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Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web. Google Search ranking volatility is heating up now...View the full article

Tax professionals still edge out DIYers. By Beth Bellor Go PRO for members-only access to more Beth Bellor. View the full article

Tax professionals still edge out DIYers. By Beth Bellor Go PRO for members-only access to more Beth Bellor. View the full article

The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a woman is someone born biologically female, excluding transgender people from the legal definition in a long-running dispute between a feminist group and the Scottish government. Several women’s groups that supported the appeal celebrated outside court and hailed it as a major victory in their effort to protect spaces designated for women. “Everyone knows what sex is and you can’t change it,” said Susan Smith, codirector of For Women Scotland, which brought the case. “It’s common sense, basic common sense and the fact that we have been down a rabbit hole where people have tried to deny science and to deny reality and hopefully this will now see us back to, back to reality.” The ruling brings some clarity in the U.K. to a controversial issue that has roiled politics as women, parents, LGBTQ+ groups, lawmakers, and athletes have debated gender identity rights. Five judges ruled unanimously that the U.K. Equality Act means trans women can be excluded from some single-sex spaces and groups, such as changing rooms, homeless shelters, swimming areas, and medical or counseling services provided only to women. The ruling means that a transgender person with a certificate that recognizes them as female should not be considered a woman for equality purposes. But Justice Patrick Hodge said its ruling “does not remove protection from trans people,” who are “protected from discrimination on the ground of gender reassignment.” Trans rights advocates condemn the judgment The case stems from a 2018 law passed by the Scottish Parliament stating there should be a 50% female representation on the boards of Scottish public bodies. Transgender women with gender recognition certificates were to be included in meeting the quota. “Interpreting ‘sex’ as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ . . . and, thus, the protected characteristic of sex in an incoherent way,” Hodge said. “It would create heterogeneous groupings.” Hannah Ford, an employment lawyer, said that while the judgment will provide clarity, it would be a setback for transgender rights and there would be “an uphill battle” to ensure workplaces are welcoming places for trans people. “This will be really wounding for the trans community,” Ford told Sky News. Groups that had challenged the Scottish government popped the cork on a bottle of champagne outside the court and sang, “women’s rights are human rights.” “The court has given us the right answer: the protected characteristic of sex—male and female—refers to reality, not to paperwork,” said Maya Forstater of the group Sex Matters. In 2022, an employment tribunal ruled that she had been the victim of discrimination when she lost out on a job after posting gender-critical views online. The British government welcomed the ruling, saying it would provide clarity and confidence for women. “Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government,” it said. Harry Potter author backed legal challenge For Women Scotland had argued that the Scottish officials’ redefinition of woman went beyond Parliament’s powers. But Scottish officials then issued new guidance stating that the definition of woman included someone with a gender recognition certificate. FWS successfully sought to overturn that. “Not tying the definition of sex to its ordinary meaning means that public boards could conceivably comprise of 50% men, and 50% men with certificates, yet still lawfully meet the targets for female representation,” the group’s director Trina Budge said previously. The challenge was rejected by a court in 2022, but the group was granted permission last year to take its case to the Supreme Court. Aidan O’Neill, a lawyer for FWS, told the Supreme Court judges—three men and two women—that under the Equality Act “sex” should refer to biological sex and as understood “in ordinary, everyday language.” “Our position is your sex, whether you are a man or a woman or a girl or a boy is determined from conception in utero, even before one’s birth, by one’s body,” he said. “It is an expression of one’s bodily reality. It is an immutable biological state.” The women’s right group counted among its supporters author J.K. Rowling, who reportedly donated tens of thousands of pounds to back its work. The Harry Potter writer has been vocal in arguing that the rights for trans women should not come at the expense of those who are born biologically female. Opponents, including Amnesty International, said excluding transgender people from sex discrimination protections conflicted with human rights laws. Amnesty submitted a brief in court saying it was concerned about the deterioration of the rights for trans people in the U.K. and abroad. “A blanket policy of barring trans women from single-sex services is not a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim,” the human rights group said. —Brian Melley, Jill Lawless and Sylvia Hui, Associated Press View the full article

President The President’s trade wars have officially landed on TikTok. U.S. TikTok users’ For You Pages are being flooded with videos from Chinese manufacturers urging Americans to bypass sweeping new tariffs by purchasing goods directly from China. “So China is doing us a solid over here in the US and allowing us to buy directly and avoid all of the ridiculous tariffs,” says one TikTok user in a video posted on Monday. Behind her is a laundry list of Chinese wholesale websites, featuring everything from beauty products to electronics. “I don’t know about you but that wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card.” In another video, which has racked up over 11.5 million views, a creator claims to sell the same leggings that retail for $100 at Lululemon for just $5 or $6. “The materials and the craftsmanship are basically the same because they all come from the same production line,” she explains. “How do we buy direct. I hate it here,” one TikTok user commented beneath the video. “Now this is how you do a trade war,” another added. But if it sounds too good to be true, that’s probably because it is. Lululemon has responded to the trend, stating it “does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos and we urge consumers to be aware of potentially counterfeit products and misinformation,” according to The Times. Claiming to manufacture for big-name brands while actually selling knock-offs is a common scam. Experts told The Independent that some of these TikTokers are likely paid by counterfeit operations seeking to exploit the chaos around tariffs and lure U.S. consumers with cheap “dupes.” Still, many TikTok users have welcomed the videos for revealing luxury fashion’s often opaque supply chains. “China TikTok is so messy rn,” one X user posted alongside a thread of these videos. “And YES I will be shopping at the Chinese markets for a 25 dollar Birkin Bag,” they added. The videos gained traction as President Donald The President announced a 145% levy on all goods imported from China. While the administration has since stated that smartphones and some electronics would be exempt, the fashion industry remains heavily affected. The U.S. manufactures only about 2% of its own clothing, while China produces roughly two-thirds of the world’s supply—and sent $49 billion in textiles to the U.S. last year alone. The trend has also spilled into real-world behavior. Chinese wholesale marketplace app DHgate soared to the No. 3 spot in the U.S. App Store as of Monday morning, TechCrunch reported. That’s a sharp climb from No. 352 on Friday, April 11, according to data from app intelligence provider Appfigures. While buying direct from China isn’t exactly a foolproof workaround—since imports are still subject to tariffs—one commenter summed up the mood: “The President said, We hold the cards. So China said, We make the cards.” View the full article

China’s economy expanded at a 5.4% annual pace in January-March, the government said Wednesday, supported by strong exports ahead of U.S. President Donald The President’s rapid increases in tariffs on Chinese products. With the trade war clouding the outlook, analysts are forecasting that the world’s second largest economy will slow significantly in coming months, however, as tariffs as high as 145% on U.S. imports from China take effect. Beijing has hit back at the U.S. with 125% tariffs on American exports, while also stressing its determination to keep its own markets open to trade and investment. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is visiting several other Asian countries this week as he makes a case for free trade, presenting China as a source of “stability and certainty” in uncertain times. Xi was visiting Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia, while the U.S. announced that a senior State Department official, Sean O’Neill, would be traveling this week to Vietnam’s capital Hanoi and to Ho Chi Minh City, to Cambodia’s Siem Reap, and to Tokyo. China also has been highlighting its focus on trade with countries other than the United States at various trade fairs that are showcasing its vast market and competitiveness as a manufacturing giant. At China’s Canton trade fair, in the southern city of Guangzhou, exporters were emphatic about the need to look beyond selling to Americans. “We need to diversify our market. When the West is dark, the East is bright. The global market is huge,” said Wallace Huang, the export business director of Guangdong Weking Group, which makes rice cookers. “In recent years, our exports to the U.S. have slowly been declining.” The trade factor Exports helped China’s economy expand at a 5% annual rate in 2024 and this year’s official target is about 5%. In the near term, the tariffs will put pressure on China’s economy, but they won’t derail long-run growth, Sheng Laiyun, a spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, told reporters. He noted that China’s exports to the United States have fallen to less than 15% of total exports from more than 19% five years ago. “China’s economic foundation is stable, resilient and has great potential. We have the confidence, ability and confidence to cope with external challenges and achieve our established development goals,” Sheng said. In quarterly terms the economy grew 1.2% in January-March, slowing from 1.6% in the last quarter of 2024. Chinese exports surged more than 12% from a year earlier in March and nearly 6% in U.S. dollar terms in the first quarter, as companies rushed to beat The President’s tariffs. That has supported robust manufacturing activity in the past several months. China’s industrial production rose 6.5% from a year earlier in the last quarter, led by a nearly 11% increase in output of equipment manufacturing. The strongest growth was in advanced technologies, such as production of battery electric and hybrid vehicles, which jumped 45.4% year-on-year. Output of 3D printers soared almost 45% and of industrial robots surged 26%. Weaker property investment and consumer prices Despite relatively fast growth by global standards, the Chinese economy has struggled to regain momentum since the COVID-19 pandemic as downturn in the property market has pushed unemployment higher, leaving families wary about spending. Consumer prices fell 0.1% in the first quarter, suggesting that demand is not keeping up with supply for many industries. Investment in real estate also remained weak, falling nearly 10% from a year earlier despite government efforts to spur more lending for housing purchases. The tariffs crisis looms as another massive blow at a time when Beijing is striving to get businesses to invest and hire more workers and to persuade Chinese consumers to spend more. The outlook Both private and public sector economists have remained cautious about what to expect, given how The President has kept switching his stance on the details of his trade war. “Given the events over the past two weeks, it is extremely difficult to predict how the U.S. and China tariffs on each other might evolve,” Tao Wang and other UBS economists said in a report. The International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank have stuck with more optimistic forecasts of about 4.6% growth this year. After taking office, The President first ordered a 10% increase in tariffs on imports from China. He later raised that to 20%. Now, China is facing 145% tariffs on most of its exports to the United States. UBS estimates that the tariffs, if they remain roughly as they are, could cause China’s exports to the United States to fall by two-thirds in coming months and that its global exports could fall by 10% in dollar value. It cut its forecast for economic growth this year to 3.4% from an earlier 4%. It expects growth to slow to 3% in 2026. China has stepped up efforts to spur more consumer spending and private sector investment over the past seven months, doubling down on subsidies for auto and appliance trade-ins and channeling more funding for housing and other cash strapped industries. AP researchers Yu Bing and Shihuan Chen contributed. —Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer View the full article

Key Takeaways Product stories are essential narratives that capture the essence of a brand, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences for customers.Compelling storytelling engages customers, differentiates products, and builds a strong brand identity, essential for successful marketing strategies.Notable examples like MailChimp, Patagonia, and Warby Parker showcase how unique product narratives resonate deeply with target audiences and elevate brand perception.Key elements of an effective product story include identifying customer challenges, explaining the journey of product development, and demonstrating how the product provides solutions.Understanding your audience, utilizing digital channels, incorporating visuals, encouraging customer interaction, and maintaining consistency are crucial tips for effective storytelling in marketing. Every product has a story waiting to be told. These narratives not only capture the essence of a brand but also resonate with customers on a personal level. When you understand the power of storytelling in marketing, you unlock the potential to connect with your audience in a way that mere facts and figures can’t achieve. In this article, you’ll discover compelling product story examples that illustrate how brands effectively engage their customers. From the inspiration behind a product to the challenges faced during its creation, these stories can transform your marketing strategy and elevate your brand’s identity. Get ready to explore how storytelling can turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences. Understanding Product Stories Product stories capture the essence of your brand and the journey behind your offerings. These narratives help connect with your target audience, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences that resonate with customers. What Is a Product Story? A product story is a narrative that explains the origin, development, and unique aspects of a product. It includes elements like the inspiration behind the creation, the challenges faced during development, and how it meets customer needs. Entrepreneurs should focus on authenticity, as genuine stories foster trust and loyalty among customers. Importance of Product Stories in Marketing Product stories play a crucial role in marketing strategies for small businesses. They: Engage Customers: Compelling narratives capture attention and keep customers interested in your brand. Differentiate Products: Unique stories set your offerings apart from competitors, highlighting your innovation and creativity. Build Brand Identity: Consistent storytelling reinforces your brand values and mission, creating a strong brand presence. Enhance Customer Experience: Engaging narratives create emotional connections, encouraging customers to share these stories, boosting word-of-mouth referrals. Crafting a powerful product story can significantly enhance your small business’s marketing effectiveness, fostering connections that drive customer acquisition and retention. Inspiring Product Story Examples Product stories can effectively engage your audience and enhance your brand’s identity. Here are some notable examples that showcase how storytelling elevates marketing strategies for small businesses. Example 1: The Narrative Behind a Successful Brand MailChimp illustrates the power of a creative brand narrative. This marketing automation platform emphasizes its versatility through playful campaigns. By integrating humor and creativity, MailChimp resonates with a diverse target audience. Their marketing strategies highlight the innovative tools available for email marketing, helping entrepreneurs communicate effectively with their customers. Example 2: Unique Product Development Stories Patagonia presents a compelling product development story centered around environmentalism. Their Worn Wear program exemplifies their commitment to sustainability, promoting the repair and reuse of gear. This initiative not only reduces waste but also aligns with their brand values, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. Patagonia’s approach serves as an inspiration for small business owners looking to develop unique offerings that resonate deeply with their values and ethos. Example 3: Customer-Centric Product Stories Warby Parker focuses on customer-centric storytelling by offering an innovative online shopping experience. Their home try-on program allows customers to select five pairs of glasses to test before purchasing. This strategy enhances customer service, promotes engagement, and builds trust. Warby Parker’s narrative revolves around making stylish eyewear affordable, creating a loyal customer base and effectively differentiating them from competitors. Their story highlights the importance of understanding audience needs when crafting your product narratives. Crafting Your Own Product Story Creating your own product story strengthens your brand and enhances customer connections. A well-crafted narrative can transform your small business into a trusted source for your target audience. Key Elements of a Compelling Product Story A compelling product story features several key elements: The Hero: Your product, which communicates how it improves customers’ lives. Highlight features and benefits that emphasize how your offering meets their needs. The Problem: Identify the challenge your customers face. Clearly define this problem to resonate with your audience’s pain points. The Journey: Explain how your product came to life. Share the inspiration behind your business idea, the innovation process, and any obstacles you encountered. Authenticity fosters trust. The Success: Demonstrate how your product solves the problem. Include testimonials or data that showcase customer satisfaction, enhancing credibility. Tips for Effective Storytelling in Marketing Know Your Audience: Conduct market research to understand your target audience’s preferences, needs, and behaviors. Tailor your narrative to resonate with them. Utilize Digital Marketing: Incorporate storytelling across your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns. Consistent branding reinforces your message and engages customers. Leverage Visuals: Use imagery and videos to complement your story. Visual content captivates audiences and reinforces your brand identity. Encourage Interaction: Invite customers to share their own stories related to your product. User-generated content builds community and enhances engagement. Stay Consistent: Ensure your story aligns with your brand values and overall business goals. Consistency across all channels solidifies your message and fosters customer loyalty. Conclusion Embracing the power of product stories can truly transform your marketing approach. By weaving narratives that highlight your brand’s essence and values you can create lasting connections with your audience. The examples shared illustrate that authenticity and relatability are key in engaging customers and fostering loyalty. As you craft your own product story remember to focus on the journey and the unique aspects that set your offerings apart. This not only differentiates your brand but also enhances the overall customer experience. With the right storytelling strategies in place you can elevate your marketing efforts and turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences that resonate deeply with your audience. Frequently Asked Questions What is the importance of storytelling in marketing? Storytelling in marketing is crucial because it creates emotional connections with customers. Compelling narratives help brands articulate their identity, engage audiences, and differentiate their products. Through storytelling, brands can share their inspiration, challenges, and authenticity, making products memorable and encouraging customer loyalty. How does a product story enhance a brand’s identity? A product story enhances a brand’s identity by capturing the essence of the product’s origin and development. It focuses on authenticity, which builds trust with customers. A well-crafted narrative can highlight a brand’s values and mission, making it more relatable and engaging to the audience. Can small businesses benefit from storytelling in marketing? Yes, small businesses can significantly benefit from storytelling in marketing. By crafting compelling product stories, they can engage customers, differentiate their offerings, and build a strong brand identity. Effective storytelling can foster connections that lead to improved customer acquisition and retention. What are key elements of a compelling product story? Key elements of a compelling product story include the hero (the product), the problem (customer challenges), the journey (the product’s development), and the success (how it solves the problem). These elements create a narrative that resonates with the audience and enhances the product’s appeal. How can I craft my own product story? To craft your own product story, start by identifying the key elements: who your product is for, what problem it solves, and how it’s been developed. Focus on authenticity, know your audience, and align your narrative with your brand values. Use visuals and encourage customer interaction to enhance engagement. What are some tips for effective storytelling in marketing? For effective storytelling in marketing, know your audience’s needs and preferences. Utilize digital marketing strategies, leverage visuals for impact, and encourage customer interaction. Additionally, maintain consistency with your brand values to foster trust and strengthen customer connections. Image Via Envato This article, "Inspiring Product Story Examples That Transform Brands and Engage Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Product stories are essential narratives that capture the essence of a brand, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences for customers.Compelling storytelling engages customers, differentiates products, and builds a strong brand identity, essential for successful marketing strategies.Notable examples like MailChimp, Patagonia, and Warby Parker showcase how unique product narratives resonate deeply with target audiences and elevate brand perception.Key elements of an effective product story include identifying customer challenges, explaining the journey of product development, and demonstrating how the product provides solutions.Understanding your audience, utilizing digital channels, incorporating visuals, encouraging customer interaction, and maintaining consistency are crucial tips for effective storytelling in marketing. Every product has a story waiting to be told. These narratives not only capture the essence of a brand but also resonate with customers on a personal level. When you understand the power of storytelling in marketing, you unlock the potential to connect with your audience in a way that mere facts and figures can’t achieve. In this article, you’ll discover compelling product story examples that illustrate how brands effectively engage their customers. From the inspiration behind a product to the challenges faced during its creation, these stories can transform your marketing strategy and elevate your brand’s identity. Get ready to explore how storytelling can turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences. Understanding Product Stories Product stories capture the essence of your brand and the journey behind your offerings. These narratives help connect with your target audience, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences that resonate with customers. What Is a Product Story? A product story is a narrative that explains the origin, development, and unique aspects of a product. It includes elements like the inspiration behind the creation, the challenges faced during development, and how it meets customer needs. Entrepreneurs should focus on authenticity, as genuine stories foster trust and loyalty among customers. Importance of Product Stories in Marketing Product stories play a crucial role in marketing strategies for small businesses. They: Engage Customers: Compelling narratives capture attention and keep customers interested in your brand. Differentiate Products: Unique stories set your offerings apart from competitors, highlighting your innovation and creativity. Build Brand Identity: Consistent storytelling reinforces your brand values and mission, creating a strong brand presence. Enhance Customer Experience: Engaging narratives create emotional connections, encouraging customers to share these stories, boosting word-of-mouth referrals. Crafting a powerful product story can significantly enhance your small business’s marketing effectiveness, fostering connections that drive customer acquisition and retention. Inspiring Product Story Examples Product stories can effectively engage your audience and enhance your brand’s identity. Here are some notable examples that showcase how storytelling elevates marketing strategies for small businesses. Example 1: The Narrative Behind a Successful Brand MailChimp illustrates the power of a creative brand narrative. This marketing automation platform emphasizes its versatility through playful campaigns. By integrating humor and creativity, MailChimp resonates with a diverse target audience. Their marketing strategies highlight the innovative tools available for email marketing, helping entrepreneurs communicate effectively with their customers. Example 2: Unique Product Development Stories Patagonia presents a compelling product development story centered around environmentalism. Their Worn Wear program exemplifies their commitment to sustainability, promoting the repair and reuse of gear. This initiative not only reduces waste but also aligns with their brand values, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. Patagonia’s approach serves as an inspiration for small business owners looking to develop unique offerings that resonate deeply with their values and ethos. Example 3: Customer-Centric Product Stories Warby Parker focuses on customer-centric storytelling by offering an innovative online shopping experience. Their home try-on program allows customers to select five pairs of glasses to test before purchasing. This strategy enhances customer service, promotes engagement, and builds trust. Warby Parker’s narrative revolves around making stylish eyewear affordable, creating a loyal customer base and effectively differentiating them from competitors. Their story highlights the importance of understanding audience needs when crafting your product narratives. Crafting Your Own Product Story Creating your own product story strengthens your brand and enhances customer connections. A well-crafted narrative can transform your small business into a trusted source for your target audience. Key Elements of a Compelling Product Story A compelling product story features several key elements: The Hero: Your product, which communicates how it improves customers’ lives. Highlight features and benefits that emphasize how your offering meets their needs. The Problem: Identify the challenge your customers face. Clearly define this problem to resonate with your audience’s pain points. The Journey: Explain how your product came to life. Share the inspiration behind your business idea, the innovation process, and any obstacles you encountered. Authenticity fosters trust. The Success: Demonstrate how your product solves the problem. Include testimonials or data that showcase customer satisfaction, enhancing credibility. Tips for Effective Storytelling in Marketing Know Your Audience: Conduct market research to understand your target audience’s preferences, needs, and behaviors. Tailor your narrative to resonate with them. Utilize Digital Marketing: Incorporate storytelling across your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns. Consistent branding reinforces your message and engages customers. Leverage Visuals: Use imagery and videos to complement your story. Visual content captivates audiences and reinforces your brand identity. Encourage Interaction: Invite customers to share their own stories related to your product. User-generated content builds community and enhances engagement. Stay Consistent: Ensure your story aligns with your brand values and overall business goals. Consistency across all channels solidifies your message and fosters customer loyalty. Conclusion Embracing the power of product stories can truly transform your marketing approach. By weaving narratives that highlight your brand’s essence and values you can create lasting connections with your audience. The examples shared illustrate that authenticity and relatability are key in engaging customers and fostering loyalty. As you craft your own product story remember to focus on the journey and the unique aspects that set your offerings apart. This not only differentiates your brand but also enhances the overall customer experience. With the right storytelling strategies in place you can elevate your marketing efforts and turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences that resonate deeply with your audience. Frequently Asked Questions What is the importance of storytelling in marketing? Storytelling in marketing is crucial because it creates emotional connections with customers. Compelling narratives help brands articulate their identity, engage audiences, and differentiate their products. Through storytelling, brands can share their inspiration, challenges, and authenticity, making products memorable and encouraging customer loyalty. How does a product story enhance a brand’s identity? A product story enhances a brand’s identity by capturing the essence of the product’s origin and development. It focuses on authenticity, which builds trust with customers. A well-crafted narrative can highlight a brand’s values and mission, making it more relatable and engaging to the audience. Can small businesses benefit from storytelling in marketing? Yes, small businesses can significantly benefit from storytelling in marketing. By crafting compelling product stories, they can engage customers, differentiate their offerings, and build a strong brand identity. Effective storytelling can foster connections that lead to improved customer acquisition and retention. What are key elements of a compelling product story? Key elements of a compelling product story include the hero (the product), the problem (customer challenges), the journey (the product’s development), and the success (how it solves the problem). These elements create a narrative that resonates with the audience and enhances the product’s appeal. How can I craft my own product story? To craft your own product story, start by identifying the key elements: who your product is for, what problem it solves, and how it’s been developed. Focus on authenticity, know your audience, and align your narrative with your brand values. Use visuals and encourage customer interaction to enhance engagement. What are some tips for effective storytelling in marketing? For effective storytelling in marketing, know your audience’s needs and preferences. Utilize digital marketing strategies, leverage visuals for impact, and encourage customer interaction. Additionally, maintain consistency with your brand values to foster trust and strengthen customer connections. Image Via Envato This article, "Inspiring Product Story Examples That Transform Brands and Engage Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

On April 15th, 2025, ​WordPress 6.8 was released. This release, named Cecil, is aimed at bringing more control when it comes to the design of your website. It also comes with features that improve performance and enhance security for users and developers. Let’s dive into a few of the highlights in this latest release. The Style Book for Classic themes The Style Book, previously exclusive to block-based themes, is now accessible for Classic themes that have editor-styles or a theme.json file. It also comes with a new look and a few new settings to play around with. You can find this feature, or see if you have access to this feature, by going to Appearance > Design > Styles in your vertical navigation bar on the left side. This tool gives you an overview of your site’s design elements, including colors, typography, and block styles. Just scroll down to have a look at all the design elements and whether you’re happy with everything design-wise. Increasing performance with speculative loading WordPress 6.8 introduces speculative loading, a feature that leverages the Speculation Rules API to prefetch or prerender pages based on user interactions. When someone clicks on a link, this page can now be preloaded. This anticipatory loading results in faster page transitions and a smoother browsing experience. Of course, WordPress will not load everything as this would compromise performance if it becomes too much. This feature aims to keep a balance between speed and efficiency in choosing which pages to load. Developers can customize this behavior by using a plugin or writing code if they want it to act differently. It’s also good to know that this feature only works in newer browsers. This feature is part of a longer list of enhancements focused on performance and speed, for both editing and browsing. Without going into too much detail, this update comes with improvements to the block editor, query caching and shorter interactions thanks to the Interactivity API. Improved design and editing tools WordPress 6.8 brings a few new enhancements to the design and editing experience. We’ll go into a few of them, such as the improved global styles panel, the option to turn image blocks into featured images and new density settings in table layouts.​ Global styles panel The Global Styles Panel in the full site editor has had an update, making it easier than ever to give your website a cohesive and polished look. Now, users can tweak typography, colors, and layout settings for their entire site — all from one convenient place. Whether you’re adjusting heading sizes, setting your brand colors, or fine-tuning spacing, this central hub helps you manage your site’s design without having to dive into custom CSS or theme files. Set image blocks as featured images One of the most welcome little updates in WordPress 6.8 is the ability to turn any image block directly into a featured image with a single click. No more uploading the same image twice — once in the content and once for the featured image. If you’ve already added a perfect image to your post, you can now designate it as the featured image straight from the block editor, which simplifies your workflow and saves time. Density options for your tables WordPress 6.8 introduces new density settings for table-based layouts, particularly useful when you’re managing data-heavy content like tables in the admin or Data Views. With these new controls, you can choose how compact or spacious you want your table rows and cells to appear, depending on your personal preference or the type of content you’re handling. Whether you prefer a minimal, airy look or a dense, info-packed table, WordPress now gives you the flexibility to adjust it to suit your needs. Under-the-hood improvements Beyond the user-facing features, WordPress 6.8 includes a lot of enhancements under the hood. Let’s check out a few highlights.​ Higher security with bcrypt Although less visible, this feature is one to get excited about as well. As it brings a significant boost to security. The system is moving away from the MD5-based system for password hashing and transitioning to bcrypt. This change improves overall password security and requires no action from you or your users. It’s automatically implemented and will make it a lot harder to crack passwords. Efficient block type registration The new release introduces a new function that makes registering multiple block types much easier for developers. Instead of writing separate code for each block, plugin and theme creators can now register a whole collection of blocks in one go. This not only reduces repetitive code but also helps keep projects organized and easier to maintain, making life simpler for developers and creating fewer opportunities for bugs. Internationalization improvements With WordPress powering sites across the globe, internationalization is always a priority. This release ensures that error messages generated by PHPMailer (WordPress’s email handling system) are properly localized, so users see helpful and understandable messages in their language. Additionally, any plugin update notifications sent via email will now respect the site administrator’s selected language, making routine updates more user-friendly for non-English speakers. Accessibility enhancements WordPress 6.8 continues the platform’s commitment to making websites more inclusive by improving accessibility across the board. One of the key changes in this release is the removal of redundant title attributes, which were often unnecessary and could cause confusion for users relying on screen readers. This small but meaningful update helps streamline the browsing experience for people using assistive technology, ensuring that WordPress websites are more welcoming and accessible to all visitors. Other than that, there are over 100+ accessibility fixes and enhancements in this release. Update your site to WordPress 6.8 Those are a few of the features that you’ll find in this latest release. There’s a lot of focus on enhancing the overall user experience and refining existing functionalities. Whether you’re a developer or website manager, this update is meant to make your life a bit easier and your website more secure and performant. Read the official WordPress release post for more information on this newest version of WordPress. Or, if you’re curious to see these features in action, update to the newest version and try them out yourself! Read more: Learn how to use WordPress without touching any code » The post WordPress 6.8: The highlights you should know about appeared first on Yoast. View the full article

Starting April 22, mortgage brokers will be able to access Rocket Pro's loan pricing, interest rates and product eligibility, the company announced. View the full article

Even the most loyal Apple users will admit that the company is lagging behind when it comes to AI, with Siri's big Apple Intelligence upgrade now officially delayed (having been heavily promoted throughout last year). In a new blog post, Apple outlines some of the ways it's hoping to get back on track. One of the potential reasons for Apple's generative AI struggles may be that it prioritizes user privacy a lot more than the likes of OpenAI and Google. Apple doesn't gather any user data to train its large language models or LLMs (though it has trained its models on free text on the web), and relies heavily on synthetic data to produce AI text from prompts and from existing writing. The problem with synthetic data is, well, its artificiality. It lacks the nuance and variation of human writing as it changes over time, and without any text written by actual people for comparison, it's difficult to assess the quality of what the AI is outputting. As mentioned in the blog post, Apple is now planning improvements to text generation. In basic terms, the idea is that AI-generated, synthetic text will be compared to a selection of actual writing from users, stored on Apple devices—but with several layers of protection in place to prevent individual users from being identified, or any personal correspondence being sent to Apple. The approach essentially grades synthetic text by comparing it against real writing samples, but only the aggregated grades get back to Apple. What's actually happening doesn't involve actual words or sentences at all, in fact: Both the synthetic text and human writing get converted into "embeddings," which are essentially mathematical representations of the text. There's enough data to rank the quality of the AI text, without getting to the level of doing any real reading. All of this information is encrypted as it's transferred, and comparisons are only made on devices where users have opted into Device Analytics on their gadgets (the option can be found in Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements in Settings on iOS, for example). Apple never knows which AI text sample was picked by an individual device, only which samples have better rankings from all the devices pinged. Genmoji and other tools Apple will test its AI outputs against user data without looking too closely. Credit: Apple This anonymized grading system can be used to improve text made or rewritten by its generative AI models, Apple says, and should also mean more accurate, more intelligent summaries of text as well. Outputs that rank the highest could be tweaked with a different word or two, before being sent back for another round of assessments. A simpler version of the same approach is already being used by Apple to power its Genmoji AI feature, where you can magic up an octopus on a surfboard or a cowboy wearing headphones. Apple aggregates data from multiple devices to see which prompts are proving popular, while applying safeguards to ensure unique, individual requests aren't seen or tied to specific users or devices. Again, this only happens on iPhones, iPads, and Macs that have been opted into Device Analytics. By getting devices to report "noisy" signals without any specific user information in them, Apple can improve its AI models based on aggregate data and users don't have to worry about their Genmoji prompts being discovered. Similar techniques will soon be used in other Apple Intelligence features, Apple says. Those features will include Image Playground, Image Wand, Memories Creation, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence, which have all been among the first Apple AI capabilities to actually make it out to devices. According to Bloomberg, the new and improved systems will be tested in upcoming beta releases of iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, and macOS 15.5. We may well hear more about them, and about Apple Intelligence in general, at this year's Apple Worldwide Developer Conference, which is scheduled to get underway on Monday, June 9. Meanwhile, Apple's rivals in the AI space aren't showing any signs of slowing down—and have fewer scruples about using text written by their users to train their AI models further. In recent days we've seen Microsoft push out a range of updates for Copilot (including Copilot Vision and file search), Google add video generation to Gemini, and OpenAI upgrade the memory capabilities of ChatGPT. View the full article

US mortgage rates jumped last week by the most since October on the back of heightened volatility in the Treasury market, causing a pullback in financing applications for home purchases and refinancing. View the full article

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says battle could ‘force countries to choose’ between the two trading partnersView the full article

Snagging an internship can help future employees enhance their skills and knowledge and, overall, make them more desirable employees. But when it comes to actually working as an intern, not every company is a desirable place to be. Fortunately, Glassdoor, a company that analyzes workplace trends, explored thousands of intern reviews to put together its thorough list of the Best Internships of 2025. This year’s list includes 13 technology companies and six finance companies, with various other industries represented. The top companies offered not just competitive pay, but also roles that had a real impact—that is, the internships helped employees land jobs in their desired industries. Glassdoor also combined review ratings and workplace-factor ratings to rank the companies. Danny Cao, who heads Glassdoor’s internship program, said in the report that it’s no longer just students seeking intern roles, meaning competition is heating up. “While the majority of our internship applicants are current students, I’ve noticed a slight increase this year in recent graduates applying for summer internships,” Cao explained. “This could potentially be a growing trend that showcases how internships are evolving into a stepping stone for not only students but also early-career professionals navigating a challenging job market.” Here are the top 10 best companies to intern with this year: 1. EY-Parthenon Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,500 Overall Rating: 4.4 2. Capital One Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,833 Overall Rating: 4.2 3. Nvidia Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,333 Overall Rating: 4.2 4. AMD Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,916 Overall Rating: 4.2 5. Uber Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,750 Overall Rating: 4.1 6. Genentech Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,500 Overall Rating: 4.1 7. McKinsey & Company Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,333 Overall Rating: 4.1 8. Microsoft Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,875 Overall Rating: 4.1 9. Synchrony Median Base Monthly Salary: $ 5,166 Overall Rating: 4.1 10. LinkedIn Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,333 Overall Rating: 4.1 With competition increasing in multiple industries, including data science and software engineering, the time to apply is now. According to the report, February through March is when many internship listings are posted, though listings for certain fields peak in the fall. Regardless of when you apply, workers say, overwhelmingly, that an internship is extremely important. According to the report, 63% of Glassdoor users said their internship led to a full-time role. But even when it didn’t, 54% said it helped prepare them for their future in other valuable ways. Check out the full list of the best internships of 2025 here. View the full article

Most advertisers will confidently tell you that the cost per click (CPC) on Google Ads rises year after year. But is that actually true? And if it is, how quickly are CPCs inflating? Surprisingly, there’s no simple answer. To get closer to the truth, we’ll explore three reliable data sources – and explain why this question matters more than most advertisers realize. The problem of CPC inflation If you advertise on Google, CPC inflation should be high on your list of concerns. Why? Because rising CPCs directly erode advertising performance. For example, if CPCs increase by 5% this year, your budget will deliver 5% fewer clicks – assuming all other variables stay constant. Let’s look at a simple example to illustrate: If average CPCs rise by 5%, advertisers lose 5% of their clicks – despite spending the same amount. But performance targets don’t go down just because costs go up. In most cases, the only way to keep up is to increase total ad spend by that same 5%. That might work – if you can also raise your prices by 5%. The example below shows how adjusting pricing can maintain revenue outcomes, even as CPCs increase. And this is where the problem lies: as CPCs continue to rise, businesses are forced to increase their prices just to stay level. Ideally, prices rise at the same rate as market inflation. But if CPCs rise faster than inflation, your margins start to erode. That’s the danger of CPC inflation – and it often goes unnoticed. So, how big is this problem really? To answer that, we’ll look at three key data sources that reflect CPC trends over time: Google annual reports: Alphabet, as a public company, reports changes in CPCs as part of its revenue breakdown. Third-party tools (WordStream): WordStream collects data from thousands of Google Ads campaigns and publishes annual CPC benchmarks by industry. Owned ad accounts: At our agency, we track exact search terms over several years across multiple industries to measure CPC fluctuations at the most granular level. CPCs from Alphabet’s annual reports To better understand CPC trends, we extracted data from Alphabet’s annual reports (Form 10-K) covering the years 2018 to 2024. This table shows the year-over-year percentage change in two key metrics: The volume of paid clicks. Average CPCs. For example, the 2024 column represents the change compared to 2023. The “Average” column has been added for reference and does not appear in the original reports. What stands out is that in three of the six years (2024, 2023, and 2021), both paid clicks and CPCs increased. In those years, Google effectively earned more by generating more clicks and charging more per click. The most dramatic shifts occurred between 2020 and 2021, a period marked by COVID-driven growth in online activity. As demand surged, competition rose – and so did CPCs. Looking at the broader trend, the volume of paid clicks increased every year, averaging a 14.5% annual growth rate. But CPCs only rose in three out of the six years, with an average annual increase of just 2.33%. This is surprisingly low – I expected a more consistent upward trend of at least 3% per year. However, there are important limitations to this data. Alphabet’s reports likely cover more than just Google Search – other platforms like YouTube and the Display Network may be included. Additionally, the figures reflect global data, which could be skewed downward by lower CPCs in emerging markets. It’s also possible that the growing use of automated bidding tools has contributed to slower CPC inflation overall. Dig deeper: Dealing with Google Ads frustrations – Poor support, suspensions, rising costs Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Wordstream CPC data WordStream publishes an annual industry benchmark report on Google Ads CPCs, drawing insights from over 17,000 campaigns. Below, I’ve compiled their reported CPC data for U.S.-based advertisers from 2021 to 2024. The first five columns show the average CPC for each industry by year. The final column reflects the compound annual growth rate (CAGR), which is calculated to measure how quickly CPCs are rising on a smoothed annual basis. To put this in context, the average U.S. inflation rate over the past five years – measured by the consumer price index (CPI) – is 4.24%. Industries with a CPC CAGR above this benchmark are highlighted to show which are seeing CPC inflation outpacing general economic inflation. Interestingly, 12 of the 23 industries analyzed have CPCs growing faster than the CPI. That means the majority of industries are experiencing CPC inflation above the national average price inflation. When averaging across all industries, the overall CAGR is 3.18% – slightly below the CPI. However, this average is heavily impacted by an outlier: the Finance and Insurance sector, which shows a sharp -12.68% decline. This anomaly may be the result of reporting errors, data shifts, or other unknown variables. If we exclude this outlier, the average CAGR rises to 4.02%, and the median across all industries sits at 4.37%. Both are in line with or slightly above CPI, reinforcing the conclusion that CPCs for most industries are increasing at – or faster than – the rate of inflation. Dig deeper: Top Google Ads recommendations you should always ignore, use, or evaluate Owned CPC data The following data comes from accounts our agency manages. We’ve selected seven accounts across uncorrelated industries, each with search terms that have had consistently high spend over a period of five years or more. We chose search terms rather than keywords to eliminate ambiguity and ensure consistency. A search term is an exact word or phrase, unchanged over time. All of these terms have been managed by the same agency (us), allowing us to track CPC changes with high accuracy. Below, we’ve graphed the CPCs over time for each of the seven search terms. Legal industry CAGR: 14.25% Dental industry CAGR: 8.97% Ecommerce camping goods CAGR: 4.68% Removalist CAGR: 10.99% Medical technology CAGR: 12.79% Footwear CAGR: 13.82% Travel CAGR: 16.72% Below are the summarized results for all industries. Across these accounts, the compound annual growth rate of CPCs is significantly higher than what we’ve seen in Google’s annual reports or WordStream’s benchmarks. Summary of findings We looked at three sources to understand how CPCs have changed over time. Here’s what we found: 2.33%: The average annual CPC increase from Google’s annual reports (2019–2024), covering all markets, platforms, and industries. >4%: The CAGR from WordStream benchmarks across all industries (after removing outliers) over the last four years. 11.75%: The average CAGR from our managed accounts, based on the top search term in each of our seven highest-spend accounts (average time frame: 9 years). Based on years of experience, my gut feeling has always been that CPCs are rising rapidly – and our own data backs that up with an 11.75% increase. But when we look more broadly, that growth moderates: WordStream shows 4%, and Google claims it’s just 2.33% – lower than CPI inflation. So, which number should we trust? The limitations of this approach Using aggregated data – like WordStream’s benchmarks or Google’s reporting – comes with limitations. These sources may not be comparing apples to apples year to year. For example, if an account switches to a new ad manager who slashes CPCs by shifting strategy, this might appear as a market trend – but it’s really a management change. Aggregated data can’t always control for that. There’s also the issue of selection bias. WordStream’s data may skew toward accounts that use their tools, introducing confounding variables. Perhaps a tool update improved performance, or a price hike caused certain advertisers to leave. Their data might reflect advertiser behavior as much as market dynamics. By contrast, our internal data is tightly controlled, so we understand the full context. However, the tradeoff is sample size – seven accounts aren’t enough to reflect the entire market. So while our data may be more precise, it’s less generalizable. Conclusion All three data sources confirm that CPCs are rising. The question is – by how much? And more importantly, what’s happening in your own account? That’s the number that matters most. If your CPCs are rising faster than inflation or benchmarks, you’ll need to respond – whether by: Raising your own prices. Exploring more cost-effective ad strategies,. Even shifting platforms. Benchmarking your CPC growth against CPI or industry data can help you understand whether your account’s trajectory is justifiable – or unsustainable. One final thought: If your CPCs are rising faster than inflation, then it’s cheaper to acquire a customer today than it will be tomorrow – and likely cheaper than it will ever be. Major brands like Coca-Cola understood this long ago. The brand equity they built decades ago still pays dividends today – and it was far cheaper to build back then. Advertising is an investment. If CPCs go up, the cost of not investing today will only grow. Dig deeper: PPC budgeting in 2025 – When to adjust, scale, and optimize with data View the full article

It can be alarming to find an unknown folder or file on your computer, not least because malware can install temporary files without your knowledge that allow an infection to hide or spread. If you're a Windows 11 users, the empty "inetpub" that recently appeared on your computer isn't malicious—and it's actually critical to patching a security flaw in your system. The folder, spotted last week by Windows Latest, was created on users' devices during the most recent Window 11 Patch Tuesday update. It is part of a security fix for an elevation of privilege vulnerability (labeled CVE-2025-21204) in the Windows Update Stack that allows attackers access to modify system files or folders, though Windows Latest reports that Microsoft hasn't clarified exactly how the folder is related to the patch other than offering "increased protection." If you find the inetpub folder on your device, do not delete it. If you already have, do not despair—you can recover it to ensure the vulnerability is patched. How to recover a deleted "inetpub" folder on Windows 11If you accidentally deleted the empty inetpub folder on your computer running Windows 11, you need to restore it for the security patch to be effective. While you can normally recover deleted files and folders from the Recycle Bin, File History, or a backup (or using recovery software), there is a specific process to restore the inetpub folder as described by Windows Latest: Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Click Turn Windows features on or off to pull up a dialog box. Check the box next to Internet Information Services and click OK. This will recreate the deleted folder with the same security protections as the original. View the full article

Jingye makes first comments after ministers seized control of struggling companyView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $1,399 (down from $1,899), this deal on the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2023, M3 Pro chip) brings some high-end specs into a more accessible price range, especially considering it’s still $1,699 on Amazon. Apple MacBook Pro (2023, M3 Pro chip) $1,399.00 at Best Buy $1,899.00 Save $500.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,399.00 at Best Buy $1,899.00 Save $500.00 This base M3 MacBook Pro configuration gives you an 11-core CPU, a 14-core GPU, 18GB of unified memory, and a 512GB SSD, which is plenty for handling creative workloads like editing 4K video, code compiling, or juggling multiple apps and browser tabs without hitting thermal limits or draining battery in a couple of hours. It runs on macOS Sonoma, has a backlit keyboard, and supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth, though those were already around in the 2021 model. The display is a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen with a 3024 x 1964 resolution and up to 1000 nits of sustained brightness (which makes a difference if you work outdoors or with HDR content). Colors look vibrant, and Apple's ProMotion tech keeps things smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate that adjusts dynamically. This helps during video playback or fast-paced visuals, though it won’t make much of a difference for static office work. And while it’s not a touchscreen (something Windows users might miss), the display clarity more than makes up for it in sharpness and depth. Battery life is solid too, with up to 30 hours unplugged, according to this PCMag review. You’re also getting a more generous port selection than what you’d get on a MacBook Air (speaking of, read why Apple's newest MacBook Air is the one to buy) or most laptops in this class. There are three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI output, an SDXC card reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and MagSafe charging—so dongle life doesn’t have to be your default. If you don’t need a powerhouse for 3D rendering or machine-learning tasks, this M3 Pro version is more than capable. It’s a good fit for creative professionals, developers, gamers trying to get more mileage from the Mac ecosystem, and anyone who doesn’t want to compromise on screen quality or build, but also doesn’t need the fully loaded top-tier models. View the full article

Shares in Nvidia Corporation and other chip technology companies are down in premarket trading this morning after Nvidia confirmed that it would take a significant financial hit to cover costs associated with a newly required export license so it can ship some of its latest chips outside of the United States. Here’s what you need to know about the new requirement and its effect on tech stocks. What’s happened? Yesterday, AI chipmaking giant Nvidia revealed that it will record a $5.5 billion charge this year related to its H20 chips, sending the stock down in premarket trading this morning. Nvidia made the revelation about a week after the The President administration added new export license requirements to the H20. Nvidia initially revealed that information in a Form 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dated April 9. In that filing, Nvidia revealed that the U.S. government now requires Nvidia to obtain an export license to export its H20 chips to China and select other countries. Due to this, Nvidia expects to incur about $5.5 billion in costs related to “inventory, purchase commitments, and related reserves” of the H20. The H20 chip is a chip Nvidia designed especially for the Chinese marketplace in order to comply with U.S. export restrictions, notes CNBC. In 2024, Nvidia made between $12 billion and $15 billion selling the H20. But now the associated $5.5 billion charge will take a significant chunk out of those revenues. The The President administration’s new export controls are also a sign that Nvidia could face an increasingly challenging environment when exporting its chips to countries that the U.S. believes could use them in ways that could disadvantage America. In Nvidia’s 8-K filing, the company said that the new export license requirement covers “the Company’s H20 integrated circuits and any other circuits achieving the H20’s memory bandwidth, interconnect bandwidth, or combination thereof” and that the United States government “indicated that the license requirement addresses the risk that the covered products may be used in, or diverted to, a supercomputer in China.” But China (including Hong Kong and Macau), isn’t the only country that the new export license requirement applies to. The license is also required for other so-called “D:5 countries.” According to a March 2024 publication by the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, D:5 countries comprise over two dozen nations, including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran, Libya, Nicaragua, Russia, and Venezuela. On April 14, the United States government said the license requirement would “be in effect for the indefinite future,” according to Nvidia’s filing. Chip stocks fall The expected $5.5 billion charge related to Nvidia’s H20 chips has sent the stock tumbling nearly 6% in premarket trading this morning as of the time of this writing. Nvidia shares (Nasdaq: NVDA) are currently down around $6.45 to $105.75. However, it’s not just Nvidia shares that are down. The stock prices of chipmakers often move in unison—suggesting that most investors believe that what is good or bad for one company could be good or bad for the chip industry as a whole. The new export license requirement on Nvidia is a sign to many that U.S. chipmakers may see rougher waters ahead when it comes to exporting their products across the globe. Rougher export waters could lead to higher costs, reduced profits, or both. Other chipmakers this morning are currently seeing their stock price down, too, including: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM): down 3% Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC): down 2.7% Broadcom Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGO): down 4% Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU): down 3.8% Arm Holdings plc (Nasdaq: ARM): down 4.8% QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM): down 2.2% Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMD): down 7% ASML warns about weaker orders However, the Nvidia news may not be the only thing dragging down these other chip companies. Currently, shares in the Dutch company ASML Holding N.V. (Nasdaq: ASML) are also down 4.7% in premarket trading as of the time of this writing. ASML isn’t a chip maker itself. It manufactures the critical machines that chipmakers need to produce their chips. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, ASML has now reported that orders for its machines that help make semiconductors totaled $4.45 billion in its first quarter. That was well below the $5.5 billion that analysts were expecting, suggesting a massive slowdown in once-expected production by chipmakers. ASML warned that President The President’s policies were creating uncertainty for the semiconductor industry. Not including today’s premarket falls, companies operating in the semiconductor space have had a rough 2025 so far—not helped by The President’s recent tariff policies and now, tightening export rules. As of market close yesterday, since the beginning of the year, NVDA shares were down 16.4%, TSM shares were down 21.4%, AVGO shares were down 22.8%, MU shares were down 15.5%, AMD shares were down 21.1%, and ARM shares were down 17.5%. Before today’s premarket drop, ASML shares were down 1.8% for the year. View the full article

As AI-powered SEO platforms evolve, they’re rewriting the economics of search engine optimization. This transformation threatens to upend the traditional agency model in three ways: Dramatically lower costs. Automate technical capabilities. Provide unbiased, data-driven decisions. Yet, this disruption might lead to industry consolidation and expansion as fewer but larger agencies emerge to serve an expanding market of SEO adopters. This article looks at how to survive the new agency economics. The economics of disruption Today’s SEO agency model typically involves monthly retainers ranging from $2,000 to $20,000, depending on the scope and complexity of services. Even with premium pricing, AI-powered platforms might deliver comparable or superior results for a fraction of the cost – perhaps $500 to $2,000 monthly. This dramatic price differential doesn’t just create competition; it fundamentally challenges the sustainability of traditional agency pricing structures. Consider a mid-sized ecommerce website currently paying $5,000 monthly for SEO services. An AI platform could deliver automated technical audits, content optimization recommendations, and competitive analysis for $750 monthly. Even if the platform doubled or tripled its prices, it would remain significantly more cost-effective than traditional agency services. At the same time, it provides in-house marketers with enough SEO expertise to tackle the job themselves, maximizing in-house budget. For the SEO agency, this threat needs to be taken seriously. When the clients can choose a platform over an agency, the agency model will hit a stumbling block. The automated technical evolution The technical capabilities of AI platforms represent the most immediate threat to traditional agencies. These systems can now: Automatically detect and prioritize technical SEO issues. Generate and implement fixes for common problems. Monitor site health in real time. Adapt to algorithm updates more quickly than human teams. Assess competitor code changes to see impact across sites. This automated approach has a significant impact on those skilled in technical SEO. Even recently, we used AI to identify code-related issues in a client’s site that were not identified by traditional SEO tools. As AI becomes more embedded within web and SEO platforms, we’ll see the value of technical expertise reduce. This isn’t hype. The rise of no-code platforms is proof of this. The benefit that tech SEOs should bring to their clients is knowing what needs doing and when based on experience. But in an AI code era, websites can be made technically perfect and even “self-heal” code issues – essentially making tech SEO irrelevant. The trust factor (No more snake oil) The SEO industry has always had its share of spam. A quick search online, and within seconds, you’ll find someone promising instant rankings for a cheap monthly fee. It’s natural for agencies to prioritize their needs. They will sell a dream that will burn the industry one client at a time. SEO-powered platforms change this. These platforms provide unbiased, data-based advice. They can see links being added, content changed, and technical fixes made, and they can track the results across sectors. This feedback allows these tools to provide unbiased, non-agency advice. And don’t think this is not going to happen. Soon, SEO platforms will be able to look at any website and show all the changes and how they impacted SEO results. It’s just a matter of time. Weeks, months, or maybe a few years. But it’s coming. OK, so that’s all the bad news. What should you do? The agency response SEO agencies cannot sit on the fence right now. The last few years have been mainly carnage for the SEO and content industry, and we have seen the freelancer market boom as agencies struggle to grow. However, we need to understand that agencies suffered an artificial boost after COVID-19, and as such, we saw them grow far faster than they would have usually. And then we’ve seen an overcorrection due to global economic issues. Today, we are entering a lean phase in SEO, one in which AI efficiencies will lead to the greatest and most powerful agencies. The most successful agencies will likely be those that can: Build strong brand recognition and trust. Operate at scale with minimal overhead. Effectively combine AI capabilities with human insight. Provide value beyond what automated platforms can deliver. But this will battle head-on with SEO platforms. The platforms we use to do our jobs will be battling for the customers directly. It’s the natural next step. Think DIY outlets. They sell to the professional and direct to the consumer. This is where it’s heading. Dig deeper: The billion-dollar one-person SEO agency: Fiction or the future? Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. Business email address Sign me up! Processing... See terms. Market evolution The SEO market appears headed for a paradoxical future. As AI platforms make basic SEO more accessible, we’ll likely see: More businesses investing in SEO due to lower entry barriers. Fewer traditional SEO jobs as automation increases. A smaller number of larger, more efficient agencies. Higher overall market value but distributed differently. The winners in this new landscape won’t necessarily be the agencies with the best technical capabilities – AI platforms will largely commoditize those. Instead, success will likely come to those who can build the strongest brands and most efficient operations, potentially leading to a winner-takes-all scenario in the agency space. And here we enter a rather unique battle. AI can make a single freelancer or agency far more profitable while reducing the need for that agency or freelancer. In an industry with less required expertise, lean agencies that acquire customers faster will grow and become stronger brands. These agency brands will be wrappers covering the same ‘behind the scenes’ mechanics all agencies have. Branding, reach, and visibility will be the key differentiators. Whereas most agencies today are similar in branding and appeal, the agency of the future will stand out deliberately. Agency marketing will be the big play. Efficiencies will lead to higher profits, which can be poured into brand and customer experience. Customers will likely choose agencies based on who they want to work with, and experiential factors will influence that decision. While we know remote work is enormous in the SEO sector, having an office that clients want to hop onto a train or plane to visit might be a big factor in this landscape. Your office and brand will be costly signaling factors. As British advertising executive Rory Sutherland famously stated: “All-powerful messages must contain an element of absurdity, illogicality, costliness, disproportion, inefficiency, scarcity, difficulty or extravagance – because rational behavior and talk, for all their strengths, convey no meaning.” Your brand and office are going to become powerful messages in the future. Dig deeper: The SEO career crisis is coming: Are you ready? The future landscape The transformation of the SEO industry won’t happen overnight, but the writing is already on the wall. As AI platforms become more sophisticated, we’re likely to see a four-tiered market emerge: 1. Enterprise level Large, well-branded agencies serving corporations, combining AI efficiency with high-touch service and strategic oversight. These agencies will likely command premium prices but operate with leaner teams than today’s agencies. 2. Mid-market solutions AI platforms serve as the primary SEO solution for mid-sized businesses, with minimal human oversight required. These platforms will offer sophisticated automation at a fraction of traditional agency costs. 3. Small business market Democratized access to SEO tools and AI-driven recommendations, allowing small businesses to manage their SEO with minimal external support. 4. Small agencies and freelancers They will scoop up the market that will be left over with those not interested in doing the SEO themselves and those who don’t have the time. This might sound similar to today, but remember that AI efficiencies help larger agencies to become more profitable. Today’s 60-person agency should probably be a 20-person agency, and it should use its profit to scale, acquire customers, and grow its brands. Adding AI platforms opens a new level of competition against agencies operating in the smaller trenches. Implications for the industry This restructuring will have far-reaching consequences. SEO professionals must evolve from technical practitioners to strategic advisors and AI platform specialists. Agencies must either scale up significantly to compete at the enterprise level or dramatically reduce their overhead to remain viable in the mid-market. The good news for the industry is that the overall SEO market is likely to expand. Lower barriers to entry and more affordable solutions will bring new businesses into the SEO fold. However, this growth will be distributed differently, with AI platforms capturing a larger share of the mid-market revenue while mega-agencies dominate the enterprise space. Why this matters While human expertise will remain valuable, the traditional agency model of high-overhead, technical-focused service delivery will likely become unsustainable for all but the largest, most efficiently operated firms. For agency owners, the message is clear: adapt now or risk obsolescence. This might mean investing heavily in brand building, dramatically reducing operational costs, or pivoting to become specialists in AI platform implementation and optimization. The future belongs not to those with the best technical skills but those who can build the strongest agency brands and most efficient operations. And that’s the brutal reality. The future of SEO is one of extravagant and distinctive agency brands powered by highly efficient and profitable models. How are you ready for this? Dig deeper: 3 ways to use AI for SEO wins in 2025 View the full article

For about 20 years, Docusign has been known as a tool for collecting digital signatures—helping businesses replace paper forms with electronic versions that are just as secure and legally binding. Just over a year ago, the company announced its development of an “intelligent agreement management,” or IAM, platform. This platform uses AI not only to gather signatures but also to assist with creating new agreements and organizing contracts after they’ve been signed. These features contributed to strong earnings in Docusign’s most recent quarter, beating analyst expectations and helping customers transform contracts from hard-to-manage text files and paper printouts into actionable data. “It’s literally a revolution in how agreements are managed inside of companies,” says Allan Thygesen, Docusign’s CEO. Traditionally, even digitally signed documents are still stored as word processing files or PDFs, often scattered across company servers and cloud systems. Although critical to company operations—from hiring to product sales—”Businesses really run on agreements,” says Docusign Chief Revenue Officer Paula Hansen. Yet these documents are often difficult to scan and analyze systematically. That makes it challenging to answer even basic questions, such as which agreements are up for renewal next month, without time-consuming human review. “It really should be structured data that’s managed by software,” says Dmitri Krakovsky, Docusign’s chief product officer. “But in fact, it usually sits in text somewhere—you cannot interrogate the contract.” Docusign’s IAM platform aims to solve that by giving customers a centralized space to store and track contracts—including those housed in other cloud systems—reducing the need to hunt down relevant files. Its AI tools can automatically ingest, analyze, and search contracts. Meanwhile, an automation platform called Maestro helps companies build workflows around agreements, such as collecting customer data via webforms, gathering signatures, and verifying signer identities. Once signed, contracts can be saved automatically, and Maestro can log relevant data to third-party systems like Salesforce. Now, Docusign is unveiling a suite of new features to make it easier for users to collaborate on contracts, track compliance, review them with AI, and verify the identity of signers. Launching at this week’s Docusign Momentum conference, a new AI engine called Docusign Iris will leverage the company’s deep contract experience to apply the most suitable AI models for various tasks. “We get to benefit from our deep understanding of how agreements are structured,” Thygesen says. “There’s sort of an inherent meta-structure to agreements, and therefore an ability to develop better models for extraction.” New virtual workspaces will enable collaboration on complex, multistep agreements. A feature called Obligation Management will automatically extract and highlight what each party is required to deliver and when—ensuring deadlines aren’t missed. This data can also be integrated into other software, like procurement management tools, eliminating the need for manual data entry, Krakovsky explains. By next month, Docusign plans to release a beta version of a new feature called Agreement Desk—a ticketing system that helps companies organize and manage contract-related tasks, similar to developer or help desk systems. It’s designed for use across departments—not just legal—supporting teams like sales, HR, and procurement. Agreement Desk offers visibility into task statuses and required actions. New contract prep tools will also make it easier to populate templates with data from across a company’s systems. Later this year, Docusign expects to roll out more advanced AI agents that can further automate contract processes. These tools will recommend next steps, highlight contracts up for renewal, flag potential issues, and even generate draft communications. Enhanced AI review features will identify contract terms that conflict with company policies, which can be written in natural language. Users can continue editing contracts in familiar tools like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, where AI-suggested redline changes will also appear, says Thygesen. That’s important for a solution meant to enhance—rather than replace—existing workflows. “Trying to get people to move out of the tools that they like to work in—email, Word—has not ended well for anyone,” he says. No matter the tools or workflows, Docusign’s management and AI features are designed to help customers avoid missed opportunities caused by delays or overlooked deadlines. Some customers are already seeing the benefits. Kelly Park Capital, which connects independent financial advisers and their clients with investment opportunities like hedge funds and private equity, uses Docusign’s systems to digitize and manage complex investment subscription documents. “These documents are hundreds of pages long, typically, and they are filled with dense, archaic, legalistic, regulatory-driven language,” says Dean Rubino, managing partner at Kelly Park Capital. “So if you’re not used to that, and you’re trying to do it in mass, it’s almost impossible.” Using Docusign technology, the company collects preliminary data—like client info and investment types—via web forms, which Maestro then automatically adds to the correct digital template. This saves around 70% of the time previously spent manually filling contracts and reduces the risk of transcription errors, Rubino says. Docusign’s upcoming workspace feature will also help Kelly Park Capital collaborate more effectively on documents. Meanwhile, AI tools may soon enable automatic updates to templates—useful for applying regulatory changes across similar agreements. While other tools exist for managing legal documents and using AI to analyze them, Docusign leaders believe their long history with contracts—and the trust of nearly 1.7 million customers—gives them an edge. “It’s still really early days,” says Hansen. “But the results are exceeding our expectations, and we’re fortunate to have a really large customer base and a customer base that trusts us.” View the full article

It's been about a week and what would be do without reporting on yet more Google Search ranking volatility... I am seeing signs of a Google Search ranking update and volatility over the past 24 hours, maybe kicking in April 15th through April 16th, today.View the full article

Design industry leaders trust artificial intelligence less than they did a year ago, and many see the world as an increasingly uncertain place. These are a few of the most striking takeaways from the 2025 State of Design & Make report from the design and engineering software maker Autodesk. This third annual design industry outlook is based on surveys and interviews with 5,594 industry leaders, futurists, and experts across industries including architecture, engineering, construction, and operations, design and manufacturing, and media and entertainment. Leaders from what Autodesk calls the “design and make” industries were asked to report on a wide range of topics, including adoption of digital technologies, sustainability efforts, supply chain challenges, and the growth of AI. AI is a recurring topic in the report, but one of the most striking results is just how skeptical industry leaders are becoming about AI and its use in their businesses. Only 65% of architecture, engineering, and construction professionals say they trust AI, down from 76% last year. That may not change its impact on the business, however, as 68% of firm leaders believe AI will ultimately enhance their industry, compared with 48% who think it will be a force of destabilization. But while AI is still an open question for many design industry leaders, there are some ways it has been largely embraced. According to the report, 39% of industry leaders say they are using AI to be more sustainable in their business practices, up from 34% in 2024 and 26% in 2023. The global economy is another overarching theme in the report, with many industries expressing concern and uncertainty. The architecture industry stands out, with leaders from the field predicting dark times ahead. Last year, 74% of architecture leaders reported that they were well prepared for unforeseen future changes in the global economy. This year that number has dropped to 46%, the steepest decline among all industries surveyed. The number of architecture leaders who see the global landscape as more uncertain than three years ago has risen from 35% to 57%. Just 55% of leaders in the architecture sector say they will increase investments in the next three years, a 28% decline from 2024. This design industry outlook may feel a bit like a knee-jerk reaction to the tumultuous economic conditions that have emerged in the early months of the The President administration, but industry leaders were seeing these clouds on the horizon long before. The quantitative data that the report is based on was collected between May and August of last year. View the full article

CNBC reports Google has been sued in the UK for <<£5 billion ($6.6 billion) in potential damages over allegations that the U.S. tech giant abused its "near-total dominance" in the online search market to drive up prices.View the full article

Google.com will soon be the only way to access Google Search. The ccTLD versions of Google will redirect to Google.com. That means if you try to go to Google.ca, Google.fr. Google.co.uk and so on, those will all redirect to Google.com.View the full article