MADISON, Alabama -- Google has recognized the City of Madison as the digital capital of Alabama in its 2013 eCity awards.

Google has named Madison as the eCity capital of Alabama. (File photo)

The award goes to one city in each state where businesses are most using the web to find new customers, connect with existing customers and fuel their local economies. Across the country, businesses that are online expect to grow 40 percent faster, Google said in a press release.

"Madison is leading the way on the web in Alabama," Google said. "This fast-growing suburb of nearby Huntsville has a strong online business community, virtually connecting shops and eateries with residents and visitors alike."

Madison shares the honor with cities such as Atlanta, New York City, Boulder, Colo., Scottsdale, Ariz., Austin, Texas, and Princeton, N.J.

"We are very proud and honored to receive this prestigious award from Google", Mayor Troy Trulock said. "Madison is a high-tech community with explosive business growth, and the Internet is helping to fuel that growth".

The Internet plays a critical role in growing our local businesses and our local economies, he added.

Had the award been given three years ago, it might have helped Huntsville be one of the first test markets when Google sought highly digital cities to unveil its new Google Fiber. The internet connection is 100 times faster than today's broadband speeds.



Google and independent research firm Ipsos MORI analyzed the online strength of local small businesses in cities in all fifty states. The city with the highest scores in each state was designated a 2013 Google eCity.

With 97 percent of American Internet users looking online for local goods and services, businesses that make use of the web are growing twice as fast and creating twice as many jobs, Google said.

To see the list of all 50 cities that were selected by Google as 2013 eCity award recipients, visit www.google.com/ecities.