Comments on: Google Coupons the Start of Something Bigger

By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » How many Google Coupons are there (updated)? | Developing Knowledge about Local Search

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:13:35 +0000

[...] In November of 2oo7, I used Google’s coupon search function to estimate the total number of coupons that Google was showing in major markets. Google introduced the coupon program in August 2006 and they Google announced a partnership with ValPak to help promote coupon use shortly after. [...]

By: SEO by the SEA » Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Research and Services » Blog Archive » Local Search at Rest, and Local in Motion

Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:03:44 +0000

[...] Businesses can create coupons for their goods or services in Google Local. This is nice because you can tell how effective the effort has been to market your business with Local Search when you see people start arriving with those coupons. Google’s patent application covering the use of coupons is Generating and/or serving dynamic promotional offers such as coupons and advertisements [...]

By: William Slawski

William Slawski — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:55:58 +0000

Hi Dave.

I wonder if this needs people need to be creative to take the best advantage of it.

Does the company do any advertising through other media, print or radio or local tv? For instance:

Try a “Search for us under “xxxx” in Google Maps and get both directions for our location and a coupon for x% off on your order.

Get them to print out a map and a coupon at the same time. If one of the companies in my area ran an ad like that, and it was something I was thinking about, I might consider doing that.

By: earlpearl

earlpearl — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 20:51:58 +0000

I think this is nifty….but with a huge BUT!!

I just did extensive research on search terms to my site for the last month. This local business is pretty well optimized for local terms. It is additionally high ranked for generic industry business terms so we are in an unusually strong position. The business is a local brick and morter business covering a regional area including Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland

Some stats over the last month:

3 visits from Google Maps!

Over 3300 total searches

Over 1,000 searches included combinations of relevant business terms and relevant geographical terms.

Additionally we received over 1,000 terms for the main industry business term and relevant 2ndary terms for the industry and business.

All things being considered, I have monitored my logs for a couple of years and the site sees very little usage of either Google Maps (formerly local) or Y or MSN Local.

I regularly look in depth at the long tail phrases that are combinations of geo and business terms. They are the best conversion phrases for the business. I consistently see this same phenomena. A wide number of relevant long tail phrases coming through direct usage of Google and other search engine search boxes….and minimal usage of either Y or MSN Local and Google Maps.

I have a test up with a coupon….but frankly I don’t have a lot of hope.

But I’d like to be pleasantly surprised.

Dave