Google’s Loss

Sina is a massive site–the third largest portal in China–and it has decided to replace it’s Google search portal. Sina handles millions of visitors, so it’s a big blow to Google’s efforts in China. To be fair, of course, Google has mostly pulled out of China. Sina is now using its own search technology instead of a Google search portal on its front page.

Chinese Internet portal operator Sina Corp. has dropped Google Inc.’s search service from its website and is now using its own search technology, ending another of Google’s deals in China after the U.S. company said earlier it would phase out its censored search contracts in the country.

Baidu will continue to make gains in the search market in China thanks to Google’s withdrawal. Google’s loss is Baidu and others’ gain. In the last three months of 2009, Google was responsible for 35.6% of the search market in China, now they represent only 19.6%. Baidu now has over 75% of the market captured–pretty impressive in a massive country like China.

Have any of my Louisiana readers found out why Baidu is so popular? I’d be interested to know.