The discussion about the potential battle between Google and Facebook for domination in the social networking space is heating up. Google dominate all thing’s Internet these days having the biggest finger in all the important pies. Search, mapping, email, blogging and RSS feed technology just to name a few.
Google have built their business on the strength of their foundation search and search advertising technology which has generated enormous value in their business. These guys are big enough to fight almost any kid in the business playground these days, no matter who they are or what industry they come from. If Google wants something, they can almost certainly afford to buy it.
Needless to say, Google should therefore be in a very strong position when it comes to dominating the latest online craze sweeping all corners of the online globe, social networking. You will hear most people in our industry say,”Google will just buy facebook.” Hell I even said it myself.
The thing is that facebook is not for sale. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been suggesting this for quite a while; however, it seems that most people were not really taking his suggestions seriously. Does he really think he can effectively ‘beat’ Google by growing facebook to a level at which it becomes un-affordable for Google. The short answer at the moment seems to be: YES.
It seems as though some of the most important people at Google tend to believe in Mr Zuckerberg’s strategy as well. In what is turning out to be a high level technology recruiting coup, key members of Google are making the move over to facebook. This is not at all good news for the Search giant who prides itself on recruiting and retaining the best in the business.
So as Google fights to retain key personnel and get their existing social networking solution Orkut growing at a more healthy rate, facebook continues to move ahead in leaps and bounds. To be honest, I am starting to believe Mark Zuckerberg. Maybe he is the man to take on Google….
