N.J. businesses that used Google last year generated $6.65B in economic impact

Google released Thursday its Economic Impact report, which said New Jersey’s businesses which used its search and advertising tools in 2017 generated approximately $6.65 billion in economic impact.

Google said approximately 42,000 New Jersey businesses, publishers and nonprofits used its resources last year.

The businesses that used its products, Google said, increased their online presence and were able to grow by bringing more cash and jobs into the local economy.

Google said in 2017, it provided $15.4 million of free advertising to Garden State-based nonprofits through the Google Ad Grants program.

New Jersey’s 42,000 businesses ranked the 11th most using its services when compared to the rest of the nation, while New Jersey’s economic impact was ninth in the country.

In total, Google’s national economic impact was more than $283 billion, it said, an equivalent of over 1.4 million businesses.

“People turn to the web to learn, discover, find and buy things. Being online can have a big impact; it’s where businesses can connect with their customers,” said Mary Ellen Coe, president of Google Marketing Solutions. “At Google, we see the power of the web working for American businesses and we believe that with hard work and the help of technology, every business in New Jersey can grow.”

To help small businesses, Google launched its Grow with Google initiative to help create economic opportunities by providing access to training and tools for people to grow their skills, careers and businesses.

Google’s Economic Impact report was calculated by examining the economic value provided by Google Search and AdWords, Google AdSense and Google Ad Grants in 2017.