KELO notes Google's claim that the search giant helped generate $55.6 million in economic activity in South Dakota in 2013. According to Google's nationwide economic report, that's the third-lowest amount of Googly economic activity, behind only Alaska and North Dakota.
A low raw-dollar figure is to be expected, since we have the fifth-lowest state population. But compare the per-capita economic impact Google has in our region:
Google EconActiv (millions) | Biz/Orgs using Google Ads | population (2013) | Google EconActiv per capita | |
SD | $55.6 | 2,300 | 844,877 | $65.81 |
MN | $1,900.0 | 24,000 | 5,420,380 | $350.53 |
IA | $147.0 | 8,900 | 3,090,416 | $47.57 |
ND | $52.7 | 1,600 | 723,393 | $72.85 |
MT | $64.0 | 4,000 | 1,015,165 | $63.04 |
NE | $1,400.0 | 6,000 | 1,868,516 | $749.26 |
WY | $70.2 | 1,800 | 582,658 | $120.48 |
Google stirred up $65.81 in economic activity per South Dakotan in 2013. Google thus rang the relative till harder here than in Iowa or Montana. But in Wyoming, Google generated almost twice as much business per person. In Minnesota, there was over five times as much Google economic juice per person, and in Nebraska, over eleven times.
The national per-capita figure for Google economic activity was $353.65. Here's a list of all states (plus DC) with population and Google economic impact per capita:
Rank | State | population (2013) | Google Econ/Activ | Google Econ/Activ per capita |
1 | District of Columbia | 646,449 | 882 | $1,392.43 |
2 | New York | 19,651,127 | 18300 | $934.81 |
3 | Massachusetts | 6,692,824 | 5800 | $872.80 |
4 | Vermont | 626,630 | 522 | $833.93 |
5 | Nebraska | 1,868,516 | 1400 | $754.57 |
6 | California | 38,332,521 | 25400 | $668.42 |
7 | Illinois | 12,882,135 | 8100 | $629.46 |
8 | Utah | 2,900,872 | 1760 | $616.49 |
9 | Washington | 6,971,406 | 4200 | $609.11 |
10 | Nevada | 2,790,136 | 1280 | $464.72 |
11 | Connecticut | 3,596,080 | 1520 | $423.19 |
12 | Minnesota | 5,420,380 | 1900 | $353.18 |
13 | Colorado | 5,268,367 | 1800 | $346.86 |
14 | Florida | 19,552,860 | 6500 | $336.43 |
15 | Arizona | 6,626,624 | 2100 | $320.55 |
16 | Delaware | 925,749 | 283 | $308.60 |
17 | New Jersey | 8,899,339 | 2200 | $248.09 |
18 | Georgia | 9,992,167 | 2400 | $242.04 |
19 | Pennsylvania | 12,773,801 | 2800 | $219.36 |
20 | Maine | 1,328,302 | 286 | $215.28 |
21 | Texas | 26,448,193 | 5600 | $214.88 |
22 | Kansas | 2,893,957 | 611 | $211.76 |
23 | Virginia | 8,260,405 | 1700 | $207.66 |
24 | Maryland | 5,928,814 | 1200 | $203.91 |
25 | Oregon | 3,930,065 | 780 | $200.01 |
26 | Missouri | 6,044,171 | 1200 | $199.19 |
27 | Michigan | 9,895,622 | 1700 | $172.02 |
28 | Rhode Island | 1,051,511 | 173 | $164.71 |
29 | New Hampshire | 1,323,459 | 206 | $155.87 |
30 | Ohio | 11,570,808 | 1800 | $155.80 |
31 | Wisconsin | 5,742,713 | 862 | $150.58 |
32 | South Carolina | 4,774,839 | 650 | $137.61 |
33 | Tennessee | 6,495,978 | 815 | $126.26 |
34 | Wyoming | 582,658 | 70.2 | $121.74 |
35 | Indiana | 6,570,902 | 762 | $116.55 |
36 | North Carolina | 9,848,060 | 1100 | $112.84 |
37 | Idaho | 1,612,136 | 164 | $102.78 |
38 | West Virginia | 1,854,304 | 174 | $93.72 |
39 | North Dakota | 723,393 | 52.7 | $75.14 |
40 | Arkansas | 2,959,373 | 201 | $68.14 |
41 | South Dakota | 844,877 | 55.6 | $66.66 |
42 | Montana | 1,015,165 | 64 | $63.65 |
43 | Hawaii | 1,404,054 | 82.3 | $59.20 |
44 | Kentucky | 4,395,295 | 255 | $58.22 |
45 | Oklahoma | 3,850,568 | 199 | $52.15 |
46 | Iowa | 3,090,416 | 147 | $47.80 |
47 | Alabama | 4,833,722 | 203 | $42.14 |
48 | Alaska | 735,132 | 27.3 | $37.38 |
49 | Louisiana | 4,625,470 | 170 | $36.94 |
50 | New Mexico | 2,085,287 | 75.5 | $36.24 |
51 | Mississippi | 2,991,207 | 60.2 | $20.16 |
Notice that the top ten are an interesting mix of urban centers and rural places, while the bottom ten have are more uniformly large, rural states. If we take Google economic impact as a sign of overall online economic activity, these data suggest that rural states can exploit online tools (not just search, but online ads, YouTube, and analytics) to generate revenue as effectively as urban places like New York and Massachusetts.
These numbers may also suggest something about interstate trade. It is possible that the states with lower Google economic impact per capita have more insular markets, with more businesses relying on local sales and word of mouth. I am really curious, though, what difference has Nebraskans spending so much more time and money on Google tools than we South Dakotans next door.
Just a note about google - I have had from 5 to 10 calls a week from google saying that to have a successful business listing we should put our business on line with them. I have pressed please do not contact me on their messages many times but still the calls come. The calls are always from a different number and this has gone on form months. I would imagine some people just give up and give them the information to stop the calls. The time of day doesn't matter either - anytime is their time to call.
Whoopee! We almost made the bottom in something. Mississippi has got to go. They hog the bottom limelight in virtually every category.
Google makes phone calls? Incredible!
Actually, that makes me wonder: are those calls really from Google, or from someone pretending to be Google? I'd think Google would be better at managing a do-not-call list. But maybe they are working their way down the table above, targeting businesses in states with relatively low per-capita Google economic impact.
Google may be blowing a bit of smoke on this. Anybody else noticing that almost no matter what the search term, what you are actually looking for is submerged in dozens of ads?
Oh yes they make calls but like I said a different number each time. I have had about 5 this week alone. Always a different person and it asks me if I want to discontinue them asking me and I press the #2 for that option but it hasn't worked yet. I wonder how many others do get these calls.
While all of this free flow of money is just peachy, it does make me wonder why it is not considerably higher. The work that has gone in to make this rosy picture even rosier, looks like it may have been done by a Karl Rove polling company. I saw this about BRICS Bank and how much power they will be able to put forth for countries that the United States more or less shun now regarding trade. The article also notes that we Americans are making less than we did 40 years ago while our production levels have raised 100%. This is the status quo that shows our complete disregard for loosing our asses. Anyone remember 40 years ago? Here is this, you could purchase a brand new car for around $2,100.00 right off the show room floor. Gas was about $.25 per gallon to fill the cool jalopy up and get it ready to go to the dance. As long as we continue to put republicans into government, we will be in for a long difficult ride on this merry go round. Here is a real smart feller by the name of Joseph Stiglitz: http://www.democracynow.org/2014/7/17/nobel_economist_joseph_stiglitz_hails_new
member when NE gov/ Omaha mayor said-come to omaha, we'll give you a job. big ole middle class buying power.
Indeed, Omaha is kind of like Sioux City without Tyson. I went there as a kid to the sales ring there. Man, that was incredible, pen after pen of live cattle with a huge building in the midst where the business took place. I really don't know what Omaha is anymore other than insurance, maybe that is what he was talking about. Come to Omaha and work with Marlin Perkins.
google (2008) says USAFB largest omaha employer at 10,500, next is alegent health at 7,500 and THIRD is Omaha Public Schools at 7,000.
i particularly like the five block-long monumental downtown sculpture "nebraska wilderness-pioneer courage" in omaha. stunning.
great stiglitz citation. he says our economy and TTP present "fundamentally immoral" choices, consequences, corporate favors. gravitas and columbia university prof. despite the kochs.
Ruth, I have receive those useless calls as well, and you are correct, the "press 2" is meaningless.
I have caller ID, any number, or name that I do not know, I do not answer. I think that is about all we can do.
The most useless calls are those from Citizens United/David Blossie. I still wonder why a conservative organization wastes its money by repeatedly dialing my number. I am amazed that they are so stupid that they cannot figure out that I am never going to answer.
sorta related:
http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/content/sd-state-local-government-employee-growth-among-fastest-nation