Explainer: Predictive Analytics

What It Is: Predictive analytics is the antithesis of the proverbial “dumb pipe” of data that simply presents a series of performance indicators or variables over time. It goes beyond behavioral analysis to the logic of the big picture. Knowing that 70 percent of a targeted audience likes a product is great, but it doesn’t place those statistics in context, making it relevant for strategy development. That’s where predictive analytics comes in. It makes raw data actionable, linking it to past consumer behaviors as well as current variables that allow the statistician to predict the probability of new or continued behaviors.