![[Antezeta in Italiano]](/i/it.png "Vai sul sito Antezeta in Italiano")
![[Antezeta auf Deutsch]](/i/de.png "Antezeta auf Deutsch")
![[Print page]](/i/stampa.png "Print this page")
![[Contact us]](/i/posta.png "Contact us")
![[Site Search and Map]](/i/find.png "Site Search and Map")
It appears that Google will be rolling out Google Maps coverage for major European countries, including Italy, shortly. A preview with Italian data is available by using the Google Maps UK URL i.e. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=it.
Google Maps is three applications in one:
Companies listed in the Italian Yellow pages PagineGialle.it will probably appear in the first Italian release of Google Maps. Where Google Maps has been released, Google provides a Local Business Center interface to add, modify or delete a listing. Companies with more than 10 locations can upload a file through Google Base. These options are not yet available for Italy.
Local search has the potential to profoundly impact Italy's SMEs, the foundation of Italian commerce, as Google will probably integrate Google Maps data in the standard Google search interface. An example can be seen searching Google.com for Pizza in New York. Interestingly, Google Maps UK has not yet been integrated into google.co.uk searches.
Companies may wish to insure they are tracking Google Maps / Google Local traffic separate from standard Google web searches. This can be done by tracking the maps.google.* and local.google.* element of the referring URL separately from www.google.*.
While Google is by far the most important search engine in Italy, other significant players are not standing still.
The longtime favorite, Virgilio / Alice, has long integrated Maps with listings from Seat's Pagine Gialle. In the short term, Virgilio users probably won't gain much by switching to Google. Google will pull ahead if it displays local listings in its standard search results.
Yahoo! Italia does provide Yellow Page listings to find a business in Italy, and a separate map service but Yahoo! has not yet integrated business listings with Maps as it has done with Yahoo! Local Map search in the US.
MSN's beta local search, relies on data from PagineGialle.it. Unfortunately, there is not yet an independent mechanism to insert, modify or delete a listing; companies must pay Pagine Gialle for a listing.
Ask provides a yellow pages type business search in the US, integrated with a small map, as well as a separate map service. Neither has been released by Ask for the Italian market.
Many Google Maps options can be invoked by simply modifying the Google Maps URL in the browser address bar.
|
Option |
Description |
|---|---|
|
f=l f=q f=d |
Search the map (2 box) Find businesses (1 box) Get Directions (From - To) |
|
hl=it |
Interface Language, one of the major ISO Language codes (i.e. en, de, es, fr, it). |
|
q= |
What to search for, i.e. pizza |
|
near= |
Where to search, i.e. 20100 Milano |
|
om= |
Not clear... |
|
saddr= |
From (when f=d) |
|
daddr= |
To (when f=d) |
The Find business search can be specified in the default single box using the syntax <what> loc: <where>, i.e. pizza loc: 20159 milano
It is worth playing around with the search a bit. The same search, pizza 20159 milano entered as Search the map currently produces reviews in addition to listings.
Other Google Maps options include the possibility to print, e-mail or generate a permanent link for a results page.
To better understand the nuances of Search Engine Optimization and Web Marketing, let Antezeta help you with your Search Engine Marketing Needs!
Contact us today to find out more about this topic and the rest of the Web Ecosystem!
