For the past several months I’ve been debating with myself if I should join the Web Analytics Association or not.
The debate really isn’t about money, $199 a year for an individual isn’t too far out of line (although I’m not entirely clear where those funds go other than to administrative costs), the real debate is about time. We all have a limited amount of time and taking on any new challenge requires time, so simply paying a yearly due but not investing time in the association would be a major fail on both sides of the equation.
In my search for answers, I’ve reached out to trusted friends, I’ve asked the Twitterverse, and recently I’ve attempted to contact Mike Levin, Executive Director of WAA (still waiting to hear back from him) in hopes of receiving answers to my questions that WAA is the right place for me to invest my time.
Here are a few of my observations from the outside looking in:
1. The WAA is an elite fraternity of the best & the brightest in the measure community, there is no chance that someone like me can get into that club. Sure I can pay the yearly fees but will my voice really be heard?
2. It’s a classic “chicken-n-egg” scenario. The WAA needs people and funds to do the things they have set out to accomplish but people are unwilling to give of their time and money until they see concrete evidence that the association is doing good things with their investment.
3. The only sustained public conversation I hear about WAA is around their certification program.
4. I must be really out of touch with the industry I work in because I have no idea other than Certs what WAA does.
5. None of my friends have been able to give me one strong argument why I should join WAA.
Our industry is in great need of leadership and representation from an independent body, I freely admit that, but I need to be fully committed to a cause before I jump in with both feet. The Web Analytics Association may be that body, right now there are no other organizations stepping up to fill that need, but right now I’m not fully convinced it is the right place for me.
My hope is that this post will be a good forum for public debate on the issue. I am craving opinions and feedback from opposing points of view. My thoughts on the issue are from a very limited view of the world so please educate me, please share your thoughts, this is an important issue for all of us.
Adam Greco
Emer Kirrane
Eric Peterson
Evan LaPointe
Kevin Rogers
Michele Hinojosa
Pritesh Patel
Rudi Shumpert
31 Comments
I could actually care less about ‘the industry’, have have no burning desire for my voice to be heard by anyone other than the vendor I choose to work with. No offense to anyone is intended, it just has very very little to do with my actual day or what I do as an analyst. I do not need another certificate on my wall telling me that I know how to do my job (not even ones from my vendor of choice). I let my performance speak for itself.
I don’t care if the Wall Street Journal writes articles scaring people about being tracked online, there will always be someone else who wants their name in lights who will write another one debating what was said. I don’t care if the government wants to pass laws on cookie usage and the tracking of web site visitors. There will ways to track web site visitors, and therefore always a need for someone to turn that data into actionable information.
I don’t care if they are called ‘Visitors’, or ‘Unique Visitors’, or ‘Absolute Unique Visitors’. The actual terminology used is about as worrisome to me as a rainy day. As long as I know all about my tool of choice (whatever it may be), then I know how to report my sites performance and recommend new action to the decision makers.
I pick up enough really great tips and tricks for new things to try from people on Twitter, the Yahoo Analytics group and various conferences that I am kept pretty busy. I never find my self just twiddling my thumbs wondering what to do/test/change next with my sites.
If the WAA wants to try to work with some of the vendors to ‘standardize’ some of the metrics that are used, then OK, whatever. If they want to host conferences to help to bring industry leaders together, that’s cool too. If they want to deal with the government about ‘measure not being evil’, thats fine too. Still does not change the fact that I still need to do analysis for my sites and that responsibility is completely on my shoulders, not the WAA.
So if you are looking for a logo to put on your resume then knock yourself out. Like you I am still open to hear why it may be valuable for me, but for right now personally I’m not interested.
Thanks for the great feedback Kevin. I think it all comes down to clearly communicating the value proposition to the analysts who are in the trenches.
I first joined the WAA the year it began. This year I let my membership lapse. However, I will be joining again within the next six months, and here’s why:
1. value prop – In just dollars, if you attend one eMetrics conference a year (I highly recommend it) you have more than paid for your membership based on the member discount.
2. It’s time for advocacy – Five years ago, no one outside of web analytics knew what it was. Now, everyone has a vague idea that you “follow people around on the web and spy on what they do”. Eric Peterson’s call to action was spot on. And the WAA has to be the voice of the industry on this.
3. There are some useful groups – The WAA committees have done some amazing work. The Education, Research, and Standards Committees spring immediately to mind, but the other committee members get stuff done too.
I have my frustrations with the WAA as well, but the truth is and always has been the WAA will be what the industry makes it. I do not always agree with the ideas or direction but then disagreement has become a hallmark of the WAA, but that friction is actually a good thing.
All in, the WAA is necessary, it is useful (and slowly getting more useful), and it basically costs you nothing if you are already becoming a better digital measurement pro by attending eMetrics.
Thanks for your insight Michael.
On point #3, what can the WAA do to better publicize the work that is coming out of these committees?
There is no doubt that there are some great things going on at WAA but at the end of the day, they are like any other organization, they need to market themselves.
This is about the point in blog posts like these where Jim Sterne will jump in and say, “Why not join the WAA and help us figure out how to market ourselves better. ” or something. (Jim would say it more pithily in his wry way, but you get my drift.)
Part of the reason I am not a current member was my frustration with what you have also expressed. The pace of change is slow. Slower than I wanted, and it was not super easy to figure out how to help. In fact trying to help was very frustrating.
But at the end of the day, we are the change we’ve been looking for and all that.
“Why not join the WAA and help us figure out how to market ourselves better. ”
My work here is done.
priceless
I too wondered the same thing, but took a different approach. I joined recently. Apart from certification, I wasn’t sure what the WAA membership could do for me, nor what I could do for it, but I didn’t feel that I could figure it out from a distance. We’ll see how I feel in about 11 1/2 months and whether I feel it was a worthwhile investment. That will decide my continued membership. However, for me, the $199 was worth the initial investment it to find out.
Awesome Michele….taking a leap of faith and making things happen. I respect that. I look forward to hearing about your experience as the months go by.
Thanks for continuing the discussion that started on Twitter (each communication method has its value!)
#1 – elite? It’s the iceberg thing – you might here more about some people in the industry but it doesn’t mean others aren’t getting involved and benefiting from it. I joined the WAA in 2005 and gradually get more involved.
#2 – That, I have to agree – I respect Peterson’s call to action but there is no magic. There are big/powerful lobbying groups putting billboards on wallstreet… we’re far from that. But if we want to push for good education resources, standards, ethical use of data and such, this won’t ever happen on twitter, Yahoo! discussion forums or blogs… We need resources, and those resources come from corporate and professional members as membership fees and intelligent people willing to spare some of their time to help out.
#3 – Certification: you hear about it a lot because we thought it was important to offer the market a way to separate the wheat from the shaft… to give those who want a trusted and distinguished validation of their skills, and raise awareness of employers seeking talent. But Certification ties into many other things, namely Education, career enhancement, and yes, bringing revenues so we can do even more!
#4 – Others have already mentioned some of it. Of course there are discounts and such, but really, the biggest reward is what you put into sharing and collaborating – not for the financial benefits, but for the trust and belief that we can collectively do more than we can alone or when merely driven by commercial interests. I guess, to VaBeachKevin’s point, it depends if the WAA is a vendor association or a practitioners/consultant/professionals one. What Kevin describe is typically found in vendor associations… I hope/wish/pray the WAA remains a member association!
#5 – don’t know what to say here… change friends? LOL!
Honestly, it’s nice to bring the conversation about WAA role & value prop. At the same time, it really sadden me to see high profile people who could do great stuff WITH the WAA offering a two-faced opinion; one day doing a rallying call yet pursuing a strange tactic of subtle, double-meaning comments against it. The rallying call was good – a rallying call in coordination WITH the WAA would have been much better!
Beyond the mere ROI of a $199/yr membership, I once said being a WAA member is also a matter of trust, value & belief; being a member sends the message that you care, that you love your job, that you want to continue to evolve in an amazingly interesting industry!
Thank you Stephane for the very well articulated response.
I think all these conversations that are going on about the WAA are ultimately helpful. It gets people thinking, it provides an opportunity for self-reflection, and helps expose WAA to a wider audience.
I understand the need for resources to help move the cause forward. One of the things that is so great about our industry is people are so willing to give of their time. Just take a look at Eric’s Analysis Exchange, there are so many people willing to volunteer their time, that people are getting upset because they can’t get on a project. There are too many volunteers. What a great problem to have.
Has the WAA considered, outside of the membership model, a way for industry people to volunteer on a project-by-project basis. i.e. “we are putting together a proposal for X and we need 1 lawyer with measure experience and 1 analyst for about 5 hours of work”. The feedback I’ve heard is that people want to help but they don’t know how.
Hey Jason,
I’ll weigh in here as well with the full disclosure that I’m a long time WAA member, WAA Certified Web Analyst and currently sit on the Board of Directors.
We’re constantly looking to demonstrate the value of the Association to existing and prospective members and are working diligently to prove it on a daily basis. But as Stephane points out, things don’t happen magically. With the exception of our Executive Director and a few administrative responsibilities, everyone donates their time, energy and ideas for free. This matters because most of us, including you, care about our industry and our jobs. By becoming a member and participating in committee that you’re passionate about you will find value.
I’ll use the gym membership analogy…just buying a membership doesn’t get you results. However, if you put some time into it and show commitment, then it can pay dividends. The WAA is similar in that way. Except instead of having six-pack abs to show for it, we gain a vibrant, lasting and powerful digital measurement industry.
Even if you’re still unconvinced, I encourage you to test the waters like Michele and others have done to see how it works from the inside. Help us to get the ideas out and promote advocacy, education, standards, whatever is important to you. If you’re not satisfied, ask yourself first how much you put into it and if benefits to you personally or to the industry at large have progressed your knowledge and our collective cause.
I’d love to talk more about this with you. You’re coming to X Change right? Let’s be sure to synch up there.
Cheers,
John Lovett
Thanks for weighing in John. It seems like the common thread here is that it’s hard to see what’s going on by simply “window shopping”, we have to get involved. As Michael said it’s about us, we will get out of it what we put into it.
I look forward to chatting with you at XChange.
BTW, if I could get a 6-pack out of volunteering at WAA, I’d be unstoppably hot
Like Michelle, I joined to see whether it was worth joining. I’ve been a professional member for 2 years and a corporate member for one. I have no intention of leaving.
As has been mentioned previously, it is the kind of association that can only give based on what it gets (and I’m not just talking about the fee).
Because there is such a need for volunteers to step up and work together, there is always a risk involved of not everyone seeing the actual effort. To my shame, some work commitments mean I’m behind on a task I’m on with WAA members. But I’m glad I joined and volunteered and I will get there because I just personally think it’s worth doing.
I’m also planning to take the certification test to see if it’s worth taking (which I can do for free under the corporate membership, so the fee for that isn’t an issue).
It’s a personal choice obviously, but if the money’s not really an issue in the decision, why not join up and see what you think?
Thanks Emer. It sounds like you’ve had a great experience. With all the feedback, I’m tipping towards jumping in and joining. For me, it’s about doing it 100%. If I join, I want to be an active participant, I don’t want to just join to say I’m part of the organization. And thats entirely on me, as others have said, you get out of it what you put into it. I need to be fully committed to trying to make my participation meaningful and valuable.
I am member #9 it seems. I joined right away, and will always renew as long as the WAA has a chart. I don’t care what it can do for *me*; been a grown up professional for decades. Actually, I am one of the very few who thinks membership should be in the $400 – $500 range; then the WAA would have real means to do stuff a professional association does. But wait! Do we want it to be such an organization?
We just need a voice, and for now, it is still in its infancy. Let us all give it the chance to mature.
Jason,
I say you should join and see what you can learn and do. I am a member, although I seem to let my membership lapse every year for a variety of reasons. But I would also caution that I am not looking for the same outputs and opportunities that someone like you might be. It’s clear from many of the responses above and tweets on #measure that people really do value their participation in the Association!
If you do join, I hope you’ll still have time to help with Analysis Exchange. As Michael (and others) have commented, I believe Analysis Exchange has created an opportunity for folks to participate in something larger without the overhang of justifying costs (even small ones.) You stand out as a rock-star in our effort and we’d really hate to lose you …
Since you have been talking about your participation in Analysis Exchange in your blog, maybe you could join WAA and talk openly about your experiences there as well? That way next time someone says “I wonder what I would get out of my $199″ we could point people your way. Lord knows you’d call it like you saw it, both good and bad …
Anyway, great conversation. Thanks!
Eric T. Peterson
Web Analytics Demystified, Inc.
http://www.webanalyticsdemystified.com
Thanks Eric, I think I will join.
There is no chance of me leaving the Analysis Exchange, I am very passionate about what is going on there and I look for every opportunity I can find to spread the word. It really is an organization I believe in and support 100%.
Sometimes I think I call it like I see it to a fault but it is who I am, for good or bad.
Phew.
I like that you call it like you see it. I’m the same way. Some people criticize guys like you and me for being “two-faced.” Me? I’m not much for calling people names …
What I have always strived for is “honest, objective, and fair.” This is the basis for Analysis Exchange, Web Analytics Demystified, Web Analytics Wednesday, my evangelism for our sector in general, etc. You have always struck me as honest, objective, and fair, which is why I am excited to hear about your experience in the WAA.
This is a great conversation!
Re: Certification, the largest audience for a program like this is not companies / people who are experienced web analytics players. It’s the tons more companies who don’t have the internal skill sets to hire properly, and end up with a “web analytics didn’t work for us” situation, which is not good for anyone in the biz. This is a long-term view idea, appropriate for the kind of org the WAA is.
Speaking of long-term view, let’s not forget that the WAA’s volunteer effort, which also takes a long-term view rather than a project orientation:
http://waablog.webanalyticsassociation.com/2009/12/web-analytics-without-borders.html
What, you’ve never heard of it? Hmmm…seems to be a recurring problem here…
Hi Jim,
Thanks for adding to the conversation. Yep, communication seems to be a big issue we are identifying. As I mentioned, people in this industry love to give back but if they don’t know how or it’s a struggle to find efforts to get behind, they will simply go somewhere else to volunteer their time.
Jason:
My Droid enabled 2 cents:
The WAA can be a great resource, and the volunteers work very hard to do what they can.
The issue, for me is:
The WAA could spend a little more time ‘asking’ me what issues are important to me, as well as other existing/prospective members.
With so many independent/small shop consultants out ther, is advocacy what keeps us up at night?
I would hope that the numerous large firms that need cookies as much as we do don’t sit this one out, but you never know.
Me? I worry about health care for my daughter at night; cost of and access to.
Getting involved in high profile projects is sexy and a career helper for sure.
Knowing about, then solving the issues that affect members every day probably wouldn’t attract recruiters on LinkedIn.
But, that is who I want running the WAA. Someone who serves what members/prospective members want.
Thanks Michael. Have you openly shared this kind of feedback with the WAA leadership and if so, can you share their response?
Jason:
To a degree, I only joined earlier this year and i wanted to get a feel for the landscape first.
My perspective is that the WAA movesVERY slow on almost every issue. Can we get some Agile methodology here?
I actually joined because the active/prospective membership could be raided by a competing/new organization (acm?).
The WAA has very finite resources, we should solve the issues we can solve that impact our members the most. Every issue we take on that is beyond our ability subtracts resouirces away from improving problems facing members.
You are a consultant, right?
So what worries you the most:
Healthcare
Getting paid on time
Cookies -important for sure EP
My concerns are EASILY in that order.
I’m a new member of WAA’s standards committee. My reason for getting involved was two fold: 1) I felt that WAA standards were lagging the pace of innovation in the market leading to confusion among analysts and 2) I view my $199 membership fee as a way that I can help fund the fight against the disinformation that continues to surround web analytics (i.e. “tracking is evil”).
Also worth noting is that a lot of committee work is project based. So by joining and getting involved with a committee you can choose specific projects and initiatives to participate in.
Hope that helps.
Hi Jason,
.
I think you have all the good reasons on why you should join WAA in the comments above
I want to add just one more line item – Community. The reason I had joined WAA years ago was to belong to a community of like-minded folks who had a passion for analytics and a passion for the web. And I have not regretted my decision. Since then I have met lots of wonderful, smart, and fun folks through WAA who I have learned from and also shared my own passion on many of the topics in this area.
And since I did not join WAA with the expectation of ‘what can it do for me?’ mindset, my views on WAA membership and how I view the ROI from it is quite different from many.
I would concur with Michele & Emer that sometimes jumping into the lake is the best way to find out for yourself if the water is too cold for you
Regards,
Ned
Jason, I’m going to echo Ned’s sentiment of “community.” When I read through the comments, so many of the names I know (and faces I recognize!) are because of WAA. I’m a long-time member and volunteer, and I have to say that the most rewarding thing about membership has been meeting so many great people and learning from them. This is a bit nerdy, but I don’t have a lot of people I can “talk shop” with where I live, at least not the part of “shop” that pertains to what I do every day. Granted, I don’t always want to talk about work, but bouncing ideas off of other WA people, and having them do likewise, is one of the best ways to learn. Joining a WAA committee is one of the best ways to get that kind of interaction.
Angie
Hi Jason,
I can’t remember when I joined the WAA, except that I’ve been an active member of the research committee since I joined. Members of my team have alternatively been members of the standards and education committees over that time. It is most certainly like a gym membership in a few respects. You truly get out what you put in.
For instance – we have the Peer Reviewed Journals Project. I spotted a gap awhile ago between cutting edge research and a lot of the recycled talk that went on blogs. Quite a few of us have stepped up to fill that gap, and now, members of the WAA have access to a huge amount of knowledge. We make it easier to access by writing reviews, and so, it’s a relatively flat and easy way for people to contribute. Efforts to build bridges between the WAA and researchers are ongoing.
The definitions put forward by the standards committee didn’t write themselves. The salary studies do not write themselves either. Members volunteer to write them. Because they love WA.
An invitation: since you really have an active passion for WA, join the WAA and lurk on a few of the committee calls. See if anything catches your fancy, and if so, contribute.
I just let my WAA membership lapse as all I ever got out of it was an occasional e-mail. I tried it out with a student membership though I don’t know if that made a difference. I posted to the LinkedIn group and tweeted a few times to see if anyone in Pittsburgh was a member, but never got an answer.
If I may call it the way I see it – there are more important things to devote your time to.
such a great post and thread of comments. Here’s where I stand:
Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. But everything that’s bigger than the individuals who make it up was first smaller, then it was more trouble than it was worth, then it became something everyone wish they were on the ground floor of. Maybe we’re now in that middle phase. But I think people like you can give it enough cracks of the switch to get to the land of milk and honey.
Looking forward to working with you.
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