ResidentialBusiness

A new collaboration between Constant Contact and Xero aims to make life easier for small businesses by automating the link between digital marketing and accounting systems. The partnership, announced May 21, 2025, enables small business owners to streamline key business functions, reduce manual tasks, and improve customer engagement through integrated tools. The companies say the integration is designed to unify two critical daily functions for small business owners: marketing and financial management. With a few clicks, Constant Contact users can now automatically sync their Xero contacts directly into their email campaigns. This automation allows businesses to send targeted marketing messages more efficiently and track campaign results with greater accuracy. Xero customers, in turn, gain access to Constant Contact’s suite of digital marketing tools, which includes AI-powered email, automations, SMS, social media tools, event management, and more. By combining marketing and customer contact data, the integration allows for more personalized engagement while reducing the time typically spent syncing contacts manually. Stephanie Ting, Chief Strategy Officer at Constant Contact, emphasized the importance of time-saving tools for small business operators. “The average small business is pressed for time with under an hour each day to dedicate to marketing and even less time to chase payments,” Ting said. “This integration is a game-changer because it connects the dots between a business owner’s marketing and finance systems, enabling these two critical functions to work together for business growth. By eliminating the time spent manually syncing contacts between marketing and accounting, small businesses can now focus on running and growing their business. Xero shares our mission to help small businesses grow, and together, we’re giving small business owners the tools they need to work efficiently, connect with customers and thrive.” The integration is available starting today to US-based customers of Constant Contact and Xero. Additional features and availability in other regions are planned for future updates. Upcoming enhancements include deeper data integrations that combine financial insights for improved audience segmentation and marketing automations based on unified customer data. Xero also expressed enthusiasm for the partnership. “We’re excited about the benefits this partnership with Constant Contact will provide to small businesses,” said Vikram Grover, SVP of Partnerships at Xero. “In today’s digital landscape, effective online marketing is vital for reaching customers and growing a business. By creating a seamless, automated workflow between digital marketing and finance through this integration, we’re helping businesses save time, improve cash flow, and ultimately drive greater efficiency—allowing them to focus on connecting with customers and thriving in the digital world.” As part of the collaboration, Constant Contact customers are eligible to receive six months of Xero free on any business plan. Likewise, Xero users qualify for 50% off Constant Contact for six months on any of its plans. The companies say the partnership reflects a shared mission to empower small businesses with tools that drive sustainable growth, improved workflows, and stronger customer relationships in today’s competitive and time-sensitive environment. This article, "Constant Contact and Xero Launch Integration to Automate Marketing and Accounting for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A new collaboration between Constant Contact and Xero aims to make life easier for small businesses by automating the link between digital marketing and accounting systems. The partnership, announced May 21, 2025, enables small business owners to streamline key business functions, reduce manual tasks, and improve customer engagement through integrated tools. The companies say the integration is designed to unify two critical daily functions for small business owners: marketing and financial management. With a few clicks, Constant Contact users can now automatically sync their Xero contacts directly into their email campaigns. This automation allows businesses to send targeted marketing messages more efficiently and track campaign results with greater accuracy. Xero customers, in turn, gain access to Constant Contact’s suite of digital marketing tools, which includes AI-powered email, automations, SMS, social media tools, event management, and more. By combining marketing and customer contact data, the integration allows for more personalized engagement while reducing the time typically spent syncing contacts manually. Stephanie Ting, Chief Strategy Officer at Constant Contact, emphasized the importance of time-saving tools for small business operators. “The average small business is pressed for time with under an hour each day to dedicate to marketing and even less time to chase payments,” Ting said. “This integration is a game-changer because it connects the dots between a business owner’s marketing and finance systems, enabling these two critical functions to work together for business growth. By eliminating the time spent manually syncing contacts between marketing and accounting, small businesses can now focus on running and growing their business. Xero shares our mission to help small businesses grow, and together, we’re giving small business owners the tools they need to work efficiently, connect with customers and thrive.” The integration is available starting today to US-based customers of Constant Contact and Xero. Additional features and availability in other regions are planned for future updates. Upcoming enhancements include deeper data integrations that combine financial insights for improved audience segmentation and marketing automations based on unified customer data. Xero also expressed enthusiasm for the partnership. “We’re excited about the benefits this partnership with Constant Contact will provide to small businesses,” said Vikram Grover, SVP of Partnerships at Xero. “In today’s digital landscape, effective online marketing is vital for reaching customers and growing a business. By creating a seamless, automated workflow between digital marketing and finance through this integration, we’re helping businesses save time, improve cash flow, and ultimately drive greater efficiency—allowing them to focus on connecting with customers and thriving in the digital world.” As part of the collaboration, Constant Contact customers are eligible to receive six months of Xero free on any business plan. Likewise, Xero users qualify for 50% off Constant Contact for six months on any of its plans. The companies say the partnership reflects a shared mission to empower small businesses with tools that drive sustainable growth, improved workflows, and stronger customer relationships in today’s competitive and time-sensitive environment. This article, "Constant Contact and Xero Launch Integration to Automate Marketing and Accounting for Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Hollywood loves a sequel. And it turns out, Burger King loves them too. For the third consecutive year, the fast-food operator is debuting a limited-time menu tied to a big box film, this time How to Train Your Dragon, ahead of the live-action film based on Universal Pictures film that will be released in June. Beginning May 27, Burger King will start selling a new red-and-orange marble colored Whopper and Dragon-inspired mozzarella fries, strawberry lemonade, and a chocolate sundae, all taking inspiration from a franchise that has grossed more than $1.6 billion at the global box office and earned four Academy Award nominations. Burger King says the partnership extends a family-focused marketing strategy that kicked off in 2023 with Spider-Man and 2024’s tie-in with The Addams Family. Both led to larger orders and over-indexed in popularity with younger audiences and families. “What we’ve seen is that we’re starting again to grow with families,” says Tom Curtis, president of Burger King, during an interview with Fast Company. The Whopper plays itself Since Curtis joined Burger King in 2021, after a long career at rival restaurant operator Domino’s, he has helped spearhead nine unique Whopper limited-time offers. The red-bun Whopper was connected to the film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and last year’s purple-bun evoked the popular Addams Family character Wednesday, who has an ongoing live-action TV show on Netflix. Those Hollywood-inspired Whoppers were the strongest selling LTOs that Curtis launched, doubling the AUV, or average unit volume sold at each restaurant location, versus the LTOs that weren’t connected to a film. Spider-Man and The Addams Family, in particular, are decades-old intellectual properties that have spanned film, television, video games, and comics. That gives Burger King the ability to market cross-generationally, luring younger children who are newer fans of the more recent film and TV releases, but also appealing to parents and older diners who may have fond memories of these properties from their childhood. Even How to Train Your Dragon, initially based on a novel released in 2003, is now over two decades old and has inspired multiple hit films and a TV series. “When you really associate yourself with a powerful property, especially one that’s appealing not only to kids, but has a nostalgic element of it as well, then those can be really big movers of the business,” says Curtis. Spider-Man was a driver that helped U.S. comparable sales at Burger King restaurants open at least 13 months increase 7.5% in 2023. The growth slowed to a more modest 1.2% last year and dipped 1.1% in the U.S. for the first quarter of 2025 compared to prior-year levels. Burger King says it was encouraged by the steady traffic and market-share gains it has achieved compared to other fast-food chains even amid the more recent sales softness. “We’re in an industry that’s going to have ebbs and flows,” says Curtis. “As long as we’re outgrowing the competition on a fairly consistent basis, then we know we’re winning the game.” Investing in the future Burger King and the brand’s parent company, Restaurant Brands, have jolted sales in part thanks to a $400 million “Reclaim the Flame” investment unveiled in 2022 that pumped millions into advertising, restaurant remodels, and new kitchen equipment. Touchscreen kiosks were added to more locations to ease the workload for staff at the counter, new seat formats were designed to be more family friendly for larger groups, and Burger King reemphasized adding playgrounds for kids. Curtis says before he joined, traffic had been decelerating and restaurants weren’t operated to their full potential. The chain needed to reinvest to entice diners. “You can’t invite a family with parents who love their kids to a dirty restaurant where they’re not going to be treated in a friendly way, and in a restaurant that, frankly, is in some cases, [falling down around them],” says Curtis. Fast food faces growing consumer caution This year, Burger King will need to contend with softer consumer sentiment, as diners fret that a trade war and tariffs will result in higher inflation. Already, data has shown that traffic at quick-service restaurants has been slowing, and brands including McDonald’s and Chipotle have reported softer sales. Burger King has offered menu deals, including a $5 duo and $7 trio offer that allowed diners to select two or three items from a list that included a Whopper Junior, fries, and chicken sandwiches. Curtis acknowledges that when budgets get tighter, Burger King may be inclined to lean on the combination of menu innovations with value pricing, meaning promos. But he says that Burger King does benefit from the fact that it doesn’t sell consumer discretionary goods. “People have to eat,” says Curtis. “If you can give them great value and a great menu, you can be an option in all economic environments.” View the full article

As nasty tornadoes popped up from Kansas to Kentucky, a depleted National Weather Service was in scramble mode. The agency’s office in Jackson, Kentucky, had begun closing nightly as deep cuts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency began hitting. But the weather service kept staffers on overtime Friday night to stay on top of the deadly storms, which killed nearly 20 people in the Jackson office’s forecast area. It’s a scenario likely to be repeated as the U.S. is on track to see more tornadoes this year than in 2024, which was the second-busiest tornado year on record. Forecasters said there was at least a 10% risk of tornadoes Tuesday for 10.6 million people in parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Weather service veterans expressed concern about the agency’s ability to keep up in the face of the cuts. Rich Thompson, lead operations forecaster at the NWS Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said the job is getting done. But he acknowledged that staffing cuts have “made it harder on us.” “It has made it hard on the local offices just to make sure that we have all of our important duties covered. But, I mean, most of the people take those important duties seriously, so we’re going to do what it takes to cover it,” Thompson said. “I hope we’re not in the same staffing situation long term. . . . It would be hard to sustain this for months or years.” NWS spokesperson Erica Grow Cei said the Jackson office “remained fully staffed through the duration of the event using surge staffing” and had support from neighboring offices. A leaner weather service is seeing more extreme weather The Storm Prediction Center had tallied 883 local tornado reports this year as of Monday, which was 35% higher than average for this time of year. Many former weather service employees, especially those fired by the The President administration, remain connected to the agency’s inner workings. They describe an agency that’s somehow getting forecasts and warnings out in time, but is also near the breaking point. “They’ll continue to answer the bell as long as they can, but you can only ask people to work 80 hours or 120 hours a week, you know for so long,” said Elbert “Joe” Friday, a former weather service director. “They may be so bleary-eyed, they can’t identify what’s going on on the radar.” Tom DiLiberto, a weather service meteorologist and spokesman who was fired in earlier rounds of the job cuts, said the situation is like a boat with leaks “and you have a certain amount of pieces of duct tape and you keep moving duct tape to different holes. At some point, you can’t.” As of March, some of the weather service offices issuing tornado warnings Friday and Sunday were above the 20% vacancy levels that outside experts have said is a critical threshold. Those include Jackson, with a 25% vacancy rate, Louisville, Kentucky, with a 29% vacancy rate, and Wichita, Kansas, with a 32% vacancy rate, according to data compiled by weather service employees and obtained by the AP. Technologies used to predict tornadoes have significantly improved, but radar can’t replace a well-rested staff that has to figure out how nasty or long-lasting storms will be and how to get information to the public, said Karen Kosiba, managing director of the Flexible Array of Mesonets and Radars (FARM) facility, a network of weather equipment used for research. “There really are not enough people to handle everything,” said University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Howard Bluestein, who chased six tornadoes Sunday. “If the station is understaffed, that could affect the quality of forecasts.” Cuts hit in different ways Former weather service Director Louis Uccellini said budget cuts have drastically reduced the number of weather balloon launches, which provide critical information for forecasts. And weather service workers aren’t being allowed to travel to help train local disaster officials for what to do when they get dangerous weather warnings, he said. Though the number of tornadoes is nearly at a record pace, Thompson and other experts said the tornado outbreak of the last few days is mostly normal for this time of year. For tornadoes to form, the atmosphere needs a collision of warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and storm systems chugging through via the jet stream, the river of air that brings weather fronts from west to east, said Thompson, Bluestein and Harold Brooks of the weather service’s National Severe Storm Laboratory. “The moisture that we’re getting from the Gulf of Mexico is a lot more than we used to get,” said Bluestein. “That makes the likelihood that we’re getting a stronger storm higher and that’s pretty unusual.” Temperatures in the Gulf are a couple of degrees warmer than usual for this time of year, according to the weather service. The connection between climate change and tornadoes is not as well understood as the links between other types of extreme weather such as heavy rainfall and heat waves, experts say. “Under the climate change scenario, we’re kind of supercharging the atmosphere on some days and then actually reducing the favorability on others,” said Ohio State University atmospheric sciences professor Jana Houser. Scientists are also seeing more tornadoes in January, February, March, and other times when it used to be too cold for twisters to form, especially in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, she said. More people are also living in harm’s way, Brooks said. That’s why Uccellini and others see increasing risks to people and property. “When you have this kind of threat and you’re understaffed at some point, something’s going to slip through the cracks,” Uccellini said. “I can’t tell you when it’s going to happen.” Associated Press reporter Isabella O’Malley contributed from Philadelphia. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer View the full article

Key Takeaways Leverage ChatGPT for Diverse Income Streams: Utilize its capabilities for content creation, virtual assistance, market research, and more to diversify your online revenue sources. Enhance Productivity Without Technical Skills: You don’t need to be a tech expert to effectively use ChatGPT, making it accessible for all entrepreneurs and small business owners. Cost-Effective Content Generation: Reduce expenses on hiring writers by creating high-quality, SEO-optimized content in-house with ChatGPT. Streamline Customer Support: Implement AI-driven chatbots through ChatGPT to improve customer service efficiency and enhance user experience. Focus on Audience Understanding: Conduct thorough market research using ChatGPT to understand your audience better and tailor your offerings to their needs. Maximize Social Media Engagement: Use ChatGPT to generate engaging social media content that helps build your brand community and improves online visibility. Imagine turning your conversations into cash. With the rise of AI technology like ChatGPT, making money online has never been more accessible. This innovative tool not only enhances your productivity but also opens up various avenues for income generation. Whether you’re a freelancer, a content creator, or just looking to supplement your income, ChatGPT can be your secret weapon. You don’t need to be a tech guru to harness its potential. By leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities, you can create engaging content, offer virtual assistance, or even develop chatbots for businesses. The opportunities are endless, and you’re just a few steps away from transforming your online presence into a profitable venture. Ready to dive in? Let’s explore how you can start making money online with ChatGPT today. Overview of Making Money Online with ChatGPT Making money online with ChatGPT offers various pathways for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to enhance their operations. This AI-powered tool presents opportunities for creating innovative business models that can capture a target audience effectively. You can use ChatGPT for several purposes that contribute to revenue generation. Content marketing becomes easier with ChatGPT, as it helps you produce engaging blog posts, articles, or social media updates that improve your digital marketing efforts. Incorporating SEO strategies with the content ChatGPT generates can increase your online visibility, making it easier to reach potential customers. Providing virtual assistance through ChatGPT creates efficiency in customer service. By integrating AI chatbots, you reduce response time and enhance user experience. This streamlined approach can lead to improved customer acquisition and retention, crucial for long-term success. If you’re considering an online business venture, leveraging ChatGPT can also aid market research. The tool analyzes trends and gathers insights, allowing you to refine your business idea and innovate more effectively. This research can be integral when developing your business plan or seeking funding options, making your startup more attractive to angel investors or venture capitalists. Using ChatGPT can also support product development. By collecting feedback and suggestions through AI-driven interactions, you ensure that your offerings meet customer needs. Maintaining a focus on growth strategies can propel your business forward, ensuring sustainable profits. For small business owners unfamiliar with AI technologies, the learning curve with ChatGPT is minimal. You don’t need advanced technical skills to maximize its potential. With the right mentorship or guidance, you can harness this power to build a successful online presence that aligns with your long-term business goals. Benefits of Using ChatGPT for Income Generation ChatGPT offers numerous benefits that can enhance your online income generation strategies, especially for small business owners and entrepreneurs. These advantages include flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effective solutions that cater to various aspects of your business model. Flexibility and Accessibility Flexibility is crucial for running a successful small business. ChatGPT adapts to your needs, whether you aim to quickly generate content for your website or engage with customers through personalized messaging. The tool’s accessibility means you don’t require advanced technical skills to leverage its potential. Use it for crafting blog posts, social media updates, or email marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience. This versatility allows you to respond swiftly to market demands and engage in innovative product development strategies. Cost-Effective Solutions Cost-effective solutions significantly impact your bottom line, especially when launching a startup. ChatGPT helps reduce expenses associated with hiring full-time writers or marketing experts. Instead, you can use it to generate high-quality content in-house. You’ll save time and money while improving your brand’s visibility through effective SEO strategies. Additionally, using ChatGPT for market research can facilitate gathering valuable insights without extensive investments, maximizing your return on investment. By leveraging this tool, your small business can focus on scaling operations, driving customer acquisition, and refining your overall growth strategy. Methods to Make Money with ChatGPT ChatGPT offers various methods to generate income online, especially beneficial for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Here are some ways to leverage this AI tool effectively. Freelancing Opportunities You can enhance your freelancing game by utilizing ChatGPT for job search and client acquisition. Use it to research remote-friendly companies and find job opportunities quickly. ChatGPT helps craft compelling pitches and follow-ups that resonate with potential clients. Additionally, optimize your resumes and cover letters with ChatGPT’s assistance to improve your chances during job searches. Streamline your project management with tools that help schedule tasks, track expenses, and maintain budgets, enhancing your work efficiency. Content Creation and Blogging ChatGPT enables you to create engaging content effortlessly. Whether you manage a small business blog or engage in digital marketing, this tool can generate SEO-optimized articles, social media posts, and email marketing campaigns. Automate content creation while maintaining your brand voice, ensuring you connect effectively with your target audience. You can produce high-quality materials in-house, reducing costs associated with hiring writers and allowing reallocation of funds towards your growth strategy. Automated Customer Support Boost your customer service by integrating ChatGPT for automated support. With AI-driven chatbots, you can enhance your customer acquisition strategy through immediate responses to inquiries. ChatGPT helps manage FAQs, streamline communication, and improve overall efficiency. By offering reliable and prompt assistance, you can foster customer loyalty, supporting the long-term success of your small business. Tips for Maximizing Earnings Maximizing earnings online with ChatGPT involves understanding your audience and leveraging social media effectively. Understanding Your Audience Knowing your target audience is crucial for developing a successful business model. Conduct market research to gather insights about demographics, preferences, and pain points. Utilize ChatGPT to analyze data and identify trends that align with your products or services. This information helps tailor content and marketing strategies to meet specific needs, enhancing customer acquisition efforts. Adjust your messaging based on audience feedback to foster engagement and loyalty. Leveraging Social Media Social media plays a significant role in promoting your online business. Use ChatGPT to generate engaging posts, create eye-catching visuals, and develop email marketing campaigns. Regularly share content on platforms where your audience spends time. Focus on building a community around your brand by interacting and responding to comments. Apply SEO techniques to enhance your visibility in search results, boosting traffic to your website or e-commerce store. Additionally, consider collaborations with influencers to reach a wider audience and elevate your brand presence. Conclusion Embracing ChatGPT opens up a world of possibilities for making money online. Whether you’re a freelancer or a small business owner you can tap into its capabilities to generate income with ease. By creating engaging content providing virtual assistance or developing chatbots you can enhance your online presence and profitability. The flexibility and accessibility of ChatGPT allow you to optimize your efforts without needing advanced skills. With the right strategies in place you can effectively reach your audience and drive growth. As you explore these opportunities remember that leveraging AI can be a game changer for your business journey. Frequently Asked Questions How can ChatGPT help me make money online? ChatGPT can be used to create engaging content, offer virtual assistance, or develop chatbots for businesses. It enables freelancers and content creators to generate income without needing advanced technical skills, making it accessible for various users. Is ChatGPT suitable for small business owners? Yes, small business owners can leverage ChatGPT to enhance operations, improve content marketing, and create innovative business models. It can help generate blog posts and social media updates, boosting online visibility and customer engagement. Do I need technical skills to use ChatGPT effectively? No, ChatGPT is designed to be user-friendly, requiring minimal technical skills. With the right guidance, anyone can learn to use it effectively for income generation and business improvement. How can I use ChatGPT for market research? ChatGPT can analyze trends and gather insights, helping you refine business ideas. This information is essential for attracting potential investors and ensuring your offerings align with market needs. What are the cost benefits of using ChatGPT? Using ChatGPT can reduce expenses related to hiring full-time writers or marketing experts. It allows businesses to produce high-quality content in-house, increasing efficiency and saving costs. How can I optimize content with ChatGPT? You can use ChatGPT to generate SEO-optimized articles and social media posts, ensuring your content ranks higher in search engines and reaches a larger audience. Can ChatGPT assist with customer support? Yes, integrating ChatGPT into your business can automate customer support, improving service efficiency and fostering customer loyalty, which contributes to long-term success. How can I leverage social media with ChatGPT? ChatGPT can help create engaging social media posts, visuals, and email marketing campaigns. It can also assist in developing a community around your brand and collaborating with influencers to increase visibility. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success: Making Money Online with ChatGPT for Everyone" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Leverage ChatGPT for Diverse Income Streams: Utilize its capabilities for content creation, virtual assistance, market research, and more to diversify your online revenue sources. Enhance Productivity Without Technical Skills: You don’t need to be a tech expert to effectively use ChatGPT, making it accessible for all entrepreneurs and small business owners. Cost-Effective Content Generation: Reduce expenses on hiring writers by creating high-quality, SEO-optimized content in-house with ChatGPT. Streamline Customer Support: Implement AI-driven chatbots through ChatGPT to improve customer service efficiency and enhance user experience. Focus on Audience Understanding: Conduct thorough market research using ChatGPT to understand your audience better and tailor your offerings to their needs. Maximize Social Media Engagement: Use ChatGPT to generate engaging social media content that helps build your brand community and improves online visibility. Imagine turning your conversations into cash. With the rise of AI technology like ChatGPT, making money online has never been more accessible. This innovative tool not only enhances your productivity but also opens up various avenues for income generation. Whether you’re a freelancer, a content creator, or just looking to supplement your income, ChatGPT can be your secret weapon. You don’t need to be a tech guru to harness its potential. By leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities, you can create engaging content, offer virtual assistance, or even develop chatbots for businesses. The opportunities are endless, and you’re just a few steps away from transforming your online presence into a profitable venture. Ready to dive in? Let’s explore how you can start making money online with ChatGPT today. Overview of Making Money Online with ChatGPT Making money online with ChatGPT offers various pathways for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to enhance their operations. This AI-powered tool presents opportunities for creating innovative business models that can capture a target audience effectively. You can use ChatGPT for several purposes that contribute to revenue generation. Content marketing becomes easier with ChatGPT, as it helps you produce engaging blog posts, articles, or social media updates that improve your digital marketing efforts. Incorporating SEO strategies with the content ChatGPT generates can increase your online visibility, making it easier to reach potential customers. Providing virtual assistance through ChatGPT creates efficiency in customer service. By integrating AI chatbots, you reduce response time and enhance user experience. This streamlined approach can lead to improved customer acquisition and retention, crucial for long-term success. If you’re considering an online business venture, leveraging ChatGPT can also aid market research. The tool analyzes trends and gathers insights, allowing you to refine your business idea and innovate more effectively. This research can be integral when developing your business plan or seeking funding options, making your startup more attractive to angel investors or venture capitalists. Using ChatGPT can also support product development. By collecting feedback and suggestions through AI-driven interactions, you ensure that your offerings meet customer needs. Maintaining a focus on growth strategies can propel your business forward, ensuring sustainable profits. For small business owners unfamiliar with AI technologies, the learning curve with ChatGPT is minimal. You don’t need advanced technical skills to maximize its potential. With the right mentorship or guidance, you can harness this power to build a successful online presence that aligns with your long-term business goals. Benefits of Using ChatGPT for Income Generation ChatGPT offers numerous benefits that can enhance your online income generation strategies, especially for small business owners and entrepreneurs. These advantages include flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effective solutions that cater to various aspects of your business model. Flexibility and Accessibility Flexibility is crucial for running a successful small business. ChatGPT adapts to your needs, whether you aim to quickly generate content for your website or engage with customers through personalized messaging. The tool’s accessibility means you don’t require advanced technical skills to leverage its potential. Use it for crafting blog posts, social media updates, or email marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience. This versatility allows you to respond swiftly to market demands and engage in innovative product development strategies. Cost-Effective Solutions Cost-effective solutions significantly impact your bottom line, especially when launching a startup. ChatGPT helps reduce expenses associated with hiring full-time writers or marketing experts. Instead, you can use it to generate high-quality content in-house. You’ll save time and money while improving your brand’s visibility through effective SEO strategies. Additionally, using ChatGPT for market research can facilitate gathering valuable insights without extensive investments, maximizing your return on investment. By leveraging this tool, your small business can focus on scaling operations, driving customer acquisition, and refining your overall growth strategy. Methods to Make Money with ChatGPT ChatGPT offers various methods to generate income online, especially beneficial for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Here are some ways to leverage this AI tool effectively. Freelancing Opportunities You can enhance your freelancing game by utilizing ChatGPT for job search and client acquisition. Use it to research remote-friendly companies and find job opportunities quickly. ChatGPT helps craft compelling pitches and follow-ups that resonate with potential clients. Additionally, optimize your resumes and cover letters with ChatGPT’s assistance to improve your chances during job searches. Streamline your project management with tools that help schedule tasks, track expenses, and maintain budgets, enhancing your work efficiency. Content Creation and Blogging ChatGPT enables you to create engaging content effortlessly. Whether you manage a small business blog or engage in digital marketing, this tool can generate SEO-optimized articles, social media posts, and email marketing campaigns. Automate content creation while maintaining your brand voice, ensuring you connect effectively with your target audience. You can produce high-quality materials in-house, reducing costs associated with hiring writers and allowing reallocation of funds towards your growth strategy. Automated Customer Support Boost your customer service by integrating ChatGPT for automated support. With AI-driven chatbots, you can enhance your customer acquisition strategy through immediate responses to inquiries. ChatGPT helps manage FAQs, streamline communication, and improve overall efficiency. By offering reliable and prompt assistance, you can foster customer loyalty, supporting the long-term success of your small business. Tips for Maximizing Earnings Maximizing earnings online with ChatGPT involves understanding your audience and leveraging social media effectively. Understanding Your Audience Knowing your target audience is crucial for developing a successful business model. Conduct market research to gather insights about demographics, preferences, and pain points. Utilize ChatGPT to analyze data and identify trends that align with your products or services. This information helps tailor content and marketing strategies to meet specific needs, enhancing customer acquisition efforts. Adjust your messaging based on audience feedback to foster engagement and loyalty. Leveraging Social Media Social media plays a significant role in promoting your online business. Use ChatGPT to generate engaging posts, create eye-catching visuals, and develop email marketing campaigns. Regularly share content on platforms where your audience spends time. Focus on building a community around your brand by interacting and responding to comments. Apply SEO techniques to enhance your visibility in search results, boosting traffic to your website or e-commerce store. Additionally, consider collaborations with influencers to reach a wider audience and elevate your brand presence. Conclusion Embracing ChatGPT opens up a world of possibilities for making money online. Whether you’re a freelancer or a small business owner you can tap into its capabilities to generate income with ease. By creating engaging content providing virtual assistance or developing chatbots you can enhance your online presence and profitability. The flexibility and accessibility of ChatGPT allow you to optimize your efforts without needing advanced skills. With the right strategies in place you can effectively reach your audience and drive growth. As you explore these opportunities remember that leveraging AI can be a game changer for your business journey. Frequently Asked Questions How can ChatGPT help me make money online? ChatGPT can be used to create engaging content, offer virtual assistance, or develop chatbots for businesses. It enables freelancers and content creators to generate income without needing advanced technical skills, making it accessible for various users. Is ChatGPT suitable for small business owners? Yes, small business owners can leverage ChatGPT to enhance operations, improve content marketing, and create innovative business models. It can help generate blog posts and social media updates, boosting online visibility and customer engagement. Do I need technical skills to use ChatGPT effectively? No, ChatGPT is designed to be user-friendly, requiring minimal technical skills. With the right guidance, anyone can learn to use it effectively for income generation and business improvement. How can I use ChatGPT for market research? ChatGPT can analyze trends and gather insights, helping you refine business ideas. This information is essential for attracting potential investors and ensuring your offerings align with market needs. What are the cost benefits of using ChatGPT? Using ChatGPT can reduce expenses related to hiring full-time writers or marketing experts. It allows businesses to produce high-quality content in-house, increasing efficiency and saving costs. How can I optimize content with ChatGPT? You can use ChatGPT to generate SEO-optimized articles and social media posts, ensuring your content ranks higher in search engines and reaches a larger audience. Can ChatGPT assist with customer support? Yes, integrating ChatGPT into your business can automate customer support, improving service efficiency and fostering customer loyalty, which contributes to long-term success. How can I leverage social media with ChatGPT? ChatGPT can help create engaging social media posts, visuals, and email marketing campaigns. It can also assist in developing a community around your brand and collaborating with influencers to increase visibility. Image Via Envato This article, "Unlocking Success: Making Money Online with ChatGPT for Everyone" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As AIOs take over SERPs, topical authority becomes more critical. This article explains how it works and what signals actually influence visibility. The post How To Measure Topical Authority [In 2025] appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’ve ever wished your air purifier could do more than just purify, the Dyson Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 steps up with some bold solutions. It’s currently available for $649 (down from $849.99), which is still a splurge, but not quite as painful as usual. Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde $649.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $849.99 Save $200.99 Get Deal Get Deal $649.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $849.99 Save $200.99 This machine is a purifier, yes—but also a fan and a space heater, all in one unit. Designed for rooms up to 800 square feet, it uses a blade-free oval tower (classic Dyson) to project clean, warm, or cool air with a 350-degree oscillation range. That’s wide enough to cover most living rooms, and the device is light enough (just over 12 pounds) to shift from room to room without much hassle. One of the most useful things about the HP09 is how much it tells you about the air you're breathing. It doesn’t only claim to clean—it shows you exactly what it’s removing. That includes everyday stuff floating around your home like dust, smoke, pollen, pet dander, fumes from cleaners and sprays, off-gassing from furniture or paint, and emissions from gas stoves or candles. It tracks all of this in real time, breaking it down into easy-to-read stats on the purifier’s LED screen or in the MyDyson app (which also pulls in outdoor AQI based on your location). You’ll see things like temperature, humidity, and overall air quality, plus specific readings for fine particles (PM2.5), larger particles (PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and formaldehyde (this being a big deal if your space has new furniture or paint). The catalytic filter that breaks down formaldehyde doesn’t need replacing, but the HEPA and carbon filters that trap other pollutants are estimated to last up to a year (replacements run $79.99). You can control everything through the app or with your voice using Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. That said, it lacks Apple HomeKit support, and you’ll still need the included remote to activate heating for safety reasons. Also, according to this PCMag review, it gets loud when you push it to higher speeds. For something simpler and cheaper, the $449.77 Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 (down from $649.99) skips the heater and formaldehyde filter but still keeps the air clean and your home connected. View the full article

Big brands have a blind spot. They talk about “brand health” while ignoring what users are actually asking about their products – on Google, in AI answers, and across search data. Meanwhile, all the signals are right there in the SEO stack. Questions like “Is Gatorade actually good for you?” aren’t just keyword opportunities. They’re warning signs. And if you know how to read them, they expose major gaps in brand trust and positioning. The brand audit hiding in your SEO tools I sent a client a 100+ page audit evaluating their brand (to be fair, there were a lot of screenshots), and their first question was, “Where did you get this data?” It was SEO data. They had never seen this sort of data before – and didn’t even know it existed. I use SEO data to audit brands all the time. It sounds nuts, but it’s not. It’s actually really helpful data you’re probably already paying for, just being put to a new use. And that’s the point: you don’t need to go out and buy another tool to do what I’m about to show you. You already have what you need. Below is a case I stumbled upon that’s pretty typical of what I see when I run a brand audit for a client. And I’m going to use the data you have inside your SEO toolset to do it. Tapping into market pressures In January 2024, Gatorade – sports drink giant and go-to beverage for sick kids everywhere – saw its branded traffic fall off a cliff. Now, there can be any one of a million reasons why this would happen. And you might start by sifting through and seeing what keywords they lost or which are declining, etc. That would take a lot of time. The best thing to do is probably figure out if this has to do with Google’s algorithm or the brand itself. Thus, I pulled the search volume for “Gatorade” as of May 2025: Then I pulled the same data for May 2024. What do you know, search volume for Gatorade is down about 35,000 searches per month in the U.S.: Going back to May 2023, while the U.S. search volume didn’t change, the global volume declined by roughly 50,000 searches a month: Something happened in 2024. We now have two different datasets pointing to the same thing. The question is, did something happen to Gatorade or the sports drink industry? Right now, we don’t know the answer to that. Drawing any conclusion about anything related to Gatorade’s brand would be a bit premature. The easiest thing to do is to take their competitors and run the same analysis. If we see the same pattern, then we can move ahead. If not, just give up (I’m kidding). Thankfully, we do not need to give up, because Gatorade’s main competitor, Powerade, shows the same dip in brand traffic at the same time: To further confirm this, the search volume for “Powerade” follows a similar pattern as we saw for Gatorade. In May 2025, the search volume for the term “powerade” in the U.S. was 33,100 searches a month: Now, unlike Gatorade, this is actually up from 2024, where the U.S. search volume was 27,100: You might think this throws a wrench in the whole narrative. Gatorade lost searches for its brand name between May 2024 and May 2025, whereas Powerade only gained popularity. Not so fast, all it shows is that the “events” that hit this industry most likely took months to play out, as the decline here just happened earlier. In May 2023, the term “powerade” had a monthly search volume of ~33,000: The term lost around 6,000 searches a month somewhere between May 2023 and May 2024, according to Semrush. (Global search volume was actually up between 2023 and 2024, I would speculate as part of a pivot to focus on the global market more.) Still, why did Powerade’s search volume rebound in 2025 while the time “gatorade” didn’t? Great question. I’m not going to even answer it, because as you are going to see, we have much bigger fish to fry. Next up is Bodyarmor, which, like Powerade, is owned by Coca-Cola. Here, too, there is a blip on the radar in January 2024: Unlike the two legacy brands (Gatorade and Powerade), the search volume for Bodyarmor has only increased over time. As of May 2025, the keyword “bodyarmor” pulls ~14,800 searches a month in the U.S.: That’s up from 12,100 as of May 2023: If I’m being honest, which in an article like this, I am not supposed to be (I am just supposed to present insights and data as if everything I say is the absolute truth with zero nuance), I could go either way with this site. The slight dip in the data in January could be any number of things, and it’s not incredibly drastic either way. The search volume increase does make sense since Coke only fully bought out the brand in 2021. It was still carving its space out for itself (as opposed ot the more established brands). What tips the scale is what Coke’s Vitaminwater did – pull in more branded traffic in January 2024: Suddenly, out of nowhere, Coca-Cola’s vitaminwater. (Yes, Powerade, Bodyarmor, and vitaminwater are all owned by Coke.) Whether it was tied to a brand campaign or whatnot, there’s a strong correlation between sites like Gatorade and Powerade losing brand traffic and vitaminwater popping up on the SERP. I would imagine there was some sort of campaign that drove greater interest in vitaminwater at this time, as the entire page was only created in 2024 per the Wayback Machine: What most likely happened is that Coke added the vitaminwater page to its brands subfolder (/brands/subfolder) and ran a campaign around the same time. As a result, interest in “sports drinks” was diverted from brands like Gatorade to vitaminwater. The search volume data would support this narrative. Search volume for the term “vitamin water” stood at 49,500 in the U.S. as of May 1, 2025: This is the same level of brand interest from a search volume point of view that was seen in 2024: However, that is a 22% increase in search volume (which I am using as a proxy for brand interest) since 2023: The search volume data directly supports the branded traffic data I showed earlier. It wasn’t some sort of optimization or the mere appearance of the page on the web. There was some form of greater interest in the brand that correlates with the launch of the vitaminwater subfolder on the Coke website. Which is again, why the page was unquestionably supported by some sort of brand campaign (could be the entire reason the page was even created). Here we are again with an event that took place within this space somewhere in 2024. (Which is why the Bodyarmor data is relevant to me.) At this point, it felt like there was legitimately something going on in this industry. Once the red flags were I did a bit of digging, and there was (or is) something going on. The sports drink industry had become markedly more competitive, as noted by CNBC in April 2024: Now, it all makes sense. When you see the branded search traffic decline, it makes sense. When you see Vitaminwater come in and seemingly disrupt the market, it makes sense. The data we used created a narrative that we can point to in reality. The sports drink industry has gotten extremely competitive and disruptive. The upshot is, at least from a brand audit point of view, you now have context. I may have found the CNBC article at the start of this (which I didn’t), but even if I did, it has no context. Seeing the state of the industry being covered by outlets like CNBC after having seen all the data gives the news report real context that you can use to make real marketing decisions with. For the sentiment of it all If the branded search traffic and search volume data helped us paint a picture of the sports drink industry, the sentiment data you have at your fingertips is a Picasso. We’re about to put the data we just used to shame. The top question Semrush shows for the search term “gatorade,” with a search volume of 12.1K searches a month, is “Is Gatorade good for you?”: It’s the same for “powerade”: It’s even the same for vitaminwater despite the brand having the word “vitamin” in its name: This is a pretty strong signal that there is a substantial amount of user skepticism around the product vertical. However, it’s not where I would end, but where I would begin. Forget that this seems almost too uniform (which it’s not, as you’ll see), we still don’t have enough detail about the nature of the skepticism. In plain English, we need to see more of what folks are skeptical about exactly. Google’s People Also Ask is a fabulous proxy for this. A simple search related to Coke’s Bodyarmor already tells us there’s some sort of controversy related to the brand (which is never a good thing): One of the best ways to mine this data is using AlsoAsked, which allows you to dive into the subquestions Google shows within the People Also Ask feature. For example, the term “gatorade” produces the question “Is Gatorade actually healthy for you?” Pause. The world “actually” is huge. And when you see something like that, it’s a red flag. It assumes that the opposite is true. In this case, the question assumes that Gatorade is not healthy (and if they are saying it’s healthy, the brand is lying – which we’ll get to). When you open this question, the subquestions within the People Also Ask feature are enlightening: Two quick takeaways: “Is it OK if I drink Gatorade everyday?” This is huge, and it’s going to come into strong focus in a few moments. For now, just notice that people relate to the product like it might be a specialty drink. “Why don’t athletes drink Gatorade?” We’re not going to get into this here, but what indictment. People notice that the athletes don’t drink this stuff. I notice it. Watch a baseball game, everyone is drinking water. The above questions are very similar to what the People Also Ask related to Powerade shows: By the way, you can see the drop-off in brand power. People are comparing Gatorade to Powerade, but Powerade gets compared to vitaminwater as well. It’s the same thing, but worse, for vitaminwater: People are not fooled. Just because they added the word “vitamin” does not mean people are dumb enough to think it’s healthy. Again, we have the “actually” phrasology in the top-level question [Is vitamin water actually good for you?]. From there, it goes off the rails with: Is vitamin water good for the kidneys? Is vitamin water good for your liver? Is vitamin water zero ok for toddlers? (Seriously?) There is a substantial amount of skepticism around the actual viability of these products from a health point of view. And it again puts us right up on the doorstep of what the inner sports drink industry is talking about: We just tapped into one of the major challenges of this entire industry by using keyword research and People Also Ask data from a sentiment perspective. To be blunt, I don’t understand why more people are not using the data this way. Let’s go full circle and return to the CNBC report I referenced earlier. Per the CNBC report, the issue was not only the various new players in the industry, but the consumer demand for a healthier sort of product. (Which, at this point, we know, is not surprising). However, we have actual context. We don’t need the report (don’t get me wrong, it’s great confirmation, but you’re not going to have this in every niche for every product or service). Using the data as we have, we have the reporting before anyone ever reported it. It does help to see through the corporate nonsense. In the CNBC article, Gatorade’s President, Mike Del Pazzo, was quoted on their brand campaign to highlight the product’s health, saying, “This is one of the brands that has the best marketing campaigns, such great brand equity, consumer awareness, consumer love.” Clearly, it hasn’t exactly gone over as Gatorade proclaims. Our data shows huge amounts of brand equity drop-off that seems to be fueled partially by a substantial level of concern around the product’s health risks. Don’t believe me? Just ask AI. When I asked Google, “What should I know about Gatorade?” I got a mouthful about sugar content in the AI Overviews: [Parenthetically, I find asking this sort of generalized question about a brand or niche incredibly insightful. It’s a good way to see what’s happening around a product or industry that can help you get your bearings quickly.] Google’s AI Mode was pretty much more of the same, with a whole section about sugar content, and beyond: ChatGPT spat back the same concerns: I’ll tell you, whenever I see a brand or industry gap like we have here (in this case, we’ve seen both the industry and brand gaps), it always plays itself out in the LLMs. Which makes total sense. LLMs process the content out there on the web and act as a proxy of the web in a way. When a theme is so pervasive, as it is here with health and the sports drink industry, it will make its way into the LLM outputs. So, how did the brands handle this all? Not well You would think that by now, the brands here would take more action regarding the perception (and perhaps reality) that they are not healthy. The answer is they don’t. We already saw that Gatorade either believes its own lies or is simply deluding itself. Is it a surprise, then, that their homepage starts off by selling water bottles and does not mention (at the time of this writing) the word “health” a single time? For the record, it doesn’t handle “health” on social or YouTube: As you can see above, the brand’s YouTube content is all about promoting the brand with famous athletes. Again, unlike the brand, we know that people are actually skeptical about this, as they know the athletes on TV are not actually drinking Gatorade as often as the brand might portray it. The lack of digital content focused on health is incredible considering that the LLMs recommend the brand’s Coca-Cola-owned competitor. When I asked chatGPT, “Which is healthier Gatorade or vitaminwater?” it basically told me the latter: This goes back to the People Also Asked question I noted earlier, which referenced how often you should drink these beverages. Turns out that factor plays a huge role in how the LLMs relate to the products (and we can see why, since we already know this issue has a basis in real user questions). Essentially, the LLMs are saying Gatorade is fine after an intense workout and the like, but on a regular basis, vitaminwater is the better option. Which makes Gatorade’s lack of substantial focus on this issue even harder to believe. You would think, by the way, that vitaminwater would capitalize on this and brand itself as the healthy alternative to all these sports drinks. It does not. Its homepage starts by touting a new look with drinks of a variety of colors (none of which are found in nature): It ends off by telling us to drink the product, because it is from New York: I am from New York, does that make me healthy (don’t answer that)? The first, and only time, “health” is discussed on the page is in the footer: If you are wondering if perhaps the brand addresses the issue on social media, the answer here as well is no: I think their social media is borderline cringe, but I am over 40. Search data to seize the day The maturity level of corporate social media accounts is a conversation for a different time. Although it’s not too far off from what’s at the core of the conversation here. Big brands are often the last to understand ecosystems and hunt down opportunities. Sometimes, they just don’t have to. Sometimes they just don’t know how to. In today’s ecosystem, big brands are the last people you should be looking at as a beacon of light. A lot of this has to do with the internal communications structure and corporate mindset in conjunction with the demands of the new ecosystem we’re in. It’s a whole (really interesting) conversation for a different time. However, you can see it play itself out in our case here. It’s pretty clear that the brands we looked at, some of the biggest brands on the planet, are operating in the dark. There are a variety of reasons why this might be. I don’t even know where to start, there are so many reasons. Let’s just take a few: 1. Brands don’t always understand digital We take for granted how “natural” the digital landscape is from a marketing perspective. Brands do not see “digital” in the same way. A big brand will often focus on its presence on external platforms like social media and neglect its own website. Coke’s Bodyarmor is a good example of this. Their website’s homepage (like all the homepages we’ve referenced thus far) doesn’t reference the health topic in a real way. It’s stuck in the footer, again: This is incredible considering this brand does try to focus on health concerns, as we’ll see in a minute. 2. Hubris I’m just going to call a spade a spade. Brands operating at this level often think too highly of themselves. We saw this with Gatorade’s take on already being successful at addressing the “health” issue, as LLMs tell their users to go drink the competition’s beverage. Even when the brands do address the health issue, it’s done from a place of a certain hubris. Here’s Bodyarmor touting how healthy it is on social media, notice the comment: For the record, this is not the only comment to this effect on this post. To me, this outcome comes from brands not doing the work and not being entirely transparent. They often go for an all-or-nothing approach. In this case, they operate from a framework that their product is either healthy or unhealthy. There is no nuance, and any middleground would be “showing weakness.” This lack of “middleground” (a.k.a. reality) forces the brand to essentially treat their consumers without full respect to their intelligence. In addition, there’s no substantiation—the brand simply positions the product as “we are healthy.” This, too, doesn’t treat the consumer’s intelligence with the full respect it deserves. No one is fooled, not even ChatGPT, which immediately calls out the health issues: But brands will act as if they have provided a satisfactory “answer” to the question. Embedded in that is a certain degree of hubris. 3. Lack of coordination Both Bodyarmor and vitaminwater are owned by Coke. The former clearly attempts to be seen as healthy, while the latter (despite its naming) doesn’t. But aren’t these brands both under the same umbrella? Wouldn’t it be so logical for a product named vitaminwater to push itself as a healthy choice? Especially since the sister brand is already doing that? Forget two brand under the same umbrella, a single brand has a hard enough time unsiloing itself. It’s easy to spot. Go to a brand’s homepage and look at the messaging. Then go and look at its creative copy (such as YouTube ads, etc.) and see how unaligned the two assets are from each other. Whatever the cause in our case is, these brands are missing the opportunity. Someone should stand out and start handling the user skepticism head-on in a real way. The problem is, these brands are not using the data we looked at, and if they are, not in this way. Instead, what these brands often do is buy a subscription to some sort of social listening tool and get a top-level look at what people are “saying on social.” Leaving aside that this ignores Google (which seems batty off the bat) and LLMs, it’s much more difficult to get a real sense of things than you might think. Social media is a great way to track brand and industry sentiment. However, it’s also a black hole of endless “chatter.” About 95% of that chatter is worthless. Now you have to sift out what is real and what isn’t. What happens is, no one does that. You end up tracking your brand’s sentiment in some trends graph because diving is too laborious, and the graph seems like “it’s enough.” It is not. The data you have in your search marketing tools is way easier to use. For a simple reason, it’s aggregated in some form. The keywords we used earlier to track sentiment are already organized according to search volumes (i.e., popularity). The questions AlsoAsked mines from Google’s People Also Asked are the same. The output from the LLMs is “qualified” from what’s out there across the web. Popping into social and starting from there, that’s a hard place to begin this journey. In terms of process, after using the data we did earlier, I would only then dive into the various social feeds and the comments (as we did with Bodyarmor above). It’s not simply a matter of “you’re paying for these tools anyway, you might as well use them for brand.” It’s “you’re paying for these tools anyway, you should use them because they are better.” But wait, there’s more Doing a foolhardy thing like actually showing you how I use this data means I didn’t get to all of it. (Isn’t this post long enough?) If I had done the SEO thing of “5 data SEO data points you can use for brand,” I would have talked about: Pulling out consumer sentiment via your branded search traffic Analyzing your branded search traffic to gauge product awareness Leveraging your branded search traffic to evaluate brand versus product impact Using traffic patterns to determine brand maturity Perhaps another time. For now, you have a goldmine of brand data that most brand marketers don’t even know exists. Don’t sit on it, use it. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Oura ring is great at tracking sleep and keeping tabs on your healthy habits, but as I noted in my review of the Oura ring 4, it’s really not great at activity tracking. That may be changing with a rollout of new activity-tracking features that the company has announced today. These still aren't enough to replace, say, a proper sports watch, but they do look like a significant improvement on Oura’s previous abilities. I’m going to test these features over the coming days and weeks to let you know how much of an improvement they really are. Here’s what Oura says is included: Step counting will use a new algorithm that is supposed to be more accurate. Calorie burn for activities will take heart rate into account (allowing Oura to estimate how intense your workout was). Split times will now be available for runs automatically tracked with Oura. Heart rate data will be included when Oura pulls in workouts from other sources (for example, if you track a workout with your Apple Watch or Garmin). You can add or edit activities from the past week, not just the current day. Past readiness scores will update accordingly. Automatic activity detection will now work at any time of day or night, removing the previous limitation where activities would only be detected during the day. There will be a new trend view for activities, showing your daily, weekly, and monthly active time. You will finally be able to edit your max heart rate. This will change your zones and your heart rate trends accordingly. That last one is a biggie, and makes Oura’s heart rate zone reporting a lot more useful. Previously they used an age-based formula, even though people’s max heart rates vary too much for any one-size-fits-all formula to be accurate. (Oura previously thought my easy runs were done mostly in zone 5. I promise you, Oura, they are not.) Oura has also announced integrations with several apps that can pull in data like HRV from the Oura app, and use those to inform your workouts or analysis in those apps. The new integrations include CorePower Yoga, The Sculpt Society, Technogym, and meditation app Open. View the full article

Right-leaning comedy podcasts are a gateway to conspiracy theories and misogynistic content, a new study has found. While these podcasts may seem harmless at first—often discussing sports like the NFL and MMA and featuring guests such as Ben Affleck and David Goggins—a new report reveals that engaging with their content online can open a Pandora’s box of aliens and Andrew Tate, the former professional kickboxer who built his platform by promoting misogynistic ideas. In a study published this week, the nonprofit Media Matters for America examined five comedy shows that platformed Donald The President during the 2024 presidential election while claiming to be nonpolitical: Full Send, The Joe Rogan Experience, Impaulsive With Logan Paul, This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, and Flagrant. Using a brand-new TikTok account created solely for research, Media Matters interacted with accounts affiliated with these shows or their hosts. (In the case of Rogan, who does not have an official TikTok, a fan account exclusively posting show clips was used.) After Media Matters watched and “liked” the 10 most recent videos from each account, TikTok’s algorithm began delivering a stream of content that included conspiracy theories, toxic masculinity, misinformation, doomsday prepping, racism, right-wing media, and transphobia. Among the first 425 videos shown on the Media Matters account’s “For You” page, 28% contained conspiracy theories and 16% promoted toxic masculinity. These included claims that recent plane crashes were orchestrated to “make sure people won’t leave.” Other videos featured phrases like “get rich and disappear,” set to montages of luxury watches, boats, cars, and planes—many soundtracked by Tate. “TikTok’s recommendation algorithm fed our account with misogynistic content and fringe conspiracy theory videos that can lead users down a right-wing rabbit hole of misinformation and more extreme content, which has the potential to radicalize them,” Media Matters senior investigative researcher Olivia Little tells Fast Company. The concern grows when considering the reach of these shows. Right-leaning podcasts far surpass their left-leaning counterparts in audience size. According to a Media Matters report published in March, 9 of the 10 most-followed online shows across all platforms are right-leaning, with a combined total following of more than 197 million. These shows extend their influence through social media, where they post full streams, short clips, and links. While left-leaning online shows have a collective following of 48 million across platforms, right-leaning shows have amassed more than 225 million followers. “TikTok is so popular because of its focus on hyper-tailoring a user’s recommendation feed to their content preferences, which has the potential to throw users down hard-to-escape rabbit holes,” Little says. “Engaging with right-wing or right-wing-adjacent content appears to signal to the recommendation algorithm that you’re interested in that content and your feed will quickly reflect that.” View the full article

Speaker overcomes key sticking point on taxes as he presses to deliver cornerstone of president’s legislative agendaView the full article

Countless Rite Aid customers and employees are still waiting to learn the fate of their local pharmacies as the bankrupt drugstore chain sells off its assets and winds down operations. Now, at least three Rite Aid landlords are asking for more transparency into the process. Last week, Rite Aid announced that it has reached agreements to sell its prescription files for most of its 1,200 retail pharmacies, with successful bidders including CVS, Walgreens, and Albertsons, among others. Perhaps most notably, CVS agreed to buy prescription files for 625 of those pharmacies, even as it said it would only take over 64 physical Rite Aid locations in three states: Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. However, neither Rite Aid nor CVS has said which pharmacy locations were involved in the bid. Now three landlords—HVP2 LLC, New Hartford Holdings LLC, and Gallashea Properties LLC—have filed a limited objection to the asset sales on the grounds that they have no idea if their own leases were included, according to a court filing earlier this week. “Conspicuously absent from the notice is any particular and critical information regarding who bought what and for how much?” the filing states. Privacy concerns as prescription data changes hands The landlords say they are not seeking the disclosure of sensitive customer data, which carries special privacy and regulatory considerations when prescription files are transferred from one company to another. Rather, they just want to know which Rite Aid locations were successfully bid upon, saying a more transparent process might allow them to secure better deals for their leases. Reached for comment by Fast Company, a spokesperson for CVS said store specific information has not yet been released but offered no timeline for when that might happen—other than to say more details will be released following a hearing on the sale. The company did not respond to a question about the landlords’ objection. “We’re working closely with Rite Aid on plans to ensure that the transition will be seamless for patients and customers and access to pharmacy care is not interrupted,” the spokesperson said. CVS is already the country’s largest pharmacy chain, with its pharmacy unit generating $124.5 billion in revenue and filling 1.7 billion prescriptions last year. A Rite Aid spokesperson told Fast Company that the sale of its assets to CVS and other pharmacies “will be implemented on a rolling basis and will take some time.” The spokesperson emphasized that Rite Aid pharmacies will remain open during this process, but court documents show the company is already planning to close more than 200 locations, as Fast Company previously reported. Plenty of anxiety to go around All Rite Aid locations will eventually either close or be sold to other companies. An auction for the bankrupt company’s remaining assets is planned for June. In the meantime, landlords aren’t the only one impacted by the uncertainty. On Reddit and other online forums, Rite Aid employees have expressed no shortage of frustration about not knowing the fate of their local stores. The CVS spokesperson told Fast Company that once the sale is finalized, “we look forward to welcoming Rite Aid colleagues who are interested in applying to join the CVS team.” For their part, the landlords have asked as part of their objection that Rite Aid disclose the “specific identities” of companies that successfully bid on its assets, along with which specific assets they won and how much they paid. Fast Company has reached out to the landlords’ lawyer for an update. The sale of Rite Aid’s assets is still subject to court approval, with a hearing scheduled for today. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Streaming services have basically come full circle: What started as a cheap alternative to cable TV has become an expensive monthly cost in its own right, as price hikes and crackdowns on password sharing have made subscribing to multiple streaming services just as expensive, if not more so, than some conventional cable plans. Luckily, there are often discounts, deals, and loopholes to exploit that can make streaming more affordable—and sometimes even free. Here are the best streaming deals you can get right now. This month's best streaming deal Credit: Peacock The very best streaming deal right now is for Peacock. You can get an annual Peacock Premium plan for $24.99 (saving you $55) with code SPRINGSAVINGS and get all caught up on Poker Face. (Look for more Peacock deals down below.) Here are the best of the rest of the streaming deals right now: Amazon Prime VideoYou can try a 30-day free trial. Check out what's new on Prime Video this month, as well as the best Prime Video Original movies to watch. Prime Video is also available on its own for $8.99 a month, so if you’re only in it for the shows and movies, you can skip the full Prime membership and save yourself six bucks a month. AMC+You can try AMC+ for $5 for the first month (regular price is $9.99/month) through Sling TV (scroll down to see the deal). You do not need to have a Sling plan to get this deal. If you do sign up for a Sling subscription, you’ll get your first month of AMC+ for free. You can also try a seven-day free trial. You can get an annual subscription to ad-free AMC+ through Verizon's +play for $83.88 (saves you $3 per month). You can bundle AMC+ with STARZ on Prime Video for $13.99 (save $6.99/month). You can sign up through Roku for just $2.99 for the first two months. Apple TV+You can get a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+. You can get a free subscription if you’re a T-Mobile customer with a Go5G Plus or Go5G Next plan. You get three months of free Apple TV+ when you buy an Apple product. You can get a free month of Apple TV+ when you sign up through Roku. You can get Apple Music for just $5.99/month with a student discount—and it comes with free access to Apple TV+. Check out the best original series from Apple TV. The Criterion ChannelThis arthouse streamer is the best service for true movie buffs, and you can sign up for a free trial before being charged the $99.99 annual fee (which already represents a savings over the $10.99 cost of a monthly plan). Curiosity StreamSave $20 when you sign up for a Standard Curiosity Stream annual plan, and $50 when you sign up for the Smart Bundle annual plan. New users can also score $250 off a lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream’s Standard plan. DirecTV StreamYou can get two years of Max, Paramount+ with Showtime, Starz, MGM+, and Cinemax with the purchase of the Premier package starting at $124.99 per month (it saves $10 per month, or $240 over two years). Or can try a five-day free DirecTV Stream trial. You can also unlock 105+ free live channels just by signing up for MyFree DirecTV with your email and downloading the app. Discovery+You can subscribe to Discovery+ ($9.99/month) as an add-on through Sling TV—no base plan required. If you bundle it with Sling Blue or Sling Orange, you’ll get the first month free. There's also a seven-day free trial if you just want to test it out. Disney+You can get the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle with ads for $16.99 (a 43% discount off its original 29.97/mo price) Or you can get the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle without ads for $29.99 (a 42% discount off its original $51.97/mo price) You can get Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) for $10.99 per month (save 44% per month). You can get Disney+ and Hulu (no ads) for $19.99 per month (save 42% per month). You can get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (with ads) for $16.99 per month. You can get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (no ads) for $26.99 per month. Verizon subscribers who have an Unlimited Ultimate plan have the option to include a Disney package, which provides them with Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (with ads) for just $10 monthly (save $6.99 per month). Check out what's new on Disney+ this month. FuboTVTry a seven-day free trial of FuboTV. If you’re a new subscriber, you get 30 days free of FuboTV Pro if you’re a My Best Buy Plus or Total member (save $84.99). New subscribers also get $20 off the first month. HuluYou can get the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle with ads for $16.99. Or you can get the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle without ads for $29.99. Get an annual plan of Hulu (with ads) for $99.99 instead of $9.99 monthly (save $19.89) You can get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (with ads) for $16.99 per month. Get Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all three with ads) for $82.99 per month. T-Mobile members can get Hulu at no cost through Hulu on Us with their Go5G Next plan. Students can get Hulu for $1.99 per month after an 80% discount. Check out what's new on Hulu this month. MaxYou can get the new Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle with ads for $16.99 (save $12.98/month). Or you can get the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle without ads for $29.99 (save $21.98/month) You can get Max (with ads) for $99.99 per year (save $19.89 per year over the monthly cost). You can get Max (with no ads) for $169.99 per year. You can get Max Premium (with no ads) for $209.99 per year (save $41.89 per year). Verizon subscribers who have myPlan have the option to include a Netflix and Max bundle package with ads for just $10 monthly per line (save $7.98 per month). Cricket Wireless includes Max (with ads) in its $60/month plan. Or if you use DoorDash regularly, you could sign up for a DashPass Annual Plan, and you’ll get Max (with ads) included at no extra cost for a year. Check out what's new on Max this month, and the best movies and TV shows to stream on Max. MGM+You can get six free months when you buy a Fire TV device from Amazon. Try for free with a seven-day trial on Amazon Prime. Or get two months of MGM+ for 99 cents/month on the Roku Channel if you join before May 22. NetflixIf you’re a Verizon customer, you can get a year of Netflix for free when you buy certain annual subscriptions through +play. If you’re a Verizon customer, you can get Netflix for a year if you buy an annual subscription to STARZ or AMC+ through +play. Read the FAQ here. Verizon subscribers who have myPlan have the option to include a Netflix and Max bundle package with ads for just $10 monthly per line (save $7.98 per month). You can save on Netflix (Standard with ads) if you’re a T-Mobile customer with a Go5G Plus or Next plan. Check out what's new on Netflix this month and the best movies and TV shows to stream this week. NFL+If you’re a Verizon customer, you can get an annual subscription to NFL+ Premium through +play for $99.99 (saving you around $80 over monthly billing) Or you could get the NFL+ for $6.99/mo or $49.99/season. Get NFL Sunday Ticket for $40 per month. Paramount+Get a year of Paramount+ Essential for $59.99 (save $2.99 per month compared to the monthly plan). You can get Paramount+ with SHOWTIME for free for a week, then it's $12.99 monthly. You can get Paramount+ for free when you sign up for a Walmart+ membership (or if you already have one) as part of your subscription. Students can get a Paramount+ Essential for $5.99 monthly. Or if you have a Hulu subscription, you can add Paramount+ with Showtime for $12.99/month Check out what's new on Paramount+ and Showtime this month. PeacockYou can get the annual Premium Peacock plan for $24.99 (save $55 with code SPRINGSAVINGS). Students can get Peacock Premium for $2.99 per month for 12 months. Xfinity internet customers who sign up for NOW TV for $20 a month, which includes 40 live TV and on-demand channels, can get Peacock Premium for free. Instacart+ members get a free Peacock Premium annual membership Here are the best original Peacock shows worth watching. PhiloYou can try a seven-day free trial of Philo. ShowtimeYou can try it free for seven days with Paramount+. Get it bundled with Paramount+ across streaming services, including Hulu and Sling TV. Sling TVYou can get the Orange or Blue service for $20 for the first month, which is 50% off the regular monthly price. You can also save $38 by prepaying for the first 3 months of Sling TV. StarzYou can get a Starz subscription for $5 for three months. You can get Starz for $2.99/month for two months on Prime Video through May 27, then it's $10.99/month after. Or you can get it for $1.99 for two months if you sign up through Roku. VuduNo current deals for Vudu. YouTube TVYou can get two months of YouTube TV for $59.99 if you're a new subscriber. $59.99 for your first two months (save $46 for two months), then $82.99 per month. Get YouTube TV and NFL Sunday Ticket for $31.50 per month (plus $59.99/month for the YouTube TV base plan during the first two months) You can also try YouTube TV for free for 10 days. View the full article

Sales at Target fell more than expected in the first quarter and the retailer warned they will slip for all of 2025 year as its customers, worried over the impact of tariffs and the economy, pull back on spending. Target also said that customer boycotts have also done some damage. The company scaled back many diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in January after they came under attack by conservative activists and the White House. Target’s retreat created another backlash, with more customers angered by the retailer’s reduction of LGBTQ+-themed merchandise for Pride Month in June of 2023. Shares fell more than 4% before the opening bell Wednesday. Sales fell 2.8% to $23.85 billion in the quarter, and that was short of the $24.23 billion Wall Street expected, according to FactSet. Sales are also down from the $24.53 billion the company reported during the same period last year. Target said Wednesday that it now expects a low-single digit decline in sales for 2025, and earnings per share, which excludes the gains from the litigation settlements in the first quarter, to be anywhere from $7 to $9. For the year, analysts expect earnings per share of $8.34 on sales of $106.7 billion. Comparable store sales, those from established stores and online channels, fell 3.8%. That includes a 5.7% drop in store sales and a 4.7% increase in online sales. That reverses a comparable store sales increase of 1.5% in the previous quarter. The number of transactions across online and physical stores fell 2.4%, and the average ticket dropped 1.4%. Target said Tuesday that it couldn’t reliably estimate the individual impact of each of the factors that were hurting its business. Target is setting up a new office to be led by Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke would focus on making faster decisions to help accelerate sales growth. Current Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Christina Hennington will move into a strategic adviser role. Target is also intensifying efforts to entice customers who are nervous about the economy and inflation. The retailer says it is offering 10,000 new items starting at $1—with the majority under $20. “I want to be clear,” Target CEO Brian Cornell told reporters on a call Tuesday. “We’re not satisfied with these results, so we’re moving with urgency to navigate through this period of volatility . . . We’ve got to drive traffic back into our stores or visits to our site.” Out of 35 merchandise categories including discretionary and essentials that the company tracks, it’s gaining or maintaining market share in only 15, the company said. Target rival Walmart reported strong quarterly sales last week. The nation’s largest retailer said it’s already raised prices on some items due to tariffs and that more price hikes are on the way this summer when the back-to-school shopping season goes into high gear. For example, car seats made in China that currently sell for $350 at Walmart will likely cost customers another $100, executives said. Target didn’t offer specifics on tariffs’ impact on prices, but said that it was looking at different ways to offset those costs. “We look at competition,” Cornell told reporters. “We make adjustments literally each and every week, so we’re constantly adjusting pricing. Some are going up. Some will be reduced.” President Donald The President’s threatened 145% import taxes on Chinese goods were reduced to 30% in a deal announced May 12, with some of the higher tariffs on pause for 90 days. Yet Americans were already pulling back on spending as they grow increasingly uneasy over the state of the U.S. economy. Companies including toy manufacturer Mattel, toolmaker Stanley Black & Decker and consumer products giant Procter & Gamble have announced higher prices or plans to raise prices because of the trade war kicked of by the U.S. Walmart was able to dodge some of the tariff damage other retailers are suffering because groceries account for about 60% of its U.S. business. Target is more reliant on discretionary items like clothing and accessories, with less than a quarter of its sales coming from groceries. Target has reduced the number of its store-label products sourced from China to 30% now from 60% in 2017. The company is on its way to reducing that number to 25% by the end of next year, the company said. Target is shifting sourcing to Guatemala and Honduras and is looking to sourcing in the U.S. Target is being pressured on other fronts as well. The company in January said it would phase out a handful of DEI initiatives, including a program designed to help Black employees advance their careers and promote Black-owned businesses. Conservative activists and President Donald The President have sought to dismantle DEI policies in the federal government, schools, and at private businesses. The pastor of a Georgia megachurch who led a nationwide 40-day boycott of Target stores in response called last month for a continuation of that effort. The Rev. Jamal Bryant is seeking a reinvigorated commitment from Target on diversity, and he wants more support from Target for Black-owned banks and businesses. Target earned $1.04 billion, or $2.27 per share, for the period ended May 3. That compares with $942 million, or $2.03 per share, in the year-ago period. Target operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide and employs more than 400,000 people. —Anne D’Innocenzio, AP Business Writer View the full article

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how marketing teams operate—but not through vague promises or futuristic scenarios. In 5 Ways Marketers Are Using AI to Increase Efficiency from Acoustic, marketers will find five tangible, proven ways AI is being applied to improve segmentation, enhance personalization, monitor performance, support content creation, and retarget audiences more effectively. This resource is designed for marketing professionals seeking to reduce manual workload, streamline campaign execution, and deliver more relevant, timely experiences—without compromising quality or oversight. Download the guide to explore how AI is being used to make everyday marketing tasks smarter, faster, and more strategic. View the full article

Your customers are searching across ChatGPT, Reddit, Pinterest, and more. Is your brand showing up where it counts? The post Stop Focusing On Google, It’s Time to Focus On Being Visible appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Google Gemini is an advanced, deeply integrated AI model that can help you reshape how you approach content creation, technical audits, reporting, and beyond. Gemini is built into Google Search and Google Workspace (including Docs and Sheets). It reflects Google’s evolving approach to understanding, ranking, and displaying information, especially in an AI-dominated search landscape. As zero-click searches become more common and traditional blue links get pushed further down the page, Gemini offers a powerful opportunity: real-time guidance from within the ecosystem you’re optimizing for. While tools like ChatGPT remain highly capable, Gemini’s integration with Google tools makes it an essential co-pilot for many day-to-day SEO workflows. This guide explores four key areas where Gemini gives you a competitive edge: On-page optimization and content creation. Local SEO at scale. AI-assisted reporting and data analysis. Competitive analysis and technical SEO guidance. Important reminder: Gemini is still evolving. Despite its direct connection to Google’s ecosystem, it isn’t immune to hallucinations, outdated references, or overconfident claims. Always validate AI-generated outputs using your SEO expertise before acting on them. On-page optimization and content creation On-page SEO and content creation have become even more tightly connected to user intent and content quality, not just keyword usage. Google prioritizes content that: Answers real questions. Demonstrates expertise. Keeps users engaged. In 2025, Gemini seamlessly supports this process. Now fully integrated into Google Workspace, Gemini isn’t just a standalone tool. It’s embedded into the places you already work, like Docs and Sheets. Gemini acts like an always-on assistant, helping streamline workflows while aligning your content with what Google actually wants to see, whether you’re: Writing optimized content. Analyzing page-level SEO elements. Summarizing strategy documents. Generating content: Writing smarter and faster Gemini’s integration into Google Docs has made it a powerful writing assistant, especially for agencies managing multiple clients or large-scale campaigns. Rather than hopping between tools, you can now ideate, edit, and refine content in real time, right inside your documents. Gemini can help with: Generating first-draft content briefs. Writing intro paragraphs, FAQ sections, or meta descriptions. Rewording or rewriting existing copy for clarity, tone, or keyword integration. Example prompt inside Docs: “Create a content brief for a blog post targeting the keyword “best indoor birthday party ideas.” Include the primary intent, suggested H1/H2 structure, relevant internal links, and FAQs.” Whether you’re writing from scratch or updating outdated content, Gemini in Docs helps speed up the planning process and ensures each piece is strategically aligned with SEO goals. Please note: this connection to Google Workspace is only available in Gemini Advanced. Analyze your webpage Beyond content creation, Gemini can also assist with auditing and refining your existing pages. It doesn’t fully crawl websites like a traditional SEO crawling tool, but it can retrieve and evaluate publicly accessible web pages. Gemini can analyze your page structure, tags, keyword usage, content quality, and any technical issues to help identify opportunities for improvement. Example prompt: “Analyze the on-page optimization of [INSERT WEBPAGE URL] for the keyword [“KEYWORD”] with the goal of increasing the page’s ranking in the SERP for this keyword. Provide an analysis of the page’s title/description, header tag structure, content depth, and keyword alignment, and any technical suggestions.” Use this analysis as a starting point to fine-tune your pages. Pair it with your own tools and expertise to ensure every change aligns with broader SEO strategy. Craft compelling titles and descriptions in Google Sheets One of the most critical aspects of on-page optimization is creating compelling titles and meta descriptions that entice users to click on your page in search engine results. Gemini can help you perfect these elements by generating creative, keyword-rich suggestions. Simply provide Gemini with your target keyword, and it will generate catchy titles and meta descriptions that include your keyword and captivate your audience. Example prompt: “Craft a captivating title and meta description for [INSERT WEBPAGE URL] optimized for the keyword [“KEYWORD”] with the goal of increasing the page’s ranking in the SERP for this keyword. Title should be no more than 60 characters. Meta description should be no more than 160 characters.” This workflow can also be scaled by uploading a spreadsheet of URLs to Gemini. Simply format your file to include columns for page URL, current title and description, and the target keyword. In your prompt, include your formatting guidelines and character limits, and ask Gemini to return an updated version as a downloadable .csv with optimized metadata. With Gemini now integrated into Google Sheets, the potential for seamless, large-scale metadata optimization is within reach. Bulk in-sheet editing is still evolving. Still, it’s easy to imagine a near future where Gemini can directly update cells in real time – eliminating the need for manual uploads and downloads entirely. Build a header tag strategy The overall analysis by Gemini can also provide a high-level review of the header tags on your webpage. With an individual prompt, you can dig deeper and reveal specific recommendations for this important piece of on-page optimization. Example prompt: “Create a detailed header tag analysis of [INSERT WEBPAGE URL] for the keyword [“KEYWORD”] with the goal of increasing the page’s ranking in the SERP for this keyword.” Using Gemini for local SEO insights and scale For multi-location businesses, success in local SEO comes down to how well you can scale relevant, location-specific content across your website and Google Business Profiles (GBP). But not all AI is equally equipped for that task. Gemini, built by Google and deeply integrated into its ecosystem, offers a unique edge when creating content that aligns with how Google surfaces local search results. Gemini understands how Google surfaces local content – from GBP listings and map pack rankings to localized landing pages and Q&A entries. That alignment helps ensure that the content it generates fits Google’s format, tone, and local intent expectations right from the start. Deeper insights for local SEO recommendations Both Gemini and ChatGPT are capable of generating local content. But the difference becomes clear when you dig into the depth of insight and alignment with real search behavior. Gemini consistently delivers more structured, actionable recommendations – not just because it’s well-trained, but because it’s built by the very company that defines the local search ecosystem. Take this real-world prompt, for example: “Generate a completely optimized Google Business Profile recommendation for a new roofing business for Boston, MA. Include all fields that should be optimized to perform well in the Google Map Pack. Also make any additional recommendations for enhancing local SEO performance.” ChatGPT’s response offered a basic list of optimizations: Name. Category. Business hours. A couple of generic suggestions like “get reviews” or “add photos.” It read more like a general SEO tip sheet. Gemini’s response, on the other hand, provided a structured breakdown of every GBP field, such as: Primary and secondary categories. Photo types. Service areas. Suggested services (like “emergency roof repair” and “storm damage assessment”). Every recommendation was backed by why it would make an impact in the Google Business Profile. After the GBP overview, Gemini followed up with broader local SEO recommendations, including: Content ideas for location pages. Local link building. Online reviews. This level of detail doesn’t just sound smarter – it’s better aligned with how Google surfaces local businesses in the Map Pack and AI Overviews. Gemini doesn’t stop at “optimize your listing.” It explains how, why, and what to prioritize based on the expectations of the search engine it was built by. That’s the real advantage: when you use Gemini for local SEO, you’re getting strategic direction from the same system that evaluates your content. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. AI-powered data analysis in Google Sheets One of the most time-consuming parts of SEO is translating raw data into clear, actionable insights. Gemini’s integration with Google Workspace, particularly Google Sheets, offers a powerful way to streamline this process. Rather than manually combing through rows of Search Console exports or keyword ranking data, Gemini can help summarize, interpret, and organize the most important takeaways, making your reporting faster and more strategic. Case study: Gaining quick, actionable insights from keyword ranking data In the example above, I imported Semrush keyword rankings to Google Sheets, including position, search volume, CPC, and keyword difficulty. A manual review of this dataset could take hours, but by prompting Gemini with a simple request to analyze rankings in Positions 4–10 (prime for optimization) and 11–20 (striking distance), the AI instantly generated: A list of top opportunity keywords sorted by traffic potential. Contextual explanations for why certain keywords were high priority. Clear segmentation between “ready-to-rank” and “on-the-cusp” opportunities. Instead of spending hours dissecting spreadsheets or building out manual reports, Gemini delivers the insights that matter – instantly and in context. For SEO teams juggling large datasets and fast-moving priorities, this kind of in-Sheets analysis turns raw ranking data into clear next steps. Bonus: Go beyond keywords Gemini in Sheets isn’t just about identifying keywords. You can use it to: Summarize traffic drops across a group of URLs. Find common patterns in declining CTR. Generate formulas or filters to segment page groups by category or performance levels Suggest action items based on historical data trends. Prompt example: “Analyze this GSC export to find the top 5 underperforming URLs by CTR, and suggest 3 actions to improve click-through rate.” Regardless of the activity, Gemini takes the heavy lifting out of data interpretation, helping you move from spreadsheet to strategy without slowing down your workflow. Harnessing competitive analysis with Gemini’s Deep Research Consider Gemini your competitive research companion, guiding you through the labyrinth of SEO strategies employed by your rivals. With the introduction of Deep Research, Gemini now takes this a step further, offering a full, structured competitive analysis from just a single prompt. Instead of manually reviewing each competitor’s site, keyword profile, and content strategy piece by piece, you can now generate a detailed report that covers: SEO competitors. Keyword themes. Content gaps. Even on-page tactics in one cohesive response. This shift saves hours of analysis time and brings strategic clarity into focus faster than ever. Get general technical SEO guidance Technical SEO issues can be elusive, hiding beneath the surface and quietly sabotaging your site’s ability to rank. While Bard previously offered only general best practices, Gemini has caught up significantly, becoming a much more capable tool for: Interpreting audit data. Spotting technical issues. Recommending fixes. Where ChatGPT once had the edge (especially with plugins and external tool integrations), Gemini now makes up for it with its tight connection to Google’s ecosystem and, importantly, its integration into Google Sheets. This means you can now analyze technical SEO issues like canonicalization errors, indexing problems, or metadata inconsistencies directly within your working spreadsheet. No exports, plugins, or back-and-forth required. Technical SEO insights – directly in Sheets By importing a complete site crawl from Screaming Frog, you can prompt Gemini to help identify and prioritize issues across your entire site – without needing to switch tools or manually filter through thousands of rows. Here are just a few of the technical issues Gemini can help analyze from a Screaming Frog export: Canonical tag problems: Identify pages missing canonicals, using incorrect canonical targets, or pointing to redirect/non-200 URLs. Indexing issues: Flag pages blocked from indexing due to noindex, improper robots.txt rules, or unexpected meta robots directives. Title and description errors: Find missing, duplicate, or overlength titles and meta descriptions that need to be rewritten or consolidated. Header tag structure: Spot pages missing <H1> tags, using duplicate headers, or lacking a clear header hierarchy for accessibility and SEO. Thin content and word count gaps: Highlight pages with low word counts or little main content, often a signal for quality or E-E-A-T improvement. Real example: Identifying canonical tag errors In the audit shown here, we imported the full HTML page list from a Screaming Frog crawl into Google Sheets and asked Gemini to identify canonicalization issues. With a single prompt, Gemini reviewed the canonical tag column and returned a set of structured insights, including: Missing canonical tags: 209 pages were flagged as missing canonical tags entirely, risking duplicate content issues and diluted ranking signals. Mismatched canonical URLs: Gemini found 62 pages with canonicals pointing to a different URL than the page itself – a common issue on websites with copied templates or inconsistent tagging. Broken canonical targets: 45 of the mismatched canonicals were pointing to URLs returning 404s or other non-200 status codes – an easy-to-miss error that can quietly undermine indexing and trust signals. Gemini didn’t just point out the problems – it offered clear recommendations to resolve each issue. Gemini has moved beyond giving generic technical advice, now delivering real, actionable technical insights directly inside your workflow. If you manage large sites and complex audits, Gemini is no longer just helpful – it’s a serious asset. Where Gemini still falls short: Schema markup and code-based tasks For every standout feature Gemini has added – from deep research to in-Sheets technical SEO analysis – there are still areas where it hasn’t quite kept up. Schema markup generation is one of them. Early versions of Bard excelled at creating clean, standards-compliant schema based on content context. However, Gemini now struggles to generate schema markup reliably – especially when prompted with a URL. In some cases, it simply refuses to attempt it. That’s a clear step back for if you regularly use AI to scaffold Product, FAQ, or LocalBusiness schema. But this is exactly why you shouldn’t rely on just one model. ChatGPT continues to be a strong option for schema generation, especially with its ability to analyze live URLs and return valid structured markup. Claude also performs well for code-based tasks like schema, producing clean, well-formatted output with minimal prompting. Gemini’s strategic SEO advantage – with some caveats Gemini has made real strides since its Bard days, especially in how it supports strategic SEO tasks like: Content planning and technical audits directly with Google Workspace. Competitor analysis with Deep Research. Its ability to interpret data, align with search behavior, and provide insights rooted in Google’s own logic makes it an increasingly valuable SEO tool. That said, not every update has moved in the right direction. Some previously reliable capabilities, like schema generation, have taken a step back. And for code-heavy or markup-specific tasks, tools like ChatGPT and Claude still offer more consistent performance. That’s why the real advantage isn’t just using Gemini – it’s knowing when to use the right LLM for the job. In 2025, effective SEO isn’t about relying on a single AI assistant. It’s about building a toolkit that leverages each model’s strengths, backed by your own expertise and judgment. Test their limits. Compare outputs. Let AI save you time – but make sure you stay in the driver’s seat. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Just in time for Memorial Day grilling, barbecuing, and smoking, the thoughtful folks over at ThermoWorks have put together a sale that you won’t want to miss. Starting today, you can get my favorite meat thermometer 30% off. It’s the Thermapen One, and I like it so much, I even bought one for my dad. ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, No. 1 Recommended Instant-Read Thermometer - Cayenne Pepper Red $119.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $119.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg I’ve been using the Thermapen One for about eight months now, and I don’t know how I ever hosted a Friendsgiving without it. I’d rather forget those days when I nearly roasted my own arm because some other crummy meat thermometer took forever to measure the temperature of my oven-roasted turkey. Though I primarily use the Thermapen One for meat, don’t limit yourself—this handy probe thermometer can be used to check the doneness of breads, cakes, and casseroles too. The Thermapen One gives you an accurate reading in one second (hence the name). While that is absolutely fantastic, it’s the other features that set it apart. It has a hinged probe, so you can collapse it when it’s not in use. (It automatically shuts off when you fold the end in.) When you open it up, the digital display is backlit so you can easily see the reading. Best of all, the numbers rotate with the screen orientation. This sounds like an “okay, who cares” feature, but you’d be surprised how many weird angles you have to use to get to the center of a thigh or avoid hitting a turkey bone while trying to keep your knuckles from getting burned on a grill grate. A temperature reading that orients automatically right-side-up is extremely helpful. My dad’s the grill guy in our family, and the quick reading is the main feature that drew him to this thermometer in the first place: No more waiting around for the temperature to finish climbing while you lose heat from your grill with the lid open. In fact, if you want to get ahead of Father’s Day shopping, this is a great opportunity to grab a deal, and you'll feel proud of yourself for being so organized and thoughtful. The Thermapen One is on sale through May 27, so if shipping times won't get it to you by this weekend, at least you'll have it to get you through the rest of grilling season. View the full article

Google has built a massive business selling ads that appear around search results: In its 2024 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company reported roughly $198 billion under “Google Search & Other,” its largest profit segment and more than half of its parent company Alphabet’s total revenue. But search is undergoing a foundational shift toward accessing the web’s information with the help of powerful AI models, and nobody has yet found a winning model for placing ads around AI search results. At the same time, new generative AI models can now handle much of the cognitive efforts users typically expend to arrive at their intended web content—and they’re doing it faster. This shift was evident in the search products and features that Google unveiled at this week’s I/O developer event, many of which are powered by this very reasoning capability. Fast Company spoke to Liz Reid, Google’s head of search, and Nick Fox, SVP of knowledge and information product, about how the company is navigating this seismic shift. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. How are you thinking about where search is heading? Nick Fox: What [AI] means for search is probably the biggest shift in search ever. We’re talking about a shift from basic information retrieval to intelligence. These models enable a much deeper understanding of information [and] the ability to transform information. If we rewind a year, some of this was just theory. Liz Reid: One of the exciting things with AI Mode is that while it’s our cutting-edge AI search, it also provides a glimpse of what we think can be more broadly available. Our current belief is that we will take the things that work well in AI Mode and bring them right to the core of search and AI Overviews. We’ve started doing this with technology like query fan-out [in which the AI calls for a number of sources for information related to the user’s search], so you can just ask whatever question you have right in the search box. When we think about the future of search, we consider a few different areas: AI could be the most powerful engine for discovery because the ability for you to specify what you want means we can connect you to that really interesting niche page or artist that has something different to say that you’re interested in. We think it can end up transforming the web and people’s ability to connect. LLM technology allows multimodality both in inputs and in outputs. Humans speak in different ways—conversationally, looking at images, seeing things before us. This is how we like to talk, describe our needs, and understand. AI allows you to say how you would really like to consume this information and makes that possible. What does the introduction of reason agents mean for search? LR: [Google] has been thinking about agentic work for a while [but] oftentimes that’s been confined by API integrations. The goal is to make search gather information, pull it together, and make it easy for you to take action on your information needs. This will be really exciting. We’re starting with bringing a lot of the Project Mariner (AI agent) technologies into search. This was something that was once easy to talk about, but now it feels like it’s actually going to be possible. This is related to the new reasoning aspect of LLMs and the tool calling ability to do tasks as opposed to just searching for a static piece of information. Thinking about traditional search with the “10 blue links,” my brain was doing the work to figure out which link to click and to process all the information. It seems like with the new AI approach, AI is doing some of that mental work for me. NF: While a lot of the narrative out there is “AI or the web,” we don’t view it as AI or the web, but rather the two of those really in concert together, building a holistic experience. A big part of that is exactly what you said, which is AI can help contextualize the web. AI can help organize, contextualize, and bring some of the simpler parts, and then you’re going to go deeper, often in a web page. Robby Stein, VP of search products, mentioned giving AI Mode permission to look into search history, Gmail, and other Google services to personalize search results. What are the privacy concerns about accessing that kind of data? LR: A key part of this is that it is genuinely an opt-in thing; we really want people to actively decide that they want to do it. We’re really starting with business messaging and recommendations. It’s not about personalizing something like a health response based on email content, but using information like the type of brands you like to shop for to make shopping queries easier, or the type of restaurants you order takeout from to recommend places in a new country. We’re going to start in Labs (for experimental products) to see what the feedback is and focus on recommendation spaces where there’s an overwhelming number of choices and it can be hard to express what you want, to specify your taste. NF: My own usage has been super useful for recommendations, especially restaurant recommendations based on OpenTable confirmations in Gmail. Search understands some of this already, but the notion of which restaurant I actually liked is a particularly useful piece of information. LR: Our UX research shows people have very different views. Some people really don’t want it, which supports the opt-in. But a lot of younger users actually expect apps to be very personalized, and they assume we’re already doing a lot of personalization in search. For some users, we’re not meeting their expectations in that space, and we should do more. Others may just never want it, and that’s fine. It’s like you have to get a sense of the zeitgeist around privacy expectations, and it’s a generational thing. I always think of it in a transactional way: I would be happy to expose my information if the return was obvious, and if you earn and keep my trust, and don’t start doing something with my data that I didn’t know you were going to do. NF: Yes, the user value of it has to be really high. We believe it can be and will be, but this is what we’ll learn with our users. It must be rooted in whether there is truly compelling user value by getting highly personalized, highly relevant recommendations for the things people are really looking for. You built this huge business on showing search ads to people, and now we’re talking about this foundational shift in the way we’re doing search. Has your thinking around how you’re going to monetize AI search evolved as you’ve learned more about what it is and how people use it? LR: We still see that a critical class of information is commercial information, where people are still often making [product] choices. So there’s still a large opportunity for ads. AI is expanding what’s possible. People are asking more queries, sometimes more specific queries. They’re telling more about what the intent is, which allows us to do more useful ads; you’re not just guessing, you can get more explicit. That is a real opportunity [for Google] from a business perspective, with more various opportunities. It’s also really important for [businesses] that there are these opportunities for ads. If you’re a small merchant, often the only way you have a chance to break out is with ads. Otherwise, you just cement the brands everybody knows. That is how new brands come in and new merchants stand out, advertising to people looking for something they don’t know by name. If people get more specific about what they want, it gives more space for small merchants to show up and meet niche needs. NF: What I’d add is the hallmark of our approach to advertising and search has been showing ads when they’re relevant and highly useful for the user, and showing very few or no ads when they aren’t relevant or the query wouldn’t benefit. I’m looking for a Mother’s Day present or gift ideas, which can be tricky. Having an AI response that gives ideas, and then ads that provide specific places to go buy them, is highly useful. Because we have a baseline understanding of how to monetize and thoughtfully display ads or not display ads on a search results page, it gives us the ability to get this right and what the user is looking for while also creating the opportunity for advertisers and driving the business forward. Have you been talking to brands? Are they looking at this new mode of discovery and thinking about what they need to be doing to optimize for visibility and searchability in AI search? NF: The ecosystem is figuring it out; we’re all figuring this out together. Historically, it’s all been about clicks—someone searches, do I get a click? That’s going to continue to be important for conversions. But there’s an additional piece: Brands themselves want visibility in that experience even if they’re not the place the user is going to go to buy. There’s value to the impression or the mention, which is something search hasn’t focused on as much historically. This is something we’re going to be talking to advertisers and businesses about. It’s interesting that the total number of searches is increasing with the introduction of AI search. NF: There’s been this narrative out there that the web is dying for 25 years or something. What’s interesting is that if you actually look at the data, the web is thriving. We were looking at data recently, and Google’s crawler, which crawls a lot of the web, is seeing way more content than ever before. Our crawlers are seeing 45% more content this year—in April versus April two years ago. More content is being created, more domains are being registered, and third-party data shows visits to the web increasing over time. Liz talked about AI being an engine of discovery; discovery also leads to creation. Google is an optimistic company that cares a lot about the web. We truly believe this will be an expansionary moment for the internet and the web, and the data seems to indicate this reality. Maybe you’re just making it a little bit more fun to search, more fun to shop. LR: It’s certainly the case that if you reduce the drudgery and the effort, people search more. People have limited time, and if it’s just easier to do, if it feels like a joy and you don’t have to do the hard parts but get to do the fun parts, then people will do it more often. We’ve seen this repeatedly, from the web overall to images, Lens, and AI Overviews. Lower the difficulty, make it more enjoyable with the response you get, and then people just do more of it because it’s worth their time. View the full article

The startup, which emerged from Y Combinator in 2023, has deployed its software at a long list of community banks and fintechs, including Grasshopper Bank and First Internet Bank. View the full article

Google had a lot of news out of Google I/O, as you would expect. The big item, which we predicted, was that AI Mode is now available to all US searchers without having to opt into it within Search Labs. Plus, Google is testing a number of new features in AI mode including Deep Search, Live Search, personal context, custom charts, AI shopping and yes - Agentic features.View the full article

Surprise, surprise, as I called it, Google is expanding AI Overviews into more regions. I mean, we saw this being leaked a couple of weeks ago, so it is not shocking news. But at I/O, Google said AI Overviews are "now available in more than 200 countries and territories and in more than 40 languages, with support added for Arabic, Chinese, Malay, Urdu and more."View the full article

Google Search seems to be super volatile today and yesterday, so I will call this the Google I/O 2025 Google unconfirmed update. I am seeing a spike in chatter within the SEO community along with many of the tools showing super heated volatility within the Google search results.View the full article

Google seems to be testing hiding the citations, link icons, for the AI Overviews default view. So when the AI Overview first loads in the Google Search results, the link icon is hidden.View the full article