[Resolved] high geocoding usage / costs from Google

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[scottL-3]

Tell us what you are trying to do?
This site has a lot of addresses that show on maps and in lists but very little change in the data so we'd expect the addresses to be geocoded once and kept in cache but we are seeing very high usage of geocoding from Google and about $30 / month in charges that we did not expect.

We changed the API keys and are using a second key for server-side calls to avoid making the key that can geocode visible to bots and users on the client-side. I cannot figure out what is causing the high usage or how to get it under control.

What is the link to your site?
hidden link

[Waqar]

Hi,

Thank you for contacting us and I'd be happy to assist.

Have you checked detailed billing and is the main cost related to only the "Geocoding API"? And is there any unusual spike in the web site's traffic in recent months? The Google Maps API incurs costs every time you display a map (after certain limits), even if the address locations are already geocoded.

The Toolset's address cache feature helps in significantly reducing the geocoding API calls. However, it is important to note that every time someone performs a location search and uses the address autocomplete, the address entered in the search, needs to be geocoded too.

Additionally, if a high volume of new listings/posts with a map address is constantly being added to the website, then those locations will need to be geocoded too, even only once to be stored in the address cache.

I'll recommend reviewing Google Maps API pricing structure and comparing it with the statistics of the website's traffic/page visits to get the better insights into the charges:
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This will allow you to devise a strategy to limit access to the maps related pages, only to the more targeted audience (for example logged-in users), rather than general visitors.

regards,
Waqar

[scottL-3]

I connected with my client and was able to checkout their Google Cloud Console. The charges are entirely from Geocoding. Over 41000 in a month and an average of 1200 to 1600 per day.

The other data point I found was that in Toolset->Settings->Maps->Check for missing entries, there are 51 addresses not cached and they never seem to get cached. It says the next 50 will be cached on the next cron run but they never happen. I don't have any plugins or code on this site that would alter the normal WordPress cron.

Could the site somehow be stuck in a loop of trying to resolve these last 51 addresses over and over again for the cache and that is leading to the high geocoding usage?

These are addresses all over the world, some with foreign language characters in their names.

[Waqar]

Thanks for writing back.

We can investigate those addresses which are missing from the map cache.

Can you please share a clone/snapshot of the website?
( ref: https://toolset.com/faq/provide-supporters-copy-site/ )

Note: I've set your next reply as private and to reduce the size, you can exclude the media library (the "uploads") from the backup.

[Luo Yang]

Hello,

Waqar is on vacation, I will take care of this ticket.
I am downloading the files, will update here if find anything.

[Luo Yang]

I can see the 51 missing items in your website, the problem is:
When you input the address location value into custom address field, you need to choose the autosuggest option, for example, you can edit the Market post: Casa Blanca Pastry
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click into custom address field "Market Location", the value is:
151 Veterans Of Foreign Wars Pkwy, Revere, MA 02151
But Google suggests address value is:
151 Veterans Of Foreign Wars Pkwy, Revere, MA 02151, USA
It conducts the problem, see my screenshot google-map-4.jpg

You will need to edit those problem posts, setup the address field values again, here are lists:

post ID: 3408 | Address: 151 Veterans Of Foreign Wars Pkwy, Revere, MA 02151
post ID: 3488 | Address: 437 Eastern Ave, Lynn, MA 01902
post ID: 3786 | Address: Modelos Market Cafe, Medford Street, Somerville, MA, USA
post ID: 16311 | Address: Markthalle Innsbruck, Herzog-Siegmund-Ufer, Innsbruck, Austria
post ID: 16806 | Address: Le Marche, Rue du Banvin, Jarnac, France
post ID: 16853 | Address: Marché alimentaire Saint-Antoine Célestins, Quai Saint-Antoine, Lyon, France
post ID: 16905 | Address: Marché de Talensac, Rue Talensac, Nantes, France
post ID: 17003 | Address: Délices des Halles, Place Lavault, Thouars, France
post ID: 17126 | Address: Kapani Market, menexr, Thessaloniki, Greece
post ID: 17131 | Address: Modiano Market, Thessaloniki, Greece
post ID: 17141 | Address: Monastiraki Flea Market, Ifestou, Athens, Greece
post ID: 17188 | Address: George's Street Arcade, South Great George's Street, Dublin, Ireland
post ID: 17196 | Address: The Milk Market, Cornmarket Row, Limerick, Ireland
post ID: 17224 | Address: Via Ugo Bassi, 25, 40121 Bologna, BO, Italy
post ID: 17259 | Address: Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, 50123 Firenze, FI, Italy
post ID: 17328 | Address: Via Cesare Carmignano, 80142 Napoli, NA, Italy
post ID: 17336 | Address: Piazza delle Erbe, Padova, PD, Italy
post ID: 17484 | Address: Porta Palazzo, Piazza della Repubblica, Turin, Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy
post ID: 17595 | Address: Bloemenmarkt, Singel, Amsterdam, Netherlands
post ID: 17706 | Address: Fishmarket in Bergen, Torget, Bergen, Norway
post ID: 17715 | Address: Fiskebrygga, Gravane, Kristiansand, Norway
post ID: 17794 | Address: Mercado Municipal, Ponte de Lima, Portugal
post ID: 17971 | Address: Mercat Municipal de Calafell, Carretera Sanatori, Calafell, Spain
post ID: 18181 | Address: Montreux Christmas Market, Grand' Rue, Montreux, Switzerland
post ID: 18233 | Address: Luzerner Wochenmarkt, Lucerne, Switzerland
post ID: 18909 | Address: Underpass Park Farmers' Market, Lower River Street, Toronto, ON, Canada
post ID: 19107 | Address: Mercado Central, Avenue Pichincha, Quito, Ecuador
post ID: 19165 | Address: Mercado Municipal, Mangos, Centro, Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico
post ID: 19389 | Address: Khan el-Khalili, El-Gamaleya, El Gamaliya, Egypt
post ID: 19407 | Address: Tel Aviv Port Market, Nemal Tel Aviv Street, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
post ID: 19426 | Address: Jaffa Flea Market, Olei Zion Street, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
post ID: 19534 | Address: Salamanca Market, Salamanca Place, Hobart TAS, Australia
post ID: 19557 | Address: Queen Victoria Market, Queen Street, Melbourne VIC, Australia
post ID: 19568 | Address: The Rocks Market, George Street, The Rocks NSW, Australia
post ID: 19576 | Address: Sydney Fish Market, Bank Street, Pyrmont NSW, Australia
post ID: 19690 | Address: Devaraja Market, Devaraja Mohalla, Mandi Mohalla, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
post ID: 19833 | Address: Night Market, Chaofa Ngum Road, Luang Prabang, Laos
post ID: 19888 | Address: Zay Cho Market, 27th Street, Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma)
post ID: 19908 | Address: Baguio City (Wet & Dry) Public Market, Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio, Benguet, Philippines
post ID: 19956 | Address: Papeete Market, Pape'ete, French Polynesia
post ID: 20040 | Address: Oranjezicht City Farm Market, Granger Bay Boulevard, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa
post ID: 17027 | Address: Arminius Market Hall, Arminiusstraße, Berlin, Germany
post ID: 17159 | Address: Budapest, Central Market Hall, Vámház körút, Hungary
post ID: 17171 | Address: Grandi Mathöll, Grandagarður, Reykjavík, Iceland
post ID: 16935 | Address: Les Halles de Nîmes, Rue des Halles, Nîmes, France
post ID: 19087 | Address: Vega Central Santiago - Dávila Baeza, Recoleta, Chile
post ID: 17074 | Address: Markthalle Stuttgart, Dorotheenstraße 4, 70173 Stuttgart, Germany
post ID: 19291 | Address: Mercado Pino Suarez, Melchor Ocampo, Centro, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
post ID: 17939 | Address: Santa Caterina Market, Avinguda de Francesc Cambó, Barcelona, Spain
post ID: 16435 | Address: Vanha Kauppahalli, Södra kajen, Helsinki, Finland

[scottL-3]

A few of the addresses do not result in auto-suggestions from Google so not sure if they can be cached (oddly, they do show properly on the map so they are geocoding).

I also applied the Toolset Maps and other updates that just came out and the changelog sounded like it might help with some of these issues too.

At this point I guess you can close the ticket and we'll re-open it if we see a large bill from Google again next month.

[Luo Yang]

As your request, close this ticket.