Google.com starts displaying birthday reminders before you start searching for things

Before you perform your next overly-complicated Google search, you might be met with the reminder of a special someone’s birthday. As part of the Google+ platform, the company has rolled out birthday reminders for its most popular page, Google.com.

This is a pretty interesting move, since the real-estate on that usually-bare page is extremely coveted. This will be rolling out for all Google users within the next few days.

Here’s what Google’s Irene Chung had to say about it today:

Everyone deserves a little love on their birthday, so we’re making it easier for you and your friends to celebrate on Google. Starting today, you’ll see a reminder on Google.com when someone in your circles has a birthday! From there it’s easy to share a fun message, photo, or video with the birthday gal or guy.

When it’s your special day, we only remind the people you’ve chosen to share your birthday with. Update your Google+ birthday preferences to make sure you’re sharing with the right people: https://plus.google.com/up/birthday

At first you’ll only see birthday reminders if you’re searching in English on Google.com. We’ll be rolling this feature out gradually over the next few days. Here’s to all the happy birthdays to come!

This just supports our previous stance that Google has gone completely social as a company, even integrating its social functionality into its most prized product, search.

Oddly, it doesn’t look like this feature will be available on the Google+ stream itself, just on the main search page. I would find it more helpful if it was platform-wide. Also, with the “say happy birthday” button, this feature is strikingly similar to Facebook’s offering, which has saved my bacon more than once.

I haven’t been able to see birthday reminders yet, but that might be because none of my friends have one today. If it’s your birthday today, have a happy one!