It’s official - Microsoft and Yahoo have announced a 10-year search and advertising partnership that will give Microsoft’s Bing a better chance to show off its new search technology and provide Yahoo with an opportunity to challenge Google in online advertising.
And in case you’ve haven’t seen the details, the deal goes like this:
- 10 year agreement.
- Microsoft acquires an exclusive 10-year license to Yahoo’s core search technologies and can integrate these technologies into Bing.
- Yahoo will continue to syndicate its current search affiliate partnerships.
- Bing will be the exclusive search and paid search platform for Yahoo sites.
- Yahoo will become the exclusive sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers. Self-serve ads for both companies will run by Microsoft’s AdCenter platform.
So Bing will now power the search algorithm on Yahoo/Bing and Yahoo will now power the premium search advertising for Bing/Yahoo.
But what does that mean to you?
After the jump, there’s a quick trip around the domain space on what people are saying:
Danny Sullivan of SearchEngineLand.com - Microsoft-Yahoo Search Deal Simplified
“This isn’t 1+1=2, beating the 1 of Google. The two together make it easier for advertisers to reach a common audience, but that’s the main benefit. Neither alone has a Google killer offering, and combined doesn’t just magically make that happen.”
David Hallerman of eMarketer as published in USAToday - Microsoft, Yahoo link up in Internet search deal
“The hope (for Microsoft and Yahoo) is that better technology will mean more relevant results and more relevant results will attract more users. More users mean more potential to click on ads and that means more money.”
Andrew Allemann of DomainNameWire - Dear DOJ: Don’t Slow Down Yahoo-Microsoft Deal
“The deal creates a competitor. It takes two also-rans in the search business and turns them into a true (although still relatively weak) competitor to Google…I’m convinced that having at least two viable advertising providers in the search space is critical to keep each one in check. Right now we have a growing ad provider in Google and a faltering one in Yahoo…By Yahoo and Microsoft joining forces, their scale will be enough to entice more advertisers to pay attention. This, in turn, will benefit web entrepreneurs.”
Michael H. Berkens of TheDomains - Done Deal: Yahoo Gives Microsoft Its Search Business
“What the deal means to domainers is far from settled. We have many of our domain names parked with various Yahoo parking partners. What this will mean to our bottom line is just a guess at this point but my guess it will be good for domainers.”
Erick Schonfeld of TechCrunch - Yahoo Got Binged
“The two companies will work hard to pull this off. Their futures depend on it. And the deal is structured in a way that makes sure both sides make more money the more searches and advertising dollars Bing generates. Getting to that ideal state, though, won’t be easy. In the meantime, as they work through all of the implementation issues, Google could strengthen its position and take even more share.”
LLLL.com - Goodbye Yahoo Search
“What this will mean in the future for domainers and webmasters remains to be seen — I reported on July 26th that Bing users are much more engaged by advertising. It remains to be seen what the reason for this is and whether the television advertising and other promotions Microsoft is offering to promote Bing are skewing results…this will mean 12% lower paying clicks for those currently monetizing their domains through Yahoo, however, assuming the click-through rate for those monetizing their websites through Yahoo goes up anywhere near what Bing is currently reporting, they should end up earning more money resultant of this search partnership.”
Tom Demers of WordStream on SearchEngineJournal.com - Why I’m Torn on the Bing Yahoo! Deal
“For my money: PPC just got simpler, and SEO just got more complex.”
Arnold Zafra of SearchEngineJournal.com - What the Yahoo-Microsoft Search Deal Means to Everyone
“For web publishers, the search deal will: offer more competitive bids for search syndication deals, give more compelling advertising avenues to reach more users, and provide greater value and transparency.”
Ben Parr on Mashable.com - Google vs. Microsoft: Will This Time Be Different?
“Does Bing + Yahoo search represent Microsoft’s best shot at defeating Google? Unequivocally. Are were certain that Microsoft has a strategy for stealing market share? Absolutely.
Will it work? While we still believe Google’s not going anywhere, you never know what can happen when two titans go to all-out war. It fosters innovation, opens up the door to innovative startups, and keeps big corporations on their toes. Google’s needed a legitimate competitor for years. We finally have one, even if it’s made up of many complicated parts”
What are your thoughts? How do you think the Microsoft-Yahoo deal will affect domainers?
(c) 2009 DomainNameNews.com
DomainConvergence | August 12-13, 2009 | Toronto, ON, Canada
Keynote speakers: The Castello Brothers on "Branding your Domain"
Christian Heilmann, Developer Evangelist, Yahoo!
