The Analytics Power Hour
Michael Helbling, Moe Kiss, Tim Wilson, Val Kroll, and Julie Hoyer
Attend any conference for any topic and you will hear people saying after that the best and most informative discussions happened in the bar after the show. Read any business magazine and you will find an article saying something along the lines of "Business Analytics is the hottest job category out there, and there is a significant lack of people, process and best practice." In this case the conference was eMetrics, the bar was….multiple, and the attendees were Michael Helbling, Tim Wilson and Jim Cain (Co-Host Emeritus). After a few pints and a few hours of discussion about the cutting edge of digital analytics, they realized they might have something to contribute back to the community. This podcast is one of those contributions. Each episode is a closed topic and an open forum - the goal is for listeners to enjoy listening to Michael, Tim, and Moe share their thoughts and experiences and hopefully take away something to try at work the next day. We hope you enjoy listening to the Digital Analytics Power Hour.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 4, 2015 • 38min
#016: Digital Analytics Without a Clear Online Conversion
It's a nasty rumor, but we heard that there are a couple of domains out there on the interwebs that are not pure play eCommerce or online lead gen sites. Why, there are government sites and nonprofit sites and CPG sites and academic institution sites and content sites and more! What is a poor digital analyst to do in the absence of a clear online conversion to measure and optimize towards? Give this less-than-two-thirds-of-an-hour episode a listen to hear our multinational and ruggedly good looking co-hosts wax eloquently (or, at least, wax) on the subject.
Jul 21, 2015 • 44min
#015: Digital Analyst Skills vs Talents
Scads has been written about the distinction between skills and talents. But, how does that distinction apply to digital analysts? In this episode, Jim and Tim actually find something they agree on...at least briefly. And Michael maneuvers Tim into at least partially buying into ideas that he has previously referred to as touchy-feely crap. With quotations being dropped from Thoreau to Gygax and business writers in between, you may find yourself questioning your chosen vocation by the end of this 45-minute hour. But we hope not. Really!
Jul 7, 2015 • 40min
#014: Mobile Measurement with Lee Isensee
It's not only the year of mobile...AGAIN, but it's the year of mobile measurement! While our intrepid hosts have all tagged an app or two in their day, they thought it would be entertaining to be joined by someone meek, unopinionated, and inexperienced in the world of mobile analytics who would sit back and tell them how wise they were. But, instead, they recruited Lee Isensee from Search Discovery. Displaying his Bostonian politeness with lines like, "I'm sorry to cut you off again Michael, but I'm not," Lee weighs in on the subject with grace and wisdom. This episode has mobile proportions, in that we squeezed an hour into a very mobile 40 minutes.
Jun 23, 2015 • 34min
#013: Musings on the Measurement of Display Media
Can the media analyst and the web analyst get along? Can the chasm between clicks and visits every be crossed? Is attribution management the silver bullet that will, once and for all, accurately assign a value to banner ads? What the hell is Vizu? Can Michael use the word "whackadoo" in a coherent sentence? These questions and more get discussed and debated on this shockingly cordial episode of the Digital Analytics Power Hour that clocks in at 35 minutes.
Jun 9, 2015 • 45min
#012: The Governance of the Data
Most people find the concept of governance about as interesting as an afternoon of quality control work at the beige paint factory. If you agree with this sentiment and are listening to this week's podcast, we hope to change your mind! With special guest John Lovett, Senior Partner at Web Analytics Demystified, Tim, Michael and Jim talk about what governance is for a digital analytics practice, why it's so darned important, and how anyone can get started. All of this AND a little poetry (really!) for the low, low price of 45 minutes of your time, in the Digital Analytics Power Hour.
May 26, 2015 • 39min
#011: These Are a Few of Our Favorite Insights
Sure I like your theory guys, but I want to hear some stories from the trenches! Episode 11 is all about the anecdotes, with the guys sharing stories about work they've done as analysts that had the most impact. Whether from hard work or a moment of inspiration, big wins with analysis are sometimes few and far between Hear some great examples from Michael, Tim and Jim's personal experiences. What has 6 legs, three microphones and will make you a better analyst in 42 minutes? It's the Digital Analytics Power Hour.
May 12, 2015 • 35min
#010: Reviewing the Latest CMOsurvey.org Survey Results
Want to hear Jim Cain wing it for 40 minutes as he discusses a survey he never read? Interested in hearing Tim Wilson boil with incandescent rage as Jim triggers the Indiana Jones style pressure pads under his overpriced hotel snacks? Then this is the episode for you! Michael, Jim and Tim talk through the responses they found most interesting (VERY heavy use of that word in this episode) from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business's bi-annual CMO survey (cmosurvey.org).
Apr 28, 2015 • 38min
#009: Working with Business Stakeholders
If a report falls in the forest, and no one is there to read it, will it still lead to business improvements? Prepare for many more broken metaphors, super hero references and a surprising defense of the HiPPO in this week's Power Hour. Make sure to take lots of notes (unless you're driving) because we're covering a lot of ground in under 50 minutes.
Apr 14, 2015 • 41min
#008: Building an Analytics Team
Building your chops as an analyst is hard enough. Building an analyst team is even harder. In this episode, the three amigos of measurment share best practices in HR, Training, Management and Planning to help you in growing your own team. This episode will take 5 hours you say? Nope, we got it done in 40ish minutes.
Mar 31, 2015 • 39min
#007: How Can Analysts Effectively Build Out Their Technical Chops?
Digital analysts crunch numbers, sure. But, in order to crunch those numbers in a meaningful way, they have to truly understand how, when, and where the data gets captured in the first place. In this listener-requested episode, the guys are joined by Jeff Chasin from Adobe, who, fortuitously, has written recently on this very topic! It's a power hour that comes in at just under 39 minutes!
