The Strategy Behind Google’s Most Expensive Acquisitions (Infographic)

From the archive. This post was written in 2015, when Aptitude was a digital agency. Today we build and invest in SaaS and online businesses. See what we do now.

Over the course of Google’s short existence (16 years), they have managed to change the landscape of the internet and the way we access information. Google services 3.5 billion searches per day which equates to 1.2 trillion searches a year worldwide.

Although Google’s dominance within the search engine space is well known, Google like to splash the cash on new ventures. From a telecommunications company to home automation technology, Google has acquired over 170 companies since its launch in 1998.

While some of Google’s acquisitions are well-known such as Motorola and YouTube, others like Waze which is their 5th most expensive acquisition is (for the most part) not common knowledge.

But with $24.5 billion spent on 10 of their most expensive acquisitions, just what was the strategy behind each of these purchases? 

Fun facts:

Google CEO Larry Page uses the toothbrush test to see if a company is worth buying

2 years prior to Jan 2014, Google outspent its 5 closest rivals on acquisitions combined

Google could potentially buy Spotify and/or Netflix in the future  

Google has spent $24.5 billion on 10 of their most expensive acquisitions  

google-acquisitions.jpg

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