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It all started soooo simple, just providing a useful search engine that was great for finding information. Pure web search, simple and easy to use. It fit with the way people used the web and expected a search engine to perform without bombarding them with advertising.
AdWords was added, it blended right in with the search results, wasn't an eye sore, and there was a clear distinction between the ads and the search results - just the way we'd like it to be from the end user perspective.
They picked the ODP which is, again, proably the least biased directory on the web and applied PR to it to make it more useful.
Then came Google groups and news. Again, seamless, easy to use, and another outlet (groups) to display advertising in a reasonable manner while not getting in the way of anything.
Then Froogle, full of free product listings and another venue to move more high margin, unobtrusive advertising.
Now the new Google Content-Targeted Advertising [adwords.google.com] with the potential to further expand AdWords revenue in a new distribution format that will probably be very user friendly, benefit publishers, advertisers, and end users.
I can't help thinking that ALOVERTURE is going to be in a downward spiral if they plan to go head to head with Google. Pay per click search results and paid inclusion are nice for the advertiser but only so long as the end user has confidence and a level of trust in them and actually uses them. They are all designed for the advertiser and not the end user actually using the net. While Overture is figuring out how to pay for those acquisitions, Google will be rolling out new products and perfecting the ones they already have.
They're (PFI, PPC) not in-your face like popups, but they don't fit as well with the way people (ideally?) expect or want the web and web search to operate.
Maybe Overture just bought some great technology in AV and FAST, but so what? Those folks at Google know how to apply technology in a way that works for everyone. There's not too many companies out there that continually come through with simple yet brilliant ideas like Google does.
They're gonna rock, they're gonna win most every battleground they enter and come out smelling like a rose. They won't have to even think about selling out their search results to boost earnings in the future. It would put everything else at risk. Google will be web search. YAHOO! will be a portal that has a search feature, MSN search will pick off the 7% or so of the keywords and mis-typed URL searches in the browser bar the IGN doesn't pick off and whatever else MSFT can monopolize. The Google machine is just getting started.
Just some random thoughts.......
The verb "Google" will become a noun again.
It will be: "I saw you on Google" instead of "I found you on internet".
Their level of quality remains astounding in all fields.
cvs.sourceforge.net machine (looking at a cvs directory) gave me 2 links to lawyers earlier this evening.
I have no idea how they got CVS and an open source directory list matched to 2 law firms...
I'm almost surely going to turn off the content option after the 12th of March.
Errhh... I think you ought to have mentioned GoogleGuy's way of handling WebmasterWorld. He rocks too...
[inventory.uk.overture.com...]
[inventory.overture.com...]
just do a search for things like:
Google, Yahoo, Msn etc etc
shows you who the "daddy" is.
Shak
(Ov, I am watching them numbers, so NO hand tweaking please)
It is good to hear that Google is doing well financially too. I wonder what else Google has up its sleeve.
Way to go Google!
I like Google :)
Craig
Exactly. People talk about how Overture should dump millions into promoting their new features but what is that going to achieve?
Where is the Lycos dog after fetching so many items on TV? Sitting in someone's super large cubicle
right here [google.com]
What happened to that search engine that showed a guy sitting in front of hundreds of screens on a SuperBowl commercial?
Where did 50,000 redesigns from AltaVista get them today?
Innovation, Word-of Mouth, and having the media on their side, got Google where they are at today.
It will take a few years for others to reach the level Google is at now, even if their technology is better.
i love google and i know they will continue to only get greater at what they do. they represent the people in the search wars, while overture represents the greed and corporate america of the wars.
Those folks at Google know how to apply technology in a way that works for everyone.
That just about sums everything up. Google has a knack for keeping things simple while continuing to innovate and "set the bar" for all other search engines.
Excellent post, Skibum.
Shak:
just do a search for things like:Google..
I did a search for Google, but I don't understand why almost half a million people searched for "ad family google hagrid monitor query safe show"..maybe it's just me!
- Chad
Just need that twice-monthly full update and they will be darn near perfect!
maybe i will buy the dot com of that. easy to remember and it is catchy (c:
I think that says a lot of their planned expansion (And yes i know RC, just adwords editors ;) )
Agreed on everything -> especially the bit about the only danger to Google being themselves, eg, competing with the sites they list, as Brett put it.
It's funny, I used to talk to people that would say they used 'search engine x' X being any number of different responses, Alta, Lycos, Excite, Dogpile, etc.
And now, I can't remember when the last time I talked to somebody who thought 'engine x' was better.
Quite simply amazing the continual innovation from them.
Well done Google.
