Google has reportedly acquired social marketing tool Wildfire for $350 million. The move will bolster Google’s social media marketing network, as Wildfire’s contest and sweepstakes management platform has taken off recently. It’s said the acquisition won’t hinder Facebook marketing campaigns that currently rely on Wildfire, but it will likely open more Google+ marketing options.
Marketers use Wildfire to offer contests through various social platforms, and the number of networks integrated with Wildfire continues to grow. TechCrunch reported that Google has been aggressive in trying to acquire other startup platforms in recent months, and the acquisition of Wildfire could help the company make a more relevant push into social media marketing.
“The ultimate goal is better and fresher content, and more meaningful interactions. People today can make their voices heard in ways that were previously impossible, and Wildfire helps businesses uphold their end of the conversation (or spark a new one).” – Jason Miller, Product Management Director for Google
“The ultimate goal is better and fresher content, and more meaningful interactions,” Jason Miller, director of product management for Google, said in a release. “People today can make their voices heard in ways that were previously impossible, and Wildfire helps businesses uphold their end of the conversation (or spark a new one).
“The ultimate goal is better and fresher content, and more meaningful interactions. People today can make their voices heard in ways that were previously impossible, and Wildfire helps businesses uphold their end of the conversation (or spark a new one).” – Jason Miller, Product Management Director for Google
According to Wildfire, current users will not notice any changes or issues due to the acquisition. While the tool is most notably associated with managing social contests, it offers several other social marketing services, including page management and social app development.
Wildefire’s current integration with Facebook and Twitter presents an interesting circumstance for Google, as TechCrunch reported improvements to these sites’ social marketing presence could result in more revenue for Google. Much like Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram, little will change for the foreseeable future, but it foreshadows more Google+ social media marketing options moving forward. However, Google has already made progress in the space in recent months. According to a report from BrightEdge, 75 of the global top 100 brands have launched Google+ Pages despite still lagging activity from users.
