Website will promote Abilene area The City of Abilene, Kansas has acquired and started the development of the web domain discoverabilene to serve as a “one-stop” marketing tool for information related to the Abilene area. The website will feature information that will appeal to a wide variety of interests, but that will ultimately direct people to other area websites for additional information. Featured themes on the site will include Business, Tourism, Living, and Government. “The intent of the new web domain is to create a one-stop destination for all things Abilene,” says Mayor John Ray. “By marketing the community through one website instead of several, we hope to access a wider audience that may then be directed to appropriate websites for additional information.” The initiative will coordinate existing marketing efforts from various agencies. One of the goals of the recently approved Economic Development Plan for the City was a marketing campaign to showcase all that Abilene has to offer. This website is one solution that will improve Abilene’s marketing efforts. The City will partner with various stakeholders, such as the Abilene Area Chamber of Commerce and Unified School District 435, to ensure that information is up-to-date and pertinent. Another goal of the website will be to strengthen the Abilene area’s search optimization to make it easier for people to find Abilene on the Internet. “People today are using the Internet, whether at their desk or on a mobile device, to find what they are looking for,” says City Manager David Dillner. “If we can make it easier to find Abilene and the information that interests them we can increase the probability that they will come to Abilene." The website is one of several strategies the City of Abilene and its partners are implementing to bolster economic development opportunities. “Abilene is unique compared to other communities because we have amenities that are attractive to different groups. For example, the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home appeals to tourists, while Abilene’s location may appeal to those wanting to live in a smaller community and commute to work,” says Mayor Ray. With neighboring communities preparing for major developments such as the anticipated National Bio and Agro Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan, Kansas, the City of Abilene must also take proactive steps to increase its exposure to a broader market. The website discoverabilene seeks to provide this increased exposure by taking advantage of existing web assets. The new site is not expected to be fully functional until November 2013, although the City plans to start using the site to market the community to the military audience as part of the upcoming Fall Apple Day Festival at Fort Riley, Kansas. Questions regarding the initiative may be directed to City Manager David Dillner at (785) 263-2550. --
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 13:46:52 +0000