Google has patented a new transport-linked ad service that links restaurants, shops, and entertainment spots with free or low-priced taxi rides to the location.
The new real-time ‘transportation-aware physical advertising conversions’ system integrates user information including habits, likes and preferences with location data collected from wi-fi, cellular and GPS tracking and let companies to modify their ads and special offers as per user preferences.
According to experts, the new transport-linked ad service would encourage consumers to react more often to location-based special offers.
The search major added that algorithms would work out the consumers’ location, the best route and mode of transport.
Google hopes that the addition of free or low-cost travel to the location would be the icing on the cake.
In addition, the real-time system would also assist advertisers in working out the charges of offering the transport sweetener against the potential profit margins.
"Getting a potential customer to a business location in order to conduct a sale may be one of the most difficult tasks for a business or advertiser," Google said in its US patent.
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"An advertiser may have to offer various inducements, such as coupons, discounts, parking validations, in order to entice customers to the location.
"In some examples, ‘brick and mortar’ businesses may even be forced to invest in more costly real estate near high-traffic areas as opposed to lower-cost real estate in more isolated locations.
‘These factors may create a significant financial burden to a business."
The search major has also invested in autonomous vehicle technology with aims to facilitate users to be driven by a driverless vehicle to close by locations.
