TLDR – What’s The Verdict On Google Maps Gold?
I know some of you just want to get a Yes, No, Maybe so about Chad’s program, so let’s go ahead and tackle that issue right away.
As you go through this article, I’m sure you’ll pick up on the fact that I believe the Lead Generation business model is one of the best ways to make money, not just for you but for small businesses as well.
So with that in mind, I’m a little torn on Google Maps Gold, but not for the reasons you might think.
I’m not saying that Google Maps Gold is a terrible course or that Chad Kimball has some sneaky ulterior motive. I believe wholeheartedly that Chad is a decent family man who just wants to share his knowledge of making money with others; his daughter is a testament to that.
Although I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to have your GMG Dad down the hall whenever you run into a snag.
The issue I have with the course is that it only teaches you one approach to Local Lead Generation, and that approach is one of the most difficult methods to nail down.
Picture this: You just finished Chad’s course and landed your first client, a Mom and Pop towing company just down the street. You’ve been working on their Google Business Profile listing for over two weeks, and everything is looking great.
They’re getting phone calls left and right and couldn’t be happier, but the next Google Maps update comes out and your client’s listing gets suspended for one of a few reasons, like:
- Address violations
- Making a change to your profile
- Keyword stuffing your business name
- Sharing the same phone number with another business
- Someone else reports a violation to Google
Now you’re scrambling to figure out how to get your client’s listing back up because not only are their calls slipping, but their bottom line is taking a hit which means you likely won’t get paid for the month.
This scenario isn’t far-fetched, mainly because you only have one skill to make money. It’s like having all your eggs in that one proverbial basket.
I personally believe that the best approach is to have an arsenal of skills in your back pocket so that if something goes wrong in one area, it won’t negatively affect another.
So you should be looking for a course that teaches you a more well-rounded approach to Digital Marketing.
Who Should Consider Google Maps Gold And Who Look Somewhere Else?
I don’t want to sound like I’m beating a drum here, but I truly believe that Local Lead Generation, the foundation of Google Maps Gold, is a great way to make money online. Much better than:
- Affiliate Marketing
- Network Marketing (MLM)
- Dropshipping
So, what you have to ask yourself is who can benefit from Chad’s course. So that’s what I’d like to talk about right now. If you see yourself in any of the following, GMG could be what you’re looking for:
- You already know a lot about building websites, SEO, paid ads on Google and Facebook – but you would like to learn more about setting up a Google Business Profile as another income source.
- You have a small business with a GBP, but it’s not showing up in the “Map Pack” and you’re hoping to get it into one of those top three spots.
- If you’re curious how long Chad has been doing Google Maps, here’s a rant that he made on a local search forum a few years ago about some mistakes that newbies often make.
However, if you can relate to any of the following, then you might want to take a hard pass on Google Maps Gold:
- This Reddit user tried the program, but after paying a huge upsell, he felt left alone with no real support. The customer service was unhelpful, not sending promised links or scheduling calls, and considered disputing the charge on his credit card. He also suspects their testimonials are paid for and warns others that the program takes your money without providing the promised guidance.
Google Maps Gold: 1,000 Ft View
We’re about halfway through this GMG review, so thanks for sticking with me!
Now, I want to give you a mountain top overview of Google Maps Gold.
The Google Maps Gold Business Model
The Lead Generation business model has been around for years, and started taking off like a shot when the first big advertising agencies like Volney B. Palmer started a newspaper and sold ad space.
As years went by, advertisers were able to hone their craft and figure out what drives people to buy what they buy.
That’s the basic premise of lead generation, learning what people need and providing a way to get it to them.
This is what Chad Kimbal is tapping into with Google Maps Gold. He teaches how to set up a modern day newspaper (on a smaller scale, of course) and charges a fee for that service.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the only drawback with this specific approach to Lead Generation is that most small business will want other services with the hope of growing their business even further.
Unfortunately, if you can’t provide them what they want, they’re likely to go to someone who will.
| Area | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time Investment | 3.1/5 | Chad Kimball’s Google Maps course requires quite a bit of time to learn how to find clients, optimize and manage their Google Business Profiles and generate leads for their businesses. |
| Level Of Control | 3.3/5 | Although you have total control over the clients you choose and the GBP optimization process, you are still at the mercy of Google and your client’s GBP can be suspended at any time. |
| Ease of Implementation | 3.5/5 | Implementing Chad Kimball’s strategies can be challenging for beginners because the learning curve for the optimization process is steep and the need for regular client updates is demanding. |
| Profit Potential | 4/5 | You can make a lot of money with Chad’s course, but you’ll need to make sure you’re optimization skills are on point because your income could vanish overnight. |
How Do You Make Money With Google Maps Gold / Lead Generation?
Think back to our Mom & Pop towing company. The way they make money is that someone, who’s either sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire or maybe they got into an accident with another car, calls them.
Whatever the case, they need their car towed.
The big question here is how do they find a good towing company? That’s where you and Google Maps Gold comes in.
When someone does a search on their phone for a “towing company in Albuquerque NM” a listing for your Mom & Pop will show up, hopefully in the first three spots. With a little bit of luck and good reviews, you’re client will get the call.
By helping them get listed, you charge them either 10% of the fee they charged the car owner, or they pay you a flat monthly fee ranging from $500-$2000 per month. It just depends on how much business they get.
Who Is Chad Kimball?
Chad Kimball has been a self-employed online business owner since 1999, because he was tired of the regular 9-5 job. He felt like he was just another number at his corporate job, not really cared for as a person.
| “Internet Marketer, Entrepreneur, Business Coach with a Free video on how to make long-term residual income” | |
| Youtube | “Unlock Your Potential Embrace Silence for Online Business Success” |
| “My daughter built her online business 4 years ago, now it supports her doing missions in Mexico!” |
He’s has made a lot of money by finding his own clients and figuring out what works in online business.
Since 2011, he’s been growing his digital marketing company, by helping small businesses get more clients.
How Much Does Google Maps Gold Cost?
To get his foot in the door, Chad only charges you $9.97 – of course that’s just he beginning because like other course creators, he has higher ticket items that he would like to sell.
To get access to specific training and to his private Facebook community, you’ll need to come up with another 997 for the Google Maps Elite program.
This Quora user said that the course could cost as much as $6,800 and even gives you a break down.
Just know that $9.97 is only the beginning.
Does Chad Offer Any Refunds For Google Maps Gold?
Chad does offer refunds for the initial $9.97 to get started, but I couldn’t find anything specific about refunds offered if you purchase any of the upsells.
Google Maps Gold Scam Rumors: Is Google Maps Gold Legit?
Now for the big question… is Google Maps Gold legit or a scam?
No, it’s not a scam. I don’t see Chad Kimball as the type guy to stoop to the level of running off with someone’s money and not give them what they paid for.
For me, however, I probably wouldn’t get the course.
I would take a look at the Digital Leasing program that I’ve been working for the last few years.
With this program, you get access to 30 proven templates including:
- Ad copy
- Customer targeting
- Landing pages
- Email Templates
- Exact Funnels
They also teach you how to build websites and get those sites ranked in the search engines.
Now, I’d like to ask you a few questions.
What if you could create a tiny website that could make you anywhere from $500-$2000 every month like clockwork?
What if you could build 10, 20, even 50+ websites making that same amount every month?
What if you could get this up and running in as little as 30 days?
This is exactly what their students are doing to create their own six or seven-figure business. Working from places like:
- A campsite in Sequoia National Park
- A beach house in Maui
- In an RV heading to Las Vegas
These folks are living there lives on their own terms and calling their own shots.
To learn more, check out Digital Leasing.
How Is Google Maps Gold Different From Other Similar Programs?
When you look at Google Maps Gold, you’ll see some similarities and some differences.
Douglas James
In my Douglas James Marketing review I talk about how he teaches on digital marketing and learning advertising skills, specifically focusing on using platforms like Facebook for landing clients and scaling your business.
While both are online business models, Google Maps Gold focuses on using Google Business Profiles for lead generation.
Productized Profits
In this Productized Profits review I show how Lucas Lee Tyson’s approach is about selling and scaling a product-based business whereas Chad Kimball uses Google to sell local services for small business.
The Modern Millionaires
In the Modern Millionaires review, I talk about Chance and Abdul use Google and Facebook ads to build their Lead Generation agencies, while Chad Kimball strictly focuses on using Google Business Profile to build his.
My Personal Opinion About Google Maps Gold
From what you’re able to read on this site, you can see that I’ve been in the trenches with my own Lead Generation agency and I’m making money with it every single day.
So, hopefully you’ll see the value in my opinion as it’s not just academic but based off of actual experience with Google Business Profiles.
As you’re looking at other online review platforms like Reddit, BBB and Trustpilot, you’re gonna see comments from individuals who are mostly unhappy with the product.
The reason you’ll see these most often is that people who’ve had a bad experience are usually the loudest and either want to warn as many people as possible or exact some sort of revenge on the company.
The silent ones, the ones who found some success with the program are usually to busy running their business to make any comments. Sure, you’ll find a handful of success stories and student testimonials, but those are few and far between unless they’ve been paid for.
With that in mind, I’d like to step you through the criteria that I personally use when I evaluate programs like this, because if you can’t determine what’s real and what’s fake on these sites, at least you’ll have something to fall back on.
- Experience: Does the course, in this case Chad Kimball, have real-world experience running creating and optimizing a Google Business Profile?
- Mentorship: Is Chad available to offer advice, usually through a private Facebook community? This course feature can typically be worth the price of admission alone.
- Course Material: Does the value of the course material (Videos, Templates, Swipe Files) measure up to the price? If the value is there, then the cost is secondary.
- Honesty: Can you trust that Chad is teaching you something that you can use in the long run, even if there are upsells. Also, does he update his course whenever it’s necessary?
- Student Success: Finally, you need to look at actual people who has purchased his course. Are they truly making money from it?
Would I Recommend Google Maps Gold?
Now that I’ve given you the criteria that I use to decide if a program like this is worth looking into, let’s see how Google Maps Gold measures up. So, let’s take a look at some positives:
First, I believe that Chad Kimball has done a good job creating this course and running his community. The structure is there in GMG if you work hard and smart to be successful.
Second, getting your first client might take some time, especially if you need to educate them on why they should work with you, but it’s possible.
Third, the price of the course can be a sticking point for some people, but if it were Free, then I would jump on it.
Let’s look at some negatives:
Although I didn’t find too many negatives about the program, I do have some hesitancies mainly from what I seen online…
- This Reddit user said he saw ads for The Arbor Academy (now Google Maps Gold) and decided to watch their videos, which were mostly about how much money others are making. His inbox got filled with similar stories. When he talked to their coach (Ryan) on the phone, he was rude and pushy. The coach wanted him to pay $5,000 right away for the course which was discounted from $6,800. The user wasn’t ready to pay that much money, so Ryan got upset, said a few choice words and hung up.
What’s Inside Google Maps Gold?
The training is jam-packed with information about ranking in Google Maps. The main course is called Google Maps Elite and comes with a series of online video tutorials.
It covers topics like:
- How to locate a local business listing
- White Hat Techniques
- Finding local keywords
- The Google search algorithm
- Resources for backlinking
- Choosing the right category keyword
- Prospecting local businesses
- Ranking in different locations
- Branded Pages vs Local Pages
- Setting up your business page
- Characteristics of a good listing
- Getting reviews from authority sources
- Buying ads in Google Maps
- Getting Citations
- Getting listed on local websites
My Conclusion: Should You Join Google Maps Gold?
Although I believe that Chad has a good course, and even though it might be worth the $5,000 to $6,800 price tag, I just cant give it a thumbs up because I know there are Lead Generation programs that offer more.
This one simply isn’t my #1 pick…
What is my #1 Pick for Making Money Online in 2025
I have spent years 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.
2) You Own & Control EVERYTHING: Unlike Google Maps Gold, Digital Leasing gives you full ownership over every single asset, which means you have all the power and all the control.
When you’re running a Google Business Profile for a small business owner, you don’t own the GBP and the business owner can fire you at any time or whenever your contract is up.
Also, since you don’t own the platform, Google can suspend your account for any number of reasons.
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.
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.
With GBPs, it’s hard to duplicate a successful listing because each one is different and requires specific details and monitoring.
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.
Of course, with GBPs you’re helping real people too, but on a smaller scale.
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.
Now, the choice is yours.
You could continue browsing, looking at opportunities like Google Maps Gold which can make you money, just not as much as Digital Leasing.
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.
