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The Search Social Media Project:
How Do Small Businesses Use SEO and SMM?
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Summer, 2011
Search isn't solitary. It's social! For SEO, it's your keywords - which reflect what you have, but also what they want. For Social Media Marketing - of course, it's a 24/7 conversation between you and customers and among customers themselves as to what's cool, what's recommended, what's hot and what's not.
Our summer, 2011, survey and YouTube research project investigated:
- Where do small businesses see the biggest marketing opportunities? SEO? Social Media? Twitter? Facebook?
- How do small business owners and marketers rate the skill level of their teams?
- For SEO - do they know their goals? Understand how to implement? Measure effectively?
- For Social Media Marketing - do they know their goals? Understand how to implement? Measure effectively?
Project Overview
First, we asked over 20,000 people on our mailing list to evaluate opportunities and grade their teams. We had over 340 responses, giving us a very significant statistical level of confidence (we'll spare the details). Second, we asked for anecdotal responses as to what works, and what doesn't - success stories, and horror stories. Third, we hit the road - traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area to Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Orlando, Washington, DC., Utah, and Nevada. We interviewed more than ten small business marketers or owners in all and videotaped their successes, horror stories, and even a 'message to Google.'
For small business owners, therefore, we hope that the Search Social Media project is food for thought - ways to see what your peers think works, and what doesn't. Enjoy the results!
Contents
- Video - we interviewed quite a few small business owners over our 8500 mile trip. Take a moment to watch other small business marketers share their business value propositions, how the Internet has changed their businesses, horror stories, success stories, and finally a 'message to Google.' Then read the quantitative and written data below for a wider view towards how search is now, social.
- JM Internet Group on YouTube - our channel.
- Search Social Media Project - the project begins, and we explain our project.
- Message to Google - small business owners convey what they would say to the Internet giant (good, bad, sad, funny...) if the Internet giant would only listen! :-)
- Success Stories - we asked our interview candidates their 'success stories' in Internet marketing, and here's what they said.
- Horror Stories - we asked our interview candidates for their 'horror stories' of Internet marketing, and they obliged.
- Small Business People Speak Out - one-on-one interviews with small business people on the Internet, SEO, and SMM -
- The Linen Gallery - Kathy Dessonville explains how an Omaha, NE, small business leverages the Internet to bring local customers into the source as well as expand her business into national and even international sales.
- Midwest Laboratories - Midwest Laboratories is an Omaha-based business active in agricultural and industrial sample testing. Brent Pohlman discusses their social media marketing and Google marketing strategies.
- Howard the Psychic - Howard Feldman explains how a Psychic can use the Internet to bring the insights of a gifted psychic to people curious about forces beyond that which is seen, and connect with an industry-leading psychic over the Net.
- The Microscopy and Imaging Place - Barbara Foster is an industry leader in the field of microscopy and imaging; she consults with start-up clients on how to enter and succeed in this high technology industry.
- Hoffbrau Steaks - Hoffbrau Steaks is one of the older, more established steak houses in the Dallas - Fort Worth Area. Listen in as Rainey Fogiel, their marketing manager, explains their Facebook strategy, how they use Twitter to stay in touch, and charts the transition from email marketing to social media marketing for a popular and family owned restaurant chain in Texas.
- Strategic Online Marketing - Wendy Taylor of Orlando, Florida, explains the in's and out's of small business Internet marketing.
- eFloridaGolf Inc. - Alan Darty of eSouthernGOLF explains how he and his company built an SEO-friendly website for Golf courses in Central Florida. The Internet has made finding a good golf course, and a good game of golf easier than ever.
- Bubbalou’s Bodacious BBQ - Bubbalou’s offers the best barbeque and catering in Orlando, but that’s not all you’ll find at the down-home, laid-back Central Florida establishment. Vivian Bissada explains how the Internet helps a local chain outcompete the big national chains.
- AIUM - Association for Medical Ultrasound - Jennifer Costello brings non-profit publicity into the picture; her organization builds awareness and membership using not just SEO but Social Media Marketing, including the NING platform.
- Continuum Marketing Group - David Alpert explains how the Internet has changed remodeler marketing, forever, and how the CMG helps remodeling companies climb to the top of Google via SEO and SMM.
- POMA - the Professional Outdoor Media Association helps its media members get the word out about outdoor sports including hunting and the shooting sports. Laurie Lee Dover explains how the Professional Outdoor Media Association works with members to promote hunting, fishing, and the shooting sports to members worldwide.
- Truckee Meadows Water - Truckee Meadows Water Systems provides water filtration, whole house water filters, and other water improvement technologies for people in Reno, NV, and the Lake Tahoe area. Mike Guidara explains how his company reaches customers in the Reno, NV, area on water issues.
- Jensen Law Group - Sandy Jensen of Jensen Law Group explains how SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Social Media have helped her law firm succeed in reaching foreclosure prevention and bankruptcy clients in Reno, NV.
- Quantitative Data and Anecdotes - graphs, charts, and stories submitted by over 340 individuals to our survey on SEO and SMM, summer, 2011.
- Opportunities - where small businesses see opportunities, both statistically speaking and in their own words.
- Team Performance - how do you grade your team on SEO? On Social Media Marketing? What do you get an 'A' in? What an 'F?' We asked marketers and business owners to grade their teams on their SEO / SMM knowledge as well as implementation of tasks. How does your team compare?
- Horror Stories - we've all had them... The Web designer who ran off with our passwords, the Facebook consultant with a sketchy pass, and the SEO guru who took our money and ran. Read the 'horror stories' of your peers!
- Success Stories - what works, and what doesn't? We asked respondents to share stories of their best SEO and/or Social Media Marketing successes. Read through the results - and get ideas!
- Demographics - information on the companies surveyed, such as business size.
- Appendices
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