5.05.2008

What is Yahoo DOING???


I am disappointed that MSFT walked away from the YHOO table over the weekend. I don't own a single share of either company so its not a financial issue to me, per se. But I buy AdWords and as a digital marketer, I go where the market is. As a buyer of search capability, I really like to have options and choices -- I've been very excited that YHOO has spent so much time on its new version of Panama AMP and Search Monkey to compete directly with GOOG. Seeing that the deal (at least at this point) is done at the $33/sh offer price, well it just doesn't bode well for my marketing portfolio. The last thing I want is YHOO to be working sideway deals to outsource its capability back to its biggest search competitor. If GOOG can't figure out how to capture 100% share (and why can't they?), then the best thing for me about YHOO is that its NOT GOOG!

I guess Ill have to keep a very close eye on Jerry to see how he markets his way out of this mess. If he would just listen to us, his customers, who long for an alternative to GOOG, I think he has the right offering; if only he could find a way to get it to us more effectively. If only I had as many customers as YHOO who actually (and honestly) say what they need and why they need it. Wow, what a problem to have for a startup company like mine! Yahoo's engineers are just as talented as anyone anywhere (really!), so I can't help but wonder how much truth there is in the stories I read and hear that perhaps Jerry and the Yahoo BOD are listening to internal "demons" rather than to us? But then again, I've never batteled directly with MSFT and come to think of it, maybe I do understand a bit more of what Jerry did and why he did. But it's no less disappointing. Do you agree?

Speak with you soon. DC