Monday, 17 December 2012

Google Plans to Create 500,000 websites for Small Businesses in India

India is a country where the entrepreneurial spirit has been alive and kicking. This is especially true in the small and medium sized businesses. Indian small business owners, especially the ones who are not into technology usually will not have a presence on the web. Google plans to change all this and have made as start in the famous Chandi Chowk market at Delhi. Over 2500 businesses have gone online for free, thanks to Google.

Google India Business Online

Why is Google so serious about small businesses in India?

  • According to Google, India has 137 million internet users. That number will only grow at a rapid rate over the 5 years.
  • India has over 47 million small and medium businesses. An overwhelming number of them do not have a web presence.
  • Google has a online campaign called "India get your Business Online" where they allow small business owners to create a website for free.
  • The campaign has got over 150,000 businesses online and Google plans to add upto 500,000 more sites.

These stats are impressive but it makes sense for Google to get local businesses in India online, because that is the only way they can show these businesses for local search. Additionally local businesses having a web presence will also enrich Google Maps and Google+ Local in India. With growing number of smartphones users in India, it is only a matter of time people will look to search of local businesses with their phones.

Afterall if there is one company that really knows how to handle and extract value from big data, it has to be Google.

Here is a video of Google's attempt at getting businesses in Chandni Chowk, New Delhi online.

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