Google Seeks to Monetise Maps with Digital Billboards in StreetView

Google StreetView BillboardGoogle has announced that it is planning to expand its DoubleClick ad platform with a new format that places ads within Google Maps StreetView function, based on the location the user is searching for.

The format is being trialled among users in San Franciscos Bay Area but will affect their searches no matter the location they are looking at. It places display ads over existing billboards in frequently searched areas including Times Square in New York and Piccadilly Circus in London, with advertisers already present in the StreetView image able to pay to simply remove the digital billboard and reinstate their own creative.

“Real life billboards change to reflect new campaigns and new deals between publishers, marketers and brands,” said Peter Staker, vice president of Map and Translation Monetisation at Google. “Just because a particular ad has been captured using Googles revolutionary StreetView technology, doesnt mean it shouldnt be subject to the same sort of turnover.

“The digital billboards are no more intrusive than real advertising, and mean that people navigating using StreetView will see content that is more relevant to their interests, and more suited to their needs.”

While the pilot scheme is only using display advertising over existing billboards, Google did not rule out the introduction of rich media or video formats in the future, or confirm that ads would not appear in additional locations where there is currently no advertising presence.

“Every day, tens of thousands of people look at the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower using StreetView. If we can offer those people a link within the map that could book them a ticket to Paris or recommend a restaurant in New York, I think people would be very interested in that,” said Staker.