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Monday, September 17, 2007

InfoSpace Sells Switchboard.com; Mobile Business Next?

Today we learn that Superpages.com parent, Idearc Inc., has acquired Switchboard.com from InfoSpace Inc.

Infospace

The deal was done for $225 million in cash and will include all of InfoSpace’s online directory business.

Now, here’s an interesting twist. The Triangle Business Journal–yes we do have a tech industry in North Carolina folks–suggests that InfoSpace is also set to sell its entire mobile division to Durham-based Motricity.

Motricity just raised $175M and the TBJ’s sources say the deal is “expected soon.”

But, something is not gelling here…

By selling its mobile business, InfoSpace could focus solely on its Internet division, which includes such properties as Switchboard.com and DogPile.com. The company’s online business is expected to have a 12-month revenue run rate of about $140 million.

Or maybe not. Now that InfoSpace has sold off its internet division, will it now sell its mobile business too? That would pretty much leave the company with just its metacrawlers–such as Dogpile–hardly the strongest of its assets.

I’m guessing either the TBJ is spot on, and this is a closing down sale by InfoSpace, or they’re way off and InfoSpace plans to focus on building its mobile division. We’ll have to wait and see.

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About the author:
Andy Beal is an internet marketing consultant and considered one of the world's most respected and interactive search engine marketing experts. Andy has worked with many Fortune 1000 companies such as Motorola, CitiFinancial, Lowes, Alaska Air, DeWALT, NBC and Experian.

You can read his internet marketing blog at Marketing Pilgrim and reach him at andy.beal@gmail.com.
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