For years now, (since 2008) Google has made it possible for website owners to use their powerful search functionality on their own websites. Now, according to a recent announcement, they will no longer be licensing this function as of the 1st of April this year.
Existing customers can continue using the product until their license expires, but once that happens, the functionality will be replaced with the free “Custom Search Engine” which will be supported by ads.
Licenses which expire between the 1st April and the 30th of June will also receive a free, 3 month extension, with Google advising customers to familiarise themselves with the replacement product, in order to determine whether or not they want to continue with it, or remove the functionality completely.
No Official Announcement
Although Google Site Search customers have been notified of the impending change via email, there has been no official announcement of the discontinuation yet.