11-Feb-08 10:30 AM EST
Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started in Web Analytics
I remember what it was like to walk through the door at my brand new job, my very first job as a web analyst, wondering what I’d gotten myself into. In retrospect, what did I wind up learning the hard way? What would been helpful to know up front? What should I have been prepared to expect? With that in mind, here are 10 things I wish I knew when I started in web analytics:
- You will sit between the techies and the marketers. Figuratively, and maybe literally. Make friends on both sides of the fence.
- You will learn all about your business. Not just the stats part. Not just the web part. The work you do in web analytics will only make sense once you’ve put it in the general context of your business.
- Ahem, what is this thing you call a "Visit"? Know your standard web metric definitions by heart, and be able to recite them concisely for people who ask. They will ask.
- Dirty, dirty, dirty. Numbers won't match, they won’t add up, they won’t make sense, sometimes they won’t even exist. Know how much dirt you’re willing to live with, then accept it and move on.
- You will learn to love the query string. You will come to see it as a beautiful haiku. You will know it backwards and forwards. You will repeatedly explain its usage to people who need to append campaign codes to URLs.
- CSV stands for "comma-separated value" ... it's a file format, every data analyst's friend, and - inexplicably - it doesn't even have to be comma-separated. Huh.
- Operators are standing by. Know the support hotline number for your commercial web analytics vendor of choice, and don't be afraid to call. If you have one sticky note on your monitor it should be that number. Actually two sticky notes. The other one should say, “Patience is a Virtue.”
- Don’t fall into the “report monkey” trap. Manually-repetitious activities are not a good use of your time, so automate wherever possible. Strive to spend your cycles doing thinking fellers work, and leave robot work to the robots.
- You are not alone. Right now there are other web analysts sitting at their own desks, somewhere between the techies and the marketers, and they’re facing exactly the same issues that you are. You will meet them at Web Analytics Wednesday.
- Think long-term. From the very beginning, think about where you want your career to go and make every effort to develop in that direction. Your entry-level position in web analytics can/should/will lead to other things, so know what you're targeting and go for it.
About June Dershewitz
June Dershewitz is currently Vice President of Analytics at Semphonic, a leading web analytics consultancy with headquarters in San Francisco and offices in Boston and Washington, DC. Read June’s blog at http://june.typepad.com/.
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For additional information on this Web Analytics article, please contact:
June Dershewitz
Source: June Dershewitz
http://www.semphonic.com/
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Wow, June, its amazing, I m just starting with higher level of analysis & this field is like a kind of dream for me. U r such great advices helps me a lot in my professional life. Thanks June :)
Wow! I have just joined into this space from Australia it is such a relief to read this top 10. I am starting to feel better already!
#4 is #1 on my list!!! Is this just a fact we need to accept? Numbers that don't match, don't make sense, contradict each other? There has to be something out there that provides accurate data.
This was great information June! I have been working in analytics for about two years, but I just started a new job (on Monday) and I'm doing a higher level of analytics and I can't wait. I will be taking your advice above (and Michael's #11) to heart. Thanks for this!
Thank you (und vielen dank) for your kind words, commenters! @Michael - #11 makes perfect sense. We are all measurement evangelists, whether we call ourselves that or not. @WDave - perhaps I was too economical with words in #9. We're fortunate to have so many ways to reach out.
Excellent hints, June! Of course, I have to add to #9 ... you'll meet them at WAW gatherings, at eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summits, and of course, 24 hours a day online at the Web Analytics Forum, where people who have already faced the same problems that you have will share their solutions with you ... for free!
So true to life. I would have come up with much the same list if I had to come up with 10 things. It is great to see that I am in great company. I am going to print it and pin it up!
wow! june you just took me down the memory lane, i can exactly relate to points 3, 4 and 5! and i agree with Michael on 11th cheers anil
Outstanding. 11. No one understands exactly what it is that you do, so be ready with explanations that are 30 seconds, 5 minutes, and 30 min to help people understand your function.