Data Testimonials
Our working world is becoming ever more digital, and it is our mission to embrace the opportunities opened up by new technologies. Because of our global reach and different divisions, there is an immense variety of projects around data at Bertelsmann. Find out more about the importance of data science in the context of an international media, services and education company.
Mihaela Schmidt
Gruner + Jahr
Why is data important for your division?
In a world of stimuli overflow and infoglut, the digital journalism industry is having a harder time than ever competing for users' attention. Delivering outstanding quality journalism is no longer the only driver for success, as more interference is getting in the way of habitualizing loyal media brand consumption. Gathering data on these interferences and on users’ interaction with our editorial content, synthesizing information extracted from this data and acting upon these insights are now keys to surviving and thriving in this hyper-competitive media landscape. Data and data literacy are therefore crucial assets we focus on as a company.
How is data being applied in your division?
Our division at G+J is responsible for operating and monetizing the editorial websites and the digital products of our media brands such as stern, BRIGITTE or Gala. User-, session- and hit data are important signals we analyze in order to hypothesize about existing risks and opportunities, and then take action. For example, our editorial teams use real time tracking dashboards in order to decide which content on which position in the editorial grid guarantees the highest probability of the user interacting longer with our websites. Everyone in the company, from Tech and Product to SEO, Marketing, Management or Editorial use data in order to track specific KPIs, which they can personally control and influence towards improved returns on investment.
What role does data play in your job?
My team, Audience Management and Data Analytics, is responsible for collecting, modeling, analyzing and reporting online tracking data. With expertise in areas such as tracking implementation, business analytics, data visualization, data engineering and data science, our goal as a team is to generate actionable data insights and (data) product ideas that improve the quality and the monetization of our online editorial output. My biggest – and simultaneously, my favorite –challenge as a team lead is to continuously develop the team by calibrating and focusing our team skills and -efforts towards projects with the highest estimated impact.
