Local Economic Development Websites

If you really want to promote an area, do your research. I developed a sample site for a community development job I wanted. It worked on it part-time and intermittently over the course of two years and turned 247 pages of notes into a mere nine published pages. 

It took me that long in part because I was looking for two things I had trouble finding:

1. A high quality source of free maps I could edit and legally republish.

2. A particular color scheme from a particular design style.

I asked around in December 2017 and an experienced professional told me that if you wish to create a website for your community to foster economic development, here is a TLDR of what MUST be on it:

• Telephone number with which to contact you.
• A list of some of the top employers and overview of industries in the area.
• Snapshot of the labor market (unemployment rate, etc).
• List of local utility providers and links to their sites, especially if you are trying to attract industrial development.
• A map clearly showing your location that readily gives them context for where you are in relation to major cities and major transit corridors.