What Site Consultants Want to See on Your Economic Development Website

Your economic development website is more than a brochure — it’s your digital front door for site selectors, corporate location advisors, and potential investors. When consultants evaluate communities, the first impression often comes from your online presence. A strong digital marketing strategy for economic development begins with a website that communicates speed, professionalism, and credibility.

From clear contact information and available site listings to compelling visuals, distinct storytelling, and mobile-friendly design, every element should reinforce why your community is the right choice for business investment. This guide outlines exactly what site consultants look for, how to structure your website for maximum impact, and how to use storytelling and data to differentiate your location. 

Curious about how Golden Shovel Agency knows what site consultants want?

• We have deep, established ties with the site selection community, hosting and attending site consultant dinners and events throughout the country.
• We recently hosted Charles Sexton, a site consultant and Principal of Strategic Location Advisors), on a webinar where he shared what his company (and other site consultants) are looking for. Watch the webinar for first-hand advice.
• Golden Shovel’s economic development websites and marketing strategies have won awards at IEDC and regional organizations.
• Our work has led to billions of dollars being invested in the communities we represent.

Whether you’re developing a marketing strategy, updating your EDO website or auditing your existing content, this checklist and research-based insight will help ensure your digital presence drives real results — inquiries, visits, and successful site selections.

Digital Presence Must-Haves: Your Economic Development Website Is The Digital Front Door

According to both the webinar and supporting research, your website is the front door for site consultants and should reflect that you can move quickly, decisively and professionally.

What to include and why

• Direct contact information: Staff names, direct phone and email. One of the biggest red flags: only having a contact form.
• Build and site inventory: An organised database of available sites/buildings, with key specs (acreage, utilities, zoning, cost).
• High-quality visuals / maps: Branded maps showing your location in relation to major metros, transportation, labor shed. Golden Shovel’s economic development websites come with branded maps, customized for the story you want to tell.
• Clear, quick-hit messaging: Your value proposition must appear above the fold — consultants recommended a short video (~30 seconds) summarising your top assets.
• Responsive/mobile-friendly: Research shows that ease of navigation and fast access are vital. (Google)
• Distinctiveness: Don’t sound like “anywhere USA.” Your site must make clear why you. Research emphasises delivering a compelling “WHY” (Download Golden Shovel’s Marketing Whitepaper for tips).

Example structure for your economic development website

• Homepage: One-line tagline + key assets (real estate, workforce, utilities)
• “Why Us” section: Unique selling proposition + infographic summary
• “Available Sites/Buildings” page: Downloadable packets, GIS map links
• “Workforce & Education” page: Key programs, training pipelines
• “Business Support / Incentives” page: Quick overview + link to detailed documents
• Contact page: Staff directory + direct numbers

Storytelling Beyond The Numbers: Make Your Location “Tangibly Better”

Data alone won’t always get you selected, but when paired with a narrative of how your community delivers, it elevates your credibility significantly.

Key economic development storytelling elements

• Workforce narratives: Not just “we have labor,” but “here’s how we up-skill people to meet your needs.” In the webinar, Charles emphasised high schools with CTE programs, quick-start adult training, and how these are becoming higher-weighted in scoring. Golden Shovel’s expert team of copywriters can help you craft these specific narratives.
• Community value proposition: Quality of life, amenities, housing, talent attraction. Show not only that you can companies operate here, but their team will want to live here too.
• Client success stories: Short profiles of industries that located/expanded in your community, how you supported them, and outcomes. In the webinar Sexton said, “If you can show you helped an existing industry grow, it’s very critical.”
• Honest framing of challenges + solutions: If you have a constraint (e.g., workforce participation rate below average) but you also have a program addressing it, show it. That transparency increases credibility.

Supporting research

Research emphasises that site selection consultants and corporate location advisors want to see the “why” behind your location story, and want to interpret whether you are the right fit for them.

Actionable Checklist for Your Economic Development Website & Community Marketing

Here’s a quick checklist you can use with your EDO/marketing team to audit (and update) your website and collateral. For more tips, download our Economic Development Website Planning Guide.

• Do you have a dedicated “Site Selection” or “Business Investment” portal page?
• Are available sites/buildings downloadable in one place (PDFs, maps, specs)?
• Is staff contact information (direct phone/email) clearly visible?
• Does your homepage contain a short “elevator pitch” of your value proposition?
• Do you have branded maps showing your community’s location relative to major markets and assets?
• Is your site fully responsive/mobile-friendly and load time optimised?
• Does your workforce page highlight CTE programs, training partners, adult upskilling initiatives?
• Do you have 2-3 recent success stories of companies locating/expanding, and can you claim outcomes?
• Are you transparent about constraints, but also show your mitigation/solution path?
• Do you have a 30-second marketing video that quickly captures “why us”?
• Do your materials (site packets, build-ready sheets) match your website messaging and design?
• Have you reviewed your RFI submission quality recently? Are all questions answered fully, with minimal blank fields or “see contact” responses?
• Is there a plan for site visit logistics/hospitality, and for rapid post-visit follow-up?

Is your economic development website site consultant ready?

Your website is often your first — and most important — conversation with site selectors. Is your EDO website ready to engage them? If not, request a site evaluation.

By combining data, design, and authentic storytelling, your community can project confidence, readiness, and a clear sense of place. Use the checklist above to audit your site, close information gaps, and align your online messaging with consultant expectations. When your digital front door reflects both your competence and your community’s distinct value, you’re not just getting noticed — you’re getting shortlisted.

Need expert help crafting compelling narratives or optimizing your EDO website for site selection success? Golden Shovel’s team specializes in economic development marketing that converts digital traffic into real investment opportunities. Request a quote today.