Google has agreed to buy online chat site Meebo. The official blog of Meebo confirmed the acquisition today.

Price details were not made public but sources say that it was close to $100 million.

This acquisition will add more tools to Google’s social networking platform Google Plus in its attempt to take on Facebook.

Silicon Valley start-up Meebo started operations in 2005 as a browser-based messaging service. It later launched other communication features. Meebo supports multiple instant messaging services, including Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, AIM, ICQ, MySpace IM, Facebook Chat and Google Talk.

Google Plus was launched last year and now has over 170 million users. But it has not been able to make a mark for itself in terms of frequency of visitors. In contrast, Facebook has approximately 900 million visitors daily.

Google Plus will now be seen with the social toolbar and other sharing tools of Meebo.

Meebo said in its blog, “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. 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 Web site owners alike.”

The Google team has reportedly confirmed that the existing Meebo team will join the Google Plus team.

Related Topics