"California Get Your Business Online" Program Comes to Mountain View

PALO ALTO, CA—Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, announced today that Google is bringing its California Get Your Business Online program to Mountain View on Tuesday, December 4th.

At the California Get Your Business Online event, Google experts will help small business owners create their own websites, courtesy of Intuit. Businesses will also receive a customized domain name; free web hosting for one year; a local business listing on Google Maps; and free tools, training and resources. Google experts will be on hand to train the business owners on how to reach more customers online.

"Getting your business online is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity," Rep. Eshoo said. "This workshop will make it easy and give local small-business owners the necessary tools to be successful in the online marketplace."

California Get Your Business Online is an easy and fast way for California businesses to get a website and become more visible online, where the majority of people are going to find goods and services. While 97 percent of Internet users look online for local products and services, 62 percent of California small businesses do not have a website or online presence.

"The perception that getting online is complex, costly and time-consuming has prevented many California small businesses from taking the first step," said Scott Levitan, Director of Small Business Engagement at Google. "This program makes it fast, easy and free for businesses to get online."

"Today's business climate is increasingly competitive and small businesses more than ever need the right tools to compete. One of the roles of our Chamber of Commerce is to foster economic development. This is why we are proud to partner with Google to help local businesses establish and maximize their online presence," said Oscar Garcia, President and CEO of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce.

"The health of the Mountain View economy is tied to the success of our small businesses. This public-private partnership between the City, the Chamber of Commerce and Google to offer California Get your Business Online is a great opportunity for our local small businesses to develop skills and knowledge to leverage the Internet and maximize their returns," said Mike Kasperzak, Mayor of the City of Mountain View.

The California Get Your Business Online event will be held on Tuesday, December 4th at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. Details for the event can be found here.

Businesses unable to attend the event can still get a free website and resources by going to www.CaliforniaGetOnline.com. More information about the program and the Mountain View events is also available on the website.

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