How Social Media Marketing Drives Business Growth Through Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Evidence from U.S. B2C Small Businesses

The current preprint examines whether an increase in social media marketing intensity (SMMI) can lead to growth in a U.S. B2C small business, but indirectly through improved search engine optimization performance (SEOP). The premise is a straightforward chain from improved SMMI as a driver to improved SEOP, and then to improved business growth metrics such as increased leads or sales. The simulation model, used to format this piece, found SMMI to reliably predict SEOP, and then SEOP to predict business growth while controlling for several firm-level variables. The indirect effect here is positive, as determined through a bootstrapping procedure. While this should be replicated in a live study, the data suggests a “social distribution + SEO” model as a cost-effective route to growth.