Google Becomes an App Machine
October 28, 2018
Google looks for ways to better the search experience and according to Reuters they might have a new way to search: “Google’s ‘Reserve’ Tool Winning Converts, Taking Search To Next Level.” And ads are important too. Right, Mr. Reuters?
Google’s newest project is the Reserve app that had a quiet launch this year. Reserve users have lauded its ease of use and sparing them a phone call. What is Reserve? It is a search app that is a cross between Yelp and Google Maps. For example, if you want a massage at 6:00 PM near your work, you input your search terms into Reserve, and it returns massage studios near you with available appointments. It even allows you to pay and book an appointment without ever having to speak with a person.
Business participants are happy, because it is driving new customers to them and the customers are happy with the ease of use. What would this mean for Google?
“The early results are a good sign for Google’s strategy for search at a time when it is battling technology rivals to guide consumers to shops, products, recipes, music and more. Google wants to do more than supply users with a list of web pages that they must research themselves. The next step is to complete tasks for them and provide direct solutions.”
Google Assistant will become a bigger feature in Reserve as the app faces upgrades. Google Assistant will take over the booking from the users with a simple vocal command. The market for appointment booking is brand new, but also hot for consumer brand development and competition.
Google is not currently charging any of the businesses listed in Reserve a fee, but in the future it could offer advertising packages to businesses who want an ad featured in Reserve or even charge for inclusion in the search results. There is concern that Google is watering down consumer and business relationships in an effort to capture data, but this is also how the market is shifting.
Amazon Home Services and Yelp are also working on their own booking services, but these projects are still in the development phases. Google’s Reserve is just a search tool masked in an app interface, but it does take out the guesswork.
Whitney Grace, October 28, 2018
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