Google Maps is testing a brand new characteristic drive — no pun meant — you climbed the wall. Google Maps consumer Anthony Higman posted concerning the incident on X, noting that he seen a pop-up advert he had by no means seen earlier than whereas driving on the navigation app close to Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey.
“You possibly can try this loopy new advert format on the Google Maps app,” Higman wrote. “I typed within the route on the coast after which as I handed this fuel station this advert for Royal Farms popped up and it mentioned ‘Add a cease’.”
Higman added that he didn’t enter any details about fuel or meals into the app. “Does anybody know what advert format that is?!?!?!” he requested.
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Google Maps could also be attempting out new pop-up advertisements
Google Maps seems to be testing a brand new characteristic that prompts sponsored pop-up advertisements for close by companies through the Cancel and Add Cease buttons with out prompting.
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9to5Google known as it “radical” and famous that that is an advert format utilized by Google in its Waze app. After all, Google Maps isn’t any stranger to sponsored content material. For instance, in keeping with Neowin, Google highlights sponsored companies on maps and search outcomes, particularly when folks seek for close by areas (similar to “pizza close to me”).
Nonetheless, sponsored advertisements pop up though Whereas driving, customers are prompted so as to add sponsored areas as stops on their route, which seems to be a brand new advert format that Google is exploring. Should you do not work together with the advert, it’ll disappear after a number of seconds. It’s going to solely develop while you click on on it.
In accordance with AndroidPolice, this so-called “intrusive” advert could also be based mostly on a memo Google just lately despatched to advertisers, which learn, partly, “We’re rolling out advertisements on Google Maps to assist advertisers such as you get extra Leads.” Google Maps cellular app for iOS solely. “
It is unclear whether or not Google is piloting the brand new advert format with a restricted variety of customers or plans to roll it out to a wider viewers within the close to future.
Mashable reached out to Google for remark. This text shall be up to date if we hear again from the search big.