Google is feeling extra generous this year when it comes to appreciating the small businesses looking to do big business this holiday season. As a result, Google has announced that they are enabling small businesses and other local retailers to display coupons for in-store use on mobile devices of Google-searching users.
Although Google has not previously given the small business community exceptional exposure to its mobile coupon platform and prowess, Google seems poised to make up for lost time with this latest endeavor.
Essentially, small business owners utilizing Google Local Business Center can quickly create and upload their mobile coupon offers. Consumers searching on Google.com using a mobile device will have access to the coupons on the businesses’ Place Pages. Coupons can then be accessed and viewed to show a retail associate at the point of sale.
Although this latest push by Google stands to benefit any advertiser dabbling in mobile marketing, small businesses are expected to reap the most rewards.
On the Google Mobile blog, product manager Alex Gawley wrote: “With more of you going mobile to search for this information, it makes sense for coupons to go mobile too… We hope you find these mobile coupons useful and that they help you save money, trees (fewer printed coupons), and your hands (from paper cuts) when you’re on the go.”
The simplicity with which Google coupons can be created, coupled with new opportunity for exposure now afforded by Google, will likely inspire a fresh wave of mobile marketing exploits aimed at lifting the sagging holiday sales expected for many small businesses amidst a still-tenuous economy.