Since the departure of Jeeves from Ask.com, the search engine has made several important advances in an attempt to shed its old image.  First, and foremost, its search algorithm is pretty good.  Although it indexes fewer sites than Google, I'd say its search results are getting closer and closer to Google's with each passing month.  The launch of AskCity earlier this month has also helped tremendously, especially since folks seem to love the service.

Ask.com has the potential to be the newest big player in internet search, but it won't just happen.  There are certain things Ask.com needs to do to not only keep the momentum going, but also to solidify its position.  To that effect, I present my roadmap for Ask.com.

7 Things Ask.com Should Do To Take Over the #2 Spot

1. Let me set my options:  I like some of the options and features that show up during an Ask.com serach.  I hate some of the other ones.  I'd love to see those options become configurable.  I'd like to easily be able to turn some features off, turn others on, and move things around.  I think this would intice people to use those fetuares more often.
2. Buy some eyeballs:  Let's face it.  Ask.com's main problem is that they need more users.  One way to get more users is just to buy them.  I talked about Yahoo yesterday, but lets assume that Yahoo is off the table.  Who else is there?  If I were Ask.com, who would I buy?  How about AOL?  It's known that they're for sale, TimeWarner would love to get rid of them, they are based in NYC just like Ask.com, they know the internet, and they have a decent culture.  Plus, their users are great conversions so advertisers will pay more for Ask.com advertising.  I'd also buy a few sites that webmasters use, like WebSideStory and other stats/analytic companies.  That would help get the Ask.com brand in front of webmasters and website owners.
3. Use the IAC Network more:  IAC owns a ton of other websites.  Every one of those sites needs to have Ask.com branded search.  Millions of people use Expedia.  Why isn't Ask.com search featured there?  Why isn't data from all of those sites integrated into a single Ask.com search?  Once connected, let the search extend to other sites as well with a free site search option like Google and Yahoo offer.  But Ask.com should take it a step further and offer statistics with their site search:  who's searching for what… where'd they click… where'd they go.  Internet users will start seeing Ask.com everywhere and just start going there naturally.
4. Fake it:  IAC should make some fake bids for Web 2.0 companies like Facebook and digg.  Yahoo has been toying around with the idea of buying Facebook for ages now.  If IAC stepped in and said they were interested, Yahoo would have to fork over more money and just buy the darned thing.  Every time one of these other companies invests even more money into their purchases, they'd have to profitize it as quickly as possible to start making a return on their investment.  While they were struggling with that, Ask.com could continue to focus on search and focus it's ambitions on that one avenue.  The most targeted company has a great chance of winning and with everyone else going Web 2.0, Ask.com has a great chance to just focus.
5. Bring Jeeves back:  Just temporarily.  People loved hearing about Jeeves' retirement.  But it's about time he stepped back up to the plate to help his former employer.  Maybe Social Security isn't enough for him to live on and he has to find another job.  Ask.com could then run commercials of him using the services they offer to find a job… then a car… then a house… and attribute that success to Ask.  Eventually he'd win the lottery and quietly exit the picture again.  But not before a slew of engaging, viral commercials could be made.
6. Sponsored advertising improvements:  Why couldn't Ask.com be the first search engine to offer great control of where your ads show up?  As is, we just have to have faith that the algorithms and programs are doing a good job of positioning our ads.  Ask.com could put more of this control into the user's hands.  This would get users spending more money with Ask.com.  That additional money could then be funneled into buying more traffic sources.  Take a look at the Top 500 sites.  Which ones could Ask.com quietly gobble up?  Over time they could buy their way past Yahoo and MSN.  Then just sit back and wait for Google to fall.
7. Rebrand Ask:  Ask.com could be rebranded as an acronym:  America's Search Knowledgebase.  They could then move their offices to the top of the new Freedom Tower, employ only people in the United States, knock Google and Yahoo for hiring and outsourcing overseas, and be a proud "American" company.  It would help them win in the States and they could worry about elsewhere later.

I'm willing to bet this plan would result in Ask.com moving into a number 2 position by the end of 2007 (assuming the Freedom Tower would be done by then).  It'd be unrealistic to think Ask.com could knock Google out of the number 1 spot.  But as I mentioned above, their best bet is to shoot for the second spot and then wait patiently until Google crumbles.  What do you think?

Do you have a site that needs a roadmap of its own?  Leave a comment and I'll post a roadmap for you, too!