Most organizations recognize that being a successful, data-driven company requires skilled developers and analysts. Fewer grasp how to use data to tell a meaningful story that resonates both intellectually and emotionally with an audience. Marketers are responsible for this story; as such, they’re often the bridge between the data and those who need to learn something from it, or make decisions based on its analysis. As marketers, we can tailor the story to the audience and effectively use data visualization to complement our narrative. We know that data is powerful. But with a good story, it’s unforgettable.
Rudyard Kipling once wrote, “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” The same applies to data. Companies must understand that data will be remembered only if presented in the right way. And often a slide, spreadsheet or graph is not the right way; a story is.
Executives and managers are being bombarded with dashboards brimming with analytics. They struggle with data-driven decision making because they don’t know the story behind the data. In this article, I explain how marketers can make that data more meaningful through the use of storytelling.
The power of a meaningful story
In her “Persuasion and the Power of Story” video, Stanford University Professor of Marketing Jennifer L. Aaker explains that stories are meaningful when they are memorable, impactful and personal. Through the use of interesting visuals and examples, she details the way people respond to messaging when it’s delivered either with statistics or through story. Although she says engagement is quite different from messaging, she does not suggest one over the other. Instead, Aaker surmises that the future of storytelling incorporates both, stating, “When data and stories are used together, they resonate with audiences on both an intellectual and emotional level.”
In his book Facts Are Sacred, Simon Rogers discusses the foundations of data journalism and how The Guardian is using data to tell stories. He identifies ten lessons he’s learned from building and managing The Guardian’s Datablog, a pioneering website in the field. I found three of the lessons particularly insightful:
Data journalism (and analytics in a broader sense) is a form of curation. There is so much data and so many data types that only experienced analysts can separate the wheat from the chaff. Finding the right information and the right way to display it is like curating an art collection.
Analysis doesn’t have to be long and complex. The data collection and analysis process can often be rigorous and time consuming. That said, there are instances when it should be quick, such as when it’s in response to a timely event that requires clarification.
Data analysis isn’t about graphics and visualizations; it’s about telling a story. Look at data the way a detective examines a crime scene. Try to understand what happened and what evidence needs to be collected. The visualization—it can be a chart, map or single number—will come naturally once the mystery is solved. The focus is the story.
Stories, particularly those that are meaningful, are an effective way to convey data. Now let’s look at how we can customize them for our audiences.
Source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/data-and-measurement/tell-meaningful-stories-with-data/
