Fixing incorrect business information
I was just reading through Miriam’s Solas webdesign blog and read something I didn’t knew was there before. Here goes the story:
If you encounter some incorrect business information for Emergency Services in Google it is possible to use a special contact form to notify Google of these errors.
If you’ve discovered incorrect business information for an emergency service, a police station, a fire patrol, a hospital, a shelter, or a similar service, please complete and submit the form below. Google Maps gathers information from a variety of sources, including websites and Yellow Pages directories. Occasionally, this information may be incorrect or outdated.
I wanted to share this information to those reading my blog as I thought this is quite important, and we all want accurate information - especially when you need it the most
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Google Maps embedded in ATM Machine
This is the first time I saw this, Google Maps embedded in an ATM machine of “La Caixa”. I don’t know how long it has been there and I’ve been living in Barcelona for almost 10 months now and use these ATM machines often. I was planning on buying some tickets for a concerts using one of these “ServiCaixa” ATM machines of La Caixa. I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I decided to go into the Help (ayuda) section of the machine. There I found the ability to look for closest service centers of La Caixa. As you can see on the picture, this was implemented with the help of Google Maps. 
Cool to see Google Maps embedded in Kiosks and such. I read about embedding Google Maps before, offering directions and Coupons at gas pump stations, but other than just the reports I didn’t see any real-life implementations.
If you know of some more examples, please post them in the comment section!
Terms of Service & FAQ updated for Google Maps API
The Google Maps team announced that they just updated their Google Maps API Terms of Service. Also they updated the FAQ (and hope to keep it updated regularly).
I’ve quickly read through the FAQ and ToS find it more thorough than before.
For a Change Log overview you’d have to go here.
Update:
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If you prefer to read also about the bad side of this story, Go and read this article from Barry from nearby.org.uk.
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Or this really helpful article from Ed Parson himself explaining the Terms of Service
Google Street View also in Italy!
Just a few days ago I reported about Google Street View available in Spain. Italy now has the follow up! It is available in Rome, Florence and Milan.
As I said before, I expect more countries and cities to be announced soon!
StreetView kicks off in France - Rest of Europe Soon?
Good to hear that the Google LatLong blog just reported that France is the first country in Europe to be launching Google Streetview, right after they already featured this service during this summer’s ‘Tour de France’.
Now some major cities have been added to StreetView in France and Google is looking forward to add more European cities and countries in the (perhaps near?) future. Hopefully these features will also be available in the Mobile Maps version of StreetView in the near future.
I’ve already reported seeing streetview in Barcelona, Berlin and Amsterdam and looking forward seeing the feature introduced here as well!
The Real Reason for more AdSense underneath the Maps
I’m seeing all kinds of posts popup about this ‘new’ Ads you can see underneath Google Maps. People at Techcrunch are even giving it a weird financial twist. Almost two weeks ago I asked Mike Blumenthal about these ads I started noticing and they might have been there for even a longer time for some selected people. Now what’s the real reason Google is starting to display these Ads? Of course, creating even more revenue! But this couldn’t be just it.
It must have had a different reason, and my idea is, that this is all because of the ‘blue line’ upgrade. The ‘blue line’ upgrade made sure that there was now the possibility to fold away all the text (and ads!) on the left. By implementing text underneath the maps Google made sure there is still some more exposure to these Local Business Ads. It would be unfair for the Local Business Ad owner if it was counted as an impression but didn’t get its maximum possible exposure inside Google Maps when people were using Google Maps Full Screen. Also the CTR was apparently quite low, and these ads are a way to encourage google maps users to click more ads. Although, if many people didn’t notice them at first, are they really that visible?
some apparent facts:
- The ads shown in the adsense box underneath the maps correspond with the ones already shown in the maps markers (with the customized icons) and the ones on the left.
- Some ads might be added/shown in this bar if the ads on the left do not count up to three items.
- your ad shown two times counts as two impressions (haven’t tested this yet but googleguy mentioned it)
If item number 3 in fact is true, I am wondering if this negatively affects your quality score. 2 impressions and most likely just one click at max. would lower your CTR, affect your Quality Score and affect prices of the keywords you are bidding on negatively.
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Google Maps Errors - TeleAtlas data needs some finetuning?
The recent announcement of Google switching to just one map supplier, namely the dutch company TeleAtlas, has caused an increase of alerts on Google Maps errors in the Google Maps Help Groups.
I’ve seen reports so far of incorrect routes, missing cities, wrongly placed addresses, etc, etc. And as Miriam Ellis points out on her blog it can lead to some serious issues. Or take a look at this issue, in Alberta CA, where people might be relying on the maps service as their sole information provider on where to get their services (haha, this is where Yellow Pages must be getting their awesome ROI from 
). The whole switch is causing some glitches, however, the data from the web and the API now seem equal according to some sources. In the past, sometimes the data didn’t correspond because Google was still using Navteq data as well. Now Google is asking the user base of Google Maps to report any errors, or glitches you may have found and report them directly to TeleAtlas by using this link. So now it’s just a matter of time and hopefully Maps Quality will increase. Although TeleAtlas (acquired by TomTom end of July) will have to take the hit to their reputation in the mean while.
With the Google-TeleAtlas agreement, TeleAtlas will have access to Google Maps updates made by the community as well. You can read more on this advantage here.
Mobile Maps get updated with Streetview and walking directions
Some of you may have read it elsewhere. Google is announcing StreetView and walking directions for Google Maps mobile!
Combine all of these features together with the MyLocation feature they introduced earlier and there is no way you can miss that specific restaurant with that 5-star review anymore. You got location-based services using Cell-ID, a top notch review, you got Streetview to show you the place and Google even provides you the walking directions on how to get there. Google Maps Mobile really is becoming some sort of personal navigator.
Now I’m thinking, maybe we should think of a way to measure that we actually visited a restaurant because of a specific review (=offline conversion) in Google Maps. Google Mobile coupons anyone?
You can checkout the youtube video from Google:
Quality Guidelines and reinclusion for Google Maps
Some technical difficulties with his blog doesn’t stop Mike to get up early today and post his very interesting findings on an update in the Google Maps Help Center. The Google Maps Help Center now contains some guidelines for your business inclusion and also, what to do when you got kicked out of Google Maps for spamming. This report from Google corresponds well with my previous post about Google tightening its submission policies.
You can find the guidelines by clicking on the following link:
Google Help Center Guidelines for Local Business Center Submissions
Honestly, I still find the guidelines a bit vague, taken into account previous statements;
“be as descriptive if you can for your business in your business title’ doesn’t really correspond with “Represent your business as it appears in real life”. Or is this just my point of view?
Can I use “Italian Ice cream and Cappuccino Bar Bella Napoli” or should it just say “Bella Napoli” because I registered with chamber of commerce with that name?
In my opinion it should add up to the user experience and thus allowing the first one.
In the Help Center, Google is now also referring to the Google Maps group for Business Owners where they can report abuse of the Quality Guidelines.
Google Mobile Search now gets more local
OK, officially it’s not available for people outside US and UK, although comments on the announcement by Google have said it’s available in other countries as well. But Google Mobile Search now has gotten more local. Where at first, or before, you were able to receive ‘locally relevant results’ based on your IP address or sometimes your postal code, you are now able to get them using the MyLocation feature on windows mobile phones. It uses the Google Gears Geolocation API, as seen in Google Maps mobile. Your location is pinpointed with help of Cell-IDs. The results are shown in the form of universal search results as Greg Sterling pointed out in his article on Search Engine Land.
I’ve already seen, depending on your operator/service provider, that the accuracy can be within 200 meters. Which I believe opens up enormous possibilities for small businesses providing local results. Even more reason to start optimizing your website and adding your data to the local business center!
