9 Things Survey Data Should and Shouldn’t Do

Don’t take the data and run, apply it to what you sense is right for yourself and your readers

Twelve years ago, the prevailing advice for online writing was to stuff your blogs with keywords so you’d rank higher for SEO. 

And by stuff, I really do mean stuff—some of the first drafts that came across my desk had a keyword in four out of five sentences. It was as painful as you might imagine. But I was also working in marketing, so I had to strike a balance with what I know about writing for humans and writing for search engines. The latter, of course, was informed by heaps of raw user data.

I’ve learned over the years that it’s always easier to take the data and run. It’s much easier to take a study and say, “Now, this is what it means for us all.” But we know this isn’t helpful (or accurate!). It doesn’t equip writers to work with both knowledge and their intuition.

The beauty of online writing is fueled by what makes every writer feel, think, speak and experience life in different ways. If we let that individuality get squashed by data, then what are we left with as storytellers? 

Last week I launched a survey: Shaping the Future of Online Writing. And I’m highly aware that some folks will be tempted to take the data and change everything about their current writing plans and strategy.¹ 

But I hope that they won’t do this.

I hope everyone will tune in and be eager students of the reader's experience and what their instincts are telling them today about their own writing. I also hope we can practice how to thoughtfully apply the data and compare it to what we already know about our current publishing process and the readers who so enjoy it.

In the coming weeks, I’ll continue gathering data about the Substack reader experience. And I can’t wait to share what is uncovered. I’ve been watching the data come in and it’s fascinating, sometimes validating and other times downright surprising. It’s going to be a really fun summer focused on finding your readers. 

Here’s my list of what survey data should and shouldn’t do. What would you add?

What Survey Data Should Do

1. Help you step inside your reader’s direct experience more accurately.

2. Guide decisions around evergreen content.

3. Inform how you incorporate news events (and from which sources) into your writing plans.

4. Develop empathy for how much your reader can afford to spend on your services.

5. Inspire creative ways to re-package your services/writing so they’re more accessible.

6. Illuminate preconceived biases around your reader’s education.

7. Give you an idea for how your readers’ age might factor into your reading material.

8. Open a door to what motivates them to connect with you.

9. Help you define the “behind the scenes” access you offer readers.

What Survey Data Shouldn’t Do

1. Replace actively listening to your readers’ experience.

2. Override your instincts for what you should write next.

3. Squash your sense for creative risk taking.

4. Substitute for getting expert guidance, especially around really big decisions.

5. Lead to overanalyzing every piece of writing, causing decision paralysis.

6. Force you to cater exclusively to metrics instead of focusing on meaningful engagement.

7. Cause you to overlook the importance of experimentation and iteration in your writing process.

8. Dictate your entire writing strategy without considering your unique voice and goals.

9. Encourage you to chase trends at the expense of your core message.

1. (I’ll be sharing some highlights for free in July, so be sure you’re signed up after taking the survey and sharing it on Notes!)