Ever wondered why it’s difficult to overtake some websites on the search engine rankings. It’s because most of them are under the ownership of large companies that aim to dominate the top ranks of search engines in almost all keywords. These large companies are creating a new level of internet monopolies called search engine monopolies. The websites they own altogether attract millions of organic visitors per month from Search engines which enables them to earn millions of dollars per month in ad revenue and affiliate commissions.
There are mainly 16 companies that are accountable for forming search engines monopolies and in this article, we are analyzing these companies, the various websites they own, and the niches/ keywords they dominate.
The 16 companies that we are talking about here are:
- TIME
- Future
- Purch
- Hearst
- CBS
- Vox Media
- Dennis
- Conde Nast
- Meredith
- Ziff Davis
- IAC
- Verizon
- IDG
- Scripps Networks
- Gawker Media
- Evolve Media
1. TIME
TIME is a global media brand established in 1923 — about 99 years in New York, USA. The company is most famous for its magazine known as Time Magazine. The company has an audience of more than 100 million people worldwide across all its media platforms both offline and offline.
Its online platforms include numerous websites which are one of the dominators of search engine results under most keywords. The top websites owned by TIME span across multiple niches and they include:
- Time.com
- People.com
- Fortune.com
- Health.com
- TrustedReviews.com
- WhatDigitalCamera.com
- Essense.com
- FoodandWine.com
- Myrecipes.com
- Theoutfit.com
- RealSimple.com
- SouthernLiving.com
- Sunset.com
- YBW.com
- Allyou.com
- SI.com
- Cookinglight.com
TIME was acquired by Meredith Corporation in 2018 for a whopping $1.34 billion — all cash. It still operates as an independent brand but under the ownership of Meredith Corp. We are later on going to look at Meredith Corporation and how it aims to dominate search results.
2. Future PLC
Future PLC is a British media company founded in 1985. It owns more than 50 online and offline publications in various niches like video games, technology, films, music, photography, home, and knowledge. The top websites owned by Future PLC include:
- TechRadar.com
- GamesRadar.com
- MusicRadar.com
- PCGamer.com
- Wallpaper.com
- GuitarWorld.com
- MarieClaire.com
- HomesandGardens.com
- TomsGuide.com
- Space.com
3. Purch
In 2018, Future PLC acquired most of Purch’s top websites and brands. Before that, Purch was one of the companies owning the majority of the top-ranking websites. After the acquisitions by Future PLC, Purch dissolved to one brand which is Business.com.
The company owned and operated the following websites:
- Active Junky
- Consumr
- Herman Street
- Laptop Mag
- LiveScience
- Newsarama
- ShopSavvy
- Space.com
- Tom's Guide
- Tom's Hardware
- Tom's IT Pro
- Top Ten Reviews
Following websites were not included during the sale to Future, and went under Business.com:
- Business News Daily
- Business.com
- BuyerZone
4. Hearst
Hearst is a leading global diversified media and info-services company with more than 360 businesses. It owns numerous online media brands whose websites rank highly on search engines across multiple niches.
Hearst is one of the companies that has dominated the SEO space and this was fostered by Hearst’s acquisition of a top SEO company called iCrossing back in 2010. Its most popular websites/ brands include:
- Cosmopolitan.com
- Elle.com
- Bazaar.com
- Delish.com
- Esquire.com
- PopularMechanics.com
- Redbook.com
- Seventeen.com
- ElleDecor.com
5. CBS
CBS is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment company. It was founded in 1927 as a broadcasting station and currently, it owns multiple popular offline and online brands which include some of the top-ranked websites in search engine results. These websites include:
- Cnet.com
- Chowhound.com
- Download.com
- ComicVine.com
- Last.fm
- Gamespot.com
- TV.com
- MetroLyrics.com
- Metacritic.com
- TechRepublic.com
- 247Sports.com
- CollegeSportsLive.com
- PopCuture.com
- TVguide.com
6. Vox Media
Vox Media is an American mass media company that was established in 2011 as a mother company after the merger of two popular websites, SB Nation and The Verge. The company went on to expand and it currently owns several other top-ranking websites that cut across multiple niches. The top websites owned by Vox Media include:
- TheVerge.com
- Vox.com
- SBNation.com
- Eater.com
- Polygon.com
- Recode.com
- Curbed.com
- Racked.com
7. Dennis Publishing
Dennis Publishing Ltd was a British publisher that was founded in 1973. Most of its brands were acquired by Future PLC in 2021 and its remaining assets were taken under a new company called Autovia Limited. The company owned and operated many top-ranked websites on search engines and they include:
- Alphr.com
- AutoExpress.co.uk
- BuyaCar.co.uk
- TheWeek.co.uk
- Carbuyer.co.uk
- Octane.com
- PCPro.com
- ExpertReviews.com
- ITPro.co.uk
- ComputerShopper.co.uk
8. Conde Nast
Condé Nast is a global mass media company founded in 1909. It is based in New York City and it’s home to some of the world's most iconic brands, including Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, Vanity Fair, Wired, Architectural Digest and so many more. Its brands are so popular offline and online making its websites rank among the top on search engine searches across multiple niches. The websites include:
- Vogue.com
- Wired.com
- TeenVogue.com
- TheNewYorker.com
- W.com
- VanityFair.com
- Self.com
- Reddit.com
- Pitchfork.com
- GQ.com
- GoldDigest.com
- Glamour.com
- Traveller.com
- Brides.com
- BonAppetit.com
- Allure.com
9. Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corp is a leader in creating content across media platforms in key consumer interest areas such as entertainment, food, lifestyle, parenting, and home. Meredith is the No. 1 magazine operator in the U.S., and owner of one of the largest premium content digital networks for American consumers. It runs multiple brands under it whose websites are among the top-ranked on search engines. The websites include:
- AllRecipes.com
- BetterHomes.com
- FamilyCircle.com
- DiabeticLiving.com
- Recipe.com
- EatingWell.com
- MarthaStewart.com
- Parents.com
- Parenting.com
- Fitness.com
- Shape.com
- Meredith.com
- FitPregnancy.com
- MyWedding.com
Meredith Corporation is now under a new entity named Dotdash Meredith after it was acquired by IAC.
10. Ziff Davis
Ziff Davis is an American internet and digital media company. Ziff Davis runs multiple media brands in digital media, affiliate marketing, video game, and software sectors. The company’s brands own some of the top-ranked websites on search engines and they include:
- AskMen.com
- Geek.com
- ComputerShopper.com
- Offers.com
- IGN.com
- PCMag.com
- Toolbox.com
- Salesify.com
- Ookla.com
- eMedia.com
11. IAC
IAC is an American-based company that owns multiple brands across 100 countries, mostly in media and on the internet. It’s the owner of the top online dating platforms worldwide including Match, OkCupid, Plenty Of Fish, and so on. IAC’s brands own some of the highest-ranked websites on search engines. The websites include:
- Chemistry.com
- PlentofFish.com
- About.com
- Dictionary.com
- Investopedia.com
- TheDailyBeast.com
- OKCupid.com
- Match.com
- BlackPeopleMeet.com
- Tutor.com
- CollegHumor.com
- Homeadvisor.com
- Shoebuy.com
- Mindspark.com
In October 2021, IAC announced the acquisition of some of Meredith Corporation's brands. The deal closed in December 2021, and the acquired Meredith assets became part of the IAC subsidiary Dotdash Meredith.
12. Verizon
Verizon is an American wireless network operator that owns several other subsidiary companies and brands that are popular on the web and search engines. Their websites include:
- AOL.com
- TechCrunch.com
- TheHuffingtonPost.com
- Crunchbase.com
- Advertising.com
- Makers.com
- About.me
- Outside.in
- Patch.com
- Sphere.com
- Adap.tv
- Engadget.com
13. IDG
International Data Group (IDG) is an American media company that's mainly focused on the tech landscape/ niche. It owns some of the highest-ranked websites on search engines when it comes to the technology niche. The websites include:
- CIO.com
- TechWorld.com
- PcAdvisor.co.uk
- Macworld.co.uk
- TechAdvisor.co.uk
- ComputerWorldUK.com
14. Scripps Networks (acquired by Discovery Communications)
Scripps Networks Interactive was an American mass media company that was formed in 2008. The company owned a bunch of popular television and online platforms which include:
- FoodNetwork.com
- HGTV.com
- DIYNetwork.com
- CookingChannel.com
- TravelChannel.com
- GreatAmericanCounty.com
In 2018, Discovery Communications acquired Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6 billion in a cash and stock deal, and currently, all of Scripps assets are under Discovery Communications, the owners of the popular Discovery Channel.
15. Gawker Media
Gawker Media was an American online media company and blog network. The company owned many highly ranked websites and blogs on google search. It ran bankrupt in 2016 and was later acquired by Univision Communications at auction for $135 million.
- DeadSpin.com
- Gizmodo.com
- Jalopkin.com
- Jezebel.com
- Kotaku.com
- Lifehacker.com
- Cink.com
16. Evolve Media
Evolve Media is an American publishing company that owns several brands with a huge online presence. The popular websites under Evolve Media include:
- ComingSoon.net
- WrestleZone.com
- TheFashion Spo.com
- TotalBeauty.com
- RealityTea.cm
- Momtastic.com
- Wagbrag.com
- AfterEllen.com
- DogTime.com
- CatTime.com
- ModernMom.com
- LiveOutdoors.com
- EverydayFamily.com
- EDM.com
- WhatCulture.com
Their dominance over niches
These companies with the aid of their various, have been able to position themselves among the top 5 search results in many important keywords under several niches as you can see below:
Conclusion
This analysis is not coming from the negative perspective but it’s to address the question “Will medium and small scale web enterprises overcome this domination?
The sad truth is that it is very tough to overcome the dominance of these companies on search results because they have been building up towards this for several years. Some have gone ahead to acquire their direct competitors which further extends their portfolio.
However, webmasters must understand that regardless of the SEO monopolies that are being built by these companies, the ocean is still big enough to accommodate all the fish, both big and small.
