JOBA Launches www.JacksonvilleOregon.com
The Jacksonville Oregon Business Association (JOBA) has completed a major project designed to increase Jacksonville’s online presence and increase tourism and overnight stays. The launch of www.jacksonvilleoregon.com marks a major accomplishment for the business organization’s strategic business plan. The website was designed to promote the town and special events and activities to potential visitors. JOBA board member and web team leader Tim Balfour told the Review, “The site was developed to highlight Jacksonville’s unique ‘sense of place’ by highlighting the events, activities, people and businesses that work together to make this such a special place.”
Balfour notes, “Having a strong online presence is imperative in today’s travel and tourism markets. Registering high in online searches, being talked about in social media, blogs, news outlets, and having interesting and unique online information captures the attention of people who are looking for new places to visit. The site was developed to work in conjunction with the Jacksonville Oregon Facebook page and to attract visitors from the Rogue Valley region and further away – those people on whom many of the local business rely to make a living.”
The website works off of a Content Management System (CMS) base – specifically a WordPress platform. This allows administrators to update content and photos themselves instead of relying on a developer to do so. This in turn makes for a far more cost-effective website. Adding fresh content has proven to be a critical component of successful websites in attracting far more visitors than traditional, stagnant sites.
Balfour and his JOBA web team worked for more than one year developing the site, much of which is comprised of Merchant Profiles, Events, Activities, Merchant Promotions and Articles. He said, “The merchant information section is important and allows people who are considering or planning a visit here to get a feel for the breadth and depth of our offerings. It is intended as a way of quickly communicating that even though Jacksonville is a small town, there’s a lot going on!”
Review readers will find a tour of the site rewarding and engaging, especially the Event & Activities section which shows-off the Woodland Trails, the Applegate Valley Wine Trail’s UnCorked events and the Chamber of Commerce’s Victorian Christmas celebration. Of note were the articles on things to do, colorful locals, and other things making Jacksonville such a special place to visit.
“We’re encouraging visitors and locals to submit articles on different aspects of Jacksonville from their own point of view – fun events or happenings, favorite activities or their favorite local people who are making a difference,” Balfour adds.
The new site is a local production – the JOBA board insisted on hiring local web designers, photographers and graphics professionals to develop the site. To learn more about how your business can benefit by www.jacksonvilleoregon.com and/or involvement in JOBA, contact Tim Balfour at tim@touvellehouse.com