Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2012

SCHUMER: GOOGLE TO HOST SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY EVENTS FOR NEW YORK CITY; GOOGLE’S FIVE BOROUGH TOUR WILL PROVIDE BUSINESSES WITH TOOLS THEY NEED TO GROW

Schumer Announces Google to Host ‘Get Your Business Online’ Events for New York City Small Businesses; Events Will Provide Small Businesses With the Technology, Resources and Expertise Necessary to Succeed

Google Events Will Offer Free Professional Websites, Customized Domain Names and Web Hosting Along With Many More Tools To Attract New Customers

Schumer Urged Google To Organize Small Businesses Events Around New York

U.S Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that Google will host “Get Your Business Online” events in the five boroughs of New York City, designed to help small businesses get online. The kick-off event will occur on October 15th in Brooklyn. Google has established a coalition, including organizations like Intuit, SCORE, to give small businesses the technology, resources and expertise they need to get online. Google hosted a similar event in New York’s Capital Region last year. The event offered small businesses a free, easy-to-build, professional website, a free customized domain name and web hosting for one year and a local business listing on Google Maps. Schumer applauds Google for selecting New York City for these events dedicated to driving economic growth by providing New York’s local businesses the tools and resources to get online and succeed.

Schumer had urged Google to organize “Get Your Business Online” events for small businesses around New York.

“It is an important priority to get small businesses online so they can harness the power of the internet to grow and add jobs,” said Schumer. “Google’s events will connect small businesses with new customers by teaching businesses how to get online quickly and easily. Small businesses are the driving force behind NYC’s economic growth and I am thrilled to see that Google is bringing this successful seminar to the tri-state region.”

"Over half of small businesses in New York do not have a website. We are pleased to be working with Senator Schumer and other NY leaders to help make it fast, easy and free for New York City businesses to get online," said Susan Molinari, Google Vice President of Public Policy.

Schumer noted the wide range of benefits that Google will bring to small business in New York City through these events. Google’s search and advertising programs enable hundreds of thousands of small businesses to find customers, and their programs help websites earn money from their content and help non-profits solicit donations and volunteers. In particular, Google has demonstrated a focus on small businesses by providing tools they need to increase their presence and visibility online. A website that's easy to find translates into new customers and more sales of products and services.

New York small businesses stand to benefit a great deal from Google’s “Get Your Business Online” events, as about 97% of people in the US research local products and services online, yet 58% of small businesses have no website. Schumer is confident that the “Get Your Business Online” program will give New York City’s small businesses the boost they need to grow and thrive.

New York “Get Your Business Online” will be a Google-led coalition dedicated to driving economic growth by providing New York’s local businesses the tools and resources to get online and succeed. Google offers small businesses free, easy-to-build, professional website and a free customized domain name and web hosting for one year. Google also offers small businesses a listing on Google Places, and other free tools and resources.

Schumer stated that this event means that local businesses will be given the opportunity to get online with the help of Google and their coalition partners. Schumer noted, based on Google “Get Your Business Online” events in other states that small businesses can walk into these events offline and walk out online, with a website, a customized domain name, and more. In addition, Google will also hold workshops on running a business online and on search engine marketing.

Google’s “Get Your Business Online” Five Borough Tour:

October 15th: Brooklyn

New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge

333 Adams Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

October 16th: Staten Island

Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island

1100 South Avenue

Staten Island, NY 10314

October 17th: Manhattan

Google New York

111 8th Avenue, 10th Floor