Eric T. Peterson's Web Analytics Blog - Latest Comments

Re: 2012 WAA Award of Excellence

Eric T. Peterson — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:05:27 -0000

Thanks Bill! Yeah, the award was for an "agency, vendor, or group" I believe and we are the latter I suppose. It is an odd category and had us competing with Critical Mass, Corry Prohens (IQ Workforce), Keystone Solutions, and Google Analytics.

Regardless we are honored and it's a nice recognition of the work we do outside of consulting.

Re: 2012 WAA Award of Excellence

Bill Gassman — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 09:39:29 -0000

Congratulations on a well deserved reward. Hadn't thought of Web Analytics Demystified as an agency before, but it elevates the meaning of the term.

Re: Can you help the Analysis Exchange?

Eric T. Peterson — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:23:42 -0000

Oh, by the way, the green bars in the graph are "total Analysis Exchange members" and the blue line is additions by month. That spike in January on the right is the "Google Analytics Blog effect" --- thanks again to Phil, Justin, and the entire Google Analytics team!

Re: The Evolution of Web Analytics Wednesday

Jim Sterne — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:23:51 -0000

Web Analytics Wednesday - now an industry institution.

Re: Welcome Demystifier Brian Hawkins!

Ty Snouffer — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:57:33 -0000

Congrats Brian and WAD! I'm very pleased to hear there will be a public voice advocating on behalf of testing along with providing some thought leadership on the issue.

Re: Big News from Web Analytics Wednesday!

David Crankshaw — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:46:26 -0000

This is great news! Thank you for your work to arrange for these sponsorships and to nurture the Web Analytics Wednesday events. And thank you to the sponsors who are demonstrating their intent to be trustworthy leaders in the digital measurement community.

Re: Big News from Web Analytics Wednesday!

Adam Greco — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:16:45 -0000

Thanks for your support of the Web Analytics Community!! Looking forward to a great 2012!

Re: My New Year’s Resolutions, Demystified

Eric T. Peterson — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:42:36 -0000

Raghu, absolutely! Can you reach out to me today on email? Eric.peterson at webanalyticsdemystified.com is best. Thanks!

Re: My New Year’s Resolutions, Demystified

Raghu Kashyap — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:51:28 -0000

HI Eric,

Are you calling for speakers for the Accelerate event? If so we would be interested and come and talk about our use case with Big Data/Data Governance and Web analytics at Orbitz Worldwide.

-Raghu

Re: The Evolution of Web Analytics Wednesday

Penelope Bellegarde — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:22:11 -0000

Hi Eric, I am a very regular attendant of WAW in London, it is always a pleasure, always. The networking aspect is so important in our industry and WAW is a true facilitator for this.
All the Best and Happy New Year!
Pénélope

Re: The Evolution of Web Analytics Wednesday

Eric T. Peterson — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:36:31 -0000

Thanks Corry, and thanks so much for your continued support of WAW and other of our efforts at Demystified.

Re: The Evolution of Web Analytics Wednesday

corry prohens — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:05:10 -0000

Great post Eric. I have attended WAW's in more cities than I can remember. I have met countless great people from our industry and have learned a tremendous amount during these brief, intimate networking functions. As our community evolves and grows, many of the big ideas and the collaborations of the future will be hatched at Web Analytics Wednesdays around the world. You should be VERY proud.

Re: First ever ACCELERATE is this happening TODAY!

Eric T. Peterson — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:36:39 -0000

Kenneth,

Thanks so much! We really enjoyed the event and are glad that so many amazing people showed up and joined us!

Sincerely ...

Re: First ever ACCELERATE is this happening TODAY!

Eric T. Peterson — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:35:56 -0000

Glenna,

It was great to meet you at ACCELERATE and I loved your story. That you were ready to crash the doors to get in if the wait list was full is an amazing testament to your desire to learn.

We all really appreciate your sharing this story, thank you!

Sincerely ...

Re: First ever ACCELERATE is this happening TODAY!

glenna zhang — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:44:19 -0000

The ACCELERATE 2011 was awesome! I say so because I actually became a "conversion" due to the influence of this ACCELERATE. I am considering change my career to work in the digital analytics field.

I work in medical research field and knew nothing about digital analytics until a friend sent me the link to ACCELERATE 2011. I then took one day vacation from my work and drove one hour to a conference I was on its waiting list.

I'm glad I got in. I was amazed by the wonderful speakers, the neat organization and format, even the high quality lunch box and the abundant cocktail. Above all, I saw people in this digital analytics field LOVE what they do and they believe that they can make a big difference in this digital era. Their passion about what they do actually made me believe I must be in this movement to have fun and make a difference.

I want to thank the organizers (Eric and his team)for organizing this awesome conference! It inspired me, "converted" me, and provided me the connections and tools I need to start my new career and adventure in this field. For example, I've signed up with Analysis Exchange to gain hands-on experience and I'm enjoying reading Eric's book "Web Analytics Demystified".

ACCELERATE 2011 is the best event I attended in 2011 and it opened a new world to me. Thanks!!!

Re: First ever ACCELERATE is this happening TODAY!

emmett pickett — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:39:43 -0000

Your Actionable And Refreshing ROI Of "Culture"...

I have seen a lot in my marketing-finance-technology convergence career (sometimes especially in this economy, I feel that I have seen too much I didn't want to!), so I am far from naive when I say that Eric, John, and Adam delivered real deal, real world professional joy and community hope today at the first Accelerate conference at UCSF Mission Bay conference center.

The references to technologies from a range of exceptionally insightful speakers at Accelerate were -- repeatedly within a behavioral marketing learning context that was extraordinary, frankly -- so encouraging towards my mission in healthier communities investing for U.S. in these times of real peril for this country now: For The We, not just the me.

Across many years, and my understanding of this long before his recent passing, I have (only???) seen Steve Jobs achieve the special balance of (and actionable use of) "culture" that Eric, John, and Adam achieved today (perhaps also through someone like the founder of virtual reality, Jaron Lanier, so respected for his 2010 book, You Are Not A Gadget). Strong praise indeed, but on the "analytical" merits, well-earned today at Accelerate (and beyond), gentlemen!

Exceptional conference, and sincere and many thanks for letting me "actively listen" and learn, and please stay in touch. My thoughts and prayers are with you for success as you proceed to the next Accelerate event in 2012 in Chicago.

In a country and on a planet now too infested with "data smog a mile wide and an inch deep" (often in enduring customer care -- or the lack thereof -- by too many companies and organizations for whom it is too "easy" to "look the other way" at the decline of U.S.), please keep sharing "your Renaissance 2010s culture" -- and really the word for you three (and Wendy Greco's appreciated leadership at the wonderful and related (The) Analysis Exchange that many were praising today, serving non-profit organizations) is "gravitas." Stay special, Eric, John, and Adam (and Wendy too), okay? You "dare to care and share," it shows so tangibly in each of you and exponentially together. How refreshing -- and important..."walking the talk" of the real double or even triple bottom line(s).

Thank you deeply for the "wealth of actionable knowledge capital," and the "cultural camaraderie" to Never Surrender.

Literally, Happy Thanksgiving! :-)

Re: First ever ACCELERATE is this happening TODAY!

Kenneth Fax — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:14:51 -0000

Special thanks to Web Analytics Demystified.

It was fast-pace and worthy of my attention. I could not get enough. The "Ten Tips in Twenty Minutes" was an outstanding professional and technical format for hybrids.

It was nice to see qualified professionals catching up with reality. I admire that there were others in the room with similar core capabilities, diverse talent room full of amateurs and beginners.

It was realistic to listen to experts with similar backgrounds from well-accomplished and seasoned companies such as ESPM, Yahoo, Salesforce.com, Expedia, Sony Entertainment, Autodesk and Symantec.

Please keep me informed of any future events, collaborations or possible synergies.

Sincere regards,
Kenneth Fax

Re: First ever ACCELERATE is this happening TODAY!

Hazel jaramillo — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:55:21 -0000

Wow! As my first week working in web analytics, Accelerate was just what I needed to prepare me for my new job! The web Analytics expertise in the room is impressive, and spirit of comraderie encouraging and very supportive for the web analytics newbie. Thank you.

Hazel Jaramillo
Apollo Group

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

SleeplessSF — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:46:36 -0000

GA's visit definition update caused massive complains. http://analytics.blogspot.com/...

Because it is free, Google can change anything without considering your business impact. I won't agree to use GA as standard.

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

Louis Slade — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:51:14 -0000

I use Google Analytics on my personal website and I've found that having it installed is extremely useful. Although there are a couple tools out there that allow you to go deeper into research, Google Analytics, I would have to agree, is the standard tool, and should be installed on all business websites.

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

Max — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:53:20 -0000

You don't call something standard when it change the definition of a basic metric to different than everyone else, and probably for the reason of attributing more traffic to AdWord. In fact, I keep telling people lately to treat whatever tool you are using as a benchmark, and use GA's data as a 'nice to have'.

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

Michael Lee — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:55:52 -0000

Hi Eric,

Many of the Google services does not work consistently in China due to Google's conflict with the Chinese government. China has more Internet users than the population of the United States. And who knows when Google will have conflicts with other regions in the world that has different a political culture. So it is much more than just a tool, or data quality.

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

Brownie — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:00:41 -0000

Some people I know believe that they are, without a doubt, the thought leaders in the sector â hell, they have figured out how to provide a pretty good solution to the entire world for free.

Even if it were true that Google "figured out" how to provide GA for free - rather than just did it because they could, using the same logic that underpins the decision of the biggest supermarkets to sell bread and other staples at a loss - I'm not sure how this makes them "thought-leaders"?

When I consider the term "thought-leader" in just about any context, I'm imagining a person or company that has forced me to think in a different way about the subject-matter that this person/company specialises in. Considering it is free, GA has no right to be anything like as good as it is, but I'm struggling to think of examples where it could be accurately described as having pushed the envelope.

Generally speaking, one thing a thought-leader doesn't do - purely by dint of being a thought-leader - is provide his/her/their services for free. Which is why we have to pay Jim Stern to speak and part with cold hard cash to acquire one of buy Eric Peterson's books. :-)

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

eric — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:26:08 -0000

Jason Thompson from our partner Keystone Solutions wrote a blog post in response to this post and I would encourage you all to go have a look:

http://emptymind.org/standards-belong-to-the-community/

Jason's thesis is that "standards belong to the community" and that we collectively should set standards for web analytics, not the vendors, and specifically not because one vendor based on their breadth of deployment. He states that "[The thing that] makes standards so valuable and meaningful, is that they are universally accepted amongst all users and vendors."

I don't disagree, except on two points:

1) We, collectively, have trouble making decisions. There are a lot of reasons for this --- personal interests, personalities, lack of understanding, etc. --- but at the end of the day I'm not convinced that standards will come from a consensus-based approach. I'm just not.

2) I'm not proposing that using Google Analytics as a de facto standard is "valuable" or "meaningful" ... I'm proposing that it is practical. Back to point #1, if collectively we cannot decide, are we not better off having a reasonably good and practically applied alternative, or should we just have nothing?

It seems perhaps that some readers have taken my post to an illogical extreme. I am not telling anyone to do anything, to change any behavior, or to adopt any technology that makes them uncomfortable, unhappy, or uncool.

All I pointed out is that there is a technology that I believe is pretty well thought out that is, oh, by the way, deployed in every nook, cranny, and corner of the Internet that, if properly managed, has the potential to solve a problem that we have had in web analytics since the first company changed vendors.

Thanks to Jason for taking the time to share his thoughts.

Re: Finally! Standards come to Web Analytics

eric — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:03:02 -0000

Chris: You make great points, but I fear you have taken my thesis too far. I am not suggesting that anyone would "allow GA to dictate the standards" (your words) by any means, far from it. I am merely pointing out that A) we have collectively long proclaimed that "standards were needed", B) yet none have emerged in any useful and practical sense, but C) Google Analytics is so widely deployed it has become a de facto standard and thusly can be used as such if one chooses.

Hell, I'm thinking more and more that this is not a responsibility that Google actually wants, but when life hands you lemons you make lemonade, right?

Now, on your thesis that Google are not thought leaders when it comes to web analytics ... this is one of those topics for the lobby bar. Some people I know believe that they are, without a doubt, the thought leaders in the sector --- hell, they have figured out how to provide a pretty good solution to the entire world for free. That's something that nobody else has really figured out. Other people are very much anti-Google (or, probably more accurately, pro-[INSERT YOUR VENDOR HERE]) and so the "thought leader" designation doesn't resonate.

Me? I don't think it matters.

What matters is that Google Analytics has the market awareness and breadth of deployment that would allow companies to use the solution as I have suggested. Nothing more, nothing less.

Kelly: I think you might be confusing the tool and the use of the tool --- none of the vendors, Google included, encourage sloppy implementation, poor user understanding, or random changes in definitions, at least not to the best of my knowledge. Also, I'm not assigning them de facto status for any reason other than ... they have it. Google Analytics is in so many places there is little or no work to be done for companies to take advantage of this recommendation --- aside from doing what they should have done all along, give reasonable thought to their implementations, etc.

On the WAA: Fair enough. There is a membership meeting next week, perhaps this topic will come up.

On my KPI book: I would never pre-suppose to set the standards we should all follow. My books are but a position, not the final word. Plus, I am not likely to have time to update the KPI book anytime in this lifetime so it's a non-starter anyway ... ;-)

Thanks to you all for your comments!