Why I Won’t Tell You About Web Analytics 2.0
I recently (Nov 19th) had my 38th birthday and travelled to the UK for the occasion. The very day before I was due to travel I got a review copy of the Web Analytics 2.0 from Avinash Kaushik. Talk about perfect timing.
I read the book cover to cover in the trips to and from the UK. This is an excellent read. I’ve read everything out there about analytics, I’ve written one book myself and found myself smiling throughout this read thinking… why didn’t I say that? Or, why couldn’t I have put it that way?
I am my own worst critic and my own natural tendency to compare my work to others had me feeling like my previous efforts with Cult Of Analytics were 7/10, must do better!
The sign of a good book is when you refer to it again and again after reading Web Analytics 2.0 that’s exactly what I found myself doing. As a consultant this book is a constant reminder to me why I got into Analytics in the first place.
SO… I’m not going to tell you what’s in it.
I’m not going to say that page 21 has some great questions to ask your analytics vendor (especially the last question). Nor will I refer to page 65 that has a good diagnosis of how to improve conversion, a subject very close to my heart. I’m not saying that Page 85 starts with the question I start all my KPI workshops with (What is the best source of traffic in terms of outcomes? – Ok that one I did tell you!).
The book also contains an excellent summary of ideas on how to gather and use competitive intelligence. But I’m not going to tell you what it says.
I’m not going to mention the content of page 160 about measuring economic value nor the other cultural tips Avinash smatters through the book and which are all applicable to any business.
I’m not even going to tell you his approach to measuring mobile phone usage, blogs, twitter and other so called Social Media tools. Excellent simply because a lot of this stuff is not written up yet in the simple style that Avinash uses to explain his ideas.
Finally I’m not going to tell you his strategies for measuring SEM or SEO or the way he combines the two strategies. Simple but very effective.
I’m not going to tell you because Avinash says it better. You should read it yourself and find out first hand.
I am humbled by your support Steve.
In recommending your book at a industry conference on Thu I used these words: “You must buy Cult of Analytics because it is a web analytics book for adults, the serious practitioners.”
Now you can imagine how much I appreciate your kind words about my book. It means the world to me.
Thank you ever so much!
Avinash.