So is it true that Google might start charging for this service? If so where is this going to leave all the smaller businesses that might not be able to afford it? Best Regards
Like any other form of paid advertising, there needs to be an adequate ROI to justify the expense. Those businesses that can't afford the monthly fee most likely are not getting much of a benefit from their GMB accounts anyway. Outside of speculation about Google charging a fee for a GMB, I've seen nothing to indicate they are moving forward with such a plan. Should Google move forward with a fee, my guess is many businesses won't pay the fee which will leave Google's local search results incomplete which would drive Google's users to Yelp or other destinations that provide comprehensive and unbiased local search results.
Yes I was also surprised to see this. I think now-a-day organic listings is useless too even if you are at top for competitive keywords. I am saying this because I often come across with 4-5 Google Ads and then local search and organic. Now where your top listing will stand at? I don't think small business can afford this. I think Google should think about this again.
Hi all & thanks for your reply’s I get it that Google may start to or are looking into possibly charging for this. Google map api now don’t they charge if you go over a allowed set limit? What is next ‘Gmail’? Who knows, at the end of the day it’s a business. Best Regards
I don't think that there will be a fee for using Mybusiness. May be there will be a fee for using some services INSIDE Mybusiness. E.g. they are already charging to take advantage of the personalized e-mail address.
By using Google My Business, you may increase your company's exposure to prospective clients and help it rank better in local search results. It is crucial to maintain an accurate and up-to-date profile, provide interesting material, reply to user reviews, utilize relevant categories, and optimise keywords in order to get the most out of your listing. You may also connect your listing to your website and market it with paid adverts.