Eric T. Peterson, a leading Web analytics expert, has left Visual Sciences to start his own consultancy at a time when online giants such as Google, Yahoo and MSN are increasing their commitment to understanding consumer behavior online.
Mr. Peterson was vice president of strategic services at Visual Sciences and, before that, a senior analyst at JupiterResearch. He will now run Web Analytics Demystified Inc., in Portland, OR.
“The Web analytics industry is very much at a turning point,” Mr. Peterson said. “The technology that companies are using is very good and more and more companies have started to dedicate resources.
“So the next challenge is really understanding the process through which Web analytics is done,” he said. “My company is going to teach that.”
Web Analytics Demystified will offer consulting services and publish industry research. Mr. Peterson will also maintain his blog at www.webanalyticsdemystified.com. He has one employee assisting him.
Mr. Peterson will continue writing on industry topics. He has authored three books: “Web Analytics Demystified,” “Web Site Measurement Hacks” and “The Big Book of Key Performance Indicators.”
Web Analytics Demystified will target companies with a substantial investment in Web analytics technology.
“There are thousands of companies who spend thousands every year on this technology but don’t appreciate the true return on investment from this technology,” Mr. Peterson said. “Our offerings are appropriate for retail, financial services, business to business. [But] it’s not sector-specific.”
