Easy ways to turn data into content

At Digital Third Coast, we love original research. By incorporating original research into the content we create, we establish our clients as industry leaders while garnering media attention and brand recognition. It’s an effective digital PR and marketing strategy when you’re looking to secure media coverage.

Whether we’re analyzing search trends, poring through databases, or conducting surveys, we use data to tell a story. By doing so, we create a strong, clear, trustworthy narrative for our clients that also works for journalists.

To reap the benefits of data-driven digital PR, you have to know how to use it and where the best sources of data exist. In this post, we’ll break down the best ways to find data sources, use them to build newsworthy content ideas, and then leverage those research-based content campaigns to earn media placements.

What is Data?

Data is everywhere. We tend to think of ‘data’ as a series of 1’s and 0’s seen in the Matrix, but it’s much closer to home than one might think.

For example, how long is your commute? Something as mundane as traffic can be used as data that can drive a story.

Data doesn’t have to be limited to boring graphs, charts, or computer simulations. Data can be mined and presented in much more engaging and approachable ways, like maps, surveys, social media scrapes, and search trend analyses, just to name a few. The chances are high that you’ve seen data today and haven’t realized it.

Where to Find Data

With this much out there – and so much more to come – using data to tell a story can seem overwhelming and, frankly, intimidating.

There are two types of data: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative data describes (e.g. “the dog is brown”) while quantitative data focuses on numbers (e.g. “9 in 10 dentists recommend this toothpaste”).

In order to turn data into content (as part of your content marketing strategy), we focus on quantitative data. Finding quantitative datasets that tell stories isn’t hard. You just have to know where to look, and how to use it to your advantage.

If you’ve never combined data and content before, start simple. To get a feel for navigating datasets, we at Digital Third Coast recommend easily accessible tools such as Google Trends to look at search volume trends across the country, as well as Google Analytics (for B2B marketers) for added insights. Government agencies also offer great resources, including Data.gov, U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Remember, you’re not limited to pre-existing content and data sources; another great option is conducting your own research! There’s no limit to survey topics, either – we’ve surveyed Americans on everything from Christmas shopping to how safe they feel in an Airbnb.

How to Use Data for Storytelling

Now that you have your data, it’s time to figure out how it relates to the story that you’re looking to tell. Whatever story that is, it should be newsworthy – timely with a human interest angle that makes an impact on readers.

How to use data to create content

When we say hard data, we mean data that comes from vetted, third-party and authoritative data sources and exists on the internet in its raw, unadulterated form.

Typically, the data stems from existing databases, such as the ones mentioned above (e.g. Data.gov, U.S. Census Bureau). Hard data can also be found in scholarly reports and studies about specific topics.

Oftentimes, hard data is released on an annual basis, so using it to your advantage opens the door to plenty of content opportunities, including yearly comparisons and year-specific pieces.

#1. Utilize filters to analyze data

The best way to get this data to enhance your story is to use the filters to your advantage.

First, identify the scope of the audience you want to focus your data narrative on. Does it represent a specific sector of the population like millennial homeowners or retirees? Once you identify the scope, you can filter the dataset by that demographic information to really customize your narrative.

We recently analyzed cities with the most deeply-rooted homeowners in America for a client specializing in active adult communities. We knew that in order to tell the story, we’d have to know where to look, and the U.S. Census Bureau would have all the insight we needed.

By filtering specifically for owner-occupied homes, we were able to determine areas in which owners not only stayed put the longest (owner-occupied for 30+ years), but also where they were newest (owner-occupied for ten years or less).

#2. Utilize weighting systems to analyze data

Another way to turn existing data into content is to manipulate it. By comparing different elements of pre-existing data sets you can shape a data narrative.

For instance, when we ranked the best cities for newlyweds, we didn’t just look at the percentage of newlyweds in 300+ cities across the country, we also incorporated household income, home cost, affordability score, and dining options.

When we dive even deeper into a dataset and take advantage of things like filters or take the time to weigh elements against each other, we’re able to confidently establish rankings. This system works so well because everybody loves to see where they, or their city or state, fall, rankings tend to perform very well with the media.

How to turn search trends into content

Don’t be afraid to use Google Trends or AdWords to your advantage; these give a reliable look at what any given population is thinking about at that moment.

Before you just throw in a handful of keywords, though, think carefully. What’s the story you’re telling, and which audience are you trying to reach?

Let’s say that I wanted to create a search trends piece about the most popular Christmas movie in each state.

First, I’ll come up with a handful of terms relevant to my story, then put them into Google Ads’ Keyword Planner. This tool is free unless I use the keywords in a paid ad.

Now that I have my list of keywords, I’ll download them, then enter them into Google AdWords again to determine historical metrics. At face value, these will provide me a look at the number of monthly searches each term has gotten across the country.

But I want to tell a story more interesting and relevant than that. So, I’ll drill down and target each state, adjust the time period, then find the uniquely popular search term – the one which sees the most traffic – in a separate .csv file.

Boom: I have an authoritative list of the most popular Christmas movies in each state (for the record, Illinois’ is Home Alone).

Bonus tip: Journalists and readers alike love to see stories about their region or audience. Localizing your data gathered from search trends or hard data sources is a great way to garner local coverage, especially if your story includes a ranking or map. The more local a story, the greater chance of catching a journalist’s eye – and reaping the benefits of syndication.

How to turn survey data into content

Surveys are far less regionally-specific, but they can tell great stories that point to nationwide trends and they are great for evergreen content. This type of research allows you a look into the preferences, attitudes, and behaviors of Americans on a wide variety of topics.

We conduct a number of surveys each month, and they range from the serious (Mental Health at Work) to the silly (Biggest Complainers in the NFL). There’s absolutely no limit on what survey topics – but as you create them, be sure you’re sticking closely to your narrative.

Turning Data into Backlinks

Now that we’ve collected our data, it’s time to pass the baton. How do we turn data-driven content into backlinks?

Earning Backlinks for Data-Based Narratives

Original research and its success with the media is wholly dependent on data, whether it’s from databases, search trends, or surveys.

Quantitative data doesn’t have to be boring — it can be turned into a content marketing campaign that tells a compelling story – you just have to know how to shape it. Whether you’re using filters and weighting systems to your advantage in order to create authoritative rankings, or relying on surveys to get inside the minds of people across the country, story possibilities are boundless.

How to Turn Data into Content

By Kylie Moore