What’s the biggest news out of eMetrics? Is it the new version of Google Analytics or the fact that Eric Peterson is striking out on his own and setting up a strategic web analytics consultancy? For once, I’ll agree with Avinash’s 90/10 rule and pick the people side of the equation.
Not that Google’s release isn’t pretty big news. If Google was any other vendor, a release like this wouldn’t cause a ripple. But it’s Google and it’s free. And the growing threat of free software at the lower end of the market puts enormous pressure on the mid-range solutions and at least some pressure on the high-end solutions. Till now, I really wouldn’t have recommended GA to any company that actually wanted web analytics (as opposed to traffic reporting – in fact, I wouldn’t have recommended it even if you wanted convenient traffic reporting). The tool was basically unusable for serious work. Has that changed? To be honest, I don’t really know. Once we get a chance to work with it a bit I’ll have a better opinion. They certainly addressed some of the biggest weaknesses in the product – which can only be bad news for all the other vendors. Unless somebody can really trump GA in terms of usability, it’s beginning to look like there are only two options for vendors – play at the high end of the market or die.
Which brings me to Eric’s announcement. I’ve said before and I’ll say again that I think Eric Peterson is one of the very best people in our business. When you do hands-on real-world web analytics like we at Semphonic, it’s almost inevitable that you’re going to develop a healthy disrespect for the "pundits" in your industry. Every industry has these, the people who have a facile opinion about everything and a deep knowledge of nothing. That isn’t Eric. He’s consistently thoughtful. His opinions are rooted in real-world work. And see seems remarkably able to deal with web analytics at every level very successfully: from introducing web analytics to marketers to working hands-on with real analysts to helping senior executives get a handle on web measurement process. When you can do that and not get on the nerves of people like me, you’re doing something pretty special.
It seems clear from Eric’s presentation at eMetrics (and web site) that his focus is going to be heavily on process. I’ll admit I wasn’t absolutely convinced of the necessity for and merits to process from the survey data that Eric presented. Much of the data seemed highly correlated to "bigness" not process – and from being out in the world of big companies I’m frankly skeptical of how many that claimed to have web analytics processes actually do. No, what convinces me of the merit of this direction – its importance – is seeing how much of a struggle virtually everybody has with deploying, maintaining and using web analytics effectively.
Semphonic is an analytic company not so much a process company. Point us at a business problem and we’ll get you a really good answer. We really use web analytics data. And we’ve done so much real-world analytics for so many businesses that we can help guide you about which problems need solving, which ones are likely to really bear fruit, which ones are easy and which are hard (our Analytics Roadmap). And we can train your analysts like nobody’s business. But that isn’t always enough. There’s a lot of work around insuring that an implementation is well-maintained, that campaigns are always updated, that tags are adjusted when necessary. There’s even more work around insuring that web analytics information is properly disseminated. That stakeholders all understand what it is and how it can be used. There’s even a lot of work (as Eric’s survey does make clear) around establishing a common vocabulary within the organization to talk about measurement. Finally, there’s a ton of work around getting every piece of an organization in line and ready to use web analytics. To test, to measure and to test again. This, as Eric rightly points out, is the heart of web analytics and it takes many pieces working together to really function.
I like to think…no, I truly believe, that nobody in the world is better at hands-on web analytics than Semphonic – including Eric. But Eric Peterson is one of the small group of people that I believe even Semphonic clients would benefit from as well. Honestly, when I heard the news from Eric, my biggest reaction was "Damn – why don’t you come work with us!" Sadly, I couldn’t talk him into it. I wish he had, and I hope we get a chance to work together going forward! Because while companies need expertise like ours, I’m realistic enough to know that they sometimes need other things as well. Frankly, I prefer to keep our focus on being the best in world at deep-dive analysis. What makes a great analyst isn’t what makes a great process consultant.
So is Eric competition to Semphonic? In a way he certainly is. But this is a big space with lots of room and lots of different needs and not anybody who’s really all that big. I think Eric has been and will be good for this space. Making it easier for companies to understand and use the value that only companies like Semphonic can deliver will help, not harm us. Does a rising tide really raise every boat? I suppose it might make it too rough for some. But if we do our job well, then I think having Eric driving businesses to be more serious and more committed to web analytics process will be all to the good.
Gary,
I can't thank you enough, not just for this very kind and honest post, but for being such a great sounding board and example for me over the time I've known you. Your compliment about my work and my position in the marketplace means a great deal to me and I know you mean every word you've written.
Regarding the data I presented in San Francisco, point well taken. Over the next few weeks I plan to write up the preliminary research and so I appreciate your comments and would ** love it ** if you'd be willing to review the report prior to its publication.
Regarding our being competitive in the space ... per our conversation in San Francisco, while I am still working out the limits of what I can and cannot provide, I take great comfort in knowing folks like you, Josh at Stratigent, and Aurelie at OX2 in Belgium who are clear about where you fit into the marketplace and have proven your excellence time-and-time again. It is my sincere hope to raise the tide and not rock the boat. Hopefully the next handful of announcements from Web Analytics Demystified will clarify my position and reinforce the faith you have already placed in me.
Thank you sincerely for the kind words.
Eric T. Peterson
CEO, Web Analytics Demystified
http://www.webanalyticsdemystified.com
Posted by: Eric T. Peterson | May 10, 2007 at 02:50 PM