Official Google Australia Blog: These days, we’re all in “the Internet Group"

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News and notes from Google Down Under

These days, we’re all in “the Internet Group"

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Earlier this week, 450 people joined Nick Leeder, Managing Director of Google Australia, and Tim Reed, CEO of MYOB, at an Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce luncheon under the theme of “Getting Australian business online.” The clear message? Regardless of whether you’re in the business of selling pizza, offering financial advice, or unblocking kitchen sinks, it’s now more important than ever to build a successful online presence for your business.

Nick Leeder argued that it is no longer good enough to just have one “internet group” of young and energetic people in one corner of the business. While different companies react differently to technology changes, the most important point is that business owners take the time to understand technology and the options that are available to them -- many of them simpler than you might think.

Tim Reed talked about our generation being part of a “technology revolution” that is fundamentally influencing the way that Australians do business. He came armed with eye-opening statistics: your business is 50% more likely to succeed in Australia these days if you have a website. MYOB’s research shows that businesses with a website receive around 40% more leads than those who don’t have one.

Both speakers agreed that businesses need to respond proactively to the rise in consumer smartphone and tablet usage. This is a fundamental shift and it’s not going to slow down. The one easy way to respond is to...you guessed it...make sure your business can be found online.

You can watch the full video of the panel discussion here. If you’d like to learn more about how to get and grow your business online, visit this site.