Whether you run a mom-and-pop coffee shop or adorn bodies with tattoos, an online presence is a standard marketing tool in 2019. Yet far too many small businesses in San Francisco’s Mission District, especially those run by low-income entrepreneurs, lack a digital presence, thereby limiting their chances at economic success.
The main challenges to an online presence include lack of understanding of technology, inability or limited resources to create a website on your own and/or not being able to budget for a web developer.
That’s why GoDaddy has awarded MEDA a “Digital Presence for All” grant to close the opportunity gap, as a means to put forward that company’s mission to help the world easily start, confidently grow and successfully run an online presence. Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of a robust marketplace for underserved microbusinesses, is partnering with GoDaddy on this initiative.
The goal over the next year is for 50 clients to have completed a GoDaddy-created, MEDA-facilitated curriculum. The marketing-focused training is a four-part series as follows: the importance of building a website; how to streamline ecommerce; search-engine visibility; and email marketing.
There will be an English-only first cohort starting July 22, with classes held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Monday over four consecutive weeks. The second cohort will be taught in Spanish and commences Aug. 26. GoDaddy provided the curricula in both languages.
After successful completion of the course, the client is awarded an individualized key to get a GoDaddy website, at no cost, for two years. There is then a 50 to 70 percent discount on the company’s renowned products and renewals of the website.
Additionally, GoDaddy volunteers generously help with the creation of the small-business website.
The first cohort has already had signups from owners of small businesses running the gamut from a caterer to a seamstress.
“The ‘Digital Presence for All’ program combines our industry expertise, passion for digital marketing and desire to level the playing field to make a real difference for small businesses that want to grow and flourish,” says GoDaddy Director of Social Impact Stacy Cline. “We look forward to seeing the results of these efforts, and helping underserved entrepreneurs who are driven to make their dream of being their own boss a reality.”
Echoes MEDA Business Development and Lending Liaison Luis Ramos, “MEDA is excited to partner with GoDaddy and AEO to bridge the digital-presence divide for San Francisco’s low-income and immigrant community. An eye-catching, user-friendly website can make or break a business, and I look forward to seeing these entrepreneurs’ ventures thrive.”
______________________________
Are you the owner of a San Francisco Bay Area business that has been established over a year, but has the challenge of no website or a very limited online presence?
Contact Luis Ramos at (415) 282-3334 ext. 104; lramos@medasf.org.
Leave a reply