Google set to help businesses in Wales
This March Google UK will kick off a year-long campaign in collaboration with a series of partners to help small business owners in Wales make the most of the Internet.
The campaign is the first time Google has committed to an on-the-ground programme of this length anywhere in the UK - and is the company’s first major visit to Wales.
In a bid to boost the country’s online economy Getting Welsh Business Online will provide over 1000 free consultations and e-skills workshops - using online education modules - to help businesses in Wales set up a website or improve their online presence. From today, working alongside Cardiff & Co as a partner, business owners in Wales can sign up for the free events at www.gbbo.co.uk/wales.
Google experts will tour the country in the Google ‘Juice Bar’ offering free one-to-one lessons on how to boost traffic to websites and increase business online.
Starting in Cardiff on 6 March the Juice Bar will travel to various locations across Wales throughout the year offering businesses around the country free advice from Google experts.
As many as 40% of Welsh SMEs don’t have a website and only 33% - well below the UK average - are e-commerce enabled. Business owners who aren’t online perceive websites as too costly, too complicated or not necessary.
Adrian Clark, chairman of Cardiff & Co, the company set up to promote the city region to the world: “Getting online is one of the most important marketing tools for businesses. You don’t need a huge investment to win a share of the online market but you do need the skills. Cardiff & Co will do all it can to spread the word that Google is making it easy for businesses in the Cardiff city region to sharpen up their new media skills. This campaign will help firms throughout the city region to become more competitive.“
Edwina Hart, Welsh Government Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science, has welcomed the opportunity to work alongside Google to support businesses in Wales.
"We want Wales to be a truly digital nation and our Next Generation Broadband project is geared to ensure that all residential premises and businesses in Wales have access to high speed broadband by 2015.
"We welcome this initiative to help companies gain maximum benefits from using and exploiting digital technologies to innovate, grow and access new markets, driving business growth. Digital technologies and online services have the potential to revolutionise the competitiveness of business and I hope as many as possible take advantage of the expertise on offer from Google."
Dan Cobley, Managing Director, Google UK, said:
"The Internet provides a barrierless platform for businesses to grow, so we are excited about coming to Wales for a year-long series of events to show business owners how easily this can be done.
We will be working alongside the Welsh government and local partners to ensure our time spent with local entrepreneurs will make a real difference to their businesses, and in turn, the Welsh economy in creating jobs through digital means.
We will run thousands of free consultations to boost local business across four regions of Wales. Starting in Cardiff in March, we aim to arm local enterprises with e-skills and tools so that they can really thrive."
Google is partnering with a series of organisations dedicated to supporting small business across the nation, including:
• Cardiff & Co
• Institute of Directors
• South Wales Chamber of Commerce
• Business in Focus
• Federation of Small Businesses
• Welsh Government Business Team
A report by the Boston Consulting Group found that small businesses actively using the Internet had sales growth four to eight times greater than less active companies, demonstrating a huge opportunity for economic growth if more Welsh businesses can succeed online.
The Internet presents endless opportunities for starting and growing your own business. Google hopes its campaign will help to boost the Welsh economy which currently suffers unemployment rates that are four times above the UK average.
The events are designed to help local businesses regardless of technical expertise - from getting online and creating their first business website, through to improving their existing online presence.
Watch this space for locations and dates across the rest of Wales, and please visit www.gbbo.co.uk/wales for updates
Business owners are encouraged to sign up and register their interest as soon as possible, as spaces are limited. To sign up for the free events, click here.
Keep up-to-date with Cardiff news by following @CardiffandCo on Twitter.
28/01/2012
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