How can you use primary and secondary data for marketing analytics?

2 What is secondary data?

Secondary data is the data that already exists and was collected by someone else for a different purpose. It is usually more general, broad, and accessible than primary data. For example, you can use reports, articles, books, websites, databases, or social media to find secondary data. Secondary data can help you gain insights into your industry, competitors, market trends, and best practices. It can also help you benchmark your performance, identify opportunities, and support your decisions with evidence.

3 How to collect primary data?

Collecting primary data requires planning, designing, and conducting your own research. You need to define your research problem, objectives, and questions. Then, you need to choose your research method, sample, and tools. Next, you need to collect the data from your respondents or participants. Finally, you need to analyze and interpret the data to answer your questions or achieve your objectives. Depending on your budget, time, and resources, you can use different methods and tools to collect primary data, such as online surveys, phone interviews, or in-person experiments.

4 How to collect secondary data?

Collecting secondary data requires searching, evaluating, and selecting the data sources that are relevant and reliable for your purpose. You need to identify your information needs, keywords, and criteria. Then, you need to search for the data sources that match your criteria, such as academic journals, industry reports, or government statistics. Next, you need to evaluate the quality, credibility, and validity of the data sources. Finally, you need to select the data that can answer your questions or support your arguments. Depending on your topic, scope, and availability, you can use different sources and platforms to collect secondary data, such as Google Scholar, Statista, or Hootsuite.

6 How to apply primary and secondary data?

Applying primary and secondary data means using them to inform, improve, or optimize your marketing activities. You need to translate your data into actionable insights, recommendations, or solutions. For example, you can use primary data to segment your customers, personalize your messages, or enhance your products. Or you can use secondary data to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats, and adjust your strategy accordingly. To apply primary and secondary data, you need to communicate them clearly, concisely, and convincingly to your stakeholders, and monitor their impact and outcomes, such as conversions, retention, or satisfaction.