10 Questions for Laura Lane 

1) Why did you decide to join SEER Interactive?

Funny thing – I almost didn’t get the chance!  Wil actually turned me down for the job.  But I knew it was the right fit for me – a place I could grow and learn as an individual while having a significant impact on the company (and have a GREAT time doing something I would love).  I literally begged my way back in the door by offering to work part-time until something full-time opened up.  I never worked part-time; I think Wil finally saw the light when I started begging.

2) What are your responsibilities at SEER?

I was initially hired for web analytics and internet marketing strategy (that was sort of where I came from).  Within a few months, I became part of the SEO team.  We all help out in so many areas (including taking out the trash, ordering office supplies, etc.) that I feel like many of the SEER team members would have an easier time answering the question by listing things we aren’t responsible for (architecture audits… I don’t do those – totally, a Joe thing).

3) Do you have any favorite analytics tools that you would recommend to others?

As far as “tools,” there are a couple blogs that I really like: Occam’s Razor by Avinash Kaushik (who has a new book out that I have but have not read yet, Web Analytics: An Hour a Day) as well as Matt Belkin’s blog at Omniture.  When I’m trying to find out more information about a User Agent that I’m seeing in a traffic report, I usually go to User-Agents.org first; it’s incredibly comprehensive and updates regularly.

4) What do you do when you are not at work?

Pretty normal stuff – watch TV, surf the ‘net, hang out with my husband/cat/friends.  I live in the city, so I love taking advantage of all the restaurants in the area, but on quiet evenings at home, I have recently taken up cooking and have a serious addiction to the Food Network.

5) Tell us more about your volunteer work.

This year I have been volunteering as a Friend of Students Run Philly Style, an amazing organization that trains local students to complete a marathon (which, in turn, provides them with skills to succeed in life).  I also run individual races to raise money for various causes throughout the year.  I’m seriously considering tackling the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati next spring as part of Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Additionally, I’m growing out my hair so I can donate to Locks of Love.

6) What was your first job?

Oh, the horror.  My first real job (after years of babysitting) was a part-time seasonal job at HoneyBaked Ham through Thanksgiving and Christmas one year when I was in high school.  We went through so many hams in those few weeks; and not only did I get to work the registers and mop the greasy floors, I got the fun job of helping a few days in the back, where only the men were supposed to work splitting the hams, putting them through the spiral cutter, and glazing them.  My responsibility was to wrap each steaming hot ham EXACTLY the right way.  But let me tell you, I now know all the in’s and out’s of buying a glazed ham – how to get a good deal, how to re-wrap it so it won’t leak, etc.  I gladly worked the next three years in an un-air conditioned concession stand at the local swim club with six microwaves, a burning hot grill, and a deep fryer – seriously.

7) What would you be doing if you were not at SEER?

Honestly, I have no idea.  I guess I’d be back in school full-time getting an advanced degree in something.

8a) What is your favorite place you have ever been to?

St. Lucia and Alaska were both incredible (for two very different reasons, obviously).

8b) Where would you like to go?

This summer we’re off to London, Scotland & Ireland.  I have a VERY long list of places I want to go.  Right now, I’m having a hard time deciding what the next trip will be – an African safari or a wine tour of Italy.

9a) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

One thing I am constantly working on is battling my on need for everything to be perfect; sometimes I have to accept things as they are and move on, especially in SEO.  Attention to detail often works in my favor when I’m working on analytics issues, but I can sometimes slow myself down when I’m working on other assignments (like answering these questions).

9b) What do you wish you could change with the analytics tools on the market?

This is a tough question.  I don’t know if I would change anything about them; there are a variety of tools available for a variety of budgets (from free to very expensive), each with their own features, benefits, advantages and disadvantages.  I’m still learning about all of the various tools and how each is different from the other, and I think that’s what makes analytics fun.

10) What is one tip that everyone should know about analytics?

Measuring any type of metric using web analytics is not an exact science.  Trying to figure out how many visitors came to your web site last month and this month is not the same as counting how many jelly beans are in the jar at Easter.  With the inexact methods of using cookies to identify unique visitors (which is the best we can do), it’s important not to concentrate on individual numbers when your web analytics team gives you any type of report, but instead, to focus on the overall TREND you’re seeing.