Google is "reprioritizing" its business on search

Following on Google's Wednesday press day (Live blogged by Brian and Sarah), Google is moving to "re-prioritize" its strategy around search.

The implicit rule at Google is employees follow a 70/20/10 breakdown of time -- 70% of time focused on the core business of search, 20% of time focused on related projects, 10% on unrelated business.

As reported by Forbes' coverage of press day, recent Google internal reviews showed that engineers were spending less than 70% of their time on the core business of search. The recent deluge of new Google Beta Products to hit the market is likely an explanatory variable.

Google is looking to realign itself this year and "systemize" all aspects of Google around "product investment," which is a change in business model and process but one that CEO Eric Schmidt thinks, "works very well." (Financial Times)

Search of course is not as straightforward as it once was. Yahoo! and MSN are both after this most-clicked feature of the Internet, and all the players are seeking to capture users through the evolution and personalizing of search to an extent that it becomes inextricable from web use and by virtue of captive users, cross-sells/cross-generates the most net revenue from each user. And, in the end, send the most dollars to the bottom line.