# How Data Visualization Influences Marketing Decision-Makers | Capterra > Learn how data visualization and data literacy encourages decision-makers to be more trusting of marketing analytics and data to make decisions rather than intuition. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/data-visualization-in-marketing --- Data and AnalyticsMarketing # How Data Visualization Influences Marketing Decision-Makers By Meghan Bazaman Meghan Bazaman Meghan Bazaman is a senior analyst at Capterra, covering all the latest trends, issues, and developments in marketing technology. With more than a decade of ... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/mbazaman/) Published January 10, 2023 7 min read ## 92% of marketing decision-makers say well-designed presentation of data leads to better decisions. In marketing, data matters. But it’s not just about collecting data— it’s how marketers can leverage that data to better understand or target customers, identify trends, monitor the performance of campaigns, and most importantly, inform strategy decisions. Yet according to new research from Capterra, 80% of marketing decision-makers struggle to identify and implement important data efficiently. Moreover, many marketers (42%) report that it is extremely or very challenging to share marketing data at their company[\*](#methodology).  How can businesses make marketing data more consumable and appealing to decision-makers and non-technical users? One avenue is through data visualization. [Data visualization tools or software](https://www.capterra.com/data-visualization-software/) analyze large amounts of data and help drive data-driven decisions by making information more accessible, engaging, and easier to digest through the use of graphics, dashboards, charts, or other visual elements.  Capterra surveyed 294 U.S. marketing, advertising, communications, and public relations professionals that use or produce marketing analytics. This research explores how leveraging such tools to illustrate marketing data can impact stakeholder decision-making.  Key findings - **92% of marketers** agree they could make better decisions in their daily work if they had a well-designed presentation of marketing data. - **89% of marketers** say their managers prefer viewing reports that use data visualization.  - **72% of marketers** agree that they are unable to communicate marketing analytics effectively without the use of data visualizations. - **79% of marketers** agree that data literacy is extremely or very important to achieve company marketing goals. ## Selecting the right type of data visualization can benefit your marketing team  Data visualizations can vary depending on your marketing team’s goals. Although there are an abundance of options, not every tool is right for every person or data source. Luckily, there are many types of visualizations available to present data in meaningful and interesting ways. Below are some common types you’ll come across:  Our research shows that marketers are frequently using data visualization tools or software in their day-to-day tasks. Among respondents, 42% say they use data visualization software or tools to illustrate marketing data on a daily basis while 47% do so weekly:  To help determine which visualization solution works best for marketers, we asked respondents that use or produce marketing analytics to rate the features that are the most important:  At the top of the list, marketers find that data visualization tools with strong reporting, analytics, or statistical features are highly important (68%), followed by interactive capabilities (65%), and real-time data updates (64%). This suggests that many are using tools to dissect data or identify trends or patterns over the course of time.  Still, it’s not as simple as presenting data in a graphic, chart, or interactive format. Data can be misrepresented, oversimplified, or misinterpreted when placed in the wrong format. When selecting data visualization tools or software, it’s best to keep your audience in mind, as well as the benefits and challenges of data visualization.  According to Gartner[\[1\]](#sources), only 53% of marketing decisions are influenced by data. Roughly a quarter (26%) of marketing analytics users said that decision-makers do not review the information provided and 24% reject their recommendations. Could data visualization be the missing link?  ### Who is your audience?  Understanding your stakeholders (and the various types of data users at your company) is key to better integrate data into decision-making. According to our research, marketers indicate that on average, 66 employees are leveraging marketing analytics data at their company. These data users don’t want to sift through endless numbers—especially if they are not technically oriented.  Seventy-eight percent of marketers say they believe their managers rely on data to make decisions rather than instinct or intuition. These managers may find advantages in the bigger picture that data visualizations can provide. **In fact, 92% of marketing decision-makers agree they could make better decisions in their daily work if they had a well-designed presentation of marketing data.**  **Eighty-nine percent of marketers say their managers prefer viewing reports that use data visualization**.  Another 82% prefer interactive versus static formats for viewing data or analytical information:  ## Reasons for data visualization, and cautions  The top advantage of using data visualization cited among marketers is that it helps identify trends, relationships, or patterns in data (36%). The graphical presentation of marketing data provides a quick visual impression of relationships contained in data.  Additionally, a third of marketers say it is easier to interpret large amounts of data. Visualizations are helpful in providing a succinct portrayal of massive quantities of information as you can highlight key findings and suppress the details—especially useful when you are working with multiple data sources (e.g., campaign metrics, customer profiling data, etc.).  While there are many benefits, some cautions should be taken into consideration. Marketers find the top challenges of using data visualization software are data accessibility (29%), security or privacy concerns (29%), tool or technology problems (28%), and lack of skills available on staff (26%).  Before moving forward with a certain software, you need to fully understand the technology’s capabilities and your team’s ability to solve any issues with the data. Equally important, is understanding the audience leveraging reports using data visualization—individuals that make marketing decisions.  ## More data visualization leads to more trust in data and better decisions  Data visualization tools and software not only offer a wide range of utility, but they influence various marketing touchpoints. For example, 63% of marketers in our survey say that marketing analytics has significant influence on content for marketing or advertising. Among daily data visualization users that impact is higher at 67%.  Furthermore, daily data visualization users report decision-makers as more trusting of marketing analytics and that management is more likely to use data to make decisions as opposed to using instinct or intuition:  It’s clear that data visualization impacts decision-making: It helps improve trust in analytics and decision-making, promotes comprehension, and increases engagement with data. **In fact, 72% of marketers agree that they are unable to communicate marketing analytics effectively without the use of data visualizations.**  If you are interested in pursuing new data visualization tools or software, there are resources to help you get your team prepared and trained to interpret, work with, communicate, and analyze data. ## More companies need data literacy training  Training dedicated to data literacy is a great way for your company to learn more about incorporating data visualization into its marketing analytics practices. Gartner defines data literacy as: _“The ability to read, write and communicate data in content, with an understanding of the data sources and constructs, analytical methods and techniques applied. Data literate individuals have the ability to understand, interpret and act upon data, describe its use-case application and influence resulting business value or outcomes.”_[\[2\]](#sources) **Our research finds that 79% of marketers agree that data literacy is extremely or very important when it comes to accomplishing company marketing goals.** Additionally, companies that have formal data literacy training report receiving greater benefits from their data visualization tools or software:  Companies with data literacy training have positive reactions as well. For example, among companies with formal data training programs, 55% rate them as outstanding.  Yet, nearly 1 in 3 marketers (29%) say their company doesn’t have a formal data literacy training program or they aren’t sure if it does. Also, 62% indicate their company doesn’t have any near-term plans to implement training or aren’t sure about it:  ## How to use data visualization to drive future outcomes Most marketers are using data visualization at least weekly, and report benefits that lead to better decision-making. And it turns out that the more marketers use data visualization, the more trust decision-makers have in marketing data. To help kickstart this positive cycle, data literacy training provides an opportunity for companies to get more value from their [data visualization tools](https://www.capterra.com/data-visualization-software/) and achieve greater data visualization competency. Consider advocating for data literacy training to get a deeper understanding of data sources, workflows, and insights at your company to take any investments in data visualization tools or software to the next level.  If you’re interested in learning more, check out additional marketing resources from Capterra:  - [How Marketers Manage the Blurred Lines of Personal and Company Social Media Accounts](https://www.capterra.com/resources/marketer-social-media-account-management/)  - [Empathy Can Boost Holiday Sales: 81% of Consumers Are Inspired to Buy After Seeing Holiday Opt-out Emails](https://www.capterra.com/resources/holiday-email-marketing-opt-out/) * * * **Methodology** \*Capterra's 2022 Data Visualization in Marketing Survey was conducted in October 2022 among 294 U.S. marketing professionals to learn about how data visualization tools or software impacts stakeholder decision-making. Respondents were screened to have marketing, advertising, communications or public relations job functions or have some level of involvement in marketing-related activities. All respondents use or produce marketing data to inform decisions. Sources 1. [Better Data Won’t Increase Marketing Analytics’ Decision Influence, but CMOs Can](https://www.gartner.com/document/4018120?ref=solrResearch&refval=337962760), Gartner 2. [How to Increase Data Literacy for Success With Analytics](https://www.gartner.com/doc/3986827), Gartner * * * Looking for Marketing Analytics software?Check out Capterra's list of the [best Marketing Analytics software](https://www.capterra.com/marketing-analytics-software/) solutions. ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Author [### Meghan Bazaman](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/mbazaman/) Meghan Bazaman is a senior analyst at Capterra, covering all the latest trends, issues, and developments in marketing technology. With more than a decade of experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research, her work has been featured in publications such as Ad Age, MediaPost, and Martech Zone. In her spare time she enjoys looking for the best hiking trails around Austin and spoiling her cat Javier. ### RELATED READING - [Marketing ROI: Prioritizing Your Next Sales and Marketing CRM Investment](https://www.capterra.com/resources/marketing-roi-strategies/) - [How Integrating Email Automation With CRM Systems Boosts Customer Engagement](https://www.capterra.com/resources/integrating-email-automation-with-crm-systems/) - [How to Develop an Omnichannel Marketing Strategy for Customer Engagement](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crm-omnichannel-marketing-strategy/) - [CRM cloud vs. on-premise: Which is better for your business?](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crm-cloud-vs-on-premise/) - [CRM Data Management Explained: From Clean Data to Customer Insights](https://www.capterra.com/resources/crm-data-management/) - [Capterra Sales and Marketing Trends 2026: CRM and AI Adoption Requires Strategic Implementation and Integration](https://www.capterra.com/resources/sales-and-marketing-software-trends/) - [Email Marketing Trends: What SMBs Need To Know To Boost Campaign Performance](https://www.capterra.com/resources/email-marketing-trends/) - [Exploring Different Types of Video Content and Their Benefits](https://www.capterra.com/resources/types-of-video-content/) - [What Are the 8 Types of Digital Marketing?](https://www.capterra.com/resources/types-of-digital-marketing/)