Google Targeting $10 Billion Local Market

At an investor Q&A in New York, Sheryl Sandberg, Google's vp of Global Online Sales & Operations, discussed the company's latest push to target the $10 billion annually spent by local businesses on advertising. Sandberg pointed out how Google's local search product is vastly improved over what it was four years ago. Between Google Maps and Google Local results integrated into the Web search page, you can often get good local results for local queries. Advertisers are starting to use these services, too, buying placements on Google Maps that contain things like coupons. Sandberg notes that local ad dollars still represent a largely untapped opportunity. "When you think about what people are looking for when they look for local information, it is almost always commercial in nature. You're looking for a local product or service most of the time," she said. Google is now letting advertisers target by geographic location, so a New York-area advertiser knows its ad will only show up in front of someone looking for information in New York City. Offerings like this are a good step forward, but the main issue remains--getting tech-averse local advertisers to use Google's self-service AdWords system. "In that area, we think the market is widely under-penetrated," Sandberg said. "It sounds surprising to a lot of us, but even in the United States, arguably the most developed market in the world for ecommerce, less than 50 percent of businesses even have a Web site, or let alone advertisers." ( Read the whole story... ZDNet)

Problems with travel websites send many people to agencies

Customers lured by convenience and promises of the best deal are booking more trips online. But is Internet booking always the better way to go? That depends on the traveler and the type of trip.

The general rule is that the more complicated or expensive the itinerary, the better it is to book through a travel agent.

"The more components you add to your trip — hotel, plane tickets, etc. "... the more you should consider a travel agent," said Chris Elliott, National Geographic Traveler magazine's ombudsman and syndicated travel columnist. "The other thing, a human agent has the experience of visiting a hotel or a ship or a part of town. There's nothing like walking into an agency and talking to someone who has been there."

Jim Vallas of Phoenix, a frequent international and domestic traveler for business and pleasure, said more than anything people should consider their personality. He said he enjoys researching destinations and feels confident he's getting a deal. But Vallas also said his research isn't fail-proof, as he once booked a hotel in an unsavory part of Washington, when a travel agent might have steered him away from such a hotel.

Travel agents rally behind stories like these, saying a traveler who is looking for been-there, done-that knowledge should consult a real person, rather than a Web site, which naturally will show the best - if not exactly accurate - pictures.

Get the full story at St. Cloud Times

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