Off to the EMetrics Summit

I’m off to my first EMetrics Summit — in San Francisco. I’m going down on Saturday night and will be there Sunday for the Web Analytics Association Training Day. Even though I’m making my way through the UBC courses I decided to signup for the WAA Training Day as it will give me a recap of the Web Analytics for Site Optimization course I just finished and the Creating and Managing the Analytical Business Culture session relates to one of my three outcomes.

BTW: Jim Sterne’s 3 outcomes exercise to ensure all participants get the most out of the summit is a fantastic idea. I’m surprised this isn’t used at other conferences. Here’s my 3 Outcomes:

1. Identify 3 improvements we could make to our site to better persuade online visitors to take action (such as applying online) so that we can increase the monetary contribution our site makes to the bottom line of the credit union. These improvements could be in design, usability, content or calls-to-action. Locate an individual or company that can help educate our web and marketing communication team on persuasive writing for the web. Implement these three improvements and education by the end of Q4 or earlier.
2. Understand how others are moving web analytics learnings, reporting and outcomes into their organizations. Specifically what information they communicate, how they communicate it and how they maintain momentum so that we can move from tactical reporting to reporting in alignment with our overall business goals as a company and illustrate how the web contributes to these outcomes. By the end of Q4 implement a strategically aligned scorecard/dashboard report that can be used across our marketing team to better understand the impact of our online efforts.
3. Learn 3 methods others are utilizing with organic and/or paid search to ensure relevance in geographical areas and improve click-through and conversion. Determine the steps required to establish a SEO/SEM effort (we do not have one currently) that will help us increase the exposure of our credit union within our geographic area of BC (critical since we are moving towards acquisition rather than retention strategies and are planning to merge with another credit union making us the third largest credit union in BC with a wide operating area from Pemberton to Kelowna). Talk with others — especially those who may be from the banking sector — about their experiences and also connect with Robbin Steif about potentially working together on this effort. By June 15 (post the launch of our new site), develop a strategy for our SEO/SEM efforts leveraging these three methods and begin executing by Q3.

My fourth outcome is to have fun, meet some great people and take it all in.

The agenda for the conference is jam packed full of fantastic presentations. The hard part will be picking which ones to hit during the Success Tactics streams. Additionally I’ll be at the WAA AGM on Sunday, the analytics blogger lunch on Tuesday Monday and the WAW event.

I have to admit though that I’m also feeling a bit apprehensive being around so many knowledgeable web people, many of whom have influenced my development as an analyst or written the many books that I use daily.