Has Google abandoned one of the key missions in its corporate life, and that is, to do one thing and do it well? Most of the planet should know by now that Google does Internet search well -- very well. Billions of customers and tens of billions of searches have proven that -- and have given Google billions of dollars in ad-sharing revenue. While this mountain continues to reach historic heights, is Google shifting any semblance of focus from Internet search to other areas?Judging by all the recent product releases by Google, one could assume that. However, again and again, CEO Eric Schmidt has said Google's top priority, always, is making sure customers can find the information they are looking for through the Internet search service Google operates. So, what are all these other products for? Is Google just throwing mud at the wall and keeping what sticks, while tossing what falls to the floor after a year or so?
Sure, it has the luxury to do that, but not forever. Google needs product and revenue diversification just like any other company that has a decent long-term business strategy. Does Google really believe that up to 80% of its launched products will fail? With successes like Google News and Google Earth -- which still don't drive revenue directly yet -- but a laundry list of other products that are, popularity-wise, teetering on the edge of oblivion (let's hope not, Google's products are excellent in most cases), I would agree that Google does seem to have a form of ADD. What's the prescription for treatment? Continue to release a torrid pace of products so that 2 out of 10 will make it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-03-2006 @ 5:05PM
Chris said...
I'm sure that Google is aware that their search marketshare could quickly be in trouble if someone finds a way to do Search (and ads) just a little bit better.
All of these unfinished projects may be a way for them to transition into the next big thing when their day in the Sun as search leader is over.
7-03-2006 @ 6:02PM
richard mitchell said...
Concentration on one product did not hurt Coca Cola for many years. Will Goggle have the same time span that Coca Cola had until hopefully it expands its unique product offerings....best mitch
7-06-2006 @ 8:42AM
Brian said...
I may be crazy but 2 out of 10 is a little harsh in my opinion - I've loved nearly every product that I've encountered coming out of Google. Products like Picasa have allowed me to encourage my customers not to use the disk that they received with their digital camera. And who doesn't love Gmail? OK, I've never tried Sketch Up or Talk but I'd rather use translate than set up babelfish to translate a page for me. Who knows the answer other than in my opinion the Brand name is one to trust. What other free utilities do you trust to contain no adware or spyware or even just a nasty memory leak from bad code?