Basics of Ad Testing

This article was written by Ted Dhanik

Every web marketing guru with a blog will tell you that testing is extremely important for e-Commerce, but rarely will you see a detailed list of what to test for. Here are some ideas on how to begin your testing and gather data effectively.

Testing to Discover

When you’re testing with the purpose of discovery, the goal is to pinpoint what works with your ads. Eliminate or add elements to your display advertising one by one until you land on that magic formula for conversions.

Ideas to consider include:

• Keyword – Can you see the keyword in either the banner advertising or the landing page?
• Branding – Can you leverage a brand name to get some recognition for your ad?
• Action Words – Not just the call to action. Are you being direct with your customers and telling them what they want to hear?

These thoughts are only the beginning. Colors and images can have an equal impact and are often overlooked by newbies.

Testing to Improve

When you are testing to improve, you have identified what worked and want to scale your campaign. Here, you must dig deeper than the surface to look for methods to improve. Ideas include:

• Cost – Can you purchase traffic from another network at a reduced cost?
• Quality – Will paying more for your traffic increase the quality?
• Targeting – Can you adjust your targeting to include or exclude visitors, and show your campaigns to the most relevant possible audience?

Don’t let your campaigns go stagnant. Test frequently.

Bio: Ted Dhanik is the co-founder of the top tier advertising network, engage:BDR. With over fifteen years of sales and direct marketing experience, Ted Dhanik offers solid experience on business development. Visit Ted Dhanik online to read more insightful advice.

How to Launch a Balloon to the Stratosphere

Weather balloons used to be science experiments reserved for those with the money to do the research. New technology has not only made the balloon cheaper, but the technology to capture images and data has also lowered in price. Here is the lowdown on how you launch a weather balloon into the stratosphere to collect data.

Payload Construction

You will need an arm to hold the payload that you intend to attach to your high altitude weather balloon, but there are some weight considerations to take into account. In the US, you are restricted to a payload that does not exceed 12 pounds. That twelve pounds must be distributed across the box your payload is housed within, the data logger your payload uses to capture data, and any other attachments you decide to add.

Balloon Setup

Begin in a flat and wide-open space, with all of the components of your balloon kit spread out on a table. Assemble your payload, securing the weather balloon camera to the arm where it can get a good view as it ascends. Also keep in mind that the size of your balloon will affect the volume of gas it will hold, so larger balloons are likely to travel a longer distance and reach a greater height.

Launch Site

The site that you choose should be free from objects that will impede your flight path. Power lines, trees and other obstructions can cause your balloon to catch on its flight path, stopping the journey entirely. Also be sure that you launch on a clear day with low wind speeds. Follow the flight path of your balloon carefully with your GPS unit, and be prepared to make a trek to retrieve the payload.

Designing a Microchip

Microchips are found in just about every product we use on a daily basis, including our automobiles and television sets. They are made of highly conducive material that allows a device to transfer an electrical current. All circuits are made up of electrical components arranged to direct the flow of tasks and information to the necessary components. The process of making them involves some highly technical science, and a thin film vacuum coating that work on a molecular level.

Vacuum Technology

The chip itself is known as “the substrate” during the manufacturing process. This broad term describes anything that will receive the materials that will be melted down, so it could be a chip or lenses for a pair of eye glasses. The substrate is placed into a vacuum deposition system, in which the chamber is vacuum sealed and heated to high temperatures. Once the temperature is right, materials are inserted into the chamber. The heat allows them to break down into molecules, and when the chamber is cooled, those molecules bounce around and eventually settle on the chip.

Conductive Materials

Silicon crystals are the most prevalent materials found in a microchip or a microprocessor. This material has a 4 valence electron shell, which gives the substance the ability to add or subtract electrons within moments. Selenium and tellurium are also used because they have a high resistance to temperature. Inside of a computer, for instance, these materials would protect the circuitry as the motherboard and other components heat up.

Design and Process

The chip must be laid out according to very specific designs. The first step is known as photolithography, where a machine is used to create the blue print of the chip’s layout on the chip itself. Often, different colored materials are used to mark how the circuits will be laid out. The process occurs at a microscopic level, so engineers often “debug” hardware issues with the help of an electron microscope. The device is then tested and packaged in an anti-static material.

Final Thoughts

A microchip is engineered to resist heat, but the final product is still quite fragile. Chips must be housed away from major heat sources, and special care must be taken when handling them during transport. Chips also bear insignias from the manufacturer, which allows repair people to figure out important data about the chip for repair. Still, the nature of the circuit is changing as we discover more about the enigmatic field of quantum physics.
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Denton Vacuum, LLC manufactures a sputter coater for use in microchip design and the fabrication of medical equipment. Learn more about vacuum deposition when you visit Denton Vacuum, LLC.

Technology that Will Help You Get the Most From Your Employees

By Allied Time

If you want to get the most from your employees (and who doesn’t?), you have a number of options available. One is simply providing them with greater incentives like commissions or other prizes for outperforming the average. Of course, sometimes all it takes is a reminder of the poor economy to add some pep in your employees’ steps. However, one very simple way you can consistently see better results is by instituting time clock routines.

Time clocks ensure that employees are showing up on time and getting their work done as expected and as you pay them. Most people are familiar with this basic hardware, but you can take it a step further and add in software to do even a better job of tracking your people throughout the day.

Best of all, this important step doesn’t have to cost you a lot. Athem time and Pyramid time clocks both bring everything you need to the table, yet without a great investment to your company. In fact, when you look at how much you’ll get back in return, chances are the total investment will be quite negligible in comparison. So before you start spending money on incentives or other schemes, consider this choice first for better results from your employees.

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Allied Time offers some of the best Online timesheet options on the market to meet all your business’ timekeeping needs. Whether you need the physical thing or the digital version, this company has it all.