Google to close Google Compare in the US and UK
Google has announced that it will wind down its Google Compare service, with the shutdown to complete on 23 March. Currently live in the US and the UK, Google Compare allows consumers to obtain quotes for car insurance, credit cards, and mortgages in the US, and these products plus travel insurance in the UK.
In an email sent to its partners, obtained and published by Search Engine Land, the company said: “Despite people turning to Google for financial services information, the Google Compare service itself hasn’t driven the success we hoped for.”
A spokesman told Search Engine Land that while searches remained high, there was limited availability of products in the US and UK, which meant revenue was minimal. In the UK, the Compare service came under fire in 2014 by the Financial Conduct Authority when other aggregators complained that Google was competing unfairly by placing its own product at the top of search results. Google said that any legal concerns did not play a part in the closure, and stated that it may look at new product avenues in the future: “We’ve decided that focusing more intently on Adwords and future innovations will enable us to provide fresh, comprehensive answers to Google users, and to provide our financial service partners with the best service on investment.”