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Matt Cutts Calls For “CEO Of Google” Ideas

Recommend products, features, or concepts Google should investigate

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If you’ve ever wanted to have a say in what Google does next, a visit to Matt Cutts’s blog may be in order.  This afternoon, Cutts published a post asking readers what actions they’d take as Google’s CEO, and although no official contest is in effect (and Eric Schmidt’s definitely not stepping aside), the question may be more than random link bait.

Interested?  Cutts wrote, "I’d like to know: what products would you launch?  What ideas would you fund? . . . .  I’m specifically interested in Big Ideas.  Things like data liberation or self-driving cars.  Or what’s the one huge feature missing from a Google product?  In essence, what are the big products, features, or ideas that you would like to see Google work on?"

Fair warning: don’t bother trying to get Google to perfect a $500 Ferrari.  Or build a spaceship, however cool that would be (and the company could probably do it, with its NASA connections and market cap of $190 billion).

Matt Cutts

In the comments section, Cutts clarified, "I don’t want stuff so blue sky (e.g. solving all energy problems) that we’re not even sure whether it’s possible.  But concrete stuff like Scott’s ‘surface analytics about my time that would help me improve my life’ or Lauren’s suggestion [covering customer support] are the sorts of things I’d love to hear. . . .  Maybe a good idea/proposal is something that 1 to 20 people could deliver in 2011 if they really worked hard?"

So perhaps the whole "CEO of Google" setup aimed a little too high.  Still, that "1 to 20 people" remark makes it seem much more likely that Google will actually accept someone’s recommendation.

Good luck making the cut (and receiving some sort of reward) if you decide to volunteer an idea.

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There are 34 Comments. Add Yours.
  1. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Guest

    How about they find a way to clutter up web search with a bunch of doodads that I don’t want or will rarely use. One thing the world can always use is more visual clutter on everything.

    Reply
  2. How about they find a way to clutter up web search with a bunch of doodads that I don’t want or will rarely use. One thing the world can always use is more visual clutter on everything.

    Reply
  3. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    John Rowe

    Since the US Government (taxpayers) gave us the internet, how about a payback by working with the government to locate and destroy all terrorists. After all, Google is expert at search and locate. Shut off their communications, whatever it takes. What a service that would be!

    Reply
  4. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Bill

    How about an “unsend” button – as in Ooops. Or… How about really easy website building? Not fully formed templates, but drag and click so that anyone, regardless of skill level, can build a decent site to fit their own needs. We need more people with websites. Let’s enlarge the conversation.

    Reply
  5. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Jason Jersey

    I have been wondering when Google will enter the video game arena. I think today is the day Google looks to the future in the other arena

    Reply
  6. I think it’s great that Matt is asking actually. Am I the only one that thinks it’s an honest attempt at getting actual feedback? maybe.

    Here’s why…with the new integration of Bing into Facebook I think Google is scrambling for ideas to keep Facebook users coming out and using Google for their search needs. The amount of People in facebook is like 200 million so just imagine the impact on Googles revenue.

    The new Google instant, and Instant preview are neat additions but I’m curious to see what comes out next. Hold on to your seats this should be interesting in the near future.

    Reply
  7. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Guest

    what a crap article, what next cut and paste all the ideas to create an equally crap article

    Reply
  8. Frankly I regularly visit Cutts blog but for the last 1 week I am engaged somewhere else so badly that I couldn’t get much time online. Thanks Doug for sharing this wonderful info…hopefully I will also think of something to share there on Cutts blog o_O

    Reply
  9. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Dave

    Why go big when they can’t even do this everyday tasks of running Google.

    Why my beef?

    What happened to millions of lost Google client reviews when Google merged the general weblistings with the Places(map) listing at the end of Oct.

    Still several weeks later and they haven’t started to propagate.

    Google should learn how to walk without stumbling, before they dream of flying.

    Reply
  10. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Guest

    That’s a sign Google is in trouble. They are feeling the heat. They smell the bear but can’t tell where he is at or when he will attack. They can’t eat in piece, grass doesn’t taste the same, and are under fear and they should be. They have skeletons in their closet. If they were nicer to its customers, they wouldn’t have anything to fear. They know people will jump out of their bandwagon as soon as another engine like “Facebooks” open for biz.

    Reply
  11. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Marzo

    Google can’t be even run Google or “Grab and Hold” at anything and they are thinking about otehr projects? They could have the greatest of ideas and they will fail at it. They don’t have the heart for it. Google has failed at everything they’ve done but search because they got lucky back then when nobody had computers, maybe some success with phones but people are starting to wake up to the privacy issues that come with it. Google is not run by a couple of geeky kids at some university anymore. Google is a monster. I have no doubt they’ll be a thing of the past soon. It’s Facebook’s decade.

    Reply
    • Like (0) Dislike (0)
      Guest

      Because there are like, NO privacy issues with Facebook.
      Facebook will no doubt die out, as quickly as it came to be. The next generation coming up will think its boring and old, just like the current generation ditched myspace, etc. There’s nothing special about Facebook except its timing….

      Reply
  12. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    uk

    Hope they come with some good new solutions!

    Reply
  13. #1 Turn off Google instant.
    It Should not be FORCED. It Should be an Opt-IN

    #2 Have Google check this out and if it is GOOD support it.
    WE MUST BREAK AMERICA

    Reply
  14. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Anton

    Interestingly, and when Google will win all that will happen?

    Reply
  15. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    shawn banks

    if i was ceo of google first thing ill do is stop changing search enging ranking factors ,because the truth is that alot of site with good information are not ranking good because of this,all the old and establish site are not using fresh content but still ranking high, i thought the primary goal of google is to bring the best relevant information to the consumer, thats a good search engine in my eyes google is failing as a good search engine.

    Reply
  16. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Larry

    I’d like to see Google give website publishers the ability to limit the same image ad from appearing multiple times on the same page. They can do that now with text ads, so why not image ads? As it is now, the same ad can appear multiple times on the same page.

    Reply
  17. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Larry

    I’d like to see Google, Yahoo and all the other web biggies take a hard stand AGAINST government intervention, censorship of content and snooping.

    The whole idea behind the internet is to make information widely available to everyone — including information that is critical of certain governments and all the stupid and corrupt things they do (China, for example).

    Google should be BIGGER than any government. Power to the people!!!!

    Reply
  18. I suggest they allow you to select a generic type of serarch – e.g. for information, for purchase, for reviews. So that they don’t assume first of all that you want to buy something.

    There will always be adwords ads so Google will not lose out.

    Reply
  19. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Professor Frankenzap

    How about add-ons for Chrome that would make it easier for visually handicapped people to use the internet. My father is 97 years old, one eye has blurred vision and the other has 85% of the center of the visual field destroyed by macular degeneration and subsequent laser surgery. I have him using Chrome because of the unified address/search field but, with his visual limitations, it is painful to watch him work the computer with a high failure rate when entering information or clicking in the correct spot. There are magnifier programs available but all have limitations.
    A magnifier with visible cursor and variable magnification coupled with a built-in text to speech engine that could not only read the text of a page but also button labels with a “click now to press the “next” button” when the cursor was near the “next” button.

    Reply
  20. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Mary

    I’d like to see Google offer a e-commerce solution that is hosted (SAAS). It needs to have all the best features of others out there, but more thorough and well thought out. Most SAAS offerings advertise big features, but they are usually not complete and missing small details that make the features really work well. It should offer a large selection of templates that can be easily changed to make them unique and personalized. A CSS file system that is well laid out, accessible and has previews before changes are final (kinda of like using Firebug). The most important would be an helpful support rep’s & Google’s focus on making the product work for the client, including having how to “youtube” videos for all aspects of operating the admin/editing your website. To really listen and not have a “big brother” attitude, not to tell the public what they should think, like people are too stupid to think for themselves. Lastly of course at a price most small businesses can afford.

    Just my 2 cents

    p.s. having a panel of actual users to beta test would be awesome too, I’d love to be a part of that.

    PEOPLE CAN BETTER SUPPORT, WHAT THEY HELP TO CREATE!

    Allow us to be part of the conversation.

    Reply
  21. If I could change one thing it would be to limit how many listings an organization can have for one search term. It’s bad for search engine users when listings for one company are the whole first three pages as I found when I search for “historic western hotel.” I’m glad that company was able to get themselves to the top, but there is something wrong when no one else gets on the page at all.

    Reply
  22. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Motivator

    okay, I love how google took the mobile phones to the next level. I use it every day in my personal and business. It works well between my laptop and other mobile devices. I want to see GOOGLE be implemented in the ultimate MOBILE DEVICE…CARS!!! think about it, you see ford with the sync features and other vehicles with bluetooth, and verbal activated features. Imagine having an interface such as the navigation system, except you can activate you google voice and other apps. This would take the high demand and reguation of hands free control on vehicles to the next level. Use google maps for turn by turn directions, be able to sync your phone along with your car and computer so you access to your calender, appointment and contacts using google apps withing all you mobile devices. I hate how when I buy certain mobile devices, the information is not compatible with other devices and you cant sync. Having my own business I learned that the more services I can provide my clients, the greater the percentage increases of retaining that client for a longer time, I am sure Google is aware of this. But if you want to take over the world, get inside the car industry. To be a standard like seatbelts and air bags. I would hate to see Apple be implemented into cars and be stuck using Itunes and Iphone. If you dont, someone else will.

    Motivator out!!!

    Reply
  23. Locate my keys, find cell phone and stop barking dogs.

    Reply
  24. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Farhan

    lolxxxx

    Reply
  25. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Guest

    They’re not looking for feedback. They’re looking for the next big idea, which essentially boils down to they’re looking to exploit the ideas of others for free. I’ll give them ‘the next CEO big idea’ when I get paid the salary of the Google CEO.

    Reply
  26. Robots can walk now, run and jump, but Google still cannot interpret images like people do. Until this barrier is overcome websites will always be limited by text content. In the future I imagine most of the web will be picture and video based – much easier for the end user to see products they are buying but virtually impossible for a search engine to interpret. Short of relying on a trust basis and traditional meta tags this just wouldn’t work unless some clever Google boffin builds an algo that can interpret images / video and categorize it. I’m not just talking about OCR – actual understanding of content. Now that would be a step forward!

    Reply
  27. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Guest

    Phone Support For All Departments!

    Reply
  28. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Kevin

    If you look at the blogs, this is a recurring theme. You should be able to send a single contact from within Google contacts, but you cannot. This is a common functionality in most contact management systems but is lacking in Google contacts. Please please please implement this basic function!

    Reply
  29. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Diana

    Can there be a separate phone number for use when changes to Maps and Places need to be verified? I manage all things Web for a couple of businesses, and when the business phone number rings, the employees have no idea what is going on and the verification fails. Or no one answers the phone. The postcard takes so long, and when it arrives they throw it away. If you could provide for an administrator phone number, it would greatly ease the process!

    Reply
  30. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Guest

    How about they find a way to clutter up web search with a bunch of doodads that I don’t want or will rarely use. One thing the world can always use is more visual clutter on everything.

    Reply
  31. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    Nirmal Bapna

    How about they find a way to clutter up web search with a bunch of doodads that I don’t want or will rarely use. One thing the world can always use is more visual clutter on everything.

    Reply
  32. Like (0) Dislike (0)
    david

    I wish Google Could have better customer service, I have a Google place listing and I was suspended because of a duplicate listing. i don’t have a problem with foreign people but i couldn’t understand them so they got Aggravated with me and hung up. I always thought of Google as a (USA image)
    and so did a lot of people I took Surveys and peoples feed back were, the best, American, USA, # 1
    this has changed my mind, I believe in old school (Customer Service)

    Reply

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