I hope nobody comes after Google with a shovel like they did Homestar!

Sometimes, it seems like the world is against you. It might be that you’re just having a bad day or it might be that you’re just being paranoid. Of course, in rare circumstances, the world actually is against you and that certainly seems to be the case with Google this past week.

It’s no secret that Google is a really, really powerful company. They got this way by being the smartest, most driven business in the United States and serving the public with a great product at the right time with careful attention to detail. Well, much like the brainy kid who skews the curve on the test, the rest of the class doesn’t seem to enjoy Google’s success and it looks like there may be a line of companies looking to give Google a wedgie at recess.

Don’t believe me? Just take a look at this week’s links:

• Round 1: Google vs. Bing: Ever since the launch of Bing, Microsoft’s goal has been to cut into Google’s dominant market share in search. With Yahoo’s relationship with search seeming ambiguous at best, Bing may be Google’s biggest challenger in the battler for America’s queries. Well, Bing is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Google, however, Google seems to be standing strong. As it turns out, the biggest obstacle for Bing is loyalty to Google, which has to be a huge thorn in Steve Ballmer’s side. The Christian Science Monitor, making its debut appearance in the Tues News, reports that despite a warmer feel and similar, even more helpful, search results, most users justified their desire not to switch to Bing with a proverbial, “Don’t wanna!” Tough luck for Bing; this round goes to Google.  [Christian Science Monitor]
• Round 2: Google vs. Facebook: Facebook, apparently, thinks of itself quite differently than you or I think of it. When I hear “Facebook,” I think “social network.” When Facebookers hear their brand vocalized, they think “future lynchpin/hub/epicenter of the entire Internet.” Wired’s report of Facebook’s plans to usurp Google as the Internet’s top dog is an interesting read about one company’s bold and brazen goals for the future of the Web. To me, it sounds a little bit like Verne Troyer planning to knock out Mike Tyson, but hey, you can’t fault Facebook for their temerity. As much as I like using Facebook, we’ve seen too many social networks come and go over the years to give much credence to their plans just yet. After all, Google is raking in the cash through their ad network and Facebook has had serious trouble generating significant revenue through their ads of yet. Until we see Facebook put together a bankroll significant enough to fight Google for real, I’ll remain a skeptic that Facebook proves a legitimate threat to Google’s supremacy; this round goes to Google as well. [Wired.com]
• Round 3: Google vs. U.S. Government: Anti-trust may have nine letters and a hyphen in it but around Mountain View, CA where Google is located, it’s considered a four-letter word. The U.S. Government has been watching Google like a hawk ever since it rose to prominence by, you know, offering an awesome service, superior products and a drive for innovation unrivaled since the Thomas Edison. Never one to let the successful succeed without scrutiny and meddling, though, the U.S. Government has popped up again in an effort to challenge Google’s dominance. The New York Times reports that, this time, Google is arguing that it’s too small to be considered a monopoly. After all, it’s not like nobody’s ever heard of Yahoo, Bing, Ask, etc. it’s just that they prefer Google. As an advertising agency, I can tell you, first-hand, that Google also makes it much easier and more intuitive for those marketing their products and services through AdWords than does Yahoo or Microsoft. With the Google Reader, iGoogle, Google Maps and the dozens of other useful, free Google products, it’s no wonder that Google is so preferred by the people. Still, if anyone can take Google down, it’s the feds. This round is too close to call right now but I’ll be paying close attention as the situation develops. [NY Times]

And so, by decision, it looks like Google is going to make it out of this edition of the Tues News with the crown still firmly on its head. However, there were no knockouts in this fight. Anyone who thinks that Google will be top dog forever should simply look back on the dominant forces in technology over the last three decades. There was a time not too long ago that nobody thought that Microsoft could be challenged. Well, nowadays, many are saying the same thing about Google, even as it seems like everyone is against them.

Thanks for stopping by. Read up on and keep up with the online world; keep reading Tues News! Catch ya later!

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