How an SEO can Prepare for Microhoo, the Microsoft-Yahoo Combo
February 5, 2008 - Written by Gyutae Park
The hoopla continues surrounding Microsoft’s bid to buy out Yahoo for $34 billion. Google is doing everything in its power to stop the deal from happening and with good reason. I’m not saying that Google would be in danger of being overtaken, but a Microsoft-Yahoo combo could potentially do a lot of damage in eating away at Google’s supreme market share. Combine Microsoft’s dominance in PC desktop applications, the resources they have at their disposal, and Yahoo’s top Internet brand, and you finally have a force that can take Google head on in online search.
Despite all of the drama regarding this issue on both sides, I think this move will benefit the search industry in the long-term.
Increased competition leads to more innovation and ultimately a better user experience for everyone involved with the Internet. Not too much will change in terms of SEO, but every search marketer and online business owner should pay attention and prepare for the coming of Microhoo.
How an SEO can Prepare for Microhoo
- Keep your focus on Google
Let’s get this straight. Even with Microsoft buying up Yahoo, Google isn’t going anywhere in the near future. I can foresee a lot of inexperienced SEO’s changing their focus to Yahoo/MSN because they think it will soon take over. Not only is this unlikely but Microhoo is still unproven. For now, focus your efforts on Google no matter what happens between Yahoo and Microsoft. - Pay more attention to Yahoo
When/if Microsoft buys Yahoo, it’s likely that MSN will phase out Live Search in favor of Yahoo’s more advanced technology. That will give Microhoo a market share of over 30%, making it a search engine that cannot be ignored. Get an early start by paying more attention to Yahoo now. - Disregard MSN
As always, ignore MSN and Live Search unless you’re receiving a good amount of traffic from them or if you’re taking advantage of their algorithm (mostly thin affiliate sites). Once Microsoft combines with Yahoo, search will probably favor the methodology used by Yahoo. - Take Ask more seriously
Ask is like the Ross Perot of search engines. It has no chance of being the leading winner, but can significantly affect the outcome of the entire search landscape. The merging of Microsoft and Yahoo will leave only 2 big players, creating a void for another search engine to step in. Ask is the likely candidate and will increase its market share in the process. Pay attention to Ask and see where you stand in its rankings at the very least.
In general, SEO won’t change much as an immediate result of a Yahoo buyout by Microsoft. However, it’s good to be prepared because the long-term implications for search are huge. How will you react if Microsoft does in fact buy Yahoo?
Aaron, Loren, and Rand offer commentary on this issue as well.
If you like this post, subscribe to the RSS feed. Get the latest updates delivered straight to your email or news reader.
A lot will change if that merge happens. Yahoo pays closer attention to back links, msn dont care about selling paid links. That merge is something bloggers need to support our profits better.My self Google feels like a dictatorship. (not sure if I got the spelling right on that one, I just woke up…lol)
You’re right. Right now Google has a choke hold on website publishers and I think it’s important to have another big player in the field to even things out and increase competition. That’ll make the companies want to listen to what users really want and act upon it.
Good point on Ask
Ask will definitely play a larger role once Microsoft and Yahoo combine.
Good points on this interesting issue Gyutae.
Thanks. What are your thoughts on this?
I feel this could be a nice change for seo opti in one way or the other. Actually I like the internet how it is right now, but google’s dominance with adsense and search engine rankings may lead to things that we don’t like.
In case this merge really happens we may all wonder what a google PR may be worth in a few years. This thing won’t change the atmosphere of the web over night, but it would change it on the long run. Actually it would be cool if someone matched up with google… the fact that it could be microsoft who tries this makes me wish that it won’t happen though.
I thought firefox took back parts of the web… no need to give them up again.
Yeah it’s actually pretty funny that Microsoft is an underdog for once, after dominating the rest of the PC market for that past 20 years. In the long run I think this added competition will be good for the industry. But who knows what will actually happen. No one thought Google would become as big as it has. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Didn’t they reject the bid?
Yeah, they just rejected the bid but I predict it’ll still happen sometime soon at a higher price.
Microsoft and Yahoo’s merger is a distant dream now!
Great article. It will be exciting to see how this all pans out.