Top Click Media Staff Blog » Yahoo

Different Search Engines Need Different Approaches

Matt Thomas — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:10:55 +0000

For a while now I’ve been talking about the dangers of assuming that one search marketing approach will work across a number of platforms, with mixed results. Unfortunately, some people just don’t want to believe that the approach required to make a success of a PPC campaign on Google is that much different to the approach required to do well on Yahoo, Bing, etc. Some people unfortunately will not be swayed from the notion that search is search and what’s good for the good is good for the gander.

If you’re in this camp then allow me to have one last crack at persuading you otherwise with one good reason why you need to think of each as a new campaign and tailor your approach to match… Demographics.

The splits in terms of search engine use in the UK are pretty well known. Google have around 85 – 90% of the market, Yahoo come in around 5% and Bing fluctuate erratically below that. However, the mistake comes in believing that the pie is split along the same lines in terms of demographics. It isn’t.

A couple of examples of what I’m talking about…

Youth – For some reason, the average age of yahoo’s users has historically tended to be a bit younger than Gopogle’s. So if, for example, you sell products and have a certain selection that you think is going to appeal to younger consumers then it might be an idea to push those products more enthusiastically on Yahoo. By the same token, you may find that the results you get from saga holidays isn’t quite as good.

Experience – Many Internet Explorer users have Bing as their default search engine to begin with. Whereas experienced internet users will more often than not change the default settings to Yahoo, or (more likely) to Google the less experienced won’t. Ergo the users of Bing may contain be the less experienced users – perhaps not the venue for your ‘integrated IT business solution.’

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Yahoo Search Advertising enhancements: Does anybody care?

Jay Smith — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:00:17 +0000

Yahoo have launched a range of new enhancements to its search marketing tool, though anyone who has ever used Google AdWords will be more than familiar with them. The changes include, a day parting tool, that allows you to target ads to specific times of day, bid customisation, allowing customers to target specific bids to different audiences and enhanced Geo targeting.

These changes will be very useful to the comparatively few people still advertising with Yahoo though the trouble is that all they do is bring Yahoo just about up to Google’s level, doing nothing really to surpass it or make anybody think about switching.

Unsurprisingly, the announcement has caused very few waves within the community. Only this blog and a handful of others are even talking about it. The trouble is that just keeping up with Google is not going to cut it for Yahoo since it gives advertisers absolutely no reason to abandon the huge number of searchers on Google and schlep all the way over to Yahoo.

The struggling search engine really needs to do something to change the game, to give users some reason to move over from Google, or at least to use them as well. What that would be however, is anybody’s guess.

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Changes Afoot at Yahoo

Jay Smith — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:31:50 +0000

Rumours abound this morning about a major shakeup at Yahoo. The thinking is that the company will undergo a major shakeup at some point in the week. It appears that after taking a few weeks to think things through, new CEO Carol Bartz is now in the market for fresh high-level personnel and executives.

Yahoo is desperately searching for ways to compete with Google who have almost completely absorbed the search engine market. Bartz has admitted that the company faces serious issues which have to be confronted and dealt with if Yahoo is going to have any chance at all of competing with Google and prepared Yahoo employees for a sea change in the next few days writing “Get well-rested, because next week’s a biggie,” in a staff memo last Friday.

Yahoo is divided up into three divisions, for Europe, Asia and emerging markets, it is thought that one executive will take control of all of them though who that is remains a mystery.

Things don’t look as bleak as they have at Yahoo, with various avenues such as internet TV looking like coming good, however, there is a feeling within the industry that this is going to need to yield some results if Yahoo is to survive long-term.

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Yahoo wrapping up Content Match?

Jay Smith — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:16:54 +0000

Recently it was announced that Yahoo would be wrapping up its Content Match service in Germany, the UK and other non US locations. The last chance for users in these territories to bid on ads will be the last day of March, after that it’s over. This change will mean a much smaller inventory for Yahoo to put in their yahoo Publisher Network.

In an email to its users Yahoo explained themselves thus,

“The decision to close Content Match underlines our commitment to focus on our Sponsored Search and Display business and to simplify our solutions to deliver a high ROI for our advertisers.”

This is clearly evidence of how bad things are at Yahoo, but we’ve known that for months. More urgent for the consumer is the fact that this move will drastically weaken the Yahoo Publisher Network, the closest thing to an Adsense competitor there is. What’s more, if this is the first step of a move to roll out this initiative across the company, then Yahoo are about to basically hand Google ownership of online contextual advertising.

It doesn’t take a degree in economics to know that monopolies are bad for customers, since a lack of competition removes the incentive to provide good customer service and low prices. Come on Yahoo, pull yourself together!

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Some more info on Yahoo’s Internet TV plans

James Oliver — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:34:56 +0000

A few days ago we reported that Yahoo were to team up with television makers to provide a range of internet services through television sets. The move was exactly the kind of bold, ‘game changing’ kind of thing that was required of Yahoo, who have been faltering to say the least recently after a horrific 2008 that saw their lifesaving deal with Google disintegrate and a Microsoft buyout fall through, along with general staff losses and cutbacks.

We have a few more details on exactly what Yahoo’s planning now: the software, that has been developed by Intel and Yahoo, will be loaded onto new TVs and right off the bat will allow access to popular web pages and tools alongside regular TV programmes. Beyond that around 20 different ‘widgets’ will be available to download. These widgets will provide you with information on weather, stocks, etc. There is also scope for third parties to create widgets which can then be submitted to the “Widget Gallery,” much like the app store.

The gamble is big, but then again, what does Yahoo have to lose? By all accounts if they keep going the way they are they’re doomed. Plus, this looks like real winner. How many times have you had your laptop out while watching TV?

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Yahoo commits to Internet-TV Synergy

Andy Russell — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:09:37 +0000

Talk of some kind of convergence between TV and the Internet has been talked about as long as people have been watching videos online. However, it appears that 2009 may just be the year that people start getting serious about making it a reality. This year we’ve already had the announcement of the new LG TV that allows you to download film and TV from certain bespoke sites, now it seems that Yahoo are getting in on the act, and committing to making full synergy between the two mediums a reality.

At the CES in Las Vegas this week Yahoo has announced that it has made a deal with several companies, the big names being, Sony, Vizio, Samsung and LG, these companies will make HD televisions capable of running Yahoo’s online services. These new TVs, which should be with us by spring, will support small Yahoo applications which run alongside the regular programming and allow users to follow news stories, watch YouTube, use social networking sites, etc.

It’s still not quite full access to the internet from your TV but it certainly sounds like an improvement. Also, significantly, it’s a new market for Yahoo, one that Google and Microsoft aren’t involved in… Yet.

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More pain for Yahoo

Simon King — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:29:28 +0000

It would seem that there’s just no let up in the misery at Yahoo. Not even a week after their CEO Jerry Yang announced he is stepping down, and with key staff and engineers continuing to jump ship at an alarming rate, their shares have fallen to a five year low.

The shares fell below $10 after Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft Corp again reiterated that Microsoft would not be seeking to buy any part of Yahoo. Microsoft had attempted a buyout of $33 dollars a share earlier in the year, which was turned down by Yang though it’s hard to see them doing the same now that their shares aren’t even a third of that value.

Ballmer has denied any intention to buy the ailing company once before recently. However, he apparently felt the need to re-state his position after news of Jerry Yang’s departure sent Yahoo’s share price up 12 per cent, as investors anticipated renewed interest from Microsoft.

The glimmer of hope for Yahoo is that Ballmer has not closed the door on the idea of some kind of partnership with Yahoo, describing the idea of the companies coming together in some sort of internet-search venture as ‘interesting.’ However, there are no talks currently in progress and no one is clear about the sort of shape that would take. Whoever ends up replacing Jerry Yang may have to think up a survival strategy that doesn’t involve Microsoft at all. Imagine that…

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Jang to step down!

Matt Thomas — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:49:56 +0000

Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang is set to resign his post. Amidst a plummeting stock price and widespread predictions that the company are on the way out, at least as an independent entity, the 40-year-old’s position would appear to be untenable.

Jang has been in the job for under a year and a half though his tenure has been a troubled one. He has presided over a period of decline for the company which saw them turn down what was almost universally acknowledged to be a generous buyout offer from Microsoft, only to indicate they would like to reconsider a few months later, when Microsoft were no longer interested. The other major disaster of Jang’s reign was of course the abortive Yahoo-Google advertising deal deal which was unceremoniously blocked by the US justice Department after months of work and investment from both companies.

It is hoped that the departure may spark a new round of Microsoft talks, though Yahoo has lost a huge chunk of its market value over the last year or so. If Microsoft is interested, Jang’s legacy is likely to be a drastically reduced offer from the computer giant.

Jang remains acting CEO until Yahoo can find a replacement and will remain a member of the board.

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Yahoo Sponsored Search introduces Geo-Specific Ad targeting

James Oliver — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:52:15 +0000

A longstanding problem for online advertisers has been that the Internet is simply too broad an advertising tool for many companies. In the grand scheme of things very few traditional companies actually need to reach a worldwide or even national audience. There is no real reason, for instance, why a hairdresser with three branches in Inverness really needs to have its online advertising viewed by people in Portsmouth.

For this reason, search engines have started introducing geo-specific ad targeting features. It seems like an obvious thing to do, so it’s surprising that until very recently only Ask, who allow you to target ads via certain zip/postal codes, and Google, who allow you to draw actual target areas on a map, were actually doing this.

That list has recently grown by one, with Yahoo dragging its ailing search engine into the local advertising fray. Disappointingly for some however, they have chosen to follow the Ask model and do so by allowing users to pick postcodes, rather than develop something like Google’s system which is thought by many to be much more precise.

It’s a good move for Yahoo, which should see them collect a decent number of new users, not just from the small business community but also from bigger companies looking to target geographically for other reasons – maybe looking for regions where people have a higher disposable income.

That notwithstanding, it’ll take more than relatively small new initiatives like this to avoid the widely predicted Yahoo meltdown.

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Yahoo: on the way out?

Matt Thomas — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:55:31 +0000

Regular followers of computer and technology news will know about the relentless misery currently confronting Yahoo. First their share price plummets, then Google backs out of their proposed ad sharing deal – widely considered as a last ditch effort to stay afloat -, now it seems Microsoft have lost all interest in buying the company after trying so aggressively to do so in the past. They are, to put it mildly, in some trouble.

The long term survival chances of the world’s second biggest search-engine now look pretty bleak, especially considering the news that they are about to shed ten per cent of their workforce, that’s 1’500 jobs, a figure that’s particularly staggering when you consider that the company already laid-off around 1000 people earlier in the year. On top of this, they’re also hemorrhaging key workers, like executives and engineers, which is going to make it even harder to compete with the overachievers that Google and Microsoft can attract. The long and short of it is this, Yahoo is very unlikely to have a long-term future, certainly not as an independent entity.

Insiders at Yahoo are calling them a technological casualty of the credit crunch. However, many independent experts disagree, claiming that Yahoo has been without a coherent direction or plan for some time now and the economic downturn has simply exacerbated things to the point where it looks as if they’re set to pay dearly for their indecision.

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Have Google and Yahoo strangled the analytics game?

Jay Smith — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:47:25 +0000

Predictably enough, Yahoo have launched an answer to Google Analytics. It’s called Yahoo Web Analytics and it loftily claims to provide a full featured analytics program, completely for free. The program is largely based on the Index Tools technology that Yahoo acquired when they bought the company, just like Google Analytics is based on what was Urchin, before Google bought it.

Urchin and IndexTools were considered two of the best pieces of analytics software on the market prior to their acquisition and the fact that Google and yahoo are offering them for free would seem to be a good thing. However, if we look beyond the obvious and the immediate for a minute, is this really such a good idea?

My point is basically that the smaller companies that might have developed the next generation of analytics software will now almost certainly not, as there’s now no way to make money out of it. Admittedly, either Google or Yahoo could do that, though if everyone in the world is using either Google Analytics or Yahoo Web Analytics then the positive aspects of competition are severely reduced. There is, in effect, less reason to do so – the next generation of Yahoo Web Analytics will only have to be better than one competing programme, as opposed to maybe five or ten.

Few would argue against the fact that ten heads are better than two.

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