Turning data into compelling, media-worthy stories.
OKCupid has a simple, yet reliable, formula for transforming data into viral PR moments.
Behind every campaign or clever headline from the dating app is the “OKCupid Playbook,” a process for turning user insights into press-worthy stories, Michael Kaye, director of brand marketing and communications, said during Ragan’s PR Daily Conference.
Kaye described five steps that OkCupid follows to execute these campaigns that capture attention and ultimately drive engagement.
- Identify the trend: Every great story starts with listening, Kaye said. “We’re paying attention to what the media are covering or we’re doing social listening,” he said. Sometimes, it’s as simple as noticing what people are talking about “with our friends and family and coworkers.” By staying tuned in to everyday conversations, the brand finds topics that feel both current and relatable. Organizations can benefit by creating lists, discussion boards or using internal channels to monitor current or emerging trends.
- Source the data: Once the team spots the trend, OKCupid looks to its community for answers. “Either we have matching questions already in our app, or if not, we’re gonna be adding matching questions,” Kaye said. That means new data starts flowing in fast from its own audience, he said, often “within 48 to 72 hours.” This quick turnaround keeps campaigns relevant to what’s happening in the moment. Brands should engage their audience, collect input through surveys, social media and other feedback options. This will inform how data is used, Kaye said.
- Analyze and understand it: Kaye admits that numbers can be intimidating but insists they’re essential. “For anyone here who’s uncomfortable with data or numbers, you gotta get over that,” he said. Early in his role, Kaye asked the OKCupid data science team to “train me like a data analyst” so he could work independently. Comms teams, especially, need to learn to understand and interpret data to make smarter decisions, faster, he said. Work as a team internally to ensure that everyone understands what metrics are important and how to interpret those measurements so the campaign accomplishes its goals, Kaye said.
- Build a narrative: Data on its own doesn’t make headlines, however. The story does. Once Kaye’s team understands the data, they can shape it into narratives that resonate. This means using what you’ve learned to build out a campaign, he said. For Kaye, this is also about standing out from competitors, he said. “OkCupid has been around for 20 years,” Kaye said. “So where can I win? I can win with data.” Tell a compelling story, but use data to provide legitimacy for it.
- Activate the playbook: The final step is putting the insights to work. How can the data help shape the next campaign? What channels feel appropriate to tell the story? What new insights were learned about the audience? Kaye uses OKCupid’s findings to fuel “brand campaign creative inspiration, PR stories, brand partnerships or the right influencers to work with.” More attention brings more daters, which brings more data, powering the cycle all over again, he said. “It’s sort of our playbook in action,” Kaye said. “And it works pretty quickly.”
To learn even more tips for great PR campaigns, head over to view this presentation and more at Ragan Training here.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
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