Web Analytics in Europe VIII (Guest Post by Vicky Brock)

Web Analytics in Europe VIII
- an opportunity to capitalise on growing maturity

Guest writer: Vicky Brock

In the last year or so we have seen burgeoning growth and interest in analytics in Europe. So of course this is a great opportunity, but one that is not without its negatives. Whenever a “hot topic” emerges, those who deal only in hot air soon move in to fill a vacuum and make a quick buck. They’re are not interested in developing skills or delivering a long term effective service to clients, they grasp an opportunity and move on – and indeed we starting to see “web analytics” being touted as a quick fix, something you can buy at the press of a button.

But I think Europe has an advantage in that we have seen all this played out in the North American market already and we have had time for our skills and outlook to mature. I think we have at least chance to circumvent some of the growing pains already experienced in the more mature US market and I think we can do this by keeping out focus on how analytics contributes to organisational strategy.

We are in a position, at least in theory, to get less caught up in the technology for techs sake and are more able to start the customer/business relationship with a focus on strategic outcomes. We have already seen the consequences of analytics tools viewed as having the answers in themselves and we have seen the lack of strategic action and corporate buy-in at a decision making level.

So, we have the opportunity to steer the education and influence we provide - particularly as we embark on planning training for Europe - to capitalise on some of the lessons from the US and thereby avoid repeating the same errors.

Personally, one of the things I would like to convey is that “web analytics” shouldn’t be viewed as an end in itself (or worse still as a piece of software you buy). Just like any form of market research and performance measurement, it is part of a management process that is about optimising organisational performance and development of appropriate tactics/strategy.

Our challenge in Europe is in leading with integrated analytics, even if that means ultimately we do ourselves out of a job title. I believe we don’t benefit by isolating web analytics into a little corner (though I believe it has unique skills and challenges that need to be correctly taught). I would like to see web analytics become “just another tool” in the organisation’s insight/intelligence/research arsenal - as common place as surveys, panel research and focus groups and more importantly, given its appropriate strategic and budgetary weight.

Of course, that means as practitioners I think we need to be more rigorous about our standards of practice, follow formal methodologies and develop a code of practice that parallels those that the market research industry has developed over many years. I think that developing credibility through “re-produceable methodologies” is important - so maybe European awards/conference and calls for papers? Additionally, viewing ourselves as at least aligned with the insight/research function could be an opportunity for analytics to be taken seriously, practiced seriously and capaitalise on a growing industry maturity in a way that is very different to the US.

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Vicky Brock is co-founder of Highland Business Research, a Scotland based market research agency and she is their Head of Web Analytics and Online Research. Vicky is the Co-Chair of the International Committee of Web Analytics Association. She co-ordinates the WAA local activity in Scotland and is an active member of the international web analytics community. She was a contributor to the UBC Web Analytics Course and is currently writing Web Analytics and eMarketing Course Modules for Scotland’s UHI Millennium Institute. She is one of the contributors to the Web Analytics Scotland blog.

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