YouTube and Google: The VERY Best April Fools' Day Pranks, 2008

Internet marketers and video content producers already know that Tuesday is April Fools' Day. Before the sun sets, we can expect to discover about two dozen April Fools' Day pranks from Google and YouTube. And since there are more than 100 Official Google YouTube channels, many of these hoaxes will include a video. I've prepared this backgrounder to help you judge whether this year's April Fools' Day pranks by YouTube and Google are good, great, or the best ever.

April 1, 2008

Google also announced a joint project with the Virgin Group to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. This operation was named Project Virgle. The announcement included YouTube videos of Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, as well as Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, talking about Virgle.

April 1, 2009

Good: YouTube gave some users a look at a new 'viewing experience' when they selected a video within certain areas such as the 'recommended for you' section. This new interface caused the whole layout including the video you were watching to flip upside down. A page on 'tips for viewing the new layout' suggested users hang their monitors upside down from the ceiling.

April 1, 2010 April 1, 2011

On April 1, 2011, Google introduced Gmail Motion, which used 'your computer's built-in webcam and Google's patented spatial tracking technology to detect your movements and translate them into meaningful characters and commands.' The announcement was accompanied by a video entitled, ' Introducing Gmail Motion.'

April 1, 2012

Good: Another video, ' Introducing Gmail Tap,' let users know that they could 'Tap into the future of productivity with Gmail Tap for Android and iOS. Double your typing speed with this revolutionary new keyboard.'

April 1, 2013

So, as you look for this year's April Fools' Day pranks, don't be surprised if Google creates more than a dozen funny YouTube videos. Hey, the company paid $1.65 billion for the video-sharing website. It needs to recoup that investment somehow.

SEE ALSO Related Stories ▼ About the Author - Greg Jarboe

Greg Jarboe is president and co-founder of SEO-PR, a content marketing agency which provides search engine optimization, online public relations, social media marketing, and video marketing services. Jarboe is author of 'YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day'. He is also a contributor to 'Strategic Digital Marketing: Top Digital Experts Share the Formula for Tangible Returns on Your Marketing Investment' by Eric Greenberg and Alexander Kates; 'Complete B2B Online Marketing' by William Leake, Lauren Vaccarello, and Maura Ginty; as well as 'Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions' by Guy Kawasaki. Jarboe is profiled in 'Online Marketing Heroes: Interviews with 25 Successful Online Marketing Gurus' by Michael Miller. Jarboe is on the faculty of the Rutgers Center of Management Development as well as Market Motive. He is also a correspondent for Search Engine Watch as well as the Knowledge Transfer blog. He is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences. View All Posts By - Greg Jarboe

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