Did Sogou Just Break 10% of China’s Search Market?

Did Sogou just quietly break 10 percent of China’s search engine market? That’s what data tracking firm CNZZ says; according to the company the search engine had more than ten percent of China’s search traffic from June 21-23, and on the 24th it broke 10.5 percent. If true, those numbers make China’s search market start to look more competitive, with Baidu now facing two potent challengers in the form of Qihoo 360 and Sogou. And the rumors that Sogou is looking for a buyout from Qihoo certainly sound a bit less convincing if its search engine is on the verge of surpassing Qihoo’s.

That said, it’s very difficult to get a clear picture of internet traffic in China, and numbers can vary pretty significantly depending on where they’re coming from. One of the more recent breakdowns we’ve seen — the chart below, from China Internet Watch using enfodesk data — certainly makes the news look believable. But I have a sneaking suspicion Baidu would dispute these numbers, and it’s also not clear to what extent any of this data is including mobile searches.

In any event, unless CNZZ’s numbers are way off, it’s clear that within the past year, Sogou has gone from a second-place afterthought in a monopolized market to a crucial variable in what’s becoming an increasingly competitive market. (Granted, Baidu is still way out in front and doesn’t look to be in any immediate danger; I mean “increasingly competitive” compared to last July). Whether or not the company is bought out — and who buys it — could play a huge role in deciding who ultimately wins China’s search wars.

(via TechWeb)