Article

Lloyd Davies
Lloyd Davies 8 February 2022

A Deeper Look at DataLayers

DataLayers store a variety of page view metrics from a website – including hits, users, sessions, products viewed, and more – and turn them into consistent and reliable data that marketers can analyse to create a better on-page customer experience.

Why is it Important Now?

Consumers are increasingly expecting content tailored specifically to them and one of the modern marketers’ most pressing challenges is to deliver this relevant and personalised content to them, but there’s a catch: the death of third-party data. 

The upcoming loss of such a scaled and informative data source, along with consumers’ increasing concern about collection of their data, has made it harder to access the necessary insights to inform these personalised marketing decisions. 

DataLayers offer marketers a simple solution to these problems, cutting through the data sourcing debate and myriad of options available to advertisers, and delivering access to insightful customer information. The keyword here is simple; with a noted data skills gap threatening to leave some marketers behind, DataLayers offer a solution that is accessible to all.

What are the Benefits?

First off it gives flexibility. The dataLayer sits in between the presentation layer – the web pages your visitors see – and the application layer – all the tools you connect to your website. Unlike other data collection processes like DOM scraping or CSS selectors, its separation from both these other layers means that changes can be made to the design or structure of websites without impacting the data collection. 

This is especially important as consumers’ digital habits change and brands must continually understand and review their content success and focus, to deliver a stimulating and up-to-date website experience.

Also the ability to standardise and align different tools running on the application layer, such as Google Analytics or Mixpanel, is hugely powerful. A DataLayer allows marketers to set consistent naming conventions, on everything from web pages to granular details such as product colours.

Achieving this more cohesive overview of data gives companies more control over it. As we all know, information is power, and having a better handle on website data allows for more informed decision making. This is especially powerful when assessing the entire sales funnel, as the in-depth data on users’ webpage actions can help processes to be streamlined and tailored to provide a more cohesive experience across their entire journey.

 Further benefits include:

  • Content grouping: Allowing for a standard system to expose data trends, making it easier to detect changes.
  • Ecommerce: Ecommerce metrics are the most reliable and secure way to measure conversions (transactionId and transactionTotal). When using the DataLayer, measurements are subject to fewer errors if the website is modified.
  • Audiences: By collecting more valuable data through the DataLayer, better-segmented audience lists can be created. These lists can provide insights to improve the conversion rates of campaigns.
  • Ease of creating activation rules in pixels: A label can also be triggered based on the information that appears in the DataLayer.

DataLayers are especially useful to any company working within ecommerce – from the travel sector to automotive sales – so understanding the tool should be prioritised. 

DataLayers allow for an adaptive, flexible and personalised approach by generating and simplifying data, allowing marketers to spend more time creating truly engaging customer experiences.

Please login or register to add a comment.

Contribute Now!

Loving our articles? Do you have an insightful post that you want to shout about? Well, you've come to the right place! We are always looking for fresh Doughnuts to be a part of our community.

Popular Articles

See all
Navigating the Future of Personalized Marketing with AI

Navigating the Future of Personalized Marketing with AI

In a world where seventy-one percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. And seventy-six percent get frustrated when this doesn’t happen. Personalization is no longer a luxury; it’s an...

Nick Watt
Nick Watt 21 September 2023
Read more
The Future of Ecommerce with the Metaverse

The Future of Ecommerce with the Metaverse

In a discussion on digital marketing and emerging trends, an aspiring digital marketer raised an intriguing question: "What does the future hold for e-commerce with the rise of the Metaverse?"

Mahboob Ali
Mahboob Ali 30 August 2023
Read more
The Sound of Success: Sonic Branding's Impact on Modern Marketing

The Sound of Success: Sonic Branding's Impact on Modern Marketing

Sonic branding, the practice of creating unique and memorable sounds to represent a brand, is emerging as a critical strategy in the modern marketing landscape. Whether it's a jingle that sticks in your mind or...

Domenique Comparetto
Domenique Comparetto 14 September 2023
Read more
How to Review a Website — A Guide for Beginners

How to Review a Website — A Guide for Beginners

Whether you're a startup or an established business, the company website is an essential element of your digital marketing strategy. The most effective sites are continually nurtured and developed in line with...

Digital Doughnut Contributor
Digital Doughnut Contributor 7 January 2020
Read more
Streaming Society: The Social Impact of Live Streaming in the Digital Age

Streaming Society: The Social Impact of Live Streaming in the Digital Age

This article delves into the social impact of livestreaming, analyzing its influence on communication patterns, community formation, celebrity culture, mental health, and economic opportunities.

Sim Johnsons
Sim Johnsons 1 September 2023
Read more