ORLANDO, Fla. (Aug. 24, 2017) – The Internet has changed how we decide what to buy and when to buy it. There’s no way to succeed in business if you only rely on foot traffic, word of mouth, and traditional advertising. People are looking for information about products and services online – and you can’t win unless you reach customers with content relevant to their needs.
On Target Digital Marketing helps retailers, service providers, and business-to-business (B2B) companies communicate their stories to buyers. After starting as a search engine optimization (SEO) firm in 2005, On Target evolved into a full-service content marketing agency. It provides written content for clients, along with audio and video production services to support the growing thirst for podcasts and vlogs.
On Target’s design division creates mobile-friendly, responsive websites that are optimized to impress and convert. The agency works with each client to create a comprehensive “content hub” strategy that includes landing pages and microsites to align with specific products, services, or campaigns.
“Consumers don’t buy facts, they buy stories,” said Tom Jelneck, president of On Target. “So we use content marketing to tell amazing stories about your customers and how your brand has changed their world. The key is to be real and create pieces that are remarkable. In other words – content that people will remark on and share.”
Jelneck said many clients come to his agency not understanding how Internet marketing works in this age of multi-platform content distribution. He said that in addition to publishing a blog, brands need to take a more strategic approach and optimize content for each social media platform and distribution channel.
“It’s all about building sentiment and trust – not selling,” Jelneck said. “Our goal isn’t to push a sale, but to pull someone into the brand.”
Telling compelling stories that connect on a human level is part of the evolution for Jelneck’s agency, which was built on traditional SEO and SEM tactics. To help with the transition, On Target recently brought John Terry on board as its chief storytelling officer. Terry helped develop online properties for The Orlando Sentinel and Tribune Company before joining local tech start-up Channel Intelligence in 2000. Since 2012, he has worked as a freelance copywriter and storyteller for agencies, startups, and growing companies in Orlando, Atlanta, and Chicago.
“Way back in 1996 when Tribune joined AOL in a joint venture called Digital City, we were all quoting the Content is King essay by Bill Gates,” Terry said. “More than 20 years later, that concept is more relevant than ever. Consumers are bombarded with advertising. So with traditional channels diluted, content marketing works because it communicates a message unobtrusively. The idea is to provide relevant information at the exact time someone needs it.”
Jelneck said On Target’s goal is to have a client’s content show up when customers are ready to educate themselves about a topic. And great storytelling helps them stand out from the crowd.
“I’ve known John for years, and there’s always been something intriguing about him,” Jelneck said. “We share the same philosophy, and he is masterful at interviewing people and pulling out their story. He helps people reveal their passion. John meets someone new, and his first thought is, ‘I want to know your story.’ ”
ABOUT ON TARGET
Founded in 2005 as a search engine marketing (SEO) firm, On Target Digital Marketing has evolved into Orlando’s only agency that specializes in creating remarkable online content. Supporting clients with comprehensive marketing programs, On Target also provides paid search campaigns, marketing-focused design, and social media marketing. For companies that need help identifying their story and clarifying their message, On Target offers customized two-day story workshops.
