How small data informs killer marketing campaigns

Big data is the big trend. Every day, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is created. Back in 2013, IBM reported that more data had been created in the previous two years than since the dawn of time. Huge organisations sift through vast amounts of information to spot correlations and patterns in user behaviour, and to predict key trends.

It has proved to be pivotal for many huge businesses, including Netflix, Amazon, and eBay, but there’s another approach that’s gathering steam among small and large organisations alike, and that’s small data. But what is this exactly, and how can brands use it for marketing success?

One of the key thinkers on small data is Martin Lindstrom, a Danish writer and branding expert. His book, Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends, tells many a compelling small data story. What stands out most is his work with Lego, a business that was in real trouble before an incredible turnaround. Their fortunes were apparently switched by the discovery of a single used sports trainer in an 11 year-old’s bedroom; an item that revealed the kid’s determinedness to be the best skater in town.

Lindstrom listens to people. He goes beyond audience research from afar by going into consumer’s homes, speaking to them, and asking deep questions. It’s this qualitative analysis that can work in tandem with big data trends to reveal unique insights.

Essentially, small data is a data set that is small enough for human comprehension, leading to meaningful points of action. According to an online definition by Techopedia:

“At its core, the idea of small data is that businesses can get actionable results without acquiring the kinds of systems commonly used in big data analytics.”

It’s about countering the obsession with huge unmanageable data sets, and returning to the detailed observation of human behaviour. The full article looks more at this theory and the ways in which startups can embrace this from birth, giving them a supreme understanding of their audience; one that’s better than their competitors’.

What can you expect from the article?

• The small data expert: Martin Lindstrom
• Using social media and small data
• Using interviews and conversations to acquire small data
• Is big data dead?

Full article - small data: How to use it to accelerate startup growth.