Google is a multi-national corporation, the world’s leading search engine and a cultural innovation. “Google” is a noun, a verb and a revolution in the way searching impacts the world.
Google’s History
Larry Page and Sergey Brin worked on a search engine product called BackRub in 1996 as students at Stanford, by 1997 the search engine had been renamed Google. The word “google” is a play on a mathematical term for one followed by one hundred zeros, it represents a nearly infinite amount of information.
Almost instantly, Google’s ability to retrieve relevant results were revolutionary. Named on the Top 100 Web Sites in 1998 by PC Magazine, it was clear that Google was going to be a disruptive innovation.
Google has been a poster child for innovation with concepts like PageRank and Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC). Google has developed Gmail, Google Maps, and GoogleEarth as well as Froogle. Google also has acquired innovative companies like youTube.
Google and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Google uses over 200 factors to determine relevance, and believe that their search is more relevant than any other search engine. Google created PageRank, which represents one of the 200 factors; it includes rating the pages that link to your page.
Google has built their search engine around the philosophy that the searcher is more important than the search engine. A focus on relevant content and authentic development is a winning formula for SEO success on Google. Using attempts to trick or manipulate the search engine (often called Black Hat Tactics) will backfire, and can get your site banned from Google.
Google recommends using a text editor to see your pages without content management software, but as the search engine will see it. There are limitations to how the bots (the computer programmed crawlers) can see your site. Tools like site maps, registering the site, and indexing the pages of the site can help increase your SEO results.
Using misleading tags and keywords, stuffing content with keywords or cloaked words (unrelated keywords to the content) will all have a negative result.
Unique, relevant and appealing content is the heartbeat of the Google search. The factors that determine relevancy on Google are connected to the principles of great content and searcher usability.
Do’s and Don’ts for Google Success
- Do use unique content, duplicated content can result in your pages not being indexed or included in search results
- Do use relevant keywords in appropriate usage for the content
- Do understand your site’s taxonomy and make the flow clear
- Do use consistent labeling for the page, extensions and title tags
- Do include descriptive titles
- Don’t duplicate material
- Don’t use keyword stuffing (excessive and irrelevant keyword use)
- Don’t use deceptive practices
- Don’t use trogans, viruses, malware on your site
- Don’t use blank or place marking pages, use complete pages
Throughout Google’s history it has survived controversy and in some cases blatant disregard. There have been issues related to privacy, monopoly and search result bias.
Google has been consistent in their philosophy that the searcher is the most valuable part of the formula, and the algorithms and procedures must protect and support the searcher and the relevancy of the search results.
