Google has recently refined their coupon promotion techniques. One such refinement is including Google coupon results in the main search results page. 
In November, 2007 Google started using Adwords to promote coupons. For specific searches (pizza coupon) google would present Adwords that would take the user directly to view local coupons in Maps. Now on these specific searches Google is promoting Adwords to restauranteurs instead.
Of more interest and of more impact is the change in how Google is handling results on more general and higher volume coupon searches. On the coupon search phrase like “Coupon Buffalo, NY” Google is now integrating a link to their coupons very high in the ogranic results. In this example the coupon link appears above the Expanded Local OneBox.
The take away: Anyone creating local search marketing campaigns needs to consider the value of coupons and whether they can achieve some additional exposure by using Google Coupons. Particularly now while the coupon inventory in Google is the opportunities to be found are greater. It is also possible that coupon ranking authority may be related to the age of the coupon.
Mike -
This is something with which I’ve yet to have hands-on experience. Have you seen instances of people using these for non-retail oriented deals. For example, discounts on services….$20 off your first chiropractic exam, 20% off your first legal consultation? I’d like to see some coupons being used like that, if you know of any.
Miriam
Comment by MiriamEllis (636 comments) — January 29, 2008 @ 5:50 am
Miriam-
The answer is yes I have. In an effort to create authority for the local listing of a local insurance agent I encouraged him to have a coupon added to his Local Business Center Listing. I was not positive that it would help but I could see no harm.
Google is now returning the coupon in the main search result for his primary search phrase.
Mike
Comment by Mike Blumenthal (1945 comments) — January 29, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Hi Mike -
Any ideas on what geographic area qualifies Google coupons for display?
I can find Google coupons in the SERPs for “Coupon New York, NY”
but not “Coupon Los Angeles, CA.”
Do you think its based on merchant adoption, search volume or both?
Tim Cohn
Comment by Tim Cohn (3 comments) — January 30, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Hi Tim
My first guess would be merchant volume..I see that LA has only 250 or so coupons while NY has 640 some odd coupons.
Given that Olean only has 10-15 coupons it could also be some relationship between business listings and coupons or some other way to that determines whether there is adequate coupon inventory.
Mike
Comment by Mike Blumenthal (1945 comments) — January 30, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
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