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7.3. EDSR 10-17-2022Request for Action To Item Number Economic Development Authority 7.3 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by General Business October 17, 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 purposes. Background/Discussion Staff will use this time to update the board on relevant topics. Among the topics: Committee Updates Manufacturing Month Quarterly Website Report 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  Quarterly Website Report from Golden Shovel Agency 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 Q3 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 Golden Shovel Agency’s third quarter was busy and exciting! We have had the opportunity of helping many communities across the country with their communications and marketing efforts and it is because of you, economic developers, we have been able to build a company that wakes up daily to serve leaders in communities worldwide. Helping you attract businesses and talent is an honor we do not take for granted. Our commitment to you has always been to prospect new technologies and develop what will keep your organization current and make your job easier. Over the past 10 months, our team has rebuilt our entire platform so that client websites will run faster, be more secure, and be easier to update. This upgrade introduced a new look and features to our content management system while laying the groundwork for exciting future developments! We’re always striving to bring you cutting-edge updates and tools, while at the same time, providing you and your organization with the support you need and as usual, we will continue doing our best to provide you with accurate data and metrics in our reports to make sure you have the insight you need for you to make the necessary adjustments to your own strategies and get the best out of your organization’s efforts. (PS - We’re also very excited about the upcoming holiday season!) The Golden Shovel Team. 2 Recent developments/upgrades on the Economic Gateway Platform The completely revamped Economic Gateway 3.0 admin launched, offering numerous new features and tools, upgraded under-the-hood functionality, and a new interface designed to be more visual and prioritize the most commonly used tools and processes. Also, a suite of video tutorials was made available to train and familiarize users with the new interface for working on page and module content. After the launch, new features in 3.0 continued to be implemented, including: ●Smart image interface for module logos ●Smart image interface for banners ●A toggle option to open a given page in the menu in a new window ●News filtering by publish date ●News ordering by publish date ●Copy page functionality for easy duplication of page content ●Copy event functionality for easy duplication of event listings ●'Add' button on View All pages throughout the admin ●Misc. layout improvements We have many more improvements and new tools planned and are also taking feedback from clients and GateKeeper reps as daily usage brings out areas where new tools or adjustments can further improve the user experience. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact your GateKeeper rep or email our Support Portal (support@goldenshovelagency.com). Support and Resources Free Webinars Our webinars are always free and at the forefront of economic development trends and technologies. You can feel free to attend these online at no charge, our only goal is to help you strengthen your understanding of the latest key economic development principles, thus, helping deliver success for your community. In case you missed any of our recent sessions, you can always access the recordings that are available to you on our website or from the links below. 3 Strengthen Your Community's Competitive Potential By Improving Quality of Life Golden Shovel Agency and Convergent Nonprofit Solutions explored ways to strengthen your community’s competitive potential by improving quality of life. If the quality of life improvements are not part of your economic development strategy - they should be. How do you, as an economic developer, make the case to your stakeholders? How do you encourage people and businesses to invest in the quality of life when those initiatives rarely result in immediate job creation and tax revenue? And if you can get them to buy in, which quality of life initiatives should you start first? Let's explore these issues and the data and tools necessary to improve your community’s quality of life - with community support. Economic Gateway 3.0 Update: A Clients-Only Webinar Economic Gateway 3.0 has been officially launched!Helping you attract businesses and talent is an honor we do not take for granted. Our commitment to you has always been to prospect new technologies and develop what will keep your organization current and make your job easier. With that at heart, we are delighted to announce the launch of Economic Gateway 3.0. Over the past ten months, we have rebuilt the entire platform so that your websites will run faster, be more secure, and be easier to update. This upgrade introduces a new look and features to our content management system while laying the groundwork for exciting future developments. If you didn’t get a chance to join us for the live session, we encourage you to watch the recording, so you can familiarize yourself with all the new features we have developed for you so you can get the best out of your website! Save your seat for our upcoming sessions! 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 our 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! Attracting And Retaining Workers In Todays Challenging Market According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,unemployment has fallen to pre-pandemic levels, but that doesn’t mean the workforce is simply returning to normal. In March of 2022, a record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs, leaving 1.9 job openings for every unemployed worker. According to the Institute of Supply Management, filling positions in the manufacturing industry is particularly challenging. According to a recent survey by CNBC,fifty-two percent of all small business owners report trouble finding workers. It’s safe to say that for every employee who resigns, others are contemplating quitting. Using Community Planning & Infrastructure Investment To Become More Competitive Meeting your community's existing needs while laying the groundwork for its anticipated need is more critical than ever. Meanwhile, the concept of infrastructure is evolving. In addition to being functional, capital improvements now need to be aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. They must also be planned, executed, and publicized to make the community feel more connected.Learn more! 5 The Role Of Education In Talent Attraction Chambers and EDOs are prioritizing talent attraction initiatives to help fill the 11.4 million job openings in the country. Education enhancements directly connect to talent attraction. Efforts such as upskilling, trade-focused high school academies, and promise programs can be differentiators when people choose a community where to live and work.Read the full article here! Funding Dei Initiatives In Your Community Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts take more of a front seat in economic development strategy and growth. We see communities benefit from these efforts, and funders start to expect them when reviewing future plans. Convergent Nonprofit Solutions has managed capital campaigns for EDOs and Chambers of different sizes and scopes that have taken very different approaches to ensure that their area encompasses DEI in its initiatives to improve business retention, talent attraction, workforce development, and overall quality of life in the community itself...Click here for the full article! How To Market Your Quality Of Place Local Events And Community Brand Marketing your quality of place, local events, and community brand are crucial to an economic development strategy because they can help with workforce and business recruitment. Forbes reported in 2017 that "Millennials want a better everything." Years later, that remains true, and other generations are joining them. People demand better working conditions, better living environments, and communities that meet their lifestyle needs…Get the full article! 6 Why Utilities Are Such Great Economic Development Partners Anyone whose eye is on international news today can easily see how all aspects of a community are impacted when energy is scarce, unreliable, or unaffordable. Yet even under optimal conditions and ideal circumstances, successful economic development organizations fully understand why utility companies are invaluable working partners. Utility companies are crucial to everyone’s success because they have a closer everyday relationships, and a greater impact, on quality of life and prosperity than any other industry. Since their success depends on selling more energy, they also have plenty of incentive to retain and attract new manufacturers as well as other large-scale power customers.Learn more..! Check out our latest episode of the ShovelTalk Podcast! In the "ShovelTalk" Podcast, we take you behind the scenes of local economic developers and get to know the people behind thriving communities. You can listen on your favorite podcast app! In episode three of the remote worker mini-series, you'll meet Tayler Gill (aka "Traveling Tayler"), a remote worker, travel coach, and trip facilitator for Hacker Paradise. Amanda met Tayler through Hacker Paradise, a company that curates experiences for remote workers in communities across the world. Listen as Amanda chats with Tayler about what Hacker Paradise looks for when scouting new communities and businesses to work with, all about Youtube, her coaching businesses, and of course, remote work! Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Youtube 7 Recommended Ebook:Improving Quality of Life and Quality of Place Quality of life initiatives are essential in defining a community's sense of place and attracting and retaining residents. They are also crucial for attracting business investment - a key goal for any economic development organization. In 2022, Brookings researchers evaluated the impact of quality of life improvements on local economies. They reported, "Our research on small communities has found that community amenities... are likely contributors to healthy local economies than traditional 'business-friendly' measures."Download your copy here! PlaceVR Did you know that PlaceVR, Golden Shovel's video division, was the industry pioneer in developing virtual reality familiarization (FAM) tours for business attraction, workforce attraction, and tourism? Imagine being at a trade show and letting a business prospect "step into your community" and experience what it has to offer. It's now possible with our virtual reality video work. Our talented film crew tells the story of your region and makes it come to life for the audience! Are you ready to be an Innovator in marketing your community? Ask your Gatekeeper rep for a demo to learn how videos can help you to be more successful in attracting businesses, investors, and visitors! Now, it’s time to dive into your website metrics! 8 Lead Forensics Jul 1 2022 - Sep 30 2022Date Range: Report:Visitor Statistics (Industry) Print Date: Oct 11 2022 11:17AM Industry % of Visits Number of Visits Government 46.32%195 Education 9.26%39 Financial Services 4.28%18 Building and Maintenance Services 3.33%14 Engineering 3.09%13 Hospital and Healthcare 2.85%12 Legal Services 2.38%10 Real Estate 2.14%9 Consumer Goods 2.14%9 Automotive 2.14%9 Computing 1.90%8 Oil and Energy 1.43%6 Charities and Non Profit Organizations 1.43%6 Logistics and Supply Chain 1.19%5 Architecture and Planning 1.19%5 Telecommunications 0.95%4 Media 0.95%4 Marketing and Advertising 0.95%4 Manufacturing 0.95%4 Food and Beverages 0.95%4 1/3 Consultants 0.95%4 Aviation and Aerospace 0.95%4 Retail 0.71%3 Business Services 0.71%3 Religious Institutions 0.48%2 Machinery 0.48%2 Leisure, Travel and Tourism 0.48%2 Health and Beauty 0.48%2 Facilities Services 0.48%2 Entertainment 0.48%2 Defence and Space 0.48%2 Chemicals 0.48%2 Building Materials and Tools 0.48%2 Recreational Facilities and Services 0.24%1 Public Services 0.24%1 Plastics 0.24%1 Photography 0.24%1 Packaging and Containers 0.24%1 Non-Classified Establishments 0.24%1 Mining and Metals 0.24%1 Maritime 0.24%1 Hospitality 0.24%1 Fundraising 0.24%1 2/3 Forestry and Paper Products 0.24%1 Other 15.03% Government 46.32% Education 9.26% Financial Services 4.28% Building and Maintenance Services 3.33% Engineering 3.09% Hospital and Healthcare 2.85%Legal Services 2.38% Automotive 2.14% Consumer Goods 2.14% Real Estate 2.14% Computing 1.90% Charities and Non Profit Organizations 1.43% Oil and Energy 1.43% Architecture and Planning 1.19% Logistics and Supply Chain 1.19% 3/3 Users Jul 1 J u l 9 Jul 17 J ul 25 Aug 2 Au g 10 Aug 18 Aug 26 Sep 3 Sep 11 Sep 19 Sep 27 0 50 100 150 Users 1,935 New Users 1,914 Sessions 2,164 Number of Sessions per User 1.12 Pageview s 12,919 Pages / Session 5.97 Bounce Rate 72.27% Avg. Session Durat ion 00:00:46 New Visit or Returning Visitor 4.2% 95.8% Country Users 1.United States 862 2.Ireland 34 3.Sweden 17 4.Russia 13 5.India 10 6.Canada 6 7.Mexico 4 8.Ukra ine 4 9.United Kingdom 4 10.Philippines 3 ▼ Highe r Trac Countries What device ar e people using? Device Users 1.desktop 1,440 2.m obile 483 3.ta blet 12 ▼ desktop mobile tablet 25% 74.4% Your audience at a glance! Jul 1, 2022 - S e p 30, 2022 ▼ 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)1,091 2.google 532 3.m.fa cebook.com 104 4.bing 41 5.lm .facebook.com 41 6.facebook.com 38 7.l.fa cebook.com 20 8.linkedin.com 18 9.yahoo 16 10.goldenshovela gency.com 14 ▼ (direct ) google m.facebook.com bing lm.facebook.com facebook.com l.facebook.com linkedin.com yahoo others 27.3% 55.9% Sta te Use rs 1.Minnesota 507 2.Illinois 82 3.Cou nty Dublin 34 4.Texa s 34 5.North Ca rolina 33 6.Iowa 26 7.Wisconsin 26 8.Oregon 24 9.K a n sas 18 10.Norrbotten County 16 ▼ Higher Trac - Pages Tr ac Type 11 .3% 2 7.3% 56 .1 % De fault Channel Grou…Use rs 1.Direct 1,091 2.Orga nic Sea rch 603 3.Social 227 4.Referral 27 ▼ 111 683683683 City Users 1.Washington 241 2.Min neapolis 128 3.Chica go 75 4.Elk River 58 5.Dublin 34 6.Forest City 25 7.Prineville 21 8.Ca mbridge 21 9.Sa int Pa u l 19 10.Otsego 19 ▼ 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 404 614 2.From Summ er In tern To Fulltim e Specia list Spotligh t On Joshu a Molla n 327 347 3.Elk River City News 305 9,767 4.A Look At Fa rm ing And Agricu lture In The Elk River Area 86 91 5.Elk River Econ om ic Developm en t Business Directory 81 180 6.Ymca Elk River 62 64 7.im a p by Econom ic Gateway 59 75 8.Erx Motor Pa rk A Powersports Playground 49 55 9.Elk River Econ om ic Developm en t Sta ff 48 109 ▼ Elk River, MN Econom ic Develo… From Summer Intern To Fulltim… Elk River City News A Look At Farming And Agriculture I… Elk River Econom… Ymca Elk River imap by Economi… Erx Motor Park A… Elk River Econom… others 18.4% 14.9% 13.9% 35.4% 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 PM 3 PM 6 PM 9 P M 0 50 100 150 200 406 Follow ers 867 Followe rs Thank you for being a valued client!