This just in, it looks like a terrific program for small businesses so I wanted to post right away. Please note the information in the last paragraph about a free day of workshops coming up and a link to RSVP!
MIAMI, March 28, 2012– Google today announced its statewide initiative, Florida Get Your Business Online. Google worked with local partners to design the program, which will help drive economic growth by giving Floridabusinesses the tools and resources to establish a website, find new customers, and grow their business. Increasing the number of small businesses online is one of the best ways to expand theFlorida economy. Through research conducted, 97 percent of Americans look online for local products and services, and in Florida, 68 percent of small businesses do not have a website or online presence.
“The perception that getting online is complex, costly and time-consuming has prevented many Florida small businesses from taking the first step,” said Scott Levitan, director of Small Business Engagement at Google. “This program makes it fast, easy and free for businesses to get online."
For the next year, participating Floridabusinesses can go to www.floridagetonline.com to get a free website as well as free tools, training and resources to help their business succeed online. Google is partnering with Intuit to provide its popularIntuit Website offerings for free, including an easy-to-build website, a customized domain name and web-hosting for one year.
“As a leading provider of small business solutions, we have witnessed the growth small businesses have seen from getting online,” said Megan Bhattacharyya, product manager atIntuit. “We are excited to offer Intuit Websites for free to all the wonderful small businesses in Florida and to help them create a customized presence that represents their unique brands.”
According to Google, businesses limit their exposure to customers if they don’t have a website. Small businesses need to be online because that’s where their customers are. In America today, no matter the size of the business, having a website is as vital as having a phone. Google has teamed up with statewide organizations, including the Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN), Florida Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Florida to promote the program and advocate the importance for small businesses to get online.
“I am certain that Google’s ‘Florida Get Your Business Online’ initiative will be of great value to the over 100,000 small businesses established in Miami-Dade County. In today’s competitive business environment, penetrating new markets via the Internet is critical,” said Carlos Cardenas, regional director of the Small Business Development Center at Miami-Dade.
To kick off the program’s launch, Google will host multiple free workshops and seminars, where local businesses can register online and receive in-person instructions on how to get and better promote their business online. The free workshops will be held April 3 and 4 in Miami and April 5 in Tampa. To RSVP for one of these free events, please visit http://www.floridagetonline.com/rsvp, or call 1-800-985-3417.
Here is another story about these workshops.