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8.7. EDSR 01-17-2023Request for Action To Item Number Economic Development Authority 8.7 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by General Business January 17, 2023 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 provide updates to the Authority and discuss other non-action items. Among the topics are: Website report and update. Letter of Support for Highway 10/169 Funding. 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  Q3 Golden Shovel Report 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 Q4 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 Users Oct 1 Oct 9 Oct 17 Oct 25 Nov 2 N ov 10 Nov 18 N ov 26 Dec 4 Dec 12 Dec 20 Dec 28 0 50 100 150 200 Users 1,760 New Users 1,740 Sessions 1,971 Number of Sessions per User 1.12 Pageview s 7,411 Pages / Session 3.76 Bounce Rate 70.57% Avg. Session Durat ion 00:00:44 New Visit or Returning Visitor 5.9% 94.1% Country Users 1.United States 1,149 2.Philippines 12 3.Germany 10 4.India 8 5.Russia 7 6.Ireland 6 7.Mexico 5 8.Ukra ine 5 9.Sweden 4 10.United Kingdom 4 ▼ Highe r Trac Countries What device ar e people using? Device Users 1.desktop 1,130 2.m obile 610 3.ta blet 20 ▼ desktop mobile tablet 34.7% 64.2% Your audience at a glance! Oct 1, 2022 - De c 31, 2022 ▼ Keyboard sh ortcu ts Map data ©2023 Terms of Use Higher Trac - Countries Let's learn a bit more about yo ur users! Acquisition Sources Source Use rs 1.google 858 2.(direct)736 3.bing 63 4.du ckduckgo 29 5.yahoo 20 6.m.fa cebook.com 12 7.goldenshovela gency.com 11 8.facebook.com 11 9.lm .facebook.com 9 10.l.fa cebook.com 9 ▼ google (direct ) bing duck duck go yahoo m.facebook.com goldenshovelage… facebook.com lm.facebook.com others 48.2% 41.4% Sta te Use rs 1.Minnesota 681 2.Illinois 137 3.Texa s 52 4.K a n sas 47 5.Iowa 27 6.Missou ri 20 7.Wisconsin 19 8.Mississippi 16 9.New York 13 10.Okla h om a 13 ▼ Higher Trac - Pages Tr ac Type 48 .2 % 6.9% 41 .4 % De fault Channel Grou…Use rs 1.Orga nic Sea rch 971 2.Direct 736 3.Social 49 4.Referral 25 ▼ 111 821821821 City Users 1.Min neapolis 133 2.Chica go 115 3.Washington 102 4.Elk River 82 5.Sa int Pa u l 34 6.Coffeyville 27 7.Big Lake 24 8.Ca mbridge 20 9.Otsego 15 10.St. Cloud 15 ▼ Higher Trac - States (globally) Higher Trac - Cities (globally) USA Audience Page Title Users Pa ge views 1.Deckla n Group 482 582 2.Elk River, MN Econ om ic Developm en t 434 631 3.Elk River Econ om ic Developm en t Business Directory 187 376 4.Elk River City News 131 4,231 5.Elk River Econ om ic Developm en t Sta ff 84 110 6.Shop Locally And Connect W ith The Comm u n ity 56 65 7.im a p by Econom ic Gateway 54 63 8.Manufactu ring Month In Elk River Focu sin g On The W orkforce Of The Future 50 53 9.Business Toolbox for Elk River MN 37 42 ▼ Deck lan G roup Elk River, MN Econom ic Develo… Elk River Econom ic Develo… Elk River City News Elk River Econom ic Develo… Shop Locally And… imap by Economi… Manufact uring M… Business Toolbo… others 21.6% 19.5% 8.4% 32% 5.9% Our exciting journey for 2022 is now over and 2023 is here..! As you know, the only thing constant in life is change, and the same can be said for the business world. It is crucial for every organization to adapt and evolve in order to stay competitive and relevant in today's rapidly changing market. Now is the perfect opportunity to review and optimize current processes and systems to increase efficiency and productivity going into the new year. We recommend continuing to invest in marketing efforts to drive growth and engagement with your audience, focusing on strengthening relationships in the upcoming quarter through consistent communication while offering valuable resources to website visitors. Building a strong follower base will not only increase engagement but also foster a positive reputation for your organization. Over the past three months, we have made significant progress on a number of fronts and our team has been working hard to deliver outstanding results and in this report, you will find a summary of key elements, as well as an analysis of your website’s performance. We hope that this information will provide valuable insights into the work we are doing to support your organization and drive long-term growth. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. We look forward to continuing to work together to achieve even greater success in the future. The Golden Shovel Team. 2 Q4 Gateway Developments/Upgrades After the launching of the Economic Gateway 3.0 admin in Q3, as part of the “Phase 2” of the project, our development team continued working on several improvements across the platform, producing a number of cosmetic adjustments, improvements, and new features that have been added to the platform, such as: ●Table view option for all View All interfaces ●SEOptimer dashboard report ●New sorting options were added to select tools ●User Shortcuts ●User Notes interface ●Improved Transparency in Page/Module relationships ●Customizable User Module Access ●Duplicate item functionality added for select tools. ●Module Template Code Improvements -Under-the-hood updates to the code have been made to produce upgrades and improvements in the List Maker, Business Directory, Events, and Staff Directory templates. Most of this work is largely invisible to the user, but improved compatibility and integration with site themes are the result, as well as increased compliance with higher-level accessibility standards, and micro-improvements to visual aspects of the templates such as positioning and sizing of existing elements. ●reCAPTCHA v3 Upgrade Support -Popular templates with form submission (contact forms, public submission forms, custom forms) were upgraded to work with reCAPTCHA v3 when the site's theme is configured to use that system. (All templates still support reCAPTCHA v2 as well.) ●Miscellaneous ○CKFinder will now permit the upload of the .ico file type (used for favicons). ○The Resource Gallery template's pagination limit has been increased to 24 items at a time. 3 There will be more upgrades implemented in 2023 and we’ll keep you informed on the progress of these and other tools our team has planned to make your website stronger, faster and more reliable. In the meantime, if you have any feedback to share with us, as well as questions or suggestions on the current Gateway tools, please feel free to contact your GateKeeper rep or email our Support Portal (support@goldenshovelagency.com). Support and Resources Free Webinars 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. And remember, Golden Shovel webinars are always free for you to attend and we’ll be delighted to have you joining! 2022 Holiday Happy Hour: Year In Review This session was a very special one and the perfect oppportunity for us to wrap up the year! We reviewed the greatest trends in economic development, client awards & special projects from the past year and also opened it up for discussions and networking. Save your seat for our upcoming sessions! 4 Using SEO Research to Build a Successful Economic Development Marketing Plan Now is the time to rethink your economic development organization's 2023 marketing strategy. This webinar will introduce the power of SEO (search engine optimization) research and Google Analytics to prepare a successful, stress-free strategic plan. Participants will learn to use SEO data and analytics as the foundation for advertising and content. After understanding the raw analytics and keywords, participants will learn the components of a successful strategy with an executable plan. Join Ron Kresha, Golden Shovel's Chief Operating Officer,for a session that will give you the tools and information to measure a successful strategy. We will also reveal common challenges that prevent successful implementation. The webinar will be on January 19th, 2023 at 11:00 AM CST, and you can attend at no charge, but registration is required.Save your seat here! In case you missed it... Now, here is a brief recap of the most relevant updates published through our Golden Shovel's Newsletter “Economic Developer's EDGE”, to help you keep up with economic development industry standards, trends, and the latest news. Would you like to stay up-to-date with leadership insights, solutions and actionable tips you can use?Subscribe here to get exclusive content every other week provided by our staff!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! Why Your Economic Development Organization Needs Its Own URL 5 The pandemic has transformed the way business is done everywhere. Once the world was driven (nearly completely) online, websites became even more critical. That isn’t going to change. No matter how much a community offers, a web presence can make or break the perception of an economic development organization. If directing site selectors and talent to your website means sending them to a dedicated section of your affiliated city or county website, you’re behind the curve, and now’s the time to change.Get the full article here. Seven Golden Shovel Clients Honored by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Golden Shovel Agency, an economic development communications firm, is pleased to announce that seven of the agency’s clients received awards a the 2022 International Economic Development Council (IEDC) annual conference in Oklahoma City, OK. IEDC is the largest organization of economic development professionals in the world, with over 5,000 members. “It’s an honor that so many of our clients to be chosen as award winners. It’s also a testament to their innovative and driven approach to growing their communities. We are proud to support so many talented economic developers and their organizations,” said Ron Kresha, Chief Operating Officer of Golden Shovel Agency.Learn more! Why RFPs Can Be a Routinely Flawed Process Your EDO needs a fresh online presence. You chose a creative agency. You send out an RFP. On the surface, this makes sense. If you want competitive bids, you need to solicit them. However, there are easier ways to get more information and better results. If your economic development organization is like most, everyone on your team is busy and has to wear many hats. You may be inclined to use an RFP template because you don’t have time to reinvent the wheel. However, that approach can lead to problems down the road.Read the full article here! 6 Four Strategic Steps Economic Development Organizations Can Take to Bolster Workforce Development Employers across the U.S. have been facing extreme workforce challenges. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, total non-farm employment continued to grow, adding 261,000 jobs in October. This ongoing imbalance between labor demand and supply means that there are 10.7 million jobs still available, but only 5.7 million people are unemployed. Those numbers boil down to almost 1.9 unfilled positions for every job seeker. As the labor market continues to grow and show signs of strength, this imbalance isn’t going to self-correct any time soon. For more in-depth insight, you can read our recent article, “Understanding Labor Force Participation Rates & Why People Drop Out of the Workforce.”Click here for the full article! 2022 Strategies for Solving Housing Shortages There are several viable options for communities looking to tackle their housing shortages by building affordable workforce housing. Housing shortages and homelessness are detrimental to the health and well-being of any community’s economic development. Addressing the housing shortage through an approach as multifaceted as its causes becomes necessary for a flourishing local economy. Another pending housing crisis resides in the older generation. The population over 60 is growing and will need more options, including homes that are more easily accessible for people with potential disabilities or other physical limitations that come with age.…Get the full article! 7 Best Economic Development Websites for 2023 The Best Economic Development Websites for 2023 do an incredible job of telling a story through a dynamic combination of written content, images, and design. Golden Shovel Agency has selected the top EDC websites based on research, industry trends, and our experience as an international economic development communications agency. Economic developers are investing heavily in their community’s digital presence, making it challenging to select winners when so many have really upped their game. Our list is limited to the top ten winners for readability, but it was close, and our list of deserving EDCs is quite extensive.Learn more..! The latest episode of the ShovelTalk Podcast is here! In the "ShovelTalk" Podcast, we take you behind the scenes of local economic developers and get to know the people behind thriving communities. 2022 Golden Shovel Year In Review and Sneak Peek to 2023:2022 was an exciting year for the Golden Shovel team. Our last episode of 2022 features Aaron Brossoit (CEO), Bethany Quinn (Vice President of Strategy & Content Development), Darren Varley (Vice President of Client Retention & Creative Services), Warren Westcott (Vice President of Sales) and Greg Kolbjornsen (PlaceVR Executive Producer) talking about what was 2022 and what will be 2023. Enjoy and Happy Holidays from the entire Golden Shovel team! Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on Youtube 8 Recommended Ebook:Understanding Current Workforce Shortages Workforce shortages are a primary concern for businesses and economic developers throughout the country. For economic developers, this creates a clear and urgent challenge -find workers to support existing businesses or risk them going elsewhere.The same is true for business attraction. Economic developers seeking new investment must have a workforce attraction strategy that supports that growth.Download your copy here! Video Services: The Next Wave of Economic Development A picture speaks a thousand words and Golden Shovel Agency’s economic development video and imagery services can speak volumes about your community!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. 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! And now, it’s time to dive into your website metrics! 9 Lead Forensics Oct 1 2022 - Dec 31 2022Date Range: Report:Visitor Statistics (Industry) Print Date: Jan 8 2023 5:55PM Industry % of Visits Number of Visits Government 20.70%106 Education 16.02%82 Financial Services 7.81%40 Hospital and Healthcare 5.86%30 Real Estate 4.10%21 Building and Maintenance Services 3.91%20 Computing 3.52%18 Legal Services 2.93%15 Retail 2.15%11 Marketing and Advertising 2.15%11 Manufacturing 2.15%11 Machinery 1.95%10 Charities and Non Profit Organizations 1.95%10 Consumer Goods 1.76%9 Business Services 1.76%9 Oil and Energy 1.37%7 Media 1.37%7 Individual and Family Services 1.37%7 Health and Beauty 1.17%6 Food and Beverages 1.17%6 1/3 Religious Institutions 0.98%5 Recreational Facilities and Services 0.98%5 Environmental Services 0.98%5 Engineering 0.98%5 Mining and Metals 0.78%4 Gym and Fitness 0.78%4 Chemicals 0.78%4 Automotive 0.78%4 Public Services 0.59%3 Plastics 0.59%3 Packaging and Containers 0.59%3 Hospitality 0.59%3 Building Materials and Tools 0.59%3 Architecture and Planning 0.59%3 Sports 0.39%2 Printing 0.39%2 Logistics and Supply Chain 0.39%2 Leisure, Travel and Tourism 0.39%2 Entertainment 0.39%2 Training Providers 0.20%1 Telecommunications 0.20%1 Security and Investigations 0.20%1 Research 0.20%1 2/3 Horticulture 0.20%1 Facilities Services 0.20%1 Defence and Space 0.20%1 Consumer Services 0.20%1 Consultants 0.20%1 Aviation and Aerospace 0.20%1 Audio and Visual 0.20%1 Agriculture 0.20%1 Other 14.93% Government 20.70% Education 16.02% Financial Services 7.81% Hospital and Healthcare 5.86% Real Estate 4.10% Building and Maintenance Services 3.91% Computing 3.52% Legal Services 2.93% Manufacturing 2.15% Marketing and Advertising 2.15% Retail 2.15% Charities and Non Profit Organizations 1.95% Machinery 1.95% Business Services 1.76% Consumer Goods 1.76% Individual and Family Services 1.37% Media 1.37% Oil and Energy 1.37% Food and Beverages 1.17% Health and Beauty 1.17% 3/3 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 50 100 150 200 417 Followe rs 862 Followe rs Thank you for being a valued client!