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

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@staceycav#FOS16
It’s confession time.

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@staceycav#FOS16
My name is Stacey.
And I’m a recovering
paid link builder.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Amongst my link
building tactics in
2009 was this stuff…

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
Because we had number 1s for

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@staceycav#FOS16
And our clients were all like…

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@staceycav#FOS16
If you didn’t do that stuff
in the competitive spaces,
you simply weren’t
in the race.

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@staceycav#FOS16
We were incredibly
open about the risks.

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@staceycav#FOS16
We were incredibly
open about the risks.
That bit is super important.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Fast forward a few years…

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
Our client set has changed.
And since 2010, so has our
approach to link acquisition in
particular.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Getting creative with link
acquisition

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@staceycav#FOS16
We constantly develop our
link acquisition techniques.

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@staceycav#FOS16
And one we’ve been working
on since 2011 is data backed
content for links and coverage

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@staceycav#FOS16
January and August 2011

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@staceycav#FOS16
January and August 2011
100+ referring
domains including
news sites and
competitors.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
One I did for fun in 2013
(Yes, this is how I have fun).

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
This tactic can be employed
in relatively “boring” niches,
like convicted driver insurance.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
For a small independent
vehicle leasing company.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
When we look back over the
data-driven projects we’ve
carried out since 2011

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@staceycav#FOS16
Most resulted in
great coverage and
links.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Some fell completely flat.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Others….

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
I. Want. Both.

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@staceycav#FOS16
So, we’ve done some analysis
into what worked and what
didn’t.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
Survey Providers (Credible)

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@staceycav#FOS16
Or you can try:
https://directory.esomar.org/

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@staceycav#FOS16
Tongue in cheek or “quick”
surveys

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@staceycav#FOS16
Freedom of Information
http://www.wobbing.eu/

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@staceycav#FOS16
http://www.asktheeu.org/

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@staceycav#FOS16
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com

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@staceycav#FOS16
https://fragdenstaat.de/

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What makes good data?
@staceycav#FOS16

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

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@staceycav#FOS16
But – data without a story is
just a load of old numbers.

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@staceycav#FOS16
News publications do not
publish surveys.

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@staceycav#FOS16
News publications do not
publish surveys.
They publish stories.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
Pitching surveys
without stories
pisses journalists
off.

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@staceycav#FOS16
What makes a story?

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@staceycav#FOS16
• Timely
• Relevant
• Unexpected
• New
• Close to home
• Human interest

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

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New
@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
This is Neil
(In what looks like an
indie-band album cover
photo)
Unexpected

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@staceycav#FOS16
He explains it
very well.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Dog bites man?
Not news.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Dog bites man?
Not news.
Man bites dog?
News.

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Human Interest
@staceycav#FOS16

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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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@staceycav#FOS16
The Linkable Asset

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@staceycav#FOS16
The linkable asset is the
reason that a journalist or
write might want to send
their readers to your site.

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
Disappointment.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Sometimes, it’s simple.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Raw data available for
download…

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@staceycav#FOS16
Raw data available for
download…

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@staceycav#FOS16
Supporting visual asset

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@staceycav#FOS16
A tool that solves a
problem your story
uncovered.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Our Process in Summary

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@staceycav#FOS16

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@staceycav#FOS16
More Detailed Process –
http://www.tecmark.co.uk/fos16

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@staceycav#FOS16
Key Things to Consider

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@staceycav#FOS16
Data should be new
(Unless you’re trying to debunk
or update another study)

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@staceycav#FOS16
Have a backup plan
(Multiple questions/data items
are essential)

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@staceycav#FOS16
Get your target contact
names and seek buy in
before you source data

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@staceycav#FOS16
Use independent
people/views to sanity
check your ideas

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@staceycav#FOS16
Don’t launch without a
linkable asset.

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@staceycav#FOS16
Success or failure, record
what happened and
measure.

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