ONLINE-ADS>> Can we live without Yahoo

richard_at_tenagra.com
Thu, 5 Mar 1998 10:50:00 -0600 (CST)

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Hey all,

I ran across this article yesterday.

Does Yahoo Still Yahoo?
Wired News
http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/10236.html

It basically chronicles how difficult it is not only to get into Yahoo
nowadays, but to change inaccurate/outdated entries. And it doesn't appear
it will get any better.

The article quotes Yahoo's Director of Surfing (aka editor and chief),
Srinija Srinivasan as saying:

"...while users may perceive Yahoo as a comprehensive directory, it's a
mistaken perception. There's no question that people (heap) Yahoo together
with other search engines as trying to serve the same purpose - when that's
not true," Srinivasan said. Instead, Yahoo is
a "media company," she said, "aggregating information that we think is of use."

Yahoo is doing nothing to correct that "mistaken perception" as Srinivasan
puts it. I had a look at the submission form,
http://www.yahoo.com/info/suggest/ , (now labeled "suggestion form") and no
where does it say that Yahoo may not choose to add your site. It give the
impression that anything submitted will be added.

This is a bit of a headache for an agency like mine. How do you explain to
a client that they might not get listed when Yahoo's own form doesn't
clearly state this. (I guess you show them Srinivasan's quote in the above
article.)

My opinion is that if Yahoo is now a "media company," then they need to say
this. It needs to be clear that my chances of getting "coverage" in Yahoo
are akin to getting coverage in any other media outlet. Plus I think they
should have editorial guidelines to give PR people some direction on what
criteria sites need to have in order for Yahoo deem them worthy.

What do you all thing about this?

richard

--------------------------------------------------------
richard hoy
moderator, online advertising discussion list
vice president, marketing and client promotions
the tenagra corporation
http://www.tenagra.com/
p: 281.480.6300 | f: 281.480.7715 | e: rhoy_at_tenagra.com
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