Multimap and Google provide locally targeted ads

The deal means Google can deliver geographically relevant ad campaigns from local businesses to reach their target markets, using the "Google Adsense":http://www.google.co.uk/adsense program.

The eight sponsored links that appear to the right of every map delivered on Multimap.com are now relevant to the user’s searched for location.

For example, users who have searched for a map in Leeds see links to businesses operating in the Leeds area, while users who have conducted a search in the UK capital view links to businesses operating in the London area.

Sean Phelan, founder and chairman of "Multimap.com":http://www.multimap.com, said: "Two years ago, advertisers weren't that interested in geo-targeting; a year ago it became a nice-to-have for over a quarter of our advertisers; this year one-third of our advertisers are demanding it; and next year we expect at least half to have a requirement for our geo-targeting capabilities.

“Local advertising is the next big thing in online advertising and it's great that a major search engine of the calibre of Google has recognised that targeting customers on the basis of place is just as valuable as doing so by content”, Phelan added.

Multimap said the adsense program is running on all its international public websites. While the ads are currently limited to city-specific local sponsored links, Phelan said the firm plans to make the advertising service even more localised in the future.

“We will keep improving our service until you can search Multimap for your local street, and see an ad for your local takeaway displaying the specials for that night,” Phelan said.

Adsense delivers targeted text and image ads to websites, with Google sharing the revenue generated from ad clicks with the web publisher. The search tool is hosted by Google and requires no additional resources from the publisher.