CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Small, local businesses are doing so much work online that Google is giving Charlotte an award for it.
The move isn't just bringing businesses new customers, it's growing the city’s economy, too.
On a grey, rainy Monday afternoon, the familiar Google colors brightened the room at Amelie's French Bakery.
New Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) were there to accept the award.
Google chose Amelies for its successful use of digital tools to grow their business online, ingenuity Google officials say is common in Charlotte.
"This is important, because we're in global economy and mobile economy," Lilyn Hester, with Google said.
Google says the cities that win are embracing the web to find new customers, connect with existing clients and fuel their local economies.
Charlotte got the award because of its tech savviness and its growing economy as a result of it.
Google said 97 percent of Internet users look online for local products and services.
Half of small businesses in the U.S. don't have a website.
In a town known for Fortune 500 companies, like Bank of America and Duke Energy, Roberts said smaller companies can use the web to compete for attention.
"We have many medium and small companies, who can use digital to grow and thrive and succeed," Roberts said.
In South Carolina, Google named Hilton Head the top e-city this year.
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