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Microsoft unveils new AI tools as it looks to ‘transform search and advertising’

Microsoft Advertising has unveiled a series of new generative AI tools for advertisers.

The new features, Conversational Ad experiences, Ads for Chat API, and Copilot, are part of the tech giant’s mission to transform search and advertising with generative AI.

Here’s a recap of the big announcements to come from Microsoft’s Surface and Copilot event in New York…

1. Compare and Decide Ads

Microsoft is rolling out a series of fresh ad formats tailored specifically to the Bing Chat experience, starting with its newest ad product, Compare and Decide Ads.

The new format will allow online shoppers to compare different products using criteria they find most valuable.

Compare and Decide Ads will run across all verticals that have relevant feed data, including retail, travel and auto.

Microsoft is planning to launch Compare and Decide Ads in close beta in early 2024.

Home Business

2. Ads for Chat API

Microsoft has announced the first partners fir its new product, Ads for Chat API; Snapchat and Axel Springer.

Snapchat’s My AI chatbot, which has been used by more than 150 million people worldwide, leverages the tech to serve Sponsored Links in relevant content and experiences that “feel natural to the content flow”.

Meanwhile, Axel Springer’s Hey_ product on BILD.de, powered by Microsoft Azure Open AI Services and supported by Microsoft Advertising’s Ads for Chat API, helps advertisers connect with up to 17 million daily BILD.de users.

Microsoft has said it will continue evolving its API offering based on the feedback of its advertisers and partners. Looking to the future, the tech giant is planning to welcome more partners and support their chat experience needs.

internet marketing

3. Copilot for Microsoft Ads

Specifically designed for advertisers and agencies, Copilot is a new tool that leverages AI to generate recommendations for product images, headlines, and descriptions.

To use it, simply describe the content you need, like an image, and Copilot will generate suggestions based on your description.

Microsoft is currently testing the new tool on a handful of advertisers but plans to bring it to open beta in the next few months.

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Why we care. It’s important to keep up-to-date with new ad products and targeting tools to ensure you are delivering the best possible user experience and reaching high-value customers.

What has Microsoft said? Kya Sainsbury-Carter, VP Global Partner & Retail Media, Microsoft Advertising, said in a statement:

  • “With Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform, Compare & Decide Ads, and new Chat Ads partners, we are making progress in this new era of generative AI.”
  • “Over the coming months we will share more functionality for Copilot in the Microsoft Advertising Platform and new Conversational Ad formats, as well as continuing to identify ways to democratize this incredible technology to transform the advertising industry.”
  • “Generative AI represents a massive opportunity for all. It creates new value with real purpose. It creates opportunities for advertisers, drives traffic for publishers, and delights consumers. The era of AI is here, and we’re just getting started.”

Deep dive. Read Microsoft’s Transforming Search and Advertising with Generative AI announcement in full for more information.

The post Microsoft unveils new AI tools as it looks to ‘transform search and advertising’ appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-unveils-new-ai-tools-as-it-looks-to-transform-search-and-advertising-432312

AMA with Google’s Gary Illyes: 15 quick SEO takeaways

Google’s Gary Illyes fielded several questions during an AMA at Pubcon Pro in Austin this afternoon from moderator Jennifer Slegg. Here are some of the highlights of the interview.

1. Does Google use user click data in ranking?

“Technically, yes,” Illyes said. This is because historical search data is part of RankBrain. 

2. Unlaunches happen ‘a lot’

Things change a lot (emphasis his) in search ranking at Google, Illyes said. What is true for ranking today could be wrong in two weeks. 

Google is known for experimenting with Search – and noted that it’s very hard to keep track of launches and “unlaunches,” adding that these unlaunches happen “a lot.” 

This makes sense when you consider Google rolled out 5,000 changes to Search in 2021 and ran a total of 800,000 experiments. 

3. Factors vs. signals vs. systems

The main difference between factors and signals is just language, Illyes said. At one point, they wanted people to differentiate between them. 

Ranking systems are more complex – this is when Google takes multiple signals (e.g., from crawling and indexing data) and ranks them. Ranking systems are also more “stable than signals,” Illyes said. 

4. Why Google doesn’t index everything

In short, the Internet is “insanely big,” Illyes said. There are probably hundreds of trillions of webpages that Google has sight of – but there are even more than that Google can’t access (e.g., content behind a login page).

  • “There is virtually no storage you can use to index all of them. It’s not possible to index it in a way you can serve it,” Illyes said. 

5. You don’t have to label AI content for Google

Labeling AI content is not necessary for Google search – “I don’t think we care” – Illyes said. But he suggested labeling it if your users would appreciate it. 

Humans can cause more trouble than AI on certain topics, Illyes noted. He reiterated once again that Google doesn’t care how content is created – by AI, human or both.

“As long as I will learn from it, learn correct information, why would it matter?” Illyes said. 

6. AI content = no typos

One thing Illyes noticed while analyzing the output of ChatGPT and generative AI tools is that it doesn’t have typos.

  • “Computers don’t make mistakes unless they were instructed to,” he said.

7. Why niche sites were impacted by helpful content update

When it comes to helpful content, niche sites often don’t fall into a category Google is looking to promote. To be clear, here Illyes was not referring to all types of niche sites, he was mostly talking about affiliate-type of niche sites that are heavily money-driven.

8. You can see gains between core updates

If your site is impacted by a Google core update, you should start working on things that could help your site improve and get pushed back up in Search results.

  • “Maybe the next core update will help you more. Don’t think of updates in isolation. We’re using hundreds of signals to rank pages,” Illyes said.

He said waiting and holding your breath between core updates would be bad for your website’s health. 

9. Comments could signal that a site has an active community

While many websites removed comment sections and forums in the past 10 years, Illyes said that comments can be good. 

  • “Especially if I know the site has a strict rule about how users can behave on the site, then I would trust info from those users more,” Illyes said.

Illyes didn’t say comments are a ranking signal. He was more saying this from his own perspective. And it was an interesting insights, especially considering how moderated user-generated sites like Reddit and Quora have seen gains following recent Google updates.

10. Google will keep launching updates in December

Google will continue to release updates during the holidays – Google used to avoid doing this, but Illyes called that an “old thing.” 

  • “The problem is around that time, everyone tries to manipulate search results. With these updates we’re trying to course correct. I don’t think we should stop releasing updates in that period of time. Honestly I would hope that the updates will actually help you rank better if you were not trying do manipulate search results.”

11. Core Web Vitals = low priority

Short but sweet: 

  • “If you don’t have anything better to do on your site, go do Core Web Vitals. Most sites won’t see benefit playing around with it,” Illyes said.

12. No voice data in GSC

Illyes said it was too difficult to get voice search data and doesn’t see a reason to add it to Google Search Console. He said it would take a “considerable amount of engineering time” to expose that data. 

13. Expired domain signals are not inherited

If a domain expires, and somebody buys that domain, any signals the site had accumulated will not be transferred to the new domain owner. Google knows when a domain expires. 

So if you bought an expired domain and tried to rebuild it (e.g., by getting all the content from Wayback Machine), you would be building the site from scratch, as if it were a new domain. 

14. Use H tags for accessibility

From Google’s perspective, it would be “pretty stupid” to rely on H1-6 tags for understanding order and hierarchy of content, Illyes said. 

He suggested using a screen reader on your site to make sure the content doesn’t “read wrong.” Use H tags where you need to use them, where it makes sense, Illyes said.

Links are not a “top 3” ranking signal and hasn’t been “for some time,” Illyes said, adding that there really isn’t a universal top 3. 

It’s absolutely possible to rank without links, Illyes said, citing an example of a page with zero internal or external links that he knew of that was ranking Position 1 on Porsche cars – and Google had only found the page via a sitemap.

Content continues to be the number one ranking signal.

  • “Without content it literally is not possible to rank. If you don’t have words on page you’re not going to rank for it. Every site will have something different as the top 2 or 3 ranking factors,” Illyes said.

The post AMA with Google’s Gary Illyes: 15 quick SEO takeaways appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/ama-google-gary-illyes-seo-takeaways-432325

Unleash the untapped power of email address intelligence by Cynthia Ramsaran

Business Finance

Email is an integral part of our personal and professional lives. We use it to create and log into online accounts, subscribe to new content, communicate across digital platforms and verify our identity. It’s the key to our digital footprint.

But did you know that the intelligence surrounding the simple email address has the potential to fuel more effective data science, improve marketing, increase sales, elevate the customer experience and reinvent analytics initiatives?

Join experts in a live webinar as they dive deep into how you can harness the vast amount of potential surrounding emails to unlock valuable insights, enable personalized marketing campaigns and enhance overall business performance.

Learn more by registering and attending “Unleash the Untapped Power of Email Address Intelligence,” presented by AtData.

Click here to view more Search Engine Land webinars.

The post Unleash the untapped power of email address intelligence appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/unleash-the-untapped-power-of-email-address-intelligence-432200

A guide to multichannel marketing for one-person marketing teams

Being a one-person marketing team can be both exciting and stressful.

You have a high level of control over the company’s creative messaging, which gives you the power to truly launch a brand.

But you’re responsible for building and executing a company’s entire marketing strategy, which can feel overwhelming given the sheer amount of effort it takes to be present in the right places at the right times. 

Whether you’re a solopreneur, the first marketing hire at an early-stage startup, or the sole marketing employee at an emerging business, these tips are for you.

Keep reading to learn how to build a multichannel marketing strategy as a one-person marketing team.

Step 1: Align with executive stakeholders on a business plan

Being efficient as a one-person marketing team is all about precision and scalability.

Adopting an “action first, planning later” mentality may be tempting – especially for early-stage startups – but this approach will only cause more headaches later when you’re forced to make time-consuming changes to a large number of pages or delete entire projects en masse.

You also risk losing revenue if you launch marketing campaigns without understanding your target audience. Your business objectives and the goals you set as milestones toward meeting those objectives will be the north star guiding all your marketing efforts.

Before embarking on your marketing journey, make sure you align with executive stakeholders on these business plan essentials:

  • Mission statement
  • Vision
  • Core values
  • Unique value proposition or selling point
  • Target audience
  • Perceived competitors
  • Business goals and objectives
  • Brand guidelines (including voice and tone)

Step 2: Establish your online presence with your company website

After you’ve outlined your business plan, your next step is to make sure your online presence:

  • Is consistent with your brand guidelines.
  • Speaks to your target audiences.
  • Reflects your brand’s mission, vision, core values and unique value proposition.

Start with the company website.

If you’re just starting out and don’t have the budget to hire a designer, don’t worry about having all the bells and whistles. Many CMS platforms come with built-in templates that can be customized with your brand logo and colors.

The most important part of your website will be the content on its pages. Make sure your site provides an accurate representation of your brand and the products/services you offer.

Your content should speak volumes about your brand or product using as few words as possible. Write in the language of your target audience, not the language you use internally.

Step 3: Identify your audience’s favorite social media platforms and ignore the rest (for now)

As a one-person marketing team, you can’t be everywhere at once no matter how badly you might want to be.

Maintaining an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X and Pinterest will lead to burnout with minimal results to show for all the additional effort. 

If you haven’t done so as part of your business plan (see step 1), you’ll want to create buyer personas for each of your target audiences and align your marketing efforts to guiding those personas through each stage of their buyer journey.

Identify your personas’ favorite social platforms and focus your efforts only on the platforms with the highest engagement potential.

If your business doesn’t have an established social presence yet, look to your competitors:

  • What channels do they have the most success with, and how do they interact with users on those channels?
  • What are their most successful posts, and what type of content do those posts contain?

Your initial attempts at social media marketing might require a bit of trial and error, but identifying what works and focusing your future efforts on tactics with proven business value will help you grow your following (and revenue) enough to make room for some of your more experimental ideas.

Step 4: Create a multichannel content calendar

Once you have your business’s foundation in place (your website) and have identified your target audience’s favorite social channels, your next step is to scope out your content marketing strategy.

If you’ve ever tried looking for online resources about building a content strategy, you’ve probably read that you should be posting on social media at least once a day every day as a bare minimum.

As a one-person marketing team, posting every day might not be viable, and that’s OK. The key is to post consistently, and to consistently provide value.

Start by posting valuable informational content once or twice a week on the same day(s) each week (finding the best days might require some testing).

A few additional tips for creating a content calendar as a one-person marketing team:

  • Keep a running list of ideas: Maintain a spreadsheet for any content or campaign ideas that may pop into your head throughout the month. On that spreadsheet, add columns for the type of content or campaign you’ll be posting as well as the keyword focus, audience persona, and marketing funnel position the piece of content will be targeting.
  • Adopt a hub and spoke model: Beginning with a few pieces of pillar content (your hub) and expanding on the pillars with related content (your spokes) is a great way to naturally scale a content strategy by providing valuable information related to a topic your audience cares about.
  • Don’t be afraid to reuse content: By human nature, attention is fleeting. The upside to this is that you can repost a piece of evergreen content you wrote three months ago and still gain new engagement. As your content library continues to grow, reposting your most successful pieces of content should become an integral part of your content marketing strategy.
  • Make curated content and integral part of your strategy: Content creation is a full time job in and of itself. As a one-person marketing team, you won’t have the time to consistently write valuable thought leadership. The good news is you don’t need to continuously post your own content to create value for your audience. When done right, curated content can save time, build industry connections, and extend your social reach. (Just don’t forget to give credit to the original creator.)
  • Don’t jump into paid advertising until you have cohesive messaging: Paid advertising is a great way for new businesses to quickly build brand awareness. However, launching an ad campaign with a half-baked landing page or an underdeveloped product runs the risk of leaving users with a bad first impression. Ads may generate brand awareness, but if your brand story or product purpose aren’t clear to new users, you’ll lose money without generating conversions.
  • Leverage your fanbase: Businesses with larger marketing teams or bigger budgets might join an influencer network, but as a one-person marketing team, you’ll probably need to be a bit more creative. Consider asking your current customers to be influencers. Whether you’re a more established brand or an emerging business without a large social following, having real users proselytize about your product will build audience trust and brand awareness.
  • Leverage your coworkers: You may be a one-person marketing team, but expanding your share of voice doesn’t need to be a solo effort. Involve your coworkers from other departments in the process. Have ongoing conversations about what motivates them to do what they do, and make their passions and interests part of your content strategy. Involve them in the sharing process, too. Ask them if they’d be willing to share your posts throughout the week. 
  • Scale your strategy with automation and scheduling: Once you get the ball rolling, invest in a social media management tool like Hootsuite, Buffer, and Loomly. Set aside an hour or two every Friday and schedule your posts for the following week. Create an automated email newsletter and include a few recent pieces of content every month or quarter.
  • Build audience interaction into your strategy: It’s not enough to just post new content on a variety of channels. You’ll also want to set aside time to interact with your followers. Because today’s users expect prompt response times, you should make user interaction a daily practice, even if you only post once or twice a week.

Step 5: Master the art of time management and task prioritization

Ruthlessly prioritizing your time is one of the hardest parts of being a one-person marketing team as you’re often juggling competing demands from different departments.

Yet, expending effort on tasks that don’t clearly align with the business goals you’ve outlined with your executive stakeholders will only lead to problems down the road when you fall behind on your project roadmap.

Organization-wide communication about the tasks you plan to complete, how those tasks will contribute to the business goals, and how long it takes to complete them is vital for operating at peak efficiency.

A few suggestions:

  • Invest in a project management system with built-in time tracking: When you’re just starting out with marketing campaigns and asset creation, gauging how long different tasks take might seem difficult, but continuing to track your time will help you identify trends. You can then block off time to complete these tasks in your calendar and initiate realistic reprioritization discussions with your boss if other projects or emergencies come up that must take precedence over your planned activities. If your company doesn’t have a project management system already, you can start with the free version of ClickUp or Hive.
  • Use hard data to optimize your day: As marketers, we love our data. We optimize our campaigns around it, so why not optimize our days around it? Consider your project management system your virtual assistant, planner, calendar, and to-do list. Obsessively document everything you do and track how long it takes you to do it. At first, this practice may feel counterproductive as it will take time and effort to develop the best system for you, but once you do, you’ll find the time you save by optimizing your day far outweighs the time you spend documenting your tasks. Try to work on your high effort tasks when you have the most energy and save the smaller, less thought-intensive tasks for your low-energy time periods. 
  • Block off “distraction time” each day for conversation and collaboration: Whether it’s a boss who needs frequent status updates or a chatty coworker, encourage anyone who regularly disrupts your workflow to set up regularly recurring meetings with you at a set time and cadence that works with both your schedules. You may need to reinforce your need for uninterrupted “deep work” hours from time to time, but inviting your colleagues to a regular meeting will demonstrate that you care about what they’re saying enough to ensure you can give them your undivided attention. Scheduling regular collaboration meetings is another great way to move projects forward in a more efficient manner.
  • Define what is and isn’t an emergency: If setting up regular meetings with a frequent interruptor isn’t resulting in your desired outcome, your work relationship may be suffering from a miscommunication about what constitutes an emergency. Sit down with the person and come to an agreement on what types of conversations require immediate attention as well as topics and line items that can wait until your next 1:1. If your project requires status updates, come to a mutual agreement on when and how frequently you’ll provide those updates.

Final thoughts

Being a one-person marketing team is an exciting, sometimes stressful opportunity to level up your skill set across a variety of marketing disciplines.

Clear communication and thoughtful planning will make your role feel a lot more manageable.

The post A guide to multichannel marketing for one-person marketing teams appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/multichannel-marketing-one-person-marketing-teams-431984

Google launches new AI tool to improve YouTube ad optimization

Google Ads has launched a new feature to assist advertisers in optimizing their YouTube campaigns

Known as Creative Guidance, this innovative tool is now available through Recommendations and has been integrated into Video Analytics within Google Ads.

Creative Guidance leverages AI to evaluate your content and offer best-practice feedback. For example, if critical information is missing from your video ad, Creative Guidance will notify you, ensuring that your campaigns are as effective as possible.

Why we care. Creative Guidance offers rapid feedback and actionable steps for enhancing video ad performance, ensuring ideal setup and quick optimization to maximize your video ad’s performance.

Creative attributes. Creative guidance can detect if your video ad is missing the following key creative attributes:

  • Brand logo: Shows a prominent brand logo in the first 5 seconds.
  • Video duration: Follows the recommended video length based on your marketing objective.
  • Voice-over: Uses a high-quality, human voice-over.
  • Aspect ratio: Ad group includes all 3 video orientations, at least (1) horizontal 16:9, (1) vertical 9:16, and (1) square 1:1.

Depending on what’s missing in your video ads, you’ll get suggestions for high-impact improvements as well as links to handy tools that could boost the performance of your campaign.

Google has confirmed that it will be introducing more attributes in the not-too-distant future.

How it works. To access Creative guidance in Google Ads, follow these instructions:

  1. In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon Campaigns Icon.
  2. Click the Assets drop down in the section menu.
  3. Click “Videos”.
  4. Click the “Analytics” tab next to “Videos”.
  5. Select your video ad in the drop down menu.
  6. In the “Ideas to try” section below the retention curves, you’ll find the creative attributes you’re missing with recommendations on how to take action.

The steps listed above are part of a new Google Ads user experience that is set to launch for all advertisers in 2024.

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What has Google said? A spokesperson for Google Ads said in a statement:

  • “We’ll let you know if your video is missing a best practice. If we have a recommendation or tool to implement a suggestion such as adding a voiceover, we’ll direct you to it.”
  • “Voiceover has a big impact on YouTube. Thanks to the power of AI, quality voiceovers in 15 languages are accessible directly in Google Ads (both in the asset library and built into the video creation tool) and coming soon to Ads Creative Studio.
  • “Similarly, if your campaign would benefit from videos in different durations, we’ll guide you to Trim video. Or, if you’re missing a horizontal, square or vertical video, you can easily create one using a variety of high-quality templates.”
  • “These features empower marketers to take charge of their creative. AI can help turbocharge performance by tuning creative elements across all the different viewing experiences and content that YouTube viewers love.”

Deep dive: Read Google’s Creative guidance in Google Ads update in full for more information.

The post Google launches new AI tool to improve YouTube ad optimization appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-creative-guidance-improve-youtube-ads-432016

TW-BERT: End-to-end query term weighting and the future of Google Search

Search is hard, as Seth Godin wrote in 2005.

I mean, if we think SEO is hard (and it is) imagine if you were trying to build a search engine in a world where:

  • The users vary dramatically and change their preferences over time.
  • The technology they access search advances every day.
  • Competitors nipping at your heels constantly.

On top of that, you’re also dealing with pesky SEOs trying to game your algorithm gain insights into how best to optimize for your visitors.

That’s going to make it a lot harder.

Now imagine if the main technologies you need to lean on to advance came with their own limitations – and, perhaps worse, massive costs.

Well, if you’re one of the writers of the recently published paper, “End-to-End Query Term Weighting” you see this as an opportunity to shine.

What is end-to-end query term weighting?

End-to-end query term weighting refers to a method where the weight of each term in a query is determined as part of the overall model, without relying on manually programmed or traditional term weighting schemes or other independent models.

What does that look like?

All Marketers Are Liars

Here we see an illustration of one of the key differentiators of the model outlined in the paper (Figure 1, specifically).

On the right side of the standard model (2) we see the same as we do with the proposed model (4), which is the corpus (full set of documents in the index), leading to the documents, leading to the terms. 

This illustrates the actual hierarchy into the system, but you can casually think of it in reverse, from the top down. We have terms. We look for documents with those terms. Those documents are in the corpus of all the documents we know about.

To the lower left (1) in the standard Information Retrieval (IR) architecture, you’ll notice that there is no BERT layer. The query used in their illustration (nike running shoes) enters the system, and the weights are computed independently of the model and passed to it.

In the illustration here, the weights are passing equally among the three words in the query. However, it does not have to be that way. It’s simply a default and good illustration. 

What is important to understand is that the weights are assigned from outside the model and entered it with the query. We’ll cover why this is important momentarily.

If we look at the term-weight version on the right side, you’ll see that the query “nike running shoes” enters BERT (Term Weighting BERT, or TW-BERT, to be specific) which is used to assign the weights that would be best applied to that query.

From there things follow a similar path for both, a scoring function is applied and documents are ranked. But there’s a key final step with the new model, that is really the point of it all, the ranking loss calculation.

This calculation, which I was referring to above, makes the weights being determined within the model so important. To understand this best, let’s take a quick aside to discuss loss functions, which is important to really understand what’s going on here.

What is a loss function?

In machine learning, a loss function is basically a calculation of how wrong a system is with said system trying to learn to get as close to a zero loss as possible.

Let’s take for example a model designed to determine house prices. If you entered in all the stats of your house and it came up with a value of $250,000, but your house sold for $260,000 the difference would be considered the loss (which is an absolute value).

Across a large number of examples, the model is taught to minimize the loss by assigning different weights to the parameters it is given until it gets the best result. A parameter, in this case, may include things like square feet, bedrooms, yard size, proximity to a school, etc.

Now, back to query term weighting

Looking back at the two examples above, what we need to focus on is the presence of a BERT model to provide the weighting to the terms down-funnel of the ranking loss calculation. 

To put it differently, in the traditional models, the weighting of the terms was done independent of the model itself and thus, could not respond to how the overall model performed. It could not learn how to improve in the weightings.

In the proposed system, this changes. The weighting is done from within the model itself and thus, as the model seeks to improve it’s performance and reduce the loss function, it has these extra dials to turn bringing term weighting into the equation. Literally.

ngrams

TW-BERT isn’t designed to operate in terms of words, but rather ngrams.

The authors of the paper illustrate well why they use ngrams instead of words when they point out that in the query “nike running shoes” if you simply weight the words then a page with mentions of the words nike, running and shoes could rank well even if it’s discussing “nike running socks” and “skate shoes”.

Traditional IR methods use query statistics and document statistics, and may surface pages with this or similar issues. Past attempts to address this focused on co-occurrence and ordering.

In this model, the ngrams are weighted as words were in our previous example, so we end up with something like:

Core

On the left we see how the query would be weighted as uni-grams (1-word ngrams) and on the right, bi-grams (2-word ngrams).

The system, because the weighting is built into it, can train on all the permutations to determine the best ngrams and also the appropriate weight for each, as opposed to relying only on statistics like frequency.

Zero shot

An important feature of this model is its performance in zero-short tasks. The authors tested in on:

  • MS MARCO dataset – Microsoft dataset for document and passage ranking
  • TREC-COVID dataset – COVID articles and studies
  • Robust04 – News articles
  • Common Core – Educational articles and blog posts

They only had a small number of evaluation queries and used none for fine-tuning, making this a zero-shot test in that the model was not trained to rank documents on these domains specifically. The results were:

Godin

It outperformed in most tasks and performed best on shorter queries (1 to 10 words).

And it’s plug-and-play!

OK, that might be over-simplifying, but the authors write:

“Aligning TW-BERT with search engine scorers minimizes the changes needed to integrate it into existing production applications, whereas existing deep learning based search methods would require further infrastructure optimization and hardware requirements. The learned weights can be easily utilized by standard lexical retrievers and by other retrieval techniques such as query expansion.”

Because TW-BERT is designed to integrate into the current system, integration is far simpler and cheaper than other options.

What this all means for you

With machine learning models, it’s difficult to predict example what you as an SEO can do about it (apart from visible deployments like Bard or ChatGPT).

A permutation of this model will undoubtedly be deployed due to its improvements and ease of deployment (assuming the statements are accurate).

That said, this is a quality-of-life improvement at Google, that will improve rankings and zero-shot results with a low cost.

All we can really rely on is that if implemented, better results will more reliably surface. And that’s good news for SEO professionals.

The post TW-BERT: End-to-end query term weighting and the future of Google Search appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/tw-bert-end-to-end-query-term-weighting-google-search-431907

Fall Fashion Essentials for Male Entrepreneurs

Home Business Magazine Online

As an entrepreneur, your first impression is important. An attractive, high-quality wardrobe is not only a great way to boost positivity in your first impressions, but you’ll also feel more confident as you move through your daily business. With the temperature cooling down and the crisp mornings greeting your new days, you’re probably getting warmer attire hung and ready in your closet. With every season change, it’s always a good idea to freshen up your wardrobe with new staple pieces to elevate your style and boost your confidence. If you’re seeking the latest Fall Fashion Essentials, we’ve got your covered. Below is a list of high-quality, professional and comfortable fashions that will elevate your fall wardrobe and boost your confidence as you move through your work weeks.

Stegmann Men’s Original 108 Wool Clog
Also available in Women’s!

fall fashion essentials

Nothing says Fall Fashion more than a pair of wool clogs and Stemann has some of the coziest and most functional around. Stegmann’s Original 108 Wool Clog comes in both male and female versions. Their smooth, soft Merino wool felt wraps your foot in comfort, while their orthopedically shaped cork & latex sole provides impressive support and cushioning for your feet and back. This clog offers you a generous toe box. Stegmann recommends ordering your usual shoe size if you plan to wear socks or have a higher volume foot. They recommend sizing down 1/2 size for barefoot wear, or if you prefer a snug fit (as this clog will loosen over time).

Stegmann’s Original 108 Wool Clogs are designed for indoor and outdoor wear. This clog does not have a removable insole or insert – the upper is a single, seamless piece of wool. The 108 Wool Clog features a Merino wool blend upper, a shaped cork & latex support sole, structured arch and metatarsal support, and cushioning with medium-level firmness. As a product of Austria, you can expect quality second to none. The 108 Wool Clog comes in a variety of attractive shades to choose from. Retails for $145 at stegmannusa.com.

ROMEO NYC Merino Wool Raglan Crew Neck Sweater

Andes mountains

Get in the sweater weather mood with the ROMEO NYC Knitwear Collection! ROMEO NYC offers timeless apparel of quality and comfort. Their sweaters are cleverly detailed yet practical enough for everyday wear, allowing you to run your day with style and ease. The ROMEO NYC Merino Wool Raglan Crew Neck Sweater is the classic raglan sweater updated with a stylish zig-zag knit and banded detailing for a polished, effortless look. This sweater features 100% sustainably sourced Merino Wool, standard fit, ribbed hems at the waist, cuffs, and neckline, as well as a stylish zig-zag pattern with contrasting color detail. In choosing this attractive ROMEO NYC sweater, you’ll enjoy the benefits of Merino Wool in that it’s temperature regulating, ultra-soft, UV sun protective, and easy to care for. This sweater comes in Mid Grey, Beige, and Red. Retails for $69.90 at romeonyc.com.

A Few Wood Men – The Chadwick

Austria

A Few Wood Men offers the perfect Fall Fashion Essential for hardworking entrepreneurs who are seeking warmth, style, and sophistication this season. A Few Wood Men is not just a brand; it’s a celebration of success, resilience, and individuality. Their exquisite wooden watches and bracelets are designed to not only elevate your fashion game but also embody the spirit of hard work and success. A Few Wood Men’s The Chadwick is the epitome of a man who exudes confidence and leadership. He is everything the modern-day gentleman demands in a good wristwatch, which goes beyond keeping time. This 3-atmosphere water-resistant automatic-self-wind watch is powered by the motions of the man that honors it. This innovative timepiece is durable and lightweight, with a Hardlex dial window and a hidden push button clasp.

casual travel pants

The Chadwick mechanical wristwatch for men is where panache meets technology and it is designed to last a lifetime. It is inspired by their Black Panther forever, Chadwick Boseman, making it the perfect watch for entrepreneurs who exude strength, confidence, and vulnerability. Being that the watch you wear offers your meaning of success, you want a watch that exudes style, taste, and elegance. The Chadwick will add elegance to your business attire and it will also ‘dress up’ your more casual wear. Its warm tones also complement the color combinations of a fall wardrobe. Its specifications are: Bandwidth 22mm, Band length 220mm, Dial diameter 45mm. Retails for $390 at afewwoodmen.com.

Cozy Earth Men’s Ultra-Soft Bamboo Jogger Pant

Chadwick Boseman

A comfortable, quality jogger pant is a Fall Fashion Essential must-have. The irresistibly soft Cozy Earth’s Men’s Bamboo Jogger have all the coziness of pajamas woven into a stylish silhouette you can wear just about anywhere. Made with viscose from bamboo and a zippered back pocket, these men’s bamboo sweatpants will be your softest staple wardrobe whether you’re staying in or stepping out of your home office.

This jogger is made with 62% Premium Viscose from Bamboo, 28% Acrylic, 10% Spandex. Its fabric is breathable and moisture-wicking making you feel degrees cooler than cotton. Cozy Earth’s Men’s Bamboo Joggers come in ‘Tall’ if that is your better fit as well as in a variety of attractive colors. You’ll love that Cozy Earth stands behind their quality in that their loungewear, towels, and clothing are all warranted against pilling, abnormal rips and tears, and workmanship defects. Retails for $165 at cozyearth.com.

DUER No Sweat Moleskin Shirt

Chile

DUER’s apparel is designed for “doers” to move comfortably from bike lane to boardroom to an evening out all in one outfit. The DUER No Sweat Moleskin Shirt is a perfect Fall shirt, designed with a dropped shoulder and room through the waist for the option to layer. Integration of stretch offers comfort and ease of movement. This attractive shirt features a sleep front pocket with an eyeglasses compartment, high-stretch fabric, all-natural corozo buttons made from a nut, super soft fabric, and TENCEL™ Lyocell to naturally inhibit bacterial growth. The fabric consists of 68% Cotton, 30% TENCEL™ Lyocell, and 2% LYCRA® Spandex. To find the perfect match, this handsome shirt comes in six shades. Retails for $129 at shopduer.com.

Milwaukee Boot Company Kane Casual Chukka Boot

Clothing industry

A chukka boot is a perfect Fall Fashion Essential for your wardrobe, as they can be dressed up or down. Comfort is no concern when it comes to Milwaukee Boot Company’s Kane Casual Chukka Boot. This deconstructed leather chukka is proof that cool and comfortable can work together. You can pair it with your favorite crew socks or go without as their unlined construction gives the Kane chukka added breathability. This chukka boot is available in dark cognac or chocolate suede leather.

The Kane Casual Chukka Boot features a premium suede upper, a premium leather padded Ortholite® footbed for maximum comfort, a Goodyear Welted EVA outsole for lightweight longevity (can be replaced over time), and shock absorption. Its deconstructed leather design allows for easy packing as you travel for work or leisure. You’ll love how versatile these chukka boots are which is important when going from your home office to business meetings. On sale now for $199 at milwaukeebootcompany.com.

Steggy’s Henleys The Perfect Henly

entrepreneur

A cozy Henley is a Fall staple essential for every entrepreneur’s wardrobe. After spending 1M+ minutes comparing various brands, working with experts, and undergoing extensive R&D, Steggy’s Henleys has crafted the perfect Henley that they guarantee will be the main character of your wardrobe. Steggy’s Henley shirts are versatile and durable all while prioritizing extreme comfort. They feature a Henley collar, custom tortoise shell buttons, a curved hem, and elastic-enhanced cuffs. Their proprietary materials are cotton, lyocell, and spandex. You can choose from shades Heather Grey, Charcoal, and Black. Retails for $75 at steggys.com.

Western Rise Evolution Pant 2.0

Green Heather

For all your Fall business travels, a good pair of jeans that help get you there is a must-have. The Western Rise Evolution Pant 2.0 are the perfect men’s casual travel pants made for travel, outdoors and everyday activities. From international flights to nights out and everything in between, these durable-meets-lightweight, 4-way stretch travel pants will keep you cool and comfortable. Western Rise designed the Evolution Pant to look great and feel casual so you can travel in luxury.

Evolution Pant 2.0’s proprietary air-texturized nylon twill feels like cotton while retaining the durability of nylon. Combined with the 4-way stretch of spandex and a stain-resistant, durable water repellent, these pants are ready for anything. The Evolution Pant can be worn multiple days in a row without washing and packs smaller than a t-shirt (lightweight versatility). This is a pair of men’s casual travel pants that dresses up enough to get through any meeting, yet is rugged enough for any outdoor activity. The Evolution Pant comes in a variety of shades to meet your wardrobe needs. Retails for $128 at westernrise.com.

Trendhim Accessories: Fawler Frisco Rust-Red Urban Tube Scarf and Black Merino Wool Chunky Knitted Rib Beanie

Hand feel

Trendhim designs quality men’s accessories that are fashionable and affordable. They currently have 13 brands in their portfolio, one of which is Fawler. Fawler’s Frisco Rust-Red Urban Tube Scarf is a cotton-blend tube scarf for men that keeps your neck warm and lets you face the older months without scratching. Crafted with skin-friendly materials, this scarf doesn’t require tying or styling. Simply slip it on and go. It features a Danish design. Retails for £45 at trendhim.co.uk.

Heather GreyEvery entrepreneur needs a go-to warm, good-quality beanie that keeps your head warm all season long and Fawler’s Black Merino Wool Chunky Knitted Rib Beanie is just that go-to Fall fashion essential. This soft knit beanie for men will keep your head warm all season. It is made to the highest standards with premium 100% merino wool to easily withstand the elements. This is Danish designed. Retails for $45 at trendhim.com.

DANDY & SON OSLO Extreme Cutaway White Premium Weave Shirt French Cuff

Home Business

Dandy & Son is the home of the extreme cutaway collar. Founded in Norway, their brand draws inspiration from the functional, minimalistic and unique style of Scandinavian fashion. Dandy & Son dress shirts are crafted to the highest standards using premium fabrics, elevated to the next level with small hints of distinction and detailing. Their flagship design, the extreme cutaway, features bold and assertive exaggerated tapering that captures the eye.

Dandy & Son Extreme Cutaway White Premium Weave Shirt French Cuff is a luxurious white shirt featuring a high-quality, easy iron fabric that boasts a beautifully textured weave. With Mother of Pearl buttons and their signature Extreme Cutaway Collar, this shirt exudes sophistication and style. This shirt is offered in their tailored Dandyfit™ design with a modern silhouette or classic regular fit. Featuring French cuffs and 100% premium cotton with an 80/2*40 thread count, this shirt is as comfortable as it is stylish. You’ll love that it’s easy to care for – simply toss it in the washing machine! Retails for $109.00 at dandyandson.com.

Los Andes Shop Western Poncho Clint Eastwood Replica

internet marketing

Los Andes Shop has an interesting story of how it came to be. It all began in 1988 because of a passion for travel. Starting with importing hand-knit sweaters from family and friends in Chile, Los Andes Shop soon would discover Otavalo’s (a town high in the Andes) famous colorful “Plaza de ponchos’. In developing friendships with several Otavalans, they soon began importing the beautiful alpaca and woolen items created in this town and neighboring Peguche. Many of the artisans who develop Los Andes Shop’s beautiful goods are women or moms whose sewing or knitting at home allows them to support their families.

Los Andes Shop’s Western Poncho Clint Eastwood Replica is fantastic for any Clint Eastwood fan looking for a bit of warmth and softness for one’s fall wardrobe. You’ll love how amazingly soft and supple this poncho is. Created by native artisans high in the Andes mountains, you’ll stay warm and look great wearing this Western-style poncho made in Los Andes. This poncho’s size is one size fits most and all you need to do is pull it on over your heard, add your denim, hat and boots and you’re ready to go. This poncho has an option to add a hood as well. Retails for $75 at losandesshop.com.

TOPO Designs Global Wool Sweater – Men’s

Knitting

A good wool sweater is a fall fashion essential every entrepreneur needs in their closet. TOPO Design’s Global Wool Sweater – Men’s offers a double-knit mesh back, making this wool sweater as comfortable next to the skin as your favorite tee. It features a classic fit and styling which makes it easy to complement any outfit, for any occasion. This is a sweater that gives you the approachability you’re looking for in those more casual business meetings. You’ll love that it’s machine washable, durable and uniquely versatile. It contains 65% post-consumer recycled Italian wool and is available in a variety of nice shades to meet your wardrobe needs. Also available in women’s. Retails for $139 at topodesigns.com.

Surfside Supply Co. Rex Rib Knit Shirt – Green Heather

Los Andes

Surfside Supply Co. is a brand for those who love the beach and who embrace that lifestyle. With the cooler weather on its way, comfort is at the forefront of your wardrobe styling. Each piece they design is intended to evoke a sense of comfort and ease.

Surfside Supply Co.’s Rex Rib Knit Shirt – Green Heather lets you enjoy broken-in softness right off the bat, while still looking sharp for the office, lunch meetings, and dinners. This button-down features a finely ribbed high-quality cotton blend fabric (60 Cotton / 40% Polyester) that is breathable as well as warm. Its classic detailing upgrades such as its button-down collar, flap button pockets, sleek button cuffs and contrast stitching at the shirttail hem give you the polished relaxed look you are seeking. With a shirt this versatile, you’ll want more than one color to meet your fall wardrobe styling needs. Retails for $98 at surfsidesupply.com.

Proto101 Men’s French Terry Zip Hoodie and Jogger Set

make money online

Proto101 strives to provide better alternatives to disposable, “fast” fashion by sourcing sustainable fabrics, making durable garments in timeless silhouettes, supporting an ethical supply chain, and amplifying minority voices. Proto101 offers better basics, made to be soft on you and the planet. The clothing is timeless, made with high-quality materials that will last, so you buy less over time.

Proto101’s Men’s French Terry Zip Hoodie and Jogger Set is a classic hoodie and jogger you’re looking for in your fall wardrobe, and it’s made better. The French Terry Zip Hoodie is made with sustainable materials like American-grown Supima cotton, TENCEL lyocell, and recycled plastic bottles. Designed to accommodate your busy lifestyle, Proto101’s hoodie features a side-seam hidden pocket to keep your keys, cards and phone conveniently stashed away and you looking great. The Proto101 Zip Hoodie and Jogger Set feels like a cloud without looking like gym clothes. This is something you can feel good in as you sneak away from your home office to get your work out in. Hoodie retails for $89 at proto101.com. Jogger Sweatpants retails for $79 at proto101.com.

The post Fall Fashion Essentials for Male Entrepreneurs appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/fall-fashion-essentials-male-entrepreneurs/

Handy Tips to Keep Your Home Office Neat & Organized

Home Business Magazine Online

In the era of virtual boardrooms and digital brainstorms, our home offices have evolved into more than just functional spaces. They’ve become the crucibles where ideas ignite, strategies crystallize, and professional journeys unfold. As we navigate this landscape of limitless possibilities, the role of a well-maintained workspace emerges as a silent catalyst — one that has the potential to supercharge your efficiency and boost creativity.

So, if you want to keep your home office presentable at all times, be sure to check out these expert tips from Cleaning Concepts, a skilled and meticulous cleaning service.

How often should you spruce things up?

Now, you might be wondering, “How often do I need to don my cleaning cape?” Fear not, for the secret isn’t doing a deep clean every day (unless you’re into that sort of thing). A quick tidying session once a week can work wonders. This involves dusting surfaces, wiping down your computer screens, and evicting any clutter that seems to have made a permanent home on your desk.

However, if you want to do a more thorough job, consider a comprehensive monthly regimen. Engage in detailed rituals such as vacuuming or shining your floors, disinfecting frequently touched items, and orchestrating a systematic decluttering session to keep things in order.

How do I take care of my office like a professional?

The process of cleaning your workspace like a pro often requires a team of experts. However, you can transform it into an inspiring and pristine environment with a handful of proven strategies:

Declutter first

Before embarking on your home office upkeep, make sure you clear all clutter from the area. Get rid of any unnecessary items that have found their way onto your desk, shelves, or drawers. Keep an eye out for what’s truly essential for your work environment.

Invest in thoughtful storage solutions

Improve the organizational efficiency of your office by incorporating purposeful storage solutions. For example, file organizers facilitate a systematic arrangement of documents, while cable management systems eliminate the tangled web of cords beneath your desk. Drawer dividers lend structure to storage spaces, ensuring that every item finds its designated place.

Wipe down surfaces

Pay close attention to wiping down surfaces, as these are crucial to maintaining a tidy home office. Microfiber cloths are ideal for tackling your desk, monitor, keyboard, and other equipment. In addition to removing dust and grime, this practice reinforces a sense of professionalism and meticulousness.

Air it out

Consider the impact of indoor air quality on the ambiance of your workspace. Open windows periodically to provide fresh air circulation or, alternatively, install an air purifier to eliminate allergens and contaminants. An airy environment fosters mental clarity, concentration, and well-being, resulting in more productive work sessions.

Comprehensive monthly cleanup

Set aside a specific time every month to establish an orderly and professional atmosphere in the office. For instance, engage in tasks such as vacuuming or mopping the floors and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces, including your phone and desk accessories.

Pave your way to a spotless home office

And there you have it, your guide to a home office that not only nurtures your work but also fuels your aspirations. As you wipe down your screen and tidy up your desk, remember that each action you take has a lasting impact. It echoes your commitment to professionalism and your relentless pursuit of excellence.

With every tap of the keyboard and every glance at your immaculate surroundings, you reaffirm your dedication to innovation, efficiency, and your personal growth. So, embrace the art of maintaining a hygienic and spotless environment, for in doing so, you’re not just crafting a workspace — you’re creating a thriving work environment, one that doesn’t just house your work but also nurtures your dreams.

The post Handy Tips to Keep Your Home Office Neat & Organized appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/home-office/how-to-guides-home-office/handy-tips-keep-home-office-neat-organized/

New Orleans – The Soft Ground Dilemma and the Need for Foundation Repair

Home Business Magazine Online

New Orleans, with its rich history, vibrant culture, and unique architecture, is a city that stands out in the American landscape. However, beneath its picturesque streets and historic homes lies a challenge that many homeowners face: the soft ground. This geological characteristic has made foundation repair a common necessity for many homes in the area, often soon after they are built.

The Soft Ground Issue

The ground beneath New Orleans is a complex mix of clay, silt, and organic matter, which has been deposited over thousands of years by the Mississippi River. This soft and compressible soil is prone to settling and shifting, especially when subjected to the weight of a building. As a result, many homes in the city experience foundation problems soon after construction.

Several factors contribute to this:

  • Water Content: The high water table in New Orleans means that the soil is often saturated. This can lead to soil expansion and contraction, which can destabilize foundations.
  • Organic Decay: The organic matter in the soil can decay over time, leading to soil compaction and settlement.
  • External Factors: Events like heavy rainfall, flooding, or nearby construction can exacerbate soil movement and increase the risk of foundation issues.

The Impact on Homes

Foundation settlement can manifest in various ways:

  • Cracks in walls or ceilings
  • Uneven or sloping floors
  • Doors and windows that stick or don’t close properly
  • Gaps between the walls and the floor or ceiling

These issues are not just cosmetic. If left unaddressed, they can lead to more severe structural problems, compromising the safety and value of the home.

The Solution: Foundation Repair and Academy House Leveling

Given the prevalence of foundation issues in New Orleans, homeowners need reliable solutions. This is where companies like Academy House Leveling come into play. Recognizing the unique challenges posed by the city’s soft ground, they offer specialized foundation repair services tailored to the needs of New Orleans homes.

One of the standout features of Academy House Leveling is their commitment to quality and longevity. They offer lifetime warranties on all foundation repair work, giving homeowners peace of mind that their investment is protected. This warranty is a testament to the company’s confidence in its workmanship and the durability of its repairs.

While the soft ground of New Orleans poses challenges for homeowners, solutions are available. With the expertise of companies like Academy House Leveling, residents can ensure the stability and longevity of their homes. A lifetime warranty is more than just a guarantee; it’s a promise of quality and a commitment to the safety and satisfaction of homeowners in this iconic city.

The post New Orleans – The Soft Ground Dilemma and the Need for Foundation Repair appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/home-improvement/new-orleans-soft-ground-dilemma-need-foundation-repair/