Tag Archives: Get Your Business Online

Join Google, Constant Contact, LinkedIn, and Vistaprint for a “Small Business Summer School” Livestream Workshop

School is in session: Sharpen your pencils, pull out that notebook, and settle in on July 25th when we share a special livestream workshop. Learn about key strategies and tools to help your business prepare for a successful second half of the year, including the holiday season.

“Small Business Summer School” Livestream Workshop
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
9:00am - 10:30am PST | 12pm - 1:30pm EST


There are two ways you can watch:
1. Register for a partner-hosted viewing party to watch the workshop with fellow businesses in your community. These events are hosted by local organizations that partner with Google to help small businesses grow.
2. Can’t find a viewing party near you? No problem. Register here and we'll send you details on how to access the livestream online.


During this livestream you’ll learn from Google and our friends at Constant Contact, LinkedIn, and Vistaprint. We’ll share lessons on how to reach more customers with social media, get more out of email marketing, stand out online to local shoppers, and make your busy season your best season.


We’ll wrap up the workshop with a live Q&A. For the chance to have your questions answered live, post your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #SmallBizSchool.


Posted by Whitney Cox, Marketing Manager, Get Your Business Online

Join Us for a Small Business Week Workshop to Learn How to Connect with Local Customers Online

It’s National Small Business Week and our partners across the country are hosting in-person workshops where you, and fellow business owners, can learn how to connect with local customers online.

Find a free, local workshop near you.

Can’t find one that works for you? Register to watch our livestream online (Wednesday, May 2 at 9am PT/12pm ET). Ask your questions during our live Q&A session by posting your question on Twitter using the hashtag #PartnersConnect.

We hope you can join us!


Posted by Whitney Cox, Marketing Manager, Get Your Business Online

Learn Business Best Practices at the “Open for Business” Livestream Workshop

If you made a New Year’s resolution to grow your business online in 2018, we’re here to help. Tomorrow, February 21, Google is teaming up with the Small Business Administration (SBA), Facebook, Constant Contact, and Square to host a livestream workshop.

“Open for Business” Livestream Workshop
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
9:30am - 11:00am PST | 12:30pm - 2pm EST

There are two ways you can watch:
1. Register for a partner-hosted viewing party to watch the workshop with fellow businesses in your community. These events are hosted by local organizations that partner with Google to help small businesses grow. There is no charge for you to attend.

2. Don’t feel like leaving the house? Can’t find a viewing party near you? No problem. Register here and we'll send you details on how to access the livestream online.


Experts will share best practices for keeping your business competitive, tips for creating a positive experience for online and in-person shopping, steps for expanding your reach, and advice on building brand loyalty using email. We’ll finish the workshop with a live Q&A. You can post your questions in the comments section of the Facebook Live broadcast. 


Be sure to follow and post using the hashtag #SBAOpen4Biz on social media to see how other businesses are tuning in. 

Posted by Whitney Cox, Marketing Manager, Get Your Business Online

Four ways the web supports small business growth – new research from Deloitte

Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and they make our communities special. Businesses are revitalizing their towns, creating jobs, and shaping their communities—one customer and employee at a time.


We wanted to better understand the web’s role in helping small businesses grow in today’s economy, so we recently commissioned new research with Deloitte. The study found that the use of digital tools (such as websites, analytics, and online marketing) positively impacts small business growth in four key ways: reaching new customers, reaching new markets, growing faster, and creating jobs.


Reaching more customers


Digital tools help small businesses reach more customers at every stage of the purchase process. In fact, Deloitte’s research found that small businesses using advanced digital tools such as web analytics and online video, were almost 3x as likely to have increased customer interest, like calls and leads. They were also more than 3x as likely to have seen more sales inquiries, like foot traffic and orders, in the last year. Wichita Furniture in Wichita, KS has experienced these highly qualified leads first-hand. Their website traffic increased almost 50 percent in 2016, and they attribute the lion’s share of this growth to online advertising.


“...[Online advertising] brings quality customers through our doors—people who have seen our products and know what they’re looking for. As a result, we’ve seen a drastic increase in our sales per guest.”
- Jay Storey, President & Founder, Wichita Furniture




Reaching new markets

The web can open up new markets to small businesses, whether they’re across the country or across the world. Deloitte’s research found that digitally advanced small businesses are 3x as likely to have exported in the last year. That’s what Jim and Kelley Hobart discovered with their company Alpaca Direct, based in Hayden, ID. Digital resources like online video and cloud-based communication tools connect Alpaca Direct to customers across the globe.





"There are a lot of people all over the world who don't have a local yarn shop. We want to become their local yarn shop even though we're all the way here in Idaho."



- Kelley Hobart, Co-Owner, Alpaca Direct








Growing faster

Digitally advanced small businesses experienced revenue growth that was nearly 4x as high as the previous year. Businesses like Kaleidoscope Hair Products based in New Orleans, LA, are growing faster because of the web. In 2016, Kaleidoscope reached more than 43,000 customers and doubled their revenue from the previous year.



"We went from selling no products to having a full warehouse, exponential growth, and distributors all around the world."
- Jesseca Dupart, Owner and CEO, Kaleidoscope Hair Products





Creating jobs

Digitally advanced small businesses are job creators. In fact, they were nearly 3x as likely to have created new jobs in the last year. Dreamstyle Remodeling, based in Albuquerque, NM, is a job creator in their community. They have been growing 34 percent annually since 2013 and expect to reach $100 million in sales this year. Since developing their digital strategy, Dreamstyle has added 250 employees to keep pace with their growth. They plan on hiring another 500 people to support their expansion in two additional locations by 2020.



"We think [our 2020 plan] is possible... And the web and Google tools are going to be critical to that growth."
- Larry Chavez, CEO, Dreamstyle Remodeling




This is a glimpse into how small businesses are growing using digital tools. Read the full results from the Deloitte research study.


To learn how your business can get online and grow, check out new resources available through our Get Your Business Online program.





Posted by Soo Young Kim, Small Business Outreach






















Get Your Business Online with a Workshop Near You During National Small Business Week

Blog Post NSBW edited GYBO workshop image (1).png


Next week is National Small Business Week, and our partners across the country are hosting free workshops in their communities. You’re invited to join us.



Through these workshops you can learn how to grow online and reach more customers. Be sure to check google.com/smallbusinessweek when the celebration begins on April 30 for more free resources and tools.  





Posted by Emily Harris, Program Manager, Get Your Business Online