If treated as just numbers on a spreadsheet, data often ends up gathering dust, when it could be unlocking powerful insights instead. In this blog series, we’ll be demystifying data collection, reframing it as something that tells a unique story – one that’s crucial to making smarter business decisions.
Find your “why”
For those who are running fast-paced businesses or working tirelessly to get a start-up off the ground, data collection might seem like a double-edged sword.
On one hand, collecting data is an opportunity to gather insights that can drive meaningful growth, and on the other, it can just feel like a confusing sea of information that’s tempting to put to one side. As a result, what often ends up happening is that companies find themselves tracking data for the sake of tracking data – without identifying why any of it might be useful in the first place.
But when data is collected with purpose and intention, it becomes a foundation for understanding where your business is currently at, and what it could achieve further down the line. It’s not about collecting data because you ought to, but treating it as an opportunity to find out what you really want to know.
Why GDPR shouldn’t be seen as a barrier
If you see the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation or The Data Protection Act 2018 which is the UK implementation of GDPR ) as a tedious compliance checkbox on an already long list of things to do, then you’re not alone.
In reality, it does us a favour by setting a baseline framework for how to collect data in a transparent, ethical and purposeful way – something that all businesses should be striving for.
That’s because GDPR requires companies to clearly define why they collect data, making sure it’s relevant and justified. This is a crucial starting point and a valuable exercise for any company. By using GDPR as a springboard to reflect on these questions, we can create a fine-tuned roadmap to collecting insightful data that actually helps us reach our goals.
For example, let’s say you want to better understand your customer base. Rather than collecting vast swathes of demographic data without any sense of direction, you could focus on gathering only the key criteria, such as age range, location and purchase history. This approach streamlines the compliance process, while also making the data easier to understand.
Taking the first steps toward purpose-driven data collection
Here are some basic steps to help streamline the data collection process:
- Ask yourself, “what do I want to achieve?”
Start by homing in on clearly defined business goals, following the SMART method. The more specific the better. Are you looking to boost user retention within your app, refine your marketing strategy, or enhance your onboarding process? Only when you know your goals can you select data points that directly correlate.
- Find the metrics that match up
Now focus on the data points that directly align with those objectives. For example, if you’re looking to improve your marketing strategy, you might want to focus on ad conversion rates, newsletter click-through rates and user demographics to understand who responds the most, and to what.
- Uphold ethical standards
We would hope this goes without saying, but it’s always worth hammering home. Ensure your data collection methods are transparent and ethical, respecting user privacy in line with GDPR regulations.
Collecting data isn’t just about complying with regulations, but keeping you focused and results-driven. When data is selected with clear intent, it lays the groundwork for meaningful insights that help you make better business decisions.
Still can’t see the wood for the trees?
The team at GearedApp have successfully helped companies of all shapes and sizes make the most of their data with user-friendly digital solutions. Whether you’re interested in building a dashboard to better understand what’s happening in your business, or you just want to find out more about how we can help improve your systems, don’t hesitate to get in touch.