Good news for Atlanta small businesses. Facebook has announced that Atlanta will be one of 30 markets to host Facebook’s “Community Boost” program. The program will debut in Atlanta September 24-26 to assist small businesses, entrepreneurs and potential employees in growing their business and developing digital skills.
Facebook initiated the Community Boost program as a way to offer more support to local businesses and to train potential employees. These meetups are happening around the country and are a great platform for connecting with local businesses and improving digital and social media skills.
Facebook recognizes the impact they have on small to medium-sized local businesses, and they want to do more to support these business owners.
“We’re inspired by what small businesses have been able to do using Facebook, but we want to do more—particularly for those who are transitioning to careers that require more digital skills,” Doug Frisbie, global marketing director of small business for Facebook, said in a statement. “It’s clear that small businesses are using social media to create new opportunities and grow, so we’re bringing this valuable training program to them in Atlanta to help local entrepreneurs learn and prosper.”
According to Facebook’s Community Boost web page, 3 in 10 small and medium-sized businesses on Facebook in the United States built their business on Facebook, 42% say they’ve been able to hire more employees due to growth since joining Facebook, and 56% say they have increased sales because of Facebook.
At Facebook Community Boost Events, participants will learn first-hand from Facebook representatives how to better manage and market their businesses on Facebook. Topics include online safety, best practices for marketing, Facebook for nonprofits, educators and developers, privacy, financial readiness, hiring and supplier diversity.
Participants will learn more about Facebook’s online training program known as Facebook Blueprint. This is a comprehensive online course that will guide businesses through every aspect of managing a business on Facebook.
News of this community event in Atlanta comes on the heels of Gov. Nathan Deal’s announcement that Facebook plans to build a 1 million square foot data center in Georgia. To start, the company is projected to invest at least $750 million in the project and create up to 100 tech jobs, with $2.5 billion expected to be spent on improvements and equipment through 2029.
Community Boost promises to spark interest in tech jobs and provide training to those who may be employed by Facebook in the near future.
