INSIGHTS MAPS: POWER AT THE INTERSECTION OF DATA AND PLACE
By Keith Warden, VP of Insights & Analytics, Atomik Research – US
Reaching a specific audience in today’s vastly overcrowded and ever-changing media landscape represents a continuous challenge for any marketer. Every part of the PESO model has endless options, and just when things seem to be figured out, something new comes into play. That’s why understanding the specific audience being targeted is more crucial now than ever before, and understanding where the specific audience is located takes insights one step further for even greater success. That’s where Insights Maps come into play.
FINDING ONE’S BEARINGS: INSIGHTS MAPS DEFINED
Insights Maps offer many possibilities for developing actionable insights. Analysts from Atomik Research, a part of 4media group, work in collaboration with client teams to identify key criteria for the development of Insights Maps, all with a focus on achieving the research goal as well as the communications goals powered by it.
Third-party data within the top-tier geo-informational system (GIS) used by the Atomik team represents the starting point for developing Insights Maps. Where available and additive to achieving project goals, first-party data can also be incorporated into Insights Maps. The resulting interactive maps are then provided to client teams and Atomik/4media group teams for use as directional insights in executing communications activities.
Localization is a key winning factor in leveling up strategies with Insights Maps. Atomik’s GIS allows for detailed perspectives from national level to as localized as U.S. Census Block Group level – it doesn’t get much closer than that! Other localization levels that most marketers lean into, depending on goals, include Congressional District, DMA and zip code levels. The level of localization is determined by the goals of the research and the communications effort.
DISCOVERING THE BENEFITS OF INSIGHTS MAPS
At the core, Insights Maps improve the ROI on every marketing dollar spent. This is achieved primarily in three ways:
- Leveling up communications strategies: Providing directional insights that help to sharpen communications strategies stands as the main benefit of Insights Maps. The insights provided level up every aspect of a communications strategy – from the media targeting to the message and all points between and even after. Insights Maps improve message-to-audience alignment, helping to ensure every marketing dollar spent is maximized. No more “best guess” when it comes to reaching the target.
- Providing actionable insights for media selection: One of the key features of Insights Maps is the ability to pinpoint where specific media outlets like TV and/or radio stations are located in relation to very specific audiences. This allows for fine tuning media selection for earned and/or paid efforts. Additionally, consumer segmentation data and media consumption data can also inform message placement strategies that help mitigate or even eliminate completely A/B testing of targeted digital ads. Detailed road maps and traffic flow data along with audience targeting data can even inform out-of-home (OOH) placements. Moreover, the Atomik team has developed maps to inform geo-fencing strategies – that’s leveraging geo for geo. These are just a few examples.
- Enhancing performance reporting: Taking things full circle, these same Insights Maps can also be used to supplement and further prove ROI as part of holistic performance measurement during a campaign’s cycle and after communications efforts wrap. Simple results data such as the number of placements and impressions or more complex data such as sales can be imported into the GIS platform, prepared and overlayed into the same Insights Maps used for strategy at the front end to show where success landed in relationship to the target audience’s locations. This literally creates a picture of success.
EXPLORING USE CASES FOR INSIGHTS MAPS
The following are just some of the innumerable types of Insights Maps and how these can be leveraged to inform strategies.
Earned media targeting:
This example focuses on fine tuning broadcast station selection for a satellite media tour (TV and radio) that targets an affluent Hispanic/Latino audience. The map illustrates where higher concentrations of the specific target audience are in relation to specific radio and/or TV outlets, including Spanish-language outlets. Selection of outlets with close proximity to the audience can elevate targeting to ensure greater impact of brand messaging. Color-coded layers include the combination of specific household income and disposable income levels along with the respective race/ethnicity detail as indicated.
Media placement selection:
Customizable data sets support media placement suggestions while also adding proof points to reporting too. Leveraging custom variables to create data maps of a target audience and their proximity to out-of-home (OOH) placement options shows how 4media group brings greater insights for all placement decisions, helping ensure greater success in reaching an audience. This example illustrates where females ages 20-54 who always vote in local elections reside by zip code within proximity to a major traffic corridor in the area along with pins for billboard placement options (L pins) based on location data imported by Atomik insights analysts. Again, insights analysts can go deeper with the interactive maps to gain even greater insights with detailed consumer segments that are also within the mapped data sets.
Understanding audience segmentations by proximity:
The system’s data maps help to zero in quickly on consumers in many ways. This example is about understanding the consumers surrounding a specific location on the map and then understanding who the target audiences are within each specific radius. Resulting reports provide details on total populations specific to each radii and key characteristics within those populations. This example is based on a dog park in Longmont, Colorado (pin). Rings encompass radii of 1, 3 and 5 miles. Color coding shows the location of dominant consumer segments, which automatically adjust the more localized the view (zoom in to localize further). Understanding who the audience is within each radius allows for shaping messaging based on proximity.
Local events planning:
Using drive time proximity data from a given location is also an option. As with multiple radii, our insights analysts are able to see greater detail within just the drive-time proximity, but even simple insights are available immediately with just the output map view. In this example, a 30-minute drive time from Lakewood Yacht Club (pin) along with Hilton locations (H pins) can quickly inform hotel drops of promotional materials targeting hotel guests that have come in for the club’s annual boat show. Every Hilton pin also comes with useful data points for further planning. Hotel drops are simply an example. Think about all the other amazing insights that are possible. Drive times can be done with or without traffic, and drive distances are also options for planning.
PLOTTING A COURSE: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT INSIGHTS MAPS
Connecting with the Atomik team to understand the goals and needs for any Insights Map is essential, but in the meantime, there are some things to know about the process and criteria for developing Insights Maps:
- Each Insights Map is bespoke: While some Insights Maps may use some of the same datasets, it’s the combination of specific audience criteria in conjunction with location specific detail, in alignment with the project’s goals, that makes each map a bespoke insights element.
- Interactive function deepens insights: Once data mapping is complete, each Insights Map is provided via a secure online link that requires no password to make it easy to share within a brand’s organization. All functions in maps are interactive, with every point on a map clickable, which opens detail pop-ups containing specific data about the given point based on the map’s datasets. This detail also applies to businesses – such as TV and/or radio stations – and other entities included in maps. Zooming in or out changes the localization levels for dynamic datasets, and detailed road maps provide a greater sense of place and proximity.
- First-party data shared to the system is safe: All first-party data incorporated into Insights Maps is safe due to each map having a secure online link that isn’t reachable online without having the exact URL. It’s also worth noting that first-party data sets must have location data within it for mapping purposes. At minimum, city and state is required, but greater location detail is optimal.
- Satellite imagery is an option for true views on the ground: Street maps provide great detail on a place, but the option of satellite imagery can be valuable in gaining a deeper understanding of what on-the-ground challenges might be faced. This is especially important for event planning. For example, our insights analysts were able to quickly and easily see issues related to emergency road construction fronting the location of a retail store that was getting ready to celebrate its grand opening. A water main burst and the construction to repair it made access to the new store nearly impossible. With no staff onsite, the retailer couldn’t have known. In the end, satellite imagery alerted planners to the need to pivot their opening strategy.
- Access to each map lasts six months: Once an Insights Map is ready and shared, clients have complete and unlimited access to each map for six months via the aforementioned secure link. Prior to expiration of access, clients can renew access for an additional six months for a very small fee.
- Existing Insights Maps can be updated: So long as updates don’t change the entire focus and context of the given Insights Map, updates to a map’s datasets can be made within the lifespan of the map. The extent of the updates would determine change in focus/context, which then determines the extent of costs associated with those changes.
- There’s almost no end to use cases for Insights Maps: Before deciding that an Insights Map may not be possible or useful, connect with the Atomik team to discuss ideas. Once our team understands the goals, we’ll go to work on determining an optimal solution for reaching those. Whether it’s just third-party data, first-party data only or combinations of both in addition to other place data, our insights analysts will find a solution.
SETTING A COURSE FOR STRONGER STRATEGIES
With a sense of the purpose, uses and some of the many options for Insights Maps, getting started is simple. Contact your current 4media group account representative or contact us to learn more about other communications strategy-focused services from Atomik Research.
