Data has always existed in one form or another, but the rapid rise and adoption of the Internet increased the amount of data in the world exponentially. There is so much information and data on the constantly expanding Internet that you can never collect it all. The Internet has roughly 40 zettabytes of data, which is far beyond anyone’s storage capacity and doesn’t include the dark web network of non-indexed pages. In a world with so much information and data around us at all times, it is no wonder businesses found a way to use it. Data is successful for more than the fields you might expect, like financials or inventory tracking, because data is a necessary tool for every modern business regardless of industry. Any business can and should use data to compete in the modern and increasingly digital world.
Why Bother?
Some businesses have found relatively good success without using data and might be asking why they should bother with this new technology. There is no universal rule that says all successful businesses must use data collection and analysis, but a successful business can become more successful by using new tools service like data cooperatives and accompanying tools like Vmware Monitoring Tools to pull even more value out of the data without adding to the headache. Data is not a magical fix, nor is it a new-age gimmick; data is a legitimate tool for businesses that can make a noticeable difference, and it is not nearly as tricky to get into as you may imagine.
What Can Data Show You?
Data can show you almost anything, depending on what data you collect. Common categories for businesses to collect or track include customer demographics profiles, website traffic, most viewed pages, social media engagements, and much more. For most businesses, the essential bits of data are the customer profiles and demographics information. Demographic categories can drastically impact your target audience. Education, income, location, gender, age, and any other details about a customer can help a business better market to them. You would not use the same marketing materials to market towards teen girls that you would use to entice middle-aged married dads.
Data is not perfect, and you must watch for errors or unreliable data that can skew your results, but delving into the details can save you from resorting to the shotgun marketing approach. You will have much better results targeting your audience based on data instead of blasting the same blanket marketing materials across the board regardless of the intended audience.
How To Use Data
Data can show you all kinds of measurements and metrics, but those numbers on the screen don’t mean much unless you use them. Some companies use data collection for PR rather than changing strategies within the company, but you can use big numbers for more than a good press release.
Assume one product page is not getting as many views as the others. Data for your site and that specific page will show you what types of customers clicked on the page, how long they stayed, and where they went after. From here, you can see what types of customers are interested in this item and see what other items they have bought. If customers bought items in the same price range, you assume they are not passing on the item because of price and keep looking for another explanation. By comparing data from multiple places and in different ways, you can narrow down what you need to change to get your desired result.
Data can do more than help you sell more items, though. Data can improve customer service departments with direct feedback, help you find entirely new customers, predict sales trends, better leverage data from social media, and help you retain your existing customers with brand loyalty. There is too much data for one person to parse, which is where data management tools become a lifesaver. With some practice and proper analysis, any business can use data to make better choices. Data and analytics have come a long way in a very short time. It was not long ago that the Internet was a pipe dream, but it is now a part of our daily lives. It would be a shame if businesses didn’t use the vast trove of data available to better the company in various ways. Data can tell a business about their existing customers, potential customers, the competition, predict sales trends, social media impact, and more. Thankfully, there are tools that help businesses collect and process all this data to be analyzed and lead to meaningful improvements within the company.
