Art vs Science 👨‍🔬👨‍🎨

Hey 👋

Welcome to Neighbourhood Post issue #46 - easy to implement digital marketing ideas straight through your metaphorical letterbox.

I hope you’ve had a good week.

Here’s a surefire way to ruin your day; there’s only 61 days until Christmas.

Anyway, on with today’s newsletter - we’ll be exploring the dynamic between art and science in marketing.

👉 By the way, if you’ve missed previous newsletters you’ll find them here.

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Paint brushes or test tubes? 🎨🧪

I was never any good at art, even though I enjoyed it.

I took it at GCSE, but couldn’t draw people’s faces. The only solution was to draw convenient objects that covered them over - footballs, trees, birds.

I thought it was very clever, but arguably awful art.

The exam board agreed and only gave me a ‘C’.

I wasn’t much better at science either (and my Dad’s a chemistry teacher).

When it comes to marketing, there’s an age old question:

Is good marketing more art, or more science?

You might expect me to sit on the fence and be diplomatic, but let me disappoint you:

Good marketing is 80% science and 20% art.

If you don’t believe me, look at the proof:

What’s more sciencey than a pie chart?

But if you need a higher burden of proof, let me explain:

Creativity (art) is a vital spark, but a set of methodical hypotheses is the main growth accelerator.

Here’s a very specific example: Instagram content.

20% of its success is in the idea. And that is very important.

But 80% of its success is in knowing the (scientific) formula of how to make a great video.

And it can be broken down thus:

1. The hook: Your first 3 seconds have to grab attention

2. The reveal: Then be very clear about what the video is about

3. The promise: Then lay out what they’ll get if they watch the whole video

4. The payoff: Then deliver on the promise

Add in other successful elements, including:

• Audio elements: using music and SFX to elevate your video

• Infinite loop: ensuring your video loops seamlessly to the beginning

And other growth tactics like:

• Using collaboration posts

• Posting at optimum times

• Combining with a successful story strategy

• Outreach and engagement

All of a sudden you have lots of variables to test.

Here’s a great example; it doesn’t just give you some good tips, but it uses the variables above to produce a highly effective piece of content.

Testing over time will show you what hooks work, what posting times work, how to combine an effective promise and payoff, and so much more.

Break them down, come up with hypotheses, measure the data, and respond.

“But Dan” I hear you cry, “don’t you always bang on about measuring too much data?”

Yes, I do.

And my advice would always be to focus on top level data (reach) the most, and not get distracted or confused by other metrics.

But if you want to get under the hood of your content, knowing metrics like “average watch time” will help you.

What do you think? Marketing: more art or science?

See you next week.

✌️

What we’re looking at 👀 and listening to 👂

📖 Dan’s started on a new book by one of his favourite writers: Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford. A murder mystery set in a dystopian America.

💻 ClickUp wrote a great guide on “A Marketer's Guide to Aligning Your Content for Impact.” It’s a long read, but grab a cup of tea and take a look.

Before you go - we’ll never use these newsletters to directly sell you our services, but we’re always here if you need any expertise or support 👍