SES San Jose is here!

And boy do we love it. The Search Engine Strategies conference is right up our alley. Google will be there in force, sponsoring the show, with a giant booth for AdWords and Google Analytics. Googlers will be headlining or participating in numerous sessions, and we're all looking forward to meeting interested users and hearing what you think about our products. Google Analytics has been given a 20% discount code: 2OG00 (two-oh-gee-zero-zero). Feel free to use it when you register here.

Here are a few highlights:

- Monday: Author and analytics/testing thought leader Bryan Eisenberg will be at the networking lunch on Monday signing copies of his new book, Always Be Testing. At 11:15am, Bryan and Brett Crosby will be speaking at the Pay Per Conversation session.

- Tuesday: Tom Leung and Avinash Kaushik will host the "What's new with Google Analytics and Website Optimizer" session at 2:45pm. Brett will be on the Measuring Success panel at 4pm. Also, come try some TCHO chocolate at the booth, compliments of Google Analytics. And, don't forget to register for Google Dance!

- Thursday: Tom Leung will speak at the Post-Click Marketing session at 1:30pm.

Be sure to drop by the booth. We'll be there to answer your questions and hand out a few t-shirts. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Posted by Jeff Gillis, Google Analytics Team

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Streamlined Login to Google Analytics

Starting yesterday, logging into your Google Analytics account just got a little easier. We're talking button-click streamlining here, folks! :-)

You know how with Gmail, you can log in to your account and then navigate to another website - but you remain logged in to Gmail? Then when you return to gmail.com, your account opens instead of the log in screen. It's convenient, right? Well, now, that's how it works in Google Analytics, too.

Previously, if you were logged into Google Analytics, and then you navigated away from Google Analytics or closed the window, you had to re-log in whenever you returned to get to your Analytics account page - even if you were already logged into your Google Account. It created a lot of logging in.

As of yesterday, if you're already logged in to your Google Account and come to the Google Analytics homepage, you can simply click "Access Analytics" and arrive at the admin page for your account. Here's what the button looks like:

If you're not logged in, clicking the button will take you to a login screen.

For users who keep Google Analytics open or re-visit it often during their browser sessions, it's a small convenience that saves some keystrokes. And it's the way most Google applications act, such as Gmail and AdWords. Just remember to log out when you leave your computer - just as you would with Gmail - especially if you're using Google Analytics at a public computer, because you'll remain logged in until the session expires.

Now that you don't have to keep logging in every time you close and open your Analytics window, you can just keep one hand on the mouse and use the fingers on your other hand for other things, like waving to the crowds of fans that follow you, flashing the peace sign to other celebrities, testing current wind conditions, flipping coins to settle arguments, critiquing films with an upwards or downwards-pointing thumb, or speed-dialing Avinash Kaushik. It's the little things that count....

Posted by Jeff Gillis, Google Analytics Team

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Upcoming Seminars For Success: San Diego, NYC and Phoenix

San Diego, New York City and Phoenix: here's your opportunity to master Google Analytics! Below are some upcoming dates and cities where you can find a Google Analytics Seminar For Success.

As a refresher: these day-long seminars are designed to help you improve your online marketing and get the most out of Google Analytics. They are offered in an introductory class and an advanced class.

The introduction and user training course is designed to provide high level overview of the products and will cover key features and reports. It's perfect for a marketer or account manager who is interested in learning more about how Google Analytics works and who wants to understand how to use the information in reports to make decisions.

The advanced and technical implementation course is for those who need hands on implementation training. This is a great class for those of you who need to install and set up Google Analytics on sites. You'll learn about and and discuss different ways to set up Google Analytics to get the types of information that you need.

Here are the dates. Capacity is limited so be sure to register soon. We will let you know when future dates have been added.

San Diego next week!
Introduction and User Training Seminar, August 11
Advanced Technical Implementation Seminar, August 12

And in October:

New York City

• Introduction and User Training Seminar, October 9
• Advanced Technical Implementation Seminar, October 10

Phoenix

• Introduction and User Training Seminar, October 13
• Advanced Technical Implementation Seminar, October 14

You can take an introductory seminar or an advanced seminar or both. They are being offered consecutive days for your convenience.


Posted by Eva Woo, Google Analytics Team

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Catching Up With Our Former Colleagues

A new book from Brian Clifton launched (and sold out!) a few months ago at Search Engine Strategies in New York. The book, Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics, is a clear and comprehensive how-to manual and best-practice user guide with vivid screenshots and diagrams. Brian was our former Google Analytics lead for Europe and is now back to his CEO role at Omega Digital Media Ltd, a Google Analytics Authorized Consultant. He knows the intimate ins and outs of both Google Analytics and Urchin, and his book has been very well received.


In Brian's own words:

"Although there are plenty of online resources available that can help you answer a specific question, most new users don’t know what they don’t know. That is, they often get stuck at where to start, what to prioritize and how much effort they should put into a particular process. The book puts this into context and provides a step by step approach to gaining knowledge in a linear way. I chose the title Advanced to indicate that the content goes beyond just reporting of numbers and figures. The focus is on learning and knowledge transfer so that anyone with an interest in making their web site successful can learn how to interpret their web visitor data and act on it."

To preview chapters from the book and read Brian's analytics blog, visit his book's companion site. We hope the guide helps you make the most of your analytics data, and we wish Brian the best of luck.

Additionally, Jeff Veen is a former Googler who has had a huge influence on the current design of Google Analytics. He joined our team after we acquired Measure Map, which Jeff started after helping found Adaptive Path. Jeff recently decided to do something new. His latest endeavor is The Start Conference, a one-day conference for entrepreneurs and those who would like to be entrepreneurs. It is happening this Thursday, August 7, at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center.


We like the "what you'll learn" section of the site. It gives a taste of what looks to be an inspiring, fun and informative day:

• "Where to start. Hear how founders got started, where they screwed up, and why they kept going."
• "What you need. Hiring? Firing?!? Who’s watching the books? Do you really need a lawyer?"
• "How to pitch. Hear some of the web’s most formidable entrepreneurs giving their best five-minute pitches. Then learn to hone yours."

We're not officially sponsoring this event, but Google Analytics is used by many exciting startups so a couple of us plan to attend, hear what Jeff is up to, and support his latest endeavor. We hope you'll join us.

Posted by Brett Crosby, Group Manager, Google Analytics

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