How I Discovered Media Analytics

By: Caroline Miller

Originally posted on Caroline's blog on November 8, 2015.

I am a Media Analytics major at Elon University, a major I did not know existed until a year ago. What led me to becoming an analytics major? My early love for performing and my five-year-old idol, Britney Spears. Using her as an inspiration, I hosted my own concert. I stood up on my coffee table, used an empty wrapping paper tube as my microphone, encouraged my younger brother to be my backup singer and dancer, and had my parents as the audience. This is when my love for performing began.

It was this interest for performing that brought me to Elon. My grandparents were at a small restaurant in the middle of nowhere during one of their road trips. Their waitress was an actress and knew somebody who was a theatre major at Elon. Because of this small encounter, my grandparents advised me to tour Elon. After touring, I felt like I was home. I would then spend the rest of my high school career with one goal in mind: get accepted to Elon University.

The day arrived when I received my acceptance letter to Elon. Without hesitation, I put down my deposit, stuck my Elon sticker on the family car, and wore my Elon sweatshirt to school daily. At this point, I was a senior and did not know what I wanted to study in college. I loved theatre, but wanted to investigate other careers because the majors within Elon’s School of Communications intrigued me. I decided to apply for the Communications Fellows program. I got invited back to Fellows Weekend, also known as the weekend of ice storms and falling trees, and received the fellowship. I was so excited. I knew the School of Communications is where I belong.

Naturally, I took the Communications in a Global Age class my first semester at Elon. During one class period, Byung Lee visited to explain his research and a new major called Media Analytics, a major that incorporates research, observing trends, patterns, and human behavior in media settings. I have always been strong in math and never found an interesting way to leverage it. At that instant, I discovered that my mutual interests in mathematics and communications had found their home. I changed my major and have not looked back. I am thrilled about the career path I am pursuing. Everyday, I cannot wait to further my knowledge in analytics tools, attend Understanding Audiences class with Professor Albright, and talk to professionals in the analytics field.

Gaining expertise with analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Tableau requires practical application. Companies can benefit from analytics tools on their websites or apps to understand how long users are on the page, how they interact with the page, and if the content published is effective. This helps companies understand what content is successful and what needs to be changed. In today’s economy, online experiences are everywhere, yet many companies do not have the data to support their decisions. Media analytics is designed to bridge this gap.
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I am so glad that Britney Spears, ice storms, and a random waitress led me to Elon. Years of performing allows me to speak confidently in front a group. Research and analysis are critical in this industry, but we also must be able to convey our findings to our clients. It is the combination of the analytical and persuasive sharing of these ideas that will make me even more effective. I look forward to serving these companies by assisting their strategic decision process to help them better engage their customers.