Fluency Partners with State of Michigan to Succeed in Economic Downturn

Release date: October 27, 2008  /  Print This

Ann Arbor, Mich. – October 22, 2008 – The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has awarded Ann Arbor, Mich. – based internet marketing agency Fluency Media (Fluency) with their digital media contract. The MEDC is the state of Michigan’s one-stop resource for businesses seeking to grow in Michigan. It also oversees Travel Michigan, the state’s official agency for the promotion of tourism.

Fluency will continue to provide the MEDC with a strategic email marketing curriculum program, search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), and social media strategy and services. Fluency will also continue to manage the Travel Michigan Marketing Partnership program, a pay-per-click advertising program offered to travel-related organizations intended to extend the limited marketing reach of the Michigan travel industry.

“We have had the pleasure of working with the MEDC for some time now and look forward to taking them to the next level with their digital marketing efforts,” said Fluency Media CEO Tim Schaden. “We are building deeper relationships and attracting growing businesses and leisure travel to our state.”

Fluency first acquired the MEDC as a client in June, 2003 and since then has helped deliver measureable, award-winning results. Specifically, Fluency’s work for Travel Michigan’s “Pure Michigan” campaign won a 2007 Adrian Award and a 2008 Summit International Marketing Effectiveness Award.

Performance highlights include Fluency’s search marketing efforts increasing online traffic for the Travel Michigan website, www.michigan.org by more than 142% since its inception. The site was then named the 2007 most popular state tourism website by Hitwise, an online measurement company. Fluency’s digital marketing efforts also lead to increased conversions for the MEDC’s website, www.michiganadvantage.org, documenting over 20,000 online conversions generated in 2008 to date, versus 3,600 in 2007 – an increase of 459%.

Although the MEDC has been a long-standing client for Fluency, new internet marketing programs have recently been launched for the corporation. During the summer of 2008, the MEDC began to utilize Fluency’s social media services and strategic email marketing curriculum program. Both programs have since seen a positive response and continue to grow and improve.

MEDC Executive Vice President of Communications Lisa Dancsok commented, “The MEDC is thrilled to maintain our relationship with Fluency Media. Based on our past success with the company, we are confident that the MEDC will continue to see positive growth and results in our online marketing.”

About Fluency Media (www.fluencymedia.com)

Fluency Media develops award-winning, turnkey internet marketing campaigns for mid-to-large sized companies and institutions. As the originator of both the technologies and the marketing strategies that drive successful digital programs, the company assumes a unique level of responsibility for producing results and delivering ROI for its clients. This deep level of insight enables Fluency to enact near-real-time strategy adjustments to maximize digital efforts. Fluency specialists manage internet marketing channel execution and analysis daily, resulting in continuous and actionable market intelligence, and their proprietary tracking and analytics solution is capable of comparing all online marketing touch points, costs and conversion events side by side for true ROI analysis and custom integration. Fluency’s clients benefit from integrated marketing solutions which include search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, web site sales flow optimization, online publishing and social media strategy, and email marketing programs. For more information, please visit www.fluencymedia.com or call 1.734.302.3300.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (www.michiganadvantage.org)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) was formed in 1999 through an alliance between the State of Michigan and several local communities. It is the successor to the Michigan Jobs Commission, the state's economic development department, and has the ability, authority and reach to serve as a one-stop resource for business retention, expansion and relocation projects. Since the organization was formed by a cooperation between state and local governments, it provides excellent coordination with local communities and agencies across the state. For more information, please visit www.michiganadvantage.org or call 1.888.522.0103.

About Travel Michigan (www.michigan.org)

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan’s official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state’s tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services. For Michigan travel news and updates, go to www.michigan.org.