| I was all set to write an article predicting | | | | Google and Yahoo to be quite similar. The |
| the future of search engines, when Yahoo | | | | only differences were sites by actual |
| dropped Google and replaced it with its own | | | | realtors and sites that were simply property |
| engine. Now that's big news. In less than | | | | listings. Both types of results are useful, |
| twenty-four hours, Google went from about 79% | | | | with Google having an edge in realtors. |
| of the market share to about 51%, almost | | | | Google had some lower quality sites, but the |
| overnight. And what a welcome relief it is | | | | information was just as good even though they |
| too! Being #1 in Google was great, but when | | | | did seem less professional. On the other |
| you had the misfortune of dropping even a | | | | hand, Yahoo did have one site that was |
| couple of positions you really felt it. Now | | | | nothing more than a links page from another |
| there will be more stability; if you drop in | | | | realtor's site. Big boo boo.This one goes to |
| Google today, your hits from Yahoo will | | | | Google.Mosquito NetsIt seems to me that |
| remain consistent.What is the new Yahoo?Last | | | | someone searching for "mosquito nets" wants |
| year, Yahoo bought the AltaVista, Fast, and | | | | either A) to buy them, or B) to learn about |
| Inktomi search engines. The new Yahoo results | | | | them, so I was expecting to find either |
| are none of these. Many people are saying | | | | stores or information about mosquito nets. |
| that the results come from a new Inktomi | | | | Yahoo showed me 6 stores and 2 informational |
| because the results are similar; but the | | | | pages. The other results were a search result |
| results are also similar to all the other | | | | page (not a good result) and an inner page |
| search engines out there. In comparing these | | | | from a previous result (also not a good |
| engines, it seems to me that Yahoo's results | | | | result).Google gave me 7 stores and 3 |
| are from a brand new engine. Maybe they took | | | | charitable organizations (one of which was a |
| parts and ideas from all the search engines | | | | store as well). The other 2 charitable |
| they bought - maybe they even took the best | | | | organizations were a news article outlining |
| parts - , but whatever they did, the result | | | | what they had done regarding mosquito nets |
| is something completely new.Which search | | | | and information about mosquito nets.So even |
| engine is better?I will be comparing Google | | | | though I didn't necessarily want the latest |
| and Yahoo for the terms "music", "art prints | | | | news about what a charity did regarding |
| and posters", "Bahamas real estate", | | | | mosquito nets, I think getting the same site |
| "mosquito nets", and "liposuction". The other | | | | twice from Yahoo (not to mention the search |
| search engines all hold less than 4% of the | | | | result page) is the bigger no-no. Google wins |
| market share (except for MSN which uses | | | | this round.LiposuctionI expected to find |
| Yahoo's Inktomi), so I won't be considering | | | | information about liposuction, liposuction |
| them. Here is what I found in the top 10 | | | | organizations and either doctors or centers |
| results for each keyphrase:MusicYahoo offers | | | | where you can have liposuction done. What I |
| a lot of music resource sites. Information | | | | got was a lot of "how to find a doctor" |
| about music from different sources such as | | | | sites, with a lot of good information.Yahoo |
| magazine, TV and other music news sites are | | | | results included 3 sites doubled. This is a |
| found 6 times in the top 10 results. It also | | | | problem that killed AltaVista in the late |
| offered downloading and file sharing programs | | | | 90's. Hopefully they will have it fixed soon. |
| 3 times. The 10th result was an audio player | | | | Other than the 3 doubled sites, the results |
| program site.Google has a lot more diversity. | | | | included 4 informational sites, 2 sites for |
| There were 3 music resource sites (but no | | | | finding doctors and one poorly written |
| magazines), one downloading program, one CD | | | | article about the history of |
| store, one radio station (Yahoo radio), one | | | | liposuction.Google gave me 4 good |
| music directory, and the 10th result was an | | | | informational sites, 2 good "find a doctor" |
| audio player program site. Google also had 2 | | | | sites, one recent article about liposuction |
| sites in its top ten that were of no value | | | | for people in the industry, one site with |
| whatsoever; which just has one page stating | | | | very poor information one written by a single |
| that they no longer offer the services that | | | | doctor and one site that was nothing more |
| they used to (with links to their parent | | | | than a directory.Google gets this round as |
| company), and music.com, which is nothing | | | | well. Overall, it looks like Yahoo needs to |
| more than an email gathering site for a | | | | fix its doubling of sites and Google needs to |
| newsletter (not a single link on the entire | | | | clean out some spam (poor sites).And The |
| page).Google's diversity is a big bonus, but | | | | Winner Is...You! Having two good search |
| the 2 spam/junk/useless sites really hurt it. | | | | engines to choose from makes searching that |
| The results? Yahoo 1, Google 0.Art Prints And | | | | much better for everyone. It also makes |
| PostersYahoo offers 6 stores, while Google | | | | getting listings better. It also makes |
| offers 5. The other links are all affiliate | | | | marketing better. It also makes traffic to |
| spam with no content whatsoever (just links | | | | your site steadier. The only way this could |
| to stores), with the exception of one of | | | | have been worse is if Yahoo's results sucked, |
| Yahoo's links, which has some biographical | | | | and they don't. They seem just as good, if |
| content about artists. So Google has 5 spam | | | | not better, than Google's.So rejoice, and |
| sites, and Yahoo has 3 and a half.Yet another | | | | enjoy a more dynamic world of online |
| round goes to Yahoo.Bahamas Real EstateFor | | | | searching! |
| this keyphrase, I found results between | | | | |