Analytics with Jude

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My First Blog Post

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

With this being my first blog post, I just want to say Hello! If you’re reading this you have stumbled upon a reflective blog written by a singular Masters Student. The main purpose of this blog is to write reflective blog posts about my current Digital Marketing Analytics Module so I shall try and make this interesting.

My first class was very interesting as it seemed to have elements which I was looking forward to since starting my Msc in Digital Marketing. The discussion of real life analytics was I found Francis and my fellow classmates to be very open minded and diverse in both their origins and way of thinking as they all shared their point of view and resonated with each other.

As for what was discussed in class, it was very engaging as Francis gave us actual real life information with regard to analytics. We spoke about various industries such as the automobile industry and the tech industry. We also discussed about how companies like Apple, Amazon and Microsoft started out small and how they evolved to become the biggest companies around the world. Another company that was discussed was Tesla relating to how technological information that a company retains is a very important factor when looking at the companies overall position (1,000,000 mile battery).

Apart from the analytics that was discussed, we spoke about the two assignments which we have to complete on this module, one which is directly related to the blog and another which involved building a digital presence for a start-up which will inturn be analyzed as per the engagement it gets. Both these assignment really interest me as I will be able to employ several elements of digital and social media to practically apply to learn more about the interconectivity of digital engagement.

Overall I’m very much looking forward to this course and to learn more about analytics. I will try and be a sponge to all the information which is given to me in order to obtain an overall grasp of real-time analytics.

Seventh Post

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Personal experiences

Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has been a big inexplicable occurrence around the world and with the world in turmoil, so was I. The virus happening has been something so unimaginable and it is impacting everything I do, as my whole life, needs to be not only calibrated to adapt to the situation but I need to do so whilst I am away from my family hence it has definitely impacted my life personally, professionally and academically.

With so many changes happening every day and also with so many people affected by this virus, there are many emotions which are running through my head on a daily basis. What I am currently trying to do with this situation is to stay busy, keep connected with my family, friends and peers whilst doing what I can in the most positive way possible. What I have learned already from this situation is that I undervalued the smaller things in life such as being able to go to a supermarket or going to meet a friend for coffee as they are not possible to do at the moment. What I believe I can do is stay positive and do everything I can to adapt.

Businesses effected by Covid-19 and impact on digital analytics

Whilst all the above is happening, I have always considered what is happening to businesses with the current situation with a possible lockdown. Alot of businesses are scrambling to go online whilst some others like Amazon are looking at ways that they could thrive. Personally, I’ve seen supermarkets are slowly coming into realizing that they need to expand their availability of online ordering/home delivery systems. I think the landscapes of businesses are going to change and the companies that will survive are the ones that are transferrable online and equipped to handle online platforms.

Many local businesses are also turning to already existing online platforms to keep themselves relevant during this time and it feels like it will become the norm in the future. Furthermore, most advertising such as billboards, flyers and posters are starting to look irrelevant during this time and is replaced solely by online ads as well as digital forms of marketing. The above will heavily impact analytics hence there will be a whole new world of possibilities which could transpire from this tragic occurrence

I will continue to monitor this situation to see how businesses reach during this pandemic and see if the landscape of how businesses operate and market will change as a result during this situation.

All in all, I hope everyone stays safe and works together to ensure that we all come out of this in the best way possible.

Sixth Blog post

Analytics and work

Analytics has always been intertwined with my work as I have constantly been engaged with Marketing work since an early stage of life.

With my current work, I have found that Analytics has always been a big part and I need to digest data and analytics daily in order to tailor campaigns at work and make sure that resources are being used on the correct method of marketing and not used inefficiently.

One specific incident was when I was constructing a social media strategy for my current work place as there are many consideration which needed to take place in order to initiate a proper campaign. There were several platforms to consider as well as the frequency in which we will post in each platform, how the content will be curated and more importantly how part of the campaign complemented each other so that they connect.

Whilst in Analytics class, I was reassured of the fact that adapting based on data is important at any level and varying levels of companies do this in order to make sure that they are using their resources effectively. The practicality of this class is apparent because marketing always has and will include an element of analysis and adaptation hence I will continue to expand my knowledge on analytics without having any reservations.

Since Analytics are non-exhaustive, I will keep improving my ability to spot trends and patterns without beating myself up about not knowing everything.

Fifth Post

Self-Critical

I’ve always been critical of myself in many ways and my first few weeks back into my masters after winter holidays has been no exception because I always find myself in instances where I compare myself to other people and thinking that I’m not doing enough to advance my life.

As a result of the above, I become my worst critic hence I have to realize that I have to allow myself the time to adjust again and take things in a slow and steady pace. I feel like I need to be able to say no to things and also not be so hard on myself when I don’t meet my own expectation.

With the above in mind and the amount of data analytics which is out there in the world, I realized at the beginning few weeks of this class that there is much to consider and this contributes to my self-critical nature as the more I know, the better I will be at data analytics. However, I think the above is not possible because analytics is ever expanding and I logically cannot have all the information in my head. I can only know and practice the techniques which I have learned through my own practice and my masters to better read data and not just keep computing without any aim.

I believe that I need to be more practical in my approach to take on my own critical nature because if I do not try and successfully manage my stress then I would not be efficient in any way just as any AI computer needs to adapt and have time to learn before moving onto more advanced functions. I will try and learn as much as I can from the Digital Analytics class but in a more digestible way as to not overwhelm myself.

I also need to allow myself time to relax and clear my head as opposed to always thinking of one thing or another in relation to self-improvement or progression because having some time to recollect myself and also practice mindfulness will allow me to be more efficient when it comes to my work.

I know it will be an ongoing battle to not be self critical and to not take on too many thing to overwhelm me but I realize this more than ever now and I will practice strategies to manage this throughout all my undertakings currently which includes doing well in the Digital Analytics and Masters as a whole.

Fourth Blog Post

Academic Insecurities

I’ve always been insecure of my academic ability. I’ve always been afraid of preforming academic assessments with a certain amount of fear as I usually feel that I must be extra careful not do make a mistake in the way I put forth my academic work. I have always enjoyed research but not at a masters levels as I did it more at a practical level whilst I was working in marketing.

After the conclusion of my first semester, I was surprised that I was able to perform well however I always thought that was not a big indicator of being able to do the second semester and my dissertation well. As the second semester includes more assessments alongside the writing of my dissertation, I couldn’t quantify how I would perform and this this insecurity extended into my Digital Analytics class as I am not aware whether I would be able to perform well with regard to the assessment.

Strategies

I have learned from my last semester about what works and what doesn’t work personally when it comes to tackling academic assessments and here are some of the strategies which has worked for me:

Having routine time slots every day for reading course material and writing assessments. This has done wonders for my time management as it has given me a dedicated time slot to work on my assignments and do my reading which not only disciplines me but also gives clarity as I am progressing through lectures.
Don’t stress about doing assessments, just do them. I have always been someone who stresses about deadlines and work which needs to be done and sometimes I would find myself stressing about assignments and course material when I am preforming another task, so, I have slowly trained myself to not worry about assessments when I am performing another tasks (Work in progress). When I feel like I am stressed about assignments then I would simply just start doing some work or I will schedule time in which I can actually complete some tasks.
Remember to take time for your well-being. This has also been a very important step in being efficient in my studies as it is currently teaching me not to get threatened or overwhelmed when I have a new assessment which I need to complete. Furthermore, this has made me happier generally as my fear of academic assessments is being kept in check (to a certain degree).

Realizations

After learning more about the Digital Analytics course within the past few weeks and learning about the assessments with my lecturer (Francis) I found that there are many practical elements which needs to be applied to this module and it was very reassuring to know that academic study could entail some practical and personally reflective aspects to it too.

I feel that both our assignments on this module are very applicable to the real world of Digital Marketing. Since I have a some experience in Marketing already, I could see how this could’ve be applied to my past occupations as well as be applied to my future occupations because the analysis of data as well as it’s applicability could contribute to my future career path. I think the applicability and practicality of the whole Msc in Digital Marketing including the Digital analytics module helps me in not being so scared of academia as a whole however I still have insecurities popup when I think about performing well. I guess I’m on a journey to make myself accustomed with academia and I believe that through practice and constantly exploring new strategies will help me reach a decent level of understanding.

Third Blog Post

Lecture Reflections

This particular week was very interesting to me because it discussed mobile phone trends and it examined how different companies have evolved to gain the market share within the last 10 years.

From my own personal observation, I remember the days when Nokia phones were most sought after and they were considered the fashionable phone to have. Fast-forward to today, the Iphone has taken the world by storm and it is a very commonly used phone.

In the current era, there are hardly any Nokia phones left as Apple and Samsung dominate the market in different countries. Apple has an obvious loyal customer base which compels many individuals to have the latest Apple phone due to brand loyalty. Apple has also become a trend in which, if followed, become a positive social badge to carry as it is seen as a good thing to carry the latest Apple phone. Furthermore, it could be said that, having the latest Apple phone could signal success and an overall boost in social status.

Looking towards functionality, it could be said that many Samsung users use this as a point in which they buy a Samsung phone for. Apple is seen as a more restrictive device to some as there are many different things which are not flexible in Mac.

With all the being said and done, Apple and Samsung is in the same position that Nokia was hence it’s upto them to stay at the top and make innovative decisions to stay ahead of the competition.

Personal/Professional Reflections

On another note, I’ve been examining the way in which analytics contributes to my professional life as there are many things currently that correlate with my work and this course. I think a good marketing strategy requires a good understanding of analytics because simply publishing content without learning about it is a waste. A true and well-rounded marketing plan/strategy takes into account the adaptation process which is required as the strategy needs to allow for there to be change when something is working or not working. That’s why analyzing data which is gathered through a marketing plan in “real-time” is important to ensure that there is a deeper level understanding of what works and doesn’t work.

This analytics module has made me realize the importance of knowing and digesting the data which is gathered during the implementation of a marketing strategy is and furthermore how it contributes to the continuous growth of a company or entity.

Second Blog Post

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)

The second lecture and second seminar which we had was very interesting as it dealt with a topic which I am quite passionate about which is A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) and how it influences many of what businesses do from day to day. In this post I will highlight some key aspects which were discussed in class and add my own input on certain topics which may have been discussed.

Debunking the complicated nature of A.I.

Artificial intelligence is known to be a very specialized and complicated concept for most people however we learned that it is very accessible and easy for everyone to learn and also participate in.

In a TEDTalk given by Phillip Gerbert called the basics of AI for business, we learned that AI is a very accessible thing in which most resources can be accessed and found online in order to develop. He went on further to explain that AI would become crucial part of businesses around the world as it would contribute to helping understand the customer better in relation to what each business sells. He also explained that AI is not singular in it’s representation and could be applied to various aspects of businesses whether it be small or large. Another key point that he raised was that with the gathering of data becoming more and more important parts of a business, AI helps process data in a quicker and more efficient way which helps businesses achieve results faster.

In my opinion, I found what he said to be quite good as it breaks the stigma of AI being for an exclusive cult of experts, however, I believe what he failed to mention was that AI is wide spanning and it’s uses are vast hence anyone who doesn’t understand AI as a system and wouldn’t study it for a good amount of time wouldn’t understand how it applies to a business even with the knowledge of basics.

Furthermore, when running a business, it is important to know how a particular AI system is applied in the industry at various levels because not having an in-depth understanding of AI would lead businesses to hire experts which charge large amounts of money for services which may not be required as they would want to use just for the purpose of novelty.

I believe any company looking to hire someone to build an AI system or thinking of constructing an AI system themselves should take a good amount of time either learning from the company providing the services (in order to monitor them better) or should hire in-house experts which build the system and showcases it in a non-complicated manner.

Artificial Intelligence in small businesses

Artificial businesses have been stigmatized to be accessible to only large corporation however in the lecture we learned that there is a lot of potential for AI for small businesses.

The main example given to us was from a Youtube video by Bernard Marr in which he spoke about AI and big data in small businesses. He spoke about how he helped a small business who was a butcher utilize AI to help them grow and compete with a supermarket which opened near them.

He went on to speak about how he monitored foot traffic by using wifi and phone sensors to measure foot traffic and how the ads outside the establishment attracted customer based on each message. I found this very interesting as this is not a very complicated form of AI but still it widely helps in getting valuable data which alters the consumer experience.

Moreover, I believe that although there was not many significantly complicated AI techniques used in Bernard’s methods mentioned on the video, it was a good strategy for collecting and utilizing market data.

One downside of this video is that I thought it was exaggerated to market his own business as opposed to purely revealing an educational strategy although he was giving some good information and gave a lead-in to something us students can explore further on our own accord.

Day to day applications of AI

Another point which we discussed in the seminar was AI which we could see on a daily basis. We spoke about how plane ticket website use the users data such as the expensiveness of the device/spending habits to increase and decrease recommended ticket prices. For example, Apple users were given more expensive flight ticket options as their devices are more expensive.

Final Thoughts

I think this was interesting class and it gave us some real insight on how AI is used in difference levels of business. It was certainly a good start to learning about applications of AI and it’s practicalities. Now it’s up-to us to explore further about the specific uses of AI by improving our knowledge on it.