Google+ check-in offers go live on its Android app

Google recently revealed its social network Google+ will support check-ins for businesses providing discounts through their Google Places page. Today, the capability was launched, but only through the Google+ Android application.

The social network is purposefully getting outfitted with as many Google features as the company can pack into it. Larry Page noted after Google’s quarter three earnings that the Google+ team feels as if it has delivered the “plus,” but is now sewing in the Google. Recently, Google+ and YouTube were paired together for those who wanted to share what videos they were watching with their circles. The Google+ mobile app also recently received search functionality.

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This new Google+ feature allows owners to promote their businesses not just on the Google Places page, but through the social network. Google Places lets business owners enter information about their companies, which then turn up in Google searches. On these pages, businesses can offer discounts that must be of good quality, or Google will remove them. Some of these offers must be redeemed at a specific location, think restaurants. When you offer a discount, now, you can force a buyer to check-in to that physical location on the Google+ mobile app to get the deal. Those who do check-in can opt to keep the check-in private, share with specific circles or make the action public.

Google’s intentions were originally uncovered by Mike Blumenthal was surfing the company’s Places help pages when he discovered a couple paragraphs on the launch. They read:

If your customers have to visit your locations in order to do business with you, you can request that they check-in on Google+ in order to redeem your offers. They can choose to share the check-in publicly or with some of their circles, which helps spread the word about your business on Google+. They can also choose to keep their check-in private and still redeem an offer.

If your customers do not have to visit your location, for example if you serve homes or businesses by delivery or by callouts, you can keep this option off (set to “No”) and customers will not be asked to check-in when they redeem offers. We use the Service Areas and Location Settings setting on your listing to determine if you have a service area for offers that have already been created. When you create new offers, you can choose whether to allow a check-in during redemption.

Google confirmed the move to VentureBeat and Marissa Mayer elaborated at technology conference Le Web saying, ““We think there are interesting ways we can monetize this, but also ways to help our users safe money.”

Ah, Google, ever advertising conscious.

[Hat tip and photo via MarketingLand]