Statistics are a powerful tool when communicating with the public on behalf of a brand. Statisticians and public relations both prioritise communicating useful and accurate content. Regarding PR, statistics can carry a lot of informative weight, and the ability of knowing how to utilise statistics in PR helps build credibility and lead to a greater audience.
How statistics are used in PR
- Provide a unique perception
- Evaluation of impact
- Provide accurate and correct information
- Make predictions and estimations
Here we outline the most important practices mentioned by Versta Research:
Practice guide for the use of statistics in PR
While statistics are highly valuable, they can be easily discredited if not presented effectively. Here is a practice guide on how best to use statistics.
- Communicate who the work was paid by and who conducted the research.
- Include a direct explanation of how the research was coordinated.
- The description of the sample needs to be clear (including if the survey was random).
- Remember that all surveys are susceptible to bias.
- Avoid forecasting predictions with statistics from the past.
- Trends and effects need to be defined in fine detail.
- Statements need to have proof in order for it to be backed up.
- The data reported needs to be in a descriptive form.
- Before you release the statistics, you need to get approval from the person who conducted the research in order to support the findings.
Communicating statistics
The use of statistics, in the form of graphics, allows for your targeted audience to capture a greater understanding of what is being communicated. However, it’s important for the target audience to understand the meaning of the statistics to gain further insight to the graphics. A strong interpretation of the graphics can be supported by press releases, website and social media content.
Another factor to consider is the integration between PR professionals and researchers as a compelling factor as statistics need to be translated, presented and released in a story format. This is due to the fact that statisticians and PR speak a completely different language, where information could be interpreted differently.
The use of statistics is a useful addition to improving public relations. It’s critical that PR professionals become more involved with active knowledge in statistics. As a result, businesses can expect boosted performances, increased awareness, comprehensive decision making and a positive impact on behaviour.