Google Wants You to Support Black-Owned Businesses This Holiday Season

Google wants shoppers to support Black-owned small businesses this holiday season—and every season, for that matter. The company partnered with U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. to create Black-owned Fridays, a campaign that calls on shoppers to support and spotlight Black-owned small businesses every Friday during the holiday shopping season amid these unprecedented times. So, how should consumers participate in Black-owned Fridays this season and beyond?

For consumers, all you need to do is shop and share Black-owned small businesses; be sure to use the hashtag #BlackOwnedFriday when you share your holiday bounties. Google and the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. also created a kit full of downloadable Black-owned Friday custom designs and gifs to share on social media. Be sure to write and share reviews, too, to help spread the word on the businesses, whether it’s retail, food, or anything in between.

The campaign also offers resources for Black-owned businesses to get the word out on their services. Google has tutorials on how to list a business as Black-owned, and the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. has a directory called ByBlack that allows Black entrepreneurs to list their businesses and become part of the community for free. Other resources include tools to create a strong online presence and free online training and coaching to help reach new customers. 

Black-owned Fridays also tapped musician Wyclef Jean to create an official anthem with Jazzy Amra titled “The Black-Owned Friday Anthem.” In a Google blog, Jean called on shoppers to “show up and show love for Black-owned businesses,” which have shuttered at double the rate of white-owned businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by Bloomberg.  “I’ve seen firsthand the strain and struggle that Black-owned businesses face,” Jean wrote. “In 2020, those struggles skyrocketed.” 

For many Black-owned businesses, “this holiday season will be critical to their survival,” the musician added, so “this Black-owned Friday and throughout the holiday season, show love by shopping from Black-owned businesses, sharing your favorites on social media or even by writing your own jingle.” Jean added, “Together we can make a big impact.”