Marketing analytics is the core of any marketing plan. It gives you the insight you need to know what is working and what needs to be changed to achieve your marketing goals.

While there are many ways to collect marketing analytics, few processes can provide you with all the information you need in one place. That’s where data science tools come in. With so much data available 24/7, you can use tools like Tableau to create visualisations that give you a clear picture of what is working and what needs to be changed. In this post, we will guide you on how to become an expert in marketing analytics using Tableau.

Get The Data

To get started, you need to decide what type of data you need to work with and what tools you need to get the data. There are three things you need to consider here: the type of analysis you need performed, the source of the data, and the timeframe over which you need the analysis to be performed. These are all crucial in determining how you will use Tableau.

The first thing to consider is the type of analysis you need performed. There are dozens of marketing analytics tools available, all with their perks and quirks. For example, Google Analytics is a popular tool that provides you with lots of information about your website visitors — including their geographic location — which allows you to target local audiences and enhance your digital marketing strategy. However, Google Analytics is not best suited for creating dashboards or for exploring long-term trends.

On the other hand, Tableau combines the power of data analysis with the simplicity of a dashboard to create powerful visualizations that can provide you with all the insights you need into your web traffic and marketing performance. For example, if you need to find the most effective combination of products to sell to your website visitors, you can use Tableau to easily test several variants and compare the results.

Set Up The Database Structure

A common pitfall for beginners is to not take the time to set up the database structure beforehand. Sure, you can quickly create a Tableau dashboard and start analysing your data, but it’s best to take the time to plan out how you will store your data before you start creating visualizations. A simple way to ensure you have all the room you need for any type of analysis is to use a tool like Redshift or Snowflake to prepare your database tables.

Use The Right Charts

Now that you have your database ready, you can start creating your first dashboard using Tableau. Before you start building interactive visuals, you should first create a number of charts in the same fashion you will use in your final dashboard. Once you have your data in place, you should start using Tableau’s automated table recommendations to quickly build charts that are already configured to fit your data. This will save you both time and mental energy. You should also use your best judgement to ensure the type of charts you choose are relevant to your data set. For example, if you have sales figures for different regions, you should create a map showing the distribution of sales territories. You should also consider the analysis you need performed before you make your decision about the type of charts to use.

Create Simple Tableau Workspaces

Creating workspaces in Tableau is a great way to keep related documents and charts in close proximity for easy reference. A workspace is a place where you can group your charts, tables, and other interactive components, which then allows you to easily find the items you need when you need them. A Tableau workspace can be used for several different types of analyses, so you should create a number of simple workspaces for different marketing strategies you are following at the same time. This way, you will always know which marketing analysis you need when you need it.

Use Other Tools For Supplementary Analysis

While most people use Tableau for the initial data analysis, there are several other tools that can be used for supplementary analysis. For example, if you have customers based in different countries, you can use the Google Analytics API to pull in some geo-targeted analysis from its database of over 300 million users. You can also use Hootsuite to gain a broader understanding of your target audience and how you can engage with them through social media.

In addition to Google Analytics and Hootsuite, you can use other tools like Looker, SurveyMonkey, or Qualtrics to easily reach a larger audience. These tools make it easy to distribute your questionnaires and get honest opinions from your target audience. The information you gather from these tools can then be integrated into your Tableau analyses to provide you with even more information about your marketing strategy.

Keep Up To Date With The Latest Trends

To stay competitive, you need to constantly be looking for new ways to analyse your data and find the insights that will help you improve your marketing performance. Luckily, the ever-changing world of analytics keeps up with the times and provides you with new tools that allow you to perform better analyses. For example, if you are currently using Google Analytics, you can download the My Analytics for iOS app to get real-time dashboard insights on your mobile device. The Google Analytics Android App also provides you with live dashboard updates, allowing you to keep close track of your marketing performance at all times.

If you need inspiration for your next marketing analysis, take a look at these marketing analytics tools and learn the ropes from the pros.