How Using Data Can Help Your Tell Your Brand’s Story

You’ve written a compelling story using colorful language you think will resonate with your audience, but your message is still falling flat. Perhaps instead of better words, you need better numbers. You’re only scratching the surface if you don’t use data to support your marketing campaigns. You can throw darts at a board all day and hope for results, but data tells a compelling story that’s much deeper than numbers. Here’s how you can convert numbers into results.

Start with a brand audit

Before diving into all the facts and figures, taking a step back and doing an overall brand audit is important. You not only want to look at whom you want to reach, but also whom you’re already reaching. Building out three key personas will help you compare their interests to the sites they visit most often to see what matches up, the saturation point and where there’s room to close the gap.

Define success

One of the hardest things about social media campaigns has always been how to quantify success. What does a return on your investment actually look like? What value is your marketing bringing to your business? Data can help here. Key performance indicators (KPIs) go beyond engagement and impressions to dive deeper into your content. These metrics can show not just how many people watched your video, but more interesting insights, such as where they paused it and if they toggled between windows while it was playing. Knowing this information can help you pinpoint what success means for your brand.

Break down the numbers

Data is much more than how many followers you have on each social channel. Social listening and data analytics tools can tell you who else your followers like, what other sites they frequent, and what their favorite follows are, among other insights. These trends can then steer your message and reach your intended audience.

Look for overlap

One data point that’s often not accounted for is user overlap. Overlap considers questions like, “How many of our Instagram followers also use TikTok?” Sure, you can make generalizations about how older adults tend to prefer Facebook, but that might not always be true. If it’s not true for your target audience, you may be missing marketing opportunities. Understanding overlap will help you better allocate your marketing dollars and determine how to use your content across various platforms.

Enlist the professionals

No matter your level of expertise, marketing boils down to storytelling. Numbers mean little unless they are used to tell a story that will connect with customers. If data isn’t your thing, you can partner with a trusted marketing agency that knows how to interpret, analyze, and use the numbers. The agency’s reports will give you the tools and tricks you need to create a successful campaign.

Know your numbers

Sure, using broad strokes to create a marketing campaign is possible. But if you want to move from broad to specific, data can help. Data can help you refine and distill your message. It’s just a matter of putting the numbers to work for you.

How do you want your story told?