Posts Tagged ‘Queensland’

Google announces Australia’s most web savvy towns

Friday, August 16th, 2013

Google yesterday announced Australia’s most web-savvy towns with its second eTown Awards, celebrating cities and regions whose small businesses make the best use of the web to connect with customers and grow.

Australia’s winning eTowns by state and territory are:

  • Cockburn, WA
  • Darwin, NT
  • Holdfast Bay, SA
  • Launceston, Tasmania
  • North Sydney, NSW
  • Port Phillip, Vic
  • South Canberra, ACT
  • Sunshine Coast, Qld

Claire Hatton, Head of Local Business, Google Australia, told Dynamic Business that business operators who successfully integrate digital strategies are simply more competitive.

“We see through our research that small businesses that actually use digital are more successful — they grow revenue and employ more people,” Hatton said. “This web advantage also extends to towns and regions which need no longer rely on a single local resource or industry to prosper. A town’s real assets are now their small businesses owners and employees,” Hatton said.

The link between digital engagement and commercial success has been firmly established, and a recent report by Deloitte Access Economics published in April this year found that Australian small businesses with high digital engagement are twice as likely to be growing revenue, and earn twice as much revenue per employee. They are also four times more likely to be hiring additional staff.

“The location of your shop front or size of your workforce doesn’t matter online. Every business has the opportunity to engage customers and grow,” Hatton said. “Whether you’re a boutique hotel, beautician or surf school, if you’re not online you’re missing out on a direct line to thousands of potential customers.”

To read more on this story, click here.

Our Little Place makes owner tidy profit

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

The internet is a big place, but one site that is making it feel a little homier is Our Little Place, an online book and interior design boutique.

Started by Sarah Rogers on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Our Little Place has been around since 2011 and was born from Rogers’ passion for interiors, fashion, travel and books.

To read more on this story, click here.

Facebook and Twitter help with disaster relief

Friday, January 14th, 2011

In a different post from the usual involving Facebook and Twitter, the social media sites have been useful in allowing people who are stranded in flood-stricken areas to connect with relatives and friends.

Facebook was used to post Queensland Premiere Anna Bligh’s updates and messages of hope throughout the crisis.

Twitter is also credited with helping to sort out emergency housing locations and information, and provide updates on police information.

View the full article here.