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Generating leads is crucial for any business looking to grow. You can implement several proven techniques to boost your lead generation efforts. For instance, asking for referrals can tap into your satisfied customers’ networks. Regular customer care calls help maintain relationships and encourage repeat business. By establishing yourself as a trusted source of information, you can elevate your credibility. There’s more to discover about effective strategies, including utilizing online platforms and creative marketing approaches. Key Takeaways Implement a structured referral program to incentivize satisfied customers and generate high-quality leads from their networks. Conduct regular customer care calls to strengthen relationships and encourage repeat business through consistent engagement. Position yourself as an authority by sharing valuable resources and insights, establishing trust with potential clients. Leverage online networking platforms like LinkedIn for personalized outreach and increased conversion rates. Utilize storytelling in your marketing campaigns to create emotional connections and differentiate your brand from competitors. Ask for Referrals One effective strategy for generating leads is to ask for referrals from your satisfied customers. Happy customers often want to help and will provide referrals, making this a quick way to generate local leads. During the sales closing process, don’t hesitate to request referrals; this greatly boosts your chances of obtaining new leads. You can likewise empower your customers by implementing a structured referral program, incentivizing them to gather their own leads. This creates a community of brand advocates, enhancing your credibility. Following up with satisfied customers for referrals yields higher-quality leads, as these come with built-in trust. Conduct Regular Customer Care Calls Conducting regular customer care calls is crucial for strengthening post-sale relationships and encouraging repeat business. By checking in with your clients, you not merely show that you value their experience but additionally create opportunities for new sales and referrals. This proactive approach improves brand loyalty, making customers more likely to recommend your services when they feel appreciated. Strengthen Post-Sale Relationships To strengthen post-sale relationships, regular customer care calls can play an essential role in guaranteeing ongoing engagement with your clients. These calls considerably improve customer loyalty and satisfaction, cultivating a deeper connection. By proactively reaching out, you not only nurture these relationships but additionally uncover quality leads through referrals from satisfied customers. Research shows that maintaining communication post-sale increases the likelihood of repeat purchases, making your follow-up efforts fundamental. Implementing a structured schedule for these calls guarantees consistent outreach, helping you stay top of mind with your clients. Furthermore, follow-up calls are often a cost-effective strategy, as nurturing existing customers is typically cheaper than acquiring new ones. Prioritize these calls to maximize your lead generation potential. Encourage Repeat Business Building on the importance of post-sale relationships, encouraging repeat business is a vital component of any successful sales strategy. Conducting regular customer care calls can greatly improve your relationships with existing customers, promoting loyalty and increasing the likelihood of repeat purchases. Retaining a customer is often cheaper than acquiring a new one, making follow-up calls fundamental. About 70% of customers are more likely to buy again after a positive interaction. These calls not only nurture relationships but can likewise uncover new sales opportunities, allowing you to identify evolving needs for cross-selling or upselling. A structured approach to customer care guarantees you stay top of mind, directly increasing customer satisfaction by 20% and improving retention rates. Enhance Brand Loyalty Regular customer care calls can be a game-changer for enhancing brand loyalty. By maintaining relationships post-sale, you not only save on acquisition costs but also strengthen your customer base. Here are key benefits of these calls: Nurture Relationships: They allow you to connect with customers, encouraging repeat business and referrals. Demonstrate Commitment: Proactive calls show your dedication to customer satisfaction, building emotional ties with your brand. Boost Credibility: Satisfied customers often refer others, enhancing your company’s reputation. Stay Top of Mind: Setting reminders for regular check-ins guarantees customers remember you, increasing future purchases. Incorporating regular calls into your strategy can greatly raise brand loyalty and lead generation efforts. Lead Nurturing: Keep in Contact With Past Referrals To effectively nurture leads, it’s essential to maintain communication with past referrals. Implementing automated follow-up processes can help you stay organized and guarantee timely engagement, whereas setting reminders for regular check-ins keeps your brand fresh in their minds. This consistent communication not merely builds trust but additionally increases the chances of converting these leads into loyal customers. Automated Follow-Up Processes Automated follow-up processes can be a transformative factor for businesses looking to maintain connections with past referrals. By leveraging these systems, you can guarantee timely and relevant communication that keeps your business top of mind. Here are four key advantages: Increased Efficiency: Automating outreach allows for personalized messages without the constant need for manual effort. Enhanced Engagement: Studies show that nurturing leads through automation can boost engagement rates by up to 50%. Reduced Lead Decay: Timely communication helps maintain your relevance with prospects who may not be ready to buy immediately. Trust Building: Consistent follow-ups cultivate trust and rapport, increasing the likelihood of conversion over time. Implementing automated follow-up strategies is crucial for effective lead nurturing. Regular Check-In Reminders Maintaining strong relationships with past referrals is essential for ongoing business success. Regular check-in reminders can help guarantee they feel valued, making them more likely to refer new leads. By setting reminders to follow up, you could see a 20-50% increase in conversion rates, keeping your business top of mind. Implementing automated lead nurturing processes assures consistent communication, enhancing chances of turning past referrals into repeat customers. Personalizing these reminders based on each referral’s interests and previous interactions can greatly boost engagement and response rates. In addition, staying in contact not only nurtures these relationships but provides opportunities to gather valuable feedback and insights, which can refine your lead generation strategy and improve overall effectiveness. Be a Trusted Source of Information Establishing yourself as a trusted source of information is essential in today’s digital environment, especially since customers often conduct extensive research before deciding to engage with a salesperson. By positioning yourself as an expert and advisor, you can greatly increase the likelihood of prospects considering your brand. Here are some effective strategies: Speak at industry conferences or webinars to demonstrate your expertise. Create valuable resources like white papers or guides that educate potential customers. Share insights and data through blogs or social media to boost your credibility. Engage consistently with your audience by providing relevant content, cultivating trust and nurturing relationships. Prioritizing these efforts can lead to higher conversion rates and improved lead generation outcomes. Use the Internet to Highlight Your Expertise In today’s digital environment, using the internet effectively to showcase your expertise can greatly improve your credibility and attract potential clients. Start by building a strong online presence with a well-optimized website and active social media accounts, which can notably increase your visibility. Create valuable content, like blogs and how-to guides, to elevate your reputation; studies show that 68% of marketers find content marketing generates leads. Employ SEO techniques to optimize your content for search engines, leading to a 14.6% conversion rate for inbound leads. Engage in online forums related to your industry to share your knowledge and cultivate connections. Furthermore, hosting webinars or online workshops can demonstrate your expertise and convert attendees into leads, further solidifying your authority. Network Online Whereas showcasing your expertise online is a great start, networking online can amplify your lead generation efforts even further. Here are some effective strategies to maximize your online networking: Leverage LinkedIn: Use LinkedIn for its impressive visitor-to-lead conversion rate, which is 277% higher than other platforms. Personalize Connection Requests: Tailor your connection requests to strengthen relationships and boost response rates from potential leads. Share Valuable Content: Regularly post content that resonates with prospective clients to establish trust and position yourself as an industry expert. Engage in Virtual Events: Attend webinars and forums to connect with potential clients and partners, creating opportunities for future business. Be Creative Being creative in your lead generation approach can set you apart from competitors and attract more potential customers. Innovative strategies, like sponsoring community events, have proven effective. For instance, Security Dealer Marketing generated 400 leads and 10 sales through a public service day. Furthermore, using creative content formats—such as interactive quizzes or engaging infographics—can capture attention better than traditional methods. Brainstorming with your team can likewise nurture unique ideas, adapting to market changes. Finally, storytelling in campaigns helps create emotional connections with potential customers. Explore unconventional channels, like niche podcasts or community forums, for targeted audiences. Strategy Results Community Events 400 leads, 10 sales Interactive Content Improved engagement Storytelling Campaigns Better lead conversion rates Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Best Lead Generation Strategies? To generate leads effectively, you should consider several strategies. Start with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to improve your website’s visibility, as a considerable portion of traffic comes from organic search. Next, use Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising for immediate exposure. Engaging in content marketing can build trust, whereas utilizing social media helps increase brand awareness. Finally, offering product trials or demos allows potential customers to experience your offerings firsthand, boosting conversion rates greatly. What Are the Four L’s of a Lead Generation Strategy? The four L’s of a lead generation strategy are Leads, Lists, Landing Pages, and Leverage. You identify Leads as potential customers fitting your ideal profile. Organizing these Leads into Lists based on criteria helps streamline your outreach. Landing Pages are essential for converting visitors into leads, featuring clear messaging and calls-to-action. Finally, Leverage involves utilizing various channels, like social media and SEO, to maximize your reach and effectiveness in attracting diverse leads. What Is the Fastest Way to Generate Leads? The fastest way to generate leads is by running targeted paid ad campaigns, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn. These ads help you reach your ideal customers quickly. Furthermore, consider simplifying your lead generation forms to encourage more completions. Using sales intelligence tools can likewise provide immediate access to targeted leads. Finally, implement retargeting campaigns to engage users who’ve shown interest, increasing your chances of conversion effectively. Which Is the Best Lead Generation Tool? Choosing the best lead generation tool depends on your specific needs. HubSpot and Salesforce offer extensive features for managing leads and automating follow-ups, whereas LinkedIn Sales Navigator thrives in B2B contexts with advanced search capabilities. If you need GDPR-compliant data, Cognism is a solid choice for high-quality leads. For automation, platforms like Kaspr can save you time by providing verified contact details. In the end, evaluating these tools based on your requirements is crucial for success. Conclusion In conclusion, implementing these seven proven lead generation techniques can greatly improve your business’s growth potential. By asking for referrals, conducting regular customer care calls, and nurturing past referrals, you strengthen relationships and generate high-quality leads. Establishing yourself as a trusted source of information and leveraging online platforms further showcases your expertise. Furthermore, being creative in your marketing strategies can help you reach diverse audiences. By adopting these methods, you can create a robust lead generation strategy. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Proven Lead Generation Techniques" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The OnePlus 13 isn’t just competing with flagship phones. It’s quietly undercutting them. At $699 for the unlocked 512GB Arctic Dawn model, down from $849, it’s currently at its lowest price according to price trackers, making a strong case for itself if you’ve been eyeing an Android phone with top-tier specs without crossing the $1,000 threshold. OnePlus 13,16GB RAM + 512GB Storage $699.99 at Amazon $849.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $699.99 at Amazon $849.99 Save $150.00 It runs on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chip with 16GB RAM, includes a massive 6.82-inch ProXDR OLED display that stays readable even in direct sunlight, and delivers all-day battery life. Add in 80W wired charging (with the charger actually in the box) and a surprisingly premium build with IP68/IP69 protection, and you start to wonder why this phone isn’t getting more buzz. It also supports wireless charging, but you’ll need to buy OnePlus’ AirVOOC charger separately, notes this PCMag review. Performance-wise, it holds its own. Whether you’re juggling dozens of apps or pushing it with demanding games, the OnePlus 13 barely breaks a sweat. Plus, its 120Hz refresh rate makes everyday scrolling feel extra smooth. On the connectivity side, you get wifi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, and support for advanced audio codecs like LDAC and LHDC 5.0, which is great news for wireless headphone users. OnePlus’ ongoing collaboration with Hasselblad anchors the camera setup of the OnePlus 13, and this year, all three rear lenses are 50MP—main, telephoto, and ultra-wide. Color reproduction leans natural, not oversaturated, which is great if you prefer photos that don’t need major editing. Software updates won’t go as long as Pixel or Galaxy phones, which might be a dealbreaker if you plan to keep your phone for years. And it doesn’t have a microSD card slot, so the 512GB you get is all you’ll have. But if you want top-tier performance, clean design, and unbeatable battery life for the price, the OnePlus 13 is one of the best values out there right now. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $349.99 (List Price $399.00) Western Digital 14TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive — $169.99 (List Price $279.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Google Maps is one of the most valuable digital marketing tools available to your business, particularly if you’re using the Google Local Pack. The Google Local Pack displays top-ranked business listings in a user’s local area. So, when searching for “hairstylists near me” or “Italian food in my area,” a user sees their local best-ranked and reviewed listings for salons or Italian restaurants at the very top of the search results page, along with a map. These listings occupy a valuable space on the search results page, as the first items many users see and appear higher than traditional results. In fact, many users will click on one of those listings without scrolling down to view other results. Additionally, these listings provide a wealth of useful information, including contact details, business hours, address, website link, photos, and customer reviews. It even shows the business’s busiest time of day. Appearing in the Google Local Pack for your area’s relevant keywords makes it easier for potential customers to find your website and physical location. It’s an extremely effective way to get ahead of your local competition. So, how do you rank high in the Google Local Pack? Local SEO strategies influence rankings. You’re likely already doing some things right, but to boost your ranking, ensure you’ve checked every box and adjust your strategy as needed. Here are the four steps to improve your Google Local Pack ranking. 1. Optimize your Google Business Profile Much of the data Google uses to populate your listing in the Local Pack comes from your Google Business Profile. If you haven’t already set one up, now’s the time to do so as fully as possible—then keep it up to date. The information provided should match information you have elsewhere on the internet, especially on your website. Double-check to ensure accuracy and consistency of critical details, such as your business name, address, phone number, and website. Think about your listing like a customer’s first impression. A good impression provides everything they might want to know, so your Google Local Pack listing will include all of the following: Name Website link Phone number Address Photos Hours and dates open/closed, along with popular times to visit Description Service options, such as a menu for restaurants Pricing information Tag, which indicates the type of business Reviews from users, along with a star rating The more information a listing has, the easier it is for a customer to get their questions answered—and you want to make things easy for your customers. So, if you have this completed, you’re already doing better than many businesses. However, you can take your Google Local Pack ranking further with a few additional steps. 2. Become a review master Reviews significantly influence a potential customer’s initial impression of your business when they view your listing. Your star rating—based on your reviews—will be one of the first things a customer sees. Your rating directly affects your SEO and search result ranking, and it’s what many users base their business decisions on. Many businesses believe they can’t control reviews. However, you can encourage people to give you reviews and respond to the reviews you receive, both positive and negative. 3. Create a strong local online association To rank well in local search results, Google requires a strong association between your business and your local area. Start by embedding your Google Maps location on your website. This simple step goes a long way. Local data for your social media accounts helps reinforce that association. Next, optimize your web pages for local keywords. If you have multiple business locations, create individual pages for each location that are entirely unique and optimized for local keywords. 4. Reach out to your local community After completing the first three steps, continue building your local SEO to improve your Google Local Pack ranking, by interacting with your local community: Write for local publications or publish information about local topics and events. Get involved in community events. Engage in discussions on social media. Attend or even host events. Building relationships with other local businesses and individuals increases your chances of earning backlinks, which takes a significant amount of effort but can create great SEO results. The big picture Google Local Pack enables you to connect with your community and differentiate yourself in a crowded digital landscape. Take advantage of optimizing your Google Business Profile, master your client reviews, strengthen your local online presence, and engage authentically with your community. These steps build trust and visibility that drive real results. Maximize the opportunity to make your business the first choice for local customers. Jason Hennessey is the CEO and founder of Hennessey Digital. View the full article

Thursday, November 20, ended up being a bit of a whirlwind for tech investors. The day started off on a positive note, with Nvidia’s shares (Nasdaq: NVDA) rising almost 5% thanks to a strong earnings report shared after the bell on Wednesday. The company’s third-quarter revenue reached $57.01 billion with an adjusted earnings per share of $1.30—both exceeded Wall Street’s estimates. Nvidia also shared that it expects $65 billion in quarter-four revenue, higher than the $62 billion analysts predicted. The other “Magnificent Seven” tech stocks—Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Tesla—rose in turn. But Nvidia’s success wasn’t enough to repel investors’ fears of an AI bubble or what had appeared to be an increasing unlikelihood of the Federal Reserve issuing a rate cut next month. As the day went on, each of the seven companies, including Nvidia, saw their stocks whipsaw—as did the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite. In yet another twist, hopes for that rate cut rose again on Friday, with CME Group now reporting a 70.9% likelihood of a cut. The Nasdaq Composite had looked set to open at a 10-week low after closing at $22,078.05, though it appeared to be turning positive again as the opening bell approached on Friday. Meanwhile, while each of the “Magnificent Seven” had lost any early-morning gains on Thursday, some appeared to be turning positive again on Friday morning. Alphabet (GOOG) Thursday high: $306.89 Thursday low: $289.17 Premarket low as of publishing: $287.30 Amazon (AMZN) Thursday high: $227.14 Thursday low: $216.74 Premarket low as of publishing: $216.01 Apple Thursday high: $275.43 Thursday low: $265.92 Premarket low as of publishing: $264.26 Meta (META) Thursday high: $606.72 Thursday low: $583.35 Premarket low: $580.33 Microsoft (MSFT) Thursday high: $493.57 Thursday low: $475.50 Premarket low as of publishing: $474.32 Nvidia (NVDA) Thursday high: $196 Thursday low: $179.85 Premarket low as of publishing: $174.42 Tesla (TSLA) Thursday high: $428.94 Thursday low: $394.74 Premarket low as of publishing: $392.90 Tech stocks have suffered in recent weeks amidst growing concerns that AI companies have overinflated values. Then, yesterday also saw the release of the September jobs report, after the government shutdown delayed it. There were 119,000 new positions added, a significant increase from the 50,000 jobs predicted, according to consensus estimates cited by The Wall Street Journal. Yet unemployment rose to 4.4% in an unpredicted shift. This story is developing… View the full article

Now you can sing along with America’s Founding Fathers as you crush your opponents under oppressive rents and market domination. The Op Games, a publisher of board games and puzzles, is releasing a new version of Monopoly based on the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, marking the latest iteration of the classic economics game that has been a staple of family game nights for many decades. The Op Games plans to announce the new version today, a spokesperson told Fast Company. The game commemorates the 10th anniversary of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s rap-infused retelling of America’s origin story, which made its Broadway debut in the summer of 2015 and went on to win 11 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In Monopoly: Hamilton, hotels become Federalist Papers, houses become Letters, and the familiar Chance and Community Chest cards are named after the musical’s dueling protagonists: Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Instead of boot or thimble, players can choose between an assortment of Hamilton-themed pieces, including a microphone, crown, or tricornered hat. Can you say no to this? California-based The Op Games has carved out quite a niche for itself with cobranded versions of popular board games, such as a Jaws-inspired riff on Operation or a Trivial Pursuit edition that lets you test your knowledge of HBO’s Game of Thrones franchise. It licenses Monopoly from toy giant Hasbro, which has touted a “franchise-first approach” to IP as a cornerstone of its success. For instance, the Monopoly Go! mobile game, published by developer Scopely, has been an enormous success, contributing $126 million in revenue to Hasbro so far this year as of the third quarter. You could argue that all these variations cheapen the Monpoly brand (we’ll leave it up to you to decide if the world needs a Guy Fieri edition), but a Hamilton version of the capitalist-forward game makes more sense than most. The title character, after all, played a key role in creating America’s financial system, and at least four of the musical’s characters are still pictured on our money today. While the cultural legacy of Hamilton has been rigorously debated and reassessed over the years—critics have accused it of perpetuating a “founders chic” view of American history, or of being an overly earnest relic of the Obama era—the show remains a money-making juggernaut. Ten years on, it’s still playing at full capacity at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, where just last week it earned $3.9 million at the box office, more than any other show on Broadway. Monopoly: Hamilton will be available for purchase at the theater, on the Hamilton website, and at Barnes & Noble bookstores, retailing for $45. Just remember to collect 20 Hamiltons every time you pass Go. View the full article

This week’s SEO Pulse examines the updates influencing how brands monitor demand, attribute growth, and navigate evolving AI-driven SERP experiences. The post SEO Pulse: Gemini 3 Arrives & Adobe Buys Semrush appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Centrist incumbents are facing challenges from leftwing insurgentsView the full article

The “X of Y” framework—“We’re the Uber of healthcare” or “the Airbnb of finance”—has become a kind of startup reflex. It’s useful, even comforting, to anchor a new idea to something people already understand. But what feels like clarity can become constraint. When you define your business through another company’s success, you risk adopting their playbook instead of rewriting the rules. The best disruptors learn to move past comparison. They articulate what makes their idea not just different, but inevitable. That’s how you build conviction from your team, your investors, and your customers. Why comparison shrinks your story From a branding perspective, letting investors, consumers, or even your own team see your business through the lens of another company is risky. It narrows imagination and compresses potential before the company ever takes off. In Teddy Roosevelt’s words, “comparison is the thief of joy.” In the entrepreneurial world, comparison is the thief of innovation. The moment you define yourself through someone else’s success, you’re not building a new world; you’re borrowing a corner of an old one. True disruptors don’t emulate, they innovate. And not just in the product, but in how they communicate that product to the world. The biggest tech companies by market cap—Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google, Nvidia—aren’t the “X of Y.” They just are. They didn’t build by reference; they built by invention. Yesterday’s playbook won’t win tomorrow’s game From a business model standpoint, the “X of Y” approach doesn’t simplify, it hamstrings. What worked in one context often fails in another because conditions change faster than most disruptors realize. YouTube’s monetization strategy, for example, only succeeded after the platform reached massive scale. Trying to apply that same model to a niche content business at launch would likely fail. OpenAI trained on freely available web data that’s now largely cut off. Imitators entering the space today can’t replicate those conditions, nor their success. Timing and first-mover advantage matter. Once a model exists, the data access, regulation, even consumer behavior conditions that allowed it to thrive are already evolving. The world moves on. What worked before doesn’t necessarily work now. For disruptors, the takeaway is simple: Learn from others, but don’t lean on them. The best leaders translate insight into original structure, a model built for today’s conditions, not yesterday’s advantages. Create a category: Lessons from Figure’s IPO I saw this dynamic play out firsthand during Figure’s IPO. With no natural comparison, we didn’t fit into a familiar box. Yet, investors tried; they labeled us a blockchain company, a fintech lender, a financial marketplace. And each comparison carried its own limitations: valuation ceilings, volatility, market constraints. Bringing something truly new to market requires more than a great product. It demands changing perception. You have to teach the market how to think differently and convince them they’re ready for it. At Figure, we had to educate investors that what we were building—blockchain-based capital markets—wasn’t a futuristic concept; it was a present-tense opportunity. We emphasized not just what we built, but why it mattered: faster, more transparent capital flows that could unlock a massive market. Once that clicked, investors stopped searching for a comparison and started seeing the scale of the opportunity. That shift made all the difference in a successful offering. Comparisons fall flat faster in today’s world We’re in an evolutionary moment. Like mobile did before, AI and blockchain are changing the rules of the game. Business models built around past infrastructure will quickly feel dated. Anchoring yourself to yesterday’s success stories is like hitching your wagon to Craiglist’s star in 2008. It looked brilliant, until mobile changed everything. The “X of Y” mindset is its own kind of entrepreneurial Waiting for Godot. Leaders get stuck in a comparison loop, waiting for validation, for precedent, for permission to move. But the future never arrives for those who wait on it. Pioneering beyond precedent, especially when precedent itself is shifting, is hard. But that’s where the opportunity lies. Leaders who thrive in this environment won’t ask, “Who are we like?” They’ll ask, “What are we building that no one else has imagined yet?” Because real disruptors don’t wait for Godot. They build the world everyone else is still waiting for. Michael Tannenbaum is the CEO of Figure. View the full article

In June, Fractl and Search Engine Land surveyed 2,000 consumers and uncovered a startling statistic: 82% find AI-powered search more helpful than traditional search. While the SEO industry panicked, thought leaders and snakeoil salesmen took to LinkedIn to lay claim to this new frontier of AI-driven brand visibility: “It’s called GEO!” “No, it’s AEO!” “Oh, we use AISO! Wait, I meant LLMO now!” …Or, maybe, it’s just effective SEO? Industry banter aside, we’ve entered a world where old-school search and AI-driven discovery coexist – and the terminology isn’t trivial. It’s the roadmap for how brands show up across fast-growing search platforms like ChatGPT, which is forecast to hit 1 billion users by year’s end. To bring clarity to that shifting vocabulary, Fractl partnered with Search Engine Land to map the language of this AI-search era. Over the past few weeks, we surveyed marketers, scraped thousands of social conversations, and analyzed job boards to understand which terms are actually gaining traction. The goal was simple: cut through the noise and uncover the labels shaping hiring, strategy, and brand visibility in the age of AI. TL;DR: Marketers aren’t replacing SEO. They’re stacking new labels on it. GEO explains the shift. AEO and AISO describe the execution. SEO remains the connective tissue that makes it legible across the business. And that pattern shows up everywhere, from what people Google to what hiring managers post on Indeed. Let’s drill into the findings. 1. The industry baseline: Third Door Media subscriber survey While large datasets are essential in studies like this, it’s equally important to fine-tune the analysis by consulting practitioners who actively follow industry news and are directly involved in the work. To do that, we surveyed Third Door Media subscribers on two simple questions: Which AI-related SEO terms do you recognize? Which one do you personally use to describe optimizing brand visibility across generative AI platforms? Right away, it became clear that some terms were far more widely recognized than others: 84% recognize generative engine optimization (GEO). 61% recognize answer engine optimization (AEO). 60% recognize artificial intelligence search engine optimization (AISEO). Everything else slid straight into niche-term purgatory, with fewer than half of respondents recognizing them. That includes: Artificial intelligence optimization (AIO). Large language model optimization (LLMO). Search experience optimization (SXO). Large language model answer optimization (LLMAO). Artificial intelligence search optimization (AISO). Now, usage tells the real story. When respondents were forced to pick the one term they used to describe optimizing brand visibility across generative AI platforms, we found: 42% choose GEO. 16% choose AISEO. 14% choose SEO or AEO. This contrast reveals a deeper tension. Seasoned SEOs overwhelmingly agree that effective SEO strategies fuel AI-driven brand visibility – and 84% of marketers we surveyed recognize GEO. However, only 14% actually use SEO to describe the work they’re doing to show up across chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini. To put this tension in context, Danny Goodwin, Editorial Director of Search Engine Land and SMX, told me: “The AI era of search arrived suddenly, and the industry’s identity still hasn’t caught up. We’re in a transitional moment. GEO has emerged as the label of choice in the evolving AI search paradigm. And we are living through a historic, fundamental shift in how people get answers via generative AI and AI assistants. “The work of SEO may be (mostly) unchanged – but let’s remember there is not 100% overlap between what worked for SEO and what works for GEO. In the meantime, SEO remains as important as ever – organic search (though it is declining for many as a performance channel) still drives significantly more traffic than AI.” If you haven’t watched it yet, I also highly recommend Lily Ray’s MozCon talk, “GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win in AI Search,” in which she artistically narrates how: “GEO finally realizes something important: he’s not here to replace the SEO family, he’s just the newest evolution. Mother SEO reminds him how special he is: ‘You help the world discover answers in brand-new ways, through conversations, multimodal searches, personalized results, paths we never had before.’” The need for pieces like Ray’s and this article underscores a bigger story than emerging industry nomenclature. It signals a paradigm fracture, an industry craving new frameworks to define AI-era discovery. Dig deeper: The origins of SEO and what they mean for GEO and AIO 2. Google Search trends show which AI-era visibility terms are rising fast Instead of examining raw search volume in Google Trends, we measured the quarter-over-quarter acceleration of searches to identify which terms are gaining traction as we close out 2025. What emerged is clear: marketers aren’t searching for abstract AI jargon. They’re looking for language that maps directly to execution. Each acronym carries a “job to be done,” and the surge patterns reveal how teams are framing their AI-era visibility strategies. Answer search optimization (ASO) is the breakout star, surging 152%. That spike tells us practitioners are hungry for a label that ties directly to answer experiences. Just be sure to spell it out early, since “ASO” is still heavily associated with app store optimization, and nothing derails credibility like acronym whiplash. GEO follows closely at 121%, signaling that generative-led discovery is widely recognized (by 84% according to our survey), and it’s continuing to gain traction outside of the SEO sphere. AIO is up 99%, acting as a flexible umbrella for teams exploring AI-driven operations efficiencies through agentic workflows. Think of it as the catch-all container for broader AI ops. AISO climbed 90%, mirroring what we’re seeing in hiring language: teams want terminology that combines “AI + Search + Optimization” into something more intuitive. SXO rose 70%, providing a seamless fit for UX-first discovery strategies that span the SERPs and on-site experiences. AISEO grew 60%, another indicator of teams leaning toward longer, more literal terminology to ensure cross-functional clarity. AEO grew 56%, a slower quarter relative to the breakout terms, but still a top contender according to our industry survey. While new labels spark plenty of debate, our survey and trending search data point to two clear standouts: ASO and GEO. Their traction may stem from their distinct use cases, with GEO aligning more with generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, and AEO anchoring conversations around AI Overviews-style summaries. Meanwhile, the rapid rise of AIO and AISO indicates that the industry is converging on a language that blends AI, search, and optimization into something more intuitive for non-SEO stakeholders. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. 3. The most ‘loved’ term isn’t the most ‘engaging’ term, according to social data If Google Trends shows curiosity, LinkedIn shows culture. It’s where new terminology gets battle-tested, memed, debated, misunderstood, and occasionally adopted. To determine which labels exhibit actual affinity, we analyzed 6,400 LinkedIn posts from August to October. While GEO still leads in awareness (84%), usage (42%), and quarter-over-quarter search interest (up 121%), the terms with the strongest positive sentiment are surprisingly literal: SEO remains the emotional benchmark on LinkedIn, with 90.4% of posts having a positive sentiment score, compared to 85.0% on Reddit. AISEO edges out everyone on Reddit with a 95.8% positive sentiment rate, while still earning a very strong 84.8% positive on LinkedIn. Generative AI platforms may be reshaping how consumers search, but socially, the concepts that resonate most are still “SEO” and “SEO with AI baked in.” Practitioners aren’t falling in love with clever acronyms. They’re rewarding labels that clearly signal continuity with the best practices of the discipline they already understand. This reinforces the growing belief that digital marketers view AI search as an evolution of SEO, rather than a replacement for it. Then there’s AISO, which plays an interesting middle role – enjoying 90.9% positive sentiment on LinkedIn, but only 46.8% on Reddit. This suggests that while B2B professionals are receptive to it, wider communities are more skeptical or fragmented in their use of it. When we shift from sentiment to actual engagement, the hierarchy changes again. On LinkedIn, the terms that travel the farthest aren’t necessarily the most beloved – they’re the most skimmable, literal, and “post-friendly.” AISEO sits at the top of the engagement leaderboard with an 8.6 out of 10 score, followed closely by AEO, LLMO, and SXO. These terms behave like reach accelerators. They spark fast reactions and shares, making them ideal for headlines, announcements, and POV posts designed to earn surface-level visibility. Meanwhile, AEO consistently drives deeper comment threads once a post is in the feed, and AISO pulls in hands-on practitioners providing tactical breakdowns more than splashy hooks. Classic SEO ranks lower in raw engagement, but regains momentum when explicitly framed as “SEO with AI” or linked to templates, workflows, or examples. Naturally, hot-button acronyms tend to over-index in engagement, while evergreen terms like SEO remain steady. Sentiment alone isn’t a verdict, but it is a useful read on cultural comfort. Use this chart directionally and weigh it alongside the fuller patterns we observed across search interest, usage, and hiring language. If there’s one takeaway from the social side of the research, it’s this: SEO is still the industry’s north star, but AI SEO is emerging as the clean, “no-translation-needed” bridge between classic SEO and AI-driven discovery. Dig deeper: AI search optimization? GEO? SEOs don’t agree on a name: Survey 4. The labor market: What hiring managers are posting on Indeed For the most expansive part of our study, we analyzed 33,250 U.S. job postings on Indeed, with both short-form and long-form variants of each term. And when you look at job postings – not LinkedIn echo chambers nor Reddit hot takes – the future of the SEO industry nomenclature snaps into focus. Hiring managers aren’t chasing the acronym of the month. They’re defaulting to the one label that captures the full scope of AI-era discovery: AISO. With 11,001 active postings on Indeed, AISO now outpaces SEO, AEO, GEO, and LLMO combined. In other words, the labor market has already decided what this era is called. Goodwin sees this shift as both familiar and new: “AISO is a rebrand of classic SEO skills. Companies still want people who understand content, technical fundamentals, UX, and how to be findable when people search. Nothing about that work has suddenly changed.” “But the job is also evolving – just as it has at various points over the past 30 years to adapt to new realities (think: algorithm updates or SERP changes) or technological advancements (think: mobile).” “Now, you need to work with AI tools and understand how answers are generated. Optimizing for retrieval/inclusion in AI answers is not exactly the same as optimizing for ranking in traditional search.” Three things marketing leaders should internalize immediately: AISO is the market-ready label: It’s broad, intuitive, and now the most widely used term in job listings. SEO remains the core headcount: Companies still hire SEO roles at scale. They’re simply layering AI capabilities on top. GEO is a strategy, not a job: Use it for thought leadership and training, not talent search. Candidates aren’t looking for “GEO managers,” at least yet. Hiring managers aren’t looking for specialists in one micro-framework. They want people who understand how to optimize discovery across human searchers, machine summaries, AI assistants, and knowledge graphs. If you want applicants to find your job listing, title the role AISO or SEO (AI emphasis), describe the responsibilities using AEO/SXO, and save GEO for internal enablement and external education. So, what should teams actually do with all this? The SEO industry glossary is evolving because consumer search itself has splintered across SERPs, chatbots, and social platforms. But the fundamentals of building an effective inbound marketing strategy haven’t changed, and the SEO job market is expanding. SEO isn’t dead. GEO isn’t hype. AISO isn’t optional. The good news is, you don’t need to pick a single acronym. You need a framework. Use SEO to align teams, budgets, and cross-functional expectations. Use GEO to explain the broader shift toward generative discovery. Use AEO/AISO to operationalize how content gets surfaced in answers and summaries. These terms aren’t replacements for SEO. They’re scaffolding for the same work that has always driven visibility: Creating valuable, educational content. Distributing it across the channels where your audience actually spends time. That’s what builds entity strength, brand mentions, and topical authority – the signals every search system, whether driven by ranking algorithms or semantic knowledge graphs, relies on. As Goodwin put it: “We’re not aligned on the terminology within our industry, which is both perfectly acceptable and completely normal in a situation like this. Don’t call it confusion – call it evolution. It may be frustrating because you can’t control what the collective eventually calls this emerging marketing practice. “Staying aligned, to me, seems fairly simple: Decide on what you call it, clearly define it in plain English, and stick to it consistently. Avoid explaining it in ‘SEO+’ terms or as a rebrand of the same old SEO playbook. Instead, call it what it actually is: a new mode of discovery with different surfaces, expectations, opportunities, and outcomes.” Consistently build on these effective strategies, and your brand becomes discoverable everywhere – in AI Overviews, across LLM outputs, in search results, and throughout the social feeds and communities that shape awareness, engagement, and demand. Methodology We surveyed 342 Third Door Media readers about the AI-related SEO terms they know and use, analyzed Google Trends data via Glimpse to measure rising search interest, and reviewed job demand on Indeed across more than 33,250 U.S. postings. To gauge real-time industry sentiment, we scraped over 6,400 LinkedIn posts and 3,350 Reddit threads from August to October 2025, analyzing both long-form and abbreviated versions of emerging terms using the VADER sentiment model. Taken together, these inputs reveal which labels marketers are actually adopting, and which ones are resonating in the broader conversation about brand visibility in the age of generative AI. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $849, the unlocked 256GB Google Pixel 10 Pro is now at its lowest price yet on Amazon, down from its original $1,099 launch price (according to online price trackers). That’s a significant drop for one of Google’s latest flagship phones. Google Pixel 10 Pro $849.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Get Deal $849.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $250.00 While the much-hyped AI features don’t quite live up to expectations, the refined hardware and returning core strengths still make this a compelling upgrade for Android users. As Lifehacker’s Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt notes in her review, Pixelsnap—Google’s new magnetic charging and accessory system—adds real day-to-day convenience, especially if you’ve ever admired Apple’s MagSafe ecosystem. The Pixel 10 Pro sticks to what Google does best: excellent cameras, clean design, and long-term software support. Its triple-camera system delivers consistently great results, whether you’re shooting your cat in low light or capturing a skyline at golden hour. The display gets a modest but useful boost in brightness, and now supports Qi2 wireless charging for faster, cable-free top-ups. That said, Google dropped the physical SIM tray in favor of eSIM-only support with the Pixel 10 series. That’s not a problem if your carrier is compatible, but it could be limiting if you switch networks often or travel internationally. Where it stumbles is in the details you won’t see in a spec sheet. The new AI tools, like voice-assisted summarizing and text generation, feel more like experiments than must-haves. The Tensor G5 chip performs smoothly in general, but reportedly falls behind Snapdragon chips in third-party app performance. Battery life is okay, not great—it’ll get you through the day, but not with much to spare, notes this PCMag review, so power users may need to top up before the end of the day. Still, if you're already in the Pixel world or looking to switch from another Android phone, this discounted Pixel 10 Pro feels like a confident step forward in all the right ways. For anyone who wants more screen space or a foldable option, the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup is also discounted for Black Friday. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is going for $899, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is priced at $1,499, down from its original $1,799. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus 1080p Security Camera (White) — $99.99 (List Price $179.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $349.99 (List Price $399.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

The credit card will provide borrowers points for making their normal monthly mortgage loan payments and for the purchase of home products and services. View the full article

When you’re starting a business, choosing between a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and a sole proprietorship is essential. Each structure has its own benefits and drawbacks that can greatly impact your operations. You’ll need to evaluate your business goals, personal risk tolerance, and tax implications. Comprehending these factors will help you make an informed choice that aligns with your long-term vision. What steps should you take to guarantee you choose the right path for your business? Key Takeaways Assess your business objectives to determine if you need the flexibility and protection of an LLC or the simplicity of a sole proprietorship. Evaluate your personal risk tolerance and consider how much liability exposure you are willing to accept in your business. Analyze tax implications and compliance requirements for both structures to understand the financial impact on your business. Explore funding opportunities and expansion potential, as LLCs generally attract more investors and provide better access to loans. Consult legal and financial advisors to gain insights on the best structure for your specific business needs and goals. Understand Your Business Goals When deciding between forming an LLC or operating as a sole proprietorship, it’s crucial to understand your business goals, as these will guide your choice. Start by clearly defining your short-term and long-term objectives. If you want flexibility and protection, a limited liability company might suit you better than being a sole proprietor. Consider your funding needs too; investors often favor LLCs over sole proprietorships. Furthermore, think about the control you wish to maintain—sole proprietors enjoy full decision-making authority, whereas LLCs may involve shared management. Tax preferences are significant; both structures support pass-through taxation, yet single member LLC taxation offers more flexibility, which can align with your specific goals. Evaluate these factors carefully to make an informed decision. Assess Your Personal Risk Tolerance When evaluating your personal risk tolerance, it’s crucial to understand how much liability you’re willing to accept with your business. Consider the nature of your venture; if it’s high-risk or involves significant regulations, an LLC might be a better fit. Additionally, think about your growth plans—if you aim to attract investors or partners, an LLC can offer more credibility and protection than a sole proprietorship. Understand Liability Exposure Comprehending your liability exposure is essential for making informed decisions about your business structure, especially as it relates to your personal risk tolerance. Choosing between a sole proprietorship and a single member LLC disregarded entity can greatly influence your personal assets’ safety. Here are some key factors to take into account: A sole proprietorship exposes your personal assets to business debts. A sole owner LLC offers personal asset protection against liabilities. High-risk industries, such as construction, may benefit from the LLC’s safeguards. Assess your comfort level with potential legal repercussions. Reflect on whether a single member LLC needs insurance to further protect your assets. Ultimately, weighing these factors will help you determine the most suitable business structure for your needs. Evaluate Business Type Evaluating your business type is crucial to grasping your personal risk tolerance, especially since various industries come with different levels of exposure. High-risk businesses might find more advantages in forming an LLC, as it protects your personal assets from business debts. Conversely, a sole proprietorship leaves you more exposed. Factor Sole Proprietorship Limited Liability Company (LLC) Personal Liability High Low Compliance Minimal More paperwork and fees Decision-Making Structure Sole member decision-making Collaborative management options available As you consider these aspects, ask yourself: can you switch from sole proprietor to LLC if needed? Grasping what is a single member limited liability company can likewise guide your decision. Consider Future Growth As you reflect on future growth for your business, it’s essential to assess your personal risk tolerance since this evaluation can greatly influence your choice between a sole proprietorship and an LLC. Comprehending your financial situation and potential business liabilities is key. Here are some factors to ponder: A sole proprietorship exposes personal assets to business debts. An LLC protects personal assets from business liabilities. Higher risk industries may necessitate an LLC for greater security. Think about the credibility an LLC provides with lenders and investors. Evaluate long-term goals to determine if an LLC aligns with your strategy. Additionally, keep in mind that as you might wonder, “What is LLC lodging tax?” or “Do you pay federal income tax with an LLC?”, the liability protection can outweigh these considerations. Evaluate Liability Protection Needs How important is it for you to protect your personal assets when starting a business? If you choose a sole proprietorship, keep in mind that this structure offers no legal separation between you and your business. This means that your personal assets could be at risk if your business incurs debts or faces legal claims. Conversely, a Limited Liability Company (LLC) provides distinct liability protection, ensuring your personal assets are typically shielded from business obligations. If your business involves significant risks, such as potential lawsuits or high debts, forming an LLC is advisable. Evaluating your business’s nature and potential liabilities is essential; if your personal assets hold substantial value, an LLC can offer the necessary legal protection you need. Consider Tax Implications Choosing between a sole proprietorship and an LLC furthermore involves comprehending the tax implications of each structure. Both options benefit from pass-through taxation, but there are distinct differences to evaluate: Sole proprietorships report income on Schedule C of Form 1040. LLCs can elect corporate tax status, which may offer tax advantages. Multi-member LLCs must file Form 1065 and provide Schedule K-1s to members. Sole proprietorships typically have simpler tax structures, potentially reducing compliance costs. LLCs may be viewed as more credible by lenders, which can impact financing opportunities. Understanding these tax nuances will help you make a more informed decision based on your financial situation and business goals. Analyze Formation and Compliance Requirements When you’re considering whether to form a sole proprietorship or an LLC, it’s essential to understand the differences in formation and compliance requirements. A sole proprietorship requires minimal paperwork and no state filing, whereas establishing an LLC necessitates filing articles of organization with the state and paying fees ranging from $50 to $500. Unlike sole proprietorships, LLCs are recognized as separate legal entities, providing liability protection. Furthermore, LLCs often have ongoing compliance responsibilities, such as filing annual reports and maintaining good standing with the state, which sole proprietorships don’t face. Although both structures need any necessary business licenses, LLCs might be subject to extra state-specific regulations. If using a trade name, both must file an assumed name certificate (DBA). Review Operational and Management Preferences Grasping the operational and management preferences of a business structure can greatly influence your choice between a sole proprietorship and an LLC. Here’s what you need to reflect on: Control: A sole proprietorship allows you to maintain complete control over decisions. Management Flexibility: An LLC lets you manage the business or appoint outside managers, distributing responsibilities. Complexity: Sole proprietorships have no formal structure, whereas LLCs require an operating agreement outlining roles. Collaboration: In multi-member LLCs, shared decision-making can improve collaboration and diversity in perspectives. Liability Protection: Depending on your risk profile, an LLC can limit personal liability whilst offering a structured management framework. Determine Long-Term Growth Plans When considering your long-term growth plans, think about how you envision your business broadening in the future. An LLC can provide you with more funding opportunities and attract investors, which is crucial if you’re aiming for significant growth. Furthermore, if you plan to hire employees or sell the business down the line, an LLC offers a more flexible structure to support those goals. Future Funding Opportunities Choosing the right business structure can have a significant impact on your future funding opportunities, especially if you’re planning for long-term growth. Sole proprietorships often struggle to secure funding, as lenders view them as higher-risk investments. Conversely, limited liability companies (LLCs) boost credibility and make it easier to attract funding. Here are some key benefits of an LLC structure: Increased credibility with investors and lenders Easier access to loans and equity investments Ability to pool resources with multiple members Potential tax advantages that improve cash flow More attractive investment opportunities, aiding long-term strategies Business Expansion Potential Comprehending your business’s long-term growth plans is vital, as it can greatly influence the choice of structure. If you anticipate significant expansion or funding needs, an LLC is often the better choice. Its ability to attract investors and limit personal liability makes it suitable for growth-oriented businesses. Conversely, a sole proprietorship may fit if you’re testing ideas or running low-risk ventures because of its simplicity and lower costs, but it might limit scalability. As your business grows, you may need to shift to an LLC for shared management and liability protection. Moreover, LLCs are perceived as more credible by financial institutions, facilitating access to loans and investment opportunities important for expansion. Explore Costs and Fees Associated With Each Structure As you begin a business, grasping the costs and fees associated with different structures is crucial for making an informed decision. Here’s a quick comparison of costs between a sole proprietorship and an LLC: Sole Proprietorship: Typically has no state filing fees or registration costs, making it the least expensive option. LLC Formation: Involves filing articles of organization, costing between $50 to $500 based on your state. Annual Fees: LLCs may face franchise taxes or renewal fees that vary by location. Regulatory Compliance: Sole proprietorships have minimal requirements, whereas LLCs must adhere to state regulations. Business Licenses: Both structures may incur costs for necessary licenses and permits, depending on your business type and location. Evaluating these factors helps you choose wisely. Consult With Legal and Financial Advisors Grasping the costs and fees associated with your business structure lays the groundwork for informed decision-making, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Consulting with legal and financial advisors can provide valuable insights into the implications of liability and taxation for both LLCs and sole proprietorships. An attorney can clarify legal requirements and protections, ensuring your chosen structure aligns with your business objectives. A certified public accountant (CPA) can outline tax implications, highlighting the benefits of pass-through taxation for LLCs versus the simplicity of filing for sole proprietorships. Make an Informed Decision How do you determine the best business structure for your needs? Making an informed decision involves considering several critical factors. Evaluate your personal liability risk; sole proprietorships expose personal assets, whereas LLCs offer protection. Consider ease and cost of formation; sole proprietorships require no formal paperwork, in contrast LLCs need state filings and fees. Analyze business growth potential; LLCs are often seen as more credible by lenders, facilitating financing access. Assess tax implications; both structures allow pass-through taxation, but LLCs offer more tax treatment flexibility. Reflect on management preferences; sole proprietorships grant complete control, whereas LLCs enable shared decision-making through operating agreements. Frequently Asked Questions How to Decide Between LLC and Sole Proprietorship? To decide between an LLC and a sole proprietorship, assess your personal liability tolerance, as a sole proprietorship exposes your assets to business debts, whereas an LLC provides protection. Consider growth potential; lenders often favor LLCs for financing. Think about formation complexity: sole proprietorships require no paperwork, in contrast to LLCs which do. Evaluate taxation; both offer pass-through options, but LLCs allow for more flexibility. Finally, reflect on your desire for control over operations. At What Income Level Is an LLC Worth It? An LLC becomes financially beneficial when your annual income exceeds $50,000, as it offers personal liability protection that can outweigh formation costs. If you anticipate earning over $100,000, the risk of losing personal assets increases, making an LLC even more worthwhile. Furthermore, if your business involves significant assets or operates in a high-risk industry, forming an LLC is advisable regardless of income, as it safeguards your personal wealth from business liabilities. Who Pays More Taxes, LLC or Sole Proprietor? When comparing taxes for an LLC and a sole proprietor, it often depends on your specific situation. Both typically benefit from pass-through taxation, meaning income is reported on your personal tax return. Nevertheless, sole proprietors pay self-employment taxes on all profits. On the other hand, LLC members can opt for S corporation taxation, potentially reducing their self-employment taxes by taking a salary and receiving dividends. Consequently, the overall tax burden can vary considerably between the two structures. When Should I Go From Sole Proprietorship to LLC? You should consider shifting from a sole proprietorship to an LLC when your business begins to grow, especially if you expect higher revenue. If you hire employees or contractors, forming an LLC protects your personal assets from business liabilities. Furthermore, if you seek outside funding, an LLC is often viewed more favorably by investors. Finally, if your business structure becomes more complex or you want potential tax benefits, an LLC can be advantageous. Conclusion To conclude, choosing between a Limited Liability Company and a sole proprietorship requires careful consideration of your business goals, risk tolerance, and liability needs. By evaluating tax implications, compliance requirements, and costs, you can better align your decision with your long-term growth plans. Consulting with legal and financial advisors offers valuable insights that can guide you. In the end, making an informed choice will help guarantee that your business structure supports your objectives and mitigates potential risks effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Steps to Decide on Limited Liability Company or Sole Proprietorship" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When you’re starting a business, choosing between a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and a sole proprietorship is essential. Each structure has its own benefits and drawbacks that can greatly impact your operations. You’ll need to evaluate your business goals, personal risk tolerance, and tax implications. Comprehending these factors will help you make an informed choice that aligns with your long-term vision. What steps should you take to guarantee you choose the right path for your business? Key Takeaways Assess your business objectives to determine if you need the flexibility and protection of an LLC or the simplicity of a sole proprietorship. Evaluate your personal risk tolerance and consider how much liability exposure you are willing to accept in your business. Analyze tax implications and compliance requirements for both structures to understand the financial impact on your business. Explore funding opportunities and expansion potential, as LLCs generally attract more investors and provide better access to loans. Consult legal and financial advisors to gain insights on the best structure for your specific business needs and goals. Understand Your Business Goals When deciding between forming an LLC or operating as a sole proprietorship, it’s crucial to understand your business goals, as these will guide your choice. Start by clearly defining your short-term and long-term objectives. If you want flexibility and protection, a limited liability company might suit you better than being a sole proprietor. Consider your funding needs too; investors often favor LLCs over sole proprietorships. Furthermore, think about the control you wish to maintain—sole proprietors enjoy full decision-making authority, whereas LLCs may involve shared management. Tax preferences are significant; both structures support pass-through taxation, yet single member LLC taxation offers more flexibility, which can align with your specific goals. Evaluate these factors carefully to make an informed decision. Assess Your Personal Risk Tolerance When evaluating your personal risk tolerance, it’s crucial to understand how much liability you’re willing to accept with your business. Consider the nature of your venture; if it’s high-risk or involves significant regulations, an LLC might be a better fit. Additionally, think about your growth plans—if you aim to attract investors or partners, an LLC can offer more credibility and protection than a sole proprietorship. Understand Liability Exposure Comprehending your liability exposure is essential for making informed decisions about your business structure, especially as it relates to your personal risk tolerance. Choosing between a sole proprietorship and a single member LLC disregarded entity can greatly influence your personal assets’ safety. Here are some key factors to take into account: A sole proprietorship exposes your personal assets to business debts. A sole owner LLC offers personal asset protection against liabilities. High-risk industries, such as construction, may benefit from the LLC’s safeguards. Assess your comfort level with potential legal repercussions. Reflect on whether a single member LLC needs insurance to further protect your assets. Ultimately, weighing these factors will help you determine the most suitable business structure for your needs. Evaluate Business Type Evaluating your business type is crucial to grasping your personal risk tolerance, especially since various industries come with different levels of exposure. High-risk businesses might find more advantages in forming an LLC, as it protects your personal assets from business debts. Conversely, a sole proprietorship leaves you more exposed. Factor Sole Proprietorship Limited Liability Company (LLC) Personal Liability High Low Compliance Minimal More paperwork and fees Decision-Making Structure Sole member decision-making Collaborative management options available As you consider these aspects, ask yourself: can you switch from sole proprietor to LLC if needed? Grasping what is a single member limited liability company can likewise guide your decision. Consider Future Growth As you reflect on future growth for your business, it’s essential to assess your personal risk tolerance since this evaluation can greatly influence your choice between a sole proprietorship and an LLC. Comprehending your financial situation and potential business liabilities is key. Here are some factors to ponder: A sole proprietorship exposes personal assets to business debts. An LLC protects personal assets from business liabilities. Higher risk industries may necessitate an LLC for greater security. Think about the credibility an LLC provides with lenders and investors. Evaluate long-term goals to determine if an LLC aligns with your strategy. Additionally, keep in mind that as you might wonder, “What is LLC lodging tax?” or “Do you pay federal income tax with an LLC?”, the liability protection can outweigh these considerations. Evaluate Liability Protection Needs How important is it for you to protect your personal assets when starting a business? If you choose a sole proprietorship, keep in mind that this structure offers no legal separation between you and your business. This means that your personal assets could be at risk if your business incurs debts or faces legal claims. Conversely, a Limited Liability Company (LLC) provides distinct liability protection, ensuring your personal assets are typically shielded from business obligations. If your business involves significant risks, such as potential lawsuits or high debts, forming an LLC is advisable. Evaluating your business’s nature and potential liabilities is essential; if your personal assets hold substantial value, an LLC can offer the necessary legal protection you need. Consider Tax Implications Choosing between a sole proprietorship and an LLC furthermore involves comprehending the tax implications of each structure. Both options benefit from pass-through taxation, but there are distinct differences to evaluate: Sole proprietorships report income on Schedule C of Form 1040. LLCs can elect corporate tax status, which may offer tax advantages. Multi-member LLCs must file Form 1065 and provide Schedule K-1s to members. Sole proprietorships typically have simpler tax structures, potentially reducing compliance costs. LLCs may be viewed as more credible by lenders, which can impact financing opportunities. Understanding these tax nuances will help you make a more informed decision based on your financial situation and business goals. Analyze Formation and Compliance Requirements When you’re considering whether to form a sole proprietorship or an LLC, it’s essential to understand the differences in formation and compliance requirements. A sole proprietorship requires minimal paperwork and no state filing, whereas establishing an LLC necessitates filing articles of organization with the state and paying fees ranging from $50 to $500. Unlike sole proprietorships, LLCs are recognized as separate legal entities, providing liability protection. Furthermore, LLCs often have ongoing compliance responsibilities, such as filing annual reports and maintaining good standing with the state, which sole proprietorships don’t face. Although both structures need any necessary business licenses, LLCs might be subject to extra state-specific regulations. If using a trade name, both must file an assumed name certificate (DBA). Review Operational and Management Preferences Grasping the operational and management preferences of a business structure can greatly influence your choice between a sole proprietorship and an LLC. Here’s what you need to reflect on: Control: A sole proprietorship allows you to maintain complete control over decisions. Management Flexibility: An LLC lets you manage the business or appoint outside managers, distributing responsibilities. Complexity: Sole proprietorships have no formal structure, whereas LLCs require an operating agreement outlining roles. Collaboration: In multi-member LLCs, shared decision-making can improve collaboration and diversity in perspectives. Liability Protection: Depending on your risk profile, an LLC can limit personal liability whilst offering a structured management framework. Determine Long-Term Growth Plans When considering your long-term growth plans, think about how you envision your business broadening in the future. An LLC can provide you with more funding opportunities and attract investors, which is crucial if you’re aiming for significant growth. Furthermore, if you plan to hire employees or sell the business down the line, an LLC offers a more flexible structure to support those goals. Future Funding Opportunities Choosing the right business structure can have a significant impact on your future funding opportunities, especially if you’re planning for long-term growth. Sole proprietorships often struggle to secure funding, as lenders view them as higher-risk investments. Conversely, limited liability companies (LLCs) boost credibility and make it easier to attract funding. Here are some key benefits of an LLC structure: Increased credibility with investors and lenders Easier access to loans and equity investments Ability to pool resources with multiple members Potential tax advantages that improve cash flow More attractive investment opportunities, aiding long-term strategies Business Expansion Potential Comprehending your business’s long-term growth plans is vital, as it can greatly influence the choice of structure. If you anticipate significant expansion or funding needs, an LLC is often the better choice. Its ability to attract investors and limit personal liability makes it suitable for growth-oriented businesses. Conversely, a sole proprietorship may fit if you’re testing ideas or running low-risk ventures because of its simplicity and lower costs, but it might limit scalability. As your business grows, you may need to shift to an LLC for shared management and liability protection. Moreover, LLCs are perceived as more credible by financial institutions, facilitating access to loans and investment opportunities important for expansion. Explore Costs and Fees Associated With Each Structure As you begin a business, grasping the costs and fees associated with different structures is crucial for making an informed decision. Here’s a quick comparison of costs between a sole proprietorship and an LLC: Sole Proprietorship: Typically has no state filing fees or registration costs, making it the least expensive option. LLC Formation: Involves filing articles of organization, costing between $50 to $500 based on your state. Annual Fees: LLCs may face franchise taxes or renewal fees that vary by location. Regulatory Compliance: Sole proprietorships have minimal requirements, whereas LLCs must adhere to state regulations. Business Licenses: Both structures may incur costs for necessary licenses and permits, depending on your business type and location. Evaluating these factors helps you choose wisely. Consult With Legal and Financial Advisors Grasping the costs and fees associated with your business structure lays the groundwork for informed decision-making, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Consulting with legal and financial advisors can provide valuable insights into the implications of liability and taxation for both LLCs and sole proprietorships. An attorney can clarify legal requirements and protections, ensuring your chosen structure aligns with your business objectives. A certified public accountant (CPA) can outline tax implications, highlighting the benefits of pass-through taxation for LLCs versus the simplicity of filing for sole proprietorships. Make an Informed Decision How do you determine the best business structure for your needs? Making an informed decision involves considering several critical factors. Evaluate your personal liability risk; sole proprietorships expose personal assets, whereas LLCs offer protection. Consider ease and cost of formation; sole proprietorships require no formal paperwork, in contrast LLCs need state filings and fees. Analyze business growth potential; LLCs are often seen as more credible by lenders, facilitating financing access. Assess tax implications; both structures allow pass-through taxation, but LLCs offer more tax treatment flexibility. Reflect on management preferences; sole proprietorships grant complete control, whereas LLCs enable shared decision-making through operating agreements. Frequently Asked Questions How to Decide Between LLC and Sole Proprietorship? To decide between an LLC and a sole proprietorship, assess your personal liability tolerance, as a sole proprietorship exposes your assets to business debts, whereas an LLC provides protection. Consider growth potential; lenders often favor LLCs for financing. Think about formation complexity: sole proprietorships require no paperwork, in contrast to LLCs which do. Evaluate taxation; both offer pass-through options, but LLCs allow for more flexibility. Finally, reflect on your desire for control over operations. At What Income Level Is an LLC Worth It? An LLC becomes financially beneficial when your annual income exceeds $50,000, as it offers personal liability protection that can outweigh formation costs. If you anticipate earning over $100,000, the risk of losing personal assets increases, making an LLC even more worthwhile. Furthermore, if your business involves significant assets or operates in a high-risk industry, forming an LLC is advisable regardless of income, as it safeguards your personal wealth from business liabilities. Who Pays More Taxes, LLC or Sole Proprietor? When comparing taxes for an LLC and a sole proprietor, it often depends on your specific situation. Both typically benefit from pass-through taxation, meaning income is reported on your personal tax return. Nevertheless, sole proprietors pay self-employment taxes on all profits. On the other hand, LLC members can opt for S corporation taxation, potentially reducing their self-employment taxes by taking a salary and receiving dividends. Consequently, the overall tax burden can vary considerably between the two structures. When Should I Go From Sole Proprietorship to LLC? You should consider shifting from a sole proprietorship to an LLC when your business begins to grow, especially if you expect higher revenue. If you hire employees or contractors, forming an LLC protects your personal assets from business liabilities. Furthermore, if you seek outside funding, an LLC is often viewed more favorably by investors. Finally, if your business structure becomes more complex or you want potential tax benefits, an LLC can be advantageous. Conclusion To conclude, choosing between a Limited Liability Company and a sole proprietorship requires careful consideration of your business goals, risk tolerance, and liability needs. By evaluating tax implications, compliance requirements, and costs, you can better align your decision with your long-term growth plans. Consulting with legal and financial advisors offers valuable insights that can guide you. In the end, making an informed choice will help guarantee that your business structure supports your objectives and mitigates potential risks effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "10 Steps to Decide on Limited Liability Company or Sole Proprietorship" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This week in PPC covers major creative model updates, new reporting capabilities, and the voices reshaping how practitioners think about impact. The post PPC Pulse: Nano Banana Pro, Image Animation & The Top PPC Influencers appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

When you’re taking stock of what you’ve accomplished, it’s easy—and understandable—to get caught up by what you haven’t done or wish you'd done better. After all, that's how you'll improve. But you have to remember to recognize wins big and small if you hope to keep yourself motivated. The balance between positive and negative as it relates to productivity is delicate, but you do always need to take breaks, do things you enjoy, and remember that you’re getting things done, even during stressful times. That's why you should try creating a “jar of awesome." What is a “jar of awesome?” The “jar of awesome” idea comes from Tim Ferriss’ Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers and it’s been popular for some time. Essentially, Ferriss recommends writing your wins down as they occur and putting the slips of paper into a jar. When you need a motivational boost, you can read through them. Visually, the jar even shows you just how much you have accomplished lately. The idea is to help you focus not just on everything that needs to get done, but on what you’ve already done. It’s similar to keeping an accomplishment journal or updating your resume annually, even when you’re not job-hunting, in that it both motivates you and creates a record of your work. Crucially, it keeps that record in real time. It's much harder to remember everything you've accomplished if you try to do it retrospectively or under duress (as anyone confronted with filling out a year-end performance review knows well). With the jar of awesome, if you’re ever called into a surprise meeting about your work or have a review looming, you already have a list of your accomplishments ready to go. Ways to create your own “jar of awesome” Actually filling a jar with little scraps of paper is a touch twee and may not be that easy to keep up with when our lifestyles are so increasingly digital. There are plenty of ways to create a “jar” of awesome that don’t involve making your desk look like a Pinterest-inspired 2013 wedding. Try leaving a page or two dedicated to tracking wins in the back of your planner or creating a designated note on your phone. Create a single source of truth (SSOT) or a file on your computer or drive, dedicated to compiling your list of wins and supporting documentation. (Personally, I'm a big on using a notes app. My list of wins lives on my phone, where I can update it in a matter of seconds.) However you decide to do it, make sure all of the successes are listed somewhere together so the list grows visually. Just glancing at it can be a motivational push, to say nothing of reading through it all. Finally, don’t second-guess yourself when you want to add something. If you picked up the dry cleaning on a stressful day, got all the kids out of the house on time in the morning, or responded to all your emails by the end of the day and it felt good, throw it in. Just because it might seem small in comparison to a big looming project deadline doesn’t mean it wasn’t a win to get it done, so into the jar it goes. The goal is to keep track of just how much you really do accomplish, so don’t leave anything out. Finally, build your reviews into other elements of your productivity plan. When you're making SMART goals, for instance,—clearly defining what you want to do, why you want to do it, and when you need it done by—it's easy to look to past mistakes to see what you need to correct. At the same time, look back on your jar of awesome to see what's been working for you, so you can incorporate more of those elements into your future planning too. View the full article

Bitcoin is having a horrible week. Until yesterday, the cryptocurrency had declined by roughly 2.5% over the preceding five days. But in the last 24 hours alone, the coin has taken a major hit—down more than 10%. Worse, fear and greed indices, which measure the emotional state of investors who buy and sell Bitcoin, are near historic lows. Here’s what you need to know. Why is Bitcoin sinking? Bitcoin has dropped precipitously over the past 24 hours. As of the time of this writing, it’s down more than 10% to $82,185 per token. That’s a low the coin has not seen since April. But why has Bitcoin been falling so much over the past 24 hours? There are two major factors at play. The first has to do with what happened in the stock market yesterday. When markets opened, AI-related stocks were flying high due to the previous day’s news that Nvidia Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) had exceeded expectations for its Q3 2026 earnings. This good news, momentarily, gave investors a confidence boost. Nvidia’s results were a sign, many argued, that the AI bubble people have been talking about for months was perhaps overstated. But as the day continued, those bubble fears resurfaced, and investors sold Nvidia heavily, along with other AI stocks and other tech stocks. This selloff contributed to a steep decline in the markets, which ended down for the day. Unfortunately for cryptocurrencies, many people who invest in volatile AI stocks also invest in crypto. And when one of those assets declines, they tend to sell off the other asset to lock in any accumulated profits and buffer against losses elsewhere in their portfolio. However, you can’t blame Nvidia and the tech stock slide yesterday for all of Bitcoin’s woes. A second factor likely influencing Bitcoin’s massive 24-hour drop is that, as CNBC notes, America’s job numbers for September were released, and they showed stronger-than-expected job growth data (119,000 new jobs versus the roughly 50,000 analysts expected). Why would good job numbers send Bitcoin’s price down? Because those better-than-expected jobs numbers sent the probability of a December rate cut by the Federal Reserve down from 50% to about 40%. Rate cuts are generally seen as good news for the prices of assets like Bitcoin because the cuts boost liquidity in the markets. At the beginning of November, many analysts expected there was a 90% chance of Fed rate cuts in December. By mid-November, that chance had been slashed to 50%. Now it’s down to 40%. This increasing likelihood that the Fed will not cut rates is likely weighing heavily on Bitcoin’s price today. Crypto fear and greed indices near historic lows A fear and greed index measures the emotional state of investors in a particular asset. Several crypto-focused platforms maintain their own Fear and Greed Indexes, including CoinMarketCap and Binance. As CoinMarketCap notes, its fear and greed index “measures the prevailing sentiment in the cryptocurrency market” on a scale of 0 (extreme fear) to 100 (extreme greed). This index “helps investors understand the emotional state of the market, which can influence buying and selling behaviors.” Currently, CoinMarketCap’s Crypto Fear and Greed Index is at an 11. That’s the lowest level it’s recorded since June 2023, the farthest back the index goes. At 11, the index is currently lower than the 15 it was at on March 11, 2025, when crypto markets were also tumbling. This suggests that the emotional state of cryptocurrency investors right now is extremely fearful. Similarly, Binance’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index is also at an 11 (it ranges from 0 to 100). That’s four points lower than where it was yesterday, and 50% lower than where it was last week. While seeing the historic lows of the “fear” range of the index might further alarm Bitcoin investors, it should be noted that these indices can help track periods of over-selling (fear side of the spectrum) or when the token may be over-bought (greed side of the spectrum). However, these indices can’t predict whether any token will continue to be sold off or if its price will rebound. Other cryptocurrencies are seeing a large selloff, too As the crypto Fear and Greed indices suggest, it’s not just Bitcoin that is seeing major selloffs as of late. Other cryptocurrencies are also down significantly across the board. This includes Ethereum (down 12% to $2,650), XRP (down 12.25% to $1.85), BNB (down 11.4% to $797), Solana (down 13.45% to $122.73), and Dogecoin (down 14.7% to $0.134). View the full article

Google AI Mode is now powered by the new Gemini 3 models. There may have been a Google search update this week, but what was it. Nano Banana is now in AI Mode, works in Google Ads and can make helpful content...View the full article

Learn the WordPress SEO fundamentals that separate high-performing sites from those buried in search results. The post WordPress SEO Checklist: Get Ready For (Site) Launch appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Have you ever woken up and been filled with immediate dread because the day ahead of you is so busy? It happens to me all the time and is, frankly, a miserable way to greet the morning, setting an equally miserable tone for the day. It simply does not set you up to have a positive experience or be productive. There’s a way to quickly right the ship, however, and turn all those tasks into motivation. It’s called a “brain dump” and you should try doing one in the morning to have a more productive and peaceful day. What is a brain dump?A brain dump is similar to a brainstorm, except you’re actually (figuratively) dumping the contents of your brain. In this case, you’re dumping them into a notebook, planner, or digital document. The trusty old Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a brain dump as “the act or an instance of comprehensively and uncritically expressing and recording one’s thoughts and ideas.” When you’re doing it for productivity, that “uncritically” part is important. Just write down every single thing you need to do for the day. Don’t categorize or prioritize anything; you’ll get to that. A brain dump could include anything from “finish the big project at work” to “take the dog to the groomer’s” to “buy the ingredients for my kid’s birthday cake.” It can include even smaller things like "bring replacement toilet paper to the bathroom" or "call Mom." Don’t be afraid to put down anything that you have coming up in the next few days, either, if those things are weighing on your mind today. As an example, I just went through an old one I held onto (more on that in a minute) and noticed tasks from all areas of my life: Finish my list of big story pitches (work), make my additions to a joint spreadsheet (work), send my birthday party invites (personal), check on the class I’m waitlisted for (school), get my eyelashes done (personal), get my laundry ready for the cleaners (personal), send my computer to the shop (work, personal, and school). There were way more than that, but you get the idea. Your goal when you brain dump should be to see the volume of tasks and feel the weight of remembering them all lift from your brain. Even if you were to stop here, with this jumbled mess of responsibilities and to-dos, you’d have them all written down and could stop thinking about them over and over. But you’re not done here. Prioritize your brain dumpNow that you have every single task written down somewhere, it’s time to prioritize them. My favorite prioritization method is the Eisenhower Matrix, which forces you to identify which tasks are urgent and important; not urgent but important; not important but urgent; and not urgent and not important. You do this by drawing a matrix where the X axis represents urgency (timeliness) and the Y axis represents importance, then writing each task within one of the quadrants created. There are other prioritization methods, like turning your to-dos into numerical data or giving them a letter grade, so feel free to play around with different systems until you find one that works for you. Just remember to factor in the more subjective, human elements that these objective techniques can overlook. Sure, something might be due in three weeks, so it's not timely, but if it's weighing heavily on you and impacting the work you're doing on other things right now, it could be worth getting over with. You can also try Kanban, which asks you to sort your work into the categories of “to-do,” “doing,” and “done.” If you’re going with Kanban, use a pencil you can erase or create a large board and put the tasks on sticky notes, so you can move them through the stages of completion. Kanban is less helpful for prioritization than Eisenhower, but it does help you visualize where you stand with all those tasks, which is helpful in the same way the brain dump is: You need to see everything laid out so you’re not wasting your day trying to remember what needs to be done and what phase it’s in. Like I said above, I was able to find an old brain dump and check out what was on it. That's because I've adopted a pretty fluid system. I use my phone's note-taking app, not a pad and pencil, and I don't just do this once in the morning. I actually add things as I remember them, all through the day. I check them off as they get done and, after a few weeks, when the note document is stuffed with dozens of tasks, I move the undone ones over to a new doc and start again. For me, writing something down the second I remember I have to do it—like bringing extra toilet paper into the bathroom to replace the roll, which I always forget and cause a predicament because of—helps me tremendously. It keeps the tasks top of mind but when a moment of downtime or decision paralysis strikes, I can also check my note to see what needs doing. I'm not a huge prioritizer. Rather, I follow the two-minute rule. When I see something that can be done, I just do it. Now it's over. Having a list of those things ready to go when I have a spare moment has been life-changing. Why the brain dump worksThe brain dump helps you start your day by getting all of your worries, responsibilities, and tasks out of your head and onto paper, so you can see the volume of what needs to be done without spending your valuable time trying to remember what it even is. Seeing that volume also adds a little urgency and gravity, but I've found it isn't stressful because half the work—remembering and jotting out what needs doing—is already done. I can just get busy. And it's not just me: It’s recommended all over social media and the blogosphere by people who rely on it to declutter their minds. One note: Try it out the traditional way for a while and see how you feel. If it's not working right, consider changing your timeline. The same way I adapted my technique to brain dump constantly all day, a few different Lifehacker readers said they prefer to do brain dumps at night to quiet worrying and stressing about the next day. This is especially helpful if you find you struggle to wind down or sleep at night because you're thinking about everything the next morning holds. Jot down everything you know you need to do, get it all on paper and out of your mind, then prioritize it in the morning and get to work. View the full article

Google released an update to Nano Banana yesterday named Nano Banana Pro and it is super impressive as an image generation tool. But it is also incorporated into Google Search via Google AI Mode and available within Google Ads to help you make ad creatives.View the full article

Google has updated the list of countries where using Google Ads for offline gambling advertising is prohibited. Google updated the list on November 19, 2025 to match countries where offline gambling is not allowed.View the full article

In April, we saw a small disclaimer on the Google AI Overviews within Google Search to "Check important info." Well, Google is testing a much larger disclaimer, at the bottom of the AI Overview that says, "Double-check important information" and "It's a good idea to check info in multiple places" with a "Learn more" button.View the full article

Draft agreement has shocked Europe and is unlikely to satisfy Kyiv or MoscowView the full article

Hi again, and welcome back to Fast Company’s Plugged In. On November 18, Google announced a new product. More precisely, it declared that it was ushering in “a new era”—which is what tech companies do when they really want you to pay attention. The product in question is Gemini 3 Pro, the latest version of Google’s LLM. It’s not just the foundation of Google’s ChatGPT-like chatbot, also called Gemini. It underlies vast quantities of features in flagship offerings such as Google Search, Gmail, and Android. It powers Antigravity, a new Google AI coding platform that debuted on the same day. And thanks to Google Cloud, the model is also available to third-party developers as an ingredient for their apps. In short, Gemini 3 Pro could hardly be more essential to Google’s aspiration to be AI’s most important player. As Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said in the announcement, the company sees it as “a big step on the path toward AGI”—AI that’s at least as capable as humans are at most cognitive tasks. Already, the announcement stated, Gemini 3 Pro “demonstrates PhD-level reasoning.” Google supported its claims with a table listing 20 AI benchmarks in which Gemini 3 Pro beat—and often just plain trounced—Gemini 2 Pro, OpenAI’s GPT-5.1, and Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4.5. Humanity’s Last Exam, for example, is a 2,500-question test covering mathematics, physics, the humanities, and other topics. It’s designed to be remarkably difficult (hence the name) and there has been debate over whether it’s so nebulous that some of the theoretically correct answers are nuanced or wrong. According to Google’s table, GPT-5.1 achieved a score of 26.5%, while Claude Sonnet 4.5 managed only 13.7%. By contrast, Gemini 3 Pro scored 37.5%, and did even better when allowed to do searches and run code, with a score of 45.8%. Outside the lab, Gemini 3 Pro has been received as enthusiastically as any new AI model I can remember. Ethan Mollick, one of my favorite providers of AI analysis based on hands-on usage, pronounced it “very good.” Others said it delivered on the great expectations that OpenAI’s GPT-5 stoked but failed to satisfy. As I write, I’ve been playing with the Gemini chatbot for just a few days. Much of that experience has been positive. Two writing assignments I gave it came out exceptionally well: an article on the future of the penny, and a detailed report on pricing for Digital Equipment Corp.’s 1960s minicomputers. Its first pass at a simple vibe coding project—building a search engine for Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech—was a bit of a mess, but when I explicitly put it into “Build” mode, it nailed the assignment in a few minutes. It also excelled at figuring out what was going on in an assortment of photos I uploaded. Yet for all that’s gone right so far, I also encountered significant glitches with Gemini 3 Pro from almost the moment I tried it. They left me particularly wary of Google’s blanket claims about the LLM being ready to help users “learn anything” and delivering responses that “are smart, concise and direct, trading cliché and flattery for genuine insight.” My interactions gone wrong were mostly about animation and comics, topics I turn to when fooling around with new AI because I know them well enough to spot mistakes. Asked about these subjects, Gemini repeatedly spewed hallucinations. For instance, when I asked if Walt Disney himself had ever worked on the Mickey Mouse comic strip, the LLM gave a correct answer (yes, though only briefly) but then volunteered a bunch of facts I hadn’t asked for that weren’t actually factual. For example, it said that when the strip’s longtime artist retired, his final panel showed Mickey and Minnie gazing into a sunset, a subtle way of marking his departure. (No such strip appeared.) In a different chat, it manufactured an elaborate, entirely fictional backstory involving a different cartoonist also being a noted animation historian, which it told me was “well-documented” and “recognized.” It wasn’t just that Gemini hallucinated. ChatGPT and Claude still do that, too. But more than other models, Gemini tended to compound its failures by gaslighting me. Helpfully pointing out its gaffes led to some of the strangest exchanges I’ve had with AI since February 2023, when Microsoft’s Bing said it didn’t want to talk to me anymore. (Full disclosure: I understand that AI is just stringing together a sequence of words it doesn’t understand. All of its human-seeming qualities, be they impressive or annoying, are simulated. But it’s hard to write about them without slipping into a certain degree of anthropomorphizing!) Repeatedly, Gemini acknowledged its inaccuracies but insisted they were “lore,” “common misconceptions,” or examples of my own confusion. In one case, it eventually confessed: “I have failed you in this conversation by fabricating details to cover up previous errors.” In another instance, it continued to insist that it was right, providing citations that didn’t even mention the topic at hand. I’m not arguing that the fate of AI hangs on how much the technology knows about old cartoons. However, if any company is burdened with the responsibility of ensuring that its LLM is a trustworthy source of general information, it’s Google. That I tumbled into an abyss of AI-generated misinformation so quickly isn’t an encouraging sign. Part of the problem lies in the fact that Gemini 3 Pro offers two modes, “Fast” and “Thinking.” The first is the default and was responsible for the prevarications I encountered, at least one of which involved it conflating two separate topics I’d brought up. So far, Thinking mode has worked better in my experiments. But even the speediest of AI models should meet a baseline of accuracy and good behavior, at least if they’re being presented as a way to “learn anything.” (Like many AI tools, the Gemini chatbot does carry a mistakes-are-possible disclaimer.) To repeat myself, Gemini 3 Pro is impressive in many ways. Still, its launch is yet another example of the AI industry presenting an overly rosy portrait of what it has achieved. It also underlines that benchmarks tell us only so much about a model’s real-world performance. When OpenAI introduced ChatGPT three years ago this month, it did so in a brief blog post that took pains to detail the bot’s limitations and avoid grand pronouncements about its future. Letting its breakthrough new product speak for itself turned out to be a pretty effective marketing strategy. Even as AI’s giants jostle for bragging rights in what may be the most hypercompetitive tech category of all time, they should remember that lesson. You’ve been reading Plugged In, Fast Company’s weekly tech newsletter from me, global technology editor Harry McCracken. If a friend or colleague forwarded this edition to you—or if you’re reading it on fastcompany.com—you can check out previous issues and sign up to get it yourself every Friday morning. I love hearing from you: Ping me at hmccracken@fastcompany.com with your feedback and ideas for future newsletters. I’m also on Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads, and you can follow Plugged In on Flipboard. More top tech stories from Fast Company A battle against the AI oligarchy is brewing in this wealthy New York district Two congressional candidates have made AI a major issue in the campaign. Read More → Crypto’s path to legitimacy depends on the industry itself, not just politicians Only an internal cultural shift and rigorous self-policing can deliver mainstream approval. Read More → AI chatbots won’t save the media. But what powers them might Publisher-built agents grounded in trusted archives may turn years of reporting into real products instead of just another chat widget. Read More → This massive new data center is powered by used EV batteries A new project from battery recycling startup Redwood Materials and data center builder Crusoe shows that it’s possible to build data centers cheaper and faster while also slashing emissions.Read More → Why The President’s AI diplomacy is doomed to fail This week, chips were on the menu in the White House Read More → Even (especially) in the age of AI, here’s why I hire for character over skill Because that’s what reveals true talent. Read More → View the full article

As you know, Google has been testing a way to click a button to message multiple businesses through the Local Service Ads. Google now calls that message fan out. That being said, Google seems to be testing variations of that button.View the full article