My deck on getting creative with link acquisition through data driven story telling from Friends of Search 2016 in Amsterdam. I talked about the content marketing led work we'd done with data at the centre of it back to 2011 and the lessons that we've learnt from it, then shared the data sources we're using, the criteria we consider important for story telling and what's working for us turning coverage into links.

1. Turning Numbers
into Stories
Creative, data driven link acquisition
Stacey MacNaught
@staceycav

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It’s confession time.

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My name is Stacey.
And I’m a recovering
paid link builder.

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Amongst my link
building tactics in
2009 was this stuff…

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Because we had number 1s for

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And our clients were all like…

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If you didn’t do that stuff
in the competitive spaces,
you simply weren’t
in the race.

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We were incredibly
open about the risks.

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We were incredibly
open about the risks.
That bit is super important.

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Fast forward a few years…

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Our client set has changed.
And since 2010, so has our
approach to link acquisition in
particular.

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Getting creative with link
acquisition

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We constantly develop our
link acquisition techniques.

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And one we’ve been working
on since 2011 is data backed
content for links and coverage

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January and August 2011

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January and August 2011
100+ referring
domains including
news sites and
competitors.

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One I did for fun in 2013
(Yes, this is how I have fun).

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This tactic can be employed
in relatively “boring” niches,
like convicted driver insurance.

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For a small independent
vehicle leasing company.

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When we look back over the
data-driven projects we’ve
carried out since 2011

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Most resulted in
great coverage and
links.

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Some fell completely flat.

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Others….

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I. Want. Both.

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So, we’ve done some analysis
into what worked and what
didn’t.

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46. What sort of data we’re
talking about
@staceycav#FOS16

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Survey Providers (Credible)

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Or you can try:
https://directory.esomar.org/

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Tongue in cheek or “quick”
surveys

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Freedom of Information
http://www.wobbing.eu/

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http://www.asktheeu.org/

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http://www.whatdotheyknow.com

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https://fragdenstaat.de/

55. What makes good data?
@staceycav#FOS16

56. • Credible
• Impartial
• Transparent source
• Date relevant
• Appropriate panel size
@staceycav#FOS16

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But – data without a story is
just a load of old numbers.

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News publications do not
publish surveys.

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News publications do not
publish surveys.
They publish stories.

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Pitching surveys
without stories
pisses journalists
off.

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What makes a story?

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• Timely
• Relevant
• Unexpected
• New
• Close to home
• Human interest

64. Timeliness & Relevance
@staceycav#FOS16
Why you wouldn’t write
Christmas stories in February or
pitch political stories to Tech
Crunch.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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This is Neil
(In what looks like an
indie-band album cover
photo)
Unexpected

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He explains it
very well.

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Dog bites man?
Not news.

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Dog bites man?
Not news.
Man bites dog?
News.

70. Human Interest
@staceycav#FOS16

71. Close to Home
@staceycav#FOS16
The reason that the Paris
attacks got more European
coverage than equally deadly
atrocities in Africa or the
Middle East.

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The Linkable Asset

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The linkable asset is the
reason that a journalist or
write might want to send
their readers to your site.

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Disappointment.

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Sometimes, it’s simple.

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Raw data available for
download…

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Raw data available for
download…

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Supporting visual asset

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A tool that solves a
problem your story
uncovered.

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Our Process in Summary

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More Detailed Process –
http://www.tecmark.co.uk/fos16

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Key Things to Consider

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Data should be new
(Unless you’re trying to debunk
or update another study)

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Have a backup plan
(Multiple questions/data items
are essential)

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Get your target contact
names and seek buy in
before you source data

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Use independent
people/views to sanity
check your ideas

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Don’t launch without a
linkable asset.

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Success or failure, record
what happened and
measure.

94. Let me know how you get on!
stacey.macnaught@tecmark.co.uk
@staceycav#FOS16
The Guide:
www.tecmark.co.uk/fos16
THANK YOU!