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Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

pcmaffey.com

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Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#51

Post by tensor »

mighmi wrote: post #49
gfodor wrote: post #36

I don't get it - it is a nice sentiment, but the crux of the argument seems to "go with your gut." The reason web analytics has been so popular is that you can actually improve your product significantly without as much subjectivity. Before web analytics, going with your gut was the only option. It turns out, threading events through a funnel that show you lost 90% of your users because your button doesn't show up on…

I've personally never been in a situation where analytics drove change. Even mere A/B testing seems like a ghost in (most?) organizations, where management or designers decide to force through their personal preferences. That said, I would love to join such an organization. Any suggestions on where to find data driven jobs?

It may be less used in driving website design, but I assure you it is very very widely used in marketing to determine which campaigns are working.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#53

Post by jrochkind1 »

pcmaffey wrote: post #18

Thanks for all the constructive criticism on the pagination. It's an experiment I'm playing around with on my personal site (which is what they're for right?). Definitely sounds like I should have tested it on a few more devices, lol. Will work on a more readable view. In the meantime, a few helpers: - Scrolling "past" the end of the page will move to the next page. - Left arrow, Right arrow will nav back and forward…

> Scrolling "past" the end of the page will move to the next page.

Except when it doesn't, was my experience.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#54

Post by consoomer »

I'm not even sure what I just read. I thought it was going to explain why they don't use any analytics anymore and all I got as a 10,000 foot answer that could be summarized as, "Well, because!"

I don't use analytics on any of my services simply because I don't like analytics and people tracking me, so why would I do it to others?

Does it mean I don't track my business metrics? No. I still measure general conversion rates from sign up to payers. I measure things like sign ups per-month. You don't need analytics to track that. Basic metrics combined with a "CHANGELOG" file with dates/releases/fixes is plenty for my solo business. Want to know what I did in January to spike sign ups or more payers? Look at my change log.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#55

Post by [deleted] »

gfodor wrote: post #36

I don't get it - it is a nice sentiment, but the crux of the argument seems to "go with your gut." The reason web analytics has been so popular is that you can actually improve your product significantly without as much subjectivity. Before web analytics, going with your gut was the only option. It turns out, threading events through a funnel that show you lost 90% of your users because your button doesn't show up on…

[deleted]

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#56

Post by pcmaffey »

vpaulus wrote: post #3

Whatever it is about, I refused to read because of this silly scrolling/paginating

*Update: I removed the pagination and scrolling effects. The entire post can be read on a single page now.

(And I didn't need analytics to understand something wasn't working lol.)

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#58

Post by [deleted] »

gfodor wrote: post #36

I don't get it - it is a nice sentiment, but the crux of the argument seems to "go with your gut." The reason web analytics has been so popular is that you can actually improve your product significantly without as much subjectivity. Before web analytics, going with your gut was the only option. It turns out, threading events through a funnel that show you lost 90% of your users because your button doesn't show up on…

[deleted]

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#59

Post by exolymph »

dstroot wrote: post #50
mighmi wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've personally never been in a situation where analytics drove change. Even mere A/B testing seems like a ghost in (most?) organizations, where management or designers decide to force through their personal preferences. That said, I would love to join such an organization. Any suggestions on where to find data driven jobs?

> Any suggestions where to find data driven jobs? My experiences suggest a large measure of caution. Many organizations describe themselves as data-driven and many actually do try. However humans are humans and many will be “data driven” when it aligns with what they want to do, otherwise it’s off for “more data” or a “new perspective”. In other words sometimes data driven means use data when it supports my already s…

One might argue that your cynicism is (drum roll please) data driven.

Re: Counting Ghosts: A case for abandoning web analytics

#60

Post by dustymcp »

mighmi wrote: post #49
gfodor wrote: post #36

I don't get it - it is a nice sentiment, but the crux of the argument seems to "go with your gut." The reason web analytics has been so popular is that you can actually improve your product significantly without as much subjectivity. Before web analytics, going with your gut was the only option. It turns out, threading events through a funnel that show you lost 90% of your users because your button doesn't show up on…

I've personally never been in a situation where analytics drove change. Even mere A/B testing seems like a ghost in (most?) organizations, where management or designers decide to force through their personal preferences. That said, I would love to join such an organization. Any suggestions on where to find data driven jobs?

Amazon?
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