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Why is Google Popular?

This page describes:

1. What Makes Google Great?

Here are reasons why Google has many users and why those users frequently search using Google.

Google Searches Billions of URLs
  • Google crawls and indexes many web pages, thus increasing the likelihood of its returning what you’re seeking.

Google Returns Relevant Results
  • It tends to be good at selecting links that closely match your search query.
  • What you want is usually near the top.

Google Identifies Ads and Sponsored Links
  • It doesn’t sell placement of search results.
  • Sponsored links and ads are clearly marked and kept separate from search results.
  • Ads relate to content and aren’t distracting.

Google is Fast
  • Most results are found in less than a second.
  • You can also access Google’s cached version of a web page, often faster than the page itself.
Google is Simple to Use
  • Clear uncluttered simple web pages.

Google Shows What You Get
  • Search results include an excerpt (or “snippet”) of the text that matches your query with your search terms in boldface.

Google Packs Results with Information and with Links Related to your Query
 

Shows a Page Even When it’s Gone or its Link is Inaccessible
  • Google takes a snapshot of each page it examines and caches (stores) these as a backup. If the original isn’t available, you can access Google’s cached version.
  • Your search terms will be highlighted in color on the cached page, making it easy to find the sections of the page relevant to your query.

Google Continually Improves its Search Results
  • Its capabilities are enhanced and expanded to match the dynamic growth and changing nature of the web.

2. Google’s Mission and Philosophy

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. While pursuing this vision, Google has adopted the following philosophy:

  • Focus on the user, and all else will follow.
  • It’s best to do one thing really well.
  • Fast is better than slow.
  • Democracy on the web works.
  • The world is a wonderful R&D Lab.
  • You can make money without doing evil.
  • There’s always more information out there.
  • The need for information crosses all borders.
  • Great just isn’t good enough.

For more about Google’s philosophy, visit https://about.google/.

3. What Can You Find with Google?

Google strives to make it easy to quickly find what you’re seeking. The following list shows some of the many types of searches Google can easily do. Click on the type of information to learn how to search for it and click on the examples to see the results of such a search.

Type of Information Examples
Specific person, place, or
thing (named entities)
Robin Williams,
San Francisco,
Paris restaurants
Information on a subject (web
sites by topic)
salary negotiation tips,
lasik eye surgery,
hybrid cars,
lawn furniture,
travel
Something you’ve seen before
or know exists
tax forms,
Dixie Chicks song lyrics
Answer to a question

What is the local weather forecast for the next three days?

How can I reserve a camping site at Yosemite?

How can I book a cheap flight from Boston to London?

What is the approximate value of my car?

How old is Nelson Mandela?

What to write or say cover letter when applying for a job
Specific site
(navigational query)
CNN.com
(you know the name of the site)
Someone’s phone number or
address
A person named John Doe in New York City, NY
Map or directions map of Hearst Castle San Simeon CA
Financial information current price and stock chart for Krispy Kreme
Dictionary definition definition of schadenfreude
Data number of Internet hosts
Translation of a page or text Palais de Luxembourg
Similar or related items sites similar to Consumer Reports
Visual information tennis photos of Anna Kournikova,
Dilbert cartoons,
Paris metro map
Personal recommendations,
opinions, advice
Mykonos travel recommendations,
review compact digital cameras,
color printers
Recent news what’s happened in the last 24 hours
Where you can buy
something
carry-on luggage


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This page was last modified on: Saturday January 29, 2022



For Google tips, tricks, & how Google works, visit Google Guide at www.GoogleGuide.com. Google Guide is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Google.

Creative Commons

By Nancy Blachman and Jerry Peek who aren't Google employees. For permission to copy & create derivative works, visit Google Guide's Creative Commons License webpage.