Why the Economic Gateway is the Best Economic Development Website Platform: Outperforming WordPress, Wix, and Other CMS Options

Why Your Economic Development Website Platform Matters 

Your economic development website is your community’s digital front door — and often the first impression for site selectors, businesses, and job seekers. It’s not just a marketing tool; it’s a business attraction engine.

Yet most EDOs rely on platforms like WordPress, Wix, HubSpot, or SquareSpace, which were designed for general use — not for economic development organizations (EDOs) that need integrated data, property listings, incentive and partner directories, and storytelling capabilities.

That’s why Golden Shovel Agency created the Economic Gateway, the only website platform built exclusively for economic developers.

Built for Economic Development — Not Adapted to It

The Economic Gateway website platform was engineered from the ground up around the real-world workflows of economic development professionals. It includes features that EDOs rely on every day, such as:

• Interactive property databases for available sites and buildings
• Workforce and demographic data integration for key industry targets
• Storytelling for community success stories
• Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) resources that connect local business owners to resources

Unlike WordPress or HubSpot, which require layers of plug-ins, ongoing developer support, and constant updates to achieve similar outcomes, the Economic Gateway delivers all of this functionality natively and seamlessly, making it the best economic development website platform.

Exclusive Focus: Golden Shovel Agency has served the economic development industry for over 16 years, working with 350+ clients in 43 states, and maintaining a 95% client retention rate. The team’s average of 7+ years in economic development communications ensures every tool and design choice aligns with your mission.

Shared Innovation: Every EDO Client Benefits From New Technology

One of the most unique advantages of the Economic Gateway is its shared innovation model. When one community requests a new website feature — such as a workforce dashboard or site selector tool — it’s developed, tested, and rolled out to every client.

That means all Golden Shovel clients automatically receive new technology upgrades as they’re released. Every site on the platform continuously evolves without costly redevelopment or downtime. It’s a collaborative ecosystem that keeps all clients on the cutting edge of digital economic development marketing.

The Best Economic Development Websites Are Award-Winning and Make a Proven Impact

Golden Shovel’s clients regularly win awards for their economic development websites. Two recent IEDC Gold Awards showcase how different each website design is, while maintaining the core functionality provided by the Economic Gateway. 

• AdvanceCT (Connecticut) – Gold Award for Website Excellence
• Elgin, Texas – Gold Award for Economic Development Website Design

These wins aren’t isolated to awards. Golden Shovel clients are using their economic development websites to attract investment, developers, and talent to their communities. Justin Sommer, Preble County Development Partnership’s Economic Development Director, used his website and digital campaign to attract housing developers. Falls City Edge used their website to attract a $5 billion dollar project, and One East Kentucky leveraged their tools to attract FDI. From metro-adjacent communities like Broken Arrow to rural communities like Montgomery County, economic developers are using their Economic Gateway websites to attract talent as well. Economic developers in places like Troutdale and Pasadena are using their websites to attract visitors and increase spending at local businesses. 

“The Economic Gateway was built for versatility and flexibility. Whatever an economic developer is focused on - business attraction, talent attraction, BR&E, tourism, stakeholder communications… you name it… the Economic Gateway has the tools to support it,” said Aaron Brossoit, Golden Shovel CEO. 

Continuous Engagement Through the GateKeeper Service

Most website firms hand off a site after launch and move on. Golden Shovel’s approach is different. Through its GateKeeper service, every client receives ongoing website and content support designed to keep the site fresh and performing at its best.

The GateKeeper program includes:

• Regular content updates and visual enhancements
• Proactive SEO and accessibility optimization
• Security and technical monitoring
• Strategic recommendations to ensure the site continues to attract business and talent

This means your economic development website remains dynamic, engaging, and relevant — long after the initial launch. It’s a key reason Golden Shovel’s client retention rate is over 95%.

Why WordPress, Wix, HubSpot, and SquareSpace Fall Short for EDOs

Generic CMS platforms simply weren’t built with economic developers in mind. While an economic development website can be built on these platforms, they can be difficult to maintain and lack some of the features site consultants are looking for. Golden Shovel has close relationships with the site selection community, incorporating their requests and recommendations into website designs. Here’s how alternative platforms compare:

• WordPress: Requires constant plug-in updates, developer support, and security patches. Adding economic development functionality often means layering third-party tools.
• Wix & SquareSpace: Easy to start, but limited in scalability, data integration, and site architecture for complex EDO content.
• HubSpot: Great for inbound marketing but lacks the economic development-specific structure needed for property listings, data visualization, and incentives.

By contrast, the Economic Gateway is a unified system — secure, scalable, and purpose-built for economic development marketing and lead generation. No plug-ins. No compromises. Just results.

Measurable Impact and Industry-Leading Experience

With over 16 years in business, 350+ clients in 43 states, and a 95% client retention rate, Golden Shovel Agency has proven its staying power and expertise.

Its team of professionals have an average of 7+ years in economic development communications. They understand the needs of economic development organizations and their target audiences, bringing unmatched expertise to positioning communities for success online. The Economic Gateway platform reflects that experience, offering an integrated solution that turns your website into an engine for visibility, engagement, and investment attraction.

Ready to Elevate Your Economic Development Website?

For more than 16 years, Golden Shovel Agency has partnered exclusively with economic development organizations to build websites that attract business, talent, and investment, as demonstrated by these case studies.

If you’re ready to move beyond generic platforms and invest in a solution built for your mission, explore the Economic Gateway — the website platform trusted by more than 350 communities across North America. Download our Planning Guide to a New Economic Development website.

👉Request a quote https://www.goldenshovelagency.com/pricing or email LChristie@GoldenShovelAgency.com for more information.