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Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from internet marketing practice Slingshot SEO and Mayor Greg Ballard today to announce that the company will expand its operations in Indianapolis, creating up to 114 new jobs by 2013.
Founded in 2006 by three friends from Zionsville High School, Slingshot SEO is one of the country's leading search engine optimization firms. The company plans to invest more than $685,000 to expand within its current space at 8900 Keystone Crossing.
"Indiana has an entrepreneurial culture that has seen high-tech companies such as ExactTarget, Aprimo and Scale Computing achieve great success in our state and Slingshot SEO is just the latest," said Daniels. "These companies have been particularly successful at providing the kind of opportunities that graduates of Indiana's colleges and universities are looking for as they begin their careers and that benefits all generations of Hoosiers."
With clients including The Finish Line, Interactive Intelligence and ExactTarget, the company has already grown to a team of 50 professionals and plans to begin hiring SEO consultants, software engineers, marketers and client success managers immediately.
"Operating in Indiana is a significant competitive advantage for technology companies, especially those within the measured marketing space," Kevin Bailey, said president and co-founder of Slingshot SEO. "Indiana's tech business environment is world-class, with a skilled workforce, supportive business leaders, and growth-friendly policies. There's no better place to grow a business like Slingshot SEO."
Search engine optimization, the science of helping deserving brands achieve business success through search, is a high-growth sector of internet marketing.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Slingshot SEO Inc. up to $1.15 million in performance-based tax credits based on the company's job creation plans. The city of Indianapolis and Develop Indy will support property tax abatement for Slingshot SEO before the Metropolitan Development Commission.
"Indianapolis is a hotbed for internet marketing. We have companies in this industry, including Slingshot SEO, that are experiencing rapid growth and gaining national recognition," said Mayor Greg Ballard. "These high-tech companies in this very specialized area benefit from our skilled workforce and low costs of doing business. We have high expectations for their continued success and have been proud to support them as they've grown from start-ups to global leaders."
Slingshot SEO is part of Indiana's cluster of digital marketing businesses, or "measured marketing" companies. According to research from Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research, employment within this sub-sector grew at a rate of 156 percent or 48 percent more than the national average. More than 70 firms including ExactTarget, Aprimo, Compendium, Right On Interactive, ModalLogix, Marketpath, Cantaloupe, Delivra and Formstack call Indiana home.
About Slingshot SEO
Founded in 2006, Slingshot SEO is a professional search engine optimization practice whose full-service strategic consulting and internet marketing services deliver unparalleled results for its enterprise-caliber clients. Their tight, business-impacting plans enable clients to conquer search with confidence, and results are driven by tireless passion to master the science of search. For more information about Slingshot SEO, visit www.slingshotseo.com.
About IEDC
Created by Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Mitch Roob serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov .
