Creating Compelling Content to Attract & Engage Investors, Businesses, and Workforce

As an economic developer, your primary goal is to attract businesses, investors, and workforce to your community. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by creating engaging content showcasing your community's unique value proposition. However, creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience is not always easy.

Developing a Content Plan

Developing a content plan is the first step in creating engaging content. Your content plan will be your roadmap that outlines the type of content you’ll be creating. A well-developed content plan is critical to a successful marketing strategy because it allows you to create and publish content that meets the needs and interests of your target audience. Start by mapping out 12 different article topics that you can post once/month throughout the year. Incorporate keywords into article titles, headers, and the main text.

#1 Define your Target Audience

A common theme within marketing strategies is defining your target audience. And this is the same for developing your content plan. Start with the target audiences from your overall marketing strategy, and break them down further. For example, what type of workforce do you want to attract to your region? Young families may be a sub-category of your workforce target audience. To attract those young families, you must create content highlighting your community's family-friendly amenities. Defining specific target audiences allows you to tailor your content to their needs and interests.

#2 Identify Your Content Goals

Once you have defined your target audience, you must identify your content goals. What do you want to achieve with your content? Are you trying to attract businesses? Would you like to educate the current workforce on the resources available to them? Do you want to inform residents about local events? Your content goals will help you create content that aligns with your overall economic development strategy (refer back to the SMART goals from your marketing strategy).

#3 Develop a Content Calendar

A content calendar is a schedule that outlines the type of content you will create and when you will publish it. A content calendar ensures you have a steady stream of content to share with your audience. It also helps you plan your content around important events like trade shows or industry conferences. In your content calendar, don’t just document what articles will be published and when. Also include when and how often you’ll share those articles on social media. What other posts will be going out to support your overall marketing strategy?

Sample Content Topics

Industry-Specific Content

Creating industry-specific content is an effective way to attract businesses to your community. For example, if you’re trying to attract tech companies, you could create content that highlights the local tech ecosystem, such as the presence of tech incubators, accelerators, or universities with strong tech programs. You could also create content that showcases the success stories of tech companies that have already set up shop in your community.

Lifestyle Content

Creating lifestyle content is an effective way to attract a workforce to your community. Millennials and Gen Z increasingly prioritize work-life balance when choosing where to live and work. Creating content highlighting local recreational opportunities, such as parks, trails, or beaches, can appeal to young professionals seeking an active lifestyle.

Educational Content

Creating educational content is an effective way to engage your target audience. For example, you could create content explaining the steps involved in starting a business in your community or providing tips for investors looking to invest in your region. Educational content demonstrates your expertise and can establish your community as a thought leader in economic development.

Optimize Your Content for SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is vital for ensuring that your content is easily discoverable by potential investors and businesses. Use relevant keywords in your content and metadata to improve your ranking in search engine results.

Promote Your Content

Creating engaging content is only half the battle. You must also promote your content to ensure it reaches your target audience. Use social media, email marketing, and paid advertising to reach potential investors and businesses.