From Memex to Google: The origin and evolution of search engines

What is it about?

Escandell-Poveda, Raquel; Iglesias-García, Mar; Papí-Gálvez, Natalia (2022). From Memex to Google: The origin and evolution of search engines. In: Freixa, Pere; Codina, Lluís; Pérez-Montoro, Mario y Guallar, Javier (ed.). Visualisations and narratives in digital media. Methods and current trends, (pp. 47-66). Barcelona: DigiDoc-EPI. https://doi.org/10.3145/indocs.2022.4

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Search engines have become one of the main channels for accessing information on the Web. Their widespread use means that the media, companies, institutions or any agent whose objective is to be visible to or to attract digital audiences is obliged to ensure its website is ranked at the top of the results pages. In Spain alone, 88% of people use search engines daily, with Google being the most used to conduct these searches, claiming a national market share of 95% and more than 90% worldwide. Given their current importance, an in-depth understanding of these tools becomes essential and it is worth pondering just how we have reached this current situation. What exactly are the origins of search engines and how has Google come to exercise its quasi-monopoly? The objective of this study is to explore the origin of search engines and to describe the main milestones in their evolution. To do so, a bibliographic review has been carried out using the main academic databases in the social sciences comprising a narrative search, complemented by an examination of the grey literature. The result is a journey through the history of search engines from their origins and subsequent technology developments to the creation of the World Wide Web. Likewise, a study is made of the original search engines and their main characteristics, with a particular emphasis on the path taken by Google given its current position of supremacy. Understanding the past has direct implications not only for our understanding of the present reality of web searches and access to information, but it is also essential for managing the continuous digital transformation to which we are all exposed, which has repercussions for all areas of the economy and society and, of course, for communication.