Why Google Analytics 360 is Worth It

Many marketers who consider Google Analytics 360 (GA360), no matter how briefly, rule it out as an option when they see the price tag. From a brief overview of the features, GA360 offers, most can’t muscle their way past the six-figure cost.

Marketers are used to working with the free version of Google Analytics and assume that GA360 is merely an expanded version of that. However, the difference is huge. Let’s take a closer look at just how big that difference is and how GA360 can be a valuable tool in helping you reach your marketing goals. Continue reading “Why Google Analytics 360 is Worth It”

[Blog Abstract] Digital strategy: The four fights you have to win

From time to time, team members will share their views stimulated by content from an industry thought leader. Here, our CEO, Lisa Maier, discusses the recent McKinsey Quarterly article, “Digital strategy: The four fights you have to win” by Tanguy Catlin, Laura LaBerge and Shannon Varney.

This article starts off boldly, “Yesterday’s tentative approaches won’t deliver; you need absolute clarity about digital’s demands, galvanized leadership, unparalleled agility, and the resolve to bet boldly.” Their main point is that most successful corporations ultimately decay into incrementalism as a strategic approach and this – unfortunately – will not cut it when digital has the potential to disrupt a business down to its core. The sad reality is that it is usually a newcomer to an industry that has the risk appetite to take the bold, yet necessary, moves.

To battle this problem, this article suggests four remedies. These are the … Continue reading

2019 Trends in Data & Data Management for Marketers

Discovering the new answer to the age-old question of “How can I generate more sales at a lower cost” will be key for marketing managers to master in 2019. More than ever before, this year data will lead the way.

Without a doubt, the future of marketing is intimately connected with the future of Big Data. At this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show) it was noted that 2018 really was the culmination of a number of key tech breakthrough into the mass market (like AI and 5D), and observing how they will play out for business.

In 2019, tech and marketing experts say we’re moving from a focus on connecting people to the Data Age to a new phase, one in which the way consumers behave will determine the way we use technology to engage with them. For sure, being able to use the latest data advances to sell more products and services in 2019 is top-of-mind for smart B2C and B2B marketers everywhere. This article discusses some of the data trends you’ll want to be aware of – and begin to implement – during 2019. Continue reading “2019 Trends in Data & Data Management for Marketers”

Is your data working for you… or are YOU working for your data?

We live in the age where information and data analysis has become key to good business practice. The goal is simple: Gain understanding of precise attribution, in a timely fashion, to learn which marketing campaigns lead to higher conversions and lower acquisition costs.

What is true attribution?

True attribution is the holy grail for digital marketers. Many say it is the most pressing issue today.

Attribution ensures that you can learn from your data and every unique visitor’s content consumption pathway beginning at their first contact all the way through to conversion.

The usual outcome most marketers are mired in instead?

A virtual avalanche of data, much of which is incomplete, out of date and/or insignificant. Working through this overwhelming amount of data to find something clear and actionable can take weeks of valuable time better spent elsewhere.

Without full and “true attribution” marketers are at a loss on what … Continue reading

The New Transparency: Are You a Data ‘Have’ or ‘Have-Not’?

From time to time, team members will share their views stimulated by content from an industry thought leader. Here, our CEO, Lisa Maier, discusses the recent AdAge article, “THE NEW TRANSPARENCY: ARE YOU A DATA ‘HAVE’ OR ‘HAVE-NOT’?” by Julie Fleischer, Neustar.

Love the tone of this article, just a little cheeky. But she is right when she point out this stark reality:

“Let’s reflect for a moment on some of today’s biggest business stories:

  • Amazon has crushed retail
  • Uber and Lyft have changed the taxi game
  • Dollar Shave Club got acquired by Unilever for $1 billion
  • Facebook and Google dominate media

All these brands have one thing in common: they are the ‘haves,’ companies founded on and built by data. Those without a direct link to customer data? They are today’s brand ‘have-nots.’ “

The DirectiveGroup agency was founded 10 years ago to ride on – and … Continue reading

Full Digital Marketing Attribution and Choosing the Right MarTech Solution

Marketing Technology is just exploding these days. It is amazing to hear the statistic that on average, B2B companies with robust marketing groups use over 90 MarTech tools. Wow!

Marketing technology has the purpose of furthering the attainment of marketing goals. However, just as with many new tools and processes, there can be a subtle shift from reaching the goal that MarTech tool is designed to help with to fully and robustly using the MarTech tool. This is certainly true with tools that are designed to help a marketing manager make sense of the attribution data generated from digital marketing such that it can be actionable. So once a CMO or marketing leader has obtained these tools, he or she probably has some new problems.

This problem had originally cropped up because marketers had engaged in digital marketing, which held great promise to not only deliver results, but also to … Continue reading