Archive for the 'Web 2.0 Strategy' Category

The Canadian Cities Online Marketing Index 2010

Published
by
Ian Smith
on June 30, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Economic Development and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

In September 2009, E&B DATA in conjunction with Intelegia published the first Canadian Cities Online Marketing Index.  This benchmark study examined the use of social media tools by large Canadian cities to market themselves for investment attraction purposes.  One would assume that big cities such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal would have had an official presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube however; they were not even ranked amongst the top 5 CMSAs in Canada.  On the basis of the city’s economic development agency website had to offer in terms of Web 2.0 tools, the top ranked  cities were: Halifax, London and  Hamilton,

This summer, Intelegia will be hard at work to produce the second annual benchmark study.  The 2010 version of the study will investigate:

  • Has these cities modified their social media strategies over the past nine to twelve months to increase their power to convince investors to place money in their respective regions?
  • Has cities (that were ranked lower down on the list) adopted social media marketing tools to catch up to the top three?
  • What are the prevailing Web 2.0 marketing trends that are being adopted by different cities?

Plus, a whole lot more.

With the assistance of interviews with the agencies that are responsible for investment attraction, the study will document how well the top cities in 2010 in terms of using the web for investment attraction.

Results will be unveiled by my colleague, Isabelle Poirier, at this year’s Economic Development Association of Canada Conference 2010 in Quebec City, Quebec.

YouTube Puts Saratoga County On Business Attraction Map

Published
by
Ian Smith
on May 12, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Investment Attraction and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

Executing a social media marketing strategy for investment attraction entails aligning the use of a selection of tools and a sound communications plan about the initiative.  A clear example of this assertion is the web 2.0 strategy for Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC).

In April 2010, the firm issued the press release, “Saratoga Economic Development Corporation Launches Global Marketing Video: Life With Balance” highlighting a new marketing video that can be viewed below.

The clip focuses on the key sectors and key localisation factors that the county has to offer investors and site selectors. This is strategically done by using testimonials by CEO of companies that have selected  Saratoga County as the place to operate (i.e., GlobalFoundries and AMD).  A key testimonial by U.S. President Barack Obama was used with from a speech made in September 2009 at Hudson Valley Community College.

As discussed in the post, “SEO For Your Investment Attraction YouTube Videos“,  writing a detailed description for the video and using the correct tags will allow the clip to be found easier by viewers.  Figure 1 is a screen shot of the description and tags for the county”s YouTube video.

Figure 1: Description and Tags For Saratoga County’s YouTube Clip

As of May 6th, 2010, the clip, “Saratoga County, New York - Saratoga Economic Development Corporation” has received 1207 visits.  According to statistics given to Intelegia from the corporation, the video has been seen in Germany and Singapore (Figure 2).  Only time will tell if investment dollars will flow from these countries into the county to deem the social media initiative a complete success.

Figure 2: Number Of View Per Countries/States

Enterprise Florida’s Web 2.0 Toolkit

Published
by
Ian Smith
on April 28, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Investment Attraction and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 3 Comments

Thanks to the Linkedin Group, “Foreign Direct Investment - FDIexecutive“, Intelegia has discovered several economic development agencies that has implemented social media marketing applications to promote their region.  Recently, we were alerted to the Web 2.0 initiative by Enterprise Florida.

Enterprise Florida’s mission is “To diversify Florida’s economy and create better-paying jobs for its citizens by supporting, attracting and helping to create businesses in innovative, high-growth industries.” The agency has a full compliment of social media marketing tools that includes the following:

  • Facebook Page
  • YouTube Channel
  • Twitter Page
  • Linkedin Group
  • RSS Feed
  • Itunes Clip

For the purposes of this post, Intelegia will profile the Facebook Page, Twitter Page and YouTube Channel.

Facebook Page

The Enterprise Florida Facebook Page is rather straightforward.  It offers the following tabs:

  • Wall - With the latest news and events regarding the key sectors and companies in the state. (See Figure 1)
  • Info - With relevant links regarding the agency’s other social media tools.
  • YouTube - A section where some of the agency’s videos can be found.
  • Notes - A series of notes pertaining to the industry clusters and companies activities in Florida.

The notes from the Facebook Page is available via a RSS feed.

Figure 1: Enterprise Florida’s Facebook Fan Page

Twitter Page

The Enterprise Florida Twitter Page, EnterpriseFL, contains a steady stream of news regarding economic development activities in the state of Florida.  Figure 2 provides a sample  of what is available via EnterpriseFL.

Figure 2: Enterprise Florida’s Twitter Page - EnterpriseFL

One thing that is missing from the agency’s tweets are hashtags.  Hashtags for tweets will allow individuals find tweets easier.  (Read “Invest In Korea Social Media Tools” to have a best practices approach to using hashtags.)

YouTube Channel

The Enterprise Florida’s YouTube Channel offers access  to min-profiles of companies and the agency’s efforts in the following sectors or (Innovative Centers) :

  • Life Science
  • Information Technology
  • Clean Energy

The YouTube clip below is a profile of Intezyne Technologies that is active in Florida’s life science industry cluster.

Invest In Korea Social Media Tools

Published
by
Ian Smith
on March 31, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Economic Development, Investment Attraction and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

On the heels of our recent post, “Invest In Sweden Social Media Tools” that discussed the use of web 2.0 tools to promote a region for foreign direct investment, we were informed on the LinkedIn Group, Foreign Direct Investment - FDIexecutive about the Invest In Korea economic development 2.0 initiative.

Invest In Korea seems to be slowly building their presence on some of the popular social media websites.  Using the UK Trade & Investment integrated approach with Invest In UK as a model, Invest In Korea is promoting their region by means of the following tools:

1) Twitter Feed

INVESTinKOREA is a source of information regarding the foreign direct investment entering the country.  This evident by the use of the hashtags, “#FDI” and “#Korea” in the posted tweets as seen in Figure 1.

InvestInKorea Twitter Feed

Figure 1: INVESTinKOREA Twitter Feed With Appearances Of Hashtags, #FDI and #Korea

2) YouTube Channel

The InvestinKorea YouTube Channel has a collection of  multilingual promotional videos.  Below is a  clip that combines a listing of world rankings for Korea in terms of economic factors, top sectors and key locational factors.  To reinforce the message that Korea is the best place to invest, brief testimonials from CEOs of companies that are in the country are used.

Using subtitles throughout the video allows the promotional clip to be effective without the audio track.

The use of the two tools are solid building blocks to add to in the future.  Will we see a Facebook Fan Page?  Stay tuned!!!

Invest In Sweden Social Media Tools

Published
by
Ian Smith
on March 24, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Investment Attraction, Social Media Marketing and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

E&B DATA, Intelegia’s parent company, conducted a benchmark study of the top investment attraction websites on the internet in 2009.  In the study, Invest In Sweden ranked amongst the top sites.

Intelegia revisited the website to see if there were any new aspects to aid the Invest In Sweden Agency in promoting Sweden as the place for foreign direct investment.  The agency selected to add a Twitter feed, a Facebook Group and a blog.

Twitter Feed

InvestInSweden is a bilingual Twitter feed (Swedish and English) with relevant messages regarding the investment climate in Sweden.   Figure 1 is a screen shot of the Twitter page.

InvestInSweden Twitter - Tools For Thought

Figure 1: Invest In Sweden Twitter Page

Facebook Group

The agency decided to use a Facebook Group instead of a Fan Page.  The  resource is a closed group that individuals must submit a request to join.  As a non-member, the group page is rather empty as seen in Figure 2.

Invest In Sweden's Facebook Group

Figure 2: Invest In Sweden Agency Facebook Group

Blog

InvestICT is the blog created by the Invest In Sweden Agency specifically targeted to the information technology and telecommunication sectors.  The objective of the blog is to provide information on investment opportunities in the two industries across the country.  Figure 3 illustrates the front page of the blog.

Figure 3: Index Page Of InvestICT Blog

Links to all three tools are hidden on the Invest In Sweden website in the “Stay In Informed” section.

Why Use SlideShare As A Part Of Your Economic Development 2.0 Strategy?

Published
by
Ian Smith
on February 24, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Economic Development, Investment Attraction and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 1 Comment

You have decided to implement a marketing strategy for your region for investment attraction purposes.  As a part of  the strategy, you have selected to use social media marketing applications. After concluding a benchmark of sites that are using Web 2.0 tools, you have created a list of the following applications that should be used in the strategy.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Flickr
  • RSS Feeds

The list seems to be pretty complete however; there is an application that does not come to mind when discussing social media marketing tools.  The application is SlideShare.

SlideShare is a tool that allows individuals to place documents in various file formats (i.e, .ppt, .doc, .pdf) on web.

The use of SlideShare in a marketing context is very practical.   Here are the advantages

1 - Avoid reinventing the wheel

There is a good chance that you may have promotional material in .pdf and or PowerPoint already in your agency that can be easily placed online.  Instead of spending a portion of your budget on new promotional content, use what you have and upload it to SlideShare.

2 - Reinforce Your Search Engine Optimatization Strategy

Having a presence on various Web 2.0 applications will enhance and reinforce your search engine optimization strategy for your website.  SlideShare is an efficient tool to accomplish this goal,  Each word of the document on the application is indexed and allows it to appear on Google’s result page quickly and within the first couple of pages. (if you are creating a new document to be place on SlideShare, keep in mind the keywords that investors are most likely to used to find information regarding investment attraction along with the name of the city, region, province / state or country.  Good examples of keywords would be: “Invest in”, “Investing in”, “Incentive” or “Doing Business In”.

3 - Be Visual

Using Slideshare to publish Microsoft Powerpoint presentation is a very powerful strategy.  The medium allows agencies to communicate facts about their region visually.  Figure 1 is a page from the Chesterfield Economic Development (Chesterfield, Virgina) presentation on SlideShare.

Figure 1: Chesterfield SlideShare Powerpoint Presentation

This particular slide is effective to help sell the region as a location of  growth in terms of the value of new commercial construction by using the ascending set of bars in the chart.

Some may consider SlideShare as the poorman’s YouTube when it comes to delivering content visually however; it can be efficient tool to aid in obtaining your marketing goals for economic development initiatives.

SlideShare is available at www.slideshare.net

Thinking about creating your Economic Development 2.0 strategy?  Attend Intelegia’s seminar,  “Optimize Investment Attraction Strategy Through Information and Social Media Applications“

Engaging Fans On Your Facebook Page For Economic Development

Published
by
Ian Smith
on February 17, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Social Media Marketing and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 2 Comments

You have finally dipped your big toe in the large body of water called, “Web 2.0″ for economic development, what do you do now in terms of engaging with individuals who are “following” you or fans?  According to Sysomos, only 77% of Facebook Fan Pages have under 1,000 fans.

If you have selected to utilize a Facebook Fan Page as a part of your economic development 2.0 strategy, here are a few tips to follow to increase the activity on the the page’s wall and discussion board.

1 - Build Your Audience

This tip may seem elementary however; building an audience is often taken for granted.  Economic development agencies begin their adventures on Web 2.0 by just creating a fan page and expect to be found in the sea of results for the query, “economic development” and prompting users to become fans.  Practical approaches to build an audience include:

  • Word of mouth promotion when meeting with stakeholders
  • Posting a link on the agency’s website where it can be highly visible
  • Placing a link in the signature of staff members’ email
  • Putting a brief note about the page in any online or offline publications

It is important to note that you should attempt to convince individuals to become “A Fan” for reason.  Individuals will decide to join based on a specific need such as keeping informed on the economic development initiatives in your region.

2 - Know Your Audience

Knowing your audience (fans) is vital.  This type of intelligence will influence the type of content that will be posted on the Facebook Fan Page.  By taking a look at who has become fans, you should be able to know  what percentage of the audience are:

  • Citizens of the region
  • Economic development professionals (elsewhere)
  • Site selectors / potential investors
  • Generic fan followers (Individuals that do not fit into the first three categories.)

A quick look at the fan’s profile could provide you with enough information to place the individual into one of the four groups listed above.

3 - Post Relevant and Timely Content

After assessing your fan base, you should be able to tailor your post for your wall or discussion board.  In the situation where your audience is comprised of economic development professionals, you may want to consider posting a link to an article regarding a particular issue dealing with a incentive program.  Making the program the subject of discussion will encourage professionals to share expertise on the topic.

Figure 1 seen below is an example of a posting of good economic news in the Chaleur region and a response of one of its Facebook Fans.


Figure 1: Link Posting On Chaleur Region Facebook Fan Page With Fan’s Comment

4 - Comment

At times, it is best to encourage a dialog amongst fans by simply being the first to comment on what you have posted.  You may post a comment summarizing the article for those who do not have the time to read it or just make a remark to spark a debate that will turn into a fruitful exchange of ideas.  Posting questions is a great way to begin to engage fans.

5 - Evaluate What You Have Done

The practice of engaging fans on Facebook is not completed as you click on the “POST” button.  It requires reviewing and evaluating what has been done and could be done to enhance the page for the fans.  Some elements of the page may include:

  • Adding applications to facilitate fan interaction
  • Including tabs for easier navigation on the page
  • Provide a news feed with relevant articles that could be the basis of a discussion

The post provided a brief list of suggestions of how to engage your audience on your Facebook Fan Page for economic development.  For more tips, read:

Are you thinking about building your economic development 2.0 strategy? Attend Intelegia’s seminar, “Optimize Investment Attraction Strategy Through Information and Social Media Applications” to learn about the key elements for a successful strategy.

The Use Of Testimonials In YouTube Clips For Investment Attraction

Published
by
Ian Smith
on January 27, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Economic Development, Investment Attraction and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

What makes a good YouTube clip for investment attraction purposes?

1. A concise message with all the key locational factors that site selectors and or investors are primarily concerned about?

2. Footage of the existing land opportunities and transportation infrastructure in the region?

3. Testimonials from existing investors about the positive aspects of investing in the region?

All three elements are needed however; testimonials can go a long way in regards of putting a region on the map for investment attraction.

The following clip is from the Niagara Economic Development Corporation, the agency responsible for activities to advance the economic prosperity of the Niagara (Ontario) community.

The key elements of the video are:

  1. The various companies from an array of sectors that has selected Niagara to do business.
  2. How companies have built links within the business community and universities in the region.
  3. The level of government assistance offered to investing companies.

Through the use of testimonials to promote Niagara, the YouTube clip can effectively grab the attention of potential investors and site selectors.

Are seeking to improve your region’s investment retention or attraction strategy?  Attend Intelegia’s seminar, “Optimize Investment Attraction Strategy Through Information and Social Media Applications“.

Best of Tools For Thought 2009 - Economic Development 2.0

Published
by
Ian Smith
on December 23, 2009
in Author-Ian Smith, Economic Development, Social Media Marketing and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 0 Comments

In 2009, we examined the use of social networks for economic development initiatives.  Web 2.0 tools such as Facebook, Twtter and YouTube serve as efficient vehicules to market a region without spending a huge amount of money.  The following post highlights the best practices in economic development 2.0 and related fields.

YouTube: Nova Scotia On The Map For Investment Attraction

This post provided an excellent example of how a private sector organization can use a Web 2.0 application to convince potential investors that Nova Scotia, Canada as the best location for foreign direct investment.

To learn more about this initiative and view the video spotlighting the key locational factors, click here.

Web 2.0 For E-Government?

Can Twitter be used in an e-government context?  Why not. Both Tools For Thought and Des Outils et Des Hommes identified San Francisco and New York as the cities that are utilizing Twitter to compliment a government service such as an 311 information telephone hotline.

Click here to read more about this simple use of Twitter.

What Is Available On YouTube For Site Selectors?

YouTube has quickly become a search engine for information.  Rather than using Google, some individuals are turning to the Web 2.0 site.  Intelegia conducted a search on YouTube to see what relevant videos are available for site selectors in terms of promotional content for investment attraction.

Click here to read the results of the exercise.

Are you seeking to create or improve your economic development 2.0 strategy for investment attraction?  Register for Intelegia’s seminar, Optimize Investment Attraction Strategy Through Information and Social Media Applications

What Is Available On YouTube For Site Selectors? A Month Later

Published
by
Ian Smith
on December 18, 2009
in Author-Ian Smith, Investment Attraction and Web 2.0 Strategy
. 2 Comments

To see how dynamic the search results are on YouTube for videos aimed at promoting a region for  investment attraction, we repeated the exercise performed for the post, “What Is Available On YouTube For Site Selectors?“  Here are some of the videos that were worth mentioning found on December 16th, 2009.

“Invest In”

Invest In South Africa

This clip is in the form of a traditional television commercial.  It promotes the country of South Africa as a location for possibilities when it comes to investing in a variety of sectors.

“Economic Development”

Pearland, Texas

Located on the southeast coast of Texas, Pearland presents a very clear message in terms of economic development and business attraction.  The video highlights the main locational factors that the town has to offer and as well a brief look at its competitive incentive programs.

The difference between the results obtained on November 18th, 2009 and December 16th, 2009 should not be a big surprise.  Online marketers should always keep in mind that search results are dynamic and SEO strategies must be considered to maintain or improve their search engine ranking position.

Are you thinking about implementing a social media marketing campaign for investment attraction purposes for your region?  Consider taking Intelegia’s seminar, “Optimize Investment Attraction Strategy Through Information and Social Media Applications“.