Websites Now Free for Pennsylvania Businesses

PITTSBURGH, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Google is coming to Pennsylvania to launch Pennsylvania Get Your Business Online, an initiative developed with local partners that is designed to drive economic growth by giving Pennsylvania businesses the tools and resources to establish a website, find new customers, and grow their business.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120329/PH79247LOGO )

Increasing the number of small businesses online is one of the best ways to expand the Pennsylvanian economy. Pennsylvania Get Your Business Online is an easy and fast way for Pennsylvania businesses to get online.

For the next year, participating Pennsylvania businesses can go to www.PennsylvaniaGetOnline.com to get a free easy-to-build website, as well as free tools, training and resources to help their business succeed online. Google is partnering with Intuit to provide its popular Intuit Websites offerings for free including an easy-to-build website, a customized domain name and web-hosting for one year.

Businesses simply limit their exposure to customers if they don't have a website. Small businesses need to be online because that's where their customers are. While 97% of Americans look online for local products and services, 56% of Pennsylvania small businesses do not have a website or online presence. In America today, no matter the size of the business, having a website is as vital as having a phone.

"The perception that getting online is complex, costly and time-consuming has prevented many Pennsylvania 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."

"As a leading provider of small business solutions, we have witnessed the growth small businesses have seen from getting online," said Megan Bhattacharyya, Product Manager at Intuit. "We are excited to offer Intuit Websites for free to all the wonderful small businesses in Pennsylvania and to help them create a customized presence that represents their unique brands."

"We are excited to work with Google to help Pennsylvania's small businesses boost their sales by improving their online presence," states Christian Conroy, State Director of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC).  "Every day entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth turn to their local SBDC for business planning assistance including marketing. This partnership with Google provides another important set of resources to help Pennsylvania's small businesses start and grow."

Business owners from across Pennsylvania are invited to the kickoff event. The website and event registration are currently available. For more information, please visit www.PennsylvaniaGetOnline.com.

SOURCE Google