Google pays you to visit local businesses for Google Maps information!

[sonny]

Google started a new program paying independent contractors $10 to gather basic info from local small businesses.
I signed up!

[google.com ]

[JohnRoy]

Why is Google doing this?

...With the Google Local Business Referrals (LBR) program, we're focusing our efforts on small businesses across the United States, helping connect them with potential customers in their communities.

Some other reasons?

[sonny]

Remember, it's all going local, and Google has the resources to try and dominate.

Thru the verification process they also establish a relationship with the business as well.

[JohnRoy]

Yes, and you also signed up. Congrats!

Still, anyone with some other reasons?

[tedster]

Point #2 on the linked page mentions informing the local businesses about Adwords.

JohnRoy, what are your ideas?

[JohnRoy]

- clueless.

But...
it's not necessarily only what they say.

Might be something more which can be boiled down here.

[tedster]

As far as I can see, this program is relatively transparent - it is exactly what they say it is.

By having the freshest, most accurate, and most complete Local Search results, Google solidifies their already strong position in Local Search. That's a big deal! Much local search data is not fresh, not accurate, and quite incomplete. Local data is a gorilla!

And by getting local businesses to think of Google as their top-of-mind online marketing channel, they also gain an advantage.