Content may be everywhere now, but credibility is what people hold onto. In the Philippines, where trust and real experiences play a substantial role in public opinion and brand loyalty, the ability to back up your message with solid information is a significant advantage.
So, create engaging stories that use real data as a source. For instance, data journalism offers a way to turn numbers into narratives. It combines evidence with clarity to make complex ideas easier to understand and harder to ignore.
Ready to build trust with stories that inform and influence? Let’s jump right in!
Understanding data journalism
Data journalism is the practice of digging into data sets, analyzing trends, and using statistics to uncover and tell compelling stories. It combines traditional journalism skills, like research, interviews, and fact-checking, with the ability to interpret and present data visually through charts, infographics, and interactive tools.
You might see data journalism in action through things like infographics breaking down poverty rates across regions, interactive charts comparing voter turnout, reports highlighting the growth of online shopping in the Philippines, or dashboards tracking vaccination progress and economic shifts.
This approach isn’t just for newsrooms. Brands and PR teams can harness data journalism to communicate with greater credibility and impact, turning raw numbers into narratives that resonate.
Building trust with data journalism in Philippine PR
Filipino consumers, especially millennials and Gen Z, are growing increasingly skeptical of generic promotional content. They want facts, transparency, and stories backed by objective evidence.
Here’s how data journalism helps build trust, land media coverage, and create great content people will actually pay attention to:
Credibility in a distrustful information environment
With misinformation and clickbait flooding online spaces, Filipino audiences are becoming more discerning. Data journalism increases transparency by providing solid evidence behind your claims. This not only builds trust but also helps journalists and media outlets pick up and run your story more quickly.
Earned media value
Journalists prefer stories supported by original or verifiable data, which often leads to better media coverage. For instance, a local food delivery app that shared insights on how payday Fridays drive most Metro Manila orders attracted much more attention than a typical press release. Data-driven stories like this increase your chances of earning valuable front-page features on platforms like Inquirer.net, BusinessMirror, or Rappler.
More engaging content formats
Data can be transformed into various visual and interactive content formats that resonate with digital audiences. Infographics for social media, explainer videos, interactive dashboards, carousel posts, and detailed newsletter reports make your message more shareable and visually compelling, helping you reach a broader online audience.
How to get started with data journalism
You don’t need to be in a newsroom to practice data journalism. In fact, most brands already have access to valuable information. They just need to know how to shape it into a compelling story. Here’s how to begin:
1. Use internal data
Start by digging into the data you already have. Website traffic patterns, customer purchase behavior, social media insights, CRM dashboards, and survey responses are all rich sources of storytelling. Look for trends, shifts, or even unexpected patterns. Anything that can spark a relevant narrative that your audience will care about.
2. Partner with research firms or polling agencies
If internal data is limited, you can always commission original research. Local agencies like Pulse Asia, Social Weather Stations (SWS), or even academic institutions can help you gather reliable data. Well-designed surveys, such as those on Gen Z skincare preferences or remote work habits in NCR, can lead to insights that are not only useful but newsworthy.
3. Turn data into stories
Data by itself isn’t the story. It’s what you do with it that counts. Instead of quoting flat numbers, translate them into insights that feel relevant and human. “5,000 people love coffee” becomes far more compelling when reworded as “7 in 10 Filipinos say coffee helps them stay productive while working from home.” Then, bring it to life with simple visuals like charts, graphs, or infographics to make it easy to share and understand.
Tips to maximize impact in the Philippine market
To make your data-driven stories truly resonate with Filipino audiences, know how, when, and where you say it. Here are a few ways to make sure your content connects:
Localize the data
The more specific your data is, the more relatable it becomes. Break insights down by region, province, or city to highlight local relevance. Hyperlocal stats are especially attractive to media outlets looking for content that speaks directly to their audience.
Use Filipino terms or Taglish
Don’t be afraid to sound like your audience when sharing insights on social media. Taglish and conversational Filipino phrases help the message land more naturally. For example, instead of a formal headline, try:
“Lima sa sampung Pinoy ay nag-o-online shopping habang nasa trabaho, ayon sa bagong report.”
Tie into national observances
Aligning your data stories with timely events, such as Nutrition Month, Mental Health Week, or the start of the school year, adds relevance. Timed right, these connections can help your story gain more visibility across news and social platforms.
Craft stories that bring loyalty
In a time when audiences are quick to scroll past fluff and even quicker to question what they see, data journalism gives your brand something solid to stand on. Leverage real information to create stories that inform, inspire, and earn trust.
This approach offers a clear edge for brands navigating the Philippine media landscape. Local consumers respond to transparency. Journalists are hungry for substance. Meaningful stories, backed by data, have the power to stick.
The good news is you don’t have to figure it all out alone. With the right PR agency, you can turn raw numbers into insights that get noticed and shared.
Need help turning your data into credible, compelling content? Connect with us and let’s start building stories that truly matter!
Irishbeth Relampagos is a writer who specializes in crafting copies across various content formats, mainly SEO blogs and marketing materials. Her passion for translating ideas into impactful content has helped brands connect with their audiences in ways that transcend superficial and transactional interactions.
Irishbeth pursued English Language Studies at Polytechnic University of the Philippines where she honed her skills in writing. While originally focused on writing poems and opinion pieces, she shifted her career path to content writing after a successful stint as an SEO content writer during her internship.