Invest Ottawa is the lead economic development agency for knowledge-based industries in Canada’s Capital. Through its Why Ottawa platform, the organization speaks directly to international companies exploring expansion into North America, often well before a formal conversation with an investment or advisory team begins.
This project marked the launch of a new content initiative awarded through a competitive proposal process. The mandate was to create a cohesive body of work that could clearly articulate Ottawa’s value as a technology and innovation hub across industries, markets, and audiences, while maintaining credibility and neutrality.
Download Case StudyClient: Invest Ottawa
Platform: Why Ottawa Website
Timeline: 2 months
The business need
Why Ottawa serves as both a discovery channel and an educational resource for international businesses. At the start of this project, the site lacked the depth and structure required to perform that role effectively.
Specifically, Invest Ottawa needed content that could:
- Improve organic discoverability among global audiences
- Clearly articulate Ottawa’s value as a technology and innovation hub
- Support internal teams in ongoing business development conversations
- Scale across multiple industries without fragmenting the message
- Remain accurate, neutral, and relevant over time
The requirement was a system that could support consistent storytelling at scale.
The challenge
International audiences researching expansion decisions look for clarity, credibility, and evidence of ecosystem maturity. Existing content did not consistently answer those questions across sectors, nor did it provide a unified narrative about Ottawa’s role in the global innovation economy.
There was also limited room for error. Content that felt promotional would undermine trust. Content that leaned too technical would narrow its audience. Inconsistency across industries would weaken Invest Ottawa’s position as a credible guide for global expansion.
We were responsible for establishing clear processes and quality standards so a complex content program could speak with a central voice across industries.
Our strategic approach
To manage scale and complexity, we developed a centralized content governance model before writing began.
Audience & decision-maker mapping
Content was structured to serve multiple reader types simultaneously:
- Mid-level researchers and sector analysts
- Senior managers evaluating expansion feasibility
- VPs and C-suite decision-makers
Each article balanced:
- Strategic insight for executives
- Supporting detail for technical or analytical readers
- Clear explanations for non-technical audiences
Unified voice, tone, and structure
We established a standardized framework to ensure consistency across all deliverables:
- Professional, educational, and impartial tone
- Consistent narrative arc across sectors
- Clear differentiation between industries to avoid overlap
- Comparable depth and word count to maintain credibility
This ensured every article felt cohesive while still reflecting the nuances of each sector.
Research & credibility standards
Given the technical nature of the subject matter, accuracy and trust were critical.
Our research methodology included:
- Prioritizing primary sources over secondary references
- Cross-referencing data points for validation
- Updating statistics to reflect current conditions
- Avoiding politically sensitive or time-bound claims
We deliberately avoided attributing the success of any company solely to Invest Ottawa, instead focusing on ecosystem strengths and broader market dynamics.
Execution at scale: long-form content production
We delivered 24 long-form blog posts, each designed to function as both a marketing asset and an educational resource.
12 Industry deep dives
Each article examined:
- Market context and global relevance
- Ottawa’s ecosystem, infrastructure, and talent pool
- Research institutions, innovation hubs, and facilities
- Investment activity and long-term growth potential
Sectors included telecommunications, cybersecurity, AI/ML, software, smart mobility, life sciences, aerospace and defence, cleantech, immersive technologies, data analytics, media and entertainment technology, and e-commerce/logistics/payments.
12 Global expansion & business enablement content
To support companies preparing to enter the Canadian market, we created:
- 6 Global Runway soft-landing guides, addressing operational and regulatory considerations
- 6 “Doing Business in Ottawa” articles, focused on cost of business, workforce insights, infrastructure, quality of life, and ecosystem advantages
This content allowed Invest Ottawa to support companies at different stages of the expansion journey using a single, cohesive content library.
Localization & brochure overhaul
In parallel, we overhauled a key Global Runway brochure, providing:
- Content optimization and structural clarity
- Design coordination
- Translation support into French, Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese
Planning for localization from the outset reduced risk during translation and ensured messaging remained accurate and consistent across markets.
Quality control & risk management
To maintain quality across a large volume of technical content, we implemented:
- Editorial checkpoints at multiple stages
- Cross-sector reviews to prevent redundancy or contradiction
- Fact-checking against reputable, primary sources
- Consistency checks for tone, length, and structure
This approach minimized the risk of:
- Inconsistent messaging
- Outdated or inaccurate claims
- Over-promotion or perceived bias
Results & measurement
Ottawa Cybersecurity Hub
In 6 months, we saw over 9,000 impressions, with steady clicks
True Cost of Doing Business in Ottawa
In 6 months, we saw nearly 4k impressions, with an average position of 14 in SERPs
Why this case study matters
This engagement demonstrates our ability to:
- Translate complex, technical ecosystems into accessible content
- Manage large-scale content programs with governance and consistency
- Design content for SEO, longevity, and international use
- Act as a strategic partner, not just a content producer
For organizations operating in regulated, technical, or globally competitive environments, this approach reduces risk while delivering content that can scale alongside business growth.
Client Quote
seoplus+ understood our need for clear, credible content and delivered a scalable program across industries. The result is content that supports global investment attraction and works in real conversations with companies.
