Monday, February 16, 2009

I'm heading to the Omniture Summit: here's why

While I’m waiting at O’Hare for my connecting flight to the Omniture Summit I’m thinking of all those who hoped to attend but won’t. It’s clear the current economic situation is pretty bad, budgets are tight and some conferences are even canceled. Even if expensive, maybe even more when you are a one person business like me, I see it as an investment and I’m confident it will turn out positively in the long run.

What can we expect this year? I doubt there will be as much people as last year, but how worse? If anything, those who will be there will be really serious about web analytics!

Should you go?

It’s always debatable whether these conferences are worth it or not as demonstrated by this thread on the Yahoo! Web Analytics Forum. Some will argue the sessions are too superficial, that most of them are disguised sells pitches, or the same info can be found on the Web or in the numerous press releases carefully scheduled to go live during the event.

Here's why I'm going

I don’t see it this way. As a web analytics professional consultant I strive to reach and stay at the top of the wave. In my consulting practice I even go as far as coaching web agencies (my future competitors) so they can develop their own internal web analytics practice. I’m one of the few people in hundred of miles around who is attending. The conference comes with a price tag, but leadership, top expertise and a strong professional network are priceless. This, to me, is where the value of the Omniture Summit is!

Not like being there... but better than nothing

While I'm at the conference I will try to post regularly on my blog and you can follow me on Twitter.

I will also organize another Web Analytics Wednesday so I can share some of what I'll learn.

Last minute scoop!

I had been invited to the invitation-only pre-conference event called MindMeld where leading professionals will gather to discuss today's challenges and the future of web analytics. I got a call a few minutes ago from Matt Langie (Senior Director of Product Marketing) to be one of the discussion leader for the event. Omniture executives, top clients and renowned experts will be attending. Some of those I know will be there: Jim Sterne (eMetrics & WAA), John Lovett (Forrester), Garry Angel (Semphonic), Bill Gassman (Gartner).