I Registered for This Fact Sheet? Why I’m Mad At WebTrends

by Joanna Pineda Posted on July 29, 2008

While preparing for a Matrix Group seminar on usage reports, I decided to get the latest news about Google Analytics and WebTrends on Demand.  I found all the information about Google Analytics on the Google site with no problems.  The WebTrends site advertised a Fact Sheet that promised more technical details about features and implementation, but I had to register.

Okay, I figure, I’m already a customer of the server software, why not register to get the Fact Sheet?  The registration process was two screens, then I was directed to the PDF of the Fact Sheet.  Guess what?  The fact sheet was nothing but a page and half of marketing fluff that was absolutely NOT worth me registering for it.  The Fact Sheet had no technical specs, no descriptions of the reports, and no pricing information.  It was totally useless.

I was so mad that when the e-mail confirmation came in, asking me to confirm my subscription to the WebTrends on Demand newsletter, I promptly deleted it.

For all you marketers out there, if you want me to register for your Fact Sheet, White Paper or Technical Requirements document, please make it worth my while.  Give me rich details, technical requirements, screen shots, customer testimonials, tips and pricing. Otherwise, I will delete your content in the future.  Worse, I may even put you on my spam list.

4 replies on “I Registered for This Fact Sheet? Why I’m Mad At WebTrends”

Mark, thanks for another useful site. This Webtrends Outsider blog looks like a great resource. I have found a lot of good and useful information about Webtrends on Demand, but it’s always illuminating for me to go through sites like a regular user. In this case, the experience of registering on the Webtrends site, only to be rewarded with marketing fluff, with something worth noting and a lesson for all of us marketers! Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming!

I completely agree with your reaction to the fact sheet. I am hoping that that kind of thing will gradually end now that they have changed their top management tier. True, the change happened in late 2007, but those fact sheets probably have a long shelf life.

If you don’t mind I am going to send a link to this to some of the product managers over there. I actually think most of them will agree with you!

Hi Chris. I don’t mind you sending the link to my post to the project managers at Webtrends at all! Maybe they’ll see that buyers like us are willing to register, but we have to get good, rich, technical details in return! Thanks for passing along the good word.

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