In a recent two-day event attended by hundreds of small businesses, Google launched Texas Get Your Business Online, offering a free website for one year to any Texas small business interested in getting a presence on the web.

Google is partnering with Intuit as its sole provider of these small business websites. Intuit is providing website design, website hosting, website design services, and support for the online initiative that is hoping to get as many as 100,000 Texas small businesses online this year. In addition, national partners such as Meetup, SCORE, the Association of Small Business Development Centers, the National Small Business Association, and Small Business United are heavily engaged and were instrumental in getting the word out to their members. Nationally known leaders in online and social media, including Anita Campbell, Carrie Wilkerson, John Jantsch, David Garland, and Alice Bredin, contributed to the event, providing how-to guidelines and starter packages to web newcomers.

The event also saw great local partner participation by the Texas Association of Business, Texas Business Alliance, Texas Small Business Development Center Network, and the Austin Chamber of Commerce. These partners helped spread the word and are providing hands-on help to businesses looking for local resources.

Small business supports its own, and the local Austin scene came out for the event, to the great appreciation of all in attendance. Local favorites Hey Cupcake!, Coolhaus Austin, Benitos, Sweat Leaf Tea, and Progress provided essential refreshments in the triple-degree heat, and Elsi’s Restaurant kept Google and its partners well-fed throughout the day.

Google has launched similar campaigns previously in Canada and Ireland, but this is the first U.S.-based launch. Focusing on Austin with an additional event in San Antonio, Texas Get Your Business Online has garnered plenty of local attention and appreciation. “The state of Texas has a strong history of supporting small businesses,” says Google’s Amy Chang, an Austin native. “So of course it makes sense we’d start in Austin.”