(11)
Today is a fun day for many but horrid for reporters. You won't believe the number of emails and reports we get that look incredibly legit but because it is April Fools has us spending a nice chunk of time figuring out if it is real or not.
That being said, there is a lot of fun and good times on April Fools each year.
Here is a summary of the April Fools Pranks I've found in relation to Google and the search industry. Matt McGee has declared Google Victorious in the pranks for today.
(1) Google Hiring Autocompleters:
Details over here.
(2) Search Google For Comic Sans or Helvetica:
Details over here.
(3) Old School Google Display Ad Builder:
Details over here.
(4) Flickr Logo with an E:
(5) Gmail Motion Beta:
Details over here.
(6) YouTube 1911:
Details over here.
(7) Chromercise:
Details over here.
(8) Cuttscon:
Details over here.
(9) Google China Teleport Search:
Details over here.
(10) Earkut (Orkut):
Details over here.
(11) Google Voice-alyzer:
(12) Google Places a Content Farm:
Details over here.
(13) Pink Elephant & Yellow Whale on Google Maps Street Views:
Details here and here. Official details over here.
(14) Google Docs Motion:
Details over here.
(15) Google Help Rolling Heads:
Details over here.
(16) Google Body Browser: Now A Cow:
Details over here.
(17) Google Blimp Ads:
Details over here.
(18) Google Bambo (heh Panda) Update:
Details over here.
(19) Foursquare No Points For You:
(20) Search Engine Roundtable Now Search Engine Land:
Details over here.
(21) Matt Cutts working as Ask Jeeves:
Details over here.
(22) Chrome Lite:
Details over here.
(23) Wolfram Alpha As Bieber Alpha:
Details over here.
(24) LinkedIn People You May Know:
(25) Google Pig Latin Voice Search:
Details over here.
(26) Google Meow Me Now (find missing kittens):
Details over here.
(27) Google Analytics Gift Cards:
Details over here.
I'll keep updating this as I find more and feel free to comment.
Forum discussion at:
- SERoundtable April News, Search Engine Roundtable Forums
- [April Fools] Google Teleport Search, Google Blogoscoped Forum
- Google Got One Right! - Places Classified as Content Farm, WebmasterWorld
- Google's newest April Fools joke? Gmail Motion, DigitalPoint Forums
- Job opportunity. Google is hiring Autocompleters!, WebmasterWorld
- thanks for the April 1st gift!, Google Webmaster Help
- The Pink Elephant, Google Maps Help
- Yet Another Google Mail Innovation, WebmasterWorld
Comments:
Martijn Beijk
04/01/2011 01:22 pm
What about Google Indoors being launched in Germany?
Rebecca Lehmann
04/01/2011 01:36 pm
The "Comic Sans" bit works for "Helvetica" too. Hee...
Rebecca Lehmann
04/01/2011 01:37 pm
Shoot, I somehow missed that you saw it already. Figures... I'll go back to my corner now.
Nick Stamoulis
04/01/2011 02:06 pm
These are some very, very clever April Fools. I especially like the Comic Sans/Helvetica one. I know a lot of design industry people that are sure to get a kick out of it.
AJ Kohn
04/01/2011 04:30 pm
I think the Autocompleter is genius. I'm assuming that ChromeLite is an April Fool's joke: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/bjekedpipaedojkbialnhabcecmfpofh While not about Google or Search, I like Danny Brown's 'Twitter Bans Hashtags' http://dannybrown.me/2011/04/01/twitter-bans-hashtags/ Perhaps my own joke was a bit too unbelievable. The Google Bush Doctrine: Preemptive Penalties to Fight Web Spam http://www.blindfiveyearold.com/google-preemptive-penalties
Joelinpdx
04/01/2011 04:42 pm
Is this story posted on Google News for real? It just doesn't read like an actual AP story...to slanted. Given the date...I wonder... I tried to post the link on my Twitter feed but it wouldn't post...tried twice and both times it went to vaporland. Hmmmmm. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5idNpPrp3X28CtVN1I8jobL9XNKww?docId=e407af8a4ac24d1d91771f4ec49c633d
Chris Ailey
04/01/2011 04:46 pm
LinkedIn also had a nice little touch.. Albert Einstein, Robin Hood and Sherlock Holmes among many famous names appearing under 'People you many know'
Tara Dunn
04/01/2011 05:11 pm
That is NOT a whale. That is a narwhal. You're welcome.
nick price
04/01/2011 10:20 pm
The 1911 feature on youtube is amazing
Maheshsharmajee
04/02/2011 06:29 am
Wow! what a wonderful April fool "Google Analytics Gift Cards" in place of site analysis-:)
nicehere89
07/16/2012 05:38 pm
To me these were exciting Google Tricks :) thanks for sharing such a nice Column :)