Sensis and Google today announced a commercial agreement to provide Australians with access to Yellow™ business listings on Google Maps™.

The agreement:

• enables users of Google Maps to search across all local business listings provided by Yellow™, Australia’s most comprehensive local business directory; and
• makes it possible for businesses advertising with Yellow™ to be found by potential customers using Google Maps to look for a local business.

Announcing the agreement, Sensis CEO, Bruce Akhurst, said:

“Helping our customers grow their business is at the heart of everything we do. This agreement enables our Yellow™ advertisers to further extend their online presence and benefit from the significant reach of Google Maps1. It’s all about helping to deliver more customers through their doors,” he said.

“The agreement means Yellow™ advertisers can now potentially be found by more customers than ever before. They can be found in our print and online directories, over the phone, in a growing range of satellite navigation devices, on mobile phones, on search engines and on online mapping sites, which now includes the popular Google Maps,” Mr Akhurst said.

General Manager of Google Australia, Karim Temsamani said:

“In all sectors of the economy, the internet is an important part of Australians’ research and buying patterns, whether they buy online or offline. Small businesses are realising the importance of extending their presence online to reach customers. Searching Google Maps is a popular way for consumers to find local businesses and services.”

Google Maps, which includes popular features such as My Maps™ and Street View™, is available online at maps.google.com.au. Business listings from Yellow™ are scheduled to be available in the first quarter of the 2009 calendar year.

Also announced today, Google will provide web search and advertising through Google’s AdSense for Search™ advertising program on sensis.com.au and partner sites such as bigpond.com. This will provide users with fast, accurate web results through Google search as well as relevant text ads when performing a search directly on these sites.

Google’s web results and text ads on sensis.com.au and partner sites are scheduled to be available in the first quarter of the 2009 calendar year.

1 Google Maps is used by 2.6M Australians each month (Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, July 2007 – June 2008).

About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.google.com.

About Sensis

Sensis is Telstra's advertising business and Australia's leading directories information resource, helping Australians find, buy and sell. Sensis delivers innovative and integrated local search and digital marketing solutions via print, online, voice and mobile channels to connect Australians 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sensis' powerful, multi-channel portfolio provides an unparalleled local information source incorporating the White Pages® and Yellow Pages® directories; the MediaSmart digital advertising business; the Whereis® digital mapping business; the Citysearch® entertainment and lifestyle website; the sensis.com.au search engine; the 1234 operator-assisted, premium voice information service; and the accommodation website gostay.com.au. Sensis is also a partner in some of China's most popular websites including real estate and home furnishings website, SouFun.com; auto websites Autohome.com and Che168.com; and digital devices websites IT168.com and PCPop.com.cn.