Blog posts, whitepapers and other shareable content rely on supporting data—not because people just love a good color-coded pie chart (though they are pretty), but because numbers give stories shape. They add scale. They provide perspective. They quantify that something meaningful is happening.
Think about it: which statement would you rather share?
- Teenagers are texting like crazy, more than ever.
- The average teen sends 60 texts per day, up from 50 in 2009 (Pew Research Center).
The second statement tells you that there’s a behavioral trend happening and that the trend has real implications for business, communications, and a number of other fields.
But you can’t just throw a bunch of stats into your content and expect instant gravitas. Finding and interpreting facts to support your argument takes thought, and they should add depth, not clutter, to your point. Here are the essentials you need to know to use data wisely and effectively.
