Big data: the technological marketing revolution

A few years ago when we began to talk about big data, the companies that led the change and the adoption of these technological tools used to have to explain in their press conferences and at their events what exactly big data was all about and what it could do. Notable examples were always used to explain its breadth and depth, which made it very clear that the amount of information available was overwhelming.

Then, it was explained with examples that were more emotional and striking - about how data could change people's lives. One of the usual examples that was often put forward was how  big data allowed emergency services not only to reduce their response times but also to be much more efficient when responding to emergency situations.

Once it became clear that big data could change things for the better and that it was something very important, the success stories within companies utilising big data began to surface. Big data helped design products, determine audiences, choose the most successful options, or understand what buyers really wanted.

Big data could tell a supermarket - as it did - not to stop selling a niche cereal brand, because the consumers who bought those cereals would often buy more expensive items when they checkout. Also it could help stores to choose future successful products, so that they can shape their product offering. 

Big data saw itself firmly and clearly established in business strategy and in the decision making of companies. Of course, in the process of establishing itself in industry and becoming increasingly crucial in the market, it also penetrated marketing decisions and the work of marketing teams.

The marketers began to use big data in more and more areas and for more and more things, making it more and more important. Top marketing managers now hire data scientists, analysts and tech graduates, because this data has become not just a key to success but a fundamental part of their work.

They cannot back down

Big data is fundamental to marketers, they cannot back down now. Data is already a crucial part of a marketer's work and big data is here to stay. Gathering information is a basic requirement for marketing teams an marketers could no longer work to match the changing pace of 21st century life without using the data. It would be like putting a blindfold on before launching into the battle of the market.

The data helps to understand the market, to make business decisions, to determine who will receive the business message, or to sustain the marketing strategy. Decisions are already closely linked to what we know and will be even more so in the future.

This does not mean that everything is straightforward as far as the application of big data is concerned. After all, the industry will likely face many problems in the future within this field. There is the question of who owns the information, the difficulty of accessing consumers' data (who are increasingly concerned about their privacy), and the burden of controlling the data.

As a result, marketing managers have to work hard to better integrate their data strategy and need the most qualified talent to ensure data is analysed effectively and handled carefully. Creating an effective social strategy that incorporates data to help you understand your target audience is a must if you want to stay ahead of the competition. 

If you are still wondering, today, if big data is going to change marketing, you have already missed the boat: it has already done so, and there is no turning back.