Well, you have probably heard the news that Microsoft and Yahoo!, finally after years of fighting one another have come to a substantial agreement to partner together on Search and online ads. While the reaction from many in the SEO community has varied, after a few days of the news being out and more and more information coming forward, most search engine optimizers are starting to see the dust settle and are beginning to realize what this partnership between these two search and advertising behemoths might look like. So, here are just some of the items that those in the SEO industries should consider.
Key Points of the New Deal
It’s important that before we start discussing the possible affects of this new partnership may lead to, we should reiterate, the key points of this new agreement. Here just some of the items that one should be familiar with:
First off, this deal has a term of 10 years, which is literally an eternity in search. During these 10 years, Microsoft will have an exclusive license to Yahoo!’s core search technologies. This is important, because MS would love to try to integrate these technologies into Bing’s platform. This deal also means that when it comes to algorithmic search and paid search, Bing will be the exclusive provider. And while Bing will become a beefier search engine with Yahoo!’s help, Yahoo!, on the other hand will be the exclusive sales force. Yahoo! will handle sales for premium search advertisers. However, while Yahoo! will be the sales provider, it will utilize Microsoft’s ADCenter platform and Microsoft’s ad prices- which are currently automated via its auction process.
In addition to the above points, it should also be noted that both company’s respective display advertising will continue to be maintained by each company, also Yahoo!’s other properties such as email, etc will continue to be run by Yahoo!, and while Yahoo!’s search website will have its unique online persona- it will be powered by Bing. One last point, Microsoft will compensate Yahoo! for traffic acquisition costs (TAC) to Yahoo!. During the first five years, MS will pay out 88% of the search engine revenues generated on Yahoo!.
It is especially important to note that this partnership will be fully implemented once and if the US government gives its regulatory approval. The timeline that MS and Yahoo! have set up is from about 18 to 24 months that full implementation of the above partnership should occur. So this is important- we are talking about 18-24 months for full implementation if and when this new partnership is given regulatory approval- and don’t forget to expect some legal maneuvering from search giant Google.
What this Deal Means for SEO?
While this deal will no doubt have affects on SEO, don’t expect huge changes overnight. It will no doubt take some time for MS and Yahoo! to get its bearings and start working together as one.
Secondly, for those that already optimize for Bing, this is an excellent time to put some more resources into it. Bing and its earlier search engine carnations (Live) were definitely capable search engines, however since they lacked market share, many SEO’s tended to focus on Google and Yahoo!. So with Yahoo! getting pushed out of the picture and Bing taking over its share, it’s now a good time to acquaint yourself with Bing.
Bing is a smart, efficient engine, even though most would agree it doesn’t reach the sophistication level that Google has achieved. However, what it has shown is that it definitely has the right stuff. I would focus on the basics and industry best practices for now including fresh content, decent keyword density, productive link building and a focus on keywords in titles including possibly your URL or sub URL and blogs that you create. And by the way, just as Google has Blogger.com, take advantage of Microsoft’s Spaces (http://home.spaces.live.com), which offers users the ability to create blogs and manage friends, contacts, etc.
Wait and See
It’s important to be prudent when it comes to figuring out the melding of both Bing and Yahoo!. Besides, the possibility of a 2 year implementation process, it is important to consider that optimizing for Bing does not always mean also optimizing for Google or vice versa. In fact, many in the SEO community are concerned about the possibility of using strategies that may be beneficial in Bing, but may be disadvantageous in Google.
The 800 Pound Gorilla
While we all may be looking for some big changes to come in the near future, let’s never forget that not only might this deal never come to fruition due to regulatory approval, but that Google is sure to make sure its presence is known and will defend its market share and revenue. Expect Google to put up a fight and defend itself at every possible turn.
For Search Engine Marketers
While this article focuses on the optimization aspect of this new partnership between Yahoo! and Microsoft, it should be noted that this deal will have huge implications regarding search engine marketing. For those in the industry, it will be important to keep up to date on how exactly this partnership will affect paid search.
