the trouble with using multiple marketing platforms
TRANSCRIPT
The Trouble with Using Multiple Marketing
Platforms
social media
website
advertising
content
SEO
The Problem with Platforms
You’ve got lots of marketing channels and tasks, so now you’ve got lots of platforms.
searchads
social
webcontent
MARKETING
The Problem with Platforms
Or you’re trying to use one big platform that isn’t tailored to your organization - meaning you only get part of the data and insights you need.
search ads
social
web
content
MARKETING
The Problem with Platforms
And that causes real problems, including:
➡ People are measuring things differently (trust me, it’s happening.)
➡ You’re relying on others to report their data accurately and on time.
➡ It costs more. ➡ It causes data deluge.
The Problem with Platforms
When all you’re really trying to do is:
➡ Aggregate data across multiple areas of marketing so that you can understand how campaigns and actions affect overall findability, conversions, and revenue.
➡ Drill down into specific areas so you can get details about what’s working and what’s not.
Now we’ll dive into the problems…
What do I mean? Let’s look at some examples: ➡ Date range settings
➡ Different segmentation of data
➡ Use of filters
➡ How data is collected
People are measuring things differently1
One of the most common things I see go wrong in people comparing data and getting different numbers is the little things that end up making a big difference.
For instance, if you asked someone to give you a report for last week on Facebook engagement, and someone else to give you a report for last week on Google Adwords CTR - are you sure they’re both starting at the same time? Does one person’s week begin on Sunday while the others begins on Monday? Does Sunday start at midnight GMT or their local timezone?
When we’re talking about the importance of this, scale matters - but even just missing a few clicks can mean inaccurate conversion metrics reporting.
People are measuring things differently1
Date range settings
Another issue when trying to collect data from multiple platforms and then derive answers that affect lots of people is that segmentation may not be the same for everyone.
For example, the parameters of a marketing campaign and its targeting in an advertising buy on Adwords may be different than on Facebook ads, and still might be different than for SEO or content marketing.
Clearly defining target topics / keywords, content, audiences, etc. across all marketing areas is important in accurately collecting and reporting.
People are measuring things differently1
Data segmentation
Sometimes it comes down to the filter options each platform has, or doesn’t have. And if these filters have been applied before data extraction and are different than other filters in other platforms - you may not be comparing apples to apples anymore.
For example, trying to use Google Analytics, Marketo, Salesforce, and Sprout social means you’re likely getting some overlapping data - and each person’s reports might look a bit different.
Filter options like landing pages, campaign groupings, and other segmentations may change totals in one dashboard that can’t be applied to another.
People are measuring things differently1
Use of filters
Sometimes it comes down to the filter options each platform has, or doesn’t have. And if these filters have been applied before data extraction and are different than other filters in other platforms - you may not be comparing apples to apples anymore.
For example, trying to use Google Analytics, Marketo, Salesforce, and Sprout social means you’re likely getting some overlapping data - and each person’s reports might look a bit different.
Filter options like landing pages, campaign groupings, and other segmentations may change totals in one dashboard that can’t be applied to another.
People are measuring things differently1
Use of filters
Lastly, some of your many platforms might also be relying on other platforms for their information. (You may be using a vendor that relies solely on third party data and is not directly responsible for the data source.)
Consider how many tools might be feeding into a single source and the quality of that data. Does the platform require that code be placed on a particular site or pages to work, has that been installed correctly?
People are measuring things differently1
How data is collected
➡ People are rarely completely transparent when reporting - showcasing numbers for their KPIs and current wins
➡ People often don’t have the same objectives when reporting so they are reporting differently on metrics than you are
➡ Changes in team members may not create continuity of data
➡ Some people are just slow at getting you information you need now
You have to rely on other people2
It costs more. Enough said.
You’re paying for different iterations of marketing platforms based on particular feature needs, but often there are overlapping elements.
Distill down what you’re actually looking for across all departments and see what tools actually fit those and how they can be leveraged across departments if possible.
It costs MORE3
More reasons it costs more…
• Each tool has a cost and likely a contract. • Each tool needs to be onboarded, have people trained, etc. • Each tool exports data differently which means someone has to
spend time dealing with 10 different formats for data. • If the person that knows how to use it leaves, all the data in the
system is useless til someone new gets trained.
It costs MORE3
You’ve now got data coming at you from all directions and that means lots of information and probably few insights. What you’re looking for is actionable next steps.
You need the high level view to understand what is happening across marketing and the effect that individual marketing actions have on the total conversions and revenue.
You also need to be able to dive down into the data and see things at a granular level to truly understand your content. But you only need to do that when you WANT to - you shouldn’t be forced into a view you don’t need.
Data deluge4
The Answer? Custom Dashboards from One Platform
Here to save the day, or at least help you spend more time doing what brings in conversions, revenue, leads and other awesome things instead of digging through data and creating reports.
Organic Search
Paid Search
Social Media
Content
Direct
Affiliate
Mobile
➡ A flexible way to use, view, and report on data for multiple functions
➡ Uses a single source of data for lots of different roles so you’re sure you’ve got apples to apples comparisons
➡ Provides access and workflow for teams
➡ Seamless reporting for the marketing organization
➡ See interdependencies for campaigns, channels, and efforts to make better decisions
What is a Custom Dashboard Solution?
Here’s how it works
searchads
social
webcontent
MARKETING
Competitor Intelligence & Monitoring
Content Marketing Insights
Organic and SEO
Social Media Engagement Analytics
Marketing Channel and Campaign Performance
1 Know what problems you’re trying to solve
Organic Search
Paid Search
Social Media
Content
Direct
Affiliate
Mobile
2 Get all the marketing channels into one place
Select your own modules or use our templates as a guide.
Your Dashboard
+
+
3 Choose the data you want to see
Your Dashboard
4 Arrange it how you want
Your Logo Here
5 Make it your own
Your Logo Here
Your Dashboard URL
6 Share it with others
SEO Digital Strategy
Social Media Competitor Insights
7 Create dashboard for any team / function
What can a custom dashboard look like?
Where can I get more information?
Resource page http://www.ginzametrics.com/customizable-marketing-intelligence-dashboards/
Blog posthttp://www.ginzametrics.com/blog/fully-customizable-marketing-intelligence-dashboards-improve-data-sharing/
Contact [email protected]