Some insights on Google

Google CEO Eric Schmidt, top, and co-founders Sergey Brin, left, and Larry Page at company headquarters in Mountain View , CA, USA.

Meaning of Google : 10 to the power of 100 , i.e 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Today, according to my view, the word Google has become synonymous with internet search. So I thought to give some time reading about the company who has made my internet search (esp. related to MBA life) much simpler . The first serach engine I ever used was YAHOO! sometime back in 1998 when I got my home PC. Dont remember exactly how I came to know about Google but once I used it, I have never used any other search engine. Its fast, accurate and the look and feel is too cool.

I read the book named SEARCH ME, THE SURPRISING SUCCESS OF GOOGLE , Author: Neil Taylor,PUBLISHER: CYAN publishers., at first I decided that I would just read first 2 chapters , but once i started reading , the book was so magnetic that i remained glued to it till from 11.30 AM to 4.30 PM. It is a fascinating book to read. The book is primarily based on the concept of Google as a product or brand. Founders Larry Page( an American, son of a computer whiz) and Sergey Brin( a russian,son of a maths professor) have a profound influence on the way coapany works even after going public through special IPO.

Below are some of the notes which I made during reading, thought to share them :
1.Google asks its empoyees to spend 20% of time, thinking on what other services it can offer. This keeps up the continuous innovation process.
2.There is an disliking community for google called google`watch.http://www.google-watch.org/. Ironic thing is that it appears first on the result when you type google watch. Just goes to show that google is impartial to even its critics.Living its philosophy of "DONT BE EVIL".
3. Whatever u search on google, google has a record as it has put in a permanent cookie in your hard drive which dosent expire till 2038.it also knows your ip address.
4.Google's DNA- its playfulness, its openness, its commitment to search,its focus on user and its spirit of public service.
5. Larry page and Sergey brin both drive toyota prius , a car that runs on combination of electricity and traditional energy.
6. Eric Schmidt is the current CEO of Google.
7. Dose not allow gun ads, hard liquor adds
8.It came up with an ipo which encouraged more individual shareholders rather than institutional investors.
9.The best marketing is often a matter of giving people what they genuinly need with a minimum of fuss.
10. elements of a brand are logo, a look and feel, a way of talking, and some fundamental principles .
11. brands arent about mrtg and advertising, brands are about relationships between organization and customers.
12. surprise and innovation are the 2 competitive advantages of google .
13. when microsoft said it new search engine in making searches 5 billion webpages, 700 million over google, google doubled the number of its searched webpages to around 8 billion.
14. gmail and froogle are result of 1/5th policy( see point 1)
15. Learnings from Google story
i) You cant have a great brand without a product people want.
ii)word of mouth is better than advertising
iii)be clear about what you stand for
iv)Stick to your guns
v)the barnd and the company are the same thing
vi) think long term
vii)try things but keep them at arms length

A good book to read , very user friendly even for non techies. Written by an ex brand consultant of UK. Not too long(162 pages), you can finish in one sitting.