A Brief History of Google

A Brief History of Google

A Brief History of Google

Google has become such a significant part of the way information is found in 2010 that it's hard to believe the search engine is only 12 years old. According to Hitwise, Google had approximately 70 per cent share of search volume in the USA in October 2010, while the same figure for the UK was even higher at a staggering 90 per cent.

Nevertheless, despite people's everyday reliance on Google, relatively little is known about the company and its origins. This is surprising given the popularity of films like this year's The Social Network, which charts the rise of Facebook, and 1999's Pirates of Silicon Valley, a docudrama about the early rivalry between Microsoft's Bill Gates and Apple founder Steve Jobs. If you've ever wanted to know more about Google, here's a brief account of its history.

The idea behind Google began in 1996 as part of a research project by two Stanford Ph.D. students: Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Their fundamental idea in creating a new search engine was to shift from the exclusively keyword-focused approach of existing search engines to one that also attributed importance to the number of pages in a site and the number of links that existed to that site. This formed the basis of their PageRank technology, which has revolutionised the way search engines operate since Google's unveiling in 1998.

Since these beginnings, Google has grown enormously. The company, whose name comes from a misspelling of googol, has made several acquisitions and partnership agreements that now make it one of the world's most influential businesses. High profile purchases include online video pioneers YouTube, bought for $1.65 billion in stock in 2006, and the controversial acquisition of online ad service DoubleClick for $3.1 billion in 2007. What's more, Google quickly expanded into more than just a search engine. Google Mail, for example, became a serious rival to Microsoft's Hotmail following its launch in 2004, while the Google Earth and Maps services have transformed the way people see their world and search for directions.

Perhaps one of the most important changes that Google has contributed to the internet world is the shake-up of online advertising. Its emphasis on the quality of links, for example, underpins search engine optimisation strategies for businesses across the world, while its AdWords tool is also an important paid search advertising provider. The result is that, in order to survive in sphere of online commerce, businesses now have to work to ensure that they are visible on Google, more than any other search engine, in order to drive more visitors and potential customers to their websites.

Interestingly, in 1999, Brin and Page tried to sell Google to George Bell - CEO of then-popular internet portal Excite - for $1 million because they felt the project was interfering with their academic work. The offer was rejected and a few months later Google received $25 million in equity funding. In 2004, Google became a public company with shares priced at $85 each. In early November 2010, a share in Google is worth $617 a piece and the company is valued at $33 billion. All in all, it's not a bad achievement for a 12 year-old.

POST COMMENT

Hoe To Easily Fix The Google Redirect Virus How To Easily Fix The The Google Redirect Virus - Permanent Removal Google Redirect Virus Removal - Remove It Permanently From Your PC Google Redirect Virus Removal Tool - Permanently Remove It Google Search Results Redirected? Here's How To Fix It Permanently Google Redirect Fix - How To Permanently Fix The Google Redirect Virus How To Easily Fix The Google Search Redirect Virus How To Permanently Remove The Google Redirect Malware How To Easily Remove The Virus That Redirects Google Search Results Got The Google Redirect Problem? Here's How To Fix It Permanently Got The Google Results Redirected Problem? Here's How To Fix It Permanently Got The Google Hijack Redirect Virus? Here's How To Fix It Permanently Got The Google Redirect Notice - Here's How You Can Fix It Permanently