Pick a coupon, any coupon

A recent addition to the Google Local Business Center enables companies to link directly to coupons listed on Google Maps. Links can go to all coupons or individual ones.

The little-known coupon feature in Google Maps was introduced two years ago and has received little visibility — something that may change slightly with the integration of direct links to coupons, surmises Mike Blumenthal, who nonetheless criticized Google for failing to build a coupon widget that enables websites to embed coupons where they wish — a more visual, and potentially more attractive, option for vendors.

Online coupon-clipping has gained steam with younger shoppers, especially as economic doldrums drives more shoppers to the 'net for deals. As of April, coupon use was recorded to have hit early 1990s levels and is contributing, at least in part, to the slow erosion of the effectiveness of direct mail.

The Google Local Business Center recently also added a verification process for those that engage its bulk upload process. Bulk uploads enable companies with more than 10 brick-and-mortar locations to enter each location's data into Google Maps all at once.

Image credit: Mike Blumenthal.