Data and Digital PR is the ultimate power combo when it comes to delivering a successful campaign, however long gone are the days when a simple survey is a solution to all your data woes.
It is true, there are few things that journalists love more than fresh data. Not only does it help you gain coverage for your campaigns, but it’s also a great way to position your brand as a leader in your field, however, conducting a survey is often seen as the easy way out.
Luckily, there are plenty of other options out there for you to access data that is not only free but also credible, you just have to be a little creative. So, here are our 10 best free data sources to help you out in 2022…
1. Statista
The No. 1 business data platform in the world — with insights and facts from 600 industries across 50 countries. You can pay for an extended version but the freebie has plenty to work with.
2. Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics covering population, employment, business and community statistics.
3. AskThePublic
AnswerThePublic listens to autocomplete data from search engines like Google then quickly cranks out every useful phrase and question people are asking around your keyword.
It’s a goldmine of consumer insight you can use to create fresh, ultra-useful content, products and services.
4. Google Dataset Search
Google Dataset Search is a database from Google that helps you locate online data that is freely available for use.
5. Reddit
Trust us, Reddit isn’t just for 00s babes. It’s a network of communities where people can dive into their interests, hobbies and passions. It is a place filled with experts in every topic imaginable and… IT’S FREE. Some key subreddits are:
- r/rdataisbeautiful
- r/infogrpahics
- r/visualization
- r/datasets
- Datasets Subreddit
6. Google Trends
Google Trends analyses the popularity of search queries split by country, language and sectors. The tool uses graphs to compare the search volume of different queries over time
7. WhatDoTheyKnow
WhatDoTheyKnow is a site to help make Freedom of Information requests. They publish both the requests and the authorities’ responses, perfect to get your hands on the latest FOI data.
8. Owned Data
Client databases can be rich when it comes to free and accessible data. Likewise, sales data and website traffic can all make great news hooks.
9. YouGov
The YouGov website conducts daily polls to measure the UK’s opinion on things like politics, entertainment, retail, technology, media, lifestyle and more.
10. World Bank Open Data
An Open Data Initiative that provides over 3,000 free open access datasets – encompassing microdata, time-series statistics and geospatial data.
If you’d like to chat with us about how we use free data sources to create media-friendly, coverage-driving campaigns, drop us a message at hello@hatchpr.co.uk
