Google Search[1] is a powerful internet[3] search engine[2] developed by Google[4]. It uses complex algorithms and indexing systems to trawl through hundreds of terabytes of information on the web, providing users with links to relevant pages, including cached versions of sites that are presently unavailable. Google Search supports various file types like PDFs and Word documents. The platform includes features like SafeSearch, which filters explicit content, and provides a detailed analysis of a site’s importance through its patented PageRank[5] system. Google Search also boasts a user-friendly interface with features like rich snippets, the Knowledge Graph, and the Personal Tab, which enhance the user’s search experience. Additionally, it has evolved to offer image, news, and video search capabilities, and even voice search in the Chrome browser. Beyond searching web pages, Google operates a suite of tools and services, offering a comprehensive, personalized internet search experience.
Google Search (also known simply as Google or Google.com) is a search engine operated by Google. It allows users to search for information on the Internet by entering keywords or phrases. Google Search uses algorithms to analyze and rank websites based on their relevance to the search query. It is the most popular search engine worldwide.
Type of site | Web search engine |
---|---|
Available in | 149 languages |
Owner | |
Revenue | Google Ads |
URL | google |
IPv6 support | Yes |
Commercial | Yes |
Registration | Optional |
Launched |
|
Current status | Online |
Written in |
As of 2020, Google Search has a 92% share of the global search engine market. By 2012, it handled more than 3.5 billion searches per day.
Google Search is the most-visited website in the world. Approximately 26.75% of Google's monthly global traffic comes from the United States, 4.44% from India, 4.4% from Brazil, 3.92% from the United Kingdom and 3.84% from Japan according to data provided by Similarweb.
The order of search results returned by Google is based, in part, on a priority rank system called "PageRank". Google Search also provides many different options for customized searches, using symbols to include, exclude, specify or require certain search behavior, and offers specialized interactive experiences, such as flight status and package tracking, weather forecasts, currency, unit, and time conversions, word definitions, and more.
The main purpose of Google Search is to search for text in publicly accessible documents offered by web servers, as opposed to other data, such as images or data contained in databases. It was originally developed in 1996 by Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Scott Hassan. In 2011, Google introduced "Google Voice Search" to search for spoken, rather than typed, words. In 2012, Google introduced a semantic search feature named Knowledge Graph.
Analysis of the frequency of search terms may indicate economic, social and health trends. Data about the frequency of use of search terms on Google can be openly inquired via Google Trends and have been shown to correlate with flu outbreaks and unemployment levels, and provide the information faster than traditional reporting methods and surveys. As of mid-2016, Google's search engine has begun to rely on deep neural networks.