We gathered a group of content and marketing leaders to discuss how they’re pursuing the promise of data-driven content and asked our friend - analytics expert Read Ziegler of REVELOCITY - to share his perspectives, too. Here’s the top line summary
A comprehensive approach to data-driven content considers: 1) how audience analytics can inform better content decisions from type to topic to tone and 2) how – properly scrubbed, formatted and turned into a story - internal data can be leveraged as compelling content for an external audience.
The ideal situation is pulling a 360-audience view together from the range of marketing data sources (CRM, marketing automation tools, web, social, etc) to inform real-time, prescriptive decisions. Getting to that situation, however, can be slow, expensive and uncertain.
The other side of the coin is – too often – marketers who merely grab the most convenient data available – though potentially incomplete - to make content decisions.
Add to that the continuous drive for more content and the result is an overabundance of “listicle” quality content.
The process of using data analytics to feed the content creation process needs to be sped up and simplified…must be nimble enough to work with the realities of today’s fast-paced business environment.
Data-driven content is a balance of science AND art…we need better “science” but still need to consider “gut” input.
Data storytelling demands that “art” – more than dumping numbers in an infographic, it requires marketers to apply to data the elements of story in very concise form. Who or what is the hero? What is the conflict? What’s the non-obvious solution (that at least implies the need for our product or service)?
