Feb
04
2008
Google stock is down, again. They ended today at $495.43. Where is he bottom for the Internet power? Everybody thought this stock was recession proof a few months ago when they topped out around $750 a share. Google is always expanding, getting into new services. They are even creating new services you didn’t know you needed. With all their recent successes, the stock has started to tumble lower and lower over the past few weeks. Yes the economy as a whole stinks, and there are very few stocks to make money with right now… but is there a bigger problem for GOOG? I’d like to hear your opinion. What does the future hold for GOOG stock and Google the search engine.
In my opinion, people will be treading lightly on this stock until the news of the Yahoo and MSN merger take shape. People are hesitant to invest in a company that for the first time ever, might have legitimate competition in the search engine advertising industry. Can MSN and Yahoo ever combine forces to compete with Google? Can you even fathom a deal between Yahoo and MSN being completed without some sort of major interference? I have my own opinions since I use Google, MSN, and Yahoo advertising networks everyday. I will share those opinions soon, but I’m interested in how you see this all going down.
I am not a financial adviser, nor do I ever pretend to be one. I am looking at these stock prices and trying to relate it to how it affects the search engine industry as a whole. If Google’s stock tumbles, their brand reputation will take a big hit in the media as well. Stock prices do have a big influence on people’s perception of a brand. Public brand perception obviously is what makes them use a service or pass on a service.
I personally have a hard time imagining a world where Yahoo and MSN can be more powerful than Google. Although, I also had a hard time imagining the Giants could beat the Patriots last night. Maybe anything is possible?
Related Posts:
Feb
02
2008
I love when these types of articles hit the online news portals and the news stands. A little bit of crunch in the economy and all hell breaks loose. Web 2.0 is over they say? Maybe it’s coming to an end. The media makes it sound like it’s going away and will be gone forever. Yes, once the name Web 2.0 is gone…it will be gone forever. BUT, with the disappearance of Web 2.0, brings Web 3.0 and then Web 4.0 and then Web 5.0…and so on. Along with those bring better technologies that make people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.
Obviously the web is a monster and change needs to happen on a continuous basis in order for the economy to take full advantage of the trends. Sure, technologies come…and technologies go. Web 1.0 is now gone but it didn’t take everything with it. It evolved into Web 2.0 which is a bigger and more innovative beast. The same goes for Web 3.0. The essentials of Web 2.0 will stay and Web 3.0 will create added functionality and innovation compared with Web 2.0.
Here is a comparison from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. You can see that Web 1.0 did not go away. It’s just been revamped to create Web 2.0. All of the same technologies are currently used…but in a more innovative way.
| Characteristics of Web 1.0 |
Characteristics of Web 2.0 |
| Reading |
Writing |
| Client Server |
Peer To Peer |
| HTML |
XML |
| Services on the Web |
Web Services |
| News Portal |
RSS |
| Homepages |
Blogs |
| Lectures |
Conversation |
| Companies |
Communities |
| Advertising |
Word of Mouth |
| Dial-up |
Broadband |
| Information |
Opinion |
| Text |
Video |
When the economy takes a shift like this and things get a bit tight, it’s just a way to weed out the businesses that aren’t strong enough to make it through the tough times. Could you imagine if every single tech company made it big? That’s not possible…the world would be a mess. There is not enough room for every tech company to be the Google or the Microsoft or the Facebook. Down-turns in the economy let nature take it’s course. It allows natural attrition to take place and keep things in line. It’s just like the world being overpopulated with people. We don’t need a bunch of mediocre businesses trying to make their way up to the top with mediocre products and services. Down-trends in the economy actually help this. The companies who do make a difference in people’s lives like Google figure out a way to make it through these tough times. When they do make it through, they gain that much more strength within their market and they are better positioned for the next downtrend.
So Microsoft, before you publish another article in your network that says Web 2.0 is over, dig a little deeper and go a bit further to explain that, yes, the name Web 2.0 might be fading out, but only for a new and improved Web 3.0 to take over with newer, more innovative and all around better technologies.
Related Posts:
Feb
01
2008
You never can tell what’s going to happen in the tech and search industry. There is SO much competition that it’s hard for anyone to keep their head above water. Google has definitely proven their ability to head the search and online advertising industry and followers such as Microsoft and Yahoo try to keep up with Google’s pace but it’s a neverending uphill battle.
I’m not saying that Microsoft or Yahoo couldn’t someday take the lead but it’s going to take a lot more effort than what they’ve currently been doing. They somehow have to create something new and innovative instead of following suit and doing the same thing as Google…..just after Google implements it. To be a leader you have to take risks, change the way people live through using technology and you have to do this on a regular basis. Tech and search companies can’t sit static for too long or they will sink to the bottom of the search engine ocean. Just ask, Ask! Ask.com is a perfect example of someone trying to play with the big boys. They just don’t have it in them to keep up.
So, I’m calling it now, look out Bill Gates, your day will come when you have a new boss!
Related Posts:
