Data Points for the Week of November 27th: 5 Must-Read Articles in Marketing Analytics

The Nefarious Nature of Vanity Metrics | The Pitfall of Perfectionism | How to Solve Stress

Hi guys and sorry I’m late. The Turkey coma hit me a little harder than expected. On to the good stuff!

1. What is a Vanity Metric?- In today’s data centric world its important to use metrics to guide your day to day operations and mark your progress. However, not all metrics are created equal. While vanity metrics provide information, they do so without providing value and can lead you astray. Instead, you should focus on actionable metrics that provide information and insight. They’ll light the path to success while vanity metrics will only light where you’ve already been.
2. SEO + UX = Success- SEO has become ubiquitous and, whether you love it or hate it, it’s here to stay. However, it doesn’t operate in a vacuum. While it used to be narrowly focused on keywords, search engines now take hundreds of factors into consideration and the UX of your website is one of them (and an important one). Make sure it helps rather than hurts your SEO ranking.
3. No One Trusts Social Media, but They’ll Keep Using It Anyway [New Data]- Social media molds our interaction with the modern world in powerful ways. It affects our communication with other people, perception of institutions, and viewpoint of world events. However, the scandal about Russia funded ads during the 2016 election has tarnished it’s shine. The questions is whether or not people will turn their feelings into action and turn away from the sparkle. Early returns look doubtful.
4. Stop Obsessing: Here Are 7 Areas Where Perfectionism Hinders Good Writing [Infographic]- The perfectionist gene is great to have when it motivates you to turn out flawless work but there are two sides to that coin. Oftentimes, this need to produce perfect work can prevent you from creating anything at all. This author calls this phenomena “analysis paralysis” and while it can be tough to work through there are ways around it. Check them out.
5. Stress: The Silent Killer Of Dreams and A Scientifically Backed Way To Rewire Your Brain for Success- We live in a fast paced and stressful world. Stress has real negative effects on our bodies. These two facts taken together mean that we all suffer but we don’t have to. There is a proven method to help lighten the load and promote healthy living. Meditation may still have it’s skeptics but your body isn’t one of them.
6. Entrepreneurs: Here’s What You Need to Know About Your Company’s ‘Net Promoter Score’- “NPS” or “Net Promoter Score” isn’t a new metric but it is undervalued. If you don’t know of it you’re not the only one but you can and should change that. This article gives you a broad overview of it’s importance and value by discussing what you need to know about it, how to put in context, and how to align your company with it in mind.

I included six articles this week as a little apology. I hope you’ll forgive me. UNTIL NEXT TIME.

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