“It’s a shame Yahoo is abdicating” Google’s co-founder Sergey Brinn has said in an interview at a Web 2.0 event in San Francisco. His choice of words demonstrate the position that Yahoo will, in many people’s eyes, be giving up when it switches off its back end search technology.
Yahoo Search Interface
But while Yahoo will be using Bing to power its search (providing the deal is approved) it has made big noises about innovations in the way that search service will be delivered. In an Earnings Call earlier in the week Yahoo’s CFO Tim Morse used the analogy of the Intel chip; computer manufacturer brands such as Dell, HP and Apple all use Intel chips, and yet the user’s experience of these computer can vary a great deal.
In other words by giving users innovative search features Yahoo still aims to be a big player in search. Some, however, are not won over by this viewpoint.
Sergey Brinn will be seen as one of the big names who see Yahoo’s planned withdrawal of their search algorithm as being bad news for search. While reluctant to make any sweeping statements on the subject, Brinn commented “Yahoo had some interesting things, they should stick with it.” The degree to which they should stick with it is unclear, but at the very least he would be talking about Yahoo’s search interface.
Innovative Search
A number of innovative additions have appeared on Yahoo’s homepage over the year, with the 3 column interface contrasting with the simplicity of both Bing and Google. Some users will prefer the busier Yahoo interface, which although has commerce in mind (for example a slightly sensationalist news headline about the recession might link to a article promoting loans companies), also offers a local public service feel, with BBC News and Transport For London links featuring prominently on the left of the UK site. The ability to favourite sites by adding them to the left hand column is another example of Yahoo’s commitment to a highly personalised search interface.
Bing’s Search Algorithm
While Yahoo still shows genuine commitment to the front end search experience, the question will be whether users will still choose Yahoo even though Bing may be seen as the ‘mother’ engine; and whether Yahoo will be seen to have truly ‘abdicated’ as Brinn suggests. It is likely that users will be by and large unaware and uninterested in which algorithm is behind their search, and so any engine that seeks to win market share from the ‘default’ search engine, Google, will need to continue innovating their interfaces. Improving algorithm relevancy will perhaps be of secondary importance; but of primary concern to SEO specialists.
Related posts: