Companies looking to expand their business often hire site consultants to do the research &045; and the first contact those consultants have with a community is often virtual.

That’s why, say economic development leaders around the state, a good-looking, easy-to-navigate Web site with plenty of information is important to market your area.

&uot;Because there’s so many communities out there, you have to stand out,&uot; said Chandler Russ, executive director of the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce.

&uot;You have to tell your story so someone will be interested.&uot;

Brookhaven’s Web site includes a community profile, contact information and a few months’ worth of newsletters from the chamber, which is the chief economic development arm for the community.

Per month, Brookhaven handles 80 to 100 e-mail inquiries on anything from tourism to industrial development, Russ said.

The Area Development Partnership of Hattiesburg’s Web site illustrates its umbrella concept of economic development &045; entities like the chamber of commerce and the economic development authority fall under one roof, literally and figuratively. Those entities are represented on the Web site’s navigation bar along with information about retirees and tourism.

&uot;Outside folks who want to learn about the area have to be able to have all of that type information,&uot; said Gary Swoope, ADP director.

In fact, Hattiesburg is close to unveiling a new Web site Swoope hopes will be look better and will be easier to navigate.

&uot;We feel like we need to constantly improve,&uot; he said.

Marc McGee, vice president of properties for the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, said that organization has a full-time director of communication.

That person’s duties include maintaining and updating a comprehensive Web site for the area.

&uot;The Web site is remarkable when it comes to showcasing a community,&uot; he said.

&uot;You’d be amazed the initial research of a prospect that happens on the Internet.&uot;

Starkville is looking to make some changes in its site as far as the arrangement of information, which includes

economic development, tourism, retiree, housing and business information.

Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Mike Ferdinand said that organization is also looking at making changes to its site.

Ferdinand wants a mix of general and specific information about the area to give an accurate, up-to-date picture of the community.

&uot;But not so much that they don’t call for other information,&uot; he said.

But providing a good picture of the community is important because different companies are interested in different things, Ferdinand said.

&uot;One site consultant might want to know about buildings, land and demographics,&uot; he said.

&uot;Another might have a project that’s interested in quality of life.&uot;