3 Reasons Why Public Domain Databases Are Underrated
The first time I found data.gov…I was blown away. There was more original, raw data about all the things than I could possibly process. It turns out that there are so many databases in the public domain…they just don’t have anyone advertising them.
Get Original, Unfiltered Data
Did you know that nearly all weather data for the US comes from the National Weather Service? Yeah, the Weather Channel, WeatherNation, Accuweather – all of them – are just presentation companies? All they do is make pretty graphics.
They even lobbied Congress to ban the National Weather Service from making a pretty website. And yet – the National Weather Service is where all the data comes from. It’s the same for so many datasets. Forget journalists, news websites, etc – just go get the original data from the government agency. Sure, it’s in an ugly spreadsheet, but it’s unfiltered and available for your own use.
Use It However You Want
Did you know that any work published by the US government is in the public domain? And you can use it for free, however you want? Do a little digging and a little Google Slides work..and you have your own creative asset. I’ve used it so many times for clients and personal projects.
They Are Older & More Accurate Than Most Private Databases
If public agencies do one thing well, it’s record-keeping. Only a few organizations like Gallup, or industry associations can come close. This longevity is incredible for long-term research.
Head to data.gov and explore around!
