Read All About It - Google Maps Australia Links With TrueLocal
By Martin Kelly, Editor, Search Engine Room Local search just got turbo-charged with the relaunch of Google Maps Australia – which features not only greater functionality but also business listings from News Digital Media property, truelocal.com.au. News Digital Media COO Nick Leeder, who is speaking at Search Engine Room, said the entire truelocal.com.au business listings database, both paid and unpaid, will be utilized by the Google database. “We also provide Yahoo! Local with data for their local search product but ideally we would like to see people use truelocal,” Leeder told The Australian. Businesses can also list for free, direct with Google Maps Australia. The relaunch brings the Australian service into line with its UK and US counterparts. It offers local map and satellite images, driving directions and mobile phone support through a free downloadable Google application. But while the launch created a lot of publicity, not all of it was positive. A Sydney Morning Herald reporter asked Google Maps Australia how to cross the street, and was sent on an 18 minute drive across town. That’s a long time to reach his destination – the local pub. Google’s response was that it’s a ‘Beta’ product and bugs are to be expected. The Google/News links follows last year’s AdSense/search deal between the groups involving MySpace. Search Engine Room Latest News
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Events
Australia’s original search marketing and optimisation event, Search Engine Room, is returning to Sydney with a fresh theme and approach. Highlights include:
Search Engine Room an Australian-owned event that strives to reflect the market in which it operates while embracing international trends. It’s outward rather than inward looking, taking great care to incorporate consumer and marketing priorities into innovative and provocative programs. The program will be launched the week beginning July 21. Informative, educational, provocative and sometimes controversial, Search Engine Room is the leading event for Australasia's rapidly-growing search industry. It's held annually, attracting widespread industry support, and has a reputation for quality content, excellent event management and staging. The program focus is on respected, well-connected speakers delivering topical, relevant information. Search engine optimisation and marketing is well-covered, while broader industry issues are also addressed through interviews with leading search industry figures. There are case studies and debates, plus panels led by informed journos. Audience interaction is encouraged and Search Engine Room always makes an effort to be forward-looking, tracking the latest search and digital trends. Consumers are also given the once-over, enabling delegates to gain a better understanding of their customers. This format has great appeal and delegates come from around the country. Apart from search marketers, marketing managers, e-commerce managers, online business owners, senior management, digital media executives and agency types predominate. Companies large and small from diverse industries are represented. Some have been in the game for years, others are just starting out. A good way of keeping in touch is to subscribe to Search Engine Room News, which is packed with original content and comes out every five or so weeks. If you have any questions, please call Martin Kelly on 612-9882-1575. Meanwhile, here are some images from the 2007 event.
Bookings are now open for TRAVELtech 2008 - Australia's leading online travel marketing, distribution and tech event. This year's theme is the open-ended Year of Living Dangerously? It can be taken a couple of ways ... the obvious: oil, inflation, interest rates and marketing costs up - challenges ahead. But it's also a question, and the good news is there's increasing evidence the online channel may be the place consumers turn at times like these. Find out more at TRAVELtech 2008. Confirmed speakers are listed below, while the latest program has just been posted - it's packed with industry leaders and topical content.
TRAVELtech, founded in 1999, focusses on the latest online travel marketing and web-based innovations. It has a well-established reputation for delivering relevant, high-quality content and excellent networking - more than 300 delegates attended in 2007. If you have any questions, suggestions or would like to sponsor, please call Martin Kelly on (612) 9882-1575. Please visit the TRAVELtech photo gallery to see some photographs from the 2007 event. |
