Google to Sell Off DoubleClick’s Search Marketing Unit – Performics

Search giant Google has announced plans to sell off the Performics, the search engine marketing division of DoubleClick as part if its integration strategy.

Google purchased DoubleClick last month for $3.1 billion and has now received regulatory approval for the acquisition.

DoubleClick consists of two divisions; an affiliate marketing company and a search engine marketing business which provides advertising and SEO services.

In a statement Google said the latter, called Performics, was to be sold off in order to avoid a conflict of interest and allow the search engine to maintain its objectivity in both search and advertising.

“It’s clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business,” said Tom Phillips, Google’s director of DoubleClick integration.

He confirmed that the search engine had received “preliminary interest” in the Performics division from a number of its existing partners.

Meanwhile there are reports that Google may be in talks with eBay to buy the VoIP service Skype or enter into a joint ownership agreement with the online auction site.