In an otherwise unpredictable time for content marketers, original research is a safe bet. It works-as a brand play, a content engine, and a pipeline generator. But if you don't know how it works, it can seem like a risky investment of your limited time and budget. How do you make the most of original research?

By starting with an educated guess: your hypothesis. Since you can't afford to take a shot in the dark, identifying the story you hope to find in the data really matters. Long before you send a survey, the right hypothesis can majorly de-risk your original research spend-and it does a whole lot more. It:

Focuses the final report from the start.
Aligns the project with business goals and marketing priorities.
Refines survey questions for better responses and results.