97% of consumers are now research products and services online before buying. 20% of searches on Google are related to location. This means that the average consumer is searching online but buying local. If you are not online, or if you are and cannot be found by your customer, you are missing out on business you didn’t know was there. Google and Intuit have put together a program to help small businesses get online. Amethyst Island Media has put together step by step training to take advantage of this opportunity and suggests this plan:
1. Get a Google gmail account.
• Instructions on how to get a Google gmail account
2. Get your Google Places.
• Instructions on how to find your Google Place
3. Get your free website from Intuit.