CHICAGO (CBS) – Internet powerhouse Google is spearheading a two-day event in Chicago to help small businesses get online.

WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports you might be surprised how many businesses don’t have websites. More than half of the businesses in Illinois don’t have one.

Jim Lecinski, vice president of sales for Google, said the company is offering free lessons, technical support, and even free domain names for a year to establish websites.

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Small businesses in Illinois were invited to Google’s “Illinois Get Your Business Online” event on the South Side on Thursday to get started in establishing a website.

“We’re here in Chicago to help get Illinois businesses online. It’s our effort to help the 58 percent of Illinois businesses that actually don’t have a website get online with their first web presence, and help grow their own businesses,” Lecinski said.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel stopped by briefly to offer good wishes to the sponsors and the businesses participating in the event.