In my recent chat with Andy Choi of Do Good Points, I was struck by his emphasis on combining profit with social good. It’s something I’ve believed for years – we don’t need to choose between making money and making a difference. As I told Andy about my park cleanup initiative, I’ve seen firsthand how combining community service with SEO and PR creates a win-win: “Go clean up your community and I’ll get you more organic traffic which generates more business.”

The data backs this up too. Andy pointed out that 70% of Gen Z won’t associate with brands that don’t reflect their values, and both millennials and Gen Z will pay more for socially conscious brands. This isn’t just feel-good fluff – it’s a marketing advantage that builds genuine connections.

You can learn more about Andy’s approach at Do Good Points, where businesses can start incorporating social impact into your marketing plan.

Creating Brand Equity Through Authentic Social Impact

What I found most interesting in our conversation was how authentic social good creates SEO value naturally. When brands genuinely show up for causes they believe in, they generate what Andy called “SEO gold” – valuable content and engagement that wasn’t even their primary goal.

 Research from Edelman’s 2020 Good Purpose Study found that 79% of consumers believe that it is the responsibility of businesses to solve societal problems and not just government and NGOs. The same study found that 69% of consumers want companies to take the lead on critical social issues, even if it means sacrificing profits.

This fits perfectly with my evolving view of SEO. We’ve moved beyond optimizing for things, then strings, to now understanding intent and values. As I discussed with Andy, we need to ask: “Where are people living in terms of society? What’s important to them? Is it their connection to community? Is it their connection to nature?”

” I have my own effort to do park cleanups, but combined with SEO and PR to incentivize my clients, hey, go clean up your community and I’ll get you more organic traffic which generates more business. So do some social good in exchange for, you know, the ad revenue that you would have spent somewhere else. You know, if you’re a car dealership you can make a difference in the real world, use your marketing dollars to support the community you’re in, make it better.”

Andy put it well when he said brands that don’t stand for something don’t stand for anything. In my years of SEO work, I’ve created millions in revenue for companies, but I’ve realized the most powerful strategy combines digital expertise with real-world impact. When you align your business with values that resonate with your audience, you’re not just optimizing for algorithms – you’re connecting with what truly matters to people. This can also be an educational effort on your part, if you’re Classic City CPR, then a natural part of your business is education, so finding community centers where you can offer staff lessons, or offer support for similar events, then you’re doing social good while also promoting your own company.

“What tells you more about someone than the causes that they believe in? Our greatest resource is our time, and what we’re willing to give our time up for – those are the things that we make margin for.” – Andy Choi