Google Fear – Opportunity or Concession?

The stock market analysts and fund managers have taken the fear and concession approach with respect to Google and it’s future. They say that Google wins! I say be on the look out for internet stock opportunities. A great post by Scott Karp on whether Google is the next Microsoft . A good discussion ensues following the links at TechMeme I agree with Scott. It is purely business and execution specific.

Let’s extrapolate the argument to the stock market.

If you step outside the noise in the media and the blogosphere, you realize that Google can’t possibly take on all comers. If you choose a bad fight with them and don’t think through their product cycle – you will be crushed for sure.

BUT, users still visit great niche sites. I don’t use Google to track my blog stats yet or buy stuff or travel or check blogging news.

Let me take my GolfNow tee time business as an example. Intuitively, you would think that Expedia and Orbitz and Travelocity should be in that business – maybe even The Golf Channel. Hey – it was my first question when I looked at the deal over a year ago.

BUT, It is a very LOCAL business – 90 percent of the total rounds played are done so at the local level. A lot of blocking and tackling is necessary so not enough sex for the big internet companies to focus attention. KNOCK ON WOOD :)

The “Google Fear” actually leads to opportunity as it did a few weeks ago with Yahoo and Ebay.

That is not to say that Ebay and Yahoo can’t screw up. I just don’t think they have. That leads to opportunity in the stock market.