Both small and large businesses rest atop Google products and services. They all enjoy the benefits of that decision. However, the news is not all good. Relying on Google for the success of your business also has a few drawbacks that equally affect all companies that do so. While many of the positives are well known, the negatives often catch business owners by surprise. The drawbacks are less publicized and the positives are often overstated. Knowing exactly what you are getting into before you get too deep is key to managing the risks and creating a successful business. Whether the benefits outweigh the risks is ultimately up to each entrepreneur to decide. Here are a few of the important factors to consider:

It’s Cheaper

Google products and services are a lot cheaper than the competition. That can be seen as both a good thing and a bad thing. The good news is obvious. You can easily get something like a Western Shamrock installment loan to fund your startup even if your credit isn’t perfect. That is a huge advantage over a more expensive set of services that might require a bank loan and impeccable credit. 

Lower-priced options allow more people to access the adventure of entrepreneurship. More people can get on the path of upward mobility. Even so, there is a darker side of going all in with a company in a race to the bottom.

When the most important differentiator of a service is that it is cheap, you should expect many unpleasant compromises. Competitively speaking, you almost never get more than what you pay for. There are hidden downsides that you tend not to care about when you are just getting started. But in the long run, quality is always better than cheap. It is cheap for a reason. That applies to all things that are priced in ways that seem too good to be true.

Lack of Focus

Google is a company that is notorious for having a lack of focus with regard to their products and services. They were once known for granting engineers a lot of extra time to work on their own projects. Those projects would often become productized by the company. Unfortunately, those products were never well-funded or staffed. It didn’t take much for Google to cancel them.

Google Stadia is joining the graveyard of dead Google projects in 2023. This news comes mere weeks after the company proclaimed that rumors of Stadia’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Business products don’t fare much better. Does anyone even remember Google Wave? If the product or service you want to use is not core to Google’s bottom line, it is probably not right for your business.

Google App Store

For many consumers, if you don’t have an app, you don’t exist. Therefore, it is vital that you show up prominently in the app store when someone is looking for an app like yours. The problem is that Google has a history of changing their app store algorithm. What worked for you yesterday might not work for you today. 

The same is even more true for Google Search. You might think you have a bullet-proof SEO strategy. But you don’t. Google is constantly revising its rules about what is and is not allowed. You could find yourself completely delisted for an infraction you didn’t know you committed. 

The listings are only one part of the equation. The ads make up the balance. Google is not a search company; it is an advertising company that uses search. If your advertising strategy is all in on Google search ads, you have to stay on top of the changes. Google is fighting a constant battle to keep companies from gaming their system. If you are not on top of the changes they routinely make, you could find it difficult to pinpoint exactly why business has suddenly dried up.

The bottom line is, how long will Google continue pumping money into Chrome for cheap laptops? Or in producing a very expensive — and very forgettable — speaker that barely lasted beyond its official launch? Be aware that “not all that googles is gold,” and some of their endeavors will not be successful. On the other hand core competencies like search and advertising are good bets that offer a solid footing for your business as long as you stay on top of the changes.