Consumers produce a vast amount of data on their behaviors, preferences and experiences that businesses can analyze to improve their products and services to meet the needs of customers. The appropriate analytics tool is vital to reaching business goals like increased engagement, higher sales and more efficient operations.

Start by deciding which data types you would like to integrate and how you plan to do so. Some tools are more geared towards traditional enterprise reporting while others are designed to assist you do more advanced mathematical analysis or monitor sensitive data like healthcare information. Also, you should consider the way that the analytics tools you’re looking at can be integrated into your existing workflow systems and data architecture.

Some tools provide an iterative experience for data scientists as well as advanced users, while others are primarily designed to allow nontechnical or casual users to perform point-and-click analysis. Think about the features and capabilities of each tool, specifically those that relate to visualization of data. Certain tools are made to create visual charts while others require SQL or third-party tools in order to model the data before it can be analysed.

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, take note of the cost and whether the This Site platform is cloud-based or dependent on software licenses and subscription fees. Certain tools are free while others require an upfront investment as well as ongoing maintenance costs. Make sure to compare these costs with the potential return on investment from insights and efficiency gained using an analytics tool.