Internet giants Google are offering British high street shops the chance to revolutionise their digital strategies.
Winners of the Great British High Street Competition 2015 - one hundred businesses in each of the seven categories - will be given training on how to make the most of their digital skills to attract new customers.
‘This is an amazing offer,’ high streets minister Marcus Jones, said.
‘Shops, bars and restaurants will get some of the best in the business to review and improve their digital skills which can be so crucial in helping our high streets to thrive.
‘We want to recognise and celebrate the best high streets across the country. That’s why I’m delighted to announce this new prize to help hundreds of high street retailers innovate and grab the opportunity to not just be great physical businesses but also great digital businesses too.’
As small businesses with a strong web presence grow more than twice as quickly as those without, these tailor-made tips from Google’s training taskforce will prove a career-changer for many of the winners.
Eileen Naughton, Google’s MD for the UK and Ireland added: ‘That’s why we’re sharing our knowledge and expertise by bringing The Digital Garage on Tour to Great British High Street winners, ensuring everyone gets the digital skills they need so that being online is a real growth engine for businesses.’
This year’s competition – running until September 1 – will for the first time allow the public to have the chance to vote directly for their best-loved high street online.
The competition categories are:
- Best city centre high street
- Best town centre high street
- Best market town high street
- Best coastal community high street
- Best village high street
- Best parade of shops
- Best London high street
