Google Offers

Google refreshed Google Places for Business last night with a new look and feel.

The streamlined interface now makes it easier for businesses to update their information, and a helpful widget will even outline what they should do to fully complete profiles.

Profile edits will also now appear across all of Google’s products, like Google Maps, within 48 hours, but the improved integration doesn’t stop there. The official Google and Your Business blog has the story:

Through this upgraded interface, you will be able to access your local Google+ page to take advantage of social features like sharing photos, videos, or posts. For businesses who also use AdWords Express and Google Offers, managing your ads and promotions is easier than ever. You can check results and make edits directly from your upgraded Places for Business dashboard.

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Google Offers will sponsor free Wi-Fi in New York City this summer starting today.

The sponsorship is possible through an agreement with Boingo Wireless. New Yorkers and tourists can now access free Internet at six subway stations and over 200 Boingo hotzones around the borough of Manhattan. The Wi-Fi coverage extends below street level and will last through Sep. 7.

“New Yorkers using the complimentary Wi-Fi services can check out deals from local businesses from Google Offers when they connect at Boingo hotzones throughout the city and at the following subway stations with wireless networks deployed by Transit Wireless,” explained the press release.

Google Offers is an infant deal-of-the-day website that caters localized savings to major geographic markets in the United States. It is the first sponsor of Boingo Wi-Fi, so today’s news is clearly a brand campaign for Google. However, Boingo will also benefit by expanding its initiative. The wireless tech plans to reach 36 subway stations by the end of 2012, with over 270 stations getting access by 2017, to create “a distributed advertising and sponsorship network reaching the subway system’s more than 1.6 billion annual passengers.”

Boingo Wi-Fi is already available at New York-area airports, retail centers, sports venues, hotels, fast food restaurants, and more.

The press release below.

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Google just announced on the official Google Mobile Blog that it is releasing a Google Offers app for iPhone. The app is available on the App Store now for United States users, which is just in time to take advantage of today’s Netflix deal that offers movie theatre tickets for $1 to new subscribers (free one-month trial available here). Google outlined the available cities and some features for the iPhone app below:

Cities available (US only): Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, NYC, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Oakland / East Bay, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, St. Paul, St. Louis, Tampa and Washington D.C.

• Instant savings, just around the corner: Quickly discover offers near you in map view or search for deals by category to easily find the right deal for you.
• See & use the deals you want, when you want them: All of your purchased and saved offers are tracked in “My Offers,” for easy access from your iPhone or online.
• Savings made simple: Instantly redeem most offers with your iPhone, without having to print vouchers.
• Never miss a great deal: Get notifications when new deals are available or when a deal that you’ve purchased or saved is about to expire.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yBrbIQ-1g80]

Google just updated its Maps for Android app to version 6.7 by adding a number of notable new features like integration of Google offers, indoor walking directions, and new 360-degree Street View-like panoramic views for the insides of certain buildings.

As for Google Offers integration, Google will launch the feature only in the United States and provide access to the deals through a new “Offers” option within the app’s “Maps” drop-down menu. The app will also let you opt-in to receive notifications for nearby deals. The feature is limited to the Android app, but we are likely to see Offers integration across all Google Maps products in the near future.

Another new feature rolling out to both U.S. and Japanese users is the ability to get indoor walking directions, but this is in addition to the indoor floor plans launched earlier this year in version 6.0 and will only rollout to select buildings initially.

Taking advantage of its Street View technology, Google is introducing 360-degree panoramic views in version 6.7. To access the feature, Google noted to keep an eye out for the “‘See Inside’ section on the Place page of select businesses.”

Google Maps 6.7 for Android is already available to download from Google Play here.

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Google Offers, the search giant’s deal-of-the-day website that launched six months ago, is now expanding to five new cities in the United States. Beginning today, people in Charlotte, Kansas City, Milwaukee, San Antonio and Tampa can take advantage of the Offers website to subscribe to great deals in the aforementioned cities. According to a post over at the official Google Commerce blog, these deals include $11 for a beer tasting, growler bottle, souvenir glass and soft pretzel at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Charlotte ($22 value), $5 for $10 of food and drink at Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque Restaurant in Kansas City, $5 for $12 toward burgers, brews and more at Sobelman’s Pub & Grill in Milwaukee, $10 for $20 of fine sandwiches, pasta, steaks and more at Liberty Bar in San Antonio, and $5 for $10 of Greek cuisine at Louis Pappas Market Cafe in Tampa. You can subscribe to these and other deals via email at google.com/offers or through the Wallet app on the Galaxy Nexus smartphone on the Sprint network.

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Google has released an update to their Shopper app conveniently giving users information on daily deals, including Google Offers. The update adds a “Offers” and “My Offers” tab at the bottom, along with the Shop tab you know and love. The Offers tab displays deals in map view that are available in your city. The deals you find can be saved in the My Offers tab for later use. Businesses can publish deals through Google Places. If Google Offers is available in your city you can redeem your purchased offers in the My Offers tab. Check out the update in the App Store.
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While Google Offers has been available in Portland, OR for sometime, Google has today launched offers in New York and San Francisco. Google Offers gives users daily deals on local items and services, just like GroupOn, Living Social, and GILT City. To start using Offers, locals can sign up on the Offer’s website or use the Google Shopper Android app.

Google also announced that Offers will be on its way to Austin, Denver, Washington D.C., Boston, and Seattle soon. See any good deals?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHKum7fidIk]

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Google Offers hit the web about a month ago in Portland, Oregon. The service is a competitor to sites like Groupon, LivingSocial, and Gilt City – to name a few. These types of services give users deals on products. Business Insider has published a story on why they think Google Offers will succeed, and also provides information about the service. Business Insider has posted three points outlining what Offers offers over its competitors.

“Vastly better payment terms than other deal providers, especially compared to Groupon”

The vastly better payment terms Business Insider is talking about is that Google will give merchants up to 80% of the voucher revenue in four days, and the other 20% will be shared within a 30-90 day range. Google also requires that the service or product be immediately available, while Groupon’s doesn’t.

 “Google pays merchants for vouchers that are sold but not used; Groupon doesn’t”

Groupon will only pay merchants for vouchers that are used. Google wants to sweet talk merchants by giving them a split of the revenue for ever voucher sold, even if it’s used or not. This method seems a little more fair.

“Google will eventually “distribute” deals to consumers through many other channels in addition to email, including search ads, display ads, Android phones, Google Wallet and “Places” pages.”

Lastly, it’s obvious that Google has a better channel to promote products. Don’t forget about Google’s widely used ad program (though a Google Spokesperson said this won’t be a factor), Android devices, the new Google wallet , and “Places pages”. Merchants will want a network that can market their product through more channels.

Business Insider also gives a fourth point: a Google salesperson in New York promised SEO benefits to a merchant. Now, what company wouldn’t like that? But.. a Google spokesperson had this to say: “Google Offers has no influence whatsoever on the ranking of Google search results.”

Google Offers is reportedly on its way to San Francisco and New York later this year. The lingering question is will this take off? Leave us your opinion in the comment section below.

When you pay with your phone, it automatically redeems offers and earns loyalty points for you

Boom, Google Wallet has gone live at the just-finished presser in Google’s New York office. The search Goliath means business, that’s for sure. They’ve managed to convince the journos like us who have seen it all that Google Wallet is no toy. We have here an end-to-end mobile payment solution which quite possibly marks an inflection point in e-commerce. I ain’t drinking Google’s Kool-Aid, bear with me for a sec.

There are two pieces to it: Google Wallet itself, which runs as a native app on your mobile device equipped with an NFC chip, and Google Offers, a Groupon-like service providing rebates, savings and offers that can be easily redeemed on your device, at the points of sale. One click on an offer on the web sends the coupon over-the-air to your devices authorized for Google Wallet. You can also use your device’s camera to snap the Google Offers icon found on printed marketing materials such as in-store posters, banners, print ads and so forth.

Paying for goods is a one-tap affair involving waving your device in front of the wireless payment terminal at participating merchants. The transaction is processed within seconds and directly settled with your issuing bank. In addition, your device negotiates with the merchant’s terminal to automatically redeem offers and earn loyalty points for you. Someday, Google boldly proclaimed, stuff like boarding passes, tickets, ID and keys will be stored in your Google Wallet. You will also get electronic receipts that will eliminate bills on paper. Looking good so far. What’s the catch?

The keynote demonstration had Google’s speaker buying a shorts for his daughter. He waived the phone and the clerk’s terminal took into account his loyalty card and automatically deducted his saved coupon. The live transaction was handled successfully in the second try.

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