news Google is shutting down websites

[Mohamed Ahmaid]

Within a month, Google will shut down 21.7 million websites created with Google Business Profiles, leaving small businesses in the lurch.
In order to build a new website for those businesses, Google suggested using one of the following platforms
Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify and WordPress.

There will be a huge demand for domain names.

Here

 

[Armageddon]

This 21 mil websites dont have a domain name ?

 

[Mohamed Ahmaid]

This 21 mil websites dont have a domain name ?

Yup

Their websites are all built on subdomains of business.site, which is owned by Google.

google this you'll find out :
site:*.business.site

 

[JB Lions]

Within a month, Google will shut down 21.7 million websites created with Google Business Profiles, leaving small businesses in the lurch.
In order to build a new website for those businesses, Google suggested using one of the following platforms
Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify and WordPress.

There will be a huge demand for domain names.

Here

A good chunk of those were spammers. Anytime I would see them in the SERPS, that’s what they usually were

 

[Constantin S]

This is actually pretty crazy, so many local businesses were using those.

 

[branding]

This is actually pretty crazy, so many local businesses were using those.

Local? where? Never seen anyone using this....

While we're on subject (3rd level domains), think again if you're pondering on wether or not to register an it.com domain.

 

[Samer]

Add another one to:
KilledByGoogle.com

 

[PrashantPujara]

Google is shutting down Websites made with Google Business Profiles and not giving us an option to redirect it to our Own Domain. The redirects go to your business profile only for a few months

 

[Alop]

This 21 mil websites dont have a domain name ?

Pokemon.go

 

[VRdommy]

Within a month, Google will shut down 21.7 million websites created with Google Business Profiles, leaving small businesses in the lurch.
In order to build a new website for those businesses, Google suggested using one of the following platforms
Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify and WordPress.

There will be a huge demand for domain names.

Here

Without doing hard research at the moment,
And before many over-react,

I already know that much of those BP's are dormant/expired/not used anymore.
They are not websites. But pages on a website. Like facebook.
Of the remaining...
Many have a website and used the service for presence to be found easier.
The same reason why some have a presence on twitter and facebook and others.
Speaking of which, many will be using or re-enforcing that kind of presence.
They are dropping it because of the lack of use/value.

If many did not find a value of having their own website before, I doubt this will suddenly change their mind.

So, if you are a webmaster who knows how to market,
there are opportunities at hand.
If not, it's time to meet your webmaster market who likely gives advice to these folks.

These small biz folks who don't already have a website, likely can not afford one in the first place.
Now that brings you to the potential value in $hopping for a name for it.
Perhaps some should check price of having an outside service build such a thing.
For if they could do it themselves, they would have by now.
And if you think this class of folks are going to be interested in a $5k name,
you are over estimating the market potential.

As has been the case for the last 12+ years, most will use facebook as their primary if it effects them in the first place.

Sorry if that busts anyone's bubble, but reality has to be a primary focus when investing.

In any case, I think you will find it a much smaller market than anticipated on the surface.

 

[Samer]

Without doing hard research at the moment,
And before many over-react,

I already know that much of those BP's are dormant/expired/not used anymore.
They are not websites. But pages on a website. Like facebook.
Of the remaining...
Many have a website and used the service for presence to be found easier.
The same reason why some have a presence on twitter and facebook and others.
Speaking of which, many will be using or re-enforcing that kind of presence.
They are dropping it because of the lack of use/value.

If many did not find a value of having their own website before, I doubt this will suddenly change their mind.

So, if you are a webmaster who knows how to market,
there are opportunities at hand.
If not, it's time to meet your webmaster market who likely gives advice to these folks.

These small biz folks who don't already have a website, likely can not afford one in the first place.
Now that brings you to the potential value in $hopping for a name for it.
Perhaps some should check price of having an outside service build such a thing.
For if they could do it themselves, they would have by now.
And if you think this class of folks are going to be interested in a $5k name,
you are over estimating the market potential.

As has been the case for the last 12+ years, most will use facebook as their primary if it effects them in the first place.

Sorry if that busts anyone's bubble, but reality has to be a primary focus when investing.

In any case, I think you will find it a much smaller market than anticipated on the surface.

Google still kills, sells off many products.
Google Domains still hurts the most.
Thank you for clearing up clarification, friend!

 

[Armageddon]

Maybe you answer to my pm @Samer

 

[Igor Mironyuk]

There will be a huge demand for domain names.

In this case win GoDaddy website building solutions because many people don't know much or at all about domains and if they something know about domains, they know only one name of domain registrar - GoDaddy.

 

[papeter]

These sites were crap sites. No value for anyone. About time Big G had a clean-up. There will not be a huge demand for domain names.

 

[ravidesai]

There is another solution provided by google from long term, and that is Blogger.com platform. That Blogspot.com is good to showcase your products and there are many people even collecting payments via this. So I don't think google is harassing people by shutting their 1 portal. Even they provide another platform sites.google.com for simple sites.

 

[postscripter]

many small businesses were using them, I know from their google business page. you know when we search for a resturant or a hotel in googlle maps. I hope google is helping them by directing them how to move their websites easily.. or they will have hard times. because I guess are these owners of google sites are not technically savvy.

 

[Mohamed Ahmaid]

Freewebsites.com was sold for USD 30,500
The report of the sale of this domain at Sedo may be related to the actions taken by Google regarding the free websites built through Google Business Profiles
I have read from more than one SEO expert that they are taking advantage of the opportunity to attract those sites

 

[branding]

many small businesses were using them, I know from their google business page. you know when we search for a resturant or a hotel in googlle maps. I hope google is helping them by directing them how to move their websites easily.. or they will have hard times. because I guess are these owners of google sites are not technically savvy.

Nah, they weren't. They are shutting it down as there is no real demand.

 

[HotKey]

The "good times" aren't like they were you're going to get busted

Get serious get yourself a domain and put a site on it. If these people want to be on the internet than be on it don't rely on faceplants and goggles they ultimately control your presence.

 

[Sales]

If your "business" can't spend $10 on dotcom domain it should be closed.

 

[DNSSEC]

Google often launches new products and services, and often shuts them down.

 

[likemike]

It provides opportunity for business owners to elevate their business to their own real domains. It can also provide greater access to consumers with better domain names.

 

[Fayaz Ahmed]

Most of the serious businesses with such subdomain websites already have a main domain, those without a main domain will most likely switch to another such subdomain service like *.wordpress.com.

I don't think it'll be easy to find a serious business in *.business.site that'll want to buy a .com domain name with a premium price.

I'll be happy if I'm proven wrong in this though.

 

[bill786]

We acquired this Web domain to leverage on tailwinds

 

[DTR Alex]

Also, I'm not sure, Google deleted those gmails, which were inactive for a year! You need a gmail account get get various Google services including Blogger, Google Sites, and more....