Google is not doing enough to help, say small firms

SMALL businesses are hitting out at Google for not doing enough to help them during the coronavirus crisis.

Many businesses, especially those in the hard-hit travel sector, spend a substantial part of their outgoings with Google as it is vital they rank highly in online searches.

Google, which has an annual turnover of $160billion (£131.5billion), announced at the end of March that it would give $340million (£280million) in ad credits to small and medium-sized firms. But a month later, it admitted it would only roll out the ad credits from the end of May and they had to be used by the end of 2020. Dan Yates, founder of travel company Pitchup.com, says: ‘We spend more than £1million with Google every year, more than all our other suppliers put together – yet they have done nothing to help so far. And if you have lost your peak season already, then there’s little point in getting ad credits which you have to use by the end of this year.’ Many travel companies are also asking Google to increase its support for small and medium enterprises – with greater flexibility on payments and more time to use the credits when they arrive.

Google has already come under fire from travel operators for refusing to refund or defer payments for ads linked to cancelled bookings, meaning companies must pay commission to Google for bookings which are later refunded.

Google said: ‘Small and mediumsized companies are facing unprecedented challenges and our teams are working day and night to help our partners protect their business and stay in touch with customers.’