Google to Clone LendingTree?
Does brand matter? That seems to be a question Google wants to challenge. Eric Schmidt offers quotes like "brands are how you sort out the cesspool". Google's search algorithms this year have put more weight on domain authority (which is often associated with brands).
But while Google is telling everyone else to build a brand, Google might be looking to compete head on with brands in many large verticals. According to the NYT:
“LendingTree recently learned that Google imminently plans to launch a loan aggregation service in late August or early September of this year that would compete with LendingTree,” the complaint says. “Lending Tree has also learned that Mortech intends to make its pricing engine services available for use with Google’s new service and will send information related to mortgage loan offers to be displayed to consumer on Google’s Web site.”
The complaint further says that LendingTree has obtained screen shots of a trial version of Google’s service that further indicate that it plans to “provide customers with conditional loan offers in addition to lenders’ contact information.”
Google made a similar test in the UK last year. This is just more reason to develop longtail content and try to build distribution channels outside of search. It seems if you are too successful with search Google may do some self-serving to compete directly against you.
- How many of these services can Google offer before it erodes their Google brand?
- Is your business model easy for Google to clone? What do you do if Google clones it?
Comments
All I can say is "Lookout Trulia.com"
And Zillow...
I once read a statement by someone who said that Google could not be touched in the search game, and that it was their "game to lose" - meaning that they will never be overtaken by a competitor unless they themselves screw it up. I whole-halfheartedly agree.
Over the last few years, I think many people have been quite impressed with how Google has handled their massive amount of power. However, in the last few months I've been hearing about some developments that are very Microsoft-esque in the few years before their decline at the hands of Google.
In the future, this year might be considered the beginning of the decline for Google as they hungrily and greedily make use of their extensive power.
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Hard to argue with that when you see it happen time and time again...
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