Web Analytics Confidence Game

Why would a major web analytics vendor want to undermine the confidence of the web site analytics market? Perhaps because they see it as a way to differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded and competitive market. In a marketing effort that would make Frank Luntz proud, Webtrends has been orchestrating a PR campaign suggesting that cookies aren't reliable enough to use for high-end analytics. Or more directly, as summed up by a line in their own press release:

Report distortion from cookie rejection is much greater if the web analytics solution heavily relies on cookies for purchase histories or campaign responses, or, as the solution's only method to sessionize visits.

They may be right. I certainly don't know and it's very clear that all web analytics vendors have some work to do, because of the technology of the internet, to make their reports more accurate and stable. It's just the methodology by which Webtrends is propogating this 'don't trust cookies' campaign that I find interesting. A few hours ago I watched a White House Spokesman on Chris Mathews incessantly repeat the phrases 'up or down vote' and 'delay tactics' incessantly in a clear effort to shape the debate without addressing the actual issues. I'm a little surprised to see these advanced (and effective) yet somehow discomforting tactics being used to position analytics software.

Jupiter made the first splash about cookie deletion with their report a few months ago. Then there was some claims and counter-claims about the accuracy of the study, which seamed to end with support for the initial report.

Around that time, Webtrends was on a national roadshow - I attended a New York date - where they were only too happy to talk about the study and casually but in some detail go through all the issues and risks with cookies. Since then I've noticed several articles linking them to bad mouthing the cookie, until today an eMarketer article came out citing them as the source in this study of 'marketer confidence'.

I'm not sure why it matters if marketers are confident or not. It only matters if reports are accurate or not. Todays article reminds me of the MSNBC daytime polls - 'Did Micheal Jackson Take Advantage of Young Boys? - email us your thoughts' - does it matter what anyone thinks, especially while there is a jury of 12 people listening to the actual facts and arguments and making that very decision?

Seeing the report, and the blogosphere echo of it, made me realize that Webtrends had set their sites on a long term campaign to discredit cookie-based tracking. As I said, perhaps they're right and doing a service for all of us. I can say that they’ve inspired me to send an email query to our primary analytics vendor (Omniture) to get their take on the issue (I'll report here when I get an answer back).

If Webtrends is either a) right or b) able to convince everyone that they’re right, I assume that all the top tier firms would quickly support new tracking methods that don’t rely on 3rd party cookies so heavily. It’ll be interesting to watch, and to see if the ‘don’t trust cookies’ story gives Webtrends an advantage in the analytics wars.

Posted by Craig Danuloff at June 9, 2005 11:53 PM