Community websites are becoming more and more common – what better way to let people know about you than to promote yourself online? Some characteristics to include on a community website include:

• Attractive pictures of your town - make people want to visit!
• Brief city / county history
• A relatively detailed community profile complete with demographic, tax, education, and government information.
• Contact information on relevant public services such as police, fire, and utilities
• Information on public officials such as the mayor or city councils
• A list of all information a tourist may need, including hotels in the area, places to eat, and local attractions. Make sure to include phone numbers!

In short, visitors to a community site should be able to find the information they need quickly and efficiently – whether it’s a contact number, information about the community, or a reason to visit and / or relocate there.

Check out some of the community websites in Oklahoma below and see which features you like and dislike.

• www.ci.anadarko.ok.us (pop. 6,600)
• www.cityofaltus.org (pop. 21,000)
• www.stillwater.org (pop. 39,000)
• www.chandlerok.com (pop. 2,800)
• www.groveok.org (pop. 5,100)

For help in developing a community website, contact your local county extension office. A list of the county offices can be found here (http://countyext2.okstate.edu)