Real Estate Forums

Jared · 04-20-2007, 10:31 AM

What does anyone thing about Google's purchase of DoubleClick? Google now owns a Search Engine Optimization/Marketing firm. Performics, a division of DoubleClick and some believe its a conflict of interest.

What do you think?
~ Jared

Jade456 · 04-21-2007, 08:05 PM

Sounds like an anti-trust issue in the making. Definitely a conflict of interest.

Bama-Homer · 04-22-2007, 07:20 AM

They may have trouble convincing people that the results aren't manipulated if the sites optimized by Performics rank well. Even if those guys are just doing a super job, there will be plenty of skeptics.

Mert · 04-27-2007, 05:22 PM

Google? evil?? naahhhh. If you ask me their intentions are to learn the mind of the enemy more than anything else in terms of on page optimization. Not sure what they are doing with the PPC end in terms of the acquisition.

glenng · 04-30-2007, 06:26 AM

Agree with Jade - sounds like a little conflict of interest to me as well.

HHI Golf Guy · 04-30-2007, 08:48 AM

Google has been in the SEO business since they opened shop. Every time they get an email about "why did my site drop" or "why is this spam/cheater/cloaking site ranked #1" Google's engineers learn a bit more about SEO "tricks".

And then there is Matt Cutts. Sure, he posts dribs and drabs of somewhat useful information. But you can bet that most of the useful info flows towards him and the Google engineers.

One thing that is important to remember with the DoubleClick acquisition and any other Google acquisition is that Google is a publicly traded company. They cannot afford to damage their reputation (see Enron et al). Also, as a high profile company they are constantly under a microscope by investors and the SEC.

Google adding an SEO firm is no different than Microsoft or other companies and their business ventures.

My guess is that Google hangs on to the SEO company for a little bit to see if it can learn anything and then sell it off for a decent profit. I also think that they won't learn all that much from studying the optimization tactics used - unless there was some trickery involved. But with that high profile portfolio, DoubleClick could not afford to take many chances. They would be out lawyered in a heartbeat.

San Diego Real Estate · 05-06-2007, 02:04 PM

Great points...It sure will be interesting to see how it all shakes out! Anything new on this?

Jared · 05-06-2007, 02:30 PM

I try to follow the google events as closely as I can using RSS but it appears that the only updates on the subject anywhere are all repeats of the same thing.

BTW I love RSS and if anyone has considered using MS Outlook to stay on top of industry news, this forum, blogs or whatever I wrote a post on how to make MS Outlook your RSS Reader in the TBE Forums.

~ Jared
P.S. YES I'm skinning that forum today.

San Diego Real Estate · 05-07-2007, 10:17 AM

Thanks Jared on the update and I will check out your info on Micrsoft Outlook in TBE...thanks again... I love RSS it Rocks!

glenng · 05-11-2007, 07:11 AM

I will have to check out the Outlook RSS.