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7.4. EDSR 08-15-2022Request for Action To Item Number Economic Development Authority 7.4 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by General Business August 15, 2022 Brent O’Neil, Economic Development Director Item Description Reviewed by General Updates Cal Portner, City Administrator Reviewed by Action Requested Item presented for information and discussion purpose Background/Discussion Staff will use this time to update the board on relevant topics. Among the topics: Quarterly Website Update Status of Orluck Industries Assignment and Assumption. Financial Impact N/A Mission/Policy/Goal Support Elk River’s existing businesses through relationship building, programmatic offerings, and high-quality city services. Attract new business development to Elk River to build the City’s economic vibrancy, job offerings and tax base. Attachments  Website 2022 Q2 Updates The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity. Updated: August 2020 Prepared for City of Elk River Economic Development Quarterly Analytics Report Q2 2022 Confidential:This report is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential information. Any dissemination, distribution, copying, or other use of this document is strictly prohibited Golden Shovel Agency 43 East Broadway Street Little Falls, MN 56345 Phone: (320) 639-0110 Toll-Free: (888) 266-4778 www.GoldenShovelAgency.com 1 Q2 is now behind us…can you believe it? It feels like it was gone in a blink of an eye and now it’s time to be prepared for the second half of the year, which we are confident will be a successful one with a wide array of changes and events coming our way at light speed and we all need to be prepared for the six months ahead of us. With that said, here are some tips for you to get started: ●Learn from the Past:The first step to preparing for the future is to look back at the past. Look at the past two quarters and see what worked, what didn’t, and how you can amplify the successes. ●Prioritize Your Goals:Now that you’ve got a start to your Q3/Q4 plan, determine what things you want to accomplish. Start by making a list of what your organization should work to achieve, and then you can organize this into different priority levels to give transparency and clarity. ●Establish Accountability:Hold each “goal holder”accountable for their success. You can create a weekly breakdown of how the goal will be achieved, in priority order, having many touchpoints during the quarter to make sure everyone’s on track. How will you know you’ve had a successful quarter? Well, you have to measure, measure and measure once again, which means you need to have ways in place to measure if/how goals are/were completed. This is a relevant step for you to identify when and where adjustments to the strategy and internal processes should be implemented, but will also help as a guide when you move throughout the year. Rest assured, we always do our best to provide you with accurate data and metrics in all of our reports to make this process easier for you and we are here to help in any way we can. The Golden Shovel Team. 2 Recent developments/upgrades on the Economic Gateway Platform Most of our development resources for Q2 went towards a very special project we have been working on. Our development team is focusing on something very big and special for you, which we expect to come out in the second half of 2022…Unfortunately, I am not allowed to reveal all the detail yet, but as a heads up (just between us), I can tell you that eGateway 3.0 - Phase one, will be launching soon...we’ll keep you posted! In the meantime, the development team set some time aside to continue working on additional tools for your website. This time, the following upgrades have been built and launched: ●Resource Library Thumbnail Grid Layout:A new variation on the Responsive Grid template for the Resource Library was created and released: the Thumbnail Grid. This variation features a four-column layout on larger screens, as well as a visually emphasized button inviting the user to directly access the resource in question without needing to open a detail page (available for links, documents, and photos). Those interested in using this option need to be using the Responsive Resource template on their site and request the Thumbnail Grid variation. ●New Custom Link Option for Social Platform:The custom links menu for linking to social media platforms has been expanded to include an option for TikTok accounts. As usual, the above upgrades are available to you at no charge. You can contact your GateKeeper rep or email our Support Portal (support@goldenshovelagency.com) to request these changes. Support and Resources Free Webinars As you know, webinars are at the forefront of economic development trends and technologies and we’ve made a commitment to stay on top of it. You can attend these online at no charge to strengthen your understanding of the latest key economic development principles to help make delivering 3 success for your community. If you missed any of our recent sessions, the recordings are always available to you on our website or you can access them directly from the links below. How to Plan For and Fund Housing Projects in Your Community This is a webinar we hosted with D3G - the nation's leading full-service real estate due diligence firm. D3G works with housing developers and agencies throughout the country. They are involved in urban and rural housing projects and have helped to secure grant funding of $30+ million for a single project. You don't want to miss the opportunity to hear from D3G's CEO, Rob Hazelton. His 27 years of experience have positioned him as a policy advisor at the federal level. As a result, D3G helped to pilot the Choice Neighborhood program - a program with federal grant funds to pay for locally driven strategies that address housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation. Groundbreaking Strategies to Solve the Housing Shortage in Your Community are Building their Talent Pipeline Bethany Quinn, VP of Strategy & Content Development, spoke with economic developers and community leaders from throughout North America to compile best practices and strategies that have worked to spur housing development at the local level. These solutions were presented on this webinar and in our latest whitepaper so that economic developers can be inspired and empowered to solve the housing crisis for their communities. Save your seat for our upcoming session: ‘Strengthen Your Community's Competitive Potential By Improving Quality of Life’ August 2, 2PM CST Register here! 4 In case you missed it... One of our main goals is to keep up with economic development industry standards, trends, and the latest news, to stay on top of the recent trends and innovations so we can share all those pieces of information that may be relevant to you and your organization.Here is a brief recap of some of the most relevant updates published through the Golden Shovel's newsletter “Economic Developer's EDGE”. If you have an update that you would like to share with the rest of the world, let us know and we would be more than happy to help you spread the word! Golden Shovel Agency Launches Economic Development Focused Website One of the most exciting news we recently had, was the launching of our fully rebranded, powerful and user-friendly website! A top priority for this project was to create a powerful resource to assist economic developers, having plenty of resources available with a more dynamic and creative approach, using innovation and best practices to help economic developers, while at the same time provide the solutions and tools for communities to stay competitive.Want to learn more?This website was built for you! We know the many, many challenges you face, and we care about solving your issues. We want this website to be your central resource for information, best practices, and everyday solutions, so if you have not visited the new website yet,take a look here, we would love to get your feedback! 5 Housing Studies: An Economic Development Best Practice That Leads to Growth Commissioning a housing study is an economic development best practice that can ultimately lead to growth. Individual communities and regions are commissioning them to determine the total demand, the type of housing that’s needed, and the ideal price point for the market. Once complete, a housing study is the best tool for demonstrating to a developer that there is a true need and exactly what that need is.Read the full article! 7 Ways to Optimize Your Landing Pages to Convert More Prospects Into Leads Landing pages are one of the most important elements of lead generation. The use of landing pages enables organizations to direct website visitors to targeted pages and capture leads at a much higher rate. What’s great about landing pages is that they direct your visitors to one particular offer without the distractions of everything else on your website. Visitors are on a landing page for one and only one purpose: to complete the lead capture form and get their promised resource.Download the Digital Lead Generation Whitepaper Best Practices for Developing Housing in Rural Communities Housing continues to be a challenge in many rural communities. Attracting workforce housing development requires intention and a bit of creativity. We have looked across the country to find communities that are using unique strategies to develop workforce housing and are sharing these best practices. Some, all, or a combination of the below could be used to develop housing in our community..Click here for full article! 6 Strategies for Funding Housing Development In Your Community Community leaders are often at a loss for how to fund housing development. For example, a developer may be interested but unable to fund the entire project and need assistance. Unless the project is affordable and qualifies for HUD financing, there may be limited resources available. To look beyond this, some communities have found creative solutions.Get the full article! 3D Printing Plans Set to Help Housing Markets Metal, wood, and glass are the most common raw materials used in home construction throughout the country. Their use is part of a time-trusted and proven process of creating structures. But what if concrete could be added to that list while reducing the overall construction time and offering greater fire protection. Construction firms and community planning advocates agree that would be a good idea. As a result, the novelty of 3D printing nationally is beginning to edge its way into home construction.Read the full article here! Looking for the latest episodes of the ShovelTalk Podcast? Episode 16:The First Economic Developer for John Hopkins Discusses the Important Role Major Employers Can Play in Community Growth & Development - Video can reach your audience in powerful ways. In this podcast, Greg Kolbjornsen walks our audience through developments in video and the metaverse and how economic developers can use these powerful tools. We also take a trip down memory lane, hearing hilarious stories from video shoots throughout the world. Listen to discover what Greg's most adventurous shot was (and how he wasn't wearing a proper harness!). 7 Episode 17:Remote Worker Mini-Series (Episode 2):Adim Ofunne • Remote Worker, Entrepreneur & Business Owner -In the second episode of the remote worker podcast mini-series, Amanda introduces you to Adim Ofunne who is an entrepreneur and business owner from Nigeria. Adim shares his journey to owning two very different businesses, one being a product based business he started mid-COVID using Kickstarter. Listen in to hear about the successful crowdfunding campaign and his experiences working remotely. You can listen on the Golden Shovel’s website or your favorite podcast app! Recommended Ebook:Lead Generation Whitepaper for Economic Developers Golden Shovel Agency's lead generation whitepaper will provide you with actionable tips and strategies to improve your lead generation campaigns. We'll show you what to do, how to do it, and why these strategies work. Learn from the best practices being implemented by industry experts and economic developers throughout the world.Make It Easier for Site Selectors, Business Owners & Workforce to Find You!Download your copy here! Now, it’s time to dive in to your website metrics! 8 Lead Forensics 1 Apr 1 2022 - Jun 30 2022Date Range: Report:Visitor Statistics (Industry) Print Date: Jul 9 2022 3:52PM Industry % of Visits Number of Visits Government 38.26%145 Computing 14.25%54 Financial Services 6.33%24 Education 6.07%23 Individual and Family Services 5.28%20 Real Estate 4.49%17 Hospital and Healthcare 3.43%13 Marketing and Advertising 2.11%8 Business Services 2.11%8 Media 1.32%5 Legal Services 1.32%5 Engineering 1.32%5 Machinery 1.06%4 Logistics and Supply Chain 1.06%4 Aviation and Aerospace 1.06%4 Retail 0.79%3 Manufacturing 0.79%3 Hospitality 0.79%3 Food and Beverages 0.79%3 Building and Maintenance Services 0.79%3 1/3 Architecture and Planning 0.79%3 Facilities Services 0.53%2 Chemicals 0.53%2 Building Materials and Tools 0.53%2 Telecommunications 0.26%1 Religious Institutions 0.26%1 Recreational Facilities and Services 0.26%1 Printing 0.26%1 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Ventilation 0.26%1 Plastics 0.26%1 Oil and Energy 0.26%1 Environmental Services 0.26%1 Design 0.26%1 Defence and Space 0.26%1 Consumer Goods 0.26%1 Consultants 0.26%1 Cleaning Services 0.26%1 Charities and Non Profit Organizations 0.26%1 Business Supplies and Equipment 0.26%1 Automotive 0.26%1 2/3 Users Apr 1 Apr 9 Apr 17 Apr 25 May 3 Ma y 11 Ma y 19 May 27 Jun 4 Jun 12 J un 20 Jun 28 0 20 40 60 Users 1,414 New Users 1,399 Sessions 1,655 Number of Sessions per User 1.17 Pageview s 7,794 Pages / Session 4.71 Bounce Rate 67.79% Avg. Session Durat ion 00:01:27 New Visit or Returning Visitor 6.7% 93.3% Country Users 1.United States 996 2.Ireland 18 3.Mexico 7 4.Germany 7 5.Philippines 7 6.Canada 6 7.Sweden 5 8.Ukra ine 4 9.India 4 10.United Kingdom 1 ▼ Highe r Trac Countries What device ar e people using? Device Users 1.desktop 1,029 2.m obile 369 3.ta blet 16 ▼ desktop mobile tablet 26.1% 72.8% Your audience at a glance! A pr 1, 2022 - Jun 30, 2022 ▼Google Analytics Audience Overview Keyboard sh ortcu ts Map data ©2022 Terms of Use Higher Trac - Countries Let's learn a bit more about yo ur users! Acquisition Sources Source Use rs 1.(direct)819 2.google 424 3.bing 50 4.m.fa cebook.com 27 5.yahoo 23 6.du ckduckgo 15 7.facebook.com 12 8.linkedin.com 11 9.sherburnehra land.com 8 10.goldenshovela gency.com 7 ▼ (direct ) google bing m.facebook.com yahoo duck duck go facebook.com linkedin.com sherburnehralan… others 29.7%57.3% Sta te Use rs 1.Minnesota 532 2.Virginia 265 3.Illinois 48 4.Cou nty Dublin 18 5.Ca lifornia 14 6.Wisconsin 13 7.North Ca rolina 13 8.Colorado 12 9.Iowa 9 10.Michigan 9 ▼ Higher Trac - Pages Tr ac Type Google Analytics Audience Overview 9 .5% 29.7%57.4% De fault Channel Grou…Use rs 1.Direct 819 2.Orga nic Sea rch 515 3.Social 69 4.Referral 26 ▼ 111 726726726 City Users 1.Washington 264 2.Min neapolis 128 3.Elk River 100 4.Chica go 47 5.Sa int Pa u l 21 6.Dublin 18 7.Otsego 17 8.Big Lake 16 9.Monticello 16 10.Maple Grove 13 ▼ Higher Trac - States (globally) Higher Trac - Cities (globally) USA Audience Page Title Users Pa ge views 1.Elk River, MN Econ om ic Developm en t 403 682 2.Elk River City News 183 4,647 3.Elk River Econ om ic Developm en t Business Directory 85 207 4.Business Toolbox for Elk River, MN 61 134 5.City Of Elk River & Utilities Offering Sustainable Energy Choices To Local Comm u n ities 61 62 6.im a p by Econom ic Gateway 54 99 7.Elk River Econ om ic Developm en t Sta ff 48 88 8.Econ om ic Developm en t Week In Th e City Of Elk River 47 48 ▼ Elk River, MN Economic Develo… Elk River City News Elk River Economic Develo… City Of Elk River & Utilit ies Offering… Business Toolbo… imap by Economi… Elk River Econom… Economic Develo… Universal Report others 23% 10.4% 43.8% Social M edia Followin g 1.1K Followers What time of day users visit your website? Users 12 AM 3 AM 6 AM 9 AM 12 P M 3 PM 6 PM 9 P M 0 50 100 150 387 Follow ers 867 Followe rs Thank you for being a valued client!