Founder - April McClellan, B.Ed, M.A.
My path to Search Engine Marketing (SEM) for Small Businesses & Nonprofits, specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Contet Strategy and Google Ad Grants for non-profits is anything but conventional.
In fact, I do not even consider myself to be a marketing professional, and I consider THAT to be my unique selling point.
Let me explain.
My Path to Search Engine Marketing
I started out as an English Major and elite basketball player with big dreams. When I encountered a career-ending back injury along with a serendipitous opportunity to solve quality issues for a premier automotive parts producer, I discovered my natural talent for developing creative technology solutions for human-centered business issues.
After extensive consultation with all stakeholders, I personally designed, developed and implemented a touchscreen application providing easy access to parts quality information, right on the production line. The reduction in quality errors was extensive and this application was cited as an important factor in the organization passing an international quality standards audit. I am dating myself, but this solution was ahead of its time being slightly before Google was born, and certainly before the explosion of cell phones.
As a technology professional in the early days, I stood out for my ‘people skills’ and have always been customer-centric, driving design from customer and user goals and needs while acting as a bridge between business people and techies. For more than a decade I built my expertise in enterprise desktop and web application development in for-profit and public service industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to energy utilities to a large pension fund to a a large educational non-profit.
During these years I volunteered my time as a pro-bono Management Consultant for non-profits as part of Endeavour Volunteer Consulting for Non-Profits and was introduced to the vision and mission-based world of those seeking to have a positive impact on human systems change.
I had experienced years of the challenges that technology systems change can bring to human systems, and that prompted me to go back to graduate school to expand my knowledge of working with human systems for effectively managing change across both systems.
My Masters degree in Applied Human Sciences led me to working for a few years with small non-profits in Organizational Development and Strategic Planning as well as in social research, policy development and community engagement at the municipal level.
Obstacles and Opportunities on the Journey
My life was interrupted again by an unexpected injury, a concussion from being hit by a car while cycling, and my family and I decided to make a major move from the big city to a small town to be closer to nature to help with my recovery.
Before jumping into a new role, I chose to wait and see what would be needed of me in this new location.
In the meantime, I volunteered with a local nature conservation nonprofit organization, ended up leading their fundraising committee, raising double the goal and becoming Vice President. It was in this volunteer role, that another serendipitous opportunity appeared that needed my passion for social impact, technical skills, creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Search Engine Marketing for Nonprofits & Small Business
Enter stage left. A Marketing Manager role with a Nonprofit trails organization to promote Cycling Tourism in my new home.
Enter stage right. Digital Marketing, including Search Engine Marketing, On-page & Technical SEO, Google Ad Grants, Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, Content and Product Development and Social Media Marketing.
So, what makes me unique as a SEO Consultant and Google Ad Grants expert for non-profits?
One. I am NOT a marketing professional. I am not interested in marketing for the sake of marketing or technology for the sake of technology. I even use ad-blockers… but I am a professional Business Analyst with over 2 decades of diverse experience understanding what people and businesses need and want, their challenges, and designing solutions with positive user experiences.
Two. I have all the technical skills and business experience to be your advocate with techies or to do some of the technical work myself. I am NOT a web developer focused on technical details BUT I can ‘speak their language’, translate your goals into technical language and translate the techie language into english for you.
Technical skills are critical because search engine optimization, effective Google Ads and your online visibility have A LOT to do with how well your website performs.
Three. I AM focused on helping non-profits achieve their mission & helping small business owners realize their vision – by finding the people online who want and need what you are offering.
I choose to do the work I do with nonprofits and small businesses to contribute positively to my community and to society.
