Executive Summary:
Who does Google compete with?
Pretty much everyone. But, most, if not all, of the companies Google competes with, it also partners with in some capacity. As such, Google has been dubbed a frenemy.
In today’s digital world, the rules of competition have changed. The barriers to entry are much lower. And any company that could come up ahead of you in Google results for a relevant query is now a competitor.
Amazon is another company that competes with almost every company it partners with en route to generating $10 billion in a single quarter.
Restaurant.com competes with virtually every food service provider in the search results and beyond, while partnering with 13,000+ of them to promote their retail locations.
Federated Media decided to “go where Google isn’t” and create high-end marketing opportunities for brands while helping content creators pocket $25 million in revenue.
To find Blue Ocean territory, marketers must understand the competitive landscape. There are many tools, like comScore, that can help illustrate who the direct and indirect competitors in any industry are. However, sometimes you need to just put your blinders on and do what you do best regardless of what anyone else is doing.
Select Quotes:
“As a father, I’ve been replaced by Google.”
— Keith Kaplan, North American President, Adconion Media Group, @KeithKaplan
“Some of the biggest companies in the world are scared of Google.”
— Janel Laravie, Co-Founder, Chacka Marketing, @JanelLaravie
“You don’t have to like competition in order to understand that it exists.”
— Seth Godin, author, blogger and founder, Squidoo, @ThisIsSethsBlog
“We’ve had the luxury of a cash cow in search to fund experimental things and invest that other companies without that funding can’t do.”
— Jon Kaplan, Industry Director, Financial Services, Google, @Jon_Kaplan
“Competition is everywhere, we just forget to notice it.”
— Seth Godin, author, blogger and founder, Squidoo, @ThisIsSethsBlog
“While big brands have numerous advantages over mom-and-pops, the competitive possibilities are endless with search.”
— David Berkowitz, Senior Director of Emerging Media and Innovation, 360i, @DBerkowitz
“It’s much easier to drive looking out the front window vs. the rear mirror”
— Omar Tawakol, CEO, BlueKai, @OTawakol
“The competition changes with every keyword and with every minute.”
— David Berkowitz, Senior Director of Emerging Media and Innovation, 360i, @DBerkowitz
Final Thought:
When thinking about with whom you compete, check the list twice to make sure it’s complete.
