Since we've been dealing with the dumpster fire that has been the Universal Analytics -> GA4 migration for months now, and with a couple months to go, this video is spot on.
by David VeldtThe Interactually Blog
Practical Digital Marketing Advice (and Occasional Rants) from the Experts
by David VeldtNotre-Dame Cathedral is On Fire. Here's how Google is Responding in Real-Time.
A terrible tragedy is unfolding as I write this. Notre-Dame de Paris is on fire and at the time of this writing, the iconic spire has just collapsed in the blaze. I haven't heard any news regarding loss of life, so hopefully everyone is safe. It is already apparent, however, that the loss of history and artifacts in this building will be significant, if not total.
by David VeldtWhat the Repeal of Net Neutrality Means for Digital Marketing
A year ago, a conservative family member asked me who I voted for, and I'm 95% certain they asked even though they knew the answer. After I replied they said, "I thought you'd be for Trump, being a business owner and all." Ethics and potential constitutional crises aside - which are some major things to set aside, but there's a lot going on right now - I explained that there was no greater threat to my business than the Trump administration.
In addition to demonstrating a complete lack of knowledge when it comes to the Internet, President Trump said nearly a year before his election:
by David VeldtThe EU's Clever Workaround for that Pesky "Freedom of Expression" Thing
On Tuesday, the European Court of Justice ruled in favor of Mario Costeja Gonzalez (pictured above) of Spain in his suit against Google, aimed at getting them to remove pages related to Gonzalez's 1998 debt troubles that he argued are now irrelevant. Europe's top court ultimately decided that people have "the right to be forgotten."
Here's what's wrong with that.
by David Veldt"WTF Is A Session?" Google Analytics Updates Their Terminology
If you have accessed Google Analytics to view your website's metrics at all in the past day, you may have noticed something a little odd. Upon logging in and seeing your default Audience Overview report, where you once saw "Visits" and "Visitors," you now see "Sessions" and "Users."
by David VeldtA Spam SEO Email Dissected
If your email address is included in a single mailto: link or on the receiving end of any contact form, there's a high probability that you've received an email like the one shown below. Everyone receives them. I receive them and my site openly says I offer SEO services. Google has even received them. The thing that really irks me, however, is that these people are peddling misinformation and horribly-out-of-date information.
Most professionals in the SEO community know this these emails are junk, and that practically everything they contain is bullshit, but for the uninitiated, it may be difficult to detect.
by David VeldtGoogle Is A Gossip Queen
Oh, Google. I know you mean well, but sometimes you just try too hard and come across like a real Chatty Cathy. Even worse, a Chatty Cathy Know-It-All.
I've got your back, though. The semantic web is to blame. In your quest to gain a human-like understanding of queries and content, you've relied a little too much on the web of information that has been created by the general Internet population. This works well in theory, but you underestimated one thing: Our undying thirst for #juicy #gossip!
At the heart of the matter is Google's Knowledge Graph.
by David VeldtSome Thoughts on Guest Blogging
There's been some excitement in the SEO world in the past few days. It doesn't take much to get people in our industry all riled up, but this one is spurring some real anger toward Google for assuming the roles of Relevance Police, Judge and Executioner.
The issue at hand is that of guest blogging.
by David VeldtHow to Lose 40% of Your Traffic (In One Simple Step)
Let this be a cautionary tale. A tale about what happens when you don't follow your own advice.
In the past six months, I have lost over 40% of my traffic. It was remarkably easy; much easier than increasing my traffic by 40%. I really didn't have to do much. In fact, I did nothing at all.
by David VeldtForgiveness > Permission
"It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission." - Grace Hopper
These words have given innovators, entrepreneurs and visionaries across the world the justification (not that they needed it) to take bold risks and test new waters with relative uncertainty. Originating from a legendary programmer, few industries lean on this mantra more heavily than tech. For the most part, it is this mindset that has enabled the world of web technology to evolve at a blistering pace.
by David Veldt
