Google Earth Driving Traffic to Google Maps? Really?

I found this coverage of yesteday’s Google’s live question-and-answer Webcast with analysts in FinFacts, a publication from Ireland.

Asked about which Google products aside from its search engine will help the company financially and when, Rosenberg said that local-search service Google Maps is “already a pretty significant” contributor. He referred to Google Earth, which leveraged the company’s acquisition of Keyhole Inc. to bring together satellite imagery and mapping, as a major success for the company. Earth has helped drive traffic to the local service, he said.

The text is credited to FinFact staff, so I was a bit skeptical maybe they got it wrong. I’m not familiar with the pub, so I looked for other sources. Amazingly, the Wall Street Journal has the identical text, credited to Riva Richmond (subscription only).

Nonetheless, does it make sense that a download-required 3D visualization tool would push traffic to Google Maps? How? I’m not aware that there a links in Earth to Map, but perhaps I’m not up on the latest marketing efforts for Maps or Earth.

BusinessWeek noted other intesting news on Earth/Map.

Still, Google has had some success veering off its customary path. The initiative Rosenberg named as being the biggest success in recent months was the acquisition of mapping program Keyhole. That led to the creation of Google Maps. Together with local phonebook listings—another example of traditional, nondigital information—Google Maps led to the Google Local service, which lets users find local businesses and landmarks while creating revenues with pay-per-click local business ads.

So far as I know Google Maps was based on Australian technology the company acquired long before the Keyhole acquisition.

Also interesting, most coverage of the call focusses on the disappointing pick up of Google’s print advertising endeavor.