Marketing professionals are drowning in data but starving for meaningful insights. As brands rush to collect data, they are often neglecting building marketing intelligence. This leads to business decisions that are based on assumptions and creates a dangerous disconnect between what the brand thinks is working, and what’s actually resonating with the target market.
Phophi Ramavhoya, analytics director and EMEA lead at Incubeta describes this phenomenon, saying: "Clients tend to create more data than they need, thinking it leads to better decisions. But that's hardly ever the case. If anything, this tends to dirty the data they do have, which means any insights are going to be flawed. And that means that your business decisions are going to be compromised."
Organisational silos perpetuate the problem
Unfortunately, the problem is multifaceted. Internal organisational silos create significant barriers to effective data collection and utilisation. Different teams such as data analytics, creative, and marketing, all operate in isolation, each maintaining their own dashboards and access points. This fragmentation leads to inefficiencies, with professionals spending excessive time trying to locate and interpret information, rather than driving strategic initiatives.
The technological landscape can also compound these challenges, with the transition from Universal Analytics to GA4 representing a significant learning curve.
“Measurement isn’t just about reporting, it’s about unveiling what to do next. Technologies like GA4 give marketers a more event-based, customer-centric view on user behaviour, which is crucial in today’s multi-device, privacy-first environment,” Ramavhoya explains. “It's like choosing between a frozen pizza and creating one from scratch. GA4 may take a bit more insight, but you can choose exactly how you build your solution. And the end result is perfectly tailored to your needs.”
Great campaigns can only be built on a foundation of good data
Eddie Schutte, senior data and analytics manager at Incubeta, is emphatic that data collection should never be an afterthought. “Data must be the foundation. Often, businesses rush ahead and set up campaigns and then try to track them after the fact, creating issues with data measurement and collection” he says, explaining that this reactive approach prevents marketing teams from developing truly strategic, insights-driven campaigns.
So how can marketing professionals break this cycle and transform data into strategic clarity?
Schutte says the first step is asking the right questions. Organisations must critically evaluate whether they're collecting data for data's sake or to drive meaningful business outcomes. This requires a fundamental shift in perspective, viewing data not as a reporting tool but rather as a strategic asset.
“Marketing teams must develop cross-functional collaboration, breaking down departmental silos and creating integrated approaches to data collection and analysis. This means involving stakeholders from media, creative, and the analytics teams from the very beginning of campaign planning,” he says.
Anticipate trends and optimise in real-time
Ramavhoya and Schutte agree that collecting the correct data is not just a technical requirement, it is a strategic imperative that underpins every aspect of modern marketing, from sophisticated modelling and audience segmentation to actionable analytics and campaign optimisation.
“Modelling, segmenting and analytics shift marketing strategies from reactive to proactive. Segmentation allows you to tailor messages to the right audiences, while predictive modelling helps forecast what customers are likely to do next. Combined with real-time analytics, marketers can adjust strategies on the fly, whether that’s reallocating budget, refining messaging, or personalising user experiences,” Ramavhoya explains.
However, both are quick to caution that brands must also recognise the complexity of martech. While most companies have access to sophisticated tools, many lack the skill sets to use them effectively.
“By connecting the dots between data points and business objectives, and investing in the right skills needed to transform, transport and translate that data into actionable insights, marketers can uncover patterns, test hypotheses, and make informed decisions that directly impact the bottom line,” Ramavhoya says.
Marketing professionals looking to leverage intelligence should start by critically assessing their current data collection practices. Breaking down internal silos, investing in continuous training, and developing a strategic approach that prioritises meaningful insights over mere data accumulation will set the organisation up for better decisions, and returns.
