Google Targets Small Biz

Two new launches today, one from Google and one from Yahoo — both of which appear to target small businesses, but in very different ways.

First, let’s do Google.

Google has launched the boringly-named Google Apps for Your Domain, which combines four Google services into one umbrella that a small business can use under its own domain.

Now you can offer private-labeled email, IM and calendar tools to all of your users for free*, so they can share ideas and get things done more effectively. You can design and publish your organization’s website, too. It’s all hosted by Google, so there’s no hardware or software for you to install or maintain.

Why do I think this is aimed at small businesses? Pretty simple, really: These are four services that even the smallest business can understand. While AdWords might be too complicated for some to grasp, we all know and understand the concepts behind E-mail, chat, scheduling (calendar), and having a web page. Plus, even Google admits these are basic — if you have “advanced needs not met by this free service,” they invite you to get in touch.

What does Google want from this?

1. More small businesses tied to Google with an account. They’re playing catch-up with Yahoo and MSN on this front.
2. More paths to introduce small businesses to the AdWords system.
3. More places to display advertising.
4. More information about you, your small business, and your users.

On that last front, I like the caution Lee Odden shared in his writeup on this service:

Basically, Google Apps for Your Domain is a way for you to offer free, branded email and other services under a certain domain name where Google ads can be displayed and the potential collection of user data might take place. I would encourage any organization signing up to be certain to read the Terms of Service very closely. As would be expected, Google’s got everything covered down to the kitchen sink in the agreement.

On the SEW blog, Barry Schwartz goes a step further:

Would I sign up my company on this program? Honestly, I highly doubt it. Why? Privacy, configurability, security, expandability and something doesn’t sit right with moving my email or calendaring systems over to a free service – I need to pay someone in order to have someone to be held accountable.

Related coverage: Lee Odden | Loren Baker | Barry Schwartz | Greg Sterling (who nails it)

[tags]google, google apps, small business, gmail, adwords, google calendar, google talk, google page creator[/tags]