So finally, Yahoo and Microsoft got the clearance to implement terms and conditions of their search ad deal. Both the European Commission and U.S. Dept. of Justice have approved the deal which has been on the table for quite some time now.
Both companies can now start implementing some of the terms and conditions of the deal, which would probably start with Yahoo transitioning its algorithmic and paid search platforms to Microsoft. This would make Yahoo as the exclusive relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers globally.
In other words, expect to see paid search ads being served by Microsoft on Yahoo search results. The Yahoo Search Blog gave a simple illustration on how this is going to affect their search result listings.
Yahoo hopes that their search deal would make them focus on enhancing their search engine, that is making it faster and better than it is right now. Specifically, Yahoo hopes to deliver the following:
• Ways to find things faster when you’re just starting your search – by continuing to enhance our great Search Assist technology and also weaving search more deeply and conveniently into other Yahoo! products.
• New ways to help you explore the things that matter most – whether that’s with more rich results and options for organizing the search results page, or by showing you interesting Search topics that you might want to browse through in other relevant places that you spend your time on Yahoo!
• More apps and other tools to help you get things done as quickly as possible. We know that people don’t want to search per se – you want to complete tasks in your day, and we’ll be inventing new ways to help you do that.
And here’s what both Carol Bartz and Steve Ballmer have to say.
“This breakthrough search alliance means Yahoo! can focus even more on our own innovative search experience. Yahoo! gets to do what we do best: combine our science and technology with compelling content to build personally relevant online experiences for our users and customers,” said Carol Bartz.
“Although we are just at the beginning of this process, we have reached an exciting milestone. I believe that together, Microsoft and Yahoo! will promote more choice, better value and greater innovation to our customers as well as to advertisers and publishers,” said Steve Balmer.
