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Google Has a Crazy Idea to Bring More Ads to Google Maps

Google Maps already has ads, as the Mountain View-based search giant recently acknowledged this officially. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean the company isn’t always looking for new ways to bring home the bacon.
Patent drawing detailing the new ad approach 1 photo
Photo: USPTO
A recent patent filed by Google provides us with a closer look at one such idea, though we must warn you from the very beginning that you’re not going to like this.

Called “Valuing advertisements on a map,” the new Google patent describes a way to put more ads in a service like Google Maps, possibly even based on the location of the user.

Depending on a user's view of a map, different combinations of locations can be shown. Similarly, different combinations of advertisements associated with those locations can also be shown depending on the user's view of the map and the amount of display space available for advertisements,” Google explains in the patent.

Advertisers can advertise on a map to promote businesses that may satisfy a user's intent, such as to identify a navigational route, to explore a geographical area, or locate desired products or services. These advertisers may also find value in differentiating themselves from other advertisers, and/or from being unique in their local area.

A drawing included in the patent application also provides us with a closer look at how everything could work. It essentially confirms that Google Maps could at one point determine your location and then be able to display ads in those places where buildings are typically located.

These buildings can be businesses or places advertisers would want to highlight on the map, and Google says the whole thing can actually “have a positive impact on the user.

Of course, it’s important to keep in mind the whole thing is still in the patent stage. That means we’re far from the moment it goes live (if this ever happens), so fingers crossed for Google Maps to remain as clean as possible despite such ideas.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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