Google’s Interactive Easter Eggs
I think it is safe to say that we all marvel at the sheer power and knowledge that Google holds – after all, it is THE biggest and most well known search engine on the planet (sorry Bing & Ask!).
We are all so connected with Google on a daily basis, it is easy to become disillusioned with this fact. For instance, you are unsure of the name of that bar you once went to in London in 2008 – what do you do? GOOGLE IT!
What do we mean by Easter Eggs?
Not only is Google an incredibly clever and fascinating search engine, but it is also full of sneaky Easter Eggs. Whilst you may be wondering how Google could hold chocolate treats that will be of use to you, this is not what we mean. In fact, Google is full of hidden messages, intentional inside jokes, or secret features just waiting to be discovered by you: the user.
Whilst some of Google’s Easter Eggs can only be found by undergoing a thorough hunt/investigation, many Easter Eggs are special features that Google turns on to celebrate a particular occasion or notable event.
Google’s method of celebrating anniversaries
Recently, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic sitcom Friends, Google revealed a series of Easter Eggs as a little treat for fans. By doing this, Google provided fans with a fun, interactive way to relive the series.
All you need to do to unlock each character’s Egg is simply type their names in the search bar and you’ll be presented with different icons in the knowledge panel, referencing their unique moments in the show – as indicated in the screenshots provided:
Notice the famous chick and duck reference for Chandler and Ross’ iconic PIVOT reference below:
As clever and innovative this Friends celebration is, Google has done this type of Easter Egg before for the 80 year anniversary of the Wizard of Oz.
When you google ‘The Wizard of Oz’, Dorothy’s ruby slippers make an appearance in the knowledge panel and once clicked, you are transported into a fully usable black and white world and where the ruby slippers were to begin with, you’ll now see a tornado, as shown below:
Google’s permanent Easter Eggs
Sometimes, Google will decide to display an Easter Egg that has a more literal interpretation of your query.
For example, carry out a Google search for “askew” and sure enough, your results will be displayed slightly askew. While it is slightly frustrating that your screen is now tilted, it is worth knowing that there is absolutely no SEO manipulation here — the page still functions as “normal” search results, but they just look crooked, or askew, shall we say.
Other of Google’s Easter eggs let you play fully-functioning versions of classic video games, such as Snake!
Speaking from a Digital Marketing perspective, Google’s innovative and slightly mysterious Easter Eggs are great for a user’s experience on the SERPs. I for one find it very humorous that Google has the ability to surprise us time and time again. Without a doubt, Google will keep releasing Easter eggs and here at House Digital, we can’t wait to see what else Google has in store for us!
