Google Preparing To Storm On Local Businesses With Advertising Products

Omri Shabath

If you are a small local business owner, get ready to be bombarded by many advertising products from the Google factory which will be released to the market under the umbrella of one package on July. That is according to a new story on The Wall Street Journal.

Google Small Local Business Plans

In the middle of all those advertising products will stand, predictably, the company’s social networking service, Google+. It appears that last week Google already made its first move towards this direction when it moved Google Places into the social network as Google+ Local.

To launch this massive local campaign under one product (possibly named “Business Builder”), Google has been developing its own local business products and features and in addition it went for a shopping spree of more than a few companies since 2011 for a total cost of around $500 million.

Here are some of the products which reportedly will be a part of this new product for local businesses:

  • Google Local Businesses Nice LogoAdWords Express- Fast and easy setting up an AdWords campaign (supposedly within a few minutes).
  • Offers- The company’s deals service.
  • TalkBin- Program that allows customers to send suggestions, recommendations and complaints through their mobile device in real time. Acquired by Google on April 2011 for about $35 million.
  • Punchd- A mobile app that grant customers the option to receive loyalty points and win free promotions after collecting certain number of points. Acquired by Google on July 2011 for $7-$10 million.
  • Wallet- The company’s service that allows paying for products in-store by using a smartphone.

Additionally, Google gathered a team specifically designated to create mobile apps for local businesses. This adds up to Google’s GoMo initiative which sets to assist business owners mobilizing their business online with free premium tools.

Another new interesting feature which Google suppose to launch at some point over the upcoming months is a “recommendation engine” that will personalize certain Google services for business owners.

Why is Google so nice to local business owners you ask? According to the local media research firm BIA/Kelsey, in 2011 local digital ad spend in the U.S. was $21.2 billion and by 2016 it predicted to climb for nearly $40 billion. Got your answer?