Are Sponsored Results in Google Maps / Local a Good Thing?

[rustybrick]

Today we reported on Google Local / Maps Adds Paid Results with Blue Balloons. Basically Google is not integrated a special balloon color, blue, to show sponsored results in Google Maps. Here is a screen capture, the blog has a link to a higher res version.



There is a thread I started at SEW forums, but in this thread I wanted to get your thoughts on doing this. Is this a good thing? Will it mean too much clutter? Will normal Google users understand it? etc.

[Chris Boggs]

On first glance I like it from a user perspective. The more balloons around the exact area in NYC, in this case, the better. I am more likely to shop for a hotel by specific location, and I would want to see all available results, paid or not.

[Jojo]

I think it is a good idea as long the advertising is target-oriented. Maybe the best way for Google to make money with Google Local.

[EGOL]

I was in NYC a week or so ago and did some searching using Google Maps. The problem was that the maps have as much spam as the SERPs - as a result you can't trust the maps because theyl have markers on then for specific locations that are irrelevant. (I wonder how many people drive or walk to these only to figureout that they have been spammed. Sure would be a lot more time-wasting than a couple of spammy clicks).

At first I was very trusting of the map data but then a slow revelation grew in my mind about how the maps are being spammed in a way similar to the SERPs - or else the irrelevent results just creep in through the algo.

Getting back to your original question... In general, I like the idea of paid results shown in blue (just so they don't use them on my mashups). Paid results are more likely to be relevant because the advertiser must have something of interest or he / she would not be paying.

[randfish]

I think if Google does this, Yahoo! can easily win hearts and minds by making their maps avoid doing it. The ad free model will get my vote, no matter who that is. I just don't want to deal with ads on mapping utilities if I can avoid it.

[Vermontwebmaster]

I think if Google does this, Yahoo! can easily win hearts and minds by making their maps avoid doing it. The ad free model will get my vote, no matter who that is. I just don't want to deal with ads on mapping utilities if I can avoid it.

I totally agree.

[GuyFromChicago]

I think if Google does this, Yahoo! can easily win hearts and minds by making their maps avoid doing it. The ad free model will get my vote, no matter who that is. I just don't want to deal with ads on mapping utilities if I can avoid it.

I don't think the majority of "common users" really care one way or the other about ads. They care about clear, concise and accurate directions/information.

Look at Mapquest - it's basically an ad with some directions and maps included.