Opening the post-Christmas mail brought an unexpected surprise for the 9 Clouds office: a letter from Google maps. Inside was a letter informing us that we were a “Favorite Place” on Google.

What does this mean?

Well, Google has started a campaign to send a letter and a sticker to the 100,000 most popular businesses on Google Local Business Center. That’s the top 10% of business on Google Local, the powerful service that helps businesses post their basic information online so customers can find them. It is an incredibly useful service that when given attention can dramatically help increase web traffic and sales (contact us if you want help). What is interesting about the sticker is that there is a bar code in the bottom right corner. According to Cnet, mobile phone users (specifically I-phones, Android phones and most Blackberries) that have a camera on their phone and a QR code scanning application installed can scan the code to read information about the business, read and submit reviews and see photos of the business.

This offline campaign is one way Google is trying to expand its reach to the mom and pop shops (or brother and brother shops like us!). If the sticker is hung up, it offers a way for Google to capture the eyes of people that are not in front of a computer as the Cnet article noted. Plus, what a better way to get new advertisers than to make them feel special and send them a sticker to do a little old-fashioned flyer advertising.

While many mobile phone users probably don’t have QR code scanning applications installed, Google is trying to be where the eyes are going, and it seems more and more likely that mobile phones is the future in both online advertising and application development. As the line blurs between computer and phone expect more Favorite Places to pop up.

In the meantime, swing by the 9 Clouds office to test out the Favorite Place sticker.