Google Traffic: Why the Plateau?
Here it is, as of February 26:
What can be said:
- Traffic has definitely plateaued.
- The plateau period began shortly after BizzyBlog Internet Wall of Shame member Google announced plans to launch Google China and to censor search engine results to satisfy Chinese government censors.
Beyond that, who outside the hallowed halls of Google knows why traffic has plateaued? Is the reaction to Google China’s censored launch a coincidence, or a cause, or has Google China’s traffic growth since the announcement simply cannibalized Google.com?
The company’s two-year chart shows virtually uninterrupted traffic growth since the beginning of 2005 — until roughly the past four weeks.
It bears watching.
UPDATE: Speaking of bears — “Google CFO Comments Send Investors Scurrying”:
SAN FRANCISCO — Google Inc.’s (GOOG) stocks declined sharply Tuesday morning after Chief Financial Officer George Reyes told investors that growth at the online search leader was slowing.
The Mountain View, Calif.-based company’s stock was down as more than 10 percent, or nearly $41, in morning trading after Reyes told investors at a Merrill Lynch conference that the company would have to find new ways to boost revenues.
