42244 1 3 econsultancy_xml <p>The 'search assist' feature is a handy addition to the search engine, giving relevant vertical search results to certain queries. </p> <p>In Yahoo's example, a search for <a href="http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=fa_blog&amp;sado=1&amp;p=united+nations">'united nations'</a> will bring up a list of suggestions that Yahoo! knows are related to the query. </p> <p>This includes 'league of nations', the UN's predecessor, 'general assembly', and other related searches. Search assist can be opened or closed via a drop down box. </p> <p>Yahoo! claims that the new feature has improved user satisfaction - the company found that task completion (users clicking on a search result)  improved by 61% with the help of search assist. </p> <p>In a recent blog post, Compete's Jeremy Crane found that <a href="http://blog.compete.com/2007/09/26/search-queries-results-yahoo-google-msn-live/">Yahoo! was better at search fulfilment</a> - i.e. more search queries on the site end in users clicking on a result. </p> <p>As well as adding a new header and footer to the search page, Yahoo! has also begun to integrate results from a range of media into its search results. When searches turn up results from YouTube or other video sites, videos are now embedded into the results page: </p> <p> <img alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1164/1476246032_2d26b96a32_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>Yahoo is also displaying images from Flickr on the search results page, and searchers can see previews of images before clicking through to the site: <br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1351/1476338718_6022ca93f0_o.jpg" /></p> <p>Search marketers may be concerned that this trend towards <a href="/blog/1213-google-launches-universal-search">'universal search'</a> will make it harder to get visibility on the first page of search engines, as Google, Ask.com, and Microsoft have all begun to include video, news and images in their search results pages.</p> <p>At any rate. the changes are a big improvement on Yahoo!'s previous search engine, though whether it will enable the company to claw back some search market share from Google remains to be seen. </p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/1304-ask-revamps-its-search-engine">Ask revamps its search engine</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/1789-microsoft-reveals-live-search-updates">Microsoft reveals Live Search updates</a> </p> <p> <strong>Related research:<br /></strong> <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/search-engine-optimization-seo-best-practice-guide-2007">Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Best Practice Guide</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>The 'search assist' feature is a handy addition to the search engine, giving relevant vertical search results to certain queries. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>In Yahoo's example, a search for <Link URL="http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=fa_blog&amp;sado=1&amp;p=united+nations" Window="Self">'united nations'</Link> will bring up a list of suggestions that Yahoo! knows are related to the query. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>This includes 'league of nations', the UN's predecessor, 'general assembly', and other related searches. Search assist can be opened or closed via a drop down box. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Yahoo! claims that the new feature has improved user satisfaction - the company found that task completion (users clicking on a search result)  improved by 61% with the help of search assist. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>In a recent blog post, Compete's Jeremy Crane found that <Link URL="http://blog.compete.com/2007/09/26/search-queries-results-yahoo-google-msn-live/" Window="Self">Yahoo! was better at search fulfilment</Link> - i.e. more search queries on the site end in users clicking on a result. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>As well as adding a new header and footer to the search page, Yahoo! has also begun to integrate results from a range of media into its search results. When searches turn up results from YouTube or other video sites, videos are now embedded into the results page: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image Source="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1164/1476246032_2d26b96a32_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Yahoo is also displaying images from Flickr on the search results page, and searchers can see previews of images before clicking through to the site: <LineBreak /><LineBreak /><Image Source="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1351/1476338718_6022ca93f0_o.jpg"></Image></Paragraph> <Paragraph>Search marketers may be concerned that this trend towards <Link URL="/blog/1213-google-launches-universal-search" Window="Self">'universal search'</Link> will make it harder to get visibility on the first page of search engines, as Google, Ask.com, and Microsoft have all begun to include video, news and images in their search results pages.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>At any rate. the changes are a big improvement on Yahoo!'s previous search engine, though whether it will enable the company to claw back some search market share from Google remains to be seen. </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/1304-ask-revamps-its-search-engine" Window="Self">Ask revamps its search engine</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/1789-microsoft-reveals-live-search-updates" Window="Self">Microsoft reveals Live Search updates</Link> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related research:<LineBreak /></Emphasis> <Link URL="http://econsultancy.com/reports/search-engine-optimization-seo-best-practice-guide-2007" Window="Self">Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Best Practice Guide</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2007-10-03T10:27:00+01:00 0 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Yahoo! has made a number of changes to its search engine, adding a search assist feature, as well as beginning to display videos, photos and other media in search results.</strong> </p> <p> <img alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1368/1475392375_c54a739819_o.jpg" /> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Yahoo! has made a number of changes to its search engine, adding a search assist feature, as well as beginning to display videos, photos and other media in search results.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image Source="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1368/1475392375_c54a739819_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 1804 <p>Refer also to Econsultancy's <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/user-experience-buyers-guide">User Experience Buyer's Guide</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a></strong> for more information about best practice in these areas.</p> <p>Refer also to Econsultancy's <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/user-experience-buyers-guide">User Experience Buyer's Guide</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a></strong> for more information about best practice in these areas.</p> 364348 Yahoo! ugrades its user experience false 2007-10-03T12:57:00+01:00 yahoo-ugrades-its-user-experience 2009-04-28T22:59:11+01:00 2009-10-13T09:20:59+01:00 296