DENVER — For businesses, the pandemic has emphasized the importance of reaching customers online. But, for so many struggling small businesses, online marketing is a luxury they can't afford.
The City of Aurora hopes their new Small Business Content Creation Studio will be a solution.
Located in the basement of The People’s Building at 9995 E. Colfax Ave., the studio features professional cameras, lighting and space for small businesses to develop online marketing campaigns.
“Today, if you’re not online, you don’t exist,” Aurora’s Development Services Manager Andrea Amonick said. “So, it’s really important. Some businesses have had a small web presence. But, other businesses have not had any. And, they were caught unawares by the pandemic. So, this is an opportunity for those businesses to get out there and get some online presence.”
Use of the studio and equipment is free for small businesses in good standing with the City of Aurora.
Of course for safety, each business will need to make an appointment.
The goal is to help small businesses survive the pandemic and recover quickly once the pandemic ends.
"Helping the businesses and the diversity of businesses – the small businesses and the mom and pops – makes Aurora different than some of the other communities that surround it,” Amonick said. “And so, we want to do everything we can to make sure that Aurora's community businesses thrive, even during this pandemic."
The city will host several virtual information sessions about the studio early next month.
They will be offered in different languages: in English from 5-5:45 p.m. on Dec. 9, in Amharic from 6-6:45 p.m. on Dec. 9; in Spanish from 5-5:45 p.m. on Dec. 10; and in Korean from 6-6:45 p.m. on Dec. 10.
To connect to an information session, visit AuroraGov.org/CCStudio. To ask questions, email ccstudio@auroragov.org.
The Small Business Content Creation Studio is operating with support from the Aurora-South Metro Small Business Development Center and the city’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs.
The city also offers training courses in online marketing and website development through the Aurora-South Metro Small Business Development Center.
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