As the New Year begins, I pledge to better myself by helping others more.

As the old year fades into the past, I pledge to help grow the industry by being more inclusive and broadening my reach.

As the daylight dwindles and then returns, I pledge to expand my vision to every marketing metric I can get my hands on, whether it’s web data, email data, social media data, mobile data and/or etc.

As I struggle to write “2012” instead of “2011”, I pledge to tell people I am in marketing analytics, digital analytics, even business analytics, rather than saying I am in web analytics.

As the WAA enters its seventh year, I pledge to encourage new people to join and current members to participate while continuing to recognize those who contribute so much.

As the “United Nations General Assembly has declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development, in particular recognizing their impact on poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration” (Wikipedia), I pledge to help new people find jobs in marketing analytics and continue my social media activities to improve our common bond.

As 2012 has been designated Alan Turing Year in recognition of the centennial of his birth, I pledge to be more tolerant of all people and less tolerant of times that I sound more like a machine than a person.

As more senior executives recognize the value of customer data exploration and correlation, and consider multiple analytics alternatives, I pledge to embrace new ideas and methods rather than denunciate others for encroaching.

Oh!…and eat less and exercise more.

Can’t forget that.

Jim Sterne
Chair, WAA Board of Directors

This November, I was in Philadelphia for the Annual Retreat of the WAA Board and the Philadelphia Symposium. Early one evening I went for a jog through the city. It was one of those perfect East Coast autumn evenings; cool and crisp with seasonal foliage at its peak. I wasn’t paying much attention to my route when all of a sudden, I found myself in the middle of a campground.

Huh? Why are people camping in the middle of the city?

Then I heard a raspy bull horn and it dawned on me I had just run into the middle of the "Occupy Philadelphia" camp. Fortunately, I wasn’t wearing my "Go Bulls!" Merrill Lynch t-shirt and the occupiers were, in fact, quite friendly. So I politely grabbed some of their literature, wished them well, and off I went.

It wasn’t until the next day at the WAA Symposium that it struck me how the "Occupy" movement and the WAA "Symposium" movement tap into the same basic human need. That is, the need to gather with like-minded individuals rallying around a cause.

In this age where more and more socializing happens digitally, that basic need to meet face-to-face has never been stronger. In fact, in a recent survey of associations worldwide, "quality of networking opportunities" was the #1 reason why people attend conferences.

You can read more about it later in the newsletter, but suffice it say the Philadelphia Symposium was a huge success! David McBride and Joe Sanders from Comcast, Heather Aeder from TrueAction, Annie Heckenberger from Red Tettemer, and the rest of the Steering Committee did an outstanding job.

For those of you living in a major metropolitan area, I’d encourage you to get together and start envisioning what your Symposium could be and then get in touch with the WAA. In addition to Philadelphia, WAA Symposiums are happening in Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta in the coming year.

So bring this movement to your local town. Let’s Occupy Analytics!

To learn more about the Symposium program, please email .

 

Peter Sanborn,
WAA President

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to witness first-hand one of the things that I love most about WAA. I originally joined WAA for a few reasons: to meet other analysts, to gain knowledge about the analytics discipline, and to learn what other companies are doing. All of these things came to life earlier this month at the WAA Seattle Symposium.

This year, the Seattle Symposium drew 350 analysts to the Microsoft campus to learn from a range of knowledgeable and gifted leaders in the field. We heard from some of the most recognizable names like Jim Sterne from eMetrics and Joe Megibow from Expedia as well as others, like Kevin Hilstrom, that were new.

We also heard from an incredible panel comprised of practitioners, consultants, and vendors that was probably one of the best panels I’ve heard in a long time. My favorite part of the discussion was the role of analytics in the recent Netflix debacle. You have to check that out.

And we have an easy way for you to experience the Symposium yourself with video from the Symposium accessible on the WAA website.

WAA also has Symposiums this coming year planned for:

• Philadelphia – November 2
• Los Angeles – January 18
• Austin – February 9
• Atlanta – May 2012

I hope you have the chance to view or attend a Symposium this year. Maybe you’d be interested in organizing one in your city. It’s a lot of work, but the WAA provides support with logistics, etc. and what a great way to build community among your local analysts.

Are you a new analyst looking for a way into the digital analytics industry? An analyst looking for advice on how to grow in your role or be promoted? Looking for a new opportunity?

For the past year, the WAA Membership Committee has been working on an initiative to provide WAA members with information regarding careers in the digital measurement industry.

We are pleased to announce two new resources available for WAA members, to help you understand the opportunities in the industry.

1. Compiled from the insight of a representative sample of industry perspectives (client, vendor, agency and consulting side), the WAA’s Career Guide for Digital Analysts (members only link) is an overview of careers in the digital measurement industry, including:
   • The types of companies analysts can work for;
   • Typical hierarchy and responsibilities for each role;
   • Educational and skill set requirements, including the importance of emerging skill sets; and
   • Advice for those looking to break into the field, be promoted or find a new opportunity.
2. A panel-based session at eMetrics New York (Friday 10/21 at 2.05PM) where client, agency and consulting side practitioners come together to provide an overview of a career in their type of organisation, and discuss their advice for a successful career in digital analytics.

At the same time, we are kicking off an initiative to encourage careers in digital analytics. As many of us know, the digital measurement is industry suffering a shortage of talent in the industry. This program is aimed to provide information and encouragement to people to consider a career in digital measurement.

Interested in learning more or getting involved? Please contact the Membership Committee.

Download the WAA Career Guide for Digital Analysts (members only link)

If you are someone who likes to "think globally but act locally", then you'll be excited to learn more about the WAA Local Chapter Program. I can speak to the benefits of the local chapter program personally as a WAA Member because in addition to my "global" responsibilities as WAA's president, this year I've been involved with our local WAA Seattle Chapter.

Under the leadership of Casey Doyle, Olga Spaic, David Barber and many other local WAA members, the Seattle Chapter has flourished. In fact, we are just getting ready to host our 2nd Annual WAA Seattle Symposium that is shaping up to be a huge success.

Other local chapters have been (or are soon to be) established in Austin, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles and, Chicago.

The WAA wants to make starting and operating a chapter as easy as possible, therefore the association will work with members to build strong and successful chapters.

At their core, chapters are local organizations run by local members and the ongoing activities will be in the hands of local organizers. The WAA has developed a chapter development document guide, which will be available at the WAA Industry Meeting at eMetrics, to help in the starting and operation of a chapter.

Chapters are extensions of WAA. Local volunteer organizers have the power to plan and conduct activities using their knowledge of the local industry and area.

Along with the numerous advantages of being part of WAA there are a few important obligations: Chapters are expected to be self-supporting financially, follow WAA’s regular policies and procedures and abide by WAA’s chapter policies as described in the Chapter Development Guide.

A local chapter is an extension of the WAA, the HQ advocate for web analytics - and now it’s right in your home town. Think of it as an educational branch office of the association.

Attend the WAA Industry Meeting during eMetrics in New York at noon on October 20 to learn more. If you are not attending, here is what to do:

• If you are interested in getting involved in one of the chapters mentioned above then email us for how to get involved.
• If you are interested in forming a chapter in your area then email us and we will help you get started.