Google Says It Is Worth £11bn To The UK

Google has revealed the sheer scale of its presence in the UK with a new report that attempts to estimate the value of its wide range of services for British businesses.

The study, published with Deloitte, estimates that over £11 billion was generated for the UK economy in 2014 by businesses that were using tools such as Google Search and AdWords, as well as the creation of over 210,000 jobs in this country.

And the search giant is looking to continue this growth with the launch of The Digital Garage Academy, a new free digital learning platform for companies looking to grow their online status.

Growth

The report highlights that thousands of British SMEs have benefitted from tools such as AdWords, which have helped them advertise across the world without a big upfront cost. Overall, the study estimated that for every £1 invested in online advertising, businesses receive £3.4 to £8 in gross advertising profits.

And the same is true in mobile, as app revenues from businesses using the Android platform to deal with customers topped £4bn last year, and YouTube, whose British users generated an economic impact between £55m and £105m in the UK in 2014, helping to create between 1,000 and 2,000 jobs.

“Google is a growth engine for British businesses large and small, helping them unlock their digital potential,” said Eileen Naughton, Google’s managing director for UK & Ireland.

“Our technology helps companies be discovered by new customers, boosts productivity by helping teams collaborate better, and helps content creators get paid for their creativity.  As people live their lives digitally, the traditional rules of doing business are changing and the opportunities for fast growth are powered by the web.”

“Whether you are a start-up founder, a freelancer specialising on writing speeches, or cupcake enthusiast, Google can help you tap into the digital marketplace and serve customers across geographies.”

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