Google to acquire visual search site Like.com

Internet search giant Google has reportedly acquired visual search group Like.com for upwards of $US100 million, following a stream of social-media based acquisitions.

Tech blog TechCrunch has reported, according to “multiple sources”, the deal is currently being hammered out. It comes five years after Google nearly bought Riya, the company behind the technology used on Like.com.

The site allows users to search for products based on a visual cue. For instance, users are able to highlight a product in an image, then Like.com searches for products similar to the one in the image with the hope of finding an exact match.

TechCrunch reports the site has raised nearly $50 million in venture capital, and counts turnover at about $US50 million per year.

Google has acquired a few different companies over the last month, as it reportedly prepares to launch its own social networking site to rival Facebook. It has also placed a large investment of up to $US200 million in social gaming group Zynga.