Publishing industry research has worked incredibly well for many brands, and marketers are taking notice: 1 in 4 marketers say they’re considering publishing research for the first time in the next 12 months. Original research is an untapped opportunity for content marketers . . . but perhaps not for long. This session was presented at Digital Summit Detroit and is for both those getting started with research as well as those who want to do more with the research they already have. Learn the step-by-step approach you can use to create compelling survey-based research that gets attention--and fuels your editorial calendar for a year.

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Original Research:
How to Create a Year’s Worth
of Content from One Survey

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I want more attention,
traffic, leads, sales . . .

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But it’s SO hard!

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I want to say something
different, something meaningful...

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But I can’t find the
headspace because I
have too many
immediate to-dos

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I need some
”editorial glue” . . .

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Because we are telling
too many disconnected
stories

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- Benchmarking surveys
- Salary guides
- Industry surveys

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A quick yet
important
sidebar:
It’s not market research, reader
surveys, or anything used internally to
help you create better content.
For the purpose of this
presentation, original research is
what you create and publish for
public consumption.

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Annnd
another
important
sidebar . . .
We are specifically talking
about large-scale, survey-
based studies that are rich
with data and insights . . .

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LEAD a
meaningful
conversation
** stop saying whatever
everyone else is . . .

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SALES
SUBSCRIBERS
LEAD
S
MEDIA
MENTIONS
BACKLINK
S
EDITORIAL
CORNERSTONE
SPEAKING
GIGS GUEST POSTS &
PODCAST INVITES

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SALES
SUBSCRIBERS
LEAD
S
MEDIA
MENTIONS
BACKLINK
S
EDITORIAL
CORNERSTONE
SPEAKING
GIGS GUEST POSTS &
PODCAST INVITES

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But . . .

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80 - 150 hours
(4 – 6 months)

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Lots of steps involved
80 - 150 hours
(4 – 6 months)

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Choose a topic.
1.

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Is this interesting to my audience?

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Is this interesting to my audience?
+
Does this align with my brand’s story?

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Is this interesting to my audience?
+
Does this align with my brand’s story?
+
Has this already been covered?

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Find the stat!
Frequently asserted
+
Rarely supported

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Disprove assumptions!
Frequently asserted
+
Untrue

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New Category = State of the Industry

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One key reason we were able
to build an audience for CMI so
quickly and successfully is
because of our annual
research.
– Joe Pulizzi, Fouunder | Content Marketing Institute
“

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Crowded Space = Find a niche

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Too broad:
Team productivity
Example

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Better:
How content marketing teams
operate (what’s working,
what’s not)
Example

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Pinpoint 3 – 5 ”dimensions"
2.

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Dimension
Team composition
Communication
Processes
Strategy
Example
Topic:
How content marketing teams
operate (what’s working,
what’s not)

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Hypothesize what you believe
is true for each dimension
3.

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Dimension Hypothesis
Communication Marketers struggle to communicate
team.
Marketers are pulled into too many
conversations, but they also struggle with
parts of conversations.
Example

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Draft questions to test your
hypothesis
4.

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Dimension Hypothesis Possible Questions
Communication Marketers struggle to
effectively as a team.
Marketers are pulled into too
irrelevant conversations, but
struggle with missing key
conversations.
How would you characterize the success of your team
Which tools do you use to communicate as a team (Email;
message; project management tool, other [explain])
Do you have all of key pieces of information for projects
How often are you involved in unnecessary
Example

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Program and test your survey
5.

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Source

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Execute your survey
6.

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10 Ideas to Get Survey Responses
1. Create an easy-to-answer survey
2. Send a dedicated email to your
subscribers
3. Find one (or more) distribution
partners
4. Offer respondents a toolkit or
resource in exchange for
completing the survey
5. Record a short video asking for
participation
6. Reach out to people in your network
7. Proactively ask people to be quoted
in your research – and ask them to
share your research
8. Add a CTA to your thank you page
9. Ask people in your email signature
10. Use panels
Learn more and get examples

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Analyze the findings by dimension
7.

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[Your goal]
Data + Story

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Example
Findings by question (data)

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Example
Observations by dimension
(story)

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[Bonus tip]
Keep a list of all of the insights and
ideas you uncover – by both question
and dimension

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Create your findings
8.

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[Bonus tip]
Be you . . . Not a string of data points

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Detailed blog post
IDEAL FOR
1. SEO ranking
2. Backlinks
3. Easy social
sharing
Soure: Orbit Media

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Content-lite version
IDEAL FOR
1. Presenting
research by
partners
2. Sharing on
SlideShare (new
eyes!)
3. Jumping off point
for more editorial
Soure: CMI/MarketingProfs

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Point-of-view version
IDEAL FOR
1. Giving report
gravitas
2. Detailing the
industry in
greater context
3. Offering
prescriptive
advice as well as
research findings
4. Gating your
research
Soure: Litmus

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Hybrid version
IDEAL FOR
1. Presenting key
findings with
context
Soure: Salesforce

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[Bonus tip]
Embrace the differences
between your hypothesis and
actual results

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Source: State of Marketing Strategy Report 2018 (CoSchedule)

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Brainstorm the type of related
content you can create
10.

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GUEST
POSTS
- Backlinks
- Thought
leadership
VIDEOS
- SEO
RELATED, GATED
CONTENT
- Leads
- Subscribers
WEBINARS
- Subscribers
- Thought leadership
- New sales
ASSESSMENTS
- Subscribers
INFOGRAPHICS
- Social engagement

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Blog posts

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Guest posts IDEAL FOR
• Backlinks
• Thought leadership
Tool Idea:
Buzzsumo

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Webinars
Source: Edison Research / Triton Digital
IDEAL FOR
• Subscribers
• Leads
• Thought
leadership

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Source: National Restaurant Association
Video of high-level findings IDEAL FOR
• SEO
• Backlinks

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Online assessment
Source: Skyword
IDEAL FOR
• Subscibers

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Infographic
Source: Udemy
IDEAL FOR
• Backlinks
• Social engagement

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Related, gated content
IDEAL FOR
• Continuing the
story from your
research
• Getting
subscribers or
leads
Source: State of Marketing Strategy Report 2018 (CoSchedule)

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Track your story ideas and
incorporate them into your
editorial throughout the year
11.

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Tool Idea: Airtable

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Your time is now . . .

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The untapped potential of research only
lasts so long

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Research gets more valuable every time
you repeat it

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Original research solidifies
your position as a thought
leader … It’s content no one
else will have but everyone
will want to share.
- Margie Agin, Centerboard Marketing
“

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Michele Linn
Co-Founder and Head of Strategy
Mantis Research
michele@mantisresearch.com