Is Google Buying Yell?
Posted by Sebastien on the 2007/05/14 at 11:23
in Directories, Google, Kelsey Group, Local Search, Spain, United Kingdom, Yell Group, YouTube -
The Kelsey Group blog reports on the various rumors surrounding Yell Group, the international directory publisher based in the UK. They mention an article in The Independent that states “the word is that the internet giant Google is favourite to buy the company”.
Kelsey adds “Such a deal has some logic to it. After all, Google clearly wants access to a massive local channel (Yell’s UK and USA businesses combined have almost 8,000 sales reps). It is unclear, however, what it would do with the print business, which represents about 90 percent of revenues, though online has been growing rapidly in the UK, and is beginning to take hold in the US. It is hard to see the cultures of Google and Yell meshing easily.”
What it means: although a Yell Group acquisition would give Google sales force and local search critical mass in the US, UK, and Spain, I seriously doubt Google would buy a directory publisher at this moment in time. Other than the YouTube purchase