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Google will buy FeedBurner

By Huw Leslie | February 16, 2007

I’ve written before that I think Google should buy FeedBurner, and I think (for admittedly very tenuous reasons) that the acquisition might be getting closer:

  1. The GReader Team just announced that Google Feedfetcher would report subscriber numbers when requesting feeds. This is essential for services like FeedBurner to get accurate numbers (as Google only fetches a feed once on behalf of all subscribers on IG and Reader), and would be a necessary step for Google to take before buying FeedBurner so that it puts FeedBurner in as strong a position as possible.
  2. The GReader blog just linked to FeedBurner. It’s really really rare (I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it before) for Google to link to a commercial, web 2.0 service from their corporate blogs.
  3. FeedBurner would give Google access to much, much more RSS feed inventory than it currently has access to. Adsense for Feeds isn’t particularly well used, and if FAN (FeedBurner Advertising Network) became powered by AFF, that would mean more $ for Google.
  4. Google like analytics tools.
  5. Who else will by FeedBurner? It’s VC investors deserve a lucrative exit just for being visionary.

Lets see if I’m proved right or wrong?

Topics: Uncategorized |

4 Responses to “Google will buy FeedBurner”

  1. You know my feelings on the matter, but I have to admit that you have a fairly strong argument. Which sucks. When Google goes under, we’re going to be losing a lot of fantastic services: YouTube, Picasa, Blogger, Google Earth, Analytics, Writely… the list goes on and on of Google acquired properties that are in jeopardy if Google goes under (and it will - it isn’t immortal).

    Why can’t Google instead use its vast wealth as a VC firm (of sorts)? Instead of buying these startups and adding to the brain drain, keep them in the web 2.0 ecosystem and tie them to Google. In my opinion, that’s the best of both worlds!

    Posted by: Chris on February 17th, 2007 at 7:30 am

  2. I don’t think Google will go under and I havnt heard a strong argument to propose that. I am totally for the google monopoly. Google to rule the world!!!

    Posted by: Adam on March 6th, 2007 at 11:54 am

  3. [...] programme, and keep FeedBurner as a tool for blog publishers to manage and measure their feeds. I recently wrote why I think negotiations may be happening already between FB and [...]

    Posted by: Gizbuzz » What should Google buy in the supermarket of Web 2.0? on April 8th, 2007 at 11:01 pm

  4. Google going under? and taking all of it’s services down with it? now thats a stupid idea.

    If ever Google were in danger, they have plenty of assets to sell to save themselves, all of their services can stand on their own 2 feet.

    As for buying Feedburner, well i’d prefer if it stayed by it’self - but it would go well with google since they have blogger. I wouldn’t think it was worth the money however, they could build better tools exclusive to blogger and attract more attention to blogger.

    Posted by: Tom on April 13th, 2007 at 3:35 pm

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