May 25, 2021
CREATE BRIDGES video series helps businesses gain online visibility
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts:
- Videos teach business owners how to create and manage profiles on major online platforms
- Series focuses on customer engagement and online commerce
- Access videos at uaex.uada.edu/createbridgesresources
(234 words)
LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is working to help retail and tourism businesses financially recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
CREATE BRIDGES, an economic development pilot program from the Division of Agriculture,
has created a series of free instructional videos designed to help businesses boost
sales, improve communication with customers and take advantage of free advertising
opportunities.
The videos offer demonstrations of popular online tools, including Google My Business,
Facebook, TripAdvisor and Yelp. The videos also teach participants how to claim businesses,
create profiles and manage accounts for each.
“The video series offered through CREATE BRIDGES is such a great service for our business owners who want to take control of their online marketing and engagement, but don’t have the time to sit through lengthy seminars,” Tiffany Maurer, director of economic development for Sevier County, said.
CREATE BRIDGES is an acronym for "Celebrating Retail, Accommodations, Tourism and Entertainment by Building Rural Innovations and Developing Growth Economies.”
The videos, which are less than 10 minutes each, can be viewed at www.uaex.uada.edu/createbridgesresources.
The resource library also features a recorded webinar explaining how to list local businesses on the Arkansas.com tourism website. This free listing gives small business owners exposure to the more three million annual visitors to the state’s tourism website.
The Online Customer Engagement and Commerce Video Series is one of seven video series CREATE BRIDGES offers through its website: www.uaex.uada.edu/createbridgesresources.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu Follow us on Twitter at @AR_Extension.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact:
Tracy Courage
Director, Communications Services
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
tcourage@uada.edu