Analyzing data is a crucial component of every single business. It can be beneficial in many different ways and in many sectors. However, gathering data and interpreting it can be quite a challenge. Looking from the outside it might seem simple and straight to the point. Yet in reality, is anything but. That is when data aggregation comes into the picture. No matter what type of business, you might be involved in data collection can be something that can make or break your business. Since the Link Department crew wants to help you understand the importance of data and its interpretation, let’s dive much deeper into this very important, as well as interesting topic.
What do we mean when we say data aggregation?
We are constantly surrounded by all sorts of data. very often we don’t even realize it. Data aggregation is an information mining process of a specific sort. To get the job done you would need to do a few important actions:
- Search for needed data
- Gather the found data
- Present the data in some sort of report
- Re-do it or summarize it to fit a specific business objective
Once you are done, voila! Sure sounds simple, but like we said it can be very complex. This process can be done manually or automatically. There are tools that can be of great assistance during this process. For instance, if you would like to promote your website, data aggregation can be of lots of help. So, let’s be a bit more specific and see what can be done in this field and how can it be done.
Methods of collecting data
Sometimes this process is done manually. Of course, this is not a bad path to take, but it takes up a lot of your time. Thus, the manual approach is recommended when you have a smaller amount of data to collect. In most instances, this would not be the case and everything would be done automatically. In other words, with the help of a platform that will do the work for you to some extend.
If you are trying to track your website matrics or gather other important data, the platform will do the heavy lifting for you. The platform will collect data and process it. Some might even show data in a form of a presentation. The collected data would come from different sources and will be integrated into one comprehensive document or some sort of file. Also, platforms of a higher quality will be able to present the origin of all data that was collected. As a consequence, as an interpreter of the data, you will have a fuller picture and your conclusions will be more accurate.
Data aggregation steps
Now that we know what will the aggregation platform bring to the table it is time to explore what comes next. After the platform gets the job done, the collected data must be processed. These steps present the most concrete actions that are taken when aggregating information.
Collecting data
Information is quite literally all around us. The chosen platform will locate it and copy it for its use. The origin of the selected data can be anything. The sky is the limit, which gives this process extra charm and appeal, as well as, a very large scope. We wouldn’t want to exclude manual data collection from the equation. Still, once again we must emphasize the time consumption that it will entail. Thus, for greater data aggregations, using platforms is recommended.
Data processing
Let’s say you are working on the importance of content marketing in business. To get to a concrete conclusion that will help, you need specific data. Let’s say that data has been collected by the platform. So, what comes next? Now it is time to process data and get it ready for interpretation. Data processing can differ and it is often based on the needed purpose of the gathered information. There are many different forms that are used. These are by far the most popular:
- images
- graphs
- tables
- vector files
- video files
- audio files
- different chart types
Presenting all gathered data
Presentation of the data can be different in many ways. The presentation on deck will differ based on the business it is needed for. Also, a department within that business can dictate the needs of the presentation. The presenter must always be highly familiar with the data. Otherwise, it is likely that the data aggregation plan will backfire. Most likely the information will be wrongly interpreted. To avoid such an unwelcomed scenario have a knowledgeable employee interpret and analyze data the correct way.
Why is this specific process extremely useful in business
This form of gathering information or data is a great friend when making calculated and smart business decisions. When you have all the vital information, you are in a great spot. You are able to make educated decisions that are supported by certain metrics or statistics.
Conclusion
Many companies, no matter the size, put their trust in data aggregation. Valid data gives us the opportunity to come to an unbiased conclusion that is based on platforms information gathering. Of course, this entire process can be very complex and it cannot be done by everyone. Still, once you master it you will have a big advantage. But, wait! There is one more benefit. Same data can be used and modified to be used by different departments within the same company. For instance, a marketing team and a sales team can easily benefit from the same data. Now that you understand the benefits of data aggregation get to it. It might be the edge that you were waiting for. If used correctly it will take your business to the next level.