To an outsider, it may seem as though marketing is done with a combination of dumb luck, finger-crossing, and some midnight chanting. In reality, there is accurate data behind every successful marketing campaign. In fact, 78% of marketers confess to using data to develop their marketing strategies. Here’s the insider’s scoop on the four biggest secrets of data-driven marketing.
1. It’s Not Rocket Science
Anyone can engage in data-driven marketing. There is a plethora of online resources to learn about how to leverage site data to grow traffic, funnel traffic, and build sales leads. You don’t need to have an advanced degree in electro-physics to score new customers, but you do need to be able to follow directions. There are proven, step-by-step ways to use data to your company’s best advantage. Follow them, and you’ll be the marketing manager with the Midas touch.
2. You Don’t Have to Learn It All Yourself
As a Chief Content Officer, you ultimately need to focus on sourcing valuable content for your readers. If you allow yourself to get bogged down in all the minutia, you’ll lose any traffic you’ve gained because visitors won’t return to your website. While there are plenty of DIY data collection tools out there, including Google’s own Google Insights, you don’t have to learn it all yourself. In fact, 80% of marketers outsource their company’s data quality initiatives. That leaves you free to utilize the data and build content that speaks to your company’s needs.
3. It Takes More Time Than You Think
Patience is needed with data-driven marketing. Unless you’re holding a flash sale on the sidewalk selling Jimmy Choos, you need to realize that it will take more time than you think to see accurate results. Don’t make the mistake of tweaking your strategy before the existing one has had ample time to play out. Doing so could give you false results and lead you down the garden path. Carefully monitor your site’s data and be sure to allow for anomalies like world events and holidays before making pre-emptive decisions. Anomalies like these can affect your site traffic in very real ways, but they shouldn’t influence your long-term marketing strategies.
4. Use Info Gained to Affect Other Strategies
Not every detail has to be analyzed and dissected down to its core before you can pull the trigger on it. If it did, you’d never end up with any content on your site or it would be poorly sourced. You can use information and insights you’ve gained from one strategy to affect other strategies in your marketing efforts. Stand on your own successes to keep building upwards instead of reinventing the wheel each time a new strategy is in the works.
Now that you know the four biggest secrets of successful data-driven marketing, it shouldn’t seem so intimidating to you. You have all the tools you need available to you, so get started right now!
About the author
Kathleen S is a real estate expert with over 10 years of experience writing in the real estate industry. During the day, she works as a real estate assistant, specializing in high end and luxury homes. With over 25 years of experience in writing, Kathleen has honed her skills in a wide variety of writing mediums. Her work has appeared in such publications as Top Agent Magazine, Parents Magazine, Business.com, Forbes.com, Entrepreneur.com, Mashable.com, Realtor.com, SheKnows.com, and many more.
