How to choose your hero stat

By Liz Alton
Best practices

Companies are producing original research, creating data round-ups for infographics, and generating white papers that answer customers’ most critical questions. For marketers, figuring out how to use all the data at your fingertips to tell powerful, engaging stories is a challenge.

The way people use Twitter is the key. 77% of people on Twitter say they like to discover new things, and 72% visit Twitter to stay informed.*

A “hero image” is a picture that accompanies content and embodies the story; a “hero stat” is a piece of data that does the same thing, by capturing your audience’s attention and conveying the bigger story. How can marketers choose the hero stat that will engage people?

Showcase data that helps your audience solve key problems

Customers are looking for new insights on common problems. What issues are your customers trying to solve? Is there a data point that provides a direct solution or a new way of looking at a long-standing issue?

Business leaders are constantly trying to find new ways to grow and outperform competitors. @McKinseyuses this teaser Tweet to show audiences that five factors make all the difference in an interesting, engaging way. Including the visual helps provide immediate value, while also giving readers a preview of what they’ll find when they click on the link.

Use data that shows a surprise hook

People want to be surprised when they’re browsing Twitter. Data is often used to tell the same story over and over in an industry. An unexpected insight draws audiences in, gets them interested in your research, and drives them to take action. Find a data point that helps your audience see their industry or customers in a new way.

For example, @eMarketer features a surprise insight. Many conversations about digital marketing suggest that user time is increasingly app-driven. When @eMarketer shares data suggesting that Japanese consumers choose browsers over apps, marketers interested in that audience – or in decoding digital trends in general – sit up and take notice.

Feature data that adds depth and texture to your story

Focus on data that helps add texture and meaning to the story. B2B marketers need to convey what are often complex insights in short copy. Consequently, highlighting a data point that shows a different perspective around an established storyline piques people’s curiosity. 

In this Tweet, @Deloitte highlights the HR-related impact of companies adopting artificial intelligence. For audiences that follow AI topics, this stat shows a new dimension to an ongoing story and promises to expand their understanding.

With an abundance of data, it takes a discerning eye to figure out which insight will really appeal to audiences and foster engagement – whether that’s a Retweet or clicking through on a link. Look for insights that are unexpected, that relate to your customers’ most urgent problems, and that add new depth to well-trodden topics. These hero stats increase engagement and tell a story that your audience will love.

Ready to get started? Try out these tips by creating Twitter Ads of your own. Create a campaign today.

* Mindset Firefish; The Numbers Lab, 2016

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