Google and Microsoft have invested huge sums in their competitive mapping platforms. Yahoo, for its part, opted out of that arms race some time ago. But independent EveryScape is building an interesting alternative platform and destination. Today at the Where 2.0 conference, the company announced upgraded site features and a new “Ambassadors” program that augments its “scape artist” community initiative.

EveryScape is seeking to use the community (the quasi-professional Ambassadors) to add content and sell ads to local businesses. Exteriors are free but building interior shots cost money. EveryScape CEO Jim Schoonmaker told me that the company has been having success selling the interior images to businesses once they see the site.

Here are some images from EveryScape of the Mosaic hotel in Beverly Hills, California:

The hotel is also using EveryScape imagery and technology on its own site.

This interior imagery is what primarily differentiates the site and its approach from Google Maps/Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth. I have some additional discussion of the site and its strategy on my personal blog, Screenwerk.

Separately, Google announced that it had upgraded its StreetView imagery for Manhattan.

Related Topics: Search Engines: Maps & Local Search Engines

About The Author: Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog Screenwerk, about SoLoMo issues and connecting the dots between online and offline. He also posts at Internet2Go, which is focused on the mobile Internet. Follow him @gsterling. See more articles by Greg Sterling