Communicating statistics with impact
7-minute read
Last update: November 2025
We communications people aren’t always known for our prowess with data and statistics. If, like me, you left maths behind at secondary school, writing about numbers might feel intimidating. But the good news is, it doesn’t have to be.
While a well-chosen statistic can be enough to get people’s attention, using too many figures will soon overwhelm readers. Here’s my guide to choosing and using numbers with care.
The power of statistics
Communications experts will often say that if you want people to act, you should appeal to their emotions – I’m one of them. But in reality, you can’t separate emotions from reason: the two work in tandem to support our decision-making. Presenting statistics and data can help people rationalise their decisions.
Used in the right way, numbers can make a real impact. A surprising figure can get people to sit up and take notice, tapping into their emotional response and bringing them onside with your cause. Laying out the figures behind your story can strengthen an argument and help people understand an issue.
But of course, we have a responsibility to present the evidence accurately. There’s an old adage that if you look hard enough, you can find data to support any argument – but our job as communicators isn’t to scaremonger or raise false hopes.
Statistical literacy in the UK
Before we go further, a word about numeracy skills in the UK. Research on the topic is patchy, but a number of studies and surveys have revealed some important insights:
Just under half of people in England’s Skills for Life Survey 2011 had numeracy skills equivalent to the school curriculum for 9-11-year-olds or below.
A 2020 survey for the Financial Conduct Authority showed that 1 in 3 people had poor or low levels of numeracy related to financial concepts.
The Survey of Adult Skills 2023 found that in England, 1 in 5 adults have low numeracy proficiency.
A 2020 report from the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence found people had a better understanding of economic concepts they could easily relate to their own lives. For example, they were more likely to understand inflation and interest rates than gross domestic product.
In other words, a decent number of people out there are fairly hesitant about numbers, especially if they feel abstract and not relevant to daily life. This reinforces the need to present them in a way that’s easy for people to grasp.
Communicating statistics for impact
So how do we make sure the statistics we use to support our arguments earn their keep?
Less is more
A few powerful statistics can back up a well-crafted argument, but too many numbers can be hard to take in, and even harder to remember. So keep it simple, and choose your stats wisely – pick the ones that are most surprising, and which illustrate your point most convincingly.
Make it human
It’s important to have statistics showing the scale of the problem you’re dealing with. But illustrating the numbers with individual stories will help your readers understand the problem on a human level.
Why was the nation so gripped by the story of the Post Office Horizon scandal? It’s been described as the widest miscarriage of justice in British history, affecting more than 900 people – a big stat. But it was the very real and devastating effect on the lives of individuals that hit home. That human impact, combined with the scale of the injustice, gets our attention.
And on a related note…
Reframe it
Can you picture 55,000 people? Nope, me neither.
But what if you knew that they could fill London’s O2 Arena three times over? Or that 55,000 people a year being diagnosed with a condition equates to someone diagnosed every 10 minutes – the time it takes to drink your morning cuppa?
Getting creative with the way you present numbers can help people make sense of them, so take time to think about how you can reframe them.
Give context
When you use a number, think about whether background context might help it have more impact.
A small local charity might, at first glance, be supporting a relatively low number of people. But if that support is provided by a tiny, dedicated workforce, or the number is growing year on year, it starts to look very different. (And of course, don’t forget to show people what your service means to the people who use it.)
Show, don’t just tell
Charts, graphs and infographics can really bring figures to life and help people make sense of an issue. And if they’re well-designed, they can be a joy to look at!
Getting your numbers (and your message) right
Of course, we want to grab attention – but if our numbers are inaccurate or misleading, we’re doing our readers a disservice.
Be sure of your numbers
If you don’t know the source for a statistic, or how old it is, you’re better off not using it. it can be tempting to rely on an obscure figure if you’re lacking better, up-to-date statistics. But if that’s the case, it’s time for a conversation with your colleagues about how you can gather the data you need.
Compare like with like
Being consistent in the way we present numbers makes them much easier to compare and understand. That sometimes means digging into how a number was calculated.
For example, two studies one year apart might seem to show a decline in the number of people experiencing homelessness. But if they used different methods to count people, it’s harder to compare the findings – and it’s important to be upfront about this.
Know your averages
This month alone, I’ve seen headlines about average house prices, average salaries, even average Christmas spending. But it’s rare to see any explanation of whether the average used is the mean, median or mode.
It’s important to understand which type of average is most appropriate for your data. The mean is most commonly used, but it’s not always the most suitable. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), for example, uses the median to describe average UK salaries, because a small number of very high earners would skew the picture if the mean was used.
Correlation is not causation
Remember that data can only tell us so much. Just because a study shows that tall people are more likely to enjoy marmite than short people, that doesn’t mean being tall is the cause.
Before saying that ‘x causes y’, check what type of study you’re talking about – observational studies can’t tell us about causal effects. And if there’s uncertainty in the data, or a limit to what a figure can tell us, explain this. That honesty will help build trust in your message.
Think about absolute risk, not just relative risk
“Gut complaint could raise your Parkinson's risk by 75%”
That’s a real headline I came across while researching this post. It’s talking about relative risk – the risk for people with damage to part of the gut, compared to people without this damage. It’s a scary number, especially if you’re someone who’s experienced gut problems.
But when the article talks about the absolute risk – the overall chance of developing Parkinson’s – we discover that 2.2% of study participants with gut damage were diagnosed with the disease, compared to 0.5% of those without it.
The difference between these groups is clearly worth researching, but a 2 in 100 chance of developing Parkinson’s feels much less worrying than the headline suggests. It’s worth remembering that how you communicate figures can have a real impact for the people who read them.
Helpful resources
If all this feels a bit overwhelming, help is at hand. There are some great resources out there to help you communicate numbers, including:
The Accessible Numbers project, which gives tips on presenting numbers and data clearly. Some are focused on visual design, but there are tips for writers too.
The ONS, whose free webinar series on ‘Bringing Data to Life’ is available to watch on demand.
Your own colleagues! If you’re a comms person working with scientists or other experts, don’t be afraid to ask them questions. Chances are, if you’re unclear about something, your readers will be too.
Need support developing some stats-based copy? Get in touch to discuss how I may be able to help.
