Google acquires social platform start-up Meebo

Google appears more determined than ever to boost the profile of Google+, after acquiring Silicon Valley start-up Meebo, which the search giant described as a “great fit” for its fledgling social network.

Meebo is a consumer internet company focused on driving user engagement across the internet. Impressively, it reaches approximately half of the internet population in the United States.

Its flagship product, the Meebo Bar, enables publishers and advertisers to leverage this audience by weaving content engagement and brand experiences into the consumer’s internet activities.

Based in Mountain View in California, Meebo began as an instant messenger aggregator platform in September 2005. It was developed by Sandy Jen, Seth Sternberg and Elaine Wherry.

With six offices located across the US, Meebo is backed by True Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Jafco Ventures and Khosla Ventures.

In a company blog post, Meebo confirmed it has been acquired by Google for an undisclosed sum.

“For more than seven years, we’ve been helping publishers find deeper relationships with their users, and to make their sites more social and engaging,” it wrote.

“Together with Google, we’re super jazzed to roll up our sleeves and get cracking on even bigger and better ways to help users and website owners alike.”

“We’ve had a blast building Meebo so far and we’re really excited to start the next leg of our journey.”

Google issued its own statement on the acquisition, confirming the Meebo team will be working on the company’s social network, Google+.

“With the Meebo team’s expertise in social publisher tools, we believe they will be a great fit with the Google+ team,” it said.

“We look forward to closing the transaction and working with the Meebo team to create more ways for users to engage online.”

A report from All Things Digital last month suggested Google was in talks to acquire Meebo, with a purchase price of around $100 million. According to Tech Crunch, that figure is accurate.

Meanwhile, fellow tech giant Zynga has acquired Oregon video game maker Buzz Monkey for an undisclosed sum, in what appears to be a talent buyout.

As part of the deal, Zynga will add about 50 employees to its ranks, along with Buzz Monkey’s Oregon office.

Founded in 2001 by four “industry ninjas”, Buzz Monkey offers full game development, co-development, ports, and consulting for both publishers and fellow developers.

The company is better known for larger console titles such as Army of Two: 40^th Day and the Tomb Raider series. More recently, Buzz Monkey moved into the smartphone gaming space.

Because Buzz Monkey has experience working on Facebook games, including smartphone titles and more ambitious console games, it will complement Zynga’s stable of developers.