Magdalena asks, “How much should our actions depend on what the numbers and indicators show us? Is there any space for what we feel works well, even if after a month or two, the results don’t prove that?” There’s plenty of room. First, consider the data. Data must meet the 6C Framework for Useful Data:…
Magdalena asks, “From your point of view, what are the main indicators of performance in marketing?” It depends. What is the goal of your marketing? That’s what the key performance indicator is. I define KPI as, if this number goes to zero (or the maximum bad state), you get fired. So for every company, and…
Kevin asks, “What’s the difference between unrefined and refined data?” As part of a larger discussion about metrics in marketing, Kevin’s question came up in reference to the importance of data. Unrefined data is as useful to business as crude oil is to a car – which is to say, it isn’t useful at all.…
One of the consequences of machine learning is that our data is part of a mosaic of data used for training. We’ve voluntarily given companies enormous amounts of information and while, historically, they’ve been really bad at using it in any meaningful way, that will change. Companies who want to get ahead of the curve…
Kerry asks, “How do you choose data science software if you’re not already a data science expert? My company is evaluating some vendors and I’m not sure what to ask.” By definition, a data science platform should be flexible enough and robust enough to fully embrace the classical scientific method. Be VERY suspicious of anyone…
Yariv asks, “What are the differences between data analytics, data science, business analytics, and business intelligence?” It depends on who you ask. Thanks to consulting and marketing, these terms all have varying degrees of overlaps, and companies which make their money on clarifying terms like this – consulting shops – often have conflicting definitions. You’ll…
Anika asks, “Data analytics is such an awkward phrase. What is data analytics, and how is it different than data science?” Data analytics is exactly what it sounds like – analytics you run on your data, any kind of data at all. We run data analytics on customer data, on machine data, on search data,…
Rob asks, “Our analytics dashboards are filled with data but people have complained that they’re not helpful or useful. What can I do to fix this?” Great question and a very common problem. One of the chief issues with analytics is that we just back up the truck and pour data on people’s desks instead…
Pradeep asks, “What are the most important factors to consider in a digital marketing audit of performance?” Pradeep’s question requires a deep dive into statistics and analytics to provide an answer. The reality is we have a massive buffet of questions we could ask of our data. We have more variables to consider than ever…
One of the most common questions I receive is, “where do I get started learning marketing analytics?” Can’t see anything? Click here to watch on YouTube. Transcript and Video Notes Here’s the logical progression of training for burgeoning measurement folks in digital marketing today. Do these in the following order – courses, to build a…
