Demonstrating the value of experimentation is crucial just this year. With the demise of Google Optimize last year, organizations now had to rethink their experimentation programs. We also described this earlier in our blog on CRO in 2024. Key questions include: what teams and skills are needed for the new tool? How do we want to integrate CRO in the coming years? What does the tech stack look like? What is the ROI of the CRO program versus the cost of new tools? 

As an advocate of data-driven work, it is important to be persuasive within the organization to maintain support and make progress in digital maturity. This is the time to grow. The secret trick to getting people excited is Data Storytelling. In this blog, I share the success formula to achieve this growth.

What does CRO deliver and is it clear?

It becomes crucial for organizations lagging behind in CRO to demonstrate the value of experimentation. After all, management must be a reason have for allocating budget to resources and knowledge. Perhaps you have already completed many successful experiments and you and your team know how much impact CRO makes and can make. But if you fail to get this message across, to convince why CRO is valuable and most importantly what it brings to the business (e.g. business impact or improving the customer experience), you lose momentum and support. 

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Use Data Storytelling to convey a compelling and inspiring story

“Data Storytelling is forming and presenting a clear and inspiring story around results and insights, with the ultimate goal of creating support and spurring the desired action.”

Although we now live in an era where there is more data than ever available, research by Google Trends shows that as much as 75% (!) of the available data remains unused. It was predicted years ago, when the application of big data was on the rise, that Data Storytelling would become essential. After all, how do you turn this gigantic container of information into an understandable story that leads to insights you can use?

As an experienced CRO agency, we often see that after analyzing results, an important step in the process (‘Combine’ in our FACT & ACT model), is forgotten: translating the results to insights. These terms are often used interchangeably but are by no means the same thing. What have we learned, what does it mean, and what does this information give us? The answer to these questions is often omitted, whereas by conveying these insights you can right is going to make the difference with your stakeholders. Actually filtering and deploying the (right) available data, turning it into valuable insights and presenting it in a visually strong and compelling story, is still often perceived as difficult. 

Gartner predicts that 75% of data will be presented via Data Storytelling by 2025. Data storytelling features in BI programs are sprouting like mushrooms and will become an important tool, but at the same time we also notice a growing need to develop (human) soft skills around being able to properly communicate insights from data. This is accompanied by a growing demand for specialists who have mastered these skills, can quickly step onto the stage within a company and present convincingly.

Why is Data Storytelling so important?

A story will not come in and make an impact if it is not focused on the emotions, values and goals of the recipient or audience. This may seem like an open door, but it certainly isn't. In fact, it is a true art to tell a ‘strong’ story, bring the listener along and convince them of the relevance and value of the data insights. Simply presenting outcomes is not enough.

You want to generate curiosity and interest from stakeholders and management and make more impact within the organization, with the ultimate goal of encouraging stakeholders to change behavior, take action, facilitate choices or solutions.

In doing so, it is important to simplify complex information and make it accessible to those who do not have all the knowledge or context. We still often see this go wrong.

Start with these 5 tips:

1. Tune your story to your audience
Always ask yourself the following questions: who is your audience? What are the main goals for this listener? How much knowledge does he/she have about this topic, do they need convincing (and if so, what objections or uncertainties might they have?)? What questions can they start asking from their role?

This will be different for a (fellow) CRO specialist, a marketing manager or a CEO. Know who your stakeholders are and what their purpose is. By the way, this applies not only to a presentation, but also to an e-mail, a report or any other means of communication. 

2. Determine the thread of your story:
Provide a clear structure to your story and focus on the ‘why. So present not only the result but also the context and value. Why is this important and what does it contribute? With a complex or technical topic, it helps to come up with an analogy that is easier to understand.

3. Select the right metrics and data
If you know your audience, you also know what their main goals are. And what outcomes are relevant to them. Establish the most important KPIs and other metrics for this story, and skip the rest for this presentation or for the email you intended to send. You can always provide more context if requested.

4. Use appropriate visualizations to support your story:
An appropriate image says more than a thousand words. Don't use big chunks of text, no confusing and contradictory tables or charts, keep it clear and simple!

Always keep in mind that humans have limited cognitive ability, and a shorter attention span (8 seconds) than that of a goldfish (9 seconds). We are simply unable to take in mountains of information or decipher busy slides while listening to a story. Therefore, keep the information concise and delete all side issues. By the way, this applies to all forms of communication.

5. Continue to optimize your communications
Keep testing your presentations and communications with your audience. We optimize a lot on-site, but it's important to do the same for your own communication forms and reports. Think about a CRO monthly meeting, CRO newsletter, A/B test reporting. Talk to your stakeholders about what they find valuable, what information or way of presenting it creates noise and in what way they actually use your input.

In conclusion

Hopefully, this article has sparked a Data Storytelling fire (again) and motivates you to take a close look at all communications within your team. How are results and insights being communicated now? Do you think there is room for improvement? Does it connect with the target group and is it actually being used? These 5 first tips will help you on your way. 

It's now or never: make sure you can demonstrate the importance of experimentation, or lose momentum (and budget). Please feel free to contact If we can help your organization in this regard.

Do you want to become a pro at Data Storytelling?

Good news: this summer Online Dialogue is launching a training on Data Storytelling! This practical training (+/- 3 hours) is designed for all CRO specialists, Data Analysts, Product Owners and other specialists who want to be able to communicate a story about data clearly and compellingly. You will learn to deploy the right data and metrics, effectively communicate insights and get better at getting stakeholders and management on board and convincing them.

Sign up for the newsletter And stay tuned for the first training dates!

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