Are You Data-Informed, Not Data-Driven?

In today's fast-paced digital marketing landscape, being data-informed is far more important than being purely data-driven.

At Social & Staple, we’re always on the lookout for ways to improve our strategies, and one of the best ways to do that is through continuous learning.

Earlier this year, we attended a Rocket Agency webinar on "Digital Marketing in Australia 2024", and it provided some powerful insights that every digital marketer should consider.

One key takeaway from the session was the danger of falling into the trap of relying solely on data to make decisions. While data is critical, it's not the only source of truth. Digital marketers, especially in 2024, must balance data-driven decisions with creative intuition, customer feedback, and market trends.

What is marketing attribution?

A significant challenge we face is marketing attribution.

For those unfamiliar, attribution is the process of assigning credit to the marketing channels that lead to a sale.

In an ideal world, this would be simple — a customer clicks a Meta ad, purchases, and you can attribute the sale to that ad. But in reality, the customer journey is far more complex.

Customers interact with multiple touchpoints — from social media ads to Google search, emails, and organic website visits. So, while one platform claims credit, multiple other interactions played a role.

Attribution Confusion and What It Means

The confusion becomes even more challenging when multiple platforms claim the same conversion. Without expensive tools like Triple Whale for tracking, it’s nearly impossible to achieve perfect attribution. But does this mean cross-platform advertising is a bad idea? Absolutely not. The more touchpoints, the better.

Research shows it can take up to 10 touchpoints before a customer commits to a purchase.

Cross-platform advertising remains essential, even if attribution becomes messy. But here’s where marketers need to focus on the bigger picture, not just a single channel.

The Holistic Approach to Digital Marketing

As privacy restrictions increase in 2024, making data collection even trickier, a holistic marketing approach is critical.

Digital marketers need to look beyond data and evaluate their entire marketing funnel, creative campaigns, and long-term brand-building efforts.

No one remembers predictable marketing—this mantra is more important now than ever as we blend data with innovation and creativity.

To tidy up your data attribution and maximize your marketing performance, here are a few actionable steps:

• UTM Tracking: Ensure you're using UTM tracking across all campaigns, including emails, social media ads, and paid search.

• Accurate Google Analytics Tracking: Double-check that your Google Analytics setup is accurate to track conversion paths effectively.

• Single Source of Truth: Choose one platform—whether it’s Shopify, Google Analytics, or another tool—to be your definitive data source.

By implementing these strategies, you can ensure that your digital marketing is not just driven by numbers but also aligned with your overall brand strategy.

At Social & Staple, we specialise in delivering data-informed strategies that marry the numbers with creative storytelling. Whether you're navigating the complexities of Paid Advertising, tackling multi-channel attribution, or developing a robust email marketing campaign, our agency can help you keep the big picture in focus.

Ready to partner with a forward-thinking marketing agency? Let's chat and ensure your campaigns are making a lasting impact, not just following the same old playbook.