In this interview, Neil Mason discusses the development of the Web Analytics industry, provides tips for Web Analysts on what do first and gives advice on how an analyst can service (internal and external) clients.
Neil starts by discussing the current state of Web Analytics and Business Intelligence. According to him, these fields have diverged mainly as a result of the difference on the data being analyzed and its collection. But he believes that as organizations start seeing the digital channel as being an integrated part of their portfolio we will see these fields coming together.
He then discusses what should be done first: Analytics, Testing or Targeting? Neil believes that the first step must be to have an accurate data collection and measurement. He notes that it is not required to have a complete tracking on every page of the website in the beginning, but tracking is essential for optimization.
Neil goes on to provide an important consultancy tip to internal or external teams: develop good listening skills. Consultancy is not about showing to people how great you are, but to providing a solution to the client’s needs. The consultant must understand the problem from the client perspective.
Neil closes the interview by discussing the trends on the Web Analytics industry. The first is the proliferation of channels and keeping on top of them; and the second is the integration of data sources and channels.
Neil Mason
Neil Mason joined Foviance as part of an acquisition of Applied Insights whom he was director and co-founder. With 25 years of in-depth industry experience in marketing analytics and strategy, Neil leads Foviance’s analytical consulting practice. This delivers an enhanced digital marketing analytics capability to both Foviance’s and Applied Insights existing and future clients.
Neil is one of the world’s leading analytics guru’s and he has a big reputation. He holds an MBA from Kingston Business School, a Diploma in Business and Economic Forecasting and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Web Analytics Association, the global industry body for digital analytics professionals.
Daniel Waisberg
Daniel Waisberg is the Owner of Conversion Journey, a consultancy that provides insights on improving the performance of websites. He is also the founder & Editor of Online Behavior. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and member of the Advisory Council of the eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit. You can follow him on Google+ or on Twitter @danielwaisberg.