Visionaries Larry Page and Sergey Brin built Google, the computer giant that we are all familiar with and utilize on a daily basis. Google started off as a straightforward but oddly named search engine operating on an even more odd server.
Since then, it has soared to incredible heights and now rules the internet and our Android smartphones. But how often do you consider the enigma and lore that surround Google’s fame? Time to learn some interesting, yet apparently unimportant, facts about Google.
There are a lot of interesting statistics to discover about Google, from the vast number of inquiries it answers each day to the nicknames given to new recruits. So let’s get started!
1. Google Was Originally Called BackRub
BackRub is a play on the fact that the search engine’s primary purpose is to rank webpages by examining backlinks, according to co-founders Page and Brin. The name was a lighthearted allusion to its technique of analysis.
However, they eventually changed the name to what is now known as Google after understanding the need for a more distinctive, pronounceable term that emphasized their goal of making information available to everyone.
2. The First Google Server Was Made of Legos
When Google first began, Page and Brin struggled with the expense of purchasing genuine servers. So they got inventive and constructed their first server out of desktop PCs enclosed in Lego-built cases. Ten 4GB hard disks were utilized to preserve this vibrantly unique beginning, which can be seen in Google’s logo.
This Lego server structure is now on exhibit at Stanford University’s Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center, representing Google’s innovative spirit and modest beginnings.
3. Google Was Almost Called Googol
Sean Anderson, a graduate student at Stanford, proposed the name Googol, which is a phrase for 1 with 100 zeros, during a brainstorming session. However, he unintentionally searched google.com while investigating the availability of its domain.
On September 15, 1997, Page registered it as Google’s domain because he liked this form more. Google, we must admit, is more catchy!
4. Gmail Was Launched on April Fool’s Day
The astonishing 1GB of free storage that Google promised when it launched Gmail on April Fool’s Day in 2004 appeared like a practical joke since it was so much more than what other email providers at the time provided. But Gmail wasn’t a joke, it was a genuine, revolutionary product.
As people were seeking April 1st jokes, this tactic attracted attention and made Gmail the topic of the day. The platform provided plenty of storage and pioneered innovations like search capabilities and discussion threading, giving email services a fresh look.
5. Google Drive Files Can Be Up to 5TB
Google Drive allows for a huge 5TB file upload, which makes it ideal for storing big films or datasets (hello, 8K movies!). Most cloud services cap file sizes at 25MB or 100MB. You’ll need that much storage space, thus you’ll have to pay for more of it.
6. There Are Over 8.5 billion Google Searches Per Day
Currently, Google handles about 8.5 billion searches every day, or about 99,000 per second, and around 2 trillion searches globally each year. This shows a consistent increase in use as internet access has expanded.
There were 18 million searches each day in 2000. By 2010, there were over 1 billion daily searches, and by 2023, there were an astounding 8.5 billion.
7. Google Dominates 90% of The Search Market Share
As a result of its cutting-edge search technology, the vast library of online pages, and user-friendly design, Google commands over 90% of the worldwide search engine industry. Significant advertising expenditures make sure it continues to be a top option for users.
With just 3% of the market, the next rival, Microsoft Bing, is noticeably under-recognized and has little to no market presence.
8. Google Got Its Start in a Garage
Co-founders Page and Brin of Google launched their search engine project in 1998 from Susan Wojcicki, the current CEO of YouTube,’s leased garage in Menlo Park, California.
The modest roots of the corporation and the notion that even the biggest success stories may have humble beginnings are reinforced by this tiny two-car garage, which is today owned and maintained by Google.
9. Google Now EmploysOver 190,000 People
As of the beginning of 2023, Google employed about 175,000 people worldwide, including full-time employees, temporary employees, interns, and contractors in a variety of fields including engineering, sales, marketing, and customer service.
The rapidly expanding business offers several benefits, including free meals, on-site gyms, transportation assistance, and various prospects for professional advancement.
10. Google’s First Doodle Was an Unintentional Masterpiece
In 1998, while Page and Brin were on vacation at the Burning Man Festival, the first Google Doodle appeared. In order to signal that they were out of the office, they modified the Google logo to include a burning man stick figure.
The simple stick figure doodle that was hidden below the second “o” in “Google” was so well-liked by users that Google decided to create similar illustrations for other holidays and occasions. Dennis Hwang was employed by the organization as a full-time doodler in 2000, and since then he has created over 5,000 doodles.
11. Google Rakes in Billions Each Year
Google expects to earn a total of $279.8 billion in revenue in 2022, the majority of which will come from advertising. As a result, it ranks among the most successful firms in the world. Google’s advertising companies, such as Google Ads, which are shown on search engine results pages, YouTube, and Gmail, account for more than 80% of the company’s revenue.
Other sources include the quickly growing cloud computing market, which is made up of Google Cloud Platform (GCP), which is utilized by companies for product development, app hosting, and data storage. Even Amazon Web Services, the top cloud platform, has not kept up with its expansion. Google’s first tweet was on February 25, 2009, and was a binary code:
I’m 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01101100 01110101 01100011 01101011 01111001 00001010
— Google (@Google) February 26, 2009
12. Google Employees Have Interesting Names
The name “Googler” was coined by Page and Brin, the company’s founders, to describe the current workforce and represent the inventive culture at Google. You’re a Noogler, a play on the term newbie when you’re brand-new and still getting used to Google.
An ex-Googler, or Xoogler, is someone who has left the corporation. In general, Google employees are renowned for their intelligence, creativity, camaraderie, and enthusiasm.
13. Jennifer Lopez Inspired the Launch of Google Images
A huge search demand for Jennifer Lopez’s green Versace outfit she wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards led to the creation of Google Images on July 12, 2001. Google’s concept of image search was inspired by the significant demand for pictures of JLo’s clothing.
Google Photos began with a collection of 250 million photos and has grown to over 10 billion images, making it one of the most popular search engines in the world for a variety of subjects.
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14. Google is Now Much More Than Just A Search Engine
It’s amazing how Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed BackRub from a little experiment into the worldwide powerhouse it is today. Google’s rise from a modest garage to search engine domination is a narrative of tenacity, from Lego servers to managing 5TB files and billions of daily queries.
And let’s not overlook the influence it has on our everyday lives, from Gmail’s ground-breaking approach to email to Google Images’ enormous visual collection to the daily Doodles that make us grin.
I hope that you find it to your liking. Please continue to follow Thegeofacts.com for further developments.
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