Is Google Maps Gold Legit? (Updated 2023): Here’s What We Found In Our Full Google Maps Gold Review…

By: Joel & Josiah
Is Google Maps Gold Legit Review Chad Kimball

Google Maps Gold or Google Maps Elite Program is the course promoted by Chad Kimball that you may have seen on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube. His program aims to teach his students the Lead Generation business model by owning a top spot in the google map pack so that they too can earn passive income.

Chad believes that he can teach just about anyone how to start their own google maps agency set up and rank GMBs (now GBPs) so that they can earn 10k+ per month by helping unlisted local businesses. He often uses his own daughter as an example since she is able to earn a couple thousand per month as a teenager.

It is worth noting before we get too deep that Chad has a lot of different course names floating around. You might have heard about Arbor Academy, Google Maps Gold, or Google Maps elite. These are all the same product at the end of the day, just a different name and may be used interchangeably in this review.

But are his programs the real deal? What’s inside Google Maps Gold? And…How much does it cost?

Scroll down for my full review.

Disclaimer:
This Google Maps Gold review has been thoroughly researched with information and testimonials that are available to anyone in the public. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.
Chad Kimball has a good reputation in the lead generation industry
You can rent top Google Maps ad space to many small local businesses to grow your digital agency.
Virtual real estate is what small business owners need.
A lot of fluff. Very salesy.
Apart from Chad Kimball's course fee, you need to buy Google Maps ad space to get started.
Some Negative Review about his courses.
Pros
  • Chad Kimball has a good reputation in the lead generation industry
  • You can rent top Google Maps ad space to many small local businesses to grow your digital agency.
  • Virtual real estate is what small business owners need.
Cons
  • A lot of fluff. Very salesy.
  • Apart from Chad Kimball's course fee, you need to buy Google Maps ad space to get started.
  • Some Negative Review about his courses.

Why Listen To Us?

My name is Josiah, and this is my Dad, Joel.

Together, we make up the team here at Scamrisk.

If you’ll let me bother you for two minutes, I’d like to quickly explain why I’m even here writing this review.

In early 2020, I had just graduated from college & had no real career prospects.

I knew I was destined for something more, but I had no clue how I was going to make it happen.

I had this sinking feeling in my gut all the time… like the “big man upstairs” had accidentally given me the version of life where I’d be mediocre forever, instead of the one where I was, ya know – happy & fulfilled.

Anyway…

I had fiddled around with some different online businesses in college:

Some random MLMs, a bit of affiliate marketing, a (failed) dropshipping store or two, all the usual suspects.

Even my dad had been involved in MLMs back in the day… selling knives & other random nonsense people (probably) didn’t need.

All I really wanted was to find something that was going to actually work for me.

Maybe those things had worked for others, but for me it all turned up a fat “0” in the bank account department.

So I searched! And searched… and searched… and searched…

And eventually, I somehow stumbled upon a program that promised to help me build an income online (read about it here if you’re curious).

I didn’t really want to be “rich”.

The thought of making a reliable $5K per month & not having to worry about clocking in to a 9-to-5 ever again was all I needed.

Sure, there were people in the program doing high-6 and low-7 figures per year… but that wasn’t what I was out for.

I just wanted to provide freedom for myself, and if I was lucky, take my family along for the ride.

Fast forward a few days and a few phone calls & I was enrolled!

Here’s the first “money making website” I put up:

I built that site in 2020, and it still makes me $1,500 per month. It’s a basic 5 page website I built based on a template the program provides.

The best part to me? My dad and I get to do it all together!

So between the:

  1. Ease of reaching $5-$10K per month in income online
  2. Straightforward-ness of the system to do it
  3. Fact that I get to do it w/ my family

Is why I recommend local lead generation as my #1 business model for making money online.

Sure, it takes some work and dedication – but anyone that tells you that there’s a business out there that requires no work is selling you a lemon.

I’m not saying you need to sign up for the same program I did, but I would definitely recommend giving the business model a peek!

Contents

Chad Kimball is a lead generation coach And frankly, he is probably one of the better gurus out there.

However, Chad Kimball and google maps listings space isn’t our #1 choice here.

Joshua T. Osborne is.

There’s a right way and a wrong way to do things in lead generation.

The wrong way involves chasing clients, and using either outdated templates or poor-performing Facebook ads to get cheap leads that never buy or even answer the phone.

This creates a ton of client turnover, forces you to do a lot of selling, as well as experimenting with different types of ads and campaigns.

It’s a very active business model, and is more of a self-created job.

However, the right way to do lead generation  involves building assets that YOU own and control.

Assets that attract high-quality, ready-to-buy customers to YOU, that you can then flip to the client for a fee.

The lead generation program ScamRisk recommends shows you how to do this in a way that creates passive monthly income, instead of forcing you to work round the clock to keep things going.

This program shows you how to create an income stream that brings in consistent revenues every single month (from a couple thousand dollars to well over $10,000)?

An income stream you could actually build in your spare time, and grow as large or as small as you want to, without having to spend hours a day chasing, selling, or managing anything.

TESTIMONIAL - STILL GETTING PAID

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, check out Digital Leasing

However, if you’d still like to know more about Chad Kimball, keep reading.

What Is Google Maps Gold?

What Is Google Maps Gold?

Google Maps Gold or Google Maps Elite, however you came to know about Chad, is basically the same thing. That’s why you probably searched “what is google maps gold” in the first place. Hopefully that clarifies things.

In his training Chad Kimball will show you how to find ideal markets and industries where you can set up and rank Google GMB’s.

Theses GMB’s are yours that you own and control.

Because the top spots of the map pack get all the traffic and all the calls, you will be a hot commodity.

After you’re ranked, he’ll show you how to turn that spot into a passive recurring income stream.

To demonstrate, here is a six-step example:

  1. You enter a search term into one of his software products and see what the search volume is.
  2. You go back to Google and perform another search to see the top results.
  3. As a result, The Google Maps Gold Platform will teach you how to build and rank a GMB.
  4. Next you will build a website landing page for these leads.
  5. You can play the part of a middleman and are given a cut of the deals that come through.
  6. You get passive recurring monthly income.

Who Is Chad Kimball?

Who Is Chad Kimball

As an online business owner, Chad Kimball has been self-employed since 1999. He started down the online path because he was sick and tired of doing the 9-5 grind.

He didn’t feel like anyone at the corporate level really cared about him as a person and just saw him as a number, another cog in the assembly line…

For the past few years, he’s made a fortune by finding his own clients and figuring out which business models work online.

To help small businesses in need of more clients, Chad has been building his digital marketing company since 2011.

To attain such financial success, Chad focused on building out “Google My Business” (GMB) listings, now known as “Google Business Profiles” (GBP).

What’s Inside Google Maps Gold?

What's Inside Google Maps Gold 1

This training is dense and chock-full of key features of the Google Maps App business model. This course is called Google Maps Elite, a series of online video tutorials.

Here are some titles of the Video Tutorial in the members-only Facebook Group Archives that the other Google Maps Gold Review blogs missed out on:

  • Locate Local Business Listings
  • Intro and Overview
  • The Google Local Ranking Algorithm
  • White Hat Techniques
  • Website Authority and The Local Algorithm
  • Backlinking Resources
  • Creating Content
  • Local Keyword Research

What's Inside Google Maps Gold 2

  • Why Keywords Do / Do Not Return Local Results
  • Category Keywords
  • Problems? Try Phone Support!
  • Google’s Local Pack
  • Local Knowledge Panel Changes
  • Local Prospecting With Mechanical Turk
  • Keep Multiple Locations Safe
  • Ranking Outside Your Locale
  • Create and Optimize Your GMB
  • Pidgeon Update
  • Google My Business Guidelines
  • Local VS Brand Pages
  • How To Set Up Your Business Page
  • White Hat Reviews

What's Inside Google Maps Gold 3

  • Basic Places Page Optimization
  • The Importance of Reviews
  • GMB Posts
  • Make Starts Appear In Google
  • Listing Attributes
  • Show Social Media Icons
  • Changing Bad Review Snippets
  • Reinstating a Disabled Local Listing
  • Google Trusted Photographer
  • Add Local Structured Data to your Website
  • Courting Authority Reviewers
  • Citations: What, Why, & How
  • Listings On Local Websites
  • Google Maps Ad Space
  • And More…

How Much Does Google Maps Gold Cost?

How Much Does Google Maps Gold Cost?

Google Maps Gold is just $9.97.

However, the cost of the program is not going to stop there.

Like other online business guru’s, Chad does have higher ticket items once inside.

The types of items (and groups) that he will make you feel that you need in addition so that you can truly be successful.

Google Maps Elite now costs $997.

Some even going as far as saying there are different pricing tiers…

One user on Quora claimed that they were quoted $6,800 for the program.

How Much Does Google Maps Gold Cost 2

At the end of the day, one thing is clear…

$9.97 is just your starting point. Chad aims to have you spend much more than that with him down the road.

Does Google Maps Gold Have A Refund Policy?

Does Google Maps Gold Have A Refund Policy?

Chad does offer a 30 day money back guarantee for the $9.97 Google Maps Gold program.

After all, it’s just $9.97…I’d expect nothing less from anyone.

What remains to be seen however is if there is any money back guarantee for his higher ticket programs and other upsells.

You didn’t really think the out flow of money from your pocket to his would just stop at $9.97 did you?

What Does The Internet Have To Say About Chad Kimball Google Maps?

What Does The Internet Have To Say

I decided to do some digging and see what other people had to say about Chad Kimball…

Here’s what I found:

“Ha I found a thread talking about GME! Hey Guys! I’ll throw in my two cents since I stumbled upon it. I’ve been following Chad since around 2017 and pulled the trigger in 2018. I’ve met a lot of incredibly gifted business professionals and entrepreneurs alike, the coaches are super hands on, and after a couple months I felt like I had got my footing. Chads Facebook group also offers live classes with continuous learning. I pretty much just used the scripts and templates offered in the program until I found my Own flare. I would personally recommend at least checking it out if you’re on the fence. It wasn’t necessarily a walk in the park or instant gratification but it was 1000% worth it and I’d do it again. I have primarily Rank & Rent Clients & a handful of SEO clients. I can tell you right now that my R&R clients are far less time consuming and needy. That’s my opinion.” Gloomy_Mark

That’s a pretty positive review, however I did notice that this same profile commented under every other thread talking about Google Maps Elite and Chad.

While it could just be a loyal student and supporter…I do have my suspicions about the account being used for potential damage control.

Let’s see if anyone else has something to say…

This one was pretty positive:

I can’t say whether Chad Kimball ‘s Goolge maps / SEO course is a scam or not (aka The Arbor AcademyThearborAcademy). I was however verbally abused by one of his foul mouthed “business coaches….” (a guy NAMED Ryan).

After having seen his ads pop up on my Youtube feed, I was genuinely interested in finding out more and had an appointment with one of his “coaches” over the phone.

Prior to the appointment, I tried to do my due diligence and took his advice to prepare for the appointment by watching his videos. Around 90% of the video content, was just testimonials around how other people made “bucket loads of cash” (I’m paraphrasing here).

Likewise, in the lead up to the appointment my inbox was flooded with more testimonials. When the so called “business coach” called me we had a discussion which lasted for approximately 10 mins. He stated that the course was $6,800 and that he would give me a discount of $2,000. The “coach” was very abrupt, pushy and unprofessional and 5 mins into the call chided me for “not preparing” for the call and for not being able to make a snap on the spot decision to hand over 6,800.

I’m sorry, while I was genuinely interested (and had no intention of wasting his time or my time) I’m simply not prepared to take a “giant leap of faith” and just hand over $6,800 to an online course that I had just come across 24 hours ago via a flood of Youtube ads and base my decision on “client testimonials” that had been sent to me. I would simply need more information or at least try the course out on a trial basis. And when I say “trial basis” – I don’t mean free (but pay an initial lower amount to see how it goes)!

As the call progressed – the “coach” became more and more aggressive. He eventually stated “I knew that this was going to be a piece of sh*t of a call” and that’s where I hung up. I did nothing to warrant that type of abuse but I’m glad it happened because that is a major red flag. Again, I don’t know whether the course is legit or not but I did come across a number of red flags. Be wary.”

Scam? Or Is Google Maps Gold Legit?

Scam or Legit

So, is Google Maps Gold legit? Yes. It’s a perfectly respectable lead generation program.

It’s just not our #1 choice.

Because Digital Leasing has taken the lead generation model and put it on steroids. It innovates on every part of the business model and makes it so accessible that pretty much anyone can succeed at it.

What if you could put in a couple hours a day (in your spare time) to build a single digital asset, and your reward was a $500 to $2,000 payment that came in every single month?

And what if you could get started today and have your first payment in a week?

And what if you could double it next week?

Well, that’s the power of Digital Leasing

You can legitimately do this from anywhere. It’s a true lifestyle business.

Your laptop and an internet connection is all you need.

Some of the most successful students in this program run their entire 6-figure businesses from:

  • A camper in the middle of the woods
  • A beach chair on the water in Mexico
  • A small villa in Greece

TESTIMONIAL - SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR JOBS

They’re able to travel around, living their lives first, and focusing on their income second.

Because even if they stop working for an extended period of time, the money keeps coming in.

So adventure, memories, and experience are the top priority.

And they never have to worry about how to pay for the next trip, or consider asking for time off.

If this sounds more like the type of life you want to lead, just click here to find out more about Digital Leasing.

Are There Alternatives After Reading This Google Maps Gold Review?

alternatives scamrisk

Yes, there are plenty of other business models to choose from if you want to pursue something other than google search maps and image sharing websites.  Here are just a few:

Our #1 Recommendation For Making Money Online In 2023?

Digital Real Estate

Our review  team has spent months researching, reviewing, and vetting dozens of business models and thousands of programs.

While there may be no “perfect business”, the research IS conclusive:

Digital Leasing is the #1 online business model for those just starting out.

Whether you’ve never made a dollar online, or you’ve been in this space for a while but never really “made it,” Digital Leasing is for you.

Why?

1) It’s Flexible: got an hour a day? You can do this. Ready to drop everything else and dive in full time? You can do this. Yes, the more time you put in, the faster you see results. But even with a little time each day, you can move the needle in a Digital Leasing business.

And because this system is so flexible, you don’t have to constantly be working to make more money. It’s called PASSIVE INCOME because if you stop working, the money doesn’t.

Imagine taking 3 months off to just tour around Europe, rent a cabin in the woods to write a book, hike the Appalachian Trail, or live on the beach and surf all day.

This is only possible if you have an income stream that’s not tied to your time.

TESTIMONIAL - JUMP ALL IN

2) You Own & Control EVERYTHING: Unlike other lead generation models, Digital Leasing gives you full ownership over every single asset, which means you have all the power and all the control.

TESTIMONIAL - FEELING BLESSED

3) Little To No Startup Costs: It’s possible to get into Digital Leasing with zero dollars upfront. Because, using the strategies outlined in this program, you can get a client to pay you BEFORE spending a penny out of your own pocket…even before you do any work.

Even without getting paid in advance, you can have your first Digital Rental Property up, running, and generating profits for less than $100.

Scott Lead Gen

4) Easy To Duplicate: Ok, here’s the best part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up and running, you can literally DOUBLE your income with a few clicks, a couple keystrokes, and a single phone call (and you don’t actually need the phone call).

Remember: each Digital Rental Property is worth $500 to $2,000 a month in semi-passive income (over 95% profit). Every time you decide to create another one and increase your income, it gets easier.

Because you have more knowledge, more experience, more results, and more momentum.

Lance Lead Gen

5) Make Money Helping Real People: This part is what makes it all worth it. With Digital Leasing, you’re actually helping people by solving your clients’ biggest problem:

Small, local businesses need more customers, and with Digital Leasing, you are unleashing a flood of happy, paying customers for these businesses.

You make money by helping them make money.

Not a big, faceless corporation either…a small business owner who’s using that money to put food on the table for their family, start a college fund for their kids, or take care of a sick parent.

Once you see how Digital Leasing makes a real impact in the lives of real people, you’ll sleep like a baby with a big smile on your face.

TESTIMONIAL-BOSS-OF-MY-FUTURE

Now, the choice is yours.

You could continue browsing, looking at opportunities like Chad Kimball and his google maps course which could one day make you money.

You could continue researching, never making a decision.

OR, you could take a look inside, consider what you really want, and join a program that makes your dreams a reality. At the same time, joining a community of over 2,000 successful students that are living life on their own terms thanks to Digital Leasing.

A consistent, reliable, semi-passive stream of income that doesn’t depend on you or your time to keep producing profits.

All while genuinely helping real people who are grateful and happy to pay for it.

If this sounds more like what you want out of life (or if you just want some nice side income), click here to learn more about Digital Leasing.

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#1 Business Recommendation

We each make around $10,000 per month with the help of this system.