How Google Dataset Search Can Benefit Your Marketing Plan

FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPinterest

About 15 months ago, Google launched a very important search feature – Google Dataset Search – for searching datasets. The launch went under the radar. Only a few news outlets carrying the story, many tech and marketing bloggers completely missing out on it.

However, Google did tweet about it several times, repeatedly reminding everyone about its potential. One of the more memorable tweets read;

“Announcing the launch of the Dataset Search, a new way for researchers to find the datasets they need.”

Google also stressed that dataset search allows users to find datasets “wherever they’re hosted.” This was on September 5, 2018.

Well, the project is now celebrating a significant milestone. Dataset Search is finally out of beta and available to all users, according to an announcement made by Google on January 24, 2020.

What Is It and What Does It Do?

A dataset is any structured collection of data. It is a file that contains one or more related records. As such, a public school file containing names and email addresses of teachers is called a dataset. The same applies to a census repository containing the demographic details of the people living in a particular city.

In the past, searching for this kind of information on search engines was not very easy. In most cases, even Google could only return articles or PDF documents. So, often, you could spend hours combing through results and sifting through CSV files in search of hard facts.

Google Dataset Search provides the first real way to search for datasets without the need to sort through endless articles in search results. Therefore, you can search a keyword and readily find datasets associated with it. The feature currently has over 25 million datasets.

How Marketers Can Benefit from Google Datasets and Dataset Search

Marketers stand to benefit immensely from this novel search tool. The following are just a few ways a marketer can use Google Datasets.

Search government sites with ease

Just about every marketer relies on government information to run their business. For example, you need to stay updated on law changes, taxes, etc. You may also need government stats (e.g., census data) to plan your marketing. Unlike in the past, when you had to search for hours to find this information, Google Datasets Search makes it much easier to search .gov sites for what you need.

Easily access datasets from research organizations

Aside from government information, marketers also need to occasionally look at industry reports and studies conducted by research firms. Unfortunately, since these datasets are often sensitive, access is, in most cases, restricted to facilitate the smooth flow of information. Google Dataset creates a standard that makes such information more accessible.

Discover vital information specific to your niche

You may, for instance, want to know how to boost your SEO and ways to improve your e-commerce store. This information is available on Google, even today. However finding structured sources isn’t easy because of the millions of articles you typically have to flip through. The Dataset Search feature allows you to quickly access hard data from reputable sources on any topic you want.

Publish your own datasets to stamp your authority

Finally, by making it possible for everyone to publish their work through schema.org. Dataset Search by Google gives marketers an excellent platform to establish themselves as industry leaders. Establish yourself as an authority in your industry, by publishing your reports and market research regularly in Dataset Searches.

Don’t Be Left Behind

Even though the project is still in its infancy stages, Google Dataset Search can already be of significant benefit to your marketing plans. We recommend exploring dataset searches on the Google Search Dataset Engine.