🏔challenge: “I am tracking my google and social analytics but not sure what I’m supposed to be looking for. This might be a dumb question but how do I read these metrics?” – mission marketer

✨opportunity: Data is a powerful tool. But data is meaningless without context and goals… 

• Look for patterns. As you track data, month-to-month and year-over-year patterns will emerge. For example, maybe your traffic surges at year-end during your gala and year-end giving campaign, but your low point is summer season. 
• Use data to drive decisions. Using the example above, you could take advantage of a low season to drive awareness or host a specific giving campaign. Or, if you’re considering a new idea, check to see if the data supports it. 
• Remember, numbers aren’t everything. I like to say that numbers are an arrow. They are pointing you to greater insights. But remember that behind the numbers are people, and brand building is all about relationship building. 😊

A final note on data integrity: Data ethics are an essential skill for leaders and brands moving into the future. Numbers can be inflated and go unchecked due to bad structures (see the whole Twitter deal). As mission-driven organizations, it’s important to ensure our numbers are sound, accurate, and ethical. 

Now, I’d like to hear from you. What’s a recent data-driven decision you made?

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