It would appear that Google is looking to launch a new service to coincide with their search engine. Much like the popular service known as Angie’s List, Google may be bringing out a new service that will pin consumers directly to different local businesses. Essentially, Google will become your one stop shop for locating a local home service repair business and connecting your directly with them. No longer will consumers be searching the yellow pages or browsing countless web pages for a decent electrician.
Recently Google has been integrating their services to further help consumers with mundane tasks such as comparing auto insurance. The new tool allowed consumers to view different quote comparisons between auto insurance providers by filling out a few simple questions. It can be speculated that Google will offer something to the same extent with this unnamed home repair service. According to BuzzFeed, sources close to the online publication stated that Google is working to bring out a brand new service that would tailor consumers directly to local home repair businesses in their particular area. If these sources are in fact correct, Google will be announcing the service during an advertising conference this spring.
At the current moment, it sounds as if Google will allow consumers to search a common home service through their search engine, for example “electrician”. After searching for the home service, Google will showcase all the electricians in their immediate area. We would imagine and frankly hope that Google will also integrate a quote of some of these displayed services, similar to Google’s auto insurance comparison. Google is clearly firing back to Amazon as the company delivered a similar service last month. Amazon unveiled recently a new service that will connect consumers directly to home services. However, within Amazon’s service, businesses are being invited to join and not freely given the ability to apply for admittance. On the consumer side of things, people are granted access to pricing, reviews and business hours. It will be interesting to see how Google will combat against Amazon and what it will mean for small businesses as they attempt to gain exposure. Again, this is only a rumor as Google has yet to confirm these claims.