Search for simplicity in Google

Innovation is always a confirmed advantage of Google (GOOG). Within 5 years, Google's number of employees has skyrocketed from 100 to 4,200. Revenue also increased from 19 million USD to over 3 billion USD respectively. Package 2 of these development trends is an increase of 'made by Google' services, including online search and dozens of other types of services: email, maps, instant messaging etc .

Fast development is so, but one thing in particular is that Google's homepage still maintains a 'humble' look like the time the company only gained 1% market share. Consider this fact: 5 years ago Google's homepage had a total of 50 words, 11 links and no ads. Today, the Google homepage has . 49 words, 17 links and no ads.

Plain.

Yahoo! (YHOO) and MSN Microsoft (MSFT) have a completely opposite approach: jubilant activities and dynamic links (about 140 links). According to experts, it is Google's uncomplicated approach that has contributed significantly to the fact that this search engine has gained the user's sympathy. However, the downside of the matter is that Google is also hard to show off its new products and services through this website.

Modest approach.

This is a problem that needs special attention. For example, Froogle, Google's e-commerce site, was launched in December 2002 as it was only really known after the 'ké' was linked on the homepage since mid-2004. Froogle's access to 'trunk', Froogle is still lacking in competition compared to other commercial websites. According to comScore Media Metrix statistics, Froogle visitors are only one-tenth the number of Yahoo Shopping websites.

The problem became more and more prominent when Google launched two latest services: email and instant messeging. Google's goal is of course to erase the key of competitors; Market grab has existed for about 7 years and currently has tens of millions of users.

Is it worth to change?

Even if Google's service features far outweigh competitors (for example, free storage mailboxes), there are still services that users don't easily give up to choose new services. by Google.

For example, changing an email is like changing a home address. Friends and colleagues need to be informed. To motivate users to do this, of course only marketing promises are certainly not enough.

Each year, operator Marissa Mayer (in charge of web products and interfaces) organizes meetings with dozens of collaborators. A move that Mayer often asks his partners to take is to imagine what the website of Google will be in the next two years, how to use the website .

Is it funny?

Marissa Mayer

At the meeting that took place in August last year, Mayer was impressed because there were many experts suggesting a more "bustling" Google homepage. More than 50% of meeting participants believe that it is necessary to add features to the homepage. ' Other home pages have most of their products and services on it, ' said one partner with Mayer, 'Perhaps most Google users don't need to know about other Google services, but we still have to meet the needs of those who want to know '.

Over the next few months, Google also studied to apply personal customization pages. Accordingly, the user has the right to choose and save his own Google page - including information, local weather forecasts to email to . Since being officially launched in May, CEO Eric Schmidt confirmed that the customization interface has been accepted by users.

Eric Schmidt's statement seems too optimistic. While Google does not publish the actual number of users of specific Google products, it can be affirmed that many people do not know the customization features that Google supports. Even if they happened to see the links for service ads that appeared on the homepage from time to time, they probably wouldn't mind and continue with their search goals.

The problem is clear: even if a few people are skeptical about other services, Google will still have no major changes to the homepage interface design principles. Mayer, who inherited the responsibility of the Google founder since 1999, will still pursue simplicity.

Swiss knife (sold on I4U.com website, integrating many features - translator). Mayer considered a website that should not be as cumbersome as a Swiss knife. ' If you try to grab it (the knife) with all the features turned on, you will be injured, ' Mayer argued, ' We try to insert features in a general context, so that it is most beneficial. for users '.

The simple pursuit process is also conducted not only on the home page. Mayer regularly trains his developers through ' assignments ', for example, search results sites do not have to scroll, etc. To achieve this, list the results. must be shortened from 10 to about 5 links. In addition, the designer must know to remove all of the trivial ' accessories '.

Challenge ahead

These " exercises " will not be practically applied by Google in the immediate future. However, according to Mayer, this training facilitates design participants to approach new directions to screen out ' what is the key '.

All these efforts bode well for searchers who love ' clean interface '. In return, Google's product group will pay the price when it wants to promote its products and services. Simple for this department, the complexity and challenges of other departments. This is also one of the major conflicts arising in the evolution and development of Google.