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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has taken a significant step to bolster American manufacturing by awarding $1.1 million in grants aimed at supporting small manufacturers through its Empower to Grow (E2G) Program. These funds will help three organizations provide vital training and technical assistance tailored specifically for small manufacturing entities, a sector identified as crucial for economic recovery and national security. As SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler noted, “The SBA is focused on delivering for America’s manufacturers – the majority of whom are small businesses – by offering the capital and resources they need to rebuild America’s industrial strength.” The grants are part of a broader effort to ensure small businesses can thrive, especially amidst current economic challenges. Small business owners in the manufacturing sector stand to benefit from these programs in various ways, especially through access to free courses, hands-on training, and one-on-one consulting. The E2G Program provides targeted assistance to help manufacturers improve growth strategies, operational efficiency, hiring practices, and overall competitiveness. Here’s a closer look at the grant recipients and their initiatives: The Ohio State University (OSU) will focus on central Ohio’s manufacturing industry, offering specialized training for roles such as assemblers, inspectors, and machinists. The Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence at OSU aims to promote essential skills through courses on manual machining, 3D printing, welding, and more. Their comprehensive offerings are structured around four key areas: foundational manufacturing skills, digital and advanced manufacturing, business readiness, and emerging technology integration. A second grantee, the Bluefield WV Economic Development Authority (BEDA), will spearhead the Bluefield BUILD initiative in West Virginia. This program is strategic in alleviating the skills gap by fostering partnerships between small manufacturers and educational institutions. By aligning training efforts with actual business needs, BEDA aims to streamline workforce development and maximize job readiness. The program includes a range of activities, such as operator training for specific manufacturing equipment and soft skills development for job seekers. Lastly, the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services (UT CIS) has plans for outreach throughout Tennessee, especially targeting rural and economically distressed areas. By focusing on workforce training and process improvement, UT CIS will provide services directly at manufacturers’ facilities, ensuring that small businesses facing workforce shortages can access the help they need. The implications of these initiatives are vast. Small manufacturing businesses will gain access to specialized and localized training, enhancing their ability to modernize and compete in a challenging market. Such resources can be instrumental in not only filling current job openings but also in preparing for future advancements in technology and operational processes. However, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges that may arise in utilizing these resources effectively. For instance, businesses must ensure they can allocate time for training amidst daily operations. Additionally, the varying scopes of the grant recipients mean that not all small manufacturers will have the same level of access to resources, which could potentially create disparities in training opportunities across different regions. Participation in these programs is designed to be straightforward, but small business owners may need to invest time in understanding how to engage effectively and take full advantage of what’s available. Networking with grant providers and joining local business groups could be crucial in navigating this landscape. For small manufacturers looking for comprehensive solutions to strengthen their operations while investing in their workforce, these initiatives present powerful opportunities. The grants serve as a reminder that federal programs can and do respond to the pressing needs of the manufacturing sector. For additional details about the initiatives and to explore the full potential of Empower to Grow, visit the SBA’s original announcement at SBA.gov. Accessing this supportive framework can open doors for numerous small businesses seeking to enhance their capabilities and strengthen their position in the market. Image via Envato This article, "SBA Grants $1.1 Million to Boost Training for Small Manufacturers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Keep employees engaged and connected with transparency and beauty. Gear Up for Growth With Jean Caragher For CPA Trendlines Go PRO for members-only access to more Jean Marie Caragher. View the full article

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The fate of Starmer’s government rests on the economy — but an obsessive pursuit of financial prudence could undermine itView the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. The Google Ads sponsored results grouping interface expanded and it is borderline deceptive...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. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. If you’re in the market for a solid mid-range model that vacuums, mops, and has plenty of hands-free cleaning features, the Eufy Robot Vacuum + Mop Omni C20 is a great option, and it’s currently 46% off on Amazon, marking its lowest price ever according to price tracking tools. Eufy Robot Vacuum + Mop Omni C20 $379.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $320.00 Get Deal Get Deal $379.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $320.00 The Omni C20 has an auto-empty dustbin, and while the mop heads are not washed with hot water, they are automatically cleaned and dried with room-temperature air. This makes the cleaning process low-maintenance, but it does take a bit longer than heated drying systems. It features dual rotating mop pads with 180 rotations per minute and 6N of pressure, while the vacuum function delivers 7,000Pa suction with both a rolling brush and a side brush that better pick up debris, fur, and crumbs. While 7,000Pa performs well for everyday use, it may not pick up embedded dirt and debris on carpeting as effectively, sometimes requiring multiple passes. Still, it’s considered one of the best robot mops of 2025, according to PCMag. It only supports 2.4 GHz wifi, and while battery life is advertised at around 132 minutes on a single charge, it receives mixed reviews on Amazon. Some users say it needs more frequent charging compared to brands like Dreame, and also takes longer to recharge (around three hours). However, unlike Dreame and some other competitors, the C20’s slim height of 3.35 inches allows it to fit under low-profile furniture and get into tight spaces, so you don’t have to struggle to manually reach tough spots like under beds and couches. Ultimately, if you’re looking for a sub-$400 robot vacuum that also mops, your home has mostly hard floors with low clutter, and you’re seeking the convenience of automation over top-tier performance and AI features, the Eufy Robot Vacuum + Mop Omni C20 is a solid option. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.99 (List Price $39.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen, 2-pack, White) — $49.98 (List Price $79.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen, 2023) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Construction projects can be big, complex and often unruly, with regulatory issues, safety concerns, equipment rentals, multiple teams and more. If you want to keep a construction project on track and meet your deadlines, you want construction scheduling software that’s robust and dynamic. What Is Construction Scheduling Software? The term construction scheduling software describes digital solutions that help you make construction schedules via construction project management tools such as Gantt charts, project calendars, to-do lists and dashboards. Construction scheduling tools should enable you to assign project tasks to your construction site crew, track their work hours and daily progress and log any events or issues. However, there are many different alternatives, each with unique features and functionality—which is why we reviewed and ranked the best construction scheduling software out there. What Features Make the Best Construction Scheduling Software? Before we learn about the best construction scheduling software of 2025, let’s review the project management tools and key features any construction project management software should offer. Task management tools: The first step when creating a construction schedule is identifying project tasks and durations. Task management tools should allow you to assign those tasks to team members. Resource management tools: All construction projects involve resources like labor, raw materials and equipment, so seek features to allocate those resources and monitor their utilization and availability as projects are executed. Project planning & scheduling tools: Project planning tools like Gantt charts, kanban boards, punch lists and project calendars are preferred for construction scheduling and planning. Project tracking tools: Look for project tracking features such as real-time dashboards to track team performance and whether task due dates are being met. Project reporting tools: Reporting is fundamental for the successful and timely completion of construction projects. Construction scheduling software with project status reports can regularly update stakeholders. Cost management tools: Construction scheduling tools should also include cost-tracking features such as timesheets, dashboards and budget baselines to help you monitor your project costs. Mobile app: Choose a construction scheduling program with a mobile app so your crew can update project tasks and log hours from the construction site. 2025 Best Construction Scheduling Software Rankings Many products on the market sell themselves as the go-to construction scheduling tool for the construction project manager. But how do they measure up to the task? We’ve thoroughly reviewed different types of construction scheduling tools, including: Construction job scheduling software Construction employee scheduling software Construction resource scheduling software Contractor scheduling software Commercial construction scheduling software Residential construction scheduling software We’ve looked at the best for you—here are our top picks. 1. ProjectManager /wp-content/uploads/2022/03/pm-logo-bggrey.png ProjectManager is online project management software that can be used anywhere and by anyone. Of course, this is a benefit to construction scheduling, where work occurs on-site and among multiple teams. Beyond that, the suite of tools featured offers a means to control every aspect of the construction planning, from organizing tasks, costs and resources to linking dependent tasks and setting milestones to break the larger project schedule up into more manageable bits. That’s in addition to the larger construction project management of construction project planning, construction vendor management, construction cost management and more. Plus, unlike some other online construction scheduling software options on this list, ProjectManager offers a free 30-day trial to try it out for yourself. Schedule With Gantt Charts For example, ProjectManager has an online Gantt chart tool that’s a visual timeline of the project, with tasks represented by a start date and end date. The duration of the task is indicated by a line, which can be easily edited by simply dragging and dropping when and if there’s a schedule change. Use the online Gantt chart to assign tasks to individuals on the team, identify task dependencies and track the critical path tasks of your projects. They can then collaborate at the task level, leaving comments and adding relevant documents and images directly to the task. If any of those tasks are dependent on another being completed before they can begin, the construction project manager can link them, preventing bottlenecks and leaving your crew idle. Track Your Resources Another aspect of construction schedule software that is complex is resource management. Construction requires many different skill sets working together throughout the many phases of the project, and ProjectManager makes it easy to coordinate moving parts with resource scheduling features that chart availability, skillset, cost and allocation of the various workforce and materials. All of this occurs in real time, so the pieces come together as you need them. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Streamline Payroll Once you’ve scheduled the work, you can track your crew and streamline the payment process with timesheets that track the hours your team works, whether in the office or on-site. Timesheets can be updated and submitted anywhere for easy review by managers, who can approve with a keystroke. Plus, all your files are uploaded online, where they can be accessed when needed. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks-1600x869.png Given all these amazing features at a low price point, it’s clear that ProjectManager is the heavyweight champ of construction project management software. Click here to start a 30-day free trial! Verdict: Best Online Construction Scheduling Software for Construction Project Management ProjectManager Pros & Key Features Online Gantt charts for construction planning and scheduling Resource planning, scheduling and tracking tools for construction Mac-friendly, Cloud-based construction scheduling software with unlimited file storage Free trial is available Mobile app for Android and iOS ProjectManager Cons & Limitations Limited customization features No payment or invoicing tools Lacks construction bidding functionality No free plan Pricing Team: $14.00 user/month Business: $26.00 user/month Enterprise: contact sales for a custom quote ProjectManager Reviews G2 review: 4.4 / 5 Capterra review: 4.1 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “ProjectManager works very well with both large and small-scale projects. Being able to use this with anything from a project involving only two members of staff, to hundreds, has been invaluable.” Peter W – from Capterra “We used to manage our projects, resources, and reporting in different systems. Enter ProjectManager. We have consolidated systems and work more efficiently.” Jeffrey M – from Capterra “Having the full scope of activities and who is responsible to do it, plus the time tracking is excellent.” Flavio M – from G2 “It has an excellent accounting system capable of calculating the time that a person has used to develop a task that was assigned to him, I like being able to collaborate with all my colleagues in the Finance sector through ProjectManager.” Jesus C – from G2 “The UI of the application is user-friendly, and it helps to identify what we are looking for with minimal effort.” Pavan H – from G2 2. Procore /wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Procorelogo-600x73.png Construction project managers use Procore for HR, safety and financial concerns related to the construction schedule. It has a place for the many documents related to construction. There’s an employee contact log, with everyone’s certification, though billing is very confusing and, even if understood, not up to the industry standard. Related: Best Procore Alternatives: Paid & Free Options Ranked /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/procore-construction-scheduling-software.webp It’s a decent construction scheduling software for medium to large construction companies, but if you’re running a smaller company, the software is too bulky and likely too expensive. It’s good for end-users, in that it involves them in the planning for future projects and improvements. That said, it’s not great if you’re interfacing with architects and engineers or subcontractors. The integrations are also spotty, including financials, and the bidding module doesn’t update automatically. We’ve also reviewed the best Procore alternatives in case you’d like to learn more about Procore and software that offers similar construction project management features. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Tools for Large Projects Procore Pros & Key Features Best construction scheduling software for large projects Document management features for construction management Project cost tracking and budgeting tools Time tracking features for managing the construction site Compatibility with Microsoft Project and Primavera P6 Mobile app for Android and iOS Procore Cons & Limitations Procore only offers two project scheduling views, Gantt charts and project calendars Complex construction scheduling tool with a steep learning curve Limited resource planning tools for managing resource allocation Gantt charts don’t track task costs No free trial No free plan Procore Pricing Procore requires a custom quote Procore Reviews G2 review: 4.6 / 5 Capterra review: 4.5 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “Procore is the king of remote working especially for administrative tasks.” Andy G – from Capterra “User friendly and easy to navigate with little to no training.” Sienna W – from Capterra “I enjoy the Procore Learning Center, which helps me when I am unsure of how to start or edit a task in Procore.” Olivia E – from G2 “We use Procore daily and it makes management of a project so much easier.” Lise B – from G2 3. BuilderTrend /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/buildertrend-logo-construction-software.png BuilderTrend is construction schedule software for construction managers and contractors. It has a Gantt chart to create construction schedules and an intuitive user interface. If you run into any trouble, they provide good customer support. It’s expensive, but you’re paying for that hand-holding, among other things. Related: Best Buildertrend Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/buildertrend-construction-scheduling-software.webp The dashboard is especially well-designed and there are strong reporting tools. Both of these features are critical to keeping to your construction project schedule. However, there’s no free version, so if you’re interested in the software, you’ll have to pay. The estimating functionality, which is an important part of any construction scheduling software, is poor and very labor-intensive. Another frustrating aspect is that there aren’t alerts to let users know when they have a message. Verdict: Best Residential Construction Scheduling Software for Independent Home Builders BuilderTrend Pros & Key Features Intuitive interface makes it easy to use Good customer support helps with any questions Customer relationship management tools Basic construction project scheduling tools like Gantt charts, calendars and to-do lists Mobile app for Android and iOS BuilderTrend Cons & Limitations Gantt charts lack resource management and cost tracking features Lightweight construction project management feature set and functionality The software monthly subscription fee is expensive No free plan No free trial BuilderTrend Pricing Essential plan: $499 per month Advanced plan: $799 per month Complete plan: $1099 per month BuilderTrend Reviews G2 review: 4.2 / 5 Capterra review: 4.5 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “Buildertrend has been a very helpful solution for our construction business.” Janelle B – from Capterra “Very easy to keep track of various different elements throughout construction.” Brandi G – from Capterra “I love that Buildertrend is a one stop shop for everything building related.” Paige M – from G2 “What I love most about Buildertrend is how user-friendly it is.” Antonio C – from G2 4. CoConstruct CoConstruct is a popular construction software with limited scheduling features. It’s web-based and used by contractors, modelers and design-build companies. It has features such as activity planning, scheduling, estimating, budgeting and communications. One of the pluses of CoConstruct is that it’s easy to customize and has good customer service if you need assistance. However, one downside for those who are window shopping is the fact that CoConstruct doesn’t offer a free trial. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/co-construct-construction-scheduling-software.png It’s also expensive and has limited integrations, which can frustrate users who are interested in a system that works with their other software packages, related to construction or not, such as accounting and social tools. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Residential Building CoConstruct Pros & Key Features Scheduling software equipped with timesheets Cost estimating features for construction teams Easy-to-use task lists for project scheduling Mobile app for Android and iOS CoConstruct Cons & Limitations Limited construction project scheduling tools Missing important resource management tools like workload charts and resource utilization dashboards Pretty expensive compared to some other construction scheduling software No free trial No free plan CoConstruct Pricing Standard plan: Starts at $99/month and then increases to $299/month after 2 months Plus plan: Starts at $200/month and then increases to $299/month after 3 months CoConstruct Reviews G2 review: 4 / 5 Capterra review: 4.7 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “I’ve truly been impressed with CoConstruct’s customer service, webinar, and coaching availability.” Sam G – from Capterra “I like that, once all of your templates, specs, and trade partners are populated, it is very easy to build professional looking proposals.” Becky S – from Capterra “Estimating and job tracking features all in one place.” Brandee V – from G2 “The clients can see precisely what we intend to build and the materials we will utilize.” Jorge P – from G2 5. Workyard /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/workyard-logo.png Workyard is built from the ground up to support the needs of fast-moving construction and field service businesses. Workyard’s contractor scheduling software is part of a workforce-management system that includes time-tracking, task tracking, labor compliance, and other tools. /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/workyard-UI.webp Widely praised for its ease of use and accuracy, Workyard’s GPS tracking system is precise enough to automatically clock workers in when they enter a jobsite. Meanwhile, Workyard’s scheduling tools can duplicate tasks, create repeating assignments and provide job checklists (while collecting worker notes) to ensure everyone’s on the same page with every task. New tasks or updates automatically trigger notifications to applicable workers so no one’s confused or left behind. There are bulk-edit scheduled entries, review and/or approve time off requests and review a real-time map view of all active worker locations to always send the most suitable tech to any job. However, Workyard might not be the choice for small-to-medium sized construction firms for monitoring and managing their workforce. Pricing, especially if using multiple apps, can get expensive. Other issues include not being able to view all workers at one time and users have complained about difficulty changing time entries for employees who forgot to log in. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Workforce Management Features Workyard Foreman Pros & Key Features Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for calendar management Easily assign crew members to projects and locations Instantly push schedule updates to mobile devices to your team Accurate GPS-based time tracking Automatic overtime alerts and reminders for mandatory breaks Quick communication between office staff and field personnel Workyard Cons & Limitations No optional SMS alerts for scheduled tasks No native CRM integrations Privacy-conscious workers may not like location tracking No free plan Workyard Pricing Time Tracking: $6 / month per user (plus $50 company base fee) Workforce Management: $13 / month per user (plus $50 company base fee) Workyard Reviews G2 review: 2.5 / 5 Capterra review: 4.8 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “My experience has been fine although I wish it was a bit more hands off.” Patrick D – from Capterra “We have loved getting onto digital timecards, and have found the direct export from Workyard to our payroll company to greatly reduce payroll errors and delays.” Sam D – from Capterra “GPS tracking, Geotag and Timesheet, Very basic and easy to use.” Isaac K – from G2 “Helpful… very helpful and user-friendly” Ankita B – from G2 6. Contractor Foreman /wp-content/uploads/2024/12/contractor-foreman-logo.png Contractor Foreman is construction scheduling software for construction contractors. It facilitates tasks such as managing bids, estimates, sub-contracts, work orders and more. In terms of construction scheduling, it offers Gantt charts, kanban boards and task management tools like to-do lists, punch lists and daily logs. It’s a good alternative for managing administrative tasks and construction management documents such as invoices, bills and permits. /wp-content/uploads/2022/05/contractor-foreman.webp However, while Construction Foreman can be used as a construction scheduling software due to its task management tools, it doesn’t offer a robust set of project management tools. For example, it lacks resource planning tools like workload charts or project dashboards, which are essential for creating a realistic construction schedule. Another drawback of this software is its outdated user interface and lightweight features. Verdict: Best Construction Employee Scheduling Software Contractor Foreman Pros & Key Features Unlimited user monthly license fee Various task management tools like kanban boards, task lists and daily logs Simple, easy-to-use project tracking tools are ideal for monitoring daily project progress Daily logs, job costing and work order tracking Free trial Contractor Foreman Cons & Limitations Overly simplistic user interface results in a poor user experience Lightweight construction project management tools Limited resource planning, scheduling and monitoring features No free plan Contractor Foreman Pricing Basic: $49 per month Standard: $79 per month Plus: $125 per month Pro: $166 per month Unlimited: $249 per month Contractor Foreman Reviews G2 review: 4.5 / 5 Capterra review: 4.5 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “I like the interface, the ability to customize and integrate” Jessi J – from Capterra “My experience has been very positive. I appreciate the live chat function that is available during business hours.” Rafael V – from Capterra “It has made it possible to organize all processes efficiently, and the information is always up-to-date and verified.” Loyda V – from G2 “I enjoy that it can house everything I need for my projects and has a client portal.” Kristin B – from G2 7. e-Builder The good thing about e-Builder is that it’s made with scheduling government projects in mind. It helps with updating submittals, communications and invoicing. It, however, is a bit of an uphill battle to learn how to use it. Once you clear the training hurdle, it organizes documents easily and has notifications, which help with updates and changes throughout the project. The layout can be confusing; it’s cluttered and overwhelming but does offer a lot of specifics related to managing government-issued projects. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/e-builder-construction-scheduling-software-1.webp It has a nice scheduling feature, which helps manage large organizations with many employees, but the usability isn’t ideal or intuitive compared to most construction scheduling programs. It also doesn’t autosave, which can be problematic. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Capital Improvement Projects e-Builder Pros & Key Features Helps contractors and project owners create construction reports Equipped with document management features for construction bidding Mobile app for Android and iOS e-Builder Cons & Limitations User interface has an outdated look and feel Limited Gantt chart project scheduling functionality Lack of resource planning tools No free trial No free plan e-Builder Pricing e-Builder requires a custom quote e-Builder Reviews G2 review: 3.7 / 5 Capterra review: 4.3 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “Very good auditing tool that can help score performance on internal staff and outside consultants or contractors.” Guiseppe S – from Capterra “As a Construction manager, I have visibility over key metrics to support project management.” Bryan H – from Capterra “It helps keep all the projects very organized and you can run reports by numerous subjects , people or projects.” Alesa R – from G2 “This software covers all the bases from documentation to project closeout as needed for a construction project.” Yash C – from G2 8. Smartsheet /wp-content/uploads/2023/05/smartsheet-logo.svg Communication is key to good construction scheduling and executing that schedule. Smartsheet is a nice program to streamline and add efficiency to your project communications. With Smartsheet, work is managed so that construction projects can stay productive through better communication. /wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LODESTAR-project-plan-with-gantt-timeline-smar-smartsheet.png The software also manages the avalanche of paperwork involved in any project, which goes double for a construction project. With improved documentation to capture issues as they arise in a project, teams can collaborate more effectively on Smartsheet. Not only teams but vendors and clients can also be added into the loop. All of this saves time and creates more accurate management of project resources. However, Smartsheet lacks strong Gantt functionality, which is critical for making and executing construction schedules and plans. Check our blog to learn about the best Smartsheeet alternatives of 2025. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Scheduling Templates Smartsheet Pros & Key Features Workflow management features for construction project teams Resource management tools that can be used for construction projects Good for users transitioning from spreadsheets to scheduling software for construction Cost management and budgeting tools Free trial Mobile app for Android and iOS Smartsheet Cons & Limitations Limited offer of scheduling features for construction projects Rigid, spreadsheet-based user interface that lacks the versatility of other tools Some aspects of the software involve a steep learning curve, which make its implementation difficult, especially for larger teams No free plan Smartsheet Pricing Pro plan: $7/user/month, billed annually Business plan: $25/user/month, billed annually Smartsheet Reviews G2 review: 4.4/5 Capterra review: 4.5/5 Highlighted User Reviews “Smartsheet is a great platform for data visualization and project management.” Pathan I – from Capterra “Good for tracking projects but takes some time to learn all of the features.” Marissa P – from Capterra “Automation can save hours of time by automatically sending emails and reminders to ensure we meet our deadlines.” Amy S – from G2 “Easily allows a sharable document that concurrent users can view and make live changes to.” Steven K – from G2 9. Jobber /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jobber-logo-transparent.png Jobber is a scheduling software that’s designed to help independent construction contractors and small construction firms run their daily operations. It offers tools for tasks such as quoting, online booking, payment processing, invoicing and job scheduling. In terms of construction scheduling, it’s equipped with to-do lists, calendars and notifications to help construction teams stay on top of their work. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/jobber-screenshot-e1703882707303.webp However, while Jobber is a useful tool, it’s not ideal for planning or scheduling construction projects because it lacks key features such as Gantt charts and project tracking dashboards. It also lacks tools for monitoring resource utilization and availability which play an important role in the construction scheduling process. It’s good for teams that need a solution to organize their work, rather than teams that need fully-featured construction project scheduling software. Verdict: Best Construction Job Scheduling Software for Independent Contractors Jobber Pros & Key Features Unlimited user monthly license fee Various task management tools like kanban boards, task lists and daily logs Simple, easy-to-use project tracking tools Daily logs, job costing and work order tracking Mobile app for Android and iOS Free trial Jobber Cons & Limitations Overly simplistic user interface results in a poor user experience Lightweight construction project management tools Doesn’t have Gantt charts Limited resource planning, scheduling and monitoring features No free plan Jobber Pricing Core: $49 per user, per month Connect: $129 per month, up to 5 users Grow: $249 per month, up to 15 users Jobber Reviews G2 review: 4.5 / 5 Capterra review: 4.5 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “I like it better than other CRMs because I do everything on my phone really.” Nick G – from Capterra “It is fine for doing exactly what the designers of the software want it to do. It’s simple to use.” Heather K – from Capterra “I use Jobber everyday, to keep my scheduled route the most efficient and to know where my crew will be.” Kristi S – from G2 “It helps me keep track of client requests, send out quotes that get approved quickly, and invoice clients easily.” Eliseo M – from G2 10. B2W Software /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/b2w-construction-software-logo-1.png B2W Software is an estimating software for civil construction and bidding. It helps contractors bid faster, more accurately and within their business strategy. Therefore, it’s helpful for construction scheduling in that it helps create accurate estimates for cost, labor, tasks, materials and equipment. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/b2w-construction-scheduling-software-1600x805.webp It has a central resource database and a work breakdown structure (WBS) and can be used simultaneously by multiple estimators. An issue, though, is that if a user mistakenly changes a production rate or cost, you can’t undo that change. There are also costly maintenance fees each year and the cost, which is only provided upon request, can get expensive. And to add more users only jacks up that price further. Verdict: Best Construction Resource Scheduling Software B2W Pros & Key Features Ideal cost-estimating features for construction management Work logs for tracking employee hours and equipment utilization Simple resource planning and reporting tools Mobile app for Android and iOS B2W Cons & Limitations Limited construction project planning, reporting and tracking tools Doesn’t offer Gantt charts unlike most construction project scheduling software Narrow feature set, focuses on basic resource planning No free trial No free plan B2W Pricing Contact the company for a quote B2W Reviews G2 review: 4.5 / 5 Capterra review: 4.5 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “I like that the software is very user-friendly and pretty straightforward.” Diana G – from Capterra “Overall it’s a legacy software that new competitors will likely overtake unless Trimble (who just purchased B2W) brings it into modern times with competitive pricing.” Shane A – from Capterra “I was using this software to bid on projects & estimate the labor hours as well as calculate the quantities.” Vinesh S – from G2 “B2W is great, and has saved us time and allowed us to bid more projects, thus making more money each year.” Joe P – from Capterra 11. eSUB /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/eSUB-logo-construction-software.svg eSUB is construction scheduling software that is made for subcontractors. It has features that allow them to create field notes, make daily reports, create and approve requests for information (RFIs) and schedule equipment. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/e-sub-construction-scheduling-software.webp In terms of scheduling, there are calendars that capture contractors’ schedules and track the project. This software works best for small to mid-sized subcontractors, such as electrical, mechanical and other specialty trades. However, users better not make any errors in the submission because if they do they can’t be erased. While it’s good for much of a subcontractor’s job, it’s not ideal for planning or scheduling projects due to its lack of project management tools. It’s also not built for service work or any short-term project that is only a week or two in duration. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Subcontractors eSUB Pros & Key Features Helps subcontractors make field notes Single platform for document management Free trial Mobile app for Android and iOS eSUB Cons & Limitations No real project scheduling tools other than task lists to assign due dates, missing tools like Gantt charts or project calendars Limited project management feature set, focuses on construction document management No dashboards for a high level project tracking and reporting view eSUB Pricing Base plan: $49 user/month billed annually Advanced plan: $69 user/month billed annually eSUB Reviews G2 review: 4.1 / 5 Capterra review: 4.4 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “I like eSUB for keeping track of time and progress on the job.” Patrick D – from Capterra “Very positive. The support team is excellent. I have only had a few issues, but they have been addressed swiftly every time.” Ron M – from Capterra “One platform for daily reports, field notes, RFI’s, Submittals, PO’s, CO’s & reports for tracking productivity is why we have been impressed with this software.” Tom H – from G2 “There are multiple tabs where I can visit different areas of the project to keep track of progress and how the daily activities are going.” Robert B – from G2 12. AutoDesk Construction Cloud /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Autodesk-build-logo.png AutoDesk Construction Cloud is a great tool for connecting your office staff with workers in the field. It connects workflows and helps teams securely collaborate. It’s made up of many different products, a fact that’s good and bad. It’s nice to have many tools, but each comes with its own pricing structure which can get expensive. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/autodesk-build-construction-scheduling-software.webp It’s a great product for transferring files and keeping your team informed. But some of its products, such as the BIM 360 Document Management are confusing and customer service is hard to reach and often not helpful. This is more of a construction management software than a construction scheduling software, however, it does help get everyone on the same page with the construction project schedule and communicate any changes to that schedule, which is a critical part of staying on track. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Workflow Management Autodesk Build Pros & Key Features Connects office and field teams with meeting planning features Part of a software platform that includes other construction management products for sale Gantt charts allow users to enter detailed task management information Free trial Mobile app for Android and iOS Autodesk Build Cons & Limitations Autodesk Build is sold separately from other construction software that’s needed for construction project management Lacks resource management tools like workload or resource allocation charts The software is sold at a flat price for unlimited users but it’s expensive Users need to buy multiple products for a fully featured construction project scheduling software No free plan Autodesk Build Pricing Autodesk build: $145 per month Autodesk Reviews G2 review: 4.4 / 5 Capterra review: 4.3 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “Great. The app is extremely intuitive so the learning curve is reduced and simple. Just looks more complicated than it really is.” Mathew H – from Capterra “Overall it was okay. The implementation team (3rd party vendor who sold the bundle to us) could have been better, but the product itself was overall good.” David S – from Capterra “I find the submittals section very helpful and intuitive when sending in shop drawings.” Carl T – from G2 “ACC has been phenomenal for working remotely. It’s also been great for sharing content with external partners.” Jeff B – from G2 13. Buildxact /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/buildxact.webp Buildxact is construction scheduling software equipped with Gantt charts that helps run projects with flexible scheduling and keeps them on budget with cash flow and profit tracking. It also helps to estimate jobs and order materials, which is key data for creating construction schedules. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/buildxact-construction-scheduling-software.webp Another plus is that the company is open to suggestions for improvements from its customers, which is a great way to retain a happy consumer base. The trouble with that is there’s a lot of room for improvement. Customers have complained about the software’s inability to adjust purchase orders after they’ve been created. The customizing of quotes is unnecessarily complex as are some of the other features, such as advanced editing. Also, the pay structure can get expensive fast if you want more features and users. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Small Builders Buildxact Pros & Key Features Tracks cash flow and profit Estimates jobs and order materials Pre-built construction scheduling templates Digital material takeoff features Mobile app for Android and iOS Free trial Buildxact Cons & Limitations Expensive compared to other scheduling software for construction in this list No task or workflow management, missing basic tools like task lists or daily logs Limited project monitoring and reporting features No free plan Buildxact Pricing Entry plan: $149 per month for 1 user, $53 per additional user Pro plan: $249 per month for 2 users, $62 per additional user Teams plan: $399 per month for 4 users, $79 per additional user Buildxact Reviews G2 review: 4.4 / 5 Capterra review: 4.6 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “Buidxact has sped up our estimating and the templates we’ve created have made us a lot more efficient.” Shane W – from Capterra “I quite like the program but the reporting is very lacking so we rely heavily on XERO to do this part.” Emma L – from Capterra “Quoting and take offs are easy, even changing a quote when a client decides to add or change an item.” John K – from G2 “Buildxact is easy to use and set up.” Andrew W – from Capterra 14. InEight /wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ineight-logo.jpg InEight is a construction management software for project owners, contractors and construction project managers who need a high-level view of the key construction project phases. You can use Gantt charts and task lists to create a project schedule along with work planning, cost estimating, budgeting and change management features for managing the key areas of your project. /wp-content/uploads/2023/06/5-1024x645-Resize-1.png However, the main disadvantage of InEight is that it sells its project planning, scheduling and cost management tools as separate software priced individually, which means you’ll need to purchase multiple products to get all InEight features. That’s not the case with most construction scheduling software in this list. On top of that, it lacks key features such as timesheets, workload charts, status reports or project dashboards. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Document Management InEight Pros & Key Features Change order management features Critical path analysis features are good for making sure the project is delivered on schedule Good for managing your construction documents Cost estimating and forecasting tools InEight Cons & Limitations Non-intuitive user interface feels outdated and makes the software hard to use Limited Gantt chart functionality for construction scheduling No free trial No free plan InEight Pricing Contact sales team for pricing information InEight Reviews G2 review: 4.3 / 5 Capterra review: 4.4 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “The software works great for large complicated projects.” Chad O – from Capterra “One source of truth for a large scale project instead of multiple side lists/sheets/data that need to be compiled together.” Deniel A – from Capterra “InEight brings everything the site team needs, it has all kinds of different modules that are suited to all stages of the project.” Abdallah A – from G2 “Powerful tool for cost estimating projects.” Kyle H – from Capterra 15. BuildBook /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Buildbook-logo-1.png Buildbook is a residential construction scheduling software that offers tools to help contractors and construction firms contact potential clients, prepare proposals and make a schedule for tracking project progress. Some of Buildbook’s key features are cost estimating, invoicing, timesheets and customer relationship management (CRM) tools. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Buildbook-timeline-tool.png While BuildBook does a decent job at providing various solutions for residential construction contractors, it lacks many scheduling tools such as Gantt charts, kanban boards and task lists—so it can’t be used as a construction timeline software. On top of that, its project scheduling tools are overly basic. For example, you won’t be able to use its project calendar to allocate resources, identify the critical path of a schedule or identify all four types of task dependencies. Verdict: Best Residential Construction Scheduling Software BuildBook Pros & Key Features Makes it a good contractor scheduling software for residential construction projects Offers CRM tools that help contractors communicate with clients and keep them updated Cost estimating and project budgeting tools Mobile app for Android and iOS Free trial BuildBook Cons & Limitations It doesn’t have a Gantt chart like most construction project scheduling tools Lack of construction schedule management features other than a project calendar tool and a basic task dependency mapping timeline No critical path analysis functionality Expensive solution compared to most construction scheduling programs No free plan BuildBook Pricing Solo: $99 per month per user Team: $179 per month, 2 to 5 users Business: $299 per month, 6 to 8 users BuildBook Reviews G2 review: Not available Capterra review: 4.5 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “I do believe they will work the issues and help to create a product that is in tune with the current market needs.” Chris K – from Capterra “Overall very positive experience. Very friendly, responsive, and knowledgeable staff.” Tim B – from Capterra “The user experience is clean, simple and easy to navigate.” Serena K – from Capterra “With Buildbook we have everything we need within reach in the office or on location.” Delaney H – from Capterra 16. Fieldwire /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/fieldwire-by-hilti.webp Fieldwire is a construction management software for general contractors, independent contractors and construction firms managing larger residential and commercial projects. With Fieldwire, you can make construction schedules, track the daily progress of job site activities and create punch lists. There are also features to design and store construction documents such as requests for information (RFIs), submittals, specifications and change orders. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/fieldwire-screenshot-1600x811.png However, Fieldwire falls short when it comes to construction project scheduling due to its lack of features. For example, its Gantt charts don’t have key features such as resource scheduling, critical path analysis or task dependency mapping. Another major drawback is the absence of resource management, cost estimating or project budgeting tools. While these aren’t necessarily part of construction scheduling, they’re related areas that need to be managed closely. Without them, you may make project schedules that don’t align with resource availability, which can cause serious issues—including project failure. Verdict: Best Contractor Scheduling Software Fieldwire Pros & Key Features Good for storing and sharing construction documents like proposals, estimates, submittals and change orders Construction crews can share photos related to project tasks and site inspections Punch lists can be created and tracked using the mobile app at the job site Free plan Mobile app for Android and iOS Fieldwire Cons & Limitations Gantt charts, kanban boards and project calendars have limited project scheduling functionality Lack of cost-tracking tools such as timesheets or dashboards Doesn’t have CRM features like other contractor scheduling software No free trial Fieldwire Pricing Basic: $0 per user, per month Pro: $54 per user, per month Business: $74 per user, per month Business Plus: $94 per user, per month Fieldwire Reviews G2 review: 4.5 / 5 Capterra review: 4.6 / 5 Highlighted User Reviews “Overall I’ve been very satisfied with using Fieldwire as a field report and punch list tool.” Patrick B – from Capterra “Information at our fingertips is essential, and Fieldwire readily enables us to access information easily and quickly on the job site, be it from a laptop, iPad, or smart phone.” Corey K – from Capterra “Exporting and sharing plans with others is super easy and means you’ll never need a file sharing service to send plans.” Mike P – from G2 “We are able to keep track of progress, materials and scheduling easily.” Shannen H – from G2 17. Microsoft Project /wp-content/uploads/2020/01/MS_Project_Logo.png Microsoft Project can be used as construction scheduling software, though it was not specifically designed for the construction industry. It is notable for features such as task scheduling, resource allocation, cost tracking and reporting. For example, it has task dependencies, subtasks and can assign resources to those tasks. It can also analyze the critical path to avoid delays. Where it excels is with kanban boards, which is useful for task management and workflow visualization. Because it’s a Microsoft Project, it seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools, such as Office, Power BI and Outlook. /wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Microsoft-Project-Professional-1600x867.jpg Like others on this list, there is no built-in timesheet, though it can integrate with third-party tools at an extra cost. That is to say, users will have to work at making this tool friendly to construction needs. It doesn’t have advanced features like building information modeling (BIM), detailed material tracking or construction-specific cost management. Like many MS products, there’s a steep learning curve and, when managing larger projects, the interface can become cluttered and difficult to navigate. There’s a mobile app, but with only basic functionality. This is an office-based project management software and its field-level management is limited. The product can get very expensive when adding advanced features. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Kanban Boards Microsoft Project Key Features & Benefits Ideal for those who use other similar Microsoft solutions like Teams, Planner or Lists Task management tools, such as kanban boards visualize workflow Free plan and free trial Mobile app for Android and iOS Microsoft Project Cons & Limitations Has a very limited feature set compared to most construction scheduling software Depends on integrations and paid add-ons, which adds to the cost There are no built-in timesheets Mobile app has only basic functionality Microsoft Project Pricing Standard: $679.99 (one-time purchase) Professional: $1,129.99 (one-time purchase) Microsoft Project Reviews G2 review: 4/5 Capterra review: 4.4/5 Highlighted User Reviews “It’s a powerful tool for managing complex projects, offering detailed features like task scheduling, resource allocation, and progress tracking.” Mazhar A – from Capterra “The quality of MS Project output is often sufficient for the requirement of most projects.” Paul B – from Capterra “I love the automatically generated gantt charts and the timeline feature.” Eric B – from G2 “It is easy to set up a project plan using templates provided in MS Project.” Alex N – from G2 18. Primavera P6 /wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Primavera-P6logo.png Primavera P6 is construction scheduling software developed by Oracle. It’s made to be used when managing large-scale construction projects with scheduling capabilities that allow for complex and detailed project timelines. It has multiple project views, including Gantt charts, resource histograms and network diagrams. There’s also resource planning and management to track labor, materials and equipment allocation. /wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Primavera-P6.webp However, the software doesn’t have built-in timesheet functionality as part of its core features. It is mainly focused on scheduling, resource management and cost control. But those tools are complex and require a steep learning curve to command, which means training and resources allocated to navigating and setting up projects. To add insult to injury, this tool is expensive. Small-to-medium sized companies will likely not have the budget to use it. For those that make the investment, the software is resource intensive and can be slow, especially with larger projects or handling complex data. Verdict: Best Construction Scheduling Software for Complex Projects Primavera Key Features & Benefits Robust scheduling features Multiple project views Mobile app for Android and iOS Free trial Primavera Cons & Limitations Steep learning curve Expensive and resource intensive No built-in timesheets Can run slow for larger, complex projects No free plan Primavera Pricing Users can acquire a desktop license or pay a monthly subscription for the online service for any of these and other versions of Primavera. Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management: $2,750 Primavera P6 Progress Reporter: $950 Primavera P6 Professional Project Management: $2,500 Primavera Reviews G2 review: 4.4/5 Capterra review: 4.4/5 Highlighted User Reviews “The schedule is very easy to observe. Easy to operate. I use it frequently.” Srinidhi S – from G2 “I call it the best Project control and scheduling app for construction projects.” Amirshahab S – from Capterra “Comprehensive set of tools for managing projects, from planning and scheduling to execution and monitoring.” Muzammil H – from G2 “Oracle PrimaveraCloud provides a comprehensive project management solution for projects of any size and complexity.” Coraly C – from Capterra What Are the Main Benefits of Using Construction Scheduling Software? You can use analog methods, tools and techniques like PERT charts or network diagrams to make a construction project schedule, but there are many reasons why using scheduling software for construction is a much better choice. Facilitates Project Schedule Management Online Gantt charts, project calendars and kanban boards can greatly facilitate schedule management tasks such as estimating the total duration of projects and identifying critical path activities and task dependencies. These can double as tracking features, which can monitor the status of your construction project schedule in real time. More Accurate Time Tracking and Labor Costs Estimates Construction scheduling software features such as timesheets and workload management charts allow you to assign tasks to team members and monitor work hours, so you can balance workload, track labor costs and process payroll. Track Construction Site Activities and Collaborate Online Online construction software and mobile apps simplify communication and record-keeping. Collaborate in real time, send photos and share files on one platform. This is the ideal way to connect job sites with the construction project management office. FAQs Choosing software for scheduling your construction projects is an important decision, which is why we’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions about construction scheduling software and related topics. What Is the Best Construction Scheduling Software? ProjectManager is the best construction scheduling software due to its advanced project management tools and features. Additionally, ProjectManager is an online platform with top-notch team collaboration features such as unlimited file storage, instant messaging and real-time project tracking to help connect teams in the construction site. Is There Any Free Construction Scheduling Software? Yes. While most of the best scheduling software for construction in this list is paid, you can still find some free alternatives. For example, you might find construction scheduling programs with free plans at the expense of limited functionality, or you can also use the free trial period to evaluate various solutions for free. What Are the Types of Construction Scheduling Software? As stated above, there are many construction scheduling tools with unique features and functionality, which are determined by their target audience. The most popular types of construction software are contractor scheduling, job scheduling, commercial and residential. What Is Contractor Scheduling Software? Contractor scheduling software offers features that are specifically tailored to help contractors manage their operations. For example, it can help them communicate with their clients, manage construction documentation, generate invoices, estimate project costs, log daily activity at the job site and more. What Is Commercial Construction Scheduling Software? Commercial projects are large, complex and expensive. Ideally, commercial construction scheduling software should offer project planning, resource scheduling, and cost-tracking features. Because of their scale, commercial projects require a lot of resources which means the schedule must be accurate or else the project cost will increase dramatically. If there’s a discrepancy between your project schedule and the actual project completion timeline, you’ll need to assume many additional, unexpected construction costs. If you’re managing a commercial construction project, you’re going to want the most advanced scheduling and tracking features available to keep on time and budget. What Is Residential Construction Scheduling Software? Residential construction refers to any construction project that makes buildings for people to live in, such as building a brand new home, remodeling one or even making an apartment building of up to four floors, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Residential projects have unique challenges that other projects don’t. For example, the project owner is the person who’ll be residing in the building, which makes them pay special attention to detail and have specific requirements, so you’ll need to constantly communicate with the project owner and keep him updated on progress. Change requests are also common in residential projects, as owners can typically change their minds about aspects of the project, which may require additional planning, estimating and budgeting from the construction project manager. Residential construction scheduling software will have change management features to address these scenarios. Related Content Best Construction Software for Mac Best Construction Management Software for a Small Business Best Construction Software for Mac” Best Construction Estimating Software Making a Construction Schedule: Construction Scheduling Basics 24 Construction Documents (Templates Included) The 5 Construction Phases (Templates Included) 10 Mejores Software de Programación de Construcción 10 Meilleurs logiciels de planification de la construction en 2025 Construction project management is a big field that requires robust and dynamic project management software to handle all its moving parts. ProjectManager is construction project management software that has the tools to plan, monitor and report on every phase of the project’s life cycle. It’s uniquely equipped for construction, with visual workflow features like its kanban boards and online Gantt charts that schedule and help teams collaborate. See for yourself by taking this free 30-day trial. The post 18 Best Construction Scheduling Software of 2025 (Free & Paid) appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

President Donald The President said Thursday that he will put import taxes of 100% on pharmaceutical drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30% on upholstered furniture and 25% on heavy trucks starting on Oct. 1. The posts on his social media site showed that The President’s devotion to tariffs did not end with the trade frameworks and import taxes that were launched in August, a reflection of the president’s confidence that taxes will help to reduce the government’s budget deficit while increasing domestic manufacturing. While The President did not provide a legal justification for the tariffs, he appeared to stretch the bounds of his role as commander-in-chief by stating on Truth Social that the taxes on imported kitchen cabinets and sofas were needed “for National Security and other reasons.” Under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the administration launched a Section 232 investigation in April about the impacts on national security from pharmaceutical drug and truck imports. The Commerce Department launched a 232 investigation into timber and lumber in March, though it’s unclear whether the furniture tariffs stem from that. The tariffs are another dose of uncertainty for the U.S. economy with a solid stock market but a weakening outlook for jobs and elevated inflation. These new taxes on imports could pass through to consumers in the form of higher prices and dampen hiring, a process that economic data suggests is already underway. “We have begun to see goods prices showing through into higher inflation,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned in a recent news conference, adding that higher costs for goods account for “most” or potentially “all” of the increase in inflation levels this year. The president has pressured Powell to resign, arguing that the Fed should cut its benchmark interest rates more aggressively because inflation is no longer a concern. Fed officials have stayed cautious on rate cuts because of the uncertainty created by tariffs. The President said on Truth Social that the pharmaceutical tariffs would not apply to companies that are building manufacturing plants in the United States, which he defined as either “breaking ground” or being “under construction.” It was unclear how the tariffs would apply to companies that already have factories in the U.S. In 2024, America imported nearly $233 billion in pharmaceutical and medicinal products, according to the Census Bureau. The prospect of prices doubling for some medicines could send shock waves to voters as health care expenses, as well as the costs of Medicare and Medicaid, potentially increase. The pharmaceutical drug announcement was shocking as The President has previously suggested that tariffs would be phased in over time so that companies had time to build factories and relocate production. On CNBC in August, The President said he would start by charging a “small tariff” on pharmaceuticals and raise the rate over a year or more to 150% and even 250%. According to the White House, the threat of tariffs earlier this year contributed to many major pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly, among others, to announce investments in U.S. production. Pascal Chan, vice president for strategic policy and supply chains at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, warned that the tariffs could harm Americans’ health with “immediate price hikes, strained insurance systems, hospital shortages, and the real risk of patients rationing or foregoing essential medicines.” The new tariffs on cabinetry could further increase the costs for homebuilders at a time when many people seeking to buy a house feel priced out by the mix of housing shortages and high mortgage rates. The National Association of Realtors on Thursday said there were signs of price pressures easing as sales listings increased 11.7% in August from a year ago, but the median price for an existing home was $422,600. The President said that foreign-made heavy trucks and parts are hurting domestic producers that need to be defended. “Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions,” The President posted. The President has long maintained that tariffs are the key to forcing companies to invest more in domestic factories. He has dismissed fears that importers would simply pass along much of the cost of the taxes to consumers and businesses in the form of higher prices. His broader country-by-country tariffs relied on declaring an economic emergency based on a 1977 law, a drastic tax hike that two federal courts said exceeded The President’s authority as president. The Supreme Court is set to hear the case in November. The president continues to claim that inflation is no longer a challenge for the U.S. economy, despite evidence to the contrary. The consumer price index has increased 2.9% over the past 12 months, up from an annual pace of 2.3% in April, when The President first launched a sweeping set of import taxes. Nor is there evidence that the tariffs are creating factory jobs or more construction of manufacturing facilities. Since April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that manufacturers cut 42,000 jobs and builders have downsized by 8,000. “There’s no inflation,” The President told reporters Thursday. “We’re having unbelievable success.” Still, The President also acknowledged that his tariffs against China had hurt American farmers, who lost out on sales of soybeans. The president separately promised on Thursday to divert tariff revenues to the farmers hurt by the conflict, just as he did during his first term in 2018 and 2019 when his tariffs led to retaliation against the agricultural sector. —Josh Boak, Associated Press 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. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding my work at Lifehacker as a preferred source. With this live blog, you can keep up with the best deals the Lifehacker team finds every day, all in one place. Bookmark this page to keep an eye on what we're finding. As always, we use price-tracking tools to suss out the deals that are actually worth paying attention to, not just hype designed to instill a false sense of urgency. View the full article

This week, President Donald The President and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his secretary of health and human services, suggested a link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism. The claim, which has been widely debunked by experts and is not backed by medical science, became instant social media fodder. The President and Kennedy’s announcement included a graphic featuring the words “Autism Announcement,” splashed across a blue background. It quickly became repurposed as a meme by many in the Autism community. “How it feels telling the group chat I don’t want to eat at the restaurant they planned because I don’t like the texture of the food they serve,” one X user posted. “When I’m on a date and they ask me about my hobbies,” another wrote. Summing up the week’s online discourse, one put: “The Tylenol memes have been incredible. What a gift The President gave us.” In his address, The President suggested that pregnant people in America should instead “tough it out” rather than resort to taking the common pain reliever. Unsurprisingly, many pregnant people did not welcome his unsolicited advice and instead responded to his comments by filming themselves popping pills in defiance. “I have a list of things I would be worried about if I were pregnant now in the US but taking Tylenol for my fever wouldn’t be one of them,” reads the caption to one video. “Dear RFK…. kindly go away. Sincerely, a 36-week pregnant person with terrible hip pain,” reads another. To avoid stoking the moral panic that’s since circulated online, it’s worth mentioning many of the videos don’t even show pregnant women taking the drug; if they do, they are taking the recommended dosage. Most have since been taken down, likely due to backlash. Many conservatives failed to see the funny side. “Democrats are now chugging bottles of Tylenol on TikTok,” Calley Means, Kennedy’s health adviser and a key figure in the MAHA movement, claimed in an X post viewed over five million times. “If The President said that oxygen was good, I am convinced there are people out there who would suffocate themselves,” Riley Gaines, the conservative activist known for campaigning against trans women in college sports, said in a video. While the reactions and memes are fun, the problem of health misinformation being peddled across social media is a growing problem. As Forbes reported this week, citing data from the platform analytics company Zelf, TikTok videos about acetaminophen, vaccines, and autism received more than 100 million views in the 48 hours following The President’s announcement. The four most popular of those videos picked up more than 33 million cumulative views. None of the videos included the crucial context that medical science does not support The President’s allegations. As one X user joked, “I’d like to congratulate Tylenol on their upcoming multimillion-dollar lawsuit settlement.” View the full article

Content has long been the fuel for SEO, and its importance continues as AI-driven search relies on rich, trustworthy information. I’ve always believed in doing the “good” and “right” things when it comes to creating content at scale – but even good things can become problems when overdone. Too often, SEO and AI visibility efforts get reduced to publishing more blogs, landing pages, or articles in the pursuit of quick wins that executives want to see. While content is critical, treating SEO as a production machine creates the illusion of progress. Activity without performance bloats sites with duplicative, commoditized, or low-value pages that both search engines and customers overlook. Real results come when content is balanced with technical SEO, authority building, and alignment to business goals, not when output becomes the strategy itself. Breaking free from a content-only mindset means broadening how we define SEO success. The following areas show where to shift focus and rebalance your strategy. Seek out content bloat Use audits – whether with third-party crawlers, AI tools, or manual reviews – to surface low-value content. This includes: Duplicative or outdated pages. Content that’s confusing or poorly aligned to your niche, audience, or value proposition. Realign SEO goals If your objectives are tied too heavily to content, are vague or incomplete, or are linked only to tactics rather than a robust, leading – not trailing – strategy, they’re due for a reset. Step one is to revisit your overarching SEO and visibility goals. Then connect those goals directly to your content strategy – focusing on quality over volume – and map each piece to a funnel stage, customer journey touchpoint, or specific ROI metric. Dig deeper: How to blend AI and human input in your content approach Integrate technical SEO When content dominates your SEO strategy, it’s easy to overlook the technical factors that determine visibility. On-page optimization may help, but without attention to site health and user experience, your content may never reach its full potential. Crawling and indexing have always been core to SEO, and they remain critical for both search engines and LLMs. If your content can’t be properly discovered and sourced, it won’t surface for your audience – regardless of quality. Beyond that, factors like page experience and rendering influence how your site is ranked and, more importantly, how visitors interact with it. Poor UX can drive users back to search results, undermining the very visibility you’re working to achieve. Leverage authority building I’ve long said, “great content attracts great links.” That phrase nods to the early days of SEO, and while simplified, it still holds true. The problem is that content alone often creates an “if you build it, they will come” mentality – one that leaves deserved visibility and engagement on the table. Earning backlinks, PR, mentions, and other third-party validation remains vital for both search and LLMs. Leaving these signals out of your planning means missing a key dimension of optimization. Authority building should be integrated into your SEO and content strategy to add purpose and extend the impact of what you publish. Dig deeper: Revisiting ‘useful content’ in the age of AI-dominated search Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Adopt a sprint model You can follow agile methodology or use different terminology and approaches, but the key is to define the time periods and milestones that matter. Day-to-day distractions and the habit of piling new tasks onto existing efforts blur where one initiative ends and another begins. Combined with the shifting environment of attribution and measurement, it becomes difficult to set clear starting and stopping points in SEO and AI optimization. When content is the main focus, the instinct is often to do more when results fall short. A sprint model helps break that pattern. By planning efforts in defined cycles, you can measure outcomes objectively and conduct retrospectives. Those insights then help you realign your overall and content strategies, bringing a more data-driven, disciplined approach to each next phase. Dig deeper: How to create content that works for search and generative engines Stop checklist mindsets When I hear about a company’s content strategy, the first questions I ask are: Why are they doing it? What is it producing? How were those decisions made? Sometimes the cadence exists because it’s what the company has always done. Other times, it traces back to a best practices recommendation. I don’t approach those conversations with a fixed cadence of my own, or with the intent to blow up what’s working. In many cases, the timing and tactics are sound. The problem comes when we stop asking questions. Without a regular, healthy review, it’s easy to slip into checklist mode. Any marketing activity that becomes just another box to tick loses its sense of investment and expected return. Instead of weighing the time, money, and opportunity costs against other options, we risk treating strategy like routine busywork. Build cross-functional alignment At SMX West in early 2020 – just before the pandemic – I spoke about the benefits of aligning SEO and PPC. What I couldn’t predict was how essential cross-functional integration would become in the era of AI. Digital channels have always influenced each other, but AI raises the stakes. Brand, UX, IT, search, social, and content all need to work together efficiently. The same goes for marketing, sales, product, and leadership. Integration prevents SEO and AI initiatives from being dismissed as “just marketing tasks.” It ensures they connect to business-outcome-driven KPIs, new measurement models, and company-wide AI priorities. Dig deeper: An AI-assisted content process that outperforms human-only copy Breaking free from content-only SEO SEO has never been about content alone, and in the era of AI-driven search, it can’t afford to be reduced to a publishing treadmill. Breaking free means balancing content with technical health, authority signals, agile planning, and cross-functional alignment. By shifting from sheer output to intentional strategy, you avoid bloat, earn visibility where it matters, and position SEO as a driver of growth rather than just another box to check. 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. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. When a home security camera drops to half its price, it usually means you’re giving up something in return. With the Blink Mini 2, that’s not the case. It’s currently $19.99 on Amazon, down from $39.99, which is the lowest price it’s ever been, according to price trackers. Blink Mini 2 $19.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Get Deal $19.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $20.00 For a camera that can be used indoors or outdoors (with a $9.99 weather-resistant power adapter, sold separately or bundled), that’s compelling. The Mini 2 is tiny (just two inches square) but packs a 143-degree field of view, more than the first-gen model’s 110 degrees. During the day, the 1080p video looks crisp and colorful. At night, it offers both black-and-white infrared and color vision thanks to a built-in LED spotlight. The color mode isn’t perfect (hues aren’t as vibrant as daylight footage), but it gives more detail than plain grayscale. Blink leaned into small upgrades with the Mini 2 that make a noticeable difference. The custom-built chip inside allows features such as smart notifications and person detection, so the camera can tell whether it spotted a person, package, or pet. The catch is you’ll need a subscription for that. The Blink Basic Plan runs $3.99 per month per camera ($39.99 annually) and gives you 60 days of video history, smart alerts, activity zones, and extended live streams. The Plus Plan, at $11.99 monthly ($119.99 annually), covers unlimited cameras. Without a plan, you’re limited to live viewing, unless you pick up a Sync Module 2 ($49.99) and an SD card for local storage. The Blink Mini 2 also fits neatly into smart homes, at least if you use Alexa. It supports voice commands and IFTTT integrations, but not Google Home or Apple HomeKit. That could be a deal breaker if you’re invested in those platforms. Setup is straightforward through the Blink’s companion app, and you can adjust everything from motion sensitivity to light brightness within the settings. Performance is solid for the price, but reviews note black-and-white night footage isn’t as sharp as competing budget cameras like the TP-Link Tapo C120 or Eufy Indoor Cam. Still, for $19.99, you’re getting flexible placement, decent video quality, and features that usually live behind higher price tags. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.99 (List Price $39.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $79.99 (List Price $149.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $34.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen, 2-pack, White) — $49.98 (List Price $79.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen, 2023) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $229.99 (List Price $549.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands on health care as unserious but says a government shutdown is still “avoidable” despite sharp divisions ahead of Wednesday’s funding deadline. “I’m a big believer that there’s always a way out,” the South Dakota Republican said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday. “And I think there are off-ramps here, but I don’t think that the negotiating position, at least at the moment, that the Democrats are trying to exert here is going to get you there.” Thune said Democrats are going to have to “dial back” their demands, which include immediately extending health insurance subsidies and reversing the health care policies in the massive tax bill that Republicans passed over the summer. Absent that, Thune said, “we’re probably plunging forward toward the shutdown.” It’s just the latest standoff in Washington over government funding, stretching back through several administrations. President Donald The President was the driving force behind the longest shutdown ever during his first term, as he sought money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. This time it is Democrats who are making demands as they face intense pressure from their core supporters to stand up to the Republican president and his policies. Democrats have shown little signs of relenting, just before spending runs out Wednesday. Their position remained the same even after the White House Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday released a memo that said agencies should consider a “reduction in force” for many federal programs if the government closes — meaning thousands of federal workers could be permanently laid off. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the OMB memo was simply an “attempt at intimidation” and predicted the “unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back.” Thune stopped short of criticizing the White House threat of mass layoffs, saying the situation remains “a hypothetical.” Still, he said no one should be surprised by the memo as “everyone knows Russ Vought,” the head of the Office of Management and Budget, and his longtime advocacy for slashing government. “But it’s all avoidable,” Thune said. “And so if they don’t want to go down that path, there’s a way to avoid going down that path.” One way to avoid a shutdown, Thune said, would be for enough Democrats to vote with Republicans for a stripped-down “clean” bill to keep the government open for the next seven weeks while negotiations on spending continue. That’s how Republicans avoided a shutdown in March, when Schumer and several other Democrats decided at the last minute to vote with Republicans — to great political cost when Schumer’s party then revolted. A seven-week funding bill has already passed the House. “What would eight Democrats be willing to support?” Thune asked. “In terms of a path forward, or at least understanding what that path forward looks like.” Republicans in the 100-member Senate need at least seven Democrats to vote with them to get the 60 votes necessary for a short-term funding package, and they may lose up to two of their own — Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky both opposed it in preliminary votes last week. A competing bill from Democrats also fell well short of 60 votes. Thune suggested some individual bipartisan bills to fund parts of the government for the next year could be part of a compromise, “but that requires cooperation from both sides,” he said. Democrats say they are frustrated that Thune hasn’t approached them to negotiate — and that The President abruptly canceled a meeting with Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York that had been scheduled for this week. The President wrote on social media, “I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive.” Thune said he “did have a conversation with the president” and offered his opinion on the meeting, which he declined to disclose. “But I think the president speaks for himself, and I think he came to the conclusion that that meeting would not be productive,” Thune said. Still, he says he thinks The President could be open to a negotiation on the expanded health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year if Democrats weren’t threatening a shutdown. Many people who receive the subsidies through the marketplaces set up by the Affordable Care Act are expected to see a sharp rise in premiums if Congress doesn’t extend them. Some Republicans have agreed with Democrats that keeping the subsidies is necessary, but Thune says “reform is going to have to be a big part of it.” Democrats are likely to oppose such changes. By Monday, when the Senate returns to session, lawmakers will have just over 24 hours to avoid federal closures. Thune said he intends to bring up the bills that were rejected last week. “They’ll get multiple chances to vote,” he said, before a government shutdown begins at midnight Wednesday. He said he hopes “cooler heads will prevail.” “I don’t think shutdowns benefit anybody, least of all the American people,” Thune said. —Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press View the full article

The last thing you want when dealing with a hot oven is any added burn risk. But some owners of Oster’s countertop ovens have experienced just that. Oster’s parent company, Sunbeam Products, is recalling over a million units of Oster French Door Countertop Ovens due to its doors unexpectedly closing. The company has received 95 reports of this occurring, leading to burn injuries, two of which were second-degree burns. Where and when was the product sold? According to a notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the recall includes about 1,290,000 units in the United States and another approximately 104,195 units in Canada. In the U.S., the ovens were sold nationwide in stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, and Walmart. The products were sold from August 2015 to July 2025 for $140 to $250. They were also available online through Amazon.com and Overstock.com during this time. Four model numbers are included in the recall: TSSTTVFDXL TSSTTVFDDG TSSTTVFDMAF TSSTTVFDDAF The model number is available on the original packaging or on the back of the oven. How dangerous is this product? According to a separate recall notice posted to the Oster website, 95 injuries have been reported. Of those, 93 were minor burns that required no medical treatment and were “consistent with first-degree burns, such as sunburn or friction-related irritation.” The remaining two were second-degree burns that resulted in the victims seeking treatment. Oster says it has received no reports of hospitalizations as a result of using the ovens. What should I do if I have this product? First, stop using it. If your Oster French Door Countertop Oven is part of the recall, then you can contact Sunbeam Products to receive a free repair kit. You can reach the company through one of three options: A toll free call to 800-334-0759 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. On Oster’s recall page. On Oster’s website by clicking the recall banner at the top of the homepage. It will bring you to the recall page. The repair kit is made up of a clip-on device that “provides additional holding force to help keep the doors in the open position when reaching in the oven.” It also has repair instructions and QR code that leads to an installation video. No tools should be necessary to attach the clip-on device. View the full article

The meteoric rise in artificial intelligence and its usage in nearly every facet of our daily life is leaving a profound mark on the job market. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, more than 76,000 jobs were lost to automation, as AI-powered analytics platforms replaced junior data analysts. Nearly 40% of employers expect to cut staff in areas where AI can handle tasks, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025. Now, with the rise of generative AI’s successor, agentic AI, many in the tech industry fear that AI will soon claim coding and tech jobs. After all, if AI-powered coding assistants can write, debug, and refactor code in seconds, what use is there for human developers? But leaders inside OpenAI see the moment in almost opposite terms. Thibault Sottiaux, engineering lead for Codex at OpenAI, argues that coding isn’t dying—it’s evolving. Rather than rendering developers obsolete, he believes AI is transforming coding by amplifying human strengths in creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving. “If you look at today’s AI tools, it’s clear they’re far from perfect. There’s still so much capacity in the world to absorb better, more powerful, and more delightful software,” Sottiaux says. These coding tools, he says, are radically reshaping the learning curve for young coders. “I see new graduates on my team picking up programming at a speed I haven’t witnessed before.” Developers are spending less time on line-by-line debugging, freeing them up to what should be built, how systems should be structured, and what kind of impact software can have in the world. OpenAI predicts that human roles will increasingly shift toward oversight and orchestration, with AI serving as both collaborator and accelerator: handling background work, surfacing errors early, and enabling engineers to explore ideas faster. OpenAI recently introduced an upgraded version of Codex, a specialized model designed for the long, messy work of coding and software development. Now powered by GPT-5, Codex can adapt its reasoning effort based on task complexity. It can breeze through a simple bug fix in seconds, or run for more than seven hours to reengineer an entire subsystem. “That balance between being fast on simple tasks and going deep on harder problems is a distinctive trait of GPT-5-Codex,” Sottiaux added. “The quality of its code reviews and its ability to think dynamically over longer periods are key differentiators. GPT-5-Codex also pushes further on code quality overall.” Now available in the Codex Responses API, and for use through Codex in various environments, including IDE extensions, terminal, web, and GitHub integrations, it can review an entire codebase, execute unit tests, validate dependencies, and even catch subtle vulnerabilities before they become production headaches. “Codex was built to work alongside developers, and humans still stay in control,” Sottiaux explains. “For newcomers, it’s a collaborator that can help explore languages like Rust, navigate codebases, and grasp core concepts much faster. For senior developers, it provides leverage at a higher level. By setting the right context, guardrails, and structure, they can take on more ambitious problems and ultimately achieve more impact than before.” OpenAI isn’t the only big player arguing that AI isn’t the IT job killer many feared. According to Google’s latest DORA: State of AI-assisted Software Development report, 90% of tech professionals now use AI in their workflows, highlighting a 14% jump from last year, for coding, testing, and security reviews. Likewise, Udemy, one of the world’s largest online learning platforms, reports that the rise of AI integrations within enterprises has sparked a surge in enrollment for AI-related courses. “Every minute, five to eight people sign up for a generative AI class on our platform,” Hugo Sarrazin, CEO of Udemy, tells Fast Company. “Designing code requires critical thinking, which is fundamentally a human trait. Of course, AI will generate a lot more software, but you still need analysis, judgment, and testing. That’s why it’s so important to teach the foundations of coding and development, whether or not someone ends up relying heavily on AI.” Coding as a foundation Skeptics often warn that due to AI-driven automation, coding roles will disappear,leaving fewer opportunities for junior developers to gain experience. That’s not how OpenAI sees it. “Some will use AI to go deep, building technical expertise at an accelerated pace,” Sottiaux says. “At OpenAI, more of the effort is shifting into code review and planning, while much of the coding itself is automated. Software engineering is about making an impact, and this shift allows us to create more in the same amount of time.” He added that coding literacy remains vital for training the next generation of engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs and stressed that the shift to AI-augmented development is a natural progression. In practice, many of OpenAI’s customers are actively deploying Codex in production. Popular language-learning app Duolingo, for example, uses it to review back-end Python code for the platform. In benchmark tests, the company found that Codex’s upgraded version was the only system able to catch subtle backward-compatibility issues and consistently flagged bugs that other automated reviewers overlooked. On a major software engineering test called SWE-bench Verified, GPT-5 Codex beat its predecessor by a wide margin. It solved more than half of the code-fixing challenges it was given, compared with about one-third for the earlier GPT 4.5 integrated model. For simple bugs, Codex used far fewer resources, cutting the workload by 94%. And when faced with tougher problems, it didn’t just work faster; it applied roughly twice the level of reasoning to reach a solution. Likewise, companies including Gap Inc., Vanta, and Virgin Atlantic are also using Codex for specific applications. “During planning and development, the Extension can be tuned to the right level of reasoning (the ability to solve problems), and its ability to utilize Model Context Protocol (MCP) allows the right tools to be called directly from engineers’ IDEs,” Richard Masters, VP Data & AI at Virgin Atlantic, said in a statement. Surviving the AI era The shifts suggest that coding is becoming just one part of a much larger transformation, as AI tools weave themselves into both work and daily life. Jan Chorowski, CTO at Pathway and a former deep learning researcher at Google who worked alongside Geoff Hinton at Google Brain, says coding is one of the few areas where AI is already delivering on its promise. While workflows are undeniably shifting as teams look to maximize productivity—“Who looks up Stack Overflow by hand these days?” he notes. Chorowski says that while AI enables a deep understanding of coding, from low-level machine tasks to grasping entire problem domains, it often falls short on the basic nuances that human developers handle instinctively. “The key differentiation we have today, as humans, is the ability to come up with new ideas that are well-grounded in a specific context. For developing software, the required context is particularly broad,” he explained. “AI lacks such contextualized judgement. Changing this is the challenge for the next decade. An important question is if AI tools will reach the deep understanding to be able to innovate and go beyond the capabilities of current Codex models.” OpenAI maintains that coding holds a unique place: it cultivates reasoning, the very skill on which AI itself depends. If that vision proves true, the story of coding will not be one of extinction but of expansion—into a future where software is crafted through the partnership of human creativity and machine intelligence. “There’s never been a better time to learn, especially for students and recent graduates,” says Sottiaux. “I’d recommend picking a coding agent and starting a couple of projects. You can even use ChatGPT to generate creative ideas for what to build. Then start learning, engage with curiosity, and treat the agent as a true collaborator.” View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Did you know you can customize Google to filter out garbage? Take these steps for better search results, including adding Lifehacker as a preferred source for tech news. Maybe you tend to study the old-school way: sit down, break out a highlighter and pen combo, memorize your notes, and pray you retain it all until test time. There are certainly benefits to handwriting and highlighting your notes, but there are also some great apps out there that can help you study more effectively. Yes, your tech devices can certainly be a distraction, but why not let them help you instead? If you need to schedule your studying: My Study Life Credit: My Study Life My Study Life promises you’ll “never forget a class or assignment again” and offers schedulers, task to-do lists, and reminders to that end, plus a number of other features, like a focus timer that lets you tap into the productivity-enhancing power of the Pomodoro method. The app is available on iOS, Android, and your desktop browser so you can use it no matter where you are. The scheduler even works if you have your classes on alternating weeks. The free version of My Study Life works perfectly fine if all you need is the scheduling, but for $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year (after a free one-week trial), you can access additional features like grade tracking, widgets, and dark mode. Read my full review here. If you study best with flashcards: Quizlet Credit: Quizlet If you’re only using Quizlet for low-key cheating on your homework (and yes, your teacher probably already knows), you’re not maximizing its potential. Quizlet is a study tool that has been around a long time and works on iOS, Android, and your desktop browser. It helps you make flashcards and practice tests, plus offers games and various ways to study and review your materials. You can make your materials public to help other people in similar classes and, in turn, can search their public materials for ones that will help you, too—which is how most people come to be familiar with it, as students have uploaded thousands of quizzes over the years. Your flashcard sets and quizzes are customizable, so you can add notes, images, or audio if you need to. Flashcards are, indisputably, one of the best ways to learn, so let this app make it easier for you. It’s free to use, but if you upgrade ($7.99/month), you also get access to different question types and practice tests. Read my full review here. If you need to take notes on lectures: Otter Credit: Otter Otter, which has a pretty extensive free version, is a dictation program that takes notes for you. Commonly used by journalists or people who need to transcribe interviews, it’s also great for students whose professors give long lectures full of important info. I've used it in both scenarios for years. Once you assign a name to a certain speaker, the software will always recognize their voice going forward. You can highlight passages, edit the text in the event the software gets something wrong, and share transcripts with anyone, even if they don’t use Otter. With the free version, you can link it up with Zoom or Google Meet, too, so it’s helpful for online classes, and you can get 300 monthly transcription minutes (with 30 minutes per session) before having to upgrade to Pro for $8.33 per month. A recent update has added a "summary" feature that gives you a brief overview of main topics, which can help you more easily focus on what to study when you're reviewing the lecture later. If you take lots of notes: Notion Credit: Notion In an older version of this post, I declared Evernote the best note-taking and -organizing app, but then I tested and reviewed Notion, which I ultimately concluded is better in a head-to-head battle. Available on iOS, Android, and your web browser, Notion is an all-in-one app that can give you an assist wherever you are. It keeps notes, ideas, schedules, and more all in one place—and it's free. Its most useful feature is its pre-made templates, which can help you in school and beyond. You can choose between templates for life, work, or school, then browse ones called things like, "project roadmap," "finance tracker," and "assignment tracker with automations." On top of that, it organizes notes into notebooks and folders, making it ideal for jotting down key information in class. To create mind maps: Xmind Credit: Xmind A mind map is a hierarchical diagram that connects related concepts and makes it clear how they all tie into one another. You can use them for productivity, but they're also useful as study tools, especially if you like to visualize how materials and ideas fit together or are outlining a study plan using the chunking method. You can make them by hand on paper, but that's tedious. I recommend an app, instead. Specifically, I recommend Xmind, which speeds up the process of creating visual notes by giving you the tools to input arrows to branch off your main idea into related tasks and concepts. It comes pre-loaded with plenty of templates, so if graphic design isn't your passion, that's not a problem. A lot of its basic features are free, but you'll pay between $10 or $15 a month if you want more colors or the ability to add equations, links, tasks, and attachments to maps. Finally, I appreciate that it can be used via browser or app, making it easy to type into and rearrange your map. Read my full review here. My favorite: NotebookLM Credit: Google Finally, I can't review digital studying tools without mentioning Google's NotebookLM, a free AI resource that only pulls from materials you provide. I use it all the time. You create notebooks by uploading PDFs, URLs, or blocks of text, then use it like you would any chatbot, asking questions which the AI answers by reviewing the content you provided. Its answers contain links to the exact sections it found them in, so you can ask things like, "What does the author say about the history of the region?" Then, you'll get a summary, plus the link to where that information came from, so you can read it yourself. It makes sorting through a hefty amount of readings a cakewalk. It can also create a fake "podcast" for you to listen to. In those, two voices discuss the content of your notebook conversationally, just like real podcast hosts would. If you are an auditory learner, this is a game changer. Recent updates have enabled features that create quizzes and flashcards, too. It's available on iOS and Android, as well as your web browser. Read my full review here. View the full article

President Donald The President signed an executive order on Thursday declaring that his plan to sell Chinese-owned TikTok’s U.S. operations to U.S. and global investors will address the national security requirements in a 2024 law. The new U.S. company will be valued at around $14 billion, Vice President JD Vance said, putting a price tag on the popular short video app far below some analyst estimates. The President on Thursday delayed until January 20 enforcement of the law that bans the app unless its Chinese owners sell it amid efforts to extract TikTok’s U.S. assets from the global platform, line up American and other investors, and win approval from the Chinese government. The publication of the executive order shows The President is making progress on the sale of TikTok’s U.S. assets, but numerous details need to be fleshed out, including how the U.S. entity would use TikTok’s most important asset, its recommendation algorithm. “There was some resistance on the Chinese side, but the fundamental thing that we wanted to accomplish is that we wanted to keep TikTok operating, but we also wanted to make sure that we protected Americans’ data privacy as required by law,” Vance told reporters at an Oval Office briefing. The President’s order says the algorithm will be retrained and monitored by the U.S. company’s security partners, and operation of the algorithm will be under the control of the new joint venture. The President said Chinese President Xi Jinping had indicated approval of the plans. “I spoke with President Xi,” The President said. “We had a good talk, I told him what we were doing and he said go ahead with it.” China’s foreign ministry on Friday reiterated that the government “respects the will of enterprises and welcomes them to conduct business negotiations on the basis of market rules to reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and achieve a balance of interests.” “We hope the U.S. will provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing in the United States,” ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a press conference, without giving further details of the deal. TikTok did not immediately comment on The President’s action. The President has credited TikTok, which has 170 million U.S. users, with helping him win reelection last year. The President has 15 million followers on his personal TikTok account. The White House also launched an official TikTok account last month. “This is going to be American-operated all the way,” The President said. He said that Michael Dell, the founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies; Rupert Murdoch, the chairman emeritus of Fox News owner Fox Corp and newspaper publisher News Corp, and “probably four or five absolutely world-class investors” would be part of the deal. The White House did not discuss how it came up with the $14 billion valuation. TikTok’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, currently values itself at more than $330 billion, according to its new employee share buyback plan. TikTok contributes a small percentage of the company’s total revenue. According to Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, TikTok was estimated to be worth $30 billion to $40 billion without the algorithm as of April 2025. Alan Rozenshtein, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said the executive order left unanswered questions, including whether ByteDance would still control the algorithm. “The problem is that the president has certified the deal, but he has not provided a lot of information on the algorithm,” he said. Chinese media on Friday also painted a different picture of the TikTok agreement, suggesting ByteDance would continue to play a major or operational role. ByteDance will set up a new U.S. company as part of the restructuring of TikTok’s U.S. operations, Chinese media outlet LatePost reported, citing sources. The new company to be set up by ByteDance will be responsible for e-commerce, branding operations and interconnection with international operations, the report said. The report also said the joint venture, as described by the White House and valued at $14 billion, would be responsible for U.S. digital security, safeguarding content and software as well as related local businesses. Another Chinese financial magazine, Caixin, also reported, citing people close to the deal, that ByteDance planned to set up a TikTok U.S. entity that will receive some revenue from the new TikTok joint venture. Both reports were taken down from their respective websites later on Friday. The White House and ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ORACLE AND OTHERS TO OWN TIKTOK IN THE U.S. A group of three investors, including Oracle and private-equity firm Silver Lake, will take a roughly 50% stake in TikTok U.S., two sources familiar with the deal said on Thursday. A group of existing shareholders in ByteDance will hold a roughly 30% stake, one of the sources said. Among ByteDance’s current investors are Susquehanna International Group, General Atlantic and KKR. Given intense investor interest in TikTok, the 50% stake may still shift, the source noted. Oracle and Silver Lake did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CNBC reported earlier, citing sources, that Abu Dhabi-based MGX, Oracle and Silver Lake are poised to be the main investors in TikTok U.S. with a combined 45% ownership. MGX did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the CNBC report. Republican House of Representatives lawmakers said they wanted to see more details of the deal to ensure it represented a clean break with China. “As the details are finalized, we must ensure this deal protects American users from the influence and surveillance of CCP-aligned groups,” said U.S. Representatives Brett Guthrie, Gus Bilirakis and Richard Hudson. The agreement on TikTok’s U.S. operations includes the appointment by ByteDance of one of seven board members for the new entity, with Americans holding the other six seats, a senior White House official said on Saturday. ByteDance would hold less than 20% in TikTok U.S. to comply with requirements set out in the 2024 law that ordered it shut down by January 2025 if ByteDance did not sell its U.S. assets. Additional reporting by Beijing newsroom and Brenda Goh —Jeff Mason, Dawn Chmielewski and David Shepardson, Reuters View the full article

Electoral Commission says it has found ‘no evidence of any other potential offences’View the full article

Learn about GEO vs. SEO and how to optimize for AI tools like ChatGPT and Google‘s AI Overviews. View the full article

Fans of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant will be disappointed to learn that the beloved restaurant and pub chain has abruptly closed all of its locations across multiple states. Here’s why and what you need to know about Iron Hill Brewery’s closure. What’s happened? Yesterday (Thursday, September 25), Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant made several announcements. Effective immediately, it was closing the doors to all its locations, the company revealed. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant was founded nearly 30 years ago. Its first location opened in Newark, Delaware, in 1996. Since then, it had expanded to multiple states along the country’s eastern coast, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and South Carolina. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, Iron Hill Brewery had 19 locations as of the end of 2024. That same year, the company’s sales increased by 4% to $104.1 million. Yet the modest sales growth apparently wasn’t enough to keep Iron Hill Brewery going. Last week, the company announced it was closing three of its locations, including its original Newark location. At the time, an Iron Hill Brewery spokesperson told NRN that the three closures were “part of the company’s ongoing efforts to adapt to a changing business landscape while focusing on strengthening its long-term growth and success.” But just a week later, Iron Hill shocked customers and employees by announcing that its remaining 16 locations would be closing as well. Iron Hill Brewery notifies employees of bankruptcy via email On September 25, Iron Hill Brewery sent an email to employees notifying them that the business would be closing all locations for good. In the email, which was obtained by the website Breweries in PA and also shared on social media forums like Reddit, Iron Hill’s leadership said, “It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the closure of all our restaurant locations effective immediately.” The email went on to explain that it had made the “difficult decision to file for bankruptcy.” It cited “ongoing financial challenges” as the reason for its decision. The company went on to explain that it had been trying to secure new funding to keep the chain going, but presumably, that funding was not achieved. The same day of the email to employees, Iron Hill posted a brief notice on its website, letting customers know of the developments. USA Today reports that this same notice was posted to the doors of some of the shuttered Iron Hill restaurants. “After many wonderful years serving our communities, all Iron Hill locations have closed,” the notice read in part. “It has been our pleasure to serve you, and we are deeply grateful for your support, friendship, and loyalty over the years.” The notice ends by noting that the company “sincerely hope[s] to return in the future.” Full list of closed Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant locations With the three closures on September 18, and the additional 16 closures on September 25, Iron Hill Brewery has now closed all of its 19 locations. Here is the list of those locations: Delaware Newark Rehoboth Beach Wilmington Georgia Atlanta New Jersey Maple Shade Voorhees Pennsylvania Chestnut Hill Exton Hershey Huntingdon Valley Lancaster Lehigh Valley Media Newtown North Wales Philadelphia West Chester South Carolina Columbia Greenville A busy time for restaurant bankruptcies Unfortunately, Iron Hill Brewery isn’t the only restaurant chain that has announced bankruptcy recently. Since 2024, several established chains have announced bankruptcy plans, including Buca di Beppo, Hooters, Red Lobster, Roti, BurgerFi, and Tijuana Flats. Many of these bankruptcies have resulted in store closures. While each company will have different factors influencing its decision to file for bankruptcy, many restaurant chains have been experiencing similar problems in recent years, which often contribute to their bankruptcy. These problems include higher costs, inflationary pressures that lead diners to cut back on their discretionary spending, and foot traffic that has yet to recover to its pre-pandemic norms. View the full article

WhatsApp is stepping up its game in cross-language communication with the launch of a new message translation feature designed to enhance user connectivity. With over 3 billion users globally, the messaging platform is taking strides to simplify communication in a multicultural landscape—a significant boon for small business owners navigating the complexities of serving diverse clientele. Imagine chatting with an international customer or partner without the fear of miscommunication. With WhatsApp’s latest update, users can now translate messages within the app, creating smoother and more efficient interactions that bridge language barriers. This feature allows small businesses to expand their reach—targeting potential clients in markets they’ve previously found challenging to engage with due to language differences. To use the feature, small business owners can simply long-press a message in a chat and select “Translate.” Users have the option to choose their target language, facilitating real-time communication that can be saved for future reference. Notably, this functionality extends to 1:1 chats, group discussions, and Channel updates, allowing teams to collaborate more effectively. For Android users, there’s even more flexibility. They can enable automatic translation for an entire chat thread, meaning all incoming messages will be translated automatically. This capability is particularly useful for busy entrepreneurs who juggle multiple conversations, ensuring no message is lost in translation. In a world where privacy is paramount, WhatsApp has designed this translation feature with user security in mind. All translations take place directly on users’ devices, meaning that WhatsApp itself does not have visibility into translations, further solidifying user trust. Currently, the feature is gradually rolling out to both Android and iPhone users, initially offering translations in select languages. Android users can look forward to functionality in six languages—English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic—while iPhone users benefit from translations in over 19 languages. This broad language support opens avenues for business owners looking to connect with clients from varied linguistic backgrounds. Quotes from WhatsApp highlight the intent behind this new offering: “We hope this feature helps break down language barriers and allows users to connect more deeply.” For small businesses striving to establish a foothold in different markets, this enhancement could serve as a crucial tool. However, it’s essential for small business owners to consider potential challenges that accompany this new utility. While the convenience of instant translations is attractive, users should also be aware of the nuances that come with language translation. Automated translations may not always convey the intended tone or context, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Proper training on how to use the feature effectively and awareness of its limitations will be vital for maximizing its potential. Additionally, as the feature rolls out, users might face temporary hiccups in functionality or limited language options. Keeping an eye on updates from WhatsApp will be crucial in ensuring the best possible experience. In summary, WhatsApp’s introduction of message translations signifies a significant advancement for small businesses looking to deepen their communication and broaden their markets. By taking advantage of this tool, business owners can enhance customer engagement, improve team collaboration, and ultimately drive growth in an increasingly global economy. For further details on this new feature, visit the WhatsApp press release. Image via WhatsApp This article, "WhatsApp Introduces In-App Message Translation to Foster Global Communication" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

WhatsApp is stepping up its game in cross-language communication with the launch of a new message translation feature designed to enhance user connectivity. With over 3 billion users globally, the messaging platform is taking strides to simplify communication in a multicultural landscape—a significant boon for small business owners navigating the complexities of serving diverse clientele. Imagine chatting with an international customer or partner without the fear of miscommunication. With WhatsApp’s latest update, users can now translate messages within the app, creating smoother and more efficient interactions that bridge language barriers. This feature allows small businesses to expand their reach—targeting potential clients in markets they’ve previously found challenging to engage with due to language differences. To use the feature, small business owners can simply long-press a message in a chat and select “Translate.” Users have the option to choose their target language, facilitating real-time communication that can be saved for future reference. Notably, this functionality extends to 1:1 chats, group discussions, and Channel updates, allowing teams to collaborate more effectively. For Android users, there’s even more flexibility. They can enable automatic translation for an entire chat thread, meaning all incoming messages will be translated automatically. This capability is particularly useful for busy entrepreneurs who juggle multiple conversations, ensuring no message is lost in translation. In a world where privacy is paramount, WhatsApp has designed this translation feature with user security in mind. All translations take place directly on users’ devices, meaning that WhatsApp itself does not have visibility into translations, further solidifying user trust. Currently, the feature is gradually rolling out to both Android and iPhone users, initially offering translations in select languages. Android users can look forward to functionality in six languages—English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic—while iPhone users benefit from translations in over 19 languages. This broad language support opens avenues for business owners looking to connect with clients from varied linguistic backgrounds. Quotes from WhatsApp highlight the intent behind this new offering: “We hope this feature helps break down language barriers and allows users to connect more deeply.” For small businesses striving to establish a foothold in different markets, this enhancement could serve as a crucial tool. However, it’s essential for small business owners to consider potential challenges that accompany this new utility. While the convenience of instant translations is attractive, users should also be aware of the nuances that come with language translation. Automated translations may not always convey the intended tone or context, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Proper training on how to use the feature effectively and awareness of its limitations will be vital for maximizing its potential. Additionally, as the feature rolls out, users might face temporary hiccups in functionality or limited language options. Keeping an eye on updates from WhatsApp will be crucial in ensuring the best possible experience. In summary, WhatsApp’s introduction of message translations signifies a significant advancement for small businesses looking to deepen their communication and broaden their markets. By taking advantage of this tool, business owners can enhance customer engagement, improve team collaboration, and ultimately drive growth in an increasingly global economy. For further details on this new feature, visit the WhatsApp press release. Image via WhatsApp This article, "WhatsApp Introduces In-App Message Translation to Foster Global Communication" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This week we covered the completion of the Google August 2025 spam update and then we saw ranking volatility heat up again post spam update. Google Search Console impressions are impacted by Google blocking bots...View the full article

Reddit isn’t the point. It’s proof that real decision-making happens in conversations, not corporate content, and AI search is amplifying that shift. The post Why Reddit Is Driving The Conversation In AI Search – User Journey Over Short Tail appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Many still treat E-E-A-T as a box to tick in an SEO audit. But it’s more than that – it’s how search engines and AI systems decide which content to trust. The paradox? Global brands that dominate in one country often underperform in others. Without clear local trust and authority signals, even the strongest global reputation may not carry across borders. Why E-E-A-T breaks down across borders When Google or an LLM compares multiple content options, it must choose which is the most complete, accurate, and trustworthy. That decision once leaned heavily on backlinks. Now, advanced algorithms consider a richer mix – authorship, structured data, entity connections, local signals, and even user engagement patterns – to determine the best answer for each market. This is where global brands often stumble. Despite deep pockets and strong reputations, they lose to local competitors not because of weaker products, but because those competitors send clearer local trust and authority signals. You can have the best English content in the world. But if it appears on a French page with machine-translated copy, no local context, and no regional recognition, Google may not see it as authoritative in France. Your customers won’t either. To see why, it helps to look at how each element of E-E-A-T falters when applied across markets. Experience Google increasingly prioritizes lived experience content that shows: First-hand use. Direct observation. Regional familiarity. Translated content often fails here, lacking local examples and nuance. Example: A global electronics brand’s Japanese site shows only U.S. product reviews and does not mention region-specific certifications, voltage requirements, or local retailers. Expertise Expertise must be contextual and demonstrable. A central content team with no local expert input can’t meet the same threshold as a local subject matter expert. Example: Medical advice reused globally without review from a local doctor, despite differences in standards of care and legal requirements. Authoritativeness Authority isn’t automatically portable across markets. It’s reinforced locally through citations, backlinks, and recognition in regional media or industry associations. Example: A luxury fashion brand with no Japanese media backlinks is outranked by smaller domestic competitors with a strong local presence. Trustworthiness Trustworthiness is often where global brands fail, especially in regulated categories. Google sometimes auto-translates U.S. medical content descriptions for SERP presentation into local languages when it cannot find trustworthy, authoritative local alternatives. Local websites may have existed, but without compliance details or region-specific trust markers, Google substituted a machine-generated localized version of an authoritative English source. Japan adds another layer of complexity. Healthcare content has one of the highest E-E-A-T thresholds. Yet, a Japanese doctor may be referred to as “Sensei” (先生), a generic title, and list prestigious medical school credentials or research achievements without the “MD” suffix Western systems expect. We can’t assume Google fully understands this local nuance and considers the content as authoritative. The challenge grows when the schema implementation is inconsistent. Suppose author credentials, affiliations, or brand relationships aren’t stored in a structured, uniform way in your CMS or database. In that case, you can’t scale trustworthy structured data, and your trust signals will remain fragmented. This is where localization and technical SEO must come together: Local expert bios must be built into content templates, not added ad hoc. Schema must reflect regional expressions of trust, not just Western defaults. Database fields and CMS templates must be structured to enable scalable markup, not fight against it. Trust isn’t just about what the user sees – it’s about what the system can verify. And in a world where AI-driven search is deciding who gets cited, these gaps are no longer academic. They’re existential. Dig deeper: User-first E-E-A-T: What actually drives SEO and GEO Common pain points for global brands Here are the most common ways E-E-A-T fails to scale internationally. Translation ≠ localization Language is just the start. Local idioms, cultural context, measurements, and regulatory differences all matter. Without them, content may be understandable, but it will be irrelevant. The ‘HQ knows best’ trap Centralized content production often leaves local teams with little influence. Localization becomes a checkbox instead of a strategic effort. Token localization One blog post, one page, or one local expert quote won’t move the needle. You need consistency, depth, and reinforcement over time. Over-reliance on machine translation Scalable, but devoid of lived experience, leading to generic, unconvincing content. Missing local citations or media mentions Strong U.S. PR doesn’t help if there’s zero local coverage in the local market. Missing or weak local entities Google’s Knowledge Graph and AI systems increasingly rely on local entity connections. If your local brand variant or expert author isn’t registered, cited, or recognized, your content may not get surfaced. Inconsistent branding Different product names, logos, or messaging can dilute brand recall in global campaigns and fragment off-page signals. Without clear entity connections between these variations, search engines may treat them as separate brands – making it harder to consolidate authority and leverage your global reputation in local markets. Compliance and cultural gaps A global privacy policy isn’t enough. GDPR, LGPD, and Japan’s APPI all have local nuances. Tone-deaf localization can tank brand trust even if everything is technically accurate. Cultural expectations around trust Trust badges that work in Korea may not resonate in the U.S., and vice versa. Inconsistent URL and hreflang implementation Inconsistent use of canonical tags or misconfigured hreflang can result in Google serving the wrong language or country version, undermining both user trust and compliance. Ensuring a clean, consistent URL strategy with correct hreflang mapping is essential for protecting local visibility. Dig deeper: Multilingual and international SEO: 5 mistakes to watch out for Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. How to fix it: Building real local E-E-A-T Local expert involvement in content Work with local product managers, engineers, doctors, or compliance officers, not just translators. Add bios, credentials, and structured author markup. Coordinate this globally so your CMS and database can handle different naming conventions and brand identities. For instance, in Asia, Whisper is P&G’s feminine care brand. Without schema linking Whisper to Procter & Gamble via parentOrganization or sameAs, the local site cannot inherit P&G’s global authority in feminine care. Earn local authority Run PR and outreach campaigns in each market to earn citations from regional media, trade associations, and industry events. Show real trust signals These markers need to be visible to both people and search systems. Examples include: Native-language privacy policies. Local office addresses and phone numbers. Region-specific compliance marks and certifications. Reviews on local platforms (e.g., Rakuten in Japan). Demonstrate local experience Use market-specific examples, imagery, testimonials, and data. Reference local regulations, cultural practices, or environmental factors that affect product use. Don’t overlook visual signals and media assets. Be sure to localize imagery, alt text, and even structured data (ImageObject) to reinforce the market connection so that search engines and AI systems can recognize the market context in both the visual content and its metadata. Dig deeper: How to craft an international SEO approach that balances tech, translation and trust Measuring local E-E-A-T Localizing content isn’t enough – you need to verify that search engines and customers recognize your authority. Key metrics include: Branded vs. non-branded traffic by region. Local backlink growth and diversity. Knowledge Graph presence for local authors and brands. Inclusion in AI Overviews/Perspectives by market. Review volume and sentiment in local ecosystems. Relevance is built, not assumed Global reputation doesn’t automatically equal local trust. Search engines and AI systems are more capable than ever of assessing regional authority, credibility, and experience – so are your customers. It is crucial to collaborate globally on this initiative so that the database can be structured to accommodate different nomenclatures and reference points. If this is not structured, it makes automation difficult. Failing to establish strong local E-E-A-T signals doesn’t just impact rankings. It affects how your brand is perceived in that market. If search engines and AI systems don’t select your content as the most authoritative answer, local competitors will occupy that space, shaping customer perception and eroding both market share and brand trust over time. The brands winning now aren’t just translating. They are: Embedding local expertise. Structuring global-to-local authority connections. Demonstrating trust in ways that people and machines can recognize. Those who fail to do this risk invisibility – essentially handing market share to competitors who understand how to earn trust locally. View the full article