This document discusses best practices for economic development (ED) websites. It outlines eight components of a world-class ED website: authentic place branding, clear navigation, quality content, effective search marketing, email marketing, performance tracking, maps/GIS technology, and social media use. For each component, the document provides dos and don'ts and highlights exemplar websites that demonstrate best practices. It also discusses current opportunities for ED websites, including prioritizing content, integrated GIS, search engine optimization, and using social media.

1. Best Practices in ED Websites

2. Your Hosts Ben WrightCEO, Atlas Advertisingbenw@atlas-advertising.comwww.twitter.com/atlasadGuillermo MazierBusiness Development, Atlas Advertisingguillermom@atlas-advertising.com

3. About Atlas Atlas Advertising helps economic developers reach national and international prospect and site selection audiences. We deliver branding, website development, GIS mapping, research, social media, and creative services professionally and with a staff experienced in economic development. Unlike firms with little or no economic development experience, Atlas Advertising uses a proven mix of economic development marketing tactics that generate interest from site selection audiences. Atlas Advertising is led by a former economic development practitioner and has worked with 50+ different economic development clients in 30 states. Our approach and experience means that our campaigns generate an average of three to ten times the response of other campaigns. Featured clients:State of OhioIndy PartnershipCity of San FranciscoGreater Phoenix Economic Council Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership

4. Atlas Agency ServicesWebsite Design ServicesGIS WebsitesBrand DevelopmentSearch Engine MarketingSocial Media MarketingWebsite Hosting Marketing, Media and Lead Generation

5. Content Services

6. Research Services

7. Training ServicesAtlas Technology and Data ProductsContent Management Software Robust Media Center CalendarData Cart/Brochure Generator Mobile friendly websitesBlog or Microsite Software Project Tracking SoftwareEmail Marketing SoftwareData ProductsDemographic DataBusiness ListsEnhanced Prospect ListsGeographic Information Systems (GIS)

8. Commercial Property databases

9. Business databases

10. Data Search (Data Tab)

11. Other Data Management (Map Overlays)

12. Community Data Management

13. GIS System Analytics

14. GIS Data Reporting

15. Data Widgets

16. Website Analytics Cool stuff to do/downloadDownload our “Compete Smarter” webinars at our Slidespace, http://www.slideshare.net/wright0405Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AtlasAdRead more at our Blog, “Latitude”: http://blog.atlas-advertising.com

17. OutlineTrends in ED WebsitesThe Atlas ApproachEight components of a world class Economic Development websiteBest practices in each componentToday’s opportunities online What one Atlas client said last weekWrap up

18. Trends in ED websitesContent is becoming ever more importantContent is also diversifying, including:PagesProperty dataDemographic dataBusiness dataDownloadsVideoSocial media is making all of what we do more transparentThe conversation is moving from back rooms and private meetings to be online

19. What new media advancements have you seen that you think are valuable to your profession?

20. The future, according to one site selector “Young companies are all about social media. Their whole concept is open source everything. They rely on an online community. They’re building enthusiasts for their product online. I have a current client in the auto manufacturing space that loves social media. These guys are choosing their locations based on what their online community says they want.“If you can find companies on social media, you can reach them. Big corporations not using it this way, but small guys are for sure. “As people who live in the community find these great companies, they could connect ED with companies. Blog with your citizens about what they like and what they know about. Tips are good. Fear is how do you know you have the good information in these channels? I am just learning myself.” -A Site Selector, early October 2009

21. How to sum this up?Think of your website as a platform. A platform you use to publish, communicate, organize, and serve your many varied customers. Today, there is very little in economic development that can’t be facilitated or made more efficient by treating your website as a platform.

22. About the Atlas approachThe first economic development website we worked on was in 1995. Since then, the usage of the web has grown astronomically, new tools such as blogs and social media have come on the scene, and Google has risen to dominance. Atlas created the seven components of a successful website in 2004, and since then, it has undergone two major revisions. To develop the components and scoring, we conduct annual research with site selectors and prospects, and study actual usage data collected from ED websites in 37 states by Development Results. This thinking goes into every website Atlas works on in collaboration with our clients.

23. Eight components of a world-class ED websiteAuthenticity of place branding and messagingClarity of navigation Depth and quality of contentUse of search marketing approachesUse of email marketing and news sectionsFrequent performance trackingUse of Maps and GIS technologyUse of new media

24. Authenticity in place branding is…Communicating a true positioning of the regionUtilizing recognizable national elementsCapturing users’ attention to inspire them to use the site

25. Do’s and Don’ts of Outstanding Branding

26. Best online branding is…Tucson, AZUses desert imagery and color palette

27. Connects the region with useful business messaging

28. Backs up the positioning with fact based information

29. Invites users to click on a variety of useful linkswww.treoaz.org

30. Honorable metion:Des Moines, IAAugments ED messaging with young professionals campaign: “Do More.”

31. Connects life in Des Moines to business

32. Addresses a real community needwww.desmoinesmetro.com

33. Clarity of navigation in websites is. . . A prospect-specific section placed prominently Utilizing IEDC data standardsProviding the top ten most requested pagesKeeping all valuable content three clicks or less from the homepage

34. Top 10 pages requested nationally on ED websitesAbout Us (about the organization) Programs (that the organization offers) Data CenterNews Relocate and ExpandFind Property Site Selection Services Workforce data and Information Database of Companies or Largest Employers Maps of the Area

35. Do’s and Don’ts of Outstanding Navigation

36. Best navigation is…Indianapolis, INSite selector specific section

37. Tremendous amounts of data in downloadable and GIS formats

38. All of the top ten pages within one clickwww.indypartnership.com

39. Great content is…Making content scannableUsing a content management system that enables publishing of pages, downloadable documents, and dataWeekly updatesDevoting half of your budget to contentOffering prominent contact info

40. Do’s and Don’ts of Outstanding Content

41. Best content is…Kansas City Area EDCOutstanding data center Downloadable documents First class community/ regional profilesUpdated multiple times weeklywww.thinkkc.com

42. Effective use of search marketing is…Ranking #1 organically for “your geography economic development”Ranking #1 organically for “your organization name” Utilizing paid search (PPC) to drive additional traffic

43. Top 10 search terms that drive traffic to ED websitesYour organization nameYour city/region name “economic development”Incentive type offered in your region (depends on community)Resident company name (i.e. Boeing)Region name (if different from city)Organizational url (without .com/.net.org)Campaign name (initiative or fundraising)City/region name “maps”City/region name “counties”City/region name “industries”

44. Do’s and Don’ts of Outstanding Search Engine Marketing