Like a drunken businessman, Google likes to throw its money around, buying up companies for $100million here or $200million there, seemingly on a whim. The fact is though, that their whims are (usually) well thought out ways to move Google, and our search experiences, ever onwards and upwards. Since 2001 Google has been acquiring companies regularly and usually when they bought some company that specialises in mobile advertising or voice search it meant that this area of technology would be where Google would take us next.
Now, given the fact that Google has been munching up a load of social networking companies including Jambool and Slide.com this year, and most recently Like.com, it can’t be long before Google has another go at launching a social networking monster to rival Facebook. Like.com’s CEO Munjal Shah said of the acquisition:
“We were the first to bring visual search to shopping, the first to build an automated cross-matching system for clothing, and more,”
“We didn’t stop there, and we don’t have plans to stop now. We see joining Google as a way to supercharge our vision and supercharge our passion.”
Would Facebook not benefit from being bought by our friendly neighbourhood behemoth? Or even, why doesn’t Google just gobble up Facebook and save them the hassle?
Google Like’s the Competition
Given that Google was created and is now run by a bunch of serious nerds, and the fact that their motto is ‘Don’t Be Evil’, I would hope that Google is happy to have a company with a bit of girth to give them a run for their money. If Google had been run by some hardcore business types Facebook may well have been boarded, pillaged and scuttled by now, but just maybe Google is enjoying the challenge like a good puzzle.
Google Think’s They Can Do Better
As Google has a near limitless supply of cash on their backburners, it’s not like they are in a rush to gather whatever meagre income they can through social networking when compared to their search income. So Google no doubt just wants to take its time, buy up all the best social networking talents in the world, get all their tech in place and make sure they get it right this time.
Google Doesn’t Need A Facebook
People like a good brand scrap: Pepsi vs. Coke, BMW vs. Mercedes, Disney vs. Dreamworks. So when two companies like Google and Facebook come along people love to see them jump into the ring and get in about each other. To truth is though, that Google really doesn’t need Facebook. It has about 90% market share in terms of search users, and while people do spend more time sat looking at a social networking page than at a search engine results page, the chances are that with Facebook ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ appearing on so many websites now, people won’t have to go on Facebook to benefit from some of its social functions for much longer.
Google Buying Facebook Will Be A Great End To The Movie
If Google secretly has plans to buy Facebook in a shocking hostile takeover bid, they may be delaying until they can sort out the details for the upcoming Google: The Movie. As you know every film needs a twist at the end, so why not surprise us all by bagging Facebook just in time to start shooting. After all, the proceeds could pay for a portion of the few billion it will probably cost to twist Zuckerberg’s arm into selling.
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