“This really helped us find our blind spots. It gave us a new perspective and insights into what small and mid-sized businesses actually look for and talk about when it comes to Cloud computing, which means we can engage with them much more effectively.“

Mark Johnston, Head of Digital

Introduction

Microsoft continually seeks to optimise the way it engages and helps small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Given the relative newness of Cloud computing, Microsoft wanted to be certain that its content strategy was delivering the value that SMBs were looking for.

Approach

Using Social Media Research we conducted a broad scan of blogs, websites and forums to pick up conversations about Cloud computing – focusing in on the UK’s SMBs.

We then analysed the raw data using qualitative research techniques. This enabled us to:

• Understand current attitudes, expectations and demand drivers for Cloud computing.
• Observe where, how and with whom these conversations are occurring.
• Evaluate how different providers and products are perceived.

Results

Based on our analysis we were able to provide Microsoft with insights and a tailored action plan that:

• Helps them develop better content and reach specific interest groups.
• Refine and optimise its search campaigns.