Google Maps Unveils New Local Business Features 82
dhinckley writes "Google Maps has added some new features including pictures of the front of the locations you're searching for. Additionally, Local Businesses can enter custom information about their companies including pictures, websites, what type of payment they accept, and even offer coupons through Google Maps."
New Google Maps Feature Unveils Business Details (Score:2)
where (Score:2, Interesting)
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Yellow Old Maps (Score:5, Informative)
The map interface is very useful for browsing for brick & mortar stores in convenient locations. But their DB misses so many convenient locations that I don't care if they make one out of my way more convenient. They should spend some of their $billions on a real business database. Then they'd make it back on the ads when everyone uses them as "the new Yellow Pages".
Yellow pages network effect (Score:3, Interesting)
To make it worthwhile for businesses, it'd have to be free.
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and yellow pages ads aren't even close to cheap.
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Google maps is imperfect for sure, but it is better than paging through hundreds of listings in different catagories (if you can guess the right one) and then needing to call and find out if it is what you are looking for.
I use google maps, and then check websites to see if it is a viable place for what I want. It doesn't need to be a nice website, as long as there is a blurb.
Last time I used the book was for auto glass repair, but a tip from a cop when I filed the police
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In addition to making a search engine that integrated with white/yellow pages and general web they bought one of the local street directory companies for maps.
Their pitch was that they had all the directory information for homes and businesses through their print media and could provide Australia specific content all from the one web address.
But if Google employ slick marketing and use smart salesp
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I haven't gotten one of those phone books in a couple of years (since I switched my phone service from Verizon to Comcast).
Re:Yellow Old Maps (Score:4, Informative)
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Besides, I didn't say that the Yellow Pages are superior: they can't be searched, emailed, bookmarked, etc. But we're not talking about their UIs. We're talking about their DBs. And even with th
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Meanwhile, when I see a place in the Yellow Pages, I call and ask if they have what I want. If not, I call the next one. N
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Most shopkeepers don't know they can get added to Google Maps. They wouldn't know about buying into the Yellow Pages, either, if the phone company didn't invest a lot of money and time having salespeople call them with solicitations for many years, including now that it's "common knowledge".
This entire thread you've acted like these two business directories are somehow magically just the way they are. My point has been that Google's maps aren't
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Actually, the yellow pages are still "searchable" and "bookmarkable".
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I looked in Google, and the first hit was an actual shop that I could go into.
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And Google's comprehensive locksmith list makes me leery, considering they know where everyone's hidden our extra keys, when we'll be out, what we've bought that's easily fenceable...
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Yeah, keeping all this stuff current is the real kicker. I started buyindie.net [buyindie.net] back in 2004 mostly as a hobby. It's mostly for DC but is still lacking mostly because it takes an army of volunteers or employees to keep things current because many small business owners either aren't tech saavy enough or don't see the benefits just yet.
Still, I think Google will do great with this new feature. Frankly, anything that helps keep local businesses going is a plus in my book.
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Another person cuts themselves out of the good stuff by getting it wrong and underestimating NYC.
Maybe the Web has less to offer than does the real world? Think about it. Then go outside and try it out.
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100% Redundant
I correct a series of deep errors, and that's "Redundant"? Maybe, in the sense that anyone worth thinking about would have got them right the first time. But the trollMod clearly wanted to try an anonymous supression, rather than step to the New Yorker and say something stupid directly. Because everyone knows how dangerous that kind of stupid behavior is.
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Trouble Ahead (Score:1)
Re:How they know it is legit (Score:3, Informative)
Feh. Not that great. (Score:5, Funny)
White House (Score:5, Funny)
Check out the white house [google.com] at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500.
All the "White House" pictures are making fun of Bush.
Welcome Google to the same woes as wikipedia.
Re:White House (mod parent funny) (Score:2)
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Spam Maps... (Score:2, Insightful)
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I don't get the sense that there is much protection from joe-jobs here...
-David
some detailed pics... (Score:2)
something else... [google.com]
and some sunbathing topless chicks here and there... concerned about your privacy yet?
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Re:some detailed pics... (Score:5, Funny)
Ya, we're all concerned about privacy, of course. But could you please provide the links to the topless chicks so we can . . . better understand the issues involved?
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Finally.. (Score:2)
We are doing it!... (Score:2)
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Just my $.02 though.
Click map to find businesses? (Score:1)
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Does Yahoo have this? (Score:5, Interesting)
The end result should be a very accurate database => Google's value rises. This database entry is very happy. All in all a win-win situation.
I wonder how I fix my stuff on Yahoo and any other search engine.
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so.... (Score:1)
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I just did it. Freaky. (Score:5, Interesting)
I chose the call, and then picked, 'Call Now'. (As opposed to 5 min from now).
No sooner did I click it than the phone rang. I picked it up, and a female auto-voice had me punch in a 4 digit code from my screen.
It then told me they're updating every 4 weeks, and to expect it to take that long for my changes to show.
All in all, neato. Though the instant phone call tripped the tin-foil hat wearer in me.
"Mrs. Johnson, we've traced the call TO YOUR CHILD'S BEDROOM!!1!one!!"
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If that tripped your foil, you should've been there when google labs had the dial-up voice search thing going on. You called a toll free number, spoke your search criteria, then clicked a link and voila, search results.
p.s. I didn't bother to check if they still have this feature available
Seems that businesses are very easy to find now... (Score:1)
Re:Seems that businesses are very easy to find now (Score:1)
In any case, the core function works just fine. The problem is that Denmark's roads haven't been properly input to their road d
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Windows Live Maps (Score:1, Insightful)
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When will they add... (Score:1)
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Nicking our ideas...? (Score:2)
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Let's hope it remains useful (Score:2)
Dealing with Google frustrating (Score:1)