How data helps keep our lead machines performing at peak

Every ad we run, every email we send, and every hit we get on the websites and landing pages we use for lead generation tells us something useful.

Historically - using more traditional PR and marketing communications tools - real-time data just wasn't available to us, meaning we'd be left flying blind a lot of the time, using educated guesses about what would and wouldn't work. There was a significant lag, and by the time we figured out something wasn't hitting the mark, it was too late - there was no time to change tack.

The internet and social media have changed all that, providing us with a wealth of data which we can then use in a multitude of ways.

For instance, we can see which ad creative and copy isn't performing and either tweak it or junk it.

We can see who's opening and clicking links in emails and who's not, which tells us which are most engaged so we can focus on them more.

And we're able to see how people interact with our websites and landing pages, judging interest by how long they linger and what actions they take.

All of this requires regular monitoring and analysis - none of it's 'set-and-forget', we have to constantly stay on top of what the data is telling us in order to keep optimising our lead generation efforts.

The technology that provides us with these insights - cookies and pixels installed on people's devices when they visit websites and landing pages - also enables us to provide a more personalised and relevant experience to potential customers when it comes to serving them with ads online and on social media.

It's worth reading this article 'Why not everyone progresses down the marketing funnel' because it explains why some of the lead generation components are essential to success.