Mountain View (US), 31 Mar 06 Google Inc has started displaying ads within its local maps as the online search leader tries to find more ways to make money from the free services it has been introducing. The new ads will show up as part of balloons that float over the map itself and will also carry a small image – a hotel, for instance, can display a tiny shot of its pool.
I found this posting at webmasterworld.com... have any of you tried this? Last night, AdWords launched a new ad type for Google Local - Local Business Ad. At the AdGroup level, one can create these ad types. On content match, search, and Google, they appear as a standard local ad type. However, on local.google.com they take on special characteristics: Ability to have a custom icon Ability to use a 125x125 logo Ability to control your local business data (i.e. display special phone number, ad, etc). The requirements for adding one of these ad types is that your business must be listed in Google Local. If you're not listed in Google local, you can add your business through the local business center (sends you a pin card in the mail), through the froogle small business center, through Google base, or through one of the local data providers that distributes your data to all of the local search sites. One is not charged for the initial view. So, the first ad click opens up an information box on the page. If one clicks from the information box to your website, then one is charged per click.