#Google My Business tools

[bloggerkey]

Google My Business (GMB) क्या है और यह क्यों ज़रूरी है?

डिजिटल युग में व्यवसायों की ऑनलाइन उपस्थिति का महत्व बढ़ गया है। अब लोग घर बैठे ही इंटरनेट के माध्यम से किसी भी प्रोडक्ट या सर्विस के बारे में जान सकते हैं। इसमें Google My Business (GMB) एक अहम भूमिका निभाता है। GMB एक मुफ्त टूल है, जो छोटे और बड़े व्यवसायों को गूगल पर अपनी जानकारी प्रस्तुत करने का अवसर देता है। GMB का उपयोग कर आप अपने व्यवसाय के बारे में ऐसी महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी साझा कर सकते…

[pickmyurl-ai-marketer]

1st Choice Digital Marketing Agency

A trusted digital marketing powerhouse driving exceptional results through innovative strategies and data-driven expertise.v

[ecom360]

Digital marketing is competitive, time-consuming, and ever-changing. Marketers struggle with SEO optimization, social media scheduling, email marketing, and analytics—all of which demand efficiency and accuracy. However, many professionals and businesses find it overwhelming to manage these tasks manually or invest in costly premium tools.

[citationbuilderproseo]

Citation Builder Pro: Maximize Local Visibility with Expert GMB Optimization Services

Boost your local presence and drive more traffic with our expert Google My Business optimization service. In today’s competitive market, leveraging gmb seo tools and proven local SEO strategies can transform your business visibility and attract high-quality leads.

Why Optimize Your Google My Business Listing?

A well-optimized GMB profile can significantly improve your local search rankings and customer engagement. With accurate business information, high-quality images, and positive reviews, your business becomes more visible and trustworthy to potential customers.

Our Comprehensive GMB Optimization Services

At Citation Builder Pro, we employ a data-driven approach to elevate your Google My Business listing:

Profile Audit & Strategy Development: Detailed analysis of your current listing to identify growth opportunities.

Keyword Integration: Natural incorporation of targeted keywords into your business description.

Review Management: Strategies to gather, manage, and showcase customer reviews.

Visual Enhancements: Optimization of photos and media to represent your brand effectively.

Regular Updates & Reporting: Ongoing management to keep your profile fresh and competitive.

How Our Process Works

Initial Consultation: An in-depth review of your current GMB setup and business objectives.

Customized Action Plan: Tailored strategy crafted to leverage the latest local SEO best practices.

Implementation: Execution of the plan by updating your profile, enhancing content, and engaging your audience.

Ongoing Monitoring: Continuous tracking and adjustment to ensure sustained performance and growth.

Conclusion

Citation Builder Pro is dedicated to transforming your Google My Business listing into a powerful local marketing tool. By leveraging advanced strategies and gmb seo tools, we ensure that your business stands out in local search results, ultimately driving more traffic and increasing revenue. Whether you're looking to boost visibility or enhance customer engagement, our tailored optimization services are designed to deliver measurable results. Ready to elevate your local search presence? Contact us today for a free consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How long does optimization take?

Ans : Improvements can typically be seen within a few weeks of implementation.

Q2. Can I update my own listing?

Ans : Yes, but our expertise ensures that every change aligns with the latest local SEO best practices.

Q3. What sets your service apart?

Ans : We combine proven strategies with advanced analytics for maximum ROI.

Q4. Do you provide ongoing support?

Ans : Absolutely, we offer continuous monitoring and updates to keep your listing competitive.

Q5. How do you measure success?

Ans : We track key metrics like local search rankings, customer engagement, and conversion rates.

Contact Us

Citation Builder Pro

STPI, T 16 - B, MIDC, opp. Garware Stadium, MIDC Industrial Area, Chilkalthana, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, 431006, India

+91-982-229-8988

sales@citationbuilderpro.com

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[inklingdd]

Boost Your Business Visibility on Google My Business with AI-Driven Marketing Automation

In today's digital world, enhancing your business's visibility online is more crucial than ever. Google My Business (GMB) is one of the most powerful tools for local businesses to reach their target audience effectively. However, staying on top of your GMB profile can be time-consuming. That’s where AI-driven marketing automation comes into play, revolutionizing the way businesses manage their online presence.

What is Google My Business (GMB)?

Google My Business is a free tool that allows business owners to manage how their business appears on Google Search and Maps. With GMB, businesses can provide important information such as location, contact details, hours of operation, and services offered. It also allows you to engage with customers through reviews, photos, and posts.

However, maintaining an updated and fully optimized GMB profile requires constant effort. This is where automation powered by AI can make a significant difference.

How AI-Driven Marketing Automation Can Help

AI-driven marketing automation can simplify and enhance your Google My Business management in many ways. With the right tools, you can save time, reduce human error, and boost your business’s visibility on Google.

1. Automated Post Scheduling

Consistent posting is key to keeping your GMB profile active and engaging. AI tools can automate the scheduling of posts, ensuring you share updates, promotions, or events regularly. This keeps your profile fresh and appealing to potential customers.

2. Review Management

Customer reviews are a vital part of your GMB presence. AI-driven automation can help you manage reviews by sending reminders for customers to leave feedback, automatically responding to positive reviews, and flagging negative reviews for quick attention. This ensures you maintain a good reputation and stay engaged with your customers.

3. Smart Analytics

AI tools can provide deep insights into how your GMB profile is performing. From the number of views to customer interactions, AI-powered analytics can help you make data-driven decisions. These insights allow you to tweak your strategy for better results.

4. Optimized Search Visibility

By analyzing trends and keywords, AI can optimize your GMB profile for better search visibility. It can suggest keyword adjustments and ensure your profile is fully optimized for local SEO, helping your business rank higher in search results.

5. Personalized Customer Interaction

AI can also personalize customer interactions by sending tailored messages based on customer behavior. Whether it’s a follow-up message after a purchase or a personalized offer, automation ensures that your customers feel valued, increasing the likelihood of repeat business.

The Importance of Automation for Small Businesses

For small businesses, time and resources are often limited. AI-driven marketing automation helps level the playing field by streamlining repetitive tasks and providing valuable insights without requiring a large team. Automation can make a significant impact, especially in local markets where competition is fierce. With AI handling routine tasks, you can focus on scaling your business and nurturing customer relationships.

Efficiency: Automation streamlines repetitive tasks like posting updates or responding to reviews, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.

Accuracy: AI tools can reduce human errors, ensuring that your GMB profile always has accurate information.

Time-Saving: With AI automation handling routine tasks, you free up time to focus on growing your business.

Conclusion

AI-driven marketing automation can dramatically boost your business visibility on Google My Business. By automating routine tasks like posting, review management, and analytics, you can ensure your business remains competitive and consistently visible to potential customers. With AI at your side, optimizing your Google My Business profile becomes easier, more efficient, and more effective, ultimately driving more customers to your business.

[dipakpaneruofficial]

https://dipakpaneru.com.np/blog/

[gmb-briefcase]

GMB Briefcase: Your Essential Google My Business Audit Tool

Why You Need a Google My Business Audit Tool

A Google My Business profile is often the first place potential customers interact with your business online. When optimized, it serves as a powerful tool that not only provides essential information about your business but also boosts local search rankings. An audit tool like GMB Briefcase helps you monitor, optimize, and refine your GMB profile by assessing key areas like contact information, reviews, images, and engagement metrics.

Regular audits with GMB Briefcase ensure that your profile is complete, accurate, and engaging to customers. This leads to improved visibility in search results, increased customer trust, and better engagement—all factors that drive more foot traffic and online interactions with your business.

Introducing GMB Briefcase: Your Complete Solution for GMB Audits

GMB Briefcase is designed specifically to make Google Business Profile audits easier and more effective. Unlike generic tools, GMB Briefcase focuses on the specific needs of local businesses, providing targeted insights that drive actionable changes. Here’s how it stands out:

Comprehensive Profile Analysis: GMB Briefcase evaluates every component of your GMB profile, from contact information to visual content, ensuring that every element is working towards attracting customers. User-Friendly Reports: The tool generates easy-to-understand reports that highlight key insights and suggest practical improvements. Real-Time Updates: GMB Briefcase tracks your profile’s performance over time, allowing you to see the effects of your optimizations and adjust as needed. Competitor Insights: By analyzing competitor profiles, GMB Briefcase provides a benchmark, helping you understand what similar businesses are doing and where you can gain an edge. Key Benefits of Using GMB Briefcase for Your Google My Business Audit When you use GMB Briefcase as your Google My Business audit tool, you’re setting up your profile for success. Here are some of the key benefits you’ll experience:

Enhanced Visibility in Local Searches

Google’s algorithm prioritizes well-maintained and optimized business profiles in local search results. By identifying and correcting any inaccuracies or missing details, GMB Briefcase helps your business profile rank higher, leading to greater visibility and more customer engagement.

Accurate and Up-to-Date Information

Having consistent and accurate information across your Google Business Profile is crucial for building customer trust. GMB Briefcase’s audits verify details like your business address, phone number, hours of operation, and website link, ensuring customers always have the right information at their fingertips.

Engagement Metrics Analysis: From call clicks to direction requests, GMB Briefcase tracks essential engagement metrics. By understanding how customers are interacting with your profile, you can make informed decisions on how to improve engagement.

Custom Review Management Tips: Effective review management is crucial for maintaining a positive reputation. GMB Briefcase offers guidance on handling reviews, making it easy to respond in ways that build trust and demonstrate excellent customer service.

Competitor Benchmarking: Knowing what your competitors are doing can help you improve your own profile. GMB Briefcase’s audit report includes competitor analysis, giving you insights into their strengths and areas where you can outperform them.

Performance Tracking and Reporting: The tool tracks changes over time, providing you with reports on how optimizations have impacted your profile. This allows you to see tangible results and make adjustments as needed.

Final Thoughts: Why GMB Briefcase is Essential for Local Businesses

For local businesses looking to make the most of their Google Business Profile, GMB Briefcase is an essential tool. With its focused approach to GMB audits, GMB Briefcase provides a clear path to improving visibility, engagement, and customer trust. The precise insights and actionable recommendations offered by GMB Briefcase make it easy to optimize your profile, boost your rankings, and attract more customers.

If you’re serious about growing your local business, start using GMB Briefcase today. It’s not just a Google My Business audit tool—it’s a powerful ally in building a stronger online presence, enhancing customer interactions, and maximizing your business’s potential in the local market.

Contact Us

GMB Briefcase

STPI, T 16 - B, MIDC, opp. Garware Stadium, MIDC Industrial Area, Chikalthana, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, 431210, India

+91 9822298988

sales@gmbbriefcase.com

https://gmbbriefcase.com

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[smartdigitalpublic]

[theseoblogspace]

Mastering Local SEO for Small Businesses

More and more Australians are using online search engines to find local products and services1. For small businesses, mastering local search engine optimization (local SEO) is key. It helps build brand recognition, increase customer trust, and achieve success in the digital market. Jane, a Melbourne bakery owner, knows the value of local SEO well. She struggled to attract customers early on but…

[crushedsweets]

CREEPED VISUAL NOVEL Link, tutorial, extra art, Q&A, some chatter

The CREEPED Prologue is completely free and browser-ready. Gameplay is about 10 minutes. Please read the "tutorial" and notes before playing!

Follow Y/N and their dog, Max, through their grandparents' farm and a mysterious forest filled with...less than fortunate people!

PLAY HERE; works best on PC

This visual novel is powered by GOOGLE SLIDES! It has 0 programming and was created by one person in a little over a month, so please bear with any "bugs" and clunkiness!

TUTORIAL

>Click using mouse/trackpad >Go slowly to not break game >Do not use arrow or space keys

EXTRA NOTES:

>Works best on PC/Browser, I haven't tested the full game on mobile yet >In general, clicking the PNGs on the textbox (Apple, Teddy Bear, Hatchet, etc) will lead you to the right page >If you land on a page that tells you to "go back," that's when you should click the back-arrow key. If your cursor disappears, it doesn't register the click correctly >I recommend moving your cursor periodically to avoid it disappearing and sending you to the wrong page

EXTRA ART

some WIPS and the original sprite-style i was gonna choose LOOOOOOOL

Q&A

Q: Is this an x reader? A: This is a reader-insert, but it's not romantic and I try to keep it as neutral and unidentifiable as possible! Q: What's the plot? A: GENERALLY AND WITHOUT SPOILERS, your dog gets you into trouble and you're just looking to help him!

Q: Who is in the prologue? A: Tim, Brian, Toby, and Kate! More will be added in future chapters.

Q: When will future chapters be posted? A: Not sure! This took me about a month to do, and half was spent over winter break. I will try to get chapter 1 posted before summer, but I am a full-time student, employed, have extracurriculars, etc etc

ok thats all i only remember 4 questions feel free to ask more LMAO

CHATTER(because you know i can talk forever)

ok i just wanted to be able to talk about how the process was with this and how i feel about the results and whatnot...

ive been wanting to make a google slides visual novel since i was like 13 LOL it hit the point where i was repeatedly told i should just learn to code but i was like NOOOOO ITS GOTTA BE GOOGLE SLIDESSSS which is totally stupid but hey. i think that gives it some sort of simple charm that reminds me of being 16 and doing little projects in my room LOL i like working with the easiest tools . my bad

anyway. im just very happy LOL. it's not perfect but i feel like i came full circle in a sense?!?! i've been into creepypasta since i was 9 and it comforted me when things were really hard, and when i was 18 i was going through a really hard time and got back into creepypasta as a way to distract myself. i've always had a habit of throwing myself into fiction for escapism when things suuucked.

i'm 20 now but i've met SO many amazing people, had so many fun awesome exciting projects with friends, created tons of stuff im proud of, felt more motivated to create since i was like 13, have been inspired by so many amazing artists/authors on here, etc. just so so so lucky to find community in such a tight-knit cute fandom that thrives off of creativity and playing around! i hope i can keep the momentum and make a couple more chapters this year, but im kinda busy with school and work...LOL . i'm just excited to have this posted so i can have more discussion about it T_T

anyway thank you if you read this far and thank you if you played etc etc yaahhhhhh omg ok BYE THIS IS SO EMBARRASSING im just so grateful to be in this fandom

[bloggerkey]

Google My Business से पैसे कैसे कमायें ?

आज के डिजिटल युग में व्यापार को ऑनलाइन उपस्थिति देना अत्यंत आवश्यक हो गया है। Google My Business (GMB) एक फ्री टूल है जो छोटे और बड़े बिजनेस को अपने ग्राहकों के करीब लाने में मदद करता है। लेकिन क्या आप जानते हैं कि आप केवल अपने व्यवसाय को ऑनलाइन दिखाकर ही नहीं, बल्कि Google My Business का सही उपयोग करके अच्छी कमाई भी कर सकते हैं? इस ब्लॉग पोस्ट में हम जानेंगे कि Google My Business से पैसे कैसे…

[google-my-business-blog]

Unlock Metrics: Advanced Google My Business Analytics Platform

In the digital era, businesses strive to leverage every available resource to unlock growth potential and stay ahead of the competition. The Advanced Google My Business Analytics Platform emerges as a game-changing tool, offering a wealth of metrics and insights to help businesses optimize their online presence, attract customers, and drive sustainable growth. With its advanced features and comprehensive analytics, the platform empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and unlock new opportunities for success.

Understanding the Advanced Google My Business Analytics Platform:

The Advanced GMB Analytics Platform builds upon the foundation of the standard GMB Analytics tool, offering an enhanced suite of features and metrics to provide deeper insights into online performance and customer behavior. Designed for businesses seeking advanced analytics capabilities, the platform offers a range of sophisticated metrics and tools to help businesses maximize their visibility, engagement, and conversions.

Key Features and Metrics:

Advanced Performance Metrics: The Advanced GMB Analytics Platform provides businesses with a comprehensive set of performance metrics, including detailed insights into listing views, clicks, user interactions, and conversion rates. These advanced metrics offer a deeper understanding of how customers engage with a business's listing and provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of marketing efforts.

User Behavior Analysis: Understanding user behavior is crucial for optimizing online presence and driving conversions. The platform offers advanced user behavior analysis tools, allowing businesses to track customer journeys, identify patterns and trends, and optimize their strategies to better meet customer needs and preferences.

Competitor Benchmarking: Businesses can benchmark their performance against competitors using the Advanced GMB Analytics Platform. This comparative analysis helps businesses identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, enabling them to refine their strategies and outperform competitors in the market.

Customizable Reports and Dashboards: The platform offers customizable reporting and dashboarding capabilities, allowing businesses to tailor their analytics dashboards to their specific needs and preferences. With the ability to create custom reports and dashboards, businesses can track key performance indicators, monitor progress towards goals, and make data-driven decisions to drive growth.

Leveraging the Advanced GMB Analytics Platform for Growth:

Optimizing Visibility Strategies: By analyzing advanced metrics such as listing views and clicks, businesses can optimize their visibility strategies to maximize exposure in local search results. This may involve refining listing information, targeting specific keywords, and optimizing listing attributes to improve search ranking and visibility.

Enhancing User Experience: The platform's advanced user behavior analysis tools allow businesses to gain insights into customer preferences and behaviors. By understanding how users interact with their listings, businesses can tailor their offerings and content to provide a more personalized and engaging experience, driving higher levels of engagement and conversions.

Refining Marketing Strategies: The Advanced GMB Analytics Platform provides businesses with advanced insights into the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. By tracking advanced metrics such as conversion rates and ROI, businesses can refine their marketing strategies, allocate resources more effectively, and achieve higher levels of success.

Driving Business Growth: Ultimately, the goal of leveraging the Advanced GMB Analytics Platform is to drive business growth. By unlocking advanced insights and analytics capabilities, businesses can identify new opportunities for growth, optimize their strategies for maximum impact, and achieve sustainable growth in the digital age.

Conclusion:

The Advanced Google My Business Analytics Platform offers businesses a powerful tool for unlocking growth potential and driving success in the digital marketplace. With its advanced features, comprehensive analytics, and customizable reporting capabilities, the platform empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions, optimize their strategies, and achieve their growth objectives. By leveraging the insights and analytics provided by the platform, businesses can maximize their visibility, engagement, and conversions, driving sustainable growth and success in the competitive landscape of the digital age.

[ourjobagency]

Why Local SEO Trends Are Important for Small Businesses

In the digital age, small businesses are finding new and effective ways to reach and engage with their target audience. Local search engine optimization (SEO) has emerged as a powerful tool to help them achieve this. Local SEO trends are particularly significant for small businesses, as they can level the playing field and provide numerous advantages that can directly impact their growth and success.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a website and online presence to improve visibility in local search results. It's all about ensuring that when potential customers search for products or services in a specific geographic area, your business appears in the top results. This is crucial for small businesses that rely on local customers for their revenue.

Here's why local SEO trends matter for small businesses:

Increased Visibility: By following the latest local SEO trends, small businesses can appear in local map packs and organic search results. This visibility can be a game-changer, as it allows them to compete with larger corporations on a level playing field.

Targeted Audience: Small businesses often serve a specific community or region. Local SEO trends help these businesses target their ideal customers, increasing the likelihood of conversion. When your business is visible to those looking for your specific products or services in your area, you're more likely to attract relevant traffic.

Mobile Optimization: With the growing use of smartphones, many people search for local businesses on their mobile devices. Local SEO trends ensure your website is mobile-friendly, making it easy for potential customers to find and contact you while on the go.

Customer Reviews: Reviews are a crucial aspect of local SEO. Positive reviews can significantly boost your local search rankings. By staying updated with local SEO trends, you can develop strategies to encourage customers to leave reviews, thereby improving your online reputation.

Google My Business (GMB): A well-optimized GMB profile is a cornerstone of local SEO. It's often the first thing users see when they search for local businesses. Keeping your GMB listing updated and in line with the latest trends is essential for attracting local customers.

Voice Search: With the rise of voice-activated devices, optimizing for voice search is vital. Local SEO trends include strategies to ensure your business can be found by users who ask questions like, "Where's the nearest coffee shop?".

Local Link Building: Link building is a key factor in SEO. Small businesses can use local link building strategies to boost their website's credibility and authority within their community. Staying updated with local SEO trends helps in understanding the latest techniques for building these important local links.

Cost-Effective Marketing: Local SEO is often more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods. By optimizing for local search, small businesses can reach their target audience without the high costs associated with other advertising channels.

Competitive Advantage: Staying up to date with local SEO trends can provide small businesses with a competitive edge. When you know what's working and what isn't in your local market, you can tailor your strategies to outperform competitors.

Measurable Results: Local SEO provides small businesses with clear, measurable results. You can track the effectiveness of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed, ensuring you get the best return on investment.

In conclusion, local SEO trends are indispensable for small businesses. They offer a cost-effective way to boost visibility, reach a targeted audience, and compete effectively in the digital marketplace. Small businesses that invest time and effort into local SEO can expect to see significant benefits and sustainable growth in their local markets. So, if you're a small business owner, embracing and adapting to local SEO trends should be a top priority for your digital marketing strategy.

[digital-doorway]

Social Media has become an integral part of the lives of everyone today and that applies to businesses and organizations as well. 

With businesses visible on so many social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google My Business, Pinterest, Snapchat & more, managing becomes time-consuming & challenging. This is where Social Media Management tools come to the rescue. 

Check out our blog on the best Social Media Scheduling tools available. Read more....

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Lina Khan’s future is the future of the Democratic Party — and America

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

On the one hand, the anti-monopoly movement has a future no matter who wins the 2024 election – that's true even if Kamala Harris wins but heeds the calls from billionaire donors to fire Lina Khan and her fellow trustbusters.

In part, that's because US antitrust laws have broad "private rights of action" that allow individuals and companies to sue one another for monopolistic conduct, even if top government officials are turning a blind eye. It's true that from the Reagan era to the Biden era, these private suits were few and far between, and the cases that were brought often died in a federal courtroom. But the past four years has seen a resurgence of antitrust rage that runs from left to right, and from individuals to the C-suites of big companies, driving a wave of private cases that are prevailing in the courts, upending the pro-monopoly precedents that billionaires procured by offering free "continuing education" antitrust training to 40% of the Federal judiciary:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down

It's amazing to see the DoJ racking up huge wins against Google's monopolistic conduct, sure, but first blood went to Epic, who won a historic victory over Google in federal court six months before the DoJ's win, which led to the court ordering Google to open up its app store:

https://www.theverge.com/policy/2024/10/7/24243316/epic-google-permanent-injunction-ruling-third-party-stores

Google's 30% App Tax is a giant drag on all kinds of sectors, as is its veto over which software Android users get to see, so Epic's win is going to dramatically alter the situation for all kinds of activities, from beleaguered indie game devs:

https://antiidlereborn.com/news/

To the entire news sector:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/06/save-news-we-must-open-app-stores

Private antitrust cases have attracted some very surprising plaintiffs, like Michael Jordan, whose long policy of apoliticism crumbled once he bought a NASCAR team and lived through the monopoly abuses of sports leagues as an owner, not a player:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/michael-jordan-anti-monopolist

A much weirder and more unlikely antitrust plaintiff than Michael Jordan is Google, the perennial antitrust defendant. Google has brought a complaint against Microsoft in the EU, based on Microsoft's extremely ugly monopolistic cloud business:

https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-files-complaint-eu-over-microsoft-cloud-practices-2024-09-25/

Google's choice of venue here highlights another reason to think that the antitrust surge will continue irrespective of US politics: antitrust is global. Antitrust fervor has seized governments from the UK to the EU to South Korea to Japan. All of those countries have extremely similar antitrust laws, because they all had their statute books overhauled by US technocrats as part of the Marshall Plan, so they have the same statutory tools as the American trustbusters who dismantled Standard Oil and AT&T, and who are making ready to shatter Google into several competing businesses:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/8/24265832/google-search-antitrust-remedies-framework-android-chrome-play

Antitrust fever has spread to Canada, Australia, and even China, where the Cyberspace Directive bans Chinese tech giants from breaking interoperability to freeze out Chinese startups. Anything that can't go on forever eventually stops, and the cost of 40 years of pro-monopoly can't be ignored. Monopolies make the whole world more brittle, even as the cost of that brittleness mounts. It's hard to pretend monopolies are fine when a single hurricane can wipe out the entire country's supply of IV fluid – again:

https://prospect.org/health/2024-10-11-cant-believe-im-writing-about-iv-fluid-again/

What's more, the conduct of global monopolists is the same in every country where they have taken hold, which means that trustbusters in the EU can use the UK Digital Markets Unit's report on the mobile app market as a roadmap for their enforcement actions against Apple:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63f61bc0d3bf7f62e8c34a02/Mobile_Ecosystems_Final_Report_amended_2.pdf

And then the South Korean and Japanese trustbusters can translate the court documents from the EU's enforcement action and use them to score victories over Apple in their own courts:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/10/an-injury-to-one/#is-an-injury-to-all

So on the one hand, the trustbusting wave will continue erode the foundations of global monopolies, no matter what happens after this election. But on the other hand, if Harris wins and then fires Biden's top trustbusters to appease her billionaire donors, things are going to get ugly.

A new, excellent long-form Bloomberg article by Josh Eidelson and Max Chafkin gives a sense of the battle raging just below the surface of the Democratic Power, built around a superb interview with Khan herself:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-10-09/lina-khan-on-a-second-ftc-term-ai-price-gouging-data-privacy

The article begins with a litany of tech billionaires who've gone an all-out, public assault on Khan's leadership – billionaires who stand to personally lose hundreds of millions of dollars from her agency's principled, vital antitrust work, but who cloak their objection to Khan in rhetoric about defending the American economy. In public, some of these billionaires are icily polite, but many of them degenerate into frothing, toddler-grade name-calling, like IAB's Barry Diller, who called her a "dope" and Musk lickspittle Jason Calacanis, who called her an all-caps COMMUNIST and a LUNATIC.

The overall vibe from these wreckers? "How dare the FTC do things?!"

And you know, they have a point. For decades, the FTC was – in the quoted words of Tim Wu – "a very hardworking agency that did nothing." This was the period when the FTC targeted low-level scammers while turning a blind eye to the monsters that were devouring the US economy. In part, that was because the FTC had been starved of budget, trapping them in a cycle of racking up easy, largely pointless "wins" against penny-ante grifters to justify their existence, but never to the extent that Congress would apportion them the funds to tackle the really serious cases (if this sounds familiar, it's also the what happened during the long period when the IRS chased middle class taxpayers over minor filing errors, while ignoring the billionaires and giant corporations that engaged in 7- and 8-figure tax scams).

But the FTC wasn't merely underfunded: it was timid. The FTC has extremely broad enforcement and rulemaking powers, which most sat dormant during the neoliberal era:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

The Biden administration didn't merely increase the FTC's funding: in choosing Khan to helm the organization, they brought onboard a skilled technician, who was both well-versed in the extensive but unused powers of the agency and determined to use them:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

But Khan's didn't just rely on technical chops and resources to begin the de-olicharchification of the US economy: she built a three-legged stool, whose third leg is narrative. Khan's signature is her in-person and remote "listening tours," where workers who've been harmed by corporate power get to tell their stories. Bloomberg recounts the story of Deborah Brantley, who was sexually harassed and threatened by her bosses at Kavasutra North Palm Beach. Brantley's bosses touched her inappropriately and "joked" about drugging her and raping her so she "won’t be such a bitch and then maybe people would like you more."

When Brantley finally quit and took a job bartending at a different business, Kavasutra sued her over her noncompete clause, alleging an "irreparable injury" sustained by having one of their former employees working at another business, seeking damages and fees.

The vast majority of the 30 million American workers who labor under noncompetes are like Brantley, low-waged service workers, especially at fast-food restaurants (so Wendy's franchisees can stop minimum wage cashiers from earning $0.25/hour more flipping burgers at a nearby McDonald's). The donor-class indenturers who defend noncompetes claim that noncompetes are necessary to protect "innovative" businesses from losing their "IP." But of course, the one state where no workers are subject to noncompetes is California, which bans them outright – the state that is also home to Silicon Valley, an IP-heave industry that the same billionaires laud for its innovations.

After that listening tour, Khan's FTC banned noncompetes nationwide:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/25/capri-v-tapestry/#aiming-at-dollars-not-men

Only to have a federal judge in Texas throw out their ban, a move that will see $300b/year transfered from workers to shareholders, and block the formation of 8,500 new US businesses every year:

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/g-s1-18376/federal-judge-tosses-ftc-noncompetes-ban

Notwithstanding court victories like Epic v Google and DoJ v Google, America's oligarchs have the courts on their side, thanks to decades of court-packing planned by the Federalist Society and executed by Senate Republicans and Reagan, Bush I, Bush II, and Trump. Khan understands this; she told Bloomberg that she's a "close student" of the tactics Reagan used to transform American society, admiring his effectiveness while hating his results. Like other transformative presidents, good and bad, Reagan had to fight the judiciary and entrenched institutions (as did FDR and Lincoln). Erasing Reagan's legacy is a long-term project, a battle of inches that will involve mustering broad political support for the cause of a freer, more equal America.

Neither Biden nor Khan are responsible for the groundswell of US – and global – movement to euthanize our rentier overlords. This is a moment whose time has come; a fact demonstrated by the tens of thousands of working Americans who filled the FTC's noncompete docket with outraged comments. People understand that corporate looters – not "the economy" or "the forces of history" – are the reason that the businesses where they worked and shopped were destroyed by private equity goons who amassed intergenerational, dynastic fortunes by strip-mining the real economy and leaving behind rubble.

Like the billionaires publicly demanding that Harris fire Khan, private equity bosses can't stop making tone-deaf, guillotine-conjuring pronouncements about their own virtue and the righteousness of their businesses. They don't just want to destroy the world - they want to be praised for it:/p>

"Private equity’s been a great thing for America" -Stephen Pagliuca, co-chairman of Bain Capital;

"We are taught to judge the success of a society by how it deals with the least able, most vulnerable members of that society. Shouldn’t we judge a society by how they treat the most successful? Do we vilify, tax, expropriate and condemn those who have succeeded, or do we celebrate economic success as the engine that propels our society toward greater collective well-being?" -Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo

"Achieve life-changing money and power," -Sachin Khajuria, former partner at Apollo

Meanwhile, the "buy, strip and flip" model continues to chew its way through America. When PE buys up all the treatment centers for kids with behavioral problems, they hack away at staffing and oversight, turning them into nightmares where kids are routinely abused, raped and murdered:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/they-told-me-it-was-going-be-good-place-allega-tions-n987176

When PE buys up nursing homes, the same thing happens, with elderly residents left to sit in their own excrement and then die:

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/12/24/nursing-homes-private-equity-fraud-00132001

Writing in The Guardian, Alex Blasdel lays out the case for private equity as a kind of virus that infects economies, parasitically draining them of not just the capacity to provide goods and services, but also of the ability to govern themselves, as politicians and regulators are captured by the unfathomable sums that PE flushes into the political process:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/oct/10/slash-and-burn-is-private-equity-out-of-control

Now, the average worker who's just lost their job may not understand "divi recaps" or "2-and-20" or "carried interest tax loopholes," but they do understand that something is deeply rotten in the world today.

What happens to that understanding is a matter of politics. The Republicans – firmly affiliated with, and beloved of, the wreckers – have chosen an easy path to capitalizing on the rising rage. All they need to do is convince the public that the system is irredeemably corrupt and that the government can't possibly fix anything (hence Reagan's asinine "joke": "the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help'").

This is a very canny strategy. If you are the party of "governments are intrinsically corrupt and incompetent," then governing corruptly and incompetently proves your point. The GOP strategy is to create a nation of enraged nihilists who don't even imagine that the government could do something to hold their bosses to account – not for labor abuses, not for pollution, not for wage theft or bribery.

The fact that successive neoliberal governments – including Democratic administrations – acted time and again to bear out this hypothesis makes it easy for this kind of nihilism to take hold.

Far-right conspiracies about pharma bosses colluding with corrupt FDA officials to poison us with vaccines for profit owe their success to the lived experience of millions of Americans who lost loved ones to a conspiracy between pharma bosses and corrupt officials to poison us with opioids.

Unhinged beliefs that "they" caused the hurricanes tearing through Florida and Georgia and that Kamala Harris is capping compensation to people who lost their homes are only credible because of murderous Republican fumble during Katrina; and the larcenous collusion of Democrats to help banks steal Americans' homes during the foreclosure crisis, when Obama took Tim Geithner's advice to "foam the runway" with the mortgages of everyday Americans who'd been cheated by their banks:

https://www.salon.com/2014/05/14/this_man_made_millions_suffer_tim_geithners_sorry_legacy_on_housing/

If Harris gives in to billionaire donors and fires Khan and her fellow trustbusters, paving the way for more looting and scamming, the result will be more nihilism, which is to say, more electoral victories for the GOP. The "government can't do anything" party already exists. There are no votes to be gained by billing yourself as the "we also think governments can't do anything" party.

In other words, a world where Khan doesn't run the FTC is a world where antitrust continues to gain ground, but without taking Democrats with it. It's a world where nihilism wins.

There's factions of the Democratic Party who understand this. AOC warned party leaders that, "Anyone goes near Lina Khan and there will be an out and out brawl":

https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1844034727935988155

And Bernie Sanders called her "the best FTC Chair in modern history":

https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1843733298960576652

In other words: Lina Khan as a posse.

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/11/democracys-antitrust-paradox/#there-will-be-an-out-and-out-brawl

[astrolook]

The Astrology About Your Difficult Placements & Turning Them Into A Career Opportunity

Note: This post is based on my personal observations and patterns I've noticed over the years. It's important to understand that no single placement in a chart can determine whether someone is “good” or “bad,” a success or a failure, or even something as extreme as a criminal. Astrology is complex, and the entire birth chart must be considered as a whole. What we often label as "difficult" placements can actually become powerful sources of strength if we choose to approach them with awareness, effort, and a growth mindset. These placements aren’t curses, they’re invitations to evolve. This post is based on Vedic/Sidereal Astrology.

Astrology is a lot like Google Maps, it shows you possible routes to your destination, but it’s still up to you which path to take. It can guide, not dictate. That’s why I find it disheartening when some astrologers deliver overly negative interpretations that leave people feeling helpless or afraid and making serious life decisions based on it. Every placement holds multiple possibilities, some more challenging than others. With awareness and the right mindset, even the toughest placements can become powerful tools for growth.

These placements don’t doom you, they challenge you to rise.

Mars in 12th - Hidden enemies, betrayal from co-workers/colleagues, vehicle accidents, high blood pressure, imprisonment, compulsive behavior, hit man.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for martial artists, military careers, architectural /structural engineering, psychologist, working in intelligence or secret service, crime scene investigator, MMA fighter, monk, athletes, etc.

Moon in 8th - Volcanic emotions often buried. Might be emotionally manipulative in a subtle way. Intense and secretive and hide their emotions. Reads people with their x-ray vision.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for healers, astrologer, detective, investigator, researcher, astronomer, criminal profiler, hospice worker, witch, therapist, grief counselor, cult leader, etc.

Venus in 8th - Can get into surface-level relationships for "convenience". STDs, in some cases. Financial ruin from the partners. Betrays/cheats or the other way around.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for relationship counselor, sex therapist, even porn stars, financial advisor, lobbyist, artists, script writer, photographers, videographers, model, financial firm chairman, business owner, club/casino owner/worker, etc.

North Node in 1st - Prone to attract scandals, betrayals. Identity crisis. Chases validation, success or people only to feel empty. Project an image that's not real.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for social media influencer, streamer, entrepreneur, lawyer, public figure, vlogger, model, activist, etc.

Sun in 12th - Side character in their own life. Hypochondriacs. Felt underappreciated or not recognized for your self-worth. Isolate themselves when depression hits.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for foreign settlement or just moving far away from birth place where they get recognized for being an entrepreneur, startup founder, politician or govt jobs in a foreign country/state, behind-the- scenes work in the movie industry, freelancer, software engineer, etc.

Venus in 6th - Overindulgence in food/drinks. Ovarian cyst for women. Menstrual issues. Prone to get STDs. Betrayal from women. Having a crazy ex.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for service workers, emergency care, veterinarian, doctor, nurse, mental health worker, wellness coach, interior designer, HR, cosmetologist, gynaecologist, pet groomer, dog walker, plastic surgeon, Hairstylist, Makeup specialist, homemaker, hospitality worker, etc.

Mars in 6th - Workplace drama. Chronic illness. Rude to others or other way around. Betrayal from men. Might be a smoker.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for chefs, firefighters, military careers, surgeon, personal trainer, conflict resolution expert, racer, raw material manufacturer, athletes, Managerial positions in the hospitality/retail industry, architect, engineer, etc.

South node in 4th - Detachment from home life or unstable family situation. Foster care, in some cases. Odd one out of the family in some cases.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for a travel consultant/guide, social worker, game developer, life coach, realtor, real estate agent, antique items seller, costume designer, comic artist, comedian script writer, animator, VFX specialist, foster care worker, paediatrician, nutritionist, etc.

North node in 8th - Prone to get into trouble with law enforcement. Into drugs. In and out of jail in some cases. Stalker or the other way around. Pimp, in some cases.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for a criminal lawyer, police officer, forensic investigator, crime or thriller writer, crisis management expert, industrial worker, manufacturer, de-addiction center worker, activist, law enforcement, etc.

Saturn in 4th - Childhood trauma or abuse. Protein or vitamin deficiency, in some cases. Punished/emotional neglect by a parent, in some cases.

On the bright side, this is a good placement for an architect, realtor, nuclear power plant engineer/worker, zookeeper, homeless shelter worker, factory worker, volcanologist, meteorologist, nutritionist, bio tech careers, newsreader, magazine/article writer, TV show host, small business owner, carpenter, etc.

Wanna go deeper into the layers of your placements? DM me for a complete astrology reading or a 5 year/8 year marriage report or synastry reading🌙💬 and check out my pinned post for pricing + details 💫����

Let’s decode your cosmic chaos together ⭐

Part 2 of this post will be about retrograde planets!