Today I heard yet another interesting new idea from our friends at Google. Say what you will about the Googlers but one thing is for sure. They are creating "Blue Oceans" all over the place. Take yesterday's annoncement about Local Coupons. I love the idea - not because they could make loads of incremental $$'s from it - but because it's a creative way to further promote the whole concept of "Local Search". Think about it for a moment - most small business spend so much time just trying to stay afloat that they hardly have the bandwidth to develop, monitor and maintain a Search Campaign. It's hard enough to keep their websites up to date.

As Google draws in Companies which already use Paper Coupons - and persuades them to adopt this new model - other smaller companies will take note - their interest will be peaked and next thing you know - they're launching small keyword campaigns, or creating a handful of coupons.

Everyone knows that the LOCAL market is one key segment which could drive significant growth. Now Google will capture even more mind share because consumers will see them as trail blazers and solution providers. As always - value innovation is the key to creating sustainable growth in any Industry. You can be sure that Yahoo and other Search Engines will launch their own Coupon Offers very soon - and a Blue Ocean will become a Red One within a year. By the time it's key competitors are ready to respond, Google may have created yet another thougtht provoking offer or even spurned an entire new industry.

In their words - > "Google’s objective was to encourage local entrepreneurs to start using the Internet to promote their businesses"

I'd say they're on to something with this idea.........