Robots.txt files are a total disaster waiting to happen! Seriously, how can something so crucial for controlling website crawling and SEO be so misunderstood? It's infuriating! People mess up their syntax and then wonder why their pages are getting buried in search results. This is basic stuff! If you can't handle a simple robots.txt file, how do you expect to manage your SEO strategy effectively? You’re setting yourself up for failure! Learn the best practices, or risk your entire online presence. It’s time to stop ignoring this fundamental aspect of web management and start taking it seriously! #SEO #RobotsTxt #WebManagement #DigitalMarketing #OnlinePresence

Sony is taking a stand against the sheer audacity of Tencent, suing them over the upcoming game "Light of Motiram," which they dare to call a "slavish clone" of the beloved "Horizon: Zero Dawn." This isn't just a case of resemblance; it's a blatant theft of creativity and innovation! How can we sit back and watch a corporate behemoth like Tencent, known for its aggressive expansion and questionable practices, rip off the hard work of another company? We must demand accountability in the gaming industry! Enough is enough—no more allowing these giants to trample on originality. It’s time for gamers to stand up and support those who create, not those who copy! #Sony #Tencent #HorizonZeroD

SAG-AFTRA members have ratified a new interactive media contract. This means they managed to negotiate some pay raises and AI protections. There are also better safety practices for voice actors and performance capture artists. Not sure how much it'll change things, but at least something happened. #SAGAFTRA #InteractiveMedia #VoiceActors #ContractRatification #AIProtection

It’s absolutely outrageous that Codev specialist Side is teaming up with Savvy Games Group to establish a studio in Riyadh, a move that reeks of political manipulation and a blatant disregard for ethical standards. Why should we support a company wholly owned by Saudi Arabia's state-backed Public Investment Fund, chaired by none other than Prince Mohammed bin Salman? This partnership doesn’t just promote gaming; it promotes a regime that has consistently violated human rights and suppressed freedom of expression. This is not just a business deal; it’s a disgraceful endorsement of tyranny. We need to wake up and recognize that our support fuels these oppressive practices! #Codev #SavvyGames #RiyadhStudio #HumanRights #GamingIndustry

What a world we live in when scientists finally unlock the secrets to the axolotls' ability to regenerate limbs, only to reveal that the key lies not in some miraculous regrowth molecule, but in its controlled destruction! Seriously, what kind of twisted logic is this? Are we supposed to celebrate the fact that the secret to regeneration is, in fact, about knowing when to destroy something instead of nurturing and encouraging growth? This revelation is not just baffling; it's downright infuriating! In an age where regenerative medicine holds the promise of healing wounds and restoring functionality, we are faced with the shocking realization that the science is not about building up, but rather about tearing down. Why would we ever want to focus on the destruction of growth molecules instead of creating an environment where regeneration can bloom unimpeded? Where is the inspiration in that? It feels like a slap in the face to anyone who believes in the potential of science to improve lives! Moreover, can we talk about the implications of this discovery? If the key to regeneration involves a meticulous dance of destruction, what does that say about our approach to medical advancements? Are we really expected to just stand by and accept that we must embrace an idea that says, "let's get rid of the good stuff to allow for growth"? This is not just a minor flaw in reasoning; it's a fundamental misunderstanding of what regeneration should mean for us! To make matters worse, this revelation could lead to misguided practices in regenerative medicine. Instead of developing therapies that promote healing and growth, we could end up with treatments that focus on the elimination of beneficial molecules. This is absolutely unacceptable! How dare the scientific community suggest that the way forward is through destruction rather than cultivation? We should be demanding more from our researchers, not less! Let’s not forget the ethical implications. If the path to regeneration is paved with the controlled destruction of vital components, how can we trust the outcomes? We’re putting lives in the hands of a process that promotes destruction. Just imagine the future of medicine being dictated by a philosophy that sounds more like a dystopian nightmare than a beacon of hope. It is high time we hold scientists accountable for the direction they are taking in regenerative research. We need a shift in focus that prioritizes constructive growth, not destructive measures. If we are serious about advancing regenerative medicine, we must reject this flawed notion and demand a commitment to genuine regeneration—the kind that nurtures life, rather than sabotages it. Let’s raise our voices against this madness. We deserve better than a science that advocates for destruction as the means to an end. The axolotls may thrive on this paradox, but we, as humans, should expect far more from our scientific endeavors. #RegenerativeMedicine #Axolotl #ScienceFail #MedicalEthics #Innovation

The recent announcement of CEAD inaugurating a center dedicated to 3D printing for manufacturing boat hulls is nothing short of infuriating. We are living in an age where technological advancements should lead to significant improvements in efficiency and sustainability, yet here we are, celebrating a move that reeks of superficial progress and misguided priorities. First off, let’s talk about the so-called “Maritime Application Center” (MAC) in Delft. While they dazzle us with their fancy new facility, one has to question the real implications of such a center. Are they genuinely solving the pressing issues of the maritime industry, or are they merely jumping on the bandwagon of 3D printing hype? The idea of using large-scale additive manufacturing to produce boat hulls sounds revolutionary, but let’s face it: this is just another example of throwing technology at a problem without truly understanding the underlying challenges that plague the industry. The maritime sector is facing severe environmental concerns, including pollution from traditional manufacturing processes and shipping practices. Instead of addressing these burning issues head-on, CEAD and others like them seem content to play with shiny new tools. 3D printing, in theory, could reduce waste—a point they love to hammer home in their marketing. But what about the energy consumption and material sourcing involved? Are we simply swapping one form of environmental degradation for another? Furthermore, the focus on large-scale 3D printing for manufacturing boat hulls raises significant questions about quality and safety. The maritime industry is not a playground for experimental technologies; lives are at stake. Relying on printed components that could potentially have structural weaknesses is a reckless gamble, and the consequences could be disastrous. Are we prepared to accept the liability if these hulls fail at sea? Let’s not forget the economic implications of this move. Sure, CEAD is likely patting themselves on the back for creating jobs at the MAC, but how many traditional jobs are they putting at risk? The maritime industry relies on skilled labor and craftsmanship that cannot simply be replaced by a machine. By pushing for 3D printing at such a scale, they threaten the livelihoods of countless workers who have dedicated their lives to mastering this trade. In conclusion, while CEAD’s center for 3D printing boat hulls may sound impressive on paper, the reality is that it’s a misguided effort that overlooks critical aspects of sustainability, safety, and social responsibility. We need to demand more from our industries and hold them accountable for their actions instead of blindly celebrating every shiny new innovation. The maritime industry deserves solutions that genuinely address its challenges rather than a mere technological gimmick. #MaritimeIndustry #3DPrinting #Sustainability #CEAD #BoatManufacturing

What a disgrace! The recent announcement regarding the official art book of "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" is nothing short of an embarrassing cash grab by Sandfall Interactive and ActuGaming.net. Are we seriously expected to applaud this blatant attempt to milk fans dry? This is a classic example of the gaming industry prioritizing profit over quality and respect for its community. Let’s break it down. First off, the hype surrounding "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" is overshadowed by the fact that this art book seems to be marketed as some kind of sacred treasure. Seriously? It’s just an art book! The gaming community is smarter than this. It’s infuriating to see creators take advantage of our passion for their work, slapping a price tag on what should be a free expression of creativity. The audacity of Sandfall Interactive to push this as something essential for fans is beyond frustrating. Where is the integrity? Moreover, what about the accessibility? How many of us can afford to splurge on an art book while we’re already investing in games that often come riddled with bugs and technical issues? This trend of pre-ordering merchandise is absolutely maddening. It encourages a toxic culture of consumerism, where gamers are pressured to part with their hard-earned money for something that may not even meet expectations. Are we supposed to just accept this as the new normal? Absolutely not! And let’s talk about the content itself. The description hints at a “true masterpiece” but fails to deliver any tangible evidence of that claim. What are we getting? Concept art that’s likely to be recycled from promotional materials? How about some actual behind-the-scenes insight or a deeper dive into the creative process? Instead, we’re being fed a glorified collection of pretty pictures that don’t add any real value to the gaming experience. It’s infuriating to think about how the industry is willing to settle for mediocrity, all for the sake of profit. To top it all off, ActuGaming.net should be ashamed for promoting this sham without questioning the ethics behind it. Are they merely a mouthpiece for Sandfall Interactive, or do they care about the opinions of their readers? It’s hard to tell when they’re pushing content that feels disingenuous and exploitative. We need more critical voices in the gaming media, not just cheerleaders for corporate greed. In conclusion, it’s time for fans to stand up against these practices. Let’s not fall for the trap of pre-ordering and overhyped merchandise that serves only to pad the wallets of those at the top. Demand better from our creators and the media that covers them. We deserve respect, transparency, and quality over empty promises. #ClairObscur #GamingCommunity #ConsumerRights #ArtBook #GameIndustryCritique

🌟✨ Hey, beautiful souls! 🌈💖 Today, I want to shine a light on a topic that brings us hope and reminds us of the strength of justice. Recently, NSO Group, the infamous Israeli company known for its spyware Pegasus, faced a monumental verdict! 🎉 They have been ordered to pay over $167 million in punitive damages to Meta for their unethical hacking campaign against WhatsApp users. Can you believe it? This is a HUGE win for all of us who value privacy and security! 🙌💪 For five long years, this legal battle unfolded, shedding light on the dark practices of this tech giant. It’s a reminder that no matter how big the challenge, truth and justice will always prevail in the end. 🌍💖 This ruling not only holds NSO Group accountable for their actions but also sends a powerful message to others in the tech industry. We must prioritize ethical practices and protect the rights of users around the globe! 🛡️✨ Let’s take a moment to celebrate the tireless efforts of those who fought for this victory! Every single person involved in this battle, from the lawyers to the advocates, showed that perseverance and belief in justice can lead to monumental change. 🙏🌟 Their dedication inspires us all to stand up for what is right, no matter how daunting the challenge may seem. This ruling is not just about money; it's about restoring faith in our digital world. It reminds us that we have the power to demand accountability from those who misuse technology. 📲💥 We can create a safer and more secure environment for everyone, where our privacy is respected, and our voices are heard! 🗣️❤️ Let's keep that optimism alive! Use this moment as motivation to advocate for ethical tech practices, support companies that prioritize user security, and raise awareness about digital rights. Together, we can build a brighter future, where technology serves humanity positively and constructively! 🌈🌟 In conclusion, let’s celebrate this victory and continue to push for a world where every individual can feel safe in their digital interactions. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity for growth! Keep shining, keep fighting, and let your voice be heard! The future is bright, and it’s in our hands! 💖💪✨ #JusticeForUsers #EthicalTech #PrivacyMatters #DigitalRights #NSOGroup #Inspiration

Reading Time: 9 minutes In marketing, data isn’t a buzzword. It’s the lifeblood of all successful campaigns. But are you truly harnessing its power, or are you drowning in a sea of information? To answer this question, we sat down with Ankur Kothari, a seasoned Martech expert, to dive deep into this crucial topic. This interview, originally conducted for Chapter 6 of “The Customer Engagement Book: Adapt or Die” explores how businesses can translate raw data into actionable insights that drive real results. Ankur shares his wealth of knowledge on identifying valuable customer engagement data, distinguishing between signal and noise, and ultimately, shaping real-time strategies that keep companies ahead of the curve.   Ankur Kothari Q&A Interview 1. What types of customer engagement data are most valuable for making strategic business decisions? Primarily, there are four different buckets of customer engagement data. I would begin with behavioral data, encompassing website interaction, purchase history, and other app usage patterns. Second would be demographic information: age, location, income, and other relevant personal characteristics. Third would be sentiment analysis, where we derive information from social media interaction, customer feedback, or other customer reviews. Fourth would be the customer journey data. We track touchpoints across various channels of the customers to understand the customer journey path and conversion. Combining these four primary sources helps us understand the engagement data. 2. How do you distinguish between data that is actionable versus data that is just noise? First is keeping relevant to your business objectives, making actionable data that directly relates to your specific goals or KPIs, and then taking help from statistical significance. Actionable data shows clear patterns or trends that are statistically valid, whereas other data consists of random fluctuations or outliers, which may not be what you are interested in. You also want to make sure that there is consistency across sources. Actionable insights are typically corroborated by multiple data points or channels, while other data or noise can be more isolated and contradictory. Actionable data suggests clear opportunities for improvement or decision making, whereas noise does not lead to meaningful actions or changes in strategy. By applying these criteria, I can effectively filter out the noise and focus on data that delivers or drives valuable business decisions. 3. How can customer engagement data be used to identify and prioritize new business opportunities? First, it helps us to uncover unmet needs. By analyzing the customer feedback, touch points, support interactions, or usage patterns, we can identify the gaps in our current offerings or areas where customers are experiencing pain points. Second would be identifying emerging needs. Monitoring changes in customer behavior or preferences over time can reveal new market trends or shifts in demand, allowing my company to adapt their products or services accordingly. Third would be segmentation analysis. Detailed customer data analysis enables us to identify unserved or underserved segments or niche markets that may represent untapped opportunities for growth or expansion into newer areas and new geographies. Last is to build competitive differentiation. Engagement data can highlight where our companies outperform competitors, helping us to prioritize opportunities that leverage existing strengths and unique selling propositions. 4. Can you share an example of where data insights directly influenced a critical decision? I will share an example from my previous organization at one of the financial services where we were very data-driven, which made a major impact on our critical decision regarding our credit card offerings. We analyzed the customer engagement data, and we discovered that a large segment of our millennial customers were underutilizing our traditional credit cards but showed high engagement with mobile payment platforms. That insight led us to develop and launch our first digital credit card product with enhanced mobile features and rewards tailored to the millennial spending habits. Since we had access to a lot of transactional data as well, we were able to build a financial product which met that specific segment’s needs. That data-driven decision resulted in a 40% increase in our new credit card applications from this demographic within the first quarter of the launch. Subsequently, our market share improved in that specific segment, which was very crucial. 5. Are there any other examples of ways that you see customer engagement data being able to shape marketing strategy in real time? When it comes to using the engagement data in real-time, we do quite a few things. In the recent past two, three years, we are using that for dynamic content personalization, adjusting the website content, email messaging, or ad creative based on real-time user behavior and preferences. We automate campaign optimization using specific AI-driven tools to continuously analyze performance metrics and automatically reallocate the budget to top-performing channels or ad segments. Then we also build responsive social media engagement platforms like monitoring social media sentiments and trending topics to quickly adapt the messaging and create timely and relevant content. With one-on-one personalization, we do a lot of A/B testing as part of the overall rapid testing and market elements like subject lines, CTAs, and building various successful variants of the campaigns. 6. How are you doing the 1:1 personalization? We have advanced CDP systems, and we are tracking each customer’s behavior in real-time. So the moment they move to different channels, we know what the context is, what the relevance is, and the recent interaction points, so we can cater the right offer. So for example, if you looked at a certain offer on the website and you came from Google, and then the next day you walk into an in-person interaction, our agent will already know that you were looking at that offer. That gives our customer or potential customer more one-to-one personalization instead of just segment-based or bulk interaction kind of experience. We have a huge team of data scientists, data analysts, and AI model creators who help us to analyze big volumes of data and bring the right insights to our marketing and sales team so that they can provide the right experience to our customers. 7. What role does customer engagement data play in influencing cross-functional decisions, such as with product development, sales, and customer service? Primarily with product development — we have different products, not just the financial products or products whichever organizations sell, but also various products like mobile apps or websites they use for transactions. So that kind of product development gets improved. The engagement data helps our sales and marketing teams create more targeted campaigns, optimize channel selection, and refine messaging to resonate with specific customer segments. Customer service also gets helped by anticipating common issues, personalizing support interactions over the phone or email or chat, and proactively addressing potential problems, leading to improved customer satisfaction and retention. So in general, cross-functional application of engagement improves the customer-centric approach throughout the organization. 8. What do you think some of the main challenges marketers face when trying to translate customer engagement data into actionable business insights? I think the huge amount of data we are dealing with. As we are getting more digitally savvy and most of the customers are moving to digital channels, we are getting a lot of data, and that sheer volume of data can be overwhelming, making it very difficult to identify truly meaningful patterns and insights. Because of the huge data overload, we create data silos in this process, so information often exists in separate systems across different departments. We are not able to build a holistic view of customer engagement. Because of data silos and overload of data, data quality issues appear. There is inconsistency, and inaccurate data can lead to incorrect insights or poor decision-making. Quality issues could also be due to the wrong format of the data, or the data is stale and no longer relevant. As we are growing and adding more people to help us understand customer engagement, I’ve also noticed that technical folks, especially data scientists and data analysts, lack skills to properly interpret the data or apply data insights effectively. So there’s a lack of understanding of marketing and sales as domains. It’s a huge effort and can take a lot of investment. Not being able to calculate the ROI of your overall investment is a big challenge that many organizations are facing. 9. Why do you think the analysts don’t have the business acumen to properly do more than analyze the data? If people do not have the right idea of why we are collecting this data, we collect a lot of noise, and that brings in huge volumes of data. If you cannot stop that from step one—not bringing noise into the data system—that cannot be done by just technical folks or people who do not have business knowledge. Business people do not know everything about what data is being collected from which source and what data they need. It’s a gap between business domain knowledge, specifically marketing and sales needs, and technical folks who don’t have a lot of exposure to that side. Similarly, marketing business people do not have much exposure to the technical side — what’s possible to do with data, how much effort it takes, what’s relevant versus not relevant, and how to prioritize which data sources will be most important. 10. Do you have any suggestions for how this can be overcome, or have you seen it in action where it has been solved before? First, cross-functional training: training different roles to help them understand why we’re doing this and what the business goals are, giving technical people exposure to what marketing and sales teams do. And giving business folks exposure to the technology side through training on different tools, strategies, and the roadmap of data integrations. The second is helping teams work more collaboratively. So it’s not like the technology team works in a silo and comes back when their work is done, and then marketing and sales teams act upon it. Now we’re making it more like one team. You work together so that you can complement each other, and we have a better strategy from day one. 11. How do you address skepticism or resistance from stakeholders when presenting data-driven recommendations? We present clear business cases where we demonstrate how data-driven recommendations can directly align with business objectives and potential ROI. We build compelling visualizations, easy-to-understand charts and graphs that clearly illustrate the insights and the implications for business goals. We also do a lot of POCs and pilot projects with small-scale implementations to showcase tangible results and build confidence in the data-driven approach throughout the organization. 12. What technologies or tools have you found most effective for gathering and analyzing customer engagement data? I’ve found that Customer Data Platforms help us unify customer data from various sources, providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions across touch points. Having advanced analytics platforms — tools with AI and machine learning capabilities that can process large volumes of data and uncover complex patterns and insights — is a great value to us. We always use, or many organizations use, marketing automation systems to improve marketing team productivity, helping us track and analyze customer interactions across multiple channels. Another thing is social media listening tools, wherever your brand is mentioned or you want to measure customer sentiment over social media, or track the engagement of your campaigns across social media platforms. Last is web analytical tools, which provide detailed insights into your website visitors’ behaviors and engagement metrics, for browser apps, small browser apps, various devices, and mobile apps. 13. How do you ensure data quality and consistency across multiple channels to make these informed decisions? We established clear guidelines for data collection, storage, and usage across all channels to maintain consistency. Then we use data integration platforms — tools that consolidate data from various sources into a single unified view, reducing discrepancies and inconsistencies. While we collect data from different sources, we clean the data so it becomes cleaner with every stage of processing. We also conduct regular data audits — performing periodic checks to identify and rectify data quality issues, ensuring accuracy and reliability of information. We also deploy standardized data formats. On top of that, we have various automated data cleansing tools, specific software to detect and correct data errors, redundancies, duplicates, and inconsistencies in data sets automatically. 14. How do you see the role of customer engagement data evolving in shaping business strategies over the next five years? The first thing that’s been the biggest trend from the past two years is AI-driven decision making, which I think will become more prevalent, with advanced algorithms processing vast amounts of engagement data in real-time to inform strategic choices. Somewhat related to this is predictive analytics, which will play an even larger role, enabling businesses to anticipate customer needs and market trends with more accuracy and better predictive capabilities. We also touched upon hyper-personalization. We are all trying to strive toward more hyper-personalization at scale, which is more one-on-one personalization, as we are increasingly capturing more engagement data and have bigger systems and infrastructure to support processing those large volumes of data so we can achieve those hyper-personalization use cases. As the world is collecting more data, privacy concerns and regulations come into play. I believe in the next few years there will be more innovation toward how businesses can collect data ethically and what the usage practices are, leading to more transparent and consent-based engagement data strategies. And lastly, I think about the integration of engagement data, which is always a big challenge. I believe as we’re solving those integration challenges, we are adding more and more complex data sources to the picture. So I think there will need to be more innovation or sophistication brought into data integration strategies, which will help us take a truly customer-centric approach to strategy formulation.   This interview Q&A was hosted with Ankur Kothari, a previous Martech Executive, for Chapter 6 of The Customer Engagement Book: Adapt or Die. Download the PDF or request a physical copy of the book here. The post Ankur Kothari Q&A: Customer Engagement Book Interview appeared first on MoEngage. #ankur #kothari #qampampa #customer #engagement

Monitoring and Support EngineerKeyword StudiosPasig City Metro Manila Philippines2 hours agoApplyWe are seeking an experienced Monitoring and Support Engineer to support the technology initiatives of the IT Infrastructure team at Keywords. The Monitoring and Support Engineer will be responsible for follow-the-sun monitoring of IT infrastructure, prompt reaction on all infrastructure incident, primary resolution of infrastructure incidents and support requests.ResponsibilitiesFull scope of tasks including but not limited to:Ensure that all incidents are handled within SLAs.Initial troubleshooting of Infrastructure incidents.Ensure maximum network & service availability through proactive monitoring.Ensure all the incident and alert tickets contain detailed technical information.Initial troubleshooting of Infrastructure incidents, restoration of services and escalation to level 3 experts if necessary.Participate in Problem management processes.Ensure that all incidents and critical alerts are documented and escalated if necessary.Ensure effective communication to customers about incidents and outages.Identify opportunities for process improvement and efficiency enhancements.Participate in documentation creation to reduce BAU support activities by ensuring that the Service Desks have adequate knowledge articles to close support tickets as level 1.Participate in reporting on monitored data and incidents on company infrastructure.Implement best practices and lessons learned from initiatives and projects to optimize future outcomes.RequirementsBachelor's degree in a relevant technical field or equivalent experience.Understanding of IT Infrastructure technologies, standards and trends.Technical background with 3+ years’ experience in IT operations role delivering IT infrastructure support, monitoring and incident management.Technical knowledge of the Microsoft Stack, Windows networking, Active Directory, ExchangeTechnical knowledge of Network, Storage and Server equipment, virtualization and production setupsExceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts to non-technical audiences.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.Strong customer service orientation.BenefitsGreat Place to Work certified for 4 consecutive yearsFlexible work arrangementGlobal exposure Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply #monitoring #support #engineer #keyword #studios