Google helping SMEs get online with free tools

Buy Irish search term increased by 3,500% in 2020

Trade

Image: athree23, Pixabay

18 March 2021

Google has launched Google for Small Business, a website specifically dedicated and designed for small Irish businesses to help them take their business online and continue to reach customers in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Google’s aim is to help Irish businesses leverage current consumer sentiment by using the online tools available to them. With the search term ‘buy Irish’ increasing by 3,500% in 2020, and by nearly 6,400% during peak shopping seasons, being visible online will enable more Irish businesses to reach new and existing customers now while restrictions remain in place and in the future.

The free online platform will guide businesses along every step of their journey from setting up their Google Business Profile to creating a website, along with tips and advice on how to reach and grow their customer base. The platform will also allow business owners to tailor their approach, in their own time, to operating online based on their own specific needs.

The website will also specifically allow businesses to discover valuable insights about their customers using market research tools along with advice on how to create a strong customer experience and drive more traffic to their business.

In response to Covid-19, Google has committed to supporting 60,000 Irish SMEs as they embark on recovery from the financial impacts caused by the virus. The launch of the Google for Small Business website is part of this ongoing commitment to support Irish SMEs and help them gain the necessary digital skills to set up and grow their business successfully online.

“This online platform has been set up at a crucial time for small businesses, many of whom have faced great challenges over the past year due to Covid-19 and need help adapting and growing online,” said Alice Mansergh, Google’s director of small business, Google for Small Business. “Over the last year we have seen some great success stories from small businesses that have pivoted to sell and engage with their customers online. Google for Small Business was designed to help more businesses leverage the supports available and start taking the small steps to overcome the impacts of the pandemic and experience similar growth and success. One of the key insights we have gained from working with small businesses is the need for a practical, step-by-step guide to operating online and that is exactly what Google for Small Business is.”

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