Ever been complimented on a blog post in real life? That someone read your stuff and liked it so much that they tell you, in person?
Compare that feeling to Google analytics telling you that a hundred theoretical, distant, on the other side of the glass people have shown up.
Sure, those people showing up is great for our data obsession and is possibly a good metric if uncomplicated eyeballs of awareness is your thing. This is where we focus as marketers today, the robot love of data. But, real love, for someone to react, in person, to tell you they engaged, the feeling is a whole lot better.
I love marketing data, plus I am a bit of an introvert, so probably these folks being behind the glass is kinda just fine with me. But I think secretly we are all a bit skeptical when we see the stats, those hits could be bounces, bots or whatever. How many hits would you trade for a real person to engage with you, to take the time to say they like your stuff?
There is, of course, a flip side to this, all of those hits are potentially someone nodding along, folks that if they met you in person would say; I like your stuff.
So, if you post something, were disappointed by the vanity metrics, consider that maybe the only people that showed up were the folks nodding along. Your metrics might be down but imagine that audience in the same room, cheering you on.
I once did a content audit with a client and we discovered a little pool of content, for a specific product/services offering that was under threat from the client content team as it didn’t perform, according to the robot love vanity metrics.
But, when we spoke to the product team and their clients, this content was essential to a small number of clients that contributed a disproportionately large amount of revenue.
As marketers we need to take the opportunity to find real love, to leave the office to meet these folks, to engage with our sales teams, clients and our audience.
The robot love of data is not as good as the real thing.
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I’m a 3xCMO, now a marketing strategy advisor and podcast host at Rockstar CMO. Although, I’m not a rock star, but a marketing leader, strategist, content marketer, columnist, speaker, industry watcher, and creator of ART (Awareness, Revenue, and Trust) for the companies I work with. But most of all, I am an enthusiastic tea drinker.
You can find me on LinkedIn, Twitter, or now Threads! – or listen to my weekly podcast at Rockstarcmo.com
The half-baked thoughts shared on this blog may not reflect those of my employer or clients, and if the topic of this article is interesting or you just want to say hello please get in touch.