QuickBooks 2007 will incorporate four Google applications, AdWords, Maps, Google Base, and Google Desktop. The interface will allow QuickBooks users to interface to paid keyword campaigns and Google Maps business listings. The Google Base interface will allow merchants to upload their product inventories into Google Base.
Intuit has an estimated 3.7 million small and medium-sized businesses.
This is an amazing joint venture between two market leaders. Google CEO Eric Schmidt quoted the ‘Long Tail’ as the reasoning behind extending this service through QuickBooks. The essential principles of the cause of the long tail are: 1, more powerful tools; and 2, distribution of those tools to the population.
By allowing Google to interface with QuickBooks, business owners will now have a central access point to advertise, manage, and promote their products. I am sure there will still need to be specialists and training involved, but the ‘long tail’ integration has started.
source: Online Media Daily