The Power of Original Research: How Data Builds Credibility and Authority

By: Alaina Chiappone, Senior Account Executive

While thought leaders can provide insights into their industry’s trends and practices, reporters are often looking for data to back up anecdotal claims. Providing journalists with data they can use increases the chances your insights are included in their coverage and improves the credibility of your spokespeople’s claims. 

One strategic way to do this is through conducting original research tied to specific industry issues or trends where your brand is part of the solution. Industry or consumer surveys can be a cost-effective tool for building credibility and sparking discussion.

The Impact of Original Data

Compiling your own data on industry attitudes, trends, or practices is a strategic way of driving the overall conversation and securing stronger media coverage. If you notice movements in your field affecting how you conduct business, that insight — backed by your own data — can help reporters add greater context to industry news.

Having original data to back up your observations lends credibility to your KOLs, your organization, and the ideas you’re sharing. Instead of framing it as one leader’s opinion, reporters can position it as evidence of a broader industry trend.

That’s how we landed Fe league a Forbes feature from a survey we conducted. Members of their professional networking group shared anecdotes about generational differences among working women, but no data existed. We created a first-of-its-kind survey to quantify those experiences and deliver original findings fit for a headline.

Drafting and Disseminating Your Survey

When we craft surveys for clients, we don’t just ask about the prevalence of a trend. We dig into the “why” and “how” behind it. Understanding the causes and future implications of an industry shift matters just as much as identifying that it exists. We also design balanced answer options that reflect multiple perspectives, helping reduce bias and avoid leading respondents toward a particular conclusion.

There are many options to host your survey and get it out to participants. When choosing a platform, audience and budget should guide the decision. Tools like SurveyMonkey are great for consumer surveys aimed at general audiences. For Vivalink, we used SurveyMonkey to reach 1,000 participants and gauge public attitudes toward Hospital-at-Home programs. The large sample size added credibility to the findings and helped secure a feature in a leading hospital industry publication.

If you’re targeting niche audiences, like researchers, executives, or technical positions, you may need to look at industry publications or professional organizations that can promote and disseminate your survey. Targeted LinkedIn ads also work well for reaching highly specific audiences, using job title and industry filters to control both reach and costs.

Pitching Survey Results with Impact

It’s equally important to share the results through media outreach. A press release provides journalists with context and a clear news hook, while offering select reporters an embargoed preview can build anticipation and add weight of your announcement. From there, the findings can be repurposed across your communications strategy, such as in blog posts, newsletters, social media, sales presentations, lead-nurturing campaigns, and continued media outreach.

As part of our work with the University of Florida’s Collier Prize, we timed the release of survey findings on accountability journalism to coincide with the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where the year’s prize winners were honored. By capitalizing on media coverage around the national event, we positioned the Collier Prize within conversations about today’s media environment and political climate. This allowed us to contextualize the survey results in top media industry publications and new media on Substack, while also spotlighting the prize winners in national legacy and consumer outlets.

If you’re looking to enhance your content strategy and build credibility in your space, original research is a simple way to provide ongoing results. At AM PR, we’ve led consumer and industry surveys for clients across sectors that have generated impactful earned media coverage and fueled new industry insights.