As much as I enjoy the world of web marketing and the infinite possibilities of measuring media, specifically web analytics, there are days where I simply find my job mind-numbing and painful. OK, OK, OK. I’ll admit that web analytics can deliver the euphoria of discovering hidden nuggets of insight and the ecstasy of uncovering an untapped market segment. And I’ll also admit that I like to liken myself to Indiana Jones – following trails, using my intellect to find hidden treasure. However, just like Dr. Jones, I feel like I get beat up a lot as I crawl through a good amount of filth to get where I’m going. It’s during times like these when it feels crappy to be a web analyst. Avinash Kaushik never told me there’d by days like these… Read more…

Humour, Rant, Web Analytics Avinash Kaushik

I recently read this article fom Econsultancy a few days ago. It implies that some people believe that Google is manipulating web statistics by having a visitor window of 6 months for campaigns (though it does acknowledge this setting can be changed as per these instructions). For those who don’t know what this means, here’s a quick summary:

1. You do a Google search, and see an AdWord campaign (those ads at the top and the right sidebar).
2. You click on one of them.
3. You arrive at a site.
4. You leave the site.
5. For the next 6 months, the original click you made on the that AdWord campaign will receive “credit” for your consequent visits regardless if you visit the site directly or via an AdWord campaign.

I watched as consipiracy theorists Tweeted ad nausium about Google hiding this little bit of information, and trying to manipulate the system in their favor. All I can say is, “Oh please”. Read more…

Rant, Web Analytics Professionalism

Here we go again. Back when I was in high school, one of the coolest things to do was to be into a band that no one heard of. We’d look down our noses at the very happy pop music lovers, thinking that they had no idea what good music was. And when we were asked what music we were into, we’d proudly fire off a half dozen names and praise their awesomeness. We’d even lend our friends tapes, and records in hopes that they, too, could see what they were missing. But, inexplicably, the moment that one of our favorite bands got popular, we considered them “sell-outs” and swore that all the new “fans” were into them just to be cool. These so-called “fans” didn’t “get it”, they were posers.

As immature as doing this was, I guess it was our way to express how we felt, how we lost a bit of our coolness, and we resented it. Well, I’m sorry to say, this high school pettiness is happening all over again. But this time, we’re not talking about R.E.M. or NIN, we’re talking about Twitter, you poser. Read more…

Humour, New Media, Rant Oprah, Twitter