Here’s a recap of some of 2023’s most noteworthy digital marketing highlights: 

We Watched ChatGPT Change the Game for Content

When ChatTGPT made its debut on November 30, 2022, it changed the game for writers, students, professors, and several other organizations driven by content creation. This resulted in many organizations asking themselves this honest question, “Will AI-generated content impact my business?” 

For many companies, it already has. According to a survey conducted by ResumeBuilder: 

• 25% of businesses using ChatGPT have already saved over $75k.
• 48% of businesses that are using ChatGPT have replaced human workers with the technology.
• 49% of businesses currently use ChatGPT, while 30% intend to use it in the future. 
• 93% of businesses say they plan to expand their use of ChatGPT in the near future.

We Discovered How ChatGPT Can Help Simplify the Creation of PPC Campaigns 

ChatGPT is artificial intelligence software that consists of a large language model, which enables its users to insert a prompt, and it will generate a response. However, this technology can have way more uses than for content creation alone. Our PPC experts have also discovered ways that ChatGPT can be useful for PPC campaigns.

The secret to producing more targeted, highly effective Google Ads campaigns that drive conversions is employing ChatGPT to:

• Identify new keyword opportunities, monitor keyword rankings, and analyze competitor strategies.
• Estimate search volume to determine how competitive each keyword would be to rank for.
• Pinpoint long-tail keywords with less competition that may be easier to rank for.
• Find high-value keywords that your content may be able to successfully rank for.

We Witnessed the AI Tool Takeover

Once we began to see the benefits of AI-powered technology, such as ChatGPT, it opened the floodgates for more innovative AI tools to enter the market and unlock more possibilities for professionals in the digital marketing industry, and beyond.

• An array of AI-powered tools became available at our disposal. Since many AI-powered tools were built on OpenSource AI platforms, a majority are free of charge. However, there are some on the market that may cost a small fee, as well. With so many to choose from, we developed a list of AI tools every business should try at least once. 
• AI content detectors have become essential for content creators. Naturally, with more AI content circulating the web, there has to be some form of checks and balances. This is what inspired a surge of AI detection tools to be released to the web. We have developed a list of some of the best AI detectors available, enabling businesses to explore their options.  
• AI image generators gave birth to the AI art boom. Businesses can use AI in graphic design to increase productivity and create unique images to accompany content with a simple click of a few buttons. Now that there is a faster way to create graphics, all it takes is conducting a little research to find the best AI image generators for your business to start producing your own visuals.       

We Transitioned From Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4

When Google aimed to completely replace Universal Analytics with Google Analytics 4, it warned administrators that as of July 1, 2023, it would discontinue the processing of UA data. With a set deadline and a goal of navigating the steep learning curve of GA4, our team was able to successfully migrate our accounts and continue to track them in the new platform.   

Throughout our journey towards making the switch to GA4, we published a trail of tutorials that could help others, such as: 

1. How to Set Up Google Analytics 4 Using Google Tag Manager 
2. How to Track Forms in Google Analytics 4 Using Google Tag Manager
3. How to Set up and Track Button Clicks In Google Analytics 4 Using Google Tag Manager

We Kept Up With Google Local Services Ads Updates

Since Google Local Services Ads became available in 2015, this product has seen a series of enhancements. For starters, in March of 2023, one of the latest new Google Local Services Ads updates to occur was when it introduced five new industry verticals.

Then, a few months later, Google updated photo guidelines for LSAs and announced that it was in the process of launching an improved version of its image-reviewing process for LSAs. 

We Survived a Series of Essential Google Core Algorithm Updates  

According to an article on Google Search Central, broad core updates tend to occur every few months. However, sometime towards the end of 2023, we were stricken with a series of back-to-back Google core algorithm updates, leaving some website administrators concerned about the current state of their online rankings. 

• March 2023 – First core update of 2023
• August 2023 – Second core update of 2023
• October 2023 – Third core update of 2023
• November 2023 – Fourth and final core update of 2023

Barely two months after the second core update of the year in August, Google released the October 2023 Core Algorithm update. Just a few weeks later, it released another core update in November — making 2023 the first time in a few years that we’ve seen two core updates released a few weeks apart. 

We’re (Sort of) Prepared for the Elimination of Third-Party Cookies in 2024

When we wrote about the anticipated depletion of the third-party cookie in 2021, who would have predicted that on July 27, 2022, Google would delay its launch until 2024? The world’s market leader in online search continues to make us wait in anticipation for it to join the ranks with other web browsers and allow users to enjoy a less invasive, more privacy-first online experience. While you’re playing the waiting game, you should ask yourself, “Are you prepared for what’s to come?”

Time is ticking, and a third-party cookie-free future is almost here. To ease the anxiety and prepare for the unknown, learn what you can do to stay ahead of change and start business off right during the new year.  

Our Year in A Nutshell

A new year means another opportunity to improve upon the things we’ve learned and pick up effective new strategies in the process. With ChatGPT and several other powerful AI-powered tools in our arsenal, the death of the third-party cookie on our radar, and GA4 tracking and monitoring every essential event along the way, we’re ready to face the unknown with confidence. Are you? 

The post 2023 Digital Marketing Recap: Past, Present, and Future Trends appeared first on DAGMAR.

Phishing scams can happen to virtually any individual or organization. According to a study, over 80% of businesses have experienced at least one phishing attack. If you’re not careful, your site may be next.   

Read about the basics and learn how to keep your WordPress site safe from the dangers of CVE-2023-45124.

What is the CVE 2023-45124 Phishing Scam? 

Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) are public security flaws identified, listed, and shared with the general public. Each CVE on the list is assigned a unique number, which distinguishes it from other vulnerabilities. The CVE 2023-45124 Phishing Scam is a Remote Code Execution (RCE) attack, or a remote cybersecurity attack (such as malware), that is designed to deceive WordPress users into downloading a “Patch” plugin, granting hackers complete control over your website and user data. 

CVE 2023-45124 currently is not recognized as a valid CVE.    

It starts with an email from the hacker, claiming to be the WordPress team and urging users to download a CVE-2023-45124 patch to ensure maximum site security. After a user clicks the “Download” button, they will be redirected to one of these harmful landing pages:    

• en-gb-wordpress[.]org
• Wpgate[.]zip. (once the plugin has been downloaded and installed)

These actions will trigger a hidden administration user (the username may be wpsecuritypatch) and a backdoor plugin to be installed. The plugin ensures that this secret admin account remains undetectable, so the hacker can rummage through your website and invade your privacy in peace. 

Has My WordPress Site Been Compromised?

Is the CVE-2023-45124 scam in the process of compromising your WordPress website? Here are a few warning signs Wordference has provided to help you identify if a phishing scam may be taking place:

• If you notice  wp-autoload.php file in the webroot with a SHA-256 hash of ffd5b0344123a984d27c4aa624215fa6452c3849522803b2bc3a6ee0bcb23809
• If a plugin with a slug of wpress-security-wordpress
• If you come across a hidden administrative user with a username of wpsecuritypatch
• If you have been redirected to any malicious domains (en-gb-wordpress[.]org and Wpgate[.]zip)

Don’t let hackers trick you into letting them in. Use these tips and more to stay informed on the CVE-2023-45124 scam and other ways to remain hacker-free.

The post Beware of the CVE-2023-45124 Phishing Scam appeared first on DAGMAR.

What Are Google Ads Recommendations?

Google Ads recommendations are personalized suggestions Google provides to its users that they can apply to boost campaign performance. These recommendations are automatic, and they are based on your unique user data. 

When you log into your Google Ads account, you will see recommendations listed in these two areas:

• The left-hand navigation (old design)
• Under ‘Campaigns’ in the left-hand navigation where a new sub-menu column opens up beside it (new design).

Once on this page, you should see the recommendation cards, each containing a suggestion that Google has for your account. Google says these are customized for each account. However, we generally see the same recommendations in most accounts.

Another item you may see is your account’s optimization score, which is located at the top of the page. According to Google, these scores range from 0-100% with 100% meaning your account is performing up to its full potential.

In some of the cards on this page, you will see a plus sign and a percentage. The percentage displayed represents the amount your optimization score can increase, if you apply that recommendation. 

Users have the option to dismiss that recommendation, which will also increase your optimization score by that percentage. This is the action that many of our clients have been told by Google reps is detrimental to their accounts. While some recommendations can be helpful, not all of them are relevant to your goals for the account. Let’s look at some examples.

Recommendations That Don’t Apply

Example 1: Raising Budgets

When taking the Google Ads certification exam, there is one question that has been in the test since the beginning of time (or at least during my many, many years of taking it):

What are the benefits of using Google Ads? 

To answer this question correctly, check all that may apply. One of those benefits should be the ability to control costs. You have a budget that you have to adhere to, and Google realizes that. So, you can set your daily budget to whatever works within your budget. 

If that’s the case, then why does Google deduct a percentage from your optimization score if you can’t raise your budget?

Granted, Google is trying to say in this example that your cost per conversion may go down if you add $140 to your budget each week, but if you don’t have that extra $140  and end up dismissing this recommendation as a result, should that negatively impact your account? No, and it doesn’t. Google will not take one of the ‘benefits’ of using Ads and penalize you because you are using the platform as intended.

Example 2: Conversion Value

A large portion of our clients are focused on getting leads. For some, a phone call is just as valuable of a conversion as a form completion. Both are considered “conversions” and are equal in value to the client. 

For one of these clients, this was the recommendation:

It’s harmless enough, but it doesn’t apply to this client. There is no need to assign values to these conversions because the client sees them as equal. If we view and apply this irrelevant recommendation, Google will raise this client’s optimization score by 6.5 percentage points. We will also receive those points if we dismiss it, which we did.

Other noteworthy Google recommendations include:

• Add broad match keywords. We rarely use the broad match type, as it tends to bring in irrelevant traffic.
• Expand your reach with Google Search Partners. This will drive additional traffic, as the recommendation card says, but this traffic is rarely (really, never) of any quality.
• Adjust your CPA targets. This recommendation always suggests increasing the target CPA (cost per acquisition). If a client knows how much a lead is worth to them, why set a target CPA that is more than that?
• Enable automatically created assets. Applying this gives Google the ability to automatically create site links, callouts, and structured snippets for your account. However, we have seen this go horribly wrong. Would you want a callout in your account that was just ‘Tough Men?’ Yep, we’ve seen it happen.
• Add new keywords. This method sometimes provides good suggestions, but be careful. For example, one chiropractic school received a suggestion for the keyword ‘chiropractic doctor near me.’ They always tend to suggest broad matches for these additional keywords. (see above)

It’s Okay to Dismiss

There are many more, but from the abovementioned, you can see that Google should not penalize you for not applying their suggestions. And, as of now, they don’t. Dismissing these suggestions just tells Google, “Hey, this isn’t for me.”

Now, Google may bring that suggestion back up to you down the road even if you let it know that it doesn’t apply, and at that time, you can decide if it’s for you. If not, you can dismiss it again. 

We understand, Google reps have been taught to live and die by these recommendations. For some, applying them all might be beneficial to your account. But for the times when it’s not, you can tell your Google rep that you don’t think a specific recommendation will help your account and that you will dismiss it. 

Yes, you or your PPC agency have the ability to reject recommendations from Google, because, in the end, it’s your account. If they respond and say that dismissing will hurt your account, we suggest asking, “How?”

That’ll stump them.

The post The Truth About Google Ads Recommendations appeared first on DAGMAR.

Breaking Down Third-Party Cookie Usage

According to research conducted on third-party cookie usage: 

• 80% of digital marketers and advertisers depend on the data third-party cookies provide to effectively reach potential customers 
• 70% of professionals feel the advertising industry will regress, as a result of eliminating third-party cookies
• 46% of companies feel they are ‘very prepared’ for third-party cookies to be phased out 

How Online Users Feel About Third-Party Cookies

Imagine visiting a website, and the moment it loads, a notification appears, asking you to accept its privacy terms so it can collect your data. How would you feel? Does that sound like a delightful experience?  

• For users, it can be intimidating or downright concerning to know that your activity is being tracked.
• For advertisers, the data received from third-party cookies are golden nuggets of information required to unlock more effective communication with potential prospects. 

However, suppose users avoid interacting with a website due to privacy concerns. In that case, it will impact your progress and it could also have a negative impact on how users feel about your business overall. 

Yes, the idea of third-party cookies can be quite alarming, but has their existence truly had an effect on the user experience? Many marketers and advertisers think so. In fact, 48% of professionals believe their revenue will increase once third-party cookies have been completely phased out by Google.   

Why Third-Party Cookies Are Over

In the blog we wrote in March of 2022, we discussed how many web browsers have agreed to block third-party cookies to regain the trust of their users, with Google being the exception. As the market leader in online search, Google plans to join other web browsers in 2024, by eliminating third-party cookies, so it can stand with the other web browsers and cultivate a more transparent relationship with its users.  

Another factor that may have played a role in the depreciation of third-party cookies is that our online landscape is changing. Targeted ads powered by third-party cookies are no longer considered as effective as they once were. With new solutions on the rise, there may be a more efficient and cost-effective method on the way in, as third-party cookies make their exit.       

Third-Party Cookies Had a Good Run

For years, third-party cookies have been collecting user data, and taking its course. Here’s a brief history of the third-party cookie, which displays some of the most prominent events that have led up to what is taking place today. 

• 2013 – Safari and Firefox web browsers begin to block third-party cookies.
• 2017 – Safari completely blocks third-party cookies. 
• 2019 – In an effort to safeguard the privacy of its online users, Firefox creates an Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP), designed to block third-party cookies automatically.
• 2020 – Google announces its plan to eliminate third-party cookies. 
• 2021 – Google announces Privacy Sandbox trials, and proposes it as an alternative to third-party cookie depreciation. 
• 2022 – Google delays its plans to phase out third-party cookies until 2024.
• 2023 – Google starts phasing out third-party cookies for Chrome users. 
• 2024 – Google plans to disable third-party cookies for 1% of users by Q1 of 2024. (January) and will phase out third-party cookies for all Google Chrome users by Q3 of 2024 (July). 

What You Can Do to Prepare

Third-party cookies are planning to make a grand disappearing act, but that doesn’t mean your relationship with prospects should crumble. Here are a few tasks you can start doing right now that could help you better navigate through our cookieless world:

• Audit your cookie usage as soon as possible. Google highly recommends this step, as it can prepare businesses to detect any compliance risks early and take inventory of which type of cookies your company is using, how that data is being used, and more.  
• Leverage first-party data.  When we heard Google was saying goodbye to third-party cookies and third-party data, it inspired many marketers and advertisers to say hello to first-party data. First-party data is provided by users when they interact with your website or your campaigns. A great example of first-party data would be a geographic location, subscription information, or feedback from surveys. First-party data can be used to help cultivate honest, transparent first-party relationships. 
• Consider zero-party data. Zero-party data is information that is provided to a business directly from the user. An excellent example of this is when a user shares their purchasing intent with a company. Since this information was provided voluntarily, this data type appears to be less invasive than third-party data.

The post Preparing for a Cookieless Future: How Marketers Can Stay Ahead of the Game appeared first on DAGMAR.

Data Thresholding Overview

Before diving into the benefits and drawbacks, let’s define what data thresholding is. Data thresholding is intended to protect user privacy. If the user or event count is below a certain number, Google will withhold that data. Google states in this help doc:

Data thresholds are applied to prevent anyone viewing a report or exploration from inferring the identity or sensitive information of individual users based on demographics, interests, or other signals present in the data.

Here is an example of what you’ll see in GA4 if your data has been thresholded:

Data Thresholding Benefits

Over the past several years, the digital world has received growing pressure to maintain and protect user privacy on the web. With influences from GDPR and CCPA, amongst others, Google has been striving towards a privacy-first approach. 

Google has already installed several privacy protection measures, including:

• Phasing out third-party cookies
• Limiting visibility in their search terms report
• Continued updates to the Privacy Sandbox
• And more

Now, by utilizing data thresholding, Google can protect the identity and privacy of users in a given dataset.

Data Thresholding Drawbacks

Unfortunately, data thresholds cannot be adjusted because they are defined by the system. However, you can make the following changes in analytics that decrease the likelihood of running into a data threshold:

• Adjust the date range: If there is a small number of users or events in a specific date range, data may be withheld. The broader the date range is, the more likely it is that you will be able to see data that was previously thresholded. This is because the larger date range shows a greater number of events and triggers, making it more difficult to pin down the specific details of a particular user.
• Export to BigQuery: Analytics does not directly export from Google signals to BigQuery. Session and event data may vary between BigQuery and Analytics because Google signals automatically remove duplicate user counts from individual users.
• Turn off Google signals in reporting: You can do this by going to the Admin section, then selecting “Data collection and modification” > “Data collection page”.

Now that we know what data thresholding is, what exactly causes it? The answer — Google Signals. While disabled by default, Google Signals are intended to enhance your remarketing and reporting efforts.

What are Google Signals?

In this Google Help Doc about Google Signals, there is a chart that explains the difference between the existing analytics settings vs analytics with Google Signals enabled. Here is our simplified version:

Long story short, enabling Google Signals will allow demographic data to be pulled into GA4 and will let you use Analytics Audiences and retargeting audiences in Ads.

What does data thresholding mean for marketers?

Google’s data thresholding is another way that we see an effort towards a more private web landscape. While data thresholding may result in a headache for analysts and marketers in the short term, it is indicative that Google is making strides to keep up with other, more privacy-centric competitors like Bing and DuckDuckGo. More and more updates like this will likely be coming from Google over the next few years to keep up with the ever-evolving privacy policies. Stay tuned!

The post Data Thresholding in GA4: Overview, Benefits, and Drawbacks appeared first on DAGMAR.

In Universal Analytics, marketers had a selection between these attribution models:

• Data Driven
• Time Decay
• First Click
• Last Click
• Linear
• Position Based

Now that Google Analytics (GA4) has taken over, several of the attribution models that we’ve become accustomed to have gone away. In October 2023, Google announced that calculated metrics will be replacing the first click, linear, time decay, and position-based attribution models.

What is a calculated metric?

Calculated metrics are designed to give business owners more customizations in their reporting based on their business needs. This can be created by combining a custom metric with a mathematical formula. If you have a standard GA4 property, you can create five calculated metrics, or if you have an Analytics 360 property you can create 50.

See below for how to create your own calculated metric.

How will this impact conversion tracking?

You’ll need to adjust your attribution setups if you have first click, linear, time decay, or position-based attribution models in place. If you don’t adjust the setup, by default these will be changed to paid and organic data-driven models. 

On the other hand, if you weren’t using any of the 4 retired attribution models, you don’t need to make any changes at this time.

If you are creating calculated metrics, set aside some time to test, document, and plan. Depending on your business goals, you may want to create and test a few different versions of calculated metrics to determine which is best for you. Also, make sure to note how you created the custom metric and discuss with your team how this metric will be used and interpreted.

What are the next steps?

With fewer predefined options to choose from, marketers who have utilized the retired attribution models will have to switch to another existing metric, or create their own. The good news is that it sounds like the most popular attribution models will be around to stay (for the time being at least!). 

The next steps to consider are:

1. If you have any of the retiring attribution models in place, change those in GA4 to one of the remaining models (data-driven and last click).
2. If you want to have other attribution options, then you’ll need to create a calculated metric.

How to update the attribution models

Once logged into your GA4 account, click on the “Admin” button in the bottom left corner. Next, in the “Data display” card, select “Attribution settings”. Here you can select from data-driven and first click models. 

Once you’ve completed this step, scroll down and link your Google Ads account if you haven’t already. Then, set your preferred conversion window. This determines the timeframe for which to apply an attribution to a conversion. 

Lastly, click save.

How to create a calculated metric

Once logged into your GA4 account, click on the “Admin” button in the bottom left corner. Next, in the “Data display” card, select “Custom definitions”.

Next, select the “Calculated metrics” tab then “Create calculated metric”. Note: Calculated metrics will only be enabled if Google Ads is linked to the GA4 account.

At this stage, you’ll need to fill out the following information:

• Name
• API Name
• Description
• Formula
• Unit of Measurement

Google provides examples of calculated metrics in this help doc, but we have another example below:

Pro tip: In the “formula” field, as you start typing, GA4 will automatically provide you with a list of predefined metrics:

Once this information has been filled in, don’t forget to click save!

Final Thoughts 

Despite the growing pains marketers may be feeling with this latest GA4 update, the opportunities for customization and more specific data collection are growing. If a metric was not previously available, now marketers have the opportunity to create virtually exactly what they are looking for. This capability falls in line with one of the overarching goals of GA4 — customization of data measurement.

The post GA4 Attribution Model Changes and What They Mean For Tracking Conversions appeared first on DAGMAR.

If you have been impacted by the update or left wondering why you weren’t, here’s what you should know.

About Google’s October 2023 Core Update 

On October 5, 2023, Google’s October 2023 core algorithm update was initiated, and it took a total of two weeks (14 days) to complete. These updates are designed to simplify online search for users by providing more relevant search results. This update was released with the intention to:   

• Reward high-quality online content
• Reduce the amount of low-quality, spammy search results 
• Enhance the overall user experience 

As Google’s third core algorithm update, it is safe to say that they aren’t a new concept. Once you’ve learned the history of them, you’ll be able to understand just how much these updates have evolved throughout the years.

History of Algorithm Updates 

Google’s algorithm updates are designed to enhance the user experience and provide users with the most accurate results for their search queries. As of 2020, Google began to classify its algorithm updates into these six categories:  

1. Core Updates

Core updates refer to all elements that result in connecting users with more relevant content during their searches. Google generally rolls out core updates several times a year. 

2. Helpful Content Updates 

This update is all about rewarding quality content and implementing ways to weed it out from published content that Google may not consider to be helpful. 

3. Link Spam Updates

In late 2022, Google began to develop link spam updates, which focus on mitigating deceptive link-building practices that add spammy links to gain more online visibility. Updates like these were created to help reduce the likelihood of spammy links appearing in Google search results.    

4. Page Experience Updates

The page experience update focuses on the page experience. It considers factors, such as a website’s security, mobile-friendliness, and other Core Web Vitals. The first page experience updates were released in June 2023 and it was exclusively for mobile devices. In February of 2022, Google also launched a page experience update for desktops. 

5. Product Reviews Updates 

The product reviews update impacts online reviews on products ,services, and other potential user investments. It is designed to favor insightful and informative reviews to help users make the best purchasing decisions. 

6. Spam Updates 

Similar to link spam updates, spam updates aim to combat deceitful spamming practices. However, this algorithm update type focuses on reducing the amount of spam sites that may appear in search results.   

Exploring Google Algorithm Ranking Factors

• Query words. 8.5 billion+ Google searches are performed daily; this occurs when users input relevant words or phrases into search engines.
• Relevance. 1,000 words+ of quality content can naturally include more long-tail keywords, boosting its relevance in Google search engines. 
• Usability of pages. 60% of online users say website usability matters.
• Expertise of sources. 5 to 10 quality links for every 2,000 words are recommended. 
• Location. 55% of users rely on Google Maps to discover relevant businesses in their area; searches performed closest to you have a greater chance of appearing in Maps.    
• Settings – Each user’s preferred settings may vary. 

Note: The value of each factor will vary based on your query type. 

For more information, here’s what Google has to say about its ranking factors and how they operate. 

Will Core Algorithm Updates Impact My SEO?

If you’re wondering if algorithm updates can have an impact on your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, the answer is yes. One of the reasons this may take place is because when these updates occur, it can change the value of a ranking factor, or the ranking factors that are considered, overall.  

Impacted by a Core Algorithm Update? Here’s How You Can Recover

Google search engines can be cruel after an algorithm update. If you felt the wrath of Google’s latest core update and you’re unsure of how to get back in the game, here are the ABCs of finding your way back to the top of page one. 

• Analyze existing content and update (with E-E-A-T in mind). In March of 2014, Google added E-A-T to its guidelines. Some of several ways this concept suggests for you to update your content is by expanding the word count, adding more internal links, including an FAQ section that answers users’ most common questions, and more.  
• Boost your website’s page speed. Page speed is an integral part of the user experience. Studies show the average page loading speed for results that appear on the first page is 1.65 seconds. 
• Conduct a thorough content audit. The quality of the content on your website can make or break your ability to survive a core algorithm update.  By performing a content audit, you can identify poor quality content, and use it as a roadmap to develop new, quality content. 

Need additional assistance? Let the SEO experts at Dagmar Marketing help. Reach out to us today and learn how we can help you bounce back from a core algorithm update now! 

The post Google’s October 2023 Core Algorithm Update: What You Should Know appeared first on DAGMAR.

One common occurrence we discovered about AI-generated content is the longer the assignment, the greater the chance of inaccuracies. We also learned that in a world of fake news and misinformation, AI chatbots are still incapable of identifying which sources are credible, and which are not. These setbacks shouldn’t be seen as disadvantages, but instead, we should perceive them as opportunities to ensure that our content is accurate and identify how much of it has been written by a chatbot by using an AI detector.  

What is an AI detector?

An AI detector is an online tool designed to detect copy that has been written by an AI content-generating software, such as Bard and Chat GPT. Since ChatGPT was one of the first successful AI content generation tools to become available, AI detectors are also commonly referred to as GPT detectors.

Most, if not all GPT detectors are trained to identify content that has been written by the following AI content generation tools:  

• BARD
• ChatGPT
• GPT-4
• GPT-J
• And more

Below are some of the best AI detectors that people have been raving about.

Winston AI

Winston AI claims to be the most “trusted AI detector” on the market. This AI-generated content detector boasts of having a 99.6% accuracy rate, this AI detector is considered one of the most popular detectors available. Whether you are in search of a free AI detector, or you have a budget set aside for one, Winston AI offers a few flexible plan options to its users.  

How Much Does Winston AI Cost?

If you think Winston AI might be the best AI detector for your needs, below is a breakdown of its plans and pricing options.

For more information, please visit: https://gowinston.ai/.

Originality.AI

Originality.AI is a popular AI detector on the market, and it claims to be the most accurate AI content checker and plagiarism checker for content marketers. With 99% AI content detection accuracy, this AI detection software will provide its users with a readability score, and it also comes complete with a plagiarism checker.

How Much Does Originality.ai Cost?

If you’re ready to make Originality.AI your premier AI detector, review its plans and pricing options below to see which one might be best for you.

For more information, please visit: https://originality.ai/.

ZeroGPT

ZeroGPT is an AI detector on the market that can help you identify content that has been written using AI. With an AI-text detection accuracy rate of up to 98%, ZeroGPT is a platform worth trying out to see how well it can work its magic. It includes DeepAnalyse™ Technology to help better analyze content and determine how much of it, if any, has been written by artificial intelligence.

How Much Does ZeroGPT Cost?

ZeroGPT could be the right AI detector for you if its prices align with your budget. Here is an overview of its plans and pricing options.

For more information, please visit: https://www.zerogpt.com/.

Passed.AI

Passed.AI is being marketed as an AI detector designed for academic environments. With Passed.AI, its users receive a comprehensive report that includes details, such as how many contributors have added to the document, how much time was spent on it, and what copy was copied and pasted into it. In addition, users will receive plagiarism scores and AI detection scores.      

How Much Does Passed.AI Cost?

Passed.AI does offer a free trial. However, after the 5-day free trial has ended, your account will revert to the standard plan at $9.99 per month, which grants users up to 200 free credits on a monthly basis.

Here is an overview of its plans and pricing options.

NOTE: Users can purchase credits at $0.01 per credit (= up to 200 words) to upgrade their tool or to perform plagiarism checks.

For more information, please visit: https://passed.ai/.

GPTZero

GPTZero is an AI detector that enables its users to analyze up to 5,000 characters at a time to identify any AI-generated content that may have been included. Unlike many of the more popular tools on the market, GPTZero doesn’t specify its percentage for detection accuracy. However, it does consider itself to be the “gold standard in AI detection.”

How Much GPTZero Cost?

GPTZero is a free AI detector that enables its users to detect if the content they have uploaded contains AI-generated content. While free may sound great to your pockets, it might not always be the most effective option for your needs.

For more information, please visit: https://gptzero.me/.

Detect. Correct. Protect Your Online Credibility.

Thanks to the development of AI, the volume of articles published online is on the rise. AI detectors help content creators fight back against inaccuracies and scale down on publishing copy that doesn’t sound very natural, or in this case, human. These tools help chatbots and non-chatbots work together to crank out large amounts of accurate content, but with a human touch.  

Don’t risk your credibility and let inaccuracies slip through the cracks. Try one of these AI detectors on the list today and see what it could do for your content creation process.

The post Best AI Detectors To Use in 2023 appeared first on DAGMAR.

When Google Analytics 4 (GA4) was released out of beta in October of 2020, I don’t know of a single marketer who jumped up and said “I’m going to make the change to that right now.” As digital marketing agencies and in-house teams, we had gotten used to and mastered Universal Analytics (UA) and were comfortable with it. Being on the paid search side, we had learned the ins and outs of how UA and Google Ads worked together, and they did work together quite well. Why wouldn’t they? They are both Google products, getting data from the same place, and are linked through the Google system. They are like siblings who should know each other so well. 

Then came GA4.

Preparing for GA4 Migration

Dagmar was ready when the UA doomsday clock showed up. Our team had been collecting data in GA4 for our clients and had completed setup for them well before the deadline. Everything was tested and ready to go for July 1st. For the paid search team, we had imported conversions into Google Ads from GA4 and had been comparing the UA data to GA4 data for a couple of months before we were going to flip the switch and make those GA4 conversions ‘primary’ in the account. We determined that this would be the time to work out the kinks, and any issues would be cleared up by July 1st.

Little did we know…

The Battle of GA4 and Google Ads Begins

We saw discrepancies between conversion data being attributed to paid search in GA4 and what was being imported into Google Ads right away. These weren’t the small discrepancies we saw before with UA due to the day the conversion was credited or attribution. These were sometimes 50% discrepancies for decent size conversion numbers.

Our first call with Google Tech Support, we were told that it was a latency issue. Data was taking longer to get from GA4 to Google Ads, and it could take up to 72 hours for data to show. Despite having plenty of examples during time periods prior to that, we waited.

On the second call with Google Tech Support, we were told that it was because we had not yet turned on Google Signals in GA4 (mind you, each call we went through the process of making sure that GA4 and Google Ads were properly linked.) We weren’t doing remarketing for that client, which we thought was the primary role for Google Signals, but we clicked the toggle to turn them on any way. While we had turned on Google Signals for other clients seeing discrepancies, we did this and waited.

Still seeing discrepancies, we saw a yellow banner at the top of one of our client’s Google Ads account offering a call with a GA4 specialist. 

We thought that maybe we had been talking to the wrong people, since the Google Tech Support people we had spoken to previously were a third party working on behalf of Google. We clicked the banner, which took us to a page to request the call. When we selected my client’s Customer ID number, it said that the account wasn’t eligible for the call. This is the same account in which we saw the banner offer.

For call number three, we were told that it was because we had chosen ‘paid and organic channels’ in this admin section in GA4 under Attribution Settings and that it needed to be Google paid channels only:

We switched it, but still wasn’t sure how the previous setting would hinder conversions credited to google / cpc in GA4 from being imported into Google Ads. With fingers crossed, we did this and waited.

On call number four, the discrepancies were due to us removing a conversion action in Google Ads and then adding it back. They even sent a screenshot of when “we” did that. Trouble is, this change was made by the Google Ads system, which is the backend system making automated bidding changes and such. It wasn’t us.

Where It Stands

As of this writing, we are still seeing large discrepancies, and we have another call scheduled with Google Tech Support. GA4 is definitely collecting the data and is working fine. The conversions listed in there for paid search match up with what our clients are seeing on their end. That data is just not making its way into the Google Ads platform. This is for form fills for some clients, call tracking for others. There is no rhyme or reason, but we promise to get to the bottom of it and will update this if/when it all gets resolved.

Or, like in true Google fashion, ‘poof!’ One day it is just all fixed. 😉

The post Google Ads & Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Still Not Playing Nice Together appeared first on DAGMAR.

History of Search Engine Optimization as a Profession

In today’s digital age, businesses recognize the importance of a strong online presence. As a result, the demand for skilled professionals in the field of SEO has skyrocketed. According to Lore (you can Google this), in 1997, the manager of Jefferson Starship supposedly became upset because the band’s official website did not appear as the 1^st link when a user searched for “Jefferson Starship.” Whether it’s true or not, it is important to look back at the evolution of search to understand how a job sector grew from simple internet directory listings.

The Evolution of Internet Search

Internet search has a longer history starting with the development of Yahoo, AltaVista, Excite, and Lycos in 1994. Yahoo, for instance, began as a traditional web directory of interesting sites, and in 1995, it developed a search engine that provided users with the best websites that have been approved by editors. During that time, webmasters had to manually submit their websites to Yahoo in order to be included. One year later, Sergey Brin and Larry Page created a new link-based search engine that based rankings on the relevancy of inbound links, the idea being that more “important” webpages are more likely to acquire more links to them. In 1998, the duo launched Google, which later served as an answer to the growing problem of spam and relevancy among the other search engines. 

image from: https://seoagentura.lv/en/what-is-seo/

During the late 90s, search engines had to rely on webmasters to accurately portray their websites through good and relevant content, an accurate URL structure, and inbound and external links (this is where the sub-industry of link building started), which set the groundwork for SEO’s formative years. From 2000-2003, optimizing a website meant updating meta tags and modifying keywords in an attempt to improve a website’s results. Some webmasters began manipulating their use of keywords to increase the likelihood that their website would rank higher than others. Finding that the practice worked, they continued using it until Google’s Guidelines classified the practice of keyword stuffing under “irrelevant keywords.” In 2003, Google had its first major update with Florida. This update addressed keyword stuffing and these other black hat practices:

• Keyword stuffing
• Multiple sites under the same brand name
• Invisible text
• Hidden link tactics

Google began rolling out more and more algorithm changes over the years, now making thousands each year. Some of the algorithm updates are relatively small, but there are instances where the updates can make a significant impact on the search engine results pages. As Google has dominated the search space, they use algorithm updates to improve their product by supplying the best experience for their users. To that end, it became crucial for all websites to be actively supported and optimized to remain relevant to Google’s users. As this need developed, a new profession appeared to address the growing demands for SEO services and expertise. 

Understanding Dagmar Marketing 

One of the leading players in this domain is Dagmar Marketing, a renowned digital marketing agency specializing in delivering exceptional SEO services to clients across various industries. Dagmar Marketing is an award-winning agency with a mission to empower businesses through data-driven digital marketing strategies. With a sharp focus on content and technical SEO, Dagmar helps its clients achieve higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs), increased website traffic, and, ultimately, more conversions and revenue.

A Note From Our Writer: I joined Dagmar Marketing as an SEO Account Manager at the beginning of July. I was a Senior SEO Specialist at a large agency and was looking for a new position with a digital marketing agency that approaches search engine optimization with a holistic strategy that includes content and technical SEO to drive higher rankings and conversions. Joining Dagmar Marketing was driven by my desire to join a digital marketing company that not only shares my passion for SEO, but has a track record of success. I spoke with three other SEO agencies. Not only did my Dagmar Marketing align most closely with my SEO strategy, but they also have the resources and expertise to set clients up for success from day one. 

The post The Journey to Becoming an SEO Account Manager appeared first on DAGMAR.