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War in Ukraine and China’s military build-up have put the world’s deadliest weapons back at the centre of global politicsView the full article

This weekend, U.S. travelers began to feel the initial impact of flight reductions mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a plan designed to help compensate for the understaffing of air traffic controllers due to the ongoing government shutdown. On Sunday, more than 13,000 U.S. flights were canceled or delayed, and things are only going to get worse this week as the total percentage of flights reduced each day is mandated to reach 10% of all U.S. air traffic by Friday. But the pain might not end there. Now, the U.S. transportation secretary has warned that air traffic could slow to a trickle ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happened? Last week, the FAA issued an order mandating that airlines begin reducing the number of flights they operate each day. The reason for this order is to lessen the burden on airports and their air traffic controllers, all of whom have not been paid in over a month due to the ongoing government shutdown. This lack of payment has led to air traffic controller staffing shortages, as many controllers have taken on other jobs to help pay the bills while their checks are on pause. Fewer air traffic controllers increase the safety risk in the skies. One way to help mitigate that risk is to reduce flights. And that is exactly what the FAA announced last week. On Friday, the first phase of those reductions went into effect, with airlines ordered to reduce flights by 4% over the weekend. That percentage will grow in steps throughout the week to 10% by this Friday. But even the 4% reduction has already led to significant disruptions this weekend. According to data from flight-tracking service FlightAware, on Sunday, there were a total of 10,477 flight delays into, out of, or within the United States. Additionally, another 2,952 US flights were canceled, with the FAA’s mandated reductions likely contributing significantly to that number. Tomorrow, FAA-mandated flight reductions will increase to 6%, rising to 8% on Thursday, and 10% on Friday. However, it might not end there if the government shutdown drags on. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently told Fox News that reductions could reach 20%, without giving a timeline for that number. Thanksgiving travel warning But the bad news surrounding U.S. air traffic doesn’t end there. As noted by CNBC, on Sunday, Duffy told CNN’s State of the Union that air travel in America is “only going to get worse” ahead of the Thanksgiving holidays. Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 27, this year—a little more than two weeks away. Many people begin traveling for their Thanksgiving holidays earlier in the week. It is one of the busiest travel weeks in America. “The two weeks before Thanksgiving, you’re going to see air travel be reduced to a trickle,” Duffy said, adding that many Americans “are not going to be able to get on an airplane, because there are not going to be that many flights that fly if this thing doesn’t open back up.” The “thing” Duffy is referring to is the federal government. The government has been shuttered since October 1 in what is now the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, in a fight primarily over the funding of healthcare subsidies for millions of Americans. The The President administration and Republicans don’t want those needed subsidies renewed, while Democrats support renewing them so cash-strapped Americans can continue to pay for their healthcare. Hope on the horizon? Duffy has previously claimed that the FAA-mandated flight reductions “isn’t about politics” but safety. Yet reducing the number of flights in America could serve to add pressure on Congress to reach a deal to reopen the government, as public anger and frustration over air traffic disruptions mount. Still, there is no doubt that the fastest resolution to America’s air traffic rut is by reopening the federal government and getting paychecks back to air traffic controllers. And that’s why there may be hope on the horizon. Last night, the Senate advanced a bipartisan deal that would see the U.S. government reopened. But the deal, which does not protect Americans’ access to healthcare subsidies, still needs to be passed by the House and then signed by President The President. There’s no guarantee either one of those things will happen, however. Even if an agreement on the new bill could be reached relatively quickly and signed into law, a return to normal air traffic over U.S. skies could still take weeks, causing headaches during the Thanksgiving travel period ahead. View the full article

Brands matter now more than ever. You don’t have to say it, I know what you’re thinking: the CEO of a brand agency arguing for brands? How surprising. But this isn’t for me. This is for every CMO looking to secure their seat at the table and fighting to keep brand investment alive. This is for every CEO and CFO balancing the pull of GenAI and the flood of new tools that promise optimization, automation, personalization, and agentic transformation. And yes, dare I say it, this is for my competitors, who I know are on their own crusade to prove that brand still matters. Because brands are quietly under attack, through budget cuts, short-termism, and the belief that anything truly valuable can be automated. We’re confusing lead generation with brand creation and, even more dangerously, forgetting how important a brand is to business growth. WHY BRANDS MATTER In the process, we’re forgetting what brands actually do and why they still matter. Because when everything is automated, brand is what remains human. When products and services are copied, a brand is what creates desire, and an unfair advantage. And when disruption is constant and competition global, only strong brands will endure. I may lead a creative company but I’m also a CEO with a growth mandate, investing in our own brand. And I believe, now more than ever, that brand is a strategic asset and one too many businesses underinvest in at their peril. So, let’s confront four counterarguments, the real ones I hear every day in rooms where growth is on the line. 1. Performance marketing delivers sales. Brand is just a cost center. Performance marketing works. It gets clicks, drives conversions, and shows up beautifully on a dashboard. But, if performance is the engine, brand is the fuel that drives it, as the prior CEO of Nike found out a little too late, after a focus on performance and efficiency over brand led to stalled growth and declining sales. Performance doesn’t create preference or build loyalty. Without brand, performance marketing becomes a tax you pay repeatedly to stay in the game. Brand, by contrast, is a multiplier. It builds memory, emotional affinity, and cultural relevance—the very elements that make performance more efficient over time. Strong brands can command higher prices, attract better talent, and weather competitive pressure. It’s why Mastercard keeps innovating on its “Priceless” brand platform. How Xbox has become more than a console, it’s become a community. And it’s why L’Oréal Paris’s “Because I’m Worth It” still drives double-digit growth. Brands like these are powerful business engines delivering three times the brand value and nearly four times the year-on-year growth of their competitors, according to a McCann analysis of 15 brands across 12 countries and 6,000 consumers. They create the conditions for performance marketing to perform better. 2. Brand can’t be measured. This is the argument I hear most often, and it is the one that stings the most, because there is some truth in it. We have failed to connect the emotional power of brand with the hard metrics that matter to long- and short-term business success. We have defaulted to soft metrics like awareness and recall, when what clients and boards are asking for is clear and fair: Show me how my investment in brand creates growth. Show me how it moves people and moves markets. That is a leadership challenge for everyone responsible for a brand. And I include McCann in that. But the belief that brand cannot be measured is simply wrong. Strong brands command higher prices, drive loyalty, and outperform competitors, with up to two times market cap and four times employee engagement, based on McCann’s analyses of more than 130 brands across multiple markets and categories. Brand is structural and, when measured with the right intent, it becomes the most powerful signal of long-term business health. Again, this is about completing the picture, not replacing performance metrics. Because brand powers performance. 3. Everything can be copied, so what’s the point of brand? Dupes may seem like a threat to a brand, but they’re not. It’s actually a sign of how culturally powerful brands have become. People buy the dupe because they know the original. They’re not rejecting the brand or buying a brandless product, they’re acknowledging the brand by seeking out something that looks awfully close to it. Strong brands know how to stay in the story. When knockoff “Lafufu” versions of Pop Mart’s Labubu toy went viral, the brand didn’t retreat. It trademarked the parody name and turned it into a moment. In a world where everything can be copied, the only asset that can’t is the emotional signal people choose to align with. That’s your brand. 4. Discovery is data-driven now. Brand doesn’t matter if you’re not in the feed. There is no question that discovery looks different now. People are not searching the way they used to and content is now served by an algorithm. What shows up is no longer just about keywords or intent but about LLMs and algorithms predicting relevance, proximity, and engagement. For consumers, especially Gen Z, the feed is culture and connection, not just content. And if you’re not appearing there, you risk being invisible. But that is exactly why brand matters more than ever. While data may determine what gets delivered, it is brand that determines what gets noticed. Algorithms reward attention signals like clicks, shares, comments, and saves. Brands that understand human truths (yes, humans) can generate those signals for a business. It is what makes people stop scrolling, pay attention, and feel something. Without it, content becomes wallpaper, optimized but forgettable wallpaper. According to McCann’s own Truth Central research, 64% of people worry they will discover fewer new things if companies only show them what the algorithm thinks they want. That is an open invitation for brands with a point of view and the courage to break the pattern. So yes, I’m the CEO of a brand company making the case for brand. Because in a world of endless change, a brand is what gets you emotional advantage and moves the people and markets that matter most to your business. Daryl Lee is global CEO of McCann Worldgroup. 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. You get a one-year Costco Executive Gold Star Membership plus a $60 Digital Costco Shop Card on sale for just $130 on StackSocial right now. The card works both online and in-store, and it arrives via email within two weeks of activation, providing an immediate way to recoup nearly half of the membership cost. This offer is available to new members only, or to those whose membership expired at least 18 months ago, and must be redeemed online before visiting a Costco location. The offer is valid until January 21, 2026. Once activated, you can shop at any of the 800+ Costco warehouses worldwide or on Costco.com, and your membership will be valid for one year. The Executive level is a step above the standard Gold Star plan, adding a few perks that can actually pay off if you shop regularly. Executive Members earn a 2% annual reward (up to $1,250) on most Costco and Costco Travel purchases, which can easily cover the extra $65 upgrade fee if you spend around $3,000 a year. The plan also includes access to early shopping hours starting at 9 a.m., extra discounts on Costco Services, and a $10 monthly credit for SameDay.Costco.com or Costco via Instacart with qualifying orders of $150 or more. Whether you’re stocking up on groceries, planning a vacation through Costco Travel, or refilling prescriptions at the pharmacy, the membership stretches far beyond warehouse shopping. That said, it’s worth considering how often you’ll use it. If you only make the occasional Costco trip, the regular Gold Star membership might make more sense. The digital shop card doesn’t arrive instantly; it can take up to two weeks, and this deal can’t be used to renew an existing membership. There’s also no refund once the code is redeemed, so you’ll want to activate it with a plan to use it. Still, for frequent Costco shoppers or families who already buy in bulk, this is an easy upgrade. The $60 shop card helps offset the upfront cost, and the annual 2% reward gives regular members a reason to stay in the Executive tier. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $297.99 (List Price $649.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) Google Pixel 10 Pro 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) — $749.00 (List Price $999.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Google Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen) - Security Camera with 2K Video and Gemini, Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Google Home - 2025 Model - Snow — $74.99 (List Price $99.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $328.00 (List Price $399.99) Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch (Black) — $119.95 (List Price $199.95) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Corporation head adds he is considering personal apology to ‘litigious’ The PresidentView the full article

As the healthcare landscape grapples with escalating demands, small businesses in the eldercare sector may want to explore innovative solutions like those pioneered by ElephasCare. This Ontario-based startup is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in long-term care: staffing shortages. Long-term care homes across Canada are facing critical staffing deficits, particularly in Ontario, where estimates suggest an urgent need for at least 58,600 additional nurses and personal support workers by 2029. In light of this challenge, ElephasCare offers a transformative AI-powered platform designed to enhance care efficacy and responsiveness in nursing facilities. The company’s technology uses radar-based sensors to unobtrusively monitor residents for potential health changes. By detecting subtle shifts in behavior or daily activity, ElephasCare’s system alerts caregivers before issues become severe, thus enabling timely interventions. President and COO Chris Lehman explains, “In hospitals and eldercare facilities, early intervention is a proven way to improve outcomes. Subtle changes may signal health concerns, which, if unnoticed, could escalate into more serious issues.” ElephasCare has tapped into Lenovo’s AI Center of Excellence to refine its solutions, employing Lenovo’s ThinkEdge SE455 V3 servers to deliver real-time analyses of multiple sensor feeds. This structured approach offers caregivers immediate notifications through a smartphone application, accommodating the realities of understaffed environments. With data processed at the edge, operations remain efficient: only significant events are sent to the cloud for additional analysis, which helps streamline workflows. Lehman emphasizes the initiative’s user-centric design, stating that “Unlike traditional monitoring technologies that rely on wearables or video cameras, our solution is based on radar telemetry. We wanted to make our sensors lightweight and scalable while ensuring they don’t infringe on residents’ privacy.” For small business owners in eldercare, this innovation presents several key benefits. First, it aims to improve outcomes for residents by allowing for quicker responses to health issues, such as urinary tract infections, thereby potentially reducing hospital visits. Early results from the pilot deployment indicate a predicted decrease in falls, pressure injuries, and emergency room visits by over 50%, which could lead to substantial cost savings for facilities. Moreover, ElephasCare’s strategy addresses the privacy concerns often associated with surveillance technologies. The use of radar sensors, without video or audio recording, aligns with compliance requirements and ethical considerations that small businesses must navigate. However, there are also challenges that business owners should consider. Implementing cutting-edge solutions may require a significant initial investment and a shift in operational processes. Additionally, smaller facilities may not have the same technological infrastructure to support advanced AI systems. As Lehman states, “While most of the vendors we evaluated focused on server specifications, Lenovo focused on us: our vision and long-term business goals. Their involvement was a coordinated effort.” Small business owners should also keep in mind the necessity for ongoing support and training to effectively utilize such technology. As AI and edge computing continue to evolve, the workforce will need to adapt and become proficient in new operational paradigms. Looking ahead, ElephasCare plans to expand its AI monitoring solutions to a broader audience, using a hybrid cloud strategy that integrates Lenovo’s resources both on-premise and through colocated data centers. This strategic expansion positions ElephasCare—and, by extension, eldercare facilities that adopt this technology—to benefit from enhanced outcomes and efficient processes. Lehman concludes, “The monitoring capabilities we offer can also have a big impact in other care settings, and we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of AI insights to more organizations around the world.” With a proactive approach to health monitoring, small businesses in the eldercare space may find new opportunities to deliver quality care, improve operational efficiency, and navigate staffing shortages more effectively. For further details on this innovative approach, you can refer to the original press release by Lenovo at Lenovo News. This article, "AI-Powered Monitoring Solution Tackles Staffing Crisis in Elderly Care" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As the healthcare landscape grapples with escalating demands, small businesses in the eldercare sector may want to explore innovative solutions like those pioneered by ElephasCare. This Ontario-based startup is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in long-term care: staffing shortages. Long-term care homes across Canada are facing critical staffing deficits, particularly in Ontario, where estimates suggest an urgent need for at least 58,600 additional nurses and personal support workers by 2029. In light of this challenge, ElephasCare offers a transformative AI-powered platform designed to enhance care efficacy and responsiveness in nursing facilities. The company’s technology uses radar-based sensors to unobtrusively monitor residents for potential health changes. By detecting subtle shifts in behavior or daily activity, ElephasCare’s system alerts caregivers before issues become severe, thus enabling timely interventions. President and COO Chris Lehman explains, “In hospitals and eldercare facilities, early intervention is a proven way to improve outcomes. Subtle changes may signal health concerns, which, if unnoticed, could escalate into more serious issues.” ElephasCare has tapped into Lenovo’s AI Center of Excellence to refine its solutions, employing Lenovo’s ThinkEdge SE455 V3 servers to deliver real-time analyses of multiple sensor feeds. This structured approach offers caregivers immediate notifications through a smartphone application, accommodating the realities of understaffed environments. With data processed at the edge, operations remain efficient: only significant events are sent to the cloud for additional analysis, which helps streamline workflows. Lehman emphasizes the initiative’s user-centric design, stating that “Unlike traditional monitoring technologies that rely on wearables or video cameras, our solution is based on radar telemetry. We wanted to make our sensors lightweight and scalable while ensuring they don’t infringe on residents’ privacy.” For small business owners in eldercare, this innovation presents several key benefits. First, it aims to improve outcomes for residents by allowing for quicker responses to health issues, such as urinary tract infections, thereby potentially reducing hospital visits. Early results from the pilot deployment indicate a predicted decrease in falls, pressure injuries, and emergency room visits by over 50%, which could lead to substantial cost savings for facilities. Moreover, ElephasCare’s strategy addresses the privacy concerns often associated with surveillance technologies. The use of radar sensors, without video or audio recording, aligns with compliance requirements and ethical considerations that small businesses must navigate. However, there are also challenges that business owners should consider. Implementing cutting-edge solutions may require a significant initial investment and a shift in operational processes. Additionally, smaller facilities may not have the same technological infrastructure to support advanced AI systems. As Lehman states, “While most of the vendors we evaluated focused on server specifications, Lenovo focused on us: our vision and long-term business goals. Their involvement was a coordinated effort.” Small business owners should also keep in mind the necessity for ongoing support and training to effectively utilize such technology. As AI and edge computing continue to evolve, the workforce will need to adapt and become proficient in new operational paradigms. Looking ahead, ElephasCare plans to expand its AI monitoring solutions to a broader audience, using a hybrid cloud strategy that integrates Lenovo’s resources both on-premise and through colocated data centers. This strategic expansion positions ElephasCare—and, by extension, eldercare facilities that adopt this technology—to benefit from enhanced outcomes and efficient processes. Lehman concludes, “The monitoring capabilities we offer can also have a big impact in other care settings, and we’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of AI insights to more organizations around the world.” With a proactive approach to health monitoring, small businesses in the eldercare space may find new opportunities to deliver quality care, improve operational efficiency, and navigate staffing shortages more effectively. For further details on this innovative approach, you can refer to the original press release by Lenovo at Lenovo News. This article, "AI-Powered Monitoring Solution Tackles Staffing Crisis in Elderly Care" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Plex has been rolling out a new user interface for a while now, and to say it's been divisive among users would be an understatement. Users on Reddit regularly complain about the interface being confusing and slow; others wish the application would focus on personal media servers instead of things like movie rentals. Plezy is an alternative Plex client that solves these issues. The application, which is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, focuses entirely on personal media servers. Plez has a simple user interface, but the real advantage over the official Plex app is its speed. Everything about Plezy is faster than the official Plex app—it launches faster, searches faster, and starts playing videos faster. If you've ever found yourself frustrated waiting for Plex to load, Plezy might be the answer you're looking for. Credit: Justin Pot Having said that, Plezy isn't perfect. A few prominent Plex features, including live TV and offline downloads,aren't supported at all. There are no applications for Roku, Apple TV, or any TV-based platform. The application also can't combine shows and movies from multiple servers, even for search or the "now watching" list, meaning anyone who uses multiple servers may have to switch between servers regularly. That's a small annoyance more than balanced by the performance improvements. But if you just want a quick way to play personal media on a computer, phone, or tablet, Plezy does the job faster, and with less clutter, than the official Plex app. Plex is a great way to build your own personal streaming service, but the company has been downplaying that particular use case for a while—it's nice to see an alternative client with focus. The desktop version of Plezy—macOS, Windows, and Linux—is available for free. The iOS version costs $4. The Google Play link was not yet active while I was writing this, though you could download the APK file from Github and sideload it. View the full article

An SEO strategy is the foundation for improving organic visibility and driving conversions – whether that means owning Google’s front page or earning mentions in LLMs. A strong strategy aligns stakeholders, unifies teams, and sets clear expectations. Without one, SEO can feel scattered – a collection of disconnected tactics or endless optimizations thrown at the wall to see what sticks. Documenting your strategy isn’t busywork. It’s how you ensure everyone who needs to buy in understands your goals, your approach, and how their teams can help achieve them. This article looks at why documenting your SEO strategy matters – and how to do it effectively to support long-term success. What is an SEO strategy? This might seem obvious, but it’s worth taking a moment to clarify. I’ve made these mistakes myself, and sometimes it helps to restate what isn’t always as obvious as it seems. An SEO strategy is not: A list of activities to be carried out. A pipeline of work with timelines. A list of vague goals with no measures. It should: Be a focused, achievable set of goals that are directly relevant to the overarching objectives of the wider business. Give context to the business’s challenges and opportunities in the organic market. Consider what will be done to maximize those selected opportunities and limit the risks. An SEO strategy should: Identify the company’s current position. Detail what needs to be done and when to help support the business’s goals. Consider what will be used to measure the strategy’s success. Why document your SEO strategy Sometimes, it can feel like taking the time to write out the SEO strategy developing in your head is a bit of a waste of time. Perhaps you’re the only SEO at your company. Maybe you work for an agency, and your client just wants to know the results, not what you’re doing. It will be worth it, regardless of the time it takes to lay out your thoughts. Take the definition of an SEO strategy I’ve given above. That’s a lot to keep in your head. It’s a lot to try to communicate with stakeholders on demand. The document becomes a central reference point that any stakeholder can refer to, reminding themselves of the strategy’s key activities and reasoning. To get buy-in To begin with, having a fully documented SEO strategy will help get buy-in from key stakeholders. Your leadership team or your client may fully trust you to get the right work done. But most of us aren’t working in isolation. We need to get other teams, managers, and stakeholders on board. Documenting your SEO strategy takes it from a concept in your head to a business plan that can be easily communicated and referred back to. To set expectations SEO is hard to guarantee. We have all faced the uncertainty of an algorithm update or a competitor making an unexpected move. Yet, to gain buy-in for our plan, we must demonstrate a guaranteed return on investment. Documenting your SEO strategy enables you to outline the goals of your work, what you expect to achieve through them, and when. SEO seems like a mystery to people outside of the industry, yet if we expect them to invest in it, they need to know what to expect. Setting out your SEO strategy will help to reassure them of the activity that will be carried out and what will be achieved through it. This will likely not guarantee “X number 1 rankings” or “X% increase in organic traffic.” It will likely be a realistic assessment of what your proposed activity will achieve. With this information, stakeholders will know exactly what to expect. There will be no awkward conversations at the end of the year where they are disappointed because they thought you would deliver the impossible. It’s a document you can return to as the agreed course of action. Once stakeholders sign off, it becomes a shared reference for what will be done, when, and why. To communicate requirements Documenting an SEO strategy will enable you to set out in advance the resources, input, and support you may need throughout its duration. If you will need access to tools or subscriptions, you can detail it in the strategy. This ensures everyone understands the business investment needed for the strategy. Setting out your SEO strategy will also help you work with stakeholders to determine what is realistically achievable, given your current team. It can be tempting to plan for far more than is possible. An SEO working in isolation or on a limited budget or with limited time for a client will not be able to achieve as much as a full team dedicated to a single website. Your SEO strategy will also help to communicate the input required from other teams and stakeholders. Setting this out in advance and obtaining agreement from those involved can save a significant amount of time and energy down the line. If your engineering team leader agrees to carry out the output of the upcoming SEO audit, then you won’t have to fight for that resource when needed. Where should you document it? If you’re taking all this time to write up your strategy, you don’t want to keep it hidden in a folder on your desktop. Anyone in the company should be able to see it. SEO impacts many teams, so the more people understand it, the better they can support your strategy. If you are working as a consultant or at an agency, I suggest making your document available to both your internal team and the client. If you’re unexpectedly away, a colleague can easily continue your work. Giving your clients access helps them understand what to expect and when. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Consider your audience When writing out your strategy, consider who will be reading it. Different stakeholders will want different information from it. The leadership The company’s leadership, those who will give the final signoff to your strategy, will want to know the overarching goals, timelines, and measures. They may not be as interested in how you will be achieving your strategy, but why. This audience is likely time-starved and will want to quickly identify what you suggest, your reasoning behind it, and the expected results. The implementers Your SEO colleagues, teams like developers, content writers, and product managers, are essentially the people who will be working with you to carry out your strategy. These stakeholders will want to understand the why, but more importantly, the what and how. They will want to see what projects they may be involved in and when they are scheduled. This will help them to plan the rest of their work around your requirements. The curious As previously mentioned, communicating your strategy to stakeholders beyond the direct ones is a good way to gain buy-in for SEO in general. Education plays a significant role in achieving SEO success in a business. Making your strategy available can help people understand the reach and impact SEO can have. As LLMs and AI gain attention both inside and outside tech circles, more businesses are asking how to capitalize on the trend. As SEO specialists, we’re well-positioned to guide and educate them. Including a clear GEO strategy within your broader SEO plan makes it easier to show which activities are most likely to deliver results. We’re in a position to drive meaningful change on an emerging platform – but only if we share our knowledge and insights effectively. A well-defined strategy provides a clear plan, complete with deliverables and measures, to show curious colleagues what’s already in motion to capitalize on LLM search opportunities. Don’t overlook this audience when documenting your strategy. They may have limited familiarity with SEO or GEO terminology and reasoning, so take time to explain key concepts and spell out acronyms. Ultimately, especially in agency settings, you never know who might read this document – your client’s manager, CEO, or CFO. Expertly documenting your strategy could be the difference between earning a larger budget and facing a canceled contract. How to communicate your strategy The key to documenting your SEO strategy in a way that makes it easily digested and understood is considering the above audiences. When writing it, you will likely want to prioritize your leadership and implementation teams to ensure you receive the necessary support. Throughout your document, ask yourself, “What are the key takeaways I want my leadership stakeholders to get?” Make sure these are clearly included near the beginning of your documentation. For the implementation audience, consider, “If I were to give this to my colleague, would they know enough about the strategy to run it for me?” Keeping those two questions in mind means you should convey enough strategic insight upfront for your leadership while going into specifics for your implementers. What to include You may have a standard style for documenting strategies in your company or agency. If so, hopefully, there will be examples from other teams you can use. However, if not, or if you want to ensure you cover everything necessary, here’s a guide on what to include. Context Ideally, it should be detailed near the beginning of the document, so include the context of the strategy. That is, what is happening in this business’s market? You may want to include details about types of competitors, products, and services. Perhaps an overview of market forces, such as politics, technology, or suppliers, would be beneficial – essentially, any forces that might impact the company’s SEO success. There are several well-known marketing frameworks you can adapt to help you analyze your market and business context. Look at PESTLE, SWOT, and the Ansoff Matrix for some easy-to-follow ones. Essentially, it should communicate the key opportunities and challenges faced by the business in a way that organic visitors may find and relate to. Objectives At some point in your strategy document, you will need to outline what you hope to achieve through SEO. To prevent your objectives from being so vague as to be meaningless, consider using a format like “SMART.” Make sure your objectives are clear and specific, so everyone can easily see if the strategy was successful at the end. Tactics How you implement your SEO strategy is key to documenting it. The detail and format will depend on your business practices. For example, consider providing a general guide on how you will approach each of the objectives you have stated. Note the types of activities and what they will do to help achieve the goals. Describe the work in far more detail, perhaps in the form of specific activities with their completion dates and teams assigned to them. The key here is to provide enough detail that the reader gains a clear understanding of the activity the SEO team needs to complete, without overcomplicating this strategic-level document. Remember your leadership stakeholder audience – they need to be able to get the “gist” of the strategy quickly. The task-level detail is probably too much for this document and is better detailed within your project management platform or processes. Measurements Communicating how the success of your SEO strategy will be measured is critical for setting expectations. If you have managed to design your objectives to be “SMART,” then there will be an easy way to measure them. That is, your objective should have an obvious point of “passed” or “failed.” For example: “We aim to increase organic traffic to the blog section of the website by 20% over the next six months.” The measure of this objective is organic traffic. The “pass” mark will be a 20% increase in that traffic. To show an increase, you will need to know the starting point. Include that within your strategy so that anyone following along with your work can see how close you are to the target. For example: “Increase organic traffic to the blog section of the website by 20%, from 10,000 organic visits per month to 12,000 visits per month over the next six months.” It can also be helpful to specify the data set you are measuring against. For instance, you may suggest measuring traffic using a specific report you have created in Google Analytics or a reporting tool. The idea is to align everyone against the same set of data, using the same filters and segments, to ensure that results are clear. Resources Include the resources, teams, and tools you may need. You are documenting your SEO strategy, so there is a single plan that everyone agrees to and can be referenced. Including your resource requirements and what you need from other teams means you have stated what your predicted results are contingent on. If you do not get the tools or people that have been agreed upon, then there is a good case to be had as to why those results could not be achieved. The art of SEO strategy documentation Documenting your SEO strategy is crucial for aligning stakeholders and clarifying your approach. While it may seem like extra work, it supports buy-in, resource planning, and effective communication, providing a clear reference throughout your strategy’s duration. View the full article

Microsoft announced on Friday afternoon that Copilot now has its own dedicated search experience. Plus, because Microsoft knows how important publishers are to the ecosystem, it is making citations and links way more prominent and clickable. View the full article

There have been a number of threads on LinkedIn over the past week about how poorly Google Ads AI Max is performing compared to other match types. The conversions or conversion value is greatly below other match types, in early tests, despite Google saying it should deliver 14% more.View the full article

I’m a sucker for a good travel rewards card. Over the years, I’ve collected a small handful of them — not because I love juggling annual fees, but because the right cards can save you a lot of money on flights, hotels, and travel perks you’d otherwise pay out of pocket for. Not only do I have a bunch for my personal expenses but I have a couple for this business too. One of my favorite business credit cards is the Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card. It’s Capital One’s top-tier business product. I love it because there’s a big welcome offer, lounge access to over 1,300 airport lounges, annual travel credits, and a simple 2x reward on all spending (which ensures you are always earning multiples miles per dollar spent). To help you decide if this card is for you, here’s my full review of the card and why I love it so much: What is the Capital One Venture X Business Card? The Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card is a travel rewards card issued by Capital One. It comes with a $395 annual fee that is way lower than the other premium business cards out there. And I think you can easily get way more value than the annual fee costs. Here’s a quick look at the main perks: 150,000 miles after spending $30,000 in the first 3 months 2 miles per $1 on all purchases, no category restrictions 5× miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel 10× miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel $300 annual travel credit (through Capital One Business Travel) Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass lounges, after enrollment Up to $120 statement credit for TSA Precheck or Global Entry No foreign transaction fees Using Your Capital One Miles Capital One miles can be redeemed in a few ways. One is by booking travel directly through Capital One’s portal. While I usually don’t recommend booking through credit card portals, to fully benefit from the Venture X’s travel credit (and to get the 5x and 10x miles offers) you’ll need to use their portal. Another option is to use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase. For 90 days after making such a purchase, you can reimburse yourself at a redemption rate of one cent per mile. After 90 days, and for all other purchases, you can use miles as cash back, at a redemption rate of 0.5 cents per mile (but avoid doing this, as it’s not a good value). You can also use your Capital One miles in the Capital One Entertainment portal to book tickets for concerts, sports events, and more. Occasionally, Capital One offers cardholder-only events and presale opportunities too. While you’ll get just 0.8 cents per mile for tickets (not the best value), it’s still a fun and unique way to redeem miles. However, you’ll get the most out of your miles by transferring them to Capital One’s 15+ airline and hotel partners. While the actual value varies based on what you book, you can usually find airline and hotel redemptions worth much more than the aforementioned one cent per mile. (The process is pretty straightforward and can be done through your Capital One account.) Here are Capital One’s current travel partners: Accor Live Limitless Aeromexico Club Premier Air Canada Aeroplan Air France/KLM Flying Blue Avianca LifeMiles British Airways Executive Club Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Choice Privileges Emirates Skywards Etihad Airways Guest EVA Air Infinity MileageLands Finnair Plus I Prefer Hotel Rewards Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Qantas Frequent Flyer Qatar Airways Privilege Club Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer TAP Portugal Miles&Go Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Virgin Red Wyndham Rewards Pros of the Venture X Business Card As someone who travels constantly for work, I’m always looking for ways to earn miles faster and make airport life a little less painful. I like this card for the simple 2x miles on everything. I use a lot of other cards that can get you 3 or 4x on certain categories like advertising or non-portal travel spend like flights and hotels. But when it comes to dining, museums, transportation, etc, there’s not a lot of ways to get more than 2x per dollar spent on a business card. So, I use this Venture X for anything I can’t get more than 2x per dollar. Here’s a deep dive into some of the main perks: $300 Travel Credit Each year, you get a $300 credit toward bookings made through Capital One Business Travel (flights, hotels, or car rentals). If you’re already booking travel regularly, this credit is basically free money — and it immediately drops your effective annual fee from $395 to $95. The catch? You do have to book through Capital One’s travel portal. It’s powered by Hopper, so the interface is clean and prices are usually competitive. I’ve found some good deals there. Lounge Access You get access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges. Capital One’s own lounges are actually great — spacious, modern, good food — though they’re still limited location. But they are expanding how many they have and I personally think they are way better than the other lounges competitor banks have. You also get Priority Pass access t o over 1,300 lounges globally, which is a common but really nice perk. Anniversary Bonus Every year on your account anniversary, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles (worth about $100 toward travel). It’s a nice “thank you” that helps offset the annual fee even further. Should You Get This Card? The Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card is best for small- to medium-sized business owners who travel regularly and can put at least $30,000 to ensure they meet the welcome offer requirements. Overall, I think the Capital One Venture X Business is one of the best-value premium business cards out there right now. It’s not as benefit-packed or as flashy as the Amex Business Platinum or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, but it’s easier to use, has a less expensive annual fee, gets you lounge access, and an easy to understand earning structure. It’s one of the cards I use the most often for my business. I highly recommend getting it. Stop paying full price for travel! Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It's how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I'll show you: How to Pick a Credit Card How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending How to Redeem Your Points And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips! Get the guide Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are: SafetyWing (best for budget travelers) World Nomads (best for mid-range travelers) InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over) Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage) Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals. Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip! Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more. Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip. The post Capital One Venture X Business Card Review: Is It Worth It? appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. View the full article

Google's John Mueller responded with SEO advice on how a company can use two different TLDs for its company. The company wants to use the .co.uk for normal search and web traffic but .digital as a TLD for some of its marketing campaigns.View the full article

Strong Black Friday performance starts with preparation. Here’s how to stabilize PPC systems and prevent costly surprises. The post Black Friday 2025: Tips To Boost Your Holiday PPC Performance (Get Ready Now) appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Last week, Google announced Opal, a Google Labs project, expanded to more regions. Well, it also explained how you can use this tool to create optimized content in a scalable way - consistently and quickly, without much human intervention. Yea, does this seem like something that might be against the Google Search guidelines? View the full article

If you’ve seen a bird’s-eye view of Earth over the past decade, chances are it came from Colorado-based Maxar Intelligence. From some 280 miles up, its powerful imaging satellites have created an atlas of modern problems: the impacts of extreme weather, the build-up of Russian tanks near the Ukrainian border, the ruination of Khartoum and the decimation of Gaza, even the not-so-total destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities by U.S. bombers. What you may not have noticed: Last month, the Maxar brand was itself wiped out, after its private equity owner replaced it with a new moniker: Vantor. The new name reflects how the company that sees everything on Earth now sees itself. Peter Wilczynski, Vantor’s chief product officer, points to “the harsh V, which gives it that edge.” The edginess extends to a slick new website, where fast-paced scenes on screens evoke Jason Bourne, or Alex Karp. But unlike Palantir, where Wilczynski spent a decade, or Anduril, a Vantor partner, the new name does not come from The Lord of the Rings, the touchstone for so many unabashed defense tech firms. Still, Wilczynski admits: “it could be Elvish.” The Maxar makeover “reflects a broader crossroads for Earth observation,” says Jarkko Antila, the CEO of Kuva Space, a Finnish startup building a constellation of AI-equipped hyperspectral nanosatellites, capable of monitoring any material on the Earth’s surface. “Raw satellite imagery alone is less of a differentiator. Combining imagery with AI-powered analytics and sensor fusion to access real-time actionable intelligence is what customers demand.” The hard-edged, tech-forward revamp isn’t just marketing. Maxar’s transformation reflects bigger shifts in the business of watching Earth. A new wave of military and intelligence demand has led companies to double down on government work or even enter the market for the first time. According to Novaspace, a consultancy, the data and services market for defense and intel customers grew by 42% over the past five years, reaching $2.2 billion in 2024. National security work now represents more than 65% of the whole earth observation data market. Whereas imagery satellite companies once leaned into civic applications, the firms are increasingly turning to AI to rapidly analyze all kinds of space data, and sharpening their focus on national security amid turmoil here on Earth. “We’re experiencing growth across every region as customers respond to the changing geopolitical climate,” Wilczynski says. Vantor’s international business has grown by double digits this year to around 100 government and corporate customers, with the bulk of its contracts now with military and intelligence agencies, he adds. A separate Maxar division that builds the satellites, the California-based Maxar Space Systems, was also rebranded, as Lanteris. At the top of its new roadmap, the company said it was centered on “platforms for missile tracking, secure communications, and resilient constellations that safeguard U.S. and allied interests.” Last week, the lunar infrastructure firm Intuitive Machines bought Lanteris for $800 million, “mark[ing] the moment Intuitive Machines transitions from a lunar company to a multi-domain space prime,” CEO Steve Altemus said in the company’s press release. Investors who previously shied away from national security are now pouring in record amounts of cash. According to Bain & Company, venture capital investment in defense tech has increased more than eighteen-fold over the past decade. Over the next decade, Goldman Sachs estimates, the global satellite market will grow from $15 billion to $108 billion. “DoD is basically saying, ‘Hey, private sector, spend your equity dollars, do some preliminary work and that will help us decide what we want,’” Shahin Farshchi, a partner at Lux Capital, said October 29 at a satellite conference in California. A data glut At Maxar—Vantor—the makeover was years in the making, says Wilczynski. In 2022, the private equity firm Advent International purchased Maxar Technologies in an all-cash $6.4-billion transaction in 2022 and split its imagery and satellite businesses into separate divisions. Advent—whose business involves buying, repackaging and selling companies—said the firms would prioritize work for the U.S. government and its allies as part of its broader defense portfolio. Since then, Maxar Intelligence has shaken up its executive team with tech veterans and rejiggered its business, with a focus on services and extracting insights from data. Vantor—which grew partly out of the early Google Maps partner DigitalGlobe—also operates ten satellites built by Maxar and another ancestor, GeoEye. Its six WorldView Legion satellites produce some of the highest-resolution color images commercially available, down to 30 centimeters, or 15 with “enhancement”—good enough to count individual tanks and the crowns of trees. (Only Airbus’s satellites offer a comparable resolution.) Dozens of other companies operate some 1,200 earth observation satellites, helping governments and companies keep tabs on everything from airbases to mines to big box parking lots in a zoo of formats, from optical to hyperspectral to SAR and RF. All this adds up to a problem of too much space data, more than humans can look at, let alone sort, combine, or usefully analyze. “It’s like a thousand times, a million times, the data that you were handling 10 years ago,” says Wilczynski, who previously helped develop Palantir’s data management system and geospatial platform. The glut has pushed Maxar and its two large earth observation rivals, Planet and BlackSky, to become more like tech firms, building AI to combine data from space and other domains like drones and phones, and devising slick interfaces that can extract objects and flag changes on Earth and at sea. (Years ago, a similar flood of video evidence—and the subscription services involved in managing it—led the law enforcement contractor Taser to hire executives from Tesla and Apple, build a cloud-based platform, and rebrand as Axon.) Incumbent players are only now moving into the world of rapid data fusion, says Antila of Kuva, which plans to sell defense customers subscription-based access to its hyperspectral microsatellites; on-board Nvidia chips will help speed up data processing. “But it remains to be seen how quickly they can reset their existing processes and business models.” At Vantor, that effort has meant a range of new partnerships and products, from analysis tools to near-real-time 3D globes, to less traditional ways of presenting and selling geospatial data. Ninety percent of Vantor’s revenue now comes from subscriptions and recurring contracts, amounting to over $900 million, a business the company projects will grow by double digits this year. “Geopolitics are driving countries to want eyes faster” In part, the shift can be traced to a set of color images taken by Maxar on November 1, 2021. The photos, first published in Politico, showed tanks massing near the Ukrainian border. That, and subsequent Maxar imagery, helped convince the world that Putin was serious about his plans to invade, more than three months before it actually happened. NEW: Photos show Russian troops & equipment, including hundreds of tanks, self-propelled artillery and an Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile are deployed in a training area located approx 160 miles north of the Russia – Ukraine border. 📸: @Maxar pic.twitter.com/qXkj7V1yeI — Elizabeth Campbell (@ECampbell360) December 23, 2021 The war that followed was another reminder that commercial space data wasn’t just a nice-to-have. Along with communications provided by Spacex’s massive Starlink network, commercial satellites would prove pivotal for Ukraine’s defense: Since images by Vantor and other companies are unclassified, U.S. and NATO commanders and analysts could easily share them with Kiev, providing critical intelligence. That sharing arrangement became well known in March, after President Donald The President abruptly turned off Kiev’s access to a Maxar-run digital atlas used by the Pentagon and other US agencies and overseas partners. The White House restored access 11 days later, but the episode unnerved U.S. allies around the globe. “The moment was a wake-up call for partners around the world, and we’ve seen an uptick in demand from international government partners who want to pay for direct access to our spatial intelligence capabilities,” says Wilczynski. The push for more surveillance from space is said to be existential in the longer term, too. For defense and intelligence agencies facing the prospect of AI-powered weapons and drones, the data that comes from above will determine who wins future wars. “Geopolitics are driving countries to want eyes faster,” Will Marshall, CEO of Planet, told a panel at World Space Business Week in September. The publicly traded company has signed deals with NATO, Germany, and Wales. It has also announced a new factory in Berlin, and seen its stock more than triple this year. “People are very worried, and countries want to have their own independent means of surveying the world,” he said. Since July, Vantor has signed over $300 million in contracts, including a deal with Taiwanese aerospace firm AIDC for Raptor, a system that uses its 3D terrain models to guide swarms of drones. Under a separate Army contract, Vantor is also building a 3D virtual globe for training and planning. Last month, the company also signed a deal with the Space Force to capture images of other satellites, a growing concern amid tensions in orbit. Wilczynski puts the market for its products next year at $2 billion. One of Vantor’s largest U.S. government contracts is for GEGD, the web-based portal that provides unclassified imagery and geospatial data to 400,000 users across federal agencies and U.S. partners. The company last year also won a contract to provide AI capabilities for programs that help analysts at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency monitor industrial sites and detect vehicles and ships. That work has informed some of its new commercial AI products. The shift toward defense represents something of a return to the industry’s roots. The space industry has traditionally been propelled by intelligence agencies, which provide the large stable contracts needed to put expensive satellites into orbit. Over the past decade, Maxar and a growing number of earth observation firms have expanded into civil and corporate applications, including mining, energy, finance, insurance, and disaster relief. “The public is left out” But for Vantor and the rest of the industry, the picture of the future is still murky. As defense budgets explode, U.S. government budgets for civil and commercial contracts are shrinking. The The President administration’s $18.8-billion budget for NASA, pending Congress’s approval, pushes the space agency to its lowest level since 1961, and cuts nearly half of its science mission funding, or a third of its science portfolio. On the defense side, where the Pentagon is investing in more of its own satellites (including a requested $40 billion for the Space Force), the administration has proposed about $130 million in cuts to its commercial imagery contracts. In a letter to Congress in June, executives from Vantor and other firms protested the cuts, arguing they would cede U.S. leadership in space. “The decision to abandon America’s vetted and reliable commercial remote sensing capabilities, while adversaries China, Russia and Iran rapidly expand their state-backed Earth observation infrastructure is ironic, shortsighted, and perilous,” says the letter. The industry’s concerns underscore the gravitational pull of defense budgets, and the reality that demand for space imagery among non-government customers hasn’t been as high as some had expected. “There are only so many government contracts, and commercial demand never lived up to the hype,” Tushar Prabhakar, founder of Orbital Sidekick (OSK), a hyperspectral data company, wrote at Space Republic. “So maybe the real question isn’t about Maxar. It’s how does this industry finally break free of its own gravity well?” The industry shifts are also raising eyebrows among advocates for public space data. Commercial and government programs like the U.S.’s Landsat and the EU’s Sentinel have been foundational for climate science, agriculture, and disaster relief for decades. Vantor and other EO companies also run open data programs, providing imagery in the wake of disasters. U.S. and Western governments subsidize some access to commercial data for use by scientific and humanitarian users. Public portals like NASA WorldView, EO Browser, the Copernicus Browser, Google Earth Pro Microsoft’s Planetary Computer, Esri’s Living Atlas, and OpenAerialMap offer tools for searching, sharing, and using various kinds of satellite and drone imagery. But all of those programs are contingent on goodwill. And researchers have reported significant gaps in the coverage provided by public data. For instance, there is no comprehensive repository of recent or historical high-resolution imagery, which could be valuable for a range of humanitarian and environmental challenges. As the industry focuses more on the defense and intelligence sector and government budget cuts threaten research satellites, public access to critical data could be at risk. “That’s my worry,” says Bill Greer, a geospatial analyst who worked on humanitarian mapping at Maxar and founded Common Space, a nonprofit trying to launch its own satellite for research purposes. “A complete enclosure of satellite imagery by defense and intelligence, where the public is left out.” Seeing the Earth in near-real time To see how space got here, zoom out a bit. It was Space Imaging, Maxar’s ancestor, that launched the first spy-grade commercial satellite in 1999, with a then eye-popping resolution of 1 meter per pixel. Since then, a parade of advancements—including SpaceX’s reusable rockets—made it much cheaper for giants and upstarts alike to bring large and small satellites to orbit. In February, Maxar hit a critical milestone. Six years after a mechanical failure took out one of its costly Legion satellites, it successfully launched two more, Legion 5 and 6, aboard a SpaceX rocket. “If that program did not work,” says Wilczynski, “there was not a company.” Once the satellites were up, the time was right for the company to go on “offense,” and turn “a lot of the latent potential that the company had into something that’s a little bit more concrete and durable.” While Maxar was a SpaceX-like “space behemoth,” says Wilczynski, with tentacles reaching across the whole space domain, “we were really trying to think about a company that was more vertically integrated across space, air, and ground, using the space-based data as the global foundation,” he says. All the data is handled by TensorGlobe, a set of cloud-based technical services built to process an unceasing flow of high-resolution imagery, covering some six million square miles per day. Wilczynski likens the infrastructure to Amazon Web Services, but for geospatial data, continuously ingesting, stitching, and enhancing. “That’s really valuable for a customer who’s trying to build a spatial intelligence system that takes imagery from multiple providers,” he says. With a zoo of vendors, combining and making sense of the data at speed is one challenge. “It will be interesting to see how Maxar is going to deal with the interoperability of various data sources and do it in a near-real-time cadence,” says Antila. Wilczynski agrees. The hurdles for earth imagery now aren’t about hardware, but “an information overload challenge of data coming from each of those domains being pretty siloed, being pretty disconnected,” he says. “And this is something that I was really fascinated about at Palantir, thinking about knowledge graphs and connecting semantic data.” Wilczynski says defense agencies are already using the platform to choose from a mix of government and commercial satellites, just as companies might split their data workloads between their own data centers and cloud services. And as AI models learn from the work of human analysts, the system is helping automate the process too. “That scheduling’s actually very hard,” he says. So is turning all the imagery into a single 3D map, in near real-time. Other algorithms, from the startup Ecopia AI, layer on 2D vector base maps, with features like building footprints, roads, and land cover. Yet more software wraps a mess of images onto a “living” globe. These models form the basis of Raptor, a system that helps drones navigate by terrain in GPS-denied environments like Ukraine. They also feed the U.S. Army’s One World Terrain program, which will provide geospatial data for the mixed-reality headset project started by Microsoft and now led by Anduril. The 3D maps can be continuously enriched and verified against new imagery coming from sensors on helmets and drones. And those “real world” terrain models can then be used to train geospatial AI models, more firmly “grounding” them to prevent dangerous falsehoods in the outputs. Researchers at IBM, Google, and elsewhere have also released dynamic maps and geospatial AI models that have been used by insurance companies and disaster relief groups. “A lot of how we’re thinking about the risks of AI are, how do you continue to use real world observations to keep the system from spiraling away into some false hallucination of what’s happening by connecting it to the world,” says Wilczynski. A cloudy picture Even as the data gets better and faster, the ground is shifting beneath the industry’s feet. As part of the budget proposal for NASA submitted earlier this year, the The President administration proposed abandoning more than 40 missions, including at least 14 Earth science missions. The White House has also called for a roughly 30% reduction—about $130 million—in the National Reconnaissance Office’s procurement of imagery under its commercial imagery purchasing program. The administration is also seeking to eliminate funding entirely for synthetic aperture radar imagery, a capability widely used since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a June 16 letter, the CEOs of Maxar, Planet, BlackSky, Iceye US, Capella Space, and ground systems provider KSAT told the leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations, Armed Services, and Intelligence committees that the budget cuts would undercut The President’s Golden Dome plans, stall the Space Force’s initiative to create a Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve, and “derail” U.S. leadership in AI development. Commercial imagery “can be used today, or they can wait six, eight years and spend billions of dollars building systems,” Susanne Hake, general manager of Vantor’s U.S. government business, said at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Aerospace Summit in September. “We commercial companies have shown that we can deliver at scale, but in order to do that, we do need long-term contracts and consistent funding in order for us to be able to build our technology.” Vivid Features vectors in Reynosa, Mexico, including road centerlines and 2D and 3D building footprints But for Bill Greer, of CommonSpace, the market’s continued reliance on the defense sector comes at the expense of other, less-resourced users. Maxar’s rebrand “looks like private equity positioning for a sale, likely to defense primes or similar players,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “If that happens, we can expect further restrictions on who gets access to this data, price increases to make the more restricted data more profitable, and restrictions on how the data is used. Government will pay more for access to the same data, and end users will miss out entirely.” Some have advocated for government rules that say any imagery purchased with taxpayer dollars be released to a wider array of civic users. Groups like UN-SPIDER have also pushed for more capacity and training for Earth observation, especially in developing countries. Satellite companies could also open up more of their archives. If they did, Greer thinks the industry could drive more non-defense commercial business. “This is a big spot where the commercial industry gets it wrong,” he says. “They’re not developing the market without allowing access to that data.” Sentry integrates Vantor’s Cortex and Forge software to automate multi-constellation orchestration and intelligence analysis. There’s some historical precedent here. The Landsat program began providing then-precious 60-meter views of Earth in 1972, but its full impact was limited by cost, with prices reaching $4,500 per scene during the 1980s when the commercial sector operated the satellite. In 2008, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) transitioned to a policy of open data, free to users. The impact was immediate. Daily downloads skyrocketed from 53 scenes to more than 5,700, and within three years, a report found annual economic benefits of $1.7 billion in the United States alone, according to a June report by the Group on Earth Observations​​ (GEO), a partnership of governments and international organizations. By 2023, those benefits had grown to $25 billion annually, far exceeding the $5 million collected in data sales by the USGS. The open data enabled projects like Australia’s water resource mapping, which analysed 300,000 Landsat scenes to grasp continental-scale water trends, and, said GEO, “catalysed a global movement toward open-access Earth observation.” Greer would like to see the commercial sector follow Landsat’s lead and open up more of its data. “The problem is that this data is super good, and access isn’t,” he says. He adds: “My hope is that you start seeing more of that [data], and then that leads to tasking, and there would actually be growth in the industry, and more people that actually understand the value.” View the full article

Google seems to have fixed a bug with inviting others to access your Google Ads account. This bug appeared about a week ago and it Google seemed to start to roll out a fix for this bug on Friday.View the full article

Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning. Before becoming CEO and president of C.H. Robinson in 2023, Dave Bozeman worked at four of the world’s most iconic companies: Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Caterpillar, Amazon, and Ford Motor Company. During each stop, he gleaned valuable lessons: Harley-Davidson (16 years): The motorcycle maker educated him on the power of lean principles, including continuous improvement and just-in-time inventory management. He adds: “I learned the value of connecting with people who do the work. I came in as an engineer, but I wanted to be on the [manufacturing] floor.” Caterpillar (9 years): The construction and mining equipment maker offered him an opportunity to experience operational excellence globally and at scale. “Cat allowed me to see that people around the globe want to do a great job, but they want clean process and workflows to do that,” he says. Amazon (5+ years): Bozeman built the tech giant’s Middle Mile global transportation business, which moves customer orders from vendors and fulfillment centers to its sorting facilities and delivery stations. “Amazon allowed me to learn how to solve problems at scale with technology,” he says. Ford (1 year): While heading customer service and enthusiast brands such as Mustang and Bronco, Bozeman says his time at the automaker offered a deeper, tactile understanding of how things get made. “It was really about getting back to touch, feel, smell,” he says. Bozman’s collection of experiences—industrial, technology, transportation—prepared him to run C.H. Robinson, a freight broker connecting shippers with truck, rail, ocean, and air carriers. But it is a customer-centricity he learned from all four companies that is helping propel his modernization and transformation of the 120-year-old company. “These companies, at their heart, are all about the customer,” he says. “It’s an obsession at Amazon; at Harley-Davidson, the customers tattooed themselves [with the company logo]; at Caterpillar, you’re in the dirt with them; and Ford is all about the brand and its customers. That’s why I’m obsessed with customers and customer service.” Dealing with the “freight recession” C.H. Robinson customers have benefitted from several new programs announced on Bozeman’s watch. The company is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to increase the speed and volume of freight quotes—the estimated cost to ship goods. “Touchless appointments” technology schedules freight pickups and deliveries, replacing a process traditionally handled by phone or email, and AI chooses the ideal appointment time. As a result of cost cutting, divestitures, and productivity gains, the company earlier this year reported an 11% reduction in staffing. “It’s not just about headcount,” Bozeman counters. “We look at it as upskilling; we’re investing in customer-facing people, who can now help solve supply-chain, logistical problems with customers as we move away from manual tasking.” Bozeman says implementing new technology and disciplined execution have been keys to its improved financial performance. Despite a “freight recession,” marked by weak demand and low rates, C.H. Robinson posted a 68% increase in third-quarter net income even as revenue fell 11% to $4.1 billion. The company says the recent quarter was its seventh straight period of outperforming analyst earnings-per-share estimates. At a time when many of C.H. Robinson’s customers face supply-chain challenges and tariff uncertainty, Bozeman is applying lessons he’s learned firsthand from timeless brands and putting them to work in new ways. The result: C.H. Robinson’s company’s ability to innovate may prove to be a competitive edge during a challenging time for freight. Experience counts Leaders often use their past experience in new ways. What are some of the lessons you’ve collected from the different companies you’ve helped lead? How have they benefited the company you lead now? Share your top takeaways from each role—brief bullet points are great—and we’ll compile unexpected experiences in a future newsletter. Also, we’re still soliciting nominations for the 2025 Modern CEO of the Year. Please nominate yourself or someone you admire via this link. Submissions are due November 21. Read more: CEO lessons What Alicia Boler Davis had to “unlearn” from Amazon and Jeff Bezos Beautycounter founder Gregg Renfrew’s “season of learning” GE Vernova’s Scott Strazik is trying to rekindle its former parent’s entrepreneurial zeal View the full article

At its best, work can be energizing, creative, and meaningful. It can also be emotionally exhausting and stressful. Even in healthy organizations, we all deal with interpersonal tension, stinging feedback, impossible deadlines, and the constant pressure to perform. Add in the rapid pace of change and a steady diet of uncertainty, and it’s no wonder many of us feel perpetually on edge. Stress isn’t just a sign that something’s wrong—it’s a signal that something matters. Emotions like frustration, anxiety, and excitement all contain useful data about what’s important to us, what we value, and what we need. Yet in most workplaces, we’re trained to treat emotions as distractions from rational thought rather than as essential information that guides it. When we ignore or misread that emotional data, we lose access to one of our most valuable internal resources. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), originally developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan to help individuals struggling with chronic emotion dysregulation, offers a powerful framework for understanding and responding to emotions effectively. DBT isn’t about suppressing or indulging emotions—it’s about interpreting them accurately and acting wisely in response. The same skills that help people navigate crises and build healthier relationships can help you stay centered in a difficult meeting, receive feedback without spiraling, and recover from professional setbacks with greater resilience. Here’s how DBT’s core principles can help you use your emotions as data—and manage stress and intensity at work more effectively. 1. Recognize When You’re in Emotion Mind and Do Something Different DBT starts with the idea that many of our problems arise from emotion dysregulation—feeling hijacked by strong emotions and acting in ways that make things worse. At work, that might look like firing off a reactive email, shutting down in a tense discussion, or replaying a negative interaction long after it’s over. These reactions come from what DBT calls Emotion Mind—a state in which feelings drive thoughts and behavior, often overriding reason and long-term goals. The antidote is Wise Mind, the integration of emotion and reason. Wise Mind is the space where you can both acknowledge how you feel and still act in ways that serve your goals. When you notice your pulse racing before a presentation or frustration mounting in a team meeting, take a breath. Ask yourself: What is this emotion trying to tell me? Maybe it’s signaling that you care about doing well, that you value fairness, or that you need more clarity. Once you’ve decoded that data, you can decide how to respond skillfully rather than react impulsively. 2. Check the Facts Emotions provide information, but not all that information is accurate. Sometimes they’re based on assumptions or incomplete data. You might feel angry when a manager doesn’t include you on an email chain and interpret it as rejection, or anxious when a colleague’s brief message reads as criticism. DBT’s Check the Facts skill helps you distinguish between what your emotions are telling you and what’s actually happening. Ask yourself: What exactly happened? What are other possible explanations? Am I assuming intent I can’t verify? This isn’t about invalidating your feelings—they’re real, even if the story attached to them isn’t. It’s about ensuring your next action fits the facts, not your assumptions. When you treat emotions as data, checking the facts becomes the emotional equivalent of verifying a source before acting on it. 3. Practice Opposite Action to Change Your Emotion Once you’ve checked the facts, you can choose whether to act on an emotion or shift it. DBT’s Opposite Action skill is a behavioral way to update your emotional data. If your emotion doesn’t fit the facts, you do the opposite of what it urges you to do. If you’re angry and want to withdraw or lash out, the opposite action might be to approach calmly and with curiosity. If you’re anxious before a presentation and want to avoid, the opposite action might be to step forward—to practice, to engage, and to risk. Opposite Action doesn’t mean pretending to feel great when you don’t. It’s about behaving in line with your goals rather than your impulses—and, over time, reshaping the emotion itself. 4. Use Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills to Navigate Difficult Conversations Emotional data doesn’t just live inside us—it shows up between us. Interpersonal friction is inevitable, especially in environments with high stakes and constant feedback. DBT offers practical tools for these moments. The skill of DEAR MAN provides a clear structure for asserting needs or saying no effectively: Describe the situation objectively. Express how you feel or what you think. Assert what you want or don’t want. Reinforce why collaboration helps everyone. Stay Mindful of your goal. Appear confident, even if you don’t feel it. Negotiate when needed. You might say: “The last few deadlines have been difficult to meet because the workload has increased significantly. I’m feeling stretched thin. I’d like to discuss redistributing tasks or adjusting the timeline so the work remains high-quality.” By integrating emotion and reason, you turn emotional information—I’m overwhelmed—into effective communication. That’s what Wise Mind looks like in real time. 5. Cultivate Mindfulness of Current Emotions Mindfulness, the foundation of DBT, helps us observe emotional data without reacting to it. When you’re flooded with stress—heart pounding, shoulders tense, thoughts racing—pause for a moment and name what’s happening. “Tension in my chest. Tightness in my jaw. Thoughts saying, ‘I can’t handle this.’” Labeling activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex, shifting you from reaction to reflection. You move from being in the emotion to observing it. That small shift—recognizing emotion as data rather than as danger—can completely change how you respond. 6. Practice Radical Acceptance Sometimes the data your emotions deliver points to something you can’t change: a difficult colleague, a lost opportunity, or an organizational decision you don’t agree with. Fighting that reality adds suffering to pain. Radical Acceptance means acknowledging reality fully so you can decide what to do next from clarity rather than denial. You can say: “I don’t like this, and it’s happening.” “This situation is painful, and resisting it isn’t helping.” Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation—it means seeing the full picture so you can use your emotional data wisely rather than fighting it blindly. 7. Build Resilience Proactively Most of us think of resilience as bouncing back after stress, but DBT teaches that resilience starts before the stress hits. Skills like PLEASE (taking care of physical health) and ABC (accumulating positive emotions, building mastery, and coping ahead) help maintain emotional stability so your system processes stress more accurately. When your body and mind are well cared for, you’re less likely to misread emotional signals as threats. Daily habits—sleep, nutrition, movement, connection—aren’t just wellness clichés. They’re how you keep your internal data system online and responsive. A New Model of Effectiveness at Work DBT’s philosophy is dialectical: balancing acceptance and change. In the workplace, that means recognizing that emotion and reason aren’t opposites to be managed—they’re partners to be integrated. Emotions are data. They tell us what matters, guide our attention, and strengthen connection. But like any data, they require interpretation and skill to use well. The most effective people and teams aren’t the ones who avoid emotional intensity; they’re the ones who train for it—who can read emotional cues accurately and respond with balance and wisdom. That’s the heart of DBT: learning to stay grounded, curious, and fully human in the middle of life’s—and work’s—chaos. Adapted from Real Skills for Real Life: A DBT Guide to Navigating Stress, Emotions, and Relationships (Guilford Press, 2026). View the full article

President Barack Obama famously chided Donald The President in April 2011 during the annual White House correspondents’ dinner. The reality show star had repeatedly and falsely claimed that Obama had not been born in the United States and was therefore ineligible to be president. The President’s demands that Obama release his birth certificate had, in part, made The President a front-runner among Republican hopefuls for their party’s nomination in the following year’s presidential election. Obama referred to The President’s presidential ambitions by joking that, if elected, The President would bring some changes to the White House. Obama then called attention to a satirical photo the guests could see of a remodeled White House with the words “The President” and “The White House” in large purple letters, followed by the words “hotel,” “casino,” and “golf course.” Obama’s ridicule of The President that evening has been credited with inspiring The President to run for president in 2016. My book, The Art of the Political Putdown, includes Obama’s chiding of The President at the correspondents’ dinner to demonstrate how politicians use humor to establish superiority over a rival. Obama’s ridicule humiliated The President, who temporarily dropped the birther conspiracy before reviving it. But The President may have gotten the last laugh by using the humiliation of that night, as some think, as motivation in his run for the presidency in 2016. There is a further twist to Obama joking about The President’s renovations to the White House if The President became president. The President has fulfilled Obama’s prediction, kind of. The The President administration has razed the East Wing, which sits adjacent to the White House, and will replace it with a 90,000-square-foot, gold-encrusted ballroom that appears to reflect the ostentatious tastes of the president. The US$300 million ballroom will be twice the size of the White House. President Donald The President It’s expected to be big enough to accommodate nearly a thousand people. Design renderings suggest that the ballroom will resemble the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, the president’s private estate in Palm Beach, Florida. “I don’t have any plan to call it after myself,” The President said recently. “That was fake news. Probably going to call it the presidential ballroom or something like that. We haven’t really thought about a name yet.” But senior administration officials told ABC News that they were already referring to the structure as “The President Donald J. The President Ballroom.” The renovation will have neither a hotel, casino, nor golf course, as Obama mentioned in his lighthearted speech at the 2011 correspondents’ dinner. Obama pokes fun at The President In the months before the 2011 correspondents’ dinner, The President had repeatedly claimed that Obama had not been born in Hawaii but had instead been born outside the United States, perhaps in his father’s home country of Kenya. The baseless conspiracy theory became such a distraction that Obama released his long-form birth certificate in April 2011. Three days later, Obama delivered his speech at the correspondents’ dinner with The President in the audience, where he said that The President, having put the birther conspiracy behind him, could move to other conspiracy theories like claims the moon landing was staged, aliens landed in Roswell, New Mexico, or the unsolved murders of rappers Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. “Did we fake the moon landing?” Obama said. “What really happened at Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” Obama then poked fun at The President’s reality show, The Apprentice, and referred to how The President, who owned hotels, casinos, and golf courses, might renovate the White House. When Obama was finished, Seth Meyers, the host of the dinner, made additional jokes at The President’s expense. “Donald The President has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican—which is surprising, since I just assumed that he was running as a joke,” Meyers said. The President gets the last laugh The New Yorker magazine writer Adam Gopnik remembered watching The President as the jokes kept coming at his expense. “The President’s humiliation was as absolute, and as visible, as any I have ever seen: his head set in place, like a man on a pillory, he barely moved or altered his expression as wave after wave of laughter struck him,” Gopnik wrote. “There was not a trace of feigning good humor about him.” Roger Stone, one of The President’s top advisers, said The President decided to run for president after he felt he had been publicly humiliated. “I think that is the night he resolves to run for president,” Stone said in an interview with the PBS program Frontline. “I think that he is kind of motivated by it. ‘Maybe I’ll just run. Maybe I’ll show them all.‘” The President, if Stone and other political observers are correct, sought the presidency to avenge that humiliation. “I thought, ‘Oh, Barack Obama is starting something that I don’t know if he’ll be able to finish,’” said Omarosa Manigault, a former Apprentice contestant who became The President’s director of African American outreach during his first term. “Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President The President,” she said. “It is everyone who’s ever doubted Donald, whoever disagreed, whoever challenged him—it is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe.” The notoriously thin-skinned The President did not attend the White House correspondents’ dinner during his first presidency. He also did not attend the dinner during the first year of his second presidency. Although The President has never publicly acknowledged the importance of that event in 2011, a number of people have noted how pivotal it was, demonstrating how the putdown can be a powerful weapon in politics—even, perhaps, extending to tearing down the White House’s East Wing. Chris Lamb is a professor of journalism at Indiana University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Company culture doesn’t affect performance. That’s not a hot take, that’s what a 2022 meta analysis from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found when they compared more than 500 research papers on the topic. From the report: The findings are very clear: there is little evidence consistently linking organizational culture to performance, but if such a link should exist, it is very weak and too small to be practically meaningful. As such, organizations and practitioners should be careful spending time and money on company-wide culture change programs as they are not likely to increase performance. And yet, when asked, 92% of executives believe that improving their firm’s culture would increase the value of their company. So are 92% of executives wrong? And are millions, if not billions, of dollars wasted each year on culture efforts? The short answer? Yes and yes. The full answer is a bit more complicated. Why the myth persists Leaders cling to the idea that culture drives results because it feels controllable. You can write new values, host an off-site, or hire a chief culture officer. It’s far easier to reprint the employee handbook than to rewire incentives, decision-making, or priorities. Culture talk offers the illusion of progress—something visible, moral, and manageable—while the real performance drivers remain untouched. Company culture is still deeply misunderstood Many leaders talk about culture as something you have—a vibe, a set of values, a mood—rather than something you do. But culture is not a static asset; it’s the emergent result of how decisions are made, what gets rewarded or punished, and which behaviors the system makes easy or hard. When executives say “we need a culture of innovation,” but still require six layers of approval for new ideas, they’re confusing aspiration for infrastructure. Leaders aren’t being honest about their culture, or with themselves Research from MIT Sloan Management Review (2020) found no correlation between a company’s stated values and the lived experience of its employees. In other words, what leaders say their culture is and what people actually feel day-to-day are worlds apart. Firms with large culture gaps see lower productivity and impaired alignment. The misalignment fuels cynicism and distrust, undermining managerial credibility and depleting morale. Employees in these organizations report reduced commitment and higher turnover. Instead of confronting that gap, many double down on optics: slogans, all-hands pep talks, or off-sites meant to “rebuild trust.” But culture isn’t changed through words or rituals—it’s changed through systems. Decision rights, information flow, meeting cadence, and incentives form the real architecture of behavior. Until leaders are honest enough to align those structures with their rhetoric, culture initiatives will keep delivering the same result: symbolic satisfaction with no measurable performance gains. Leaders aren’t being strategic about their culture Every era has its cultural role model—the company everyone else is told to emulate. In the ’90s it was Jack Welch’s GE. Then it was Apple, then Amazon. Now it’s Jensen Huang’s Nvidia. Each time, executives rush to borrow their rituals and slogans, hoping to import a little of their magic. But let’s be honest: your company isn’t that company—and it shouldn’t be. Culture is simply how strategy gets lived. Which means a “best culture” doesn’t exist, only a fit culture—one that reinforces your distinct strategy and constraints. Copying someone else’s culture while pursuing a different strategy isn’t just naive, it’s counter-strategic. The culture obsession is a distraction The corporate world is hooked on culture because it’s comforting and it makes leadership feel human and moral. But culture talk often becomes a way to avoid harder truths: bad strategy, misaligned incentives, broken systems, and unclear ownership. In our experience as a consulting partner to some of the world’s largest and most complex companies, a “culture problem” is usually a smokescreen for problems that leaders have long known about and shirked responsibility for: a “nice” way to avoid assigning blame or deflecting responsibility. And when we analyzed 1,700 public companies and their Glassdoor ratings, we found that the No. 1 topic among negative reviews were complaints about leaders and management. So, poor leadership produces poor cultures. What to do instead Before rushing to rewrite values, produce swag, or drag people to town halls, leaders first need to hold themselves accountable. Do they actually behave in the way they hope others will? Do they collaborate with their peers as “one company” or is that really just a slogan? Does the way they allocate resources match what they claim to prioritize? Are the people they’re promoting really the best “culture bearers” or merely squeaky wheels or political players? Then, leaders should consider culture as the shadow cast by the operating model they design and manage. If you want to change the shadow, you have to move the object casting it. That means redesigning how decisions get made, how information travels, and what gets measured and rewarded. Culture is not a lever to pull; it’s a reflection of the choices leadership makes every day about how work actually happens. So yes, culture matters, just not in the way most executives think. You don’t fix performance by fixing culture; you fix culture by fixing performance. Because in the end, culture lives in the rules you enforce, not the words you endorse. View the full article

To answer these questions, we analyzed our database of 146 million SERPs and explored how often AI Overviews appeared for 86 different keyword traits, from YMYL to CPC to query length. Across our data set, AI Overviews appear for 21%…Read more ›View the full article

The men’s fashion world has evolved into a thriving online marketplace, ranging from timeless tailoring and premium streetwear to sustainable basics and cutting-edge accessories. For creators, bloggers, and influencers, joining the right affiliate program can turn style expertise into a consistent income stream. But finding the perfect fit isn’t about volume; it’s about choosing brands that align with your audience’s lifestyle, values, and spending habits. Whether your focus is minimalist menswear, high-end luxury, or casual everyday essentials, there’s a men’s fashion affiliate program tailored to your platform. We’ve curated a list of the top men’s fashion affiliate programs to help you partner with reputable brands, earn steady commissions, and grow your content authentically. What to Look for in a Men’s Fashion Affiliate Program So, what separates a strong affiliate partnership from a forgettable one? Competitive commission rates: Higher earnings per sale make all the difference in a market where product prices can vary widely. Brand credibility: Collaborating with trusted, well-known names increases your audience’s confidence and boosts conversion rates. Diverse product ranges: Programs that include apparel, footwear, accessories, and grooming essentials give affiliates more room for authentic promotion. Long cookie durations and prompt payments: These ensure consistent, fair compensation for your promotional work. Marketing materials and support: Access to high-quality visuals, data insights, and dedicated affiliate teams can help refine your strategy and maximize reach. Top 9 Best Men’s Fashion Affiliate Programs Mr Porter – Best for luxury menswear ASOS – Best for trend-driven, affordable fashion Mott & Bow – Best for premium denim Nordstrom – Best for multi-brand variety Huckberry – Best for outdoor and lifestyle fashion Taylor Stitch – Best for sustainable craftsmanship Farfetch – Best for global designer labels Mizzen+Main – Best for performance dresswear Allbirds – Best for eco-conscious footwear #1 Mr Porter Best for luxury menswear Commission rate: 6% (3% for luxury watches and sale items) Payment method: Affiliate network (Rakuten or Awin) Cookie duration: 14 days URL to join: Mr Porter Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Mr Porter is a well-regarded luxury men’s fashion company, carrying over 500 high-end designer brands, including Tom Ford, Gucci, and Brunello Cucinelli. High average order values mean that even with moderate commission rates, affiliates can earn substantial returns per sale. The brand’s global recognition and trusted reputation among premium shoppers result in higher conversion rates among affluent audiences. Affiliates benefit from frequent seasonal campaigns, curated gift guides, and professional marketing materials, making content creation easier and more refined. Cons: The 14-day cookie duration is shorter than average for luxury retailers, which may limit earning opportunities on delayed purchases. The luxury price range appeals to a smaller, more selective audience, which can slow down conversions. Additionally, Strict branding guidelines may restrict creative flexibility. #2 ASOS Best for trend-driven, affordable fashion Commission rate: Up to 7% (depending on affiliate networks) Payment method: Affiliate network Cookie duration: 30 duration URL to join: ASOS Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: ASOS offers one of the largest selections of men’s fashion online, with thousands of styles spanning apparel, footwear, accessories, and grooming. The brand’s frequent product drops and trend-focused collections provide affiliates with endless content opportunities. ASOS caters to a wide audience, increasing overall reach and conversion potential. The 30-day cookie window allows more flexibility for delayed purchase decisions. Cons: Frequent promotions and discount cycles can reduce individual commission values. Competition is high among affiliates due to ASOS’s popularity. While the range is broad, the emphasis on fast fashion may not appeal to audiences looking for premium or sustainable brands. #3 Mott & Bow Best for premium denim Commission rate: Up to 30% Payment method: Affiliate network Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Mott & Bows Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Mott & Bow is renowned for its premium denim and elevated wardrobe staples, blending luxury quality with approachable pricing. The program’s high commission potential (up to 30%) is one of the most generous in the men’s fashion niche. Affiliates gain access to professional creative assets and early product updates, supporting polished, high-quality content. Ideal for creators emphasizing craftsmanship, minimalist design, or slow fashion values. Cons: The smaller catalog means fewer cross-promotional opportunities compared to larger retailers. As a niche denim brand, content may need to focus more narrowly on fit and quality rather than variety. Shipping is primarily US-focused, limiting international affiliate opportunities. #4 Nordstrom Best for multi-brand variety Commission rate: 2% to 10% (varies by product category) Payment method: Rakuten Cookie duration: 14 days URL to join: Nordstrom Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Nordstrom offers an extensive range of men’s fashion brands, including designer labels and everyday basics, providing broad promotional flexibility. Affiliates can capitalize on strong seasonal sales and events like the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, which drives high conversion volumes. The retailer’s trusted reputation and excellent customer service enhance buyer confidence, increasing affiliate credibility. Additionally, the program includes regular newsletters, banners, and promotional resources for affiliates. Cons: The 14-day cookie duration is shorter than many fashion affiliates, reducing long-term earning potential. Commission rates can vary widely by category and campaign. As a major retailer, competition among affiliates is intense, and differentiation requires high-quality content. #5 Huckberry Best for outdoor and lifestyle fashion Commission rate: 5% to 10% Payment method: Affiliate Network Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Huckberry Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Huckberry’s curated mix of rugged menswear, outdoor gear, and lifestyle essentials makes it ideal for adventure and travel influencers. The brand’s authentic storytelling, editorial-style marketing, and community-driven content help affiliates connect deeply with audiences. High customer loyalty and repeat purchases create strong long-term earning potential. The mid-range price point appeals to both style-conscious and practical consumers. Cons: The brand’s aesthetic may not resonate with audiences seeking formal or fashion-forward looks. Some exclusive products or collaborations sell out quickly, reducing ongoing promotion options. Global reach is limited compared to international luxury platforms. #6 Taylor Stitch Best for sustainable craftsmanship Commission rate: 6.4% to 8% Payment method: Direct deposit, PayPal, or wire transfer. Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Taylor Stitch Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Taylor Stitch is known for its sustainability-first approach, producing ethically sourced, durable menswear. Its “Workshop” crowdfunding model encourages customer engagement and transparency, which is a great storytelling angle for affiliates. The moderate-to-high commission rate rewards affiliates who target conscious consumers. The brand offers solid creative assets and affiliate support for marketing campaigns. Cons: Higher price tags may deter impulse buyers. Its product line focuses primarily on casual and workwear-inspired pieces, limiting appeal for formalwear audiences. Slower product turnaround means fewer “new arrivals” to promote compared to fast-fashion competitors. #7 Farfetch Best for global designer labels Commission rate: 5% to 13% Payment method: Affiliate Network Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Farfetch Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Farfetch connects affiliates to a vast marketplace of over 700 boutiques and luxury brands, offering endless content opportunities. Strong international presence and brand prestige increase trust and conversion rates among global audiences. High average order values make commissions especially rewarding on big-ticket items. Frequent designer collaborations and sales events provide excellent campaign opportunities. Cons: Competition among affiliates is fierce due to Farfetch’s popularity and broad reach. Strict branding standards can limit customization in promotional content. #8 Mizzen+Main Best for performance dresswear Commission rate: Variable Payment method: Affiliate network Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Mizzen+Main Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Mizzen+Main combines innovation and style with moisture-wicking, wrinkle-resistant fabrics, which are ideal for modern professionals. The brand’s growing popularity among business travelers and executives makes it highly targetable for niche audiences. Quality imagery, strong branding, and a clean aesthetic make their products easy to promote across digital platforms. The performance-driven angle differentiates it from traditional dresswear brands. Cons: Limited product variety beyond shirts and polos may restrict broader content opportunities. The higher price range could deter entry-level shoppers. Occasional restock delays can affect availability for affiliate campaigns. # Allbirds Best for eco-conscious footwear Commission rate: Up to 15% Payment method: Affiliate network Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Allbirds Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Allbirds is a leading name in sustainable fashion, using eco-friendly materials like merino wool and eucalyptus fiber. The brand enjoys exceptional customer loyalty, resulting in repeat purchases and long-term affiliate gains. High brand recognition and minimalist appeal make it suitable for various niches, from casual style to environmental lifestyle content. Affiliates benefit from strong marketing assets and collaborations that emphasize sustainability. Cons: Product range remains limited primarily to footwear and a few apparel basics. High competition within the sustainable fashion affiliate niche. The brand’s minimalist aesthetic may not appeal to audiences favoring luxury or bold fashion. Common Mistakes When Picking Affiliate Programs Even in a booming industry like men’s fashion, not all programs deliver equal value. Avoid joining affiliate networks with poor brand reputations or low-quality products, as they can harm your credibility. Likewise, ultra-low commission rates may not justify your effort unless the brand offers high conversion rates or repeat customers. Finally, check for transparent payment systems and clear reporting tools. Reliable data and timely payouts are essential for sustainable income. Top Tips for Success in Men’s Fashion Affiliate Marketing Promoting men’s fashion products effectively takes more than posting stylish photos. It’s about earning trust, demonstrating real value, and using smart digital marketing tactics to stand out in a crowded space. Here’s how to refine your affiliate strategy and boost your conversion potential: Know your audience’s style preferences – Identify whether your followers lean toward luxury tailoring, streetwear, or casual essentials, then tailor your promotions accordingly. Create content that adds value – Write comparison guides (“Best dress shirts for travel”), outfit breakdowns, or styling tutorials. Incorporate natural SEO keywords like “best men’s jeans for work” or “affordable minimalist sneakers”. Use diverse content formats – Go beyond blogs and experiment with YouTube lookbooks, Instagram outfit posts, TikTok style reels, and Pinterest boards. Be transparent and authentic – Disclose affiliate links and give honest feedback. Readers trust affiliates who recommend products they genuinely believe in. Leverage SEO tools strategically – Use keyword tools (like Semrush) to identify trending searches, track rankings, and refine your fashion content strategy. Reveal any company’s website traffic Spy on your competitors’, prospects’, and potential partners’ website traffic. Get insights Pro Tip: If you want to grow your men’s fashion affiliate revenue, combine SEO-driven blogging with visual storytelling on social media. The mix of authenticity, visibility, and consistency will turn your style influence into sustainable affiliate income. Final Thoughts The men’s fashion space is full of opportunity, from luxury designers to sustainable startups. By partnering with the right affiliate programs, you can align your content with brands that reflect your audience’s identity and values. Whether your strength lies in tailored elegance, modern streetwear, or timeless basics, these top affiliate programs can help you turn your style expertise into steady income, authentically and profitably. The post Top 9 Men’s Fashion Affiliate Programs appeared first on Backlinko. View the full article

With beauty enthusiasts constantly searching for the next must-have product, niche affiliate programs are the ultimate secret weapon for creators looking to turn passion into profit. But the real challenge isn’t finding programs – it’s finding the right ones that truly align with your audience and deliver real rewards. The beauty industry is vast, ever-changing, and inclusive, spanning everything from luxury skincare and high-end cosmetics to affordable everyday essentials. No matter your niche, whether it be makeup tutorials, skincare reviews, or holistic wellness, there’s a beauty affiliate program perfectly suited to your platform. We’ve rounded up a curated list of the best beauty affiliate programs designed to help you earn more. By providing insights like commission rates and cookie durations, you can make your partnership both profitable and authentic. What to Look for in a Beauty Affiliate Program What makes a beauty affiliate program truly stand out? High commission rates are often the headline, giving creators the chance to earn more per referral. Partnering with reputable, trusted brands also boosts credibility and conversion rates, as audiences are more likely to buy from names they recognize. Programs that offer a wide range of products from skincare to cosmetics allow affiliates to promote items that genuinely match their content and audience interests. Add in long cookie durations, reliable payment terms, and strong marketing support, and you have a program that’s both profitable and sustainable. Top 10 Best Beauty Affiliate Programs Paula’s Choice – Best for ingredient-conscious consumers. Sephora – Best for product variety. Charlotte Tilbury – Best for high-end luxury beauty. L’Oreal – Best for global mass-market beauty. Ulta Beauty – Best for everyday essentials. Morphe – Best for influencer collaborations. Fenty Beauty – Best for celebrity-backed beauty products. Beauty Pie – Best for value-driven beauty BH Cosmetics – Best for a long cookie duration. The Body Shop – Best for ethical, cruelty-free beauty. #1 Paula’s Choice Best for ingredient-conscious consumers Commission rate: 7% Payment method: Partnerize or LTK (RewardStyle) Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Paula’s Choice Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Paula’s Choice is a strong, well-known skincare brand with a reputation for credibility and science-backed formulations, which helps build trust with audiences. The program offers a competitive 30-day cookie duration, giving affiliates a reasonable window for earning commissions on referred sales. Additionally, affiliates benefit from access to promotional materials and dedicated support, making it easier to create high-quality, branded content. Cons: The program’s features and commission thresholds can vary by region, meaning affiliates in certain geographies may have fewer options or benefits. Additionally, while the commission rate is fair, it’s moderate rather than exceptionally high compared to some of the best beauty affiliate programs. #2 Sephora Best for product variety Commission rate: 5% Payment method: Direct deposit/PayPal Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Sephora Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Sephora’s affiliate program offers access to over 200 brands and more than 13,000 products, backed by an exceptional reputation and strong affiliate support. Its powerful brand recognition and extensive product range create high conversion potential, especially for affiliates with diverse beauty audiences. This is an excellent choice for creators who cover multiple beauty categories, including makeup, skincare, and fragrance. Cons: The commission rate is relatively low compared to many niche beauty brands, which may reduce overall earnings potential. #3 Charlotte Tilbury Best for high-end luxury beauty Commission rate: 8 to 10% Payment method: Via affiliate network Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Charlotte Tilbury Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Charlotte Tilbury is a premium beauty brand with a high average order value, meaning each successful referral can result in a significant commission. The brand enjoys strong visibility and desirability within the influencer and luxury beauty space, making it easier to attract engaged, high-intent audiences. Cons: The program may perform best with a more niche audience that has a genuine interest in luxury cosmetics, which can limit broader appeal. #4 L’Oreal Best for global mass-market beauty Commission rate: 5 to 7% Payment method: PayPal, ACH (U.S.), check, wire Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: L’Oreal Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: L’Oréal is a globally recognized brand, which helps build trust and improve conversion rates for affiliates promoting its products. Its broad product range, spanning skincare, haircare, and cosmetics, offers multiple entry points for different types of beauty content creators. Cons: Commission tiers can vary depending on the product category or region, potentially affecting overall earnings. Additionally, because L’Oréal is such a large and well-established brand, affiliates may face more competition when targeting similar audiences. #5 Ulta Beauty Best for everyday essentials Commission rate: 1 to 5% Payment method: PayPal, ACH, wire, bank transfer Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Ulta Beauty Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Ulta Beauty offers a huge selection of products and brands, giving affiliates plenty of promotional opportunities across multiple beauty categories. Its strong retail reputation and widespread customer trust make it easier to drive conversions and build credibility with audiences. Cons: The standard commission rate is relatively low compared to niche or high-end beauty brands, which may limit overall earnings. While some special campaigns or promotions can offer higher commissions, the base rate remains modest for most affiliates. #6 Morphe Best for influencer collaborations Commission rate: 5 to 10% Payment method: Affiliate network Cookie duration: 14 days URL to join: Morphe Artistry Collective Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Morphe is a trendy beauty brand with strong appeal among younger and makeup-focused audiences, making it highly relevant for influencer marketing. Its affordable price points lower the barrier for purchase, which can help improve conversion rates for affiliates. Cons: The commission rate can be modest compared to luxury beauty programs, which can limit total earnings. Additionally, stock availability can sometimes fluctuate due to high demand for influencer collections. #7 Fenty Beauty Best for celebrity-backed beauty products Commission rate: 8% Payment method: Affiliate network Cookie duration: 7 days URL to join: Fenty Beauty Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Fenty Beauty has a very strong brand identity and high desirability, making it an excellent choice for affiliates with curated and style-conscious audiences. As a celebrity-backed brand led by Rihanna, it benefits from higher levels of trust and engagement, which can lead to stronger conversion rates. Cons: The program’s shorter cookie duration of seven days limits the conversion window, meaning affiliates have less time to earn commissions from referred traffic. #8 Beauty Pie Best for value-driven beauty Commission rate: 6% for new member sign-ups Payment method: Affiliate network (Awin or Partnerize) Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: Beauty Pie Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: Beauty Pie offers a membership-based model that provides luxury beauty products at cost prices, appealing to savvy, value-driven audiences. Affiliates benefit from promoting a brand with a clear, disruptive message in the beauty space and strong customer loyalty. The program also includes steady support from established affiliate networks. Cons: Initial commission rates are lower than some traditional affiliate programs, especially for repeat customers. The membership model may require more explanation to convert new users unfamiliar with the brand’s pricing structure. #9 BH Cosmetics Best for long cookie duration Commission rate: 8% Payment method: Direct deposit or via affiliate network Cookie duration: 60–90 days (varies by region) URL to join: BH Cosmetics Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: BH Cosmetics is well-known for its fun, affordable, and cruelty-free makeup products, making it a great fit for beauty bloggers who cater to younger or budget-conscious audiences. The program offers a long cookie duration of up to 90 days, which increases the chance of earning commissions on returning customers. Its vibrant branding and frequent product launches provide plenty of fresh content opportunities for affiliates. Cons: Because the brand focuses on affordable products, the average order value (AOV) tends to be lower, resulting in smaller commissions per sale. Additionally, the program may not offer as many luxury or skincare items compared to other beauty retailers. #10 The Body Shop Best for ethical, cruelty-free beauty Commission rate: Up to 8% Payment method: Through affiliate network (Awin, FlexOffers, or Rakuten) Cookie duration: 30 days URL to join: The Body Shop Affiliate Program Pros & Cons Pros: The Body Shop has a long-standing reputation for ethical sourcing, cruelty-free formulations, and sustainability, appealing to eco-conscious consumers. Its wide range of skincare, body care, and haircare products gives affiliates plenty of promotional versatility. The trusted brand name helps drive consistent conversions for affiliates focused on natural or conscious beauty. Cons: Product pricing is mid-range, so commissions per sale may be smaller than with high-end luxury brands. Common Pitfalls in Choosing Affiliate Programs While the beauty affiliate space is full of opportunity, not all programs are created equal. One of the biggest mistakes new affiliates make is joining programs with poor reputations. Brands that deliver low-quality products or have weak customer service can damage your credibility fast. Similarly, programs offering very low commission rates may not be worth your time, especially if the conversion rate or average order value is small. Finally, always research a program’s payment structure and reliability. Delayed or inconsistent payouts can undermine your hard work. Choosing reputable, transparent partners ensures your efforts translate into consistent, long-term earnings. Tips for Succeeding in Beauty Affiliate Marketing Promoting beauty products successfully goes beyond sharing pretty pictures – it’s all about building trust, showcasing results, and using smart digital marketing strategies to stand out. Here’s how to elevate your affiliate marketing content and maximize conversions: 1. Understand your audience’s beauty preferences Before recommending a product, get clear on what your audience values most, whether this be clean ingredients, luxury formulas, or affordable everyday staples. Use polls, engagement metrics, and feedback from your followers to guide your content. When your recommendations feel personalized, conversions rise naturally. 2. Create authentic, SEO-optimized content Write product reviews, skincare routines, and tutorials that answer your audience’s real questions: “Is this worth it for oily skin?” “What’s the best dupe for X?” “Are drugstore moisturizers as effective as luxury ones?” Incorporate relevant keywords naturally to make your content discoverable. Tools like Semrush can help you find high-intent beauty keywords, analyze competitor content, and identify SEO gaps you can fill. 3. Diversify your content formats Don’t just rely on blog posts. Experiment with TikTok demos, Instagram Reels, YouTube reviews, and Pinterest boards. Beauty is a visual niche, so showing products in action (texture, finish, results) builds credibility and drives clicks through affiliate links. 4. Build trust through transparency Be upfront about affiliate links and share genuine product experiences. Audiences can tell the difference between a sales pitch and an honest recommendation. Focus on long-term relationships, not one-time clicks. 5. Use SEO insights to plan content strategically With Semrush, you can uncover trending beauty searches, track ranking keywords, and monitor which pages are driving the most organic traffic. Reveal any company’s website traffic Spy on your competitors’, prospects’, and potential partners’ website traffic. Get insights These insights let you target the exact beauty topics your audience is already searching for, from “best vitamin C serums” to “clean beauty brands with affiliate programs.” Pro Tip: If you’re serious about growing your beauty affiliate income, try Semrush to refine your keyword strategy, analyze competitors, and boost your visibility across search and social. Strong SEO = more eyes on your content and more commissions in your pocket. Final Thoughts Now that you’ve explored the best beauty affiliate programs, you can choose the ones that best fit your content and audience. Whether you favor global brands with steady sales or niche companies with higher commissions, alignment is key. Partner with brands that reflect your style and values to build trust, boost engagement, and maximize your affiliate earnings. The post Top 10 Beauty Affiliate Programs appeared first on Backlinko. View the full article

Back in 2012, as a young assistant professor, I traveled to Berkeley to attend a wedding. On the first morning after we arrived, my wife had a conference call, so I decided to wander the nearby university campus to work on a vexing theory problem my collaborators and I had taken to calling “The Beast.” I remember what happened next because ​I wrote an essay​ about the experience. The tale starts slow: “It was early, and the fog was just starting its march down the Berkeley hills. I eventually wandered into an eucalyptus grove. Once there, I sipped my coffee and thought.” I eventually come across an interesting new technique to circumvent a key mathematical obstacle thrown up by The Beast. But this hard-won progress soon presented a new issue: “I realized… that there’s a limit to the depth you can reach when keeping an idea only in your mind. Looking to get the most out of my new insights, and inspired by my recent commitment to the textbook method, I trekked over to a nearby CVS and bought a 6×9 stenographer’s notebook…I then forced myself to write out my thoughts more formally. This combination of pen and paper notes with the exotic context in which I was working ushered in new layers of understanding.” I even included a nostalgically low-resolution photo of these notes: More than a decade later, I can’t remember exactly which academic paper I was working on in that eucalyptus grove, but based on some clues from the photo above, I’m pretty sure it was this ​one​, which was published the following year and received a solid 65 citations. I revisited this essay on my ​podcast​ this week. The activity it captured seemed a strong rebuke to the current vision of a fast-paced, digitized, AI-dominated workplace that Silicon Valley keeps insisting we must all embrace. There’s a deeply human satisfaction to retreating to an exotic location and wrestling with your own mind, scratching a record of your battle on paper. The innovations and insights produced by this long thinking are deeper and more subversive than the artificially cheery bullet points of a chatbot. The problem facing knowledge work in our current moment is not that we’re lacking sufficiently powerful technologies. It’s instead that we’re already distracted by so many digital tools that there’s no time left to really open the throttle on our brains. And this is a shame. Few satisfactions are more uniquely human than the slow extraction of new understanding, illuminated through the steady attention of your mind’s eye. So, grab a notebook and head somewhere scenic to work on a hard problem. Give yourself enough time, and the enthusiastic clamor about a world of AI agents and super-charged productivity will dissipate to a quiet hum. The post Forget Chatbots. You Need a Notebook. appeared first on Cal Newport. View the full article