Free whitepapers by Brian Clifton

• Tracking Offline Marketing with Google Analytics – PDF
  The title says it all.
• Understanding Web Analytics Accuracy – PDF (the blog post)
  **Most popular download, updated April 2010. This 19 page vendor agnostic document details every possible accuracy consideration for on-site web analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Omniture, Webtrends etc., and how to mitigate these and get comfortable with your data.

Recommended Books

These are all books that I have read and over the years. They have helped me to learn and develop skills for understanding the web, its measurement and web site analysis. They have influenced my thoughts and solidified my own personal vision…

If you have read any of these please let me know your thoughts on them by adding a comment below. Similarly, I would love to hear about other recommendations. Book links go to Amazon.com (and .co.uk).

Google Analytics Integrations by Daniel Waisberg ebook This is a handy guide for understanding all the integrations you need to consider in order to broaden your GA possibilities. From Adwords, AdSense, Feedburner, WebMaster Tools and YouTube. Easy read.

Social Media Metrics by Jim Sterne amazon.com, amazon.co.uk Jim is an industry thought leader, who like Avinash (see below) never ceases to challenge my thinking – always in a nice way. I have read several of his books and all have influenced my thinking..

Web Analytics 2.0 by Avinash Kaushik amazon.com, amazon.co.uk I have known Avinash since 2006 and recently honoured me by writing the forward to the second edition of Advanced Web Metrics. The guy is an inspiration to hear speak and never ceases to keep me thinking… A great author and friend!

Actionable Web Analytics by Jason Burby and Shane Atchison amazon.com, amazon.co.uk If you work in a large organisation where communication is the key to getting things done (ok, where isn’t that the case!), this is a book for you…

Web Analytics: An Hour a Day by Avinash Kaushik amazon.com, amazon.co.uk A big picture approach to web analytics, where it fits in and what you can do with the information

Landing Page Optimization by Tim Ash amazon.com, amazon.co.uk An excellent book that walks you through the theory of testing (A/B and multivariate), but more importantly shows why this is so important with some great case studies.

Don’t Make Me Think! by Steve Krug amazon.com, amazon.co.uk This is an excellent, humorous, easy to read book which was one of those light bulb moments for me. If only I could write as well as this…!

SEO Best Practice Guide by Dave Chaffey, Chris Lake and Ashley Friedlein Comprehensive SEO Best Practice Guide presented as a 300 page ebook. Updated regularly with free PDF sample for download.

Purple Cow by Seth Godin amazon.com, amazon.co.uk A very easy to read and engaging book (you can literally read it on a plane trip!). However, that doesn’t detract from the skill that Seth has at illustrating, with great case studies and in very simple terms, how the world has changed since the web came along. An inspiring read even for people who have seen it all…

Not a book, but I am a big fan of Econsultancy. The quality of their reports and the people that produce them is excellent. A great resource for digital marketers and one I refer to in the book and in numerous posts/presentations.

If you have read any of these books please let me know your thoughts on them by adding a comment below. Similarly, I would love to hear about other recommendations.