Google Decides to Monetize Maps
Bloomberg News (via Hacker News):
Schindler’s response showed that Google isn’t waiting anymore. He sliced the opportunity in four areas. Basic directions are a “utility” that can’t be messed with much. Second are requests for things nearby; followed by broader, personalized recommendations; and finally, searching neighborhood business listings.
“If you think about Maps monetization from those four different angles—a little bit more caution obviously on the first one, not disrupting the utility aspect, and all the other three—I think it’s a really, really interesting playground going forward,” Schindler said.
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For the last two years, Google has also tested “promoted pins,” waypoints emblazoned with an advertiser’s brand that show up on the map regardless of whether or not the user searched for that business. McDonald’s, Dunkin’ and Michael Kors are among adopters.
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Before the changes, Owczarek’s startup got 750,000 free map views a month and then was charged 50 cents for every 1,000 views on top of that. Then Google started charging after 30,000 views and the cost was $7 per 1,000 views. His costs jumped from nothing to $5,000 a month.
