Google is a great company. They have their flaws as all companies do, but for the most part they are geniuses. Google is considered one of the top businesses to copy and model. Even us small businesses can learn a lot by modeling Google.
Have you ever noticed that Google’s main search page is quite empty? There isn’t much on it. Google wants to ensure that you have no trouble finding the search field. Likewise, they don’t want to distract their visitors from the real reason they came to that page. (Since I get easily distracted, I like that about this page 
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The thing that really makes me laugh about Google though is how they change their site. Every day last week, their Google image on their search page had been modified to incorporate a different Sesame Street character. It makes me smile whenever I see their new images. Of course, having kids, I can really appreciate the Sesame Street theme. Even though their search page is so minimal, they still find a way to make it interesting and enjoyable to visit.
So how can this help YOUR business to grow?
Let’s tie this brainwave I had about Google into a learning experience. There are 3 things that you can take away from this one search page:
1) Change your site often. Either by adding content or making small noticable changes. Not only will it make your site more interesting for repeat visitors, but it will help your website to rank higher in the search engines. Blogs are a great way to ensure your site and content are always changing.
2) On pages where you want your visitors to take action, keep things minimal. Don’t let visitors become distracted. If you want them to take action on something, then only offer that one action. This advice becomes really helpful on sales pages.
3) Make sure that your site is interesting. I am more inclined to use Google over bing.com or yahoo.com because I like the overall experience I get at their site. Personal preferences play a big part in repeat visitors, so really speak to your target audience.
The best way to learn how to grow your own business is by modeling extremely successful businesses and learning why they are a success. If it’s working for them, it might work for you.
