Merritt Group Launches Digital Services Practice
Award-winning PR Agency Delivering Innovative New Media and Web-Based Marketing Campaigns to Clients
Reston, Va., January 12, 2009 — Merritt Group, Inc., a nationally recognized communications firm that helps move markets for forward-thinking companies in the government, healthcare and technology sectors, announced today the launch of its “Digital Services Practice.” Through this Practice, Merritt Group provides clients with proven expertise in developing and executing campaigns that integrate traditional public relations and marketing strategy with emerging digital and social media components.
“Online information sharing, self publication and mass collaboration are dramatically reshaping today’s media landscape, as well as how companies approach PR and marketing,” commented Jayson Schkloven, Vice President of Strategic Services and head of the Digital Services Practice for Merritt Group. “It’s not just about picking up a camera and recording a video podcast or launching a corporate blog, it’s about developing a creative strategy that enables the client to engage in honest and direct discussions with their customers in the online world.”
Recently, Gartner analyst Adam Sarner projected that over 75 percent of Fortune 1000 companies will undertake an online social-networking initiative, but that close to 50 percent of those campaigns will fail because they lack the appropriate purpose and vision.
“When used properly digital strategies offer clients the opportunity to have an equal and unfiltered voice in discussions that shape their industries and influence their brands,” continued Schkloven. “However, companies must be thoughtful about their new media strategies before jumping in. Merritt Group’s Digital Services Practice helps our clients develop a vision and then execute on a new media strategy tailored to their business and communications goals.”
Merritt Group’s Digital Services Practice counsels clients on how to engage online communities through:
- Blogs
- Social Networks
- Audio and Video Podcasts
- Social Media Releases (SMRs) and Social Bookmarking Sites
- eBook Publishing
- Micro Site and Wiki Development
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Marketing
- Widgets and Social Network Applications
Merritt Group’s Digital experts create web sites and landing pages, develop digital assets and content, shoot, edit and produce video podcasts, and manage online advertising campaigns that are all tightly integrated with clients’ existing PR, marketing and Web programs and budgets.
A number of Merritt Group clients including Microsoft Public Sector, Booz Allen Hamilton, Verizon Business, Blue Coat Systems, Metastorm and Elluminate already rely on Merritt Group’s strategic counsel and implementation of digital campaigns.
“At Merritt Group, we recognize that digital and social media are redefining our business,” said Ben Merritt, Founder and CEO of Merritt Group, Inc. “It’s our mission to help our clients stay ahead of the curve by providing them the tools and counsel they need to thoughtfully engage directly with their customers in these new mediums. The Digital Service Practice at Merritt Group mirrors our proven approach to traditional communications by combining the strategy, execution and measurement needed to be successful.”
For more information on Merritt Group’s Digital Service Practice and capabilities, please visit our Wordpress site.
About Merritt Group
Since its founding in 1996, Merritt Group has helped companies drive awareness for their innovations. This includes a unique combination of market research, strategy, execution and measurement for established and emerging companies. Our expertise is focused in five practice areas - Enterprise Technology, Communications & Networking, Government IT, Security and Healthcare - each with a team dedicated to the issues, trends and influencers relevant to the industry segment. Merritt Group's offices are located in Reston, Virginia and San Francisco, California. For more information, please visit www.merrittgrp.com.