What is Google?

I thought this was worth addressing as I often get clients who ask me questions about “Google” and it sometimes takes me a while to figure out exactly what issue they are having.

This is why it can be confusing:

Google itself has grown into a really large company. They are, of course, well known for the Search Engine that they introduced back in 1998.

There are other Search Engines that allow us to find things on the World Wide Web; Microsoft makes its own search engine, Bing, and there are others, such as Yahoo’s search engine, but Google is still the most popular.

Due to its popularity it became simply known as “Google” although technically it is “The Google Search Engine” or the search engine made by Google

Google as a company has grown tremendously and now creates many many apps and tools:

Google Chrome

Google Maps

Gmail (the G in Gmail stands for Google)

Google Docs

Google Books

Google Keep

Google Drive

Google Calendar

Google Translate

Chromecast

To name only a few!

Google also now owns YouTube

And Google now owns Blogger, the service that hosts blogs such as the one you are reading this information on.

That is why your Google account can log you into all those apps and sites.

Among the most popular of all Google products, aside from its Search Engine, is Chrome, the Google owned web browser.

A web browser is the software on your computer that allows you to view web pages.

A search engine helps you to find the content you want from within all those pages

You can use any or all of the popular Web Browsers:

Edge (the newest web browser made by Microsoft, which replaces Internet Explorer)

Firefox, made by Mozilla.

Safari, made by Apple.

And Chrome, made by Google.

(and some other lesser known ones)

If you are looking for technical assistance it can help to narrow down what it is that you need help with by knowing what you are asking about.

If you say “I can’t find Google” have you lost a shortcut to Google’s search engine?

 (it’s always available using any web browser, at www.google.com, or www.google.ca)

Or are you looking for Google Chrome, the web browser made by Google?

Or maybe some other Google app?

So here is the bottom line:

Google is a huge company.

Google is commonly used as the name of the very popular search engine made by that company .

Chrome is actually the name of the web browser made by Google.

Let me illustrate

If you need help to find something in your pantry and you say you are looking for “the Heinz”

You might well be looking for ketchup, but you could also be looking for soup, or mustard, or beans, or any of the dozens of products made by Heinz.

So, it helps to narrow down your terminology.

The same is true if you are asking for help with “Google” You’ll find it less frustrating trying to get the help you need if you can narrow down your issue to the particular Google product you want help with.

Hopefully this helps with the terminology – and maybe too you’ll be inspired to check out some of the other great Google apps.

I use Google maps all the time but I also really like Google Keep.

If you aren’t familiar with Google Keep search for it using “Google” and watch some YouTube videos about it.

All part of the Google service J