Representatives of businesses and charities across Manchester yesterday attended a Digital Garage training session, hosted by Lloyds Bank, to boost their digital skills and better understand the benefits of being online and what this can bring to their organisation.
The free workshop hosted in collaboration with Google, covered sessions on how to optimise a website so it is accessible from any mobile device along with guidance on using Google My Business, which helps businesses improve visibility in search engine results.
The workshop also gave attendees the opportunity to network with representatives from similar organisations as well as specialists from Google and Lloyds Bank.
The event was held at Lloyds Bank’s Manchester business hub, which forms part of its new flagship store on Market Street. The branch was designed specifically to meet the needs of the local Manchester community, bringing together a number of new services to create a very different high street banking experience.
Daryl Moore, who attended the workshop, is an Enterprise Business Coach for People Plus – an employment support and training company that supports start-up businesses in the Northwest.
Daryl said: “The information I learnt at the workshop today will help the businesses I support a great deal and the new business space at the branch will be a fantastic facility for our start-ups in the region.”
Jo Harris, Managing Director, Business Banking, Lloyds Bank, said: “We are passionate about helping businesses and charities to benefit from increased digital skills. A digital presence might seem something only large firms need to worry about but, if done properly, it can help to transform an organisation.
“It’s great to be able to support Manchester-based organisations as they develop their business skills and the event brought a real buzz to our new business hub. We’re looking forward to seeing those skills in action and using our Manchester flagship branch as a resource for businesses in the community.”
Nick Williams, Lloyds Banking Group’s Ambassador for the North said: “Our latest Business Digital Index report has shown that around 33% of small organisations in the North West lack basic digital skills. Better websites and an engaging social media presence can unlock so many benefits. For charities, that can include increasing the number of supporters or donors, and businesses can grow their sales and target new markets. I’m delighted that, through our collaboration with Google, we can support organisations across Manchester to become more digitally capable and to recognise the benefits of being online.”
