As a neophyte to the online world, Yahoo! served as my first search and chat engine. Was I amazed? Of course, I was. Until a good friend a sent me an invite to create a Gmail account. That was only when I learned about Google. That was almost a decade ago. And I'm still a Google user.
 |
| Search engines like Google make information powerful and a tool for social change. |
The primary reason why I'm a Google devotee (in spite of what its haters say) is that I like the simple layout of the homepage. I didn't know about this search engine when it started; but, based on what I've read, the past and first homepage had more words posted on it. Fortunately, I registered for an email and began to use Google as a search engine with its modified look. It has launched a new one recently that features a dark brown background of the usual applications and a white background for the search bar. I prefer the old one though; I'm okay with the fresh look as long as it keeps the simple white background for its homepage. The less cluttered a website's homepage is, the better.
What got me more interested in using Google products was when the company launched AdSense. With my very limited understanding of all things techie, I did my best to get an ID. I joined my first blogsite which has been defunct for several years now. I got 0.99 cents under that account. This was back in 2006. Now, I have a little over 5 bucks - thanks to Google AdWords. Payout will be when I reach $100, which seems to be eons away since I'm struggling to market my blogsites. I can't afford to pay for a my own domain and have it hosted. That's why Google's Blogger has been a huge help - even if it's not that commercially viable for me yet.
While navigating through a gamut of info about blogging and how to make my blogsites more "evergreen", I bumped into Google Affiliate Network (GAN). Armed with my AdSense ID and my simple blogsites, I applied to be an affiliate of various companies. And, just like real life, there have a slew of rejections and approvals. Have I earned anything so far? Not yet. Hopefully, soon, of course.
Google has an army of products and services now, including the "next media superstar" builder, YouTube. Such a milestone makes the site more commercially and technically sustained - an unbeatable feat, so far, among all search engines. I'm not going to talk about each of these, for I am not an expert with any of them. I'm simply one of the millions of users who happen to be quite illiterate when it comes to technical stuff. Nevertheless, I remain a "Googler".
 |
| User-friendly innovation is key to a successful business - take it from Google. |
This is not to say that the site or the people behind it who labor hard to keep it more user-friendly are all perfect. The real world is reflected online with its degree of imperfections. Google isn't immune from that, of course. Panda wouldn't have attacked months back, if Google didn't receive complaints about the quality of searches it provides. Alas, online writers like me got affected negatively, with the decreased page views and potential earnings. Still, that didn't stop me from using Google. As a business entity, it does have the right to do what it wants for the sake of the company, its employees, and other stakeholders.
In spite of the seemingly remoteness of my earning $100 from AdSense in a short time, I continue to regard Google positively because it created an opportunity for many Internet users to earn from the company somehow, something that other popular sites haven't done so far yet. Certainly, it is one of the ways through which Google is giving something back to its huge market base.
Similar to the offline world, online-based enterprises like Google benefit much from the knowledge, skills, hardwork, and innovation of the people behind it. These are values that certainly fuel the world's pool of state economies. Definitely, those who work for other equally good sites adopt the same values to keep up with the competition.
Indeed, Google is the major provider of good (and bad) information which Alvin Toffler accurately described as a very potent source of "power". In spite of what the Miranda Warning says about information that can be used "for or against" whoever, I still thank Google for helping me find opportunities I would've not grabbed had I ignored my friend's Gmail invite.
There's one thing I do sorely miss, however. For the past two years, people from the Philippines were given the privilege to call the US and Canada for free using the phonecall feature on Gmail. Google Talk is good for PC-to-PC conversation, but I can't call my dear friends and relatives through their mobile phones anymore for free. Here's hoping that Google will reconsider and provide such service again because, for me, that's another way to reach out to people and strengthen one's social network without logging on to Facebook which I only use for my online articles. I prefer to use Google for my personal stuff.
There's one thing I do sorely miss, however. For the past two years, people from the Philippines were given the privilege to call the US and Canada for free using the phonecall feature on Gmail. Google Talk is good for PC-to-PC conversation, but I can't call my dear friends and relatives through their mobile phones anymore for free. Here's hoping that Google will reconsider and provide such service again because, for me, that's another way to reach out to people and strengthen one's social network without logging on to Facebook which I only use for my online articles. I prefer to use Google for my personal stuff.
