Content creators today are entering into a very competitive marketplace. If you want to stand a chance of getting noticed among all your competitors, you are going to need to use data and statistics to direct your marketing decisions. Here’s how to make your data work for you when promoting your content.
Understanding Statistics
In the modern world, every entrepreneur will work with statistics and data to some extent, even if they have no formal training in data analytics or statistics. Some of what you will learn will be intuitive; you don’t need an in-depth understanding of statistics to be able to ascertain whether a new piece of content is proving to be as popular as similar content that you have published in the past.
However, web traffic stats can provide some valuable insights into which pieces of content are more popular with visitors to your site. Once you understand what makes one article more popular than another, you can take this knowledge and use it to your advantage.
If statistics are your favorite topic, it’s worth expanding your knowledge, as statistics are the driving force behind many marketing strategies. Studying a statistics degree will ensure that you are able to take full advantage of the predictive power that statistical analysis can provide you with. These days, you can even study an online masters in applied statistics degree that enables you to study while continuing to work and gain vital experience.
Don’t forget also that a degree in statistics is likely to make you very attractive to employers if you decide to change careers at any point.
Gathering Data
- Gathering the right data: Data is all around us today and modern businesses are generating significant amounts of data routinely, whether they are aware of it or not. Not all of this data needs to be collected and analyzed. In fact, taking on too much data can ultimately be detrimental to your business and cause confusion. You need to know what your objectives are with regard to your data collection in order to hone in on the data that is actually going to be useful to you.
- Gathering it in the right way: Once you know what data you are going to be collecting, you can then establish the most suitable method for gathering it. Lots of people underestimate how much of an impact your data gathering techniques will have on the final dataset that you put together and how useful it is to your business. Gathering data in the wrong way can lead to distorted datasets and ultimately erroneous conclusions. If there are flaws in your collation methodology, those flaws will be amplified when you try to analyze the data.
- Storage and cataloging: Once you know what data you are going to gather and how you are going to get it, you then need to have proper storage arrangements in place. Not only do you need to have enough capacity to hold all the data that you are gathering, but you also need to catalog your data in such a way that you can easily find what you need when you need it.
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Analyzing Data
- Knowing what to look for: It doesn’t matter what data you are able to gather if you don’t have the means of properly analyzing it. Proper data analysis isn’t just about having access to sufficient computing power either, you also need to know what you are looking for in the data. If you want to compare your current content releases against past releases then you will need to have comparative data that you can use. Equally, if you are trying to find out more about the kind of content that your audience wants.
- Using the right tools and techniques: There is a plethora of data analytics tools and software available today. In fact, there are so many options available for analyzing data that identifying the right one for your needs has become a challenge all of its own. Some businesses will code their own tools for analyzing data but most still rely on off-the-shelf solutions. Without a solid understanding of the data you are using and what you want to do with it, it can be difficult to pick out the right analytical tools.
Statistics and data have never been more important to modern businesses. Every business, no matter how big or small, should have someone on staff with a good grounding in data and statistics. Promoting and marketing your content effectively is much easier with data on your side.
