Big Data

Big data and social media, individually and together, are changing the world in so many different ways. Not only are Facebook and Twitter some of the biggest developers in big data technology, but the information they gather is so important to so many different companies.

One of the more important ways that big data and social media are changing the world landscape is through their effects on Human Resources (HR). They totally change how companies do business. Big data in the cloud is making it easier and more affordable than ever for companies to implement big data technology.

Major enhancement to the Sitecore® Experience PlatformTM brings unlimited data capacity for real-time customer experience management at global scale

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – April 30, 2014 – Sitecore, the global leader in customer experience management, today announced early access to the next generation of its experience platform including the Sitecore® Experience DatabaseTM , a highly scalable big data repository that collects and connects actionable customer data to deliver unique customer experiences in real-time. Marketers can view the entire experience of every individual customer that engages with their brand through the Sitecore® Experience ProfileTM, also announced today.

It’s no secret that social media is a tremendous tool for keeping in contact with friends and family. Businesses have quickly picked up on just how effective it can be for marketing purposes as well, particularly mobile marketing. More people are connected to the internet than ever before, and mobile platforms are driving that explosive growth. In fact, internet traffic on mobile devices is expected to exceed the internet traffic on desktops soon. Much of that internet use is geared towards social media outlets, so mobile marketers are finding new ways to use social media to reach new customers and inform existing fans.

For years, when it came to working in the office, an employee would need to use whatever equipment was provided by the company. The costs of the computers and other devices were the business’s responsibility, but once the equipment was in the employee’s hands, he or she was responsible for what happened to it. In recent years, however, a new trend has emerged that has changed the landscape of how companies conduct their business. It’s called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), and it’s also changing how the world of marketing works.

Mobile apps are taking the online world by storm.

Companies have a challenge to develop apps that meet the customers needs while still providing marketing opportunities. Big data technology makes it easier for companies to do just that in the following ways.

Last December, International Data Corporation presented a top ten list of technology predictions for 2014. Among those predictions, IDC claims that enterprise spending on Big Data analytics services in 2014 will increase by 21 percent over 2013, to exceed $4.5 Billion. Obviously companies are starting to recognize that their vast pools of data hold immense potential.

Last October, Facebook announced that 49 percent of advertising revenue comes from its mobile platform. The percentage was up from zero just 18 months before. How did the company manage that? With big data, of course. The social media site used data analysis to determine how many ads should be featured, and how a user would react to a particular ad before placing it in the news feed.

Bring your own device (BYOD) and big data are pretty big terms in the tech space right now, but so far the conversations about big data and BYOD have been largely separate. Many articles have addressed the problems and headache it is causing IT teams, especially since many companies are not prepared to handle employees bringing their own mobile devices. A survey of small and medium-sized businesses found that 22 percent had a BYOD policy in place.

Big data is an exciting opportunity for businesses looking for the information they need to use targeted messaging and personalized experiences to boost profits, but the thought of a company having access to all of their online information has many consumers worried. With information about the National Security Agency’s monitoring of email and phone calls, and social networks like Facebook constantly pushing that privacy boundary, it’s only natural that people are concerned about the privacy and security of their data.

Data is one of those boring but essential components of a successful, modern business. Business leaders rely on research to make marketing and sales decisions, and data records all of the interactions within the business. Since data has so much potential to guide an organization to success, it is surprising how many companies store data that is completely useless to them. It’s not that the data is inherently worthless, but the organization doesn't have the capacity to handle or analyze the data for the information to have value.