The rise to the top was relatively easy. Staying there is a whole different game.
Who would have ever thought that the number one visited website in the world would be threatened?
And why would you ... Google was simply perfect. Google knew everything (or actually knew where to guide). Google, official verb in the dictionary and centre of famous acronyms such as jfGit, was the gatekeeper of the new sacred grounds of information: the Internet.
The challenge for Giant Google is the speed at which its marketplace is evolving. Searching the internet was the core product, supplied by the internet user such as yourself, and monetized by query-based targeted ads. Today, that same internet user is spending most of his time and activity on social networks, surfing the internet through mobiles or tablets when on the move, demanding to have online applications for infinite needs, demanding to have all forms of digital entertainment (music, TV, film, gaming) a click-away.
The reason behind this change in consumer behaviour, or rather in consumer demands, is the major advancement in technology which is constantly pushing industries to converge, forcing players to fights on ecosystems rather than products. What Google provides is not exactly information, nor guidance to information, it sells one of the greatest user experiences. The problem is that with every second that goes by, the greedy user wants enhancements for this experience.
While Google dominated the computer screen, Apple came along to dominate the mobile screen (with the iPhone, iPod and iPad combined, and about half a million of apps). Facebook came along to dominate the user's time and attention. What would happen if these companies develop innovative solutions that would satisfy the consumer's rapidly emerging needs?
Let's focus on the core product: Search. Today's marketplace is revolving around Local, Mobile, and Social. This 3-dimensional trend is very recent, and is growing as rapidly as high-tech is allowing it. Does Google's search fit this trend? It tried, but unsuccessfully. When you think local, you think of Foursquare, and Groupon, not Google Latitude. When you think of mobile, you think of the iPhone, not Android. When you think of social, you think of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin; not Google Buzz.
This is similar to the case of broadcast TV in the 1990s. Once a dominant technology, earning hundreds of millions in advertising revenue, it collapsed like house of cards with the emerging trend of interactivity. The mighty Internet allowed the consumer to engage with the screen and seek information rather than being subjected to it.
Today, Google satisfies the basic need of internet services. If it wants to sustain its dominance in the digital world, it needs to jump on the emerging market trends (Local, Mobile and Social) and fast, or face the risk of being swept away by a new startup with a killer innovative value offering.
While Google dominated the computer screen, Apple came along to dominate the mobile screen (with the iPhone, iPod and iPad combined, and about half a million of apps). Facebook came along to dominate the user's time and attention. What would happen if these companies develop innovative solutions that would satisfy the consumer's rapidly emerging needs?
Let's focus on the core product: Search. Today's marketplace is revolving around Local, Mobile, and Social. This 3-dimensional trend is very recent, and is growing as rapidly as high-tech is allowing it. Does Google's search fit this trend? It tried, but unsuccessfully. When you think local, you think of Foursquare, and Groupon, not Google Latitude. When you think of mobile, you think of the iPhone, not Android. When you think of social, you think of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin; not Google Buzz.
This is similar to the case of broadcast TV in the 1990s. Once a dominant technology, earning hundreds of millions in advertising revenue, it collapsed like house of cards with the emerging trend of interactivity. The mighty Internet allowed the consumer to engage with the screen and seek information rather than being subjected to it.
Today, Google satisfies the basic need of internet services. If it wants to sustain its dominance in the digital world, it needs to jump on the emerging market trends (Local, Mobile and Social) and fast, or face the risk of being swept away by a new startup with a killer innovative value offering.
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