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Learn about Porter‘s Five Forces, a competitive analysis framework, and how to begin using it to boost growth and success at your organization. Learn more here. View the full article

Commitments come as Donald The President begins first leg of three-nation tour of oil-rich GulfView the full article

Google is rolling out a new feature in Google Business Profiles named “What’s Happening.” This feature offers restaurants and bars a new way to highlight events, deals, and specials prominently at the top of your Google Business Profile. Google said, “What’s Happening” puts your timely updates, like “Today’s Special” or “Live Music on Saturday,” front and center!” What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of this feature in action: Eglibility. To be eligible to appear in this new space, share What’s Happening at your business via Google Posts or connect your Facebook, Instagram and/ or X profiles to your Google Business Profiles for automatic syncing. The initial launch is for single location Food and Drink businesses in the US, UK, AU, CA, NZ. Why we care. If you manage restaurants and/or bars, this may be a new way to get more attention and visitors to your business from Google Search. These updates can show in Google Search and potentially Google Maps. View the full article

Discover 16 competitor monitoring tools to help you keep tabs on your competition and outperform them. View the full article

Following its initial reveal early last month, Nintendo has been drip-feeding announcements about the Switch 2, and two announcements recently posted to the Nintendo Today app are especially exciting. The company revealed that your Switch 2 will have a feature that can limit charging speeds once it hits around 90%, in order to reduce battery degradation. But perhaps more exciting, especially for parents or kids with nosy siblings, is that you'll be able to use a PIN to lock your Nintendo Switch 2. Set charging limits on Nintendo Switch 2 Credit: Nintendo In a feature similar to the 80% charge limit on iPhones, Nintendo Switch 2 will optionally let you stop charging the device once the battery reaches around a 90% charge. This could help reduce battery degradation on your Switch 2, which could stave off repairs in the future. That said, the settings page mentions that your Switch 2 may still occasionally charge to 100% to ensure accurate display of the console's battery level. Once you have your Switch 2, you can enable this feature by going to Settings > System > Stop Charging Around 90%. This is a great feature when you consider that many people will near permanently leave their Switch 2 in docked mode. Lock your Switch 2 with a PIN Credit: Nintendo Got someone in your house that you don't trust with your console? The good old PIN lock is finally coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. The default screen lock on the original Nintendo Switch would require you to press a button thrice to unlock the console, which wasn't great for security. With the Switch 2, you can lock the console with a PIN, which is better for those who want to stop people from using their console without permission. To enable a screen lock on your Switch 2, go to Settings > System > System Lock and enable the feature. This means that you'll have to enter a PIN every single time you wake the Switch 2 from sleep mode. Such is the price of improved security. Personally, the slight inconvenience is worth it for me, and I'm sure any parents with kids who are always trying to sneak in extra screen time would agree. View the full article

Five American small businesses will ask a U.S. court on Tuesday to halt President Donald The President’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, arguing the president overstepped his authority by declaring a national emergency to impose across-the-board taxes on imports from nations that sell more to the U.S. than they buy. Tuesday’s hearing before a panel of three judges at the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade will be the first major legal test of The President’s tariffs. The lawsuit was filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small U.S. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the tariffs. The companies, which range from a New York wine and spirits importer to a Virginia-based maker of educational kits and musical instruments, say the steep “Liberation Day” tariffs that The President imposed on April 2 are illegal and will hurt their ability to do business. Small businesses are being harmed by the threat of increased costs, as well as “minute by minute changes” that prevent them from planning ahead, said Jeffrey Schwab, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. “Our clients have no certainty on what the tariffs are going to be at any point, and that’s exactly the problem,” Schwab said. “One person shouldn’t have unilateral authority to impose tariffs on every country at any rate, at any time that he wants.” The Liberty Justice Center’s lawsuit is one of seven court challenges to The President’s tariff policies, and it is the first to seek a ruling that would stop the tariffs from moving forward. The Court of International Trade previously rejected the small businesses’ request to temporarily pause the tariffs while their lawsuit went forward, but then quickly scheduled Tuesday’s court hearing to decide whether to rule against the tariffs or impose a longer-term pause. The President imposed the new tariffs on April 2, saying the U.S. trade deficit was a “national emergency” that justified a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports, with higher tariff rates for countries with which the U.S. has the largest trade deficits, particularly China. Many of those country-specific tariffs were paused a week later, and on Monday the The President administration said it was also temporarily slashing the steepest China tariffs while working on a longer-term trade deal with Beijing. Both countries agreed over the weekend to cut tariffs on each other for at least 90 days. The President’s on-and-off-again tariffs have shocked U.S. markets, but he has justified them as a way to restore America’s manufacturing capability. The president’s executive order announcing the tariffs invoked laws including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives presidents special powers to combat unusual or extraordinary threats to the U.S. The Liberty Justice Center said the law does not give the president the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs “on any country he chooses at any rate he chooses.” The law is meant to address “unusual and extraordinary” threats, and the U.S.’ decades-long practice of buying more goods than it exports does not qualify as an emergency that would trigger IEEPA, according to the lawsuit. The U.S. Department of Justice has argued that IEEPA gives presidents broad authority to regulate imports in response to a national emergency. It has said that the plaintiffs’ lawsuit should be thrown out, because they have not been harmed by tariffs they have not yet paid, and because only Congress, and not private businesses, can challenge a national emergency declared by the President under IEEPA. The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. —Dietrich Knauth, Reuters View the full article

US tariff uncertainty prompts luxury-car maker to hold back on giving profitability forecastView the full article

Google is facing a legal reckoning across Europe, with at least €12 billion ($12.9B) in damages sought by price comparison sites who say the tech giant abused its dominance in search to siphon traffic and revenue. The civil suits stem from the EU’s landmark 2017 decision to fine Google €2.4B for antitrust violations related to its shopping service. With that ruling upheld, plaintiffs now only need to prove financial harm – not the legal wrongdoing itself – opening the door to massive payouts. Driving the news. A Bloomberg review identified 12 active civil suits in seven EU countries. Nine of the cases have disclosed claims totaling more than €12B. The lawsuits come from a wide mix of players, from well-known brands like Kelkoo and Pricerunner, to shuttered firms like PreisRoboter. The scoreboard: PlaintiffCountryClaimed DamagesTrovaprezziItaly€2.97BPricerunnerSweden€2.1BKelkooUK€1.4BPreisRoboter & othersNetherlands€900MCeneoPoland€550MGroup of six firmsVarious€450MStylightGermany€300MUnknown plaintiffGermany€290M Why we care. These lawsuits could reshape how Google prioritizes content in search results, particularly for shopping and comparison queries. If courts force changes to Google’s ranking or ad display practices, it could impact ad visibility, CPCs, and the competitive landscape. A shift toward fairer treatment of rival platforms may also create new advertising opportunities outside Google’s ecosystem. Between the lines. Some plaintiffs are upping their claims and tapping litigation funders, arguing Google’s practices haven’t changed much and that the company continues to tilt the playing field in its own favor. “The internet can’t and mustn’t be dominated by monopolies,” said Idealo’s co-founder Albrecht von Sonntag, whose firm recently raised its claim to €3.3B. Google’s take. The company denies the allegations and says its current product setup is fair, citing more than 1,550 comparison sites using its shopping ad format today, up from just seven in 2017. “These lawsuits are brought by companies looking for a payout instead of investing in their own products,” a Google spokesperson said. What’s next. Major hearings are set in the UK (June), Amsterdam (September), and Berlin (November). More lawsuits are expected, including a fresh €900M claim filed in April in the Netherlands. Reality check. Despite the EU ruling, the plaintiffs still must prove Google caused their losses. This is a legally tricky and data-heavy task. “You have to factor out other causes,” said Christian Kersting, a law professor in Düsseldorf. “It’s extremely complicated.” Bottom line. Google’s courtroom battles in Europe could reshape how dominant platforms are held accountable – and open the floodgates for even more private enforcement of antitrust law. View the full article

Agricultural sectors are ‘front of the line’ in ongoing trade talks, says The President’s agriculture secretaryView the full article

Top competitor analysis tools include Semrush, Sprout Social, and Buzzsumo. Compare features and cost. View the full article

Flexible schedules, remote culture, and ‘durable skills’ are reshaping the accounting profession. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

Flexible schedules, remote culture, and ‘durable skills’ are reshaping the accounting profession. The Disruptors With Liz Farr Go PRO for members-only access to more Liz Farr. View the full article

For years, SEO professionals have obsessed over rankings. What position are we in? Did we move up or down? Can we get back to Position 1? But as AI-driven search continues to reshape how information is retrieved and delivered, we need to ask a different question: Are we relevant enough to be included at all? I still remember the first time I dropped from Position 1 to 7 for a major keyword – I literally sat on the floor and sobbed. Back then, rankings weren’t just about traffic – they were validation. If Google said you were the best, it was so. Everyone believed it. Holding that top spot meant everything. Losing it – even by a few places – felt like losing everything. In a world of large language models (LLMs), AI Overviews, and generative search features, traditional ideas about optimization have been turned on their head. The game is shifting from chasing position to securing presence in the AI layer of search. And that presence is earned through clarity, directness, and relevance – not technical compliance, keyword density, or even link equity. The shift from rank to retrieval Classic SEO relied on rankings as the primary signal of success. If you ranked first, you were winning. But AI-generated search experiences like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT Browse, and Perplexity don’t work that way. These systems don’t rank full web pages in a linear list. They retrieve and synthesize information based on relevance to the query and clarity of expression. Here’s what that means: If your content answers the question clearly, you may be surfaced. If your content buries the answer in fluff or lacks semantic cues, you might be skipped. If you don’t use the language of the searcher, you won’t align with the prompt, and you will be skipped. Today, being a strong brand is table stakes – you need authority and recognition to even have a chance at being surfaced by AI-driven search. But even if you have that authority, it won’t save you if your content can’t be easily understood or retrieved. Success now requires doing both things well: You need to build brand strength. Structure your content clearly. Neither on their own can fully compensate for deficiencies in the other. Dig deeper: 6 easy ways to adapt your SEO strategy for stronger AI visibility Semantic understanding doesn’t eliminate literal matching There’s a common myth that LLMs don’t need keywords because they “understand language.” That’s only half true. While LLMs are excellent at interpreting meaning and generating fluent responses, their retrieval layers still rely heavily on surface-level matching. They look for literal matches in the prompt and in your content. If your page doesn’t mention the terms users are searching for, even if it covers the same concept, it may not get selected. Testing and observations have shown that: Content with clear, repeated terminology performs better in AI summaries. Pages that use synonyms or overly clever phrasing often miss the cut. Headings and lists matter more than ever – they serve as extraction cues. In short, relevance starts with “being findable” at the language level, not just the conceptual one. Relevance signals in an AI world If we accept that AI-powered systems prioritize relevance over rank, then we need to rethink how we define and signal relevance in our content. Here are the new relevance cues that matter. Direct answers AI tools love content that answers questions explicitly. Don’t make them guess or figure it out – spell it out clearly. Structured formats Lists, FAQs, and bullet points are easier for AI to extract and summarize. Semantic cues Words like “step-by-step,” “definition,” “most important,” and “in summary” are helpful for extraction. Topical clarity Each section should have a single purpose. Don’t meander and don’t bury the lede. Prompt alignment Use the same language your audience would use in a query. Echo their terminology. These are not ranking factors in the classic sense. They’re retrieval facilitators. They help the AI decide whether your content is worth pulling into the answer. Why relevance beats rankings in AI search In traditional SEO, it was possible to “outrank” better content through technical optimization, backlink authority, or strategic keyword targeting. You could sometimes claim a top spot even if your content wasn’t the best answer – as long as you checked enough of the old-school SEO boxes. In AI-driven search, those days are over. If your content isn’t the clearest, most relevant, and most understandable option, it won’t get included in AI Overviews, ChatGPT Browse results, or Perplexity summaries – no matter how many backlinks you have or how high your domain authority is. AI models aren’t just picking “the best optimized” page – they’re synthesizing answers from content that matches the user prompt and can be extracted cleanly. In other words, being second-best often means being invisible. This is a huge shift. It means SEOs must focus not only on building strong technical foundations and brands, but also on creating content that is the obvious best choice for retrieval. The future of optimization isn’t about being “optimized” in the traditional sense – it’s about being chosen at the moment the AI model decides what to show. Dig deeper: AI optimization: How to optimize your content for AI search and agents Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Optimization, reframed So, what does it mean to be optimized in 2025? It means: Being understandable by both users and machines. Aligning your language and structure with how people ask questions. Writing content that fits into someone else’s summary, not just your own webpage. Optimization now includes: Making content easy to parse (short paragraphs, clear headings). Front-loading answers instead of burying them. Using the right terminology, not just the most creative one. Demonstrating E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) in a way that’s easy to spot and cite. The question is no longer “Can I rank for this keyword?” but rather “Am I the clearest, most relevant source to answer this question right now?” Dig deeper: Search, answer, and assistive engine optimization: A 3-part approach What SEOs should do next Rethink your content structure Review your top content pieces and ask yourself if the main ideas are clear within the first few seconds of reading. Are your headings descriptive? Does each section focus on a single, easily digestible point? If not, restructure it to improve both human and machine comprehension. Match language to prompts Conduct keyword research not just for ranking opportunities, but also to understand how users phrase their questions. Then, mirror that phrasing in your content. Remember, LLMs retrieve based on how closely your language matches the query, not just how conceptually related it is. Double down on clarity Prioritize simple, declarative sentences over clever phrasing or puns. Ask yourself: would a reader (or a machine) know exactly what this section is about without needing to infer? Break up complex ideas into smaller pieces, and avoid burying your main points deep in the text. Refresh and refactor legacy content Don’t just update the dates on old posts. Refactor the structure. Improve the formatting. Tighten up the language. Explicitly include the newer terminology searchers are using (and remember, language shifts over time. Have your keywords morphed? When the pandemic began, everyone called the virus “coronavirus,” but at some point the language shifted, and it was only referred to as COVID-19, and now it’s commonly just called COVID. Keep up with the shifts in language and make your evergreen content retrieval-ready. Monitor AI visibility Start paying attention to whether your content is appearing in AI Overviews, ChatGPT Browse answers, or tools like Perplexity. Tools for monitoring AI visibility are starting to emerge, and early adopters will have an advantage. Treat AI citation visibility as a new KPI. Dig deeper: How to track visibility across AI platforms Design for extraction Think about whether an AI could easily lift a paragraph, list, or answer from your page and present it cleanly. If it can’t – because your information is buried, fragmented, or cluttered – you’re handicapping your retrieval potential before the game even starts. We’re entering an era where being included in the AI layer is as valuable – if not more – than being number one in the traditional SERP. That inclusion depends on your ability to signal relevance at the moment of retrieval. So, forget the leaderboard. Focus on being the best answer. That’s what “optimized” means now. Dig deeper: How to optimize your 2025 content strategy for AI-powered SERPs and LLMs View the full article

A few weeks ago, I posted a story about the proliferation of AI-created fake news videos about Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Because I am fair (and balanced!), this week I'm looking at the AI distortion of a hero from the left: Dallas-based congressperson Jasmine Crockett. The real Crockett is sharp, confrontational, and isn't afraid to curse people out. AI-Jasmine Crockett is a folk hero who spends her life STUNNING, DESTROYING, and OBLITERATING various talk show hosts, actors, and political opponents. She took on Bill Maher, humiliated Seth Meyers, made Ellen DeGeneres regret insulting her, and still had time to have a judge arrested. On YouTube. The real Jasmine Crockett is a political figure, but I don't think these fakes are propaganda exactly. They aren't political misinformation in the way we usually understand it. No one is trying to convince anyone to vote a certain way or write a letter to Congress. It's stranger than that. It's a flood of algorithm-driven cultural wish fulfillment in which computers make videos to satisfy some deeply rooted, tribal emotional need. I'd like to think most people recognize that these videos are fake (they're not faked very well) but there wouldn't be so many of them if they didn't work. Jasmine Crockett STUNS Jimmy Kimmell—and Bill Maher, Seth Meyer, Ellen Degeneres, and everyone else The video below describes an imaginary confrontation between talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and Jasmine Crockett. For comparison, here's what really happened when Crockett was a guest on Kimmel's show: As you can see, at no point was Kimmell STUNNED or HUMILIATED, and Crockett did not refer to the host as a "f*cking weasel" even once. ("F*cking weasel" is the go-to thumbnail insult on these videos, for some reason.) The real video has been viewed 3.1 million times in 10 months. The fake has a view count of more than 600k in three weeks, but that's not a fair number, because there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of AI-created videos entitled "Jasmine Crockett Stuns Jimmy Kimmel on Live TV with a Savage Comeback—Audience Left in Shock!" on YouTube and other video sites. Some have 100k views, some have less than a thousand views, so there may be as many people watching the fake appearance as the real one. If the idea was to influence American politics, to "own conservatives," or something, Jimmy Kimmel is a strange choice for Crockett's opposition. He's not a conservative. But the politics only function as bait to be clicked, and Jimmy and Jasmine are emotional buzzers, not people. Viewers have strong feelings about them, so a video with Crockett and Kimmel in conflict hits recommendation pay dirt. Developing videos titles for this breed of AI slop is like political Mad Libs, but it's an easy-to-understand formula: The subject is a controversial media figure, the predicate is a verb that could describe both physical violence or rhetoric, and the object is a media figure. Close it off with a button and you got a YouTube AI political video. The result are titles like these (that I made up): Matt Gaetz CRUSHES Rachel Maddow Live on MSNBC—She's Going Off the Air! AOC BALL-KICKS Tucker Carlson onto his fainting couch—That's gotta HURT! RFK Jr. MELANCHOLIES Brian Kilmeade With a Haunting Stare—Audience SHOCKED! Angela Davis FLAME THROWS Dick Cavett's Sitting Room Liberalism Into an Afro-Futurist Death Spiral: "YOU GOT DIALECTICALLY DESTROYED!" (That last one probably wouldn't get many hits, but the thumbnail would look like this): Credit: Stephen Johnson/Sora The point is: AI slop-makers will have anyone fight anyone, regardless of political affiliation. Crockett has STUNNED Seth Meyer, Stephen Colbert, Tucker Carlson, Bill Maher, and Jon Stewart. But so, roughly, has Caroline Leavitt. For some reason, so has Denzel Washington. You might be wondering who would be DESTROYED if the queens of AI slop, Karoline Leavitt and Jasmine Crockett, were to face off, maybe to debate why they both have two Ts at the end of their name when so many names go without any Ts at all. The answer: Karoline Leavitt would ERUPT, but Jasmine Crockett would be STUNNED. The videos themselves are secondary to their titles, and they're all terrible. They're uniformly slow-paced (longer videos lead to longer engagement time, a key YouTube metric) and the content is strangely tame, given the titles. Just a droning AI voice telling a boring story for half an hour over a single still frame of the video's subjects. It's only interesting when the AI screws up and gives someone extra fingers or mistakes Bill Maher for Chuck Schumer. Regardless of the low quality, sometimes one of these AI-developed videos hits the the YouTube recommendation sweet spot and gets some traffic. There's no honor among thieves on social media, so many, many channels that produce this shit (Valorium Story, Gentry Stories, Battle Arena, etc., etc.) swarm like flies to rip off any mildly "sticky" title, and post roughly the same content, generally with diminishing returns in terms of views. It's ridiculously easy and inexpensive to set up an automated content farm. Whether you'd make back the $100 a month or so in software subscriptions you'd need to create these videos is an open question, but I guess people have to hope. What are viewers getting out of these videos?Although these videos almost always have a quick disclaimer screen explaining that they're fake or "parody," judging by the comments, people are taking them seriously. "This young lady's education as a lawyer was not in vain!!! She's amazing!!!" one reads. "Those who voted for Ms. Crockett did so with unwavering confidence in her, and she delivers making us proud that she will challenge injustice without pause!" reads another. But are the comments fake, too? Is this just AI commenting on videos made by AI, the Dead Internet Theory coming true in real time? Man, I don't even know. It's easier to make fake comments on YouTube than it is to fake a whole video, but I still assume that, at the end of the conveyor belt, there are actual viewers slumped over their phones, thinking (or doing whatever passes for "thinking" these days) about Jasmine Crockett. Something is shaping this narrative, and it feels depressingly human. You can't blame computers for videos like "Jasmine Crockett LOSES IT As Elon Musk Confronts Her to Her FACE!" That's on us, baby. We want to watch endless videos of our perceived tribal enemies being HUMILIATED, DESTROYED, STUNNED, and FORCE-CHOKED, maybe because we like carnage, or maybe because we want to feel like we belong to something, that somewhere, Justice is jumping off the top rope, ready to SUPLEX, STUN, and OBLITERATE the people who annoy us. And if we can't find enough of the real thing to get that little jolt of spite-flavored dopamine, we'll make computers fake it for us. View the full article

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

UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty is stepping down for personal reasons and the nation’s largest health insurer suspended its full-year financial outlook due to higher-than-expected medical costs. Chairman Stephen Hemsley will become CEO, effective immediately, the Minnesota company said. Hemsley was UnitedHealth Group CEO from 2006 to 2017. He will remain chairman of the company’s board. Witty will serve as a senior adviser to Hemsley. “Leading the people of UnitedHealth Group has been a tremendous honor as they work every day to improve the health system, and they will continue to inspire me,” Witty said. Witty joined the company in 2018 after serving about nine years as CEO of the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline. He was named UnitedHealth’s CEO in February 2021, replacing Dave Wichmann. UnitedHealth became one of the nation’s largest companies under Witty’s leadership. Total revenue topped $400 billion last year, a 55% increase from the $257 billion UnitedHealth brought in the year before Witty became CEO. Shares of UnitedHealth rocketed higher under Witty, up 60.5% since he took the company’s top job. Yet in the past five months, that stock performance reversed sharply, coinciding with the fatal shooting of company executive Brian Thompson in front of a New York City hotel late last year. The company has wrestled with the media attention focused on Luigi Mangione, who was indicted last month on a federal murder charge in the killing of Thompson. The case has captured the American imagination, setting off a cascade of resentment and online vitriol toward U.S. health insurers while rattling corporate executives concerned about security. UnitedHealth cut its 2025 forecast last month following its first quarterly earnings miss in more than a decade. Shares of UnitedHealth, which have plummeted 38% since the deadly Dec. 4 ambush of Thompson in midtown Manhattan, fell 9% before the opening bell on Tuesday. UnitedHealth said Tuesday that it suspended its 2025 outlook as medical costs of many Medicare Advantage beneficiaries new to UnitedHealthcare were higher than expected. “To all stakeholders, including employees and shareholders, I’m deeply disappointed in and apologize for the performance setbacks we have encountered from both external and internal challenges,” Hemsley said during a conference call. “Many of the issues standing in the way of achieving our goals as well as our opportunities are largely within our control. I am optimistic about our future as these issues are within our capacity to resolve. We will approach them with humility, rigor and urgency.” More than 50 million people have health insurance under UnitedHealth Group Inc. It also has a large pharmacy benefit manager that runs prescription drug coverage and a growing Optum segment that delivers care and provides technical support. UnitedHealthcare is the nation’s largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, with more than 8 million customers. Those are privately run versions of the federal government coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and older. AP Health Writer Tom Murphy contributed to this report. —Michelle Chapman, AP Business Writer View the full article

Labour critics express concern about ‘chasing the tail of the right’ after migration announcementView the full article

A data strategy is crucial for any business hoping to stay competitive in today‘s highly dynamic marketplace. In this article, we’ll walk you through the benefits and challenges of developing a data strategy, while providing actionable insights for achieving data-driven results for your business. View the full article

In a draft version of the tax bill released on Monday, House Republicans highlighted the president's populist priorities in a package that would enact those cuts through 2028. View the full article

Key Takeaways Diverse Opportunities: The agricultural sector presents numerous business ideas, such as organic farming, aquaponics, and value-added products, catering to a growing market for sustainable and locally sourced goods.Focus on Sustainability: Entrepreneurs are encouraged to develop eco-friendly practices and products, aligning their ventures with the increasing consumer preference for health-conscious and environmentally-friendly options.Importance of Market Research: Conducting thorough market research is vital to understand consumer demands, identify market gaps, and refine business ideas, ensuring alignment with current trends in agriculture.Business Planning and Funding: Developing a solid business plan and exploring various funding options are essential steps for starting and sustaining an agricultural venture, helping entrepreneurs navigate challenges and opportunities.Adapting to Challenges: Being aware of challenges such as climate impact, market fluctuations, and regulatory compliance allows agricultural businesses to implement strategies that enhance resilience and maintain profitability. In today’s fast-paced world, the agricultural sector offers a wealth of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. With a growing demand for sustainable and locally sourced products, now’s the perfect time to dive into innovative agricultural business ideas. Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or just starting out, there’s a niche waiting for you. From organic farming to aquaponics, the possibilities are endless. You can tap into the rising interest in health-conscious eating and eco-friendly practices. By exploring these ideas, you can not only contribute to a healthier planet but also create a profitable venture that aligns with your passions. Let’s explore some exciting agricultural business ideas that could pave the way for your success. Overview of Agricultural Business Ideas Exploring agricultural business ideas offers numerous avenues for small business entrepreneurs. With a focus on sustainability and local sourcing, you can tap into the growing market demand for healthy and eco-friendly products. Here are several viable options: Organic Farming Organic farming caters to the health-conscious consumer. You can grow fruits and vegetables without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. This business idea aligns with increasing demand and can yield high profit margins. Aquaponics Aquaponics combines fish farming and plant cultivation. It maximizes space and resources, appealing to urban markets. This innovative approach represents a sustainable method of food production. Farmers’ Markets Setting up a stall at local farmers’ markets fosters direct connections with customers. You can sell organic produce, homemade goods, or artisanal products, thus building a brand and gaining loyal clientele. Agricultural Technology Offering tech solutions for farming, such as precision agriculture tools, can attract venture capital. Researching market needs helps you design products that enhance efficiency and yield. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Implementing a CSA model allows consumers to buy shares of your harvest. This approach builds community engagement and guarantees upfront funding for your startup. Value-Added Products Creating value-added items like jams, sauces, or dried fruits increases your sales potential. You can focus on branding and marketing to differentiate your products. Conducting thorough market research helps identify your target audience and informs your business model. Working on a solid business plan, securing funding, and understanding the legal structure—whether an LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation—essentially sets your foundation. Networking with agricultural experts and utilizing business incubators might also enhance your startup’s growth strategy. Consider digital marketing strategies, including SEO and social media, to reach a broader customer base. Proper accounting practices and knowledge of taxes will ensure your agricultural venture remains financially viable. Each of these agricultural business ideas provides an opportunity for innovation, sustainability, and profitability. Types of Agricultural Business Ideas Explore various agricultural business ideas that cater to the evolving market. These ideas present opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to enter a profitable sector aligned with sustainability and community needs. Crop Farming Opportunities Organic Farming: Engage in organic farming by growing crops without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. This method meets the rising demand for healthy produce among consumers seeking eco-friendly options. Ensure compliance with certification regulations to enhance marketability. Vertical Farming: Consider vertical farming that uses stacked structures to maximize space in urban areas. By reducing transportation costs, you deliver fresh produce directly to consumers, enhancing freshness and flavor. Hydroponic Farming: Implement hydroponic farming techniques that utilize nutrient-rich water solutions. This method promotes efficient water use and delivers high-quality yields faster than traditional farming methods. Dual Crop Farming: Explore dual crop farming through mixed cropping or intercropping methods. This strategy maximizes yield and mitigates risks related to adverse conditions, helping to stabilize your business income. Livestock Farming Ventures Free-Range Poultry: Consider raising free-range poultry for higher demand in ethically sourced meat and eggs. This approach appeals to health-conscious consumers and can enhance your brand through sustainable practices. Aquaculture: Engage in aquaculture by cultivating fish and other aquatic organisms. This venture contributes to food security while offering sustainable options for protein sourcing. Dairy Farming: Explore dairy farming opportunities by producing milk, cheese, or yogurt. By investing in quality breeding and technology, you can develop a strong product line to cater to consumer preferences. Beekeeping: Consider beekeeping as a sustainable business idea, producing honey and other bee-derived products. This venture supports pollination efforts while providing unique value to your offerings. Agribusiness Technology Innovations Precision Agriculture: Implement precision agriculture technology that utilizes data analytics to optimize farming practices. This innovation enhances resource efficiency, reducing costs and increasing profit margins. Agricultural Apps: Develop agricultural apps that provide farmers with tools for farm management, market research, and customer engagement. These solutions help streamline operations and improve customer acquisition strategies. E-commerce Solutions: Set up an e-commerce platform to market products directly to consumers. Use digital marketing techniques, including SEO and social media, to reach a broader target audience and enhance sales. Farm Management Software: Invest in farm management software to track expenses, manage finances, and plan growth strategies. These tools offer crucial insights for decision-making and boost overall business efficiency. Align your business idea with the current trends in the agricultural sector. Conduct thorough market research and develop a solid business plan to navigate funding options and business registration. Starting Your Agricultural Business Starting an agricultural business involves several strategic steps to ensure success. Each step focuses on foundational elements that will shape your venture. Conducting Market Research Conducting thorough market research helps you identify consumer preferences and market gaps. Explore trends in sustainable and locally sourced products. Analyze your target audience’s demands and buying behaviors. Use surveys, focus groups, and existing market reports to gather data. Understanding your competition and their offerings can refine your business idea and strengthen your market position. Developing a Business Plan Developing a solid business plan outlines your vision, goals, and strategies. Include an executive summary, market analysis, marketing strategies, and financial projections. Specify your business model, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. Address potential challenges and risks while detailing your growth strategy. This plan serves not only as a roadmap for your business but also as a vital tool in attracting funding and partnerships. Securing Funding and Resources Securing funding and resources fuels your startup’s growth. Explore various funding options, including angel investors, business grants, and crowdfunding. Consider bootstrapping or seeking venture capital for larger aspirations. Ensure you understand the financial aspects, such as cash flow, budget management, and profit margins. Proper financial planning sets the stage for your startup’s sustainability. Research local agricultural grants and programs that support new businesses in your sector. Challenges in Agricultural Business Every agricultural business faces challenges that can impact your operations, profitability, and growth potential. Weather and Climate Impacts Weather unpredictability and climate change significantly influence agricultural outcomes. Droughts, floods, and pests can damage crops, leading to financial losses. Implementing adaptive strategies, such as diversifying crops and utilizing irrigation systems, can mitigate some risks. Employing technologies like precision farming can enhance resilience in production. Market Fluctuations Market fluctuations affect pricing and demand for agricultural products. Prices can vary due to seasonal changes or supply chain disruptions. Conducting thorough market research helps you stay informed about trends and adjust your pricing strategy accordingly. Establishing a solid business plan that accounts for potential market shifts can guide your financial decisions and planning. Regulatory Compliance Complying with local, state, and federal regulations is essential for your agricultural business. Understanding permits, licenses, and labeling requirements associated with food safety is necessary. Seeking legal advice early ensures you establish the appropriate legal structure—whether as an LLC, corporation, or partnership. Compliance helps you avoid fines and maintain your business’s integrity while protecting your intellectual property, like trademarks, or patents related to your unique products. Conclusion Exploring agricultural business ideas can be both fulfilling and profitable. By tapping into the growing demand for sustainable practices and local products, you can create a venture that resonates with today’s consumers. Whether you choose organic farming or innovative technologies, the possibilities are vast. Remember to conduct thorough market research and develop a solid business plan to guide your efforts. Embrace the challenges that come with this industry, and stay adaptable to changes. With determination and the right strategies, you can build a successful agricultural business that contributes positively to your community and the environment. Your journey in agriculture could be the key to a healthier planet and a thriving enterprise. Frequently Asked Questions What are some innovative agricultural business ideas? Innovative agricultural business ideas include organic farming, aquaponics, vertical farming, and eco-friendly livestock options like free-range poultry. Creating value-added products, utilizing agricultural technology, and engaging in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) are also great ways to tap into the market for sustainable products. Why is now a good time to start an agricultural business? The rising demand for sustainable and locally sourced products makes now an ideal time to start an agricultural business. Consumers are increasingly looking for health-conscious options, which allows entrepreneurs to create profitable ventures that also contribute to environmental sustainability. How do I conduct market research for an agricultural business? To conduct market research, analyze consumer preferences, identify market gaps, and study competitors. Use surveys, focus groups, and online tools to gather data. Understanding local demand and trends will help you tailor your business idea effectively. What should I include in my agricultural business plan? Your agricultural business plan should include an executive summary, market analysis, marketing strategies, operational plans, and financial projections. A solid business plan sets a clear direction and helps secure funding while outlining your goals. How can I secure funding for my agricultural venture? Funding options for agricultural businesses include angel investors, business grants, and crowdfunding platforms. You can also explore loans from banks or agricultural development organizations. A well-prepared business plan will help attract potential investors. What challenges might I face in the agricultural business? Challenges in agriculture include weather unpredictability, climate change, market fluctuations, and regulatory compliance. Implementing adaptive strategies such as crop diversification and keeping up with legal requirements can help mitigate these risks. How can technology improve my agricultural business? Technology can enhance agricultural efficiency through precision farming, farm management software, and e-commerce solutions. These innovations help streamline operations, reduce waste, and improve productivity, ultimately leading to higher profitability. What are Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) models? Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) models connect consumers directly with farmers. Members subscribe to receive regular deliveries of fresh produce, fostering local community engagement while providing farmers with stable cash flow and reduced market risks. How do I market my agricultural products effectively? Effective marketing strategies include utilizing digital marketing techniques, social media platforms, and participating in local farmers’ markets. Building customer relationships and showcasing your sustainable practices can also attract health-conscious consumers. What role does networking play in starting an agricultural business? Networking with agricultural experts, local farmers, and business incubators can provide valuable insights, resources, and support for your agricultural business. Collaborating with others in the industry enhances growth strategies and opens new opportunities. Image Via Envato This article, "Innovative Agricultural Business Ideas for Sustainable Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Diverse Opportunities: The agricultural sector presents numerous business ideas, such as organic farming, aquaponics, and value-added products, catering to a growing market for sustainable and locally sourced goods.Focus on Sustainability: Entrepreneurs are encouraged to develop eco-friendly practices and products, aligning their ventures with the increasing consumer preference for health-conscious and environmentally-friendly options.Importance of Market Research: Conducting thorough market research is vital to understand consumer demands, identify market gaps, and refine business ideas, ensuring alignment with current trends in agriculture.Business Planning and Funding: Developing a solid business plan and exploring various funding options are essential steps for starting and sustaining an agricultural venture, helping entrepreneurs navigate challenges and opportunities.Adapting to Challenges: Being aware of challenges such as climate impact, market fluctuations, and regulatory compliance allows agricultural businesses to implement strategies that enhance resilience and maintain profitability. In today’s fast-paced world, the agricultural sector offers a wealth of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. With a growing demand for sustainable and locally sourced products, now’s the perfect time to dive into innovative agricultural business ideas. Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or just starting out, there’s a niche waiting for you. From organic farming to aquaponics, the possibilities are endless. You can tap into the rising interest in health-conscious eating and eco-friendly practices. By exploring these ideas, you can not only contribute to a healthier planet but also create a profitable venture that aligns with your passions. Let’s explore some exciting agricultural business ideas that could pave the way for your success. Overview of Agricultural Business Ideas Exploring agricultural business ideas offers numerous avenues for small business entrepreneurs. With a focus on sustainability and local sourcing, you can tap into the growing market demand for healthy and eco-friendly products. Here are several viable options: Organic Farming Organic farming caters to the health-conscious consumer. You can grow fruits and vegetables without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. This business idea aligns with increasing demand and can yield high profit margins. Aquaponics Aquaponics combines fish farming and plant cultivation. It maximizes space and resources, appealing to urban markets. This innovative approach represents a sustainable method of food production. Farmers’ Markets Setting up a stall at local farmers’ markets fosters direct connections with customers. You can sell organic produce, homemade goods, or artisanal products, thus building a brand and gaining loyal clientele. Agricultural Technology Offering tech solutions for farming, such as precision agriculture tools, can attract venture capital. Researching market needs helps you design products that enhance efficiency and yield. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Implementing a CSA model allows consumers to buy shares of your harvest. This approach builds community engagement and guarantees upfront funding for your startup. Value-Added Products Creating value-added items like jams, sauces, or dried fruits increases your sales potential. You can focus on branding and marketing to differentiate your products. Conducting thorough market research helps identify your target audience and informs your business model. Working on a solid business plan, securing funding, and understanding the legal structure—whether an LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation—essentially sets your foundation. Networking with agricultural experts and utilizing business incubators might also enhance your startup’s growth strategy. Consider digital marketing strategies, including SEO and social media, to reach a broader customer base. Proper accounting practices and knowledge of taxes will ensure your agricultural venture remains financially viable. Each of these agricultural business ideas provides an opportunity for innovation, sustainability, and profitability. Types of Agricultural Business Ideas Explore various agricultural business ideas that cater to the evolving market. These ideas present opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to enter a profitable sector aligned with sustainability and community needs. Crop Farming Opportunities Organic Farming: Engage in organic farming by growing crops without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. This method meets the rising demand for healthy produce among consumers seeking eco-friendly options. Ensure compliance with certification regulations to enhance marketability. Vertical Farming: Consider vertical farming that uses stacked structures to maximize space in urban areas. By reducing transportation costs, you deliver fresh produce directly to consumers, enhancing freshness and flavor. Hydroponic Farming: Implement hydroponic farming techniques that utilize nutrient-rich water solutions. This method promotes efficient water use and delivers high-quality yields faster than traditional farming methods. Dual Crop Farming: Explore dual crop farming through mixed cropping or intercropping methods. This strategy maximizes yield and mitigates risks related to adverse conditions, helping to stabilize your business income. Livestock Farming Ventures Free-Range Poultry: Consider raising free-range poultry for higher demand in ethically sourced meat and eggs. This approach appeals to health-conscious consumers and can enhance your brand through sustainable practices. Aquaculture: Engage in aquaculture by cultivating fish and other aquatic organisms. This venture contributes to food security while offering sustainable options for protein sourcing. Dairy Farming: Explore dairy farming opportunities by producing milk, cheese, or yogurt. By investing in quality breeding and technology, you can develop a strong product line to cater to consumer preferences. Beekeeping: Consider beekeeping as a sustainable business idea, producing honey and other bee-derived products. This venture supports pollination efforts while providing unique value to your offerings. Agribusiness Technology Innovations Precision Agriculture: Implement precision agriculture technology that utilizes data analytics to optimize farming practices. This innovation enhances resource efficiency, reducing costs and increasing profit margins. Agricultural Apps: Develop agricultural apps that provide farmers with tools for farm management, market research, and customer engagement. These solutions help streamline operations and improve customer acquisition strategies. E-commerce Solutions: Set up an e-commerce platform to market products directly to consumers. Use digital marketing techniques, including SEO and social media, to reach a broader target audience and enhance sales. Farm Management Software: Invest in farm management software to track expenses, manage finances, and plan growth strategies. These tools offer crucial insights for decision-making and boost overall business efficiency. Align your business idea with the current trends in the agricultural sector. Conduct thorough market research and develop a solid business plan to navigate funding options and business registration. Starting Your Agricultural Business Starting an agricultural business involves several strategic steps to ensure success. Each step focuses on foundational elements that will shape your venture. Conducting Market Research Conducting thorough market research helps you identify consumer preferences and market gaps. Explore trends in sustainable and locally sourced products. Analyze your target audience’s demands and buying behaviors. Use surveys, focus groups, and existing market reports to gather data. Understanding your competition and their offerings can refine your business idea and strengthen your market position. Developing a Business Plan Developing a solid business plan outlines your vision, goals, and strategies. Include an executive summary, market analysis, marketing strategies, and financial projections. Specify your business model, whether it’s a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. Address potential challenges and risks while detailing your growth strategy. This plan serves not only as a roadmap for your business but also as a vital tool in attracting funding and partnerships. Securing Funding and Resources Securing funding and resources fuels your startup’s growth. Explore various funding options, including angel investors, business grants, and crowdfunding. Consider bootstrapping or seeking venture capital for larger aspirations. Ensure you understand the financial aspects, such as cash flow, budget management, and profit margins. Proper financial planning sets the stage for your startup’s sustainability. Research local agricultural grants and programs that support new businesses in your sector. Challenges in Agricultural Business Every agricultural business faces challenges that can impact your operations, profitability, and growth potential. Weather and Climate Impacts Weather unpredictability and climate change significantly influence agricultural outcomes. Droughts, floods, and pests can damage crops, leading to financial losses. Implementing adaptive strategies, such as diversifying crops and utilizing irrigation systems, can mitigate some risks. Employing technologies like precision farming can enhance resilience in production. Market Fluctuations Market fluctuations affect pricing and demand for agricultural products. Prices can vary due to seasonal changes or supply chain disruptions. Conducting thorough market research helps you stay informed about trends and adjust your pricing strategy accordingly. Establishing a solid business plan that accounts for potential market shifts can guide your financial decisions and planning. Regulatory Compliance Complying with local, state, and federal regulations is essential for your agricultural business. Understanding permits, licenses, and labeling requirements associated with food safety is necessary. Seeking legal advice early ensures you establish the appropriate legal structure—whether as an LLC, corporation, or partnership. Compliance helps you avoid fines and maintain your business’s integrity while protecting your intellectual property, like trademarks, or patents related to your unique products. Conclusion Exploring agricultural business ideas can be both fulfilling and profitable. By tapping into the growing demand for sustainable practices and local products, you can create a venture that resonates with today’s consumers. Whether you choose organic farming or innovative technologies, the possibilities are vast. Remember to conduct thorough market research and develop a solid business plan to guide your efforts. Embrace the challenges that come with this industry, and stay adaptable to changes. With determination and the right strategies, you can build a successful agricultural business that contributes positively to your community and the environment. Your journey in agriculture could be the key to a healthier planet and a thriving enterprise. Frequently Asked Questions What are some innovative agricultural business ideas? Innovative agricultural business ideas include organic farming, aquaponics, vertical farming, and eco-friendly livestock options like free-range poultry. Creating value-added products, utilizing agricultural technology, and engaging in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) are also great ways to tap into the market for sustainable products. Why is now a good time to start an agricultural business? The rising demand for sustainable and locally sourced products makes now an ideal time to start an agricultural business. Consumers are increasingly looking for health-conscious options, which allows entrepreneurs to create profitable ventures that also contribute to environmental sustainability. How do I conduct market research for an agricultural business? To conduct market research, analyze consumer preferences, identify market gaps, and study competitors. Use surveys, focus groups, and online tools to gather data. Understanding local demand and trends will help you tailor your business idea effectively. What should I include in my agricultural business plan? Your agricultural business plan should include an executive summary, market analysis, marketing strategies, operational plans, and financial projections. A solid business plan sets a clear direction and helps secure funding while outlining your goals. How can I secure funding for my agricultural venture? Funding options for agricultural businesses include angel investors, business grants, and crowdfunding platforms. You can also explore loans from banks or agricultural development organizations. A well-prepared business plan will help attract potential investors. What challenges might I face in the agricultural business? Challenges in agriculture include weather unpredictability, climate change, market fluctuations, and regulatory compliance. Implementing adaptive strategies such as crop diversification and keeping up with legal requirements can help mitigate these risks. How can technology improve my agricultural business? Technology can enhance agricultural efficiency through precision farming, farm management software, and e-commerce solutions. These innovations help streamline operations, reduce waste, and improve productivity, ultimately leading to higher profitability. What are Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) models? Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) models connect consumers directly with farmers. Members subscribe to receive regular deliveries of fresh produce, fostering local community engagement while providing farmers with stable cash flow and reduced market risks. How do I market my agricultural products effectively? Effective marketing strategies include utilizing digital marketing techniques, social media platforms, and participating in local farmers’ markets. Building customer relationships and showcasing your sustainable practices can also attract health-conscious consumers. What role does networking play in starting an agricultural business? Networking with agricultural experts, local farmers, and business incubators can provide valuable insights, resources, and support for your agricultural business. Collaborating with others in the industry enhances growth strategies and opens new opportunities. Image Via Envato This article, "Innovative Agricultural Business Ideas for Sustainable Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A data-backed look at how users behave in Google AI Overviews: where they click, how far they scroll, and who trusts the AI-generated answers. The post The First-Ever UX Study Of Google’s AI Overviews: The Data We’ve All Been Waiting For 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. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are now going for $199.99 (down from $249.99), which is helpful, because they’re not exactly a budget pick. SAMSUNG Galaxy Buds 3 Pro $189.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $269.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Get Deal $189.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $269.99 Save $80.00 Available in either white or silver, they’ve got a bold new look with angular stems and built-in LEDs that you can customize to blink, fade, or stay lit—more than just a style choice, they double as status indicators. Inside, they house a 10.5mm dynamic driver and a 6.1mm planar driver, which work together to deliver full-bodied audio from bass to treble across a wide frequency range (20Hz to 40kHz). That said, reviewers like PCMag have noted that enabling active noise cancellation can slightly muffle the higher-end clarity, so you may want to play with the EQ if you're picky about audio sharpness. They support Bluetooth 5.4 and handle the usual AAC and SBC codecs, but the real bonus—for Samsung users at least—is support for the brand's proprietary Seamless Codec, which allows for 24-bit/96kHz playback. That’s not something you’ll get if you’re using a non-Samsung device, though, since that codec doesn’t work outside the ecosystem. And with no LDAC support in sight, high-res fans using other Android phones might feel a little boxed in. Still, the IP57 rating is solid for daily use—it’ll hold up against dust, sweat, and the occasional dunk in water. If you’re using a Galaxy phone, they’ll pair instantly through the Galaxy Wear app when you open the case. That unlocks all the smart features—noise control modes like ANC, Ambient, and Adaptive Sound, plus a nine-band EQ and even an Adaptive Equalizer that tweaks sound based on ear fit. The app also gives you access to Interpreter mode and Listening mode, which use AI for real-time translation. Non-Samsung Android users still get the Wear app via Google Play, though with fewer perks. iPhone users, on the other hand, don’t get access to any of these app features at all. Without the app, these basically turn into standard Bluetooth buds. View the full article

Amazon leaned into the advertising funnel in a big way during its 2025 Upfront event at the Beacon Theater in New York City on Monday night. Perhaps the most notable product enhancement the company unveiled was the use of AI to generate contextual advertising on its Prime Video platform—meaning that ads can and will be created on the fly, using AI, depending on the specific scene of a TV show or movie that is on the screen at any given time. For instance, if a viewer is watching a scene involving a loving phone call between a mother and daughter, pausing the show could result in an ad for mobile phone service, with AI-generated text dynamically created, right then and there. The ability gives Amazon’s massive advertising artillery even more firepower. Amazon execs at the event noted that its Prime Video service now has a global audience of more than 300 million, up from 275 million a year ago, and that engagement also increased 40% over the past year. A star-studded pitch to advertisers Amazon’s Upfront event was loaded with stars showcasing new projects for Prime Video. That included appearances by Michael B. Jordan, discussing a new Creed spinoff TV show called Delphi; Arnold Schwarzenegger (who stole the show with a 15-minute rambling appearance loaded with jokes about his old age) talking about his upcoming Christmas movie; John Cena talking about his new movie due out this summer with Idris Elba; and Jamie Lee Curtis, who announced that she’s producing and starring in a new series, Scarpetta, alongside Nicole Kidman. The series will be an adaptation of the popular book series authored by Patricia Cornwell. Curtis later joined Schwarzenegger on stage to reminisce about the 1990s action movie True Lies in which they both starred. Other announcements include the December return of Fallout, which will air its second season, and was also renewed for a third season. Nicolas Cage was also announced as playing Spider-Man in Spider-Noir, which will be available to watch in either color or black-and-white. Two new seasons of Beast Games are also on the way. Finally, sports were front and center. The NFL will continue with Thursday night games on Prime, and Prime will also host a Black Friday game between Chicago and Philadelphia, and a Christmas Day game between Denver and Kansas City. Additionally, the NBA inked an 11-year deal with Prime, which will see 65 regular-season games air on the service, along with some playoff games. View the full article

One of the world’s most well-known stock market indexes, the S&P 500, will soon look a little different. That’s because its roster of 500 companies is getting a shakeup, which will see the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global join the index. In the process, Coinbase will replace legacy financial services company Discover Financial. Here’s what you need to know about the changes coming to the S&P 500. What is the S&P 500? The S&P 500 is one of the world’s best-known stock market indexes. A stock market index is essentially a running list of publicly traded companies whose stock prices are tracked. These indices can help give investors an overview of how the economy—or at least the markets—are behaving over a certain period, whether an hour, day, week, year, or decade. There are numerous stock market indexes across the world. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 are the most well-known in the United States. Other global indexes include China’s Hang Seng, Japan’s Nikkei 225, the U.K.’s FTSE, Germany’s DAX, and France’s CAC 40. Indices should not be confused with stock market exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Stocks are bought and sold on these exchanges, whereas an index only tracks the price of certain stocks (though you can buy ETFs and mutual funds on exchanges that are broadly representative of certain indices themselves). As its name suggests, the S&P 500 tracks 500 publicly traded companies in the U.S. markets. This is much more than the Dow, which only tracks 30 companies. The S&P 500 launched in its current form on March 4, 1957. The full name of the S&P 500 is the Standard and Poor’s 500. Why is Coinbase joining the S&P 500? The catalyst for Coinbase joining the S&P 500 is that a legacy financial company that is currently tracked by the index will no longer be separately traded. That company is Discover Financial Services, which is being acquired by Capital One Financial Corporation. Discover’s removal will leave the S&P 500 with only 499 companies, so the S&P 500 needed to find a replacement, which it has done with Coinbase. Why did the S&P 500 choose Coinbase? A committee chooses which companies are included in the S&P 500 and, generally speaking, the committee tries to include companies from a broad range of sectors so it is composed of 500 companies that are a good proportional representation of the American economy. What’s interesting with Coinbase’s inclusion on the S&P 500 is that it is the first time a cryptocurrency company has been added to the index, notes The Crypto Basic. While this won’t change the fundamentals of the company itself, it signifies that crypto companies are becoming a more important part of the U.S. economy—or at least, that’s the perception. However, the S&P 500 committee can’t just choose any company it wants for the index. It uses multiple criteria when determining which companies to add. As noted by CNBC, any company added to the S&P 500 must have reported a profit in its most recent quarter and have had cumulative profits over the past four quarters. But those aren’t the only requirements. As S&P Global states, companies must also meet other selection criteria, which include: The company must be a “large cap” one—that is, it must have a market capitalization of at least $10 billion. The company must have sufficient liquidity. The company must have a sufficient number of shares that are available to the public (known as “public float”). The company must help contribute to the sector balance. The S&P 500 committee felt that Coinbase met these criteria. How unusual is this? It’s important to note that changes to the S&P 500 aren’t as rare as changes to the Dow, which only tracks 30 companies. The S&P typically makes dozens of changes to its roster every year. As mentioned, the reason Coinbase’s addition is so notable is that it’s the first crypto company ever added to the S&P. When do these changes take effect? In a press release, S&P Global confirmed that these changes will take place on Monday, May 19. On that day, Discover Financial Services will be deleted from the S&P 500 and Coinbase will be added. How have Coinbase on Discover Financial Services shares reacted to the news? Discover Financial Services stock (NYSE: DFS) pretty much shrugged off the news when it was announced after market close on Monday. That’s because DFS shareholders know the company is already being acquired for a fixed amount. Because Discover Financial Services is being acquired, its removal from the S&P 500 was expected. On the other hand, Coinbase stock (Nasdaq: COIN) has surged on the news that it was joining the S&P 500. Shares are currently up over 10% in premarket trading as of the time of this writing. Yesterday, before the S&P 500 announcement, COIN shares closed at just over $207. However, Coinbase’s addition to the S&P 500 does not change any of the company’s financials. The reason the stock is surging anyway is that many mutual funds and ETFs that track the S&P 500 will likely now add COIN shares to their baskets, meaning they will buy the stock, thus causing it to rise. Still, despite the company’s inclusion on the S&P 500, COIN shares have taken a beating this year. As of yesterday’s close, they were down over 16% year-to-date. Over the past five years, COIN shares have fallen 45%. View the full article