In an age where data is often referred to as the “new oil,” it’s no surprise that data products have become a cornerstone of innovation and decision-making across industries. From predictive analytics platforms to AI-powered insights tools, data products hold immense potential to transform businesses. Yet, many fail to reach their true market potential—not because of a lack of utility, but because of how they are marketed.
The Common Pitfall: Marketing Data Over Outcomes
Too often, product marketing for data products gets trapped in a cycle of focusing on features like the volume of data processed, the speed of the analytics engine, or the comprehensiveness of the datasets. While these are undoubtedly important to a subset of technically savvy users, they don’t resonate with the broader audience of decision-makers who are ultimately responsible for purchasing and adopting these products.
Here’s why that approach falls short:
Information Overload: Highlighting sheer quantities of data or the technical intricacies of a platform can overwhelm potential users, leaving them confused about its real value.
Disconnected Value: Users don’t connect with data for data’s sake; they connect with how the data will help them achieve their goals or solve specific problems.
Missed Opportunities: By focusing on data itself, you miss the chance to demonstrate how your product integrates into workflows and drives tangible outcomes.
Shifting the Narrative: From Data to Action
The most successful data product marketing focuses on empowerment. Here are the key principles to ensure your messaging hits the mark:
1. Speak to Use Cases, Not Features
Rather than emphasizing the technology or dataset, focus on the scenarios where your product shines. For example:
Instead of: “Our platform processes 2 million data points per second,”
Say: “Our platform alerts you to operational inefficiencies before they escalate, saving you time and money.”
Use cases resonate because they directly address the challenges your audience faces and the solutions they need.
2. Showcase the “Next Step”
Your messaging should answer: “What can I do with this data?” Whether it’s making a strategic decision, optimizing a process, or predicting future outcomes, highlight the actionable insights your product delivers. For example:
Instead of: “Get real-time data on market trends,”
Say: “Identify emerging market trends early and act before your competitors.”
3. Use Stories and Visuals
Abstract data concepts become relatable when presented as stories or through intuitive visuals. Demonstrate a customer’s journey from problem to solution using your product. Visual aids like decision trees, workflows, or annotated screenshots can help users visualize the product’s utility.
4. Focus on Outcomes and ROI
Data products are often a significant investment, and decision-makers need to justify their value. Provide clear examples of the outcomes your product delivers, such as increased revenue, improved efficiency, or cost savings. Case studies and testimonials are particularly powerful in reinforcing this narrative.
Real-World Success
During my time as the Product Marketing Director at photobook.ai, we focused on making complex technology accessible for everyday use. We found that while our customers found our AI models intriguing, they were primarily concerned with the results rather than the data processing methods we used to achieve those outcomes.
As a Product Marketing Global Lead at RightShip, a data platform for the maritime industry, we faced the challenge of marketing complex analytics products to a B2B audience. We realized that talking about datasets and algorithms didn’t resonate early on. Ship managers didn’t want to know how we calculated risk; they wanted to know what actions they could take to avoid delays, optimize operations, and meet compliance standards.
By pivoting our messaging to focus on actionable insights—like highlighting specific safety areas to focus on or efficiency improvements—we were able to drive adoption and engagement. Customers want to use our platform not as a source of data but as a partner in decision-making.
Conclusion: Empowerment is the Real Value
Data is powerful, but only when paired with actionable insights and clear paths forward. As product marketers, our role is to bridge the gap between raw information and meaningful outcomes. By shifting the focus from what the product does to what it enables users to achieve, we unlock its true value and potential in the marketplace.
For those building and marketing data products, remember: you’re not just selling information. You’re selling clarity, confidence, and the ability to make better decisions. That’s the story your customers want to hear.