Microbook or Facerosoft?
The Facebook Strategy
The WSJ
analyzes the battle of titans between Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc.
over "the future of the Internet". Microsoft's desired move? A stake in
Facebook. That would make Microbook or Facerosoft. Then there's Google, which also wants a stake in Facebook. (That would make Goobook.)
The
authors define how Microsoft seeks to develop a beachhead online, a
"platform" from which brands can buy ads that can reach the more
engaged 2.0 websites vs. the established portals. Who will own THE
"platform" which will change the face of brands reaching eyeballs
online in the future is the question. For now, Google leads Microsoft
by a healthy margin. Currently, the heirarchy goes Google, Yahoo,
Microsoft. So, the third spot does what? It wants to buy Facebook to
leapfrong ahead in the future Internet balance of power (social
networking is changing how consumers tap into the Internet). The
question is, should Facebook go it alone? Or take the cash infusion
from Microsoft? Or accept Microsoft to serve display ads
to Facebook? (Rumor has it that Facebook CPMs are $5 and Microsoft
makes $50 million a year off their existing deal with Facebook).
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