Take Google Local with you Everywhere

Posted: November 7, 2005

Google recently integrated their local service with their map structure in the first of what I hear is several new developments for this property.

Google’s next move is to launch Google Local for the phone.

The wave of JAVA enabled phones has allowed a large development of new phone based applications. If you have a JAVA enabled phone, it’s usually quite easy to add new services (often in the form of games or organizers) to your phone.

This service is a very stripped down version of the Google Local property. It allows for search, driving directions, and what is sure to be the best feature - just call the establishment. (This would be a great place to integrate Pay Per Call Advertising).

The service looks very easy to implement, if they support your particular brand.

I found it odd that I have a brand new JAVA enabled phone (the Motorola i836) which is not supported at all. There could be an issue as Nextel is my carrier, and it was recently acquired by Sprint, thus Google hasn’t updated their service yet, but no Google Local for me to test out.

Google has released a nice tour of the property so you can see a wide variety of screen shots in how the service will work.

One thing that did impress me is their nice list of FAQs. There have been times when Google released a product with very little support - not this time. It looks like Google understands they need to capture users through phones and their local property, and are quite willing to offer some free services and support to reach these goals.

Google has done a good job of integrating maps and driving directions into the application. With both satellite imagery and traditional maps, one can find directions, view the area, and find their way across a city to a local business.

The integration with search and mobile devices will only grow over the coming years. Google has taken a large step in adding value to not only their local search property, but leaping off the computer to user’s phones so they can take Google with them everywhere.

Related Information:

« John Battelle speaking at Sig Search

Ingenio to display PPCall ads on Local.com »