I wrote an article on the Fear of Data quite a few years back and covered some of the important advantages good quality data gives a talented digital marketer. And just like in the fashion world, what is old can become trendy and useful again, but don’t pull out your dusty, skinny leather tie just yet!

One  of the first things you learn in marketing 101 are the dangers of ‘analysis paralysis’ – I have been there and am sure you have also.  Looking at pages and pages of data trying to figure out which rabbit hole to jump down next can be very frustrating because no matter how deep you go, there is always a new branch of information to continue following till eternity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the past few years, working with analytic suites like Google, Adobe and Omiture this has never been more true.  You can sit down to view data on a certain keyword and look up two hours later without realizing you just missed lunch.  So what is the right balance between getting an edge on the competition and bogging yourself down with so much data it becomes a time-waster?  Personally I have found that watching web data daily is part of the job for digital marketers, the quality of data is so valuable that it can not be set aside. In fact I am usually guilty of keeping Google Analytics Live, open all day long.  Let’s face it, every digital marketer is pulled a hundred different ways each work-day and making data analysis a priority can be difficult but the value is indisputable! From finding a overachieving long tail keyword to figuring out a fantastic tweak to your sales funnel, closely watching analytics can be a game-changer.

So back to the balancing act.  I have found that I can get adequate analytic research done if I allot myself thirty minutes a day for basic data analysis and set aside one half day each month to take a deeper look. If there are any questions from colleagues, reports for management or specific anomalies then a look at the data is always warranted, other than that I try and stick to my scheduled times, that way I don’t find myself bogged down with ‘analytic paralysis’.

If you have not had a look at your analytics in a while then now is the time! Put on your best skinny leather tie or your comfy bell-bottom jeans and fire up your analytic program, you may be surprised by the gems you can find with regular analysis.