Search Influence Turns 10, Gives Away $10K to Local Business

January 15th, 2016 by Search Influence

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This past Wednesday was National Make Your Dreams Come True Day. Three lucky people won the largest Powerball payout in the history of the world, an estimated $1.6 billion. While none of my co-workers have come forward with a winning ticket, we all were lucky enough to attend Search Influence’s 10-Year Anniversary Celebration here in our New Orleans office. And what a party it was.

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More pics can be seen here.

Influencers, along with clients, city officials, family, and friends, enjoyed finger foods and adult beverages while reminiscing about how much we have accomplished in just 10 short years. A company timeline can be viewed here. It’s amazing that what began in a spare bedroom in Will and Angie Scott’s home after Hurricane Katrina has now grown to be the largest online marketing company on the Gulf Coast. Guess their idea of helping businesses succeed online had merit! Search Influence now employs 85 full-time employees in New Orleans and 150 contract writers. Not too shabby, huh?

Other highlights include the following:

  • May 2007 – Search Influence hires its third employee, Amy Arnold. As the longest tenured employee, she has since logged over 17,850 hours toward SEO research.
  • June 2010 – With 14 employees, Search Influence outgrows its home office and moves to new digs on Jackson Street.
  • February 2011 – One of the biggest SEO changes occurs—Google’s Panda launch—and it is a big deal. It targeted high-quality sites, pushing them up to the top of search results. To date, Search Influence has helped its clients maneuver 22 major Google updates.
  • June 2011 – Having outgrown the office space in just 12 months, Search Influence packs up and moves to Oak Street with 33 employees.
  • August 2011 – Inc. magazine releases its 30th annual Inc. 500, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Search Influence is included as an honoree on the prestigious list.
  • June 2012 – Search Influence is named in the first ever Flyover 50, a list compiled by Five Elms Capital to highlight the 50 fastest-growing companies in the middle of the country. Only two New Orleans companies make the list.
  • August 2012 – Search Influence becomes the Gulf Coast’s largest Google AdWords Certified Partner. Today, we have five Adwords-certified professionals on staff.
  • December 2013 – Will and Angie Scott are included on the Silicon Bayou 100 list of the most influential leaders in Louisiana’s startup, entrepreneurial, tech, and digital communities.
  • July 2014 – Search Influence moves from its beloved Oak Street office to the 13th floor of the Exchange Centre in the Central Business District. Our offices currently take up over 14,000 square feet.
  • September 2014 – Search Influence is named one of the 12th annual Best Places to Work honorees by New Orleans City Business.
  • August 2015 – Search Influence is chosen as one of 29 New Orleans-based startups named to the NOLA100, a group of companies leading the local entrepreneurship movement.
  • October 2015 – The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and Fortune announce that Search Influence was selected for the 2015 Inner City 100, a list of the fastest-growing inner city businesses in the U.S. Search Influence ranked 51 overall on the list of 100 and was one of only two LA businesses.

To commemorate the event, Search Influence also gave away $10,000 worth of free online marketing services to one New Orleans-based business in our “Make Your Dreams Come True” 10K Giveaway. New Orleans Shotokan Academy won the contest by receiving the most number of votes via Search Influence’s Facebook page between December 28, 2015, and January 8, 2016. Other finalists included Jolie & Elizabeth, Red Stick Gutters, Offbeat Media, and Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana.

Search Influence Awards $10K

“We are happy to be celebrating 10 years in business and are thrilled that we can offer another small business the chance to grow,” said Will Scott, CEO and co-founder of Search Influence. “New Orleans Shotokan Academy will be able to redeem the $10,000 prize for online marketing services, including search engine optimization (SEO) and social media management,” he added.

According to New Orleans Shotokan Academy Owner Dimitri Papadopoulos, “This is a dream come true. Winning this contest will bring our program to new heights and give us opportunity to establish our company in the New Orleans community.”

I am looking forward to see what Will, Angie and the team will be able to accomplish in the next 10 years (2025—can you imagine what online marketing will look like?). For now, I am happy to be working at a place that values culture, celebrates milestones, and gives back to the community like Search Influence does. #WhoNeedsPowerball #DreamJob

Photo cutline: Search Influence, the largest online marketing company on the Gulf Coast, recently awarded $10,000 in online marketing services to New Orleans Shotokan Academy in its “Make Your Dreams Come True” $10K Giveaway. Pictured are New Orleans Councilman-At-Large Jason Williams, Search Influence COO and Co-Founder Angie Scott, Search Influence CEO and Co-Founder Will Scott, and New Orleans Shotokan Academy Owner Dimitri Papadopoulos.