ATLANTA, November 18, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– iFOLIO, a leading digital marketing and communications platform, today announced the launch of its inaugural Top 100 Awards, recognizing the most outstanding pages from over three million pages hosted on the platform. Trusted by 23 universities and blue-chip enterprises, iFOLIO empowers organizations of all sizes to elevate their digital engagement through design, personalization, and analytics.
The iFOLIO Top 100 Awards honor exceptional design, measurable impact, and digital innovation, highlighting clients who are leading the way in digital transformation. This curated collection provides inspiration for marketers, creatives, and organizations looking to elevate their digital strategy.
Impact Highlights From iFOLIO Clients:
$4B+ in Fundraising: Supporting over eight years of campaigns across 23 universities.
$100M+ in Ticket Sales: Enabling major sports and entertainment organizations, including the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Madison Square Garden, New York Knicks, and New York Rangers.
The Top 100 Awards demonstrate how iFOLIO’s platform increases sales, boosts effectiveness, and enhances customer insights for clients across education, sports, entertainment, and beyond.
“iFOLIO clients are setting the standard for modern digital communications,” said Jean Marie Richardson, founder and CEO of iFOLIO. “These Top 100 pages showcase creativity, innovation, and effectiveness, serving as a source of inspiration for anyone looking to maximize their impact in a digital-first world.”
iFOLIO, the leader in personalized digital marketing cloud software, empowers organizations to digitally transform their customer engagement with a flexible cloud platform and data intelligence. Combining digital marketing, email, and text message communications, targeted account-based marketing, reports, events, web marketing, and analytics in an All-in-One Platform, iFOLIO powers digital transformation to drive measurable impact and engagement. iFOLIO powers engagement in all 50 states and 120 countries.
Vertigo Marketing Group opened a new content creation studio in Patchogue Village, aiming to serve as a hub for brands focused on the latest tools in media production and emerging marketing technologies.
This is a new chapter for the agency, as it fosters a space where AI technology, creator collaborations and multimedia production meet.
A recent grand opening gave the company opportunity to showcase the agency’s investment in AI-driven tools, creator partnerships and next-generation production capabilities. Guests – clients, partners and local business owners – explored the studio’s newly installed high-definition cameras, 24/7 streaming services and the chance to connect with brands in real time..
“This studio is more than a workspace. It represents Vertigo’s commitment to creativity, innovation and community,” Lisa Mirabile, CEO of Vertigo Marketing Group, said in a news release about the Patchogue studio.
“Our goal is to provide brands with the tools and expertise they need to create meaningful, high-quality content that stands out in a rapidly evolving digital world,” Mirabile added.
The space also features a TikTok Shop studio, which is designed to offer brands the tools to master the algorithm and connect with audiences through live product demonstrations. It also features a professional podcast studio and a photography studio. Vertigo’s AI tools provide analytics and content development to help clients stay ahead of marketing trends.
“We’re entering an exciting new era of content creation,” Julia Christ, creative director at Vertigo Marketing Group, said in the news release.
“Our studio brings together artistry and technology, empowering brands and creators to explore new forms of storytelling through AI-powered video and design,” Christ added. “As the industry adapts to the challenges and opportunities that AI presents, we’re focused on helping clients stay ahead with creativity and confidence.”
Google’s new AI Overview tool has “dramatically impacted” click-through rates, or CTRs, according to a new study by marketing agency Seer Interactive. Since Google introduced the feature last spring, organic and paid CTRs have fallen by 61 percent and 68 percent respectively.
But there is a way brands can fare better in this shifted environment. Websites cited within AI overviews enjoy 35 percent higher organic CTRs and 91 percent higher paid CTRs, according to the study, which analyzed 3,119 search terms from June 2024 to October 2025. That means it’s in your best interest to make sure your website is optimized for the best chance of citation.
“We cannot definitively prove that citation causes higher CTRs,” writes Tracy McDonald, product development lead at Seer, because “it’s equally possible that brands with stronger authority and higher baseline CTRs are simply more likely to be cited by Google’s AI.”
“What we can say with confidence,” she adds, “is that queries where you’re cited consistently outperform those where you’re not, regardless of the causal direction.”
An Inc.com Featured Presentation
CTRs are still significantly down across the board. Even for queries in which a website is mentioned in an AI overview, organic and paid rates now sit at 0.70 percent and 7.89 percent on average—drops of nearly 49.4 percent and 53.9 percent year-over-year respectively, according to the study. When a website isn’t cited, averages look even more dismal: 0.52 percent for organic CTRs and 4.14 percent for paid.
When no AI overview appears, on the other hand, organic CTRs typically reach 1.45 percent and paid CTRs reach 13.88 percent.
According to McDonald, this means that “if you’re running paid campaigns on informational keywords where [AI Overviews] appear, you’re now capturing a fraction of the clicks you were getting just over a year ago.” Instead of ignoring this reality, she advises marketers to start treating Google’s AI Overviews as their “competitive moat.”
“Your share, authority, and that CTR boost are one of the few remaining ways to maintain competitive separation,” McDonald writes. “This [change] is shifting that focus from traditional rankings and traffic to authority and brand visibility.”
From paper to digital: 1 Million immersive donor reports powered by iFOLIO.
ATLANTA, September 18, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Northeastern University, home to one of the fastest-growing alumni networks in higher education, expanded its partnership with iFOLIO to digitally transform donor stewardship at scale across all 13 global campuses. This initiative delivers immersive digital content to deepen donor relationships and elevate engagement worldwide.
“As donor expectations evolve, stewardship is no longer about static PDFs or paper mailings that may never be opened,” said Jean Marie Richardson, CEO of iFOLIO. “Today’s donors expect curated, personalized experiences with engaging digital content they can access instantly. iFOLIO not only delivers that elevated experience, but also provides real-time insight into when communications are delivered, opened, and acted on. Northeastern is pioneering this new model across its global network, setting a higher standard for philanthropy and donor engagement in higher education.”
iFOLIO’s Impact in Higher Education includes supporting more than $4 billion in philanthropic contributions across 23 universities.
Through iFOLIO, Northeastern has already transformed donor communications from static documents into dynamic, personalized reports featuring videos, animations, flipping panes about impact, links to more stories, and real-time analytics. This approach has not only streamlined operations but also provided measurable insights to guide future donor strategy.
This Northeastern initiative powers:
1 million+ digital communications annually, including endowment reports, impact reports, annual reports, dean’s reports, and more
Custom CRM integration to automate data flows and unlock actionable insights.
Scaling personalized stewardship across 13 global campuses with interactive digital storytelling.
With this expansion, Northeastern reinforces its role as a leader in higher education innovation – demonstrating how technology can be harnessed to scale stewardship, personalize donor touch points, and strengthen relationships worldwide.
About iFOLIO iFOLIO Marketing Cloud is the most robust enterprise platform for digital marketing, productivity, and innovation. Trusted by over 5,000 clients, powering over 3 million pages and sites, and viewed in all 50 U.S. states and 120 countries, iFOLIO enables organizations to deliver immersive content and real-time engagement insights for growth. SOC 2 certified and based in Atlanta, Georgia, iFOLIO provides an all-in-one digital marketing solution with collaborative design tools, automation, and patented data intelligence. For more information, visit: www.ifoliocloud.com
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
Running a business today often means juggling marketing, client communication, and internal planning, and each of those tasks benefits from clear, professional visuals. Hiring a designer every time you need an infographic, chart, or logo is costly, while DIY solutions can eat up hours that should be spent on running the business.
InfographsAI is a more efficient path. This AI-powered tool generates polished infographics, charts, mind maps, and logos in as little as four minutes. Instead of wrestling with templates that look like everyone else’s, the platform builds unique designs from your actual content, and right now, it’s only $49.99 (reg. $360) for a lifetime subscription.
Professional quality AI designs
Saving any time as a business owner is huge. With InfograpshsAI, a sales report can become a bar graph ready for a client presentation, or a long block of text can be reworked into a shareable infographic for social media. If you’re building a brand identity, the AI logo generator provides multiple professional variations in seconds. Everything you create can be edited manually, allowing you to fine-tune the details and match your branding across different platforms.
A built-in fact-checking system helps ensure your data is up to date, reducing the risk of presenting outdated numbers or information. With support for more than 100 languages and automatic brand integration, InfographsAI scales with businesses that need to reach diverse audiences quickly.
The platform continues to expand with frequent updates, adding new features such as image generators and fresh design templates. Users praise it for turning messy notes, static PDFs, or pitch deck drafts into visuals that impress teams and clients alike.
If you need high quality visuals and don’t have room in the budget for a designer, AI is a good alternative.
Running a business today often means juggling marketing, client communication, and internal planning, and each of those tasks benefits from clear, professional visuals. Hiring a designer every time you need an infographic, chart, or logo is costly, while DIY solutions can eat up hours that should be spent on running the business.
InfographsAI is a more efficient path. This AI-powered tool generates polished infographics, charts, mind maps, and logos in as little as four minutes. Instead of wrestling with templates that look like everyone else’s, the platform builds unique designs from your actual content, and right now, it’s only $49.99 (reg. $360) for a lifetime subscription.
Google has been accused of bias in its search algorithms. Recently, CEO Sundar Pichai was called to Congress to address these allegations.
Conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, have claimed that Google and other tech platforms favor left-leaning views.
Trump tweeted in March 2019 that Google, Facebook, and Twitter support the Radical Left Democrats.
Other users have also reported potential biases impacting their websites.
Concerns include Google possibly penalizing their sites or favoring competitors with better user experience practices.
This raises the question: Is Google impartial in its algorithmic treatment of different viewpoints?
What Makes Google Biased?
Google’s operations cannot be considered entirely neutral due to the inherent value judgments they must make regarding search engine results pages (SERPs). One significant bias is against thin content and anything potentially harmful to users as per Gotch SEO.
Google prioritizes content that meets users’ needs effectively, and if a website fails in this aspect, its rankings will suffer. This bias is favorable as it promotes high-quality content that benefits users.
Another aspect of Google’s bias stems from its dual role as a search engine and an advertising platform. Google’s primary goal is to serve users to maintain its position as the leading search engine. However, it also seeks to monetize this user traffic through its advertising services. This duality results in a bias towards the interests of paid advertisers.
In early 2020, Google made a change to how paid search results were displayed. Paid search results were placed at the top of the SERPs, making them nearly indistinguishable from organic results. This change underscored the importance of businesses utilizing effective tools to navigate the evolving landscape of search engine results.
The new ‘Ad’ label introduced by Google closely resembled a favicon, making it harder for users to differentiate between paid and organic results. This modification faced significant backlash, and Google eventually reversed the change. However, the intent behind the adjustment highlighted Google’s tendency to prioritize paid advertisers’ interests over those of users and organic search results.
Aspect
Description
Content Bias
Prefers high-quality, user-friendly content over thin or harmful content.
Advertising Bias
Places interests of paid advertisers above organic search results.
Moreover, the necessity for Google to monetize its services is clear. The search engine’s strategy to accommodate paid advertisers indicates how businesses must adapt. Utilizing membership management software and other tools becomes crucial for businesses navigating these biases.
Strategic Steps to Navigate Google’s Bias
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Google’s preference for high-quality content that benefits users highlights the importance of focusing on valuable and relevant information. Here are some steps to effectively navigate this landscape:
Create User-Centric Content: Developing content that addresses user needs and questions can enhance visibility in search results. Emphasize authenticity and usefulness.
Engage in Ethical Link-Building: Establishing reputable and organic link-building efforts can significantly boost your content’s standing. Avoid engaging in black-hat SEO techniques that can harm your site’s reputation.
Adopt a Balanced Paid Advertising Strategy: While pursuing organic reach, remain aware of Google’s alignment with advertisers. Leverage paid advertising judiciously to complement your overall strategy.
Monitor Industry Actions and Legal Proceedings: Stay informed about ongoing legal issues involving Google, such as allegations of market consolidation. This awareness helps you understand potential shifts in the landscape.
Advocate for Search Neutrality: Encourage transparent practices by tech giants. Actively engaging in discussions about search neutrality can help maintain a fair online environment.
Analyze and Adapt to Algorithm Changes: Regularly review updates to Google’s algorithms and adjust your strategies accordingly. This proactive approach ensures ongoing alignment with search engine preferences.
4 Ways to Boost Page Ranking!
1. Review Your Page Performance
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
To create a successful SEO strategy, it’s important to address existing issues or concerns first. Conducting a thorough page audit helps identify areas that need attention.
Domain: Ensure your domain is relevant to your products and services.
Page Factors: Assess critical elements such as page loading time, a significant factor in Google’s ranking criteria.
Content: Evaluate the length and accuracy of your content, both crucial for high rankings.
Analyzing these factors helps understand your current standing and guides the creation of an effective improvement plan.
Additionally, staying updated with SEO trends for 2024, such as the increased importance of AI-driven search algorithms, can provide a competitive edge.
2. Create Excellent Content
High-quality content significantly impacts Google search rankings and helps attract and convert leads.
Keywords: Choose relevant keywords that align with what your target audience typically searches for. Utilize SEO tools to find effective keywords with low competition.
Relevant Information: Ensure your content is accurate, timely, and provides valuable solutions without being forced or overly promotional.
Well-crafted content that meets these criteria can significantly boost your page ranking.
3. Improve User Experience
User experience is defined by how visitors perceive their interaction with your website. Several factors contribute to a positive user experience:
Page Loading Time: Optimize loading times by sizing images appropriately, reducing user frustration.
Navigation: Simplify navigation to make elements easily accessible, preventing visitors from leaving your site.
Mobile Responsiveness: Adapt your website for mobile devices, considering different screen sizes and layouts.
Enhancing these elements can keep visitors engaged and improve your rankings.
4. Continuously Update Content
In the fast-evolving digital world, regularly updating content ensures it stays accurate and relevant. This practice prevents the spread of outdated information and helps identify opportunities for improvement.
Keeping your content fresh and current can significantly enhance your website’s appeal and overall ranking. Regular updates also align with how search engines prefer frequently refreshed information.
4 Steps to Take Now that You Recognize Google’s Bias
1. Develop a Quality Content Strategy
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Google’s preference for high-quality, user-focused content means that developing a robust content strategy is essential. This includes:
Creating Relevant and Valuable Content: Focus on producing articles, blogs, and other materials that provide genuine value to the reader.
Enhancing User Experience: Ensure that your website is easy to navigate and user-friendly, as Google favors sites that offer a good user experience.
Building Links: Link building remains crucial. Quality backlinks from reputable sources can significantly enhance your site’s visibility in search results.
2. Promote Transparency in Advertising
Given Google’s bias towards its paid advertisers, it’s important to advocate for transparency in advertising practices. This involves:
Monitoring Legal Developments: Stay informed about ongoing legal proceedings, such as the lawsuit alleging Google’s collusion with Facebook to dominate the online advertising market.
Advocating for Fair Practices: Support initiatives that push for transparency and fairness in how ads are displayed and ranked on Google.
3. Stay Informed and Proactive
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Maintaining awareness of Google’s responses to public concerns and regulatory actions can help you stay ahead. Keep track of any changes in Google’s policies and practices related to their search algorithms and advertising.
Monitor Google’s Actions: By keeping an eye on Google and other major tech companies, you can better advocate for search neutrality.
Advocate for Change: Encourage efforts aimed at ensuring that search engines do not unfairly favor paid advertisers over organic, user-focused content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Search Results Be Manipulated on Google?
Search results on Google can potentially be influenced through various means. This includes search engine optimization (SEO) techniques where websites employ specific strategies to rank higher in search results. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential for bias in Google’s algorithms, which some argue may favor certain types of content over others.
What Measures Does Google Have to Ensure Truthfulness in Their Search Results?
Google uses a variety of methods to verify the accuracy of information presented in search results. This includes algorithm updates, fact-checking partnerships with reputable organizations, and continuous refinement of their ranking criteria to reduce the spread of misinformation.
Has Google Been Known to Provide Inaccurate Historical Data?
Instances of Google presenting incorrect historical information have been reported. These inaccuracies can stem from errors in the source data or limitations in Google’s algorithmic understanding.
Do Google’s Services Include Any Form of Espionage on Users?
There have been concerns about Google’s data collection practices and their implications for user privacy. Google collects vast amounts of user data to improve service personalization and ad targeting. While there is no definitive proof of espionage, these practices have sparked debates over privacy and surveillance.
Are There Ways to Detect Inaccuracies in Information Provided by Google?
Detecting inaccuracies in Google search results involves cross-referencing information with multiple reputable sources. Users are encouraged to read critically, verify facts against authoritative publications, and use fact-checking websites. Additionally, Google’s transparency report provides insights into how they handle requests for information removal, offering some level of oversight.
How Does Google Ensure the Reliability of The Information It Provides?
Google invests heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the reliability of search results. This includes updates to their core search algorithms and collaborations with industry experts to improve content quality. The goal is to prioritize high-quality, authoritative sources in search results, though this system is not foolproof and continues to evolve to better address misinformation.
Final Thoughts
Does Google Lie?
While Google does not actively manipulate its biases, these biases favor websites with high-quality content and strong user experience. The steps highlighted above, such as creating superior content and advocating for transparent advertising practices, are effective strategies for aligning with Google’s preferences.
These methods can lead to a better chance of your content being favored by Google’s algorithms, thereby improving your website’s visibility and reach.
Google has been accused of bias in its search algorithms. Recently, CEO Sundar Pichai was called to Congress to address these allegations.
Conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, have claimed that Google and other tech platforms favor left-leaning views.
Trump tweeted in March 2019 that Google, Facebook, and Twitter support the Radical Left Democrats.
Other users have also reported potential biases impacting their websites.
Concerns include Google possibly penalizing their sites or favoring competitors with better user experience practices.
This raises the question: Is Google impartial in its algorithmic treatment of different viewpoints?
What Makes Google Biased?
Google’s operations cannot be considered entirely neutral due to the inherent value judgments they must make regarding search engine results pages (SERPs). One significant bias is against thin content and anything potentially harmful to users as per Gotch SEO.
Google prioritizes content that meets users’ needs effectively, and if a website fails in this aspect, its rankings will suffer. This bias is favorable as it promotes high-quality content that benefits users.
Another aspect of Google’s bias stems from its dual role as a search engine and an advertising platform. Google’s primary goal is to serve users to maintain its position as the leading search engine. However, it also seeks to monetize this user traffic through its advertising services. This duality results in a bias towards the interests of paid advertisers.
In early 2020, Google made a change to how paid search results were displayed. Paid search results were placed at the top of the SERPs, making them nearly indistinguishable from organic results. This change underscored the importance of businesses utilizing effective tools to navigate the evolving landscape of search engine results.
The new ‘Ad’ label introduced by Google closely resembled a favicon, making it harder for users to differentiate between paid and organic results. This modification faced significant backlash, and Google eventually reversed the change. However, the intent behind the adjustment highlighted Google’s tendency to prioritize paid advertisers’ interests over those of users and organic search results.
Aspect
Description
Content Bias
Prefers high-quality, user-friendly content over thin or harmful content.
Advertising Bias
Places interests of paid advertisers above organic search results.
Moreover, the necessity for Google to monetize its services is clear. The search engine’s strategy to accommodate paid advertisers indicates how businesses must adapt. Utilizing membership management software and other tools becomes crucial for businesses navigating these biases.
Strategic Steps to Navigate Google’s Bias
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Google’s preference for high-quality content that benefits users highlights the importance of focusing on valuable and relevant information. Here are some steps to effectively navigate this landscape:
Create User-Centric Content: Developing content that addresses user needs and questions can enhance visibility in search results. Emphasize authenticity and usefulness.
Engage in Ethical Link-Building: Establishing reputable and organic link-building efforts can significantly boost your content’s standing. Avoid engaging in black-hat SEO techniques that can harm your site’s reputation.
Adopt a Balanced Paid Advertising Strategy: While pursuing organic reach, remain aware of Google’s alignment with advertisers. Leverage paid advertising judiciously to complement your overall strategy.
Monitor Industry Actions and Legal Proceedings: Stay informed about ongoing legal issues involving Google, such as allegations of market consolidation. This awareness helps you understand potential shifts in the landscape.
Advocate for Search Neutrality: Encourage transparent practices by tech giants. Actively engaging in discussions about search neutrality can help maintain a fair online environment.
Analyze and Adapt to Algorithm Changes: Regularly review updates to Google’s algorithms and adjust your strategies accordingly. This proactive approach ensures ongoing alignment with search engine preferences.
4 Ways to Boost Page Ranking!
1. Review Your Page Performance
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
To create a successful SEO strategy, it’s important to address existing issues or concerns first. Conducting a thorough page audit helps identify areas that need attention.
Domain: Ensure your domain is relevant to your products and services.
Page Factors: Assess critical elements such as page loading time, a significant factor in Google’s ranking criteria.
Content: Evaluate the length and accuracy of your content, both crucial for high rankings.
Analyzing these factors helps understand your current standing and guides the creation of an effective improvement plan.
Additionally, staying updated with SEO trends for 2024, such as the increased importance of AI-driven search algorithms, can provide a competitive edge.
2. Create Excellent Content
High-quality content significantly impacts Google search rankings and helps attract and convert leads.
Keywords: Choose relevant keywords that align with what your target audience typically searches for. Utilize SEO tools to find effective keywords with low competition.
Relevant Information: Ensure your content is accurate, timely, and provides valuable solutions without being forced or overly promotional.
Well-crafted content that meets these criteria can significantly boost your page ranking.
3. Improve User Experience
User experience is defined by how visitors perceive their interaction with your website. Several factors contribute to a positive user experience:
Page Loading Time: Optimize loading times by sizing images appropriately, reducing user frustration.
Navigation: Simplify navigation to make elements easily accessible, preventing visitors from leaving your site.
Mobile Responsiveness: Adapt your website for mobile devices, considering different screen sizes and layouts.
Enhancing these elements can keep visitors engaged and improve your rankings.
4. Continuously Update Content
In the fast-evolving digital world, regularly updating content ensures it stays accurate and relevant. This practice prevents the spread of outdated information and helps identify opportunities for improvement.
Keeping your content fresh and current can significantly enhance your website’s appeal and overall ranking. Regular updates also align with how search engines prefer frequently refreshed information.
4 Steps to Take Now that You Recognize Google’s Bias
1. Develop a Quality Content Strategy
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Google’s preference for high-quality, user-focused content means that developing a robust content strategy is essential. This includes:
Creating Relevant and Valuable Content: Focus on producing articles, blogs, and other materials that provide genuine value to the reader.
Enhancing User Experience: Ensure that your website is easy to navigate and user-friendly, as Google favors sites that offer a good user experience.
Building Links: Link building remains crucial. Quality backlinks from reputable sources can significantly enhance your site’s visibility in search results.
2. Promote Transparency in Advertising
Given Google’s bias towards its paid advertisers, it’s important to advocate for transparency in advertising practices. This involves:
Monitoring Legal Developments: Stay informed about ongoing legal proceedings, such as the lawsuit alleging Google’s collusion with Facebook to dominate the online advertising market.
Advocating for Fair Practices: Support initiatives that push for transparency and fairness in how ads are displayed and ranked on Google.
3. Stay Informed and Proactive
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Maintaining awareness of Google’s responses to public concerns and regulatory actions can help you stay ahead. Keep track of any changes in Google’s policies and practices related to their search algorithms and advertising.
Monitor Google’s Actions: By keeping an eye on Google and other major tech companies, you can better advocate for search neutrality.
Advocate for Change: Encourage efforts aimed at ensuring that search engines do not unfairly favor paid advertisers over organic, user-focused content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Search Results Be Manipulated on Google?
Search results on Google can potentially be influenced through various means. This includes search engine optimization (SEO) techniques where websites employ specific strategies to rank higher in search results. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential for bias in Google’s algorithms, which some argue may favor certain types of content over others.
What Measures Does Google Have to Ensure Truthfulness in Their Search Results?
Google uses a variety of methods to verify the accuracy of information presented in search results. This includes algorithm updates, fact-checking partnerships with reputable organizations, and continuous refinement of their ranking criteria to reduce the spread of misinformation.
Has Google Been Known to Provide Inaccurate Historical Data?
Instances of Google presenting incorrect historical information have been reported. These inaccuracies can stem from errors in the source data or limitations in Google’s algorithmic understanding.
Do Google’s Services Include Any Form of Espionage on Users?
There have been concerns about Google’s data collection practices and their implications for user privacy. Google collects vast amounts of user data to improve service personalization and ad targeting. While there is no definitive proof of espionage, these practices have sparked debates over privacy and surveillance.
Are There Ways to Detect Inaccuracies in Information Provided by Google?
Detecting inaccuracies in Google search results involves cross-referencing information with multiple reputable sources. Users are encouraged to read critically, verify facts against authoritative publications, and use fact-checking websites. Additionally, Google’s transparency report provides insights into how they handle requests for information removal, offering some level of oversight.
How Does Google Ensure the Reliability of The Information It Provides?
Google invests heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the reliability of search results. This includes updates to their core search algorithms and collaborations with industry experts to improve content quality. The goal is to prioritize high-quality, authoritative sources in search results, though this system is not foolproof and continues to evolve to better address misinformation.
Final Thoughts
Does Google Lie?
While Google does not actively manipulate its biases, these biases favor websites with high-quality content and strong user experience. The steps highlighted above, such as creating superior content and advocating for transparent advertising practices, are effective strategies for aligning with Google’s preferences.
These methods can lead to a better chance of your content being favored by Google’s algorithms, thereby improving your website’s visibility and reach.
The Acquisition Adds to Conversion’s Global Footprint, Digital Marketing Services for Verticals Outside of Truck Driver Recruiting
BRENTWOOD, Tenn., June 20, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– Conversion Interactive Agency announced today the organization has acquired majority interest in digital marketing agency SR Consulting (SRC). This acquisition propels Conversion Interactive Agency to continued leadership in marketing and adds to the company’s global capabilities and verticals outside of trucking exclusively.
“SR Consulting folds seamlessly into our organization, and we are privileged to work with the brands they represent in helping them reach their marketing and branding goals,” said Kelley Walkup, president and CEO of Conversion Interactive Agency. “I am confident our technology and marketing strategy can help continue to build the brands for the companies SR Consulting represents today.”
SR Consulting (formerly Curtis Gabriel), previously fully owned and operated by Simon Curtis, will roll up under Conversion Interactive Agency, and Curtis will continue to lead the efforts for the clients he represents. Curtis and his team are excited about becoming a part of the Conversion family, and his decision to sell controlling interest was a strategic one for his current client base and the future of his business. “I was looking for a partner who could help take our business to the next level through innovation, strategy, and a team with hundreds of years’ experience in marketing and advertising,” said Curtis. “Kelley and the Conversion team are the perfect fit, and they bring an expansion to our services in the United States that will greatly benefit the SR Consulting client base.”
With offices in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and the Philippines, SR Consulting will continue operations under the Conversion Interactive Agency brand, and SRC customers have the power of Conversion’s industry-leading technology behind them to boost their marketing and advertising efforts in challenging talent markets. Walkup acknowledges that Curtis and his thought leadership will also be beneficial for the partnership. “Simon’s knowledge and leadership in the industries he serves is exciting for us as we use the power of our technology to help employer brands recruit top talent,” added Walkup.
To find out more about Conversion Interactive Agency, visit www.conversionia.com.
About Conversion Interactive Agency
Conversion Interactive Agency is a full-service advertising agency specializing in driver recruiting and retention for the trucking industry.
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
You may have top-notch products and a great team, but if customers can’t find your business, making money could be tough. When you’re drawing up your marketing strategy, make sure to pay attention to social media. Forbes reports that social media marketing could give returns up to 41%, but that doesn’t mean just posting any old picture.
If you want to really show off what’s going on in your business, try using an app that lets you create custom collages for everything from social posts to your landing pages. Pic Stitch Pro is easy to use and has a lifetime subscription available for new users for just $39.99.
Show off your business.
Rated 4.7/5 stars on the App Store, Pic Stitch is a versatile iOS collage maker that you don’t need to be a design pro to use. Just choose from over 400 collage layouts and start pulling in pictures or videos. If you want to add some extra personality, choose from 25 filter packs or 30 border types. That’s not to mention all the photo and video editing tools. Refine your photos on the fly without switching over to another app.
This app could be a great fit for full marketing teams or new business owners who do all the marketing on their own. Now you can create pro-quality collages that you can share on Facebook, Twitter, or other socials using Pic Stitch’s one-tap sharing.
Create collages, no college degree required.
You don’t have to be a design pro to level up your visuals on your landing pages and social media. Just use this simple collage maker to bring some life to your pictures.
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
Artificial intelligence is being used in a remarkable variety of ways to produce unique media that can propel aspiring professionals to new heights. Take a closer look at what you can accomplish in video production efforts by exploring an AI-based app primed to create professional-looking results.
Through March 10 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, a lifetime subscription to Winxvideo AI is available for only $23.99 (reg. $69) on one device or $31.99 ($119) on five devices with code ENJOY20. Time is ticking, so don’t delay.
This production toolkit is equipped with AI-based workflow and features that include large file compression and conversion capabilities, HD quality upgrades, and screen recordings. Use Winxvideo to stabilize shaky video and count on CineAI technology to deliver a polished-looking end result.
An all-in-one editing platform includes options to crop, cut, merge, trim video, add subtitles, or create GIFs. Future software updates are included with this discounted Winxvideo AI subscription, which carries a rating of 4.6 out of five from G2.
Noise reduction, audio enhancement, and speed control are other assets within this program.
Give your video production a professional look with assistance from artificial intelligence with one of the following lifetime subscriptions on sale at an extra 20% savings with coupon code ENJOY20 through March 10 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific:
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
Generating images no longer requires hiring an artist or photographer. For businesses in today’s age, when content is valuable to virtually every industry, having an affordable image-generating tool on hand can be a lifesaver. That’s why it might be worth checking out this sale on a lifetime subscription to Pixilio Ultimate AI Image Generator, which is on sale for just $24.97 (reg. $360) through January 14th at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Pixilio is designed to be an easy-to-use tool for creating high-quality, customized visuals. It uses machine learning to take your inputted desired parameters and turn them into a custom, high-quality image in just a matter of seconds.
Too many of us have spent hours on end looking for the right stock photo to fit a company’s social media post or blog. This tool will eliminate that, allowing you to hone in on the image that best suits your needs. It can be customized to match a brand’s color scheme and aesthetic, and at the end of the day, you will own the images.
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
We live in an image-driven time, and exciting new tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are popping up every single day to help make our pictures more vibrant and simply better. If someone on your holiday gift list is a photographer, content creator, or tech enthusiast, then they might be interested in this gift you can grab at a discount. The Award-Winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle is on sale for just $149.97 (reg. $752) through December 25th at 11:59 p.m. PT.
The main attraction of this bundle is Luminar Neo, an AI-powered photo editing software designed to be easy to use. Its machine-learning foundation gives it powerful editing capabilities with features for replacing entire skies, enhancing larger-than-life landscapes, and automating more everyday photo-editing tasks like masking and layering.
Luminar Neo is rated an impressive 4.8/5 stars on average on Trustpilot. It also was a Red Dot Winner in 2022 for Interface Design. The bundle also includes a video course on creative photo editing techniques in Luminar Neo. And it features a few overlays and LUTs to help enhance your capabilities. Don’t miss out on this limited-time opportunity to get AI photo editing on sale for the holidays.
Learn tricks and tactics to supercharge your social media by joining our free webinar “The 2024 Social Media Trends to Get You More Followers & Sell More Products.” This power-packed session will be led by Entrepreneur’s very own VP of Social Media, Sana Ali.
On Thursday, January 11th Sana will dive into the latest strategies that will not only boost your online presence but also drive sales. From emerging trends in content creation to leveraging influencer marketing for maximum impact, we’ll guide you through the key elements that can propel your brand to new heights.
You’ll gain insights on:
The biggest social media trends that will shape 2024
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How to approach cultural sensitivity in campaigns
Join us to unlock the social media strategies that will propel your brand to new heights in 2024!
About the Speaker:
Sana Ali is the VP of Social Media Marketing at Entrepreneur Magazine. Throughout her career, she has led global social media campaigns for notable brands, including MTV, iHeartRadio, BET, and WWE. Sana’s expertise lies in her ability to build social influencer products, create social monetization opportunities, and craft effective strategies. Her focus is on fostering audience engagement, delivering measurable results, and leveraging content trends in the ever-evolving social media landscape, particularly by tapping into multicultural audiences.
Gary Vaynerchuk (aka Gary Vee) is an entrepreneur and marketing expert known for his forward-thinking digital advice. Through books, speeches and online videos, he shares tips on grabbing consumer attention amid endless content noise.
He advises jumping on emerging platforms early before competition makes cutting through difficult.
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, entrepreneurs must adapt to new trends to enhance their businesses and connect effectively with their target audiences.
On December 6th at 3 PM ET join our exclusive webinar, “5 Game-Changing Digital Marketing Trends to Watch for 2024”, led by marketing expert, Bianca B. King. Where she will explore the five pivotal trends that will shape digital marketing in 2024 and help you stay ahead of the competition.
Key Takeaways:
Learn about the five essential trends to embrace in 2024 for a competitive edge.
Understand the potential implications and pitfalls associated with these trends.
Discover ethical ways to engage with emerging digital marketing trends.
Explore the pivotal roles played by AI, social listening, and more in shaping the future of digital marketing.
Gain practical applications to seamlessly incorporate these trends into your ongoing marketing activities, regardless of your current business stage.
Whether you’re embarking on your entrepreneurial journey or looking to refine your existing marketing strategies, this webinar will equip you with actionable insights and practical tips to thrive in the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape of 2024.
Secure your spot today and join us to unlock tomorrow’s digital success.
About the Speaker:
Bianca B. King is an entrepreneur and professional matchmaker on a mission to help women accelerate their success. As the CEO & Founder of the exclusive collective Pretty Damn Ambitious™, Bianca matches high-acheiving women with premier vetted and verified coaches so they can finally amplify their ambitions and achieve the personal growth and professional success they desire. Bianca is also the President and Creative Director of Seven5 Seven3 Marketing Group, a digital marketing agency that has served hundreds of entrepreneurs since 2008.
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
For your business to stand out from the rest of the crowd, you need good marketing—and, even more importantly, good pictures. With millions of photos added to the digital sphere daily, you can’t rely on the same old stock photos that other companies use.
Luminar Neo offers entrepreneurs an AI-powered photo editing software that can save time and money. Built with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, anyone can quickly learn how to master its skills by accessing its Creative Photo Editing Techniques course.
With the power of AI, you can replace a gloomy background with a sunny one, remove stubborn photo-bombers, adjust the composition of your photo, and more. If you’re looking to edit your holiday campaign photos, you’re in luck because this Luminar Neo bundle gives you access to six add-ons, including Frosty Winter and Wintertime Overlays.
However, if you’re just looking to test the waters, Luminar Neo is giving you lifetime access to Neo Lite. The basic version of this photo editor gives you access to basic tools and features to remove unwanted objects, add creative enhancements, and more within a few clicks. It also comes with add-ons.
Take advantage of this highly rated software that was a Red Dot Winner in 2022 for Interface Design and has 4.6/5 stars on the App Store.
Pick one of these exclusively priced versions through December 3 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with no coupon needed.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Evan LeRoy, co-owner of LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, is crafting boundary-breaking menu items and innovative social media at the same time.
Recognizing a branding potential beyond mere views and clicks, his restaurant business focuses on crafting videos, podcasts, and more content with value.
For the talented team behind LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin, TX, social media isn’t about just promoting their innovative New School BBQ menu items. “It’s really about building up community,” Evan LeRoy tells host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media.
Viewing various social media channels as opportunities for education, Evan LeRoy emphasizes adding value with each post. The online community then extends to in-person interactions, as enthusiasts end up visiting Austin to try their food. This creates a self-fulfilling cycle of engagement and community.
“The people who do come to visit us at the classes engage on the Discord and on the Patreon,” he explains. “They interact with each other and share recipes, secrets, tips and everything with each other.”
LeRoy sees sharing content as storytelling and a potent marketing tool that generates income. For Leroy & Lewis, every recipe is not just a culinary experiment, but a business strategy.
“If you make a brisket, film it, and serve it to thousands, you’re going to make money on that two times,” says LeRoy. “It’s also marketing and advertising for your business. That pays for you. You don’t have to pay for marketing and advertising.”
On Patreon, hundreds of LeRoy and Lewis subscribers give money every month to support the business and get access to video features and more access. The team shares recipes, behind-the-scenes footage, and more exclusive educational content while drawing in thousands of dollars a month in additional revenue.
As Leroy and Lewis continues to grow beyond its origins as a food truck, LeRoy recognizes the importance of efficiency. The utilization of proper restaurant technology to overcome bottlenecks and streamline operations has become a priority to ensure they continue to provide new-school barbecue and old-school service.
“We have bottlenecked a lot recently,” admits LeRoy. “We are trying to use technology to kind of disperse the food as fast as we can to all the different people.”
Evan LeRoy’s innovative approach to content creation and BBQ is about finding the intersection of culinary and community.
“We’re all just telling a story, right? And there are so many other tools to tell those stories.”
Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.
Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.
Have a lot of ideas swirling around in your head, but don’t know how to execute them? According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, you’re likely spending around $27 an hour to hire help in the graphic design department, even if you know exactly what you want the images to look like. That’s where Pixilio The Ultimate AI Image Generator can really help out entrepreneurs, allowing them to create images themselves.
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Curious how it works? Just put in your desired parameters on your device, then sit back and relax while Pixilio creates 100% original content that will be owned by you so you can use it anywhere you need it — from blog posts to social media. That means you no longer need to waste time hunting down stock images or spend a fortune working with graphic designers. Just put on your thinking cap and dream up all the image ideas you require.
Create stunning images with this lifetime subscription to Pixilio, now just $19.97 (no coupon code required) through September 30.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In a digital-first era, where 64.6% of the global population is online, having a robust digital presence has become the cornerstone for brands to thrive in 2023. Whether it’s a startup laying its first digital brick or an established entity aspiring to capture more online real estate, there’s no overstating the impact of a potent digital identity.
Yet, how does a brand transition from being a mere whisper in the vast online space to a roaring name recognized by thousands, if not millions?
The promise is enticing – taking your business from obscurity to the limelight in a mere six months. Let’s dive in as we chart the trajectory.
Before you can amplify your brand’s digital footprint, knowing where you stand is crucial. Imagine setting off on a journey without a starting point on your map. Wouldn’t make much sense, right? The same principle applies here.
Begin with a comprehensive audit of your digital assets. Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor your website’s daily visitors. Is it 50, 500 or 5,000? Next, hop onto platforms like Instagram or Twitter. Note down your current follower count.
Services like SocialBlade offer real-time insights into your growth rate and engagement. By understanding these initial figures, you anchor your strategy, giving it direction and purpose. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about setting a clear foundation for the massive growth journey ahead.
2. Mapping out your digital goals
Jumping online without clear goals is like heading out to sea with no map. That “100,000” isn’t just a shiny number; it’s what this figure represents for your brand.
Is it 100,000 monthly website visitors, social media followers or perhaps brand mentions in various online forums? Specifying this is paramount.
Once you’re clear on what your 100,000 looks like, it’s time to break it down using the SMART goals methodology:
Specific: Is it Twitter fans or blog hits? Nail that down.
Measurable: Get the right tools. For website peeks, Google Analytics is your pal. For social, think Hootsuite.
Achievable: Dream big but stay grounded. Aiming for 100,000 on Instagram? Check today’s growth. Can you get there?
Relevant: Align goals with your brand. If you’re a tech firm, maybe Pinterest isn’t your arena. Choose wisely.
Time-bound: You’ve got half a year. Break it down. Maybe aim for a steady 20% bump monthly.
Each step you take with this roadmap is laser-focused on that big win.
Content is more than king; it’s your brand’s heartbeat. It connects you with your audience, starting chats and keeping them going.
Want to hit the mark? Understand your audience’s content love. Look at the data. Which blogs hold their attention? Which social posts do they rave about? This info shapes content they’ll love.
Now, for the secret sauce. Certain content types tend to generate waves online:
Infographics: Turn big data into eye-catching, share-worthy visuals.
Listicles: Lists like “Top 10 tips…” or “5 must-have tools…” give quick, handy information.
How-to guides: Teach them something. They’ll thank you for your time.
Personal tales: Share real stories of ups, downs and in-betweens. They’ll remember your brand.
Creating killer content isn’t just smart; it’s honoring and serving your audience.
Social media is your brand’s fast track to the spotlight. Picking the right platform is crucial. Is your audience professional? Dive into LinkedIn. More youthful? TikTok or Instagram might be more fruitful.
Collaborate with influencers, but choose wisely. It’s not about follower count but engagement. An influencer with 10,000 active fans might outdo one with 100,000 casual viewers.
Finally, let’s optimize for organic growth:
Post Timing: Be regular. Know when your audience tunes in
Engage: Use polls or Q&As for interaction. They’re engaging and fun.
Community: Respond to comments, use brand hashtags and nurture a community vibe. Turn followers into fans.
With a smart social strategy, you’re gearing up for impressive, lasting growth.
5. Paid strategies: Making every penny count
Imagine PPC like a digital billboard. You only pay when someone shows interest by clicking. Social ads? Think of them as tailored posters in a community center, shown only to those interested.
Here’s how to get the most out of your ad spend:
Niche down: Be picky. Selling handmade candles? Aim your ads at ‘handmade craft lovers’ or ‘home decor enthusiasts,’ not everyone.
Test and learn: Try two ads — one with a family picture and another with just candles. See which gets more love, then use that style more.
Set a spending cap: Decide your daily spending. Maybe start with $10. See what happens, then decide if you want to spend more.
Keep an eye on numbers: Platforms give you numbers – like how many clicked and how long they stayed. Watch them. Change your strategy if numbers aren’t good.
Simply put: spend wisely, watch results, tweak and repeat. Every penny should earn its keep.
Why Track? Imagine you’ve planted a seed. Without checking, how’d you know it’s growing? Same with your brand. Tracking tells you what’s working.
Your Toolbox: There are free tools like Google Analytics. It’s like a magnifying glass for your website. See where visitors come from and what they do. For social media? Tools like Hootsuite help.
When to Change? Maybe you notice fewer clicks at 3 p.m. Maybe a post got tons of likes on Tuesday. See these patterns? Act on them. Shift your strategy. It’s like watering your plant when the soil’s dry. Simple, right?
Brands should remember to be always audience-centric, constantly evolving in response to feedback and analytics. Embrace the journey from obscurity to prominence, and watch your brand soar in just six months.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Soliciting feedback from customers often seems like a daunting task. However, Zack Oates and his team at Ovation have cracked the code with a proven strategy that not only encourages guest feedback, but also establishes a personal connection for exceptional results.
Zack Oates and the guest feedback platform Ovation have taken a radically different approach to hearing from customers, which stems from their recognition of a critical flaw in the conventional methods: It’s too hard to share feedback.
As the CEO/founder puts it to host Shawn P. Walchef of Cali BBQ Media when meeting up at the National Restaurant Association Show: “Because the solutions are so bad, guests don’t give feedback. You miss out on over 99% of your guests’ feedback because you make it too hard to give that feedback.”
The Ovation solution? A two-question survey, delivered via text message, that practically engages customers immediately. Think of it like a digital “table touch”
Ovation not only makes it much easier for restaurant guests to give helpful feedback and reviews, but also establishes a personal connection that yields exceptional results.
The simplicity, along with incentives like a chance to win a $100 gift card, encourages participation.
This accessible and innovative approach, coupled with Ovation’s integration with various platforms like the Toast POS, has opened up valuable channels for direct engagement. Oates emphasizes that their strategy not only garners feedback but also nurtures customer relationships, which is vital to Ovation’s success.
A human touch working in harmony with technology remains the key to unlocking true customer loyalty, Oates says. Though he recognizes the convenience of technology, he stands firm in the idea that consistency lays the foundation, and that the pinnacle of loyalty is achieved through genuine connection.
“At the end of the day, regardless of how much technology is in between you and I, it’s about that human connection.” says Zack Oates.
This approach creates a deep connection and enhances personalized engagement, which not only drives loyalty, but also drives revenue by drastically reducing Ovation cancellation.
“Nobody cancels Ovation.” the CEO proudly proclaims.
Oates acknowledges that his strengths lie in building genuine relationships through real digital storytelling rather than orchestrating investor hype. Instead of pursuing a multitude of investors, Ovation seeks the best investors for them. Those are people who share a vision and values and echo the same principle that underlines the Ovation approach to customer relationships.
“I’m not great at pitting one investor against the other and getting the valuation up,” admits Oates. “The way that I look at it is when you’re able to tell your story, then you’re able to connect to that person.”
In a landscape often dominated by complex strategies and high-pressure plays, Ovation stands as a testament to the strength of simple connection and authenticity.
By creating an environment where customers are empowered to share their thoughts and are met with genuine interest, Ovation has not only found the elixir for consistent feedback, but has also unlocked the key to customer loyalty.
Through their approach, Ovation has shown that technology is necessary, but it’s the human connections that truly make a lasting impact.
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ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:
Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.
Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.
