Is GMB Preparing for Paid Listings?

[JMathematical]

GMB managers and local businesses have reported getting surveys like these from Google:

Does this indicate that ranking on GMB will require a monthly subscription in the near future? Or is this just people reaching for predictions?

 

[kiwi-nz]

I haven't seen anything about that yet. What are the options referred to?

 

[Phil Rozek]

@JMathematical @kate-nz, Google started sending those out last year:

Google may decide to charge for Google My Business listings

If Google starts to charge for Google My Business listings it may introduce some issues for how Google defends their free/organic listings.

searchengineland.com

It's impossible to say what Google will do, of course, so my working assumption has been simply that they are sending up weather balloons. Just to get people's feedback

 

[Eoghan_Aircam]

You can expect GMB to continue to be more and more monetized by Google. Look up 'Google Guaranteed Home Services' - they are paid enhancements to your listings Google is testing in a few verticals. Ads are now heavily promoted in native GMB and API partners like us are being encouraged to plug in.

 

[BenFisher]

I have not heard from anyone about this going out since last year, that one time.