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Google Maps gets search-related text ads

Stephen Shankland CNET News

Published: 10 Oct 2008 09:20 BST

Google has switched on another search-related ad revenue source, this time on Google Maps.

Some searches, such as those for taxi, restaurant or hotel, show a blue-background text ad along the bottom of the Google Maps page. Given that anyone at the site is using a map, this is an opportunity for Google to employ a strong geographic influence in its ad targeting algorithm, and in general, the better targeted an ad is, the more effective and costly it is.

The results vary according to what the user sees on the map; for example, searching for "notary Kansas City" shows no ad, but if you centre the map on Kansas City, then searching for "notary" does show an ad. Likewise, "shoe store San Francisco" shows results but "shoe store" while looking at San Francisco doesn't. It seems likely this behaviour will change according to what keywords advertisers bid on.

The company already showed some sponsored "pushpin" links that appear on Google map results.

Google makes the vast majority of its revenue from text ads that appear next to search results. Searches are an effective way to discern exactly what people are interested in, which improves targeting.

Google Maps