Staying in tune with customers can be your business’s greatest asset. All too often, though, knowledge of your product or service can crowd out knowledge of your customer. Learn how to bridge the gap with a few simple practices you can tackle in one afternoon.
Peek at Google Analytics.
There’s no need to be an analytics whiz to benefit from Google Analytics. Once you’ve set it up on your website, check these specific places once or twice a month. This will keep knowledge of your customers fresh when strategy and marketing decisions are in play.
- The “Acquisition” tab shows how people get to your website—whether through organic search, paid ads, social media, direct referral, etc.—as well as how they act once they arrive. If you add UTM tags to your email campaigns and the links you share on social media, the “Other” subcategory can offer more revelations about what content and platform yields the best results.
- The “Demographics” category under the “Audience” tab offers a gender and age breakdown of your website visitors. If you’re trying to decide which social media platform is best for your brand or if you’ve been wondering what stage of life your customers are in, this can provide a lot of insight.
- Under the “Behavior” tab and the “Site Content” category, the “Landing Page” option offers an in-depth look at which specific pages have the most views, how long visitors spend on certain pages, and which pages have the highest bounce rate. Why does this matter? It helps you spot potential issues on pages. Furthermore, it can inform what content you add to your website in the future.
If you want to dig deeper, learn more about navigating Google Analytics here.
Peruse your social media analytics.
Different social media platforms offer different types of data, but Facebook offers the most extensive data. On most platforms, though, your audience’s demographics and their interaction with content will be provided. Dig into these analytics on a monthly or biweekly basis, taking the time to ask:
- What posts get the most engagement?
- What type of content leads to the most click-thrus to the website?
- What posts do people most often share?
- What questions do we get from fans on a regular basis?
These answers allow you to tailor the content you create for your audience. Additionally, they can guide the business’s paid social advertising strategy. Remember, the more knowledge you have of your customer, the greater your chance of success.
Talk to Your MVP customers.
Most companies have “regulars” or clients they work with extensively. Once a month, arrange an in-person meeting with one of them, or ask if they’d be willing to do an online survey or a phone interview. Consider asking questions like the following:
- Why do you like working with us?
- What do you look for from a company or product like ours?
- At the end of the day, how do you decide which product or company to go with?
- Where can we improve as a business or product?
- What would you say to your peers about our company or product?
You’ll leave the interview with profound insight into the mind of your customers. Plus, you’ll likely pave the way to internal and external improvements within your business.
It’s easy to distance yourself from a customer. For your marketing to succeed, however, customer knowledge must be at the forefront of all decision making. Consider taking one afternoon every month to learn more about your customers. If you’re not sure where to get started, we can help.
