As this blog grows, you will hear me continually spew about data – all sorts of data. It has turned into an obsession with me. Compiling it, managing it, dispensing it, analyzing it, etc.
We know that there is so much to learn about our customers and market segments. Technology has made it quicker and less expensive to compile expanded research and information in areas of need.
Enter Hitwise – an aggregator of data that features a panel of more than 25 million web users as they visit 100 million sites in 160 different categories. I’ve had the privilege to work with their data modules during a few clients projects. It is a very powerful tool that provides valuable marketing intelligence.
Today, Heather Hopkins, VP Research of Hitwise UK, makes an interesting point regarding some traffic to US Destination and Accommodations web sites. The key: not only is it crucial to know the sales cycle, but also to know who is buying what.
"We all know how important it is to tailor marketing campaigns to seasonal highs and lows. But this data offers a great illustration of why it's also important to tailor your offer (and website content) to those seasonal changes. The content should be tailored not just to reflect seasonal offers but also with a different customer in mind. The family vacation package that sells well in summer won't appeal to empty nesters looking for cruises and winter getaways."
