Ranking the World’s Friendliest Nations Through Data-Driven Digital PR for Remitly

How a scientifically-backed study earned high-authority links and long-term SEO value

To help global remittance brand Remitly reach international audiences and build high-quality backlinks, we launched a digital PR campaign with a twist: a data-driven ranking of the world’s friendliest nations, backed by scientific methodology. By leveraging the Big 5 Personality Test and surveying participants across 27 countries, we created a compelling and credible story that tapped into both lifestyle media and the customer journey of Remitly’s audience.

What we did

Brand campaigns

Research & insight

Content

The results

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organic clicks since launch (surpassing target by 220%)

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pieces of coverage

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social engagements (exceeding target by 220%)

The challenge

We had to ensure credibility and differentiation in a crowded media landscape where “friendliest nations” rankings are often based on anecdotal evidence or clickbait surveys. These lack authority and are easily dismissed by journalists and audiences alike. To secure global media interest and high-quality backlinks across international markets, we needed to craft a story with broad cultural relevance while ensuring local resonance.

Our approach

We turned to the Big 5 Personality Test, focusing on the ‘agreeableness’ trait to measure friendliness in a scientifically valid and globally recognised way. Using Prolific, we surveyed 3,000 participants across 27 different countries, assessing responses against a simplified version of the ‘agreeableness’ section of the test. We then calculated the average score for each country to determine a ranked list of the world’s friendliest nations.

This rigorous methodology gave our story the credibility needed to land in top-tier media and resonate globally. By leveraging this framework, we ensured our rankings were based on an objective measure of personality rather than personal opinion or cultural stereotypes. To maximise global reach, we tailored our media outreach by region, drawing on insights from the 27 countries surveyed to make our angles locally relevant and journalist-friendly. By applying a rigorous research methodology, we transformed a widely debated topic into a definitive and data-driven ranking that journalists couldn’t help but write about.

“Propellernet is a creative and importantly consistent Digital PR partner that continues to impress us with link-building campaigns that offer something a little different from the rest."

George Driscoll, Global Digital PR Lead at Remitly