#traffic survey company

[tektronixtechnology]

Road Traffic Counting Surveys: A Vital Element in Transportation Planning :

Transportation planning is one of the critical components of urban development planning. Road traffic counting surveys play a vital role in enabling transportation planners to make informed decisions about road and traffic management. In this article, we will explore what road traffic counting surveys are, why they are essential, and how they are conducted.

What are Road Traffic Counting Surveys?

Road traffic counting surveys are conducted to gather data on the number and types of vehicles that use a particular road section or intersection. The traffic data collection usually includes details such as the number of vehicles, their speed, and direction of travel. This data can be used to develop traffic management plans, identify areas that require improvement, and estimate future transportation needs

Traffic flow: Traffic flow data provides information on the volume of traffic that uses a particular road section. This information is critical in analyzing traffic congestion and identifying areas that require improvement.

   Speed: Speed data can help transportation planners evaluate the safety of the road section by identifying areas where vehicles are traveling at excessively high speeds, leading to accidents.

 Types of vehicles: Knowing the types of vehicles that use a particular road section helps planners identify areas that may require special infrastructure, such as dedicated bike lanes or sidewalks.

Road Traffic Counting Surveys

Road Traffic Counting Device UAE

Road Traffic Counting Devices Abu Dhabi

Road Traffic Counting Surveys in Sharjah

Road Traffic Counting Surveys in Alain

Road Traffic Counting Surveys Saudi Arabia

Traffic Courting Surveys in Bur Dubai

#roadtraffic #trafficcounting #trafficsurveys #trafficsurveysuae #roadtrafficcounting #roadtrafficsurevys #roadtrafficcountingsurveys #roadcamera #roadtrafficcounting #trafficcountingsurveys #roadtrafficcounting #trafficimpactstaudy #trafficsurveys #trafficcountingsurveys #roadtrafficsurveys #roadtrafficcount #roadtrafficcounting #roadtrafficcountingsurveys #trafficsurveysuae #trafficsurveysinuae #roadtraffic #trafficcountsurveys #roadtrafficcounting #roadcameradevice

[aurizondatatech1]

Navigating the Road of Data: International Traffic Survey and Data Collection Companies in India

[furiousstarfishphilosopher]

These surveys are utilized to create the final data of the analysis with a greatest precision. In this analysis we are given determined videos of a specific site where the client need to utilize different cams. The various videos are synchronized and the vehicle are coordinated by their time and the last video of various cams are kept running at same time to follow the specific vehicle moving from their relative starting points and goals precisely.

Road Traffic Surveys 

road traffic counting surveys 

traffic survey

traffic counting survey

road traffic counting survey

road traffic camera systems abu dhabi 

[stelladess]

I strongly recommend anyone else angry about what Yostar Korea pulled (tl;dr: they took down the work of an artist who has made a lot of promo stuff for the Korean social media account because incels dug up a years old tweet where she said women deserve equal pay for equal work and another years old tweet where she did a doodle for international women´s day, these posts were then used to justify taking her work down and saying she was inciting "division" in the fandom with radical political positions, they then said that arknights is a game that strives to tell a fun story without getting into any divisive politics which is absurd) Anyway I strongly advice anyone else mad about it to write about that in the current survey in the game, ESPECIALLY if this has made you no longer want to spend money on the game, and if so to specifically say that. I also recommend you write to Hypergryph: cs@hypergryph.com They had nothing to do with this decision and has in the past had a good track record on condeming misogyny even from business partners, but they have not commented on the current situation yet, and I believe HG speaking about it would make it FAR more likely for Yostar to actually do anything here. I would also suggest contacting Yostar, but their complaints forum has been down since this situation broke down. Either this is from too much traffic (in which case they are clearly unprofessional for not handling this amount of outrage with any sort of apology or recompensation to the artist they wronged) or its deliberately taken down, in which case that is even worse. Do not put insults, just be clear and concise that you think that behavior from the Yostar Korea branch is unacceptable, the fact that Yostar as a whole has not done anything about this, despite how this was also a blatant overreach from Yostar Korea (they took down her art less then an hour after complaints from incels began, meaning there is no way anyone at their parent company or at Hypergryph was consulted) makes them look unprofessional and poisonous for studios to work with, and that continuing to associate with Yostar unless they do anything about this will only make HG also look like they support this.

It is far more likely something will be done or at least said about the situation if we keep messaging HG and Yostar about this.

[wandasgf]

LUNCH. fame!au

pairing: kujou sara + f!reader

summary: sara's really missed you. and you've missed her just as much

warnings: smut, rockstar!sara, singer!reader, oral

wc: 1.4kish

a/n: rockstar sara <3

“Why don’t you come over here?” Sara plays with the pick between her fingers as she leans back against the couch where she was sitting in her studio, holding her phone up to her ear with the other hand. She was alone today, opting to use the little break in her packed schedule to perfect and pick at the instrumentals she had already recorded, unlike everyone else who decided to use today as a well deserved rest. While she usually prefers to do this process alone, only calling in the band’s producer if it’s absolutely necessary, she can’t deny that she would enjoy your company. It has been a few weeks since you’ve been able to see each other.

“I don’t know. Are you gonna ignore me the whole time like last time?” You’re leaning up against the wall, phone pressed to your ear and surveying the room around you as you recall the last time you joined Sara at the studio where she ignored you in favor of her guitar for two hours. You’re currently making a polite appearance at some listening party you were invited to, unsure of whose it even was. No one in your immediate circle, you know that. 

“You’d rather that than whatever party you’re at right now, wouldn’t you?” You can practically hear the smirk on her lips and it makes you want to roll your eyes, if not for the lack of privacy you currently have. It would be easy for someone to misinterpret something like that. “I’m not answering that.”

And then, “I think I can make an exit.”

About twenty five minutes later, you find yourself outside of Sara’s condo. You let yourself in, having long since been given a key to the space, and make your way toward the studio that sits at the end of the hallway on the right side of the rather spacious place. You give a little knock on the studio door before you enter and find Sara sitting on one of the stools in the recording booth, guitar in her lap as she tries out different chords. She doesn’t look up, not having heard the knock on the door. 

She’s wearing a pair of baggy black jeans and a white tank. You think it’s unfair how attractive she looks even in something so simple. You walk toward the control board and press one of the buttons that interferes with the sound isolation, “Hey, rockstar.” Her head snaps up and she shoots you a smile that makes your knees weak before she sets the guitar onto its stand and stands up. She runs a hand through her hair to push it out of her face and exits the booth, “hey yourself.” 

She pulls you in towards her by your waist and presses a soft kiss to your lips, “took you long enough.” Your hands come up to rest on her chest, fiddling with the charm on the necklace that hangs around her neck, “the party was in West Hollywood. It’s not my fault you chose to live in downtown LA. You’re just lucky traffic wasn’t that bad tonight.”

“You can never just accept the fact that I wanted to see you, can you?” If you were anyone else, you might think that Sara was annoyed, but the slightly twinkle in her eye and the barely there teasing tone tells you otherwise. “And you can never just say that you missed me like everyone else, can you?”

Sara gives you an amused smirk and then pulls you in for another kiss, more heated this time, her hands slipping underneath your shirt to rest on your bare skin. They’re a little cold and you shiver slightly, but it’s a welcome feeling. She pulls away shortly after, just enough to be able to speak, and her lips brush against yours as she does, “I missed you.” 

You had planned to just hangout with Sara tonight, watch her play and catch up on everything the two of you have been doing these past few weeks, make sure she eats something because you know she gets so engrossed in her work she forgets, but with Sara looking at you like that everything goes out the window. 

“Shut up.” You pull her in by her shirt, your lips crashing together, the both of you kissing each other like you might die if you don’t. Sara’s almost dizzy with want, kissing you with the fervor of a woman starved. Her blunt nails dig into the soft skin of your hips and you let out a little moan in response. 

Sara’s tongue slips into your mouth and you make no attempt at dominance, letting her take over immediately. You move your arms to wrap around her neck, your fingers tangling in her hair, tugging slightly. She starts to walk you both toward the couch until the back of your calves hit the edge and you’re falling into it. 

She pulls away, if only to make sure you settle onto the couch fine. It’s not a position you usually find yourself in, being the one in Sara’s lap nine and a half times out of ten, but Sara looms over top of you this time, an almost predatory look in her eyes. 

“I’m starving. Haven’t eaten all day, you know.” She leans down to press searing kisses to your neck and throat, your eyes fluttering shut as you lean your head back to give her more room. “Mhm? Was gonna—” your breath hitches as her teeth scrape against the column of your throat, “—ask if you’d eaten.” 

“So sweet…” Sara hums, and you’re not sure if she’s referring to your concern for her or the way your skin tastes against her tongue. “I think I know exactly what I want.” One of her hands trails down your waist and rests on top of your thigh. Your cheeks are embarrassingly hot and you’re sure Sara can tell how flustered you are even without properly looking at you.  You’re breathless as you speak, not sure you’ve ever seen Sara so… hungry. “Whatever you want.”

She pulls back, flashing you the most satisfied smirk you think you’ve ever seen before she sinks to her knees on the floor in front of you. “You don’t mind, do you? I’ve been thinking about having you since lunch.” There’s a sparkle in her eye that tells you she knows just how much she affects you and you shake your head, huffing quietly, “stop teasing.”

“If you insist.” She grips your thighs and pulls you to the edge of the couch, leaning in to press soft kisses to your thighs. She pushes them apart, fingertips digging into your plush flesh, before she reaches up to tuck your skirt into its own waistband. The noise you let out when she leans in to press a kiss to your clothed cunt would be embarrassing if you didn’t feel Sara grip your thighs just a little harder. 

She licks a stripe up your thin panties and you whimper. She moves her hands up your thighs, palms sliding against your skin. Her fingertips slip past the hem of your panties and she lifts them slightly, sliding her fingers down towards your cunt. “Sara… don’t tease. Please.”

“Was just making sure you’re ready, baby.” She doesn’t even pull your panties down, just pushes them to the side before she dives in. Her tongue feels like heaven against you, one hand moving down to tangle in her hair and the other gripping at the couch. “Fuck, Sara.”

“ Mm?” She hums against you and your hips buck against her face before you can stop them. One of her hands moves to grip your hip, holding you down against the couch, while the other grips your thigh. 

She alternates between licking and sucking at your clit and pushing her tongue into you, moaning quietly each time you tug her hair a little harder than usual. It’s not long before she’s pushing you over the edge once, twice, three times. Eventually you’re whining and pushing her away weakly, chest heaving and cunt sensitive. 

“S-Sara, I can’t.”

“I don’t know. I think you can do one more for me, can’t you, baby?”

I could eat that girl for lunch. She dances on my tongue.

[odinsblog]

“All this happening at once is really startling,” said Joseph Schwieterman, a DePaul University professor who researches intercity bus travel and directs the university’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development. “You’re taking mobility away from disproportionately low-income and mobility-challenged citizens who don’t have other options.”

Roughly three-quarters of intercity bus riders have annual incomes of less than $40,000. More than a quarter would not make their trip if bus service was not available, according to surveys by Midwestern governments reviewed by DePaul University.

Intercity bus riders are also disproportionately minorities, people with disabilities, and unemployed travelers.

A spokesperson for Greyhound, which is now owned by German company FlixMobility, said it strives to offer customers the most options for connections, but has “encountered challenges in some instances.” The spokesperson also said they “actively engage with local stakeholders to emphasize the importance of supporting affordable and equitable intercity bus travel.”

The terminal closures have been accelerating as Greyhound, the largest carrier, sells its valuable terminals to investors, including investment firm Alden Global Capital.

Last year, Alden subsidiary Twenty Lake Holdings purchased 33 Greyhound stations for $140 million. Alden is best known for buying up local newspapers like The Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News and The Baltimore Sun, cutting staff, and selling some of the iconic downtown buildings.

Alden has started to sell the Greyhound depots to real estate developers, speeding up the timetable for closures.

“I don’t know the specific details of each building, but it is clear what is happening here: an important piece of transit infrastructure is being sacrificed in the name of higher profits,” said Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, a professor of real estate at Columbia Business School.

“The public sector has turned a cold shoulder to buses,” DePaul’s Schwieterman said. “We subsidize public transit abundantly, but we don’t see this as an extension of our transit system. Few governments view it as their mandate.”

Bus terminals are costly for companies to operate, maintain and pay property taxes on. Many have deteriorated over the years, becoming blighted properties struggling with homelessness, crime and other issues.

But terminal closures cause a ripple effect of problems.

Travelers can’t use the bathroom, stay out of the harsh weather or get something to eat while they wait. People transferring late at night or early in the morning, sometimes with long layovers, have no place to safely wait or sleep. It’s worse in the cold, rain, snow or extreme heat.

Bus carriers often try to switch to curbside service when a terminal closes, but curbside bus service can clog up city streets with passengers and their luggage, snarl traffic, increase pollution, and frustrate local business owners. In Philadelphia, a Greyhound terminal closure and switch to curbside service after its lease ended turned into a “humanitarian disaster” and “municipal disgrace” with people waiting on street corners.

(continue reading)

[fodlansbestmom]

@weapon-turned-jack

The small boy would watch the woman from the shadows. He had snuck into Garred Mach and was careful with his every action to avoid detection. Still something about the woman caught the child's attention. Eyes narrowed a bit as he wanted to approach to study her better but there were too many people. He was without a uniform like other children were and without any armor to attempt to bluff as a soldier. Slowly he would pull the hood of his cloak up, tucked his rusty knife into his belt and went to find a better vantage point.

Sothis was quite the social butterfly. She liked interacting with both students and staff at the monastery. To know them better, to figure out who’s actually trustworthy and who’s not (some staff is very sketchy). But regardless she liked company. Which is why she’s currently in the middle of the busy market. Classes were in session so she couldn’t really bother Byleth, and her children were busy as well. So the market folk were the next best thing.

However, due to the lot of foot traffic, Sothis hadn’t really noticed the child. Which could be better or for worse. She was at a stall that specifically sold teas and nothing but. She surveyed the goods with a hum, and having made her decision of two blends, she decided to retreat into the mostly dining hall to make some. Away from the crowd, and into her own little world. If anything she’ll make enough tea for her kids as a break.

[dracarialove]

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Buried Desires

A mishap during one of their missions forces Shadow to confess the feelings he's been hiding from Rouge.

Ship: Shadow/Rouge

*Originally published Feb. 10th, 2023

[Chapter 1: Early-Morning Company]

Dark eyelids rose as the black hedgehog stirred from his slumber. In the dimness of a small wooden room, he looked up at the slanted ceiling and let his eyes adjust until a yawn escaped him.

Once again, Shadow was waking up in the hidden attic of Club Rouge, lying flat on the extra twin mattress his partner always offered.

It seemed she even kept it out permanently, as frequently as he decided to crash there after admitting it was a better sleep than snoozing on the grass or on a rooftop.

"Maybe you wouldn't be so grumpy if you got a proper rest every night," she'd said, finally coaxing him to ditch his loner tendencies.

And she was right, he realized. The days after he slept at Rouge's place always seemed more pleasant. This one was no exception, the Ultimate Lifeform already feeling lighter of heart as he sat himself up; but since it was still dark in the room, he had to wonder what time it was.

He looked to his right, where the bed sat against the wall, and pushed aside the curtain that covered a little window. It was completely dark out, the midnight blue color of the sky only brightened by a few dots of light coming from other buildings' windows.

It was so quiet at this hour – more enjoyable than the interrupting traffic or wildlife he would hear while sleeping outdoors. And as Shadow's gaze trailed the other way to survey the room, he twisted his torso to release the tension that had built in his back during the night.

One of the only flaws in his design was that his form stayed still while sleeping, something he hadn't realized caused a lingering stiffness until he started caring more about his comfort. A couple of pleasing cracks sounded out from the base of his spine, making the speedster sigh in relief.

At the same time, his crimson eyes dragged over to his friend's side of the room, where her bed sat against the opposite wall and closer to the hatch that led into the club.

He expected to see the hostess sleeping peacefully, but instead, her mattress was empty. There was an open space between the blanket and pillow where she'd gotten out of bed.

It wasn't unheard of for Rouge to wake up so early – as her sleep schedule was constantly shifting – but he couldn't help but wonder where she was, nonetheless.

Unhindered by the darkness, he turned to place his feet on the floor, then stood and took a few steps towards the skinny door on his left. It led outside, and when he nudged a sheer white curtain aside, he saw the jewel hunter through the single-pane window, her back to the entrance while she stood looking out from the tiny balcony. She was leaned forward a bit, seemingly placing her weight on her elbows and resting against the banister of the white platform.

She wasn't dressed for the day yet, wrapped up in a mulberry robe with heart-shaped slippers on her feet. But she looked to be in a place of tranquility, soaking up the sight of the dark sky above the city and the even darker plains past the outskirts; visible thanks to the short buildings whose roofs sat lower than hers.

Shadow smiled to himself, content at the prospect of early-morning company, and opened the door to join her. Pretty white curls drifted to the right side of her back as the woman turned to watch him exit the attic, and a friendly smile grew from her unglossed lips.

"Morning," she greeted, her voice warm already – she must've been awake for a while.

"Good morning," replied Shadow as he approached the balcony to occupy the space on her left. "You're up quite early. Did you sleep well enough?"

She cocked her head and nodded, answering, "Yeah, I did. How about you?"

He mirrored her nod and rested his left hand on the banister. "It was nice. Thank you for letting me stay."

"Of course." Rouge let one brow lower in a cheeky expression. "But you don't have to thank me. It's not like it's a bother or anything."

"Right. I know that. I just want to express gratitude, considering it's technically unnecessary."

She then rolled her eyes, her smile pulling into a smirk, and shook her head. "I accept your appreciation, Shadow. But it's been long enough that I think you can drop that now. I mean, I practically had to beg you to stop sleeping outside so much, right?"

"Hah," the stoic man huffed. "You're exaggerating. It didn't take that much convincing."

"Well, regardless, this arrangement is leagues better than what you had going on before. And you deserve better! Besides... I like having you around here, anyway."

With that, her head cocked towards him, leaving little space between them on the small gazebo-shaped balcony. Her turquoise eyes stuck to his and Shadow could see a charming twinkle within them when she added, "So, my reasonings for offering a bed aren't completely selfless."

'I like being around you, too,' the lifeform thought to himself.

He wished he had the gumption to say it outright, but it felt so personal. So... intimate. They'd known each other a long time, but he certainly didn't feel they were on that level. Adventure after adventure, their relationship was mostly friendly with a huge helping of business.

And until their team vowed undying loyalty – after a tricky mission filled with shortsighted planning and reckless decisions – the business had outweighed anything else. But with their deepening bond had come an emotion stronger than care, one Shadow hadn't been able to place for a while.

Though Rouge recognized how much she liked him at a steady pace, the realization of his own feelings didn't happen until much later in their friendship. And as the bat hadn't taken the reins to tell him anything about it herself, he assumed she didn't feel the same way.

Through his nature of taking things far too seriously, the hedgehog was overanalyzing their dynamic and holding himself back, while she was going about things more casually. He didn't know she was working towards the same step he was afraid to take.

'You're pathetic,' his conscience echoed. 'Saying out loud that you have more affection for her than she realizes? That should be effortless. You've accomplished more difficult things in a single afternoon. It should be easy.'

It should've been – but it wasn't. Shadow still didn't like all the complex emotions he was capable of feeling. Most of them were uncomfortable, some of them painful, and there weren't enough that made up for it.

He didn't even know what he would feel if she turned him down. Surely, she wouldn't be harsh in doing so, but it would still hurt, wouldn't it?

Being friends didn't hurt. Being partners didn't hurt. But trying to push for more than that? He had no way of knowing how it would turn out, so it was actually easier to say nothing.

There was no way Rouge would act the same way around him if a confession ruined their bond. And the unsettling possibility of that was stronger than the appeal of the alternative.

Shadow just didn't know how wrong he was, or how much he was psyching himself out for no real reason. Smiling at him and leaning a little closer than she was before, the ivory treasure hunter expected his confession at any moment.

She could've said something herself, but that was less romantic; although, if he took much longer to spit it out, she thought she might have to.

Did he like her back as she did him? Probably. And she wasn't so worried about tainting their partnership, because their connection was unbreakable. But she also had no idea how much importance he was putting behind his emotions.

Rouge couldn't read his expression beyond the content smile he still held, so when he didn't respond, she broke eye contact to look back out into the distance.

A faint layer of orange was peeking from the horizon to coat the bottom of the dark blue sky. The sun was starting to rise, and the sight made her lips stretch from a smirk to a more genuine smile of enchantment.

Shadow copied her action, trying to find the same joy; but his grip tightened around the banister as he fought with himself inside his head.

"You know," Rouge started, "as invasive as the sun can be, it sure is beautiful when it rises."

"... Yeah. I wish Maria could've seen it. She would've loved this."

The bat's brows upturned, switching her expression to one of solemn endearment as she looked over at him. "I bet. But you know what she would've loved more?"

Shadow turned his gaze to her, as well, silently waiting for the follow-up. Her pretty lips answered, "Seeing you enjoying it, too. I know, because it warms my heart to see you appreciating things like a sunrise; you wouldn't have done that before."

He couldn't meet her gaze anymore as the words overtook him. Ruby eyes, tinted orange by the ascending brightness, dragged downwards in contrast to his mouth, which curled instinctively. "A lot has changed, hasn't it?"

She nodded slowly, still softly staring at the hedgehog while he repositioned his weight to lean against the banister instead of holding it. His arms crossed and he was able to look at her again, causing a flutter in Rouge's heart, and she couldn't help but let out a slightly nervous chuckle.

But before she could say anything else, their conversation was interrupted by a mechanical beep sounding out from beneath the sleeve of her robe. She pulled it up to reveal the communicator she wore around her wrist, and they both saw the small screen flashing from green to blue.

"Oh, the Commander's calling," Rouge said.

The faintest tinge of annoyance entered Shadow's voice. "This early?"

She gave him a glance that showed her vague irritation, as well. "Good thing we were already up, eh?"

Her ungloved finger tapped the screen and the human man's digitized voice came through the solid blue glow. "Rouge, come in, Rouge-"

"Yes, Commander, I can hear you," she replied, rolling her eyes and making Shadow smile. "To what do I owe the interruption of my morning?"

"Your next assignment. And Shadow's, if he's willing-"

"I'm here, Tower," spoke the lifeform, leaning closer.

"Ah, good to know you stick together. This mission is rather pressing, I couldn't very well wait. We were recently informed that an experimental and dangerous piece of technology was illegally acquired from overseas."

The Mobians shared an intrigued glance while he continued, "Now, thanks to our informant, we've been able to track it; and now that it's stopped moving, we know where it is. So, I need the two of you to infiltrate an establishment belonging to Doctor Golvin."

"Golvin?" Rouge cut in. "Isn't he a scientist, or something? I think you've mentioned him before."

"That's right, he is. But apparently, he isn't as adherent to the laws as we thought when we worked with him previously. This item he's essentially stolen is a weapon, one we haven't given clearance to obtain outside of guarded military bases. And Doctor Golvin has it stashed in one of his private homes, away from the public. I don't need to tell the two of you how risky it is to let him keep it, so you see why we need your skills immediately."

"Hmm," mused Rouge, pursing her lips and tapping her chin with her finger. Shadow smirked as he knew he hardly had to speak, as capable as she was of carrying the conversation. "Sounds like you want us to break-and-enter someone's house, Commander. You know, that's a crime we'd be committing."

"Consider yourselves preemptively pardoned for an act of bravery in service of the people's safety," he responded in a calculated manner. "And I assume your next comment will be about payment."

She teased, "You know me so well, boss."

"I'm prepared to offer five thousand, untraceable – you can split it how you like."

The jewel thief's eyes widened and her smug smile dropped. She looked at Shadow again and he raised his eyebrows to mirror her surprise. He verbalized the thought he knew was going through her head. "That much for a retrieval, sir?"

"I'm not complaining, just to be clear," his partner quickly added. "I love that you recognize the worth of our services."

They heard the man snicker through the screen, and his calm timbre followed. "It's an important assignment, and I have no way of knowing what setbacks you might encounter. So, I think it's only fair to compensate you on that basis."

"Hey, I'll take it," Rouge accepted, her smile returning, and she turned her attention to the hedgehog. "For all we know, this guy could have security bots around every corner!"

"Fair enough," Shadow conceded, shrugging and nodding at her.

Tower spoke again, "It's pressing, so you'll be doing this the minute he vacates his property. Report to my office ASAP and I'll give you what you need to finish the job."

"Yessir!" Rouge chimed, visibly eager at the promise of a huge payout.

The screen turned green as the human ended their connection, then the watch was hidden again as she slid the mulberry sleeve of her robe back down. Instantly, her bright eyes locked onto Shadow as she turned to face him, leaning forward and planting her hand on the banister.

"Five thousand, can you believe it?" Her face was closer to his than he'd been prepared for, illuminated on one side by the ever-lightening sky as the top edge of the sun became visible. He tightened his grip on both of his arms, still crossed over his chest, and held his breath while she beamed. "For a simple grab-n-go! I knew working for the government would be my ticket to fortune."

She pulled away and he let his breath out in a reserved chuckle, his heart rate higher than he liked. "What happened to 'security bots around every corner'?"

"Oh, p'shaw!" she scoffed, dramatically swatting the air. "We can handle any guards, you know that. I just didn't want Tower to think it would be easy and lower the payment."

She walked over to the thin door and opened it, talking over her shoulder at him as she went through. "Let's get a move on, handsome – duty calls!"

Shadow followed, holding onto the warmth he felt when she complimented him. It was nice, but he also kept his mind grounded by reminding himself that flattery was customary with her. He tried not to also think that it was all those words would ever be.

[mariacallous]

Less than three months after Apple quietly debuted a tool for publishers to opt out of its AI training, a number of prominent news outlets and social platforms have taken the company up on it.

WIRED can confirm that Facebook, Instagram, Craigslist, Tumblr, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, Vox Media, the USA Today network, and WIRED’s parent company, Condé Nast, are among the many organizations opting to exclude their data from Apple’s AI training. The cold reception reflects a significant shift in both the perception and use of the robotic crawlers that have trawled the web for decades. Now that these bots play a key role in collecting AI training data, they’ve become a conflict zone over intellectual property and the future of the web.

This new tool, Applebot-Extended, is an extension to Apple’s web-crawling bot that specifically lets website owners tell Apple not to use their data for AI training. (Apple calls this “controlling data usage” in a blog post explaining how it works.) The original Applebot, announced in 2015, initially crawled the internet to power Apple’s search products like Siri and Spotlight. Recently, though, Applebot’s purpose has expanded: The data it collects can also be used to train the foundational models Apple created for its AI efforts.

Applebot-Extended is a way to respect publishers' rights, says Apple spokesperson Nadine Haija. It doesn’t actually stop the original Applebot from crawling the website—which would then impact how that website’s content appeared in Apple search products—but instead prevents that data from being used to train Apple's large language models and other generative AI projects. It is, in essence, a bot to customize how another bot works.

Publishers can block Applebot-Extended by updating a text file on their websites known as the Robots Exclusion Protocol, or robots.txt. This file has governed how bots go about scraping the web for decades—and like the bots themselves, it is now at the center of a larger fight over how AI gets trained. Many publishers have already updated their robots.txt files to block AI bots from OpenAI, Anthropic, and other major AI players.

Robots.txt allows website owners to block or permit bots on a case-by-case basis. While there’s no legal obligation for bots to adhere to what the text file says, compliance is a long-standing norm. (A norm that is sometimes ignored: Earlier this year, a WIRED investigation revealed that the AI startup Perplexity was ignoring robots.txt and surreptitiously scraping websites.)

Applebot-Extended is so new that relatively few websites block it yet. Ontario, Canada–based AI-detection startup Originality AI analyzed a sampling of 1,000 high-traffic websites last week and found that approximately 7 percent—predominantly news and media outlets—were blocking Applebot-Extended. This week, the AI agent watchdog service Dark Visitors ran its own analysis of another sampling of 1,000 high-traffic websites, finding that approximately 6 percent had the bot blocked. Taken together, these efforts suggest that the vast majority of website owners either don’t object to Apple’s AI training practices are simply unaware of the option to block Applebot-Extended.

In a separate analysis conducted this week, data journalist Ben Welsh found that just over a quarter of the news websites he surveyed (294 of 1,167 primarily English-language, US-based publications) are blocking Applebot-Extended. In comparison, Welsh found that 53 percent of the news websites in his sample block OpenAI’s bot. Google introduced its own AI-specific bot, Google-Extended, last September; it’s blocked by nearly 43 percent of those sites, a sign that Applebot-Extended may still be under the radar. As Welsh tells WIRED, though, the number has been “gradually moving” upward since he started looking.

Welsh has an ongoing project monitoring how news outlets approach major AI agents. “A bit of a divide has emerged among news publishers about whether or not they want to block these bots,” he says. “I don't have the answer to why every news organization made its decision. Obviously, we can read about many of them making licensing deals, where they're being paid in exchange for letting the bots in—maybe that's a factor.”

Last year, The New York Times reported that Apple was attempting to strike AI deals with publishers. Since then, competitors like OpenAI and Perplexity have announced partnerships with a variety of news outlets, social platforms, and other popular websites. “A lot of the largest publishers in the world are clearly taking a strategic approach,” says Originality AI founder Jon Gillham. “I think in some cases, there's a business strategy involved—like, withholding the data until a partnership agreement is in place.”

There is some evidence supporting Gillham’s theory. For example, Condé Nast websites used to block OpenAI’s web crawlers. After the company announced a partnership with OpenAI last week, it unblocked the company’s bots. (Condé Nast declined to comment on the record for this story.) Meanwhile, Buzzfeed spokesperson Juliana Clifton told WIRED that the company, which currently blocks Applebot-Extended, puts every AI web-crawling bot it can identify on its block list unless its owner has entered into a partnership—typically paid—with the company, which also owns the Huffington Post.

Because robots.txt needs to be edited manually, and there are so many new AI agents debuting, it can be difficult to keep an up-to-date block list. “People just don’t know what to block,” says Dark Visitors founder Gavin King. Dark Visitors offers a freemium service that automatically updates a client site’s robots.txt, and King says publishers make up a big portion of his clients because of copyright concerns.

Robots.txt might seem like the arcane territory of webmasters—but given its outsize importance to digital publishers in the AI age, it is now the domain of media executives. WIRED has learned that two CEOs from major media companies directly decide which bots to block.

Some outlets have explicitly noted that they block AI scraping tools because they do not currently have partnerships with their owners. “We’re blocking Applebot-Extended across all of Vox Media’s properties, as we have done with many other AI scraping tools when we don’t have a commercial agreement with the other party,” says Lauren Starke, Vox Media’s senior vice president of communications. “We believe in protecting the value of our published work.”

Others will only describe their reasoning in vague—but blunt!—terms. “The team determined, at this point in time, there was no value in allowing Applebot-Extended access to our content,” says Gannett chief communications officer Lark-Marie Antón.

Meanwhile, The New York Times, which is suing OpenAI over copyright infringement, is critical of the opt-out nature of Applebot-Extended and its ilk. “As the law and The Times' own terms of service make clear, scraping or using our content for commercial purposes is prohibited without our prior written permission,” says NYT director of external communications Charlie Stadtlander, noting that the Times will keep adding unauthorized bots to its block list as it finds them. “Importantly, copyright law still applies whether or not technical blocking measures are in place. Theft of copyrighted material is not something content owners need to opt out of.”

It’s unclear whether Apple is any closer to closing deals with publishers. If or when it does, though, the consequences of any data licensing or sharing arrangements may be visible in robots.txt files even before they are publicly announced.

“I find it fascinating that one of the most consequential technologies of our era is being developed, and the battle for its training data is playing out on this really obscure text file, in public for us all to see,” says Gillham.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Ryan Burge

Published: Jan 17, 2025

A few years ago I was talking to an editor of a major newspaper who had to make some tough decisions about what topics his reporters would cover and what stories would make the front page. He noted, like almost everyone in the media business does, that clicks and traffic matter now more than ever. For those who haven’t been paying attention to the economics of journalism - let’s just say that the future is pretty bleak. Which means that there’s an incentive among editors to focus on stories that they know will get some traction.

He was fully aware that stories with scandal, violence, and corruption get a lot more clicks than a feel good story about a family reuniting with their long lost pet. He mentioned a term to me that I have been thinking about a lot - “negativity bias.” It’s the idea that negative stories draw more eyeballs than positive ones. In the journal Nature last year a research team published an article with a simple title, Negativity Drives Online News Consumption. The upshot was simple, “For a headline of average length, each additional negative word increased the click-through rate by 2.3%.”

One very real implication of this is that trust in American institutions has eroded significantly over the last several decades. The General Social Survey has asked respondents how much confidence they have in over a dozen institutions - things like major companies, the federal government, and the scientific community. But given the name of this newsletter, I bet you can guess which institution I want to focus on today: organized religion.

Respondents were given three options - they had a great deal of confidence in organized religion, only some confidence, or hardly any confidence. Here’s how those percentages have shifted over the last five decades.

The most popular response option from the very beginning has been the middle one - only some trust in organized religion. It was about 48% of the sample in 1972, but that share has slowly crept up in the intervening decades. In the late 2000s, it was at an all-time high of 55%. But it’s receded just a bit from there and it currently sits right around 50%.

However, the share of folks who said that they had a great deal of trust in organized religion has really taken a dive. Between 1972 and 1990, that share dropped from about 38% to just about 25%. It stayed at that level for about fifteen years, then began to slide again. In the most recent data, about 15% of folks expressed a great deal of confidence in religion, while the share who had hardly any trust has risen from 15% in 1972 to 35% today. It’s fair to say that the average American is significantly more skeptical of religion today than a person from fifty years ago.

But what’s driving that change? Is it the fact that people are just growing more skeptical as they age or is it really generational replacement where older, more trusting people are dying off and are being replaced by young adults that are much more cynical?

If you look at the top row of birth cohorts, you can see a pretty clear pattern in the blue line (that’s folks saying that they have a great deal of trust in religion). Among people born in the 1940s and 1950s, trust dropped clearly between 1972 and about 1990 and it edged down very slowly from that point. But you can also see some of that same pattern in people born in the 1960s, too.

For those born in 1970 or later, the pattern of a quick drop then a long plateau is just not as clear. Instead, it’s just a continued decline as these cohorts age. That’s really clear for folks born between 1970 and 1974 - the share with a great deal of trust has dropped by half as they have aged. From this angle it looks like both theories are true - each cohort became less trusting as they aged but also younger cohorts were less trusting than older ones. In other words, trust in religion has eroded across all age groups.

But maybe there’s a really simple reason for this - older people tend to be more religious and younger people are more likely to identify as religiously unaffiliated. It logically follows that non-religious folks would have less trust in religion. So, let’s see if trust in organized religion has declined even among Christians.

Well, this is a pretty striking graph. Trust in religion has dropped even for many religious people! For instance, about 40% of evangelicals had a great deal of trust in 1972, that’s dropped by nearly half over the last fifty years. You can also see that with mainline Protestants, Black Protestants, and Catholics, too. There’s a striking reality when looking at Catholics in the sample, they are the only group that currently is more likely to say that they have “hardly any” trust in organized religion than to say that they have a “great “deal” of trust.

But what about the non-religious? You can see that trust in religion has never been that robust. In the early years of the survey, nearly half of the nones said that they had at “only some” trust in organized religion. By the early 1980s, the most popular response option was undoubtedly “hardly any” trust. What I wanted to point out is the fact that this line has continued to rise over time. In fact there’s been very little deviation in the trend lines over the last 20 years or so.

Below is the share of each religious tradition that said that they had “a great deal of trust” in organized religion in the most recent data collected in 2022. It makes plain how trust in organized religion is incredibly low.

The group that clearly stands out here is Black Protestants - with nearly four in ten saying they had a lot of faith in religion. They are really an outlier here. Among evangelicals, mainline Protestants, and Catholics, the share who have a lot of trust in organized religion is less than 20%. About 80% of evangelicals are part of an organized religious group that they don’t trust very much. It’s quite overwhelming to think about, really.

When I was creating these graphs, I had a question lingering in the back of my mind - are Americans especially distrustful of religion or is it the case that religion is being caught up in the larger way of distrust that is sweeping over the United States in the last five decades?

The GSS has been asking about confidence in a bunch of institutions for decades (unions, the media, banks, the Supreme Court). So I calculated the share of the sample who reported a great deal of confidence in those other institutions and created an average trust score. Then I did the same for the question about organized religion. This is the end result of that calculation.

I think I can probably divide this graph up into three fairly distinct eras of institutional trust.

Era 1: Between 1972 and the mid-1980s, I think it’s fair to say that people seemed to trust religion slightly more than they trusted other American institutions. The gap isn’t huge here - probably averaging between three and five percentage points. But I think it’s fair to say that religion had a slight edge.

Era 2: Between the mid-1980s and the mid-2000s, the lines basically ran in parallel. It’s evident from this angle that religion was not trusted more or less than other institutions like labor unions or the media. The public didn’t really seem to distinguish between the two.

Era 3: The mid-2000s to today. It appears that religion has fallen below the trend line for other institutions. In fact, there’s only one survey year between 2002 and 2022 where the point estimates overlap each other and that happened in 2006. It looks like religion is ranked about two to three points lower than the rest of the institutions in American society.

I think about this issue a lot. There’s no doubt in my mind that the average American is much more anti-institutional today than the average American from the 1970s. A growing chorus of people are convinced that the structures that built the United States like religion, science, the media, and the government are corrupt, abusive, and deserve little respect. I don’t know if this trend toward distrust will continue into the future. What I do know is a world without institutions is not something that the average American has ever really considered. The old saying, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” seems pretty appropriate in this situation.

==

Religions aren't entitled to respect or trust. People have figured out that religions are no different than anything else, where respect and trust must be earned, not simply demanded.

And religons simply haven't earned it.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Christmas campaign hits Brazilian streets to get closer to consumers

Companies in beauty, beverages, food, and retail invest in outdoor, TV, and social media campaigns, anticipating sales growth

With just over a week until Christmas, Brazilians have entered the festive spirit and are preparing financially to celebrate. A Google survey shared with Valor indicates that the average consumer spending will be R$374 on clothing, gifts, food, and other holiday-related items. Brands are ramping up investments in TV advertising and street presence to get closer to consumers.

Conducted in November with over a thousand participants, the survey reveals there is room for increased sales following a positive Black Friday for companies. The study indicates that eight in ten Brazilians will participate in an average of five gatherings throughout December. The tradition of buying clothes and shoes remains strong among 45% of respondents; 30% plan to invest in traditional foods like turkey and panettone (an Italian type of sweet bread very popular in Brazil); 21% intend to bring beverages to gatherings, 17% focus on Christmas decorations, and 11% on serving items like tablecloths and glasses.

The research emphasized the importance of brands’ physical presence, with 50% of people expected to choose brick-and-mortar stores this Christmas. Companies are seizing the increased foot traffic in streets and shopping malls by investing in in-person marketing initiatives.

At Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, Natura has set up a Christmas Village, featuring a gift factory, interactive games, and visits to Santa’s house. A reinterpretation of the “Nutcracker” spectacle had a free session attended by 6,000 people.

Continue reading.

[tektronixtechnology]

Road traffic counting surveys are essential tools for gathering data on vehicle movement patterns and traffic density. They provide valuable insights that aid in making informed decisions related to transportation infrastructure and urban planning.

Road Traffic Counting Surveys

Traffic Counting Surveys in UAE

Traffic Counting Surveys Abu Dhabi

Road Traffic Counting Surveys in Abu Dhabi

[suckitsurveys]

Have you ever hit an animal with your car? Yes, I hit a squirrel once and I IMMEDIATELY started crying and had to pull over.

Favorite ride at the amusement park? I love a good Tilt-a-Whirl.

Do you have many followers on your Tumblr? Wow I just checked my main account and they must have either purged a buncha bots recently or everyone finally got fed up with me never posting anymore because the last time I checked I had over 1,000 and now I only have 711 lol. And apparently this survey one has 340 followers? Who the hell are you all???

Do you tan easily? Nope!

Are you expecting something in the mail? Not currently but I’ll be ordering Christmas presents soon.

Do you inspire others? I don’t know.

Are you healthy? Heh, no I’m not.

Three things you try to avoid as much as possible: My brother in law, round-abouts/traffic circles/rotaries/whatever you wanna call them, and being overstimulated by noises.

Number of jeans in your closet: 3.

Do you follow fashion? Eh.

Do you have a big butt? Yes.

Do you count how long you and your gf/bf have been together? Yes, my husband and I celebrate both our dating anniversary and our wedding anniversary, which are the same day, just 6 years later if that makes sense.

Rihanna or Lady GaGa? Lady Gaga.

What’s your worst interior design nightmare: Something overly modern. Just plain white and sterile looking.

Are you one of those people that often feel sorry for yourself? Uh huh.

Three persons you would like to thank: My dad, my husband, myself.

Is your closet disorganized? It’s not horrible.

Do you like to cuddle with your S.O. or do you prefer your space? I like to cuddle.

What TV shows do you watch on a regular basis? SNL.

Does it make someone a racist if they’re not attracted to a specific race? A specific person of that race? No. An entire race of people, yes.

Do you use reusable shopping bags to reduce waste? Yes, and because they charge for them at the store now.

Where were you going the last time you were a passenger in a car? To the store to get Christmas lights with my dad for his house.

Do your parents have a strong relationship together? They did, idk, i don’t wanna get into it.

When was the last time you attended a religious service of any sort? Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Do you think there are more dimensions than what we’re able to perceive? Sure.

Do any of your neighbors have loud children? Nope.

What is the hardest part of your life right now, and what is the easiest? --

What is your favorite social media platform at the moment? I fucking hate social media right now. I’m stuck in an endless loop of just scrolling and wanting attention and not getting it and being sad and I’m so sick of it.

Do you have trouble forgiving people who hurt you? Yeah.

What is something that is hard for most people but is easy for you? I don’t know, not being an asshole?

What is something that is easy for most people but is hard for you? I don’t know, not being annoying?

What is your favorite color, and do you own a lot of things in that color? Purple. Yeah.

List three things you have survived. Myself.

When was the last time you had someone pray with you? Ew.

List five of your favorite female singers. Right now: Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Lana Del Rey, Stevie Nicks

When was the last time you got ice cream from an ice cream truck? Back in the summer. Our company picnic had one with free ice cream.

Do you celebrate the 4th of July, and if so, how did you celebrate it this year? I just like looking for fireworks and lighting sparklers.

What color was the last pair of flip-flops you wore? I haven’t worn flip.

Are you happy at the moment? Why or why not? No.

What is one thing about your life you hope will never change? Blah.

How would you describe your journey so far in your 20s? Hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

What are some activities or hobbies that bring you joy and help you relax? Literally nothing right now I’m so depressed dude.

What are your thoughts on marriage and starting a family? Is it something you envision for yourself? I am married but I am not starting a family.

[furiousstarfishphilosopher]

https://futuresmartsurveys.com/traffic-survey-companies/ 

https://futuresmartsurveys.com/anpr-camera-system-uae/

traffic count survey report

traffic count survey report uae

traffic count survey report abu dhabi

road traffic monitoring devices

road traffic monitoring devices abu dhabi 

road traffic monitoring devices uae

road traffic monitoring devices dubai

road traffic counting surveys

road traffic counting surveys Abu Dhabi

TRAFFIC COUNTING ROAD SURVEYS - AI BASED VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION AND TRAFFIC COUNTING

[lawlormediagroup]

How Companies Can Improve in Content Marketing?

Content marketing helps businesses connect with their audience effectively. A strong strategy builds trust, drives traffic, and boosts sales. Companies can grow their brand by using smart approaches. Below are tips to improve content marketing.

Understand Your Audience

Knowing your audience is essential. Identify their needs, preferences, and challenges. This helps you create valuable content. Use surveys, social media polls, and website analytics to gather insights. Lawlor Media Group, a trusted Brand Strategy Agency New York, can assist with audience research.

Focus on creating tailored content for different audience segments. Personalization strengthens engagement and builds loyalty. Always keep your audience in mind during content creation.

Set Clear Goals

Define clear content marketing goals. These could include increasing traffic, boosting sales, or improving brand awareness. Having goals makes your strategy more focused.

Break your goals into smaller, actionable steps. For example, plan to publish blogs, videos, or social media posts weekly. PR Agencies NYC like Lawlor Media Group can help align your content goals with broader business objectives.

Create High-Quality Content

High-quality content stands out. Ensure your content is relevant, accurate, and valuable. Always check for grammar and spelling errors.

Add visuals, such as infographics or videos, to improve engagement. Use storytelling techniques to make your message memorable. For businesses in competitive markets like New York, Online Reputation Management New York services can ensure content enhances your online image.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key in content marketing. Stick to a schedule for posting content. Whether it’s daily, weekly, or monthly, consistency builds trust.

Develop a content calendar to stay organized. This ensures your brand stays active and visible. A reliable PR Agencies NYC partner, such as Lawlor Media Group, can help manage schedules effectively.

Optimize for SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) improves your content’s visibility. Use relevant keywords in your blogs, articles, and videos. Include keywords naturally without overstuffing.

Optimize meta descriptions, headers, and images for better rankings. A strong SEO strategy drives organic traffic to your website. Work with a Brand Strategy Agency New York for expert guidance.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is crucial for content marketing. Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter expand your reach. Post engaging content regularly to keep followers interested.

Use hashtags to improve visibility. Share behind-the-scenes updates or customer stories for a personal touch. For brands facing challenges, Crisis Management New York can help maintain a positive image on social media.

Measure Performance

Track your content marketing performance regularly. Use tools like Google Analytics or social media insights. These platforms show how well your content performs.

Pay attention to metrics like engagement, clicks, and conversions. Adjust your strategy based on the data. Agencies like Lawlor Media Group can analyze performance and refine your plan for success.

Engage with Your Audience

Responding to comments, messages, and feedback is vital. Engagement makes your audience feel valued. It builds stronger relationships and boosts loyalty.

Encourage user-generated content, such as reviews or testimonials. Respond promptly to any complaints to show your commitment. For public relations help, turn to PR Agencies NYC for expert support.

Experiment with Content Formats

Try different content formats to keep your audience interested. Mix blogs, videos, podcasts, and infographics. Diverse formats attract different audience types.

Stay updated with trends, like short-form videos or live streaming. Experimenting ensures your content remains fresh and engaging. For professional content guidance, contact a trusted Brand Strategy Agency New York like Lawlor Media Group.

Focus on Online Reputation

Your online reputation affects your content’s impact. Negative reviews or comments can harm your efforts. Invest in Online Reputation Management New York to maintain a positive brand image.

Respond to negative feedback professionally. Highlight positive reviews and testimonials in your content. A strong reputation strengthens your marketing strategy.

Prepare for Crisis Management

Crisis situations can affect your brand’s content marketing. Be prepared with a crisis management plan. Quick action protects your brand's reputation during challenges.

Work with Crisis Management New York experts to handle difficult situations effectively. A professional team ensures your messaging remains consistent and credible.

Collaborate with Experts

Collaborating with experienced agencies improves your content marketing. Professionals bring expertise, resources, and strategies to your campaigns.

Lawlor Media Group, a leading PR Agencies NYC firm, provides comprehensive services. Their expertise ensures your content marketing aligns with your business goals.

Conclusion

Improving content marketing requires clear goals, high-quality content, and consistent effort. Social media, SEO, and audience engagement are vital. Managing reputation and preparing for crises are also essential.

Partnering with a reliable agency like Lawlor Media Group ensures success. Their expertise in PR Agencies NYC, Brand Strategy Agency New York, and Online Reputation Management New York makes them a top choice. Follow these tips to strengthen your content marketing strategy.

[gracecpy]

Is Blogging Still Relevant?

In a world dominated by quick social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, some may doubt the relevance of traditional blogging, but it continues to play a significant and influential role in communication. Here’s why.

Blogs are the original form of content marketing on the Internet, having been a fundamental content type since its beginning, and they dominated the landscape before social media, covering a wide range of topics from art to business.

According to an article, a recent survey found that over 60% of internet users interact with blogs, while another study showed that 77% read them daily. So, we can say that blogs are popular partly due to human behavior.

Although videos are enjoyable for their visuals and storytelling, they can be frustrating when we need quick information; blogs allow for faster reading and easy navigation with subheadings, enabling readers to quickly find and explore topics of interest without having to rewatch anything.

The Good Stuff About Blogging 📝

A key benefit of blogging is its ability to enhance product visibility on Google, where most online activities begin; with blogs ranking in the top five Google search results 23% of the time, effective blogging can ensure that great products are recognized, ultimately supporting a business's profitability.

Online Visibility 👤

A strong search engine presence boosts organic traffic to your website, helping you attract new customers and, by consistently creating high-quality content, you can enhance visibility for various topics, making blogging a profitable strategy in 2024.

Credibility

Blogging helps you establish expertise in your industry, building trust with customers and serving as a valuable resource for new employees by providing information that can enhance interest in your products or services.

Networking & Collaboration 📱

Successful industry blogs are visible and credible, attracting attention and fostering connections with like-minded individuals, influencers, and experts, which enhances your brand's authority and collaboration opportunities through guest posts and joint ventures.

How Do I Stand Out? 🤔

To add on from a business perspective, blogging focuses on building relationships and taking a long-term approach, much like engaging a customer in meaningful conversation rather than simply pushing a product on them. To effectively connect with your audience, invest time in crafting valuable content that addresses their interests and questions. While the methods consumers use to discover content may change, their fundamental information needs remain consistent. Therefore, producing high-quality, original content is essential for achieving success in blogging.

Simplicity Is The Key!

So, to effectively convey your message and engage readers, organize your content with clear headers, use short sentences, avoid long paragraphs, and consider using lists to enhance skimmability.

Be Unique ✨

Avoid irritating your customers by repeating information; instead, create unique content that showcases your expertise and addresses the needs of an information-hungry audience.

Read widely—blogs, social media, and books—to stimulate your creativity; if you're out of ideas, listen to conversations around you for insights into common challenges people face.

Talk More 🗣️

It’s frustrating when companies post valuable content but fail to respond to comments, as this is like ignoring a customer who shows interest; engaging with their audience is essential for fostering conversations that can lead to conversions.

Let’s Connect! 🤝🏼

Make it easy for readers to subscribe to your blog by using a scroll-triggered opt-in box to collect emails, allowing engaged readers to receive your content directly in their inbox and helping to strengthen your audience relationships.

Link It! 🔗

Many companies hesitate to link to other blogs, fearing they will lose readers, but doing so can provide valuable information, enhance your blog's credibility, and foster relationships within the industry.

Keep It Focus

Creating in-depth content can significantly improve your search engine rankings, as sites that offer comprehensive, high-quality coverage tend to perform better than those with less depth, highlighting the importance of quality over merely focusing on keywords.

To create in-depth content, write long-form posts that explore topics from multiple perspectives, consider creating guides to cover details thoroughly, and refer to examples from writings about creative content strategies for inspiration.

So.. to conclude

Yes, blogs can be profitable in 2024, but success requires a deep understanding of your subject and audience, creativity in producing original content, and the ability to stand out from competitors and AI-generated material; if you want to build a profitable blog for your brand, reach out to us for guidance on creating impactful digital content that attracts search engines, customers, and journalists.

Today, things that involve content creation are constantly evolving, and claims that blogging is "dead" are often misguided; instead, we should focus on adapting to changes rather than declaring any strategy irrelevant.

References

Beyond The Panorama. (2022, August 5). 6 Reasons That Make Blogs Remain Relevant In The Age Of Reels And TikTok

https://beyondthepanorama.com/6-reasons-that-make-blogs-remain-relevant-in-the-age-of-reels-and-tiktok/

We Are Bottle. (2024, January 12). Is Blogging Dead? Here's the blogging landscape in 2024

https://www.wearebottle.com/blog/is-blogging-dead

Konrad Sanders. (2024, September 12). Are Blogs Still Relevant in 2024?

https://nealschaffer.com/are-blogs-still-relevant-in-2019/