expertSEM

Remember coupons? Well, those rectangle pieces of paper that you used to watch your mother cut out of the Sunday paper just got a huge face lift.

Early last week, just in time for Black Friday, the Google Local Business Center extended the ability to offer coupons on mobile devices. Previously, this was only done through printable coupons.

Now, when consumers search for businesses from their mobile devices, they will be able to see coupons from the device. Rather than bringing a printed coupon into a store, they will be able to show the coupon, formatted correctly, directly on the screen of their mobile device.

For business owners, coupons can be added and updated by claiming your business in the Local Business Center. Searchers can find these coupons on Google.com and Google Maps by searching for products and services in their area and then click through to the ‘places page’ of that specific business.

There will always be adaptation periods to wait out with any new release, but the simplistic nature at which Google coupons can be created should ease that along. That coupled with new opportunity for exposure afforded by Google, will likely inspire a fresh wave of mobile marketing exploits aimed at lifting the sagging holiday sales expected for many small businesses amidst a still-tenuous economy.