Digital marketers have a treasure trove of data they can report to company leaders. After all, many factors, from images to text to banner size, can cause potential residents to click on a website link, an ad or a social media post.
But in this sea of information, there’s a risk that the most important data won’t rise to the top. Use these four reporting tips to ensure the most critical marketing messages resonate with decision-makers.
1. Understand who you are reporting to and what they want to know. The data points you highlight might change based on the audience; however, consider reporting any major shifts in the data regardless of the audience, because major changes are likely to be of interest to everyone.
2. Recommend an action plan based on the data. Without corresponding action, all the data points in the world don’t mean anything. If an online marketing tactic is not working out, recommend tweaking it or shifting to another.
3. Display data visually. Charts and graphs will convey your marketing story better than a spreadsheet of numbers. Graphics can also help provide necessary context—for example, a historical trend line that shows slow lead generation every November.
4. Manage the reporting timeline. Some marketing campaigns take time to get off the ground. Reporting too early can falsely convey that nothing is happening. Set expectations from the outset about when you will have data to report and what you expect. If you must report while the campaign is in its nascent stages, show current projections and make clear that you will have concrete data as the campaign plays out.