Google advertising ban bites local IT businesses
A crackdown by Google on advertising for IT support businesses has sparked complaints from local companies who claim the new rule will kill their industry.
Last August, Google announced a wide-ranging ban on advertising which promoted IT support businesses, a move criticised by Sam Walker, co-founder of Sydney-based smartphone repair service Fix2U, as a “knee jerk reaction” that is killing the industry.
I think it’s being over dramatised a bit from the IT industry. It’s not like they are banning IT service ads, just that the business has to be verified.
If anything I’d love to see across the board verification and tighter integration of GMB profiles with Google Ads accounts.
Haven’t had too many issues with Google My Business verification for clients either – any problems we contact them directly and they’ve always been helpful.
>> “It’s not like they are banning IT service ads, just that the business has to be verified.”
Nope, they HAVE banned IT service ads and at present the verification process does not exist. If the verification service existed before the ads were stopped, I don’t think any legitimate providers would be upset. Presently there’s no way of advertising and no way of verifying.
Google make it difficult for small businesses to advertise outside of their immediate post code as GMB doesn’t trigger for searches a little further away. With services like computer repair which are low cost and ultra competitive, a business needs to service a LOT of customers to stay in business. If you can only reach people within a few miles of your location on Google, you are going to struggle. So – you put up ads and you pay Google to list you. Only now, you can’t do that.
Its a real problem for small businesses and Google need to get this verification process sorted out quickly.
Its not dramatized, our business has faced decline for the past few weeks.
Fix2u
Google have still not rolled out a verification process and this is affecting small businesses massively – my ads have today started being restricted / not shown at all and my business is about to fail – anybody with any info on this would be greatly received as google are keeping very quiet about this and even their account managers when you phone up are acting as if they have no knowledge of this – very concerning
This should be taken to the ACCC and courts as matter of urgency. A class action should be started as the loss of business by legitimate operators will be huge.
I agree with this crackdown especially since fix2u NEVER ANSWERVTHEIR PHONRS THEY RIP OFF THEIR CONSULTANTS WITH FEES AND CHARGES THEY NOT UP FRONT ABOUT ALL FEES CHARGED. HOW CAN A COMPANY LIKE THIS STAY IN BUSINESS WHEN NO ONE IN THEIR HEAD OFFICE ANSWERS THE PHONE? THEY DONT EVEN ANSWER THEIR CUSTOMER LINE. THEY DESERVE TO BE HAMPERED. IN FACT IVE MADE REPORTS TO THE ACCC ABOUT THIER SHODDY BEHAVIOUR
We have felt this