Google’s Liverpool web project starts today
Google tonight starts a three-month push to help businesses in Liverpool get online – and says it could launch similar projects in other cities if its Merseyside pilot proves successful.
The internet search giant is holding three months of workshops and events to help small firms set up websites and sell themselves online.
This is the first time Google has spent so long in one UK city.
Its UK managing director, Matt Brittin, said: “Our intention is to go to other cities. This is the first time we’ve done this – we’re looking to see what we can learn from it.
“We’re very excited about it.
“About 18 months ago, we started looking at ways to help businesses get more out of the internet.
“We did some research and found that small businesses using the internet were growing four times faster than those that weren’t.
“When we talked to them, we found that they thought getting online would be too complex and complicated for them.
“What we’re trying to do now is go a bit deeper, to try to understand what businesses are doing and how best to aid their growth.
“For the first time, we’re coming to spend a significant amount of time working with people in a community and helping people make the most of the internet.”
Google is launching its three-month programme at an event in the Baltic Triangle tonight. The project is backed by organisations including Liverpool Vision and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Mr Brittin said Google had chosen Liverpool as many of its small firms were not yet online. He said firms could learn from the success of Wirral’s PlumbNation, which Royden Evans founded in 2007, and which is set to turn over £14m this year.
“Liverpool is not at the top of the list when it comes to businesses using the internet,” he said. “But it’s a proud city with an entrepreneurial tradition.
“When Liverpool is compared to other cities such as Leeds and Nottingham, it hasn’t done quite as well.
“We don’t really know what the reasons for that are. We will try to spend time here and see what we can do.”
Google’s workshops in St Helens, Aintree, Liverpool city centre, Birkenhead and Speke are already fully booked. More workshop dates will be revealed soon.
A Google “juice bar” will travel around the region, offering advice to firms looking to set up websites.
Mr Brittin said: “We are trying to make the internet a better place for consumers and organisations to operate in. If we do that, then we and other businesses that operate online can make money out of it.”
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