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A Google Web Search Help thread create by a long time Google top contributor says the Google home page is way too spammy.
He posted a screen shot of the home page that he was looking at using IE9 and not logged in:
Here is the list of promotions Google is throwing at you, once the cleanest home page ever and now not as clean (but still pretty clean compared to others, not to itself):
- "Come here often? Make Google your homepage." ; 'Sure', 'No thanks'
- "A faster way to browse the web"; 'Install Google Chrome'
- Strong coloured Doodle, begging for attention.
- "I'm Feeling Lucky" (being stupid)
- The links at bottom has "gone", are below the "fold".
- Black bar, with "random" links to Google Services, and also:
- The "Images"-link is not to a service (e.g. Picasa), but to Image Search.
- Some services, are not found under neither "More" nor "More"\"Even more" (e.g. Google Sites is completely missing).
Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help.
Comments:
Praveen Sharma
07/16/2012 12:32 pm
I don't agree with this. Google still looks more clean and user friendly to use. Its not showing its product forcefully to anyone. If it asks you to make it your homepage and you are regular visitor of Google, what's wrong with that? And showing list of its services and products (even Google chrome at right corner) is very well structured and maintained. Google is just showing its visitor a product which it has launched for them. I don't see any thing wrong with that, neither it looks too promotional. Just a decent way to showcase what you have for your consumers.
Linknami
07/16/2012 12:57 pm
lol sounds like a joke comparing to other websites on the internet.
Sahil Anand
07/16/2012 01:04 pm
Hey Barry, i partially agree with you on this, though my dominating side is not in favor. Google does ask us frequent questions, which are obviously meant for its promotion, but they don't irritate us or make us say: Google is becoming "way too spammy." However, somewhere down the line i feel that this happens because all of us are immensely influenced by Google -- and most webmasters have become its slave and those who haven't try to find defects in it. (Google still finds a center place.) If a site that we have opened for the first time or that is less popular buzzes us for something, we are more likely to get irritated. What's your take on this, Barry?
Daniel
07/16/2012 02:42 pm
It's horrible ! First of all, why in the world would I want to be bothered by a question such as " "Come here often? Make Google your homepage." Ok, Google, if I want to do that I can use a bookmark or adjust my browser settings. Do I need to see this stupid question each time ? No way...I can do that by myself. Install Google Chrome ? I already use this browser but maybe this time I am searching something via Mozilla Firefox browser due to an add-on that I love and doesn't exist on Google Chrome. Again, something annoying... I could say a lot of other things that bothers me but in the end is a matter of taste. I liked Google the way it was before. Keep it simple, easier to understand for everyone. After all, this should be a search engine, right? It seems to me that Google instead of playing his main role of Superman he is trying to transform in a chameleon with the same actor in all roles.
Chris Kolmar
07/16/2012 02:49 pm
Why are you using IE9? Switch to Chrome and two of your complaints go away. And you would be making the internet a better place! :)
mmarley.com
07/16/2012 04:11 pm
some people have too much time on there hands these days!
Andrew Lang
07/16/2012 04:50 pm
I think more importantly their SERPs are too spammy looking if you consider everything above the fold and that most of what you read there are paid ads.
Milania
07/16/2012 11:16 pm
I read only today that Marissa Mayer who used to be responsible for the look of the Google homepage has been hired as CEO for Yahoo, so this may be why things are a-changing...
Barry Schwartz
07/16/2012 11:17 pm
Marissa hasn't been involved in the Google home page for a while http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/023066.html