Happy Birthday Google!

nivaria:

Google turns 12… and what an amazing 12 years! Leaving childhood behind and approaching its teens, many would find difficult to imagine a world without Google and its many services.

A birthday cake displayed in Google today reminds us that just over a decade ago this search engine was a simple prototype. Who would have known back then the success awaiting just round the corner.

This morning, I tried to remember how Google used to look when I was a student so I went straight to the Way Back Machine where you can browse through over 150 billion web pages archived from 1996 to a few months ago. This basically means that you can enter the URLs of your favourite websites and see how they used to look like at their very early stages. That’s how I could see, remember and even get nostalgic while looking and reading Google’s beginnings.

Google offered jobs! Yes, you read right. In 1999 it was possible to apply for a job at Google by sending your CV / resume by email to jobs@google.com or by fax on (650) 618-149 (yep, fax was still a popular way of communication!). The first image below is a screen-shot of the jobs offered by Google in 1999 but the job descriptions are still available if you are interested in seeing what they used to offer (even a position as Head Chef!).

What I love the most in the jobs@Google page is their ‘Reasons to work at Google’ section, which I’ve listed below:

1. Hot technology
2. Cool technology
3. Intelligent, fun, talented, hard-working, high-energy teammates
4. In the center of the Silicon Valley
5. Excellent benefits
6. Stock options
7. Casual dress atmosphere
8. Free snacks and drinks
9. An exciting place to work! Your ideas can make a difference
10. Millions of people will use and appreciate your software

Also priceless is their heading: Looking for a start-up adventure? Google is the leading designer of next-generation search engine technology. We are rapidly hiring talented people to bring the latest and greatest technology to the web.

Jobs@Google in 1999

Once upon a time Google was a prototype (image archive - 1998)…

…and offered a BETA version… (image archive - 1998)

Google BETA version included a link to jobs@Google, among other cool things (image archive - 1999)

Users could search Web, Images, Groups, Advertising services (PPC), etc. (image archive - 2002)

Users could now search News. A link to jobs offers at Google was quite visible on the homepage (image archive - 2003).

Google includes ‘Groups’ and even displays a link to help with ‘Tsunami relief’ (image archive - 2004).

Google has been displaying Local (currently known as Maps) since late 2005… and surprises users with events-related images. In January 2006 Google wishes Happy New Year by temporarily altering their usual logo (image archive - 2006).

Google Local is now known as Google Maps (image archive - 2007).

In 2007, Google starts to look more like we are used to seeing it now, with the menu in the top-left hand and the login links on the top-right hand (image archive - 2008).

This post is meant to show the journey that Google has gone through in the last twelve years. Looking back, we can all remember how easy it was to rank in Google by including search terms in the meta keywords tag (among other “tricks”). Currently, if you own a business, it’s very likely that you’ve had to contact an SEO company to get advice and possibly contract their services.

In 2010 we could also learn the importance of being highly visible in Google Places (for some, this is considered as important as ranking in the main search results).

As most of you, I’ve got those favourite sites which are part of my daily work. I’ve listed a few ones below but please feel free to recommend others! (particularly if they are tools and blogs offering SEO help):

• SEO Book: SEO training programs and tools.
• SEOmoz: Online tools and tutorials to help with Internet marketing and search engine optimization needs.
• Google Insights: Search volume patterns comparison tool across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties.
• Google Keyword Tool: Keyword ideas generator which can be arranged by region, keyword match (broad, phrase and exact), etc.
• Raven SEO: Internet Marketing tools for SEO and Social Media.

Happy Googling! :-D