Google's $10 Local Search Play

thefickler writes "Google has come come up with a novel way to boost the information it has about local businesses. As part of its Business Referral Representative program, Google is offering individuals up to $10 to visit local businesses and tell them about Google Maps and Google AdWords, collect information (such as hours of operation and types of payment accepted), and take digital photos of the business. Reaction to the program has been mixed."

Comments

I LOVE this idea.

[blhack]

Back when i was in school, the job i was working didn't quite pay enough to cover all of the bills...being able to toss a notebook in the car and go hit a bunch of places for 10 bucks a pop would have been a godsend for me and most of my friends. This is especially true if you plan; hit 10 places in one day all in a row (heck, if you live in a downtown area, just take out the whole street in an afternoon).

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[stoolpigeon]

It says $2 from google and another $8 if the business verifies that the information is accurate. I'd like to see what the rate of getting that $8 looks like. Because a quick $10 bucks might be worth it, but $2 - not so much.

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[ShaunC]

This is especially true if you plan; hit 10 places in one day all in a row (heck, if you live in a downtown area, just take out the whole street in an afternoon).

The problem is the economy of scale. If you're in a relatively large-sized metropolitan area large enough to have 10 businesses per day not far out of your reach, chances are good that your city also has a lot of other cash-strapped college students who would also love $10 a pop. The competition would be insane, and remember, $8 of that $10 only comes after Google follows up with the business and they verify the information you collected. For each business you stop at, take some photos, ask the manager a few questions, then go home and upload it all, you're only guaranteed $2.

Personally, I think this will wind up backfiring and taking a lot of Google's goodwill with it. As someone who managed a retail store in a previous life, nothing used to piss me off more than people coming in trying to solicit (especially trying to push anything advertising related). Shop owners are going to get really frustrated at Google after they start having to explain to 10 people a day that "no, I'm not interested in AdWords and besides, 10 people a day have been trying to peddle this shit to me for two months now."

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[blhack]

I was actually having a conversation with somebody about this the other day:

If you don't exist on local.google.com, you don't exist. My generation (I'm 20) doesn't use the yellow pages anymore, its WAYYY too slow, 8 dollars to have all of your accurate information on the de facto place for people to find businesses is one HELL of a deal.

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[pthor1231]

You know that yellowpages.com exists right? How is a search there any slower than a search on google? In fact, if I just want the phone number, yellowpages.com is a bit easier to navigate, due to it mainly being a phone directory.

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[orasio]

In the US, only old people use the yellow pages.

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[Vulva R. Thompson, P]

Ok, then I'm really missing something. Comprehensive business databases have been around forever (like InfoUSA or D&B) and can be licensed for comparatively little (compared to Google's scale). They're compiled and constantly updated from state databases. By definition, if a business is legal then it means that a tax ID and unemployment number has been assigned so it will definitely be in there. Maybe I'm not reading it right, are you saying that Google is trying to build theirs from the ground up through this program?

It's not spelled out, but from reading the Business Referral page I thought they're trying to enhance the existing business database by including information that is not usually there when searching. Stuff like business hours, pictures, etc. thereby expanding the content. This would have the effect of getting people in the habit of using Google when looking for local information in the future since it's that much better than the competitors.

No?

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[ShaunC]

Yep. As well as switchboard.com, and kevdb.infospace.com, etc. In fact, there's a nasty rumor going around that a few times a year, while you're at work and unable to catch them in the act, someone will toss a yellow bag into your yard, and if you open that yellow bag, there's a book full of phone numbers inside. I know it's passe, and it really isn't sexy, but it's usually pretty reliable. Most places don't change their phone numbers all that often.

Google is my first destination for many things, but phone listings aren't among them. I tend to have better luck with phone numbers (both ways: look up a business, or reverse-lookup a number who called me) on other sites. I've never used local.google.com for anything, and I use Google for a lot of stuff. The local aspect doesn't appeal to me, at least not yet. Maybe I'm out of touch with the current generation of web-2.0.71 users, but aside from internet cafes or eBay consignment stores, I can't imagine that "if you don't exist on local.google.com, you don't exist" really rings true in many cases.

Last month, I took a vacation. I found my hotel through Google (but not local.google), my directions through Google (won't do that again), and that was it. I showed up in town, found my room, and had good meals at a few locally owned restaurants that I found the old fashioned way... By driving past them and thinking "mmm, Mike's Steakhouse, that sounds good, I'll go there for dinner tonight." I have no problem with folks who want to use Google as a concierge to their city, or the myriad cities to which they travel. It blew my mind that I could get an up-close satellite view of my hotel and its surroundings from Google. But they're hardly a make-or-break thing for local businesses.

Tourists and natives alike will always be adventurous and they don't need Google to do so.

Re:I LOVE this idea.

[masdog]

Google is my first destination for many things, but phone listings aren't among them. I tend to have better luck with phone numbers (both ways: look up a business, or reverse-lookup a number who called me) on other sites. I've never used local.google.com for anything, and I use Google for a lot of stuff. The local aspect doesn't appeal to me, at least not yet. Maybe I'm out of touch with the current generation of web-2.0.71 users, but aside from internet cafes or eBay consignment stores, I can't imagine that "if you don't exist on local.google.com, you don't exist" really rings true in many cases.
I was camping with my family recently and didn't have Internet access during the trip. After a disastrous morning fishing where I lost two lures, I wanted to find a good bait shop to get some advice about the lake we were fishing on. So I pulled out my blackberry, fired up Google maps, and searched for bait shops (and several variations on that term) for that area. Only two local shops came up, and we set out to find them.

After an hour of driving around looking for these shops, it turned out that neither shop was in business any longer, and we had to settle for the sporting goods section at the local Super Walmart. Next time, I'll settle for talking to the person at the campground store.

And remember, kids....

[UncleTogie]

...Don't forget to factor in your time spent processing the materials, talking to the shop owners, getting to and from the shop, etc...

...and that's not even considering potential gas costs...

Anyone feel like doing a breakdown on cost/profit margin on this? Urban versus rural areas?

U.S. only :(

[aeschenkarnos]

Cool and stuff, but "... in the U.S.". WTF? Should be noted first in the article.

I VOLUNTEER!

[wamerocity]

To go and track down and get the info for all the stripclubs and brothels/"gentlemen's clubs".

Umm, possible legal troubles?

[Penguinisto]

I wonder if Google has ever heard of a Property Release?

While rare, I can see someone getting their panties in a bunch over their place of business being photographed without permission...

Then we have the "hey! I got an idea! let's photograph the inside of a Wal-Mart!" (where the photog will promptly get thrown out...)

Could be wrong (they might've covered, you know, permissions), but I can see lots of kids getting snagged in something like that. /P

Re:Umm, possible legal troubles?

[tjr]

Except in weird cases, you can photograph anything you want to from a public location. While you might not be able to go INSIDE Wal-Mart and take pictures [it's private property, and they have every right to make you stop], you're free to stand on the public sidewalk and take a picture of the exterior.

Many smaller businesses don't even care if you take pictures inside anyway... it's mostly the big chain stores that disallow it and, ironically enough, also tend to be less interesting to photograph in the first place.

will they even pay for all of the things you send.

[Joe The Dragon]

In from the
http://www.google.com/local/referral/termsAndCondi tions
  TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Compensation. For each month during the Service Period, Google will pay Contractor (i) for each Customer for whom Contractor has collected and submitted Customer Data to Google in accordance with these Terms and Google, in its sole discretion, has accepted or approved of the Customer Data submitted by Contractor for such Customer, a one-time fee of two U.S. dollars ($2) (a "Base Referral Fee") and (ii) if such Customer is a Verified Customer, an additional one-time fee of eight U.S. dollars ($8) (a "Bonus Referral Fee" and together with Base Referral Fee, "Referral Fees"). A Customer is a "Verified Customer" if and when Google receives written confirmation (whether by mail, email or on-line via a URL designated by Google) from such Customer that the Customer Data submitted by Contractor for such Customer is current, complete and correct. Payment of any Referral Fees is contingent upon Google's receipt of a completed W-9 Form by Contractor. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Referral Fees will not be considered earned by Contractor should Google, in its sole discretion, determine that it has previously received Customer Data for such Customer by a party other than Contractor and so inform Contractor no later than five (5) business days after Contractor's submission of such Customer Data. Google shall pay Contractor Referral Fees earned during each month, with payment for that month being made within thirty (30) days of the end of the immediately following month, if Contractor has earned at least twenty-five U.S. dollars ($25) for such month. If Contractor has not earned at least twenty-five U.S. dollars ($25) in a given month, then Google will defer payment until Contractor has earned at least twenty-five U.S. dollars ($25). Payment will be mailed to Contractor at the address provided by Contractor on Contractor's IRS W-9 Form. For the avoidance of doubt, (x) Google has no obligation to accept or sell Google products or services to any Customer and (y) in the event that a Customer purchases any Google product or service, Contractor is not entitled to receive any compensation or payment in connection therewith.

Perfect for the anti-Wal-Mart crowd.

[KTheorem]

This would be a great thing for those who want to help out the small businesses in their area. They can go out and literally put them on the map. The more people that are aware the small shops exist, the more likely people will be to shop there.

I know that I, for one, don't neglect smaller shops because I would rather go to Target. For the most part, I do it because I am unaware that there even is a small shop that could serve my needs.