posted by Savage @ 8:27 AM
The marketing landscape is changing by the millisecond, and we have more information on consumer trends than ever before. As a result, the role of marketers is changing. With access to information from sites like Google Analytics, Hitwise, Compete and Comscore, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the data and to lose site of basic human intuition. What has once been a subjective industry is now converting into as much science as art. The difficulty is striking the perfect balance between the quantitative and qualitative aspects of marketing.
Like anything, both are good in moderation and are key to the development of any good marketer. Grasping the analytics help define user tendencies, segment trends, and establish processes that can add to efficiency and effectiveness. However, marketing will always be somewhat based on intuition and on thinking one step ahead. The key is to utilize the analytics to drive your intuition, not to define your intuition.
Travelocity CMO Victoria Treygor exemplifies the ability to utilize analytics to drive strategy, as explained in a recent Brandweek.com article on the Evolving CMO. Treygor learned through Google search results that after the market crash consumers were shifting away from search terms related to long-distance air travel and were instead searching for road trips and weekend getaways. As a result, Treygor shifted the focus of advertisements from showcasing airplanes to highlighting cars and quick escapes to nearby towns. User searches used geotargeting to highlight day trips and area hotels. As a result, Travelocity picked up sales that would have otherwise passed them by.
In order to succeed in today’s marketplace, it’s imperative to uncover that gray area between statistical information gathering and the timeless art of creative thought. With the information available and the quick shifts in user trends, the best way to keep your business ahead of the curve is to identify the information that matters most based on your needs and to take the time to think about how that affects your market.
