Edinburg Economic Development Corporation Launches Mobile App
EEDC launches mobile app to reach out to huge audiences and promote worldwide Edinburg’s successes and opportunities
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
Residents and people from across the world will now have easier access to information about key business activities, job opportunities, local governmental actions, academic advances, major conferences, large social gatherings, and legislative affairs with the launching of a mobile app by the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation.
The EEDC is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council.
“The Edinburg EDC has unveiled a new, free mobile app that highlights events, news, entertainment, and more,” said Letty Reyes, EEDC Project Manager. “The EEDC mobile app and blog are great examples of the work our office is doing to embrace technology and create a more effective and efficient reach into the community.”
The EEDC mobile app can be downloaded at no charge, on any Apple/iOS device (iPhone, iPod, iPad) or Android smartphone. Go to the app store on any Apple or Android device and download the free mobile app. It’s as simple as searching for “EdinburgEDC” and tapping the install button. In addition, once downloaded, utilize the “Tell a Friend” feature to let family and friends know about this mobile app that will help keep them up-to-date about their community.
“More than just a day or a night out for residents, special events are a driver for economic development and we should be exploring every option to ensure they are enjoyed by as many people as possible,” Reyes said. “People can use our interactive mobile app to view upcoming events, tap to call, get directions or email us, view the staff directory, read our blog, receive important updates and so much more.”
The EEDC mobile app is the latest example of Edinburg’s cutting-edge efforts to inform the public and promote the residents, businesses, goals and achievements of the community to the rest of the state and nation – a strategy to foster continuing economic development for all constituents, said Mayor Richard H. García.
García is president of the five-member EEDC Board of Directors.
“For a growing and huge number of people, digital information from the Internet is being accessed through mobile devices, such as cell phones, according to The Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism,” the mayor observed. “This is a major market with whom we always need to be in constant contact. Through our new EEDC mobile app, we are making it very easy for potentially thousands of people to always and conveniently know about the great achievements and opportunities in our tremendous city.”
The EEDC “is definitely going in the right direction and continues to be ahead of the curve in this regard,” said Travis French, founder and CEO of Amplify media + marketing of McAllen, which created the EEDC app. “There is definitely a strong correlation between this and the excellent growth taking place in Edinburg.”
“It’s refreshing to see an organization, especially a division of the government, taking strides to help further improve communication to their citizens,” added French. “The use of mobile apps has exploded over the past few years, allowing the flow of data and information to be readily available via multiple channels.”
The migration of audiences toward digital news advanced to a new level in 2011 and early 2012, the era of mobile and multidigital devices, The Pew Report found.
More than three-quarters of U.S. adults own laptop or desktop computers, a number that has been stable for some years. Now, in addition, 44% of adults own a smart phone, and the number of tablet owners grew by about 50% since the summer of 2011, to 18% of Americans over age 18.
French (www.AmplifyMM.com) said those statistics are constantly increasing as the revolution in telecommunications goes forward, with smart phones, tablet computers, and e-Readers, in addition to new technology products and innovations released every year.
According to Wikipedia:
• A smart phone is a mobile phone built on a mobile operating system, with more advanced computing capability connectivity than a feature phone;
• A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a one-piece mobile computer;
• An e-reader, also called an e-book device or e-book reader, is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals.
Other data that shows the importance and growth of mobile telecommunications devices include the following highlights:
Tablets
· 33% of US adults now own a tablet or eReader (Leaning, Brittany, Hubspot’s Inbound Internet Marketing Blog, Jan 6, 2013); and
· 85% of US tablet owners use their tablet while watching TV (BI Report: How Mobile is waging battle for the multi-screen living room, Jan 2013)
Mobile
• 1 in 3 mobile search queries have local intent (Google Training Video);
• 15% of iPhone Apps are local (Google Training Video);
• Almost 80% of all new handset acquisition are smartphones (MobiLens, Aug 2012);
• 92% of phone users use SMS (MobiLens, Aug 2011);
• 23% of total website visits in December 2012 were derived from mobile devices (BI, Mobile Traffic Quadrupled in Last Two Years, Walker Sand Communications, Jan 2013);
• Three out of four smartphone users have contacted a business they found on their phone (Source: Google/Ipsos, The Mobile Movement: Understanding Smartphone Users, April 2011.);
• Mobile coupons receive 10xs higher redemption rates than print coupons (M.Rucker, SnapGiant, July 2012);
• 16% of smartphone users made a purchase because of a marketing message received on their phone (M.Rucker, SnapGiant, July 2012);
• 9 out of 10 mobile searches lead to action. Over half lead to purchase. (M.Rucker, SnapGiant, July 2012);
• 74% of smartphone users use their phone to help with shopping. (M.Rucker, SnapGiant, July 2012);
• 70% of mobile searches lead to action within one hour. (M.Rucker, SnapGiant, July 2012); and
• Mobile now accounts for 12% of Americans’ media consumption time, triple its share in 2009 (Business Insider, MOBILE USAGE: How Consumers are using their Phones, and what it Means, Jan 2013).
Apps
• Smartphone owners now spend 127 minutes per day in mobile apps.
About Amplify media + marketing
(www.AmplifyMM.com)
Amplify media + marketing is a full service marketing agency, focusing primarily on small to medium sized business’ marketing strategy development. With a unique style to achieving success for clients and their industry leading approach to marketing strategy and implementation, Amplify is able to provide a strong return on investment and further fuel the growth for their clients.
About Edinburg Economic Development Corporation (EEDC)
(www.EdinburgEDC.com) (www.EdbgCityLimits.com)
As part of their strategies to foster economic development and job growth, the EEDC plays a key role in assisting companies to expand, while helping to attract new business and industry to Edinburg.
The EEDC provides the following services:
• Site selection assistance;
• Real estate database of properties and buildings;
• Business seminars;
• Job training assistance;
• Data Information Center;
• Coordination of state and local assistance; and
• Access to business start-up resources.
In addition, the EEDC can arrange custom tours, schedule meetings with community leaders, arrange introductions to necessary business contracts, and serve as an advocate with state and local governmental entities.
Download their app through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
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Permission is granted for the use of all or portions of this photograph, caption, and article by the news media, including Internet-only news media sites. Credit to www.EdinburgPolitics.com is not required but would be appreciated. The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg City Council. It’s five-member governing board, which is appointed by the Edinburg City Council, includes Mayor Richard García as President, Dr. Glenn Martínez as Vice-President, Fred Palacios as Secretary-Treasurer, Felipe García, and Jaime A. Rodríguez. For more information on the EEDC and the City of Edinburg, please log on to: www.EdbgCityLimits.com