Google Maps launching soon in South Africa

Seen a car with a funny-looking camera mounted on top driving through your neighbourhood? The good news is – you can promote your business on Google Maps and generate enquiries!

Google is currently collecting images in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth for Google Street View, the fancy, upgraded, real-life version of Google Maps. By using panoramic street-view pictures, Google Street View allows users to virtually explore and navigate a specific street or neighbourhood.

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Google Maps is gaining increasing popularity in South Africa, with growing numbers of internet users using Google Maps to search for specific addresses, directions or business information. Google Street View goes a step ahead, offering users the ability to see what the street actually looks like.

Should you be interested in buying a house, for example, you can check out the neighbourhood without having to drive all the way there.

Collecting the data will take several months, but the final product should be launched way ahead of next year’s soccer World Cup, Google says.

Google Maps and Google Street View also offer business opportunities. Businesses can embed Google Maps or Street View for free on their websites, making it easier for clients to find their premises, while Google Maps also offers free advertising space.

To benefit, businesses must enrol at Google’s Local Business Centre, which allows companies to add listings for their businesses on Google Maps. Contact information, website address, phone number, hours of operation, payment options, description of your business, photos and video can be uploaded free of charge.

Should someone use Google Maps to search for an address or area where your business is located, or use Google Maps to search for specific information relating to your business and your area, your details will appear next to the map on the left of the webpage.

To qualify, you simply need to sign up for a free Google account and register your business information. You will also have access to Google statistics, showing how many times your business listing has appeared in search results, plus the actual number of clicks to your listing.

Check out Google Maps at http://maps.google.com

Or list your business at http://www.google.com/local/add