Yahoo America - Yahoo Japan using Google results

will yahoo japan stop using a directory?

[David_M]

From what I can tell Yahoo US is now using only Google results, no longer showing pages from the Yahoo Directory first.

Has anyone heard/read if Yahoo Japan will be switching to a search system like Yahoo US?

[bill]

That has always been an option for them, but no changes were made recently (i.e., April 1). Maybe the current SERPs garner them better profitability from their AdWords/Overture PPC results. Regional Yahoos seem to be somewhat autonomous when it comes to this. Yahoo Japan has followed the US in many respects, but has also gone its own way in other areas.

My theory right now is that Yahoo Japan is waiting for the Inktomi switchover before they think about doing anything drastic with their SERPs.

<added> Don't you think there would be more outrage on behalf of all the people who paid ¥52,500 whose listings then became essentially meaningless?</added>

[David_M]

I have been contemplating paying the 52,000 for the directory listing and it seems most of the top sites for my keywords in google have a yahoo listing- so it definitely helps PR value.

I'm thinking it might be worth waiting to see what happens.

[lukasz]

Don't you think there would be more outrage

outrage? in Japan?

[David_M]

I think Bill was refering to the Yahoo US listing customers.

[bill]

Well ¥52,500 is about US$450 today...which is still not cheap by Japan standards. I have some clients whom I know would not be thrilled to learn that their investment was now greatly devalued if Yahoo Japan followed in Yahoo USA's footsteps with primary Google SERPs. Also I get the feeling that the current Yahoo Japan SERPs are giving them a pretty good return. The economy here is in the doldrums and Yahoo Japan's biggest stockholder Softbank is reeling from the .com bubble burst, so I doubt they'll be looking to deemphasize any revenue streams just now.

David right now a Yahoo Japan directory listing is worth it. It does give you a PR kick and it will pull in traffic on its own. Just how long that will last is unknown, but it may be better to take advantage of that while you can.

[bill]

outrage? in Japan?

I know what you're saying, but have you ever noticed that companies like Looksmart in Japan have never tried any of the shenanigans they did in the West? Looksmart pissed off a lot of people in the US and Europe by switching tactics midstream on more than one occasion. Why is Looksmart Japan still a directory? Maybe outrage isn't the best way to put it...possibly the fear of consumer backlash?

[whats up skip]

One thing that is worth considering is where you will show up within the Yahoo Japan results. With our listing on some of the common keywords we are on the second page of listings. If you run a Google Adword depending on the position and the competition then you will show at the top of the Yahoo page for the keyword. It is then a matter of determining how much you would spend in say 6 to 9 months on Adwords verses the value of the Yahoo Japan listing.

Just one thing about the Yahoo Japan listing, I would not be so quick to assume that it will help your Google position (at least significantly). If you check the back links on our homepage then you will find there is no link from Yahoo Japan (been in there for about 9 months), mind you at the moment there is no back link from the DMOZ showing either(only a few months).

We are now receiving a backlink from Webmasterworld. Thank you!

[ron_ron]

"One thing that is worth considering is where you will show up within the Yahoo Japan results."

Yes, if doing searches on important keywords on yahoo.co.jp causes your category to come up in the first few pages (before the google results) it is well worth the money to be in the directory. When you apply, be sure your most important keywords are in the Yahoo description.