Google was started as a research project by two Stanford PhD students named Sergey Brin and Larry Page. They registered the domain name google.com in the year 1997 and in September 1998, it Became a privately Owned incorporate Google Inc. With its extensive research on search algorithms and use of state of the art technology, Google is successfully established its brand name in internet search engines market. By the year 2004, Google Came up covering over 75% of U.S. web search market. Though Google is a dominating player in the internet searching market, it has to Compete with its Rivals Nowhere in this field long time 'there is no entry barrier. Google cans expand / change its business model to survive in this best-search engine race.
SWOT Analysis:
Strengths:
• Google - Already number one search engine has established a brand name, in the which its users trust. It's dependable, reliable and fast.
• Google's end user needs very little marketing as the name Itself is getting word by mouth publicity.
• Google has a simple interface and it Gives comprehensive results without confusing its users.
• Google has a low operation cost as it uses low cost Unix web servers for indexing Millions of web pages across the Internet.
• Google has hired PhDs WHO are continuously working hard in order to enhance the search algorithms and make searching faster, efficient and relevant.
By 2003, Google has already powered over 75% of the 300 million searches conducted daily in the U.S. and 300 million outside the U.S. plus
• Provides an interface to Google's 88 languages to make it comfortable to search for its users in different countries.
• Google uses state of the art search technology to index pages regularly in order to give most updated results to its users.
• Also Google weights the votes and Ranks web pages with its PageRank technology to give its users access to most Important pages first.
• Google is not biased Towards advertisers. It clearly separates relevant advertisements and actual results by giving "Sponsored Links" tag to sponsored results Pls user searches to get information with Some keyword. Moreover, it Ranks Also sponsored links to keep most relevant sponsored links on the top.
• Google offers localized search called "search by location" Nowhere cans users get results showing vendors, products and services Nearby Their areas.
• Also Google has a range of innovative additional services like Images, Groups, Directory, and News. Google Did not complicate its website by making Itself a portal, rather it kept tabs for these services on its homepage so users cans Easily navigate and That Also keeps the website as simple as it was Earlier.
• Also Google has come up with solutions for wireless handheld devices, personalized toolbars, catalogs the which are added essence strengths.
• Google Quickly routes the user to the webpage and does Linger for ad revenue.
Weaknesses:
• Many spammers manipulate Google's ranking technology by creating dummy sites with Thousands of links to pages That They wanted Google to rank highly.
• Google's link-based ranking did not employ the actual traffic analysis.
• Google's Cost Per Click advertising charging and ranking policy is confusing and makes it Difficult for marketers to Predict Nowhere Their ads would be positioned and how much They Would cost.
• Google's contextual advertising was perceived by marketers to be less effective in generating sales Because visitors to web pages showing editorial content Searchers Than were the resource persons as less likely, to be ready to buy.
• Contextual search algorithms are not 100% perfect and many a times make Mistakes.
• Google's localized search algorithms Sometimes too result in errors due to automated indexing.
• Google's business model is complex, depending upon both google.com and mass market portals for its revenue.
• Although Google is a dominating player Among the search engine websites, only 50% to 65% of web search queries are accurately Answered by it.
• Google does not have "sticky" like Yahoo! And MSN cans have the which attract users.
• Google does not have highly personalized search by which it Could charge users with switching costs if They Decide to leave Google's services.
Opportunities:
• Google cans increase of switching costs by tracking users' search histories with Their permissions and Could Remind users through emails for the relevant search updates as per Their personal interest.
• Google cans changed from a mass-market portals like Yahoo and MSN and cans increase of switching costs for its users.
• Google cans add "sticky" like chat rooms and email systems to attract users and to survive in tough competition.
• cans enhance Google's personalized and localized searching and cans Also add localized listings of paid advertisers.
• Google cans start new services like multimedia, product search, private databases, and print media.
• Google cans also merge with an established mass-market portal to lock in large numbers of users and advertisers.
• Google cans start giving full-fledged services on hand held mobile devices to capture markets beyond conventional internet.
Threats:
• Google partially Depends upon Some portals like AOL. Getting those contracts terminated, Google Would lose considerable share of its revenue.
• There is no long-time entry barrier in this business. Many competitors cans emerge in coming years with Same services, better interface and names and cans catch up Google's market.
• Google's confusing Cost Per Click rankings and charging policy disappoint Could Would its advertisers and companies start loosing many of Them.
• Competition and Rivalry:
Portals like Yahoo Provide more services and solutions with conventional search Than Google do. Google Would start loosing its users due to added attractions in. Such portals.
• MSN is coming up with its new operating system, called "Longhorn" which would be having "implicit query" feature. Longhorn search will from be Able to search the web, blogs, news sources, the hard drive files, emails plus attachments all from a keyword search without a browser. Users Will Be Able to search directly from already established Microsoft programs like MS word. Would this handcuff users and ultimately It would harm Google's market.
• Overture has been Google's old competitors. Though Google has more advertisers acquitted Than Overture, Google's share of market revenue lags behind overture by 20% and there is always competition for getting collaborated with well known mass-market portals like AOL, Yahoo and MSN.
• Google's scale Might Also changed from a liability in order to cop up with new and enhanced search techniques if company's ability to modify its algorithms and database architecture was constrained by its server infrastructure and the size of its index.
If Google comes up Becoming a portal, it May lose its simplicity and comprehensiveness Because of the which it is a favorite Among its users.
• Google cans get trapped in. Regarding privacy issues if it decides to go for highly personalized search for the which it has to capture a user's personal information.
• If Google decides to merge with Some already established mass-market portal, it will from start loosing its brand name well earned.