Content marketing is on the rise like never before, but just when you thought you'd created a slogan and a blog campaign that appealed to everyone, great data came out. Some businesses are making the most of it, and seeing incredible results, and others are ignoring it and falling behind.

So how can you catch up, move forward and leave the competition in the shade?

What is big data?

Big data is essential for all the information that can be harvested about the users of a specific platform or forum. The wealth of personal information posted on Facebook and other social networks is big data, the rise of the Internet of Things is creating big data, and the information reported in the media is big data.

It is any set of great data that can be used to sell your products and services by creating more accurate profiles of your target audience and market.

Where can you find great data?

Big data is all around us, and that's both the beauty and the difficulty of it. The enormous amount of data available to us can be overwhelming, so it's important to remember that you can't do everything at once.

Take advantage of the resources you know your target audience will use, and start from there. Looking for the hashtags your business uses is a great way to start. This will put you in touch with the people who are most likely to get involved with you on social media. They are likely to be one of your most loyal and engaged audiences, so use the information you have about them to build a series of customer profiles.

The tools you need to refine your content

Refining your content with the help of large data can be a complex process, so to get the most out of it you will want to outsource certain aspects of it. Here is a list of 6 of the best tools and resources you can use to take your content to the next level:

Wowessays puts you in touch with professional writers who can find the words that sell your products and services.

Opt-in Monster provides daily new ideas on how to create content that speaks to browsers on a personal level. That way you can gradually improve your conversion rate.

Dummies provide you with an overview of what you can and cannot do during large data analysis. That way you can be sure that your approach is sound from day one.

Neil Patel is an internationally acclaimed content marketer who regularly publishes lists of tools, tactics and strategies that you can use to take your content marketing efforts in a new, cost-effective direction.

How do companies take advantage of large data?

Companies of all shapes and sizes are making use of large data, so rest assured that you don't need to be a large conglomerate to reap the rewards. Big data is such an amazing resource that if you don't take advantage of it, you could miss out on literally thousands of new leads over the next 12 months. I use it constantly to improve the segmentation of my marketing content because talking to consumers on a personal level in the future.

The most important thing companies do is use the information they have to build profiles of people they already know who buy their products and services. This allows them to better target these people, and increase the chances of converting their content. In addition, great data can also shine brightly on unexpected or unknown market opportunities that otherwise would not have been known. Be open, flexible and intrigued by what the data says, and your content marketing efforts will reap great rewards.

How does the future of content marketing look?

Content marketing will become increasingly personalized. The ultimate goal would be for each individual to see an ad that suits their interests, location, and current activities. Most of the information needed to do this is already there, but it needs to be harvested, analyzed, and the lessons that can be taken from it need to be implemented.

The last thing to say is that you don't want to read too much into the data. If you completely alter the spirit of the brand to attract a new, larger section of the market, then you run the risk of losing the existing customer base you have built up.

Take the time to get to know your customers and use the data to discover what they want to see based on what you learn about them. And also remember that habits naturally change over time. This means that what worked yesterday, may not work quite so well a month from now. Continually revise your buyer profiles, and you’ll never get left behind.