Interesting stories behind some of the most well-known websites!

Interesting Facts About Famous Websites

Many of the most famous websites we use daily have interesting and inspiring stories about their beginnings. From unexpected starts to brilliant ideas, these stories show how small ideas became global phenomena.

1. Google – How it all started?

Google was founded in 1998 by Stanford University students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Their mission was to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." However, the original name wasn’t Google – it was called "BackRub," because the algorithm focused on analyzing backlinks on websites.

Fun fact: The name "Google" was a typo. They intended to name it "Googol," which is the number 1 followed by 100 zeros, but the spelling mistake became the official name.

2. YouTube – The original idea wasn’t to share videos

YouTube was founded in 2005 by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, former PayPal employees. Their original concept was to create an online dating platform where people could upload videos to introduce themselves. When that idea failed, they shifted to a platform for all kinds of video content.

Fun fact: The first video on YouTube was called "Me at the zoo," where one of the founders, Jawed Karim, talks about elephants at the zoo. The video is still available on the platform.

3. Amazon – Starting with books

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore. He worked from his garage and manually shipped books to customers. His vision was to create "the world's largest bookstore." Over the years, Amazon grew into a global e-commerce giant, offering everything from electronics to groceries.

Fun fact: The first product sold on Amazon was the book "Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies."

4. Facebook – Started at Harvard

Mark Zuckerberg launched "TheFacebook" in 2004 as a social network exclusively for Harvard students. The idea was to provide a simple way for students to connect. The platform quickly grew in popularity, expanding to other universities and eventually the general public.

Fun fact: The first version of the site included a feature for rating other students’ looks, which caused quite a bit of controversy on campus.

5. Wikipedia – The encyclopedia by everyone, for everyone

Wikipedia was launched in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. The idea was to create a free, accessible encyclopedia that anyone could edit. Despite initial skepticism, today Wikipedia is one of the most trusted sources of information.

Fun fact: The first article on Wikipedia was a simple explanation about the project itself.

6. Instagram - The story of fast filters

Instagram was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Initially, the app focused on location sharing, but the founders quickly realized users preferred sharing photos. They added filters to make pictures look more professional.

Fun fact: The first photo ever posted on Instagram was Kevin Systrom’s dog in front of tacos.

Conclusion

Behind every great website is a story of curiosity, innovation, and sometimes—happy accidents. These stories show that even the simplest idea can become something that changes the world. Who knows, maybe your idea is waiting to become the next big thing.