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SES San Jose: Marissa Mayer Speaks

Marissa Mayer needs no introduction for the search marketing crowd. Google's most visible person this side of Matt Cutts ranged across a variety of topics with Danny Sullivan for SES San Jose attendees.

She mentioned the shift to universal search, and how it represented a big change for Google. It's still a work in progress.

Even after it is complete, it may be a while before search performs the way she expects to see it. In ten or fifteen years, Mayer thinks search will know searchers better by looking at additional information sources, like address books.

She even believes search engines will ask and learn from those who use them.

(Editor's note - Ten or fifteen years? I'm thinking this is a feint. Remember, Google has always been interested in artificial intelligence and working on it. I don't believe they are that far away from enhancing their personalization. - David)

Mayer mentioned some shifts made with the Street View feature now available on Google Maps. It's supposed to be a fun and useful service, but controversial images and privacy complaints have led them to start blurring faces and license plates.

(Editor's note - Our Jason Lee Miller spotted a Google car taking Street View pictures in town this week. He may have been photographed by one, which should make everyone glad Marissa announced the blurring-faces thing for Street View. - David)

Through all of Google's work, Mayer said the company wants to make better and richer answers available to the search engine's users. Their efforts will continue to focus on function before form.

One form that appeals to the Google VP comes in the form of Facebook, which Mayer loves. She is impressed by the intelligence and structure of the site.

Perhaps Google's engineers, or the mergers & acquisitions department, will work on giving Mayer something to love in-house?