Google is world’s number one search engine and they deserve that position. The layout of their site is so neat and clean that even a first time user likes it immediately. Colorful logo design and impressive white background creates the perfect visual balance. This search engine giant has always given high importance to usability and improved their user interface design gradually to make things easier for viewers.
The latest UI design is probably the best till date. Now you can access Gmail, YouTube, Docs and various other services from their homepage. If you inspect the website design closely, you will realize that the logo is located at the center position to grab consumers’ attention. The links to Gmail, Docs, and YouTube are located at the top of the page and they have used small fonts to write those words. As a result, your attention automatically directs to the logo and the search bar below it.
Google know that their main business is online search and hence, unlike e-commerce sites and blogs, who place the search tool near header or right sidebar area, they placed the search tool below the logo for better usability. These days, we associate the word “Googling” with “searching information” and it proves how brand USP can be connected with emblem.
They have also started a new technique for branding and it’s called Google Doodle. Companies think hundred times before changing their brand emblem, but Google showed that a logo does not need to be changed permanently. They celebrate famous personalities’ birthdays, holidays etc. by replacing the traditional insignia with a customized doodle. The fascinating quality of these doodles is that they offer a new design, but retain the core branding elements.
Compared to the 1997 layout, the latest UI is much more sophisticated. They have redesigned the UI quite some time in the past couple of years, but never made any drastic change. A sudden change could have hurt their popularity and that is why, they simply toned down the earlier rugged look without re-positioning search bar or buttons.
Who says that products need to be advertised heavily to increase sales figure? Google recently launched their Play store and you can find the link at the top part of the page. It’s not highlighted, but because people know that their every service is exceptional, they visit the “Play store” every day to download applications.
The overall look and feel of Google brand is highlighted in every part of their layout design. They amalgamated their service with the logo and brand persona to create a dominant corporate identity.
One Comment
It’s an impressive discussion on logo and branding. Google showed us how a logo should be used for branding. Unlike most web based businesses, they put the logo at the center, not near the header area. Since 1997, Google changed their UI quite some time. One of the most significant changes was tabs showing Web, Images, Groups, and Images etc. They had these tabs (later links only) just above the search bar till 2006. In 2007, they changed the UI and placed the links at the top of the homepage. The logo used to flaunt an embossed look and had an exclamation mark, but later they made it slimmer and trimmer and removed the exclamation mark. However, despite these changes, their brand value always increased, because they always made all the changes to offer better user experience. Thank you for sharing such a unique article. I hope it will make people realize the importance of a logo and that it can be redesigned without losing the core values of a brand.