I’m not referring to market research, customer research, or competitive research, I’m talking about how marketers host an original research project and publish the results of that effort. In other words, research as content marketing. Analyses of third-party data When Orbit Media, a web design and development company, wanted to get attention, the company did something that was relatively simple. Simple polling Perhaps you’re a data wonk but really don’t feel all that ambitious about original research. Keep in mind polls generally don’t allow for knockout questions (e.g., disqualifying someone if they fall outside your target age range or income level) but are an interesting way to find out how a group thinks about a timely issue. What type of original research are you publishing? A 2018 study by BuzzSumo and Mantis Research explores marketers’ favorite research types. Survey. Is your goal to generate backlinks? And how can you support the research findings with prescriptive content?
If you’re like most content marketers I speak to, the strategies and tactics you use to grow an audience and get attention just aren’t working as they once were.
A BuzzSumo study, Content Trends 2018, confirms it; in a review of 100 million articles published in 2017, the company found social sharing was half what it was three years earlier.
It’s time to look around for new ideas. One successful but often overlooked approach is publishing original research. I’m not referring to market research, customer research, or competitive research, I’m talking about how marketers host an original research project and publish the results of that effort. In other words, research as content marketing.
The concept of publishing research isn’t new. Consulting and technology companies have been doing it for decades. PwC’s annual Global CEO Survey – now in its 21st year – is an excellent example of a long-running, benchmark-setting study that influences decision-making. Yet research does not have to be as ambitious (and costly) as the PwC example. And, even more, research doesn’t have to be as wonky and traditional as a consulting firm’s business-outlook study.
There are now so many more options other than traditional survey-based studies, and much more creative ways to let your data-freak flag fly – from traditional and studious to quirky and even wildly creative. Let’s look at five options:
Traditional benchmarking surveys
When marketers think of original research, they’re generally thinking of the industry-changing benchmark studies, such as Freelancing in America – a study of the nature of freelance work, produced by Edelman Intelligence, in collaboration with Upwork and the Freelancers Union. The survey, conducted every year, charts the size of the freelance economy and defines the conversation about how freelancers will upend the nature of work in America.
Short-form surveys
Survey-based research need not be long and complex to be interesting and influential. LendEDU, a loan refinancing company, publishes monthly short-form studies on particular (and amusing) topics, such as: What would Americans do for a 10% raise? The company posed 10 imaginary scenarios to survey takers, including giving up all social media accounts for the next five years (54% picked that option).
Analyses of owned data
Many companies have access to anonymized user data to report interesting insights (tech companies and online retailers are most likely to be sitting on data treasure troves). Oh My Green, a company that stocks office kitchens with snacks and drinks, published its most popular flavored LaCroix water. While the concept may seem oddly boring, the simple study was picked up by sites like the Kitchn and generated significant buzz for the food startup.
Analyses of third-party data
When Orbit Media, a web design and development company, wanted to get attention, the company did something that was relatively simple. It chose the top 50 marketing and advertising companies in the world (as defined by Alexa), and then judged each company’s website based on 10 web design standards. The results were published in a blog post called 10 Best Practices on the Top 50 Websites. That single blog post has generated hundreds of backlinks since it was posted in 2015. (Backlinks are one of the key ranking factors in Google’s algorithm, signaling a site’s credibility and authority.)
Simple polling
Perhaps you’re a data wonk but really don’t feel all that ambitious about original research. Why not launch some short polls to take your audience’s temperature about key issues? Or poll your coworkers as part of an employer branding project (Polly for Slack is an easy way to…
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