April 21, 2006

Google Local Goes Back To Being Google Maps

Google gave us the heads-up about this earlier this week, that Google Local was going to be renamed Google Maps. Now it's happened. Either URL you use, http://local.google.com/ or http://maps.google.com/ comes back with the Google Maps name.

But wait a minute! Wasn't Google Maps just renamed Google Local a few months ago? Yep, back in October. Google explains briefly to News.com how they flip-flopped because people kept calling Google Local "Google Maps."

Hate to say it, but perhaps they should go back to two different sites. Local results can still be in Google Maps and vice-versa, but separately, they might be easier to maintain with more targeted front pages for what people probably expect. For example, compare Yahoo Local to Yahoo Maps.

Postscript: Google has more on the change on its blog.

Posted by Danny Sullivan at April 21, 2006 7:37 AM