A regional nonprofit sets the bar for economic development digital marketing

When most people hear Ohio, they think of cornfields, big Midwestern cities, and endless road construction. However, a large portion of the state is actually covered by the rolling Appalachian foothills and dotted with charming small towns. Ohio Southeast Economic Development (or OhioSE for short) exists to help fill these 25 counties with jobs, opportunities, and people.

Doing this comes with some unique challenges. The geographic region OhioSE represents is significantly larger than that of its sister organizations around the state. Southeast Ohio is also the only region without a notable metro area. On top of it all, OhioSE set out to solve the difficult task of "economic development marketing.” That’s how they met USDP.

Starting OhioSE'sJourney

When we first met the team at OhioSE, they were struggling to make the most of a mediocre marketing setup. Their existing WordPress site was showing its age, and years of code tweaks and new plugins made it a challenging experience for both frontend users and backend editors. OhioSE’s marketing department, which at the time was a team of one, had big aspirations but lacked the time and expertise to make them happen.

Going beyond the results: Rolling execution

After years of partnership, we have seen OhioSE propel their marketing to new heights. They are no longer struggling to keep up with other regions. In fact, they are setting the bar. In 2025, the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA) recognized OhioSEO with the Excellence in Economic Development Marketing award. Now, their growing marketing team continues to use their website as the digital hub for making Southeastern Ohio stand out on the world stage.

We’re proud to continue working alongside them by writing new content, creating videos, and adding even more improvements to their website.