YCDC Debuts Talent Attraction Videos from “The Good Life Is Calling” Grant

The York County Development Corporation (YCDC) recently launched a series of videos showcasing the region as part of its talent attraction efforts. The funding for video development, virtual reality, lead forensics, and digital marketing tactics came from The Good Life is Calling grant, issued by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, YCDC, York University, and York County Visitors Bureau.

“The overall campaign, Why York County - See Yourself Here, allows people to visualize themselves thriving in our corner of Nebraska,” says Lisa Hurley, Executive Director of YCDC. “These visual assets strengthen our existing talent attraction initiatives through storytelling and community participation. We couldn’t have done this without the help of residents who are just excited about York County as we are.”

The latest videos can be found on YouTube and support the current York County Talent page of the YCDC website. 

The Videos Are Designed for Specific Target Audiences

While the See Yourself Here videos will be shared nationally, they are still designed for specific audiences that are a greater part of YCDC’s talent attraction efforts. The goal is to reach people in specific career fields with openings in York County. These include:

• Healthcare
• Skilled manufacturing (engineering, welding, drafting, R&D)
• Finance and banking
• Education
• Childcare

The videos and digital marketing campaign will target people in these career fields who are also high-potential candidates to move to York. These include people who have connections to York (maybe they grew up here) and those who are interested in rural living. The campaign can welcome residents back home and invite new people to visit and stay a while.  

Other community partners reflect YCDC’s target audiences. For example, 70% of York University students come from outside of Nebraska, and its alumni comprise 10% of the local labor force. The York County Visitors Bureau supports the tourism-to-talent pipeline by showcasing the best parts of living here. Both partners offered invaluable support during the video creation process.

Each Video Lets Audiences See Themselves in York

YCDC invested in virtual reality (VR) to help people visit York County without leaving their homes. They can step onto the York University campus and take a tour before visiting in real life. They can ride down water slides, explore local parks, and meet some of York County’s local employers. This aligns with the See Yourself Here slogan, as VR users can literally see what it’s like to be in York County.

YCDC used the grant money to create both virtual reality and standard videos. Audiences without VR equipment can still enjoy the video content and take digital tours of different areas of the county.

The grant funding supported the creation of new videos while updating existing videos. This further expanded the assets YCDC can use to attract talent and proved that the organization's content has been valuable for several years. 

The Marketing Analytics Report Outstanding Results 

Along with video development, YCDC launched paid ads in mid-September to promote talent attraction in York County. The results speak for themselves. A few highlights include:

For a benchmark comparison, the average CTR for Facebook Ads is 0.95%. Most companies are lucky to have a 2% CTR, and YCDC has exceeded expectations at a rate of 3.39%.

“This data shows that people are paying attention to York County’s story,” says Hurley. “The content we created is engaging and attracting people from across the country. Not only will this create economic growth in the future, but proves that YCDC has effectively used both the grant money and its internal funds.”

On average, York County has 400 to 500 job openings. If regional and out-of-state viewers have York County in mind, we can start closing the local skills gap and grow the community together.

Work With YCDC to Grow York County 

Talent attraction is a community effort. Each family that chooses to stay in York County or relocate here sees a bright future in the area. Businesses, community organizations, and individuals can help more people see themselves in York County.

Consider getting involved in YCDC as a stakeholder. Support talent attraction efforts and have a voice in the region's economic future. YCDC strives to be a responsible steward of the funds provided by the community and offers a strong return on investment for its efforts. The videos and digital marketing campaign prove that. Let’s work together to bring people and opportunities to York County. Join us today.