Online reports indicate that the Internet giant can now target some geo-located ads within 200 meters of someone's position. The development comes as Google has updated its geo-located software to work not only with mobile phones but also with WiFi-equipped laptops.
But the catch is that as of now, the geo-location technology only works with web browsers equipped with a software called Gears. Google's Chrome browser and Android operating system both have this feature. Firefox also has plans to add Gears to its Firefox web browser.
Online analysts are abuzz over the development. Greg Sterling of SearchEngineLand.com said that it opens up whole new ways to market and deliver content and functionality.
"It essentially means that developers can tap into location and create more locally relevant versions of their sites or provide locally relevant information without requiring the user to enter location," he said.
Matrix Content President Stephen Bugbee told XBIZ that immediate access to a laser-targeted website would be especially attractive to gentlemen's clubs and adult escorts. For example, a customer would have instant access to a club's website by simply walking in the door.
Serious Coin's Desperate Andy agreed, though he added that targeting consumers within 200 meters might be overkill.
"The geo location advertising may be good for the offline adult DVD stores or other businesses with the fixed offline presence," he told XBIZ. "In the terms of adult sites it's not that important in my opinion — the Internet is a global thing. The only thing which is already used for adult sites is different pricing for various regions, which is based on geo-IP detection. But 200 meters precision is way more than needed for geo-IP billing."