Google is renowned for its innovation and plays the most important role in technology world not only for its products but also for the global activities through which it reaches out like the recent Google Entrepreneurial Week celebrated all over the world including Singapore, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries in our region. Luckily Google hosted three events in Pakistan instead of one. “In Pakistan, we hosted three major events in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. We have focused on Ad sense in this week because a lot of Pakistani tech entrepreneurs use Google AdSense for generating revenue using their creative content”, Badar Khushnood, the Country Manager for Google Pakistan briefs about Google Entrepreneurial Week in Pakistan.
Google AdSense is popular in Pakistan among bloggers because of its smart marketing strategy. The content these bloggers provide on their websites is free, but they generate revenue from Google AdSense which automatically matches ads with respect to provided content on the blog. If there is a blog about cars, Google will serve the reader with car accessories ads because it aligns perfectly with the interests of the reader – and this is how it helps bloggers earn.
Besides, the event also included interactive sessions on other services. “For the first time in Pakistan’s history, we also held sessions on Android in Islamabad and Karachi events. The advocate for our Android development, Tony Chan, talked via Google Hangout from Hong Kong while Arjun, Head of Policy for AdSense addressed the audience about Google AdSense via Google Hangout. We didn’t just talk about our technologies but we also used our technologies like Google Hangout to promote our ideas”, said Badar.
Google started its entrepreneurial activity in Pakistan with P@SHA by the name of P@SHA fund where they started a social innovation fund with P@SHA right after floods in Pakistan in 2010, contributing one-million dollars in cash to local NGOs working on ground. P@SHA was also the core national partner for Google Entrepreneurial Week in Pakistan. The other national partners were Plan9, Elance and TPI (Technology for People Initiative).
Badar Khushnood is also a board member of Plan9, which is a tech incubator setup of Punjab Government and he explains that Google is on very good terms with other national partners for enhancing the IT sector in Pakistan. E-lance is one of the best freelancing websites that is now actively engaging in Pakistan. TPI on the other hand is a Google funded project that aims to improve government departments and has already contributed to judiciary, police department, and monitoring projects of Punjab government. Besides, Google Business Group and Google Developers Group also supported Google Entrepreneurial Week.
Some really good Googlists have been visiting Pakistan in the recent past and the turn out has been exceptionally great. Google also signed MoU with Punjab Government. Eric Schmidt and Google’s Vice President for Emerging Markets Allison Watson also arrived in Pakistan. And that is helping Pakistan’s global image in various aspects. Badar explains, “All these people coming from aboard find it very good here and they realize that Pakistan’s image as they perceived earlier is very different from what they experienced here. It is helping us bridge the gap and I think technology can solve it better than conventional. We are trying to improve our image in global market. Recently we have ramped up and we are trying to ramp up our activities in Pakistan. Although we don’t yet have an office in Pakistan but we hired Pakistanis who are now based in Singapore but are dedicated for Pakistan’s growth. Currently, we have three people in Singapore and they are looking after Google’s sales for Pakistan.”
Badar further adds, “Generally if you have the right sales number/right sales projections, it helps build the case for our office in Pakistan. Moreover we are engaging with relative authorities and stakeholders in the government and civil society and bringing new tools and trainings for entrepreneurs.”
It is notable that Google signed MoU with Punjab Government last year for co-operation of government and IT sector is currently in progress. Google Adsense and Android developers addressing in Pakistan – all such initiatives by Google has helped Pakistan many ways. And certainly, there are greater things coming.
