Data is the foundation of B2B marketing, and the best way to utilize this data is by having a consistent approach to track and analyze it. Unfortunately, managing your data can turn into a huge time suck.
Most businesses spend roughly 80% of their time collecting, monitoring, and analyzing their data. And the bigger your audience is, the more data you have to manage.
This is why having a B2B marketing analytics dashboard is so helpful for businesses. The right ABM platform with the right marketing analytics dashboard will make it easier to analyze data and make decisions more quickly.
This article will explain why you need a marketing analytics dashboard and how to set one up for your business.
How to Build a Marketing Analytics Dashboard for Your Brand
Having access to the right data can be a game-changer for your business. It can give you the insights you need into your customers, and help you make better business decisions.
Plus, it pulls data from multiple sources -- like your website, social media accounts, and email marketing service -- and tracks it to one central location.
Here are six steps to building a B2B marketing analytics dashboard for your brand:
1. Figure out what metrics you’ll include
Before you actually begin building the dashboard, you need to figure out what metrics you’ll include. The metrics you track will depend on your industry and business objectives.
Take some time to brain dump everything you’d like to include off the top of your head. Write down all of the metrics you think you want to track.
From there, take some time to determine what are the most important items for you to include. Just because you can track a lot of different data points doesn’t mean it’s necessary. Identify the KPIs you want to track, and each section can receive its own report.
2. Pick your design
Next, you’ll need to choose the design for your dashboard. It’s a good idea to incorporate a lot of white space, so your dashboard doesn’t feel cluttered. A simple, uncluttered dashboard will make it easier to stay focused on the data and identify the key insights you want to track.
Picking the right chart is a crucial part of being able to analyze the data as well. Here are a few different types of charts you can use:
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Line chart: Line charts display a series of data points as connected lines, and is typically used to show changes in the data. This kind of chart is useful when you’re only measuring one variable.
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Pie chart: A pie chart is a circular chart with different sections representing different data points. Pie charts work well when you’re measuring multiple data points, and the data sets are similar.
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Area chart: An area chart is similar to a line chart, but it’s typically used to measure multiple data sets. It also does a good job of measuring unrelated data sets.
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3. Consider your audience
It’s important to consider who’s going to be using your dashboard, and what information they’ll need to be successful. This is especially important if this dashboard will be utilized by a wide number of employees with varying job titles.
Are there any important data sets that need to be highlighted? How much detail do you need to include for the data to be relevant and actionable?
Also, make sure you include familiar icons and graphics, and use color blind friendly color palettes.
4. Pick the dashboard software
Now you need to pick the dashboard software you’ll use. Data grows at a fast pace, so it’s important to choose a dashboard that can keep up. Here are a few things you’ll want to look for in a marketing analytics dashboard:
Cloud-based: Any dashboard you choose should be cloud-based and require minimal IT support.
Integrates with social media: Ideally, you want a dashboard that integrates seamlessly with your social media channels.
- Self-service model: The dashboard should have the ability to generate reports, perform queries, and identify hidden data patterns.
- Available on all devices: You should be able to access this data from any device, including smartphones, tablets, or a desktop computer.
- Embedded: Ideally, you’ll be able to embed your dashboard in a variety of different software applications.
5. Choose your data sources
These days, marketing platforms allow you to track a lot of data. You can typically include everything from your emailing marketing channel, your website, your social media platforms, etc.
Putting all of these different data sources in one dashboard will give you a unified view of all your marketing channels. Whenever possible, try to use native integrations that are supported by the marketing dashboard you’re using.
Native integrations will connect easier and will require less manual upkeep on your part. But that may not always be possible, so you can use an API to connect your data as well.
6. Map out your dashboard
And finally, you’re going to map out how your finished dashboard is going to look. It can be helpful to sketch out how it’s going to look, and all of the different data sets you’re going to include.
This step isn’t required, but some people find that it saves them time once they actually start building their dashboard.
Next Steps
Setting up your B2B marketing analytics dashboard will take some time, and you may not get it exactly right the first time. But it’s well worth the time and effort it takes.
An analytics dashboard will make it easier to track and analyze multiple data sets in one easy-to-use platform. And having access to the right data will help your entire business operate more efficiently and make quicker, more effective decisions.
If you’re looking for ways to track your data and reach new customers, RollWorks can help. Our ABM platform is uniquely suited to help B2B marketers connect with high-fit prospects and grow their revenue. If you’re interested in learning more, just fill out a quick form, and someone will contact you about scheduling a free 30-minute demo.
