Google, the search engine behemoth, was created in 1998 amidst the boom of the dot-com bubble, and, after its initial public offering in 2004, has since grown into a Nasdaq marvel trading at over $600 a share with a total asset valuation of over $70 billion.
With 66% of Internet users choosing Google over the competition, it’s fair to say that Google controls the search engine market share as their closest rival claims a mere 15%. With the search engine market conquered, Google Inc. has increasingly broadened its interests. Initially, the expansion came in the form of services offered to Internet users such as a free email account or geo-mapping tools.
More recently, however, the company has ventured even further into the world of technology, touching all corners of the industry. And with $70 billion in assets the company has utilized the expansion-through-acquisition business model more than once. The following is a list of Google’s top 10 acquisitions in monetary value, from the bargain basements to the bank breakers.
10. dMarc Broadcasting: $102 Million
In 2006, Google purchased dMarc Broadcasting and incorporated the company into its AdWords program, expanding its advertising reach to the radio broadcast industry.
9. On2 Technologies: $124 Million
Google acquired On2 Technologies in 2009 in a “stock-for-stock transaction” in which outstanding shares of On2 Technologies were traded for shares of Google Inc. The acquired company is a developer of video compression technology and its compression technology enables tools such as YouTube to mp3 converters.
8. Slide.com: $182 Million
As Google began to develop alternative social networking tools to compete with Facebook, the company purchased Slide.com in 2010, a developer of social networking apps.
7. Admeld: $400 Million
In 2011, Google acquired Admeld as it aimed to expand its advertising from text-display ads to picture- and video-display ads.
6. Postini: $625 Million
A communications security firm, Postini was acquired by Google in 2007 as the company worked to shore up the security of the communications tools it offered.
5. ITA Software: $700 Million
A company specializing in flight information, Google acquired ITA Software in 2010 as a way to offer in-house travel information services such as flight costs and deals offered by airlines.
4. AdMob: $750 Million
AdMob was acquired in 2009 as Google sought to expand its mobile advertising business into in-app and web-based display advertising.
3. YouTube: $1.65 Billion
Google made its third-higest-priced acquisition in 2006 by acquiring the video sharing site. So ubiquitous, Youtube has even spurred the development of YouTube to mp3 converters for music bootlegging.
2. DoubleClick: $3.1 Billion
DoubleClick click was an industry-leading online advertising company with clients like Microsoft and The Wall Street Journal when it was acquired by Google in 2007.
1. Motorola Mobility: $12.5 Billion
Topping the list of most-expensive purchases is Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility in 2011. As the creator of the largest-growing mobile OS, Android, Google’s acquisition of a hardware manufacturer is sure to elevate its standing in the mobile industry against its chief rival, Apple.
