* Is Google My Business (GMB) converting to a PAID SUBSCRIPTION model? Well, sort of…
Google is rolling out the "Google Guarantee" badge for home services. Does that include music lessons?
By Dirk Johnson
It is likely that you will begin to see
all kinds of wild conspiracy theories about this subject. A lot of it will be
sensational, and probably either wrong or purposely incorrect, in order to
manipulate you.
Of course, knowing how
the SEO business works, I suspect that a lot of it will be written in a way
that encourages you to hire someone (the writer) to sort it all out for you...
So, here are some facts
that I have uncovered:
1) Google is now rolling out a paid "Google Guarantee"
badge for home services.
For $50 per month, (and
meeting their qualifications) you can get "vetted" by Google for your
home services business.
This INCLUDES an
"insurance policy" for homeowners who are dissatisfied with the work,
up to $2000 lifetime.
Yeah, there are lots of
questions, but more info is here:
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7549288?hl=en
No word yet if paying
the fee gets you a better ranking in search...maybe not...We'll see.
2) Apparently this program is not yet available to music lesson
instructors.
To get the badge, you
have to pass a background check. Under their "Requirements by category for
US businesses", music lessons are not listed.
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7549288?hl=en
So, it appears that, for
now, you can't participate in this program. For now....
3) Nevertheless, I'd not sit around an assume that all is
fine...
Google IS coming after
your wallet, folks. This is just the first rumble of thunder.
The free traffic that
they send your way through Google My Business really gnaws at their hide.
They will eventually find ways to make you pay for it. Google sent out a survey
to ad agencies in April 2019, asking for input about various paid enhancements
to GMB. This Google Guarantee program was a part of that survey. So, it’s all
coming.
As a defense, I suggest
that you get your Google My Business listing in tip-top shape now, and get all
the free traffic that you can, while you can. Google My Business is a HUGE
traffic source.
For further reading,
here is a good reliable article about all of this from a trusted source in the
SEO world.
Thanks again for tuning
in!