Google launches support resources and deals for SMEs

International Small Business Week (June 27–July 1) is taking place this week, and to commemorate the occasion, Google has unveiled a number of SMB support resources and deals aimed at assisting small businesses in maximising their online visibility and client acquisition potential.

In order to help SMBs work more effectively, reach more people, and maintain contact with their consumers, Google is first providing exceptional discounts on a variety of digital products.

Google’s offerings are -

• A domain name from Google Domains is discounted by 40%.
• Three months free of Google Workspace
• 30% off a Chromebook
• Free Shopify for 60 days and a free Shopify-built store

Only firms in the US and Canada are eligible for these alluring discounts, and they are only available for one week. One can visit Google's Small Business Week mini-site to learn more and to take advantage of these discounts.

Google is also promoting a brand-new campaign called ‘Heroes of Small Business’ that aims to honour SMBs that go above and above for their local communities.

Customers can nominate a small business of their choice, and $10,000 in prizes will be awarded to the winning businesses.

Last but not least, Google is also looking to expand its support for LGBTQ+ company owners through a new initiative in collaboration with StartOut, an LGBTQ+ nonprofit organisation that facilitates mentorship, access to funding, and other business tools.

According to Google, over 60 scholarships will be funded by Google through StartOut's Acceleration Initiative to assist Black, Latinx, and female identifying LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs in expanding and scaling their enterprises.

Utilizing the StartOut website, businesses can apply for the programme. With 99 percent of all US businesses falling into the small and medium-sized business (SMB) category, small businesses are crucial to the economy. These smaller operators have also been the most severely impacted by the pandemic since they had fewer resources and sources of assistance to resist the financial blow caused by the different lockdown and COVID mitigation efforts.

In order to strengthen our economy, which in turn helps to provide greater assistance for individuals within our local communities and opens up more opportunities for entrepreneurial success, it is in our best interests to do everything we can to promote smaller enterprises.