Beyond Search: 5 Digital Advertising Strategies for EDOs
August 21, 2025
Search ads have long been a staple in digital marketing. They’re effective at capturing intent and driving traffic, but for economic development organizations, relying on search alone for place marketing means missing out on key opportunities to connect with your audiences throughout their decision-making journey.
Whether your target audience is C-suite executives, skilled professionals or alumni considering a move back home, they are spending time across a wide range of platforms. To truly make an impact, you need a full-funnel digital strategy that meets them where they are and supports long-term economic growth in your community.
Let’s explore five digital advertising strategies for EDOs that go beyond search:
1. Building Awareness with Programmatic Display
Programmatic display advertising is the automated selling and buying of digital ad space, allowing EDOs to target audiences at scale with precision. You can target users based on their location, industry or online behavior, making it a great way to introduce your region to the right people.
This tactic is especially effective for building top-of-funnel awareness. Whether you’re promoting your region’s business climate, highlighting a new incentive program or showcasing your talent pipeline, programmatic display helps you get in front of the right eyes at the right time.
2. Targeting on Social with Precision
Social media platforms offer some of the most advanced targeting tools available, making them a must-have in your digital toolkit.
If you’re looking to reach business leaders or career-minded professionals, LinkedIn is your go-to. For business attraction, you can target by company size, industry, job function and seniority, ideal for reaching potential investors and site selectors. For talent attraction, you can zero in on professionals based on skills, job titles, fields of study or even alma maters.
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
Meta platforms are perfect for lifestyle-driven messaging. Whether you’re trying to reach young professionals, entrepreneurs or career changers, Meta’s interest-based and behavioral targeting lets you connect with people who may be open to relocating or exploring new opportunities.
3. Tell a Compelling Story with Video and CTV
Video is one of the most powerful tools for storytelling, and storytelling is what sets great marketing plans apart. With 83% of U.S. adults using streaming services, platforms like YouTube and streaming services via Connected TV (CTV) allow you to deliver rich, visual narratives that highlight your region’s quality of life, business success stories and competitive advantages.
You can target viewers based on location, profession, viewing habits or lifestyle interests. This format is especially effective for talent attraction, where emotional connection and visual appeal can make all the difference.
4. Stay Top of Mind with Google Display Retargeting
Not everyone converts on their first visit to your economic development website—and that’s okay. Google Display retargeting helps you stay in front of those users, reminding them of what your region has to offer.
By serving display ads to people who’ve already visited your site, you can re-engage them during their consideration phase. It’s a cost-effective and strategic marketing tactic to nurture leads over time, especially for decisions like relocation or site selection that naturally have longer timelines.
5. Event-Based Targeting: Reach the Right People in the Right Place
Sometimes, timing and location are everything. Event-based targeting lets you serve ads to users based on where they’ve been, like a college campus, trade show or industry conference.
This tactic is perfect for reaching out-of-market talent (think former residents or alumni) or business decision-makers attending key events. It’s a smart way to deliver timely, relevant messages when your audience is already in a mindset to engage.
A search-only strategy might get you part of the way, but it won’t take you all the way. By diversifying your digital advertising and marketing efforts, you can build awareness, drive qualified traffic, and nurture leads more effectively.
Want to learn more about how DCI can help your economic development marketing strategy develop beyond search? Speak with Senior Director, SEM & Media at Carly.steelejohnson@old.aboutdci.com.
