Yesterday I had the serendipitous fortune to attend two session with Joshua Miller, Pennsylvania’s Digital Coach for Grow with Google. Google has partnered with Main Street America to find certain downtown markets that could benefit from digital coaches that introduce small business people to Google’s tools and how to use them to increase visibility for small business.
From a press release via the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry:
“For years, Google has helped small businesses in the state learn digital skills to reach new customers and thrive and grow online. Small businesses participate in free workshops hosted by Pennsylvania partners through the Grow with Google Partner Program. We also help underrepresented businesses in the state via the Grow with Google Digital Coaches program, which helps Black and Latino-owned businesses access free, hands-on coaching and digital skills training from a local business expert based right here in the state. Our Pennsylvania Digital Coach has trained more than 2,600 small business owners through digital skills workshops.”
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
I attended “Make Your Web Site Work for You” and “Reach Customers Online with Google.” Both were free, hosted at Northampton County College’s Fowler Center in South Bethlehem and sponsored in part by The Southside Arts District. Attendees in our sessions ranged from a retired individual who mentored young start-ups, a minority-owned caterer, some marketing small businesses, a representative from a Corvette club, several representatives from the college itself and neighboring Lehigh University, and the local non-profit live theater.
Josh offered some easy but effective tweaks every small business owner should do to represent their business on Google. And importantly, he reminded small businesses that too many businesses neglect Google in favor of social media. Both are tools that need to be harnessed in their separate arenas. Social media are for your fans, people that already know you. Google is where people go to find information on the unknown.
The sessions discussed how to set up and maintain a Google Business Profile, Google Trends, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and how to create an online experience that works for potential costumers.
As I embark on updating and improving Parisian Phoenix’s web presence, I will be using these tools and techniques.
Parisian Phoenix Publishing 
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