In a world producing data at a rate never seen before, businesses need a way to turn that raw material into valuable insight and intelligence they can act on. That is where data science comes in. Through its powerful combination of statistical analysis, machine learning and computer science, data science has become a critical tool for every field and every size of company, AI included. We at Türk SEM started using data science a long time ago. In 2018, in our piece on mathematics in SEO work, we described what we were doing with statistics at the time.
We even mentioned giving the companies we advise on advertising recommendations about traditional advertising, worked out through data science.
The term: data science
What Is Data Science?
Data science is the discipline that lets us analyze large volumes of data and build predictions out of them.
To master the craft you have to research every day and keep yourself current with the latest developments and software.
In this piece we will go through the many benefits of data science and how it is transforming businesses and industries around the world. Read on.
The Fundamentals of Data Science
Data science is the examination of data in order to draw knowledge and insight out of it. Using computer science, mathematical data and statistical approaches, it helps companies and people make better decisions. Applying a range of tools and approaches, data scientists process and analyze large datasets to find patterns and make predictions.
To take an example: a data scientist might examine the data to work out how users interact with a product page on a website, then pass that on to the software team so it can be used to improve the user experience. A great many businesses now use data science to make more accurate decisions and stay ahead of their rivals.
We wrote this piece on data science as a companion to the Gestalt approach, one of the foundations of our strong SEO methodology, before setting that out. While describing the Gestalt approach we use in SEO, we will refer back to data science constantly.
What a Data Scientist Does
Working with data to solve problems and form a view is the data scientist’s job. They use a range of techniques to analyze and process enormous datasets and to extract usable information from them by establishing cause and effect. A data scientist can supply data driven insight for better decisions and set out a growth road map for businesses and organizations.
For example, a data scientist working in a healthcare organization, using patient data analysis to find the trends and patterns that could improve outcomes, can produce a range of usable predictions for that organization. On top of that example, they could help a retail firm by analyzing data to offer new products and services and to understand consumer behavior better.
The Benefits of Data Science
Data science has a great many benefits and it is quickly becoming an important tool for businesses of every size.
- Better decisions – using data to solve problems and sharpen a point of view is where data scientists play a critical part in helping firms decide more soundly. They use a range of methodologies and tools to analyze and process enormous datasets and pull meaningful data out of them. Their work supplies the data driven insight that lets companies and organizations decide intelligently. A Türk SEM data scientist might, for instance, extract patterns to make our SEO work more successful.
- Higher efficiency – data science can make business operations more efficient and bring costs down. Do not forget that a data scientist offers real benefits not only to large businesses but to all of them. By analyzing data, businesses can spot inefficiencies and where things could improve. That information can then be used to make changes that raise efficiency while cutting expenses. A company might use data science to analyze its supply chain and find the bottlenecks causing delays.
- A better customer experience – discovering customer preferences and behavior is generally done through data analysis. Firms can use that information to build products and services that meet what users need, and improve the customer experience. Using data science, a business could analyze what a customer bought previously and make personalized product recommendations.
- Competitive advantage – data science gives firms an edge by making them better at deciding and at spotting new opportunities. Businesses can stay competitive by drawing on data for insight into their customers. A shop might use data science to examine sales data and identify new trends. On the strength of that, a retailer can build new products and stay ahead of its rivals on fashion.
Fashion is a spiral. Which product gets its innovation next is fairly predictable. Following the trend 2 to 3 years ahead can put you a step in front. Vera Gelinlik, whose advertising we manage, holds a predictive data analysis of the fashion 3 years out. - Predictive analytics – data science can be used to predict future outcomes from past data. Businesses have started using machine learning algorithms heavily to analyze large datasets. A health professional or organization could use that predictive analysis to identify the individuals at highest risk of a particular disease and reach the people they can offer preventive care to.
- Personalized marketing and customer segmentation – using data science, organizations can split their consumer base into segments by various characteristics and turn that into personalized marketing. By analyzing consumer data and behavior, businesses can use tailored, relevant digital marketing that lifts customer engagement and conversion rates. It lets them understand individual preferences and needs better. GoDaddy, for instance, can look at the total value of its customers’ domains and how they break down by sector, and reach a working assumption about their purchasing power. From there it can predict which domains a customer might buy in future auctions and market to them by email.
- Better health outcomes – healthcare is one of the first sectors data science will transform. By analyzing patient data, medical records and clinical studies, data scientists can draw out insight that improves diagnostic accuracy, optimizes treatment strategies and improves the care process, producing better outcomes in the end. Data science also allows treatment programs to be optimized for the individual by analyzing their particular characteristics: genetics, lifestyle, previous treatment outcomes.
- Efficient resource allocation – drawing on data about resource use, demand trends and supply chain dynamics, data science helps organizations get resource allocation to its most efficient level. Resources such as inventory, staff and equipment get allocated properly, and the firm’s overall efficiency rises.
- Continuous improvement – organizations with a culture of continuous improvement benefit from data science. By analyzing data they can assess overall performance, track progress and identify where to improve next.
- Innovation and new opportunities – finally, data science helps companies innovate and spot new opportunities. It sits in the position of the driving force behind innovation and lets companies build new points of view. By examining competitive data, market dynamics and consumer behavior, data science can also find new business opportunities. We at Türk SEM can say comfortably that the innovation found through data science goes well beyond creating products. On top of innovation, data analysis is used and applied to bring inefficiencies, bottlenecks and the potential for automation or optimization to the surface.
How Do You Become a Data Scientist?
To become a data scientist you could join the Istanbul Technical University data science certificate program. It teaches you how the work runs and which tools you will use. If you are planning to enroll, remember you need to love mathematics.
You should also know that seeing the pattern between pieces of data takes spatial reasoning as well as mathematics. Reading the latest papers through Google Scholar can widen your horizon and keep you a step ahead of other data scientists.
Having sector experience relevant to the company you will work for as a data scientist brings real advantages too. You could hold a niche specialism: the data scientist for a travel agency, or for an e-commerce portal.
That is nearly all of it. If anything is nagging at you, please ask. I am not a data scientist myself, but I have been analyzing all sorts of large datasets in SEO and project development for a very long time. Put your questions in the comments and I will help as much as I can.
