Category: Internet Marketing

The Guardian has accused Microsoft of damaging its brand by adding an offensive AI-generated poll to one of its articles.

In a story reporting on the death of 21-year-old Lilie James, whose body was found with serious head injuries in Australia, the tech giant’s AI asked readers to vote on the cause of her passing, giving them the options of murder, accident or suicide.

Furious readers reacted by describing the poll as “disgusting” and calling for the instant dismissal of the journalist – who had nothing to do with the poll.

Why we care. Microsoft’s decision to use AI instead of human writers is causing problems again. This is a clear reminder of why businesses should utilize AI to support human efforts rather than replace them. Neglecting this approach could damage your brand’s reputation and adversely affect your search rankings.

How this happened. Microsoft has agreements with major news organizations around the world, such as The Guardian and CNN, under which it can republish their articles in return for a portion of ad revenue. However, when the tech giant republished this story, its AI technology automatically added the offensive poll.

What The Guardian is saying. Anna Bateson, chief executive of the Guardian Media Group, wrote to Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, accusing the company of upsetting James’ family, as well as causing “significant reputational damage” to both the newspaper and the journalist. She said:

• “This is clearly an inappropriate use of genAI [generative AI] by Microsoft on a potentially distressing public interest story, originally written and published by Guardian journalists.”

Bateson then asked Smith to reassure her that:

• “Microsoft will not apply experimental AI technology on or alongside Guardian journalism without the news publisher’s approval; and Microsoft will always make it clear to users when AI tools are used to create additional units and features next to trusted news brands like the Guardian.”

What Microsoft is saying. A Microsoft spokesperson said:

• “We have deactivated Microsoft-generated polls for all news articles and we are investigating the cause of the inappropriate content. A poll should not have appeared alongside an article of this nature, and we are taking steps to help prevent this kind of error from reoccurring in the future.”

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History repeating itself. This isn’t the first time Microsoft’s generative AI has landed the tech giant in trouble. In September, the company was heavily criticized after publishing an AI-generated obituary for NBA star Brandon Hunter.

The former Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic player passed away suddenly this week, aged 42, after collapsing during a hot yoga class in Orlando, Fl. Shortly after his passing, fans were shocked to see the father of three described as “useless” in an obituary published on MSN. The headline read:

• “Brandon Hunter useless at 42.”

Readers reacted by branding Microsoft “lazy” for leveraging AI to create articles and urged the company to rehire the editorial staff it replaced with AI.

Deep dive. Read the Guardian’s response in full for more information.

The post The Guardian accuses Microsoft of damaging its reputation with offensive AI-generated poll appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/guardian-accuses-microsoft-damaging-its-reputation-offensive-ai-poll-434150

Home Business Magazine Online

It’s not enough to rely on word-of-mouth marketing or placing an ad in the local newspaper for your small, home-based business to succeed. Indeed, if your business revolves around something that defies state and country borders, such as content creation or even fiction writing, it’s no longer necessary to start selling in your hometown and branch out there. Pardon the cliché, but the entire world truly is your oyster.

Enter social media marketing. With digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X (Twitter) thriving more than ever on a global scale, it’s of vital importance that you take advantage of these media sites to spread the good word about your services or products. But maybe you’re so busy with working you don’t have the time to spend marketing on social media. Plus, perhaps you feel too self-conscious when schilling your goods not only to friends and family, but to the entire world. That’s where professional social media marketing comes into play.

Says the professionals at LYFE Marketing social media marketing agency, who bill themselves as an affordable social media marketing agency, creating and managing top-performing advertising services, email services, and more is critical for your small business. It’s also important to create and manage top-performing social media campaigns on all the important platforms like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more. A reputable full-service agency should deliver an excellent return on investment (ROI).

That said, what are some social media marketing tips for your home-based small business in 2023 and beyond? According to a recent report by Medium’s Startup Stash, if you operate a small business that relies heavily on web traffic for driving sales, a lot of your effort should be concentrated on attracting visitors to your website and converting them from prospective clients to real clients.

A good way to gain targeted traffic via social media is to engage in a content marketing strategy. This is the process of creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract, engage, and acquire what will come to be your target audience.

That said, here are some valuable tips to assist you with increasing your brand awareness, building brand credibility, and establishing valuable relationships with your target audience, who will continue to buy your products or utilize your services again and again.

Social Media Posts Should Be Short and Sweet

Social media platforms are said to utilize algorithms to read and analyze every post. The algorithms are never constant and, in fact, ever-changing. They determine the kind of content that will be displayed inside a user’s feed.

Algorithms are programmed to analyze social media posts such as photos, words, videos, link credibility, and more. They also take into consideration users’ feed preferences. Most social network platforms are said to favor short and meaningful content plus user engagement. It’s been proven that users are more likely to click on short, “bite-sized” content than they are on long, drawn-out posts.

Share Unique Content That Builds Your Personal Brand

It’s said to be amazing the amount of small businesses that aren’t aware of the awesome advantages unique content serves. Aside from developing a brand and developing a relationship with potential customers, the prime objective of social media marketing is simple. It’s to drive traffic directly to your website to gain access to email addresses, grab sales, and even encourage clients to contact you directly.

If you’re not sharing content that’s connected directly to your website, you will not get any website traffic. Your website content should be your primary magnet. In other words, don’t send potential clients directly to a third-party store like Amazon. Send them to your website first.

When you share content from websites other than your own, you can entertain customers or provide them with some industry-related information. But when you share content via your own unique website, you are attracting visitors who will likely become customers.

Use Web Links, Video, and Photos to Increase Engagement and Reach

When social media platforms use algorithms to go through new posts, they are said to favor content that includes some sort of attractive media. Video is especially popular since it displays more than static photos or plain posts with links. Post impressions and links are considered “the key” to gaining more engagement, which will inevitably lead to more exposure to your brand and products.

In the end, social media can be a valuable tool for getting the word out about your home-based small business. Priority one is creating a stunning website that is easily navigable, and step two is getting the word out via social media marketing posts, which will lead potential customers directly to your website.

The post Social Media Marketing Tips for Your Home-Based Business in 2023 and Beyond appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/marketing/social-media-marketing/social-media-marketing-tips-home-based-business-2023-beyond/

Home Business Magazine Online

The holidays are the perfect time to pamper the children in your life, whether they’re your own, nieces or nephews, or those of your best friends. The joy a thoughtful gift brings to a child’s face is priceless. But the question is, how do you begin your search for that perfect gift? With ever-changing trends, you’re probably stumped on what are the latest and greatest toys, clothing, and games a child would love to receive. It can be daunting and time-consuming to hunt for these gifts in shopping malls and big-box stores, so we made the task easy for you (giving you back the time you need as a busy business owner). From old-school favorites that are back in style to fun fashions, below are the perfect gifts for children making them jolly this season.

The Figgy Play Couch

Figgy was created by a Dadpreneur (Chris Roepe) during the pandemic as he struggled to keep his kids entertained while working from home. Figgy is that perfect playtime couch set that enriches a child’s life while making playtime easier on the parents. The Figgy Play Couch offers a great way to keep little ones busy for hours while parentpreneurs get work done from the home office.

The Figgy Couch is a versatile and modular play couch known for its strong patented Velcro connectors, which makes fort building that much easier. It can become a raft for the high seas, a rocket ship to the moon, or even a comfy nook for reading hours. Parentpreneurs will appreciate The Figgy Couch’s easy cleanup, and that it fits seamlessly into any living space. This couch is designed to be durable and it features easy carry handles and hidden zippers. The Figgy Couch is designed and crafted in the USA in Greenville, South Carolina with Certi-PUR US Foam and certified Oeko-Tex fabric free from harmful chemicals. It is also lead-safe, BPA & BPS free, PVC free, formaldehyde free, and has no known harmful phthalates. You can also purchase machine washable covers and waterproof liners with The Figgy Couch. There are seven colors to choose from to find that perfect match. Retail starts at $269 at figgyplay.com.

MAGNA-TILES® Storage Bin Bundle

MAGNA-TILES® is America’s #1 magnetic construction brand inspiring children and helping them develop skills they’ll use in everyday life. They’re also fun for parents to play along with! MAGNA-TILES® Storage Bin Bundle is a great set for new and experienced MAGNA-TILES explorers. As the most COMPLETE MAGNA-TILES set, it includes everything families need to get their MAGNA-TILES® collections started and enjoy hours of meaningful play.

MAGNA-TILES® Storage Bin Bundle features 84 magnetic pieces in six classic colors, including Rectangles, Squares, Isosceles Triangles, Right Triangles, and Equilateral Triangles. Your special child will also get their popular 2-in-1 Storage Bin and interactive Play-Mat, to help keep the playroom organized. Retails for $134.99 at magnatiles.com. The bin holds up to 300 tiles, so you can gift more MAGNA-TILES® at any time. It also encourages an easy clean-up as all you need to do is zip up the sides of the mat to turn it into a sturdy storage bin for the tiles. The ease of storage and cleanup means children can take their MAGNA-TILES® set anywhere! MAGNA-TILES® (if it isn’t already) will surely become your special child’s favorite toy. Retails for $134.99 at magnatiles.com.

Little Partners Learn ‘N Slide/Climb

With Little Partners®’s 2-in-1 Folding Learn ‘N Slide, little ones can build their strength and confidence through play. This stand-alone, double-sided balance trainer features half-moon hand and foot grips for climbing as well as a smooth surface for sliding! You’ll love that the 2-in-1 design locks securely in place for safe play and convenient storage. The 2-in-1 Folding Learn ‘N Slide is perfect for any home, Montessori, or Waldorf classroom for added exploration. This slide has a solid wood construction for long-lasting durability little ones can enjoy for years. It has a non-toxic clear finish and it is Greenguard Gold Certified and FSC Certified ensuring it is made of safe and sustainable materials. Recommended for ages 2-6, the solid wood construction holds up to 150 lbs. Retails for $199.99 at littlepartners.com.

Kids Anywhere Chair®, Red Snoopy® Dog House

Any parentpreneur working from home is familiar with the unique challenge of the toddler or young child who wants to commandeer their parent’s work chair. Now Snoopy has the perfect solution: The Snoopy Dog House Chair! Pottery Barn Kid’s best-selling Anywhere Chair® features the world’s most beloved beagle, giving a special child in your life a bright and lightweight chair of their very own.

The Kids Anywhere Chair®, Red Snoopy® Dog House is perfectly sized (25¼” wide x 21” deep x 22½” high) and light enough for a young child to drag from room to room. It is topped with a handle, making it easy for a child to tote it around to their next reading or playing adventure. Its slipcover is woven from 100% cotton twill with a printed design in corduroy. The high back of the cheerful red chair doubles as Snoopy’s doghouse roof, featuring a cute Snoopy plush. Parents will appreciate this is GREENGUARD Gold Certified to contribute to healthier indoor air, keeping families safer. When necessary, the slipcover can be washed in the washing machine. This chair is ideal for 3- to 6-year-olds – although parents may beg for their turn in the chair! You can also personalize The Red Snoopy® Dog House Chair for an extra fee. Retails for $199 at potterybarnkids.com.

City Threads Soft & Cozy 100% Cotton Fleece Zip Hoodie with Inner Pockets

City Threads creates simple, timeless basics that make great gifts for children as they can be worn year after year. City Threads uses only high-quality fabrics which means their clothes hold shape, even after being washed over and over. City Threads products come in a wide variety of colors so parents can easily mix and match. Every child loves a soft and quality hoodie they can play, play, and explore in.

City Threads’ Soft & Cozy 100% Cotton Fleece Zip Hoodie with Inner Pockets is just that perfect everyday hoodie and it comes in many colors to meet the personality of your special child. The unique design of this hoodie offers big, nearly invisible front pockets on the sides and two large inside pockets kids will love. It is made with quality, locally knit, and locally dyed super-soft 100% cotton fleece. It can be hard to find 100% cotton fleece these days, as most other fleece has polyester or other synthetic fibers included. The soft, breathable, and comfortable fabric makes it a great option for children with allergies or sensitivities. Made in the USA. Retails for $68.99 at citythreads.com.

Chopper Mill Kids Mountins Mittens with Custom Name Patch

Chopper Mill is a woman-founded company in Stillwater, Minnesota that offers outdoor gear for kids to feel comfortable, confident, and warm in their outdoor adventures. Their beautiful, high-quality mittens are built for generations of outdoor action. Made in Minnesota, they can withstand even the harshest of conditions.

Chopper Mill Kids Mountins Mittens make perfect gifts for special children in your life who enjoy romping around in the winter’s great outdoors. Each Chopper is pre-curved for exceptional performance, lined with 3M Thinsulate for incredible warmth, and is constructed with a Hipora waterproof & windproof breathable insert to keep hands dry. These can be worn for many winters and the more winters Choppers see, the better they get! Something unique about Chopper Mill is they understand how a mitten can disappear and they have the answer to this issue. They will happily send you a replacement for the first single Chopper Mill mitten lost. And any mittens lost thereafter can be purchased anytime. Chopper Mill Kids Mountins Mittens also come with a custom patch that you can print your special kiddo’s name upon. These beautiful mittens come in three different color variations and five sizes to find that perfect match. Retails for $59 at choppermill.com.

The Original StairSlide

Bolder Play offers one of the most fun gifts for children they’ll love using this winter. The StairSlide, one of Bolder Play’s most popular products, attaches to the staircase in your home to transform it into a playground slide. The StairSlide offers a fun activity to keep your kids moving, active, and entertained for hours during those cold winter days.

StairSlide is quickly and easily installed on a staircase with StairSlide’s sections that fit together. Each long-lasting, easy-to-assemble StairSlide section covers three stair steps. Depending on your staircase will determine how many sections you need. When your kiddos are done with the fun, simply remove from the staircase, stack, and store! Stairslide is easy to clean and comes in the color white. Additionally, it holds up to 175 lbs, is made from high-quality safe materials, and is tough against scratches. At $269, you can get the StairSlide’s most popular option of four StairSlide sections. However, you can purchase singles up to an 8-pack. Retails for $269 (4-pack) at bolderplay.com.

Mightly Rebel Girls Organic Cotton 4-Piece Sweat Suit Gift Set

Mightly’s founders are four moms with over 50 years of experience in the clothing business. They came together to create Mightly because they wanted to provide families with clothing that is comfortable, play-friendly, top-quality, and made without any scary chemicals.

Mightly’s Rebel Girls Organic Cotton 4-Piece Sweat Suit Gift Set is a fun-loving 4-piece sweat suit gift set that offers the sweet little rebel girl in your life both style and comfort as she sets out to adventure. This set will empower her to feel confident, all while keeping her warm and cozy as she explores. Mightly’s Rebel Girls Organic Cotton Set includes The Cozy Hoodie, The Versatile Sweat Pants, and two long-sleeve raglan tees designed to encourage the spirit of young girls. All pieces in the set are made from 100% organic cotton sourced ethically and sustainably and have itch-free tags for added comfort. It is packaged sweetly in a gift bag ready to give to your special little rebel girl. This set is ever so soft and built for anything ahead. Retails for $109.95 at mightly.com.

Sky Viper Vector Performance Stunt Jet

Give a special kid in your life fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants excitement with Sky Viper’s Vector Performance Stunt Jet! The jet features two powerful prop motors strapped to a lightweight 6th generation fighter body for no-holds-barred thrills and performance. Advanced auto flight stabilization makes flying a breeze by automatically compensating for environmental changes like shifting winds. The user can perform amazing loop and barrel roll stunts with one touch of a button. Vector Jet flies up to 35 mph with a 600-foot range and if he or she flies out of range, Vector glides to a soft landing and auto-beeps to help ensure a swift recovery. Intuitive controls and refined Sky Viper flight software make Vector easy enough for beginners yet engaging enough for experienced R/C enthusiasts. This is a gift for children that parents will enjoy using as well. Ages 12+. Retails for $79.99 at target.com.

MORI Snowman Sweater & Ribbed Leggings Outfit

MORI creates soft and high-quality clothing for a family’s well-being starting from the newborn stage and beyond. Since 2015, they’ve been using the softest organic fabrics to give the best quality clothing, and all pieces are thoughtfully crafted using materials sourced sustainably. The fabric colors they choose are soft and pleasant. All their fabrics are also very gentle on the sensitive skin of babies and children.

MORI’s Snowman Sweater & Ribbed Leggings Outfit is an adorable set and makes a perfect gift for a special child in your life. The sweet snowman print on the sweater and the soft blue color of the set encourage a cozy and adventurous feeling of winter. The sweater is made from 100% organic cotton. If you’re buying this set for a little that is 2 or under, the sweater will have poppers on the shoulder. The leggings are made from 67% bamboo from viscose, 28% organic cotton, and 5% elastane. For extra comfort, the leggings have an elasticated waistband. MORI Retails for $55 at us.babymori.com.

Stonz Rain Boots

A pair of Stonz Rain Boots is one of those gifts for children that inspires fun and enjoyment of the great outdoors. A pair of Stonz high-quality waterproof rain boots will encourage fun in the weather a child may not usually explore. Warm and comfortable, Stonz lightweight rain boots for kids are made with high-density all-natural rubber to shed water, mud, and muck and are lined with a soft, warm cotton lining to keep toes warm when splashing away in puddles. They feature a flexible, comfortable fit and are designed with a strong, reinforced rubberized bottom with a textured grip to provide better step stability and safety when playing outdoors. These are perfect for younger children heading off to school or playing outside in the rain with siblings. Stonz Rain Boots come in a variety of colors. Retails for $54.99 at the Stonz Amazon Store.

Smithsonian Apollo 11 Child’s Astronaut Suit

Giving a child a hands-on gift that will encourage fun and learning is made possible with the Smithsonian Store. Smithsonian offers fantastic gifts that encourage learning and exploration of the Earth’s wonders. Best of all, shopping the site means 100% of the proceeds from purchases directly support the Smithsonian Institute which helps them launch exciting public programs and innovative educational outreach initiatives. Smithsonian’s Apollo 11 Child’s Astronaut Suit is a quality-made top-flight spacesuit with five zippered pockets, official NASA patches (2 representing Apollo 11), and an embroidered NASA hat. This realistic suit celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. You can also add additional gear to inspire their space travels with the White Astronaut Boots and Kids Astronaut Helmet. The Apollo 11 Child’s Astronaut Suit retails for $60 at smithsonianstore.com.

Miles The Label Floral Embroidered Brushed Flannel Checkered Dress

Born in Canada’s fashion capital, Montreal, Miles The Label creates cool, modern, and comfortable clothes for kids to live and play in. Miles takes pride in being a sustainable brand by making all clothing with organically grown cotton, eco-friendly denim, OEKO-TEX-certified merino wool, and recycled polyester. Additionally, all packages are sent in compostable mailers. Miles The Label can be purchased on milesthelabel.com and in Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and local kids boutiques across North America. Miles The Label’s Floral Embroidered Brushed Flannel Checkered Dress is a part of their newly launched “It’s Snow Time” capsule for Winter 2023. This gingham dress features stylish embroidered flowers scattered all over and ruffles for a feminine feel she will love. The buttons on the back of the dress make it easy to pull over her head and the flowy skirt gives a great twirl. Made from organic cotton, the dress is warm and comfortable to wear the entire day. This dress comes in sizes 12M to 10Y. If she has a brother, be sure to check out their Brushed Flannel Checkered Shirt for a sibling match. Retails for $50 at milesthelabel.com.

carter joey Magic Mittens + Beanie Set

carter joey’s mission is to inspire you and the children in your life to be intentional with your time, make memories, and be active, not busy. They offer products to enhance and inspire your time in the great outdoors while keeping one’s warmer and more comfortable. The carter joey Magic Mittens + Beanie Set just launched this fall and is an adorable set of their Magic Mittens and Magic Beanie. Children will love this set because the silicone logo patch(es) on both the beanie and mittens change color upon exposure to the cold air. This sparks your little one’s imagination and curiosity and encourages outdoor play. The high-quality mittens are waterproof with 3M Thinsulate insulation to keep moisture and cold out while keeping their little hands warm and comfortable. Additionally, an extended cuff allows for easy on and off and a fleece nose wipe prevents chafing. The set comes in the colors ‘Light Pink’ and ‘Peru’. Retails for $49.99 at carterjoey.com.

Petit Collage Wooden Ferris Wheel Carnival Play Set

Petit Collage offers gifts for children and babies made with modern design and a focus on sustainable materials to create bold and thoughtful toys, games, gifts, and activities. You’ll appreciate they use FSC® certified wood and paper, recycled PET, organic cotton, and vegetable inks throughout their products. Petit Collage’s Wooden Ferris Wheel Carnival Play Set is an adorable toy that sparks your child’s imagination and enjoyment of play. He or she will get three sweet solid beech wood animal friends that can be taken for a ride on the beautifully designed and stylish wooden Ferris wheel. Its crank handle makes it easy to spin and the three wooden bead abacus makes it easy to count turns of the wheel, tickets, and more. And when playtime is paused, the Ferris wheel’s beautiful design makes it perfect to display on the toy shelf. This toy is perfect for ages three and up. Retails for $50 at petitcollage.com.

Little Unicorn Toddler Hooded Towel

Little Unicorn’s Hooded Towels are perfect gifts for children to enhance a little one’s bath time, pool fun, or beach day. These towels come in two sizes (infant and toddler) and in endless fun prints any child will love. Toddlers love hoods on their towers – especially if they are Little Unicorn’s soft, cozy, and perfectly sized hoods. In addition to the hood, the sides of the towel have little hand mits that allow the child to wrap up warm after bath time or any water fun. They’ll love feeling the warmth and comfort of wrapping themselves in their very own towel cacoons. Little Unicorn’s Hooded Towels are made of premium materials like printed muslin on the outside and super-soft terry cloth on the inside giving the child ultimate comfort. They’re made of 100% cotton which is so gentle on their sensitive skin. The dimensions of the toddler-sized towel is 42 inches tall and 47 inches wide, big enough for a small child up to 48 inches tall. Retails for $40 at littleunicorn.com.

Lincoln Logs 2-Tiered Tree House

Your favorite Lincoln Logs now offers a set with a timeless Tree House theme your special little one will love! Lincoln Logs’ 2-tiered Tree House Building Set is perfect for children who love to build and design at playtime. Kids can enjoy hours of creative play building 1 of 3 different tree houses or design their own build. Featuring over 75 pieces, this set includes Lincoln Logs crafted from high-quality, durable wood as well as specially designed pieces like a tire swing, ladder, and tree canopy. With the new plastic components, kids can build their Lincoln Logs design to new heights. This set is perfect for kids ages 5 and up. Retails for $39.99 at amazon.com.

Madly Wish Paint a Crown Kit

A complete DIY craft set from Madly Wish makes a fantastic gift for any child this holiday season. Madly Wish designs linen birthday crowns, tooth fairy pillows, and wonderful personalized gifts for loved ones to cherish for a lifetime. The Madly Wish Paint a Crown Kit is an all-inclusive crown craft kit that enables kids to express their artistic talents and create something they love all on a white linen crown. The kit comes with 13 vibrant paint colors and 2 high-quality paint brushes. Once their masterpiece is complete, the crown kit transforms into a cherished keepsake that your child will be dazzled to wear. This is a fantastic gift that will evoke the creativity and imagination that every child deserves to enjoy. Madly Wish products are proudly made in the USA and their shipping is always free. Retails for $35.99 at amazon.com.

Tonka Steel Classics Farm Truck

For trucks and vehicle lovers, this holiday give the new Tonka Steel Classics Farm Truck made with COLD-ROLLED STEEL! Tonka offers kids the kind of playtime that carries meaning, creates memories, and is built to handle the toughest of play. This Tonka Tough truck is packed with details and moving parts that kids will love as they imagine rolling through the farm. The truck features a removable ‘faux wood’ frame that gives it a realistic and classic look. It is sturdy and built for kids to rough around with it as they load and unload their cargo. About 14 inches long, this truck is perfect for indoor or outdoor play and ready to tackle any job. This truck is perfect for kids ages 3 and up. Retails for $24.99 at walmart.com.

My Little Pony 40th Anniversary Collector 3-Pack

My Little Pony is celebrating 40 years of play and now you can gift your little one the same ponies you played with as a kid! The new My Little Pony 40th Anniversary Collector 3-Pack features adorable pony figures that come packaged in a beautiful mystery box, just waiting for your little one to enjoy. The ponies are just like you remember – with their classic styles and poses. Little ones can discover their favorite characters like Moon Dancer, Cotton Candy, Bubbles, and more – who will they find in their box? Children can open the box to play and then put the ponies back in the box to transport them to their next magical adventure. Kids will also love to brush, style, and braid the ponies’ hair. This toy is meant for kids ages four and up. Retails for $19.99 exclusively at target.com.

Creativity for Kids The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Sticker Suncatcher Kit

For toddlers three and up, Creativity for Kids has some excellent arts and crafts sets to engage their artistic sides. The beloved children’s book author Eric Carle has teamed up with arts & crafts experts at Creativity for Kids to create engaging, hands-on activities that help develop problem-solving skills, self-expression, and independence! Creativity for Kids’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Sticker Suncatcher Kit lets your special toddler decorate seven suncatchers that follow the favorite scenes from “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. Using colorful translucent stickers, a child will decorate each window cling to bring color and imagination to the windows they look out of daily. Parents will love that this gift requires no glue or mess, which means it is great for travel and quiet time. Creativity for Kids has three other great The Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed arts and crafts kits to inspire the young mind. Retails for $16.99 at Creativity for Kids Amazon Store.

Glo Pals Bath Toy – ‘Blair Character’

A fun bathtime toy is always loved and appreciated by toddlers – it’s something they’ll play with almost every day! Glo Pals began at Mississippi State University and was created for a classroom project. The inspiration came from a child with autism who did not like the bath. Glo Pals helped him through the sensory overload of taking a bath and brightened his bathtime experience. Glo Pals are fun for all children and toddlers. Glo Pals’ Blair Character lights us when it goes underwater. All one needs to do is insert the special included light cube in the character and the fun begins. You can also include other Glo Pals friends in your gift. There are even Sesame Street characters like Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster! These are all designed and shipped with love from Starkville, MS. Retails for $16 each at glopals.com.

The post The Perfect Gifts for Children This Holiday Season appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/gifts-children-holiday-cheer/

Home Business Magazine Online

The holidays are the perfect time to pamper the children in your life, whether they’re your own, nieces or nephews, or those of your best friends. The joy a thoughtful gift brings to a child’s face is priceless. But the question is, how do you begin your search for that perfect gift? With ever-changing trends, you’re probably stumped on what are the latest and greatest toys, clothing, and games a child would love to receive. It can be daunting and time-consuming to hunt for these gifts in shopping malls and big-box stores, so we made the task easy for you (giving you back the time you need as a busy business owner). From old-school favorites that are back in style to fun fashions, below are the perfect gifts for children making them jolly this season.

The Figgy Play Couch

Figgy was created by a Dadpreneur (Chris Roepe) during the pandemic as he struggled to keep his kids entertained while working from home. Figgy is that perfect playtime couch set that enriches a child’s life while making playtime easier on the parents. The Figgy Play Couch” is a great way to keep little ones busy for hours while parentpreneurs get work done from the home office.

The Figgy Couch is a versatile and modular play couch known for its strong patented Velcro connectors, which makes fort building that much easier. It can become a raft for the high seas, a rocket ship to the moon, or even a comfy nook for reading hours. Parentpreneurs will appreciate The Figgy Couch’s easy cleanup, and that it fits seamlessly into any living space. This couch is designed to be durable and it features easy carry handles and hidden zippers. The Figgy Couch is designed and crafted in the USA with Certi-PUR US Foam and certified Oeko-Tex fabric free from harmful chemicals. You can also purchase machine washable covers and waterproof liners with The Figgy Couch. There are seven colors to choose from to find that perfect match. Retail starts at $269 at figgyplay.com.

MAGNA-TILES® Storage Bin Bundle

MAGNA-TILES® is America’s #1 magnetic construction brand inspiring children and helping them develop skills they’ll use in everyday life. They’re also fun for parents to play along with! MAGNA-TILES® Storage Bin Bundle is a great set for new and experienced MAGNA-TILES explorers. As the most COMPLETE MAGNA-TILES set, it includes everything families need to get their MAGNA-TILES® collections started and enjoy hours of meaningful play.

MAGNA-TILES® Storage Bin Bundle features 84 magnetic pieces in six classic colors, including Rectangles, Squares, Isosceles Triangles, Right Triangles, and Equilateral Triangles. Your special child will also get their popular 2-in-1 Storage Bin and interactive Play-Mat, to help keep the playroom organized. Retails for $134.99 at magnatiles.com. The bin holds up to 300 tiles, so you can gift more MAGNA-TILES® at any time. It also encourages an easy clean-up as all you need to do is zip up the sides of the mat to turn it into a sturdy storage bin for the tiles. The ease of storage and cleanup means children can take their MAGNA-TILES® set anywhere! MAGNA-TILES® (if it isn’t already) will surely become your special child’s favorite toy. Retails for $134.99 at magnatiles.com.

Little Partners Learn ‘N Slide/Climb

With Little Partners®’s 2-in-1 Folding Learn ‘N Slide, little ones can build their strength and confidence through play. This stand-alone, double-sided balance trainer features half-moon hand and foot grips for climbing as well as a smooth surface for sliding! You’ll love that the 2-in-1 design locks securely in place for safe play and convenient storage. The 2-in-1 Folding Learn ‘N Slide is perfect for any home, Montessori, or Waldorf classroom for added exploration. This slide has a solid wood construction for long-lasting durability little ones can enjoy for years. It has a non-toxic clear finish and it is Greenguard Gold Certified and FSC Certified ensuring it is made of safe and sustainable materials. Recommended for ages 2-6, the solid wood construction holds up to 150 lbs. Retails for $199.99 at littlepartners.com.

Kids Anywhere Chair®, Red Snoopy® Dog House

Any parentpreneur working from home is familiar with the unique challenge of the toddler or young child who wants to commandeer their parent’s work chair. Now Snoopy has the perfect solution: The Snoopy Dog House Chair! Pottery Barn Kid’s best-selling Anywhere Chair® features the world’s most beloved beagle, giving a special child in your life a bright and lightweight chair of their very own.

The Kids Anywhere Chair®, Red Snoopy® Dog House is perfectly sized (25¼” wide x 21” deep x 22½” high) and light enough for a young child to drag from room to room. It is topped with a handle, making it easy for a child to tote it around to their next reading or playing adventure. Its slipcover is woven from 100% cotton twill with a printed design in corduroy. The high back of the cheerful red chair doubles as Snoopy’s doghouse roof, featuring a cute Snoopy plush. Parents will appreciate this is GREENGUARD Gold Certified to contribute to healthier indoor air, keeping families safer. When necessary, the slipcover can be washed in the washing machine. This chair is ideal for 3- to 6-year-olds – although parents may beg for their turn in the chair! You can also personalize The Red Snoopy® Dog House Chair for an extra fee. Retails for $199 at potterybarnkids.com.

City Threads Soft & Cozy 100% Cotton Fleece Zip Hoodie with Inner Pockets

City Threads creates simple, timeless basics that make great gifts for children as they can be worn year after year. City Threads uses only high-quality fabrics which means their clothes hold shape, even after being washed over and over. City Threads products come in a wide variety of colors so parents can easily mix and match. Every child loves a soft and quality hoodie they can play, play, and explore in.

City Threads’ Soft & Cozy 100% Cotton Fleece Zip Hoodie with Inner Pockets is just that perfect everyday hoodie and it comes in many colors to meet the personality of your special child. The unique design of this hoodie offers big, nearly invisible front pockets on the sides and two large inside pockets kids will love. It is made with quality, locally knit, and locally dyed super-soft 100% cotton fleece. It can be hard to find 100% cotton fleece these days, as most other fleece has polyester or other synthetic fibers included. The soft, breathable, and comfortable fabric makes it a great option for children with allergies or sensitivities. Made in the USA. Retails for $68.99 at citythreads.com.

Chopper Mill Kids Mountins Mittens with Custom Name Patch

Chopper Mill is a woman-founded company in Stillwater, Minnesota that offers outdoor gear for kids to feel comfortable, confident, and warm in their outdoor adventures. Their beautiful, high-quality mittens are built for generations of outdoor action. Made in Minnesota, they can withstand even the harshest of conditions.

Chopper Mill Kids Mountins Mittens make perfect gifts for special children in your life who enjoy romping around in the winter’s great outdoors. Each Chopper is pre-curved for exceptional performance, lined with 3M Thinsulate for incredible warmth, and is constructed with a Hipora waterproof & windproof breathable insert to keep hands dry. These can be worn for many winters and the more winters Choppers see, the better they get! Something unique about Chopper Mill is they understand how a mitten can disappear and they have the answer to this issue. They will happily send you a replacement for the first single Chopper Mill mitten lost. And any mittens lost thereafter can be purchased anytime. Chopper Mill Kids Mountins Mittens also come with a custom patch that you can print your special kiddo’s name upon. These beautiful mittens come in three different color variations and five sizes to find that perfect match. Retails for $59 at choppermill.com.

The Original StairSlide

Bolder Play offers one of the most fun gifts for children they’ll love using this winter. The StairSlide, one of Bolder Play’s most popular products, attaches to the staircase in your home to transform it into a playground slide. The StairSlide offers a fun activity to keep your kids moving, active, and entertained for hours during those cold winter days.

StairSlide is quickly and easily installed on a staircase with StairSlide’s sections that fit together. Each long-lasting, easy-to-assemble StairSlide section covers three stair steps. Depending on your staircase will determine how many sections you need. When your kiddos are done with the fun, simply remove from the staircase, stack, and store! Stairslide is easy to clean and comes in the color white. Additionally, it holds up to 175 lbs, is made from high-quality safe materials, and is tough against scratches. At $269, you can get the StairSlide’s most popular option of four StairSlide sections. However, you can purchase singles up to an 8-pack. Retails for $269 (4-pack) at bolderplay.com.

Mightly Rebel Girls Organic Cotton 4-Piece Sweat Suit Gift Set

Mightly’s founders are four moms with over 50 years of experience in the clothing business. They came together to create Mightly because they wanted to provide families with clothing that is comfortable, play-friendly, top-quality, and made without any scary chemicals.

Mightly’s Rebel Girls Organic Cotton 4-Piece Sweat Suit Gift Set is a fun-loving 4-piece sweat suit gift set that offers the sweet little rebel girl in your life both style and comfort as she sets out to adventure. This set will empower her to feel confident, all while keeping her warm and cozy as she explores. Mightly’s Rebel Girls Organic Cotton Set includes The Cozy Hoodie, The Versatile Sweat Pants, and two long-sleeve raglan tees designed to encourage the spirit of young girls. All pieces in the set are made from 100% organic cotton sourced ethically and sustainably and have itch-free tags for added comfort. It is packaged sweetly in a gift bag ready to give to your special little rebel girl. This set is ever so soft and built for anything ahead. Retails for $109.95 at mightly.com.

Sky Viper Vector Performance Stunt Jet

Give a special kid in your life fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants excitement with Sky Viper’s Vector Performance Stunt Jet! The jet features two powerful prop motors strapped to a lightweight 6th generation fighter body for no-holds-barred thrills and performance. Advanced auto flight stabilization makes flying a breeze by automatically compensating for environmental changes like shifting winds. The user can perform amazing loop and barrel roll stunts with one touch of a button. Vector Jet flies up to 35 mph with a 600-foot range and if he or she flies out of range, Vector glides to a soft landing and auto-beeps to help ensure a swift recovery. Intuitive controls and refined Sky Viper flight software make Vector easy enough for beginners yet engaging enough for experienced R/C enthusiasts. This is a gift for children that parents will enjoy using as well. Ages 12+. Retails for $79.99 at target.com.

MORI Snowman Sweater & Ribbed Leggings Outfit

MORI creates soft and high-quality clothing for a family’s well-being starting from the newborn stage and beyond. Since 2015, they’ve been using the softest organic fabrics to give the best quality clothing, and all pieces are thoughtfully crafted using materials sourced sustainably. The fabric colors they choose are soft and pleasant. All their fabrics are also very gentle on the sensitive skin of babies and children.

MORI’s Snowman Sweater & Ribbed Leggings Outfit is an adorable set and makes a perfect gift for a special child in your life. The sweet snowman print on the sweater and the soft blue color of the set encourage a cozy and adventurous feeling of winter. The sweater is made from 100% organic cotton. If you’re buying this set for a little that is 2 or under, the sweater will have poppers on the shoulder. The leggings are made from 67% bamboo from viscose, 28% organic cotton, and 5% elastane. For extra comfort, the leggings have an elasticated waistband. MORI Retails for $55 at us.babymori.com.

Stonz Rain Boots

A pair of Stonz Rain Boots is one of those gifts for children that inspires fun and enjoyment of the great outdoors. A pair of Stonz high-quality waterproof rain boots will encourage fun in the weather a child may not usually explore. Warm and comfortable, Stonz lightweight rain boots for kids are made with high-density all-natural rubber to shed water, mud, and muck and are lined with a soft, warm cotton lining to keep toes warm when splashing away in puddles. They feature a flexible, comfortable fit and are designed with a strong, reinforced rubberized bottom with a textured grip to provide better step stability and safety when playing outdoors. These are perfect for younger children heading off to school or playing outside in the rain with siblings. Stonz Rain Boots come in a variety of colors. Retails for $54.99 at the Stonz Amazon Store.

Smithsonian Apollo 11 Child’s Astronaut Suit

Giving a child a hands-on gift that will encourage fun and learning is made possible with the Smithsonian Store. Smithsonian offers fantastic gifts that encourage learning and exploration of the Earth’s wonders. Best of all, shopping the site means 100% of the proceeds from purchases directly support the Smithsonian Institute which helps them launch exciting public programs and innovative educational outreach initiatives. Smithsonian’s Apollo 11 Child’s Astronaut Suit is a quality-made top-flight spacesuit with five zippered pockets, official NASA patches (2 representing Apollo 11), and an embroidered NASA hat. This realistic suit celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. You can also add additional gear to inspire their space travels with the White Astronaut Boots and Kids Astronaut Helmet. The Apollo 11 Child’s Astronaut Suit retails for $60 at smithsonianstore.com.

Miles The Label Floral Embroidered Brushed Flannel Checkered Dress

Born in Canada’s fashion capital, Montreal, Miles The Label creates cool, modern, and comfortable clothes for kids to live and play in. Miles takes pride in being a sustainable brand by making all clothing with organically grown cotton, eco-friendly denim, OEKO-TEX-certified merino wool, and recycled polyester. Additionally, all packages are sent in compostable mailers. Miles The Label can be purchased on milesthelabel.com and in Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and local kids boutiques across North America. Miles The Label’s Floral Embroidered Brushed Flannel Checkered Dress is a part of their newly launched “It’s Snow Time” capsule for Winter 2023. This gingham dress features stylish embroidered flowers scattered all over and ruffles for a feminine feel she will love. The buttons on the back of the dress make it easy to pull over her head and the flowy skirt gives a great twirl. Made from organic cotton, the dress is warm and comfortable to wear the entire day. This dress comes in sizes 12M to 10Y. If she has a brother, be sure to check out their Brushed Flannel Checkered Shirt for a sibling match. Retails for $50 at milesthelabel.com.

carter joey Magic Mittens + Beanie Set

carter joey’s mission is to inspire you and the children in your life to be intentional with your time, make memories, and be active, not busy. They offer products to enhance and inspire your time in the great outdoors while keeping one’s warmer and more comfortable. The carter joey Magic Mittens + Beanie Set just launched this fall and is an adorable set of their Magic Mittens and Magic Beanie. Children will love this set because the silicone logo patch(es) on both the beanie and mittens change color upon exposure to the cold air. This sparks your little one’s imagination and curiosity and encourages outdoor play. The high-quality mittens are waterproof with 3M Thinsulate insulation to keep moisture and cold out while keeping their little hands warm and comfortable. Additionally, an extended cuff allows for easy on and off and a fleece nose wipe prevents chafing. The set comes in the colors ‘Light Pink’ and ‘Peru’. Retails for $49.99 at carterjoey.com.

Petit Collage Wooden Ferris Wheel Carnival Play Set

Petit Collage offers gifts for children and babies made with modern design and a focus on sustainable materials to create bold and thoughtful toys, games, gifts, and activities. You’ll appreciate they use FSC® certified wood and paper, recycled PET, organic cotton, and vegetable inks throughout their products. Petit Collage’s Wooden Ferris Wheel Carnival Play Set is an adorable toy that sparks your child’s imagination and enjoyment of play. He or she will get three sweet solid beech wood animal friends that can be taken for a ride on the beautifully designed and stylish wooden Ferris wheel. Its crank handle makes it easy to spin and the three wooden bead abacus makes it easy to count turns of the wheel, tickets, and more. And when playtime is paused, the Ferris wheel’s beautiful design makes it perfect to display on the toy shelf. This toy is perfect for ages three and up. Retails for $50 at petitcollage.com.

Little Unicorn Toddler Hooded Towel

Little Unicorn’s Hooded Towels are perfect gifts for children to enhance a little one’s bath time, pool fun, or beach day. These towels come in two sizes (infant and toddler) and in endless fun prints any child will love. Toddlers love hoods on their towers – especially if they are Little Unicorn’s soft, cozy, and perfectly sized hoods. In addition to the hood, the sides of the towel have little hand mits that allow the child to wrap up warm after bath time or any water fun. They’ll love feeling the warmth and comfort of wrapping themselves in their very own towel cacoons. Little Unicorn’s Hooded Towels are made of premium materials like printed muslin on the outside and super-soft terry cloth on the inside giving the child ultimate comfort. They’re made of 100% cotton which is so gentle on their sensitive skin. The dimensions of the toddler-sized towel is 42 inches tall and 47 inches wide, big enough for a small child up to 48 inches tall. Retails for $40 at littleunicorn.com.

Lincoln Logs 2-Tiered Tree House

Your favorite Lincoln Logs now offers a set with a timeless Tree House theme your special little one will love! Lincoln Logs’ 2-tiered Tree House Building Set is perfect for children who love to build and design at playtime. Kids can enjoy hours of creative play building 1 of 3 different tree houses or design their own build. Featuring over 75 pieces, this set includes Lincoln Logs crafted from high-quality, durable wood as well as specially designed pieces like a tire swing, ladder, and tree canopy. With the new plastic components, kids can build their Lincoln Logs design to new heights. This set is perfect for kids ages 5 and up. Retails for $39.99 at amazon.com.

Madly Wish Paint a Crown Kit

A complete DIY craft set from Madly Wish makes a fantastic gift for any child this holiday season. Madly Wish designs linen birthday crowns, tooth fairy pillows, and wonderful personalized gifts for loved ones to cherish for a lifetime. The Madly Wish Paint a Crown Kit is an all-inclusive crown craft kit that enables kids to express their artistic talents and create something they love all on a white linen crown. The kit comes with 13 vibrant paint colors and 2 high-quality paint brushes. Once their masterpiece is complete, the crown kit transforms into a cherished keepsake that your child will be dazzled to wear. This is a fantastic gift that will evoke the creativity and imagination that every child deserves to enjoy. Madly Wish products are proudly made in the USA and their shipping is always free. Retails for $35.99 at amazon.com.

Tonka Steel Classics Farm Truck

For trucks and vehicle lovers, this holiday give the new Tonka Steel Classics Farm Truck made with COLD-ROLLED STEEL! Tonka offers kids the kind of playtime that carries meaning, creates memories, and is built to handle the toughest of play. This Tonka Tough truck is packed with details and moving parts that kids will love as they imagine rolling through the farm. The truck features a removable ‘faux wood’ frame that gives it a realistic and classic look. It is sturdy and built for kids to rough around with it as they load and unload their cargo. About 14 inches long, this truck is perfect for indoor or outdoor play and ready to tackle any job. This truck is perfect for kids ages 3 and up. Retails for $24.99 at walmart.com.

My Little Pony 40th Anniversary Collector 3-Pack

My Little Pony is celebrating 40 years of play and now you can gift your little one the same ponies you played with as a kid! The new My Little Pony 40th Anniversary Collector 3-Pack features adorable pony figures that come packaged in a beautiful mystery box, just waiting for your little one to enjoy. The ponies are just like you remember – with their classic styles and poses. Little ones can discover their favorite characters like Moon Dancer, Cotton Candy, Bubbles, and more – who will they find in their box? Children can open the box to play and then put the ponies back in the box to transport them to their next magical adventure. Kids will also love to brush, style, and braid the ponies’ hair. This toy is meant for kids ages four and up. Retails for $19.99 exclusively at target.com.

Creativity for Kids The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Sticker Suncatcher Kit

For toddlers three and up, Creativity for Kids has some excellent arts and crafts sets to engage their artistic sides. The beloved children’s book author Eric Carle has teamed up with arts & crafts experts at Creativity for Kids to create engaging, hands-on activities that help develop problem-solving skills, self-expression, and independence! Creativity for Kids’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Sticker Suncatcher Kit lets your special toddler decorate seven suncatchers that follow the favorite scenes from “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. Using colorful translucent stickers, a child will decorate each window cling to bring color and imagination to the windows they look out of daily. Parents will love that this gift requires no glue or mess, which means it is great for travel and quiet time. Creativity for Kids has three other great The Very Hungry Caterpillar-themed arts and crafts kits to inspire the young mind. Retails for $16.99 at Creativity for Kids Amazon Store.

Glo Pals Bath Toy – ‘Blair Character’

A fun bathtime toy is always loved and appreciated by toddlers – it’s something they’ll play with almost every day! Glo Pals began at Mississippi State University and was created for a classroom project. The inspiration came from a child with autism who did not like the bath. Glo Pals helped him through the sensory overload of taking a bath and brightened his bathtime experience. Glo Pals are fun for all children and toddlers. Glo Pals’ Blair Character lights us when it goes underwater. All one needs to do is insert the special included light cube in the character and the fun begins. You can also include other Glo Pals friends in your gift. There are even Sesame Street characters like Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster! These are all designed and shipped with love from Starkville, MS. Retails for $16 each at glopals.com.

The post The Perfect Gifts for Children This Holiday Season appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/gifts-children-holiday-cheer/

The Guardian has accused Microsoft of damaging its brand by adding an offensive AI-generated poll to one of its articles.

In a story reporting on the death of 21-year-old Lilie James, whose body was found with serious head injuries in Australia, the tech giant’s AI asked readers to vote on the cause of her passing, giving them the options of murder, accident or suicide.

Furious readers reacted by describing the poll as “disgusting” and calling for the instant dismissal of the journalist – who had nothing to do with the poll.

Why we care. Microsoft’s decision to use AI instead of human writers is causing problems again. This is a clear reminder of why businesses should utilize AI to support human efforts rather than replace them. Neglecting this approach could damage your brand’s reputation and adversely affect your search rankings.

How this happened. Microsoft has agreements with major news organizations around the world, such as The Guardian and CNN, under which it can republish their articles in return for a portion of ad revenue. However, when the tech giant republished this story, its AI technology automatically added the offensive poll.

What The Guardian is saying. Anna Bateson, chief executive of the Guardian Media Group, wrote to Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, accusing the company of upsetting James’ family, as well as causing “significant reputational damage” to both the newspaper and the journalist. She said:

• “This is clearly an inappropriate use of genAI [generative AI] by Microsoft on a potentially distressing public interest story, originally written and published by Guardian journalists.”

Bateson then asked Smith to reassure her that:

• “Microsoft will not apply experimental AI technology on or alongside Guardian journalism without the news publisher’s approval; and Microsoft will always make it clear to users when AI tools are used to create additional units and features next to trusted news brands like the Guardian.”

What Microsoft is saying. A Microsoft spokesperson said:

• “We have deactivated Microsoft-generated polls for all news articles and we are investigating the cause of the inappropriate content. A poll should not have appeared alongside an article of this nature, and we are taking steps to help prevent this kind of error from reoccurring in the future.”

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History repeating itself. This isn’t the first time Microsoft’s generative AI has landed the tech giant in trouble. In September, the company was heavily criticized after publishing an AI-generated obituary for NBA star Brandon Hunter.

The former Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic player passed away suddenly this week, aged 42, after collapsing during a hot yoga class in Orlando, Fl. Shortly after his passing, fans were shocked to see the father of three described as “useless” in an obituary published on MSN. The headline read:

• “Brandon Hunter useless at 42.”

Readers reacted by branding Microsoft “lazy” for leveraging AI to create articles and urged the company to rehire the editorial staff it replaced with AI.

Deep dive. Read the Guardian’s response in full for more information.

The post The Guardian accuses Microsoft of damaging its reputation with offensive AI-generated poll appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/guardian-accuses-microsoft-damaging-its-reputation-offensive-ai-poll-434150

The Guardian has accused Microsoft of damaging its brand by adding an offensive AI-generated poll to one of its articles.

In a story reporting on the death of 21-year-old Lilie James, whose body was found with serious head injuries in Australia, the tech giant’s AI asked readers to vote on the cause of her passing, giving them the options of murder, accident or suicide.

Furious readers reacted by describing the poll as “disgusting” and calling for the instant dismissal of the journalist – who had nothing to do with the poll.

Why we care. Microsoft’s decision to use AI instead of human writers is causing problems again. This is a clear reminder of why businesses should utilize AI to support human efforts rather than replace them. Neglecting this approach could damage your brand’s reputation and adversely affect your search rankings.

How this happened. Microsoft has agreements with major news organizations around the world, such as The Guardian and CNN, under which it can republish their articles in return for a portion of ad revenue. However, when the tech giant republished this story, its AI technology automatically added the offensive poll.

What The Guardian is saying. Anna Bateson, chief executive of the Guardian Media Group, wrote to Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, accusing the company of upsetting James’ family, as well as causing “significant reputational damage” to both the newspaper and the journalist. She said:

• “This is clearly an inappropriate use of genAI [generative AI] by Microsoft on a potentially distressing public interest story, originally written and published by Guardian journalists.”

Bateson then asked Smith to reassure her that:

• “Microsoft will not apply experimental AI technology on or alongside Guardian journalism without the news publisher’s approval; and Microsoft will always make it clear to users when AI tools are used to create additional units and features next to trusted news brands like the Guardian.”

What Microsoft is saying. A Microsoft spokesperson said:

• “We have deactivated Microsoft-generated polls for all news articles and we are investigating the cause of the inappropriate content. A poll should not have appeared alongside an article of this nature, and we are taking steps to help prevent this kind of error from reoccurring in the future.”

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History repeating itself. This isn’t the first time Microsoft’s generative AI has landed the tech giant in trouble. In September, the company was heavily criticized after publishing an AI-generated obituary for NBA star Brandon Hunter.

The former Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic player passed away suddenly this week, aged 42, after collapsing during a hot yoga class in Orlando, Fl. Shortly after his passing, fans were shocked to see the father of three described as “useless” in an obituary published on MSN. The headline read:

• “Brandon Hunter useless at 42.”

Readers reacted by branding Microsoft “lazy” for leveraging AI to create articles and urged the company to rehire the editorial staff it replaced with AI.

Deep dive. Read the Guardian’s response in full for more information.

The post The Guardian accuses Microsoft of damaging its reputation with offensive AI-generated poll appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/guardian-accuses-microsoft-damaging-its-reputation-offensive-ai-poll-434150

The U.S. Department of Justice has released several new trial exhibits – including internal Google presentations, documents and emails related to ranking.

Here are seven that specifically discuss elements of Google Search ranking:

• Life of a Click (user-interaction)
• Q4 Search All Hands: Ranking
• Ranking for Research
• Google is magical.
• Logging & Ranking
• Ranking Newsletter
• Bullet points for presentation to Sundar

1. Life of a Click (user-interaction)

This is a heavily redacted PowerPoint presentation put together by Google’s Eric Lehman – and like most of the other documents, it lacks the full context accompanying it.

However, what’s here is interesting for all SEOs.

In “The 3 Pillars of Ranking,” slide, Google highlights three areas:

• Body: What the document says about itself.
• Anchors: What the Web says about the document.
• User-interactions: What users say about the document.

Google added a note about user interactions:

• “we may use ‘clicks’ as a stand-in for ‘user-interactions’ in some places. User-interactions include clicks, attention on a result, swipes on carousels and entering a new query.

If this sounds familiar to you, it should. Mike Grehan has written and spoken extensively about this for 20 years – including his Search Engine Land article The origins of E-A-T: Page content, hyperlink analysis and usage data.

In this slide, titled “User interaction signals,” Google illustrates the relationships of queries, interactions and Search results, alongside results for the query [why is the ocean salty]. Specific interactions mentioned by Google:

• Read
• Clicks
• Scrolls
• Mouse hovers

In September, Lehman testified during the antitrust trial that Google uses clicks in rankings. However, once again, it’s important to make clear that individual clicks alone are a noisy signal for ranking (more on that in Ranking for Research). Google has publicly said it uses click data for training, evaluation, controlled experiments and personalization.

What is redacted:

• A slide titled “Metrics” – all that is visible is one line: “Web Ranking Components.”
• Seven additional slides, including two titled “Outline” and “Summary.”

Link: Google presentation: Life of a Click (user-interaction) (May 15, 2017) (PDF)

2. Ranking

These seven slides were part of a larger Q4 2016 Search All Hands presentation, prepared by Lehman.

In this slide, Google says “We do not understand documents. We fake it.”

• “Today, our ability to understand documents directly is minimal.
• So we watch how people react to documents and memorize their responses.”

And the source of Google’s “magic” is revealed:

“Let’s start with some background..

A billion times a day, people ask us to find documents relevant to a query.

What’s crazy is that we don’t actually understand documents. Beyond some basic stuff, we hardly look at documents. We look at people.

If a document gets a positive reaction, we figure it is good. If the reaction is negative, it is probably bad.

Grossly simplified, this is the source of Google’s magic.”

So how does this work?

In this slide, Google explains how “each searcher benefits from the responses of past users … and contributes responses that benefit future users”:

“Search keeps working by induction.

This has an important implication.

In designing user experiences, SERVING the user is NOT ENOUGH.

We have to design interactions that also allow us to LEARN from users.

Because that is how we serve the next person, keep the induction rolling, and sustain the illusion that we understand.

Looking to the future, I believe learning from users is also the key to TRULY understanding language.”

And in the final slide, Google sums up with this statement:

• “When fake understanding fails, we look stupid.”

The other four slides are entirely skippable, unless you’re interested in knowing that “Search is a great place to start understanding language. Success has implications far beyond Search.”

Link: Google presentation: Q4 Search All Hands (Dec. 8, 2016) (PDF)

So when you see Google claiming links aren’t a top 3 ranking factor, now you can hopefully start to better understand why. That isn’t to say links are unimportant or that user data is the entire reason – machine learning and natural language processing are other huge pieces, more on that in Bullet points for presentation to Sundar.

Google is looking at end users – how people interact with Search results. Not as individuals – but as a collective.

3. Ranking for Research

It’s unclear who created this presentation, but there are some very interesting findings in here.

In this slide, Google talks about 18 aspects of search quality:

• Relevance
• Page quality
• Popularity
• Freshness
• Localization
• Language
• Centrality
• Topical diversity
• Personalization
• Web ecosystem
• Mobile friendly
• Social fairness
• Optionalization
• Porn demotion
• Spam
• Authority
• Privacy
• User control of spell correction

This slide discusses the shortcomings of live traffic evaluations. Yes, essentially Google is talking about clicks not being a good signal because they are hard to interpret.

• “The association between observed user behavior and search result quality is tenuous. We need lots of traffic to draw conclusions, and individual examples are difficult to interpret.”

Finally, this slide provides a different illustration of how Google Search result ranking works:

There are some other interesting tidbits in this presentation, though not necessarily tied to ranking. Of note:

• “Attempts to manipulate search results are continuous, sophisticated, and well-funded. Information about how search works should remain need-to-know.” (Slide 5)
• “Keep talk about how search works on a need-to-know basis. Everything we leak will be used against us by SEOs, patent trolls, competitors, etc.” (Slide 10)
• “Do not discuss the use of clicks in search, except on a need-to-know basis with people who understand not to talk about this topic externally. Google has a public position. It is debatable. But please don’t craft your own.” (Slide 11)

Link: Google presentation: Ranking for Research (November 16, 2018) (PDF)

4. Google is magical.

In this presentation, we learn how search really works.

This slide explains how search does not work. From the notes:

“We get a query. Various scoring systems emit data, we slap on a UX, and ship it to the user.

This is not false, just incomplete. So incomplete that a search engine built this way won’t work very well. No magic.”

In this slide, we learn how search does work:

“The key is a second flow of information in the reverse direction.

As people interact with search, their actions teach us about the world.

For example, a click might tell us that an image was better than a web result. Or a long look like might mean a KP was interesting.

We log these actions, and then scoring teams extract both narrow and general patterns.”

Next, we learn the source of Google’s “magic.” From the notes:

“The source of Google’s magic is this two-way dialogue with users.

With every query, we give a some knowledge, and get a little back. Then we give some more, and get a little more back.

These bits add up. After a few hundred billion rounds, we start lookin’ pretty smart!

This isn’t the only way we learn, but the most effective.”

So how does Google learn more from users? From the notes:

“On the surface, users ask questions and Google answers. That’s our basic business. We can’t screw that up. But we have to quietly turn the tables. One way is to:

1. ask the user a question implicitly
2. provide necessary background information
3. give the user some way to tell us the answer”

This slide looks at the 10 blue links.

“For example, the ten blue links implicitly pose the question, ‘Which result is best?’

Result previews give background. And the answer is a click.

This is a great UX for learning. For years, Google was mocked for great search results in a bland UI.

But this bland UI made the search results great.”

This slide is on Image Search:

“Image search poses a similar question– which do you like best? Thumbnails provide background information, and the user’s answer is logged as a hover, click, or further interaction.”

Finally, knowledge cards:

“For example, some knowledge cards need an extra tap to fully open.

On the left, an extra tap means the user wants lower classifications and an overview.

On the right, the user has too little background information.

More what? How is tapping here different from scrolling down? Users can’t make a good decision, so Taps and clicks are such distinctive events in logs; we should endow every one with meaning.”

Link: Google presentation: Google is magical. (October 30, 2017) (PDF)

5. Logging & Ranking

This presentation discusses the “critical role that logging plays” in ranking and search.

This familiar-looking slide revisits the two-way dialogue being the source of Google’s magic. As explained in the notes:

“Search is a bit like a potluck, where every person brings one dish of food to share. This a great, big spread of food that everyone can enjoy. But it only works because everyone contributes a little bit.

In a similar way, search is powered by a huge mass of knowledge. But it isn’t something we create.
Rather, everyone who comes to search contributes a little bit of knowledge to the system from which everyone can benefit.”

In this slide, Google discusses translating user behaviors. From the slide notes:

“The logs do not contain explicit value judgments– this was a good search results, this was a bad one.

So we have to some how translate the user behaviors that are logged into value judgments.

And the translation is really tricky, a problem that people have worked on pretty steadily for more than 15 years.

People work on it because value judgements are the foundation of Google search.

If we can squeeze a fraction of a bit more meaning out of a session, then we get like a billion times that the very next day.

The basic game is that you start with a small amount of ‘ground truth’ data that says this thing on the search page is good, this is bad, this is better than that.

Then you look at all the associated user behaviors, and say, “Ah, this is what a user does with a good thing! This is what a user does with a bad thing! This is how a user shows preference!’

Of course, people are different and erratic. So all we get is statistical correlations, nothing really reliable.

For example:

[REDACTED]

– If someone clicks on three search results, which one is bad? Well, likely ALL of them, because it is probably a hard query if they clicked 3 results. Challenge is to figure out which one is most promising.”

Finally, this slide discusses how logging supports ranking and Search. From the notes:

“… and here comes the part I warned you about. I’m selling something. I’m selling the idea of the logs term keeping the needs of the ranking team in mind. Pretty please with sugar on top.

But the basic reason is that the ranking team is really weird in one more way, and that is business impact.

As I mentioned, not one system, but a great many within ranking are built on logs.

This isn’t just traditional systems, like the one I showed you earlier, but also the most cutting-edge machine learning systems, many of which we’ve announced externally– RankBrain, RankEmbed, and DeepRank.

Web ranking is only a part of search, but many search features use web results to interpret the query and trigger accordingly.

So supporting ranking supports search as a whole.

But even beyond this, technologies developed in search spread out across the company to Ads, YouTube, Play, and elsewhere.

So– I’m not in finance– but grossly speaking, I think a huge amount of Google business is tied to the use of logs in ranking.”

Link: Google presentation: Logging & Ranking (May 8, 2020) (PDF)

6. Mobile vs. desktop ranking

This newsletter dove into the differences between desktop and mobile search ranking, user intents and user satisfaction – at a time when mobile traffic was starting to surpass desktop traffic on some days.

Google did a comparison of metrics, including:

• CTR
• Manual refinement
• Queries per task
• Query length (in char)
• Query lengths (in word)
• Abandonment
• Average Click Position
• Duplicates

Based on the findings, one of the recommendations was:

• “Separate mobile ranking signals or evaluation reflecting different intents. Mobile queries often have different intents, and we may need to incorporate additional or supplementary signals reflecting these intents into our ranking framework. As discussed earlier, it is desirable that these signals handle local-level breakdowns properly.

Link: Email from Google’s Web Ranking Team to Pandu Nayak – Subject: [Web Ranking Team] Aug 11 –Aug 15, 2014 was updated — Ranking Newsletter (August 16, 2014) (PDF)

7. Bullet points for presentation to Sundar

Nothing surprising in this document (it’s unclear who wrote it), but one interesting bullet on BERT and Search ranking:

• “Early experiments with BERT applied to several other areas in Search, including Web Ranking, suggest very significant improvements in understanding queries, documents and intents.”
• “While BERT is revolutionary, it is merely the beginning of a leap in Natural Language Understanding technologies.”

Link: Google document: Bullet points for presentation to Sundar (Sept. 17, 2019) (PDF)

The post 7 must-see Google Search ranking documents in antitrust trial exhibits appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/google-search-ranking-documents-434141

Home Business Magazine Online

It’s not enough to rely on word-of-mouth marketing or placing an ad in the local newspaper for your small, home-based business to succeed. Indeed, if your business revolves around something that defies state and country borders, such as content creation or even fiction writing, it’s no longer necessary to start selling in your hometown and branch out there. Pardon the cliché, but the entire world truly is your oyster.

Enter social media marketing. With digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X (Twitter) thriving more than ever on a global scale, it’s of vital importance that you take advantage of these media sites to spread the good word about your services or products. But maybe you’re so busy with working you don’t have the time to spend marketing on social media. Plus, perhaps you feel too self-conscious when schilling your goods not only to friends and family, but to the entire world. That’s where professional social media marketing comes into play.

Says the professionals at LYFE Marketing social media marketing agency, who bill themselves as an affordable social media marketing agency, creating and managing top-performing advertising services, email services, and more is critical for your small business. It’s also important to create and manage top-performing social media campaigns on all the important platforms like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more. A reputable full-service agency should deliver an excellent return on investment (ROI).

That said, what are some social media marketing tips for your home-based small business in 2023 and beyond? According to a recent report by Medium’s Startup Stash, if you operate a small business that relies heavily on web traffic for driving sales, a lot of your effort should be concentrated on attracting visitors to your website and converting them from prospective clients to real clients.

A good way to gain targeted traffic via social media is to engage in a content marketing strategy. This is the process of creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract, engage, and acquire what will come to be your target audience.

That said, here are some valuable tips to assist you with increasing your brand awareness, building brand credibility, and establishing valuable relationships with your target audience, who will continue to buy your products or utilize your services again and again.

Social Media Posts Should Be Short and Sweet

Social media platforms are said to utilize algorithms to read and analyze every post. The algorithms are never constant and, in fact, ever-changing. They determine the kind of content that will be displayed inside a user’s feed.

Algorithms are programmed to analyze social media posts such as photos, words, videos, link credibility, and more. They also take into consideration users’ feed preferences. Most social network platforms are said to favor short and meaningful content plus user engagement. It’s been proven that users are more likely to click on short, “bite-sized” content than they are on long, drawn-out posts.

Share Unique Content That Builds Your Personal Brand

It’s said to be amazing the amount of small businesses that aren’t aware of the awesome advantages unique content serves. Aside from developing a brand and developing a relationship with potential customers, the prime objective of social media marketing is simple. It’s to drive traffic directly to your website to gain access to email addresses, grab sales, and even encourage clients to contact you directly.

If you’re not sharing content that’s connected directly to your website, you will not get any website traffic. Your website content should be your primary magnet. In other words, don’t send potential clients directly to a third-party store like Amazon. Send them to your website first.

When you share content from websites other than your own, you can entertain customers or provide them with some industry-related information. But when you share content via your own unique website, you are attracting visitors who will likely become customers.

Use Web Links, Video, and Photos to Increase Engagement and Reach

When social media platforms use algorithms to go through new posts, they are said to favor content that includes some sort of attractive media. Video is especially popular since it displays more than static photos or plain posts with links. Post impressions and links are considered “the key” to gaining more engagement, which will inevitably lead to more exposure to your brand and products.

In the end, social media can be a valuable tool for getting the word out about your home-based small business. Priority one is creating a stunning website that is easily navigable, and step two is getting the word out via social media marketing posts, which will lead potential customers directly to your website.

The post Social Media Marketing Tips for Your Home-Based Business in 2023 and Beyond appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/marketing/social-media-marketing/social-media-marketing-tips-home-based-business-2023-beyond/

Become a mystery shopper and get FREE meals in restaurants, FREE stays in hotels and FREE drinks in bars.

Many mystery shopping companies will provide you with different assignments depending on who their clients are. We show you here how to get mystery shopping jobs and bag lots of freebies as a mystery shopper.

• What is mystery shopping?
• Jasmine’s experience of mystery shopping
• In-store Opportunities
• Online Opportunities
• How to get involved as a mystery shopper
• A Money Magpie’s mystery shopping experience
• Find a mystery shopper job

 

What is mystery shopping?

Nowadays, all industry sectors employ mystery shoppers – retail, automotive, financial services, hospitality, property, call centres, public services, travel, and even the voluntary sector – so there’s a huge range of work available.

If you become a mystery shopper you could be enjoying a weekend break one month and phoning a call centre to complain about your gas bill the next.

You don’t need any formal qualifications to be a mystery shopper – but you do need to have good observational skills and a good memory.

Mystery shopping (sometimes known as secret shopping) has been around for 60 years and is now highly regulated in the UK. The Market Research Society has created a code of conduct, and standards are maintained by trade bodies such as the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.

Good part-time work

Mystery shopping is very flexible and not usually suitable as a full-time job, but it can be good to fit around other jobs in your life.

And remember that mystery shoppers count as self-employed, so you’ll need to declare your earnings to HMRC. Find out here about paying tax when you make extra money.

Want to get a FREE MoneyMagpie eBook about how to be a mystery shopper? Download it HERE…

 

Jasmine’s experience of mystery shopping

See here what Jasmine thinks about mystery shopping after her experiences of it.

Check out our bumper article on freebies and bag yourself even more free stuff.

 

In-store opportunities

Report-only mystery shopper

This is the most common option. You’ll be given a brief and a checklist of things to look out for. You need to follow your instructions (without letting anybody know you’re testing them), evaluate the response and then provide feedback, usually by way of an online questionnaire.

Covert video mystery shopper

This is specialist stuff and only for well-trained shoppers. Essentially, you’re given a brief; you enter the premises as a customer, and then you record the entire process using covert video cameras. Companies need clear pictures, so don’t go for this if you record your feet at family events!

Site inspection

For a site inspection, mystery shoppers may be asked to do one of two things. You may be asked to go to a store and buy specific items from a specific retailer. This is to ensure customers are getting what they pay for, as well as the availability of stock.

The mystery shopper may also be asked to interact with staff when searching for and purchasing their items. This is to check how staff interact with customers. You will then provide your feedback to the company conducting the mystery shopping.

Eating at restaurants

Getting paid to eat at restaurants? Sounds like the dream. This dream could become a reality for you if you take up mystery shopping, and could be a fun side hustle.

Multiple chain restaurants use mystery eaters to ensure their customers are getting brilliant food and even better service. They will pay you to go to their restaurants, have a meal and report back to them. In some cases, your meal will be paid for and in other cases, your meal will be covered and you will be paid for your time on top.

It is important to be aware that some agencies will offer you a fixed amount of money to eat at a restaurant. Remember, it may not be enough to cover the cost of the meal, so you will need to check beforehand.

watch films

As with restaurants, cinema chains want to ensure their customers are getting the best experience possible. So, if you’re an avid cinema-goer or movie buff, this may be the perfect job for you.

Not only will you be able to watch films for free, but agencies will often allow some cash for snacks and drinks. This allows you to interact with the staff, try the yummy goodies available to munch on whilst you watch the film.

You will be asked to review many things, from the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the availability of snacks, the prices and even the comfort of the seats. Your overall experience will be asked for. It is important to keep in mind that reviews can take time and agencies require detailed responses, so keep this in mind when you apply.

 

Online opportunities

Telephone mystery shopper

If you’re better at playing a role on the phone than in person, you might prefer this option – there’s plenty of work available. You’ll be given a company to call with a set of questions that a typical customer may have. Again, you’ll need to assess the response and provide feedback.

Postal monitoring

This one requires minimum effort. Your home address is simply used for receiving brochures and other promotional material. You return the items, and the content and speed of delivery is measured.

N.B. don’t be conned by ‘mystery shopping’ scams that get you to receive money into your bank account and then send most of it on to a foreign account to ‘test’ the money transfer company. These are totally bogus and should be avoided and, ideally, reported to Action Fraud. Be careful only to use the mystery shopping agencies we mention on MoneyMagpie so that you’re not scammed.

Email mystery shopping

You’ll be sending specific enquiries to websites and monitoring the speed and content of the response. Depending on your personality, writing emails is potentially much easier than talking to businesses in person or on the phone!

Again, you’ll need to assess and then pass on your findings.

giving your opinion online

It’s not mystery shopping as such, but giving your opinions about products or services through online survey companies is the same type of thing.

It’s another easy and quick way of making some extra cash in your spare time.

You have to be careful which online survey companies you join though. These are the ones that we like:

• InboxPounds
• The OpinionPanel Community
• Swagbucks
• LifePoints

Make sure you set up a separate email address before you sign up to any of these. Give this separate email address to them when they ask for contact details so that your usual inbox isn’t flooded with offers and ads (that’s one of the ways they make their money).

Find out more about online surveys and how to make the most money from them here.

 

How to get involved as a mystery shopper

Step 1: Find the right mystery shopping agency for you

Check out the list below and sign up with one of the many mystery shopping agencies on offer. It’s not a complete list, the full list of genuine agencies can be found in our mystery shopping eBook (which is absolutely free!)

Some specialise in specific industries, others are more general. You could try investigating the major department stores – Selfridges for example has its own mystery shopping panel.

Be sure to check out…

• ESA
• iShopFor Ipsos
• Grass Roots
• JKS Mystery Shopping
• Market Force

This list contains some of the better mystery shopping agencies in the UK. We have the complete list in our Mystery Shopping eBook.

Most of the agencies will get you to take a test before they’ll let you in. These can be quite tricky so you might have to do them a few times before getting them right. Don’t be put off though – persist!

If you want to find a company on your own…

• Make sure they’re based in the UK with a UK phone number and address.
• Don’t just put ‘mystery shopping’ into your search engine. All sorts of dodgy companies could come up.
• If you see a company you haven’t heard of before, put their name into the search bar and see what websites like ours say about them. Check the forums too as people who have had experience of them will say what they think.
• Make sure you keep an eye out for the small ads too. Local papers and recruitment agencies often carry mystery shopping adverts.
• You should be looking for the ones you’ll get the most out of, whether that’s the pay you receive for the jobs you do, or the freebies you get from the places you inspect.
• It should never cost you to join a company – they should be paying you for the work you do.

Step 2: Go out in the field

Once the agency accepts you, you can begin looking for jobs on their website.

You need to go and shop – or eat – or enjoy a show – but the main objective is to follow the guidelines exactly, without having the instructions in front of you.

You’ll need to report on products and services, which can include anything from aspects of the decor, cleanliness, atmosphere, how the staff deal with other customers, how many staff there are and what they’re all doing.

Most mystery shopping agencies ask that you don’t write notes or make what you’re doing obvious while you’re ‘on the job’, as it can affect the way you’re treated by the staff. The company’s main objective is to get an impartial experience.

Note that at time of writing, the UK is on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and you should only be doing minimal shopping trips for essential groceries right now. You can however make a note of the in-person mystery shopping opportunities available and apply for them when life returns to normal!

Step 3: Report on your mystery shopping experience.

This will usually involve filling in an online questionnaire with short or longer answers about your experience as a customer.

You’ll receive payment/reimbursement after you’ve reported on your job, which you’ll ideally do within 24 hours of completing the task.

Pay rates differ from company to company and depend on the complexity of the work.

Generally, you can expect to earn £5 – £25 per task plus expenses (but as little as £1 – £5 for phone work).

 

A Money Magpie’s mystery shopping Experience

Our Publishing Editor, Marc Crosby, decided to join up to a mystery shopping agency to see just how easy it was to earn money. Here he tells us about the experience:

“I joined up to one of the online mystery shopping agencies and, after putting in a few details, was asked to do a mystery shop for a fast food chain in my local area. It didn’t take long to be offered the job and they were willing to pay £20 for completing it.

It really did feel like going undercover, little did the staff know I was watching their every move, mwahahaha…well, except, they probably did, because mystery shopping takes a little practice. I was told to note down how long it took from asking for my order to the meal being handed to me, which meant using my phone as a stopwatch. That’s easier said than done when you’re juggling your wallet around.

By the time the meal was handed to me and I’d fumbled for the ‘stop’ button, they probably knew what I was up to (which might explain why a member of staff held the door open for me as I left, wishing me a good day – not a normal procedure at fast food stores!) But, hey ho, good service and I gave a good score. All I needed to do was go back and quickly answer a few questions that took no longer than half an hour to complete.

I was paid within two weeks and was offered loads of mystery shopping work after. Honestly, it could have been a nice little earner if I had more time to do it.

So if you’re in doubt, I’d say give it a go. Mystery shopping really is quite easy money, plus the company usually pays for your food/item, so that’s another bonus!”

Whatever you do, don’t miss our number one article 10 easy ways to make quick cash – featuring the very best money makers around including mystery shopping!

The post Mystery shopping: Become a mystery shopper and get paid to shop and eat out appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/mystery-shopping-become-a-mystery-shopper-andget-paid-to-shop-and-eat-out

The post Check to See if You Are Eligible For This £300 Winter Payment appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/check-to-see-if-you-are-eligible-for-this-300-winter-payment