Do you want to add some interesting statistics to your blog post but have no idea where to get them? Or you do, but you aren’t sure if the sources are reliable? Keep reading
While numbers may be seen as boring, there’s no doubt that adding legitimate ones to a piece of content with your name on it can add to your credibility and authority as a blogger.
The proliferation of infographics and case studies emphasize just how important relevant statistics are.
Statistics, especially social media statistics, and other figures are readily available online.
Any small business blogger with patience can find them, but they don’t just make your blog post look great. More importantly, social media statistics can help you plan your small business marketing strategies and decide which blog promotion tactics to use.
Comparing multiple sources of statistics can give you a broader understanding of the topic you’re researching, even when you’re just studying your weekly analytics.
To help you get started, here are 11 reliable websites you can turn to when you need to get your numbers right.
Most of these provide social media statistics useful for online marketers and small business bloggers, and there are some which are geared toward a more specific crowd, that is, political, health, and economy bloggers.
CMI’s research section is a goldmine of information for small businesses that want to boost their content marketing ROI. The CMI white papers and eBooks are also great references to get information on relevant content marketing topics.
Access: The blog is free to read while signup is required to download most of the eBooks and white papers.
Nielsen focuses on helping businesses improve sales by "knowing what consumers watch and buy."
Most of their reports revolve around consumer, mobile, media and entertainment, and innovation. They focus on how business owners can use data derived from these areas to help drive sales.
Although the information is geared toward larger companies, it's still pretty useful when you need references for a consumer-targeted blog post or strategy.
Access: You will need to provide basic contact and business info for downloads.
Expanded Ramblings provides the "latest digital marketing stats, tips, trends, and technology" as researched by founder, Craig Smith.
Content comes in different forms, from straightforward list posts to infographics. Most of the content focuses on interesting and up-to-date social media statistics.
Access: Free
You've probably heard of HubSpot by now, right?
They have a regularly updated marketing library, where all their marketing-related content, are organized.
Then there's their wide array of case studies categorized by company size, organization type, industry, product, and country.
They also have a special section dedicated solely to marketing statistics which is both interesting and relevant.
Access: Signup required to access eBooks, courses and some other content. The blog is free to read.
Social Bakers provides social media marketing and monitoring tools and statistics to their users.
They have detailed monthly reports that you can refer to when you want to know what are the top Facebook pages or Twitter brand profiles in your country or industry.
They occasionally share infographics based on their social media statistics and numbers.
Access: Signup required via your Facebook account. The blog is free to read.
BrandWatch offers social media monitoring tools to their customers. They also have case studies, reports, and eBooks covering different industries and topics, from fashion and pharmaceuticals to social media branding tips and statistics.
Access: You need to provide basic contact and company information to download case studies, reports and eBooks.
Marketing Charts is a treasure trove of information for marketers, social media managers, content strategists, and small business owners.
The site is great for visual learners. The data are a good backup for blog posts and are also very useful when it comes to planning marketing and social media strategies.
Access: Free
Want to know how your target market use the internet? Pew Internet is an initiative of the Pew Research Center. It focuses on gathering data and research on how people use the internet.
Their surveys look at the different activities online users pursue, the demographics, and the kind of products they use.
Access: Free downloads available
TNS Digital Life has an engaging user interface that makes looking for and studying current statistics fun and interesting.
The site’s information is a snapshot of their findings from the “largest global study into people’s attitude and behaviors online.”
Access: Free, but access to the full study isn’t. Check their about page for more info.
The aptly-named ChartsBin is a “web-based data visualization tool” which presents global data through stats, smart graphs, and maps.
From gender inequality index to a chart showing the survey results of the answer to the question -
“Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair?” Source
ChartsBin offers a wide range of data for health, business, and political bloggers.
You can also embed the charts on your blog posts. Just be sure to check the sources and credit as necessary.
Access: Free but you have to register if you want to create your own interactive chart.
Factbrowser is a research discovery engine that aggregate bits and pieces of facts and statistics from different sources in the form of case studies, forecasts, and infographics.
The information is grouped according to technologies, topics, companies, sources, consumers, and regions, making it easy to use.
When using Factbrowser, be sure to check the specific source the piece of information is from.
Access: Free
It’s important to remember that numbers can be boring, so be sure to find a way to present the information in a fun, relatable way to avoid turning off your audience.
Create your own custom graphics, or other forms of visual content to present your statistics. In a blog post, you can us quote blocks or "Click to tweet" messages which are both great ways to make statistics shareable too.
Don’t start your blog posts with a statistic. Use them in the middle of the post to support a point or simply link to the site where you got it from. Citing is very important.
Too much information can be overwhelming at best of times. When exploring these websites, focus on the information you need and save those interesting studies and infographics for later.
Have fun!
