Google is testing a new type of AdWords ad, this one which pops up right on a Google Map when someone is viewing local results within Google Maps itself.
Local SEO expert Joy Hawkins spotted the test.
Here is what it looks like:
What is especially noteworthy is that this isn’t an ad for the business the maps user is showing on the page, but rather for a competitor. That competitor just happens to be located near the business being looked up on the map.
Google has experimented with various way to showcase advertising via Google Maps, but the most common way is in the left sidebar when showing business results, such as here:
This seems to be a limited test, as there are no other reports of anyone seeing this in action yet.