Overview
The Choose Chico community campaign started in 2014 with a proposed solution to a growing challenge: How do we promote economic development without a dedicated position at City Hall? Answer: we create an engaging community-driven campaign to promote Chico as the premier place to live, work, and play. ChooseChico.com was launched with a fanfare of media, billboards, radio, and collateral. Project number 1: Build a website to be used as a central resource for City management and private companies to drive potential businesses/employees who are considering relocating to Chico. In collaboration with a local economic development consulting firm, the Chico By the Numbers guide as created to provide a downloadable, shareable document providing detailed information to help with decision making. The website highlights areas such as education, housing, culture and lifestyle information as additional resources. A blog featured profiles of both local businesses and individuals within the community. Social media drove traffic to the website and highlighted community events and achievements.
The website was soon followed by the Choose Chico video which told the story of why someone should not only move here but stay here. It features a variety of Chico business owners, educators, and community leaders interspersed with statistics, footage of the area, and a taste of Chico culture.
Outcome
Since its launch in late 2015, the website has had over 49,700 visits. Through aggressive SEO tactics and content creation, the website has maintained first-page ranking. The video has been viewed 366,000 times and shared over 5800 times. Recruiters and HR personnel regularly use this website when hiring.