Few inventions have changed the internet as profoundly as Google Search. What started as a research project inside Stanford University has evolved into the world’s most advanced information system — one that handles billions of daily queries and shapes how we access knowledge.

Let’s walk through the full history of Google Search, from its humble beginnings in the late 1990s to the AI-powered era we’re living in today.

The Origins (1995–1997)

The Stanford Meeting (1995)

In 1995, Larry Page was considering Stanford University for his graduate studies when he met Sergey Brin, a student assigned to show him around campus. The two reportedly disagreed about almost everything that day — but within a year, their shared curiosity about the web led to one of the most impactful partnerships in tech history.

BackRub: The Beginning (1996)

Working from their Stanford dorm rooms, Page and Brin built a search engine called BackRub. The name came from its unique method of evaluating “back links” — the number and quality of links pointing to a webpage.
By August 1996, BackRub had indexed over 75 million HTML URLs and downloaded over 200 gigabytes of content, an impressive feat for the time.

PageRank Algorithm Development (1996–1997)

The duo’s key breakthrough was the PageRank algorithm, which ranked web pages not just by keyword frequency but by link quality and authority. This was revolutionary — instead of just counting keywords, Google evaluated how trustworthy and connected a page was across the web. This principle of “link-based credibility” remains a foundation of SEO today.

Domain Registration (September 15, 1997)

On September 15, 1997, google.com was officially registered. The name was a clever play on “googol,” a mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros — symbolizing the mission to organize massive amounts of information.

The Birth of Google Inc. (1998)

First Investment (August 1998)

In 1998, Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, wrote Google’s first check — $100,000 made out to “Google Inc.” Even before the company officially existed, this investment set the wheels in motion. Early investors later included Jeff Bezos (Amazon’s founder).

Official Incorporation (September 4, 1998)

Google Inc. was officially born in a garage in Menlo Park, California, owned by Susan Wojcicki, who would later become CEO of YouTube. The setup was simple: a few clunky computers, a ping pong table, and a shared vision to make search smarter.

The First Google Search Ever Made (1998)

The first documented search query on Google was “Gerhard Casper,” Stanford’s president at the time. While competitors like AltaVista returned irrelevant results (“Casper the Friendly Ghost”), Google accurately found information about the real person — proving its superior relevance.

Public Launch (1998)

By the end of 1998, Google had indexed around 60 million pages, and even though the homepage carried a “BETA” tag, early tech enthusiasts praised it for being cleaner and more accurate than Hotbot, Lycos, or Excite.

Early Growth and Expansion (1999–2003)

Additional Funding (1999)

Venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers invested $25 million into Google. This funding allowed the company to expand beyond Stanford and prepare for rapid growth.

AdWords Launch (October 2000)

In 2000, Google introduced AdWords, an advertising platform that would redefine its business model. This marked the beginning of performance-based search advertising — and the start of Google’s transformation into a digital advertising powerhouse.

Google Toolbar (2000)

The Google Toolbar made search more accessible from any webpage, giving users one-click access to Google without visiting the homepage. It also helped Google collect valuable data on how people used the web.

Google Image Search (July 12, 2001)

When millions searched for Jennifer Lopez’s green Versace dress after the 2000 Grammys, Google realized users wanted to search visually. The result: Google Images, which launched with 250 million indexed images and would later grow to billions.

Google News (September 22, 2002)

Following the 9/11 attacks, Google engineer Krishna Bharat built Google News to help people find diverse perspectives on breaking stories. It launched with 4,000 sources and became one of Google’s most valuable features for journalism and information access.

Google Scholar & Google Books (2001–2004)

Between 2001 and 2004, Google launched Google Scholar (for academic research) and Google Books, cementing its mission to make knowledge universally accessible.

The IPO Era and Major Expansion (2004–2007)

Gmail Launch (April 1, 2004)

Announced on April Fool’s Day, Gmail offered 1GB of free storage — unheard of at the time. Many thought it was a joke. It wasn’t. Gmail set new standards for email speed, storage, and usability.

Initial Public Offering (August 19, 2004)

Google went public at $85 per share, reaching a $23 billion valuation. The IPO used a Dutch auction format — a move that fit Google’s ethos of transparency and innovation.

Google Maps and Earth (2005)

In 2005, Google Maps revolutionized navigation, followed by Google Earth, which gave users a satellite view of the world. These tools turned search into a spatial experience.

Android Acquisition (July 11, 2005)

Google acquired Android Inc. for $50 million, betting on the future of mobile. It became the most successful mobile operating system in history.

YouTube and DoubleClick (2006–2007)

In 2006, Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion, entering the video era. A year later, it acquired DoubleClick for $3.1 billion, securing dominance in digital advertising.

Major Algorithm Updates and Product Launches (2008–2014)

Google Chrome (September 2, 2008)

Google launched Chrome, a browser built for speed and simplicity. By 2025, Chrome commands over 70% of the browser market — a clear success story.

Android Public Release (September 23, 2008)

The first Android phone, HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1), hit the market, laying the foundation for today’s mobile ecosystem.

Caffeine & Instant Search (2009–2010)

Google’s Caffeine update improved indexing speed, while Google Instant began showing results as users typed — making search even faster.

Panda (2011–2014)

The Panda update tackled thin, spammy content and prioritized trustworthy, original sources — a major shift that reshaped SEO best practices.

Penguin (2012–2014)

Next came Penguin, targeting manipulative link building and forcing SEOs to focus on quality backlinks over quantity.

Knowledge Graph (2012)

The launch of the Knowledge Graph marked a shift toward semantic understanding. Google began connecting entities — people, places, and things — into a vast web of knowledge.

Hummingbird (2013) and Pigeon (2014)

Hummingbird rebuilt Google’s algorithm to understand intent, not just keywords. Pigeon, meanwhile, improved local search relevance — critical for businesses competing in nearby areas.

The Mobile Revolution (2015–2019)

Mobile-Friendly Update (April 21, 2015)

Dubbed “Mobilegeddon,” this update penalized sites that weren’t mobile-friendly — signaling Google’s pivot toward mobile-first experiences.

RankBrain (October 26, 2015)

Google introduced RankBrain, its first machine-learning system for search. It helped Google interpret new or ambiguous queries — a big leap toward AI-driven search.

Alphabet Inc. Restructuring (August 10, 2015)

Google created Alphabet Inc. as its parent company to manage its growing portfolio, with Sundar Pichai stepping in as Google’s CEO.

Mobile-First Indexing Rollout (2016–2023)

Over several years, Google shifted to mobile-first indexing, meaning it now ranks sites primarily based on their mobile version.

BERT (October 2019)

The BERT update revolutionized natural language understanding, enabling Google to interpret context in human-like ways — especially for longer, conversational searches.

The AI Era (2020–2025)

COVID-19 and Search Adaptations (2020)

During the pandemic, Google prioritized authoritative information and launched special features to surface verified COVID-19 updates. Search demand for health-related topics surged globally.

MUM Algorithm (May 2021)

Google introduced MUM (Multitask Unified Model) — an AI system 1,000 times more powerful than BERT. MUM can process text, images, and video across 75 languages, handling complex, multi-step questions.

Helpful Content Update (August 2022)

Google launched the Helpful Content Update, rewarding human-first, valuable content. It later became a core ranking signal in 2024 — a reminder that real expertise still matters in an AI-driven world.

Search Generative Experience (SGE) & AI Overviews (2023–2024)

In 2023, Google unveiled Search Generative Experience (SGE) — its AI-powered answer engine. By 2024, SGE evolved into AI Overviews, bringing generative summaries directly into search results.

March 2025 Core Update

The first Core Update of 2025 caused major volatility across industries, particularly in health and finance. It underscored Google’s ongoing refinement toward E-E-A-T — experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

Current State (2025)

Today, Google Search handles over 8 billion daily searches, with roughly 15% being brand-new queries never seen before.
It dominates 80–94% of global search market share and operates in 150+ languages.

Search continues to evolve toward deeper contextual understanding, multimodal input (text, image, voice, video), and personalized results powered by AI.

But through all the changes, one principle remains constant: Google’s mission to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

What This Means for SEO Professionals

For SEOs, the history of Google Search isn’t just a timeline — it’s a roadmap of how the web itself evolved. Each update has shifted the balance between optimization and authenticity.
If Panda taught us to write for humans, MUM and AI Overviews are teaching us to think for them — anticipating intent, context, and experience.

The more Google learns to “understand,” the more your content must demonstrate real value — clarity, expertise, and human insight.

If you’re unsure how to adapt your SEO strategy to the new AI-driven landscape, you can book a 1-to-1 Consultation to review your content approach and align it with the future of search.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When was Google Search created?
Google’s prototype began as BackRub in 1996, but the official company launched in 1998.

2. What was the first Google search ever made?
The first known query was “Gerhard Casper,” used during an early demo at Stanford.

3. What’s the most significant Google algorithm update?
Panda, Penguin, and BERT each transformed SEO, but MUM (2021) represents the biggest leap in AI-driven search understanding.

4. Who owns Google now?
Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., formed in 2015 to oversee Google’s many ventures.

5. What’s next for Google Search?
Expect deeper integration of AI Overviews, voice and multimodal search, and a stronger emphasis on authentic, helpful content.