Local digital advertising professionals from around the world celebrated in late March when Google announced the addition of 39 new languages to its Google Maps platform. Some of the additions, like Filipino, Vietnamese, Burmese, and Swahili, are spoken by tens of millions of people around the world; others, like Swedish, Norwegian, and Turkish, are native to highly developed, geopolitically significant nations that one might expect Google to have included earlier. Together, the new languages are spoken by roughly 1.25 billion people.
The Google Maps expansion presents huge marketing opportunities for local businesses in the newly-served markets, and in areas where those languages are commonly spoken. It also indicates Google’s confidence in the future of paid and organic local digital marketing, which fits seamlessly into our connected, mobile world.
Another sign of the health of local digital advertising came when the navigation app Waze announced a new ads program last month. Advertisers can now plug their business type and location into the platform, define their budget, and be visible to drivers nearby.
Waze Local offers three ads units: Branded Pins, Promoted Search, and Zero-Speed Takeover. Branded Pins appear on the user’s map as they drive, acting as a digital store sign. Promoted Search ads appear at the top of Waze search results and include a brand logo. And Zero-Speed Takeover acts as a “digital billboard” that is shown to drivers only when they are at a complete stop.
Through technologies like wayfinding apps and wearables, businesses have near-constant opportunities to reach customers with useful, relevant messaging. Mobile devices are here to stay; it’s up to savvy business owners to capitalize on the opportunities they present.
As a Premier Google Partner All-Star Agency with access to valuable insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media can help your business reach customers when they are most likely to need your product. Whether through paid digital advertising or the optimization of local listings, our goal is to get your business found by the customers that matter.
Image credit: Michael Coghlan/Flickr
