Economic Development Websites presentation at the California Association for Local Economic Development 2002 Annual Conference

1. Best Practices in Web
Site Economic
Development:
Internet for effective business linkages,
business attraction and workforce
development
Anatalio Ubalde
GIS Planning
California Association for Local Economic Development
Annual Conference
San Diego, California
April 2002

2. Internet Statistics

3. •Over 300 Million on the Internet
•1 million more each month
•Social, cultural & economic change
•Rapid Change
State of the Internet

4. 63% of Americans use
the Internet
85% of college
graduates use the
Internet
Source: Council for Excellence in Government, September 2000

5. 79% of businesses have used
government web sites,
73% say the ability to find
information or conduct
transactions over the Internet
has made it easier to do
business
Source: Council for Excellence in Government, September 2000

6. 87% of businesses say it
should be a priority for
government to invest in
making more information and
services available over the
Internet.
Source: Council for Excellence in Government, September 2000

7. “As an information engine,
the Internet is the future of
Economic Development ”
Wayne Schell
CEO/President
CALED

8. Vincent Flanders
co-author of
Web Pages That Suck
"Now, people look at a poorly
designed site and ask, 'Do we
want to do business with
them?'"

9. Presentation:
Deanna Weeks &
Jo Marie Diamond
East County Economic
Development Council
Connectory.com

10. Presentation:
Linda Wong
Los Angeles County
Workforce Collaborative
http://maps.laworkforce.org

11. Online Workforce
Development

12. Los Angeles Collaborative
• A three-year (1998 - 2001) project to
improve content and delivery of
education and training services by
aligning programs with needs of existing
& emerging industries.

13. LA Collaborative Partners
• Employment Development Department
• L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce
• L.A. County Department of Public Social Services
• L.A. County Economic Development Corporation
• L.A. County Office of Education
• L.A. / Orange County Community Colleges Consortium
• South Bay Workforce Investment Board
representing L.A. County’s 8 WIBs
• California Workers Assistance Program AFL-CIO

14. Context
• Connect:
– Business/Employers
– Employees
– Training Facilities
• By Geography

15. Workforce Training
• Locate Institutions that provide
employment training
• Search by:
– Industry
– Location

16. Workforce Training

17. LA Workforce

18. Importance of the
Web for Business
Attraction
& Site Selection

19. Jeff Finkle
CEO/President
International Economic Development Council
April 2001
“Site Selectors are seeking
ever more detailed, updated
online information"

20. • The importance of Web Marketing for
Economic Development increased two-fold in
3 years (1996-1999)
• The Web is predicted to have the largest
growth of any economic development
marketing tool
• An Economic Development Web Site is more
effective than direct mail, advertising &
telemarketing
Source: 1999 Development Councellors International Survey
Importance of the ED Web Site

21. • 40% of all site-selection projects begin
on the Internet
• 84% of site-selectors access the
Internet in the process
• Top media for site selectors:
“knowledge web sites”
Site-Selection Consultants
Source: Wadley-Donovan, Whittaker Associates, Trent Boozer, U.S. Sites & Development, IEDC Econ. Dev. Now

22. Site-Selection
• 85% of Expansion & Relocation
Decisions are made without the help of
a professional consultant.
• The site selection research by this
group is performed after business hours
& weekends
Source: Wadley-Donovan Group

23. Presentation:
Anita Hawkes
Vallejo Chamber of
Commerce
www.VallejoSite.com

24. Online Promotion of
Local Businesses

25. Promote Local Business
• Search for local businesses by
– Type/Industry
– Nearby Location
• Promote spending & services in your
own community
• Use Generic or Specialized Web Site
Applications

26. Link to web site – Mapquest

27. Link to web site – Yahoo

28. Linking to Standard Web Site
• Benefits:
– Affordable
– Simple
• Liabilities:
– Promotes other businesses outside of your
community (priority to paid ads)
– Cannot control quality of data
– Cost

29. Create Your Business Finder

30. Napa Business Finder

31. Online Tourism
Promotion & Virtual
Tours

32. Virtual Tour Example

33. Virtual Tour Example

34. Thank you!
Anatalio Ubalde
ubalde@gisplanning.com
(510) 872-4960
www.gisplanning.com