Google can help you find black-owned companies. Here’s how

Google is adding new ways to help users find and support it Black-owned companies. As of July last year, US sellers with a verified Google business profile could add a Black-owned business attribute to their profile so that customers can see that it is Black owned when they find that business through Google Search Cards. This week, Google expanded the Black Property attribute to the site’s Shopping tab to make it easier for people to find and buy black owned businesses. The feature will be available to all stores in the US and visible to shoppers in the coming months, the company said in a blog post.

According to the post, Google searches for “Black Owned Companies” are up 600% in the last 12 months. However, a report found that 41% of black-owned businesses had been shut down because of COVID-19. Google partnered with Opportunity Finance Network to provide more than $ 30 million in loans and grants to support these companies, as part of the tech giant’s $ 50 million pledge through the Grow with Google Small Business Fund unveiled in June .

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As part of Google’s monetary commitment To support under-represented entrepreneurs, the company will integrate the Black-Owned Business attribute into the digital skills training programs offered to Black Business Owners through Grow with Google Digital Coaches. Digital coaches provide free mentorship, networking and workshops to Black and Latinx companies in the US.

Google recently expanded its Grow with Google Digital Coaches program to 20 cities in the US, reaching an additional 50,000 Black-owned businesses. According to the post, Google’s digital coaches have trained more than 58,000 black and Latino small business owners to date.

In July, the Google for Startups Accelerator for Black Founders also started work with an initial cohort of 12 startups. The group includes the founders of Clerkie, a company designed to help Americans get out of debt; Upswing, aimed at improving the online education system; and MindRight Health, which provides digital mental health services for young people. According to a blog post, the founders receive training and support from Google and other industry experts on technical challenges, business growth, and outside investment opportunities.

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