Google has named Warwick as the 2014 eCity for the State of Rhode Island. The eCity Awards recognize the strongest online business communities in all 50 states.

The businesses in these communities are embracing the web to find new customers, connect with existing clients and fuel their local economies. Warwick joins the ranks of America’s leading cities in the digital economy. 

“Warwick serves as a prime example of how innovation and growth in e-commerce can successfully contribute to bolstering economic progress and competitiveness,” Emma Ogiemwanye, a representative from Google said in a statement. “Google is proud to recognize Warwick’s accomplishment and the role it plays in creating Rhode Island jobs.” 

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian said, “I am very proud that Google has named Warwick as Rhode Island’s 2014 eCity. This recognition speaks volumes about our vibrant and diverse business community and their capacity to leverage technology to reach their customers and showcase all that Warwick has to offer. It also reflects our city’s ongoing efforts to grow a 21st century, innovation economy, create good-paying jobs and advance industries of the future.”

The eCity in Massachusetts is Needham. Norwalk was named Connecticut’s eCity.

Google and independent research firm, Ipsos, analyzed the online strength of local small businesses across all 50 states. They weighed a variety of factors to determine the leading cities and towns across the U.S., including the likelihood of small businesses to have a website, use a blog, promote themselves on a social network, sell goods directly from their webpages and whether they had a mobile-friendly website. The winning cities exhibited strong engagement and potential for growth within the digital economy. This is the second year Google has announced a list of eCities for the United States. Middletown was last year’s eCity for Rhode Island.