The document outlines strategies for using social media to enhance economic development in local communities. It emphasizes sharing relevant content, engaging with local businesses, leveraging platforms like Wikipedia and Facebook, and creating community blogs to foster connection and participation. Additionally, it encourages tracking online influence and promoting local events to attract businesses and residents.

1. Social Media & Economic DevelopmentAbbi Sileralt.Consultingabbi.siler@altconsulting.org

2. Becoming An Online ResourceShare content & information on your social media platforms that provide an answer to the question the citizens or future citizens of your community need an answer to.

3. Share relative content. Listen to what your local community is talking about via social media.

4. Provide statistics, demographics, and fun facts via status updates, using keywords like your city and state, and the name of your organization.WikipediaWikipedia has over 15 million articles

5. It is said to be as accurate as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

6. What does it say about your town?

7. As economic developers, you can upload your statistics and information to Wikipedia, so ensure that what’s there is accurate, and engaging.

8. Why is this important? If someone from out of town is trying to decided to move to your town or another, they will search for you. You want to know for certain that what they find will engage them, and encourage them to move to the area. Same goes for starting businesses etc.Facebook Community PagesThe newest addition to Pages on Facebook that helps local business are Community Pages!

9. Use your keywords: If you are are talking about services or events in your community, type the name of your town & city!

10. Facebook uses keywords: Jonesboro, Arkansas and creates a central hub that collects any status, event or news article submitted on Facebook about ‘Jonesboro, Arkansas.’

11. As Economic Developers– Use your city, and state in status updates on Facebook, & Events updates!