Same Platform, Different Outcomes: Metadata Practices and Open Data Use

Publishing government data is only the beginning. How can public organizations actually help people find, understand, and use what they release? Drawing on an analysis of 5,863 datasets published by 15 U.S. cities using the same open data platform, this study links choices about titles, descriptions, tags, licensing, and supporting documentation to observed views and downloads. The results highlight why some metadata practices matter more than others for OGD use and why usability requires attention to both platform design and organizational practice. Findings provide evidence to inform publishing priorities, metadata standards, and efforts to translate OGD investments into accessible, usable information.