Think Google Isn't Serious About Mobile?

I’ve got 12 and-a-half billion reasons that demonstrate how serious Google is about the importance of mobile. Now, I’m not going to get heavy into why Google did this. Nor will I make many predictions as to how this is likely to turn out (though, I did mention in a Business Insider comment yesterday that this looks a lot like the AOL/TimeWarner deal of a decade ago and Business Insider said today that this looks like the AOL/TimeWarner deal of a decade ago, so, hmm…)

The only point I’m going to make is that mobile is, as the kids say, “for reals.” Google’s $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola underscores that point, if spending $12.5 billion on anything can be called “underscoring” (mental note: see if there is such a thing as “overscoring”).

The point is, no matter how much I hate the neologism, SoLoMo increasingly encroaches on Google’s core business. Years ago, Google was interested in how fast they could get you off their site. Now, with Google+, Google Related, Google Chromebooks, Android, Google Apps, and on and on and on, they’re doing everything they can to keep you where they can find you—and serve you more advertising.

That’s not a bad thing, by the way. Heck, we’re all advertisers, too. And as the value of SoLoMo increases, we’re going to need to find new ways to engage with customers via social, via local and via mobile. As I mentioned yesterday, these new channels aren’t just smoke and mirrors. Google just spent $12.5 billion to prove it.

Are you getting enough value out of your small business website? Want to make sure your business makes the most of the local, mobile, social web? thinks helps you understand how to grow your business via the web, every day. Get more than just news. Get understanding. Add thinks to your feed reader today.

Or subscribe via email.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to follow Tim on Twitter.

Tim Peter & Associates helps companies from startups to the Fortune 500 use the web to reach more customers, more effectively every day. Take a look and see how we can help you.