As reported by Bloomberg, Google will now be showing ads on Google Maps App as the search giant is aiming to turn its navigation service into a major platform for revenue generation.
Google Maps has remained an ads-free platform for 14 years since its launch however as disclosed by the company executives Google will allow advertisers reach Map users. The search engine company is also planning to augment the price of Maps’ principal technology that a number of businesses are using. A Google Map user may now come across suggestions of sponsored locations and paid listings while navigating for his/her desired destination.
Though Google is getting considerable revenue from its search business however it now has competitors like Amazon. Ads had already captured the top searches area on Google but Maps still remained an untouched territory for the search giant to monetize as a result of its giant user base.
However Google this time should remain more cautious as the company recently has already faced several issues relating to privacy, data collection, its ad business and competition in the US and Europe. The company already has the complete data as to where the users live & work, the restaurants they visit and the basic interests of the users. As remarked by Schindler, Google would of course come up with privacy-sensitive ways of generating personalized lists for users on Maps.
Though the search engine company had tested ads on its Map App a number of times but never rolled out the feature. In 2018 itself, the company made the voice-based directions from Maps to take the names of famous companies as landmarks that are already big buyers of its search ads. For instance, instead of ‘turn right on X Avenue’ the voice-based directions from Maps would say ‘turn right at the Y restaurant or business. However, as clarified by the search giant, these were not ads, but only more helpful landmarks.
Source: Financial Express