12 Years On: 10 IT Lessons Google Has Taught Us
Google is now 12 years old, and over that period the search engine company has taught the tech space quite a bit about what Google is all about
5. Size matters
Google is a massive company. And due to that size, the company has been able to keep other potential competitors at bay. In fact, whenever a company gets a little bit too big or the firm believes it can help its own services, Google simply acquires it. The strategy has worked extremely well in the past. And it will likely continue to work going forward. But because of that, small firms hoping to repeat Google’s success could have some trouble.
6. A single company can strike a chord
Years ago, the Internet was a very different place. There were several companies doing something unique, but none of them were able to become the “household” name that Google has. Search has become synonymous with Google. And in the process, the company has shown that with the right service and the right experience, a web-based firm can strike a chord with consumers. Perhaps Facebook is the only other major site that has been able to achieve similar success.
7. Good ideas get rewarded on the web
When Sergey Brin and Larry Page came up with their idea for Google, it was clear that it was a good idea from the beginning. And their success has shown that good ideas are rewarded by web users, while those that don’t work so well will not be rewarded. That’s a rule that web entrepreneurs should consider as they plan their next service.
8. Microsoft was teetering
It was impossible to see 12 years ago, but Google has made it clear over the years that Microsoft was in a precarious position. The firm had been focusing too much of its time and effort on software to the detriment of its online business. And in the process, it allowed Google to grow and become the firm it is today. Going forward, Microsoft has challenges facing it. And it’s likely that the company will be forced to take on Google every step of the way.
9. It’s more Apple-like than Microsoft-like
As Google grew into the behemoth that it is today, some have said that the search giant is like Microsoft. They say that it uses its size to impose its will on the industry, while leaving smaller firms to try and compete. Yes, it imposes its will, but Apple does too. And when it comes to product design, Google is far more elegant, like Apple, than Microsoft. Google could be a hybrid of both Microsoft and Apple, but it’s far more Apple-like than Microsoft-like.
10. It plays for domination
Make no mistake that Google wants one thing in every market that it competes in: dominance. The search giant wanted to lead the search space by a wide margin. It wanted to become a key cloud player. And now, it’s doing what it can to take over the mobile space. Google is about dominance and little else.
