Google aims to make it easier for SMBs to start using its products

Google announced a new website Thursday with resources aimed at helping small businesses get started with Google products. The launch coincides with International Small Business day.

The site, Google for Small Business, includes “personalized plans” with recommendations of Google products based on a company’s answers to several prompt questions such as whether the business is online, offline a hybrid and its selected goal to either stand out online, reach more customers or work more efficiently.

The recommendations include a mix of free and paid solutions, such as setting up setting up a Google My Business profile, trialing G Suite and creating a YouTube channel.

Google also offers in-person Grow with Google workshops to educate small businesses about its products and how to use them.

Why we should care. Cracking the small business sector well and at scale has been a challenge for Google. The products can feel confusing to business owners and staff just getting started. Kim Spalding, global product director for Small Business Ads at Google, and former small business owner herself, was brought on a couple of years ago to help reframe the company’s approach to working with SMBs.

On the ads front, Google has built on its original AdWords Express technology for SMBs, launching Smart Campaigns last year. The automated campaign type is meant to offer a simplified entry point to Google Ads for new advertisers. Local Services ads, available in the U.S. and Canada, are also aimed at small businesses. A standalone app is designed to enable verified local service providers in certain sectors to promote their businesses with ads in Google search and manage leads and customers that come in through the app. Last week, Google added new branding tools, including @shortnames, to Google My Business, and has been surveying businesses about potentially making it a paid service (it suffers from millions of fake and spammed listings).