Google recently released version 2 of its popular Google Maps API. Based on changes in the Terms of Service, there’s no question about whether ads will appear in the API. The question is “when?”

The Terms of Use don’t say anything about sharing map ad click revenues. I think Google WILL share money with eCartographers and further, that this will help drive the next wave of offline/online convergence. That will happen on mobile devices. As we search for love and good deals (or good deals on love) in the real world

WHEW. So to start at the beginning, here are some of the more intelligible-to-this-non-developer changes to the Google Map API:

• NO PAGE VIEW LIMITS “If, however, your site gets more than 500,000 page views per day, we ask that you talk to us before you launch so that we can prepare in advance to handle your traffic.”
• 90-day notice before any advertising-related changes, ability to opt-out of ads on your maps
• custom map controls
• custom map types
• Much smaller JavaScript download “improves performance and stability”

All this adds up to better maps. We should all be watching Google Maps Mania to see how the change in the API changes what the developers are making.

Now I want to – loosely – tie in a web components post by nat from the O’Reilly blog. He mentions the new Google Maps API because it “includes a… system for developers to build and integrate their own controls onto the map.”

This ability to change the controls on maps is a big deal to him because it means that developers can better customize map interaction to the needs of their users. Yes – this means better maps. To Nat though it also points to an increasing trend towards a “…vibrant third-party market for custom controls.”

This “vibrant third-party custom control market” could – as I understand it from my idealistic and abstract perspective – point towards part of the solution for newspapers (can newspapers figure out how to reward – not the writers – but the republishers? can developers save the sinking journalism ship if journalists have a News API?).

WHEW. Ok, to reel this back in to the original idea. Maps + Mobile = doorway to local.

The online local marketing checklist:

• get your site looking good for mobile browsers (would you like information on this?)
• advertise on maps (right now it’s only Google – that will change)
• figure out how to market with the Google Map API (or whatever’s the NEXT map API)
• investigate click to call advertising
• track your incoming calls
• connect the entirety of your inventory to the web so that searchers know whether or not you have their products in stock (when necessary technologies become available)
• be prepared for changes in how people shop as technology changes (you will see FAR more in-store price comparisons happening)

People are starting to use Google Maps in their marketing campaigns. You can add your local business to Google AdWords, and icons appear on the map for businesses. These are pre-configured and can’t be customized by the advertisers, but they can put their own logo on the popup that appears when the location is clicked. Anyone notice any maps ads yet?

via searchenginelowdown