Google has re-launched its maps service in New Zealand, raising the stakes in an already crowded field…
Auckland, New Zealand –- Google Inc. today launched the Google Maps New Zealand service at maps.google.co.nz, enabling users in New Zealand to find the local information they want more easily.
The Web search giant has operated a basic New Zealand maps site for some time but has now added more features, including business listings and driving directions.
“The maps.google.co.nz site also now supports Google Maps for mobile phones (at www.google.co.nz/gmm).”
Searching for a type of business such as a restaurant brings up reviews from other website. People can also add their own.
In addition to providing maps and satellite images, the expanded service includes New Zealand business listings, driving directions, the ability for New Zealanders to create, share, personalize and annotate maps as well as support for Google Maps for mobile.
Internet search giant Google has partnered a New Zealand company to roll out an online mapping service with local business listings.
“Providing much of the business data is online search company apnfinda Ltd.”
The launch of Google Maps New Zealand is helpful for businesses who want to provide information about their Web pages to users searching within a local area. Google Maps New Zealand contains comprehensive local business listings from apnfinda Ltd and www.finda.co.nz.
For example, Christchurch residents searching for a mechanic in their neighborhood can simply enter the keyword [mechanic], plus their suburb into the search field to receive a list of nearby mechanics. Each result is accompanied by a phone number, street address and links to related websites such as those of other mechanic services in the area and further useful information.
Its managing director, Shane Bradley, said the deal would greatly increase the visibility of local businesses that listed with his website.
“What this gives us is distribution for businesses that list on our site. We have got 225,000 of those and what allows us to do is get them in front of all the Google users.”
Bradley founded finda in 2004, which is owned 50:50 by himself and APN News & Media, the publisher of the New Zealand Herald.
In March Finda bought well-known mapping company Wises and business data directory UBD for an undisclosed sum. Both Wises and UBD were owned by APN.
Bradley said apnfinda’s rapid growth has seen it leap to the forefront of directories websites. It had a combined traffic with Wises of 680,000 users a month.
“Google, he said, was rumored to have 2 million users a day in New Zealand.”
Basic business listings are free but New Zealand companies can also buy adverts on specific map searches, such as restaurants in Wellington. These are displayed as “sponsored links,” shaded blue, above and below the natural search results.
Businesses can also add listings for free via the Local Business Centre, but do not need their own website to add a business listing.
The launch is also good news for advertisers. Google AdWords advertisers can now reach customers searching for businesses, products and services in New Zealand using locally targeted advertisements.
The launch also allows users to create their own mash-ups using Mapplets to create personalized maps with locations highlighted via a wide-selection of icons, lines and shapes, text, photos or YouTube videos.
“Google Maps New Zealand combines extensive business listings and relevant information from across the web to give New Zealand users a powerful and easy-to-use source to access the vast array of local information they need,” said Carl Sjogreen, group product manager, Google Australia and New Zealand.
Google is not breaking much new ground with the service in New Zealand. Microsoft’s Live Maps service offers driving New Zealand driving directions, while Zoomin and Wises let you search for businesses in an area.
Zoomin allows users to tag places with their own photos and post reviews of businesses.
But, Sjogreen said Google Maps stands apart from the competition because it lets people find the information they want faster and easier.
“We hear from users all the time that Google maps are the easiest one to use.”
Google Maps New Zealand contains popular features that enable New Zealanders to create, share, personalize and annotate maps, such as:
My Maps: Enable users to quickly and easily create personalized maps and share with friends and family anytime. Users can mark locations on a map from a wide-selection of icons, draw lines and shapes, add text, photos or YouTube videos.
Mapplets: Which are mini-applications that enable users to add valuable third-party content directly on Google Maps with a single click — Users can save their customized maps to their personal library. This makes it easy for users to view and integrate different tools and maps, containing information such as distance measurement, hiking trails, events and photos.
Numerous other features such as: the ability to write and read business reviews, embed maps in other websites and much more.
“Google Maps is the ultimate platform for viewing, creating, personalizing and sharing local information and we’re thrilled to bring it to our New Zealand users,” said Sjogreen.
Significantly, the information will also be available on mobile phones at: www.google.co.nz/gmm. The dynamic mapping feature provides them with a simple way to find location and local business information and then navigate around the map from their mobile device.
Google’s recently announced “My Location” technology enables New Zealand users to approximate their location on their mobile phone and view surrounding local businesses.
Google Maps has been rolled out in much of the world already, and the business search service was the last plank in a truly localized version, Sjogreen, said.
It would provide “a rich picture of all the businesses in New Zealand.”
Sjogreen declined to discuss the terms of the relationship, but Bradley said that the partnership did not involve the exchange of cash or shares.
Asked what apnfinda’s business goals were now, Bradley said its focus remained on growing its business as rapidly as possible.
“Both apnfinda and Google are reliant on advertising for revenue.”