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Is Google Really Going to Start Charging For Maps?

The simple answer is yes, Google is going to start charging for maps. The more informed answer is that Google is going to start charging for more than 25,000 map downloads per day.

For your average person and for most small businesses, this is not going to impact them at all. If you have more than 25,000 map hits a day you can likely afford to pay for maps, but why would you when you can get them for free elsewhere. Google is offering plans that charge in blocks of 1,000 for downloads over the limit, and they are offering a premier membership. If you run a site that consistently highly exceeds the 25,000 mark, you will likely find the premier membership worth your money. However, Google has not given many hints as to the overall cost of the membership. The premier membership offers some extra benefits. Just a few of these services include increased map requests (100,000), increased resolution, and more readily available technical support options. In addition, there are numerous customization options and the maps can be ready for mobile phone browsers. If a site generates excess hits, Google will allow opportunities for the site to reduce their usage or enroll and pay for the service. This will take a period of exceeding usage, so the maps will not immediately stop working once your quota is met for the day.

It seems this will have a dramatic impact on travel booking sites and popular attractions and shopping centers. There are alternatives such as mapquest and yahoo that sites can lean on for right now. Apple is also working hard on a similar service to compete with Google. This could be relief from Google’s pricing, or it could just open the market for other companies to start charging. Until the program takes off and the fees start rolling in from Google, it is unclear whether this will hurt the use of Google maps on business sites.
Google maps are highly used by those traveling and planning travel. The question is whether consumers will be just as satisfied with a website that uses map services provided another company. Google has estimated these new charges will affect roughly 4,000 websites. With Ask City and Microsoft Live Search available, businesses may find Google’s added benefits for premier membership are not worth the cost.
Emily is an Internet marketer and contributing writer for Invesp.com, a site that helps clients improve their landing page design in order to improve overall conversion optimization.

Related posts:

  1. Custom Maps For All
  2. Google to buy Motorola’s Mobile Devices Division.

This entry was posted Sunday, January 1st, 2012 at 9:37 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Is Google Really Going to Start Charging For Maps?”

  1. Dan D Says:
    January 17th, 2012 at 11:15 am

    That headline was a little alarmist. I’m very relieved to hear that I’m not going to have to be paying to use Google maps to find more obscure addresses in Toronto or when I’m looking at new properties to manage.

    However, the idea that those services that rely on Google maps will see their bottom line rise means that my use of those third party sites and apps may have a higher price tag. That’s something to be a bit concerned about.

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