Next time you search for a local business using Google Maps you could see a new little icon next to the location. Google is testing a system that allows people to print out coupons for local retailers for use in-store. Right now the test is solely a partnership between Google and ValPak (the makers of those big books of coupons organizations often use as fundraisers) but the goal is to allow any and all AdWords advertisers to offer printable coupons. That coupon icon will take visitors to a designated landing page but Google has made it clear retailers don't need to have an existing website to participate. They will allow local businesses that might not have a web presence to create a special page to put the coupons on.Google Maps serves up coupons
Next time you search for a local business using Google Maps you could see a new little icon next to the location. Google is testing a system that allows people to print out coupons for local retailers for use in-store. Right now the test is solely a partnership between Google and ValPak (the makers of those big books of coupons organizations often use as fundraisers) but the goal is to allow any and all AdWords advertisers to offer printable coupons. That coupon icon will take visitors to a designated landing page but Google has made it clear retailers don't need to have an existing website to participate. They will allow local businesses that might not have a web presence to create a special page to put the coupons on.Reader Comments
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1. Google is looking to establish their site as the hub of all online marketing and they seem happy to suck the air out of the room for everyone else. The only way to respond to Google is to out Google them. ZiXXo does exactly that. ZiXXo provides an affiliate friendly solution for local online coupons. The coupons are all syndicated everywhere, much like AdWords/AdSense, except that through ZiXXo's API, those coupons can be embedded directly into content (e.g. anyone's map, yellow pages, local search, etc.). I guess you have the option to watch Google suck the air out of affiliate marketing or you can out-Google them with ZiXXo.
Posted at 8:03PM on Aug 15th 2006 by Mike Hogan