Web Analytics Transparency, Notification, Choice and Control to Visitors

In 1999, Seth Godin taught us that opt-in is the right way to treat people regarding email. At the core of opt-in is notification and choice. Now that the public is becoming more aware of passive tracking technologies, the Web Analytics Association believes that there needs to be a clear, visible way for site visitors to make the choice to opt-out of web analytics tracking. Transparency as to what information is being tracked and how the data is being used is a must. It is simply an inevitable future privacy requisite from visitors on your website.

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The fact is, that it becomes very difficult to trend many metrics (values derived from e.g. segmenting a metric) and or 3 or more dimensions without using techniques like Motion Charts. So I believe it is fair to say that motion charts are indeed very valuable and not just eye-candy - and they can potentially provide insights that one would not spot by shuffling through hundreds of e.g. bar charts.

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We finally made it! or we at least made a very decent first step towards something bigger. Today, 8th October, we announce the final integration step of IndexTools into Yahoo! and the re-branding of the IndexTools product. From today on forward we will be known as: Yahoo! Web Analytics. This is exactly 5 months after we closed the acquisition and I think that is a tremendous accomplishment.

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Google, Microsoft and Yahoo Web Analytics Dashboards are, at worst, unfortunately just a report collage – and, at best, an aspiring opportunity for tail users to have an easy ascent towards true Dashboards. Yahoo is proving the best flexibility in what data to show and how to visualize it, but Google provides the best understanding of how to visually communicate quantitative data, where the Microsoft Dashboard lack both data flexibility and understanding of how to visualize it.

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I am pleased to announce that the WAA Membership has elected Dennis R. Mortensen, Director of Data Insights at Yahoo!, to the Board of Directors. Dennis will serve through May, 2010. On behalf of the WAA Board, thank you. We look forward to serving you. Sincerely, Jim Sterne Chairman of the Board.

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Following the IndexTools acquisition, Yahoo! has evaluated all aspects of the business and how to address its broad customer needs and has decided that providing the White Label functionality no longer corresponds to the current business model with respect to IndexTools and its Partners.

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A month ago we put out the Call for Nominations to fill the vacant seat on the WAA Board of Directors. We were delighted by the enthusiastic response we received, and are pleased to announce six qualified and committed nominees for the Board.

Dennis R. Mortensen, Akin Arikan, Nicolas Babin, Matthew Langie, John Payne and Mark Wachen.

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The Web analytics feature race is largely over and we are left with Web Analytics providers competing on Price and Flexibility

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– I finally signed the contract with Wiley Publishing and will write the following book during the fall: Yahoo! Analytics, Tracking, Reporting, and Analyzing for Data-Driven Insights

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I am participating in a Snow Valley briefing on how the Yahoo! acquisition of IndexTools affects the web analytics market. Thursday 3rd July 2008.

- An introduction to Index Tools and how it can help your business
- How organisations can get access to Index Tools now
- What the deal means for clients using Index Tools already
- How Index Tools compares to other analytics packages in the market
- How to get the most from Index Tools

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