The PM and the Minister reiterated that two thirds of Australians search online for small business information but only one third of small businesses has a website. The rest are missing out on the benefits of the digital economy because their customers can’t find them. There are 15,000 searches every month for “Perth cafe”.
At Google, we want to make it easy for small businesses to get online and succeed. Which is why we launched Getting Aussie Business Online with MYOB. So far, 5,600 businesses have signed up with a free website, including 500 from Western Australia.
We went to visit one of these businesses with Senator Conroy, Toys in the Park. Owned by Jan Stearne, the shop has been up and running since June last year. The walls are lined with things to fascinate any little person - there are books and games, and some really amazing fairy costumes. If that isn’t enough, there’s a play room as well.
A couple of weeks ago, you could find Jan’s shop by driving past it on Albany Highway. Today, you can find it online at toysinthepark.com.au too. She’d been thinking about getting a website since she opened the shop last year, but like a lot of business owners wasn’t sure where to start, or how much it was going to cost. Despite (in her own words) ‘not being the best on computers’ she was able to set up a website quickly and easily.
Jan told the Minister that what she liked most about her website through Getting Aussie Business Online was that she could take things one step at a time, and learn how to use the website at her own pace. ‘Before people would ring me to ask me where my shop was,’ Jan said. ‘Now they can just look at my address and find me right away’.
To set up a website, all you need is an ABN and your phone number. It easy to do, it only takes 15 minutes and you get a free website for a year and your own free .com.au domain name for two years. Once you’re up and running, you can keep adding to your site, just like Jan did - photos, a logo or banner, links to social networks or a map. You’ll receive tips and education along the way to learn how to make the best out of your presence online, all while being visible to customers turning to the Internet to find information about your business.
Bora Toska, Small Business Marketing, Google Australia
