Case Study
Economic Development Website Design for Sandusky County
Promoting Sandusky County as a place to live, work, and thrive.
Project Scope
Web Design, Branding
Website
The Story
Sandusky County needed to attract young professionals and growing families looking for a great place to live and work. Their goal was to strengthen the local workforce by showcasing the county as a vibrant and opportunity-filled place to call home.
- Discover Sandusky County is an initiative from the county’s workforce development team aimed at inspiring individuals to begin their careers in Sandusky County, Ohio.
- The county partnered with IDS to create a website that serves as the central hub for showcasing everything Sandusky County has to offer.
- IDS delivered a vibrant, engaging website and marketing materials that highlight the county’s career opportunities, housing, schools, and local attractions.
Goals
The objective of this economic development website design was to create a central resource for potential residents to explore everything the county has to offer. The website needed to highlight the county’s welcoming community and quality of life, from career opportunities to family activities.
- Showcase the wide range of job opportunities and local career statistics.
- Highlight the affordability of living in Sandusky County, along with available housing and education options.
- Promote the area's attractions, parks, museums, and more which make Sandusky County the place to call home.
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Website Designfor Economic Development
The Sandusky County Workforce Development team identified three key audiences most likely to be interested in the county:
- Career Starters and Professionals: Recent graduates and established workers seeking the next step in their careers. This group values job opportunities and insights into local industries that are hiring.
- Growing Families: Couples and new families looking for an affordable home. They’re interested in housing options, community atmosphere, and the quality of local schools.
- Explorers: Individuals still in the discovery phase of choosing where to live. They are looking for attractions, parks, and community amenities.
Understanding the needs and goals of your users is a critical step in any website design project. Using the county’s research data, we identified what each audience values the most and tailored the site’s content accordingly. Each page was structured to speak directly to users’ goals, to help them see themselves living, working, and thriving in Sandusky County.
Marketing Materials
A website for economic development can only go so far on its own. To attract a workforce and community, you have to market to them. As part of this project, we created marketing materials to use in digital ads and social media. These graphics follow the branding of the website, to create a seamless experience.
Online marketing needs to be adaptable for different screens and use cases. We designed these graphics to be dynamic, so they can be repurposed and used across traditional advertising platforms and social media.
Community-Focused Branding
For this project, we wanted a look that felt fresh and inviting, almost like a brochure. The design uses a sea-blue inspired by Lake Erie’s coast and a vibrant orange that represents the bright future awaiting new residents. The brush script and angled photography bring personality to the site, creating a scrapbook-like experience that highlights all there is to see and do in the county.
The website was built to inspire exploration and encourage action. Social media icons were clearly positioned for users to discover life in Sandusky County, and contact options make it easy for visitors to reach out and learn more about living or working in the area.
Results
The website and marketing materials give Sandusky County the tools to attract new residents, showcase opportunities, and grow its workforce.
- New Visual Identity: The website's bold colors and dynamic graphics reflect the vibrant lifestyle and opportunities.
- Streamlined Contact Methods: Each page has clear calls-to action, making it easy for visitors to connect and learn more.
- Marketing Deliverables: IDS provided supporting marketing deliverables with aligned branding, helping the Sandusky County Workforce Development team promote the area.
Final Thoughts
This strategic effort driven by the need to attract young professional and growing families to Sandusky County, was a very rewarding venture. Our team had an excellent experience working alongside The Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation to carefully create a centralized digital hub for all things Sandusky County. This strategic focus resulted in an easy to navigate website and cohesive marketing materials that ensured a seamless, unified brand experience.
Your Website Can Attract More Customers.
Whether you need an economic development website design or a stronger online presence, IDS builds content that attracts and converts.