Google’s third annual Black-owned Friday encourages consumers to support, search for and shop from Black-owned businesses.
Today's shoppers are increasingly looking for businesses that share their values. According to a recent global study, purpose-driven buyers now make up the largest segment of consumers, with 44% choosing products and brands based on how well they align with their values.
If you’re a business owner who prioritizes values such as sustainability, you can let your customers know you care. Many are already using Business Profile attributes on Search and Maps to showcase their commitment to social change.
The holidays are right around the corner, and chances are there’s an invite or two headed your way. Perhaps you’re planning a “friendsgiving” gathering, a New Year’s soiree or a milestone birthday bash. Starting today, you’ll be able to register .rsvp domain names for your event website. It’s the latest secure top-level domain from Google Registry. The .rsvp top-level domain is perfect for any event where you need guests to confirm their plans with you — or, as the French say, répondez, s'il vous plait.
For more inspiration as you start making plans, here are five companies already using .rsvp:
Right now, .rsvp domain names are available as part of our Early Access Program for an additional one-time fee. This fee decreases daily until November 15, when .rsvp domains will become publicly available at a base annual price through your registrar of choice. To learn more about pricing and our participating partners, visit get.rsvp.
Party people, event organizers and cat herders, this one’s for you. Here’s to making plans and creating memories.
November is Native American Heritage Month in the U.S. and is an opportune time to educate and raise awareness about the achievements and unique challenges that Tribal Nations face — both historically and presently — and how tribal citizens have worked together to overcome those challenges. One such example is the impact the pandemic has had on tribal economies and Native American-owned businesses.
As the President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) — a long-time partner of Google — I’ve met many Native artisans and small-business owners over the past two years, who once had thriving businesses but now struggle to transition to online platforms to keep their businesses afloat. According to the U.S. Census, Native American-owned businesses contribute over $35 billion to the economy and employ over 200,000 people, yet one in six businesses (16.7%) have reported complete revenue losses due to the lingering impacts of the pandemic. Now, more than ever, our businesses require adequate resources for them to thrive, and there is no denying that technology is helping create that pathway forward.
I’m thrilled to share that the Grow with Google Digital Coaches program, which equips businesses with robust digital skills to unlock growth opportunities, is expanding to train Native-led businesses with the help of a dedicated Digital Coach from the community. We’ll be able to further support Native-led businesses thanks to a new grant from Google.org to help NCAI strengthen digital skill training.
I’m honored to introduce Henry Jake Foreman as Grow with Google’s first-ever Indigenous Community Digital Coach. As a Digital Coach, Jake will empower tribal small businesses with monthly digital skills workshops, local hands-on coaching opportunities, and events for businesses to come together and learn from one another. Jake is an Absentee Shawnee citizen who resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is a Program Director at New Mexico Community Capital. As a trainer for NCAI’s training program, incubated with support from Grow with Google, Jake has helped hundreds of Native American entrepreneurs in New Mexico develop skill sets to support and build their businesses. We’re excited to see Grow with Google build on the success of that collaboration as they expand the Digital Coaches program. Jake will now bring these trainings directly to tribal communities across Indian Country and partner with NCAI to host monthly national webinars beginning in 2023.
In addition, Google.org is providing a $750,000 grant to support NCAI’s own institutional capacity and positioning in the Indigenous digital skilling space. NCAI will directly invest this into IT capabilities to foster a community of learning and distill best IT practices to contribute toward the broader ecosystem. This investment builds on the previous $1.25M in grants used to help support Native-owned businesses — all done in service of helping more Indigenous people to achieve success and help bridge Indian Country’s digital divide.
Because Native-led businesses serve as the backbone for many tribal communities, it was a very special moment to first share this news with tribal leaders, NCAI members and Native youth at our NCAI 79th Annual Convention & Marketplace earlier this week. At the conference, we also had the pleasure of hosting Jake’s first digital skills workshop as a new Digital Coach. Undoubtedly, these tailored workshops and resources will help our businesses thrive online and grow tremendously. To learn more and sign up, visit g.co/grow/digitalcoachIC.
Guess who’s coming to the internet this fall? .Boo, that’s who! Starting November 8, you’ll be able to register this new secure top-level domain from Google Registry. To give you a sneak peek of how you can use the .boo domain, we’ve rounded up five examples of websites already using .boo — whether it’s spooky or romantic.
Starting November 8, you can register your own .boo domain name as part of our Early Access Program for an additional one-time fee. This fee decreases daily until November 15. On November 15, .boo domains will become publicly available at a base annual price through your registrar of choice. To learn more about pricing and our participating partners, visit hey.boo.
One day, Annabel Angwenyi was running errands in Nairobi, Kenya when her car refused to start. She called her usual mechanic, but he was busy helping another customer on the opposite side of town. She knew there must be another mechanic close by, but because many local businesses don’t have an online presence, she had trouble finding and contacting someone else. Annabel was frustrated — but she also saw an opportunity to solve a problem.
After a lot of research, hard work and perseverance, she and her co-founder Patrick launched Ziada, an app that connects people across Kenya to local service providers. Today, Ziada has a team of seven people and over 60,000 downloads on Google Play.
Annabel is one of the founders featured in #WeArePlay, which spotlights the people behind Google Play’s apps and games. We chatted with Annabel to learn more about how she got Ziada up and running with no tech experience, and the impact it’s had on the local community.
How did you turn your idea into an app?
Patrick and I didn’t have any tech experience — we’re both business people. So in 2017, we partnered with a software developer who believed in our dream and helped us create the app. After a lot of hard work, we published the first version of Ziada on Google Play that same year. But it didn’t really take off. We weren’t sure if the Kenyan market was ready for something like this, so we took a break.
Then when the pandemic started in 2020, we noticed people wanted to access more things on demand and online, like food delivery and taxi services. So we rebranded the app, including improving the user interface to better reflect how we could help, and launched again. Now, our app has over 60,000 downloads on Google Play and is helping service providers across Kenya find new customers.
What impact has your app had on the community?
Kenya is an entrepreneurial nation, with people just like us wanting to build something for themselves. Having owned small businesses in the past, we knew the app had potential to help others grow their businesses. And it makes us so happy to see this actually happening. I’m also really proud of how we’re helping women — who make up 38% of service providers on Ziada — create their own income. I believe when you empower women, you empower the whole community. It’s something that’s really close to our hearts at Ziada. Most of our team are women, and many of us mentor young girls in the community. In fact, two of our mentees are joining Ziada as software developers.
Any advice for someone starting their own app or game business?
Just jump in. I think that initial leap of faith is the hardest one to make — it definitely was for me. The app or game will never be 100% perfect, and if you wait for that moment, the train may have already left (both in terms of user needs and market share).
If you have a working prototype or early version of your app, get it on Google Play and build hype around it. I was surprised at how patient our users were with Ziada in its early days, even with all its shortcomings. But that’s because they wanted it to work. If you’re providing a good solution to a problem, the adopters will come.
What’s next for Ziada?
We’re always working on new services, like helping contractors rent equipment and tools to complete jobs or providing coaching through our upcoming business advisory service. We also want to keep partnering with growing, local businesses and expand our user base — not just in Kenya, but across the African continent. There’s so much potential here, and we’re only just getting started.
Read more about Annabel and other app and game founders featured in #WeArePlay.
Last week, we launched #WeArePlay, a new series featuring the people behind your favorite Google Play apps and games. To celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, we’re putting a special spotlight on app founders and developers across every U.S. state. #WeArePlay USA introduces you to the passionate professionals behind more than 150 growing businesses.
Let’s take a quick road trip across the #WeArePlay USA collection, starting in the Big Apple. New Yorker Tanya was so inspired when her eight-year-old daughter asked to open an investment account that she created Goalsetter — an app that helps kids learn about finance through fun activities. She wants to help kids, and their parents, build stronger financial futures: “Part of my mission is to close the wealth gap in America by educating the next generation.” Read more stories from New York.
Our next stop is Raleigh, North Carolina to meet Joe, John and Grant. They created JouleBug to help people better understand their environmental impact through interactive challenges — like competing with friends to save the most energy or reduce the most waste. “As we go through our days, it’s become easy to waste resources and not even notice it,” says Grant. “We want to draw attention to this and show how simple it is to change your habits.” Discover more stories from North Carolina.
Making our way west, we meet Clarence and Edna in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They both share a passion for education and worked together to create Boddle — a 3D game that motivates kids to learn math. Using AI, Boddle also helps parents and teachers tailor learning content and track performance. Check out more stories from Oklahoma.
Our final stop brings us to Santa Monica, California with Jenova. While he was in film school, Jenova asked himself — could a game make you cry the same way a movie can? He launched thatgamecompany and started building games that tug at players’ heartstrings. His company now has close to 100 employees. Read more stories from California.
Explore the rest of the #WeArePlay USA collection, and stay tuned for more stories from around the world.
Every business has a story: how they started, how they persevered, how they’ve adapted over time. Small businesses are where we have our birthday dinners, find the perfect unique gift for the friend who has everything, and take our favorite shirt with a giant stain to be saved (again). No matter where you live, small businesses are central to our lives and they show up for us in countless ways.
So we’re marking this International Small Business Week with a few new ways to support small businesses, including exclusive product discounts, our first Heroes of Small Business sweepstakes and business scholarships through our partnership with StartOut.
Making it even easier for businesses and people to connect is at the heart of what we do. We’re offering exclusive discounts on digital tools that help small businesses operate more efficiently, reach more people and stay in touch with existing customers and employees:
These offers are only available in the U.S. and Canada until July 1. You can learn more and redeem these offers at g.co/smallbiz/week.
We’re also introducing our first Heroes of Small Business sweepstakes. You have until July 5 to nominate your favorite U.S.-based small business for a chance to win $10,000 for the business — and you’ll receive $500 to spend with them (terms apply). Get started nominating and watch the stories of some small business heroes from across the country at g.co/smallbiz/heroes.
Google is helping LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs succeed with funds to StartOut, an LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization that helps facilitate mentorship, access to capital and tools to create an equitable playing field. Through StartOut's Acceleration Initiative, Google will fund more than 60 scholarships to help Black, Latinx and female identifying LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses. You can apply on the StartOut website.
Whether you’re a small business owner or just a small business fan, we hope you find a way to celebrate the incredible impact small businesses make on our communities with us this week.
Every month, over 2.5 billion people visit Google Play to discover millions of apps and games. Behind each of these apps is an entrepreneur (or two… or three) with a unique story to tell. Some have been programming since childhood, others just learned how to code. Some live in busy cities, others in smaller towns. No matter how different their backgrounds are, these creators all have one thing in common — the passion to turn an idea into a growing business.
#WeArePlay celebrates and shares their stories. Over the next few months, you’ll hear from the people and businesses behind Google Play apps and games, and how they’re making an impact around the world.
Our series kicks off spotlighting Yvonne and Alyssa, the London-based mother and daughter duo who created Frobelles — a dress-up game that helps increase representation of African and Caribbean hair styles in the game industry.
You’ll also meet Hand Talk Translator’s Ronaldo, Carlos and Theadeu from Brazil, DailyArt’s Zuzanna from Poland, and TravelSpend’s world-trotting couple Ina and Jonas from Germany.
A big thank you to all the apps and games businesses that are part of our Google Play community. Dive into some of their stories today and stay tuned for more.
El Stonewall Inn, un pequeño bar en la ciudad de Nueva York donde en junio de 1969 las personas LGBTQ+ lucharon contra años de opresión y abuso, tiene un significado especial para muchas personas, incluyéndome a mí. Cuando me mudé a Nueva York en 2007, vivía en West Village, el barrio donde se encuentra el bar. Compartí muchas noches memorables y significativas con nuevos amigos en Stonewall y otros bares locales, donde sentimos un sentido de comunidad y pertenencia. Al ser una minoría en la mayoría de los demás establecimientos, es difícil explicar lo reconfortante que es entrar en un lugar y sentir que estás entre tu gente y no sentirte diferente o inseguro. Eso es lo que estos lugares eran para mí y millones de personas más.
La más significativa de esas noches de Stonewall Inn fue cuando conocí a mi futura esposa, Christine, una empresaria digital con su propia startup de medios LGBTQ+. Además de este trabajo, ella también era bartender allí los jueves por la noche. No hace falta decir que pasé más jueves por la noche allí de lo que debería, pero valió la pena.
Con tan buenos recuerdos de mi tiempo allí, me sorprendió saber que el Stonewall Inn tenía casi el doble del tamaño que tiene ahora cuando tuvo lugar la rebelión en 1969. A medida que aumentaban los alquileres en la ciudad de Nueva York, los arrendatarios se vieron obligados a alquilar parte del edificio, que ahora está en Christopher Street, 51.
Hoy, Google continúa con nuestro compromiso con la comunidad LGBTQ+ al apoyar a Pride Live, un grupo de defensa dedicado a la lucha por la igualdad LGBTQ+. Con casi $1 millón de dólares en apoyo de Google y Google.org, Pride Live está trabajando para asegurar el contrato de arrendamiento de Christopher Street, 51 para recomponer en su totalidad el Stonewall Inn y construir el Stonewall National Monument Education and Visitor Center. El 24 de junio, Pride Live celebrará la reunión de Stonewall Inn, con la invitada musical Kesha, en su evento anual "Stonewall Day".
Google se ha comprometido a preservar y compartir esta historia del movimiento moderno por los derechos LGBTQ+ en los EE. UU. En 2019, a través de subvenciones de Google.org por un total de 1,5 millones de dólares y el trabajo incansable de Googlers voluntarios, el Centro Comunitario LGBT de Nueva York conmemoró el 50º aniversario de los disturbios de Stonewall con el lanzamiento de Stonewall Forever, el primer "monumento interactivo " dedicado a la comunidad LGBTQ+ y su lucha por la igualdad de derechos.
Dentro de Google, nuestros grupos de recursos para empleados PRIDE at y Trans at Google continúan creciendo cada año. Es genial ver a tantos Googlers LGBTQ+ y sus aliados unirse a sus comunidades locales y participar en las marchas locales del Orgullo. Por primera vez, los Googlers participarán en Baltic Pride, organizado por la Liga Gay Lituana (un beneficiario de Google.org) en Vilnius. Mostraremos una pieza de Google Arts & Culture sobre Harvey Milk, quien fue un pionero de los derechos LGBTQ+ y tenía ascendencia lituana.
El objetivo delOrgullo no es solo de celebración. Ha sido otro año difícil para las personas LGBTQ+ y muchas comunidades históricamente marginadas. Vemos una continua discriminación y violencia en todo el mundo, especialmente contra la comunidad trans y para las personas en las intersecciones de las comunidades negras, asiáticas e isleñas del Pacífico en los EE. UU. Además, muchos refugiados LGBTQ+ en Ucrania siguen desplazados y son ignorados mientras el conflicto continúa
Dados los desafíos que enfrentan tantas personas LGBTQ+, estamos donando a organizaciones sin fines de lucro que trabajan directamente con la comunidad. Los empleados de Google podrán donar a organizaciones sin fines de lucro durante el mes del Orgullo y Google.org igualará sus donaciones paraorganizaciones benéficas LGBTQ+ locales de todo el mundo. Google.org también ha hecho una contribución crítica al Fondo de Emergencia de Ucrania de OutRight Action International. Este programa brinda apoyo humanitario a los refugiados LGBTQ+, brinda ayuda a los países vecinos y ayuda a aquellos que han sido desplazados internamente y afectados por el conflicto. También proporcionamos publicidad de búsqueda donada y otras herramientas a organizaciones sin fines de lucro como GLAAD y The Trevor Project, ayudando a difundir su trabajo fundamental y a cultivar el apoyo para las comunidades LGBTQ+.
También continuamos nuestro trabajo para hacer que nuestros productos sean más inclusivos y útiles para todos, incluida la comunidad LGBTQ+. Escuchamos directamente de los miembros de la comunidad transgénero que la forma en que Google Photos estaba recordando los momentosdel pasadodoloroso. Así que el año pasado trabajamos con GLAAD y con la comunidad trans y aprendimos cómo podíamos hacer para que recordar con Google Photos fuera más inclusivo. Este esfuerzo llevó al lanzamiento de nuevos controles que permiten a los usuarios ocultar fotos de ciertos períodos de tiempo o personas de la función Recuerdos de Google Photos.
Nuestros productos continúan ayudando a los propietarios de pequeñas empresas a conectarse con la comunidad LGBTQ+. Como la función de Google Maps que ayuda a los comerciantes a mostrar su compromiso mediante el uso de los atributos "LGBTQ+ friendly" y "Transgender safespace" y nuestros productos de Google Ads que ayudan a las empresas a conectarse con usuarios que buscan productos fabricados por empresas que coincidan con sus valores.
Mientras nuestra comunidad sigue siendo atacada tanto aquí en los EE. UU. como en el extranjero, lo que me da esperanza es el trabajo que hacemos en todos nuestros productos para ayudar a la comunidad LGBTQ+ a encontrar lugares donde puedan sentirse aceptados y seguros. Encontré Stonewall Inn y encontré a mi esposa. Muchos otros establecimientos, como el Stonewall Inn, juegan un papel vital para muchos en nuestra comunidad. Son más que simples lugares donde socializamos y nos reunimos, brindan un sentido de comunidad, pertenencia y seguridad que salva vidas y que todos merecen.
