After launching services to put as many users as possible online, Google has began shutting down loss making services in Africa and globally slowly in a bid to concentrate on its core activities. Last year, the firm shut down it’s classifieds platform Google Trader platform and integrated it to it’s social network, Gogle Plus.
The firm has also announced it will shut down the Get Business Online website in Kenya, Nigeria and Africa as a whole and is asking users to turn to Google My Business or turn to Hostgator for more services.
“We are announcing that Business Sitebuilder websites within the Get Kenyan Business Online Program will no longer be accessible from December 31 2014, but there are some great alternatives available to you,” the firm announced.
Businesses are being asked to turn to Google My Business which was introduced earlier this year to connect users directly to Search, Maps or Google+.
“You also have the option to move your existing website to our trusted partner, Hostgator, an international provider of cloud-based web presence solutions with over 15 years of experience helping small businesses succeed online. Their family of brands, through parent company Endurance International Group, serve over 3.7 million subscribers worldwide,” the firm added.
The Google Business Sitebuilder will be shut down in select countries in Africa on Dec 31 2014 and the firm is calling for its users to turn to Google My Business to allow them to grow their following online and interact with their customers.
Businesses on Get Nigerian Business Online program, the Getting Kenyan Businesses Online program, and the Getting African Businesses Online will stop being visible to visitors on December 31 2014 but businesses will be able to log in to their Google Business Sitebuilder admin account, to retrieve their information before March 1 2015.
In early 2012, Google’s Get Kenyan Business Online confessed to have “improperly” accessed Mocality’s customer database to beat it out of the market. Google fired the people it found guilty of the malpractice. The service remained tainted till it’s today and Google’s move to shut it down is noble albeit late.
Mocality shut down its services in Kenya and Nigeria on Fenruary 28 2013.
