Google has pushed more deeply into “crowdsourcing” with Maps, now enabling users to “report a problem” in addition to making edits themselves on maps. According to the Google LatLong blog:

You’ll find this “Report a Problem” link on the bottom right of Google Maps (you can also find it by right-clicking on the map). Has that new highway on-ramp finally opened up? Do we have an outdated name for your local school? Was Main Street converted into a pedestrian-only walkway? Tell us! Once we’ve received your edit or suggestion we’ll confirm it with other users, data sources, or imagery. We hope to resolve each edit within a month. If you submit your email address, we’ll even keep you posted on our progress.

What this does is allows users to provide feedback more broadly on issues or data in Maps than the “edit” functions permit. But each “problem” is subject to review and confirmation by Google (within a month). Complete and up-to-date data is a strategic advantage, which Google clearly understands. Equally it recognizes that “on the ground,” in the local arena only users can supply certain types of information.

Here’s the associated video:

Related Topics: Google: Maps & Local

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