4 ms·

26% is a crazy high growth rate for a company with 89,000 employees. Even more amazing is that it's actually accelerating: Q2 2018 vs. 2017 +26% Q2 2017 vs.

26% is a crazy high growth rate for a company with 89,000 employees. Even more amazing is that it's actually accelerating: Q2 2018 vs. 2017 +26% Q2 2017 vs. 2016 +21% Q2 2016 vs. 2015 +21% Q2 2015 vs. 2014 +11% Q2 2014 vs. 2013 +21% Q2 2013 vs. 2012 +11% I don't think I've ever seen this with another big company. Truly astounding.

Johnie 8y ago
Patrick Pichette always had a saying internally that 20% is the magic number. If you can keep growing 20% YoY, investors will let you do whatever you want.
- std_throwaway 8y ago
  I fear the times when they can't achieve those 20% and the winds start to change massively.
zjaffee 8y ago
I think a big part of it is how over the past few years, the internet has truly gone mainstream in a way that it hadn't prior, namely the ad spend online, is starting to catch up with the time spent online as compared to other platforms such as TV, print, ect.
- TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
  I believe 2017 was the year online ad spending passed television. A quick search, using these terms: digital ad spend surpasses tv, shows multiple sources confirm my belief.
tim333 8y ago
I guess maybe the restructuring from Google to Alphabet worked. The idea was based on Berkshire Hathaway, another company with unusual growth. (http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2017ltr.pdf http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2017ltr.pdf)
- notatoad 8y ago
  that seems like a strange conclusion, since a huge majority of the revenue and growth is still coming from Google.
  - tim333 8y ago
    I think one of the advantages of that structure is the head of Google now just focuses on Google instead of trying to think about a dozen other businesses as well.
    - Cthulhu_ 8y ago
      Indeed, focus is a great thing. Although weirdly enough, Android is still part of Google as well; you'd think that'd be a prime candidate to move alongside Google as its own venture.
      - RugnirViking 8y ago
        The idea may be that android benefits a lot more from integration with other google products. Although I'm not sure on how inter-alphabet cooperation is going.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
    - agumonkey 8y ago
      I wonder what's the idea behind google growth ... maybe android apps improvements got them more visits/ads

Johnie 8y ago

Patrick Pichette always had a saying internally that 20% is the magic number. If you can keep growing 20% YoY, investors will let you do whatever you want.

std_throwaway 8y ago
I fear the times when they can't achieve those 20% and the winds start to change massively.

zjaffee 8y ago

I think a big part of it is how over the past few years, the internet has truly gone mainstream in a way that it hadn't prior, namely the ad spend online, is starting to catch up with the time spent online as compared to other platforms such as TV, print, ect.

TheSpiceIsLife 8y ago
I believe 2017 was the year online ad spending passed television. A quick search, using these terms: digital ad spend surpasses tv, shows multiple sources confirm my belief.

tim333 8y ago

I guess maybe the restructuring from Google to Alphabet worked. The idea was based on Berkshire Hathaway, another company with unusual growth. (http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2017ltr.pdf http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/2017ltr.pdf)

notatoad 8y ago
that seems like a strange conclusion, since a huge majority of the revenue and growth is still coming from Google.
- tim333 8y ago
  I think one of the advantages of that structure is the head of Google now just focuses on Google instead of trying to think about a dozen other businesses as well.
  - Cthulhu_ 8y ago
    Indeed, focus is a great thing. Although weirdly enough, Android is still part of Google as well; you'd think that'd be a prime candidate to move alongside Google as its own venture.
    - RugnirViking 8y ago
      The idea may be that android benefits a lot more from integration with other google products. Although I'm not sure on how inter-alphabet cooperation is going.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
  - agumonkey 8y ago
    I wonder what's the idea behind google growth ... maybe android apps improvements got them more visits/ads