Press & PR

Original data studies

Publish numbers nobody else has. Journalists and bloggers cite and link to them.

Cost
Free

Free to use. No paid tier is needed to list or post.

Verdict
slow burn

Slow burn: a unique dataset earns links for years.

Difficulty
Hard

Gatekept or reviewed, or needs an existing audience or reviews first.

Effort
High

About 10 or more hours a month, mostly during launches or a regular posting habit.

First result
2 to 4 months

A rough range for one person working on it part-time.

Payoff
Compounds

keeps growing while you keep at it.

Best for

Products that generate data they can publish.

Not for

Products that have no data.

Pros

  • Earns links for years
  • Builds authority

Cons

  • Needs real data
  • Big upfront effort

The full guide

Last verified 2026-10-30

Links checked 2026-10-30 · No website to check: this channel works by word of mouth or offline

01What it is and who is there

An original data study publishes numbers nobody else has: a survey, an analysis of public data, or anonymized aggregates from your product. Journalists, bloggers and other companies cite and link to it, sometimes for years. Brendan Playford's X article analyzing 1.5 million Reddit posts is an example of research that travels. The audience is anyone writing about your topic.

02Cost and what you actually pay for

It costs time and sometimes survey or data tools. Using your own product data requires care with privacy and consent.

03Is it right for you?

It fits products that generate useful data, or founders who can run a careful survey. It fits poorly for products with no data and no budget for research. Weak methods damage credibility.

04Before you start

  • A question your industry cares about.
  • A data source you can use legally and ethically.
  • A plan for methods you can explain publicly.

05Step-by-step: how to distribute here

  1. Pick one question with a clear, quotable answer.
  2. Collect and analyze the data; document the method.
  3. Publish a page with key findings, charts and the method.
  4. Pitch the findings to writers who cover the topic.
  5. Share the charts on social channels.
  6. Update the study yearly if it works.

06What to post or submit

Findings headline:

[Number]% of [group] [finding] — [year] [topic] study

07Common mistakes and do-nots

  • Do not publish user data without consent or anonymization.
  • Do not overstate what the data shows.
  • Do not hide your method.

08How to measure it

  • Track links and citations.
  • Track traffic to the study page.
  • A realistic test: three months after publishing.

09Time budget

  • Before: 15 to 40 hours.
  • After: 2 to 4 hours of outreach.

10Pair it with

11Sources

Sources