Jeff Bullas

While Facebook does not offer a single “reset” button to completely wipe your News Feed preferences and start again, you can achieve a similar result by actively and consistently giving the algorithm new instructions on what to show you.

There are several key actions you can take to effectively retrain your feed. First, and most powerfully, you should use the “Favorites” feature. This allows you to select up to 30 friends and Pages whose posts you want to see prioritised. Their content will appear higher in your feed, and you can also view a dedicated Favorites-only feed. This is the most direct way to tell Facebook what you value most.

Second, you must be disciplined about telling Facebook what you do not want to see. When you see an irrelevant post, click the three-dot menu on it and choose to either “Snooze” the person or Page for 30 days or, more permanently, “Unfollow” them. Unfollowing keeps you as friends but removes their posts from your feed. This provides strong negative feedback.

Third, you need to consciously engage with the content you enjoy. Your likes are a signal, but more meaningful interactions like comments and shares are often weighted more heavily by the algorithm. Actively engaging with posts from the people and Pages you want to see more from reinforces your preferences.

Fourth, you should audit your existing connections. Go through your list of followed Pages and Groups and unlike or leave any that are no longer of interest to you. This directly removes sources of unwanted content from your feed.

This process is not instantaneous like a reset button would be, but it is an effective way to take back control. By consistently giving these positive and negative signals, you will guide the algorithm to build a News Feed that is far more relevant to your current interests.

Cheers,

Jeff

A YouTube thumbnail is incredibly important for a video’s success, as it is a primary driver of a viewer’s decision to click. Avoiding a few common mistakes can significantly improve your click-through rate.

First, one of the most frequent errors is creating a cluttered or overly busy design. A thumbnail needs to be easily understood in a fraction of a second, often when viewed at a very small size on a mobile device. Too many visual elements, conflicting colours, or objects can make it confusing and cause viewers to scroll past.

Second, using text that is difficult to read is another common pitfall. This can be because the font is too small, the font style is overly decorative and hard to decipher quickly, or the colour of the text does not have enough contrast with the background image. Your text should be large, clear, bold, and concise.

Third, a major issue is a thumbnail that fails to clearly convey the video’s topic or value. The image and text should work together to accurately represent the content and give the viewer a compelling reason to click, by hinting at a question that will be answered, a problem that will be solved, or an interesting story that will be told.

Fourth, creating misleading thumbnails, which is often referred to as “clickbait,” will harm your channel’s performance in the long run. While it might secure an initial click, if the video does not deliver on the promise made by the thumbnail, viewers will leave quickly. This signals to the YouTube algorithm that your content is unsatisfying, which hurts audience retention and, ultimately, damages the trust you have with your audience.

Fifth, using a low-resolution or blurry image for your thumbnail makes your video appear unprofessional and far less appealing. Always start with high-quality, clear images.

Sixth, while not every thumbnail must be identical, having a completely inconsistent style of branding across your videos can be a mistake for a growing channel. A consistent style, whether through your use of fonts, colours, or layout, can make your videos instantly recognisable to your subscribers in their feeds.

And seventh, a missed opportunity is often ignoring the power of human emotion. Including a clear, high-quality image of a human face showing a relevant and strong emotion, such as surprise, curiosity, or excitement, has been shown to increase click-through rates.

A good thumbnail is clear, compelling, and an honest advertisement for the content of your video. Avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on creating simple, high-contrast, and value-driven thumbnails will make a significant difference to your video’s performance.

Cheers,

Jeff

Understanding your TikTok Analytics is crucial for growth, and you can get the most value by focusing on a few key metrics in each section rather than getting lost in all the data.

First, let us look at the Overview tab. The most important metrics here are your Video Views, Profile Views, and Follower numbers over a specific period, such as 7 or 28 days. This provides a high-level snapshot of your channel’s health and growth trajectory. A positive sign is when a spike in video views leads to a corresponding increase in profile views and then new followers, as it shows your content is successfully attracting people to your page.

Second, the Content tab is where you analyse individual video performance. Here, the most critical metrics are Total Play Time and, most importantly, Average Watch Time. A high average watch time is a powerful signal to the TikTok algorithm that your content is engaging and keeping people on the platform. The “Watched full video” percentage is also vital; a high completion rate, especially on shorter videos, is a very strong positive indicator. Additionally, check the “Traffic source types” to understand how people are discovering your videos, whether it is from the For You page, your profile, search, or other sources.

Third, in the Followers tab, the essential information includes your net follower growth over time and, critically, the “Follower activity” section. This section shows you the hours and days when your followers are most active on TikTok. Scheduling your posts to go live just before or during these peak times can give your new videos a significant initial boost in engagement. Understanding the top countries or cities where your followers are located can also help in tailoring your content.

These metrics are all interconnected. A video with a high average watch time (found in the Content tab) is more likely to be promoted on the For You page, which in turn drives up your overall video views and potential follower growth (seen in the Overview tab).

While these quantitative metrics are key, do not forget the qualitative feedback in your comments and shares. This provides direct insight into what your audience is thinking and what truly resonates with them.

In summary, while all the data is interesting, focusing on your Average Watch Time per video, your Follower Activity hours, and the relationship between your video views and follower growth will provide you with the most actionable insights to refine your content strategy.

Cheers,

Jeff

Whether LinkedIn Premium is worth the cost depends almost entirely on your specific professional goals and how actively you plan to use its features. It is not a one-size-fits-all answer.

There are a few main scenarios to consider. First, for active job seekers, the “Premium Career” plan can be very valuable. The main benefits include the ability to see everyone who has viewed your profile over the last 90 days, being highlighted as a “Featured Applicant” when you apply for jobs, getting access to salary data, and receiving InMail credits to directly message recruiters or hiring managers you are not connected to. If you are seriously looking for a new role, these features can provide a distinct advantage.

Second, for sales professionals, the “Sales Navigator” plan is a much more specialised and powerful tool. It offers advanced search filters for finding specific leads and accounts, provides lead recommendations, and helps you track key people and companies. For individuals whose job revolves around prospecting and lead generation, it is often considered an essential professional tool.

Third, for general business networking or research, the “Premium Business” plan offers more company insights, additional InMail credits, and unlimited people Browse. Its value really depends on how heavily you rely on LinkedIn for market intelligence and direct outreach.

For a casual user who is not actively job hunting, selling, or recruiting, the benefits of a paid subscription are often difficult to justify. The free version of LinkedIn remains quite powerful for maintaining a professional profile, connecting with colleagues, and staying informed about your industry.

The most valuable features that attract people are typically the full “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” list, the InMail credits for reaching out beyond your network, and for some, the access to the extensive library of courses on LinkedIn Learning.

The best way to determine if it is worth it for you personally is to make use of the free one-month trial that LinkedIn almost always offers. This allows you to test the specific features of the plan you are considering and see if you actually use them enough to justify the ongoing cost.

In summary, LinkedIn Premium is a powerful instrument for those with specific, active goals like job seeking, sales, or recruiting. For many other professionals, the free service is often sufficient. Use the trial to make your own informed decision.

Cheers,

Jeff

Effectively moderating a Facebook Group in 2025, especially as it scales, relies heavily on leveraging the increasingly sophisticated tools that Facebook provides directly within the platform.

First, Admin Assist is the most powerful and essential tool for any group admin today. It is your primary means of automating moderation. You can set up a range of specific criteria to have Admin Assist automatically decline pending posts if they contain certain keywords or links, remove published comments that violate your rules, and even temporarily mute or suspend members based on their activity, such as how many of their posts or comments have been removed.

Second, using Membership Questions and requiring Rule Agreement is your most important preventative tool. You can create up to three questions that prospective members must answer before they can join, which is highly effective for screening out bots, spammers, and individuals who are not a good fit for your community. Requiring them to agree to the group rules is another important step in the joining process.

Third, Keyword Alerts (sometimes part of Moderation Alerts) are very useful for manual oversight. You can create a list of specific keywords or phrases, and Facebook will notify you whenever they are used in posts or comments. This allows you to quickly review potentially problematic content in its context without having to read every single post.

Fourth, the dedicated queue for “Member-reported content” is vital. It centralises all posts and comments that your community members have flagged for you, making it much more efficient to review and act on issues reported by your audience.

Fifth, features like Member Summaries allow you to see a snapshot of a member’s history in the group – including how long they have been a member and how many times they have violated rules – which provides valuable context before you decide on a moderation action. You can also put trusted members on a pre-approval list so their posts do not require manual review.

Sixth, the ability to link your specific Group Rules to moderation actions is key for transparency. When you remove a post or comment, you can select the exact rule that was broken. This both educates the member and provides clear justification for your action.

While some large organisations might use broader third-party social media management tools for scheduling or analytics across multiple platforms, for the granular, day-to-day task of in-group moderation, Facebook’s own native tools, particularly Admin Assist, are the most effective, integrated, and secure options available to admins.

For most, mastering the full capabilities of Admin Assist and the other built-in features is the best strategy for maintaining a healthy community and managing your time effectively.

Cheers,

Jeff

A YouTube Short has a specific maximum length for it to be classified and distributed as a Short on the platform. As of recent updates, including changes around October 2024 that have been widely implemented by mid-2025, a YouTube Short can be up to 3 minutes (180 seconds) long. This is an increase from the previous 60-second limit.

There is no official minimum length, though the YouTube app’s Shorts camera often defaults to 15-second segments, which can be combined or extended.

When you upload a video in a vertical aspect ratio (like 9:16) that is 3 minutes or less, YouTube will generally categorise it as a Short.

While the maximum is now 3 minutes, the “ideal” length for best engagement is not a fixed rule and often depends on your content and audience. First, for very short, punchy content, videos around 15 to 35 seconds often perform very well because they have a high completion rate, which the Shorts algorithm tends to favour.

Second, for content that requires a bit more time to deliver value, such as quick tips, mini-tutorials, or short stories, you can certainly use more of that 3-minute allowance. Some analyses have even shown that Shorts in the 50 to 60-second range can achieve high average view counts, though this data was largely from before the 3-minute limit was widely adopted. The key is to keep the content engaging throughout its entire duration to maintain good audience retention.

Ultimately, the most effective length is one that delivers your message concisely and keeps viewers watching. It is advisable to experiment with different lengths for your specific content style and pay close attention to your YouTube Analytics to see what works best for your audience in terms of watch time and engagement.

Cheers,

Jeff

Changing what you might call your “live location” on TikTok depends on what specific aspect of location you are referring to, as the platform does not have a feature that continuously broadcasts your precise, real-time GPS position in the way some mapping applications might.

Here is what you can and cannot easily do regarding location on TikTok.

First, for location on your TikTok posts, this is a tag you can choose to add. When you are creating or uploading a new video, on the final screen where you write your caption and add hashtags, there is usually an option labelled “Add location” or simply “Location.” You can tap this to search for and select a specific place, such as a city, venue, or landmark, to tag on your video. This is a manually added label and not your live GPS feed. As of recent updates, some users have also reported being able to edit or add a location tag to videos after they have been posted by going to the video, tapping the three dots for options, and selecting “Edit post.”

Second, concerning your account’s primary region or country setting, TikTok generally determines this based on a combination of factors when you create your account. These can include the region of your SIM card, your IP address at the time of sign-up, and your device’s regional settings. This influences the content trends and videos you see on your “For You Page.” Officially changing this primary account region after it has been established is generally not a simple option available in the app’s settings for most users. Some people attempt to influence this by using VPNs or changing SIM cards if they move to a new country, but these methods can be unreliable and might have implications for your user experience or even be against TikTok’s terms if used to misrepresent your location.

Third, if you are referring to your location when you go LIVE on TikTok, the platform might use your general location information for discovery purposes, helping people nearby find your LIVE session. However, you do not typically set a “live updating location” pin on a map during the broadcast. You can often add a location tag to your LIVE setup screen before you start, similar to a regular post.

Regarding the use of VPNs or GPS spoofing tools to try and alter your perceived location for TikTok, it is important to be cautious. While these tools can sometimes change your IP address or GPS data, TikTok, like many platforms, has systems to detect such usage. Attempting to spoof your location this way might be unreliable, could lead to a less relevant content feed, or potentially violate TikTok’s Terms of Service, which could result in account issues.

In summary, you can manually add or sometimes edit location tags on your individual posts. Your account’s overall regional setting is more complex and not easily changed through standard settings. Continuously broadcasting a live GPS location is not a standard TikTok feature. If your goal is to provide location context for your content, using the post tagging feature is the most straightforward approach.

Cheers,

Jeff

Yes, you can create a podcast and have it available on Spotify, along with other major podcast platforms, entirely for free. This is done through Spotify’s own platform, which is called “Spotify for Podcasters” – many people might remember it by its former name, Anchor.

Spotify for Podcasters is designed as an all-in-one solution, especially useful for beginners. First, it provides free unlimited podcast hosting. This is a significant advantage, as hosting can be a recurring expense with many other dedicated podcast hosting services.

Second, the platform includes basic recording and editing tools directly within its mobile app and on its website. While these tools might not be as feature-rich as professional standalone software, they are often sufficient for those just starting out to record, edit, and produce their episodes without needing to purchase separate software.

Third, Spotify for Podcasters simplifies distribution. Once you have set up your podcast on their platform and published an episode, they facilitate the distribution of your show not only to Spotify itself but also to other major podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more. You manage this through an RSS feed that their platform generates for you.

While the core services of creation, hosting, and distribution via Spotify for Podcasters are indeed free, it is always sensible to be aware of how such platforms operate. “Free” usually means the platform might have its own ways of monetising its services generally, or that some very advanced features or analytics might be more limited compared to high-tier paid hosting services. For instance, if you use their monetisation tools (like automated ads), Spotify will take a share of that revenue. However, for the fundamental task of getting your podcast made and heard, their free offering is quite comprehensive and widely used.

To get started, you would typically visit the Spotify for Podcasters website or download their app, create an account, and then follow their steps to set up your show and upload your first episode.

In summary, Spotify for Podcasters offers a genuinely free and robust pathway to create, host, and distribute your podcast, making it an excellent choice for new podcasters or anyone working with a minimal budget.

Cheers,

Jeff