Search Almost Did Not Make the Graph

January 30, 2016

I read “323 Marketing Tech Startups Fetched over $11B from VCs in 2015 (Research).” The write up suggested to me that a horse racing stable mentality appears to have some appeal for the venture capital crowd. The theory has two parts.

First, the outfits are acting a bit like sheep. Second, the belief is that some of these horses will win the Kentucky Derby. That’s fine. I don’t have to explain to investors where the money went nor do I have to figure out how to repay the investors who want their money back or a payout pronto.

The chart reveals another facets of the data. Here’s a tiny version of the chart:

You will have to consult the original post to read the labels on the y axis. Note that “search” appears, but it is a brushing shoulders in the long tail with SEO and market research. In short, at the far right hand edge of the y axis. Investors supporting the long shots are brave steed owners.

Now check out the title of the write up. Do you see “marketing tech”? I do. It strikes me that research is not important to “marketing tech” as a broad sector.

But what are the top three sectors sucking cash? Answer:

Analytics
Ad tech
Design
Social
Data infrastructure.

Will search regain its former glory? Probably not. Mules amidst the stallions? Nah, search vendors can just change their marketing lingo.

Stephen E Arnold, January 30, 2016

Written by Stephen E. Arnold · Filed Under Business strategy, News, Search

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Stephen E. Arnold monitors search, content processing, text mining and related topics from his high-tech nerve center in rural Kentucky. He tries to winnow the goose feathers from the giblets. He works with colleagues worldwide to make this Web log useful to those who want to go "beyond search". Contact him at sa [at] arnoldit.com. His Web site with additional information about search is arnoldit.com.