If you’re responsible for sales or marketing content, you’ve probably wondered: Is anyone actually using this stuff? Are reps sending it, are prospects opening it, and does any of it make a difference to sales? If you’re using Bigtincan, the good news is you can get some real answers. The bad news: analytics dashboards are only as useful as the questions you ask and the time you spend digging in.
This guide is for anyone who wants to use Bigtincan analytics to get a grip on content engagement and actually improve what’s out there. We’ll skip the buzzwords and get straight to what works, what’s just fluff, and how to avoid wasting time.
Step 1: Know What Bigtincan Analytics Actually Tracks
First, don’t assume Bigtincan tracks everything under the sun. Here's what you can usually measure:
- Content usage: Who opened or shared a file, and when.
- Engagement: How long someone spent with a piece, if they clicked links, watched videos, etc.
- Sharing: If reps sent content to prospects, and if prospects opened it.
- Searches: What users tried to find (helpful for spotting content gaps).
What you can’t reliably track:
- If a prospect actually read the document, or just opened and closed it.
- The real-world impact (did that eBook help close the deal?).
- Anything outside the Bigtincan platform (think: email forwards, screenshots, downloads saved locally).
Pro tip: Don’t chase “vanity metrics.” Ten downloads mean nothing if nobody finishes the deck, or if it never gets forwarded to a buyer.
Step 2: Set Up Analytics with a Goal in Mind
Before you start pulling reports, get clear about what you actually want to know. Some common use cases:
- Which content is getting used — and by whom?
- What content is shared with prospects — and do they engage?
- Where do users drop off? (e.g., slide 5 of a 20-page deck)
- Is there content nobody touches?
If you just poke around the dashboard, you’ll end up with a lot of numbers and no insight. Pick one or two questions that matter to your team, and focus your analysis there.
What works: Tracking a single campaign, a new piece of collateral, or a key sales asset.
What doesn’t: Trying to “optimize everything” at once. You’ll drown in data and make zero progress.
Step 3: Find the Right Reports (and Ignore the Rest)
Bigtincan offers a bunch of reports. Not all are worth your time. Here’s a quick rundown:
Reports worth checking:
- Content Usage/Engagement: Shows which assets get opened, time spent, and by whom.
- Top/Bottom Content: Reveals the all-stars and the duds.
- Sharing Reports: Tells you who’s sending content to prospects, and what happens next.
- Search Analytics: Shows what users look for but can’t find.
Reports to take with a grain of salt:
- Leaderboard-style rankings: Fun for contests, but not much use for improving content.
- “Most Active Users”: Can be misleading—activity doesn’t always mean value.
Pro tip: If a report doesn’t help you make a decision, skip it.
Step 4: Dig Into Content Engagement
This is where you get past “downloads” and start learning what actually works. Here’s how:
Look for:
- Completion rates: Do people get through the whole PDF or video, or bail halfway?
- Drop-off points: If everyone stops at slide 7, maybe the deck is too long—or just boring.
- Repeat usage: Are some assets getting revisited? That’s usually a good sign.
Watch out for:
- Misleading numbers: Five people spending 10 minutes might mean they got lost, not that they loved it.
- Internal vs. external: Don’t confuse internal team usage with what prospects actually see.
How to act: If an asset gets shared a lot but rarely viewed by prospects, it’s probably not working. If a piece is never found, maybe it’s buried or titled badly.
Step 5: Track Shares and Prospect Engagement
Some of the best insight comes from seeing if prospects actually open what’s sent to them.
- Track open rates: Did the recipient actually open it? (Not always perfect, but still useful.)
- Time spent: Did they skim, or did they stick around?
- Repeated opens: If a prospect keeps coming back, it might be hitting the mark.
Be realistic: Not every share leads to a deal, and open rates can be inflated (spam filters, preview panes, etc.).
What works: Pair content analytics with deal outcomes. If most closed/won deals involved a certain asset, that’s a clue.
Step 6: Use Search Analytics to Spot Gaps
If users keep searching for “case study” and nothing comes up, you’ve got a gap to fill.
- Monitor common searches: What are people looking for?
- Check zero-result searches: These are your content blind spots.
- Act on patterns: If people keep searching for a competitor comparison, it’s time to make one.
Don’t overthink it: You’ll never cover every search, but you can hit the big ones.
Step 7: Make Changes—But Keep It Simple
Once you’ve got the lay of the land, start making small, targeted changes:
- Kill or update content that gets zero use.
- Shorten or reorganize assets with high drop-off.
- Fix confusing titles or metadata if content isn’t getting found.
- Double down on what’s working (but don’t just chase the “most viewed” stat).
What to ignore: Don’t try to “game” the numbers by pushing content just to drive up views. Focus on what helps sales or helps reps, not stats.
Step 8: Share What You Learn (and Get Feedback)
Share your findings with sales, marketing, and anyone else who cares about content. But keep it practical:
- Show them the key wins and flops—don’t drown them in charts.
- Ask for feedback: Are these reports helpful? Are we tracking the right things?
- Make it a habit: Review analytics monthly or quarterly, not just once.
Pro tip: If nobody cares about the stats you’re sharing, you’re probably tracking the wrong things.
Step 9: Don’t Rely on Analytics Alone
Analytics are just one piece. Talk to reps and customers. Watch calls if you can. Sometimes what people say about the content is more useful than what the numbers show.
- Use analytics to find clues, not the whole story.
- Combine data with real feedback to make better decisions.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Bigtincan analytics can help you cut through the noise, but only if you use it to answer real questions. Focus on what helps your team or your customers, not just what looks good on a dashboard. Start small, make a change, see what happens, and repeat. That’s how you make content that actually works—no hype needed.