Data Tells a Story
When it comes to interpreting marketing data, the most important point is understanding that it data tells a story. Data storytelling takes a raw set of numbers and data and turns it into a narrative that clients can understand and remember. This is a more effective way of communicating the significance of data to clients than just sending them spreadsheets of statistics and figures.
The key is in knowing which data points best support your main objective, whether that’s relaying campaign status or justifying a larger budget. A good place to start is by identifying the running theme of your narrative and which pieces of data directly relate to it. For example, if your story is about product sales then revenue data from the specific products would be relevant, as well as which pieces of data are in direct contrast to each other (such as social traffic being higher than the number of purchases).
Unveiling the Narrative: How Data Tells a Compelling Story
Adding a narrative to your visuals can help reduce the cognitive load on your audience and make it easier for them to engage with your data. This can be done through a combination of text, symbols or extra axes on line graphs to illustrate underlying trends, and the use of icons to communicate key points such as ‘up’ or ‘down’. It’s also crucial to keep in mind the level of detail at which your audience wants to receive your information. Generalists may appreciate more detailed descriptions and correlations, whereas experts might just want the broad picture.