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Important changes to Google Analytics: Switching to Google Analytics 4

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As you may have already heard, Universal Analytics will be completely replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4) by 1 July 2024. From this date, all Universal Analytics services and APIs will be deactivated. This means that Universal Analytics data will no longer be accessible. If you have not yet fully migrated to GA4, you should do so as soon as possible. You can find the migration instructions here.

Effects on product integrations
After deactivating Universal Analytics, the data and settings are no longer available. This affects:

  • Conversions: New conversions are no longer measured. This can affect your advertising campaigns, especially if you use smart bidding.
  • Target group lists: These are closed, which can affect your media activation and the performance of your advertising campaigns.
  • APIs: API requests related to Universal Analytics will fail. This means that Universal Analytics data can no longer be displayed in API-based tools such as Looker Studio.
  • BigQuery: The export of historical data from Universal Analytics 360 properties could only be requested until 30 June 2024. However, data that has already been exported remains available in BigQuery.
  • Attribution projects: These, which were part of the attribution (beta) in Google Analytics, are deleted.

Conclusion
The transition to Google Analytics 4 is inevitable and should be done as soon as possible to avoid data loss and disruption to your advertising campaigns. We understand that these changes can be overwhelming and want to assure you that we at Swiss Media Design are always by your side. Our goal is to make your transition as smooth as possible and ensure that you can continue to work successfully with Google Analytics. Change has become more common these days, and it often provides opportunities for growth and improvement. Google Analytics 4 brings with it many new and improved features that can help you gain even better insights into your customers' behaviour and optimise your marketing strategies.

Contact us if you need assistance with the transition to GA4 or if you have any questions about the new features and capabilities. Our team is always available to help you through this transition and ensure that you can take full advantage of Google Analytics 4. Together we will overcome this challenge and utilise the new opportunities that GA4 offers. Change is the key to continued success, and we're here to help. You're in good hands with us. Let's shape the future of digital marketing together!

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10 effective SEO tips for small and medium-sized companies

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Search engine optimisation (SEO) is crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be visible online and reach potential customers. A good SEO strategy can make the difference between your website being found by search engines or not. In this blog post, we give you ten practical tips on how to improve your SEO.

1. carry out keyword research
The basis of every SEO strategy is keyword research. Find out which terms your target group uses to search for products or services like yours. Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify relevant keywords.

2. create high-quality content
Regularly create high-quality, relevant and informative content that appeals to your target group. Search engines favour websites that offer useful content. Blog posts, articles, videos and infographics can help to make your website interesting and retain visitors.

3. optimise on-page SEO
On-page SEO includes all measures that are carried out directly on your website. Make sure that your title tags, meta descriptions and headings are optimised. Use your keywords strategically and ensure a clear structure and readability.

4. ensure mobile-friendliness
A mobile-friendly website is a must as more and more people are accessing the internet via mobile devices. Make sure your website is responsive and looks and works well on all devices. Google favours mobile-friendly websites in search results.

5. improve loading times
Fast loading times are crucial for a good user experience and are rewarded by search engines. Reduce the size of images, use caching techniques and minimise code to shorten the loading times of your website.

6. use local SEO
Local SEO is particularly important for SMEs. Optimise your website for local search queries by clearly stating your address, telephone number and opening hours. Register your business on Google My Business and collect reviews to increase your local visibility.

7. build backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site, and they are an important ranking factor. Make an effort to get high-quality backlinks from relevant and trustworthy websites. Guest posts, co-operations and PR work can help with this.

8. use SEO-friendly URLs
Make sure that your URLs are short, concise and keyword-relevant. Avoid long and cryptic URLs that are difficult for users and search engines to understand.

9. use internal linking
A good internal linking structure helps search engines to crawl and index your website. Link relevant pages together to offer users better navigation and improve the SEO of your website.

10 Analytics and monitoring
Regularly monitor the performance of your website with tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Analyse the data to understand which content is working well and where improvements are needed. Adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusion
SEO requires continuous effort, but with these ten tips, small and medium-sized companies can significantly improve their visibility in search engines. Start with solid keyword research, create high-quality content and optimise your website both technically and in terms of content. Keep at it, monitor your results and adjust your strategy for long-term success.

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How do I convert a Word document into a PDF?

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The PDF format plays a central role in digital communication, as it enables reliable and consistent viewing of documents on different devices and platforms. Whether for sending important business documents, submitting job applications or simply to ensure that the content is not altered, converting a Word document to PDF is a frequently required skill. Here are some simple methods on how to effectively convert a Word document to a PDF.

 

Method 1: Using Microsoft Word

  1. Open your document in Microsoft Word. Start Microsoft Word and open the document you want to convert into a PDF.
  2. Save or export the document as a PDF. Click on "File" in the top menu bar, select "Save as" or "Export". Then select "PDF" from the file format options. With the "Save as" option, the PDF format is often located directly below the file types available for selection.
  3. Customise settings. Before saving, you can select specific options for how the document should be optimised - for example, for online printing or for a smaller file size.
  4. Save the PDF. Select a storage location for your PDF and click on "Save". Your Word document is now saved as a PDF and can be shared in this format.

Method 2: Use online converter

  1. Choose a trustworthy online PDF converter. There are many free services such as Smallpdf, ILovePDF or Adobe Acrobat Online that can convert Word documents to PDF. Be sure to choose a secure and reliable service to ensure the safety of your data.
  2. Upload your Word document. Visit the converter's website, select the option to upload your Word document and follow the instructions on the page.
  3. Start conversion. Once the document has been uploaded, select the option to convert to PDF. The process should only take a few seconds.
  4. Download PDF. Once the conversion is complete, you can download your new PDF document and use it as required.

Conclusion
Converting a Word document to PDF is a simple process that ensures the integrity and professionalism of your documents. Whether you use Microsoft Word or an online converter, both methods provide a quick and efficient solution for converting your important documents into the versatile PDF format. By maintaining format and readability across different platforms, PDF is ideal for professional document sharing and archiving.

 

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