Google will soon launch a limited test in Australia that will show additional business logos/icons inside of Google Maps. A Google spokesperson tells us that the “limited experiment” will only affect some Google Maps users in Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported on the upcoming test, saying Google Maps will be “plastered” with ads.

“Google confirmed it would begin ‘the experiment’ shortly but declined to name the participating companies or to say whether company logos would be shown in response to a user’s query and subsequently plotted along a route, or if they would remain live on the site permanently.”

Google also told Search Engine Land that it had nothing to announce about the test right now, and didn’t answer a question about whether the test will only involve the business logos of existing advertisers. The company did say that the Australian test is “in line” with the recent addition of special icons and labels of prominent places and businesses in Google Maps.

As Barry Schwartz pointed out on Search Engine Roundtable, Google already allows advertisers to show logos in their paid Google Maps business ads.

Postscript by Barry Schwartz: Tim Cohn spotted these icons not just inside the maps but also top sponsored results. I can reproduce them by searching for computer repair las vegas. Here is a picture:

Related Topics: Google: Maps & Local

About The Author: Matt McGee is Search Engine Land's Executive News Editor, responsible for overseeing our daily news coverage. His news career includes time spent in TV, radio, and print journalism. His web career continues to include a small number of SEO and social media consulting clients, as well as regular speaking engagements at marketing events around the U.S. He blogs at Small Business Search Marketing and can be found on Twitter at @MattMcGee and/or on Google Plus. See more articles by Matt McGee