While advertising is a major source of revenue for Google, it had left its maps app free of ads, even though its point of interest listings did feature businesses part of its AdWords program. However, the search major has now introduced "relevant ads" on its Maps app.
According to
Google, the ads will now appear at the bottom of the screen after a user performs a search. The ads will include a title, ad text, and a link to get directions, and users can tap or swipe upward to see more information related to it. Advertisers can choose to "add location extensions to their search campaigns or create an ad with AdWords Express" to appear in these search results.
Google adds that users will see additional information such as the business's address, phone number, photos, reviews and more, when they click on an ad to get location details. From here, there are two types of user actions, free and paid. The free ones won't be charged to the advertiser while the paid ones will be charged. Free click user actions include 'save business information for later', 'share a business with a friend', or 'start navigation' options that are offered with the listing. Paid clicks include the initial 'get location details' click, get directions, click-to-call and clicks on the ad headline. Google informs that AdWords will only charge for up to two paid clicks per ad impression.
Of course, for the end user, all actions are free, and most users are unlikely to know the difference between ads and regular search results. While search ads are not very intrusive and are listed separately, users are more likely to be left confused with the Maps app ads. They might even mistake these as actual listings for their search and get misguided even though Google puts a small 'Ad' tag along with the listing.
Google has always offered a majority of its consumer services, free of charge but has monetized them via advertisements, so the move doesn't really come as a surprise.
The move will allow business to target specific keywords within Maps. For example, a restaurant may choose to show its ad if the user searches for restaurants within a specific location.
Recently, Google had updated its
Maps app on iOS and
Android bringing a much cleaner interface, features like traffic an incident updates and a new 'Explore' feature enabling users to browse and discover popular local places to eat, drink, shop, play and sleep.