GADC Launches State-of-the-Art Website for Site Selectors, Economic Development Community
January 6, 2011
GREENVILLE COUNTY, SC – January 6, 2011 – The Greenville Area Development Corporation, the non-profit organization established by Greenville County Council to promote and enhance the economic development of Greenville County, has re-launched its website (www.goGADC.com), strategically investing in an expanded online presence to provide site selectors, media and the economic development community across the nation with resources and tools to further the region’s economic growth and prosperity.
This website relaunch represents our first major online enhancement in several years, and aims to provide site selectors and corporate audiences both domestic and internationally with the information and resources they need to fully consider this area for relocation or expansion, said Kevin Landmesser, GADC vice president who directed the relaunch initiative. With the help of this new web presence, we aim to provide a wealth of information about business climate, available locations, market conditions, workforce and quality of life criteria to engage those organizations which might consider Greenville County for their new or expanded home.
The completely revamped and expanded site features a host of changes, additions and improvements, including a robust Sites and Buildings section allowing visitors to review and search available locations throughout the county, download maps and flyers, and even view topographic detail on locations. A robust Resources section is chock full of essential data for site selectors, including demographics, workforce data, wage and salary information, accessibility and cost of living data, plus mapping tools and a comprehensive media center.
A Business Climate section provides essential data on market conditions, existing business and industry, workforce tools and training, taxes and incentives, financing and air quality. Target Industries, detailing segments of focus for the economic development community, and a deep and rich Quality of Life section, represent other areas of major expansion. The site also includes details on the GADC organization itself, its governance, supporting Investors, and detailed contact information. Visitors can also take virtual tours of various locations throughout the county, view videos about the community, connect with other economic development entities, and sign up to follow the GADC and its efforts via Twitter and LinkedIn. An expanded suite of social media tools is in process of being implemented over the next 60 days, Landmesser added.
Our intent is for it to be easy for our power users – site selection consultants and corporate real estate executives – to access and find what they need quickly and easily to facilitate them making good decisions about being part of the Greenville County community, said Landmesser. This site is dynamic and very much a work in progress, and is a tool that we fully envision will continue to grow, deepen and evolve as time goes forward.
Many aspects of the site were driven by analysis of best-of-breed competitor sites, both domestic and international, as well as in reviewing top site characteristics of other web-based organizations, from media and entertainment to retail and services, Landmesser added. We also conducted interviews and research with key user audiences to help shape content, organization and navigation aspects of the site, delivering the information they asked for in the forms they require, and presenting it in a fashion that is easily accessible and intuitively located.
Designed and developed over several months by the GADC and their web partner Mediasation of Greenville, the site also incorporates news and articles, forms, downloads and helpful web links – even sign-up access to the organization’s bi-monthly e-newsletter.
The site also provides a secure log-in allowing access to essential forms and data exchange with clients and prospective clients via a private client log-in for those who choose to access select services via the Internet. The site is also in process of being fully optimized for multiple browser types and for presentation and searching on a variety of mobile devices. As an international community, the site uses translation technology to present the site information in a variety of languages, including German, French, Italian, Japanese and Korean, among others.
It’s been completely re-designed with our clients, prospects and community in mind, said Landmesser. Our goal was to offer more resources, ideas, capabilities, tools and services in one convenient place than were available in most such economic development sites as part of our efforts to effectively showcase this community to the world. We’ll be updating it daily with more resources, news and information, and hope that the community will bookmark it among their favorites, and check back regularly.
Landmesser also expressed appreciation to numerous organizations that provided visuals and content for the site in an effort to showcase the very best of Greenville County. Many organizations and individuals have stepped up to allow us to put Greenville’s best foot forward with this initiative, and we are very grateful to them, he added.
Since its founding in 2001, GADC efforts have resulted in the creation of more than 10,000 new jobs and more than $2 billion in capital investment in Greenville County. The organization provides resources and supports key initiatives to further the area’s economic growth, including educational and legislative programs, strategic research tools, and business development consulting services. The GADC also provides information about the Greenville, SC area and serves as a liaison between client companies and various community organizations.
The Greenville Area Development Corporation
The Greenville Area Development Corporation is a non-profit organization established by Greenville County Council to promote and enhance the economic growth and development of Greenville County. For information, visit them at www.GoGADC.com or call (864) 235-2008.
