ‘dark woke’ just means using slurs/adopting inherently regressive right wing positions,” journalist Taylor Lorenz posted on X. “Most ‘dark woke’ types have just adopted conservatism but refuse to acknowledge that bc they are nominally against Trump or want to think of themselves as ‘good” ppl.” Most people think “dark woke” just means using slurs/adopting inherently regressive right wing positions. Most “dark woke” types have just adopted conservatism but refuse to acknowledge that bc they are nominally against Trump or want to think of themselves as “good” ppl — Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) February 2, 2025 This shift toward meaner, nastier politics isn’t exactly surprising. Trump’s rise—built on a strategy of saying absolutely anything, no matter how offensive or plain wrong—didn’t just win him a second term. It set the tone for global politics. For now, dark woke is more gallows humor than any kind of serious organizing force. Whether it becomes something more? That remains to be seen. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Was talking about a march for science too political for work? I’m hoping you can help settle a disagreement a friend and I are having about a situation that came up in my work today. I work as a physician at a large academic hospital, and my department had our monthly faculty meeting today. As part of the meeting, our department chair discussed the current state of NIH funding going to our department. We do a large amount of research and have a number of labs dependent on NIH grants that may be affected by the current administration. He told us that there is a march for science this Friday (they are being held simultaneously in cities all over the country) and suggested that anyone who is interested and able to attend should do so, but not to wear anything that would identify us as employees of this hospital or to give any comments that could be seen as being on behalf of the hospital. On a basic level, losing funding risks labs getting shut down and my colleagues losing their jobs. I would argue that most, if not all, of us work here because of the reputation of this institution and the research performed here is a big part of that. (Trust me, we get paid less than we would at many other similar hospitals because we believe in what we do). My friend thinks that this was wrong for my chair to do because it is mixing politics in a professional environment. I see this as the chair providing us with information about the situation and encouraging us to advocate on behalf of our hospital, colleagues, patients, and research. What do you think? (I’m planning to march.) I’m with you. Your chair was providing information that many of you would find relevant to your jobs, and was also providing info you might not have had otherwise (to not identify yourself as employees of the hospital or appear to be speaking on its behalf). “Don’t mix politics in a professional environment” applies when it’s something like announcing a campaign rally for a candidate or promoting a pro-choice march if your jobs had nothing to do with reproductive health care. It doesn’t apply when the issue in question is so tightly entwined with your labs’ ability to survive. 2. How are these layoffs happening so quickly? I used to work at a large NGO that receives a lot of government funding. With the recent administration change, I’ve seen many of my old colleagues, including many who work in non-government-funded positions, announce that they’ve been laid off. How can these layoffs be happening so quickly? It seems like within one week, funding that took months to secure has vanished. Is the funding truly gone? Or are these companies using this as a reason to let people go? Plus, how can it be affecting non-government-funded positions so quickly? I thought WARN notices were required before eliminating jobs. Yes, it can happen that quickly (and is). First, while a position may not be directly government-funded, it can depend on grants or other sources of funding that have government funding somewhere in the chain. Second, some funders are changing their funding priorities in response to the new administration’s actions. Third, making adjustments in one area can affect a different area; for example, an organization might realize it’s going to lose $X in funding over the next year so they’re reconfiguring staffing and budgets now in order to prioritize programs A and B, even though that will mean cutting programs C and D. The WARN Act requires most employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 days notice if they’re laying off 50 or more people at once or to pay the equivalent amount of time in severance. If they have fewer than 100 employees or they’re not laying off 50+ people, it wouldn’t be in effect. 3. Responding to a nosy coworker My coworker is well-meaning and big-hearted but doesn’t have a lot of personal boundaries. She shares a lot about her own personal life issues such as past family drama and medical issues, also shares personal life and medical issues of her children and husband, and has even shared very personal information from coworkers. I’ve also noticed her tendency to not just overshare, but pry a bit as well. For example, I had to share the news of a recent death of a distant coworker we did some work with (relevant to our jobs) and she demanded to know who I heard it from (really not relevant). Overall, I like her but she can be really off the wall with certain comments at times. Today, I sent my team a notification letting them know I’d be stepping out for a dentist appointment for my regular, twice-a-year cleaning. After that, she sent me a private message along the lines of, “We both have more medical appointments than the rest of the team! I’m not trying to pry — you don’t have to share any details — but I’m sending thoughts and prayers and wanted to make sure you’re okay!” Not only is this a weird comment, but, frankly, I don’t! This year I had a normal annual physical, two dentist appointments, and then the occasional “thing” that might come up for anybody, like seeing an allergist this year. That’s pretty much it. We have a pretty casual work culture where we’re salaried and free to take off for appointments as long as our work is done, so I’m wondering if she’s confusing personal appointments (car appointments, etc.) for medical appointments? I don’t always give details when I step away for an appointment so she may be assuming what the term “appointment” means. I responded with a quick “Hey thanks but I’m healthy, just good about getting my checkups!” and moved on. But I would love to hear if there’s a better way to handle coworkers bringing up something like this and setting good boundaries. Do I ignore? Eyebrow raise and say, “How odd, what makes you say something like that?” (I’m not sure she’d pickup on that level of subtly.) Go nuclear and say, “Whoa, that’s way inappropriate”? We have a cordial but distant relationship on the whole, mainly on my part because of her tendency to overshare or gossip. Given that, although this was definitely crossing a serious boundary, it hasn’t been a persistent issue and I’m not sure how strong of a response something like that would require. Nah, your response was fine. It allowed you to just quickly move on rather than getting in a discussion of boundaries with her, which is a fine choice to make (unless you want to get into it with her). Sometimes the key with people like this is to just studiously not take the bait. So you also could have just ignored her message entirely (particularly since she said she wasn’t trying to pry! let’s pretend to take her at her word). 4. Should I address a rumor about my company being awful? I am a payroll specialist who processes payroll for over 1,000 electricians. Today I heard that there is a rumor going around one of our largest sites that my company lays people off after 90 days to avoid paying out any sick time (field employees can accrue and use up to 40 hours per year, but can’t use it until their 91st day of employment). This is not true! We are a leading electrical contractor in our state and, honestly, the time and resources it takes to onboard employees would hardly make it financially sensible to be laying people off willy-nilly. Not to mention getting such an unethical practice like this past the union! What I heard specifically was this: a site administrator told me “I heard someone say…,” meaning a current employee. In my experience, these things spread like wildfire among the crew(s). And the admin seemed genuinely relieved when I told her that it wasn’t true so I’m afraid people are actually believing it! Should I say something? I have a good relationship with both my manager and our director of field personnel. Should I tell them what I heard? I don’t think there’s enough here that you really need to act on it … but if you’re concerned that there’s misinformation out there, there’s nothing wrong with sharing that concern with your manager and/or the field personnel director and letting them decide if they want to address it. Just be careful to specify exactly what you heard, so it’s clear that you’re not hearing it from multiple people (which doesn’t mean multiple people don’t believe it — maybe they do — but you don’t want to overstate what you actually know). 5. Can I be told to use PTO for partial-day sick leave when I’m exempt? I’m a salaried exempt computer programmer working from home, which means sometimes I have the luxury of working a few hours beyond the weekly 40 when inspiration strikes. Yesterday, I wasn’t feeling well so I stopped working at about 10 am. My boss asked today if I was going to file for PTO or if I’d be making it up. I’ve read your post here to make sure I was right about the FLSA. It’s come up before, but I’m not sure he believed the bit about how working any part of a week means getting paid for the full week. Anyway, he’s a good supervisor and we have a friendly relationship, but how do I tell him he’s wrong about this? I asked an AI and it said my company could require that I take PTO when I’m sick, but that doesn’t seem right — so I thought I’d ask a real intelligence. The AI got it right. As an exempt worker, you need to be paid your full salary when you work any part of a week (with some narrow exceptions, like your first and last week at a job), but that’s is only about pay. It doesn’t have anything to do with docking time from your PTO balance, and your company can still require you to use PTO for time that you miss. It’s pretty common for companies to do that, particularly when you’re missing nearly an entire day of work. (I’d consider it nickel-and-diming you if they told you to use PTO for an hour here and an hour there when you’re regularly working extra hours, but in this case you missed nearly a full day of work so it’s not that outrageous.) Related: my manager is nickeling and diming me on vacation time while I’m working 27 days in a row View the full article

The public water utility cannot avoid a debt refinancing, despite the horrifying expense View the full article

One of the world’s most complex financial conglomerates is attracting scrutiny for circular flows of cash involving its global property portfolioView the full article

Europe’s largest economy could return to pre-pandemic growth trend View the full article

AI data centre provider hit by blow from biggest customer ahead of the biggest tech listing this yearView the full article

Number of new homes given go ahead last year was lowest since 2014View the full article

Firms including Deloitte and Accenture told to justify billions of dollars’ worth of contractsView the full article

Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) has launched AgentExchange, a new marketplace integrated into its Agentforce platform, aimed at expanding opportunities in the $6 trillion digital labor market. The company announced that AgentExchange debuts with over 200 partners, including Google Cloud, Docusign, and Box, offering trusted AI solutions that businesses can use to build AI agents efficiently. Building on the success of AppExchange, Salesforce’s long-established enterprise cloud marketplace, AgentExchange provides a platform for developers, partners, and the Agentblazer community to create, distribute, and monetize agentic AI components. AgentExchange offers businesses access to hundreds of prebuilt actions, topics, and templates, all designed to enhance efficiency and innovation. According to Salesforce, these solutions have undergone rigorous security and customer reviews to ensure trustworthiness. “Accelerating our speed of execution is critical to Goodyear’s ability to deliver for our customers and maximize our end-to-end value proposition. We’re excited about the potential of the ready-to-use solutions from AgentExchange to enhance our speed, efficiency, and customer experience,” said Goodyear CEO and President Mark Stewart. Key Partner Contributions Several major partners have already begun integrating solutions into AgentExchange: Google Cloud: Enables Agentforce agents to access up-to-the-minute data, news, and insights using Vertex AI and Google Search. Box: Helps agents extract insights from unstructured data and interact with content using natural language. Docusign: Automates agreement generation, routing, signature tracking, and workflow management. Workday: Enhances HR processes, including onboarding and benefits management, by automating self-service workflows. Salesforce states that these partnerships will help businesses implement AI-driven workflows that improve productivity across various industries. Comprehensive AI Solutions AgentExchange introduces new partner-built components, allowing businesses and developers to expand the capabilities of AI agents within Agentforce. These components include: Actions: Prebuilt integrations such as APIs, workflows, and automation scripts. Prompt Templates: Standardized prompts for guiding AI interactions and responses. Topics: Predefined workflows that structure AI agent behavior for specific tasks. Agent Templates: End-to-end AI solutions that incorporate multiple actions and topics for industry-specific applications. Salesforce notes that these features simplify AI adoption by allowing businesses to discover, test, and implement AI solutions directly from the marketplace or within Agentforce’s development tools. AgentExchange aims to facilitate collaboration among businesses, partners, and developers. Companies can access industry-specific solutions while engaging with the broader Agentblazer community to refine AI agent capabilities. “AgentExchange empowers customers to seamlessly integrate trusted AI solutions within their workflow,” said Alice Steinglass, EVP & GM of Platform, Integration and Automation at Salesforce. “Now our developer community can directly tap the expertise of our partner ecosystem to get the right industry-specific solutions so they can build and implement AI agents, and be the pioneers turning their businesses into Agentforce companies.” Image: Salesforce This article, "Salesforce Unveils AgentExchange, Expanding the Digital Labor Market" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) has launched AgentExchange, a new marketplace integrated into its Agentforce platform, aimed at expanding opportunities in the $6 trillion digital labor market. The company announced that AgentExchange debuts with over 200 partners, including Google Cloud, Docusign, and Box, offering trusted AI solutions that businesses can use to build AI agents efficiently. Building on the success of AppExchange, Salesforce’s long-established enterprise cloud marketplace, AgentExchange provides a platform for developers, partners, and the Agentblazer community to create, distribute, and monetize agentic AI components. AgentExchange offers businesses access to hundreds of prebuilt actions, topics, and templates, all designed to enhance efficiency and innovation. According to Salesforce, these solutions have undergone rigorous security and customer reviews to ensure trustworthiness. “Accelerating our speed of execution is critical to Goodyear’s ability to deliver for our customers and maximize our end-to-end value proposition. We’re excited about the potential of the ready-to-use solutions from AgentExchange to enhance our speed, efficiency, and customer experience,” said Goodyear CEO and President Mark Stewart. Key Partner Contributions Several major partners have already begun integrating solutions into AgentExchange: Google Cloud: Enables Agentforce agents to access up-to-the-minute data, news, and insights using Vertex AI and Google Search. Box: Helps agents extract insights from unstructured data and interact with content using natural language. Docusign: Automates agreement generation, routing, signature tracking, and workflow management. Workday: Enhances HR processes, including onboarding and benefits management, by automating self-service workflows. Salesforce states that these partnerships will help businesses implement AI-driven workflows that improve productivity across various industries. Comprehensive AI Solutions AgentExchange introduces new partner-built components, allowing businesses and developers to expand the capabilities of AI agents within Agentforce. These components include: Actions: Prebuilt integrations such as APIs, workflows, and automation scripts. Prompt Templates: Standardized prompts for guiding AI interactions and responses. Topics: Predefined workflows that structure AI agent behavior for specific tasks. Agent Templates: End-to-end AI solutions that incorporate multiple actions and topics for industry-specific applications. Salesforce notes that these features simplify AI adoption by allowing businesses to discover, test, and implement AI solutions directly from the marketplace or within Agentforce’s development tools. AgentExchange aims to facilitate collaboration among businesses, partners, and developers. Companies can access industry-specific solutions while engaging with the broader Agentblazer community to refine AI agent capabilities. “AgentExchange empowers customers to seamlessly integrate trusted AI solutions within their workflow,” said Alice Steinglass, EVP & GM of Platform, Integration and Automation at Salesforce. “Now our developer community can directly tap the expertise of our partner ecosystem to get the right industry-specific solutions so they can build and implement AI agents, and be the pioneers turning their businesses into Agentforce companies.” Image: Salesforce This article, "Salesforce Unveils AgentExchange, Expanding the Digital Labor Market" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Borrowing costs rise amid global sell-off sparked by GermanyView the full article

Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has launched Photoshop for iPhone, bringing its widely used image editing and design application to mobile devices. The new app, available starting today, delivers Photoshop’s core tools, including layering, masking, and Firefly-powered Generative Fill, in a mobile-friendly interface. An Android version is set to launch later this year. The mobile expansion is part of Adobe’s broader initiative to make Photoshop more accessible, with the new mobile app and an enhanced web experience now included in all current Photoshop plans. According to Adobe, these additions provide flexibility for established Photoshop users while also welcoming a new generation of creators. The introduction of Photoshop’s mobile app marks the first time the software’s advanced editing capabilities are available in a single free mobile application. Users can create and edit visuals with Photoshop’s signature tools, including selections, layers, and masks. The app also features the Tap Select tool for easy image adjustments, the Spot Healing Brush for removing distractions, and Firefly-powered generative AI tools like Generative Fill and Generative Expand. The mobile app integrates with Adobe Express, Adobe Fresco, and Adobe Lightroom, allowing creators to transition between workflows seamlessly. Additionally, users can access Adobe Stock’s extensive asset library for added creative elements. Adobe has introduced a new Photoshop Mobile and Web plan, priced at $7.99 per month or $69.99 annually. This plan provides expanded access to Photoshop on the web and advanced editing features for mobile and iPad users. Features available in this plan include: Seamless transitions between mobile and web for cross-device editing Firefly-powered AI tools, such as Generate Similar and Reference Image, to enhance creativity More than 20,000 fonts with the ability to import additional options Object Select for precise selections of people and objects Advanced retouching tools like Remove Tool, Clone Stamp, and Content-Aware Fill Enhanced control over transparency, color effects, and blend modes Lighten and Darken tools for non-destructive image adjustments All current Photoshop paid plans now include Photoshop on iPad, Photoshop on the web, and the new mobile app. Adobe has emphasized its commitment to ethical AI development, ensuring that Firefly-powered tools are commercially safe. “Firefly is commercially safe and only trained on content that Adobe has permission to use, including licensed content from Adobe Stock and public domain content where copyright has expired,” the company stated. Additionally, content created using Firefly-powered tools will include Content Credentials, which serve as a “nutrition label” for digital content, promoting transparency in AI-generated media. Photoshop for iPhone is now available worldwide in the Apple App Store. The Android version is expected to launch later this year. Existing Photoshop customers will receive access to the new mobile app at no additional cost as part of their current plans. Image: Adobe This article, "Adobe Brings Photoshop to Mobile" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has launched Photoshop for iPhone, bringing its widely used image editing and design application to mobile devices. The new app, available starting today, delivers Photoshop’s core tools, including layering, masking, and Firefly-powered Generative Fill, in a mobile-friendly interface. An Android version is set to launch later this year. The mobile expansion is part of Adobe’s broader initiative to make Photoshop more accessible, with the new mobile app and an enhanced web experience now included in all current Photoshop plans. According to Adobe, these additions provide flexibility for established Photoshop users while also welcoming a new generation of creators. The introduction of Photoshop’s mobile app marks the first time the software’s advanced editing capabilities are available in a single free mobile application. Users can create and edit visuals with Photoshop’s signature tools, including selections, layers, and masks. The app also features the Tap Select tool for easy image adjustments, the Spot Healing Brush for removing distractions, and Firefly-powered generative AI tools like Generative Fill and Generative Expand. The mobile app integrates with Adobe Express, Adobe Fresco, and Adobe Lightroom, allowing creators to transition between workflows seamlessly. Additionally, users can access Adobe Stock’s extensive asset library for added creative elements. Adobe has introduced a new Photoshop Mobile and Web plan, priced at $7.99 per month or $69.99 annually. This plan provides expanded access to Photoshop on the web and advanced editing features for mobile and iPad users. Features available in this plan include: Seamless transitions between mobile and web for cross-device editing Firefly-powered AI tools, such as Generate Similar and Reference Image, to enhance creativity More than 20,000 fonts with the ability to import additional options Object Select for precise selections of people and objects Advanced retouching tools like Remove Tool, Clone Stamp, and Content-Aware Fill Enhanced control over transparency, color effects, and blend modes Lighten and Darken tools for non-destructive image adjustments All current Photoshop paid plans now include Photoshop on iPad, Photoshop on the web, and the new mobile app. Adobe has emphasized its commitment to ethical AI development, ensuring that Firefly-powered tools are commercially safe. “Firefly is commercially safe and only trained on content that Adobe has permission to use, including licensed content from Adobe Stock and public domain content where copyright has expired,” the company stated. Additionally, content created using Firefly-powered tools will include Content Credentials, which serve as a “nutrition label” for digital content, promoting transparency in AI-generated media. Photoshop for iPhone is now available worldwide in the Apple App Store. The Android version is expected to launch later this year. Existing Photoshop customers will receive access to the new mobile app at no additional cost as part of their current plans. Image: Adobe This article, "Adobe Brings Photoshop to Mobile" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Sweeping geographic labels had sparked break-up speculation and been deemed inappropriate by some staff View the full article

As society becomes increasingly aware of people’s diverse needs, accessible design has become the hot topic. Years ago at Michael Graves Design, our president Donald Strum, our chief design officer Rob Van Varick, and I were reviewing student portfolios. All the designs were about sustainability. Today, we see a lot of focus on accessibility. We love it. This makes sense, because gaining empathy for your products’ future users is at the core of product design. The design community is ready for accessibility. Our challenge today is proving that it makes great business sense. At Michael Graves Design, we have long embraced accessible design; our North Star is activities of daily living (ADLs), a term used to describe the fundamental skills required to successfully live independently. Guided by our “Delight for All” philosophy, and with the ADLs prioritizing the most impactful objects to design, we’re dedicated to designing products that people love and products that enhance lives, regardless of age or physical ability. To do that, we look for product opportunity gaps—unmet consumer needs—and fulfill them with new product designs. By definition, this is pioneering, creating solutions that previously have not existed. We embrace pioneering as a cherished value that we want to share. Our true mission has been to design everyday objects in a way that works for the widest audience possible. At the same time, the products should look great and make users love them because the products enhance their lives. Brands want to make emotional connections with consumers and helping someone do something that was previously a struggle is the best way to fall in love. We understand that expanding the addressable market size is fundamental to growth and that people always want a better mousetrap. We’re designing products that give equal focus to style and safety. Democratization of design Michael Graves, an esteemed architect and designer, founded our firm with a visionary mission to shift design from abstract modernism to a human-centered approach that puts the person at the center of all design decisions. This philosophy brought color and art back into the built environment, and prioritized human comfort, understanding, and joy. This approach provides cognitive accessibility. Later, Michael Graves Design’s partnership with Target defined America’s expectation that great design should be affordable to everyone. Design became a corporate strategy. The democratization of design was born, and our company delivered financial accessibility. Over his last decade, after becoming paralyzed, Michael discovered the indignities the built environment imposed on people, and he became a passionate advocate among the disabled. This moved our company to focus on physical accessibility, directing the power of design to improve lifestyles and healthcare experiences for every body. Michael transformed the role of the architect in society and left the world a better place than he found it. Delight for All Now, our mission is Delight for All, to create moments of joy through products that are visually appealing, full of character and purpose, and designed to enhance people’s lives. We take pride in being one of the most accessible design brands, creating functional, beautiful products for every body and encourage other companies and designers to do the same. We’ve brought over 2,500 products to market, from our iconic teakettles to healthcare products that transform the acute care experience, to home products that prioritize universal accessibility and appeal. We create products with purpose and personality, safety, and style, so that no one has to choose between living with one or the other—the concepts can coexist harmoniously. This approach is rooted in empathy and an understanding of how profoundly good design improves quality of life, making everyday environments more intuitive and enjoyable for everyone. “Design for All” led to good design becoming a “cost of entry” consideration for most companies. Our brand ethos is now pushing other companies and designers to consider physical accessibility from the onset of their design processes rather than as an afterthought. Once this reaches critical mass and competition is everywhere, the promise of universal design will be achieved and we want to get there together. How is this done? To design any product with a Delight for All vision, a rigorous ethnographic research process, known as “Design With,” is essential to the discovery of novel functional enhancements. We start each design project by generating insights based on the lives of real people. We conduct interviews and observations with a diverse range of potential users, including older adults and individuals with disabilities. By understanding the unique needs of these communities, we ensure that our products are not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and empowering, making them suitable for every body. Human-focused ethos This human-focused ethos guided our recent collaboration with Pottery Barn, where consumer preference testing feedback informed the designs for our new products. By prioritizing user feedback, companies can create designs that blend safety with style, showing that accessibility is as essential to great furniture design as are aesthetic considerations. Design has the power to enrich all of our lives and this collaboration allows us to make beautiful and purposeful furniture available to everyone. We also focus on collaborating with design schools and advocacy groups to raise awareness about the importance of accessibility in design, ensuring this ethos spreads. Our goal is to set new consumer expectations with products that seamlessly blend safety with style, proving to the world that accessible design makes great business sense by broadening the total addressable market. We remain committed to redefining accessible design, ensuring that innovation and empathy continues to shape a more inclusive world and want to see more brands do so with us. Accessible design is part of our ongoing mission: to create functional, accessible, and beautiful products that enhance the lives of every body, paving the way for a more inclusive world. Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design. View the full article

Boomi is a popular iPaaS, or integration platform as a service, which allows enterprise teams to integrate essential systems and automate manual work. While it’s a popular platform, with customers like the Australian Red Cross, LinkedIn, and the American Cancer Society, it’s not necessarily the best option for every team. Let’s look at some of the best Boomi alternatives on the market. Unito: Best Boomi alternative for 2-way sync Unito is the best Boomi alternative for organizations that want enterprise-grade integration capability without waiting months to deploy their first successful integration. A Unito flow goes beyond the simple automations crowding the integration market, while keeping the same easy-to-use, drag-and-drop interface. All that without sacrificing the deep integration functionality or customizability enterprise teams expect. Say, for instance, that your customer-facing teams — sales, marketing, and customer success — need to collaborate on a campaign to improve the quality of marketing-qualified leads and retain existing customers. Without the right integration solution, someone would have to manually copy and paste information back and forth between the tools these teams use, like CRM software, a ticketing solution, and the project management tool the marketing team relies on. And with solutions like Boomi, you’d have to wait weeks, maybe even months for your first integration to go live and actually impact this initiative. With Unito, that’s not a problem. Here’s why Unito is the best Boomi alternative on the market: Robust, easy-to-use integrations: Unito integrations strike the perfect balance between power and usability. Where other solutions take technical expertise, third-party consultants, and months to deploy, Unito can be deployed in days without technical help. True 2-way sync: Most integration platforms on the market only support one-way automation. Many others offer a 2-way sync that’s lacking crucial features like infinite loop detection and duplicate filtering. Automated field mappings: Field mappings pair fields in one tool (e.g. “reporter” in Jira) with fields in the other (e.g. “caller” in ServiceNow). This ensures all the data you need goes exactly where you need it. Many integration platforms expect you to map these manually, while Unito can do it automatically. Robust rules: Unito’s rules give you total control over what gets synced between tools, where it’s synced to, and what happens to items Unito creates. Deeper integrations: Most Boomi alternatives only support a few fields or simple actions without a dedicated technical expert and significant investment. Unito supports deeper integrations and you’ll see results without any technical expertise. Biggest advantages Unito flows can be set up quickly and simply, setting them apart from the integrations you’ll find in most Boomi competitors. Unito integrations are enterprise-grade (including advanced security features and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance) without the associated deployment times. Unito’s integrations support all sorts of tools, from project management platforms to DevOps tools and ERP platforms. Want to see how Unito compares with the most popular Boomi alternatives? Here are our full breakdowns: Unito vs. Tray.io Unito vs. Workato Biggest drawback Unito doesn’t have as many integrations as some of the other options in this list. Customer rating G2: 4.5/5 Capterra: 4.5/5 Want to see what sets Unito apart? Meet with our team and see why Unito is the best Boomi competitor on the market. Book a demo Tray.ai Tray.ai is an AI-ready iPaaS that’s your one-stop shop for your integration and AI agent needs. While many tools you already use offer some level of agentic AI, Tray.ai allows you to build, deploy, and fine-tune these agents across tools, rather than them being trapped in the platform they’re originally from. This tool’s integration features use recipe-based automation, which can be used to save manual work across even the most complex workflows. With over 500 connectors, you’d be hard-pressed to find a tool Tray.ai doesn’t integrate. Biggest drawback Tray.ai can have a significant learning curve. Organizations that don’t have the technical resources to invest in its deployment may not see a positive impact until months after deployment. Customer rating G2: 4.5/5 Capterra: 4.9/5 Workato Workato is a popular iPaaS with clients like Adobe, Atlassian, HP, and HubSpot. Its AI-first builder ensures that its users get access to the latest technological advancements when building their integrations, meaning their workflows don’t get left behind as the market leaps forward. Like many other integration solutions, it uses trigger-based automation, meaning that a work item has to be created or updated before data from it can be pushed to other tools. This allows Workato integrations to work across thousands of tools, but it’s more limited than a 2-way sync or similar technology. Biggest drawback Workato has a steep learning curve, and finding the right support options to troubleshoot more complex integration needs can be unnecessarily difficult. Customer rating G2: 4.7/5 Capterra: 4.7/5 TIBCO TIBCO is a more technical solution for application integration that allows IT teams and engineers to connect essential systems using more than 200 pre-built connectors. Many of these connectors fall within broader software ecosystems, like Amazon and Microsoft, but individual tools like Docusign, Jira, and ServiceNow are also supported. If you need a robust enterprise-grade data platform and you have technical resources to spare, this might be the right option for you. Biggest drawback TIBCO products are among some of the most expensive on this list, stretching even enterprise-sized budgets to their limit. Customer rating G2: 4.3/5 Capterra: 4.3/5 Celigo Celigo is an integration platform that allows organizations to automate essential processes, improve data flow through their workflows, and leverage prebuilt integrations to go from kickoff to deployment more quickly. Celigo has hundreds of prebuilt integrations, including Salesforce, Oracle NetSuite, Snowflake, Airtable, and Hootsuite. It also has a built-in API management platform, AI features, and more. Biggest drawback Troubleshooting can be a challenge, especially since features like activity logs aren’t running 24/7. Without a dedicated support team or internal IT infrastructure, a single issue with a single integration could bring your workflows to a screeching halt. Customer rating G2: 4.6/5 Capterra: 4.6/5 Get the best Boomi alternative While there are many Boomi alternatives for data integration, few offer what Unito does. A true 2-way sync, integrations that take days to deploy instead of months, and robust security features enterprise organizations expect. Ready to see what Unito can do? Book a demo FAQ: Boomi competitors Who are Boomi’s main competitors? Boomi has more than a few competitors. The top-rated among them include: Unito Tray.ai Workato TIBCO Celigo Is Boomi owned by Dell? While Boomi was once owned by Dell, it isn’t any longer. Is Mulesoft better than Boomi? That depends on your needs. Mulesoft is more suited to organizations that want to deploy AI agents, while Boomi is more suitable as an iPaaS (integration platform as a service). Is Boomi a good ETL tool? Boomi can be used for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load), but it’s designed to be used as an iPaaS (integration platform as a service). View the full article

A coalition of national financial organizations filed a friend-of-the-court brief for preemption after regulators filed one against it in a key servicing case. View the full article

Improve your local business's visibility with schema. Learn how structured data can help search engines understand and showcase your website better. The post Local SEO Schema: A Complete Guide To Local Structured Data & Rich Results appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

On Wednesday, Utah became the first state in the country to pass legislation mandating that app stores verify users’ ages and get parental consent for certain activity on minors’ accounts. The controversial App Store Accountability Act, which will now head to the desk of Utah Governor Spencer Cox, has pitted app store giants Google and Apple against social media companies like Meta and is part of a wave of similar proposals that have been introduced in a number of states, including Texas and Alabama. The bill received broad support from the social media platforms that have borne the brunt of criticism for failing to protect children online. Those platforms have long argued that app stores themselves ought to take on more responsibility to shield kids from harmful apps. In a statement provided on behalf of Meta, Snap, and X, a Meta spokesperson applauded Utah for “putting parents in charge” with the passage of the law. “Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child’s age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy-preserving way,” the statement reads. “The app store is the best place for it.” App stores, of course, see things differently. Google declined Fast Company’s request for comment, and Apple didn’t respond. But Chamber of Progress, a tech advocacy group that represents both companies, has come out forcefully in opposition of the legislation. In public testimony and writing platforms, the group has accused the bill of infringing on the First Amendment rights of Utah’s citizens and violating their privacy by forcing app stores to collect sensitive data in order to verify ages. Chamber of Progress has argued the law would require companies to collect even more data than they already do. In a statement to Fast Company, Chamber of Progress’s government relations senior director Robert Singleton suggested a legal battle would inevitably follow if the bill is signed into law. Indeed, another law in Utah that attempted to require social media platforms to verify users’ ages was blocked in court last year on First Amendment grounds. Similar social media age-verification laws in other states have also been blocked, but that has not deterred states, including Utah, from approaching the issue from a new angle. And yet, Singleton predicted, “The same thing is likely to happen here. This bill invades everyone’s privacy and forces even adults to share sensitive data just to use their own devices.” Utah state representative Jim Dunnigan, who sponsored the bill in the State House, says parent groups were a significant force in getting the legislation over the finish line. “This is at least partly driven by parents who are concerned about the adult contacts that their children have available to them,” he says. “Parents aren’t always there, and their kids are curious. We’re trying to protect them until they get older.” One leading child advocacy group that has been circulating the bill across the country as model legislation is the Digital Childhood Alliance. In a statement, the alliance’s founding chair Melissa McKay said, “The momentum behind this issue is growing, and today’s victory is a testament to the urgent need for accountability from the platforms that shape the digital lives of children.” In addition to requiring app stores to verify ages and get parental consent every time a child wants to download or purchase something on an app, the bill would require app stores to share age categories and consent data with developers. It would also enable minors or their parents who have been harmed to file a civil suit against app stores. Utah’s governor was supportive of the social media age-verification law that was blocked, and according to Rep. Dunnigan, Governor Cox is expected to support this new bill as well. If that happens, it seems unlikely the app store giants will go down without a fight. A recent investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed how Apple’s lobbying blitz in Louisiana helped kill a similar attempt to regulate the App Store. In the meantime, the company appears eager to send a message that it’s prepared to implement changes without regulation. Last week, in apparent anticipation of the law’s passage, Apple announced a slew of new child-safety offerings, including giving parents the ability to share their children’s ages in the App Store—information that is then passed on to app developers. That’s a welcome step, says Rep. Dunnigan, but “we need consistency across all platforms, and that’s what this bill tries to accomplish.” View the full article

Similarweb is powerful for digital intelligence. But like any tool, it has limitations. You might want deeper insights into your competitors’ content strategies. Or need more reliable data for SEO planning. Or you’re simply looking for a more affordable solution. I’ve spent months testing and researching the best Similarweb alternatives to see how they compare. Four tools stand out as replacements. This guide covers the top options for: Market trends Advanced SEO analysis Ad intelligence Similarweb Limitations While Similarweb excels at competitor intelligence, it might not fit everyone. Here are some key limitations: Limited SEO and keyword research features: It lacks in-depth keyword rankings, SERP tracking, and backlink analysis, making it less effective for SEO professionals Limited keyword and backlink databases: Similarweb’s databases are smaller compared to its competitors like Semrush and Ahrefs Limited traffic source breakdown: It doesn’t show a detailed breakdown of where the website gets traffic from (e.g., organic search, social media, referrals, email, etc.) No granular audience demographics: Unlike some alternatives, Similarweb lacks detailed demographic breakdowns, such as income level or interests, that could help with audience targeting Similarweb Alternatives at a Glance Before I review each tool in detail, here’s a quick comparison of the best Similarweb alternatives: Best for Standout Feature Price Starts at Semrush .Trends Getting a detailed overview of competitors’ digital strategy Comprehensive traffic source analysis and traffic journeys $428.95 per month Ahrefs Site Explorer SEO and backlink analysis In-depth keyword research, competitor content tracking $129 per month Serpstat Budget-friendly SEO and PPC analysis Keyword gap analysis, competitor PPC insights $59 per month Exploding Topics Discovering emerging trends before they peak AI-powered trend forecasting, 12+ months of predictions Free plan available Semrush .Trends Best for marketers who want detailed competitor intelligence and market trends Pricing: $139.95 (Semrush Pro plan) + $289 (.Trends add-on) = $428.95 per month Semrush .Trends helps you spy on your competitors’ traffic and uncover hidden market opportunities. It shows you how much traffic your competitors get, where that traffic comes from, and how engaged their visitors are. Plus, you can use Market Explorer to spot emerging industry trends before your competition. Why consider Semrush .Trends over Similarweb? Let’s take a glance: Semrush Similarweb Primary Focus Competitor intelligence and SEO analysis Competitor intelligence and general market research Traffic Source Breakdown Detailed insights into specific channels More generalized traffic source analysis Keyword Database 26 billion keywords 5 billion keywords Backlink Database 43 trillion backlinks 3.6 trillion backlinks Who’s It for? Digital marketers, SEO professionals, business strategists Market researchers, businesses, or investors analyzing industries Here are the key features included in .Trends: Traffic Analytics Traffic Analytics shows you your competitors’ traffic and where it comes from. It also reveals useful SEO performance metrics, including: Total monthly traffic Top traffic sources Best-performing content Visitor engagement metrics And you’ll get detailed insights into website traffic and visitor behavior that’ll help you refine your marketing strategy. Let me show you how to use Traffic Analytics to spy on your competition. Evaluate On-Site Engagement Metrics like pages per visit, average visit duration, and bounce rate give you a snapshot of what happens when visitors land on the site. Here’s what these metrics tell you about your competition: A high bounce rate means most visitors leave without exploring other pages. This often happens when: The content doesn’t match what visitors were searching for Pages take too long to load The site isn’t mobile-friendly On the flip side, when you see a high average visit duration and multiple pages per visit, it usually means: Their content keeps readers engaged They’ve built effective content funnels Their site navigation makes it easy to explore more content Analyze Website Traffic Sources Go to the “Traffic Journey” tab to understand where your competitors’ website visitors are coming from and which channels are driving the most traffic. For example, organic search, paid search, social, or referrals. What do these metrics mean? If you see most of their traffic comes from organic search (like in the screenshot above), you’ve struck gold. This usually means: They’ve built a solid foundation of SEO-optimized content They’re targeting the right keywords for your industry They’re not overly dependent on paid traffic Pro tip: Pay special attention to competitors maintaining steady organic traffic growth. These are the ones whose SEO strategies you’ll want to study and adapt for your own site. Map Out the Traffic Journey The Traffic Journey report is like a GPS for your competitors’ visitors. It tracks their exact path before and after they land on the site. Here’s what different traffic patterns reveal: Pattern #1: When you see visitors flowing from Google → Your competitor → Stripe (or other payment processors), you’ve found a winning formula: Their content matches search intent perfectly (thanks to a solid SEO strategy) They’ve built a high-converting sales funnel They’re turning organic traffic into customers Pattern #2: Notice lots of visitors bouncing back to Google.com? That’s a red flag indicating: The content isn’t delivering what visitors want There might be technical issues causing frustration You’ve spotted a gap you can fill with better content Discover Top-Performing Pages Navigate to the “Top Pages” tab to identify which pages on a competitor’s site drive the most traffic. These top pages reveal what resonates most with their audience. This offers inspiration for your content strategy. Let’s say you run a personal finance blog. You might discover that NerdWallet’s most-visited pages are their: Mortgage calculator tools Credit card comparison guides Student loan refinancing reviews This tells you three things: What type of content your audience want (interactive tools and comparison guides) Which topics drive the most traffic (mortgages, credit cards, student loans) Where to focus your content strategy for maximum impact Market Explorer Market Explorer helps you evaluate your market size and track up to 100 competitors at once. The tool shows you who’s leading your industry, who’s growing fast, and detailed insights about your target audience’s demographics and behavior. Here’s what you can do with Market Explorer: Get a Market Summary The Market Summary dashboard shows you a snapshot of your chosen industry. Let’s say you’re just starting a business in the travel and tourism industry. This dashboard gives you the key metrics to evaluate the market and plan your strategy effectively: Here’s what the key metrics on this dashboard mean: Market consolidation: Shows if a few big players dominate your market (high consolidation) or if it’s spread across many smaller sites (low consolidation) Market domains: How many active websites compete in your space Market traffic: How many monthly visitors the entire industry gets (and whether it’s growing or shrinking) Market traffic cost: How much you’d need to spend on ads to get the same traffic volume Market size: Two key numbers that matter: Total Addressable Market (TAM): Your maximum possible audience size (example: “all online shoppers”) Serviceable Available Market (SAM): The audience you can realistically reach (example: “online shoppers in your country”) Analyze Audience Insights The Audience section provides a detailed breakdown of your industry’s demographics, socioeconomic data, and behavioral trends. These insights help you understand your target audience on a deeper level. This will allow you to tailor your marketing strategies to their specific needs and preferences. Market Explorer even shows detailed audience socioeconomic data. For instance, their employment status, education level, and household income and size. You’ll also see an overview of your audience’s additional interests. And what social media they use the most. Strengths & Limitations Strengths Limitations Understand where competitors get engagement from (organic search, social media, email, ads) No mobile app intelligence Tailored for SEO intelligence as it’s an all-in-one SEO platform Further reading: Semrush Review: My #1 Choice for SEO Success Ahrefs Site Explorer Best for SEO professionals looking to analyze competitors’ organic traffic Pricing: Starting at $129 per month Ahrefs’ Site Explorer is an SEO-focused alternative to Similarweb. It provides detailed insights into competitors’ organic traffic and SEO strategies. Why should you consider Ahrefs’ Site Explorer over Similarweb? Here’s the high-level feature comparison: Ahrefs Similarweb Primary Focus SEO and backlink analysis Competitor intelligence and general market research Traffic Source Breakdown Organic and paid traffic insights More generalized traffic source analysis Keyword Database 28.7 billion keywords 5 billion keywords Backlink Database 35 trillion backlinks 3.6 trillion backlinks Who’s It for? SEOs and content marketers analyzing SEO competition Market researchers, businesses, or investors analyzing industries Now, let’s review the key features Ahrefs Site Explorer offers. View Your Competitors’ Top Pages Site Explorer lets you identify the highest-value content on your competitor’s website. Plus, the top organic keywords driving that traffic. Use these insights to replicate their success. Let’s say you’re running a personal finance blog that competes with NerdWallet. You can analyze their top-performing pages to spot content opportunities. In this example, the mortgage rates page is one of the most visited. This means that “current mortgage rates” is a high-demand topic worth covering on your website. Review the Site Structures of Your Competitors Ahrefs’ Site Structure feature shows a website’s architecture in a tree format with key SEO metrics across each section and subfolder. This helps you analyze how competitors organize their content and which sections attract the most traffic. For example, when you analyze one of your competitors, you can see: Which content categories drive the most organic traffic (e.g., reviews, mortgage guides, or financial calculators) The traffic performance of individual pages and subfolders How much organic and paid traffic each section receives, pinpointing opportunities for content optimization [missing-ss] Strengths & Limitations Strengths Limitations Helps identify high-value content opportunities Less emphasis on broader market research Have a look at competitors’ site architecture No data on your competitors’ audience (age, location, interests, etc) Further reading: 7 Best Ahrefs Alternatives (Free and Paid) Serpstat Best for SEOs and PPC advertisers looking for a budget-friendly tool for competitor analysis Pricing: Starts at $59 per month; freemium version available Serpstat is a budget-friendly SEO and PPC intelligence tool that analyzes competitors. It finds keyword opportunities and improves search rankings. Why should you consider Serpstat over Similarweb? Let’s take a glance: Serpstat Similarweb Primary Focus SEO and PPC competitor analysis Competitor intelligence and general market research Keyword Database 7 billion keywords 5 billion keywords Backlink Database 1.5 trillion backlinks 3.6 trillion backlinks Who’s It for? SEOs, content marketers, PPC advertisers Market researchers, businesses or investors analyzing industries Analyze Any Site’s SEO Imagine you run a high-end salon in Philadelphia and want to compete with top-ranking salons like Salon OKO. Serpstat’s Site Analysis > Competitors feature lets you compare multiple competitors side by side, showing common keywords and missing keywords. But what do these metrics mean for you? Common keywords are those you and your competitors rank for. This tells you: Who ranks higher, and where you need to improve. For example, if your competitor ranks #1 for a keyword while you’re at #10, you may need to update your content. Missing keywords are keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t. This is an important insight because it can reveal: High-value content gaps and cover topics your competitors are already benefiting from New keyword opportunities, i.e., terms that are already proven to generate traffic in your industry Keywords that competitors dominate while your site doesn’t show up at all, likely because of indexing issues Further reading: 8 Top Keyword Research Tools (Free & Paid) Then, for each competitor’s domain, you can access detailed insights, such as: Domain overview report: Get a bird’s-eye view of their SEO performance, including total organic traffic, keyword rankings, and estimated traffic value Positions and keywords: See exactly which keywords they rank for, what position they’re in, and how these rankings change over time Top pages: Discover their highest-traffic content and the exact keywords driving visitors to each page (perfect for finding content gaps in your own strategy) Backlink profile: Analyze where their backlinks come from, which pages get the most links, and how their link profile grows over time Site audit: Peek under the hood at their technical SEO setup, including site structure, loading speed, and potential technical issues you can learn from Why do these insights matter? They let you reverse-engineer your competitors’ success to improve your SEO strategy. And find high-authority sites linked to your competitors. Then, reach out to these websites for backlink opportunities. Further reading: Link Building Strategies: The Complete List Spy on Competitors’ PPC Campaigns Serpstat’s Ads Examples feature lets you analyze your competitors’ paid search strategies. This helps you optimize your ad performance. Here’s what you can learn from these examples: See what’s working for your competitors. Identify real ads competitors run and spot patterns in messaging, offers, and calls to action (CTAs). Find best-performing keywords. View which keywords each competitor’s ad ranks for to identify high-converting terms worth targeting. Analyze landing page strategies. Discover where competitor ads direct users. Is it a homepage, a booking page, or a dedicated landing page? Strengths & Limitations Strengths Limitations More budget-friendly than Similarweb or other alternatives Smaller keyword and backlink databases Analyze competitors side by side Lacks multi-channel traffic data Detailed PPC analysis lets you see ad examples that perform well for competitors Further reading: Serpstat Review: Is This SEO Tool Worth It? Exploding Topics Best for entrepreneurs and marketers needing early trend insights to capitalize on emerging opportunities Pricing: Free (paid plans start at $39 per month) Exploding Topics is a market research and trend discovery tool that identifies emerging trends before they peak. While Similarweb focuses on existing competitors, Exploding Topics helps you spot rising trends before they take off. The tool analyzes search data, social media, and startup activity to identify tomorrow’s opportunities. Why is Exploding Topics better than Similarweb? Let’s take a glance: Exploding Topics Similarweb Primary Focus Trend discovery and market opportunities Competitor intelligence and market research Trend Detection AI-driven trend forecasting Relies on historical industry data Keyword Database Identifies rising search trends Tracks established search volume Competitive Analysis Limited, focused on macro trends Detailed competitor insights Who’s It for? Entrepreneurs, product developers, investors Market researchers, large enterprises Here are the key features included in Exploding Topics: Discover Emerging Trends Before They Peak Exploding Topics analyzes millions of data points from search engines, social media, online discussions, and startup investments to identify growing trends. What does this mean for you? Let’s say you have an affiliate blog selling home technology. You want to see what’s trending to understand which products or keywords have rising demand before they become mainstream. Using Exploding Topics, you discover that “walking pads,” compact treadmills designed for home offices, are rapidly gaining traction. This early insight gives you three key advantages: You can create content while competition is still low You can rank for keywords before they get expensive You can establish yourself as an authority before the trend peaks In other words: you get more traffic with less effort by being first. Spot Trends 12+ Months Before They Take Off Exploding Topics’ forecasting feature can position you as an early authority and rank faster in search. Imagine creating content around AI image enhancers. At first glance, it’s hard to tell if the interest in AI-powered image tools will continue to grow or if it’s just temporary hype. Instead of guessing, you check Exploding Topics’ forecasting data. And see that the search volume for “AI logo generator” is expected to rise steadily. Knowing the keyword’s popularity may rise gives you the confidence to take action early and secure organic traffic before the competition. Note: Forecasting is available in Exploding Topics Pro, but you can test it with a 14-day trial for $1. After 14 days, Pro memberships start at $39 per month. Strengths & Limitations Strengths Limitations Provides long-term trend growth insights Not focused on competitor intelligence Predicts emerging trends before they peak Doesn’t show competitors’ website traffic data Match Your Similarweb Alternative to Your Growth Stage Your business stage determines which tool you’ll need. Just starting out? Exploding Topics gives you free baseline data to validate ideas. Ready to scale? Semrush .Trends reveals overlooked opportunities in your space. The right tool accelerates your market research. But knowing how to interpret the data is what drives real growth. Ready to turn market insights into sales? Our proven market analysis framework shows you exactly how to spot and capitalize on gaps your competitors are missing. The post 4 Similarweb Alternatives for Better Competitor Research appeared first on Backlinko. View the full article

In recent weeks, as President Trump has made huge cuts to federal programs, let go of thousands of federal workers under the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and given U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) more authority, we’ve seen tons of criticism of the president’s executive orders. Even some who voted for Trump, but have lost their jobs as a result of Trump’s firings, have admitted they now regret their decision and have turned on the president. Despite all that, the president’s approval rating is going up among Gen Z, according to a new poll from AtlasIntel conducted between February 24 and February 27. Overall, the president’s rating remains largely unchanged. In the survey of 2,849 U.S. adults, Trump’s overall approval rating was 50.3%—a slight gain from a poll taken days after he took office for the second time, when it was 50.1%. However, the evaluations varied greatly by age group. The survey showed Trump gaining points among the Gen Z group of people ages 18 to 29: 41.3% approved of him in the previous poll taken days after the inauguration. In the new poll, the number is 52.7%. Men felt more favorably than women, according to the poll, with 53.8% of men approving of the president, as opposed to 46.9% of women. Millennials felt differently, with 77.2% saying they disapprove of the president. The survey didn’t offer a clear explanation for why Trump is gaining popularity among Gen Z. However, when asked about the president’s policy proposals, more respondents overall approved of plans like “mass deportations of undocumented immigrants” and “starting negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.” He gained 8 points on the first proposal, and 9 on the latter. Trump hasn’t actually deported more illegal immigrants than President Biden. But he has ramped up ICE’s authority. And despite pitching himself as the “honest broker” of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it’s worth noting that in February, just one day after AtlasIntel’s poll closed, Trump held a contentious meeting in the Oval Office with Ukraine’s President Zelensky in which the two sparred over negotiations. In the recent survey, Trump also gained 4 points in his proposals to roll back “federal protections for gender identity procedures.” Trump has given executive orders that would make it harder, if not impossible for transgender youth to receive gender reassignment surgery or medications that support their true gender identity. The plans are terrifying for many in the transgender community, including those who have already been living as a certain gender who depend on certain medications, as well as parents of transgender kids. While Gen Z’s reasoning may not be entirely clear, one thing we do know is that young Gen Z white men voted overwhelmingly for Trump (67%). At the same time, many young men have felt threatened by shifting gender roles, including rights for women and LGBTQ+ individuals, which far-right influencers have framed as a turn away from traditional masculinity. In a 2023 survey, young men said they increasingly felt they experienced gender discrimination. Nearly half of all men ages 18 to 29 identified with feeling discriminated against, more than any other age group. View the full article

As steep tariffs on Canadian goods took effect this week, banks on both sides of the border expressed concern about the economic fallout and the uncertainty their customers face. View the full article

Buyers face decreased return on investment as home prices and rates remained at challenging levels while economic uncertainty clouded the outlook, Redfin said. View the full article

When Google rolled out AI Overviews for Search last year, it didn't go over so well. The company's AI made some pretty massive mistakes with its results, many of which went viral. In response, Google pulled back the feature, reworked it, and slowly reintroduced it to the masses. You've probably noticed. This month, Google is continuing its work of adding AI to Search—whether you want it or not. First, it's rolling out a new version of AI Overviews that's powered by Gemini 2.0, the company's latest AI model. Google says this update will help with "harder questions," like coding, math, and multimodal (prompts using different types of media) requests. In addition, teens can now see AI Overviews, as can users without a Google Account. Yippee. Introducing AI ModeBut the larger AI announcement from Google is something the company is currently testing: AI Mode. See, Google says that they've heard from "power users" that they are looking for AI responses from more of their Google searches. In response, AI Mode lets you ask the AI multi-part questions, that offers more advanced reasoning, thinking, and multimodal functions. On paper, it sounds like a more complex AI Overview, but it's a bit more nuanced than that. AI Mode is its own tab in Search, that turns the UI into more of what you'd expect from ChatGPT or Gemini. Google says this experience is supposed to combine what would've taken multiple searches into one: You ask the AI something complicated, it reasons through it (showing its thinking along the way) and delivers a full answer with multiple results, claims, and summaries—citing its sources for each of its generations. Credit: Google Google says AI Mode uses a “query fan-out” technique to generate its results. Essentially, it searches for multiple related things at the same time, combining those results together into the response you see at the end. AI Mode pulls from many different data points for its results, including web results, Google's Knowledge Graph, and shopping data. Google uses the following query to demonstrate this approach: “What's the difference in sleep tracking features between a smart ring, smartwatch and tracking mat?" AI Mode supposedly takes that multi-part question, develops a multistep "plan" to conduct a number of searches to find the information, and changes that plan according to the results it returns. This is still obviously a work in progress (as AI search is across the board) so Google says AI Mode won't get it right all the time. In fact, you may simply see a result of just web links, if the program thinks the AI result isn't good enough. I'm not sure how useful AI Mode actually is, especially when compared to either searching with Gemini, or a traditional Google Search (especially one without the AI). I'll need to wait until Google lets me try the feature out for myself before making any judgement calls. My guess, though, based on my current experience with AI, is that I'll prefer the usual Search method. How to try Google's AI ModeIf you have any interest in trying Google's new AI Mode, there are a couple ways to get in. First, if you are a Google One AI Premium subscriber, you'll be among the first to be invited to try out AI Mode in Labs. If you aren't a subscriber, however, you'll need to jump on the waitlist. Sign into your Google Account, then head to Google Labs. Under "Introducing the AI Mode Experiment," choose "Join waitlist." Google will then bring you to a page advertising the feature, where you can confirm you are on the waitlist. View the full article