Why Marketing Analytics Without Insights Is Just Expensive Data Storage

Introduction

Noha Rizk, CMO of Incorta and former Global Head of Marketing at Meta AI, challenges marketers to rethink their approach to data analytics. With over 25 years of experience leading marketing transformations at scale, Rizk brings a refreshing perspective on why live data matters less than the questions we ask of it. Her insights reveal how marketing teams can move beyond data collection to drive real business impact through continuous questioning and insight generation.

The Critical Gap Between Analytics and Insights

Rizk cuts straight to the core issue plaguing modern marketing departments: the confusion between having analytics capabilities and generating actionable insights. "Analytics is nothing without insights," she emphasizes, drawing a parallel to the classic Pirelli advertising tagline about power without control. This distinction matters because marketing teams invest millions in data infrastructure while missing the fundamental purpose - understanding the why behind customer and business behaviors.

The problem extends beyond technology selection. Marketing organizations often celebrate their ability to collect and visualize data without questioning whether those visualizations lead to better decisions. Rizk's approach suggests that the quickest path to improving analytics isn't adding more tools or dashboards, but developing a culture of relentless questioning. This shift requires marketers to move from passive data consumers to active investigators who treat every metric as the begi ing of a conversation, not the end.

Live Data as an Enabler of Continuous Discovery

The Power of Real-Time Questioning

Live data fundamentally changes how marketing teams can interact with their information. Rather than waiting for batch processing or dealing with stale reports, marketers can ask iterative questions and receive immediate answers. This capability transforms analytics from a retrospective exercise into an ongoing dialogue with your business performance.

Rizk's experience at Meta, overseeing global marketing for products like Instagram Shops and Facebook Marketplace, demonstrates the value of this approach at scale. When marketing teams can question data in real-time, they uncover patterns and opportunities that would otherwise remain hidden in static reports. The technology enables what she playfully describes as acting "like children" - constantly asking "because why?" until you reach meaningful understanding.

Moving Beyond Surface-Level Metrics

The traditional approach to marketing analytics often stops at surface metrics - conversion rates, click-through rates, and campaign performance. Rizk advocates for deeper investigation: "What is the data trying to tell me? Why are my customers behaving this way? Why is my business behaving this way?" These questions push marketers to co ect data points across systems and uncover the underlying drivers of performance.

This investigative approach becomes particularly powerful when combined with live data capabilities. Marketing teams can test hypotheses immediately, validate assumptions in real-time, and adjust strategies based on current market conditions rather than last quarter's performance. The result is a more agile, responsive marketing organization that makes decisions based on insight rather than instinct.

Practical Implementation Strategies

For marketing leaders looking to implement this insight-driven approach, the path forward requires both technological and cultural changes. First, ensure your data infrastructure supports real-time querying across all systems of record. This doesn't necessarily mean replacing existing tools, but rather ensuring they can communicate effectively and provide timely access to information.

Second, train your team to think like investigators rather than report generators. Encourage questions that start with "why" rather than "what." Create regular sessions where team members can explore data together, asking successive questions to drill down into root causes. This collaborative approach not only generates better insights but also builds analytical thinking skills across the organization.

Conclusion

Rizk's perspective challenges the marketing technology industry's obsession with data collection and visualization. By focusing on the fundamental question of "why," marketing teams can transform their analytics from expensive reporting exercises into engines of business insight. The combination of live data capabilities and a culture of continuous questioning creates a powerful competitive advantage - the ability to understand and respond to market changes faster than competitors still waiting for their monthly reports. As marketing budgets face increasing scrutiny, this insight-driven approach offers a clear path to demonstrating value through understanding rather than just measurement.