NEW YORK—Whenever Mayor Michael Bloomberg needs a new website, or has a technical issue that needs fixing, he has City Hall to call. Now the mayor would like to give small business owners the tools and training to be able to solve the same types of problems on their own.
A Small Business Digital Toolkit initiative announced Thursday includes how-to guides featuring contributions from social media sites Tumblr and Weebly. Google has contributed lessons on search engine optimization techniques that help business owners to increase the chances their websites will be found on a Google search.
“The digital toolkit will help New York City’s entrepreneurs with the resources they need to engage more consumers online,” Bloomberg said. “The web can open up worlds of opportunities for these businesses, but many of them presently lack even their own website, let alone a social media campaign.”
“Small businesses are the engines that drive our city’s economy,” said Councilmember Leroy Comrie. “The city must always look to create innovative ways to expand business opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
Business owners throughout the five boroughs will be able to attend free trainings in person to learn how to enhance a company’s online presence, or use digital and mobile payment systems to process sales. Marketing through the use of social media and online advertising is also being taught. Classes begin next month.
The city currently has around 200,000 small businesses throughout the five boroughs, and fewer than 20 percent of them are effectively capitalizing on technology, according to a recent Center for an Urban Future report.
Technology such as automated payroll systems and accounting software can save businesses both time and money, but many small businesses are not making use of the tools that are available.
The report found that many bodegas (aka mini-marts) lack the technology to track changes in their inventory, and an abundance of local manufacturers still rely on faxes and phone calls rather than scanned documents and e-mail.
The city is using ongoing surveys to evaluate small businesses owners’ needs, and to measure the progress of the programs, which are administered through the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.
The city claims that 80 percent of a Digital Roadmap has been completed. Other aspects of the Roadmap include free public Wi-Fi in public parks and payphone kiosks, a release of close to 900 public data sets, and recognizing homegrown startups in the digital sector.
City Chief Digital Officer Rachel Haot will teach the first Digital Toolkit course in Jamaica, Queens Sept. 20, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The classroom will be located on the second floor of the NYC Business Solutions Center at 168-25 Jamaica Avenue. Small businesses interested in the free courses can sign up at NYC.gov, or call 311.
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