What does the future hold for Google?
September 27, 2010
Happy birthday Google! The search giant officially turns 12 today and to celebrate they have replaced their regular logo with an image of a cake. As the long undisputed king of the web they have a lot to celebrate.
However, Google has recently faced its biggest challenge – the growing threat of Facebook. Some have described the battle between social media and search giants as one which will decide who has ultimate control of the internet. While this may merely be hyperbole, it’s clear there is intense competition between the two. So, what does the future hold as Google heads towards the terrible teens?
At first glance the rivalry between the two seems strange, as they have opposite goals: Google’s to send you to another site as soon as possible; Facebook’s to keep you engaged for as long as possible. However, while the two have contrary aims, online advertising is the issue over which they have clashed.
The targeted nature of Facebook’s advertising service threatens Google’s business model. Facebook offers advertisers a unique platform to target specific individuals as it has unparalleled access to personal information about every user. Facebook’s now ubiquitous ‘Like’ button also reveals lots of interesting data about online consumers. All these features add up to a very attractive proposition for brands.
Google has already dipped its toe into social media with Google Buzz and it will launch an even more comprehensive service called ‘Google Me’ this autumn. However, it seems Google Me will be a new layer on top of existing Google products and paid search ads will remain the cornerstone of Google’s offering.
So, which will prove to be the victor – social media or search? Both offer powerful opportunities. Search ads provide the reassurance that you will have a user who is looking for something related to your brand. Yet, for the first time social media is beating search in the battle for our web time, so Facebook advertising obviously holds a powerful advantage when advertisers are wondering where to spend their budget.
It seems clear that the one who emerges victorious will be the one who can best target an audience and ensure that brands know exactly who their advertising will be engaging with. In the end it could prove that a combination of social media and search will provide the greatest effectiveness for brands – mixing consumer insight with optimisation.
