A Computer Science graduate, Devi, worked for two years into coding and development before moving into marketing. He has worked across different roles in marketing and Communications. He has also been recognised as 25 emerging digital leaders.

Here is his Story:

Introduction

0:35 I have a background in computer science engineering and started working in coding and development for 2.5 years before transitioning into marketing. Over the last 6-7 years, I have worked in various areas of marketing such as account planning, media planning, content, performance marketing, and social media. I have worked with some of the biggest agencies and brands in the country in the BFS industry. Currently, I am trying to bring all my experiences together.

First interaction with data

2:01 Initially, I had exposure to data in digital performance marketing and thought that data was only useful for digital campaigns. However, I realized that data is helpful in almost any kind of campaign and situation. One incident that made me realize this was when I was running a TV campaign for a Big Data client. We were struggling to achieve the required GRPs in Bihar, despite running prime time ads. We started diving deep into data and realized that the way the entire country functions in terms of prime time is different in Bihar, where GRPs go up in the afternoon. By making changes to the campaign, we were able to achieve the required GRPs in Bihar. From then on, I started looking at data from the beginning of every campaign or activity. Looking at data for PR activities also gave me ideas about what to speak about and how we are performing. I emphasize the importance of data in giving a correct picture and saving time and effort in solving problems.

PR impact on business objectives

6:44 In our content strategy, we focus on quotes, industry stories, and authored articles that talk about our offerings, USPs, and regulatory compliance. We realized the importance of data in content creation, so we started analyzing what topics people were covering, and we noticed a decline in the number of applications and leads we were receiving since March. We also saw a drop in conversion rates, and after analyzing the data from our social accounts, reviews, and the content people were posting, we realized that there was a growing distrust in the lending industry, particularly due to the fraudulent practices of Chinese lending apps.

To address this issue, we developed a content campaign against fraudulent loans. We created articles and reached out to influencers, including micro-influencers, who could create content to help people avoid falling into these traps. We also contacted the Face Association for Consumer Empowerment, from which we received guidance on how to avoid such traps. We created content that burned in articles and went on influencer marketing as well, and the results were amazing. We saw people approaching us on social media, asking if we offered education loans or other types of loans, and we were nominated as finalists for an exchange for media awards for this campaign.

I believe that our campaign added value directly to the customers, and people saw the value in it. It was really nice to see that small efforts like this could make an impact. Had we done something based on assumptions, it might not have had the same impact. We tried to see what kind of communication was needed and created something that was a perfect match, and that’s why things turned out the way they did.

I never believed that we would need to look into data to create more effective communication, but now I see how important it is. It’s not just about what press releases we are rolling out or what we want to communicate; it’s about using data to create more effective and relevant content.

Metrics for measurement

12:21 One thing I have found to be the most important for us right now is computer analysis. The first thing I look at is our direct set of competitors and our indirect set of competitors. With the direct set of competitors, we try to look at the share of voice. Every day, we track how many articles people are publishing, how many articles we have published, how many mentions we have gotten, and what topics we are building. We also keep track of which publications we have touched. This gives us a plan for the month. We have a certain target that we need to be present in certain publications by the end of the month because they have a cumulative reach of a certain number. So if we want to reach out to this many people, then we have to keep track of where we are getting published. This is done on a daily basis, and then we have a weekly review to plan for the next week accordingly.

For PR, these are the two most important things – computer analysis and the share of voice. Similarly, for all the campaigns, when I talk about a performance campaign, there are a lot of things that we look at, starting from the impression share to the last mile conversion. Throughout the funnel, we look at where we are seeing drops because what I have seen in organizations I have worked for is that marketing and technology have their own set of work and they are pretty much involved, they do collaborate, they do talk to each other, but then there is always a gap. If there is some issue in some place of the journey, marketing is running the campaigns to fill the top of the funnel, but there is a small glitch somewhere or some bug somewhere in the journey, and the final is not filling out, then it’s very important that there has to be real-time monitoring. We found it really important when we put the trafficker funnels on GFO that we have started using recently. Once there is a similar problem, before the tech team could actually flag this, our performance team was able to flag this – that at a certain point, there is no conversion in the final, there is a complete drop-out. This is where we were able to flag it and immediately resolve it.

For performance, there are a lot of data points we look at. Similarly, for when we are into branding campaigns, we try to tie it back to performance. We look at the reach, we look at the CTRs, but most importantly, we see what kind of communication is getting better engagement.

Tools for measurement

16:04 So, I think one of the most helpful tools we’ve been using is Wizikey and their news score. We’ve started including that in our monthly performance reports because it gives a very comprehensive view of our media coverage. We’ve also created our own social score that takes into account all the different engagement metrics on our social media activities.

In terms of analytics, we used to rely heavily on Google Analytics, but we’re now shifting to GFO which allows us to see both web and app data in one place. We also use Branch as our MMP for mobile marketing. While GFO has a bit of a lag and doesn’t provide real-time data, having everything linked together in one place is very helpful for us.

I think the biggest challenge right now is rebuilding trust. People consume a lot of news and information, especially since the pandemic, and good positive PR stories can have a big impact in reviving the economy and bringing things back to normal.

Dream metric

18:13 I believe that there is a gap between communications and branding. Although they are often used together to build brand trust and perception, their performance is seen separately in order to drive business and convergence. If we can directly correlate the two, rather than relying on assumptions of cause and effect, it would solve a major problem and bridge this gap.

My two cents

19:02 When building teams, I’ve noticed that many people tend to approach things with an expert mindset, particularly those who come from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, or Indore. However, it’s crucial to understand the consumer first, especially when dealing with brands that have a wider presence and cater to customers in tier two, three, or rural areas. Consumers in these areas make purchasing decisions differently than those in tier one cities, so it’s essential to have a consumer-driven communication approach. Otherwise, campaigns and activities may not make an impact. Therefore, it’s crucial to take the time to understand the exact customer and think from their perspective.