Google’s economic impact in Georgia
* Google said it helped provide $2.4 billion in economic activity last year. The figure reflects the profit Google Search and AdWords received from clicks on searches and advertising minus their cost of advertising, and the amount Google AdSense paid for ad placement.
* $3 million in free advertising given to 40 Georgia non-profits through the Google Ad Grants program.
* 54,000 Georgia businesses and non-profits benefited from Google advertising tools last year.
* Google employs 250 workers full time at offices in Atlanta and Austell, in Cobb County.
Suwanee has landed on Google’s map as one of 50 cities with the strongest digital communities.
The 2014 Google eCity Award recognizes cities that embrace the web to attract newcomers, connect with existing residents and build local economies through job creation.
To come up with its list eCity list, Google and Ipsos, a research firm, took several factors into consideration, including the likelihood of local small businesses to have a website, use a blog, promote themselves on a social network, sell goods directly from their webpages and whether they had a mobile-friendly website.
“Suwanee serves as a prime example of how innovation and growth in e-commerce can successfully contribute to bolstering economic progress and competitiveness,” said Google spokeswoman Emma Ogiemwanye said in a statement.
Mayor Jimmy Burnette said e-commerce is “a big part of Suwanee’s thriving economy.” The city is about 40 minutes northeast of Atlanta, which received the Google award last year.
