The document outlines the top ten trends for economic development websites in 2016, emphasizing the importance of content, data, and storytelling. Key recommendations include utilizing infographics, optimizing for mobile, and engaging through social media and microsites. The insights aim to enhance marketing effectiveness and website engagement for economic development initiatives.

1. Alissa Sklar, Ph.D.
Director of Marketing
GIS Planning Inc.
asklar@gisplanning.com
GISPlanning.com
@gisplanning
10 Key Trends for
Economic Development Websites in 2016
Wednesday, February 24th, 2016.
Aaron Brossoit
Chief Executive Officer
Golden Shovel Agency
abrossoit@goldenshovel.com
GoldenShovel.com
@goldshovel

2. What’s next in economic
development marketing?

3. 10
CONTENT, CONTENT, CONTENT.

4. Why? Good Content Brings Many Benefits
Keeps website current
Great first impression
SEO benefits
Informs local businesses
Educates stakeholders
Shows industry engagement
Many types of content...

5. Local Content
Local Newspaper
Current ED news
Events
Local Businesses

7. Editorial Content
Success Stories
Business Parks
Testimonials
Local Businesses
Made in advance
Keywords

8. National & Expert Content
Current
ED Focused
Educate
Stakeholders
Blogs

9. Feature on Home Page
Current
ED Focused
Educate
Stakeholders

10. Social Media

11. How Often Should I Post?
Weekly…
at minimum.

12. 9
DATA

20. Case studies:
How two communities put data to work:
http://www.gatewaycog.org/

21. http://gallupedc.com/

22. 8
INFOGRAPHICS & VISUALIZING
DATA

23. http://www.greatlakesbaysites.com/communities.html

24. The power of images
90% of the information that comes to our brain is visual
The human brain can absorb visual information in 1/10th of a second.
The average person is exposed to 174 newspapers full of information every
day.
Only 1% of that information actually makes it through to our brains.
We remember new and different things more easily when they are presented in
a visual format.

26. Infographics are illustrations of data or ideas that can communicate
complex information in a way that can be quickly absorbed,
easily understood and remembered.
Websites with infographics realize an increase in
traffic of 12% over those that don’t.

27. http://www.gemstateprospector.com/communities.html

29. 7
MOBILE

31. Our analytics show that up to 28% of web traffic on our clients’
site selection pages are coming from mobile devices.
If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you are
losing leads without knowing it.

32. Be Mobile Friendly

35. 6
REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY

64. 5
MICROSITES

65. Types of Microsites

70. Microsite for site selection

71. 4
WORKFORCE ATTRACTION

73. Social Media for Workforce Attraction

74. Workforce Attraction Ad Campaigns
Target Workforce Attraction Marketing
Promote Jobs
Generate Likes to Social Media Pages
Drive Website Traffic

76. 834

77. 3
TOOLS FOR ENGAGEMENT

78. Search widgets for any website page
http://www.elkgrovecity.org/city_hall/departments_division
s/economic_development/

79. Search buildings, sites,
communities and
businesses
ZoomProspector GIS site selection tool

80. User-defined search
for sites and
buildings based on
location & size

81. Property list is also displayed
on interactive map

82. 5 Intelligence Components for website pages
1- Mapping

83. 2- Business Data

84. 3- Demographics

85. 4- Compare Communities

86. 5- Infographics

87. 2
SOCIAL MEDIA

90. Who is using what tool?

104. Fully embedded social sharing

106. Mine your data tools for a consistent source of social
content:
● Properties of the week
● Businesses of the week
● Interesting heat maps

107. 1
STORYTELLING

108. Why storytelling?
The human brain is hard-wired for narrative.
Comprehension: We use stories to make sense of the world.
Recall of information is significantly higher when information is
presented in narrative forms.
Resonance: Stories make a strong impression upon us.

114. Video Storytelling

116. Using data for storytelling
http://www.santarosaedo.com/demographic.html

117. http://www.ga-sites.com/industries/aerospace.html

118. Top 10 Trends in Economic
Development Websites for 2016
10) Content
9) Data
8) Infographics & Visualizing Data
7) Mobile
6) Regional connectivity
5) Microsites
4) Workforce attraction
3) Tools for engagement
2) Social media
1) Storytelling

119. Alissa Sklar, Ph.D.
Director of Marketing
GIS Planning Inc.
asklar@gisplanning.com
@gisplanning
Thank You!
Any Questions?
Aaron Brossoit
Chief Executive Officer
Golden Shovel Agency
abrossoit@goldenshovel.com
@goldshovel