Let’s Put Our Cities On The Map: We’re Hosting A Google Workshop To Help VT Local Businesses Get Online!
Google recently started a new campaign called “Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map”, which aims to “make sure every business in your city can be found online”. This campaign is based off of Google’s ‘Get Your Business Online”, which helped small businesses all over the country make the most of the web. With their new initiative, Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map, is making sure that every business has information online so that the entire community can find them and support them. Currently only 37% of businesses have claimed a local business listing on a search engine – that’s a lot of missing information. And Google states that with 4 out of 5 people using search engines to find local info like business hours and directions, it also means a lot of missed opportunities for local business.
According to Google, “businesses that are online grow 40% faster than those that aren’t. Businesses with complete listings are 2x as likely to be considered reputable. Google is teaming up with local leaders to create a program for 30,000 U.S. cities – all with the singular focus of getting local business info online and on the map”. They are offering you the chance to see how you show up on Google and build a free website of your own ( free for one year ). They are also equipping local partner’s ( that’s us ) with free trainings and customized city materials to run workshops in town. We invite you to explore the Get Your Business Online site, and learn how you can join in, support businesses in the community and put your city on the map!
You may be wondering why Google is offering this service? Google says that “Local businesses are vital to America’s economic future. In fact, small businesses comprise half of the U.S. GDP and create two-thirds of all new jobs. And although nearly all consumers look online for products and services, many small businesses do not have any web presence at all. They believe every small business should be found online and they offer the ability to do this through Google products like Google Maps – for free. Businesses want to be found by their customers. Customers want to find updated information about local businesses. Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map was designed to help strengthen our communities by connecting local businesses and customers so they can easily support each other”.
We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a workshop later this summer to help put our community members on the map! We will be offering a live in-person presentation, that will be taught online through video streaming. The presentation will offer the following:
1. Get Found on Google Search and Maps: Google will explain how to set-up Google My Business, a free tool that helps you manage information displayed to customers on Google Search and Maps. Presentation time: 10 minutes. Attendee work time: 20 minutes (to set up Google My Business and start the verification process).
We are looking forward to hosting this workshop and hope you’ll be able to attend. Be sure to be on the lookout for reminders and updates leading up to the event.
A friendly reminder, please remember to BYOL (Bring Your Own Laptop).
We hope to see you!
