You may have already noticed (or soon will) that Google Maps is no longer working on your website. This feels like an annoying déjà vu if you remember going through last year’s updates to accommodate Google’s new billing policy.
How can this be? Did they change their policy a second time? No. Google was actually trying to be nice!
Last year when you set up a billing account and generated the new map API to be used on your website, Google started a free trial of their Google Cloud Platform. Once that year trial ended, Google paused your billing account and therefore any “paid” services. This means that the connection between your website and Google Maps was/is also paused. I am here to deliver the good news that there is a simple and quick fix!
How To Enable Google Maps On Your Website
1. Log in to your Google Account
You need to access the same account that is already associated with your Map API/billing information. As a reminder, this is typically the same Google account you log in to when accessing your website analytics.
2. Access your Google Cloud Console
Please note, if you were already logged in to a different Google account before, it will default to accessing Google Cloud with that account. You can switch accounts by selecting the circle person/account icon in the upper right corner.
3. Locate the blue “Upgrade” button
You will see a message across the top of your screen that says, “Your free trial is over, but your Google Cloud Platform journey doesn’t have to be. To restore your services, upgrade by X date.”
4. Select the “Upgrade” option.
By selecting to Upgrade, your billing account status will automatically change from “closed” to “active,” which will resume all previous services. If during your free trial you did not start using any of their other paid services, you should not experience additional costs. As a reminder, the map API comes with a $200 monthly credit which covers approximately 40,000 calls to the API. Unless you have a high volume of traffic referencing your Map embed, the credit should cover all “costs.” If you ever have questions about your Google services or their billing system, please reference their documentation or support team.
Other Potential Causes
After Google announced their new policy in 2018, you may or may not have followed through with setting up a billing account and updating the API connection from your website to Google Maps. If you do not see an Upgrade option across the top of your screen and do not remember going through the API setup process, start here.
For organizations that already have a billing account set up with Google and had previously implemented the new API key, it is also possible the credit card you have on file expired. If this is the case, please update your payment method.