Google 2011 Annual Report Download - page 13

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We have always believed that it’s possible to make money without being evil. In fact,
healthy revenue is essential if we are to change the world through innovation, and hire
(and retain) great people. As a child I remember reading about Nikola Tesla, a genius
whose impact was severely limited by his failure to make money from his inventions.
It was a good lesson. Today, most of our revenue comes from advertising. We take
pains to make sure that users know when something is paid for, and we work hard
to make these advertisements relevant for users. Better ads are better for everyone—
better information or offers for users, growth for businesses, and increased revenue
for publishers to fund better content.
Over one million businesses now use Google’s advertising products and we’re
delighted with the ways in which we have helped other companies (both large and
small) succeed. I recently heard about a Thai dressmaker whose store was destroyed
by fl oods. To start rebuilding her business, she invested $5 a day in Google AdWords
and doubled her revenue. Today over 80 percent of her orders come from the web.
Taylor’s Bike Shop in Utah, a family-run store, saw increase in sales of over 50
percent when they started using AdWords. Today they maintain a staff of eight
people on a steady basis.
At the heart of our business model has always been the belief that we’re better off if
we can create a larger pie for our partners. We started with AdSense, and Google has
paid out over $30 billion to support content on the web since its launch over a decade
XI