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In a busy manufacturing environment, visibility and accountability are crucial for maintaining smooth operations. A kamishibai board provides a simple yet powerful way for teams to manage audits, track compliance tasks and ensure that processes are consistently followed. With the right approach, it helps manufacturers maintain quality standards, reduce downtime and foster a culture of continuous improvement across the shop floor. Using a kamishibai board makes it easy to spot missed steps, assign responsibility and monitor performance in real time. Manufacturers can quickly see which tasks have been completed, which are pending and where potential problems might arise. This proactive approach reduces errors, improves communication between teams and keeps everyone aligned with production goals. In this guide, we’ll explore why using a kamishibai board can benefit manufacturers and share examples and templates to help you get started. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kamishibai-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Printable Kamishibai Card Template Use this free Printable Kamishibai Card Template for Excel to manage your projects better. Download Excel File What Is a Kamishibai Board? A kamishibai board is a visual management tool that helps teams track recurring tasks and standardize processes on the shop floor. It is often used in lean manufacturing to audit workflows and ensure that key tasks are completed as scheduled. The board uses cards to represent tasks, allowing managers and operators to quickly see what has been done and what still needs attention. This level of transparency helps maintain quality, reduce errors and promote consistent production practices. Because it’s highly visual, a kamishibai board allows for instant feedback. Team members can see missed tasks or delayed activities immediately, and supervisors can follow up to correct issues before they escalate. This proactive monitoring supports a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, helping manufacturers minimize waste and keep production lines running efficiently. When paired with project management software, a kamishibai board becomes even more powerful. Software can automate task tracking, send reminders and store historical data for performance analysis. Managers can centralize audits, assign ownership digitally and create reports to monitor trends. This eliminates manual tracking and ensures that all stakeholders have real-time access to process data, making it easier to keep production on schedule. ProjectManager takes this one step further by connecting kamishibai board tasks to a live Gantt chart. This means that recurring audits and process checks appear directly on the manufacturing project timeline, giving managers full visibility into their impact on production. With task dependencies, critical path filtering and baseline tracking, our software allows teams to see how process audits affect overall project delivery and adjust schedules as needed. This integration helps maintain efficiency while keeping compliance and quality checks fully aligned with production goals. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Manufacturing-gantt-chart-light-mode-costs-exposed-cta-e1712005286389.jpgLearn more When to Use a Kamishibai Board A kamishibai board is most effective when it’s part of a consistent routine that keeps manufacturing teams focused on quality and process compliance. One of the best times to use a kamishibai board is during a gemba walk, when managers or team leads go to the production floor to observe operations directly. By pulling kamishibai cards during the gemba walk, leaders can verify that standard operating procedures are being followed, confirm that safety checks are complete and address any issues on the spot. Kamishibai boards are also helpful during shift changes, daily stand-up meetings or weekly production reviews. They create a structured way to confirm that routine tasks such as equipment inspections, cleaning and maintenance have been completed. This ensures that no steps are skipped and that the production line stays reliable. Using a kamishibai board consistently builds a culture of accountability and makes it easier to spot process gaps early, which helps prevent larger problems and production delays. Related: 18 Free Manufacturing Excel Templates Kamishibai Board Components A kamishibai board is simple by design, but its components work together to create an effective visual management system. Each element plays a role in making tasks easy to track and audits quick to perform. By understanding the key components of a kamishibai board, manufacturers can design one that fits their workflow and supports continuous improvement on the shop floor. Kamishibai Board Columns Kamishibai board columns define the overall structure of the system. At a high level, the board acts as a scheduler and visual tracker, showing when audits or standard work checks need to happen. Instead of carrying task details, it provides a framework that makes responsibilities visible to everyone on the shop floor. The arrangement of the board can change from one workplace to another, but the goal remains the same: to make the timing and flow of audits transparent and easy to follow. Kamishibai board columns can represent the following. Timeframes for the execution of tasks: Most kamishibai boards are split into vertical columns that represent time periods, and cards are placed under each of those timeframes so employees know that a task is meant to be executed at a particular time. The most common timeframes are: work shifts, days of the week, bi-weekly periods or monthly periods. Task categories: In some cases, kamishibai boards are not only divided by timeframes but also have horizontal columns to further specify the type of work, or task category, such as safety checks, quality checks, maintenance tasks, operational standards, etc. Task owner: Sometimes, especially in small teams, kamishibai boards can also display team members’ names and cards are then placed under each person’s name. Related: 10 Best Production Planning Software Kamishibai Cards Kamishibai cards are the core content carriers of the system. Each card represents a specific task or audit checkpoint and provides clear guidance on what needs to be checked, by whom, and how results should be displayed. Unlike the board, which organizes timing, the cards themselves drive the action by containing the instructions, questions and indicators that guide workplace audits. When returned to the board, their color-coded sides make results instantly visible, reinforcing accountability and transparency. Kamishibai cards can represent the following. Audit question: Each card often begins with a guiding question, such as “Are safety barriers in place?” or “Is the machine properly lubricated?” These questions help auditors focus on a specific standard without ambiguity. Task description: Cards typically include a short explanation of what the task involves. This ensures that anyone, even a substitute or new employee, can understand what to look for and can carry out the check. Area/Location/Machine ID: To avoid confusion, cards frequently identify where the check should be performed, such as a workstation number, machine ID, or physical area within the facility. Checklist items or criteria: Some cards break down a task into smaller points. For example, a quality check card might list “Inspect packaging, verify labels, confirm seal.” This helps auditors stay thorough. Signature field: Many cards include a small space for initials or a signature to confirm accountability. This ensures that checks are traceable and not performed anonymously. Date field: In some systems, cards have a space for the audit date. This helps track when checks were completed, especially if cards are reused over multiple cycles. Frequency indicator: Even though the board shows the schedule, the card often states if the task is daily, weekly or monthly. Task status: Kamishibai cards usually have two sides, red and green. If the kamishibai card is flipped on its green side, that means the task is completed. However, if the kamishibai card is showing its red side, the task isn’t completed; it’s either pending or there are issues. Task owner: Most kamishibai boards don’t show task owners, so the owner is usually indicated in the kamishibai cards. Kamishibai Board Examples To further illustrate the versatility of kamishibai boards, here are two examples. One of them categorizes kamishibai cards by task category, and the other groups kamishibai cards by person. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kamishibai-Board-Examples.png Kamishibai Card Example Here is what a kamishibai card should look like. It contains the elements discussed above. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kamishibai-Card-Example.png Printable Kamishibai Card Template To create a kamishibai card like the example above, you can download our free, printable kamishibai card template for Excel by clicking the image below. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Kamishibai-Card-Template.png With this template, you can easily fill out your kamishibai cards in Excel, or simply print them out and fill them out manually. Their size can be adjusted to fit your physical kamishibai boards. How to Use a Kamishibai Board In a Gemba Walk Using a kamishibai board during a gemba walk ensures that audits are structured, transparent and easy to follow. The board guides supervisors through what needs to be checked, while the cards provide the details for each task. By following a simple step-by-step process, organizations can make standard work visible and drive continuous improvement. 1. Decide the Layout for the Kamishibai Board Choose whether the board will be organized by timeframes (days, shifts) or by categories (safety, quality, maintenance). The layout should make it easy to see at a glance what needs to be checked. 2. Create Kamishibai Cards Design cards with clear audit questions, task descriptions, and red/green sides. Ensure each card has enough detail to guide anyone doing the gemba walk without extra explanation. 3. Perform the Gemba Walk and Flip Cards Supervisors or team leaders take the day’s cards, visit the gemba, and carry out the checks. When tasks are verified, cards are returned to the board with the appropriate color showing—green if standards are met, red if not. 4. Review Results and Take Action At the end of the gemba walk, review the board. Red cards highlight problems that require corrective action. Assign follow-ups, record findings if needed, and ensure accountability. Over time, track trends to support continuous improvement. /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/banner-ad-manufacturing-ebook.jpg Benefits of Using a Kamishibai Board in Manufacturing Implementing a kamishibai board in a manufacturing setting offers a range of operational and cultural benefits. It strengthens accountability, improves communication and helps ensure that quality standards are consistently met. Here are some of the top benefits manufacturers can expect: Improves Process Visibility: A kamishibai board clarifies which tasks are complete and which still need attention, reducing confusion on the shop floor. Supports Gemba Walks: Supervisors can pull cards during a gemba walk to quickly confirm compliance with standard operating procedures and spot problems early. Encourages Accountability: Each card has an owner, making it clear who is responsible for completing a task and when it needs to be done. Enhances Communication: Teams can discuss completed or missed tasks during daily stand-ups, improving collaboration and transparency. Reduces Waste and Rework: By catching errors or missed steps early, the board helps prevent costly rework or production delays. Supports Continuous Improvement: Regular use of a kamishibai board highlights recurring issues, giving teams actionable data for process improvements. Standardizes Work: Tasks are visually organized, ensuring procedures are followed the same way every time and reducing variability in production. Boosts Engagement: Involving operators in the process gives them ownership over outcomes, which strengthens workplace culture and buy-in. Free Production and Manufacturing Templates Having the right project management templates can save time and make production planning, process mapping and inventory tracking much easier. These free templates are designed to help manufacturers streamline operations, improve visibility and keep teams aligned on priorities. Kanban Board Template Download this free kanban board template to visualize work in progress, track task status and keep production workflows organized. You can customize columns to represent different stages of your process and move tasks as they advance through production. SIPOC Template Use this free SIPOC template for process improvement projects. It lets you map Suppliers, Inputs, Processes, Outputs and Customers in a single view so you can better understand your production process and identify opportunities to eliminate waste. Inventory Template This free inventory template helps track raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods in real time. It allows manufacturers to stay on top of stock levels, avoid shortages and reduce excess inventory that ties up valuable resources. ProjectManager Is Better Than a Kamishibai Board for Managing Manufacturing Projects While a kamishibai board is a helpful visual tool for on-the-floor quality and process checks, it can’t give manufacturers the full picture. ProjectManager offers multiple project views—list, kanban, sheet and calendar—so production managers and supervisors can plan, assign and execute tasks in the format that works best for them. Unlike a static board, these views sync automatically and give your entire team a shared source of truth, even across multiple facilities. Watch the short video below for more insights into how ProjectManager supports manufacturing processes. Streamline Resource Management One of the biggest challenges in manufacturing is ensuring resources are available when they’re needed. ProjectManager’s workload charts show who is under- or overallocated so you can balance work and avoid delays. You can assign tasks, track labor hours and even manage equipment schedules in one place. This prevents bottlenecks caused by resource conflicts and ensures production deadlines stay on track. Built-in cost tracking also helps maintain budget control by comparing planned vs. actual expenses in real time. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Performance with Real-Time Dashboards Kamishibai boards rely on manual updates and on-site observation, which can slow decision-making. ProjectManager’s real-time dashboards automatically track key manufacturing metrics like task progress, production output and resource utilization without extra data entry. Customizable reports let you drill into schedule performance, cost variance and quality trends to find and fix problems quickly. With this level of visibility, production managers can make informed decisions, keep operations running smoothly and maintain continuous improvement efforts. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Team-summary-better-data-light-mode-home-screen-dashboard.png Related Manufacturing Content A kamishibai board is part of the much larger manufacturing project management process. For readers who care to continue to read about this subject, below are some links to stories on lean, just-in-time manufacturing, continuous improvement and much more. What Is Lean Manufacturing? Definitions, Principles & Techniques Just-In-Time Manufacturing & Production (JIT): A Quick Guide The 5 Lean Principles & Techniques Continuous Improvement: A Quick Guide Shop Floor Management: Planning, Scheduling and Control Kaizen Method: Definition, Principles and Implementation ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment on the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Why Use a Kamishibai Board in Manufacturing? (Examples & Template Included) appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Setting clear objectives and tracking measurable results is critical for aligning teams and driving business outcomes. An objectives and key results template, or an OKR template in Google Sheets, provides a simple way to document objectives, key results and progress updates in one centralized location. Whether you are setting goals for a small team or coordinating across departments, this template helps keep everyone focused on priorities and working toward the same outcomes. In this blog, we’ll walk you through a ready-to-use OKR template for Google Sheets that’s flexible enough to fit quarterly, monthly or annual goal-setting cycles. We’ll also share tips on how to adapt it for different business needs, from startup growth targets to enterprise strategy execution. If you want a lightweight solution for tracking objectives without the cost or complexity of heavy software, this guide is the perfect starting point. Why Use an OKR Template for Google Sheets? Using an OKR template for Google Sheets is a practical and accessible way to set, track and achieve goals. It allows you to list objectives, link measurable key results and monitor progress in one shared document. With built-in features like formulas, conditional formatting and color coding, Google Sheets makes it simple to customize your OKR template for any business cycle. Whether you’re running quarterly reviews or planning yearly strategic initiatives, a spreadsheet offers a lightweight and device-friendly solution. Another advantage of using an OKR template in Google Sheets is the collaborative space it provides. Multiple team members can view and update progress in real time, making it easy to align on shared goals and stay accountable. You can use it as a simple personal OKR tracker or expand it into a comprehensive team OKR dashboard that covers multiple departments. It’s an affordable, flexible solution for teams that don’t require advanced software but still want visibility on progress. That said, as OKR programs expand across teams and departments, Google Sheets can start to feel limiting. It doesn’t automate updates, manage dependencies or integrate with other workflows, which can create version control issues. Project management software offers stronger capabilities, including dynamic goal tracking, resource planning and live progress updates. These tools ensure that every objective and key result is tied to actionable work across the organization. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with a powerful Gantt chart that turns your objectives into visual roadmaps. You can connect key results to tasks, shift timelines as needed and monitor real-time progress on a single, interactive platform. With dashboards, workload charts and customizable reports, our software gives you more visibility and control over your OKR programs than a spreadsheet ever could. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more Free OKR Template for Google Sheets Download this free OKR template for Google Sheets by clicking on the image below. It’s a fast way to set and track objectives and key results. The template comes pre-formatted with columns for objectives, key results, owners, progress updates and due dates—so you can skip building it from scratch and focus on aligning your team’s goals. It’s designed to be simple yet powerful, allowing you to manage OKRs for a single team or scale across your entire organization. Just make a copy and save it to your Google Drive, and start customizing it to match your quarterly or annual planning cycles. /wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OKR-Template-for-Google-Sheets.webp Whether you’re using it for individual performance tracking or aligning multiple departments, this OKR template for Google Sheets adapts to your workflow. Since it’s built in Google Sheets, you can collaborate in real time, update progress from any device and keep everyone accountable with minimal effort. If you’re looking for a free, easy-to-use OKR tracking solution, this download gives you everything you need to stay focused and measure success effectively. OKR Template for Google Sheets: Pros & Cons An OKR template for Google Sheets is a popular solution for teams that want a lightweight, customizable way to manage objectives and key results. It provides a simple structure to set goals, track progress and align team efforts without paying for complex OKR software. While it has many strengths, it also has limitations that may affect performance as your OKR program scales. Below, we break down the main advantages and drawbacks of using an OKR template in Google Sheets so you can determine if it’s the right tool for your team. Pros of Making an OKR Template in Google Sheets One of the biggest benefits of creating an OKR template for Google Sheets is how easy it is to start. With basic spreadsheet skills, you can quickly set up objectives, add key results and track progress. Google Sheets allows you to use conditional formatting, progress bars and formulas to calculate achievement percentages, making OKRs visual and interactive. Accessibility is another major advantage. Because the OKR template in Google Sheets lives in the cloud, multiple users can update progress in real time from anywhere. Version history makes it easy to review changes over time, keeping everyone accountable and aligned. Customization is also a strong point. You can create separate tabs for different teams, add quarterly planning sections or filter key results by owner. Unlike fixed-format OKR tools, Google Sheets allows you to design your own system, enabling you to include only what fits your workflow. Related: 32 Must-Have Project Management Templates for Google Sheets Cons of Making an OKR Template in Google Sheets Despite the flexibility, using Google Sheets for OKRs has challenges—especially when managing many objectives across departments. One major limitation is the lack of automation. Unlike dedicated OKR software that updates progress automatically based on connected data, Sheets requires manual updates, which can lead to outdated information if contributors forget to log updates. Scalability is another concern. As more teams add their OKRs or as the sheet grows in size, it can become cluttered and slow to load. Coordinating quarterly planning across multiple spreadsheets can be time-consuming and error-prone. Finally, Google Sheets lacks built-in reporting or analytics for OKRs. If you want to see performance trends, aggregate results or compare periods, you’ll need to build complex formulas and charts manually. For small teams, Google Sheets may work well, but larger organizations often outgrow it and need project management software for better visibility and control. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PM-101-eBook-banner-ad.jpg ProjectManager Is Better than a Google Sheets Template While this Google Sheets template has many benefits, it’s still more advantageous for teams to use project management software like ProjectManager instead. Use Resource Management Tools to Stay Productive Resource management is one of the biggest areas where ProjectManager outperforms an OKR template in Google Sheets. With built-in tools to see team availability, plan workloads and balance capacity, managers can assign objectives and key results strategically based on who is available and avoid overloading contributors. The color-coded workload chart gives a clear view of each team member’s commitments, helping prevent burnout and ensuring balanced workloads. The team management page provides a centralized space to monitor assignments and adjust schedules in real time, which is something Google Sheets cannot do effectively as OKRs grow in complexity. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Monitor Progress and More in Real Time Tracking performance and sharing updates with stakeholders is seamless in ProjectManager. Live dashboards display real-time progress toward objectives, while customizable reports deliver detailed insights into team performance and goal achievement. This allows managers to identify risks early, reallocate resources and ensure OKRs stay on track. Unlike an OKR template for Google Sheets or other static spreadsheets, ProjectManager keeps everyone aligned with up-to-date information across multiple projects. Secure timesheets and automated reporting give you accurate data for quarterly reviews, making it easier to evaluate results and plan the next cycle. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Team-summary-better-data-light-mode-home-screen-dashboard.png How to Use This Free OKR Template for Google Sheets This OKR template in Google Sheets provides a clear framework for managing objectives and key results. It includes columns for priority, assigned owner, status, start and due dates, estimated duration, resources required, estimated cost, actual cost and notes. You’ll also see example objectives with matching key results to help you understand how to fill out each section. Because it’s a template, you can copy it into your Google Drive and start customizing immediately for your business needs. Each section of the template lines up with important planning elements: defining objectives, identifying key results, setting timelines, assigning resources and tracking both costs and status. As you work through each row, you’ll map what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, who will do it and what it will cost. Keeping actual costs and notes in the same place helps with accountability and keeps everyone informed about progress or delays. 1. Define the Objectives of Your Business Start by writing down one or more high-level objectives that reflect what your business aims to achieve over the next quarter or year. Objectives should be challenging but realistic, aligned with the broader strategy and clearly worded so every team member understands their purpose. In the template for Google Sheets, objectives are grouped at the top of each section so key results can be tied back easily and tracked consistently. 2. Break Down the Objectives Into Key Results Key results are the measurable outcomes that show whether your objectives are being met. Use the template to list several key results under each objective. Key results should be specific, quantifiable and tied to performance indicators like revenue growth, customer satisfaction or feature delivery. Be sure each key result has an assigned owner who is accountable for making progress. 3. Make a Timeline for the Achievement of Key Results Use the start and due date fields to map out when each key result should begin and end. Estimated duration helps you see how long the work will take, so you can avoid overloading team members. The timeline columns in the template let you visualize deadlines at a glance so everyone knows what is due when and can adjust priorities accordingly. 4. Assign Resources for the Completion of Key Results Identify who will do the work and what support they’ll need. The resources field in the template lets you specify departments or people, tools or software and any materials required. Clear resource assignment ensures tasks aren’t stalled by missing skills, tools or capacity. It also helps distribute work evenly rather than overburdening some team members. 5. Estimate the Costs of Completing Key Results Use the estimated cost column to forecast budget needs for each key result. Include costs for human resources, equipment, software licenses and any external services. Track actual cost as work progresses so you can compare estimates to real expenses. This comparison helps you see where you under- or overspend and improve forecasting over time. 6. Monitor the Status of Key Results The status column allows you to update the progress of each key result (for example, “not started,” “in progress,” “on track,” “behind”). Use the percentage complete field to track how far along work is. Notes lets you flag issues, adjustments or upcoming risks. Monitoring status regularly keeps everyone aligned, makes it easier to catch problems early and helps maintain accountability. More Project Management Templates for Google Sheets An OKR template for Google Sheets is only one of the many free Google Sheets templates available for immediate download from our site. While project management software is better suited to working more efficiently and effectively, for those who aren’t ready to upgrade, below are just a few that readers can use right now. Gantt Chart Template for Google Sheets Download this free Gantt chart template for Google Sheets for a visual project planning tool that displays tasks along a timeline, showing start and end dates and durations. It helps teams map out project schedules, identify overlaps and stay on track with deadlines—all within the familiar Google Sheets interface. Ideal for project managers and teams, this template offers a simple way to plan, update and monitor progress without needing specialized software. Google Sheets Budget Template Use this free Google Sheets budget template to track income, expenses and overall financial performance. It helps individuals or teams plan budgets, monitor spending and compare actual costs against estimates—all in one easy-to-use, customizable format. Ideal for personal use, small businesses or project planning, it simplifies financial tracking without the need for advanced accounting tools. Google Sheets Inventory Template This free Google Sheets inventory template is designed to help track stock levels, item details and reorder status. It allows businesses to log product names, quantities, locations and other key information in an organized format. This template makes it easy to monitor inventory in real time, avoid stockouts and keep operations running smoothly—all within the familiar and shareable environment of Google Sheets. Related Google Sheets Content Our OKR template for Google Sheets is only one of many templates and articles we’ve published on using Google Sheets for project management. For those curious about other templates and techniques that can help manage projects, follow the handful of links below. 32 Must-Have Project Management Templates for Google Sheets Free Gantt Chart Templates for Excel, Google Sheets & More 13 Budget Templates for Business & Project Budgeting Tracking Budget Variance in Project Management What Is a Budget Report? Purpose, Components & Benefits ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Free OKR Template for Google Sheets appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

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. Australian indie game studio Team Cherry released Hollow Knight: Silksong on Sept. 4, and within three weeks, the combat/platformer climbed up Steam's most played chart, made Xbox's most played list, and gained legions of fans on Switch and PlayStation consoles. So a lot of people are playing it. If you're one of them, and you've uncovered every secret in Pharloom (or you just need a break), here are 10 more games you might like. They're (roughly) all in the metroidvania family of games, so they feature 2D platforming, exploration of interconnected worlds, and unlockable upgrades that both open new-areas and add skills. But those seemingly narrow genre conventions can contain everything from the lighthearted comedy of Guacamelee! to the grim, dark world of Blasphemous 2. Hollow Knight (2017) If you went out of order and played the sequel first, you can still go back and check out the first game. Made by the same studio as Silksong, Hollow Knight offers a similar mix of platforming, combat, and exploration in the same universe as Silksong. If you're into story, the lore revealed in Hollow Knight will almost definitely give context to everything in Silksong. Added bonus: while Hollow Knight is not an easy game by any definition, it has a more gentle learning curve than its sequel. Hollow Knight is available on PC, Mac, Switch, Playstation, and Xbox systems. Super Metroid (1994) The metroidvania sub-genre is half-named for the Metroid series, so you gotta check out the blueprint. All of the Metroid games have their merit, but, in my opinion, the first entry in the series that totally gelled is 1994's Super Metroid, an all-time classic originally released for the Super Nintendo. The controls can take a little getting used to for modern gamers, but Metroid invented the "exploration+combat+platforming" genre vibe, and it's still a top-notch gaming experience, even for people who weren't born when the original came out. Super Metroid is playable on every Nintendo system, from the Super Nintendo to the Switch 2. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001) The "vania" part of the metroidvania genre refers to the Castlevania series, so video game archeologists who like Silksong would be doing themselves a huge favor by checking out some Castlevania. But be judicious in your choices: some games in the series are amazing and some are...less so. You could make a case for many other Castlevania games, but Circle of the Moon is my pick if you like Silksong. It's extremely challenging, features beautiful graphics (for 2001) and tons of secrets to uncover through open-world platforming, just like Hollow Knight: Silksong. Circle of the Moon was re-released as part of the Castlevania Advance Collection (that also includes Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and Castlevania: Dracula X) for Switch, PlayStation, Windows, and Xbox systems. Animal Well (2024) Enough moldy oldies! If your favorite parts of Silksong are the beautiful graphics, sweeping soundtrack, exploration, and deep lore, but you're not so hot on the combat and punishing platforming, check out Animal Well, a metroidvania game that's heavier on puzzles than fast reflexes. Animal Well is the kind of game you get deeply addicted to. It lures you in with beautiful visuals and a lighthearted vibe, but you'll soon find yourself awake at three in the morning, trying to uncover every last secret this work-of-video-game-art is hiding. Animal Well is available for Windows, Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems. Cuphead (2017) Okay, Cuphead isn't really a metroidvania game, but I'm including it here for people who crave the difficult platforming and punishing boss battles of Silksong, but don't really care for the exploration. This universally beloved game features a vibe based on cartoons from the 1920s and 30s, and presents players with some of the hardest boss battles in video game history. Like Silksong, Cuphead looks so stylish you might not expect the difficulty, but downing bosses is crazy hard, though it rarely feels frustrating because it's so satisfying. Cuphead is playable on PC, Mac, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) Both Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, are excellent follow-ups to Hollow Knight: Silksong. They look beautiful and offer the joy of exploration, combat using a myriad of constantly unlocking new powers, deep and engaging lore, and an extremely smooth progression from powerless nooblet to God-tier combatant. You can play Ori and the Blind Forest on Switch, PC, and Xbox systems. Cave Story (2004) Back in 2004, Cave Story was envisioned as a throwback to the golden age of Nintendo platformers of the 1980s. The ensuing 20 years of gaming added an extra layer of nostalgia, but Cave Story totally works, no matter what era you play it in. Level design has rarely been done better, the story starts simple but moves in surprising directions, and the pixel art style still looks retro-fresh. The gameplay is more linear than the Hollow Knight games, but it still offers a world of hidden secrets to uncover, addictive platforming, and creative boss battles. You can play Cave Story on PC, Mac, and Switch. Islets (2022) If you've just finished Silksong, your cramped-up hands could probably use a break. A bit of an undiscovered gem, Islets is an indie metrovania game with a cozy vibe courtesy of graphics that look hand-drawn, smooth-as-butter gameplay, an intriguing story, and memorable, hilarious characters. Many of the elements are shared across games, but Islets differs from Silksong in terms of mood and difficulty. Where Silksong is heavy on dark mystery, Islets is more charming, funny, and hopeful. It's also a lot more forgiving if you have slower reflexes. You can play Islets on PC, Switch, and Xbox systems. Guacamelee! (2013) Speaking of giving yourself a break, Guacamelee! is 180-degree tonal change Hollow Knight: Silksong. Inspired by Mexican folklore, Guacamelee! casts the player as a luchador saving a colorful world through beating up tons of bad guys. It nearly totally lacks the broody energy of Hollow Knight: Silksong, but the 2D platforming, skill-based progression, and exploration of interconnected world will be familiar. You can play Guacamelee! on PC, Mac, Xbox, Playstation, and Switch systems. Blasphemous 2 (2023) If you want a game that's darker than Hollow Knight: Silksong, Blasphemous 2 might be the download for you. Its Spanish Gothic visuals are a far cry from the colorful world of Hollow Knight, and its dark, religious tone and brutally visceral combat provides a nice contrast to Silksong's cute vibe. Looks and tone-wise, Blasphemous 2 sits squarely on the "Castlevania" side of metroidvanias, but maybe the darkest of its many secrets is that it's not as punishingly difficult as the Hollow Knight games. You can play Blasphemous 2 on PC, Switch, Playstation, and Xbox consoles. View the full article

Did you buy a new pink dress to watch the Barbie movie, only to never wear it again? An Oura ring because your favorite TikTok influencer had it? A new pair of baggy jeans because ’90s fashion is making a comeback? Niche trends fueled by social media can influence your shopping decisions. Participating often brings some happiness and a sense of community, but the problem comes when you do it so often that you’re not using your money to achieve your financial goals, or worse, you get into debt, said Erika Rasure, chief financial wellness advisor for Beyond Finance, a financial services company. Whether it’s coastal grandma or clean girl aesthetic, microtrends can take a significant toll on already-strained budgets as prices rise and Gen Z struggles to pay off debt. If you find yourself overspending to participate in microtrends, here are some expert recommendations: Pause before purchasing Before you click “buy” on TikTok Shop, it’s best if you take some time to reflect, said Jennifer Seitz, head of education for Greenlight, a financial literacy app for families. Pausing before a purchase can help you discern if the item is something you really want or a fleeting craving. “Think if you want to put it in a schedule pause, whether it’s 24 hours or even a couple of days if it’s a larger expense,” Seitz said. Participating in personal challenges can be a good way to get in the habit of making purchases more deliberate. Back in 2022, Alyssa Barber participated in the no-buy year challenge, where she pledged to stop buying non-essential items for a year. Barber shares sustainable practices with over 370,000 followers on TikTok, where one of her recurrent themes is how to stop impulse buying. Barber said the challenge gave her perspective on how much she was spending on things she didn’t need. Since then, she has changed her spending habits, focusing mainly on experiences. Know your spending values Taking a value-based spending approach can help you decide if you should participate in a trend you see online, Rasure said. If, for example, you want to build an emergency fund, having this goal in mind while shopping can help avoid unnecessary spending. Quynh Van, a 27-year-old UX designer from Minneapolis, was surprised by the number of ads on TikTok when she created an account after a four-year break from social media. And while being influenced by the ads is inevitable, she believes overspending comes in part from users not having defined goals. “When you don’t know who you are or what you like, you’re so driven by over-consumerism and lifestyle creep because you don’t have your values in order,” Van said. Rasure recommends using your financial values as a guiding principle for your spending decisions. If you’re not sure of your values, allocate some time to map them out according to your life goals. Create barriers to spending If a purchase is one click away, it can make it easier to spend large amounts of money. If you consciously make it a little harder to pay for an item, you can spend more mindfully, Seitz said. “Just that action of needing to input your payment information rather than just that simple click can help you give to really stop and think about purchases before moving ahead with them,” she added. To add barriers, you can remove your credit card details from your computer browser or social media and disable Apple Pay on your phone. Think of it as an act of self-care Finances are closely tied to emotions, and often, they evoke negative feelings such as shame or guilt. However, reframing them as an act of self-care can help you spend mindfully, Rasure said. “It can help you create boundaries around what you value spending money on, helps you choose intentionally and it feels more like freedom instead of restriction,” she said. Your spending habits in the present can help your future financial situation. This mindset can inspire you when you’re tempted to overspend on the newest trending electronic or fashion item. Engage with trends with moderation It can be OK to engage with trends if they bring you positive feelings, Rasure said. Van decided to participate in the matcha trend, but with moderation. For Barber, physical media, such as old records, DVDs, and cassettes, is on her list of non-negotiable expenses, as she loves collecting these items. “Trends and engaging them, engaging in them really should spark that happiness or contentment, not the debt that can go with them,” Rasure said. The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. —Adriana Morga, Associated Press View the full article

Remember when former Try Guy Ned Fulmer was caught in a public cheating scandal that broke the internet? He’s back, this time with a new podcast called Rock Bottom with Ned Fulmer. Or as one commenter called it: “One of the most painful watches in YouTube history.” The podcast is meant to explore, “people’s lowest, most embarrassing, and challenging moments.” Fulmer’s first guest: his wife, Ariel. The first question many have asked is why would they do this? “Was this a humiliation ritual for him?” one TikTok user asked. According to Ariel, it was mostly for their children, aged 7 and 5, who they are currently coparenting, and as a way to move on and put the past in the past by bringing it all up again. In case you were living under a rock in 2022 and have no idea what a “Try Guy” is or what happened, let us catch you up to speed. The Try Guys were four former BuzzFeed employees, Keith Habersberger, Ned Fulmer, Zach Kornfeld, and Eugene Lee Yang, who made content based around the simple premise of trying various things. In late 2022, their YouTube channel had close to 8 million subscribers, with their empire extending to TV shows, books, and podcasts. In 2022, it all came crashing down after internet sleuths uncovered Fulmer’s extramarital affair with a Try Guys producer. The scandal broke the internet and Fulmer was fired from the group after an internal investigation. Fast forward three years and on the debut episode of his new podcast (because there aren’t enough men with podcasts), Ned and Ariel reconstructed the timeline of the scandal and shared that they are no longer together romantically, much to the internet’s delight and relief. Ariel also revealed, for the first time, that she found out about her husband’s affair from a fan’s message. When asked if she’s forgiven Ned, Ariel responded, “Absolutely not. How can you forgive somebody for lying to you, for cheating on you? No.” Neither has the internet, it seems. “Him calling it ‘the scandal’ and her calling it ‘your affair’ is all we needed to know,” one person commented beneath the YouTube video, which currently has more than 100,000 dislikes compared to just over 7,000 likes. “I can’t believe he’s really interviewing her about him traumatizing her,” another wrote. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ariel revealed the podcast episode was, in fact, her idea. Some have speculated Ariel predicted exactly how badly Ned would come across and that was part of her motivation to do the episode in the first place. “I love that she lets silence hang in the air after he says something horrible or stupid and just fully lets him feel uncomfortable,” one commented. Another added: “Oh to be a fly on the wall in the Try Guys office today.” View the full article

Websites will survive, but their strategic value is shrinking as agents mediate transactions and control consumer interactions. The post When Agents Replace Websites appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Chancellor calls on Europe to unlock €140bn loan and ‘massively raise the costs’ of Kremlin aggressionView the full article

We need the mobilisation of resources on a scale that will secure Kyiv’s military resilienceView 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. A good outdoor floodlight camera is supposed to do two things: light your property and capture footage you can actually use. The Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera covers both at a fair price. It’s currently marked down to $99.99 on Amazon (regularly $149.99), and price trackers confirm this is the lowest it’s ever been. Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera $99.99 at Amazon $149.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon $149.99 Save $50.00 What you get is a sturdy, weather-resistant housing with two dimmable LED lamps that pump out 2,000 lumens of brightness. The light alone makes it useful for backyards, driveways, or any dark spots around your home. Below the lamps, the built-in camera records sharp 2K video with a wide 160-degree field of view, so you’re not stuck with grainy or narrow footage. Once you start using it, the camera’s mix of features becomes more obvious. The floodlights double as a trigger for color night vision, though there’s also infrared for black-and-white capture. Reviews note that daytime video looks crisp, with strong color detail, and night recordings, especially in black and white, maintain good contrast. The setup also packs features like two-way audio, an 80dB siren, and support for Alexa, Google, and IFTTT integrations, so it can slot into most smart home setups. That said, the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera does not support Apple HomeKit, which could be a limitation if you’re deep into that ecosystem. The bigger drawback is that while motion triggers recording, you’ll need an Arlo Secure subscription to actually save and review those clips. Without it, you’re limited to live viewing. With it, you unlock a 60-day video history, smart alerts that can tell whether a person, car, or package is detected, and activity zones to cut down on false alarms. The plan starts at $7.99 per month for one camera, but goes up from there if you want more coverage or monitoring. Installation is another thing to keep in mind. This isn’t a battery-powered unit you can slap onto a wall with adhesive: It’s a wired floodlight that requires hooking into your home’s electrical system. Arlo’s app does include a QR code with step-by-step instructions, and some reviewers say it took them fewer than 10 minutes with the right mount. Still, if you’re not confident about cutting power and connecting wires, it’s safer to hire someone. If you’re comfortable with that and fine with paying for a subscription, this deal is pretty compelling for an outdoor home security camera with a floodlight. 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 — $29.00 (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) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Starbucks will end the year with fewer stores and fewer employees. But the brand maintains that it’s all part of a greater turnaround still in the mix. Today, the company announced that its North American store locations will be reduced by 1% for fiscal 2025—landing the coffee chain at 18,300 stores total. And it will be eliminating 900 jobs outside of its coffee houses (in other words, corporate and other functions). The company claims it will attempt to place affected baristas into new stores, but Starbucks says, “For those we can’t immediately place, we’re focused on partner care including comprehensive severance packages. We also hope to welcome many of these partners back to Starbucks in the future as new coffeehouses open and the number of partners in each location grows.” CEO Brian Niccol has been at the helm for a year now, where he’s been unable to break a six-quarter streak of same-store sales declines. He’s promised a Back to Starbucks turnaround centered on better store design, operations, and customer experience. But as he faces the scrutiny of an impatient Wall Street, the former Chipotle chief appears to be reallocating spending to drive the company’s growth while offsetting overhead. Closures today; growth tomorrow A closer examination of the details around this restructuring spot a somewhat finer narrative than sheer cost-cutting—and Starbucks insists that Niccol’s aggressive growth plan, in which he’ll add to store count in 2026 and imagines reaching 100,000 stores globally one day, is still intact. Speaking just last week at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, he promised to add “hundreds of thousands” of seats back to Starbucks stores. The company will have actually closed hundreds of stores over the course of 2025, but it’s been opening enough new stores to offset the figure significantly for this final announced tally. In a public letter published to the Starbucks website on Thursday, Niccol argues that it’s the sort of fine tuning required to improve the brand. “Our goal is for every coffeehouse to deliver a warm and welcoming space with a great atmosphere and a seat for every occasion,” he wrote. “During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed.” When asked if store closures were disproportionately focused on union locations, Starbucks told Fast Company that union represented status was not a factor in the decision. In any case, the larger restructuring does support Niccol’s greater thesis—that in offering higher touchpoint service, it will continue to raise the bar of expectations from its stores and employees. As Niccol mentioned during Q3 earnings, “We plan to complete an evaluation of our North American portfolio by the end of this fiscal year to ensure we have the right coffeehouses in the right locations to drive profitability and deliver the Starbucks experience.” So now that this is done . . . can we finally get back to Starbucks? View the full article

Unclear if Israel will accept permanent ceasefire proposal that includes limited role for Palestinian AuthorityView the full article

The H&M group is entering the fall season with style. On Wednesday, September 24, the retailer released its third-quarter earnings and reported an operating profit of 4.9 billion Swedish krona ($521 million). The H&M group owns brands including H&M, COS, Monki, and Arket. Its operating profit marked a 40% increase year-over-year (YOY) and beat analysts’ predicted 3.7 billion Swedish krona ($393 million), according to consensus estimates cited by CNBC. The figures also marked consecutive quarterly successes for the H&M group, which also beat estimated operating profits in quarter-two. However, the H&M group now predicts that 2025’s quarter-four will yield less positive results due to the “increased impact” of tariffs. Stock price rises despite tariff warning Despite the concerning forecast, investors responded positively to H&M group’s current earnings. Trading on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, the company’s share price (STO:HM-B) jumped 10% through after-hours and into premarket trading Thursday morning. Other factors could have contributed to the boost in share prices. The H&M group reported that sales in local currencies had increased by 2% during the quarter. However, the company notably reduced its store count over the previous nine months. As of August 31, the H&M group had 4,118 stores, compared to 4,298 at the same point last year. The company closed 135, or 4%, of its store locations over the first nine months of the fiscal year, 48 in quarter-three alone. A majority of the closures were H&M and Monki stores in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. Only five stores shut down throughout North and South America. These closures don’t necessarily point to a planned consolidation. The company pointed to a newly opened store, its first in Brazil, as being “well received.” View the full article

Fund managers say fresh borrowing spree would drive up gilt yields and dent the poundView the full article

My experience has shown one simple truth: clients stay or go based not on results alone, but on the service they receive. This holds true for the vast majority of clients we’ve worked with. You can deliver excellent outcomes, but if clients feel underserved, they’re likely to leave. Clients aren’t always rational, and that’s exactly why every touchpoint matters – especially reporting. Reporting is often your main connection with clients and can define how they perceive your service. That makes it one of the most important parts of your business. So, what makes a great report? This article tackles the key principles of building reports that stand out – complete with examples of what works and what doesn’t. Reports vs. dashboards Before we begin, let’s quickly clarify the difference between reports and dashboards. Reports are detailed documents delivered at set intervals – often monthly – in formal formats such as PDFs or slideshows. They typically include more commentary and are designed as one-off documents. Dashboards, while they may display similar charts and graphs, provide real-time campaign data with little commentary. They’re usually accessed through online platforms like Looker Studio. Today, many agencies use reports and dashboards interchangeably. A monthly report might simply be a dashboard printout with added commentary. Platforms like Looker Studio or Agency Analytics even let you integrate reporting elements into dashboards and export them as PDFs. Because of this, the distinction between the two has blurred, and we often use “reporting” to cover both. Regardless of format, every great report I’ve seen follows three key principles: Simplicity. Insight. Context. Let’s break these down and see how they apply. Simplicity Great communicators take complex ideas and make them easy to understand. Reporting is no different. With so much data available, a great report simplifies information into a form that’s useful and insightful. Simplicity should guide every aspect of report design – from the structure and order of pages to layout, graphs, and visuals. The goal is always to make your report as clear as possible and avoid what analytics expert Avinash Kaushik calls “data puke” – overwhelming clients with too much information. Ways to achieve simplicity include: Design for client needs: Report creators often focus on what they think is important rather than what the client needs. Understand each client’s KPIs to keep reports focused. A CEO may only need top-level KPIs, while a regional sales manager may need audience metrics. Focus on KPIs: For every new page or graph, ask whether it helps show whether the KPI is being achieved. Provide the minimum pages, graphs, and tables needed to convey the point. Organize by concept: Structure pages around ideas – KPIs, platforms, campaigns, or regions. You can split pages by KPI or by platform (Meta vs. Google). Include a summary page: Multiple pages are useful, but clients are time-poor. A summary page centralizes insights so readers can get the big picture quickly. Branding and credentials: Adding your company logo (and the client logo) makes the report look professional and personalized. The example from Data Studio Guru’s Full Screen Dashboard reflects these principles well: Clear, focused data. Sidebar navigation separating dashboard sections. An overview page. Strong focus on KPI metrics like transactions and revenue. Well-spaced elements with good contrast. (One limitation: there’s no commentary included, which is acceptable for dashboards but not ideal for a final report.) Michael Howe-Ely’s Ultimate Ads Dashboard is another strong example, featuring: An excellent summary page combining all ad platforms side by side. In-depth platform pages for deeper dives. Sidebar navigation. Dig deeper: How to deliver PPC results to executives: Get out of the weeds Insight The second guiding principle is insight. While the dashboards above don’t include commentary, a great report must go beyond presenting data to providing insight. A strong report should include: Data: Present charts and tables in a clear, simplified format. Observation: Summarize what happened in the data. Interpretation: Explain why it happened. Action: Recommend what to do next based on this understanding. This progression from data to action is what makes insights truly actionable. Each page should focus on a single concept or KPI and include no more than three key insights that follow the four-step process above. AI can help automate parts of this, especially generating observations, but it’s not yet strong at interpretation. Dig deeper: How to analyze PPC performance metrics Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Context The third guiding principle is context. Without it, data exists in a vacuum. A great report must provide context to make metrics meaningful. There are two key types of context to include: Historical performance. Industry benchmarks. Historical performance shows whether results are improving over time. Show both month-over-month (MoM) and year-over-year (YoY) changes in your graphs. YoY comparisons are especially useful for seasonal businesses because they compare performance to the same time last year. In the report below, KPIs show both MoM and YoY deltas to clearly signal changes over time: Graphs on a timeline add even more detail by showing multiple time periods. In the graph below, the conversion metric is tracked over 12 months: Compare two distinct time-period curves on one graph to make changes easy to spot. For example, the chart below shows URL clicks on the blue curve vs. URL clicks from the previous month on the light blue curve: Industry benchmarks add another layer of context. Clients may say it’s great that conversions are increasing or cost per acquisition is decreasing, but how does that compare to competitors? Reliable sources include: Google Keyword CPC data: Compare keyword CPCs with competitor CPCs using Google’s keyword tool. Wordstream benchmarks: Wordstream aggregates and publishes key metrics such as conversion rates across industries in the U.S. Combining historical performance with industry benchmarks gives clients a clearer, more meaningful picture of results. Dig deeper: How to produce a better PPC QBR for your stakeholders Your roadmap to effective PPC reporting Getting started with reporting is easier than ever. Many tools and templates let you build reports quickly. Google’s Looker Studio is a strong starting point, with plenty of plug-and-play templates available from Google and third-party marketplaces like byMarketers. These can get you up and running in minutes. No matter which tools or software you choose, anchor every report in the three key principles of simplicity, insight, and context. Dig deeper: Agency-grade PPC audits: How to turn reports into growth roadmaps View the full article

There’s no clearer sign of anime’s cultural ascendance than the box office haul of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle. The film, which hit U.S. theaters two weeks ago, has pulled in more than $555 million globally, including more than $104 million in North America, making it a bonafide hit for Sony Pictures, which distributed it outside of Japan through its anime streaming arm, Crunchyroll. The movie’s success reflects audiences’ growing interest in anime. A survey from market research firm Dentsu found that, 31% of people worldwide said they consumed anime at least weekly, with a full 50% of Gen Z reporting they watch it. That’s translated into a boom in Crunchyroll subscriptions. The anime streaming service, which is home to more than 2,000 titles (including Demon Slayer), counted 17 million paid subscribers worldwide in May 2025—more than triple the number it had in 2021. Crunchyroll will soon offer those subscribers a way to go even deeper on the source material of some of their favorite shows, with the debut a manga reader app. The company shared a first look exclusively with Fast Company. Set to launch October 9 on mobile and October 15 on web in the United States and Canada, Crunchyroll Manga will debut with hundreds of titles, including the manga behind some of Crunchyroll’s top series, including Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaiju No. 8, and Apothecary Diaries. For subscribers to Crunchyroll’s $15.99-per-month Ultimate tier, access to Crunchyroll Manga will be free. It will be available as a $3.50 add-on for the $11.99 Mega Fan tier, and a $4 add-on to the $7.99 Fan tier. It’s a feature that users have been asking for, says chief content officer Asa Suehira. “Crunchyroll has been doing a lot of surveys over the past few years and digital manga has always been the most desired feature on our platform,” he says. “This is compared to shorter content, video games, music, or even discounts or credits toward merchandise.” Building a bridge between anime and manga From a user perspective, Crunchyroll Manga is designed to function much like the company’s flagship streaming app, with important connections between the two. If a title in the manga app has a corresponding anime series on Crunchyroll, users can choose to start watching the show straight from the manga app. Their device will simply switch to the streaming app if it’s installed. Similarly, if a Crunchyroll anime series has a corresponding manga, viewers will have the option of clicking over to start reading it. “There’s data saying that 40% of manga readers discover manga through anime,” Suehira says. “We want to create a new habit of discovery through manga, and being able to watch the anime as well. Crunchyroll has been clever about how it entices anime fans who might discover the genre through other streaming services. Notably, it will license shows like Jujutsu Kaisen to Netflix, but exclusively stream the latest season on its platform. Crunchyroll Manga offers an opportunity for it to replicate that approach in reverse. The service will include manga volumes for series that exclusively stream elsewhere, including Delicious in Dungeon and The Summer Hikaru Died—two anime adaptations that Netflix exclusively distributes. Fans of those series will have sign up for Crunchyroll if they they want to read the manga. The manga and anime apps will also be linked by user profiles. Any updates made to a profile’s content restrictions in one will be be mirrored in the other. The main appeal, though, is the amount of manga fans will be able to access. Suehira says that by partnering with Link-u, which has developed digital manga infrastructure in Japan, “we were able to work more closely with different publishers.” Making publishers happy Crunchyroll Manga is actually the second time the company has offered manga. A previous offering shut down in 2023. Suehira says part of that platform’s downfall was because Crunchyroll’s licensing agreement with manga publishers limited how much users could read. It also “limited the opportunities for us to work with the publishers,” Suehira says. Crunchyroll Manga will launch with a library of titles from publishers like Viz Media, AlphaPolis, and Square Enix. Crunchyroll says additional publishers will be added in the coming months, including Shueisha, which publishes the Demon Slayer manga. Part of what has gotten these companies on board, Suehira says, is Crunchyroll Manga’s use of a revenue-sharing model that compensates publishers based on user engagement, similar to how the anime platform pays studios. Crunchyroll Manga also offers a legitimate way for burgeoning anime fans to read source material. Suehira says 15 of the top 20 internet piracy sites include anime and manga, and that manga represents 70% of global publishing piracy. “We want [Crunchyroll Manga] to be a solution to the privacy market and really contribute to the ecosystem in Japan,” Suehira says, adding that the app includes features the prevent screenshots and screen recording. Part of working with publishers means tracking a titles popularity, which can inform payments, but also potentially predict a future hit adaptation. “[Publishers] want to understand how the crowd is reacting to certain manga or an IP,” he says. “Data on consumption and fan reactions are things we could work together with our partners in Japan to expand the opportunity—whether that’s turning into an anime or selling merchandise.’ View the full article

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. YouTube's end screens are useful for creators, but often annoying for viewers. They allow creators to insert links to other content during the last moments of the video. The issue, however, is those links appear as large on-screen elements that cover the video you're watching. While many videos are basically over by this point, some are still going, and you might miss out on the final five to 20 seconds because of the end screen. Now, YouTube is giving you a way to hide these screen—albeit, with a major caveat. The company announced the change on Wednesday, saying users will now see a "Hide" button on videos that contain and end screen. The Hide button will be in the top-right corner of the player, which you can click to dismiss the end screen and get back to watching your content. If you want to, you can bring back the end screen by clicking a "show" button. While it sounds like a step in the right direction, this is not a setting that applies to all videos you watch on YouTube. Instead, it only applies to the individual video in question. As such, you'll need to dismiss the end screen every time you watch a video that has one. This is an odd decision: You need to wait to hide the end screen when you see it, which means you only have five to 20 seconds left in your video anyway. You might even want to rewind the video if you didn't click the Hide button in time. I'd appreciate having the option at the start of the video at least, but, more so, I'd like the option to dismiss end screens across the board. You only need to take a quick look at The Verge's comment section on this topic to see I'm not alone. YouTube says it made this decision based on user feedback, as they've heard viewers want to "minimize distractions on videos," and to "focus on the content they're watching." The company is also removing the Subscribe button that appears when you hover over the video's watermark, as there is already a subscribe option below the player. View the full article

There’s no clearer sign of anime’s cultural ascendance than the box office haul of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle. The film, which hit U.S. theaters two weeks ago, has pulled in more than $555 million globally, including more than $104 million in North America, making it a bonafide hit for Sony Pictures, which distributed it outside of Japan through its anime streaming arm, Crunchyroll. The movie’s success reflects audiences’ growing interest in anime. A survey from market research firm Dentsu found that, 31% of people worldwide said they consumed anime at least weekly, with a full 50% of Gen Z reporting they watch it. That’s translated into a boom in Crunchyroll subscriptions. The anime streaming service, which is home to more than 2,000 titles (including Demon Slayer), counted 17 million paid subscribers worldwide in May 2025—more than triple the number it had in 2021. Crunchyroll will soon offer those subscribers a way to go even deeper on the source material of some of their favorite shows, with the debut a manga reader app. The company shared a first look exclusively with Fast Company. Set to launch October 9 on mobile and October 15 on web in the United States and Canada, Crunchyroll Manga will debut with hundreds of titles, including the manga behind some of Crunchyroll’s top series, including Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaiju No. 8, and Apothecary Diaries. For subscribers to Crunchyroll’s $15.99-per-month Ultimate tier, access to Crunchyroll Manga will be free. It will be available as a $3.50 add-on for the $11.99 Mega Fan tier, and a $4 add-on to the $7.99 Fan tier. It’s a feature that users have been asking for, says chief content officer Asa Suehira. “Crunchyroll has been doing a lot of surveys over the past few years and digital manga has always been the most desired feature on our platform,” he says. “This is compared to shorter content, video games, music, or even discounts or credits toward merchandise.” Building a bridge between anime and manga From a user perspective, Crunchyroll Manga is designed to function much like the company’s flagship streaming app, with important connections between the two. If a title in the manga app has a corresponding anime series on Crunchyroll, users can choose to start watching the show straight from the manga app. Their device will simply switch to the streaming app if it’s installed. Similarly, if a Crunchyroll anime series has a corresponding manga, viewers will have the option of clicking over to start reading it. “There’s data saying that 40% of manga readers discover manga through anime,” Suehira says. “We want to create a new habit of discovery through manga, and being able to watch the anime as well. Crunchyroll has been clever about how it entices anime fans who might discover the genre through other streaming services. Notably, it will license shows like Jujutsu Kaisen to Netflix, but exclusively stream the latest season on its platform. Crunchyroll Manga offers an opportunity for it to replicate that approach in reverse. The service will include manga volumes for series that exclusively stream elsewhere, including Delicious in Dungeon and The Summer Hikaru Died—two anime adaptations that Netflix exclusively distributes. Fans of those series will have sign up for Crunchyroll if they they want to read the manga. The manga and anime apps will also be linked by user profiles. Any updates made to a profile’s content restrictions in one will be be mirrored in the other. The main appeal, though, is the amount of manga fans will be able to access. Suehira says that by partnering with Link-u, which has developed digital manga infrastructure in Japan, “we were able to work more closely with different publishers.” Making publishers happy Crunchyroll Manga is actually the second time the company has offered manga. A previous offering shut down in 2023. Suehira says part of that platform’s downfall was because Crunchyroll’s licensing agreement with manga publishers limited how much users could read. It also “limited the opportunities for us to work with the publishers,” Suehira says. Crunchyroll Manga will launch with a library of titles from publishers like Viz Media, AlphaPolis, and Square Enix. Crunchyroll says additional publishers will be added in the coming months, including Shueisha, which publishes the Demon Slayer manga. Part of what has gotten these companies on board, Suehira says, is Crunchyroll Manga’s use of a revenue-sharing model that compensates publishers based on user engagement, similar to how the anime platform pays studios. Crunchyroll Manga also offers a legitimate way for burgeoning anime fans to read source material. Suehira says 15 of the top 20 internet piracy sites include anime and manga, and that manga represents 70% of global publishing piracy. “We want [Crunchyroll Manga] to be a solution to the privacy market and really contribute to the ecosystem in Japan,” Suehira says, adding that the app includes features the prevent screenshots and screen recording. Part of working with publishers means tracking a titles popularity, which can inform payments, but also potentially predict a future hit adaptation. “[Publishers] want to understand how the crowd is reacting to certain manga or an IP,” he says. “Data on consumption and fan reactions are things we could work together with our partners in Japan to expand the opportunity—whether that’s turning into an anime or selling merchandise.’ View the full article

The risk of a partial U.S. government shutdown beginning next week is rising as congressional Democrats and Republicans hit an impasse over how to continue to fund the federal government. A shutdown could affect financial markets by limiting the operations of financial regulators and delaying the publication of key economic data. How might markets react? Historically, markets have tended to shrug off shutdowns. However, this time could be different. A prolonged shutdown risks delaying or canceling key economic data releases investors use to assess macroeconomic trends, such as the monthly employment and inflation reports, analysts at Nomura said in a note this week. That would mean the Federal Reserve is “flying blind”, making it more likely to stick with its own economic projections of two 25-basis-point rate cuts for the rest of 2025, the analysts said. With investors unable to assess the extent of a U.S. economic slowdown, the Treasury yield curve could steepen further as rate cuts get priced in with more conviction, leading to a wider gap between short- and long-dated Treasury yields, TD Securities said in a note. A lengthy government shutdown could also affect some market participants’ ability to conduct complex trades for which they may require regulatory guidance. What happens to financial regulators? While U.S. President Donald The President’s administration had not widely shared its contingency plans as of Tuesday, a shutdown would likely reduce the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to a skeletal staff, according to its October 2024 plan for a lapse in government funding. This would severely limit the agency’s ability to review corporate filings, investigate misconduct, and oversee markets. Likewise, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission would furlough almost all of its employees and cease most market oversight activity, according to its 2023 contingency plan. Previous government shutdowns have caused delays in the CFTC publishing reports on traders’ positions in futures and options markets. The banking regulators and consumer watchdog, which are not funded by congressional appropriations, will remain functional. In 2019, a protracted government shutdown slowed down some of The President’s de-regulatory efforts in part because of staff furloughs at the Office of the Federal Register, which must formally publish all steps in the rule-writing process, Reuters reported at the time. Will IPOs be affected? Yes. A shutdown would likely freeze the IPO pipeline. Companies planning to go public would be unable to proceed without the SEC’s approval, potentially dampening momentum in the equity capital markets, which have enjoyed an IPO boom in recent months. —Michelle Price, Reuters View the full article

As the rise of artificial intelligence continues, companies operating in this space or relying on the technology are finding that they have two inextricable needs: data centers that can run and process the AI, and access to ample energy to power those vast data centers. One new company, Fermi America, aims to offer solutions for both these needs. And this week, Fermi announced its plans for an upcoming initial public offering and dual stock listings. Here’s what you need to know about Fermi America and its planned IPO. What is Fermi America? Fermi America is a very young company. It was only founded this year, just nine months ago in January 2025. The company is so new that its website is still a relatively barebones affair. Given the youth of the company, it’s no surprise that the majority of Americans have most likely never heard of it. But they have heard of its cofounder, Rick Perry, the former Texas governor who ran as a GOP contender for president in 2012 and 2016. After unsuccessful presidential bids, Perry was appointed as the 14th United States Secretary of Energy, during President Donald The President’s first term in office. In addition to Perry, Fermi America was also cofounded by Toby Neugebauer, a former comanaging partner of Quantum Energy. Fermi America intends to be a provider of data and power centers that other companies can use to host their AI needs. But I say “intends to,” because Fermi America doesn’t actually provide any services yet. Heck, it doesn’t even have any infrastructure yet to provide its services. What Fermi America does have is a lease for 5,236 acres of land owned by Texas Tech University, which is where Fermi plans to build a “HyperGrid” in an undertaking dubbed Project Matador. What is Project Matador? Project Matador is the name given to Fermi America’s HyperGrid project. This HyperGrid will be a combined data and power center that other companies will pay to lease space on to run their AI needs. In its Form S-11 Registration Statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Fermi says Project Matador is “a multi-gigawatt energy and data center development campus” that will ultimately be called the Advanced Energy and Intelligence Campus at Texas Tech University. Fermi says the mission of this campus “is to deliver up to 11 gigawatts (GW) of low-carbon, HyperRedundant, and on-demand power directly to the world’s most compute-intensive businesses.” It says it will achieve this mission by using nuclear, solar, and natural gas energy to power the facility. By 2038, the company says it aims for the campus to deliver up to 11 gigawatts of power to AI data centers. It also says it expects the first 1.1 gigawatts of power to be online by the end of 2026. However, all this is hypothetical for now. To date, Fermi America has not actually started constructing Project Matador. The company still needs to secure funding for the campus’s construction. It aims to raise some of that money through investments, including funds raised from its IPO. Yet the fact that Project Matador is little more than an idea at this point is something potential investors should consider. As Fermi America warns in its Form S-11, “our business model is highly dependent on the successful construction, development, leasing, and continued maintenance of Project Matador.” When is Fermi America’s IPO? Fermi America has not announced a date for its planned IPO yet. This week’s announcement is for Fermi’s IPO “roadshow,” which is when executives of a company planning to go public meet with potential investors. Roadshows are designed to generate hype and interest in a company’s initial public offering. What is Fermi America’s stock ticker? Fermi America’s shares will trade under the stock ticker “FRMI.” What exchange will Fermi America’s shares trade on? Fermi America shares will trade on not one, but two stock markets. The company says it intends to list its shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market in the U.S. and on the London Stock Exchange in the UK. What is the IPO share price of FRMI? An exact IPO price for Fermi’s shares has not been determined yet. But the company says it is targeting a price range of between $18 and $22 per share for its public offering. How many FRMI shares will be available in its IPO? Fermi says it plans to make 25 million shares of its common stock available in its IPO. The company says it will also grant its underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 3.75 million shares. How much will Fermi America raise in its IPO? With an expected IPO price of between $18 and $22 per share, Fermi is expected to raise between $450 million and $550 million in its IPO. How much is Fermi America worth? Reuters notes that under the company’s current IPO price estimates, Firmi America is targeting a valuation of up to $13 billion. What will Firmi America use its IPO proceeds for? According to its roadshow announcement, Fermi America says it intends to use the net proceeds from its IPO “to support the continued growth and development of Fermi America’s business, to secure personnel, to increase its financial flexibility, and for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, procurement, construction, and installation of long lead-time items.” View the full article

ChatGPT’s rise to mass adoption signals structural shifts in discovery, efficiency, and decision-making that C-suite must treat as business fundamentals. The post How People Use ChatGPT & What It Means For The C-Suite appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

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. Your brain is complex, but once you figure out its little intricacies—that it can only store about seven units of information in short-term memory, for example—you can exploit them to help you remember more things. It’s not just the amount of information present that affects your memory, though. Even the order in which you learn it plays a role. That's where the primacy effect comes into play. What is the primacy effect?The American Psychological Association defines the primacy effect as “the tendency for facts, impressions, or items that are presented first to be better learned or remembered than material presented later in the sequence.” This can happen when you’re learning for school or for pleasure (like when you meet someone at a party and they tell you about themselves). It can lead to a “first-impression bias,” which happens when the first piece of information you learn about someone colors how you see them to an inordinate degree. On the other side of that spectrum is the recency effect, which happens when you remember the last thing you went over better than anything else. Those may seem like contradictory ideas, but they're both part of something broader called the serial position effect, which describes the natural tendency to recall material not just at the beginning, but also the end of a list, better than whatever is in the middle. How to use this effect to studyWith the primacy effect on one end and the recency effect on the other, it’s clear that whatever you learn in the middle of a study session is unlikely to make the cut in your memory. So if you have to study something, like a list of words or concepts, don’t study them in the same order every time. Make flashcards and study them at different times and in different orders. Shuffle them between every use. If there’s a concept you’re struggling with, though, try to focus on that at the beginning and end of every study session, maximizing the likelihood it’ll stick in your brain. Flashcards are going to be important here. In general, I recommend studying flashcards using the Leitner method, which forces you to study your most difficult concepts more frequently than the easier ones. That approach is quite effective for memory formation, but you can't forget to shuffle the cards every time you review. Every flashcard app I've tested and reviewed offers them up to you in random order, whether you're following the Leitner approach or not— therefore, it might be better to rely on technology over old-school, hand-written notes. The analog approach allows you to be a little more intentional about battling the primacy and recency effects head-on. View the full article

eBay has recently announced an exciting move set to reshape its consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace. The company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Tise, a popular social marketplace based in Oslo, Norway. This acquisition aims to strengthen eBay’s global presence in the C2C market, particularly by engaging with younger demographics like Gen Z and Millennials, who are increasingly driving demand for second-hand goods. With this acquisition, eBay looks to enhance its customer experience through Tise’s innovative social-first approach. Tise’s platform allows users to engage directly with sellers by following them and receiving tailored product recommendations based on their interactions, such as liking and commenting on listings. This element of community engagement is expected to breathe new life into eBay’s existing C2C offerings. “With Tise’s on-trend inventory, loyal community, and social-first approach, we’ll strengthen eBay’s C2C offerings,” said Oliver Klinck, VP, GM Global Markets Success & C2C. “This acquisition is a natural next step in our investment in Tise, which will allow us to accelerate Tise’s strategy and unlock new opportunities for innovation.” For small business owners, this acquisition could signal a shift in how commerce is conducted on platforms that cater to personal and small-scale selling. The rise of community engagement tools may allow small business owners who utilize eBay’s platform to foster more personal relationships with buyers. Such connections can lead to repeat business and a more loyal customer base, factors that can significantly contribute to long-term growth. Eirik Frøyland Rime, CEO and co-founder of Tise, emphasized the focus on sustainability and community-driven experiences. He stated, “At Tise, we’ve always believed that making resale fun, easy, and inspiring is key to a more sustainable world. eBay shares our vision, and with their support, we will enhance our community-driven model and enable even more people to participate in the social marketplace.” The focus on sustainability could resonate well with small business owners who aim to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. As more people prioritize sustainable shopping, there may be an opportunity for businesses to market themselves as part of a larger movement towards responsible consumption. The acquisition of Tise will enable eBay to integrate Tise’s community engagement features with its established protocols. This could enhance the overall user experience, potentially driving more traffic and transactions on eBay’s platform. The expected synergy could provide small-business sellers with valuable tools to better connect and engage with their audience. However, potential challenges may loom on the horizon. eBay’s commitment to merging Tise’s community-driven features with its robust infrastructure will require careful management. Disruption during the integration process could impact service levels temporarily, leading to potential dissatisfaction among users, including small business owners. Additionally, eBay has not disclosed specific terms or financial details related to the transaction, leaving some questions unanswered regarding how this shift will shape market conditions. There could also be a learning curve for small business owners using Tise’s particular social engagement features. Adjusting to a more interactive and community-centric selling approach may require a shift in how some businesses market their products, which could take time and resources. The completion of the acquisition is subject to customary conditions and is anticipated to occur by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025. Small business owners would be prudent to keep an eye on future updates regarding this integration, as it could redefine how they interact with customers on eBay. As eBay continues to bolster its offerings for younger generations, small business owners may find themselves at the forefront of a growing trend toward more personalized, community-oriented e-commerce. Whether they choose to harness Tise’s social-first approach or simply observe the evolving landscape, staying informed will be key. For further details, visit the original announcement from eBay at eBay’s news site. Image via eBay This article, "eBay Acquires Tise to Boost C2C Marketplace for Gen Z and Millennials" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

eBay has recently announced an exciting move set to reshape its consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace. The company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Tise, a popular social marketplace based in Oslo, Norway. This acquisition aims to strengthen eBay’s global presence in the C2C market, particularly by engaging with younger demographics like Gen Z and Millennials, who are increasingly driving demand for second-hand goods. With this acquisition, eBay looks to enhance its customer experience through Tise’s innovative social-first approach. Tise’s platform allows users to engage directly with sellers by following them and receiving tailored product recommendations based on their interactions, such as liking and commenting on listings. This element of community engagement is expected to breathe new life into eBay’s existing C2C offerings. “With Tise’s on-trend inventory, loyal community, and social-first approach, we’ll strengthen eBay’s C2C offerings,” said Oliver Klinck, VP, GM Global Markets Success & C2C. “This acquisition is a natural next step in our investment in Tise, which will allow us to accelerate Tise’s strategy and unlock new opportunities for innovation.” For small business owners, this acquisition could signal a shift in how commerce is conducted on platforms that cater to personal and small-scale selling. The rise of community engagement tools may allow small business owners who utilize eBay’s platform to foster more personal relationships with buyers. Such connections can lead to repeat business and a more loyal customer base, factors that can significantly contribute to long-term growth. Eirik Frøyland Rime, CEO and co-founder of Tise, emphasized the focus on sustainability and community-driven experiences. He stated, “At Tise, we’ve always believed that making resale fun, easy, and inspiring is key to a more sustainable world. eBay shares our vision, and with their support, we will enhance our community-driven model and enable even more people to participate in the social marketplace.” The focus on sustainability could resonate well with small business owners who aim to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. As more people prioritize sustainable shopping, there may be an opportunity for businesses to market themselves as part of a larger movement towards responsible consumption. The acquisition of Tise will enable eBay to integrate Tise’s community engagement features with its established protocols. This could enhance the overall user experience, potentially driving more traffic and transactions on eBay’s platform. The expected synergy could provide small-business sellers with valuable tools to better connect and engage with their audience. However, potential challenges may loom on the horizon. eBay’s commitment to merging Tise’s community-driven features with its robust infrastructure will require careful management. Disruption during the integration process could impact service levels temporarily, leading to potential dissatisfaction among users, including small business owners. Additionally, eBay has not disclosed specific terms or financial details related to the transaction, leaving some questions unanswered regarding how this shift will shape market conditions. There could also be a learning curve for small business owners using Tise’s particular social engagement features. Adjusting to a more interactive and community-centric selling approach may require a shift in how some businesses market their products, which could take time and resources. The completion of the acquisition is subject to customary conditions and is anticipated to occur by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025. Small business owners would be prudent to keep an eye on future updates regarding this integration, as it could redefine how they interact with customers on eBay. As eBay continues to bolster its offerings for younger generations, small business owners may find themselves at the forefront of a growing trend toward more personalized, community-oriented e-commerce. Whether they choose to harness Tise’s social-first approach or simply observe the evolving landscape, staying informed will be key. For further details, visit the original announcement from eBay at eBay’s news site. Image via eBay This article, "eBay Acquires Tise to Boost C2C Marketplace for Gen Z and Millennials" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

TikTok has moved well beyond its roots as a short-form video app. It now serves as a search destination where people turn for answers, ideas, and products. Creator Search Insights gives creators and brands a window into that behavior – highlighting trending queries, underserved topics, and real audience interests. And the data backs up this shift: two-thirds of U.S. consumers use at least one social network for search, nearly half use several, and four of the top seven search platforms – YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – are social. What TikTok’s Creator Search Insights can do for you TikTok’s Creator Search Insights tool gives creators visibility into the topics people are searching for on the platform. Accessible by typing “Creator Search Insights” in the search bar or visiting TikTok.com/inspiration, it provides real-time insights straight from the source, including: Trending searches with massive volume spikes: Terms showing growth over 1,000% based on TikTok’s internal data. Content gaps that highlight underserved search topics: The tool specifically identifies topics with high search volume but limited content, showing opportunities for creators to fill demand. Search popularity trends over multiple timeframes: Users can view data across different time periods to understand whether trends are temporary spikes or show sustained interest. AI-generated content guidance: For each trending topic, TikTok provides specific tips and content suggestions. Searches by followers: For accounts with over 1,000 followers, the tool shows what the specific audience is searching for, enabling highly targeted content creation. One-click video prompts: Allows creators to act instantly on trending topics with suggested content frameworks. This toolkit helps marketers align content with real user demand, and we should see this as a clear sign that TikTok is investing in search as a core experience. The new search discovery funnel The traditional search funnel has evolved dramatically. Although social search was once primarily upper-funnel, the rapid growth of social commerce has turned it into a full-funnel feature. Even so, consumer journeys tend to take winding paths through social search, with shoppers often jumping between platforms or stepping back into an earlier stage of the funnel. Search behavior, according to eMarketer’s Social Search Usage and Trends 2025 report, reveals striking patterns in daily usage: Almost 40% of TikTok users conduct searches on the platform several times per day, while 73% search at least once daily – a frequency that exceeds all other platforms, including Google. Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook demonstrate similarly high engagement levels, with over two-thirds of users on each platform searching daily. TikTok reports that 25% of users input a search query within the first 30 seconds of launching the app. Dig deeper: Short-form, big impact: What creators can teach performance marketers Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Why you should be excited about Creator Search Insights Creator Search Insights underscores what many marketers have long suspected: TikTok functions as a discovery engine where intent-driven searches happen at scale. Gen Z leads this shift, with most turning to TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram for search. In fact, Gen Z uses TikTok as their go-to search engine at roughly twice the rate of the general population – 59% versus 29%. And even against cutting-edge AI tools, TikTok holds its ground: 58% of Gen Z search on the platform compared to 44% who use ChatGPT. Social media has transformed how an entire generation looks for answers. What the tool doesn’t offer (where gaps remain) Creator Search Insights is powerful for uncovering what people are searching for on TikTok. However, it stops short of showing how visible content actually is in those results – a critical gap for brands measuring performance. Key limitations include: No absolute search volume, only relative popularity indicators. Limited historical data. No competitive visibility tracking. No measurement of your own content’s placement in results. These blind spots have fueled the rise of specialized TikTok SEO tools like TokTrak.io, which track where specific videos rank for chosen search terms over time. Used together, they complete the picture: Creator Search Insights surfaces demand, while third-party tools show who’s capturing it. What this means for brands Social search plays an underrated role in today’s fragmented search landscape. Google may still dominate traditional search, but consumers now pose questions wherever they spend time online. With the average U.S. consumer logging an hour and a half daily on social networks, platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have become leading search destinations in their own right. The implications span every stage of the funnel: TikTok’s search evolution: Once mainly a top-of-funnel tool, TikTok’s strong search functionality, combined with TikTok Shop, now drives lower-funnel action. Cross-platform behavior: Social search journeys rarely follow a straight line. Users bounce between discovery and consideration, often completing purchases on different platforms. Intent differences: As Kira Henson, director of paid social and search at Good Apple, puts it: “You go to Google for an answer versus you go to social search to begin your journey.” So, where do we go from here? Creator Search Insights reinforces TikTok’s role as a true search destination, giving marketers direct access to real-time demand signals across the customer journey. The key is integration, not replacement. Use the tool to spot emerging topics and language, then validate those insights against SEO platforms, Google Trends, and your own analytics. For brands serious about TikTok visibility, specialized trackers like TokTrak.io can monitor ranking performance and close the visibility gap. As search fragments across platforms, the winners will be brands that adapt strategically. Creator Search Insights is only the beginning. Dig deeper: The Fujiwhara effect on YouTube: AI, Shorts, and the rise of duplicate content View the full article