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Friday, July 18, 2008

Microsoft should buy Google

You all know how Microsoft is trying to buy Yahoo for its search capabilities. Last night, I was looking at the traffic sources for my blog. The reporting engine tells me that 28% of my traffic for the given time period comes from search engines. As I expand the report to view more details, here's what I see.

Of that 28% of traffic, 99.26% comes from Google and only 0.50% comes from Yahoo. At first I thought, "Oh no, Google is indexing my content, but not Yahoo". So I went on to Yahoo, did a couple of searches (with the same keywords as those being used in Google) and my blog always came up as one of the top 10 results. "Phew!! Yahoo is indexing my blog.. "


While I was doing this analysis, I was also watching CNBC as they discussed all the earnings that were announced yesterday. The conversation got a bit off topic and they started talking about the Microsoft attempt to buy Yahoo, which got me thinking.. Given that Microsoft wants to buy Yahoo for its search capabilities, why spend so much money when it seems like only 0.50% of the population uses Yahoo? Shouldn't Microsoft go after Google? . Or perhaps this is another reflection on how socialites are more tech savvy?

10 comments:

  1. Flávio MendesJuly 22, 2008 at 2:36 PM

    Luiz, interesting... but... but I do not believe MS is looking only for search...

    Here goes a link to a very good review on this subject with some good reasons for MS to buy Yahoo!

    http://weblogs.hitwise.com/bill-tancer/2008/02/microsoft_and_yahoo_putting_th.html

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  2. Luis BenitezJuly 22, 2008 at 4:11 PM

    Hi Flavio,

    Thanks!! I was actually looking for something like this before I posted this blog entry.

    Good information, although I seriously doubt that Gmail only has 5% of market share... I only know one person who has a Hotmail account... maybe that's another area where tech savvy people know that Gmail is better and they choose that...

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  3. Glorimar RipollJuly 25, 2008 at 5:21 AM

    I do agree once again, just like firefox vs. ie, that the tech savvy people know better than yahoo in terms of search engines...there comes google. but, there is much more than a search engine when it comes to yahoo. they have really improved their tools recently...go check them out...

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  4. Glorimar RipollJuly 25, 2008 at 5:27 AM

    anyway, in conclusion, i don't think your numbers necessarily reflect the true market share numbers, nor is microsoft interested only in yahoo's search capabilities....

    and by the way, why do u want microsoft to buy google!!!!?? please i luv google!!

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  5. Luis BenitezJuly 25, 2008 at 8:14 AM

    Hi Chica,

    Thanks for stopping by again.. You are great ;).

    re: Microsoft should buy Google, I love Google too. On one hand, I don't see why Microsoft is going to waste $44 billion on Yahoo. On another hand, let 'em waste it! :)

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  6. StefanoJuly 29, 2008 at 5:16 PM

    Luis,
    as I mentioned in my post From Internet to Oligarchy, I think it is a common interest from both Google and Microsoft (in this very order!) that the acquisition of Yahoo! will be successful.
    In this way, an Oligarchy will be created and, as we all know, oligarchies are very difficult to break and defeat.

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  7. Luis BenitezJuly 29, 2008 at 8:53 PM

    I don't know.. given the low market numbers, I think Yahoo! is dying slowly. Microsoft buying it is just a way for them to acquire x% of market share.

    Yesterday, a new search engine from the makers of Google launched: Cuil. I hate it. And all the people that I follow in Twitter hate it too. They definitely weren't ready to go live.

    Google (and Apple) do have to be careful not to fall in Microsoft's trap. They need to continue to use good, simple, easy to use programs or the world will turn against them. And once the world thinks one way, it's hard to change those opinions (look how hard it's been for Microsoft to convince their existing users to migrate to Vista).

    In fact, I honestly think that if Microsoft buys Yahoo, Yahoo will simply lose market share simply because "it's one of those crappy Microsoft products"...

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  8. StefanoJuly 30, 2008 at 9:26 AM

    You are right, Luis, when you say that if Microsoft buys Yahoo, Yahoo will simply lose market share simply because "it's one of those crappy Microsoft products"....
    This confirms, though, the fact that an Oligarchy will be established, and it will be more and more difficult to spring new alternatives (and, thus, innovation).

    In any case, I continue to think that the real danger is Google !

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  9. Luis BenitezJuly 30, 2008 at 1:31 PM

    Ah yes... I see the eventuality of the statement. Hmm.. Right now I don't fear Google... unless they get in the enterprise social software market.. ;)

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  10. StefanoJuly 31, 2008 at 4:21 AM

    They own the internet.. this is enough to fear them, sorry!

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