Commissioned Research for Law Firms: How a 4,322-Person Survey Became a National PR Story

When a law firm wants to be quoted by journalists, cited by other websites, and found by people searching for answers, opinion is not enough. Journalists and search engines reward evidence. That is the case for commissioned research for law firms — and it is exactly what Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys, LLP came to us for.

This is the behind-the-scenes story of how Cherry Data Signals designed, fielded, and packaged a two-part study of 4,322 U.S. drivers and motorcyclists into a white paper called 'The Invisible Rider* — an asset built to earn press pickup, backlinks, and long-term search visibility.

The Brief: A Data-Backed Story, Not Another Blog Post

Bisnar Chase runs a serious motorcycle accident practice. They did not need another generic "top 10 safety tips" article — the internet is saturated with those, and none of them earn a link or a headline.

What they wanted was original data: a study that could support their practice with real numbers, give journalists something to cite, and stand up to scrutiny. In short, they wanted a data-driven PR campaign anchored in evidence, not opinion.

That is the difference between content that fills a blog and content that becomes a story. Our job was to produce the second kind.

Why Our Data Holds Up to Scrutiny

Credibility is the product. If a statistic cannot survive a skeptical journalist or a fact-checker, it is worthless — worse, it is a liability. So the methodology behind a custom survey research agency engagement matters as much as the findings.

Here is how we fielded the Bisnar Chase study:

That is a lot of scaffolding for one survey. But it is the reason the numbers held up when they went out into the world. A white paper research firm that skips these steps ships data that collapses under the first hard question.

The Findings That Gave the Study Its Hook

We produced a lot of data. But a study needs a narrative spine — the handful of numbers that make an editor lean forward. These were the standouts:

Each of these does specific narrative work: one sets up the problem, one adds emotional stakes, one offers a path forward, and one proves scale. That is not luck. Choosing which stats to lead with is part of the craft of survey-based content marketing.

Turning Raw Data Into a Story People Actually Want

Having numbers is not the same as having a story. The translation layer between the two is where most in-house content efforts stall — and where a market research firm for PR earns its keep.

For Bisnar Chase, we structured the raw data into 'The Invisible Rider*, a white paper published on bestattorney.com with:

This is the difference between "we have numbers" and "we have a story." A research study for content marketing only works when someone shapes the data into something a journalist can quote and a reader can follow.

What the Client Got

One fielded study did the work of a dozen content initiatives:

Earned Media Results: Real Pickup, Real Backlinks

The study did not sit on a landing page and wait for traffic. It was newsworthy on its own merits — and third-party outlets proved it.

The white paper was picked up and syndicated by publications including the [National Law Review](https://natlawreview.com/press-releases/new-survey-4322-drivers-and-riders-reveals-why-motorcyclists-remain) and the [Des Moines Register](https://www.desmoinesregister.com/press-release/story/96119/new-survey-of-4322-drivers-and-riders-reveals-why-motorcyclists-remain-invisible-on-the-road/). These are not paid placements. They are earned media mentions that deliver referral traffic, strengthen domain authority, and give the firm a permanent press citation to reference in future pitches and byline applications.

That is the kind of tangible, trackable ROI commissioned research delivers versus a standard blog post: referral traffic, real backlinks, and press citations that keep compounding. A blog post might get a few clicks and then fade. A well-run study becomes a citation source other people voluntarily link to — which is exactly how search engines and journalists decide who the experts are.

Why Commissioned Research Works as a Marketing Strategy

Step back from this one case, and the broader logic is simple.

Journalists and other websites cite original data, not opinion. There is an endless supply of takes and a scarce supply of new numbers — so numbers win attention and links. Original data earns backlinks that opinion pieces almost never do, because linking to a stat is how writers substantiate their own claims.

And a single fielded study can fuel months of derivative content: the headline finding, the regional breakdowns, the demographic splits, the expert commentary, the follow-up pitches. For any firm serious about a legal marketing content strategy, that is a far better return than churning out disposable blog posts.

This is why commissioned research for law firms — and for agencies and brands generally — keeps outperforming volume-based content. One credible study beats fifty forgettable articles.

Ready to Commission Your Own Study?

If you are a law firm marketing team, a legal marketing agency, or a brand that wants press-worthy, link-worthy content, commissioned research is the most durable asset you can build.

We handle everything: research design, panel sourcing, fielding, quality control, analysis, and packaging into a white paper or study your audience — and journalists — will actually cite.

Let's talk about the study only you could own. Use the form below to start the conversation, or click Request a Survey to tell us what story you want the data to tell.

FAQ: Commissioning a Research Study

How much does a commissioned research study cost?

It depends on sample size, screening complexity, and how the results are packaged. A tightly targeted study with a written white paper costs far less than most firms expect — and because the output is reusable across PR, SEO, and social, the cost is spread across months of content. Get in touch for a scoped quote.

How long does it take to run a survey-based white paper?

Fielding a survey can take as little as a few days once the questionnaire is finalized. Turning the data into a fully structured white paper — with themed sections, quotes, methodology, and an FAQ — typically takes a couple of weeks end to end, depending on scope and review cycles.

What makes research PR-worthy?

Three things: original data no one else has, a clear narrative hook (a surprising or emotionally resonant finding), and a methodology solid enough to survive scrutiny. A stat that is new, interesting, and defensible is what gets a study quoted and linked.

Why hire a research firm instead of running a survey in-house?

The value is in the quality controls and the translation layer. A dedicated white paper research firm brings double opt-in panels, bot detection, human review, and the editorial craft to turn raw numbers into a story. That is what makes the difference between data that gets ignored and data that earns coverage.