SEO Survey Results

A few weeks ago I posted a link to a survey about search engine optimization with the incentive of one of those who filled out the survey being able to win an iPod Clip Shuffle.

And the winner is Joel H. There’s probably only one of you Joel, so I think you know who you are. Contact me Joel, unless you prefer I give the prize to someone else.

If you would like to know more about the survey results, continue reading.

First of all, if you’re curious as to how I chose the winner, there were 120 people who submitted their email addresses, so I put them in a spreadsheet, and used a web-based random number generator to pick a number with the lowest possible value being 1 and the highest possible value being 120 (yes, if you were 1 or 120 you were included). It chose 57, which was Joel. The funny part is that I chose the wrong column of email addresses the first time and it chose 103, which was Wendell, but then I realized my error and had to redo it. So close Wendell, so close.

Now, here are the results. The two links below are spreadsheets, one with full, detailed results (sans any personal information, although if there is any in the essay answers I wouldn’t have caught it), as well as summary results. The HTML displayed below shows the summary results.

Spreadsheet – Full, detailed results
Spreadsheet – Summary results

Summary Results

1. What comes to your mind when you hear “search engine optimization”? Total Respondents 124 (skipped this question) 0

2. Prior to taking this survey, did you know that “SEO” stood for “search engine optimization”? Response Percent Response Total Yes 64.5% 80 No 35.5% 44 Total Respondents 124 (skipped this question) 0

3. Which of the following applies? Response Percent Response Total We do SEO on our website, and we do it internally 23.4% 29 We do SEO on our website, and we use an outside firm 11.3% 14 We have done SEO on our website in the past, and did it internally 21% 26 We have done SEO on our website in the past, and we used an outside firm 10.5% 13 We have never done SEO on our website but are considering it 24.2% 30 We have never done SEO on our website, nor are we planning on it 16.9% 21 Not applicable 10.5% 13 Total Respondents 124 (skipped this question) 0

4. The services offered by SEO firms can be divided into two types; advice on what needs to be done to a website to optimize it, and the actual work to make those changes to the website. How much would you expect to pay to receive only the advice/consulting service? Response Percent Response Total $2,500+/month 0% 0 $1,000-$2,500/month 4.8% 6 $501-$1,000/month 12.1% 15 $251-500/month 15.3% 19 $100-$250/month 20.2% 25 I would not pay for this service 21% 26 Other (please specify) 26.6% 33 Total Respondents 124 (skipped this question) 0

5. How much would you expect to pay for both services? Response Percent Response Total $10,000+/month 0% 0 $5,000-10,000/month 4% 5 $2,501-$5,000/month 9.7% 12 $1,001-$2,500/month 16.1% 20 $500-$1,000/month 34.7% 43 I would not pay for this service 12.1% 15 Other (please specify) 23.4% 29 Total Respondents 124 (skipped this question) 0

6. Please share any thoughts, ideas, or experiences you have had with SEO and/or SEO firms (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Total Respondents 99 (skipped this question) 25

7. If you would like to be entered in a drawing to win a free iPod Clip Shuffle please enter your email address. We won’t sell your email address, spam you, or anything like that, but we may notify you once our new SEO service becomes available. Total Respondents 120 (skipped this question) 4