Google-Metrics-Post

New Ad Position metrics for Google Ads

Due to a lack of clarity on average ad position (says Google), Google has announced that they will be introducing new ad position metrics starting September 30, 2019. In the past, the top ad has not always been placed above the organic search results. This was leading to confusion for some over why some top ads had low click-through rates.

Google is introducing four new metrics. Two of metrics involve the absolute top position on the page. These are the ads that appear above the organic search results and all other ads. 

The other two new metrics involve all other ad positions above the organic search results. The new metrics are:

Impr. (Absolute Top)%:

Search absolute top impression rate is the percentage of your ad impressions that are shown in the absolute top position above all other ads and organic search results.

Search (Absolute Top) IS:

Search Absolute top impression share is the number of impressions you receive in the absolute top ad position divided by the estimated number of impressions you were eligible to receive in the absolute top ad position.

Impr. (Top)%:

Search top impression rate is the percentage of your ad impressions shown in a position anywhere above the organic search results.

Search (Top) IS:

Search top impression share is the number of impressions you received in a position anywhere above the organic search results divided by the estimated number of impressions you were eligible to receive in a position anywhere above the organic search results.

As always, C0MPLÉX1 is here to help you create or improve your pay per click (PPC) Google Ads campaign. We are a certified Google Partner and our experts have over a decade of experience working in internet marketing.
We are always on top of any changes in Google’s metrics so your business can get the best results. For more information about our internet marketing or SEO services contact C0MPLÉX1 today.

C0MPLÉX1 is Now Officially HUB Certified!

C0MPLÉX1 is proud to announce that we are now HUB certified by the North Carolina Department of Administration (NCDOA). C0MPLÉX1 has been a 100% minority-owned business since our founding. We are able to provide internet marketing and SEO services in multiple languages so our customers can reach a wider audience. Our diverse team has continued to evolve and adapt to the fast-paced world of internet marketing. We would like to thank our clients again for their trust and continued support.

What is HUB certification?

Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) is a certification usually issued by states to recognize businesses that are at least 51% owned and operated by a minority group. This certification is designed to provide resources, information, and support to these businesses. Some of the groups eligible for this certification are African Americans, Asian Americans, the disabled, the economically disadvantaged, Latino Americans, Native Americans, and women. HUB certification is usually only given to small businesses, so you know you’re helping to support the community when you buy their products or use their services. 

Digital Marketing

At C0MPLÉX1 we have always strived to provide the highest quality digital marketing services to the North Carolina community and beyond. We can help your company get the notice it deserves both locally and globally. We provide a variety of top quality internet marketing services in the language you need. You can always trust that C0MPLÉX1 will be:

Fast

C0MPLÉX1 is always attentive to our client’s needs. If you need an ad changed for your pay per click (PPC) ad campaign or need us to reach out to your customers with our reputation monitoring and management services, you can trust we will get it done right and done quickly. 

Reliable 

We have been part of the Raleigh community for well over a decade so you know we are here for you. If you ever have any questions or concerns, you have the ability to contact our founder Noah directly.  

Knowledgeable

C0MPLÉX1 has the tools and experience to provide you with the best quality internet marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) services. Our team is filled with experts in their field. We have web designers/developers, content creators, and SEO specialists who have spent years honing their craft. 

Call us today

If you have questions about any of our services, feel free to contact us. We can help your company design a customized internet marketing strategy to take your business to the next level.

C0MPLÉX1 WILL NOW Officially Begin Observation of US HOLIDAYS

After over ten years of non-stop working towards helping our clients reach their goals, C0MPLÉX1 will begin to officially observe US holidays.

For the past decade+ C0MPLÉX1 has never actually taken an official holiday: There has always been someone on staff working every business day, something we have taken much pride in. However, starting with Thanksgiving 2019 C0MPLÉX1 will observe the same US holiday schedule as the NYSE, which can be found accessing this link. (Our work hours have actually matched the NYSE for years.)

Regardless, there’s no reason to worry: If there is ever an urgent need our international office and staff will maintain their availability and as always, every client can reach the owner’s (Noah’s) cell phone in order to get immediate solutions to any unexpected problems.

At C0MPLÉX1 we are focused on offering the best possible service to each of our clients, a goal we will continue striving for every day of the year.

How to reverse-engineer your content to increase traffic

Every single day, over 4 million posts are created in blogs online. When such a great amount of content is generated, it may be difficult for your posts to actually generate engagement with visitors. This is why understanding what makes particular content engaging is fundamental to businesses looking to develop continuous interactions with users and strengthen their online presence.

One of the key aspects of developing this kind of relationship with users is reverse-engineering your content. What this means is to analyze the ways in which competition generates engagements, study which aspects of their strategies apply to your business, and use this knowledge to cater to your audience in new and innovative ways. We can divide this process in three steps.

Step #1: Find content that’s already doing well

One of the first mistakes sometimes made in content generation is scaling back quality in favor of quantity. It is wrongly assumed that if you’re generating enough content daily, that at least some of it will receive visitors that can sustain your campaign in the long run. This mistake can lead you to spend a lot of time and resources generating material that will barely receive any attention. Thus, by identifying what makes content engaging, you may be able to use your resources more efficiently by crafting high-quality content and increase interest in your business.

If you want to figure out which content in your particular vertical is receiving engagement online, then one of the best ways to figure that out is by looking at what people are already sharing. For example, online content aggregators are continuously curating, promoting and sharing articles about every single topic imaginable. If you want to find out what is currently popular about any topic in particular, content aggregators and forums can give you an advantage to quickly access, categorize and understand which formats or concepts in particular are receiving more attention, and more importantly, you may be able to understand why they are receiving such attention.

This strategy can also help you identify which new trends are currently being ignored by your competition, recognize potential future clients that may be outside of your initial sphere of interests, and improve the way in which users interact with your content. You may realize that infographics and photographs create more engagement than text, that lists receive more visits than video, etc. Every industry is different, and the way you conduct your online business should adapt to generate the most interesting possible format to capture and retain your visitor’s attention.

Step #2: Improve on what you learned

Now that you’ve already identified which content and formats generate the greatest amounts of engagement in your area of interest, you’re ready to improve on this with your own spin. Everything can be improved upon, including posts that have been successful before, and this is where our expertise and knowledge of your field will give you a clear advantage.

One way of doing this is looking for information on a given topic that is slightly out of date, and improving it with any links, studies or new research that could turn old content into new engagements for your business. Another technique you could use is to aggregate and summarize several bits of information found in different places into one definite guide that includes all relevant material. If you manage to deliver more information in one place than your competitors, then you’ll have an advantage.

Another way of improving upon old content is to use innovative design to deliver information. A good enough design can make your content instantly appear more engaging and attractive to potential users.

The last strategy you can use is the writing itself. If you manage to write your content in a way that people enjoy reading, then your information is more likely to be shared. The language you use should portray both your expertise in your subject and your willingness to engage with your users at their level of knowledge. Retaining their attention will only happen if they are both getting something out of your posts and enjoying what they’re reading at the same time.

Step #3: Promote directly to interested users

When you are creating your content, it’s a good idea to think outside the box about which users could find your content interesting. If you realize that your post contains allusions or mentions of subjects outside of your main business, then sharing your content to those interested in this new subject could diversify and increase your audience. Looking for possible new subjects that might be tangentially related to your business is one of the best strategies to expand your audience.

This next strategy that you is a sure-fire way to increase your engagement: find those users who are already sharing material about your subjects and cater directly to them. Since you already know that the material you’re generating is better than the stuff they’ve shared before, then those users are more than likely to engage and share what you’re posting. Be direct and specific about why you’re contacting them. Your communications should include which material they’ve shared before and why yours is more complete, better researched, or better designed.

If you mention any experts or professionals as reference in your material, then it’s a good idea to let them know. A quick email or tweet perhaps informing them that their subject of study is being used and shared through your site is an excellent way of generating fruitful relations with possible future collaborators. Since they’re probably very involved in your particular area of interest, there’s a high chance that they might be sharing your other content too. Having an expert voice onboard will give your material both credibility and authority.

Finally, if you’re aware of any particular forums or sites dedicated to curating topics about your area, then engaging directly with them might be just as good as social media campaigns. Niche forums may have tons of dedicated users who are already looking for what you have to offer. If you manage to make them aware of your presence as a good reference, then you already have a captive audience that will probably engage with your site for years.

Market Demands On Software Engineers – The Value Of Good Developers

The market demands on software engineers are higher now than ever before and they will certainly continue to go up – The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects software developer jobs will increase by 30 percent between 2016 and 2026.

In today’s highly digital world, a good web developer is a key aspect of any business that wishes to position itself successfully on the internet, whether through a website, mobile app or any other development.

According to a tweet posted by Bloomberg reporter Jon Erlichman – who our CEO had the pleasure to meet in person during coverage for the “Bloomberg Technology” tv show in San Francisco -, average salaries for web developers and software engineers in top industry companies are currently ranging from $120,000 to $280,000, but why is demand so high?

What We Need From Software Engineers

In today’s digital age, the whole world practically runs on software: Every business out there needs a website and everyone with internet access uses them and apps every day, so the need to keep these resources as up to date, complex and efficient as possible means software engineers need to be able to stand up to the job.

As software is still local and competition gets fiercer by the day, most developments get built many times with a myriad of software solutions being developed to cover basically anything. As software development tools improve and projects get more and more complex, customers expect more everyday. New platforms come out and developers are no longer just needed for web but for iOS, Android and in some cases Messenger, WeChat and so much more.

Considering code has a limited lifetime and needs to be changed and updated constantly, it’s no wonder market demands on software engineers keep going higher and higher. If to this we add the fact that demand is higher than supply, then you can easily understand why a good web developer is more coveted than ever.  

What Makes A Great Web Developer In Today’s Digital World

When it comes to websites and apps, not all of them are built the same, hence why now more than ever companies are placing value on developments that help them stand apart from their competitors and achieve their goals, meaning the bar and market demands on great software engineers will only continue to grow.

However, don’t think that a great software engineer simply needs to write some good code. As the market grows, it also begins asking more from them, necessitating competence in every single aspect required to build, deliver and ship valuable software.

As the IT function shifts into more strategic organizational roles it is demanded of engineers that they add extra abilities to their resume such as being able to work in teams and across departments, combining their technical knowledge with aptitudes outside of traditional IT, such as customer service, analytical skills and communication.

A great software engineer is someone who is continually up to date on the latest developments, technologies, patterns and approaches while understanding precisely the product they’re developing and the business for whom it is made for. A good developer is able to think beyond the code and go to the experience of users of the software, anticipating the impact their decisions have on their team, company and the broader world around the development being worked on.

Top Website Development From C0MPLÉX1

At C0MPLÉX1 we look to keep our bar high when it comes to website development, hiring only the best and brightest team to build our client’s websites and take care of all of the custom details that make your web presence stand out amongst the rest.

Find out more about the website development services we offer by giving us a call or filling out our online form today.

Ping Tracking, Great for Google, Better for User Experience, Bad for Privacy

Ping tracking is an unexpected but not uncommon use of the ping feature to track user’s online jumps. The ping feature in itself specifies a list of URLs that will be notified once the user clicks on the hyperlink. A standard tool in itself, one of the secondary uses it has involves the storage of information regarding the origin and destination of the request, which allows sites to record hyperlink click tracking. This practice may soon become the industry standard to record this kind of information.

Ping tracking acts as a way to track hyperlink clicks from one site to another, by storing a cookie containing relevant information about the Ping-From and Ping-To parameters, basically tracking origin and destination. At the same time, ping isn’t obliged to return the user to their original site after it has been delivered, which makes it ideal as a seamless to both “redirect” users towards a site and storing the from-and-to information about that redirection in one straightforward process. Notably, ping tracking isn’t limited to only ping back towards the original domain only, it can send that information anywhere the site code orders it to.

There’s an ongoing debate about privacy surrounding hyperlink click tracking. It has been argued that domains shouldn’t have any interest in storing information regarding which sites users visits from their hyperlinks, but Google has a different point of view about this. Their argument lies in the fact that their search engine can only be optimized if they know which links their users are visiting, for how long and/or do they bounce immediately, so they consider this information as crucial for the continuous development and optimization of their trillion dollar software.

Google used to store this information using a method known as HTTP redirect, in which clicking a hyperlink wouldn’t automatically link to an out page but instead they would redirect back to Google before linking the user to their intended site, creating and storing a cookie in the process. This two-step method of hyperlink storage has usually been the standard or common practice, but this same process can be streamlined via ping tracking, which both “redirects” and stores the link click in just one step.

Up until their last version Chrome 73, Google Chrome was the only browser in which Google used Ping tracking instead of HTTP redirect as a way to track destinations, since as a company they know for a fact that their native browser allows for ping tracking to work constantly even if it can be disabled, a certainty they don’t have with other browsers. Safari, Opera and Edge could work like Chrome in that it was enabled by default and could be disabled while Firefox and Brave don’t have it enabled by default. But Chrome 74, the newest update, doesn’t allow the user to disable ping tracking.

This push from Google to use ping tracking as the industry standard among browsers will probably be followed soon by other browsers. Since Google is storing hyperlink clicks from its users anyway, either via ping tracking or HTTP redirect, it’s safe to assume other browsers will soon follow in making ping tracking the standard method.

Ping tracking has benefits for both sites and users in that it makes the process of hyperlink click tracking faster. This parallel process allows sites to load faster and would reduce malicious redirection links hidden in hyperlinks, which from a user standpoint are clear benefits. But at the same time, it would cement the rather controversial issue of hyperlink click tracking as an established feature of web browsing.

Security expert Steve Gibson has described it as “Cleaner but Creepier”, in that it both streamlines hyperlink tracking but at the same time makes it unavoidable. At the same time he has also mentioned that there are currently no efficient methods to stop hyperlink click tracking, so in the end users will end up accepting ping tracking as the most efficient way to allow this practice to continue.

UPDATE: It has been recently announced that Mozilla Firefox will be in fact changing its setting on ping tracking to be enabled by default in its next version. Citing performance improvement as the main reason for this decision, Mozilla declared that disabling ping tracking would not be a meaningful improvement on user privacy since websites already have many alternatives for hyperlink auditing.