Olds noted also that as the user investigates their trip ever further, they gets increasingly specific travel-related ads popping up.

"Before, Google would just be able to sell the ads on the search site," he said. "But now, when someone investigates info from Frommer's, that's Google ad space, too...as well as the Zagat review."

However, both Olds and Gottheil said this move is about more than just beefing up Google search and Maps. It's also about Google, which has long been about pointing users to others' content, creating its own content.

"You could say that with Maps, Google has been into content creation for a long time," said Gottheil. "But Frommer's gives them authors and editors to help continue to generate content... It's a continuation of a strategy of adding geographically valuable content. It's new, though, in that it's a first step into professionally authored content."

Olds said he expects to see Google move more steadily in this direction.