Blogs appear 23% of the time in the top 5 positions of Google Search, excluding home pages, according to BrightEdge data.

Study: Blogs appear most often in top Google positions

Financing will drive the further development of a new class of drugs targeting DNA repair defects in cancer.NEW HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Modifi Biosciences, a leader in DNA modification as a novel approach to target cancer,

Modifi Bio Raises Additional $4.3 Million in Seed Funding

Search Engine Land » SEO » New Bing attracts new Edge users – who then use Google SearchPeople who rushed to download the Microsoft Edge browser to

New Bing attracts new Edge users – who then use Google Search – Search Engine Land

A qualitative report published by Infinity Business Insights On "Search Engine Optimization Software Market". This extensive report conducts a thorough evaluation of different geographical areas ...

Search Engine Optimization Software Market 2023 Competition Strategies, Revenue Analysis, and Regional Analysis | Ahrefs, Siteimprove, BrightEdge

Discover why quality data is pivotal in harnessing AI-first technologies, to optimize content for maximum impact across multiple digital channels

What Is Quality Data And How It Connects Search, Content, And AI Success

BrightEdge LLC, the American Cancer Society's venture capital and impact investment arm, published its most recent annual report, featuring how its portfolio of 18 companies has the potential to improve the lives of more than 1.5 million cancer patients ...

American Cancer Society

Cambridge biotech company CellCentric has received a further $3 million investment from BrightEdge LLC, the impact investment and innovation arm of the American Cancer Society (ACS). This follows an initial strategic investment made in January 2022.

Bright spot as CellCentric earns fresh $3m from BrightEdge LLC

You are unauthorized to view this page. National Care Group (NCG) has been granted more than £300,000 in funding from the Adult Social Care Technology Fund. Stay up to date with all our events, awards and publications. Information you provide us with will ...

Caring Times Owners Club partners with Spectrum Care

BrightEdge: A leading SEO platform, BrightEdge utilizes AI to assist businesses in optimizing their website content for voice search. Its AI-powered recommendations help marketers identify and ...

Unlocking the Power of AI for Voice Search Optimization: A Complete Guide

BrightEdge

brightedge

Google's AI Overviews shake up the search landscape, sparking debate on content quality and SEO impact. While some hail them as a boon, others worry AI Overviews might steal content and reduce website traffic. The article explores these concerns and the potential impact on creators, consumers, and the future of search. It's been over two weeks since Google launched AI Overviews for its US-based users (with plans to roll out globally by the end of this year), and they have already become a hot topic in the media. While some experts consider them a boon for ethical website owners and white-hat marketers, believing they will dramatically change the search industry in the coming months, others are less optimistic, accusing Google of stealing their content and violating its own spam policies. On social media, thousands of users are dunking on the inaccuracies and bizarre responses from AI Overviews, such as the claim that a dog played in the NHL (confused by a charity event for rescue pups) or that several US Presidents graduated from UW-Madison (confused by a webpage referencing students with the same names as US Presidents), and even the suggestion that running with scissors is good for health. But jokes aside, some people’s firsthand experiences with how AI Overviews have already impacted their unique content and website traffic raise more questions than answers. According to travel writer David Leiter, whenever someone searched for "Best Slot Canyons Near Las Vegas," his article in the travel blog was always at the top of the search results page. However, after the launch of AI Overviews, the same search brought up an AI-generated response at the top of the page instead. The answer was completely wrong, as AI couldn't differentiate a slot canyon from a regular canyon. Although the AI Overview did include a link to Leiter's article, it was pushed to the very bottom of the results and took time to see. As a result, David believes the potential consequences are especially problematic because he feels "Google's AI is outright stealing content" from creators like himself. He doesn't think "he'll get more traffic than he used to as the top search result." This and other stories I encountered in the media motivated me to research the topic more deeply and seek answers to the questions: How will AI Overviews and other AI-powered enhancements eventually affect search, and who will benefit the most from them? Impact on the SEO Ecosystem Google's AI Overviews are poised to transform the search landscape significantly. One of their most notable capabilities is multi-step reasoning, allowing users to ask complex questions in a single query and receive comprehensive, customized results. For instance, a query about finding the best barbershop or Yoga studio in NYC now yields a detailed results page that previously would have required multiple searches and visits to different websites. These advancements reduce the need for multiple search queries and directly impact how users interact with search engines. Users who find the information they need directly in the AI overview are less likely to visit your website. This can lead to a decrease in your website's traffic and harm your search engine optimization efforts. Lower traffic means fewer opportunities for user engagement, ad impressions, and conversions, directly affecting your site's revenue and growth. Furthermore, reduced traffic can negatively impact your website's search engine rankings over time, creating a vicious cycle where decreased visibility leads to even lower traffic. Moreover, only a few link cards are shown in AI Overviews, making it a "winner takes all" scenario where smaller publishers might struggle if sites with greater authority dominate these spots. This could threaten the web traffic of "millions of marketers, creators, and publishers" who rely on Google's search traffic. Rather than a diverse, user-created internet, the result could be a system where just a handful of large companies provide information. Centralizing information within Google's ecosystem could reduce content diversity and the number of voices available online. This monopolization of information flow is a significant concern for the web. As Google becomes more adept at providing comprehensive answers, user reliance on its services will likely increase. This growing dependence could stifle competition and innovation. The extensive data collection required for personalized AI features raises significant privacy issues. Ensuring user consent and data security will be paramount as AI evolves. However, according to BrightEdge, Google significantly reduced the number of search results showing the SGE in April by 40%, from 65% at the start of the month to around 25% by the end. Additionally, the height of the SGE element was reduced by about 15%, from an average of 1200 pixels to 1050 pixels. As such, Google may be attempting to optimize the user interface and search experience while ensuring that traditional ads still have prominence and visibility. This indicates a nuanced approach to integrating AI overviews rather than prioritizing them over other elements. Impact on Content Creators and Consumers If users increasingly consume AI-generated content in search results, the demand for "human" content decreases. The shift to AI-generated summaries can undermine the value of unique, high-quality content produced by humans, making it harder for content creators to monetize their work through ad revenue, subscriptions, or sponsorships. Additionally, human authors' creative and nuanced perspectives may be undervalued, leading to a homogenized content landscape dominated by AI outputs. As mentioned above, AI can't yet boast of providing truly high-quality information. It still regularly "hallucinates" and provides unreliable information that needs to be verified manually. This poses a significant risk to content consumers who rely on AI overviews for accurate and trustworthy information. Misinformation can have severe consequences in critical areas such as health, finance, and legal advice. For instance, erroneous AI Overviews have been found for some YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) queries, including searches related to health, mental health, finances, and well-being—crucial information that can significantly impact users' lives. Consumers may need to develop new habits of cross-checking AI-provided information with reliable sources, which could be time-consuming and counterproductive. Moreover, over-reliance on AI-generated content could diminish critical thinking skills as consumers might start accepting AI responses at face value without questioning their accuracy. This shift in behavior presents a significant opportunity for innovation. Startups can capitalize on this demand by creating AI-based products that specialize in verifying AI-generated information. Such tools could be invaluable across various sectors, particularly in media, academia, scientific research, R&D, and other domains that rely heavily on accurate information. By developing applications that ensure the reliability of AI content, these startups could address a crucial need in both B2C and B2B markets, fostering greater trust and dependability in AI-driven insights. For marketers, this shift raises questions about traffic impact. However, there is a silver lining: according to Hema Bhuttaraju, the senior director of the AI Overviews project, link cards within AI Overviews generate a higher click-through rate than traditional web search results. Moreover, Google has announced that impressions and clicks from AI overviews will be tracked in the Search Console, providing marketers with data on their performance in this new search paradigm. Mark Traphagen, VP of Product Marketing and Training for seoClarity, states, "Most AI responses target long-tail, low search volume queries, which are generally unlikely to significantly impact most sites." He also found that AI Overviews primarily appear for informational queries—when users want to do something, learn steps, or complete a task. However, the number of queries that deserve summaries (QDS) for AI Overviews has significantly decreased compared to the SGE for informational queries. This suggests that while AI overviews are used for specific types of queries, their overall presence and relevance have diminished compared to other informational tools like SGE. Conclusion In conclusion, while AI Overviews present both challenges and opportunities, their overall impact on high-traffic websites and critical SEO strategies may be limited. The immediate threat is more significant for smaller publishers and content creators, who may see their visibility and traffic decrease. However, businesses and content creators can continue to thrive by focusing on high-quality, unique content that addresses more complex and high-volume queries. As AI technology evolves, all stakeholders must adapt and find ways to coexist with AI-generated content, ensuring a balanced and diverse digital landscape. BTW, Hackernoon’s poll on AI Overviews is still open. You’re welcome to share your input and see the interim results! Google's AI Overviews shake up the search landscape, sparking debate on content quality and SEO impact. While some hail them as a boon, others worry AI Overviews might steal content and reduce website traffic. The article explores these concerns and the potential impact on creators, consumers, and the future of search. Google's AI Overviews shake up the search landscape, sparking debate on content quality and SEO impact. While some hail them as a boon, others worry AI Overviews might steal content and reduce website traffic. The article explores these concerns and the potential impact on creators, consumers, and the future of search. It's been over two weeks since Google launched AI Overviews for its US-based users (with plans to roll out globally by the end of this year), and they have already become a hot topic in the media. While some experts consider them a boon for ethical website owners and white-hat marketers, believing they will dramatically change the search industry in the coming months, others are less optimistic, accusing Google of stealing their content and violating its own spam policies. On social media, thousands of users are dunking on the inaccuracies and bizarre responses from AI Overviews, such as the claim that a dog played in the NHL (confused by a charity event for rescue pups) or that several US Presidents graduated from UW-Madison (confused by a webpage referencing students with the same names as US Presidents), and even the suggestion that running with scissors is good for health. dunking on But jokes aside, some people’s firsthand experiences with how AI Overviews have already impacted their unique content and website traffic raise more questions than answers. According to travel writer David Leiter , whenever someone searched for "Best Slot Canyons Near Las Vegas," his article in the travel blog was always at the top of the search results page. However, after the launch of AI Overviews, the same search brought up an AI-generated response at the top of the page instead. The answer was completely wrong, as AI couldn't differentiate a slot canyon from a regular canyon. Although the AI Overview did include a link to Leiter's article, it was pushed to the very bottom of the results and took time to see. As a result, David believes the potential consequences are especially problematic because he feels "Google's AI is outright stealing content" from creators like himself. He doesn't think "he'll get more traffic than he used to as the top search result." David Leiter This and other stories I encountered in the media motivated me to research the topic more deeply and seek answers to the questions: How will AI Overviews and other AI-powered enhancements eventually affect search, and who will benefit the most from them? How will AI Overviews and other AI-powered enhancements eventually affect search, and who will benefit the most from them? Impact on the SEO Ecosystem Impact on the SEO Ecosystem Google's AI Overviews are poised to transform the search landscape significantly. One of their most notable capabilities is multi-step reasoning, allowing users to ask complex questions in a single query and receive comprehensive, customized results. For instance, a query about finding the best barbershop or Yoga studio in NYC now yields a detailed results page that previously would have required multiple searches and visits to different websites. These advancements reduce the need for multiple search queries and directly impact how users interact with search engines. Users who find the information they need directly in the AI overview are less likely to visit your website. This can lead to a decrease in your website's traffic and harm your search engine optimization efforts. Lower traffic means fewer opportunities for user engagement, ad impressions, and conversions, directly affecting your site's revenue and growth. Furthermore, reduced traffic can negatively impact your website's search engine rankings over time, creating a vicious cycle where decreased visibility leads to even lower traffic. Moreover, only a few link cards are shown in AI Overviews, making it a "winner takes all" scenario where smaller publishers might struggle if sites with greater authority dominate these spots. This could threaten the web traffic of "millions of marketers, creators, and publishers" who rely on Google's search traffic. Rather than a diverse, user-created internet, the result could be a system where just a handful of large companies provide information. Centralizing information within Google's ecosystem could reduce content diversity and the number of voices available online. This monopolization of information flow is a significant concern for the web. As Google becomes more adept at providing comprehensive answers, user reliance on its services will likely increase. This growing dependence could stifle competition and innovation. The extensive data collection required for personalized AI features raises significant privacy issues. Ensuring user consent and data security will be paramount as AI evolves . AI evolves However, according to BrightEdge , Google significantly reduced the number of search results showing the SGE in April by 40%, from 65% at the start of the month to around 25% by the end. Additionally, the height of the SGE element was reduced by about 15%, from an average of 1200 pixels to 1050 pixels. As such, Google may be attempting to optimize the user interface and search experience while ensuring that traditional ads still have prominence and visibility. This indicates a nuanced approach to integrating AI overviews rather than prioritizing them over other elements. BrightEdge Impact on Content Creators and Consumers Impact on Content Creators and Consumers If users increasingly consume AI-generated content in search results, the demand for "human" content decreases. The shift to AI-generated summaries can undermine the value of unique, high-quality content produced by humans, making it harder for content creators to monetize their work through ad revenue, subscriptions, or sponsorships. Additionally, human authors' creative and nuanced perspectives may be undervalued, leading to a homogenized content landscape dominated by AI outputs. human authors' creative and nuanced perspectives may be undervalued, leading to a homogenized content landscape dominated by AI outputs. As mentioned above, AI can't yet boast of providing truly high-quality information. It still regularly "hallucinates" and provides unreliable information that needs to be verified manually. This poses a significant risk to content consumers who rely on AI overviews for accurate and trustworthy information. Misinformation can have severe consequences in critical areas such as health, finance, and legal advice. For instance, erroneous AI Overviews have been found for some YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) queries, including searches related to health, mental health, finances, and well-being—crucial information that can significantly impact users' lives. Consumers may need to develop new habits of cross-checking AI-provided information with reliable sources, which could be time-consuming and counterproductive. Moreover, over-reliance on AI-generated content could diminish critical thinking skills as consumers might start accepting AI responses at face value without questioning their accuracy. This shift in behavior presents a significant opportunity for innovation. Startups can capitalize on this demand by creating AI-based products that specialize in verifying AI-generated information. Startups can capitalize on this demand by creating AI-based products that specialize in verifying AI-generated information. Such tools could be invaluable across various sectors, particularly in media, academia, scientific research, R&D, and other domains that rely heavily on accurate information. By developing applications that ensure the reliability of AI content, these startups could address a crucial need in both B2C and B2B markets, fostering greater trust and dependability in AI-driven insights. For marketers, this shift raises questions about traffic impact. However, there is a silver lining: according to Hema Bhuttaraju , the senior director of the AI Overviews project, link cards within AI Overviews generate a higher click-through rate than traditional web search results. Moreover, Google has announced that impressions and clicks from AI overviews will be tracked in the Search Console, providing marketers with data on their performance in this new search paradigm. Hema Bhuttaraju Mark Traphagen , VP of Product Marketing and Training for seoClarity, states, "Most AI responses target long-tail, low search volume queries, which are generally unlikely to significantly impact most sites." He also found that AI Overviews primarily appear for informational queries—when users want to do something, learn steps, or complete a task. However, the number of queries that deserve summaries (QDS) for AI Overviews has significantly decreased compared to the SGE for informational queries. This suggests that while AI overviews are used for specific types of queries, their overall presence and relevance have diminished compared to other informational tools like SGE. Mark Traphagen Conclusion Conclusion In conclusion, while AI Overviews present both challenges and opportunities, their overall impact on high-traffic websites and critical SEO strategies may be limited. The immediate threat is more significant for smaller publishers and content creators, who may see their visibility and traffic decrease. However, businesses and content creators can continue to thrive by focusing on high-quality, unique content that addresses more complex and high-volume queries. As AI technology evolves, all stakeholders must adapt and find ways to coexist with AI-generated content, ensuring a balanced and diverse digital landscape. BTW, Hackernoon’s poll on AI Overviews is still open. You’re welcome to share your input and see the interim results! BTW, Hackernoon’s poll on AI Overviews is still open . You’re welcome to share your input and see the interim results! Hackernoon’s poll on AI Overviews is still open

Beyond the Answer Box: How AI Overviews Impact Search and Content

উত্তর বাক্সের বাইরে: কীভাবে এআই ওভারভিউ অনুসন্ধান এবং বিষয়বস্তুকে প্রভাবিত করে

Über das Antwortfeld hinaus: Wie sich KI-Übersichten auf Suche und Inhalt auswirken

Más allá del cuadro de respuestas: cómo las descripciones generales de IA impactan la búsqueda y el contenido

Au-delà de la boîte à réponses : comment les aperçus de l'IA impactent la recherche et le contenu

उत्तर बॉक्स से परे: AI अवलोकन खोज और सामग्री को कैसे प्रभावित करते हैं

回答ボックスを超えて: AI の概要が検索とコンテンツに与える影響

답변 상자 너머: AI 개요가 검색 및 콘텐츠에 미치는 영향

Além da caixa de resposta: como as visões gerais da IA impactam a pesquisa e o conteúdo

За рамками ответов: как обзоры ИИ влияют на поиск и контент

Cevap Kutusunun Ötesinde: Yapay Zeka Genel Bakışları Aramayı ve İçeriği Nasıl Etkiler?

Ngoài hộp trả lời: Tổng quan về AI tác động đến nội dung và tìm kiếm như thế nào

超越答案框：人工智能概述如何影响搜索和内容

It’s been described as “the next big thing,” “ ,” the “ ,” and a “ ” to institutions of learning. But no matter what you call it, there’s no doubt it has taken the internet by storm and ushered in a new era of AI. overhyped calculator for writing menace I’m talking, of course, about , the chatbot launched last November whose ability to write in a natural, realistic voice has the media proclaiming this as the year AI . ChatGPT becomes eerily human Based on OpenAI’s large language model, and having devoured basically the entire internet, ChatGPT can respond to prompts on just about any topic imaginable; already it’s been used to help an 11-year-old boy create a , enable students to cheat in school, and write a song in any existing musician’s style. text-based role playing game As you might expect, the marketing world is practically intoxicated with ChatGPT’s potential. Tons of marketers are breathlessly trumpeting the ways they have already integrated the tool into their workflows, for everything from handling customer inquiries and brainstorming new taglines to writing emails, web copy, social media content, blog posts, and much more. Predictably, many in the industry are questioning whether ChatGPT will altogether, causing some professionals to confront about what it means to be a writer in this day and age. But if the past is any precursor to the future, AI won’t actually take jobs away from content marketers. It is more likely to empower them to do their work faster, more effectively, and just plain better. replace human writers existential fears Despite the recent fervor about ChatGPT, the truth is that AI is already in widespread use in content marketing today. In Capterra’s , nearly two-thirds of marketers told the software review site they use AI for email marketing, four-tenths claimed to use it for SEO optimization, and one-third for content generation. To truly understand ChatGPT’s future impact on content marketing, it is helpful to look at the ways writers, editors, and content strategists are using AI — or its subsets, machine learning, and natural language processing — today. 2022 AI Marketing Survey Planning & Strategy AI often plays an important role in the process that sits at the very root of content marketing: idea generation. Traditionally, writers or strategists would come up with ideas for topics based on talking to customers, input from the sales team, reactions from what was being covered by the media, and their own intuition on what is most likely to engage their readers. With AI, however, marketers can now make better decisions with data-driven input. Tools from companies such as , and others use AI to help marketers come up with topics to write about based on what is trending in certain areas and what headlines are most likely to drive engagement. Meanwhile, SEO tools such as and provide deep insight into not only what search terms people are looking for and what questions they are asking online, but what related topics those searchers are likely to be interested in. Neuroflash StoryLab.ai , Ahrefs Moz Other tools, like go so far as to use AI to help marketers understand a user’s intent behind their search queries so that marketers know what topics are relevant to someone who is most likely to buy. BrightEdge, Writing Although ChatGPT might be the latest, most sensational, and most human-like AI writing tool to hit the market, it is far from the first. Intelligent writing assistants such as and have been around for years, helping marketers produce an array of content including ad copy, landing pages, emails, blog posts, and more. Jasper, Peppertype, Copy.ai, Anyword Marketers simply give these tools some input into what they need, and the software will spit back original content that they claim is ready to be published. The tools use AI to write content approximately ten times faster than any human could, while phrasing things in ways that they know are likely to make readers take action. For now, many view the quality of the writing as substandard. This is where ChatGPT represents a giant leap forward, though even ChatGPT’s writing seems to lack a sense of imagination and that creative spark that some believe only humans can provide. Still, many writers have found tools such as these helpful for organizing their thoughts, overcoming writer's block, and even producing outlines or first drafts that they can polish into high-quality articles. Editing Of all the AI-based communications tools on the market, perhaps none is as widespread nor as well-known as , the writing assistant that helps more than 30 million people improve their spelling, grammar, and the overall quality of their writing. After receiving $200 million in funding at a $13 billion valuation in 2021, last year the company was named one of Time Magazine’s most influential companies and one of FastCompany’s most innovative companies in artificial intelligence. Grammarly Aside from real-time suggestions for clearer, more effective writing, Grammarly and other editing tools on the market, such as and , can also help writers maintain consistency across their writing with their company’s style, tone of voice, and brand messaging — making their editors' job that much easier. Phrasee Acrolinx None of these tools replace the support and mentorship an actual editor can provide, but they allow those editors to focus less on the copyediting and grammatical fixes that these tools usually catch and more on the big-picture, insight-driven advice that truly elevates a writer’s output. Delivery Once the writing process is complete, AI can even step in to help marketers make sure their content gets delivered to the right person, at the right time, in the right place. Much like the advertising algorithms that target ads based on a user’s past behavior, there are several content delivery platforms on the market that serve up the right blog post, social media content or email based on their predictions about what a user is most likely to find relevant and interesting. Platforms including and use AI to analyze a website visitor’s profile and deliver personalized content experiences that are hyper-relevant to each person’s interests. The marketing performance management solution Allocadia, which is now part of Uptempo, used PathFactory to identify the top-performing content for each stage of its buyer’s journey, then hone in on what resonates best with each specific persona while also understanding how and when to deploy that content to best influence the sales pipeline. The result was a 17% increase in content engagement and an 11% improvement in closed-won sales rates. Uberflip, OneSpot, PathFactory While ChatGPT has marketers excited about its potential impact on their content strategies, it remains to be seen exactly what role generative AI and natural language processing will play in the coming years. Will it replace human writers altogether? Will it degrade the overall quality of writing on the internet? Will it introduce unintentional biases or spell the end of fact-checking and verification as we know it? These questions can only be answered with time. One thing is certain, however: AI has been embraced by a large number of content marketers already, and while it might not be ready to take over their jobs, it has definitely made them better at what they do.

Beyond ChatGPT: How Else Are Content Marketers Using AI Today? 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has numerous business applications and is increasingly being adopted by companies worldwide. In fact, of businesses leverage AI in some form or another. Content is one such area where AI can help brands and marketers get the best results. 37% AI can help with almost all aspects of your content strategy right from planning to execution. And, at each stage, there are a set of AI-powered tools that you can leverage to improve your content strategy. Here are some of the areas where AI can help you improve your content strategy, along with the tools that you can use at each stage. Research and Planning This is the most crucial stage of any content or marketing strategy where you gather insights that will fuel your . AI can be instrumental at this stage as you can leverage it to gain valuable insights into your customers, their preferences, and more. strategy and campaign AI-powered tools can help you both with customer research and content research. Customer insights about their interests, preferences, and online behavior are important. They can help you plan the direction and tone for your content strategy. Content research helps you with more specific aspects like what topics to select and where to post your content. Below is a list of three types of AI-based tools that you can use for effective content research and planning. AI-Powered Social Listening Tools There are several AI-based social media listening tools that can help you understand the pulse of your audience. Social listening can help you understand your brand sentiment, the impact of previous campaigns, and the type of conversations people are having about your brand. and are two such tools that you can consider for your social media monitoring needs. You can use these to understand trending topics in your niche and also find out what your current and prospective customers are discussing on social media. Mentionlytics Linkfluence Content Curation Tools Sometimes, marketers curate content instead of creating fresh content. Any smart marketer knows that it’s not always feasible to create content and, therefore, content curation should be an essential part of your strategy. is a good AI-powered content curation tool that you can use to find and share relevant content in your niche. Stackla Chatbots Chatbots should also be a part of your content strategy as they can directly interact with consumers and provide recommendations. But, more than that, there are a lot of insights that you can gain by analyzing chatbot-customer interactions. You can assess customer pain-points and challenges and keep your content focused on solving them. is one such AI-powered chatbot platform that you can use to engage your customers and enhance their shopping experiences. LivePerson Content Research Tools Apart from the tools mentioned above, there are a lot of different ways in which marketers do content research. Whether it is to find relevant and trending topics in your niche or understand what your target audience likes to read, there’s a tool for everything. And, AI further boosts the functionalities of these research tools to provide you with unmatched content research insights. is an AI-powered, SEO-based insights tool that can help fuel your content strategy. is another good content intelligence platform that you can leverage to gather insights before planning your content strategy. BrightEdge MarketMuse Content Creation Now that you are done with the content research and planning parts of your strategy, the next step is to think about the actual content creation. Of course, AI can’t replace your valuable team of writers. You still need people to . However, AI can surely make the process more streamlined and easier for your team. create content There are, however, a lot of aspects of content creation that can be done using AI. For example, AI can conduct the research and create a data dump. Your team can then use that to draft the final piece of content. Some AI tools can also help you with the structure and layout of each content piece and tell you where to place images, videos, text, etc. They do that based on past consumer behavior data and identifying trends to figure out what works best. For example, is a tool that can predict how a consumer might react to your content and can help you create better content. And, it can also help you optimize image and video content to ensure that you get the best customer engagement rates. Cortex Another way AI can help you with the content creation process is to actually write content. Current AI technology is still not advanced enough to create content that you can use as-is. However, AI-based tools can still create at least the first draft of the content that your team can improve later. Several marketers are experimenting with such content-writing tools. For example, is an excellent natural language generation platform where you can feed data and it can convert it into a narrative. Wordsmith Platforms like these can be used is many ways and can help you generate small pieces of content on-the-go. AI cannot truly replace content creation, but it can optimize the process. Whether it is to improve the grammar and tone of voice or improve the content structure and layout, AI can help. Distribution and Promotion No matter how good your content is, it won’t reach your target audience if you don’t distribute and promote it effectively. Content distribution and promotion are just as important as planning and creation. Therefore, when planning your content strategy, you should also have a plan in place for where and how you will distribute your content. This should also include the tools that you will use and the frequency at which you will post. the content scheduling and posting processes. There are several tools that can help you schedule and automatically post content. AI can help automate However, there are certain tools that go beyond simple content scheduling and posting. , for example, does not just automate your scheduling but also your tasks. It is an all-you-need social content management platform that can help you with all of your content posting needs. Kontentino Another great AI-based tool that you can use for content distribution is . It lets you target the most relevant audience with the right content, based on an analysis of past consumer reading behavior. Keywee Conclusion Artificial Intelligence is one of today’s most useful technologies, with . It powers a wide variety of content marketing tools that you can use at different stages of your content strategy planning. numerous business applications You can use this post as a reference and starting point for understanding how you can use AI to fuel your content strategy. Now, you also know about some of the best AI-based tools that you can use for content research, planning, creation, distribution, and promotion. So, what are you waiting for? Start using AI now and nail your content strategy.

How to Nail Your Content Strategy Using AI

From news outlets to social media, the topic of AI seems to come up time and again. With so much focus on the topic, it’s easy to dismiss it as nothing more than the latest buzzword. But this would be a mistake. AI is a broad area that encompasses a number of cutting-edge tools that can add real value to almost any company’s business strategy and operations. Taking a deeper look at this technology can help explain its ongoing popularity, as well as provide key information that can help you realize the power of AI with respect to your own business intelligence goals. What Is AI? AI or artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science that focuses on intelligence in computerized systems. Today, this intelligence is achieved mainly with the help of machine learning (ML) algorithms and large datasets fed to these algorithms. Discovering patterns in data, machines learn different tasks, from natural language processing and computer vision to complex decision-making. list a range of feasible real-world applications of this ability of ML models to learn. AI consultants from Iflexion The Value of AI for SMEs and Enterprise Companies The applications for AI are widespread, whether you’re an SME or an enterprise business. A study by analysts predicts that 80 percent of customer interactions will be managed by AI-powered chatbots and intelligent assistants by the year 2020. Improved customer experience and a reduction in operational costs are just a few of the benefits that companies, both big and small can expect when adopting an AI solution. Of course, businesses can also expect more comprehensive customer data and greater ease when it comes to translating that data into meaningful actions via machine learning. Gartner Enterprise organizations that choose to use an intelligent automation system can reduce costly redundancies and complexities in their operations; significantly improving company-wide efficiency and even reducing the amount of time that it takes to get products and services to market. According to , robotic process automation (RPA), a form of AI that uses software robots to automate processes, can even help businesses meet industry compliance regulations and improve internal auditing capabilities. PwC Many companies have more data than they know what to do with. For data-intensive companies, AI is an essential tool for smarter extraction and analysis of Big Data. Likewise, RPA can simplify the data process from beginning to end, covering everything from retrieving data, to aggregating it and even transferring it into documents. When coupled with machine learning for data analysis, the entire data process becomes more streamlined and less error-prone, ensuring a more accurate assessment of data and any derived insights. How Real Companies Are Using AI The power and profitability of AI hasn’t been lost on investors. A 2016 Technology Vision report by Accenture found that investments in artificial intelligence startups had increased 20x in the previous four years. Technology Industry leaders have also taken notice, investing billions of dollars in AI. alone has acquired more than 14 AI-based startups and has an entire division solely dedicated to advancements in this sector, complete with product lines ranging from cloud apps to smartphones and intelligent personal assistants. Google The transportation industry, specifically ride sharing applications like Uber and Lyft, also use AI. Machine learning is applied to help minimize ride wait times and match passengers with those going in the same direction, optimizing the customer experience while reducing driver mileage and traffic delays. Banking is an industry that heavily utilizes AI, applying it to everything from fraud detection and check depositing (which uses image recognition) to personal and business credit approval or rejection decisions. All of which, are based on data and the business intelligence that it provides. If you’ve ever used a streaming on-demand service like Netflix or Amazon, the movies and television program suggestions that you received were provided by a recommender system. This specialized machine learning algorithm is a form of AI. But major businesses aren’t the only ones using AI. SMEs and enterprise organizations are also using it to automate payroll and HR, effectively manage data and eliminating tedious and repetitive tasks that can be better performed by automation. The last of which can dramatically improve company efficiency. In fact, companies like have entire AI product lines that are designed to help almost any business save time and money. Salesforce The Future of Business Intelligence and AI The business landscape has become increasingly competitive. As a result, only those companies that actively seek out the most innovative technologies and processes can truly gain a competitive advantage. Right now, AI may seem like a nice-to-have tool but it is quickly becoming the standard for everything from data management to intelligent automation. Today, about 15 percent of all businesses use AI. However, a survey conducted by found that more than 30 percent of companies surveyed plan to add it to their agenda this year. Likewise, according to the , half of all of the largest companies (or those with more than 100K employees) already have a defined AI-based strategy. The message is clear: AI is here to stay. Adobe MIT Sloan Management Review Businesses that aren’t in the tech space may feel like AI just isn’t for them. But marketing, which impacts nearly every company, regardless of industry, is one area that is already being strongly influenced by AI. Bespoke, or one-to-one, marketing has the potential to change the way that brands connect with consumers in a profound way via highly personalized messages, applications and even customer services experiences. In fact, a study by found that 29 percent of respondents believe that consumer personalization will be the next big marketing trend. BrightEdge Conclusion AI is one of the hottest topics of the day. But it’s more than just a buzzword. This powerful technology is already revolutionizing the way that companies do business and interact with their customers. Understanding what AI is, how it can be of value and its future in the world of business intelligence is essential for any company that wants to gain a meaningful advantage in the increasingly tech-driven business world.

From news outlets to social media, the topic of AI seems to come up time and again.

Let's learn about via these 65 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. David Copperfield /Learn Repo 1. David Copperfield: PREFACE TO THE CHARLES DICKENS EDITION David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here: [LINK TO TABLE OF LINK]. PREFACE TO THE CHARLES DICKENS EDITION 2. David Copperfield: Chapter 31 -  A Greater Loss For years and years, Mr. Barkis had carried this box, on all his journeys, every day. 3. David Copperfield: Chapter 40 - The Wanderer The wind had gone down with the light, and so the snow had come on. It was a heavy, settled fall, I recollect, in great flakes; and it lay thick. 4. David Copperfield: Chapter 37 - A Little Cold Water My new life had lasted for more than a week, and I was stronger than ever in those tremendous practical resolutions that I felt the crisis required. 5. David Copperfield: Chapter 24 - My First Dissipation It was fine in the morning, particularly in the fine mornings. It looked a very fresh, free life, by daylight: still fresher, and more free, by sunlight. 6. David Copperfield: Chapter 30 - A Loss ‘Why, bless my life and soul!’ said Mr. Omer, ‘how do you find yourself? Take a seat.—-Smoke not disagreeable, I hope?’ 7. David Copperfield: Chapter 64 - A Last  Retrospect And now my written story ends. I look back, once more—for the last time—before I close these leaves. 8. David Copperfield: Chapter 20 - Steerforth's Home It was no matter of wonder to me to find Mrs. Steerforth devoted to her son. 9. David Copperfield: Chapter 6 - I Enlarge My Circle of Acquaintance One day I was informed by Mr. Mell that Mr. Creakle would be home that evening. 10. David Copperfield: Chapter 15 - I Make Another Beginning Mr. Dick and I soon became the best of friends, and very often, when his day’s work was done, went out together to fly the great kite. 11. David Copperfield: Chapter 29 - I Visit Steerforth At His Home, Again I mentioned to Mr. Spenlow in the morning, that I wanted leave of absence for a short time 12. David Copperfield: Chapter 12 - Liking Life On My Own Account No Better, I Form A Great Resolution In due time, Mr. Micawber’s petition was ripe for hearing; and that gentleman was ordered to be discharged under the Act, to my great joy. 13. David Copperfield: Chapter 50 - Mr. Peggotty's Dream Comes True A fearful cry followed the word. I paused a moment, and looking in, saw him supporting her insensible figure in his arms. 14. David Copperfield: Chapter 18 - A Retrospect But who is this that breaks upon me? This is Miss Shepherd, whom I love. 15. David Copperfield: Chapter 2 - I Observe There comes out of the cloud, our house—not new to me, but quite familiar, in its earliest remembrance. 16. David Copperfield: Chapter 47 - Martha A glimpse of the river through a dull gateway, where some waggons were housed for the night, seemed to arrest my feet. 17. David Copperfield: Chapter 60 - Agnes ‘You will find her,’ pursued my aunt, ‘as good, as beautiful, as earnest, as disinterested, as she has always been. 18. David Copperfield: Chapter 58 - Absence I left all who were dear to me, and went away; and believed that I had borne it, and it was past. 19. David Copperfield: Chapter 1 Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. 20. David Copperfield: Chapter 56 - The New Wound , And The Old From the first moment of her dark eyes resting on me, I saw she knew I was the bearer of evil tidings. 21. David Copperfield: Chapter 57 - The Emigrants It was, to conceal what had occurred, from those who were going away; and to dismiss them on their voyage in happy ignorance. In this, no time was to be lost. 22. David Copperfield: Chapter 38 - A Dissolution Of Partnership I forgot them; while I was picking them up, I dropped the other fragments of the system; in short, it was almost heart-breaking. 23. David Copperfield: Chapter 34 - My Aunt Astonishes Me As if, in love, joy, sorrow, hope, or disappointment; in all emotions; my heart turned naturally there, and found its refuge and best friend. 24. David Copperfield: Chapter 63 - A Visitor I had advanced in fame and fortune, my domestic joy was perfect, I had been married ten happy years. 25. David Copperfield: Chapter 26 - I Fall Into Captivity I could not get over this farewell glimpse of them for a long time. 26. David Copperfield: Chapter 9 - I Have A Memorable Birthday I PASS over all that happened at school, until the anniversary of my birthday came round in March. 27. David Copperfield - TABLE OF LINKS David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens is part of the HackerNoon Books series. Read this book online for free on HackerNoon! 28. David Copperfield: Chapter 55 - Tempest ‘Good-bye for ever. Now, my dear, my friend, good-bye for ever in this world. 29. David Copperfield: Chapter 43 - Another Retrospect Once again, let me pause upon a memorable period of my life. Let me stand aside, to see the phantoms of those days go by me, accompanying the shadow of myself. 30. David Copperfield: Chapter 46 - Intelligence The vaunting cruelty with which she met my glance, I never saw expressed in any other face that ever I have seen. 31. David Copperfield: Chapter 44 - Our Housekeeping —all the romance of our engagement put away upon a shelf, to rust—no one to please but one another—one another to please, for life. 32. David Copperfield: Chapter 45 - Mr. Dick Fulfils My Aunt's Predictions She was exactly the same as ever, and the same immortal butterflies hovered over her cap. 33. David Copperfield: Chapter 14 - My Aunt Makes Up Her Mind About Me My spirits sank under these words, and I became very downcast and heavy of heart. 34. David Copperfield: Chapter 61 - I am Shown Two Interesting Penitents This sentiment gave unbounded satisfaction—greater satisfaction, I think, than anything that had passed yet. 35. David Copperfield: Chapter 62 - A Light Shines On My Way She did not once show me any change in herself. What she always had been to me, she still was; wholly unaltered. 36. David Copperfield: Chapter 11 - I Begin Life On My Own Account, And Don't Like It I know enough of the world now, to have almost lost the capacity of being much surprised by anything 37. David Copperfield: Chapter 53 - Another Retrospect I try to stay my tears, and to reply, ‘Oh, Dora, love, as fit as I to be a husband!’ 38. David Copperfield: Chapter 4 - I Fall Into Disgrace He drew her to him, whispered in her ear, and kissed her. 39. David Copperfield: Chapter 33 -  Blissful Her idea was my refuge in disappointment and distress, and made some amends to me, even for the loss of my friend. 40. David Copperfield: Chapter 27 - Tommy Traddles The general air of the place reminded me forcibly of the days when I lived with Mr. and Mrs. Micawber. 41. David Copperfield: Chapter 19 - I Look About Me, And Make A Discovery I am doubtful whether I was at heart glad or sorry, when my school-days drew to an end, and the time came for my leaving Doctor Strong’s. 42. David Copperfield: Chapter 48 -Domestic It is not my purpose, in this record, though in all other essentials it is my written memory, to pursue the history of my own fictions. 43. David Copperfield: Chapter 59 - Return I have often remarked—I suppose everybody has—that one’s going away from a familiar place, would seem to be the signal for change in it. 44. David Copperfield: Chapter 51 - The Beginning Of A Longer Journey And Mrs. Gummidge took his hand, and kissed it with a homely pathos and affection, in a homely rapture of devotion and gratitude, that he well deserved. 45. David Copperfield: Chapter 36 - Enthusiasm With the new life, came new purpose, new intention. Great was the labour; priceless the reward. Dora was the reward, and Dora must be won. 46. David Copperfield: Chapter  7 - My 'First Half' at Salem House Not that I mean to say these were special marks of distinction, which only I received. 47. David Copperfield: Chapter 32 - The Beginning Of A Long Journey What is natural in me, is natural in many other men, I infer, and so I am not afraid to write that I never had loved Steerforth 48. David Copperfield: Chapter 54 - Mr. Micawber's Transactions ‘Now’s the day, and now’s the hour,
See the front of battle lower,
See approach proud EDWARD’S power—
Chains and slavery! 49. David Copperfield: Chapter 23 - I Corroborate Mr. Dick, And Choose A Propession When I awoke in the morning I thought very much of little Em’ly, and her emotion last night, after Martha had left. 50. David Copperfield: Chapter 16 - I am A New Boy in More Senses Than One Next morning, after breakfast, I entered on school life again. I went, accompanied by Mr. Wickfield, to the scene of my future studies 51. David Copperfield: Chapter 42 -Mischief My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; 52. David Copperfield: Chapter 28 - Mr. Micawber's Gauntlet Until the day arrived on which I was to entertain my newly-found old friends, I lived principally on Dora and coffee. 53. David Copperfield: Chapter 17 - Somebody Turns Up ‘I suppose history never lies, does it?’ said Mr. Dick, with a gleam of hope. 54. David Copperfield: Chapter 49 - I am Involved In My Mystery I never saw a man so hot in my life. I tried to calm him, that we might come to something rational; but he got hotter and hotter, and wouldn’t hear a word. 55. David Copperfield: Chapter 3 - I Have A Change If it had been Aladdin’s palace, roc’s egg and all, I suppose I could not have been more charmed with the romantic idea of living in it. 56. David Copperfield: Chapter 8 - My Holidays. Especially One Happy Afternoon ‘The message was right enough, perhaps,’ said Mr. Barkis; ‘but it come to an end there.’ 57. David Copperfield: Chapter 41 - Dora's Aunts His honest face, as he looked at me with a serio-comic shake of his head, impresses me more in the remembrance than it did in the reality. 58. David Copperfield: Chapter 35 - Depression ‘My dear,’ said my aunt, after taking a spoonful of it; ‘it’s a great deal better than wine. Not half so bilious.’ 59. David Copperfield: Chapter 21 - Little Em'ly Such a self-contained man I never saw. 60. David Copperfield: Chapter 5 - I am Sent Away From Home We might have gone about half a mile, and my pocket-handkerchief was quite wet through, when the carrier stopped short. 61. David Copperfield: Chapter 22 - Some Old Scenes, And Some New People Steerforth and I stayed for more than a fortnight in that part of the country. 62. David Copperfield: Chapter 13 -  The Sequel Of My Resolution A plan had occurred to me for passing the night, which I was going to carry into execution. 63. David Copperfield: Chapter 52 - I Assist At An Explosion I saw, in my aunt’s face, that she began to give way now, and Dora brightened again, as she saw it too. 64. David Copperfield: Chapter 25 - Good And Bad Angles I could scarcely lay claim to the name: I was so disturbed by the conviction that the letter came from Agnes. 65. David Copperfield: Chapter 39 - Wickfield And Heep ‘My dear Copperfield, a man who labours under the pressure of pecuniary embarrassments, is, with the generality of people, at a disadvantage. Thank you for checking out the 65 most read stories about David Copperfield on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

65 Stories To Learn About David Copperfield

128 Stories To Learn About Charles Dickens

AN ABSENT LOVER RETURNS.

Steam, Its Generation and Use by Babcock & Wilcox Company, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . EVOLUTION OF THE BABCOCK & WILCOX WATER-TUBE BOILER here EVOLUTION OF THE BABCOCK & WILCOX WATER-TUBE BOILER Quite as much may be learned from the records of failures as from those of success. Where a device has been once fairly tried and found to be imperfect or impracticable, the knowledge of that trial is of advantage in further investigation. Regardless of the lesson taught by failure, however, it is an almost every-day occurrence that some device or construction which has been tried and found wanting, if not worthless, is again introduced as a great improvement upon a device which has shown by its survival to be the fittest. The success of the Babcock & Wilcox boiler is due to many years of constant adherence to one line of research, in which an endeavor has been made to introduce improvements with the view to producing a boiler which would most effectively meet the demands of the times. During the periods that this boiler has been built, other companies have placed on the market more than thirty water-tube or sectional water-tube boilers, most of which, though they may have attained some distinction and sale, have now entirely disappeared. The following incomplete list will serve to recall the names of some of the boilers that have had a vogue at various times, but which are now practically unknown: Dimpfel, Howard, Griffith & Wundrum, Dinsmore, Miller “Fire Box”, Miller “American”, Miller “Internal Tube”, Miller “Inclined Tube”, Phleger, Weigant, the Lady Verner, the Allen, the Kelly, the Anderson, the Rogers & Black, the Eclipse or Kilgore, the Moore, the Baker & Smith, the Renshaw, the Shackleton, the “Duplex”, the Pond & Bradford, the Whittingham, the Bee, the Hazleton or “Common Sense”, the Reynolds, the Suplee or Luder, the Babbit, the Reed, the Smith, the Standard, etc., etc. It is with the object of protecting our customers and friends from loss through purchasing discarded ideas that there is given on the following pages a brief history of the development of the Babcock & Wilcox boiler as it is built to-day. The illustrations and brief descriptions indicate clearly the various designs and constructions that have been used and that have been replaced, as experience has shown in what way improvement might be made. They serve as a history of the experimental steps in the development of the present Babcock & Wilcox boiler, the value and success of which, as a steam generator, is evidenced by the fact that the largest and most discriminating users continue to purchase them after years of experience in their operation. No. 1. The original Babcock & Wilcox boiler was patented in 1867. The main idea in its design was safety, to which all other features were sacrificed wherever they conflicted. The boiler consisted of a nest of horizontal tubes, serving as a steam and water reservoir, placed above and connected at each end by bolted joints to a second nest of inclined heating tubes filled with water. The tubes were placed one above the other in vertical rows, each row and its connecting end forming a single casting. Hand-holes were placed at each end for cleaning. Internal tubes were placed within the inclined tubes with a view to aiding circulation. No. 2. This boiler was the same as No. 1, except that the internal circulating tubes were omitted as they were found to hinder rather than help the circulation. Nos. 1 and 2 were found to be faulty in both material and design, cast metal proving unfit for heating surfaces placed directly over the fire, as it cracked as soon as any scale formed. No. 3. Wrought-iron tubes were substituted for the cast-iron heating tubes, the ends being brightened, laid in moulds, and the headers cast on. The steam and water capacity in this design were insufficient to secure regularity of action, there being no reserve upon which to draw during firing or when the water was fed intermittently. The attempt to dry the steam by superheating it in the nest of tubes forming the steam space was found to be impracticable. The steam delivered was either wet, dry or superheated, according to the rate at which it was being drawn from the boiler. Sediment was found to lodge in the lowermost point of the boiler at the rear end and the exposed portions cracked off at this point when subjected to the furnace heat. No. 4. A plain cylinder, carrying the water line at its center and leaving the upper half for steam space, was substituted for the nest of tubes forming the steam and water space in Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The sections were made as in No. 3 and a mud drum added to the rear end of the sections at the point that was lowest and farthest removed from the fire. The gases were made to pass off at one side and did not come into contact with the mud drum. Dry steam was obtained through the increase of separating surface and steam space and the added water capacity furnished a storage for heat to tide over irregularities of firing and feeding. By the addition of the drum, the boiler became a serviceable and practical design, retaining all of the features of safety. As the drum was removed from the direct action of the fire, it was not subjected to excessive strain due to unequal expansion, and its diameter, if large in comparison with that of the tubes formerly used, was small when compared with that of cylindrical boilers. Difficulties were encountered in this boiler in securing reliable joints between the wrought-iron tubes and the cast-iron headers. No. 5. In this design, wrought-iron water legs were substituted for the cast-iron headers, the tubes being expanded into the inside sheets and a large cover placed opposite the front end of the tubes for cleaning. The tubes were staggered one above the other, an arrangement found to be more efficient in the absorption of heat than where they were placed in vertical rows. In other respects, the boiler was similar to No. 4, except that it had lost the important element of safety through the introduction of the very objectionable feature of flat stayed surfaces. The large doors for access to the tubes were also a cause of weakness. An installation of these boilers was made at the plant of the Calvert Sugar Refinery in Baltimore, and while they were satisfactory in their operation, were never duplicated. No. 6. This was a modification of No. 5 in which longer tubes were used and over which the gases were caused to make three passes with a view of better economy. In addition, some of the stayed surfaces were omitted and handholes substituted for the large access doors. A number of boilers of this design were built but their excessive first cost, the lack of adjustability of the structure under varying temperatures, and the inconvenience of transportation, led to No. 7. No. 7. In this boiler, the headers and water legs were replaced by T-heads screwed to the ends of the inclined tubes. The faces of these Ts were milled and the tubes placed one above the other with the milled faces metal to metal. Long bolts passed through each vertical section of the T-heads and through connecting boxes on the heads of the drums holding the whole together. A large number of boilers of this design were built and many were in successful operation for over twenty years. In most instances, however, they were altered to later types. No. 8 No. 9 Nos. 8 and 9. These boilers were known as the Griffith & Wundrum type, the concern which built them being later merged in The Babcock & Wilcox Co. Experiments were made with this design with four passages of the gases across the tubes and the downward circulation of the water at the rear of the boiler was carried to the bottom row of tubes. In No. 9 an attempt was made to increase the safety and reduce the cost by reducing the amount of steam and water capacity. A drum at right angles to the line of tubes was used but as there was no provision made to secure dry steam, the results were not satisfactory. The next move in the direction of safety was the employment of several drums of small diameter instead of a single drum. This is shown in No. 10. A nest of small horizontal drums, 15 inches in diameter, was used in place of the single drum of larger diameter. A set of circulation tubes was placed at an intermediate angle between the main bank of heating tubes and the horizontal drums forming the steam reservoir. These circulators were to return to the rear end of the circulating tubes the water carried up by the circulation, and in this way were to allow only steam to be delivered to the small drums above. There was no improvement in the action of this boiler over that of No. 9. The four passages of the gas over the tubes tried in Nos. 8, 9 and 10 were not found to add to the economy of the boiler. No. 11. A trial was next made of a box coil system, in which the water was made to transverse the furnace several times before being delivered to the drum above. The tendency here, as in all similar boilers, was to form steam in the middle of the coil and blow the water from each end, leaving the tubes practically dry until the steam found an outlet and the water returned. This boiler had, in addition to a defective circulation, a decidedly geyser-like action and produced wet steam. All of the types mentioned, with the exception of Nos. 5 and 6, had between their several parts a large number of bolted joints which were subjected to the action of the fire. When these boilers were placed in operation it was demonstrated that as soon as any scale formed on the heating surfaces, leaks were caused due to unequal expansion. No. 12. With this boiler, an attempt was made to remove the joints from the fire and to increase the heating surface in a given space. Water tubes were expanded into both sides of wrought-iron boxes, openings being made for the admission of water and the exit of steam. Fire tubes were placed inside the water tubes to increase the heating surface. This design was abandoned because of the rapid stopping up of the tubes by scale and the impossibility of cleaning them. No. 13. Vertical straight line headers of cast iron, each containing two rows of tubes, were bolted to a connection leading to the steam and water drum above. No. 14. A wrought-iron box was substituted for the double cast-iron headers. In this design, stays were necessary and were found, as always, to be an element to be avoided wherever possible. The boiler was an improvement on No. 6, however. A slanting bridge wall was introduced underneath the drum to throw a larger portion of its heating surface into the combustion chamber under the bank of tubes. This bridge wall was found to be difficult to keep in repair and was of no particular benefit. No. 15. Each row of tubes was expanded at each end into a continuous header, cast of car wheel metal. The headers had a sinuous form so that they would lie close together and admit of a staggered position of the tubes when assembled. While other designs of header form were tried later, experience with Nos. 14 and 15 showed that the style here adopted was the best for all purposes and it has not been changed materially since. The drum in this design was supported by girders resting on the brickwork. Bolted joints were discarded, with the exception of those connecting the headers to the front and rear ends of the drums and the bottom of the rear headers to the mud drum. Even such joints, however, were found objectionable and were superseded in subsequent construction by short lengths of tubes expanded into bored holes. No. 16. In this design, headers were tried which were made in the form of triangular boxes, in each of which there were three tubes expanded. These boxes were alternately reversed and connected by short lengths of expanded tubes, being connected to the drum by tubes bent in a manner to allow them to enter the shell normally. The joints between headers introduced an element of weakness and the connections to the drum were insufficient to give adequate circulation. No. 17. Straight horizontal headers were next tried, alternately shifted right and left to allow a staggering of tubes. These headers were connected to each other and to the drums by expanded nipples. The objections to this boiler were almost the same as those to No. 16. Nos. 18 and 19. These boilers were designed primarily for fire protection purposes, the requirements demanding a small, compact boiler with ability to raise steam quickly. These both served the purpose admirably but, as in No. 9, the only provision made for the securing of dry steam was the use of the steam dome, shown in the illustration. This dome was found inadequate and has since been abandoned in nearly all forms of boiler construction. No other remedy being suggested at the time, these boilers were not considered as desirable for general use as Nos. 21 and 22. In Europe, however, where small size units were more in demand, No. 18 was modified somewhat and used largely with excellent results. These experiments, as they may now be called, although many boilers of some of the designs were built, clearly demonstrated that the best construction and efficiency required adherence to the following elements of design: 1st. Sinuous headers for each vertical row of tubes. 2nd. A separate and independent connection with the drum, both front and rear, for each vertical row of tubes. 3rd. All joints between parts of the boiler proper to be made without bolts or screw plates. 4th. No surfaces to be used which necessitate the use of stays. 5th. The boiler supported independently of the brickwork so as to allow freedom for expansion and contraction as it is heated or cooled. 6th. Ample diameter of steam and water drums, these not to be less than 30 inches except for small size units. 7th. Every part accessible for cleaning and repairs. With these points having been determined, No. 20 was designed. This boiler had all the desirable features just enumerated, together with a number of improvements as to detail of construction. The general form of No. 15 was adhered to but the bolted connections between sections and drum and sections and mud drum were discarded in favor of connections made by short lengths of boiler tubes expanded into the adjacent parts. This boiler was suspended from girders, like No. 15, but these in turn were carried on vertical supports, leaving the pressure parts entirely free from the brickwork, the mutually deteriorating strains present where one was supported by the other being in this way overcome. Hundreds of thousands of horse power of this design were built, giving great satisfaction. The boiler was known as the “C. I. F.” (cast-iron front) style, an ornamental cast-iron front having been usually furnished. The next step, and the one which connects the boilers as described above to the boiler as it is built to-day, was the design illustrated in No. 21. These boilers were known as the “W. I. F.” style, the fronts furnished as part of the equipment being constructed largely of wrought iron. The cast-iron drumheads used in No. 20 were replaced by wrought-steel flanged and “bumped” heads. The drums were made longer and the sections connected to wrought-steel cross boxes riveted to the bottom of the drums. The boilers were supported by girders and columns as in No. 20. No. 22. This boiler, which is designated as the “Vertical Header” type, has the same general features of construction as No. 21, except that the tube sheet side of the headers is “stepped” to allow the headers to be placed vertically and at right angles to the drum and still maintain the tubes at the angle used in Nos. 20 and 21. No. 23, or the cross drum design of boiler, is a development of the Babcock & Wilcox marine boiler, in which the cross drum is used exclusively. The experience of the Glasgow Works of The Babcock & Wilcox, Ltd., with No. 18 proved that proper attention to details of construction would make it a most desirable form of boiler where headroom was limited. A large number of this design have been successfully installed and are giving satisfactory results under widely varying conditions. The cross drum boiler is also built in a vertical header design. Boilers Nos. 21, 22 and 23, with a few modifications, are now the standard forms. These designs are illustrated, as they are constructed to-day, on pages , , , and . 48 52 54 58 60 The last step in the development of the water-tube boiler, beyond which it seems almost impossible for science and skill to advance, consists in the making of all pressure parts of the boiler of wrought steel, including sinuous headers, cross boxes, nozzles, and the like. This construction was the result of the demands of certain Continental laws that are coming into general vogue in this country. The Babcock & Wilcox Co. have at the present time a plant producing steel forgings that have been pronounced by the to be “a perfect triumph of the forgers’ art”. London Engineer The various designs of this all wrought-steel boiler are fully illustrated in the following pages. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Babcock & Wilcox Company (2007). Steam, Its Generation and Use. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22657/pg22657-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

EVOLUTION OF THE BABCOCK & WILCOX WATER-TUBE BOILER

North and South by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . CHAPTER LI. here CHAPTER LI. MEETING AGAIN. “Bear up, brave heart! we will be calm and strong; Sure, we can master eyes, or cheek, or tongue, Nor let the smallest tell-tale sign appear She ever was, and is, and will be dear.” Rhyming Play. It was a hot summer’s evening. Edith came into Margaret’s bed-room, the first time in her habit, the second ready dressed for dinner. No one was there at first; the next time Edith found Dixon laying out Margaret’s dress on the bed; but no Margaret. Edith remained to fidget about. “Oh, Dixon! not those horrid blue flowers to that dead gold-coloured gown. What taste! Wait a minute, and I will bring you some pomegranate blossoms.” “It’s not a dead gold-colour ma’am. It’s a straw-colour. And blue always goes with straw-colour.” But Edith had brought the brilliant scarlet flowers before Dixon had got half through her remonstrance. “Where is Miss Hale?” asked Edith, as soon as she had tried the effect of the garniture. “I can’t think,” she went on, pettishly, “how my aunt allowed her to get into such rambling habits in Milton! I’m sure I’m always expecting to hear of her having met with something horrible among all those wretched places she pokes herself into. I should never dare to go down some of those streets without a servant. They’re not fit for ladies.” Dixon was still huffed about her despised taste; so she replied rather shortly: “It’s no wonder to my mind, when I hear ladies talk such a deal about ladies—and when they’re such fearful, delicate, dainty ladies too—I say it’s no wonder to me that there are no longer any saints on earth——” “Oh, Margaret! here you are! I have been so wanting you. But how your cheeks are flushed with the heat, poor child! But only think what that tiresome Henry has done; really, he exceeds brother-in-law’s limits. Just when my party was made up so beautifully—fitted in so precisely for Mr. Colthurst—there has Henry come, with an apology it is true, and making use of your name for an excuse, and asked me if he may bring that Mr. Thornton of Milton—your tenant, you know—who is in London about some law business. It will spoil my number, quite.” “I don’t mind dinner. I don’t want any,” said Margaret, in a low voice. “Dixon can get me a cup of tea here, and I will be in the drawing-room by the time you come up. I shall really be glad to lie down.” “No, no! that will never do. You do look wretchedly white, to be sure; but that is just the heat, and we can’t do without you possibly. (Those flowers a little lower, Dixon. They look glorious flames, Margaret, in your black hair.) You know we planned you to talk about Milton to Mr. Colthurst. Oh! to be sure! and this man comes from Milton. I believe it will be capital, after all. Mr. Colthurst can pump him well on all the subjects in which he is interested, and it will be great fun to trace out your experiences, and this Mr. Thornton’s wisdom, in Mr. Colthurst’s next speech in the House. Really, I think it is a happy hit of Henry’s. I asked him if he was a man one would be ashamed of; and he replied, ‘Not if you’ve any sense in you, my little sister.’ So I suppose he is able to sound his h’s, which is not a common Darkshire accomplishment—eh, Margaret?” “Mr. Lennox did not say why Mr. Thornton was come up to town? Was it law business connected with the property?” asked Margaret, in a constrained voice. “Oh! he’s failed, or something of the kind, that Henry told you of that day you had such a headache—what was it? (There, that’s capital, Dixon. Miss Hale does us credit, does she not?) I wish I was as tall as a queen, and as brown as a gipsy, Margaret.” “But about Mr. Thornton?” “Oh! I really have such a terrible head for law business. Henry will like nothing better than to tell you all about it. I know the impression he made upon me was, that Mr. Thornton is very badly off, and a very respectable man, and that I’m to be very civil to him: and as I did not know how, I came to you to ask you to help me. And now come down with me, and rest on the sofa for a quarter of an hour.” The privileged brother-in-law came early; and Margaret, reddening as she spoke, began to ask him the questions she wanted to hear answered about Mr. Thornton. “He came up about this sub-letting the property—Marlborough Mills, and the house and premises adjoining, I mean. He is unable to keep it on; and there are deeds and leases to be looked over and agreements to be drawn up. I hope Edith will receive him properly; but she was rather put out, as I could see, by the liberty I had taken in begging for an invitation for him. But I thought you would like to have some attention shown him: and one would be particularly scrupulous in paying every respect to a man who is going down in the world.” He had dropped his voice to speak to Margaret, by whom he was sitting; but as he ended he sprang up, and introduced Mr. Thornton, who had that moment entered, to Edith and Captain Lennox. Margaret looked with an anxious eye at Mr. Thornton while he was thus occupied. It was considerably more than a year since she had seen him; and events had occurred to change him much in that time. His fine figure yet bore him above the common height of men; and gave him a distinguished appearance, from the ease of motion which arose out of it, and was natural to him; but his face looked older and careworn; yet a noble composure sate upon it, which impressed those who had just been hearing of his changed position, with a sense of inherent dignity and manly strength. He was aware, from the first glance he had given round the room, that Margaret was there; he had seen her intent look of occupation as she listened to Mr. Henry Lennox; and he came up to her with the perfectly regulated manner of an old friend. With his first calm words a vivid colour flashed into her cheeks, which never left them again during the evening. She did not seem to have much to say to him. She disappointed him by the quiet way in which she asked what seemed to him to be the merely necessary questions respecting her old acquaintances, in Milton; but others came in—more intimate in the house than he—and he fell into the background, where he and Mr. Lennox talked together from time to time. “You think Miss Hale looking well,” said Mr. Lennox, “don’t you? Milton didn’t agree with her, I imagine; for when she first came to London, I thought I had never seen any one so much changed. To-night she is looking radiant. But she is much stronger. Last autumn she was fatigued with a walk of a couple of miles. On Friday evening we walked up to Hampstead and back. Yet on Saturday she looked as well as she does now.” “We!” Who? They two alone? Mr. Colthurst was a very clever man, and a rising member of Parliament. He had a quick eye at discerning character, and was struck by a remark which Mr. Thornton made at dinner-time. He enquired from Edith who that gentleman was; and, rather to her surprise, she found, from the tone of his “Indeed!” that Mr. Thornton of Milton was not such an unknown name to him as she had imagined it would be. Her dinner was going off well. Henry was in good humour, and brought out his dry caustic wit admirably. Mr. Thornton and Mr. Colthurst found one or two mutual subjects of interest, which they could only touch upon then, reserving them for more private after-dinner talk. Margaret looked beautiful in the pomegranate flowers; and if she did lean back in her chair and speak but little, Edith was not annoyed, for the conversation flowed on smoothly without her. Margaret was watching Mr Thornton’s face. He never looked at her: so she might study him unobserved, and note the changes which even this short time had wrought in him. Only at some unexpected mot of Mr. Lennox’s, his face flashed out into the old look of intense enjoyment: the merry brightness returned to his eyes, the lips just parted to suggest the brilliant smile of former days; and for an instant, his glance instinctively sought hers, as if he wanted her sympathy. But when their eyes met, his whole countenance changed; he was grave and anxious once more; and he resolutely avoided even looking near her again during dinner. There were only two ladies beside their own party, and as these were occupied in conversation by her aunt and Edith, when they went up into the drawing-room, Margaret languidly employed herself about some work. Presently the gentlemen came up, Mr. Colthurst and Mr. Thornton in close conversation. Mr. Lennox drew near to Margaret, and said in a low voice: “I really think Edith owes me thanks for my contribution to her party. You’ve no idea what an agreeable, sensible fellow this tenant of yours is. He has been the very man to give Colthurst all the facts he wanted coaching in. I can’t conceive how he contrived to mismanage his affairs.” “With his powers and opportunities you would have succeeded,” said Margaret. He did not quite relish the tone in which she spoke, although the words but expressed a thought which had passed through his own mind. As he was silent, they caught a swell in the sound of conversation going on near the fire-place between Mr. Colthurst and Mr. Thornton. “I assure you, I heard it spoken of with great interest—curiosity as to its result, perhaps I should rather say. I heard your name frequently mentioned during my short stay in the neighbourhood.” Then they lost some words; and when next they could hear Mr. Thornton was speaking. “I have not the elements for popularity—if they spoke of me in that way, they were mistaken. I fall slowly into new projects; and I find it difficult to let myself be known, even by those whom I desire to know, and with whom I would fain have no reserve. Yet, even with all these drawbacks, I felt that I was on the right path, and that, starting from a kind of friendship with one, I was becoming acquainted with many. The advantages were mutual: we were both unconsciously and consciously teaching each other.” “You say ‘were.’ I trust you are intending to pursue the same course?” “I must stop Colthurst,” said Henry Lennox, hastily. And by an abrupt, yet apropos question, he turned the current of the conversation, so as not to give Mr. Thornton the mortification of acknowledging his want of success and consequent change of position. But as soon as the newly-started subject had come to a close, Mr. Thornton resumed the conversation just where it had been interrupted, and gave Mr. Colthurst the reply to his inquiry. “I have been unsuccessful in business, and have had to give up my position as a master. I am on the look-out for a situation in Milton, where I may meet with employment under some one who will be willing to let me go along my own way in such matters as these. I can depend upon myself for having no go-ahead theories that I would rashly bring into practice. My only wish is to have the opportunity of cultivating some intercourse with the hands beyond the mere ‘cash nexus.’ But it might be the point Archimedes sought from which to move the earth, to judge by the importance attached to it by some of our manufacturers, who shake their heads and look grave as soon as I name the one or two experiments that I should like to try.” “You call them ‘experiments’ I notice,” said Mr. Colthurst, with a delicate increase of respect in his manner. “Because I believe them to be such. I am not sure of the consequences that may result from them. But I am sure they ought to be tried. I have arrived at the conviction that no mere institutions, however wise, and however much thought may have been required to organise and arrange them, can attach class to class as they should be attached, unless the working out of such institutions bring the individuals of the different classes into actual personal contact. Such intercourse is the very breath of life. A working man can hardly be made to feel and know how much his employer may have laboured in his study at plans for the benefit of his workpeople. A complete plan emerges like a piece of machinery, apparently fitted for every emergency. But the hands accept it as they do machinery, without understanding the intense mental labour and forethought required to bring it to such perfection. But I would take an idea, the working out of which would necessitate personal intercourse; it might not go well at first, but at every hitch interest would be felt by an increasing number of men, and at last its success in working come to be desired by all, as all had borne a part in the formation of the plan; and even then I am sure that it would lose its vitality, cease to be living, as soon as it was no longer carried on by that sort of common interest which invariably makes people find means and ways of seeing each other, and becoming acquainted with each others’ characters and persons, and even tricks of temper and modes of speech. We should understand each other better, and I’ll venture to say we should like each other more.” “And you think they may prevent recurrence of strikes?” “Not at all. My utmost expectation only goes as far as this—that they may render strikes not the bitter, venomous sources of hatred they have hitherto been. A more hopeful man might imagine that a closer and more genial intercourse between classes might do away with strikes. But I am not a hopeful man.” Suddenly, as if a new idea had struck him, he crossed over to where Margaret was sitting, and began, without preface, as if he knew she had been listening to all that had passed: “Miss Hale, I had a round-robin from some of my men—I suspect in Higgins’ handwriting—stating their wish to work for me, if ever I was in a position to employ men again on my own behalf. That was good, wasn’t it?” “Yes. Just right. I am glad of it,” said Margaret, looking up straight into his face with her speaking eyes, and then dropping them under his eloquent glance. He gazed back at her for a minute, as if he did not know exactly what he was about. Then sighed; and saying, “I knew you would like it,” he turned away, and never spoke to her again until he bid her a formal “good night.” As Mr. Lennox took his departure, Margaret said, with a blush that she could not repress, and with some hesitation, “Can I speak to you to-morrow? I want your help about—something.” “Certainly. I will come at whatever time you name. You cannot give me a greater pleasure than by making me of any use. At eleven? Very well.” His eye brightened with exultation. How she was learning to depend upon him! It seemed as if any day now might give him the certainty, without having which he had determined never to offer to her again. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (2003). North and South. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/4276/pg4276-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Stories, News & Mentions about BRIGHTEDGE

Brightedge’s Stories on HackerNoon

Brightedge's News & Mentions