Rumor Mill: Google to Buy Bebo

Thursday, February 7th, 2008 by Jordan McCollum

Rumor Mill: Google to Buy Bebo

bebo logo TechCrunch speculates that there’s a 51% chance that Google might buy Bebo—or maybe MySpace will snap up the smaller social networking company. Last year, it was Yahoo that was supposed to be making a $1B offer on Bebo. This year’s guesses are similar—$1B to $1.5B.

TechCrunch explains that the move would almost double Google’s social networking audience, with Orkut’s millions of members worldwide plus Bebo’s non-US English-speaking market. Erick Schonfeld also notes that MySpace could assure its worldwide dominance by buying the #1 social network in several English-speaking countries.

Bebo has an exclusive partnership with Yahoo for display and video advertising. They initially signed on to Google’s OpenSocial, but soon also accepted Facebook’s platform as well.

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13 comments on “Rumor Mill: Google to Buy Bebo”

Mobile guy Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 6:29 am

Google already has Orkut, why would they need another one?
Rob Kingston Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 7:07 am

What on earth would a company do with two social networking companies? Combine them? Whoops… Orkut is sinking, everyone climb aboard Bebo.
Ian Hendry Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 10:49 am

Orkut is nowhere in most of the biggest social networking markets (in terms of %age of the population regualtly using such services). Buying Bebo gives them instant access to new markets.
Mike Mothner Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 12:37 pm

I agree that even though Google already owns the social networking company, Orkut, acquiring another one can only help them. If it allows them to more than double their share of the social networking market, considering how fast the popularity of social networking sites are growing, I believe it is a good move by Google.
Utah SEO Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 3:17 pm

Is that their retaliation against a possible Y!/Microsoft deal? lol
Jason Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Hmmm… Google seems to like social networks that are primarily foreign people… probably because the US social networks are a dime a dozen. I’ve never even checked out Bebo, so I can’t speculate much on this one.
Rob Kingston Says:

February 8th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

Now that I think about it, this will help them push open social, social graph and other innovations designed to combine social networks. Ultimately, I think that’s the big picture that they’ve got in mind.

Once they have that, Google will create an open ground so they can beat everyone at the social networking game. It’s their typical strategy.
GoWFB Says:

February 9th, 2008 at 9:20 pm

Lots of takeovers/mergers in the pipeline it would seems. Wonder what will actually happen though.
Paul Brain Says:

February 10th, 2008 at 2:07 am

What for google 2 social networks?
Embassy Suit Says:

February 11th, 2008 at 3:56 am

Google is not doing that, every month some rumor with Bebo pops up. May be Bebo is searching buyer, unofficially making up these rumors. Google already has Orkut, DodgeBall etc. and could not make them profitable business.
bhavik Says:

February 11th, 2008 at 6:15 am

what google will do with social network website….google is taking up lots of websites now a day..i also hear that google also making offer to take up yahoo..is it true ????
PI Says:

February 11th, 2008 at 7:20 pm

I agree that it is a good move, but is that price range realistic? It seems high, based on Bebo’s footprint on the social network “scene”.

Mike
da Amp! Says:

June 23rd, 2008 at 4:45 am

I know people are weary of the length of Google’s arm, and the depth of their control over various markets… but you gotta hand it to them - they just do things right.

Marketing Pilgrim