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You’re probably winding down from work and getting ready for a few days at home with your family. But anybody with caregiving responsibility knows that the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks will not be relaxing. Since the United States does not have a federal policy that gives workers paid time off after giving birth, having a medical procedure, or to care for a loved one, many will cram this labor into their precious holiday time. Many of us have a colleague who will come back to work exhausted after spending time with a dying parent, having taken advantage of the time off from work to figure out hospice and funeral arrangements. Or one who will be caring for a sibling or spouse who is recovering from surgery or managing a terminal illness. And then there are parents who will spend the week taking care of infants and toddlers while daycare is closed. Many women, who bear the brunt of this caregiving, have found it impossible to balance work and taking care of loved ones. From January to August 2025, an estimated 455,000 women left the workforce, often because they had to care for children and aging parents. This isn’t just bad for those who are giving up their income; it’s bad for the U.S. economy, which is losing productive workers. Starting today, Paid Leave for All, a nonprofit fighting for the government to pass paid family and medical leave for all working people, is drawing attention to the way the lack of paid leave hurts American workers. It’s encouraging people to post out-of-office messages that reflect how they’re using their holidays to care for family members since they’re not granted any other time to do so. The organization will be displaying these real out-of-office messages in prominent places. There will be a scrolling mosaic of messages in the New York and Washington, D.C., airports throughout this week, which happens to be the busiest travel week of the year. These messages will also be posted on a billboard in Times Square. On social media, the organization is encouraging everyday people to post their out-of-office messages publicly. After the break, when Congress returns from their recess, Paid Leave for All will deliver these messages to lawmakers and argue for the importance of passing paid leave. Out-of-office messages tend to be generic and polite. Some companies even mandate what employees post. Dawn Huckelbridge, founding director of Paid Leave for All, says that in many ways, these messages obscure the real story of workers’ lives. “The messages are designed to sound like people are getting a break from work,” she says. “But in fact, there is a lot of labor going on during these periods out of the office.” With this campaign, Paid Leave for All invites everybody to post out-of-office messages that more accurately reflect what they’re doing when away from their desk. They may say things like: “Thanks for your message! I’m OOO because my mom is having surgery. But like so many Americans, I don’t have any paid leave so I will be back on Monday.” Or: “Thanks for your note! I’m OOO because my parents are getting older and I can’t manage their Rx and 500 unread emails at once. In-home care is $60K and I have limited PTO. Will get back to you ASAP!” Most workers feel like they can’t publicly share how overwhelmed they are by their caregiving responsibilities, because it might suggest that they’re not competent. But Huckelbridge hopes that by encouraging people to openly discuss these issues through their out-of-office messages, it will reveal that there is actually a systemic problem in the U.S., which is the only developed country with no national paid family and medical leave policy. “There’s a crisis in the workplace that people are not talking about,” she says. “We’ve had one of the steepest declines in women’s participation in the workplace, partly because these women are burnt out from working full-time jobs while bearing the brunt of caregiving.” After the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Huckelbridge will deliver the messages to Congress. “It is unlikely that a Republican Congress will pass these laws,” she says. “But we’re playing the long game here. And it’s encouraging to see that more and more Republicans are recognizing how valuable paid leave is for workers and the economy.” View the full article

Leaving your corporate job for a solopreneur path is a bold move—and it can feel terrifying. But as long as you’re prepared, it can be a smart move, especially in the current rocky job market. I worked at one corporate job for 15 years. Then I pivoted to a new career in marketing. Eighteen months later, I was working for myself as a full-time freelance writer. Within two months of going solo, I had replaced my salary at a marketing agency, but I’d also taken a lot of baby steps in advance of making the switch. You can make the transition to solopreneurship easier if you build a safety net before you walk out the corporate door. Here’s how. Calculate how much income you’ll need The first step is to be brutally honest with yourself: How much of a reduction in pay can you stand? Odds are, you’ll have an “in-between” period: You’ll have left your corporate job, but not built up enough of a solo business yet. Can you withstand 25% of your current salary? 50%? Do you have savings to supplement the rest? I know some people who won’t leave corporate jobs until they earn enough with a side hustle. But that’s incredibly difficult, since you’ll basically be working two jobs for a period of time. However, if that’s the only way to make it work for your finances, it’s an option. You’ll also need to consider that you’ll pay self-employment tax. A general rule of thumb is to set aside 25% to 30% of your earnings. You’ll also be paying your own expenses, like any apps or tools you need to run your business. When you’re thinking about how much you need to earn, take your costs into account. Build your network If you’re going solo, your network is a substantial asset during your ramp-up period (and beyond). The people you know become your clients, your referrals, your sounding board for ideas. I started posting on LinkedIn consistently a full 18 months before I struck out on my own. At the time, I had no idea that I would become a solopreneur. It just seemed like a good idea to build a network since I’d started a new career. While you’re still at your 9-to-5 job: Start connecting with industry peers, potential clients, and former coworkers. Join groups (like professional associations or Slack communities) where your future clients hang out. Show up on LinkedIn, adding value and building credibility. Even though you’re still working your 9-to-5 job, you should gradually reframe your personal brand. You want to become known as the person who can solve XYZ problem. That way, by the time you leave your job, you’ve planted the seeds for your solo business. Side hustle, if you can If your job and life allow, keep one foot in your corporate role and build your solo business on the side. This gives you some huge advantages. You can test out your pricing, positioning, and processes without the pressure of needing to replace your salary. You’ve also got a revenue buffer since your 9-to-5 will keep all of your bills paid. If you put all of the money from your side hustle aside, you might have a nice cushion once you’re ready to launch. I started freelancing alongside my 9-to-5 job two years before I became a solopreneur. I was able to build a portfolio of work and collect client testimonials—both of which helped immensely when I announced that I was starting a full-time writing business. Yes, it means extra hustle. I was juggling my 9-to-5 job, three kids, and a raging global pandemic. But I told myself that it was temporary. Sometimes you don’t get to choose the timing Ideally, you get to choose the timing of your exit from the corporate world. But sometimes it’s chosen for you. I was laid off from my full-time marketing job. Even though I’d been thinking about full-time freelancing for months, I kept telling myself I wasn’t ready to make the leap. Because I’d been building in the background, I was able to make a fairly seamless transition. The timing wasn’t my decision, but it was the direction I was headed. I wasn’t starting from zero. The more momentum and clarity you build for your solo business, the more options you’ll have when the moment finally arrives. View the full article

In a new legal filing, Meta is being accused of shutting down internal research that showed people who stopped using Facebook experienced less depression, anxiety, and loneliness. The allegations come as part of a lawsuit filed by several U.S. school districts against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and other social media companies. The brief, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California but is not yet public, reportedly claims the study, called Project Mercury, was initiated in 2019 and was meant to explore the impact of apps on polarization, news-consumption habits, “well-being, and daily social interactions.” Plaintiffs in the suit say social media companies were aware that these platforms had a negative impact on the mental health of children and young adults but did not act to prevent it. The suit also alleges they misled authorities about this harm. “We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions in an attempt to present a deliberately misleading picture,” Meta tells Fast Company in a statement. “The full record will show that for over a decade, we have listened to parents, researched issues that matter most, and made real changes to protect teens—like introducing Teen Accounts with built-in protections and providing parents with controls to manage their teens’ experiences.” Andy Stone, Meta’s communications director, downplayed the study in a social media post. “What it found was people who believed using Facebook was bad for them felt better when they stopped using it,” he wrote in a thread on Bluesky. “This is a confirmation of other public research (‘deactivation studies’) out there that demonstrates the same effect. It makes intuitive sense but it doesn’t show anything about the actual effect of using the platform.” While the company’s research showed “people who stopped using Facebook for a week reported lower feelings of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social comparison,” Meta chose not to publish those findings and shut down work on the project, Reuters reports. “The company never publicly disclosed the results of its deactivation study,” the suit reads. “Instead, Meta lied to Congress about what it knew.” Stone, in his social media thread, implied the study was flawed and the company’s disappointment wasn’t with the results, but in its apparent failure to overcome “‘expectation effects,’ the idea that beliefs and expectations influence perception.” The filing, though, shows that some staffers rejected Meta’s belief that the findings were influenced by the “existing media narrative” around the company, with one allegedly saying that burying the research was no different than the tobacco industry “doing research and knowing cigs were bad and then keeping that info to themselves.” Meta has filed a motion to strike the documents at the heart of the Project Mercury allegations. The judge overseeing the case has set a hearing date for those arguments on January 26. Meta has been accused of ignoring similar research in the past. Two years ago, the company was sued by 41 states and the District of Columbia, who accused it of harming young people’s mental health. The collective attorneys general alleged the company had knowingly designed features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms and violated the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In 2022, up to 95% of children ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. reported using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center. To comply with federal regulation, social media companies generally prohibit kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms. Children have easily found ways around those bans, however. That has led some countries, including Australia and Denmark, to ban anyone under 16 from having social media accounts. View the full article

The phrase quiet quitting has been cast as a generational rebellion, a disengagement crisis, and a leadership failure, all rolled into one. The narrative suggests that half of your workforce has decided to coast, collecting a paycheck while doing the bare minimum. According to new global research from Culture Amp, which analyzed the experience of 3.3 million employees worldwide, fewer than 2% fit into the definition of quiet quitting—that is, employees who lack motivation to go above and beyond but still plan to stay with their company. That finding challenges the viral narrative, suggesting that what’s happening inside organizations is more nuanced than a mass withdrawal of effort. So, quiet quitting wasn’t the crisis we thought it was, but leaders still face the challenge of unmotivated employees. This data suggests that leaders ought to focus on strengthening the conditions that inspire people to keep showing up with purpose, rather than on rooting out disengaged employees. Here’s how you can do that. 1. Listen like a scientist, not a detective Leaders can approach disengagement as something to diagnose and fix, but employees can sense when conversations are driven by suspicion instead of curiosity. “If you suspect someone’s sticking around but not for the right reasons, don’t jump to conclusions,” says Amy Lavoie, VP of people science at Culture Amp. “Approach the situation with curiosity, not suspicion. Ask what’s really going on for them. A compassionate, candid conversation often uncovers insights that lead to stronger engagement and performance.” In practice, this means asking open-ended questions, such as “Do you feel like you’re thriving? Why or why not?” and listening without defensiveness. When employees feel psychologically safe enough to share what’s behind their behavior, leaders can address root causes instead of reacting to surface-level symptoms. That sense of safety is what enables employees to sustain high performance over time. 2. Focus on the 52% who are engaged and committed Here’s an overlooked insight: While fewer than 2% of employees are quiet quitting, more than half (52%) are both motivated and committed, which is the sweet spot for engagement. These are the employees carrying organizations forward, yet they often receive the least attention. Recognition and growth opportunities are among the strongest predictors of sustained motivation. As Culture Amp’s data shows, employees who believe there are good career opportunities at their company and who feel appropriately recognized for good work are far more likely to go above and beyond. Leaders need not wait for performance reviews to celebrate these employees. Recognize them and tie appreciation to future potential. Share something along the lines of, “Here’s the impact you’ve made, and here’s what’s next.” 3. Redefine retention: Don’t fear turnover, design for flow “Job hugging” describes employees holding onto their roles out of fear of change, instability, or a tough job market. This can block organizational flow and stifle innovation. Even if employees are performing well, fear-based retention can limit their growth and engagement. Internal mobility programs, mentorship, and career-pathing initiatives can help employees find roles that are more fulfilling and energizing. As Justin Angsuwat, chief people officer at Culture Amp, puts it, “Fear drains people. Purpose fuels them. When employees stay, it shapes the energy they bring every day. The goal is to make sure employees stay for the right reasons.” Leaders can explore this by asking questions like: “What keeps you here, and what would make your work even more energizing?” “Which parts of your role feel meaningful, and which feel stagnant?” “If you could design your next step here, what would it look like?” 4. Design for energy, not endurance The modern workplace often demands more output from fewer people, creating what Angsuwat calls the productivity paradox: Companies ask employees to deliver more while giving them less to work with. High-performing teams outside of business, like firefighting crews or surgical units, understand that performance is more about balancing focus with recovery. Leaders can apply the same principle by building systems for sustainable energy, such as redistributing workloads, encouraging rest, and rewarding behaviors that support long-term resilience. When energy drives performance, employees’ motivation naturally rises. 5. Test your assumptions: Use data to guide retention The labor market has shifted, and the employer-employee contract is changing. In this environment, assumptions about who is disengaged or why can be misleading. Culture Amp’s research shows a steady four-point decline in global motivation since 2021, resulting in tens of thousands more unmotivated employees in just one year. But data also challenges common assumptions—for example, remote employees are not more likely to quiet quit, despite many companies fearing otherwise. As Heather Walker, senior data journalist at Culture Amp, puts it, “We don’t need to feed the drama of division, as if leaders and employees are on opposing sides. In reality, we’re sitting on the same side of the table, facing the same problem: how to create the conditions for work to succeed.” Quiet quitting might make headlines, but it’s likely not happening in your organization. What’s really at stake is the quality of your employee relationships. Motivation, trust, and energy are renewable if leaders intentionally replenish them. Like this article? Subscribe here for more related content and exclusive insights from executive coach Marcel Schwantes. —Marcel Schwantes This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

You can’t help but feel uneasy when looking at market concentration. Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla now make up more than a third of the S&P 500, more than twice the level seen before the dot-com bust. AI-related capital spending has outpaced the U.S. consumer as the main driver of gross domestic product growth. OpenAI alone plans trillions in data-center investments while exiting 2025 with about $20 billion in annualized revenue. Of course, there are physical limitations to how fast we can build. Data centers require enormous energy, land, and skilled labor—more than trade schools produce today—a concern raised in the The President administration’s U.S. AI Action Plan. On top of this is a web of circular financing among major players. Companies are using complex structures to fuel the investment wave, adding opacity and risk. Investors like Masayoshi Son and Michael Burry are heading for the exits. In a new Bank of America survey, 45% of investors cite an AI bubble as the top tail risk for the economy and markets. Many believe AI stocks are already in bubble territory. When a bubble bursts, it is like a balloon losing air. Prices fall, investors pull back, and companies that depended on constant capital inflows often fail. The slowdown can ripple across the industry. But a burst forces a reset, where work with real value continues and the rest falls away. There is one way out: real growth. A record of breakthroughs (and setbacks) There is some consensus among economists that artificial intelligence can become the next general-purpose technology. These are revolutionary innovations with widespread impact that by themselves enable new inventions and change most aspects of our day-to-day lives and work. They do not just improve one industry; they create new possibilities for others. We have seen this before with the steam engine, electricity, and, most recently, the internet. Growth will require diffusion, a fancy way of describing how new tools and ideas spread to lots of people. New tools never disseminate evenly, and AI is no exception. AI has been through more than 70 years of breakthroughs and setbacks since mathematicians and early computer scientists began imagining how machines might simulate human thinking. Breakthroughs were often followed by AI winters, when funding and enthusiasm receded. But since late 2022, when generative AI hit the zeitgeist, we have been on a tear. ChatGPT became the fastest application to reach 100 million users in history and is already used by about 10% of the planet’s population. Can we continue? The growth plan Let’s break this out to understand the source of potential growth. First, there is the consumer segment. For all the excitement around AI, many users still sit in the free bucket. The business challenge now is converting that into durable revenue. Expect a shift from today’s generous “freemium” models toward tighter paywalls, bundled services, and even advertising-supported tiers—moves already being tested. For example, Canva raised its prices, bundling new AI features, which led to widespread backlash and a rollback of some of the changes. Notion moved key features behind higher-tier plans as it included built-in AI, sparking user criticism over value and fairness. Some frontier labs are also exploring something Big Tech once swore off: hardware. To unlock new monetization paths, companies are designing devices such as wearables, home hubs, and the next generation of phones around their proprietary AI interfaces. OpenAI, in partnership with designer Jony Ive, is working on a family of devices that goes beyond phones and computers. Second, there is enterprise adoption, arguably the most important frontier. Enterprises—large organizations that buy software and services for thousands of employees—pay, stick, and rarely churn when productivity improvements are demonstrable. But this market is splitting in two. Smaller firms are moving fastest, using AI to level the playing field against incumbents. Norm Ai shows how smaller disruptors can move first, using AI agents to rethink legal work, even launching an AI-native law firm. Large enterprises, by contrast, are cautious. Their concerns center on reputational risk, hallucinations, and product liability. Yet once they see quantifiable return on investment in a controlled domain, they will scale quickly and pay premium prices for reliability, compliance, and integration. Barclays shows how major incumbents adopt more cautiously, using AI to support employees, speed service, and personalize banking while keeping humans in the loop. It is a quest for reimagining business workflows and integrating AI into them. Third: There is the government, where modernization is both overdue and unavoidable. Cities and federal agencies are using AI to improve responsiveness, reduce backlogs, and redesign citizen services that have long suffered from paper-era processes. As these systems prove they can cut wait times and improve accuracy, adoption will accelerate. For example, the United States Patent and Trademark Office launched its “Automated Search Pilot (ASAP!)” program to use AI in preexamination review, with plans to accept at least 1,600 applications across technology centers. On the national security side, the stakes and budgets are higher. Defense agencies are deploying AI for threat detection, mission planning, and intelligence analysis, creating a fast-growing market for companies like Palantir and Anduril, whose surge in government and defense contracts shows the scale of demand. These multiyear defense contracts secure growth over an extended period. A contract Palantir recently entered into with the U.S. Army topped $10 billion over 10 years. Anduril’s programs exceed $1 billion, in multiple contracts, creating steady demand. Finally, there’s global adoption. The geopolitical competition for AI markets is intense. As recently reported, even Silicon Valley companies are quietly reliant on Chinese AI components, while Washington, D.C., is pushing to export an American AI stack as part of its industrial strategy. The geopolitical rivalry is as much about who defines the global interfaces, platforms, and rules as it is about the chips that power AI. Growth is possible, though not guaranteed. It depends on turning early experiments into products people rely on every day. The real race is not about ever-larger models held by a few firms. It is about unleashing competition and letting a diverse market push new ideas into the world. Innovation spreads when many players build, test, and iterate. That is how bubbles become breakthroughs. The moment is here. Let’s get to work. View the full article

TikTok LIVE is a blank canvas that creators and brands have adopted in different ways. Some creators stream games as they would on Twitch. Others perform or create content in real-time on the platform. Going live on TikTok can help you increase your engagement, reach new audiences, and grow your following. It’s also a great way to start monetizing your TikTok presence through TikTok Gifts. If you're curious about how to go live on TikTok, you'll need to meet some requirements for TikTok LIVE access: Have 1,000 followers, andBe older than 16 (18 if you want to monetize)Once you're there, you’re ready to start streaming! In this article, I’ll explain how to go live on TikTok and start connecting with your audience in a new way. First, let's get the most common question out of the way: Can I go live without 1,000 followers?Officially, you need 1,000 followers to go live. However, you can request access through TikTok’s support if you meet other eligibility criteria. ⚡Maximize your reach: Crosspost your TikToks to Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and more. Here's how → Jump to a section: Why TikTok LIVES are a great way to grow your following How to go live on TikTok: 3 ways to stream to your followers TikTok LIVE: Tips and best practices 5 ideas for your next TikTok LIVE Connect with your community in real time through TikTok Live More TikTok resources FAQ about TikTok LIVE Why TikTok LIVE is a great way to grow your followingIf you’re new to TikTok — or looking to grow your following and engage with your TikTok audience — going live is a good option. It provides a genuine way to connect and can help you find your creative voice on the platform. TikTok LIVE are displayed to audiences in several unique areas on the app, which means your lives are far less likely to get lost in the noise of the regular TikTok For You Page or Following feed. For one thing, if you’re a regular TikTok user, you’ll have noticed more lives popping up on your For You Page. The TikTok algorithm seems to be surfacing lives more and more, which means your lives may have a better chance of being shown to more users than regular videos. On top of that, creators who are currently live get pride of place in the TikTok inbox, with a little pink circle around their profile pictures. Anecdotally speaking, I tried TikTok LIVE as part of my 30-day TikTok experiment and managed to reach more than 200 completely new people during the random, impromptu coworking session. While a little intimidating at first, it ended up being really fun! I had some interesting conversations with people who tuned in and netted a couple of new followers, too. It also didn’t require much effort or planning on my part — far less work than my usual content, at any rate — which meant the process offered more bang for my buck in terms of following and engagement. Key takeaway: Going live regularly gives you more chances to connect with new followers and deepen relationships with your audience. 💡Want to achieve viral success on TikTok? While nothing is guaranteed, here are 10 strategies to increase your chances. How to go live on TikTok: 3 ways to stream to your followersBefore we get into the step-by-step guide to how to go live on TikTok, it’s worth noting that there are now three different ways to live stream on the platform: Via the TikTok app on your phoneVia mobile gaming mode (for mobile gamers looking to stream their sessions)Via the TikTok LIVE Studio desktop appIf you’re just starting out (and you’re not a gamer), I recommend trying TikTok LIVE on your phone with the TikTok app first. 💡 Key takeaway: TikTok gives you multiple ways to go live, so you can choose the method that fits your content and audience best. 1. How to go live on TikTok on your phone (the easiest way)Open the TikTok app and tap on the + icon at the bottom of the screen.Swipe to select the LIVE option on the home screen.Add a live title and choose any filters, effects, or features you’d like to use. (Check out the list below to see the many options available.)Tap Go LIVE.To exit the live stream, press the X at the top-left corner of the screen to stop recording.All the options, features, and settings you can choose on TikTok LIVEHere’s a rundown of the most useful things you can do before you start your TikTok LIVE (pretty much all of these options will be available to you if you choose TikTok LIVE Studio or the mobile gaming route, too). The numbers below correspond with those on the screenshot, so you know exactly where to tap to access them. Check your weekly Scaled LIVE Rewards targets. Take part in TikTok LIVE Campaigns.Access the TikTok LIVE Center to see all your analytics and earnings. Flip to your front or back camera.Change your appearance.Add effects.Tweak your settings (use LIVE practice mode, add an ‘About me’ message that will be pinned to your live, add moderators, turn comments on or off, and a whole lot more).Start or interact with your Fan Club (read more about TikTok LIVE Fan Clubs here.)Join TikTok Service+ (a way for professionals to offer services like consulting and coaching, or find clients — learn more about TikTok LIVE Service+ here) Set up to 20 Viewer Wishes, use playbook templates, or create polls. Share your live link on other channels.Boost your live in the feed by paying for promotion. Change your title and profile picture.Set a gift goal for your live. 💡 Key takeaway: Going live on mobile is the fastest way to connect with your followers on the go. You can experiment with different filters or effects to create unique live experiences. 2. How to go live on TikTok with mobile gaming modeOpen the TikTok app and tap on LIVEChoose ‘Gaming’ from the category optionsMake sure to tap the Add topic button below your live title and photo to choose your game.Tap Go Live to start streaming your gameplayPro tip: TikTok will stream all the action directly to the app (and anything else you do on your phone, so make sure to turn off notifications if you don't want personal messages appearing during your live stream.) 💡 Key takeaway: Gaming mode allows you to connect with fellow gamers in real time. Engaging with viewers while you play can help boost viewer loyalty. 3. How to go live on TikTok with TikTok LIVE Studio on your computerBefore we get into it, note that you can only run TikTok LIVE Studio (the official Windows-based livestreaming software, similar to Twitch) on a Windows PC. Mac support is only currently available in Beta. Here’s how to go live on TikTok using your computer: Download TikTok LIVE Studio here (Windows only).Install the tool and log in with your TikTok account.Click the beginner's Set up now button to walk through all necessary setup steps (highly recommended, no matter your skill level).Select your camera and microphone, and run an internet speed test to confirm your connection is strong enough for streaming.Choose your quality settings — you can prioritize video quality or PC performance, and Live Studio will make a recommendation.Pick your ‘Scene’ (landscape or portrait mode), and select a theme that matches your brand or stream style.Explore the TikTok LIVE window to get comfortable with the available settings.Pro tip: For questions or troubleshooting, check out TikTok’s Help Center or find video walkthroughs from creators like TikTok LIVE With Harry. 💡 Key takeaway: TikTok LIVE Studio is a powerful option for creators who want more control over their live streams. TikTok LIVE: Tips and best practicesIf you want your content to stand out amongst the thousands of other live videos and streams going on at any given moment, you’ll need to be strategic with your live streams. Here are some tips to consider to keep your live stream interesting and engaging: Choose the right timePick a time when your audience will be most active for your live streaming. TikTok’s analytics are pretty robust and help you track follower activity. With this feature, you can see what times and days your followers are most likely to view your content. To view this data, click on TikTok Studio > Analytics > Followers, then scroll down to Most active times to see when most of your followers are online. (Or check out our guide to TikTok Studio for the most important TikTok metrics). Our TikTok research data may also be helpful here — check out the best times to post on TikTok. Consider the best lengthYou can go live for about 60 minutes, but TikTok recommends keeping your streams to 30 minutes. 📽️Here's what our analysis of 1.1M TikToks told us about the optimal video length. Post consistentlyHaving a recent video on your followers’ For You or Following page means that they will see a special icon that lets them enter your stream directly. It's even better if this video shows you telling them when you’ll be going live — you can even choose to add a scheduled TikTok LIVE link to your post by choosing the +Add link option. ✅Here's a proven system to help you show up consistently on TikTok without the overwhelm.Set up good lightingFilm in a well-lit area with natural lighting, or consider using a ring light. This helps keep your viewers’ attention on you, not distracted by not being able to see well. Have a good internet connectionCheck your Internet connection beforehand to make sure it’s good so you can avoid interruptions to your streaming. Have a plan or guidelinesWhile you don’t need a script, it is beneficial to have a solid set of guidelines — and scheduling your session in advance with TikTok LIVE Events — to stay focused on your live stream. Engage your audienceThe best part of TikTok LIVE is being able to interact with your followers in real time. Keep an eye out in the chat and respond to comments, questions, or requests to really connect with your viewers. Moderate your commentsYou have the option to filter comments, mute viewers from commenting, and block someone from the live stream if you need to. 5 ideas for your next TikTok LIVEWhether it’s through behind-the-scenes content, Q&As, or promoting products, the opportunities for TikTok LIVE are endless. From brands to creators, here are some ideas to use when you go live on TikTok. 1. Answer audience questionsTikTok LIVE is an ideal way to engage your audience and answer their questions. If there are questions that come up frequently in the comments, go live on TikTok to answer them! It's the perfect opportunity to interact in real time with your followers and give them answers. So, if you’re launching a new product or collection, or just want to connect with your audience, opening up for questions in real time on your live stream can help you build strong relationships with your audience. 2. Host live shopping sessionsAlthough the feature isn’t available to everyone yet, getting acquainted with TikTok LIVE can give your brand a leg up. Live shopping will allow brands to integrate the products they share on their TikTok Shopping tab into a live session. This feature connects brands with their audiences in real time while also helping users buy what they discover while watching a brand's stream. Leverage live shopping to give your audience more opportunities to engage with and shop from your brand. 3. Show people behind the scenesAn easy idea to execute for TikTok LIVE is showing what goes on behind the scenes at your office or in a creative process. It allows you to be more transparent with your audience and give them a peek at what it takes to create content or make a product. 4. Fulfill audience requests in real-timeTaking audience requests for creative projects when you go live on TikTok is also a good way to engage and grow your following. Several creators have taken advantage of this format to create personalized items on camera and ship them to their active followers. You can simultaneously reward your followers while encouraging them to participate in your lives or buy your products. 5. Collaborate with a brand or creatorTikTok LIVE allows you to bring someone “on stage” with you, opening the door for multiple opportunities for collaboration. Creators can work with brands and vice versa on Live interviews, sponsored content, or takeovers, which are popular on Instagram. 💡 Key takeaway: There are endless ways to use TikTok LIVE, from Q&As to product launches, so get creative and make it your own. Connect with your community in real time through TikTok LIVELive streaming on TikTok can help you find new followers, increase brand awareness, generate leads, and even drive sales. But more importantly, it lets TikTok users connect with your community and engage with them on a more intimate level — a level of authenticity that TikTok users have come to expect on the platform. More TikTok resources How to Go Viral on TikTok: 10 Actionable Tips (With Examples)How to Find Trending TikTok Sounds in 202613 Trending Songs on TikTok in Nov 2025 (+ How to Use Them)TikTok Analytics for Creators and Brands: The Metrics That Actually MatterPosting on TikTok for 100 Days Changed Me: Here’s the System That Made it PossibleTikTok Algorithm Guide 2026: Everything We Know About How Videos Are RankedHow Often Should You Post on TikTok? Data From 11 Million+ PostsFAQ about TikTok LIVEWhat are the requirements to go live on TikTok?To go live on TikTok, you must have at least 1,000 followers, be at least 16 years old, and comply with TikTok’s Community Guidelines. Can I go live on TikTok with fewer than 1,000 followers?Officially, no — TikTok requires 1,000 followers. But if you’re super keen to try, you can request access through TikTok’s support if you meet other eligibility criteria. How do I go live on TikTok using my phone?Just open the TikTok app, tap the + icon, swipe to LIVE, add a title, choose filters or effects, and hit Go Live. You can even invite up to five guests or use dual camera mode for extra creativity. Can I live stream gameplay on TikTok?Yes, TikTok has a mobile gaming mode specifically for gamers. Select Gaming when going live, connect your game feed, and stream directly to your audience while interacting in real-time. What is TikTok LIVE Studio?TikTok LIVE Studio is a desktop app that lets creators stream from their PC. It gives you more control, like setting scenes, customizing quality, and using advanced settings — perfect for professional streams or PC/console gamers. Why should I go live on TikTok?Going live is a powerful way to grow your following. It helps you connect with your audience authentically, boost engagement, reach new viewers, strengthen community and loyalty, and potentially monetize your content. View the full article

Below, Ben Rein shares five key insights from his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection. Ben is an award-winning neuroscientist who has spent a decade studying the biology of social interaction. He is the chief science officer of the Mind Science Foundation, an adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, and a clinical assistant professor at SUNY Buffalo. He also teaches neuroscience to an audience of more than 1 million social media followers. What’s the big idea? Loneliness is a problem. Many of us feel this, and all of us are seeing it affect society. But why is isolation so harmful? Why are virtual interactions a poor substitute for getting together in person? What does our brain get out of spending time with a friend? The neuroscience underlying our social interactions adds a crucial component to conversations about the loneliness epidemic and what we can do about it. Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Ben himself—below, or in the Next Big Idea App. 1. Our brains are wired for connection What does it really mean to be wired for connection? In the ancient world, our ancestors faced tremendous challenges, including food scarcity and predators hunting them. Survival was challenging, but humans work together in groups very well. So, when it came to survival of the fittest, the most social humans were the fittest. As a result, our brains have built-in social reward systems. That means when we connect with others, our brains send powerful signals involving neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which make us feel good and want to continue socializing. This was the glue that kept us together millennia ago and, therefore, kept us alive. Our brains still have these systems, which means we have a lot to gain from socializing. This is what it means to be wired for connection. Our brains literally reward us for being around each other. 2. Our neurochemistry faces the challenge of a divided world We are facing a legitimate public health crisis around loneliness. If you look at the data on how much time people spend with others, how many friends people have, how lonely people are, and so on, these metrics are all going in the wrong direction. Between 2013 and 2021, the amount of time the average American spent alone went up by 36 hours per month—almost a full work week spent in isolation. We are truly becoming isolated. 3. Social isolation is a form of stress When a person is isolated, their body triggers a stress response in which cortisol levels begin to rise. From an evolutionary perspective, this makes a lot of sense. In the ancient world, if you were split off from the group, your chances of survival dropped significantly. Back then, it would have been beneficial to have an alarm system in your brain that warns you of this danger. Our brains still have this system, but in a world where we’re spending more time alone, that’s a problem. “Those who are more isolated are 32% more likely to die from any cause.” When our body’s stress response systems are constantly being activated, it can result in chronic inflammation and other negative health consequences. Isolation is very bad for us. Studies tracking millions of people have found that those who are more isolated are 32% more likely to die from any cause. Isolated patients with dementia lose their memory twice as fast. And after having a heart attack, the patients who left the hospital and returned to a home where they live alone were more than twice as likely to die in the next three years. This issue needs to be taken seriously. 4. Digital interactions are not the same as interacting in person When we meet face-to-face, many social cues inform our brains about what’s happening in the other person’s mind. We can hear their vocal tone, read their facial expressions, and feel their body language, thereby understanding their emotions. But when we interact online, whether through texting, FaceTime, or arguing on social media apps, we are not getting the same social cues. I believe that this is impairing our empathy online and leading to undue hostility and aggression. What we know for sure is that interacting online does not provide the same benefits as interacting in person. It turns out social media may not be very social at all. 5. Beyond modern circumstances, our brains have some built-in social pitfalls Research shows that people underestimate how much they’ll enjoy social interactions, which can often lead to a night on the couch, even though going out with friends would have been much better for their brains. We also underestimate how much others like us and discount our own social skills. These are just a few of the strange yet perfectly natural biological shortcomings of the human brain that prevent us from connecting with others. Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea app. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

When work was drying up for freelance writer Megan Carnegie, she found herself compulsively hopping between apps and social media. “LinkedIn, WhatsApp, emails—and it was just terrible for my focus,” she says. “I was anxious about getting work.” On a whim, Carnegie (who’s also contributed to Fast Company) popped into a store selling secondhand computer equipment and bought an old Nokia burner phone. During the workday, she would use the burner for calls, and in the evening, switch back to her smartphone. With no access to apps and one fewer way to access the internet, her urgency and anxiety dissolved. “I just loved the quiet,” she says. The effects of social media on mental health have been a popular topic of conversation in 2025. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s best-selling book, The Anxious Generation, describes the effects on adolescents, including being a significant contributor to anxiety and depression among young adults. What’s less-frequently studied is how it affects people at work. But a new report begins to demonstrate how what we see online can bleed into our professional lives. The new study out of Rutgers University, published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, found that what you see on social media while at work can shape your mood, motivation—even how you treat your coworkers. Social media’s effect on your work Researchers surveyed 133 workers twice a day for two weeks. They asked them to describe the most “salient,” or memorable, post they saw that day, then describe how they felt and how productive they were at work. Later, the survey was repeated with 141 new participants, this time including their coworkers, who would also rate the subjects’ behavior and productivity. The researchers segmented posts into four categories: attractive (thirst traps), family (kids’ first day at school), contentious (politics or rage bait), and accomplished (job promotions). They then measured how these content types affected employees’ self-assurance, anxiety, productivity, and social withdrawal. They found that while posts about family or friends tend to boost confidence, political rants spike anxiety and make people withdraw. Posts about accomplishments can either spur you or kill your drive, depending on your personality. Those with competitive natures are prone to feeling motivated by achievement-related content, while those who aren’t particularly competitive are more likely to feel demotivated. The results indicate that some workers might benefit from limiting their social media use at work. But for those whose job involves regularly scrolling social feeds, breaking the habit can prove difficult. The LinkedIn star who barely scrolls, and the PR person who just can’t help it Alison Taylor is an author and professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business who writes about corporate ethics. Despite being named a LinkedIn “superuser” by the Financial Times thanks to her more than 60,000 followers, she spends very little time on the platform. “I wake up, I have coffee, I write the post, I don’t worry about it being perfect, I correct typos later,” she says. Taylor knows better than to feed the trolls, but she loves a good argument, and can’t help but respond to some followers who needle her. While she might come back throughout the day to comment, she goes in and gets out quickly. It’s not worth the distraction. As for those whose job involves spending time on social media—like PR reps, marketers, and social media managers—the stress can be inescapable. Some 77% of people who work in social media are burned out, says a reader survey by Rachel Karten, who writes the popular Link in Bio Substack newsletter. Nicholas Budler, who works in public relations for enterprise tech companies, scopes opportunities for his clients all day. “The LinkedIn doomscroll has only gotten more endless for me. And it’s open at work 9-to-5,” he says, noting that when engagement is high, it feels good. But when it’s not, he questions whether social media is worth his time at all. “I think you get a bit stressed in general to have social media open at work,” Budler says. While he used to do a lot of social media strategy for clients, he does less and less these days, saying, “I consider it brain rot.” Doomscrolling can carry Budler down “a deep, dark rabbit hole of looking through people’s job updates and news. And a lot of that news is not good, right? Especially in media, there are a lot of layoffs,” he says. Those leave him anxious. Cutting back on ingrained habits The anxiety and malaise social media can cause is a common problem: In one small survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 45% of adults reported being stressed at least once a week because of social media, and 16% reported being stressed every day. Frequent social media use has already been linked to increased irritability in adults, as well as worsened depression. Some researchers have even submitted the idea of “meta-stress,” that is, stressing about the stress generated by social media. That’s made worse by the fact that most adults in the U.S. use social media: 68% use Facebook, 83% use YouTube, and 47% use Instagram, according to the Pew Research Center. Yet there’s money to be made in keeping people away from these platforms. Apps like Freedom, AppBlock, and SelfControl block access to certain apps for periods of time. Some can’t be disabled until a set timer expires. Many workers told Fast Company that they rely on these apps to keep them from doomscrolling. But even those tools may not be enough to cut back on deeply ingrained habits. Budler is a prolific social media user in his personal life, with accounts on Instagram, the running app Strava, reading platform Goodreads, and TikTok, the latter of which he says is most addictive. His latest screen-time report on his phone recorded just over 20 hours on his phone in the past week, with 9 of those hours on social media. Rebecca Greenbaum, a coauthor of the Rutgers study, isn’t against social media. “I think it can be a fun break. It can be a useful break. It can add interestingness to a person’s day,” she says. But to avoid the mindless, automatic scroll, treat it like the smoke break of the 1980s, she says. Get up from your desk, go elsewhere, and devote a limited amount of time. It’s a strategy that works for Megan Carnegie. “I’m trying to be more intentional about how I use those platforms. The burner has been a good exercise in that. Now I’m a bit less anxious about work.” View the full article

Marguerite Bérard plans to cut 5,200 full-time roles by 2028 as part of overhaul at Dutch lenderView the full article

Today’s job market is more ruthless than ever, leaving many desperately clinging to their roles amid mass layoffs and side-eyeing the competition. In such environments, a rival colleague or workplace nemesis may make themselves known. Watching a smug colleague get called out for a mistake in a meeting or blundering a promotion is often deeply satisfying (even if we may not admit it). Many know the German name for this impulse, schadenfreude: pleasure derived by another’s misfortune. But another, more work-related term that has emerged recently is fail watching: a coping strategy born from today’s challenging job market as a way to make us feel better about our own position. Research has shown that seeing others fail can give us a self-affirming boost. Those with low self-esteem are more likely to be threatened by overachievers (and to enjoy watching them fall flat on their face). These reactions are simply human nature. Yet there are nuances to reveling in others’ misfortunes: from a fleeting, vindictive thought to public gloating or workplace bullying. “This phenomenon is a symptom of a lack of trust within the team, with employees waiting with bated breath for someone to mess up,” Peter Duris, CEO of Kickresume, tells Fast Company. “You’re much less likely to see it in a healthy workplace where everyone feels supported.” Fail watching is far likelier to occur in workplaces that don’t recognize and reward their employees’ contributions. At present, only 30% of U.S employees feel that someone at work encourages their development, down from 36% in March 2020, one 2025 Gallup survey found. Duris also links fail watching to Gen Z employees due to the immense pressure younger workers are facing from all angles. “Many have had to really fight to get their foot in the door,” he says. In the current hiring slump, applicants submitting a résumé today have just a 0.4% chance of actually landing the job, according to Business Insider. Fresh graduates are being hit hardest, with global entry-level job postings falling 29% since January 2024, according to World Economic Forum data. The competition doesn’t stop there. Researchers from Zurich University found that highly competitive working environments foster the perfect conditions for emergence and development of schadenfreude. It’s understandable to feel somewhat reassured if someone else is finding things tough at work when you are too. But there’s a big difference between this and praying for someone’s downfall. If you notice someone struggling, the best way to respond is to offer help if you can, or just be kind and supportive. If another colleague tries to gossip with you about a coworker’s recent failure, change the subject—or at least save it for outside of work hours. As the age-old adage goes: If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. View the full article

Gilty buy associationView the full article

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My employee smells like smoke and it’s making me sick I supervise a small research team, and one of my researchers is especially engaged and productive. They’re deeply invested in our work, and our meetings are usually energizing and full of great ideas. I really value their contribution and want to keep supporting their professional growth. The problem is that this researcher is a heavy smoker, and the smell of smoke lingers on their clothes. I have smoke-induced asthma, and after each in-person interaction I end up coughing, wheezing, or even needing to take a sick day. Unfortunately, due to the nature of our work, their physical presence in the lab is required, so we can’t simply move everything online or work entirely remotely. What’s the best way to address this (kindly but directly) so they understand it’s a health issue, not a personal criticism? I imagine other managers might face similar situations when a team member’s smoke exposure, perfume, or other scent sensitivity becomes a medical concern. What solutions are available that I’m not thinking of? How can I frame this conversation in a way that protects my health and maintains a positive and supportive working relationship? I’d open the conversation this way: “I have smoke-induced asthma and I’ve been finding I’m reacting to the smell of smoke on your clothes. Can we brainstorm some solutions that could work for us both?” Since you have to share physical space, one solution would be for him to keep smoke-free clothes at work and change into them when he gets there (and also to keep something like a smoking jacket to put on if he goes outside to smoke during the workday — and to store that jacket in an area that you aren’t in). That’s a pretty significant inconvenience, but it’s less of one than you not being able to breathe. You could also check in with your HR team before you have this conversation to see if they want to be involved, but if he’s a reasonable person and you generally have a good relationship (and you approach it without judgment, just “this is happening, what would work for us both”), ideally you’d be able to brainstorm solutions together. Related: I share an office with a smoker, and the smell is making me sick 2. Interviewing when I might seem “too nice” for a manager job I’m applying for an internal promotion to a manager role on my existing team where I am currently an individual contributor. I have been with this organization for almost seven years and have built a solid reputation for being friendly, helpful, and easy to work with. My boss has been promoted and the open role is her former job. She has been mentoring me to step into this position for a few years and I feel ready for the challenge, but she did note that I will have to be tougher as a manager and that I can’t be “too nice,” which may be a perception of me. I know that becoming a manager will entail praise, accountability, and hard conversations and I’m ready for all of it. I think clarity is kindness and don’t like to let issues fester and often provide feedback and suggestions to management. I also haven’t had the need to provide hard feedback to my colleagues because that doesn’t make sense in our current peer relationship — it’s not my job (yet!) I imagine the perception of being “too nice” might come up in my interview. What is the best way to show that leading with kindness doesn’t mean being a doormat? Do you have tips for framing this “weakness” into a strength? Ideally you’d reference that feedback in the interview and speak to it head-on. For example (stealing some of your excellent wording): “Jane has mentioned that I have a reputation as being ’nice’ and wondered how that would square with the harder conversations I’d need to have in this role, so I’d like to speak to that head-on. I think clarity is kindness and I don’t believe in letting issues fester; I am comfortable talking about problems forthrightly and without sugarcoating, and I believe doing that is a non-negotiable for a manager. It’s important to me to treat everyone with respect and dignity, but I strongly believe part of doing that is being willing to have hard conversations, and I’m very comfortable doing that.” If you can provide some concrete examples of when you’ve done that, all the better. (That said, check with Jane first to make sure it’s okay to reference what she said; it should be if you explain it’s so you can speak to that concern.) Related: am I too nice to be a good manager? 3. What’s a good way to get out of making an email introduction? Recently, a client asked me for an email introduction to another client and I agreed, but later I somewhat regretted agreeing. I had forgotten about the wise advice to practice double opt-in for introductions, and the client who wanted the introduction isn’t very cognizant of email etiquette, so I worried that I’d be introducing an annoyance into the second client’s inbox. I went ahead and made the email introduction and all seems to be fine (so far), but it made me curious about what I could have said to refuse the first client’s request for an introduction. “I don’t normally do email introductions” might work, but it isn’t true. Other ideas? “Absolutely, let me email her and see if I can connect you.” Or, if you’ve already agreed, email the intro requester and say, “Just wanted to let you know that I emailed Jane about possibly connecting you, and I’ll update you when I hear back.” (Then if Jane says no, you can tell the person something like, “It turned out not to be a great time for her, but I’ll let you know if I think of anyone else it might be helpful to connect with.”) 4. My reference got fired I used my best friend as a professional reference on job applications, because she’s excellent at her job and I’ve learned some valuable skills from her. We live in different states and work in different fields. (She works in data analytics and I work in accounting.) Yesterday, my friend was terminated from her position after almost 10 years, and she believes it was wrongful termination and is seeking legal counsel. Obviously, I can’t continue to use her as a reference as things are now, but what should I do for applications already submitted and under review? Should I wait for HR to bring it up, or should I provide another reference? You can use references who have been fired from their jobs — generally not if you’re applying at the job that fired them, or if they were fired in some kind of notorious scandal in your industry, but otherwise yes. But it doesn’t make sense to use this reference because it sounds like you’ve never worked together. Good references are people who can speak to your work firsthand because they’ve been colleagues. Someone you only know through friendship isn’t a reference most hiring managers will put any stock in (and some will think it reflects poorly on your judgment that you offered her rather than someone who’s worked with you). As for your last question — offer another reference now, someone you’ve worked with. You can frame it as, “I wanted to provide someone who’s worked more closely with me.” 5. Is it OK for our boss to participate in our office gift exchange? I’m working for a small company with fewer than 20 employees, including the owner. Every year for Christmas, the owner hosts a party and part of it is a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone brings a present worth $10-15, they are placed on a table, and people pick a wrapped present or take one someone has already opened. I was reading an older post of yours and saw how strongly you feel about that management should not gifts from subordinates. The company owner participates in these gift exchanges, and I was wondering if that was wrong. Obviously the blind nature of the exchange means that people won’t feel pressure to give to her particularly, nor feel on the spot for not buying something nice, and she is giving as much as she is receiving in terms of monetary gift worth. On the other hand, with the owner at the table, would people feel comfortable refusing to participate? In past years some people have felt comfortable “stealing” from her, but is it possible some people won’t feel comfortable doing so even though it is a part of the game? Though on the other other hand (original hand?), with a company this small, you would noticed if Steve or Peggy chose to sit out, so people might feel they need to bring a gift even if the owner chose to sit out from now on. Nah, this is fine. This is a group gift exchange, where specific gifts aren’t being tailored to specific people; your boss is just participating in a group holiday game and not receiving special benefit from being the boss. The post my employee smells like smoke, “too nice” for a manager job, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

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In the good ol’ days of blogging, traffic was the main goal, and it was relatively easy to get. Now, especially for ecommerce blogs, it’s getting harder to stay visible. The number of Google searches that end with a click is slowly decreasing, while the number of searches that end with no clicks has increased. While the number changes are small, they’re continuing to move in the direction of no-click searches. AI Overviews give people the answers they need at a glance, and website traffic is taking a toll as a result. Aside from these trends in Google search, ecommerce blogs also face an uphill battle against big players like Amazon or Walmart. With all of this in mind, you might be wondering: is it still worth the effort to build an ecommerce blog? Here’s a real world example that shows why it still matters: Pet care brand Petlibro has been around since 2020, but they didn’t start posting on their blog until 2022. Semrush’s Domain Overview suggests their organic growth has been pretty substantial since then. Their website is ranking organically for over 25,000 keywords and stands in the first result for almost 1,500 of those. And not only that: Petlibro is being mentioned and cited by AI search engines — more than 700 times. AI search references Petlibro’s blog articles and mentions the brand directly in its response. Their blog isn’t a separate entity to their ecommerce site. It’s a strategic tool that helps their brand get seen both in Google and in AI search — and get more conversions in the process. Here’s the point: blogging is still valuable, especially for ecommerce brands, even in the era of AI search. The difference between today and ten years ago is that the main goal isn’t traffic: it’s delivering clear, distinctive value for the reader. Basically, you need to build something that AI can’t. We’re going to dive deeper into ecommerce blog examples that are currently seeing big results and show you how to apply their strategies to your own brand. What Makes an Ecommerce Blog Successful? The more you study top ecommerce blogs, the more patterns start to emerge. Before we explore each of the following examples in depth, keep an eye out for these key aspects of successful ecommerce blogs: They know exactly who they’re talking to: All the top ecommerce blog examples we’ll discuss have a very clear target audience. And the content speaks directly to those people. They understand intent: People search for certain terms just to gain information. Others search to learn about products, and others search because they’re ready to buy. The best ecommerce blogs know the difference between those different search intents. Then, they can create content that matches the intent of the search. They present information in a way that’s easy to read and understand: There’s no specific format that guarantees success. But each example uses blog design essentials to make the information understandable. Their content also includes strong introductions and content that’s unique and interesting. They integrate their store directly with their blog: The most successful ecommerce blogs are focused on conversions over traffic, and use smart integrations to showcase their products on the blog. They prepare content to do well in the age of AI search: These blogs show up consistently in AI search by producing the kind of material AI loves to reference and mention. You’ll see how they create content that’s well structured, authoritative, and unique. Now let’s see seven ecommerce blogs that exemplify these principles. Further reading: How to Start a Blog: A Step-by-Step 12-Month Action Plan Ecommerce Blog Examples You Can Learn From The goal of any ecommerce blog is to do more than just build traffic. You also want to build authority, win visibility in both Google and AI search, and nudge readers closer to buying. The following examples cover a range of categories and company sizes. While they may not all have tens of thousands of visits per month, they’re all using their blog as a conversion tool and a way to get seen both in Google and in AI search. And they all have something to teach you about staying visible, memorable, and findable as an ecommerce blog. Note: We got the numbers for each of these from Semrush’s SEO Toolkit. Traffic numbers aren’t going to be 100% accurate (only the brands themselves will have the most up-to-date numbers). But it’s still useful for understanding broad trends. 1. Garmin Industry: Consumer electronics Organic blog traffic: 61.8K Backlinks: 77.7K Keywords: 46.1K In the world of smartwatches and specialty sports gear, Garmin truly stands out. Their blog has grown consistently since mid 2022. So, what makes this ecom blog stand out? First off, the articles are a healthy mix of informational and commercial content. For example, this article on finding your V02 max ranks for 4.6k keywords, and ranks #1 for 95 of those. It even shows up in the AI overview for a couple of difficult keywords. The article is a deep-dive into a complex topic their audience is interested in. And while someone searching “good v02 max” may not be immediately interested in buying a watch, Garmin still includes plenty of ways to explore their products from this blog post. For instance, readers can see CTAs to some of their most relevant watches in the sidebar, and they also see links to product categories in the text. But Garmin also knows how to focus their blog on buying intent, which is why they also rank for terms like “Garmin aviation watch.” From this single keyword, Garmin’s article on aviation watches gets 3.7k monthly organic traffic by ranking for 63 keywords. (I guess pilots really like their watches.) But more than just creating content for search, Garmin has cracked the code on creating content that gets mentioned by AI. Just look at Garmin’s incredible AI visibility score, with over 52k mentions: AI search loves to highlight product information directly from the brand. Which is why Garmin’s clear, detailed support documentation appears so often in AI search results. But their blog posts are also cited by AI to respond to product-related questions, like which smartwatch has the best battery life. Something else that Garmin has done well is combine their content efforts on their owned channels with mentions across the web. Whether it’s tech review sites, YouTube videos, fitness blogs, or Google reviews, Garmin’s products are mentioned positively in a lot of places. The result? Semrush’s AI Visibility Index found that Garmin ranked #4 in AI Share of Voice for consumer electronics brands. They sit right at the top with heavy hitters like Apple and Google. Key Lessons from Garmin’s Blog Garmin is a multi-billion dollar company, well-known in its space. But importantly, they dominate their category. When you own a category (like smartwatches), it’s much easier for AI to surface your content and products to users. Another company doing this is Patagonia. They dominate the category of ethical fashion, and have gained 21.96% of the AI Share of Voice (for Fashion & Apparel). Another lesson from Garmin’s blog is the importance of providing clear information about your products. AI search results tend to cite brands as authorities on their own products. But if you don’t answer the questions searchers have about your products? AI will usually attempt to base its answers on someone else’s article (whether that information is correct or not). Finally, remember that your blog isn’t a solo marketing effort. When you partner with content creators outside your owned channels, you can expand your visibility in AI. The more positive mentions your brand gets, the more likely you are to see yourself in AI answers and overviews. Further reading: 7 Ecommerce Link Building Strategies That Work in 2025 2. Petlibro Industry: Pet products Organic blog traffic: 6K Backlinks: 275 Keywords: 3.4K We’ve already introduced you to Petlibro above: showing the power of blogging for ecommerce brands. Not only do they show up in search results, Petlibro’s blog posts are also being cited and mentioned by AI. Take this post for example: This informational post answers the question of how often to change the filters in a cat fountain. It’s not too long, but it answers the question clearly and gives just the right amount of detail. So, along with ranking for 44 different keywords, it’s also showing up inside the answers given by ChatGPT and other AI search tools. Another post, explaining why cats bring you toys, ranks in the top 10 for 14 keywords, and appears in the AI overview in Google. But Petlibro doesn’t just post informational articles. They do a great job of striking the balance of intent, focusing on content that matches what the searcher is looking for. For example, this blog article about choosing the perfect cat tree gets more than 500 visits per month and ranks for 127 keywords. Best of all, most of these keywords have commercial or transactional intent. Key Lessons from Petlibro’s Blog First off, Petlibro shows it’s important to develop a healthy mix of informational and transactional content. Going after keywords at the top of the funnel works to build your authority. But content that helps point people to the right products when they’re already in the mood to buy brings more immediate results. Next, for your brand to be visible in both Google and AI, you need to answer the questions people are asking. You can start by doing research on forums, but also try tools like Semrush’s AI SEO toolkit for prompt research. This can give you an idea of the prompts people are using in AI platforms, and which websites AI is currently referencing or mentioning directly. For example, let’s try searching for “home security camera systems.” In the Prompt Research report, you can see AI volume for that topic, how difficult it is to gain visibility, the intent of the questions in this topic, and more details about the prompts used and the brands mentioned. This gives you a great starting point to see what people are asking about within your topic. Then, you can create content that answers those questions. 3. Great Jones Goods Industry: Cookware Organic blog traffic: 11.6K Backlinks: 1.7K Keywords: 4.9K Great Jones Goods’ blog stands out with fantastic visuals and content that is tailored to their audience. Honestly, just looking at this blog is making me want to get into the kitchen and bake something. Their blog has two main sections: recipes and personal profiles. You gotta love these recipe posts. Just take this one for arroz con gandules: Each recipe has a different author. So each post has a very personal feel. It’s just like your favorite recipe blog, but without so many layers of fluff. The posts also mention the cookware the author used (subtly highlighting their own products). And each recipe is also accompanied by beautiful step-by-step visuals. This all looks great: but what about the results? Great Jones Goods isn’t getting millions in traffic. But their content does show up in all the right places. For example, their profiles of chefs and well-known people rank in search results: And their recipe posts also show up in AI overviews: Their blog is consistent and targeted at their specific audience. Instead of being “sales-y,” they focus on being part of the community that they want to sell to. Key Lessons from Great Jones Goods’ Blog Beautiful, descriptive visuals are a key component of high-quality blog content. Plus, it’s a great way to make your blog stand out as different. When you’re creating content for your blog, ask yourself: how can I create something that AI can’t? Great Jones does this by including step-by-step imagery and real-world examples of their products in use. That’s something shoppers love to see, and AI can’t replicate. Another key takeaway from this ecommerce blog example is to include your community in your content. Great Jones does this with in-depth personal profiles that talk about the joy of cooking — something their target audience shares. People crave connection with other humans, now more than ever. You can use your blog to become part of that community. Try including people that the community already knows and loves. This will help your blog be more personal, as well as give you new ways to promote your blog. Further reading: 25 Creative Ways to Find New Content Ideas 4. Thinx Industry: Menstrual products Organic blog traffic: 25k Backlinks: 1.6k Keywords: 22.6K When your brand is dedicated to a mission, you can use your blog to promote and grow that mission. And that’s exactly what the period underwear brand Thinx has done with their “Periodical” section. First, they chose an incredibly appropriate name for their blog. Next, they filled it with articles all about menstrual health for women and teens. The articles are generally on the short side, but answer key questions their audience is asking. And with that, they’re able to rank for difficult keywords like “when do you ovulate,” “period blood clots,” or “period nausea.” Just this one article on ovulation ranks for 1.3k keywords, most of which are either hard or very hard to rank for per Semrush data. They also build educational resources around the message: Get BodyWise. Thinx takes body literacy seriously. In fact, they have a dedicated resource page aside from their blog that is built to provide candid, accessible information for people who bleed. This even includes a series of educational videos from Dr. Saru Bala on women’s health. Everything they do on the blog supports their mission to make period products and education more accessible to everyone who needs it. And while their content doesn’t heavily promote their products (possibly on purpose), they do list a handful of relevant products at the end of each blog post. Just the right mix of promotional and educational. Key Lessons from Thinx Periodical Blog Your company mission statement isn’t just something that lives quietly on your About page. It should be a living, breathing part of your business ethos. It should come through in your marketing. When your blog has a core mission behind it, the content you create has a clear direction. You’re not just chasing keywords: you’re building educational resources that truly benefit your audience. The result? Thinx builds brand affinity naturally over time, increasing the chances that folks will choose Thinx over a competitor when they’re ready to buy. 5. King Arthur Baking Industry: Cooking ingredients Organic blog traffic: 730K Backlinks: 133K Keywords: 338K King Arthur Baking’s blog ranks in the top 10 for some of the most difficult keywords in baking. That includes terms like “baguette,” “pizza,” or “types of cinnamon.” So, how did they get here? King Arthur Baking didn’t limit themselves to written content. They created a content ecosystem that also included multimedia content. Currently, the King Arthur YouTube channel has over 330K subscribers. They post recipes, along with video versions of their podcast episodes. These videos work seamlessly inside their blog posts. For example, check out their blog post on chocolate chip cookies. The video from their YouTube video is part of the image gallery at the top. But it’s also spliced together with the step-by-step recipe instructions below. Doing this increases their chances of ranking for difficult keywords. And in some cases, they even rank more than once in the search results. Key Lessons from King Arthur’s Bakery Blog Google and AI won’t rank what they can’t understand, so giving clear structure and formatting to your blog is an essential first step to rank better. For example, King Arthur uses schema markup for their recipes. This helps them rank in rich results on Google. Another lesson from King Arthur is using multimedia when it makes sense. Try creating videos that show your products in action, or clearly answer a question that your audience is asking. These can help you increase time on page and appear in more search results. Finally, know when to push your products. King Arthur does a great job of subtly adding their products to content. For example, their blog posts include “featured products,” a CTA to “Shop this recipe,” and “Recommended for you” products at the end of each post. 6. Keychron Industry: Electronics Organic blog traffic: 62.1K Backlinks: 7.1K Keywords: 25.8K For a seriously niche blog and product, Keychron has a pretty hefty presence online. Their blog has had steady traffic growth since around 2020. And they rank for all kinds of keywords about keyboards. For example, this article about hall effect switches gets over 1,700 visits per month. The post ranks #1 for that main keyword. But it also appears in search results, AI overviews, and image packs for 137 other keywords. Their blog posts do a great job of using visuals to explain topics about the tech. And they get to gently promote their own products when appropriate. Of course, this kind of top-of-the-funnel content is likely to drive less traffic as more people rely on AI Overviews and other AI tools for quick answers to their questions. But it can still drive some traffic. And careful linking and CTA placement can turn that traffic into conversions. Key Lessons from Keychron’s Blog One key takeaway from Keychron’s blog? Don’t be afraid to go niche. Your audience may have very deep knowledge of a topic (like keyboards), or they may be generalists looking for an overall view of the topic. It’s up to you to know who your audience is, and develop content for them. Topics like “Best Keyboards for World of Warcraft” may seem niche, but it fits Keychron’s highly specific audience (and does a great job of showcasing their products). Further reading: Audience Research: How to Know What Your Buyers Really Want 7. Huckberry Industry: Men’s clothing Total traffic: 57K Backlinks: 6.6K Keywords: 44K What do you do when you’ve hit a peak, and suddenly everything comes tumbling down? Here’s the story of Huckberry’s blog in one chart: The root domain didn’t take as much of a hit. But the blog experienced a spike and a sudden drop around early 2021. Thankfully, Huckberry didn’t let that stop them. They still had another card up their sleeve: their YouTube channel. While the channel was created back in 2016, there was no consistency, and hardly any views. But sometime after traffic dipped on the blog, we see a change in the posting pattern on YouTube. Suddenly, they’re posting consistently. They share video series, interviews, and more (some of which get hundreds of thousands of views). And over time, Huckberry became the go-to place for adventure content for men. They started sharing videos about culinary travel and adventure stories with members of the community. Plus, they posted gear reviews that linked back to their products. That multimedia strategy helped Huckberry’s blog gain consistent growth again. Plus, their YouTube channel took off — today, it boasts over 375K subscribers. That video strategy made them adapt the way they present content on their blog as well. Many posts include videos with gear reviews and style help. The videos are funny, personable, and mention the brand’s products without sounding like a sales pitch — it really sounds like two friends shooting the breeze. The posts themselves also do a beautiful job of incorporating products: Almost all their posts follow classic blog post templates, but maintain the vibe of a cool online magazine. Key Lessons from Huckberry’s Blog Huckberry’s key lesson is this: don’t give up after a traffic dip. Blog traffic can dip for many different reasons, but it doesn’t mean your blog is a lost cause. When you see a dip, dig into the data. Have you lost ranking on major keywords? Are clicks down? Run through a basic SEO checklist to make sure you’ve got your bases covered. Then, go back to the question we’ve talked about before: What can you create that AI can’t replicate? Define how your blog is differentiated from what AI answers can deliver, and what value you can bring to your audience. Your Ecommerce Blog Can Succeed — If You Trust the Process You can’t build a successful ecommerce blog overnight. But the brands above prove it’s worth the effort. When you do it right, your blog becomes more than a traffic source. It’s a growth engine that boosts visibility, builds trust, and strengthens your brand in both Google and AI search. Keep answering your customers’ questions, stay focused on your niche, and build consistency over time. But remember: your blog is just one piece of your overall strategy. To go deeper into building a comprehensive marketing strategy for your ecommerce brand, check out our full ecommerce marketing guide. The post 7 Ecommerce Blog Examples + What You Can Learn From Them appeared first on Backlinko. View the full article