Exclusive: How metrics are becoming everything in marketing

Changing technology trends are affecting the way businesses have to approach marketing and communications, and it's no different in Australia and New Zealand.

TechDay spoke to media intelligence and insights company Isentia chief product officer Jen Marshall about how the market is changing and where it's going.

There's increasing demand to stay connected and to make reporting as seamless and valuable as possible.

This is a global change and it certainly applies in New Zealand.

That guides a lot of our team's innovation – looking at how we can support clients in proving their worth and the success and impact of their work.

Client research across New Zealand and Australia has shown that clients value being able to track the success of their media campaigns and measure the effectiveness of their teams.

The digital age has brought a wealth of data and businesses are using it in a multitude of ways.

Today we have more data than ever and the volume is growing fast, while the costs to store data are falling and the capability to make use of data is on the rise.

It's now increasingly common for companies to value data-informed decision-making.

Communications and PR is just as much a part of that trend as any other functional area.

It's all about listening to customers and delving into the areas where they're facing challenges.

At the start of any good innovation cycle, it's important to be clear on the target customer and the problem they're trying to solve.

For example, we know our clients need to have data available at their fingertips, packaged in attractive charts that they can quickly share within their businesses.

So, we recently released a feature which could include their company, their competitors, key spokespeople, as well as campaign activities or issues.

It's about looking at how you can evolve to become more intuitive and add greater value.

An increasing focus and support for innovation is good for the entire ecosystem.

 As small-to-medium businesses invest in research and development, that supports the development of knowledge and capability around innovation practices.

I am hopeful that this will produce new technology and products that businesses can use to grow and improve their outcomes, and consumers can use to improve their lives.