Turn on your camera. Show a product. Start an auction. Watch the bids rise.

But Whatnot is not a normal online store with a video added to it. It is part store, part social network, and part live show.

That mix can help the right business sell products quickly and build loyal customers in the Netherlands. It can also waste time, shrink profit margins, and create a stressful shipping mess.

So, is Whatnot right for your business?

2026?...These eight truths will help you decide before you buy more inventory or plan your first show.

1. Whatnot is entertainment before it is e-commerce.

A normal online shopper searches for a product, compares prices, and checks out.

A Whatnot shopper may open the app without knowing what they want. They stay because the host is interesting, the products are surprising, or the auction feels exciting.

That means you are not only selling an item.

You are also selling the experience of watching you sell it.

The strongest hosts explain products, answer questions, welcome returning viewers, and keep the show moving. They make buyers feel like they are part of a small community.

As one live commerce founder explained,

“What live commerce really cracks: connection.”

That quote appeared in a 2026 Vogue report about live shopping.

This is why a great product does not always create a great Whatnot show. The seller must make the product interesting in real time.

What this means for you: Whatnot is a strong fit when you enjoy teaching, demonstrating, storytelling, or speaking with customers.

2. The growth is real, but the big numbers can be misleading.

Whatnot says sellers produced over $8 billion in live sales in 2025. It also says well over 20 million new accounts were created that year.

According to the company’s 2026 State of Live Selling report, sellers who stream three or four times per week average more than $13,000 in monthly sales.

Those numbers sound exciting.

But remember three things.

First, this is Whatnot’s own report. It is useful, but it is not an independent study.

Second, an average can be pulled upward by a smaller group of very large sellers. It does not tell us what a typical beginner earns.

Third, sales are not profit.

A seller can make $13,000 in sales and still have weak profits after paying for the following:

• Inventory

• Platform fees

• Packaging

• Employees

• Giveaways

• Damaged or lost products

• Time spent preparing and shipping orders

Do not ask only, “How much can I sell?”

Ask, “How much will I keep after every cost?”

3. Some products are much better for live selling.

Whatnot works best when shoppers want to see, discuss, compare, or collect the product.

Strong live-selling products often have at least one of these qualities:

• They are visual.

• They are limited or difficult to find.

• Each item is a bit different.

• Condition is important to buyers.

• The seller can show the items to potential buyers.

• Customers enjoy collecting them.

• There is a story behind the product.

This phenomenon is why categories such as trading cards, comics, coins, vintage clothing, sneakers, jewelry, toys, and collectibles often fit the format.

You can display a vintage jacket from all perspectives. A seller can explain its history, point out flaws, answer sizing questions, and compare it with the next jacket.

That is harder to do with a plain product that looks the same in every store.

For example, a standard phone cable may sell better through search-based e-commerce. Most buyers do not need to watch a live show to understand it.

A simple test: Can you discuss each product for one minute without repeating the product description?

When the answer is yes, the product may work well on Whatnot.

4. High sales do not protect weak profit margins.

Whatnot does not charge sellers to create or store listings. However, it takes fees when products sell.

In the United States, Canada, and Australia, many categories have an 8% commission. Payment processing is commonly 2.9% of the total order value plus $0.30 per transaction. Some categories and regions have different rates.

You can review the current numbers on the official Whatnot seller fees page.

Fees are only one part of the calculation.

Imagine that you buy an item for $12 and sell it for $20.

The $8 difference is not your final profit. You must still account for selling fees, packaging, labor, discounts, giveaways, and any shipping costs you agree to cover.

Auctions add another risk.

When only a few buyers are watching, an item may sell near its opening price. Starting everything at $1 can create energy, but it can also turn valuable inventory into a loss.

A safer beginner strategy is to set the opening price near the lowest amount you are truly willing to accept.

Excitement is not a business model.

5. Your personality becomes part of the product.

You do not need to be loud, funny, or highly confident.

You do need to be present.

Live shoppers notice when a host seems bored, confused, unprepared, or focused only on pushing the price higher.

Good hosts tend to do a few simple things well:

• They greet viewers.

• They describe products clearly.

• They answer questions honestly.

• They keep track of what is selling.

• They admit when they do not know something.

• They continue speaking when the room is quiet.

This process can be tiring.

A normal product listing works while you sleep. A live show needs your attention for most of the time it is running.

You must also prepare before the stream and pack orders after it.

A two-hour show may become four or five hours of total work once you count product setup, listing, cleanup, customer messages, and shipping.

Whatnot may be a poor fit when you strongly dislike performing, answering repeated questions, or following a regular show schedule.

6. The real work begins after the camera turns off.

A quick show can produce dozens or even hundreds of orders.

That sounds like success until you must match every buyer with the correct item, choose the right box, confirm the weight, print labels, and ship everything on time.

Whatnot tells sellers to drop packages off with the carrier within two business days of the sale.

The company provides a full shipping checklist for new sellers.

This operational work is easy to underestimate.

Before running a large show, ask:

• Where will sold items be placed?

• How will each item be matched to its buyer?

• Who will pack the orders?

• Do you have enough boxes and envelopes?

• Please let me know if everything can be shipped within two business days.

• What happens when an item is missing or damaged?

A smaller-audience seller with clean shipping can build a better long-term business than a seller with a large show and constant order mistakes.

7. Fast auctions can encourage bad decisions.

The power of live selling is its speed. A short countdown builds the tension. Others bid, and viewers watch. They may be afraid of losing the product. It’s just a few taps to buy. It can drive sales, but it also creates an ethical imperative. In 2026 Vogue reported that quick auctions, rewards, loud streams, and short buying windows could cause consumers to buy on impulse.

Sellers do not need to remove all excitement. Fun is part of the format.

However, it is important to distinguish between excitement and pressure.

• I need additional information on what the outcome will be.

• Claiming an item is rare when it isn’t

• Misrepresentation of retail value to buyers

• Hiding damage or product defect

• Shaming those viewers who don’t bid

• Exploiting false urgency

• Persuading individuals to go overboard

• Offering nebulous mystery offers

• Trust is worth more than a quick sale.

A buyer who regrets a purchase may never return. A buyer who feels respected may watch every week.

8. Whatnot should be a sales channel, not your entire business.

Whatnot can give sellers access to a large group of active buyers.

It can also change its fees, rules, discovery system, approved categories, or seller requirements.

That is normal for any marketplace. The risk appears when one platform controls nearly every sale your business makes.

A strong seller uses Whatnot to create demand but also builds assets outside the platform, such as

• A recognizable brand

• A website

• An email list built with customer permission

• Social media accounts

• Clear product knowledge

• Reliable suppliers

• Repeatable packing systems

• More than one selling channel

This does not mean sending Whatnot buyers off the platform in ways that break its rules.

It means building a real business that can survive when any single traffic source changes.

The same lesson applies to Amazon, eBay, TikTok Shop, Etsy, Instagram, and almost every large marketplace.

Platforms can provide reach.

They should not own your entire future.

Who should seriously consider Whatnot?

Whatnot may be worth testing when:

• You sell visual, collectible, used, rare, or demonstrable products.

• Your products have enough margin to survive fees and auction risk.

• You can speak clearly about what you sell.

• You have a steady source of inventory.

• You can stream consistently.

• You can pack and ship orders quickly.

• Your country is supported.

• You want to build a community, not only list products.

Whatnot is currently hiring sellers in the United States, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Applications will open in July 2026. Sellers from other places, including India, are not eligible at this time. Always verify the official seller location and currency requirements before you invest in a setup.

Who should probably avoid?

Whatnot may not be the right main channel if:

• Your products have tiny profit margins.

• Your products are easy to find anywhere.

• You cannot maintain reliable inventory.

• You do not have time to prepare and ship orders.

• Your products require long research before purchase.

• Your business depends on a calm, premium buying process.

• You expect the platform to provide instant viewers.

• You want passive sales without regular live appearances.

This does not mean your business is weak.

It may simply mean that another sales channel better matches how your customers prefer to buy.

Run a four-show test before making a big commitment.

You do not need to decide whether Whatnot will become your full-time sales channel.

Run a small test first.

Plan four shows using products you can afford to sell. Keep the show length, category, and schedule fairly consistent.

After the fourth show, measure the following:

• Total sales

• Profit after product costs and fees

• Number of items sold

• Average selling price

• Preparation time

• Streaming time

• Packing and shipping time

• Number of repeat buyers

• Mistakes, cancellations, or damaged orders

• Final profit for every hour worked

These numbers will tell you more than a success story on social media.

The final answer: Whatnot is powerful but not simple.

Whatnot can help the right seller turn product knowledge into attention, trust, and sales.

But it does not resolve weak margins, poor inventory, bad shipping, or unwanted products.

The best Whatnot businesses are not simply excellent at livestreaming. They combine entertaining shows with disciplined pricing and reliable operations.

Do not join only because live commerce is growing.

Join when the format matches your products, skills, customers, and available time.

I joined a WhatNot mentorship program called Quick Audience and wrote a detailed review about it.

The real question is not, “Can people make money on Whatnot?”

Clearly, some can.

The better question is, “Can my business make a healthy profit on Whatnot without becoming dependent on it?”

Imagine opening Google Maps and finding that the customer reviews you spent years earning are gone.

You may find your five-star rating missing. Your review count may drop to zero. New reviews may stop appearing.

That is what some business owners reported in early July. Google has acknowledged the issue and says it will restore reviews that were removed by mistake, but the company has not given a public recovery date.

Insights Summary:

• Some Google Business Profiles have lost hundreds or thousands of visible reviews.

• Google says suspicious-review detection can remove reviews or temporarily pause new ones.

• The company is investigating whether legitimate reviews were removed incorrectly.

• There is no confirmed timeline for restoring affected reviews.

• Business owners should document the loss before changing their profiles.

1. Some businesses saw years of reviews disappear overnight.

The reports are not limited to one company or industry.

Business owners began posting complaints in the Google Business Profile Help Community, saying large parts of their review history had vanished. One reported profile dropped from about 4,651 reviews to 63. Another said more than 1,200 reviews disappeared, and the profile showed no rating.

Some businesses also reported that new reviews were no longer appearing.

The scale appears to vary. Some profiles lost a smaller number, while others lost nearly every visible review. Google has not said how many businesses are affected.

2. Google says its anti-spam systems may be involved.

Google told Search Engine Roundtable that its systems take action when they find suspicious reviews.

Those actions may include removing reviews and temporarily stopping new reviews from appearing on a profile. Google said the pause aims to prevent further abuse while its systems examine the activity.

“We are investigating the issue and will restore any reviews that were incorrectly removed.”
— Google spokesperson (Search Engine Roundtable)

That wording is important.

Google is not saying that every missing review will return. Reviews that truly break its rules may remain removed. But legitimate reviews caught by mistake could be restored.

Google’s own help pages admit that automated spam detection can sometimes remove genuine customer reviews incorrectly. Businesses are told to contact support when that happens.

3. A fake-review attack may trigger a wider review block.

Several affected businesses said their problems began after their profiles received waves of fake or suspicious reviews.

In some cases, owners reported the fake reviews. Soon after, their legitimate reviews also disappeared or new reviews stopped appearing.

That does not prove that reporting spam caused the loss.

A more likely explanation is that Google’s system detected an unusual review pattern and placed a wider restriction on the profile while it checked the activity. But Google has not publicly confirmed the exact trigger for each affected account.

Its review policy says it may treat unusual volumes or patterns as possible rating manipulation. Google can also temporarily unpublish existing reviews or stop a profile from receiving new ones when it believes fake engagement has occurred.

4. Not every missing review is part of the same incident.

A review can disappear for several normal reasons.

Google says reviews may be delayed while they are checked for policy violations. Reviews can also take time to appear after two business profiles are merged. In some cases, Google temporarily disables user-created content for certain profiles or business categories.

That means owners should first identify the pattern.

A single new review that has not appeared for two days is different from 1,000 reviews disappearing at once.

A sudden, large drop—especially when the rating also falls to zero—is more likely to require support attention than a short delay affecting one customer review.

5. Lost reviews can hurt trust before they hurt rankings.

Review count isn’t just a number.

Often customers use ratings and recent feedback to decide on whether to call, book, visit, or buy. A business that suddenly drops from thousands of reviews to only a few may look new, unpopular, or untrusted—even when nothing about its service has changed.

Reviews may also affect local search visibility. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and prominence. Review quantity and positive ratings can contribute to a business’s prominence in local results.

But owners should not assume that missing reviews cause every ranking change.

Local results change for many reasons. The clearest immediate risk is that people who still see the profile will lose customer confidence and lower conversion rates.

This case also shows why businesses should not depend on one platform for all their public proof. Customer stories, testimonials, and case studies should also live on the company’s own website.

OnlineCOSMOS has previously covered how Google’s automated systems can create sudden changes for publishers and businesses, including the Google June 2026 spam update.

6. Document the damage before changing anything.

When reviews disappear, the first thing to do is not panic but document.

Save the following:

1. A screenshot of the current review count and rating.

2. If possible, an older screenshot with the previous count.

3. Date and approximate time changes came up.

4. Business profile name, address & profile URL.

5. Your Google support case number.

6. Links or screenshots from customers whose reviews disappeared.

7. Details on any recent fake review attack or spam reporting activity.

8. Recent changes to the profile, such as a merge, reinstatement, or category edit, are also important.

This record provides Google support with a clearer timeline.

It helps agencies explain the issue to clients as well, without having to rely on memory or partial reports.

7. Do not rebuild the profile or flood it with replacement reviews.

A missing-review incident can make drastic action feel tempting.

Do not create a duplicate business profile to replace the affected one. Do not delete the existing profile. And don’t change the business name, address, or main category unless the information is wrong.

Those changes can create new verification or duplication problems while the review issue is still under investigation.

It is also risky to ask a large group of customers to repost reviews at the same time. Google’s policy treats unusual review volumes and patterns as possible rating manipulation.

A safer approach is to preserve your normal review-request process and wait for clearer guidance before launching a large replacement campaign.

Expert warning: Do not offer discounts, gifts, or payment in exchange for new reviews. Google treats rewarded reviews as fake engagement, even when the customer is real.

8. Use the correct recovery path for the problem you experience.

There are two main routes.

If reviews appear to have vanished because of a technical mistake, use Google Business Profile support and provide the evidence you collected. Google’s help page specifically says businesses should contact support when automated detection removes legitimate reviews.

If Google has sent an email saying your profile received a policy restriction, use the appeal process included in that notice. Google says businesses can appeal restrictions and provide extra context for another review.

Do not report every negative review simply because you dislike it.

Google says reviews are only eligible for removal when they break its policies. A normal complaint from a real customer is not automatically a policy violation.

9. Agencies should tell clients what is known—and what is not.

Local SEO agencies may feel pressure to promise a fast solution

That would be a mistake.

The confirmed facts are limited: Google knows about the issue, suspicious review systems may be involved, the company is investigating, and reviews removed by mistake are expected to return. No public restoration date has been announced.

A clear client message would say:

We have documented the review loss and opened the correct support path. Google has acknowledged a broader issue, but it has not provided a recovery timeline. We are monitoring the profile and avoiding unnecessary edits that could create new problems.

That is more useful than pretending an agency can force Google to restore reviews.

10. The next key signal is whether reviews return automatically.

The most important thing to watch is how Google handles affected profiles.

If review counts return without owners filing individual appeals, that would suggest a broad system correction.

If recovery happens only after support cases, businesses and agencies may need to document and escalate each profile separately.

Google’s public statement leaves both possibilities open.

Until more is known, affected businesses should monitor their profiles in Google Search and Maps, keep screenshots of any changes, and save all support emails.

The larger lesson is simple:

Customer trust should not live in only one company’s database.

Google reviews are valuable. But businesses should also collect customer stories, permission-based testimonials, and proof of results on websites and channels they control.

A seller turns on a camera, shows some products, initiates an auction, and watches the bids roll in. But the camera is just the visible part.

Behind every smooth Whatnot show, there are good products, clear prices, accurate shipping details, fast packing, and a host who knows how to keep people interested.

Here’s how to start selling live on Whatnot in 2026 without making your first show harder than it needs to be.

1. See if you can sell from your country.

Before investing in lights, inventory, or shipping supplies, verify if Whatnot accepts sellers from your location.

As of July 2026, Whatnot is now accepting seller applications for the following:

• U.S., including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

• Austria

• Australia

• Belgium

• Canada

• France

• Germany

• Netherlands

• The United Kingdom

India and many other countries are not on the approved seller list right now. Your Whatnot account must be linked to a bank account in the same country and currency.

It’s easy to overlook this detail. You can download the app and watch shows, but you may not be able to open a seller account.

“Be certain you qualify before you make a Whatnot business plan.”

2. Apply within the Whatnot app.

Sign up, open the app, and tap “+”. Sell,” then tap “Get Started.”

The application requires:

• Your primary product category

• Your selling experience

• Your regular monthly sales

• Other platforms you’re on

• Your social media profiles

• Your legal name and return address

“Most applicants are granted seller access shortly after they apply, but some accounts may require additional review,” Whatnot says.

Be honest about your experience. You don’t have to pretend you already have a big store.

Some categories, such as luxury bags, wholesale items, and certain surprise formats, require extra approval.

3. Choose one distinct product category.

Don’t make your first show seem like a garage full of random items. Choose one main type of product, for example:

• Vintage clothes

• Sportscards

• Coins, comics, toys

• Jewelry, sneakers

• Cosmetics

Shoppers find it easier to follow a focused show. It also helps Whatnot put your show in the right category, where interested buyers are more likely to see it.

Later, you can work across multiple categories. But when applying, select the category where you expect to sell most often.

A quick test: Complete this sentence—“People should watch my show because I sell ____.” If it takes three sentences to answer, your show is probably too broad.

4. Know your minimum safe selling price.

Live auctions can move quickly. That rush is part of the appeal, but it can also make sellers careless.

Calculate before the show:

• Cost of product

• Platform fees

• Packing costs

• Shipping paid by seller

• Desired profit

There’s an 8% commission fee for many categories in the USA, Canada, and Australia. Payment processing is typically 2.9% of the order total plus a $0.30 transaction fee. Coins and money have a lower commission rate, and Europe and the UK may have different structures, possibly including VAT.

Whatnot does not charge fees to create or store a listing; fees are taken at the point of sale.

For example, Whatnot’s U.S. fee structure shows that an item selling for $50 will net about $44 after the 8% commission and payment-processing fees. The product cost is still deducted from that amount. Time for you!

This is why starting every item at $1 can be risky. A low opening bid can create excitement, but if there are few buyers watching, it can also backfire.

5. Start with a phone, excellent lighting, and stable internet.

You don’t need a television studio. The easiest way to get started is to stream from your phone, says Whatnot. Basic setup requirements:

• A phone with a good camera

• A sturdy phone stand

• Uniform, bright lighting

• A clean table or background

• Good internet connection

• A power bank or charger

Whatnot’s production guide suggests upgrading your phone setup before investing in advanced equipment. Focus on sound and lighting over decorations. Buyers need to hear you and clearly see the item’s color, size, condition, and details. A blurry camera can make a good product look suspicious.

You don’t even have to be on camera. Many sellers just show their hands and products, which can make the first show less stressful.

6. Book the show when you are not quite ready.

After approval, open Seller Hub and schedule your first show. You choose:

• Show title

• Date and time

• Primary category

• Sales format

• Thumbnail image

Whatnot suggests booking about a week in advance. This gives people time to bookmark your show and gives you time to promote it on social media. A compelling title and strong thumbnail can help attract the right audience.

Avoid vague names like “My First Live!” Pick a descriptive title that tells buyers what to expect, like “Vintage Nike Jackets, Tees & Hats for Under $40.” This answers what’s for sale, brands included, and the expected price range.

7. Load your products before you go live.

Don’t leave product organization until the show starts. Pre-set your listings with the following:

• Clear product names

• Good pictures

• Accurate condition descriptions

• Selling method

• Starting or fixed price

• Correct packed weight

By preloading your listings, you can focus on engaging with your viewers, instead of typing product info during the stream. Place your products in the same order as your listings, and number them or store them in labeled containers. This is crucial when you have several sales in a few minutes.

8. Consider your first show to be a rehearsal.

Your initial objective shouldn’t be to become the top seller in your category. Aim for one clean, well-run show.

Here’s a simple plan:

• First 5 minutes: Welcome viewers and introduce your products.

• Next 30-45 minutes: Demonstrate products, answer questions, and hold auctions or fixed-price sales.

• Last 5 minutes: Wrap up and let buyers know when to expect their order to ship.

Whatnot has live auctions, fixed-price listings, and giveaways. Take your time with each product, show all angles and flaws, and describe it before auctioning.

If your audience is small, don’t worry. Ten interested buyers are better than a hundred silent viewers. Some sellers use rehearsal mode (after their first show) to practice pinning products and running test auctions. Private shows are also a great way to test with friends or team members.

9. Remember, the job isn’t over once the livestream ends.

The work isn’t finished when the camera turns off. You still need to:

• Check every order

• Review cancel requests

• Verify package weights

• Print shipping labels

• Pack items securely

• Drop off packages

• Monitor your earnings

Most sellers on Whatnot must ship within two business days of the sale. Packages must be scanned as dropped off or have other approved proof of shipment.

Getting the weights right is important because Whatnot uses them to calculate shipping, select services, and combine orders. The gross weight is the weight of the item plus the packing and packing materials.

New sellers are generally paid after delivery confirmation. When you trigger a payout, funds usually arrive within one or two business days. Experienced sellers may qualify for earlier payouts.

In other words, fast and accurate shipping is part of the sales experience, not just “back office” work.

The real secret isn’t being “good on camera.”

A successful Whatnot seller doesn’t need to sound like a TV host. Be clear, honest, organized, and consistent. Start with a product category, use what you have, set secure pricing, have listings ready before the show, and ship orders quickly.

I’m reviewing Quick Audience profits system by Rachle now, it’s a Whatot mentorship program. I’ll update the evalution report soon in OnlineCOSMOS.

Your first livestream might feel awkward. That’s normal. The better question isn’t, “What if my first show isn’t perfect?”

It’s, “What will I learn by doing the first show that I could never learn by waiting?”

Insights Summary:

• Microsoft sends 6,000 experts and $2.5 billion to fix busted enterprise AI

• • The UN forms a new commission to establish global AI rules, and the US quietly negotiates voluntary release standards.

• GitHub demonstrated that remediating code leaks is more difficult than detecting them, clearing a massive backlog of 20,000 alerts.

• Ad agency leaders warn AI is for workflow speed, not taking over your brand’s creative soul.

Are your AI pilots making money or just burning API credits? Microsoft’s newest $2.5 billion bet suggests most businesses are still on the runway.

The Death of the AI Sandbox

So you bought access to AI. What next?

Microsoft has come to realize it needs to do more than just sell AI models. The Official Microsoft Blog reports that they launched the Microsoft Frontier company, investing $2.5 billion and sending 6,000 specialists directly into customers’ businesses.

But why the big switch? Because it is incredibly challenging to plug an LLM (a large language model, or smart text generator) into messy company data.

Microsoft’s move highlights that the real bottleneck is implementation, the actual setup work. Now, the real competitive advantage is in the execution. “If you’re just selling basic AI consulting and don’t have real workflow skills, you are in danger of being squeezed out.

The Game’s Rules Are Changing

Governments scramble to set boundaries, while tech giants build.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has just launched the AI for Good Global Commission. They want to push global AI collaboration.

But behind closed doors in the US progress is being made. The government is discussing voluntary standards for the release of new AI models, Reuters reports.

Technical Alert: Please note this US news is unconfirmed. Don’t build your product roadmap on rumors of non-existent laws. Distinguish between binding legislation (laws you must comply with) and voluntary guidelines.

The Ugly Truth of Code Security

It’s easy to find a security hole. The real nightmare is fixing it. GitHub revealed it had to deal with more than 20,000 secret-scanning alerts in 15,000 repositories (folders to store code).

They didn’t just erase old passwords. They built a huge system to identify owners and when to revoke access altogether. If your team is all-in on AI, your API keys (the digital VIP passes to your software) are probably leaking out as we speak. Fix the problem by setting up pre-commit scanning today to catch leaks before they happen.

The brand is still owned by humans.

All this technology, and AI still can’t run your marketing department.

Digitas CEO Amy Lanzi told The Verge in a recent interview, “AI is great for workflow speed. AI can spit out variations of ad copy all day.

But it’s dangerous to leave creative control entirely to an automated system. It damages long-term brand building. There’s still a need for human judgment to defend what your company stands for.

The reason your day-to-day will change

This isn’t just news for tech billionaires. It also impacts your daily workflow.

If you run a digital business, soon your clients will demand proof – they’ll want to know exactly how your AI works, with audit trails and security assurances. Gone are the days when you could just add a basic AI chatbot to your website and call it a day.

So what should you do today?

Don’t try all the new AI toys that come along. Today, audit your current workflows. What is a concrete task that AI can deliver tangible business outcomes from? Keep your API keys safe. Don’t let an algorithm define your brand’s main message.

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Topics Covered: Microsoft, Microsoft Frontier Company, UN International Telecommunication Union, GitHub, Digitas

TikTok Growth Max: Mini Dramas is a performance ad product that helps content partners promote episodic drama content inside TikTok. It supports in-app ad revenue and in-app purchase optimization, with reporting for launch, checkout, and ROAS metrics.

• TikTok Growth Max: Mini Dramas is an ad product to promote Mini Dramas on TikTok.

• TikTok says these campaigns can help you get money from ads inside the app or get people to buy things inside the app.

• To set up a campaign you need to use the TikTok Native Growth goal in TikTok Ads Manager.

• The reports from TikTok have things like how many people started checking out and how much money you made from your ads, which is called Return On Ad Spend (ROAS).

TikTok Is Selling the Funnel, Not the Format

TikTok has launched Growth Max: Mini Dramas, a way for ads to work with Mini Drama content.

TikTok says partners can put Mini Dramas on TikTok, make money from them and then use Growth Max to reach people.

This is not just boosted entertainment content. It’s a monetization system tied to TikTok’s onsite behavior signals.

Mini dramas are not the story.

The real story here is that TikTok is using scripted videos to get people to buy things inside the app.

You see an ad and watch a story go to pay and TikTok tracks it all.

That cuts friction. It also keeps more data inside TikTok.

What Are TikTok Mini Dramas?

TikTok Mini Dramas are stories that users watch on TikTok.

TikTok’s guide for developers says TikTok Minis lets other services work inside TikTok. One example is short dramas, where users can watch third-party drama content inside TikTok as if they were on the partner’s own site.

So the platform is not only hosting clips. It’s trying to keep the full viewing experience in-app.

What Is Growth Max Actually Doing

Growth Max is the ad layer on top of the content.

TikTok says Growth Max is a way for ads to turn content into business growth.

In terms TikTok uses ads to get Mini Drama viewers to buy things.

The supported content types are Mini Dramas, published as mini programs, and Drama Series, published directly through a TikTok Business Account. TikTok lists the placement as TikTok only.

This Is Not a Normal TikTok Traffic Campaign

Don’t treat this like a standard click-to-site campaign.

TikTok’s setup guide says advertisers use the TikTok Native Growth objective and select Mini Dramas as the optimization area. The campaign can then optimize around Day 0 purchase value or Day 0 ad revenue value.

That changes the operating model. You’re not just buying views. You’re feeding TikTok creative and revenue signals so the system can optimize inside its own environment.

How Do You Set Up Growth Max for Mini Dramas?

To start you go to TikTok Ads Manager.

TikTok says you should make a campaign, pick the TikTok Native Growth goal, choose Mini Dramas, pick a drama, set up how much you’re willing to pay, choose how you want to bid, add your budget and who you want to target and then submit your ad.

One thing: TikTok says you should have at least 10 different ad creatives and they have to be videos.

So you need different starts, scenes and edits before you launch.

Mini Dramas Are Becoming Performance Creative

Think of this like a landing page with episodes.

A normal ad grabs attention, then sends the user somewhere else. A Mini Drama keeps the user watching, builds tension, and creates a monetization moment inside the same app.

That’s why the format matters. The story becomes the pre-sell page.

What Can Marketers Track

TikTok’s reporting guide includes funnel-style metrics.

For Growth Max: Mini Dramas, TikTok says advertisers can track:

• Launch, which means users enter the Mini Drama to watch;

• Add to Cart, where the payment window appears;

• Checkout Initiated, where the user clicks the payment button;

• And paid or organic Day X ad revenue ROAS.

That gives marketers a cleaner path from content exposure to revenue signal. But it still doesn’t remove the need for proper testing.

Weak Stories Will Burn Budget Fast

This format won’t save bad creativity.

Mini dramas are popular because they tell a story that makes you curious: hook, tension, payoff, cliffhanger.

If the start is slow it’s hard to understand why the character is doing something or it feels forced when they ask for payment the whole thing falls apart before the ad system can help.

So don’t start with media buying. Start with story testing.

Why TikTok Is Pushing This Now

TikTok wants more user activity to stay inside TikTok.

The official Mini Dramas documentation says users can watch third-party short drama content inside the TikTok app. The Growth Max documentation then adds the monetization layer: promotion, onsite signals, in-app purchases, and ad revenue optimization.

That is the strategic move. TikTok is not only competing for attention. It’s trying to own more of the transaction path.

Why This Matters for Marketers

This is useful if your brand can sell through narrative.

Gaming, entertainment, consumer apps, creator-led offers, and subscription products may fit better than plain B2B software or commodity products. A Mini Drama can build curiosity over several scenes instead of forcing a hard sell in the first three seconds.

But a boring message won’t become interesting just because it’s episodic.

Why This Matters for Creators

Creators may get a new paid-content lane.

Brands and publishers testing Mini Dramas will need writers, actors, editors, UGC-style performers, AI video operators, and short-form creative strategists. The opportunity is not just “make TikToks.”

It builds serial content that can monetize inside TikTok.

Why This Matters for Growth Operators

This could become a new funnel model.

Instead of sending users from a TikTok ad to a landing page, operators can test story-led acquisition where persuasion happens inside the platform. The checkout or monetization event sits closer to the content moment.

But attribution discipline matters. Track paid reach, organic lift, launch events, checkout actions, and revenue separately. Otherwise, you won’t know whether the story, offer, or targeting did the work.

Practical Checklist Before You Test Mini Dramas

Use this before you spend:

1. Confirm your Mini Drama is registered in the right target location. TikTok says only locations where clients have registered Mini Dramas are supported.

2. Build at least 10 video creatives before launch. TikTok recommends this minimum.

3. Separate IAP and IAA goals. Don’t mix purchase revenue and ad revenue casually.

4. Test the first 3 seconds of each creative. That’s where the scroll is won or lost.

5. Set up custom reporting for Launch, Add to Cart, Checkout Initiated, and ROAS.

6. Check whether organic drama views rise after paid promotion starts.

7. Don’t scale until the story hook proves it can hold attention.

The goal is not to make a brand film. The goal is to build a measurable story funnel.

What Is Still Unclear

TikTok’s documents explain the ad setup, reporting, and optimization paths. They don’t prove that every advertiser will get strong returns.

It’s also unclear how widely Mini Dramas will work outside entertainment-heavy categories. The format may fit romance, games, apps, and serialized education better than B2B SaaS or low-interest products.

So treat this as a testable channel. Not a universal growth hack.

If you run TikTok ads, don’t copy this blindly.

In the next 24 hours, audit whether your offer can support a story loop: problem, desire, obstacle, reveal, and next action. If your first episode can’t earn the second watch, Growth Max will only help you spend faster.

OpenAI’s EU workforce report says AI may grow some jobs, reorganize many workflows, and increase automation pressure in some roles. The main problem is not just people losing their jobs. How AI changes what makes certain tasks valuable.

• OpenAI released a report about the EU workforce on June 29 2026.

• The report groups jobs into four AI paths: growth, reorganization, automation pressure, and lower immediate change.

• OpenAI says 27% of EU employment may see major workflow changes, while 14% face higher automation pressure.

• The report is not meant to predict job losses. It is a tool to help workers, employers, schools and policymakers plan.

Your Job Title Is Not the Risk

Your task list is the risk.

OpenAI’s EU jobs report does not prove that AI will wipe out millions of European jobs.It shows that AI will likely affect tasks that are done over and over before it replaces jobs.

For people who do marketing, create content, freelance or run agencies this is a warning. If your value comes from writing, simple research, reports, summaries or repetitive office work your profit is already in trouble.

What OpenAI Published

OpenAI released The AI Jobs Transition Framework for the EU, a report on how artificial intelligence may affect work across European Union countries.

The report does not treat every job the same. It separates jobs by how AI may change demand, workflows, and automation pressure.

That distinction matters. A role can survive while the work inside it gets cheaper, faster, and easier to copy.

The Key Numbers:

OpenAI groups EU employment into four broad paths:

• 12% of employment may grow as AI lowers costs and creates more demand.

• 27% may be reorganized as AI changes workflows.

• 14% face higher near-term automation pressure.

• 47% face less immediate change.

Do not misread the 14% number. OpenAI is not saying 14% of EU workers will lose their jobs. It is saying those roles contain tasks that AI may handle more easily.

That is a different risk. But it is still a real one.

AI Is a Workflow Rewiring Tool

Think of AI like a workflow router.

It does not need to replace the whole worker to change the economics of the job. It only needs to take over enough steps in the pipeline to change the price, speed, and skill mix.

A content marketer who only drafts posts is exposed. A content strategist who can research position ideas, edit, verify facts, distribute content and measure results is harder to replace with AI.

The value moves upstream. Judgment beats production volume.

What This Means for Digital Operators

If you sell services online, audit your offer now.

Basic deliverables are getting weaker: blog drafts, ad variations, simple reports, keyword lists, competitor summaries, social captions, and first-pass email copy. AI can already produce much of that at low cost.

Stronger offers connect the work to business outcomes. Think conversion audits, editorial strategy, campaign systems, sales enablement, compliance-safe content, workflow automation, and performance reporting.

You should not sell “content.” You should sell a sharper decision system.

Automation Pressure Is Not the Same as Job Loss

Automation pressure means AI can perform more tasks inside a role. It does not automatically mean the role disappears.

This is the technical detail many headlines will blur. A job may remain, but the worker may need fewer hours, different tools, stronger review skills, or a higher-value service layer.

That is where operators get squeezed first. Not by replacement — by price compression.

Which EU Countries Look More Exposed

OpenAI says country-level exposure depends on each country’s job mix.

Germany, Greece, and Italy show larger shares of employment in higher automation-pressure roles. Luxembourg, Sweden, and the Netherlands show larger shares in roles that may grow with AI.

This is not a “best country versus worst country” ranking. It is a labor-market structure map.

For readers, the useful question is local: what type of work dominates your industry, and how much of it is repeatable?

What This Report Cannot Tell You

This report does not predict exact layoffs.

The report also can’t tell you how quickly companies will start using AI, how unions or regulators will react or how much customers will still want to deal with humans.

The report maps exposure. It does not prove outcomes.

That matters because AI capability is only one variable. Regulation, training, cost, customer trust, legal risk, and company culture all affect what actually happens.

Europe’s Bigger Problem: Adoption Speed

Europe may not only face job disruption. It may also face a productivity gap.

Research discussed by the St. Louis Fed found higher workplace AI use among U.S. workers than among workers in several European countries in early 2026.

That creates a hard tradeoff. Move too slowly, and European firms may protect some workflows while losing speed. Move too fast, and workers may face abrupt task disruption without enough training.

Neither path is clean.

What Marketers, Creators, and Freelancers Should Do

Start with a task audit.

List the work you do each week. Mark each task as one of four types:

1. AI can already do this well.

2. AI can draft it, but you must verify it.

3. AI can assist, but human judgment drives quality.

4. AI cannot do this without deep context or trust.

Then rebuild your offer around categories three and four.

That is where your leverage sits.

What Employers Should Do

Do not start with “Which roles can we replace?”

Start with “Which workflows are leaking time?”

That shift creates better AI adoption. It lets teams automate low-value steps without destroying institutional knowledge.

Employers should track task time, quality control errors, review bottlenecks, tool usage, and training gaps. Those signals will matter before official labor data catches up.

What Policymakers Should Watch

OpenAI says the report is a warning, not a final prediction.

That makes sense. Governments should keep track of how AI’s used job openings, wages, job changes, training uptake and productivity in different sectors before making big claims.

The EUs AI Act timeline is also important. Rules about high-risk AI in employment are expected to apply from December 2 2027 according to the European Commission.

This means companies using AI in hiring, managing workers or making employment decisions should get ready for checks.

Why Does This Matters to People?

The weak version of this story is: “AI may take jobs.”

The useful version is: “AI will reprice tasks.”

That is the operating reality for solopreneurs. If your work looks like something that can be done over and over, clients will expect it to be done faster and cheaper. If your work reduces risk, helps make decisions or brings in revenue you still have room to charge.

So what do you expect?

Do this in the 24 hours: look at your top five paid tasks.

Mark which ones AI can draft, which ones AI can check and which ones still need your judgment. Then rewrite your service offer around the parts that create trust, strategy, and measurable business value.

Do not wait for your job title to change. The task economics are already moving.

At a Glance:

• Cooking colleges for youngsters are coming to be very popular in lots of countries.

• Courses are offered for every age, starting with children as young as two years of ages.

• Programs include summertime camps, online lessons, and special courses to make Scout spots.

• Institutions in the US, France, and Mexico are showing kids how to make food from various societies.

A Big Increase in Young Chefs

Today, even more youngsters than ever before are putting on aprons and learning to cook. These courses are not just for playing with food. They are specialist (run by experts) programs where children discover actual skills.

From toddlers just beginning to stroll to teens getting ready for university, there is a course for everyone.

In the United States, the variety of youngsters signing up with these programs is a rise (an extremely quick boost). Huge firms like Taste Buds Kitchen and Sur La Table are blazing a trail. They aid kids master (find out exactly how to do something extremely well) the art of making pastry (baked products like pie crust) and pasta.

Popular Cooking Schools in the United States

Several colleges offer methods for youngsters to enter the kitchen area. Here are 3 of the greatest ones:

1. Taste Kitchen: This school has courses for many ages. They concentrate on making cooking fun. They use whatever from birthday celebration celebrations to "drop-off" camps where parents can leave their children to discover for a couple of hours.

2. Sur La Table: This is a popular store that likewise instructs food preparation. They have a "Summer Series" for kids and teens. These are classes that occur over numerous days in a row so kids can find out a lot swiftl.

3. Sticky Fingers Cooking: This program is really flexible. They offer on-line lessons so youngsters can stay in their very own kitchen areas. They likewise work with institutions to supply courses after the school day ends.

Cooking Around the World

Finding out to prepare is additionally preferred in various other nations. In Mexico City, children most likely to Centro Culinario Ambrosia. Right here, they find out exactly how to make traditional (something that has been done for a long period of time) Mexican food.

In Paris, which is the funding of France, there is a college called Cook 'n with Class. This school teaches children concerning worldwide cuisines (foods and cooking designs from various parts of the world). Finding out about food from various other countries aids children understand the world better.

Courses for All Ages and Goals

Cooking programs are not just "one dimension fits all." They are created for different needs:

• Family-Style Classes: In these courses, parents and youngsters prepare with each other. This is a "shared experience" where the whole household has fun and consumes together at the end.

• Scout Patches: Some programs help kids in the Scouts make special spots. They discover kitchen security and how to comply with a recipe.

• The Counselor Track: This is for older youngsters and teens. They don't just learn to cook; they learn just how to be leaders. They aid the educators and look after the younger children.

• Intensives: These are four-week programs that are very concentrated. They are for kids that want to find out a lot of skills in a really short quantity of time.

Why Cooking benefits Kids

Food preparation is more than simply making a snack. It helps youngsters discover various other institution subjects without even realizing it.

First, it uses Math. Kids need to gauge components like flour and sugar. They have to discover portions (parts of a whole) when they utilize half a cup or a quarter of a tsp.

Second, it involves Science. Kids see exactly how heat modifications food. They find out just how yeast (a tiny creature) makes bread surge and come to be fluffy.

Third, it shows Safety. Youngsters discover just how to make use of kitchen tools like knives and ovens without getting pain. This makes them extra independent.

What's Next for Young Chefs?

As even more families look for enjoyable and healthy and balanced points to do, cooking classes will likely remain to expand. We may see more mobile (able to move from area to place) food preparation institutions that check out various areas. We might additionally see even more courses concentrated on healthy and balanced consuming and just how to grow your very own vegetables.

Whether it is making a simple pizza or an elegant French treat, kids are showing that they can be fantastic chefs if they are given the right devices and a little helpful.

So, we could expert more Kid Chefs creators booming in YouTube and Instagram in near future.