The point which the article makes about Google Ventures having invested in the RetailMeNot speaks volumes. RMNs business model is absolute cash-cow until a mass of advertisers change their commission policies, which they won't as they are amongst one of their biggest affiliate partners.
So for Google, this is a great way for them to monetize their SEO SERPs. Invest in a company like this, get them to maintain clean SEO practices, reward them with obscenely dominant rankings against their competitors and then get the return from the IPO.
After IPO, wean off their reliance on Google with a push into mobile, as Google doesn't need to protect their investment any more and could disappear at any moment...
Pretty obvious how/why they have such dominant SEO results across practically all their markets, including arguably the second biggest market, the UK, if you ask me.
So for Google, this is a great way for them to monetize their SEO SERPs. Invest in a company like this, get them to maintain clean SEO practices, reward them with obscenely dominant rankings against their competitors and then get the return from the IPO.
After IPO, wean off their reliance on Google with a push into mobile, as Google doesn't need to protect their investment any more and could disappear at any moment...
Pretty obvious how/why they have such dominant SEO results across practically all their markets, including arguably the second biggest market, the UK, if you ask me.