"Your Move, Ohio Is Waiting": What Economic Development Marketing Teaches Us About Winning in AI Search
"This is more than a location. It's a launchpad. Your move." JobsOhio's confident pitch — 0% corporate income tax, #2 business costs, trillion-dollar super sectors — is polished place marketing. But when a company actually decides where to build, that decision now starts in a search bar and, increasingly, an AI answer engine. Here's what economic development marketing reveals about a problem every business shares: your real advantages only count if AI systems can find, trust, and cite them.
The Towns That Market Themselves Grow. The Towns That Don't Get Passed Over.
A family is choosing between your town and the next one over. A restaurant owner is deciding where to open. A visitor is looking for something to do this weekend. They're all Googling — and your municipal website has meeting minutes, a tax payment link, and nothing else. The town with dedicated pages for parks, restaurants, events, and relocation content wins these decisions every time. Not because it's a better town. Because it's a visible town.