What we are thinking about.
Notes from running 8 publications and building tools for them. Restaurant SEO, local marketing, the boring parts that move the needle.
Instacart’s Co-Creation Gimmick: Mascot-Crammed Ads Won’t Save You From Digital Irrelevance
Instacart’s latest mascot-stuffed ad push is a desperate play for relevance, not innovation. Co-creation won’t fix their real product
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Senate’s Housing Affordability Bill: Real Reform or Another Gift to Developers?
The Senate's new housing affordability bill promises to reshape urban neighborhoods but critics warn it's more developer giveaway than real reform. Experts and
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Hightouch’s $2.75B Valuation: Real Metrics, Zero Deck-Fluff, and a Middle Finger to the VC Slide Circus
Hightouch torched the deck-driven funding dance and raised $322 million the old-fashioned way: by delivering real metrics and customer traction that made VCs
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ESPN’s ‘Interactive Fan Hub’ Is Just QR Spam—But You’ll Eat It Up Anyway
ESPN’s new 'interactive fan hub' launching in August is just QR code spam dressed up as engagement. It’s not about fans—it’s about data and
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AMC Stock’s Summer Sideshow: Google Trends Surge Masks a Familiar Wall Street Farce
AMC stock is back in the headlines as Google Trends surges, but the hype hides the same old meme stock pitfalls. Retail investors chasing a short squeeze are
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Storm Season Hits Hard: Tornadoes Expose New York’s Disaster Blind Spots
Tornadoes and severe storms are now a regular part of New York’s summer, exposing the city’s outdated disaster plans and fragile infrastructure. As premiums
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Marketing Academy Foundation Slaps on New Paint, Swears It's a 'New Era'—But Who's Actually Getting Helped?
The Marketing Academy Foundation just got itself a brand refresh and a new board—but unless they put real money and power in new hands, it’s just another PR
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Meta’s Commerce Desperation, $2M Retail Upfronts, and Pinterest’s AI Flex: Welcome to Summer Grift Season
Meta’s latest e-commerce stunt, executive reshuffles at Sephora and Lowe’s, and Pinterest’s AI PR parade—none of it matters if your tech still
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Navigating Monday: Balancing Act Under a Libra Moon
Today, the Libra Moon urges us to find equilibrium as it interacts with both Venus and Saturn. This celestial dance highlights the importance of striking a balance between pleasure and responsibility.
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Google AI Overviews Gut Publisher Traffic—And Yoast 25.0 Sells You Snake Oil
In May 2024, Google’s AI Overviews started cannibalizing publisher clicks—some sites lost 60%. Meanwhile, Yoast 25.0 spins this as 'opportunity'.
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Sunday's Sway: Between Transformation and Tradition
The Sun steps into Cancer today, spotlighting America's shared resources and transformation themes, while the Moon in Virgo emphasizes duty and precision. With Pluto in Aquarius, watch for significant shifts in how we communicate and share ideas.
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Google’s AI Overviews and the 2026 Policy Bomb: Publishers, Prepare to Bleed
Google’s AI Overviews have cannibalized up to 68% of publisher click-throughs since launch. The Q2 2026 content embedding policy just bludgeoned what’s left.
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Shopify’s AI Agency Fantasy: The DTC Platform’s Latest Bid to Keep Merchants on a Leash
Shopify’s new 'AI agency' pitch is just a fresh way to keep merchants dependent and agencies obsolete. Don’t fall for the ecosystem
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Friday's Forward Flow: As Mercury Meets Jupiter
As Mercury aligns with Jupiter today, expect insights and opportunities to grow on this vibrant Friday, especially around communication and shared ideas.
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CMO on the Board? US Bank’s Michael Lacorazza Shows Why Most Marketers Still Can’t Hack It
US Bank's Michael Lacorazza isn't playing the usual CMO game—he’s rewriting it. If your marketing team can't speak the board’s language, you're
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AI “Leaders” Are Just Cowards in Hoodies—Real Leadership Requires a Spine, Not a Prompt
AI won’t save you from tough calls. The latest wave of 'AI leadership' talk is just an excuse for dodging real responsibility. Leaders need to lead—full
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San Andreas in the Hot Seat: California’s Urban Gamble on a Fault Line
California’s urban planners keep gambling with the San Andreas Fault, ignoring seismic realities for profit and convenience. Outdated codes, shaky
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Google Surges on 'Congo Ebola Outbreak' as Global Health Agencies Scramble — But Is Anyone Actually Listening?
Google searches for 'Congo Ebola outbreak' have exploded this week, but the international health playbook remains as reactive and PR-driven as ever. On the
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