YouTube Unveils New AI-Powered Music Ad Solutions | Small Biz Trends

May 4, 2023May 3, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In a strategic move to help small businesses capitalize on Gen Z’s engagement with music, YouTube has launched innovative AI-powered music ad solutions. As a small business owner, these tools can offer you an effective avenue to reach and connect with Gen Z audiences who are highly active on YouTube.

The announcement came on the heels of the Coachella music festival, one of the industry’s largest stages. YouTube serves as a hub for festival content, especially among Gen Z. The platform is flooded with videos ranging from performance highlights to outfit inspiration, vlogs, and more, making it a fertile ground for businesses targeting this age group.

YouTube’s new music ad solutions aim to get your brand in front of trending music, such as from festival headliner BLACKPINK. They will be available across devices and formats, including long-form, audio, and, in the near future, YouTube Shorts.

How to Generate More Sales Leads for Your Business | business.com

May 4, 2023May 3, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

To increase sales to your business, generating more sales leads is key. Here’s how to drum up more sales leads for your business.

Many successful companies depend on adding to their customer base to grow their business. One key way to accomplish this goal is to ensure that companies receive a regular stream of sales leads. Here’s what you can do to generate leads for your business.

The importance of sales leads

A sales lead is a person or business that could purchase your company’s goods or services. A lead becomes a prospect once you’ve identified their level of interest and fit as a customer for your business. You can use different methods to identify sales leads, including advertising and marketing, cold calling, social media, referrals, outreach and networking, consultations, and product/service trials.

No, 1Password wasn’t hacked – here’s what really happened | Digital Trends

May 3, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Password managers have been struggling with security breaches in recent months, with LastPass suffering a particularly bad hack as a notable example. So when 1Password users got an alert last week saying their Secret Keys and passwords had been changed without their knowledge, they were understandably panicked. Luckily, all was not what it seemed.

That’s because AgileBits, the company behind 1Password, has just explained exactly what went wrong during that event. And while it wasn’t as bad as everyone first thought, it still doesn’t paint AgileBits in a particularly good light.

10 most expensive movies of all time, ranked | Digital Trends

May 3, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Have you ever wondered what goes into the cost of making a movie? Specifically, a blockbuster of epic proportion that incorporates massive set pieces spanning across the globe with A-list talent and stunning visual effects. In short, it’s not cheap to make a movie of this scale. There was once a time when $200 million was considered an expensive film. Now, $200 million is the standard as studio budgets continue to increase past $300, even $400 million.

Superhero movies are typically associated with massive budgets due to the high volume of CGI. However, more studios are increasing budgets for films they believe could be billion-dollar earners and kick off a successful franchise. Below are the 10 most expensive movies of all time.

Starting A Delivery Business: 5 Tips For Success | The Startup Magazine

May 2, 2023May 1, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Whether it’s your first time launching a business or a seasoned entrepreneur opening a new one, nothing beats the excitement of starting your own business. However, standing out from the crowd can be challenging, considering you’re competing against companies that have gained traction in the market.

However, this shouldn’t put you off if you want to venture into the delivery industry; many companies claim to offer seamless services, but their processes are flawed. People use their services due to a lack of better options. A delivery business is operationally demanding, and the recent calls for ‘same-day’ or ‘next-day’ delivery haven’t made things any easier; consumers have increased demands and have greater expectations.

However, if a delivery business is operated well, it can stand out and attract loyal customers. Remember, such a trade doesn’t require manufacturing and selling commodities, so the approaches needed to prosper are also different. Read on to learn about the most effective startup delivery business success tips:

Ron DeSantis-aligned oversight board votes to countersue Disney | BBC News

May 2, 2023May 1, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A board appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that oversees Disney’s special district has voted to sue Disney, the latest in an escalating feud between the state’s Republican governor and the entertainment giant.

It comes a week after Disney filed a suit against Mr DeSantis.

The board had “no choice now but to respond”, to Disney’s lawsuit, board chairman Martin Garcia said on Monday.

“We’ll seek justice in our own backyard,” he said, US media reported.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is expected to officially file the lawsuit later on Monday.

The BBC has reached out to Disney for comment.

‘Buy American’ shouldn’t block our progress toward ‘Internet for All’ | TechCrunch

May 1, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The finish line is within sight. “Internet for All,” as the Biden administration put it, will soon be a reality if America keeps its priorities straight.

During his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden set a high bar, “We’re going to buy American,” as the U.S. spends billions of dollars on new broadband connections. This is a smart strategy to create American jobs and boost the U.S. economy, but our leaders must not sacrifice speed in the race to close the digital divide in cases where “Buy American” isn’t yet a realistic option.

AI-Powered Reels recommendations are keeping us on Instagram | Mashable

April 28, 2023April 27, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Unfortunately, it turns out we actually kind of like watching Instagram Reels.

When Instagram first launched Reels and promised to pivot the social media platform to video, users were livid. We threw fits. Kylie Jenner demanded that we “make Instagram Instagram again.” And, at first, Reels flopped as a lame version of TikTok.

But, at Meta’s earnings call on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg reported that time spent on Instagram had risen by 24 percent, an engagement increase he blames on Instagram Reels.

GDP: The US economy grew at a much slower pace in the first quarter | CNN Business

April 28, 2023April 27, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

US economic growth slowed to an annualized and seasonally adjusted rate of 1.1% in the first quarter of this year, as businesses rebalanced their inventories and pulled back on spending amid punishing rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

The increase in the gross domestic product — the broadest measure of economic activity — was far below economists’ expectations of 2% and represents a more moderate pace compared to the previous two quarters, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Commerce.

The January-to-March period was also marked in its later weeks by mounting fears that a meltdown in the banking sector and a pending debt ceiling crisis could trigger a recession.