Google to help 1 million small UK businesses during Coronavirus pandemic

Google is launching a support campaign to help 1 million small British businesses survive the Coronavirus crisis.

Small British businesses can sign up for Google’s UKOpenForBusiness package of support from today. The packages offers small businesses a range of tools and initiatives to help them adjust to the current Covid-19 outbreak online.

Google has partnered with Digital Boost for this package, offering 10,000 hours of free mentoring to small businesses over the next 12 months.

The new initiative will connect companies with Google’s Digital Garage coaches and Google employees who will offer a range of services and support including one-to-one mentoring on how to make your business more discoverable online and attain new customers.

Sessions will focus mainly on how businesses can restart their operations and adjust to operate in the post-lockdown period.

In addition. Google has pledged £25 million in advertising credits and grants for small businesses, government agencies and NGOs.

Google UK’s managing director Ronan Harris said: “Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities.”

“Like millions up and down the country, we want to help small businesses both survive and thrive. Through this programme we’re aiming to upskill SMEs and charities by helping them adapt to operating in a post lockdown environment."

“Despite the ongoing uncertainty, we want to show that having an online presence can have a transformative impact on offline businesses”.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak added: “Our small businesses form the backbone of the British economy, fuelling growth and creating jobs in communities across the country.

"This has been a difficult time for them, and that’s why I am delighted that today Google have announced this plan to help small businesses recover from the crisis. We will all play a part in this national effort to get the UK open for business again safely. Google’s initiative to support our smallest firms is a great step forward in getting our economy back on track.”