2023 marks Google’s 25th anniversary. Just a short 25 years ago, Google’s founders rolled up their sleeves and birthed a search engine with the mission of making the vast World Wide Web a breeze to explore and navigate. What started as a humble garage project has evolved into a tech behemoth that has not only changed how we access information but has become synonymous with internet searches.
Google: From Noun to Verb
Back in the fall of 2000, while attending an event at GVSU, I vividly remember the skepticism I felt surrounding an author’s comment that Google aimed to digitize all books and information in the world. Fast forward to 2023, and “googling” has become second nature to find any piece of information. Google has changed search engine history by becoming the go-to source for instant knowledge, replacing the Encylopedia, Kelly Blue Book, and even Grandma’s recipe box.
As an elder millennial, I recall the era of Yahoo!’s yodeling commercials on my now vintage RCA CRT Television. When Google came onto the scene as a competitor they grabbed a huge share of the Internet’s traffic by dividing it in half almost immediately. Not long after, Google crushed Yahoo! and solidified its dominance in web search activity.
Google truly sets the pace for all SERPs, so much so that Bing has enabled a “sync with Google” feature in their business listings and Webmaster tools indexing platforms. The influence of Google on younger generations is evident. Ask a Gen Z or Gen Alpha about Yahoo! and you’ll likely be met with confusion. They may even tell you to “just google it.”
Digital Goodies to Celebrate
To mark its 25-year legacy, Google unveiled a celebratory 25th Anniversary Google Doodle, a delightful journey through the evolution of its logo design. Viewers can filter through the years of the logo’s primary-colored lettering, with its changes in dimension and font choice. The Google Keyword Team also curated a 25th Birthday collection page, offering digital goodies such as a Google trivia quiz and 25 intriguing facts about the tech company as well as newly released articles for a look into how they are planning to improve search in the future.
A Gift for the Future
For Google, the future of tech is everything. Another huge celebratory action Google has taken for its 25-year milestone is through charitable contributions. Google.org is investing $10M in grants to fuel robotics and AI programs for middle school students, fostering the next generation of tech enthusiasts. This generous gift shows how committed Google is to influencing the future of technology.
As the future hurtles toward technological marvels, the nostalgia of grandma’s recipe box may fade. But Google ensures that the spirit of discovery lives on. For millennials like me, holding onto sentimental experiences is crucial. Despite this, we eagerly anticipate the futuristic gizmos and gadgets reminiscent of Marty McFly’s awe-inspiring journey in Back to the Future 2. An instant Domino’s Pizza? Thanks to Google, the future might just deliver. Kudos to Google for 25 years of shaping the way we get our information and navigate the vast landscape of the World Wide Web!