An update to MSN Maps, the free, public mapping site powered by Microsoft's MapPoint Web service, allows other Web sites to link directly to maps and driving directions on the site and adds a new opportunity for advertisers, but it will have a difficult time competing with a recent offering from Google.

The Feb. 2005 update to MSN Maps adds the following features:

Direct linking. Web sites can now create URLs that link to information provided by MSN Maps, such as a map of a location based on its street address or longitude and latitude, driving directions between two predefined locations, or a driving directions form prepopulated with either a start or end point (so, for instance, a user could enter a home address and get directions to a company's headquarters). Locations on these maps can be customized: for example, a business could create a link to an MSN Map with a pushpin labeled "Shareholders' Meeting" at the appropriate location.

For organizations that want to provide simple directions to one or a few locations from a Web or intranet site, the new service is a useful alternative to Microsoft's fee-based MapPoint Web service. However, information from the MapPoint Web service can be embedded directly into a Web page or corporate application, while the new MSN Maps feature merely links the reader to the MSN Maps site, including all the advertisements displayed on that site.

Brand Finder. This feature allows advertisers to place their logos directly below the MSN Maps interface. When users enter a city in the MSN Maps form, then click on the advertiser's logo, they're presented with a map displaying the advertiser's locations in that city.

Complete address pasting allows users to copy and paste an address into a single box, rather than having to split it among separate boxes for address, city, state, and ZIP code (for instance). Microsoft claims MSN Maps is the only free online mapping site that offers this functionality.

Internationalization. MSN Maps has added mapping information for Australia, Belgium, and Spain, bringing the total number of mapped countries to 11. In addition, MSN Maps will now be available on MSN Latino, a Spanish-language version of the MSN United States site.

Even after the update, MSN Maps faces significant competition from Google, which launched the first beta of its own mapping site earlier in February. Although Google Maps is currently limited to the United States and Canada, it has some interface advantages over MSN Maps and other competitors, such as MapQuest and Yahoo Maps. For example, to find a business on MSN Maps, users must first look up the business in MSN's Yellow Pages directory, then click an additional link for a map or driving directions; other mapping sites make users go through a similar multistep process. With Google Maps, users can enter a business name or general category (such as pizza) and a location (city or postal code) and receive a map displaying business listings collected from Google Local, which includes paid advertisers as well as information from public Web sites and directories. Google Maps also offers unique interface features, such as keyboard shortcuts and maps that can be "dragged" with the mouse to change the location mapped in real-time. (MSN Maps and other services require users to click on arrows, then wait for the new map to be loaded in the browser.)

Thus, although the update to MSN Maps might attract new advertisers to MSN and convince more organizations to link to the site, further updates might be necessary to keep users from defecting to Google.

MSN Maps is at maps.msn.com.

Direct linking to MSN Maps is detailed at www.microsoft.com/mappoint/msnmaps/mws_linking.mspx.

The home page for Microsoft's MapPoint Web service is www.microsoft.com/mappoint/default.mspx.

The Google Maps beta is at maps.google.com.