New Google AI tools will let advertisers generate media assets

Advertisers and YouTube creators may benefit from new AI solutions Google is reportedly working on.

Google Ads. Generative AI tools, powered by PaLM 2, will help advertisers create media assets, CNBC reported, based on internal Google documents. Unfortunately, that’s as much detail as we know for now.

We’ve previously reported that generative AI is coming to Google Ads. However, that seemed more about “remixing” existing assets into ads, whereas this report is more about Google actually generating those assets.

YouTube. According to CNBC:

Google has also been testing PaLM 2 for YouTube youth content for things like titles, and descriptions. For creators, the company has been using the technology to experiment with the idea of providing five video ideas based on topics that appear relevant.

Why we care. Amazon and Meta are also testing generative AI for advertisers or will be soon. Google’s integration of generative AI will be worth testing to see if it helps improve performance – especially with conversion rates down and CPLs up.

Will we learn more this Tuesday? This year’s Google Marketing Live takes place May 23. We expect it to be heavy on AI announcements. Could these – or other AI solutions – be officially announced next week? We’ll be watching and reporting on all the news from the event.

The post New Google AI tools will let advertisers generate media assets appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/google-generative-ai-advertising-assets-youtube-creators-427095

OVO and Good Energy customers to be refunded

Customers overcharged by providers OVO and Good Energy are to be refunded.

Are you an OVO or Good Energy customer? Then you may be owed a refund.  

Energy regulator Ofgem found these firms were overcharging households for energy use – and have been ordered to refund customers. The firms must pay a total of £4 million, with around £2.7 million of this being split between 18,000 households. 

OVO customers will receive an average repayment of £181 and Good Energy will refund £109 to affected homes.  

Ofgem found the suppliers had charged customers totals above the energy price caps set in place to protect people from energy companies charging too much. As customers had been charged above these rates, the regulator has now ordered these firms to return people’s money to them. 

Customers affected will be refunded automatically. It is important to note that even if you are an OVO or Good Energy customer, you may not have been impacted.  

But what about the other £1.25 million owed? Well, it will be paid by Good Energy directly to Ofgem. It will go into the regulator’s voluntary redress fund, which aims to help those in vulnerable positions across the UK. 

Not the first time

Shockingly, it is the second time in just a few days that Ofgem have come down on Good Energy for failures in following policy. This week, Good Energy, E.ON Next and Octopus Energy were ordered to pay a staggering total of £8 million. This is due to either delaying or failing to make compensation payments to customers. 

According to Ofgem, the three firms had either missed or “unduly delayed” compensation payments. These are due “if a supplier does not provide a final bill within six weeks when a customer switches to another provider”. 

The energy price caps are put in place to protect customers from unmanageable prices. It is set by Ofgem and outlines the maximum suppliers can charge for gas and electricity, per unit. The next price cap announcement is due on 25th May. 

Overall, providers failing to adjust tariffs in line with new price caps resulted in Good Energy was found to have overcharged nearly 7,000 customers a total of £391,650 between January 2019 and October 2022. 

Almost 11,000 OVO Energy customers were overcharged £1,492,917 between October 2022 and March 2023. 

Dan Norton, deputy director of retail at Ofgem said:  

“It is totally unacceptable that Good Energy and Ovo Energy customers were overcharged, particularly at a time that is already so challenging and stressful for consumers across the UK.” 

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Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/ovo-and-good-energy-customers-to-be-refunded

5 Ways to Use Your Sociology Degree as a Business Professional

Home Business Magazine Online

The study of human societies, sociology is well-known as a social science that can help students pursue careers in social work, human services, research and education. However, what many outside the field of sociology fail to realize is that many of the skills honed in sociology programs equip students to function remarkably well in the field of business.

If you are interested in earning a BA in sociology but don’t want to eliminate lucrative job options in business, you can read on to learn more about how your sociology degree might prepare you for a business career.

Communication

Many sociologists focus their studies on the ways in which people communicate with one another, which helps them understand how relationships begin and develop between individuals and groups in different settings. Understanding human interaction is remarkably valuable in business, especially in the communications field, where professionals are often tasked with informing or persuading large groups of people about a company, its products or its behaviors. Many sociologists often pursue similar business careers to graduates of communications degree programs, which include applying for jobs in journalism, marketing, public relations and media relations. To thrive in these positions, sociology students may want to put time toward honing their verbal and written communication skills.

Sales and Marketing

A broad goal of sociology is to better understand humankind, which allows students in this field to develop deep insights into how and why humans maintain certain behaviors. Such experience can help sociologists learn to manipulate human behavior in specific ways, which could be immensely valuable in careers in sales or marketing. Because both sales and marketing work to exert some control over a target audience, driving consumers to purchase a company’s products or services, sociologists could find career success by applying their knowledge of human behavior to these fields. Most enticing, both sales and marketing are extremely high-paying fields within business, and sociologists with the right skills and drive can reach positions of incredible authority along these paths.

Human Resources

Often, sociologists engage directly with certain groups of people, working to understand group dynamics and helping to ease relationships to generate more positive experiences. Sometimes, sociologists go into human services or social work, both of which target vulnerable populations in need of support from knowledgeable and skilled professionals. However, sociologists may perform nearly identical work in business by entering the human resources field. Human resources workers are tasked with administrative responsibilities such as hiring and terminating staff, managing interpersonal conflicts, developing beneficial programs, providing benefits and more. With their experience interacting with a variety of people and their interest in maintaining strong and productive relationships, sociology students tend to be good fits for jobs in this field.

Leadership and Management

In many cases, business leaders are chosen from top performers within their field — effective sales people become sales managers, etc. However, ability within a field does not necessarily guarantee efficacy as a leader. Typically, leaders need a completely different set of skills to ensure that their teams will reach success, and those skills overlap significantly with the skills developed in sociology programs. Sociology students may consider returning to school for a master’s program in business that will allow them to skip entry level positions and begin careers on the management track. Then, they can effect positive change in organizations by functioning as more effective leaders.

Entrepreneurship

Many sociologists hope to make the world a better place, and in many ways, entrepreneurship can accomplish that. Business leaders wield immense power in society, and corporations can influence culture in meaningful ways. Sociologists might strive to follow the social entrepreneurship path, in which entrepreneurs launch businesses with the intention of solving a social problem. Though entrepreneurship is risky, it can give sociologists more autonomy to apply their studies to the ways in which they work. Plus, success in entrepreneurship will provide sociologists with high income and prestige, which they might utilize to society’s benefit.

Sociology is a fascinating science, but many graduates aren’t sure how to apply their knowledge, skills and experience to the real world. Fortunately, there are plenty of places for sociologists in business, so students can enjoy both an engaging degree program and a rewarding career.

The post 5 Ways to Use Your Sociology Degree as a Business Professional appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/education/5-ways-use-sociology-degree-business-professional/

Twin Cities Business Leaders Toast to Children’s Health at WineFest No. 26’s Grand Tasting

Home Business Magazine Online

What can be better than getting to enjoy unlimited pours of award-winning wines and sample-sized entrees from sought-after Twin Cities restaurants? Doing so for a good cause. Last weekend, hundreds of Twin Cities business leaders, influencers, and other wine enthusiasts toasted to children’s health at WineFest No.26. Taking place at The Depot at Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, WineFest 2023 gave attendees the chance to network and learn about M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital‘s outstanding pediatric care.

Home Business Magazine had the opportunity to attend WineFest No.26’s Grand Tasting, which was sponsored by Taft: The Modern Law Firm. The event was one for the books! Attendees sampled over 400 distinguished wines from around the world. From bold red wines to sparkling rosés and unforgettable white wines, there were so many varieties to satisfy any palate. Wine enthusiasts had such a great time drifting from booth to booth to learn all about the vintages right from the winemakers and seek out their new favorites.

WineFest 2
Attendees had the opportunity to sample over 400 distinctive wines.

While sipping and mingling, attendees also noshed on truly delectable eats from a number of the hottest Twin Cities restaurants, such as Butcher & The Boar and P.S. Steak. Oceanaire‘s ahi tuna appetizer, Cafe Latte‘s succulent tres leches cake, Red Cow‘s savory sliders, and Broders’ Pasta Bar‘s pesto pasta were some of the most buzz-worthy dishes. The Grand Tasting was the perfect opportunity for these restaurants to promote their latest offerings to a huge crowd and potentially land new customers.

During the night, attendees took part in an exciting silent auction and bid generously on unique items to raise money for M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. For the last 26 years, WineFest – A Toast to Children’s Health has raised more than $21 million to support the physician-scientists, their myriad medical breakthroughs, and world-class pediatric care at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. WineFest has proven year after year to be a successful, well-orchestrated charitable event.

WineFest 3
WineFest 2023 gave business leaders and other wine enthusiasts the chance to toast to children’s health.

Throughout the weekend, WineFest No. 26 also featured multi-course gourmet Fine Wine Dinner (sponsored by Huntington Bank), Grape Stomp After Party (sponsored by Blythe Brenden-Mann Foundation), Schramsberg Bubbles and Brunch (presented by Pete & Lisa Janzen), Luxe Lunch (sponsored by Craig & Robin Dahl), and Special Reserve Reception (sponsored by Lockton). Grand Cru Sponsors were Maria & Matt Hemsley and Jester Concepts. Cafe Latte was the wine glass & Friday Fine Wine Bar Sponsor.

Premier Cru Sponsors included Boston Scientific, Abbott, ergodyne work wear, Land O’ Lakes Inc., the Vikings NFL team, Old National bank, Pilgrim cleaners, US Bank, and Omni Bridgeway (the global leader in legal finance and risk management). Premier Partners included Earl Giles distillery, Jet Linx, Emersive Digital Media Group, Jessen Co. premier print shop, Liquor Boy, Sip ‘N Bloom. Clear Channel outdoor, Greenspring, and iHeart Media were the Media Partners of WineFest No. 26.

If you own or work for a company that is looking to boost brand awareness in the Twin Cities market, I highly recommend sponsoring the next WineFest. It is sure to grow the business’s brand recognition and customer base.

The post Twin Cities Business Leaders Toast to Children’s Health at WineFest No. 26’s Grand Tasting appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/lifestyles/twin-cities-business-leaders-toast-childrens-health-winefest-no-26s-grand-tasting/

Rail Strike dates and Compensation

By now, you will have heard the news that many railway workers are striking this month, and it can be confusing trying to keep up with when workers are going to strikes, the dates they will take place on and how you could be impacted. 

Fear not, we are here to help. Here are all the dates rail workers will be striking throughout the coming weeks. 

Rail strikes

Chester Road railway station

  • Wednesday 31 May (Aslef)
  • Saturday 3 June, the day of the FA Cup final (Aslef)

Which lines will be affected

According to National Rail, the following rail operators will see services disrupted on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May.

  • Avanti West Coast
  • c2c (Saturday 13 May only)
  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • East Midlands Railway
  • Gatwick Express
  • Great Northern
  • GWR
  • Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express)
  • Heathrow Express
  • LNER
  • London Northwestern Railway
  • Northern
  • South Western Railway
  • Southeastern
  • Southern
  • Thameslink
  • TransPennine Express
  • West Midlands Railway

Network Rail said passengers may see significant disruption “across large areas of the network”.

It also said: “Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately following a strike day.”

Compensation on rail tickets

Changing your journey

If you’re affected by impending rail strikes, under usual circumstances you can travel one day before the date of your ticket and also up to and including a few days after, depending on the rail operator: most will offer compensation should you be affected by the rail strikes, but it does depend on the type of ticket you bought and whether the rail operator runs a compensation scheme.

Season tickets

If you are a season ticket holder, each ticket operator has its own set of rules: some can make additional claims for ‘Sustained poor performance’ and again, the definition varies depending on the operator. Find your rail operator on this helpful tool from the National Rail website to check the definition and rules on rail compensation.

Full refunds

Rail operators will be able to issue a full refund if your train is cancelled and you choose not to travel. You should be able to get a refudn by using the same website you got your original ticket from, and submitting a refund request. Again, the rules vary depending on the rail operator. You can exchange your ticket for another day, but again, rules may differ.

Missing an event

If rail strikes cause you to miss an event, you’re best speaking to the event organiser to see if you can reschedule. If there are multiple performances of, for example, a show, you may be able to reschedule, but there may be a fee. You may also wish to check whether you are entitled to a refund if the show is on one day. Ticket distribution websites won’t genrally offer a refund unless you have purchased ticket protection or insurance.

Final things to note

  1. Make a note of your train time, the delay and the reason for it.
  2. Take a photo/scan your tickets and receipts.
  3. Go to the National Rail website and click your rail operator’s logo to register your complaint.

The post Rail Strike dates and Compensation appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/strike-dates-postal-and-railway-industrial-action-this-month

Rail Strike dates and Compensation

By now, you will have heard the news that many railway workers are striking this month, and it can be confusing trying to keep up with when workers are going to strikes, the dates they will take place on and how you could be impacted. 

Fear not, we are here to help. Here are all the dates rail workers will be striking throughout the coming weeks. 

Rail strikes

Chester Road railway station

  • Wednesday 31 May (Aslef)
  • Saturday 3 June, the day of the FA Cup final (Aslef)

Which lines will be affected

According to National Rail, the following rail operators will see services disrupted on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May.

  • Avanti West Coast
  • c2c (Saturday 13 May only)
  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • East Midlands Railway
  • Gatwick Express
  • Great Northern
  • GWR
  • Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express)
  • Heathrow Express
  • LNER
  • London Northwestern Railway
  • Northern
  • South Western Railway
  • Southeastern
  • Southern
  • Thameslink
  • TransPennine Express
  • West Midlands Railway

Network Rail said passengers may see significant disruption “across large areas of the network”.

It also said: “Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately following a strike day.”

Compensation on rail tickets

Changing your journey

If you’re affected by impending rail strikes, under usual circumstances you can travel one day before the date of your ticket and also up to and including a few days after, depending on the rail operator: most will offer compensation should you be affected by the rail strikes, but it does depend on the type of ticket you bought and whether the rail operator runs a compensation scheme.

Season tickets

If you are a season ticket holder, each ticket operator has its own set of rules: some can make additional claims for ‘Sustained poor performance’ and again, the definition varies depending on the operator. Find your rail operator on this helpful tool from the National Rail website to check the definition and rules on rail compensation.

Full refunds

Rail operators will be able to issue a full refund if your train is cancelled and you choose not to travel. You should be able to get a refudn by using the same website you got your original ticket from, and submitting a refund request. Again, the rules vary depending on the rail operator. You can exchange your ticket for another day, but again, rules may differ.

Missing an event

If rail strikes cause you to miss an event, you’re best speaking to the event organiser to see if you can reschedule. If there are multiple performances of, for example, a show, you may be able to reschedule, but there may be a fee. You may also wish to check whether you are entitled to a refund if the show is on one day. Ticket distribution websites won’t genrally offer a refund unless you have purchased ticket protection or insurance.

Final things to note

  1. Make a note of your train time, the delay and the reason for it.
  2. Take a photo/scan your tickets and receipts.
  3. Go to the National Rail website and click your rail operator’s logo to register your complaint.

The post Rail Strike dates and Compensation appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/strike-dates-postal-and-railway-industrial-action-this-month

5 steps to work smarter and successfully by Cynthia Ramsaran

Things to eliminate from your life to be more productive at work

When it comes to your work orchestration efforts, how would you rate the work management “maturity” of your business today? 

Businesses with high maturity levels have a competitive advantage along multiple work performance indicators, including capacity, time to market, cost efficiency, work quality, and even employee satisfaction.

Join transformation experts from Adobe and learn five steps for maturing your work management orchestration model.

Register and attend “How You Work Matters: 5 Steps to Get It Right,” presented by Adobe.

Click here to view more Search Engine Land webinars.

The post 5 steps to work smarter and successfully appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/5-steps-to-work-smarter-and-successfully-424557

Meta starts refunding advertisers for overspending glitch

Meta is starting to issue refunds to advertisers impacted by a glitch last month that resulted in overspending and higher than usual CPAs.

Why we care. Meta needs to make this right for all of its advertisers of all sizes. It’s good that the refunds are starting, but it’s been over a month and this still is not resolved.

May 12. Some advertisers got their refunds starting on May 12. However, many smaller advertisers are complaining that the process has been much slower for them, Bloomberg reported:

“Some advertisers did receive refunds from Meta beginning on May 12, although the amounts have been doled out inconsistently and it’s not clear why some businesses received more money back than others. In the past, advertisers that spent a lot on Facebook or had personal connections at the company had better luck getting refunded, according to several agency representatives.”

The glitch. On April 23, Meta spent advertisers’ the daily budgets in a matter of hours. CPAs also tripled. You can read more about it in our story: A catastrophic Meta bug caused overspending, higher-than-average CPAs.

The damage. As one example, the $13,000 budget for one ecommerce advertiser was spent in three hours – with no results, Bloomberg reported. Another business said it “had its worst return on Sunday advertising spending on record, ultimately posting 85% lower sales than the previous Sunday and 76% lower than two weeks prior.”

Making things worse. “Refunds for ad glitches are typically cents on the dollar, and Meta doesn’t tell advertisers how it calculates the payout,” as Bloomberg noted.

What Meta said. In a statement, Meta said:

  • “We identified and resolved a technical issue in our automated systems that caused ad delivery issues like faster campaign spending and more variable costs. We fixed this as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.”

The post Meta starts refunding advertisers for overspending glitch appeared first on Search Engine Land.

Original source: https://searchengineland.com/meta-advertising-overspending-glitch-refunds-425771

Data Analytics: Unlocking Insights and Making Informed Business Decisions

Home Business Magazine Online

Data analytics is the process of examining and interpreting data to extract meaningful insights that can be used to make informed business decisions. It involves the use of statistical and computational techniques to analyse and visualise data, with the goal of identifying patterns, trends, and relationships. In this article, we will explore the importance of data analytics for businesses, and provide tips for unlocking insights and making informed decisions using data.

The Importance of Data Analytics for Businesses

Data analytics has become increasingly important for businesses of all sizes, as it provides insights that can inform strategic decision-making. With the proliferation of digital technologies and the increasing amount of data generated by businesses, there is a growing need for data analytics skills to help organisations make sense of the data they collect.

According to a report by IBM, data analytics can help businesses in the following ways:

Improve Decision-Making

Data analytics provides insights that can help businesses make informed decisions based on data, rather than relying on intuition or guesswork.

Increase Efficiency

By analysing data, businesses can identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement, which can help them streamline their operations and reduce costs.

Drive Innovation

Data analytics can help businesses identify new opportunities and develop innovative products or services.

Enhance Customer Experience

By analysing customer data, businesses can gain insights into customer preferences and behaviours, which can help them improve their products and services.

Tips for Unlocking Insights and Making Informed Decisions Using Data

Define Your Objectives

Before embarking on any data analytics project, it is important to define your objectives and the questions you want to answer. This will help you focus your analysis on the most relevant data and ensure that you are collecting and analysing the right data.

Collect and Organise Your Data

To perform data analytics, you need to collect and organise your data in a way that makes it easy to analyse. This may involve cleaning and preparing your data, and ensuring that it is stored in a format that is compatible with your analysis tools.

Choose the Right Tools

There are a variety of data analytics tools available, ranging from simple spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel to more complex data visualisation and analysis tools like Tableau or Power BI. It is important to choose the right tool for your needs and budget, based on the complexity of your analysis and the size of your data set.

Visualise Your Data

Data visualisation is a key aspect of data analytics, as it enables you to see patterns and relationships in your data that might not be apparent from raw data alone. Visualisation tools like charts, graphs, and dashboards can help you communicate your findings and insights to stakeholders in a way that is easy to understand.

Use Statistical Techniques

Statistical techniques like regression analysis, clustering, and hypothesis testing can help you extract insights from your data and identify patterns and trends. It is important to choose the right statistical techniques for your analysis and to ensure that you have a good understanding of the underlying concepts.

Monitor Your Results

Data analytics is an ongoing process, and it is important to monitor your results over time to ensure that your insights remain relevant and accurate. This may involve regularly collecting new data and updating your analysis, as well as identifying and addressing any biases or limitations in your data or analysis techniques.

Statistics on Data Analytics

According to a report by IDC, the global market for data analytics is expected to grow to $274.3 billion by 2022, with a compound annual growth rate of 13.2%. The report also found that:

Big data and analytics services represent the largest category of spending on data analytics, accounting for 58% of total spending in 2019.

The banking, discrete manufacturing, and process manufacturing industries are the largest spenders on data analytics, accounting for over 30% of total spending in 2019.

The most commonly used analytics techniques include reporting and querying, data visualisation and discovery, and advanced analytics, such as predictive modelling and machine learning.

Furthermore, a survey by McKinsey found that companies that extensively use customer analytics are more likely to report higher profit margins than their competitors. The survey also found that the companies with the highest reported profit margins use analytics five times more often than those with the lowest margins.

Another study by Forrester found that businesses that adopt data-driven decision-making are more likely to experience significant revenue growth than those that do not. The study also found that these businesses are more likely to have a competitive advantage over their peers.

Data analytics has become an essential tool for businesses looking to make informed decisions based on data, rather than intuition or guesswork. With the right objectives, tools, and techniques, businesses can unlock insights and drive innovation, enhance customer experiences, and increase efficiency. As the global market for data analytics continues to grow, businesses that adopt data-driven decision-making are more likely to stay competitive and experience significant revenue growth.

The post Data Analytics: Unlocking Insights and Making Informed Business Decisions appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/businesses/success-tips/data-analytics-unlocking-insights-making-informed-business-decisions/