Yeah! bring it on! Thanks for the link...

ATM I find that the Yahoo SERPS are a bit better than Bings on niche terms. Probably b/c Yahoo has a larger index, I assume.

Both of the two blow Google away on specific searches (when you know what you're looking for, and you do spell it right)

This will pave the way for some real competition, bing do still have quite a way to go, but having said that Google is currently far from perfect.

Mack.

we have to both use adcenter arrrrrrrrrrrrg.

I guess is not THAT BAD but I like yahoo's better, and how are they going to make the split that these are your campaings on yahoo and these are the ones on bing.

AND, if im hearing this right yahoo will now be our account team? I don't know about you but I LOVE BINGS CUSTOMER SERVICE, please don't mess this up guys! A phone number with a friendly person that picks up the phone!

That was a good presentation, very informative. Although I did not like how they kept reinforcing that if they can't get it done by the holidays they will defer into 2011. If you want something done, don't give yourself an out.

You gotta love the terms they were using, I wonder who coins these things:

"The Search Alliance"

"Unified Search Marketplace"

Classics!

I like their english SERPs when searching from Poland.
Pity their Polish search is so bad. This really prevents them from becoming more popular.

unless I'm mistaken this will change nothing in serps, it's for the ad platforms only?

Regardless, the timing of this, it's EXCELLENT. Google just took a dump on tons of quality sites by sending them fewer visitors. The playing field being more level between search engines on the ad revenue front would be most welcome in this time of Google upheaval, hopefully it translates into more yahoo/bing search use.

edit: nothing negative towards Google was meant by that - upheaval: A sudden, violent disruption or upset. I think Mayday qualifies and I'm a Google supporter in general so it's not completely easy for me to say it like it is this time.

This isn't an acquisition or merger but what an alternative indeed! 29.5% ad market share? Do a good job and get it right Bing/Yahoo!

unless I'm mistaken this will change nothing in serps, it's for the ad platforms only?

When it's all done, Bing will power Yahoo search both in the SERPS and Ads.

^ that is ok with me

but it sounds like they are going to test this and if they see a drop in yahoo traffic because of SERPs they will switch back to the yahoo algo.

I for one hope this will create more traffic for yahoo and bing.

This good news and timing is perfect since we all know G isn't the best any-longer... at least for now.

Yahoo sent me a statement on this:


Our goal is to transition algorithmic and paid search in the U.S and Canada in 2010 and we will soon start a series of external bucket tests (note: we’re only doing internal tests today). We will be sharing details about these tests (when they start, etc) with our customers first. So while we're not ready to answer your specific questions today, we would be happy to bring you into the loop when the time is right.

In terms of the transition timing outlined on the slide – as we've said prior, our focus is on providing advertisers with a quality transition experience while protecting the all important holiday season. If we don’t believe we can do both in that timeframe, we will wait until 2011. That is the reason why the slide states that "we may adjust transition timing and dates as needed."

The say to contact your Yahoo rep to tell them what method you prefer before June 30th.

Where do you contact your Yahoo rep at?

IMO, the communications show a concern about webmasters that is sorely lacking from big G.

some interesting facts, but man could they find someone with a more monotone voice to do the presentation?

Awesome, instead of cannibalizing each other in positions 2 and 3 of search company rankings they'll band together to offer an alternative to the current #1 company.

Since the #1 company is rumored to be getting into the ecommerce business, and has a history of featuring their content on page one, and a history of displaying affiliate offers while penalizing affiliate websites, the internet needs this before its called Googlenet.

I love what Google has done, they have some outstanding products, but they broke an apparently unwritten rule that they use those features to help us find places, not to use them to compete against us.

Go Goog...this transition with MS n Yahoo is only about the dollar not better quality search that Goog works so hard on..?

I belong to those who have grave concerns regarding monopolies, and the dominant position of Google in particular. I belong to those who would welcome viable competition under any circumstances, and in this respect any legitimate moves from Google's competitors are well received.

However, there is a fundamental fallacy in labeling the creation of a strong duopoly (Google on one side and Yahoo + Bing on the other side) as an advance in competition. Much sooner than later, these two dominating poles in the market will find an equilibrium among themselves, and they will take us all for a *really good* ride.

1.- Substantial revenue share *reduction* (percentage-wise) comes to mind (re: AdSense, etc) even if there is a temporary upward improvement before matters start going (gradually but steadily) south.

2.- Substantial ad cost *increase* (re: AdWords, etc), even if there is a temporary downward improvement before matters start going (gradually but steadily) up, up and away.

3.- Substantial involvement in eccommerce, in multiple and innovative forms, grabbing a large percentage of consumer & business revenue.

All of us (excluding non-profits) are constantly looking for ways of monetizing to the max. our sites - so what makes you think that G and (Y+B) think otherwise? The two market poles will collude eventually, they will partition the market and create a mutually advantageous profit boom for themselves you have never seen before. This is what lingers in their dirty little minds & plans, oh you "little guy" - not bleeding each other to death by competition!

Now, go on celebrating . . . .


.

I'm trying to get my head around the UK situation - back in Feb, 2010, their press release said:

All global customers and partners are expected to be transitioned by early 2012.

[advertising.microsoft.com...]

2012! Wow they really are trying to make sure everything's working properly before doing the same for the rest of the world! What are they doing for all of 2011?

"What are they doing for all of 2011? " The are going to lay low in 2011 and try to learn from Google's mistakes :)

From the video it looks like algo testing will be begin in June/July and full algo transition in August September.

Algo testing has begun. Sites with a lot of links from automated link systems are losing ground. Is the the new face of search algo? Is this the ultimate battle of the SEO brains? Did Google get complacent and give up their intellectual throne?

In 1998 Google was an unknown search engine, and Alta Vista was king. Within two years, nobody remembered Alta Vista. Could this be the same fate that Google will succumb to?

Search preferences can change overnight. If the new Yahoo/Bing becomes the Google of 1999 in 2011, all bets are off.

Looks like maybe the transition (or testing) has begun.

My site that is #1 for keywords in Bing for 2 years, but totally dead in Yahoo, started getting traffic from Yahoo this past weekend.

From the keywords that are getting traffic, it looks like yahoo is showing bing results to 5-10% of their searches.

Anyone else seeing this?

I hold no hope for the Bing/Yahoo! alliance. On my money site Bing rarely crawls the top 3 pages that are updated 3x a week.

Bot comes, takes / and robots.txt and leaves. Later comes back for a long gone page about New Years Eve 2007. That's the full cycle. Once every so often (~45-90 days) it comes to crawl a page created and gone in 2009.

The Bing bot needs some serious energy enhancements!

I hold no hope for the Bing/Yahoo! alliance. On my money site Bing rarely crawls the top 3 pages that are updated 3x a week.

I'm seeing just the opposite myself.. bing has been very fast in updating its index on popular pages.