Archive for the ‘Yahoo’ Category
As If To Mock Me
Last week I blogged about how I’m the last guy (maybe) who feels search is still the killer app. (Apparently Wired agrees.) Today I got to read about Yahoo’s new three-year plan:
- A new version of Yahoo Mail that’s faster, has an improved user interface, integrates with Facebook and Twitter, and blocks more spam
- A new layout in Yahoo Search that presents more content around entertainment and news searches
- A new Yahoo iPad app
- New ad formats
See anything about improving the ‘ol search engine in there? No, you didn’t. Just more Facebook, Twitter and iPad stuff.
[sigh]
1995 Was a Good Year
Yesterday my 1995 Subaru finally died after struggling for 2 years with radiator/head gasket problems. It was a tough old car, and it didn’t go down easy. It will be missed.
Yahoo Search, which launched the same year as my Soobee was born, gave up the ghost yesterday as well. It took a year for them to succumb to the inevitable. However, Yahoo’s not actually gone away. It’s basically an impostor — Bing with Yahoo’s name on it. Do a search on both services. The number of hits are the same. So are the top 10 results. The “Show Only” hint at the top of the SERP, too. Only the ads are different.
Yahoo was a tough old survivor. But nothing lasts forever. Not even a Subaru.
Taking a Load Off Their Servers
This chart says it all: AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo aren’t capturing eyeballs the way they used to. AOL’s share of people’s online time is down 6% over the past 4 years, Yahoo has lost 4% and Microsoft is at -2%. Over the same time period, Google is up 8% and Facebook 9%.
AOL knows what it wants to become when it grows up, but it’s still failing. Yahoo? It doesn’t appear to have a clue.
Say Bye-Bye to Yahoo’s Search Engine by the End of This Year
Today Yahoo and Microsoft announced that their marriage has been blessed both by the U.S. DoJ and the EC. Now comes the hard part of trying to make the marriage work:
“Implementation of the deal is expected to begin in the coming days and will involve transitioning Yahoo!’s algorithmic and paid search platforms to Microsoft, with Yahoo! becoming the exclusive relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers globally.”
Which means a loss of search ecosystem for liberrian-types like me:
“Under terms of the agreement, which was announced in late July 2009, Microsoft will provide Yahoo! with the same search result listings available through Bing, and Yahoo! will innovate around those listings by integrating rich Yahoo! content, enhanced listings with conveniently organized information about key topics, and tools to tailor the experience for Yahoo! users.”
Habitat destruction is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
Link via Search Engine Land.
