Coding and Design Tips & Tutorials

“Oh lord—we’ve lost a lot of money!” This is an exclamation you might hear in the lobby of a casino, but sadly, it’s something we hear when people have not set up their Google Ads Campaign correctly.

It’s because some people don’t approach Google Ads with a professional attitude; instead, they seem to trust “Lady Luck”.

If you think about it, there’s a key difference between a professional and the average person who enters into a situation where sums of money can be made or lost quickly. 

That key difference is that the professional never sets foot into a money-related situation without having a well thought out STRATEGY!

Strategy = Winning

Therefore, even if you’re a beginner, you should always have some kind of strategy in place when working with Google Ads, because then you’ll spend your money wisely and WIN EVERY time.

When we talk about Google Analytics, most people have one of three reactions, which one are you?

1. You have heard about Google Analytics but are not really sure what it can do for you.
2. You know about Google Analytics. You have even logged into the dashboard only to be overwhelmed by the overkill of data provided and are stymied what to do with it or where to begin.
3. You get excited about the possibilities when you think of this powerful tool, with all the incredible insights it can give you into how your website is performing and how visitors behave on your site.

If you answered 1 or 2—don’t freak out because many of the people we start helping have not been clearly shown, or explained to, why this is one tool you never—EVER—want to ignore. If you are looking for a more in-depth technical training check out our Google Analytics training & courses.

Inevitably, everyone who has any interest in Data Science faces a wall, and that wall’s name is Mathematics. As much as we would love to avoid the intricacies of math in data science, when a stakeholder asks, “Can you explain the answer to me?” the answer is probably a complicated mouthful consisting of a whole pipeline of ideas involving data and mathematical calculations. As important as it is to know the correct algorithm to do the work, it is equally important to conceptually understand the math behind the algorithm. We’ll look at some of the key mathematical concepts so that we can slowly recreate the engine and learn the mechanics of data science. 

In such a fluctuating era, it’s more important than ever for marketers to stay on top of new emerging technologies. Staying aware of novel marketing trends not only helps others gain a competitive edge but even leaves room for lead generation. While 2018 brought advanced marketing movements such as live broadcasting and long-form videos, 2019 took marketing to another level. Here’s what you need to know:

We know what you’re thinking: "Why would I ever learn video editing when I can just hire someone off Fiverr to do it for me?" A few other refuting thoughts may cross your mind, like the fact that it would take too much time, that you’re too busy to learn something new, that it’s too expensive to master, or that you prefer to be investing your energy on other things. While this may be the case, it’s crucial to consider that editing videos in your personal vision can help turn abstract ideas into powerful content and save you a fortune in the long run.

But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what the world is saying…

In recent years, Python has exploded to become one of the fastest-growing languages. Traditional object-oriented programming languages have many rigid rules, and Python often breaks the convention of these languages, offering simplicity to counter this rigidity. For novice programmers, it may be more beneficial to learn code through the lens of simplicity and elegance versus robustness and completeness. Both have their tradeoffs, and here are a few key examples of how Python separates itself from the pack.

Topics: Using custom hair brushes to create a selection/mask, Refining the hair mask, Removing a color cast

Exercise Preview

Photo courtesy of istockphoto, ProjectB, Image #5164255

Excel spreadsheets have been the standard in the business world, allowing people to leverage spreadsheets for everything from accounting to managing schedules. As one of the world’s most popular software programs, Excel is used in all facets of a company, from human resources to Finance. However, there comes a time when one may look to grow beyond Excel and foray into the world of databases and coding-based solutions.

Topics: Making a selection using Channels & Curves, Refining the selection with the History Brush, Refining the hair mask

Exercise Preview

Photo courtesy of istockphoto, ianmcdonnell, Image #8884668

Hair Selections & the Search for the Holy Grail

Hair Selections & the Search for the Holy Grail Everyone’s looking for the easy path. The internet is filled with so-called experts doling out “tips, tricks, and techniques,” and they may sound like they are the answer, but when you try them on your photos, you just get frustrated because they don’t work. You think there’s something wrong with you or your retouching skills, but maybe that technique only worked on that one photo and background combination! It’s not as easy as learning one tip or technique. Hair is more complex than that. A blonde on a dark background must be treated differently than a blonde on a light background.