Sabkush Headlines: Googles primer on how it helps the economy

Sabkush Headlines: Googles primer on how it helps the economyGoogles primer on how it helps the economy

Suzanne Golter of Happy Hound, flanked by David Crane, a special advisor to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (left) and Googles Dennis Woodside, explains how AdWords helped build her business. OAKLAND, Calif.--Everyone knows that Google is the richest Internet company of our time. But Google doesnt think people know enough about the impact its services have on the broader economy. In an effort to shine a brighter light on its economic contributions, Google held a series of press conferences around the country Tuesday highlighting the impact that AdWords, AdSense, and Google nonprofit grants have on the small business community. The events accompanied the release of a report claiming that Google advertisers generated $54 billion in U.S. economic activity during 2009, and that doesnt even count the taxes that co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page will inject into state and federal coffers over the next five years as they sell off stock. A public relations stunt? Of course: Googles California event was held against the loud backdrop of the Happy Hound dog day care center in West Oakland, in what had to be the worst-smelling press conference venue this side of the press room at the Consumer Electronics Show. But the impact that AdWords and AdSense have had on small businesses is clear, even if the $54 billion number itself is designed to shock and awe. Suzanne Golter, founder and manager of Happy Hound, has been an evangelist for Googles AdWords program for years. When she first started advertising with AdWords she was spending thousands of dollars a month to place ads alongside search results for "doggie day care Oakland." It took a while for the ads to have an effect, but they always paid for themselves in terms of leads generated by the ads, and eventually started to produce a much bigger return to the point where she had to advertise less because she was having to turn away business, she said.