I’m Loving New Google Databoards!
It’s no secret that numbers, graphs, and charts can speak volumes in communicating statistics-based, or research-focused content. They can build credibility and authority and show that you are in touch with what’s happening in your field.
Google, not surprisingly, has a vast amount of data at its virtual fingertips about what is happening in the digital universe, and has now introduced Google Databoard for Research Insights to help us easily access superb facts and figures that we can use to enhance our written content in certain topics – by automatically creating infographics for us to use and share.
“Need some stats for a presentation? You shouldn’t have to go data mining. We’ve created this interactive tool to help you quickly find what you need from our vast archives of industry-leading research. It’ll even help you tell a story from the stats, turning selected charts and data points into infographics that you can share.” Google, September 2013
Digital Focus – Initially
When you arrive at the Google Databoard page it is just seconds before you have access to countless stats in clear and easy to read charts and graphs. The information current available is broken down into five (initial) internet-related categories:
- Mobile Search Moments
- The New Multi Screen World
- Mobile Instore Research
- Our Mobile Planet
- You Tube Insights
Select the area that relates to the topic about which you’re writing…….. and prepare to be impressed.
A Little Fine Tuning
As you make your way through the information you can click “Add to Infographic” button which sets up a ‘shopping cart’ in which you can hold the content and stats pages you wish to feature in your report.
Keep an eye on your shopping cart icon to show the number of graphics as you add them. Once you are satisfied you have covered all you need, you can review and amend your infographic. On the right is part of one I created to illustrate.
Very Adaptable with a Glitch
Once your infographic is complete you have the choice of email the infographic link or post the infographic to your Google+ page. By emailing it to yourself, you are able to use the images in documents, presentations or online – but there is a glitch. Because the infographic has been compiled from several different images, it saves as separate images as well, i.e. you can’t save the whole, combined, infographic.
This is the first element of the example infographic:
But from a content creation perspective I don’t think this is a big deal. By having separate infographics per set of statistics, it encourages you to ‘discuss’ each one in turn.
All in all it’s a great little tool to add to your arsenal of information especially for those who publish or present content, articles and blogs on online marketing, advertising, conversions, e-commerce, mobile markets etc.
Why not check it out and you’ll probably find a way to make Google Databoard work for you too.
Leave a Reply