A new initiative, Go2MyTown, has been launched to get more businesses online In the Heads of the Valleys area and to encourage residents to buy local products and services.
The first online town centre, Go2Bargoed, will go live in September, followed by other towns in the area. Local products, services and events will be promoted to the community to increase the visibility of local businesses.
Launched by Caerphilly County Borough Council, Go2 offers businesses up to 50 per cent financial support towards the cost of a new website or e-commerce website to generate online sales.
The package will include a domain name, will be search engine ready and be hosted on a highly secure web server with daily back-up. This will give small businesses the same quality of service and security as large corporates and banks.
The initiative was launched at a meeting of Bargoed Chamber of Commerce recently at the Capel Hotel in Bargoed. Go2 will initially cover Bargoed, expanding into the communities of Aberbargoed, New Tredegar and Rhymney.
“Nearly one in every ten pounds spent on retail transactions last month were online, with a total UK spend online of £6.2 billion a week in March 2011,” said Cllr Ron Davies, CCBC cabinet member for regeneration. “Many local retail businesses lose out on this opportunity and our aim is to get all businesses online, no matter what size they are, or products and services sold.”
He added: “With the Go2 online town centre network initiative, businesses will be able to get online with a professional, securely hosted website, financial support and expert advice to market themselves successfully and increase trade.”
All businesses in the locality will be included in the online town centre. They will be marketed on the portal and have an opportunity to purchase reconditioned IT equipment at a low cost via Go2.
The initiative has received financial support from the Welsh Government through the Heads of the Valley Regeneration Area programme and is complementary to the Bargoed Big Idea project that is promoting the town’s retail regeneration.
President of the Bargoed Chamber of Trade, Brian Jarrett, welcomed Go2Bargoed. He said: “Many people are now using the internet to buy products from businesses elsewhere in the UK. Most of the time they are available locally and competitively priced. Indeed, with Go2 they will be able to find such goods and collect them on the same day rather than waiting for them to be posted.
“We welcome this initiative to promote local businesses through the internet and we’d urge businesses in the area to take up the offer of having an online presence to support their trade.”
More details about the Go2 directory and website support can be found by e-mailing [email protected], by telephoning 0800 652 7203 or registering online at www.go2mytown.co.uk
