You should see the video recording of the December 7, 2009 Google Real Time Search Event on Youtube. A presentation by Google’s Vic Gundotra and Amit Singhal about a few of the many exiting new Google developments.
This is only the beginning of the beginning, says Vic. I say: the future ain’t what it used to be.
Simplicity
Although the technique behind new search options like Real Time Search and Image Recognition must be huge, I think Google itself is a simple company. Simple in the sense of down to earth. You only have to look at their website to see what I mean.
The Google site is very straightforward. Their homepage is not more then a simple menu at the top, a search field, two buttons, a few options and some more links at the bottom. Nothing more, nothing less. Still it is the most visited website worldwide.
What does that say to us, little people that are struggling to build an attractive website and that are trying to get as many visitors as possible?
- Functionality first – concentrate on what the visitor is using your site for or what contents he is expecting to find there
- Perfect usability – never make your visitors search, Google is already doing that for you
- Keep it simple – build your site like a good copywriter writes a text: delete, delete and delete even more
The Proof
Google is simple I said. The proof is in the Real Time Search video. Look at what they use to position the cell phone they use for their presentation under the overhead projecter. A simple piece of tape with a few markers written on it.
Google’s simplicity is a virtue. Nothing more, nothing less.
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