Google May Soon Charge For Free Services, Could Monetize TLDs

Gmail, docs, and a variety of free Google services could soon cost consumers, agencies and marketers a small fee, say some search engine experts. The chatter comes after the company last week said it would charge for product listings in Google Shopping. It also acknowledged the submission of dozens of applications of top level domain names (TLD) for .google, .docs, .youtube and others to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Industry executives are concerned that the change will come. If Google gains access to the TLDs, aimClear founder Marty Weintraub believes it will allow the company to prioritize them in certain search engine results pages (SERPs). "For instance, the TLD .YouTube may well have greater weight in YouTube, or even Google's organic SERPs," he said. Weintraub said it's important to consider how .droid may play in mobile. While many believe mobile could become Google's cash cow, the company will look for other viable revenue streams. Reliable-SEO cofounder Terry Van Horne believes the company will begin changing for other free services to maintain a prior revenue growth rate. "Give people free so they become dependent, and then turn around and charge them," he said.