MODEST-sized media companies are being invited to set up their own website, for free and within 15 minutes – courtesy of an initiative being spearheaded by search engine giants, Google, and being showcased in Edinburgh and Aberdeen next week.
The aim is to have some 500 free websites set up for Scottish businesspeople – among them media practitioners – on Tuesday at events being hosted by Google at the Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh and Aberdeen’s Exhibition and Conference Centre.
Attending the Edinburgh event will be Matt Brittin, UK managing director at Google, and Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism in the Scottish Government. Their presentation will be broadcast to Aberdeen.
It is estimated that as many as 1.5 million businesses in the UK do not have a website.
Says Google of the initiative, called Getting British Business Online: “Central to GBBO is a new ‘wizard’ tool that Scottish businesses can use to create their first website in around 15 minutes. Businesses will be given a free .co.uk web address and can choose a website from a variety of templates to suit their business needs. New websites will be included in Google’s search index and added as a business listing in Google Maps. Businesses will also be shown the tools with which to promote their new websites.
The Edinburgh and Aberdeen events each kick off at 6.30pm.
GBBO is a joint initiative by Google and various others, including BT, PayPal and the Institute of Directors.
To attend, apply online at www.gbbo.co.uk.
