Facebook has announced plans to support small businesses in Atlanta next fall, following news of the company’s growing presence in the state.
In honor of National Small Business Week, the social media giant said it has chosen Atlanta as one of the 30 markets in the country where the it will host its “Community Boost” program."
"Community Boost" will debut in Atlanta from September 24-26 to assist small businesses, entrepreneurs and potential employees grow their business and develop digital skills in today's market.
“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.”
With "Community Boost," businesses and owners will have access to free training on topics such as online safety, best practices for marketing, Facebook for nonprofits, educators and developers, privacy, financial readiness, hiring and supplier diversity.
According to representatives with Facebook, the company has invested more than $1 billion since 2011 to support small businesses, including existing programs like Boost Your Business, which has trained more than 60,000 small businesses in the country.
The "Community Boost" initiative was made possible using feedback from the small businesses community, according to Facebook. Research conducted by Morning Consult and co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Facebook found that 64% of small and mid-size businesses surveyed believed Facebook is essential for their business.
Of those surveyed, 79% said Facebook allows them to find customers in neighboring cities, states and even countries. More than 80% of survey participants said they believe individual digital and social media skills are important during the hiring process.
News of the small business initiative in Atlanta comes nearly two months after Gov. Nathan Deal made an announcement about the company's plans for a new, nearly 1-million-square-foot data center in Georgia powered entirely by renewable energy.
Newton County will be the home of Facebook's ninth data center in the U.S. The company said that the location had prime access to renewable energy and strong talent pool.
The company is projected to initially invest $750 million and create up to 100 tech jobs at the data center campus, which will be developed in four phases. Facebook will invest nearly $2.5 billion on improvements and equipment through 2029, according to documents obtained by Atlanta Business Chronicle.
The company's total investment in the state for this project alone could reach up to $42 billion over the next two decades.
