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Iowa Secretary of State, Google, SBDC partner to help Iowa businesses grow
Paul D. Pate
Secretary of State
State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
Iowa Secretary of State Seal WEBSITE: sos.iowa.gov
E-MAIL: sos@sos.iowa.gov
OFFICE OF THE IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Hall
Communications Director
Kevin.Hall@sos.iowa.gov
(515) 725-2942
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 7, 2017

Iowa Secretary of State, Google, SBDC partner to help Iowa businesses grow


DES MOINES - As part of an ongoing effort to promote and encourage entrepreneurship in Iowa, Secretary of State Paul Pate is once again partnering with Google and the Iowa Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) at the Iowa State Fair to help small businesses grow their online presence and achieve success.

Business owners can visit the Secretary of State's booth at the Iowa State Fair to get started. Representatives from the SBDC will be on hand to help business owners verify their information on Google and create a website in less than 10 minutes, for free. The booth is located inside the Varied Industries Building.

"My office is the first stop for businesses in Iowa," Secretary Pate said. "New business filings reached a record high of more than 21,000 during the last fiscal year. Our partnership with Google and SBDC, launched during the State Fair last year, helps these businesses get online and reach more customers."

The Iowa Secretary of State's Office is an official partner of Google's "Get Your Business Online" program that helps new and existing businesses take advantage of free online resources that can enhance their digital footprint.

"Small businesses using advanced digital tools are nearly three times as likely to reach more customers, reach new markets, and create jobs," said Whitney Cox, manager with Small Business Outreach at Google. "Yet, less than one in five small businesses in Iowa have a listing on a search engine. Our goal is to help Iowa businesses tap into this growth."

"We are proud to partner on this unique opportunity to help small businesses in Iowa," said Lisa Shimkat, Iowa State Director of America's SBDC. "This public-private partnership is a great example of our state's commitment to growing small business and providing the resources needed for success."

Business owners who cannot make it to the Fair can find a link to the resources on the Secretary of State's website at sos.iowa.gov or at http://www.gybo.com/iowa-business.

Get Your Business Online is a Google-led program dedicated to driving economic growth by helping local businesses get online and get more customers. Studies show that 97 percent of users look for local products and services online. Small businesses are the cornerstone of our local communities. When we help them succeed on the web, they make our communities even stronger.

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