Tag Archives: Economic Impact Report

Across the U.S., businesses are using the web to grow


When their 10-year-old daughter asked if she could raise alpacas on the family ranch, Jim and Kelley Hobart figured, “Why not?” They welcomed the animals onto their land and soon thereafter discovered the many benefits of alpaca wool. It was soft, durable, warm and eco-friendly—it had to be shared with the rest of the world. To the delight of their daughter and alpaca lovers everywhere, the Hobarts launched Alpaca Direct in 2005, producing quality yarns and apparel made from the unique fiber.



Jim and Kelley never imagined that a curious request from their youngest daughter would transform into a full-fledged business, or that a small storefront in Hayden, ID, would become a popular travel destination for knitting enthusiasts worldwide. Yet today Alpaca Direct is at the heart of a vibrant and global knitting community. With the help of the web, they’ve brought the warmth of alpaca wool to more than 100,000 customers across 30 countries. As Kelley says, “With Google tools, we can do that, and [customers] can be part of our community.”


In 2016, Google’s search and advertising tools helped provide $222 billion of economic activity for 1.5 million businesses, website publishers, and nonprofits across the U.S. Our 2016 Economic Impact Report explores that economic impact state-by-state and the local businesses that are helping to drive it.   



While working on a small leather goods line in New York City, Tanya Menendez and Matthew Burnett realized how difficult it was to find local manufacturers. In an effort to democratize that access, the two started Maker’s Row, an online marketplace that helps small businesses find American factories to make their products. They use AdWords to both establish factory partnerships and find new customers, and YouTube to, as Tanya describes, “put a face behind the products that are made in the United States.” In five years, the company has helped 120,000 small businesses source and create products in 11,000 American factories.






After serving as a U.S. Marine for six years, Nick Baucom founded a company, Two Marines Moving, in Alexandria, Virginia. His goal was to keep his fellow veterans gainfully employed, while giving local residents a moving option they could trust. Today, Two Marines Moving employs more than 100 veterans. They use Search and AdWords not only to find customers,  but also to recruit employees. Nick has opened a second location in Florida and hopes to create job opportunities for 500 veterans in the next five years, vowing that “veterans will always have a home here.”





Across the U.S., businesses large and small are using the web to find their customers, grow, and make an impact. We’re proud to be part of their stories.


Posted by Claire Mudd, Director, Americas Small Business Marketing

Summer is for Road Trips: Get Discovered by Customers On the Go

Summer is a great time for a get-away, and for 9 out of 10 people, the family car is the preferred mode of vacation transportation.1 Road trips lead to new discoveries, from finding the biggest ice cream cone in San Diego to the best lobster roll in Maine – and with tons of vacationers searching for places and activities during their on-the-go travel moments, having an accurate seasonal listing is an important opportunity for your business to get noticed.

Get ready for tourists
85% of leisure travelers don’t decide on activities until after arriving at their destination,2 and that means people are searching for information on the spot. Snake River Angler, a fly fishing shop in Jackson, Wyoming maintains updated seasonal information in their Google My Business listing and AdWords campaigns, to reel in trout fishing enthusiasts from all over the US.
Get visual
Google My Business listings with photos get 35% more clicks and 42% more requests for directions than those without.3 Travelers are often unfamiliar with their surroundings, and photos help make it easier for people to see what your business has to offer. Rogue Creamery, a creamery and cheese shop in Central Point, Oregon, uses Google My Business to attract out-of-town visitors – even before they get into town. Their Google My Business listing helps some 40,000 visitors a year visit the cheese store, with directions, reviews, and photos. "We ask people how they found us, and so many say, 'I found you on Google,'" says Retail Manager Tom Van Voorhees.

Get noticed in the moment
Without activity breaks, a long road trip with kids can be a handful, and The Children’s Museum of South Dakota embraces their status as a road trip reprieve en route to Mount Rushmore. Using a complete Google My Business listing and geo-targeted AdWords campaigns, they’ve attracted over 100,000 visitors each year.

Nearly half of all Americans vacation in the summer, and with tourists coming to a town near you, now is the time to make sure your business can be easily found. Visit Google My Business to learn more about how you can get a listing for your business on Google.

Posted by Soo Young Kim, Head of Marketing, Get Your Business Online

1. Trip Advisor, Equation Research, Harris Interactive, Money Crashers, March 2015, http://www.statisticbrain.com/summer-vacation-travel-statistics/
2. Google/Ipsos Media CT, 2015 Traveler’s Road to Decision. Base: US leisure travelers, n= 3,500, Aug 2015
3. Google/Oxera, The Benefits of Complete Business Listings, December 2014

Businesses are Growing Online with Google

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This may have been a question you were asked regularly as a child. Today it seems as if any interest can become a career, thanks in part to the reach and accessibility of the web. From outdoor adventure guides and quilters, to toymakers and bowtie designers, at Google, we feel lucky to play a small role in how many people turned their passions into professions.

Last year, Google’s search and advertising tools helped provide $165 billion of economic activity for U.S. businesses—advertisers, publishers and nonprofits. Businesses are using the web to find new customers, connect with existing ones, and grow.

For example, Kathryn Jackson spent many years as a sales associate at a luxury department store. During that time she observed how quickly her clients had to re-sole their expensive shoes. She was inspired to create Protect Your Pumps, shoe sole protectors that help shoes last longer. Within two years, she turned her idea into a full time career. Today 40% of her sales come from Google Search. She’s expanded her product line to include shoe protectors for flats and men’s shoes, and has shipped products to more than 80 countries.
Michael Salvatore loves coffee and bicycles. Michael discovered many other people in his native Chicago shared those same interests. In 2011, he founded Heritage Bicycles, creating a space that offers delicious coffee and bicycles uniquely designed and manufactured in Chicago. Michael used the web and geo-targeted Google AdWords campaigns to build his brand and get local customers into his stores. He also created global campaigns in AdWords to encourage customers from around the world to visit his e-commerce store. Today, Michael has two stores in Chicago, 23 employees, a global customer fan base, and plans to expand to more locations this year.
These are just two examples of businesses using the web and Google products to grow their businesses.You can find more stories and explore Google’s economic impact state-by-state in our Economic Impact Report. Across the U.S., business owners are using the web and Google to grow their companies, operate more efficiently, and turn their dreams into reality. We’re proud to play a role in their success and are committed to building tools and programs to help them reach their goals.

Posted by Claire Mudd, Head of SMB Marketing