Google Winning By Losing?

eldavojohn writes "The CEO of a small search company wrote an interesting piece for Search Insider about Google's unique strategy. It notes that Google has yet to become a leader in any technology other than search — but that its mostly unsuccessful attempts to branch out all end up bolstering its brand, and thus its search ad revenue. Is the new recipe for success to do one thing unbelievably well and several other things indifferently? Does this remind you of strategies from any other companies?" From the article, "Some of Google's non-search projects are really extensions of its search monetization, and are likely to succeed. But others projects mean entering areas where Google doesn't have much experience, and is taking a risk. With regard to those riskier areas, the key question for Google's future is whether it can realize that losing is really one of the best assets the company has."

Of course!

[aerthling]

I'm working off the same principle by intentionally failing my degree.

Slashdot

[killa62]

Does this remind you of strategies from any other companies?

I was kinda thinking you were talking about Microsoft, but they don't do anything well.
Apple cannot be it because they do everything well.

However, this does remind me of Slashdot
Does one thing well (dupes)
and is bad at everything else (stories, having links work, not /.ing the links, etcetc)

(this post would have been SOO much better if this story was indeed a dupe)

Re:Ok and ....

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, we all have to google sometimes, and in that case, google is right there to help us.

We also have to send internets sometimes, altho, it may take a few days, and google helps us, with gmail.

However, google has yet to help me with porn viewing. It needs to make a slideshow of all the porn i want, then, i shall send google a internet thru the express tubes saying how loyal i am to their brand.

Obligatory

[Tablizer]

1. Do one thing well
2. Suck at everything else tried
3. ?
4. PROFIT!

   

Just look at Microsoft

[artemis67]

Microsoft is proof that you don't have to be the best to win, you just have to be ubiquitous.

Re:Except it rarely works that way

[mgblst]

Yes, that is the problem with games like Chess and Go, they tend to even out over time. That is why the best way to test this theory is with a game like Scissors-Rock-Paper, since it is all over in one turn. A newbie can really surprise you there!