I’ve just completed doing some research on Microsoft’s ’soon to be launched’ website analytics software, which is being called "Gatineau" during its beta testing.

Microsoft Web AnalyticsIn 2006 Microsoft purchased ‘DeepMetrix Corporation’ and has been working very diligently to improve and customize the software package so that they do not experience the same issues that Google had when it rushed to launch its Analytics package. (then called Urchin) Ian Thomas, the lead for the Gatineau project, and a member of the Microsoft’s Digital Advertising Solutions team wrote on his blog, "We hope to release this product during 2007; however, we’re extremely keen to avoid a repeat of Google’s experience with Google Analytics, so we will be ramping up our user numbers gradually to make sure everyone has a good experience from a performance perspective.”

Gatineau will be a direct competitor of Google Analytics, but have stressed that it will not be a duplicate of the service. It will offer some things that make it distinct. Thomas went on to say, "The target audience for this project is broadly similar to the target audience for Google Analytics - though it’s emphatically not our intention simply to replicate the functionality within that product."

The new analytics from Microsoft will offer some detailed analysis including reporting on gender differentiation, and age demographics. This information will be sourced (rumour has it) from MSN Live information. Microsoft has stressed that this will not come from the ‘personal identifiable information’ that Messenger gathers.

Since I know this is what you are most interested in, here is your opportunity to see some sneak peaks at the Gatineau Analytics product:
Page Activity Summary

Gatineau Analytics Screenshot

 

Gender Differentiation

Gatineau Gender Screen

Web Analytics Funnel

Gatineau Funnel

Microsofts Analytics package is slated for release at some point in 2008. If you would like to become involved in the beta release for the product you can apply by going emailing Microsoft at gat-beta@microsoft.com.

 

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