Microsoft has begun a beta test of its free Web analytics service, code-named “Project Gatineau.” Invitations have gone out to some U.S. advertisers, and other U.S. advertisers can request an invitation, though the wait is long, according to Ian Thomas, project planner on Gatineau.
“If you’ve requested a beta invite, you’ll be on the list and will receive one in due course – but remember, some people have been in the line since January, so please be patient as we ramp up users slowly; there’s no need to remind us that you’re waiting,” Thomas writes on his blog, Lies, Damned Lies….
Thomas provides some details on initial features and reports included in Gatineau. They include demographic segmentation, custom taxonomies, funnel reports, outbound link tracking, inbound referrals, ROI reports, goal analysis, and client system reports.
Gatineau has been in alpha stage for about a year. It’s based on technology developed by Canadian Web analytics provider DeepMetrix, which Microsoft acquired in May 2006.