Posted by When one thinks of internet search engines the first to come to mind for many is Google. Google has been on top of the online market for decades providing users with an easy way to search the web. The company introduced itself to the world wide web in 1996, the website was created by two Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They were inspired to create a search engine that was simple for users to find information using one search bar. The meek beginnings of Google was incredible to see. The large companies page shown in the picture to the left was their page in November 1998, this being the oldest capture of the website found on the WayBackMachine. The Website shown is simple, a white background with a search bar and the large letterings of Google with only a few other features.
The Google search engine has been a staple to many since its beginnings, giving the everyday person access to a wide variety of information. Google also opened up many opportunities for companies of all sizes to promote their products and reach consumers from all over the world. The website’s ability to globalize not only businesses but information vital for students, employees, and everyday people. The free to use search engine can satisfy users by not only giving them access to vital information but by entertaining consumers. When Google was first introduced it was seen as just another search engine, but as the search engine has gained popularity it has become the leading World Wide Web search engine used by a majority of online users.
Googles 1998’s website has a few features that stick out to consumers. The large search bar in the middle of the screen was the most used, as they came to the website to gain knowledge from the twenty five million pages Google had to offer. Other features included were a “I’m Feeling Lucky” tab, “About Google”, and a tab to sign up for email updates about what was new and other things happening within the website itself. The simple design of the website has been an anchor to the Google company, allowing their users to have a smooth and easy usage of their product. Although Google’s website has added new features throughout the years google has stuck by their goal to provide users with a simple search engine.
As technology and the use of the internet skyrocketed, Google followed as the website improved significantly. In the Snapshot of the 2013 Google page, shown below, it may seem that the website hasn’t changed very much. Google’s page presented still follows their main goal of making the search engine as convenient and easy to use as possible but did not see the need to change the design very much. The picture shows the similar Google search bar and all the same tabs from 1998, yet there are some additional tabs that have been added. One of the largest additions to the website is the “Business Solutions” tab, this was significant because it allowed businesses to pay for advertising space within Google. This allowed businesses to reach a larger population and far away consumers. In addition, Google added an “Advanced Search” option which allowed users to be able to narrow down their searches to retain the information they want.
Google didn’t stay complacent as just a search engine, they began adding features that would create waves in the internet community. The company added many new features to their website including Google Chrome, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Translate, and even acquired YouTube to break into the video streaming industry. One of the biggest additions was Google Drive, this allowed for consumers to store unlimited amounts of content on the web, and allowed them to access it on any computer connected to the internet. Also, the addition of Google Translate allowed Google users to connect with people and ideas from around the world. These features allowed google to expand the use of their platform for its users and have a centralized website to store information. Google continues to expand into new markets with the goal of making the website more useful and a helpful tool for the everyday person.