Kansas Businesses Generate $2.1 Billion in Economics Impact Due to Google Products

On Thursday, March 18, Google released their Economic Impact Report, sharing that 13,100 businesses, publishers, and nonprofits in Kansas used Google products to  increase their online presence and connect with the people and communities they serve -- generating $2.1 billion dollars in economic activity in 2020. 

Google also announced plans to invest more than $7 billion and create at least 10,000 new jobs across the United States this year.

“I believe a lasting economic recovery will come from local communities, and the people and small businesses that give them life. Google wants to be a part of that recovery. That’s why we plan to invest over $7 billion in offices and data centers across the U.S. and create at least 10,000 new full-time Google jobs in the U.S. this year,” said Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.

Google is proud to invest in Kansas. Google Fiber has provided high-speed, high bandwidth internet services to the Greater Kansas City area—Google Fiber's first market—and 13 Kansas municipalities since 2012. 100+ libraries, community centers, municipal facilities and nonprofits in Wyandotte and Johnson counties receive Google Fiber gigabit internet service at no cost through the Community Connections program.

Mer-Sea & Co. in Lenexa, Kansas was highlighted in Google’s nationwide Economic Impact Report in a case study that details how they used digital tools to increase their online presence and reach customers. Using Google Analytics to optimize their website and Google Ads to reach both new and repeat customers during COVID-19, Mer-Sea enjoyed a 95-percent year-over-year growth in online sales. “As we continue to grow, Google Ads will continue to be a key partner,” Lina Dickinson, Co-Founder, says. 

Mer-Sea & Co is one of many American businesses that used the internet to adapt to new challenges in 2020. According to a newly released poll conducted by Greenberg, in partnership with the Connected Commerce Council from February 17 to March 11, 2021, 98 percent of U.S. based small business owners say that digital tools have been helpful in running their business, with 80 percent incorporating new digital tools and strategies due to COVID. Looking forward, small business owners remain optimistic about the future of their businesses, with 93 percent believing they will maintain or increase their use of digital tools post pandemic. 

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About Google in Kansas

Google.org has awarded $53K+ in grants to nonprofits and organizations based in Kansas, including the University of Kansas for ongoing work in education. In 2020, Google provided $2.01M in in-kind search advertising credit to Kansas nonprofits through the Google Ad Grants program. 153k+ Kansas businesses have connected with their customers through Google and tens of thousands of Kansas residents have been trained in digital skills through Grow with Google. 

About Google’s Economic Impact Report

The Economic Impact Report details Google's national and local impact in all 50 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. It has been released annually for the last 12 years. In 2020, Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, and Google advertising tools helped provide $426 billion dollars of economic activity for more than 2 million American businesses.