Today, we turn our attentions to Wesley Hall, a man who is of no help at all with a chest of drawers. Thanks to [...]]]> “Out flew the web and floated wide.   The mirror crack’d from side to side.  ”The curse is come upon me,” cried  The Lady of Shalott. ”
Methinks  fair lady was weaving a Silly Series…

Today, we turn our attentions to Wesley Hall, a man who is of no help at all with a chest of drawers.
Thanks to Rudi Shumpert for adding some questions to the mix!

Who is Wes Hall, and why are you oft referred to as “Big Wes”?

I have been asked to describe myself for various professional and legal reasons over the years, and I am always a little stumped in trying to portray who I am.  I am a husband (been married for almost nineteen years) and a proud Poppa Bear.  I am currently a Senior Web Business Analyst for Home Depot.  Prior to that, I worked for Computer Sciences Corporation as a Senior Web Analyst for the US Army.  I have worked in Developer and Analyst roles on sites for Lane Bryant, Service Master and Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum.  When I am not at HD or working on my honey-do list, I am working on publishing a journal of my family’s genealogy.

My Big Wes moniker started as a way to differentiate me from my namesake son.  Nowadays, Big Wes refers more to my imposing frame than my daddy status.  I do not consider myself intimidating, but I have been told by several of my daughter’s would be boyfriends that I can be quite scary.

You work for The Home Depot.  Should I panic if I have 3 extra screws and a squiggly plastic thing left over after putting together a chest of drawers?

Yank each of your drawers open really hard and if any of them fall apart, then yes, you needed those screws.  That plastic thingy is what we professionals refer to as a do-dad.  It is used to hold Post-It Notes to remind yourself not to forget the screws when you start over!

What do you think is a bigger pain-point in the world of web analytics – the increasing number of channels to attribute or the view that analytics should be easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy?

Both scenarios should be handled by managing expectations, but the bigger pain has to be channel attribution gone wild.  I can use a few choice techie words to combat the lemon squeezy perception; but keeping stakeholders from trying to boil the ocean requires a bit more finesse.

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

Answering this question is like thanking people at the Academy Awards.  If I leave someone out, I could get in deep doodie. Nevertheless, I will commit – but we have a tie:
Eric Peterson because of the RACR [Reach, Acquire, Convert, Retain – it’s that or Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar – ed] model that I live my analytical life by and because he was very influential in my Web Analytics career progression.
Rudi Shumpert because I have seen this dude in action and he is a real billy bad ass.  In the Analytics world, Rudi is a real mover and shaker – plus he has the best nerd shirt collection any geek could ask for.

[Since publication, Big Wes has developed a serious man-crush on Casey Cheshire and would like to include him in the list of Super Heroes - ed]

Who is the Super Villain in the #measure world.

hmmmm… FYeahAnalytics is not really a Super Villian – but more like an anti-hero.  FYeahAnalytics is the kind of character you root for in spite of him being bad on so many levels.  I learn so much from the #measure crowd.  It is just a lot more fun with these bad boys.

What is the strangest place you have worn your Home Depot Orange Apron?

It was not so much the place – but the way I wore my apron.  I once thought it would be a good idea to wear my apron down to the mailbox in lieu of a shirt.  Neither my wife, my daughter, nor our HOA was amused.

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

1. No more media coverage of William and Kate.
2. Web Analytics will start to focus on sentiment analysis.
3. Web Analytics will become an established discipline in business.

But that’s three wishes – if I have to pick just one, then no more William and Kate.

You volunteer in the Analysis Exchange.  If you need more work to do, I can help – you could rebuild my chest of drawers, perhaps.

As tempting as that sounds, chests of drawers are just not my specialty.  I am more of an assemble your grill, add charcoal and lighter fluid, light a fire, and slow cook a Boston Butt for 12 hours kind of guy.  Give me a call when you find the matches!

What would you tell someone who wanted to be just like Rudi Shumpert when they grow up?

First, never underestimate the power of a slick goatee.  Embrace the soul patch. Own it.  Next, do not be afraid to take your show on the road.  If you are going to be like Rudi, you are going to have to collect those frequent flier miles.  Lastly, learn your craft.  The next Rudi will have to be a master of many skills.  Eat, sleep and breathe this industry.

What advice would you give a young buck just getting started in web analytics?

Master the technical aspects of web development first.  Conquer HTML, JavaScript any web based programming languages you can.  In spite of all of its advances, the web still runs through browsers that interpret code.  Learn the business side of the web and how to use Excel.  Excel will become a close friend as you progress.  Read “Web Analytics Demystified” by Eric Peterson and work as a student at the Analyst Exchange. Only after all this are you ready to walk the rice paper. Never stop reading. Never stop learning.

When are you going to grow out your hair for the Jason Thompson faux-hawk?

Years before I came to know and admire Jason, I attempted that cool, jazz saxophonist haircut.  Every time I tried, I ended up looking more like Cleveland Brown than Jason Thompson.  Maybe I will try again when the weather cools down.  In the meantime, I will imitate Jason through deeds more than sight.

Check out the full list of interviews in the Silly Series here!

Today, we turn the spotlight on Alec Cochrane, a man talented in the art of disguise, [...]]]> Long have tales been told of a collection of annals depicting the lives and loves of those in the web analytics industry.  This probably isn’t it, but you’re here now, so keep reading the Silly Series!

Today, we turn the spotlight on Alec Cochrane, a man talented in the art of disguise, a fact to which his photograph below is testament.

Who is Alec Cochrane in a nutshell?

I think am your fairly typical 30 year old man. I drink too much, don’t do enough exercise and I make really bad jokes. I’ve tried quite a few sports in my time (Football, Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Rugby) and discovered that my best position is ‘watching’.  My previous history of ‘playing’ sports allows me to have a unique position of being able to criticise the way someone else plays them, despite the fact that they are much better than me.  I take this into the world I work in as well – my previous history of running a website (albeit a tiny blog!) allows me to tell other people how they should be running their websites!

You have a degree in Chemistry – what are you doing slumming it in web analytics?

In Chemistry, once you’ve got past all the posturing of exams and writing dissertations, you pretty much end up with a bunch of people in a lab doing experiments. In those experiments, a series of well-educated people take a load of stuff they know about best practice and try and come up with a way of getting the best possible yield from their starting products.  Different situations and starting points demand critically different environments and reactions to get the result you want. How do they know they got the right results? They spend a whole load of time measuring each individual step of the process. Web Analytics is very similar but with websites and people. I would say the amount of fresh air and social interaction the two groups get is remarkably similar

Your Twitter username is WhenCanIStop and your blog is www.whencanistop.com.  Who is it you expect to answer that question?  What if I told you you can stop next Wednesday?

Ah.  This was something I was hoping you and your readers could tell me? I’m actually hoping that a big blockbuster movie comes out with this name and they buy the website and twitter name off me for a horribly large amount of money. If you’re reading this Steven Spielberg…

You recently suggested a Cookie Scale in response to the new EU cookie legislation – do you think visitors would be less worried about online privacy if you could just give them a ginger snap and a cup of tea?

Sadly I think many visitors don’t really care about online privacy. Oh sure, they claim that they care about online privacy, but then they give out their email addresses, names, home addresses and occasionally bank statements to any website without thinking about it. A recent Government survey asked users if they would change their behaviour with cookies with an opt-in policy and fewer than half said it would.   Personally I believe that opt-in for cookies has been consented by looking at a website.  If you don’t want to opt-in, don’t look at the website. However, how are you meant to make that choice about opting in?  Cookie policies need to be more straightforward than they have been; they can’t be hidden away in privacy policies or lengthy documents.  I need something that I can decide on the first page I see.  On food packaging you now see little labels on the front telling you how many calories, grams of fat, etc are in a food item in relation to your recommended daily allowance (and still have the proper detail on the back of the label).   Why not have some sort of scale with cookies as well?

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

When I first started doing this kind of thing seven years ago, I didn’t really know what I was letting myself in for.  I was ably coached through the early period by my colleagues Kevin Bond, Axita Patel and Adrian Risbridger as well as the guys at Redeye (the then tool provider) who I constantly hassled.  Jonathan Kay, Gary Lee and Bertie Stevenson have got their own back on me by hassling me for business ever since and it amazes me that they still have a passion for the work.

Of course, I was very inspired at my first eMetrics with Jim Sterne, I tried (badly) to follow in Avinash Kaushik’s footsteps by writing a blog and continue to be inspired by Eric Peterson, attending as many Web Analytics Wednesdays as I can (when are you coming back to London Eric?). However it is those guys right at the beginning who gave me those first few steps that I remember the most.

What do you say to people who think website tracking is evil, nefarious and just plain wrong?

I think website tracking has the potential to be evil, so I can see where they are coming from. There needs to be tighter regulation and more transparency from companies about how they use data to appease users.

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

We in the ‘West’ sometimes pick our foreign fights based on what we are going to get out of it. Those in less fortunate areas need to continue to fight for their right for democracy and a better distribution of wealth irrespective of whether we are there to help or not.

What is the strangest request you have ever heard from a customer?

I think one of the strangest requests I’d had was to find out why a piece of content had got very few visits.  Apart from the fact it didn’t seem that interesting, wasn’t particularly link friendly and didn’t have many keywords in it.
It turned out the main reason was that they’d changed the name of it several weeks after it had gone live so we were searching for the wrong thing in the analytics package.  “Oh, didn’t I tell you that at the start?”

If you were to secretly write chick lit. books as a hobby, what would your nom de plume be, and what would be the name of the hero of your first book, “Breathless Liaison Whispers”?

How do you know I don’t already write chick lit. books as a hobby?
My pseudonym would be Ava Hungoria and the hero of the first book would be a dashing horse rider called Sandy Beaches.  He woos his women by taking them on luxurious holidays to the South of Italy, where he teaches them the art of love making whilst the waves lapping in from the Mediterranean breathe whispers of illicit liaisons.

In the last five years, what do you think has been the greatest contribution to online industry through web analytics?

Ubiquitous as it is, Google has basically been transformed by ordinary people being able to have free Web analytics. Those one man blogs from experts in their field would have died an early death if it wasn’t for the release of the tool in 2006.  Now anyone can find out how many people have read their 100 post blog and start doing stuff to make it better rather than giving up because nobody has commented. How often now can you search Google for something half sensible and not come back with any results (try Googling Ava Hungoria!)?

Check out the full list of interviews in the Silly Series here!

This time, it is time for Dave Chaffey, a writer of books, a runner of mountains.

Tell us a little bit about all of Dave Chaffey.

If you don’t know me I love all of digital marketing which makes it fun and [...]]]> This is the Silly Series.  It is a series and it is silly, hence the name.

This time, it is time for Dave Chaffey, a writer of books, a runner of mountains.

Tell us a little bit about all of Dave Chaffey.

If you don’t know me I love all of digital marketing which makes it fun and challenging keeping up-to-date with what matters across all the channels. But it’s a pleasure mostly since I enjoy spotting trends and sharing what’s important with other people on Smart Insights Digital Marketing and when speaking at events or training.

What I love learning and sharing about most are Web Analytics, SEO, Conversion Optimisation and Email.  I enjoy these because the numbers tell a story from which you can get an instant return if you test, learn, refine.

Even if you do know me, you maybe don’t know I started out in the 1980s as a geochemist researching rocks from St.Helena created 2.5 billion years ago – Geology is good for field trips.

What hobby do you wish you had the money or the bravery to pursue?

It’s more about the bravery. I used to be a keen rock climber, but as I get older the risks seem to get bigger. We’re better at diminishing the risks when we’re smaller. So these days I content myself with running over the mountains – even I have to escape the digital world sometimes. I ran 42 miles yesterday on the High Peak Marathon route near where I live – but that’s not a normal day, not at all.

Do you write because you love it or write because you can make money out of it?  If it’s because you love it, does that mean I can have the money you make from it?

I love writing, sure, but really appreciate that I can be paid for it when many blog without getting paid.  I’m lucky in that I update my books every 2-3 years, so the money I earn from writing helps me justify time learning and sharing online.
That seems crazy writing “my books are updated every 2-3 years” digital marketing changes every 2 to 3 minutes – so I put a lot of effort into summarising the main changes on SmartInsights.com. It’s hard graft updating a 600 page book covering all of online marketing, so I’d be happy to pay you for you to Ghost Write it if no one could spot the difference!

Do you prefer learning or teaching web analytics practices?

You have to do both – I do a lot of training on how to get more out of Google Analytics, SEO, CRO and broader digital strategy. But you can’t train unless you’re actively working in this area which I do. Many of my projects are using Google Analytics or Site Catalyst to get more from a site or search marketing. If I had to pick one, I’d say learning.

Your company provides best practices.  What do you say to people who think that best practices in web analytics are simply there to stifle creativity, reactivity etc.?

Yeah, I hear that, many dislike the “best practice” label because they don’t apply to all and stop giving you an edge. But they’re definitely needed – many companies from small to large “data puke” and don’t customise their analytics – they badly need best practices IMO.

I know through training that many of the techniques that are the “bread and butter” of web analysts, like advanced segments or funnel reports, aren’t used at all.  Most haven’t customised Google Analytics for their businesses. Our most popular posts about analytics are often about best practices.

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

I learn from so many, it’s hard to say. I’m sure everyone mentions the legends like Avinash, Bryan, Brian, Jim, Eric at this point. But there are many whose day job is simply increasing profit for their clients who live and breathe this stuff far more than the legends who spend most of their time in the air. For example in the UK I’ve learned a lot from Dan Barker, Tim Leighton-Boyce, Dan Croxen-John and Craig Sullivan in the UK and I’m sure every country has their unsung analytics heroes.

Aside from the guys above, I’ve always liked the way that Jim Novo and Kevin Hillstrom tackle understanding of loyalty and profitability drivers – more should read and write about this!

What was your first job and what was the greatest life lesson you learned from it?

Not the best start, I got a job as a developer and found out my first job was to help design missile systems.  I thought there must be something more positive I could do, so I left after 3 days. Since then I worked for quite a few years pre-WWW as a coder and project manager building systems to help marketers. So the lesson was don’t be afraid to change horses mid-stream, go with the flow. There’s no such thing as career-planning for me!

Write a poem about web analytics that can be sung to the traditional tune of Happy Birthday.

Now that really is Silly, it would have to start Happy HiPPO, Happy HiPPO, MVT is good for you!

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

Same as all years, to help marketing folks do a better job, to help them look better to their colleagues. We’re relaunching our site  in a way which we hope gives much better insights than most blogs which are ephemeral, so I hope that works for us and the users.

Which Lady Gaga song do you sing in the shower?

Pass – I just watch the videos! I don’t know the names of the songs, but my daughters certainly do. Alejandro springs to mind. Guitar bands are my main thing – my first records, yes that’s vinyl, were in the punk era and I still like being indie in outlook.

It is now time to turn our attention to Thomas Bosilevac, a man with a name as unpronounceable as [...]]]> Looking for out-of-print books on ancient methods of salmon fishing?  You’re in the wrong place.  This is the Silly Series – a succession of frivolous people profiles focussing on those who work in and around the web analytics industry.

It is now time to turn our attention to Thomas Bosilevac, a man with a name as unpronounceable as Jojoba’s.

Boz, be a good chap and tell the nice folks about yourself.

Ohh where to start, I grew up surrounded with Midwestern values in the former mob capital, Kansas City, where I was president of my catholic parish Youth Group for like 5 years, uncontested of course.  After the turn of the millennium, someone told me the bubble was gonna burst, so, I decided to move to LA and see that happen – it did, I would only trade the experience for stock papers worth more than paper.

Since then I have been fired from a spammer over an argument of opt-in vs opt-out (I was right), lived on Martha’s Vineyard for a summer, drove a D9 in Peoria,IL while managing digital analytics at CAT, had twins, stayed in over 50 hotels consulting with Webtrends, had another child.

Now I have found a settling spot here in Portland, OR where I have added 2 dogs and 3 chickens to the family.  After travelling and consulting for over 5 years straight … I founded MashableMetrics.  That is another story.

Into how many languages can you translate your first name?

I melt when I hear the French say Tomas – however, after a few years of French, I just respond ironically “Je ne parle pas francais”.

You don’t accept the role of “Report Monkey”.  What about “Graphical Chimp”?

I wanted to change to something like data donkey, but HR had issues with that.  Can we compromise on Graphical Gorilla?

If you were to write, direct and star in a play on web analytics, what would the play be called and who would interview you on the red carpet?

Well coincidently enough I majored in Theatre and Film, and it is what made me get into the “WWW” in the first place.  So how about – “Card Catalogue Monologues” a dramedy that showcases TBoz in his journey of frustration of manually finding 15min male monologues at the university library, through his remarkable discovery of the computer lab and Gopher, to his anal-retentive needs to quantify the return on investment of each production element of a new initiative.  I want to be interviewed by Neil Diamond (I love you Mom).

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

I am going out on a limb here, and outside our comfort zone, and say Hans Rosling.  Hans has taken the idea of using data to the mainstream. (see video… BBC show … TED talks ….) Who else gets a standing ovation from a data interpretation?  Do you?  Should you?  He is also one of the inspirations for MashableMetrics.  If we as analysts can look like rockstars, perhaps some of those amazing insights we draw up will get implemented more quickly.  I will blush when I meet him.

Do you think the WAA creating a Code of Ethics is an ethical thing to do?

It is a step in the right direction, I think everyone has the responsibility to read it, understand the implications, research accordingly.  Candidly however, I feel it is lip service.

When this whole internet thing started the American people didn’t trust eCommerce and eBanking.  eTrust stamps increased conversions for the retailer but not the industry.  What happened?  The end started to justify the means.  Let’s face it, privacy and fraud have not been eliminated nor has it decreased since 2000.

BUT, I sure am glad I was able to book my latest little weekend getaway online vs. go to a travel agent.  We need to look at the holistic picture and ask ourselves: What are we providing to the customer for this data?  I don’t voluntarily give away my shopping habits, but sign away because of almighty “points” and “discounts”. Go ahead, close your eyes and ask it … I will blog about it later … or someone will

<This is where I deleted a rant about anonymous web data vs registered web data, but I digress into this controversial topic.>

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

I can’t be concerned with 2011, I am making plans for post apocalypse 2012.

BUT –
I see a true change in the makeup of a digital analytics department.
Whereas a focus data extraction, analysis, and visualization will be more commonplace.  Instead of looking for web analytics pros, managers will be looking internally for the database marketers, R programmers, and true data scientists.

Tell a true story about something you’ve done that would make the lady readers go “awww” and the boy readers go “Damn, you make the rest of us look bad”.

Well Emer there really are so many … so I will sum it up with the reason I
do them all:

What is your favourite interview question for employment candidates?

I will take this from Eric Peterson:  After most every credential that they throw my way ask them:
CANIDATE:  I am a committed, intelligent person
ME:  So What …
CANIDATE:  ”I graduated with honors”.
So What …
CANIDATE: “at Harvard”
So What …
CANIDATE: ” sleeping an average 15% of the week (5hrs a day), classes 12%, and with .065 BAC 45% of the time, ”
HIRED

How good would an offer have to be to make you leave the world of web analytics?

Honestly, given the same salary there are many things I would rather do like become a high-school teacher, actor or Manager of Social Experience at a resort (stolen from TV series Greek) but that just doesn’t happen so easily.  Web analytics and product development is what I love, and what I do best.  I have been in sales, media planning and project management.  I have worked at small and large organizations, agencies and a software vendor.  With the experience under my belt, right now, I love being the captain of my own ship, and you can’t bribe me out, but you can show your support by going to MashableMetrics.com -  we will take the grunt work out of reporting.

Check out the full list of interviews in the Silly Series here!

Today, it’s the turn of Matthew Gellis, a tall man who looks good in a linen suit.

Howdie, Mr. [...]]]> Welcome to the Silly Series, the weird and wonderful world of people in the web analytics industry.  To know them is to love them.  To love them is probably to not know them as well as you should.

Today, it’s the turn of Matthew Gellis, a tall man who looks good in a linen suit.

Howdie, Mr. Gellis.  Please to be telling us about you, yes?

Started in the technology and Internet industry in 1997 and played lots of different roles across a few companies.  System administrator, web developer, ecommerce manager, consultant, and web analyst.  Spent 6 years at Omniture and was their first Implementation Consultant; helped build out the Proof-of-Concept team, and ended up on the Sr. Sales Engineering team.  Started Keystone Solutions 3 years ago to really dive into the most complex problems our customers are facing.  It’s been a fantastic ride so far!

What did you do in a past life that you feel you must punish yourself by hanging out with the likes of Jason Thompson, Rudi Shumpert and such sorts?

I once pretended to understand what statistical relevance really was and since then have been sentenced to hang out with people far smarter than I am, thus never really shaking the “picked last for dodge ball” feeling.

You’re going to a dance and waiting for your date to show up with a pretty corsage just for you.  The doorbell rings.  Is it Eric Peterson or Corry Prohens?

Both – I mean, let’s be honest, I look killer in my full linen suit and I just couldn’t let either one down.  So Corry is coming at 6 pm and I have Eric scheduled at 8.

Do you think web analytics has a future as an industry, or can it only survive if it is part of other practices?

Well, first, I’ve never loved just calling it “web analytics” and I think that reference may need to change a bit so that it truly encompasses all that we do.  Not sure what that name is, as there are a lot of options out there, given we do so much more than just web analytics.  But, I think it has a VERY bright future and I’m of the opinion that as an industry we will be consuming other disciplines and practices and not the other way around.

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

All the quiet practitioners so frequently unrecognized because they are too busy jumping in with both feet, rolling up their sleeves, and moving the needle at their agency, company, vendor, or wherever they are, to even worry about who follows them: if they’ve spoken at a conference, or if they are thought of as an industry leader.  They are content to let their work speak for them within the sphere of accountability with which they have been entrusted.

What is your worst habit?

Assuming everyone else can read my mind. 

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

Measurement community world peace achieved through momentum for the code of ethics, integrity of our practitioners, support for our WAA, and continued maturity interwoven through the massive growth of our industry.

If Stu chews shoes, should Stu choose the shoes he chews?

Knowing nothing about this “Stu” how do we know it’s not just another newspaper reporter in disguise trying to determine if there is a flaw in the way we suggest choosing such shoes to chew or if we are spying on his choice of shoe with the insidious intent to take his selection and rule the world with that information rather than simply ensure a more effective and efficient experience in shoe selection next time he wants to chew a shoe?

What is your best advice to someone starting out in web analytics?

Talk to Corry Prohens – he’s good to have as your friend.  :)  But aside from that, jump in and do something.  Too many people worry they have to have the perfect foundation, the best background information, having read every book and article.  Do that in parallel but DO something.  Fail quickly and with integrity.  Ask for and react to feedback to make yourself better.  And PLEASE don’t forget to measure your own efforts.  So many of us (new or veteran) forget to measure the effectiveness of our own growth, our own mistakes, our success, and the personal ROI we’re gaining.

iPad or laptop?

Although I have both I’d have to go laptop – I love my real estate. 

Check out the full list of interviews in the Silly Series here!

Today, it’s the turn of Michael Notté

Bonjour M. Notté.  Et vous êtes…?

I am Belgian, French-speaking and leave near Brussels, the capital of Europe.  I am working in Web Analytics for more than [...]]]> As part of the Silly Series, several previously well-respected members of the web analytics community have consented to answer several foolish questions.

Today, it’s the turn of Michael Notté

Bonjour M. Notté.  Et vous êtes…?

I am Belgian, French-speaking and leave near Brussels, the capital of Europe.  I am working in Web Analytics for more than 6 years – as Web Analytics specialist at the European HQ of a big car manufacturer. I discovered the world of Web Analytics when I joined this company. It turned into a real passion for me, a passion that I try to share with others through my blog: Kaizen-analytics.

When I am not doing Web Analytics, I am a happy married man, father of 3 lovely kids.

If you were to write a book on Web Analytics, what would be its title and to whom would you dedicate it?

I think I would call it “A journey into Web Analytics – a practitioner perspective” or something like that – like the series I wrote last year on my blog.  There are plenty of great books on web analytics but all are from consultants, experts or gurus, not from practitioners. Maybe that’s because we (practitioners) do the hard work and don’t have time for writing books

I would dedicate it to my wife – for all the time she patiently listens to me talking about my work and passion, for supporting the geek that I am. Oh, and I would also dedicate it to Aurélie Pols and René Deschamps – they showed me the “way” when I started in this field.

Do you think there’s any difference in the application of web analytics in the automotive industry versus other industries?

Not really – Web Analytics serves the same ultimate goals as for other industries i.e. 1) Improve customer satisfaction, 2) Increase revenues and 3) Decrease costs.

Web analytics is crucial for the automotive industry as the role of online has become very important in the purchase process – from creating awareness to influencing consideration. While the actual sale is still happening in the real world (but for how long?), automotive websites are more and more becoming a “virtual salesman”.

When you consider the fierce competition and the amount of money spent by car manufacturers, understanding the customer expectations and optimizing the performances of online activities is critical.

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

I would name two without hesitation. First one is certainly not that original but well, I am huge fan of Avinash Kaushik. His blog and books are a continuous source of inspiration for me. I had the chance to meet him at my first eMetrics summit in London, back in 2007. Not only is he a true expert in our field but he’s a fantastic person.

My other hero-sans-cape would be Stéphane Hamel – he’s doing a lot for our community, for education in general and he has brought great contributions that helped me in my practitioner job – such as the WASP tool or his Online Analytics Maturity Model. The latest one is a great management tool. Can’t wait to see how he will continue to develop it.

What KPIs could you apply to your life?

I would say “Customer satisfaction” or should I call it “wife satisfaction”? Most important KPI ever!  And I am not referring to the “sex” part only J – I mean global satisfaction!  This is the KPI that every married analyst should keep an eye on – every single day! Don’t let it go down…

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

For the remainder of 2011? But we are only in February!? J Well, I wish I will continue to live my passion, to wake up everyday with the feeling that all the hard work I do is changing things where I work, that what I am doing is making a difference – even if a small one. I can tell you that for me, 2011 will be an important year – with new projects & challenges. More about these soon…

Do you prefer online advertising that is targeted to you, or do you find it a little bit seedy?

You cannot avoid advertising nowadays. It is everywhere. So, if I am to be bothered by it, I definitely prefer that it is targeted to me but correctly! Seems that in my case, there is work to be done in that area.  I rarely feel that I am being targeted appropriately. Or maybe it is so damned effective that I don’t realize it. One shouldn’t under estimate the evil power of advertising

A Toyota Avensis leaves the city at 5pm.  A Škoda Octavia is driving backwards up a hill in a forest.  How long will it take your Prius to race between their destinations?

Ah, ah… What a strange idea to drive a Skoda backwards and in the woods. Who would want to do that? Not sure it is meant for that. Anyway, the answer is that I will take more time than the two others.  I will drive slower but in more eco-friendly and sustainable style. I will be last to reach mid-destination but I will use between 5%-30% less fuel and will emit between 10-40% less CO2 – therefore preserving a bit more (or should I say polluting a bit less) our poor little planet. Now, I am not sure that the Skoda would make it through the woods anyway

500 years from now, an archaeologist digs up skeletal remains.  How does he identify this skeleton as a web analyst?

By the size of his brain of course! We all know how intelligent we all are. *choke* *choke* *choke* J.  Deeper investigations would certainly uncover the remains of a “Web Analytics 2.0” book in one of his hands and a WAA pin pinned in the chest.

Name a web analytics book you have read in full.

In full? That’s a tough question… The first Web Analytics book I ever read: Eric T. Peterson’s Measurement Hacks.  I got it offered by some of the nicest people of our community. I read it from first to last chapter. Okay, I skipped the programming bits – does that count?

I admit I have not read in full that many books – even both Avinash’s books, but I keep diving in these on a regular basis. That’s what’s great with his books – as said – a continuous source of ideas & inspiration. And it makes the pleasure of reading them last longer

Check out the full list of interviews in the Silly Series here!

Today, it’s the turn of the very lovely, and frankly hilarious, Bob Page.

Good day to you Bob.  Please provide us with some salient facts about you.

I’m a Cancer or Leo, and suddenly confused about the difference.   I am tattoo-free. [...]]]>

Blah blah Silly Series.  Blah blah web analytics people.  Blah blah read them all.  Blah blah fabulous.

Today, it’s the turn of the very lovely, and frankly hilarious, Bob Page.

Today, we turn our attention to the simply marvellous Eric Peterson.

Eric, tell us a little about yourself.

I am a father of two beautiful children, married to a wonderful (and understanding) woman, and live in relative comfort in Portland, [...]]]> No animals were harmed in the making of this Silly Series on the people of web analytics.  Probably.

Today, we turn our attention to the simply marvellous Eric Peterson.

Eric, tell us a little about yourself.

I am a father of two beautiful children, married to a wonderful (and understanding) woman, and live in relative comfort in Portland, Oregon.  I am fortunate enough to have written some books, started blogging early on, and made one or two decisions that in retrospect turned out to be fairly good.  Now I try and surround myself with people who are more or less smarter than I am, keep my head down and my nose clean.  I fail at the latter quite often but, for the most part, things have turned out well so I just keep doing what I do.

3 Web Analytics Demystified partners walk into a bar.  Who pays for the second round of beers?

I am honored to work with John and Adam and so if buying a few rounds of beer is the price I have to pay then so be it.  In fact, while I was working to convince John Lovett to join me as a Demystifier we closed down a number of “lobby bars” in the wee hours — a skill I learned from Mr. Jim Sterne and one that has served me very well.

The Analysis Exchange must be some kind of a con.  What are you getting out of it?

Curse you, Emer, for you have discovered my secret con.  Yes, Analysis Exchange is an elaborate plot to turn otherwise busy people into much, much busier people by somehow convincing them that volunteering to help amazing nonprofits and give a fellow man or woman the opportunity to expand their skill set and, ultimately, job prospects in the world.  Through trickery, misdirection, and in your case, dear one, downright lies, I have bamboozled brilliant folks including Jason Thompson, Adam Greco, Phil Mui from Google, and frankly too many others to name … gasp … to do good.

And I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling kids.

Linda Evangelista once famously said that she wouldn’t get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day.  What is your tipping point?

This is a trick question, I can tell.  I have no idea who Linda Evangelista is … let me Google her name.  GAAAAAAHHHHH!

Who is your superhero-sans-cape in the web analytics community and why?

Tough question.  I will probably get in some kind of trouble for saying this, but I’m going to go with Stéphane Hamel.  He doesn’t like me very much, and he takes a lot of what I say entirely the wrong way, but he brings an enthusiasm to his work in the web analytics community that few can match and so I appreciate his passion.

If I had two picks my second would be Tim Wilson (Gilligan on Data) … Tim is a great blogger and has an incredibly nuanced understanding of the work we collectively do.

Clearly you never sleep.  How does your wife put up with you?

Either she is very understanding or asleep, one or the other.

What is your wish for the remainder of 2011?

I’m not much of a wisher, Emer, I’m more of a “doer.”  Things I hope to do before the year ends include advancing the Analysis Exchange towards our goal of helping 1,000 nonprofits around the world.  I’d also like to convince thousands of web analysts around the world to sign the Web Analytics Association‘s Code of Ethics to help reshape the conversation about the work we collectively do in the popular press.

If you are forcing me to make a wish, then I wish you would come to eMetrics in San Francisco in March and let me buy you a pint or two for all your help with Analysis Exchange and for launching this implausibly funny and insightful blog series.  You kick ass.

You are contributing to the Code of Ethics.  Do you secretly think that web analytics practitioners are beyond redemption?

Probably, but I also secretly think that redemption is over-rated.  Shhhh.

What book about web analytics do you wish you’d written?

Steve Krug’s “Don’t Make Me Think” isn’t really about web analytics, but man I wish I would have written that book.  I would love to write about web analytics in such a simple, approachable way.

What’s so good about Adam Greco?

My favorite thing about Adam is that his wife Wendy has volunteered to serve as Executive Director in the Analysis Exchange and help us reach our goal of helping 1,000 nonprofits around the world get some free web analysis.  That is awesome, and so Adam gets to be awesome by extension.

How many times a day do you check your Twitalyzer scores (for professional purposes, of course…)

You’re asking me how many times a day I Twitalyze myself, Emer?  That’d kind of personal don’t you think?  I mean, it’s not like I asked you how many times a day you Twitalyze yourself …… of course I have amazing web analytics on the site and I can tell EXACTLY how many times a day you Twitalyze yourself and who else you are Twitalyzing and how long you gaze longingly at their avatar after you Twitalyze them so I suppose it’s not very fair.

I’m sorry, what was the question?

Check out the full list of interviews in the Silly Series here!