The internet is buzzing that Google recently announced that it will acquire Wildfire, a site dedicated to integrating and deploying multi-channel social network campaigns. Their site allows you to maintain campaigns across Twitter, Facebook and more. The full details of the purchase have not been disclosed, but some estimate that the deal may bring Wildfire $250 million.
Why is this important to you and the search world? Actions like these can be interpreted as signs that Google wants to continue to push for having real-time data, or at least as current data as possible. Social interaction allows Google, if they can access the social data, the ability to have more immediate feedback about what is going on in the internet, what are people talking about and, what’s most important to them, how to modify their search results appropriately for what people are looking for. The more they can see behind the curtain, with a purchase like Wildfire, the more they can possible tap into the lifeline of social media for the benefit of search.
