Originally posted June 30, 2008.  Original post became Lost in Cyberspace when I changed web hosts …


It’s hard to imagine a wildly successful company like Google having to change course.

But, let’s go back in time…

In 2000, Google had a pay-per-click (PPC) program. This was before AdWords. Their first version was like all the others then around.

And had less than stellar results. In a word? Unsuccessful.

So, did they give up? Nope. They tried something different.

Just like Thomas Edison over a century before, who is quoted as saying:

“If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.”

One step forward. And then another led Edison to the electric light bulb. And many many more inventions.

So what did Google do? They took another step forward.

And developed AdWords, which became successful.

Google, because it kept experimenting to get something better, has become a large company. And many consider it the major Internet search engine. Not only that, but it’s a major part of the Internet.

Thomas Edison went on to develop the electric light bulb…the phonograph…the motion picture camera. He also held 1090 other patents. And his company, Edison General Electric eventually became General Electric. Unfortunately, after he’d sold his stock.

So, rather than becoming discouraged if something doesn’t work, the scientist…the inventor…the marketer tweaks, adjusts, or tries something completely different. And learns from what hasn’t worked.

All because he or she had a hypothesis, and tries to prove or disprove it.