A Virginia economic development agency replaced an outdated multi-CMS mess with a modern WordPress build — top-tier site speed, full team autonomy over content updates, and 3× more pages per session.
The Joint Industrial Development Authority of Wythe County (JIDA) is a regional economic development agency strategically located along the I-81 corridor in Southwest Virginia. Tasked with driving industrial growth, attracting business investments, and supporting job creation in Wythe County, Wytheville, and Rural Retreat, JIDA fosters economic vitality.
The organization collaborates with state, federal, and private partners. However, their outdated website didn't reflect the region's innovation or competitive advantages.
Their old site was clunky, not mobile-friendly, and slow — a poor first impression for site selectors and investors. Navigation was confusing, key data was hard to find, and the CMS required technical expertise that slowed updates.
Performance issues drove visitors away, and the design failed to reflect JIDA's modern, proactive approach to economic development.
We rebuilt JIDA's website from the ground up on WordPress with an intuitive CMS for independent updates. Navigation was overhauled for quick access to site data, incentives, and workforce resources. Performance improvements and mobile responsiveness drove fast page loads.
SEO best practices were integrated, and we provided training and resource documentation so the JIDA team could keep the site fresh autonomously.
JIDA's redesigned site now reflects its role as a leading regional economic development authority. Improved speed, modern design, intuitive navigation, and full mobile optimization let JIDA effectively communicate value to investors, stakeholders, and the community.