Optimizing for the new yahoo?

Yahoo is changing... should we change too?

[silverbytes]

I've heard yahoo is changing. Is yahoo using Google's database or results?
Are there any tips for optimizing your site to be "New Yahoo Friendly?"

[pendanticist]

[help.yahoo.com...]

Seems Yahoo! is branching out a bit.

66.196.65.40 - - [16/Feb/2004:03:07:28 -0800] "GET /robots.txt HTTP/1.0" 200 1565 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Yahoo! Slurp; http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/ysearch/slurp)"

OrgName: Inktomi Corporation
OrgID: INKT
Address: 4100 East Third Avenue
City: Foster City
StateProv: CA
PostalCode: 94404
Country: US

NetRange: 66.196.64.0 - 66.196.127.255
CIDR: 66.196.64.0/18
NetName: INKTOMI-BLK-3
NetHandle: NET-66-196-64-0-1
Parent: NET-66-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS2.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS3.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS4.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS5.YAHOO.COM
Comment: This netblock contains Web Crawlers. Please
Comment: contact slurp'at'inktomi.com for questions or concerns.
RegDate: 2001-10-30
Updated: 2003-09-26

AbuseHandle: ZI107-ARIN
AbuseName: Inktomi Corporation
AbusePhone: [phone]
AbuseEmail: slurp'at'inktomi.com

TechHandle: ZI35-ARIN
TechName: Inktomi Corporation
TechPhone: [phone]
TechEmail: l3-ops'at'inktomi.com

OrgTechHandle: ZI35-ARIN
OrgTechName: Inktomi Corporation
OrgTechPhone: [phone]
OrgTechEmail: l3-ops'at'inktomi.com

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2004-02-15 19:15
# Enter? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

Oddly enough, this bot has begun it's sojourn exactly the same way the new msnbot did.

Gotta have a score card to keep track who is using whom.

Related: [webmasterworld.com...]

[kevinpate]

Went and took a look after seeingthis post.

Ink Slurp/cat was still arriving through about 3 am US central time today. A short time later the first Yahoo Slurp entry appears for robots.txt and then a page grab. A few others throughout the day, but at a somewhat slower pace than Ink Slurp. Tis' fine. It'll grow running legs soon enough I suppose.

[panic]

I've heard yahoo is changing. Is yahoo using Google's database or results? Are there any tips for optimizing your site to be "New Yahoo Friendly?"

Y! will be using Inktomi results. In fact, they're in the process of Rolling out more Inktomi [webmasterworld.com]

In other words, my "optimization" tip to you is this : write lots of good content.

[oilman]

Little too soon to talk about changing I think. What would you change to? It's still pretty murky out there as to what is really going on. I'm seeing stuff that is remarkably different from Google but it's not settled yet. Sit tight for a bit - resist the urge to revamp your sites immediatly.

[rover]

In other words, my "optimization" tip to you is this : write lots of good content.

I'm curious, what inktomi considers to be good content? How can inktomi tell what is good content, and what isn't? From sites linking in? Other ways?

[volatilegx]

You know, I ate a Spam sandwich today, and its contents tasted pretty good. I think Inktomi pretty much shares my taste, heh.

[sidyadav]

rover, try a query for 'Inktomi SEO' or 'Inktomi SEO tips' on Google and you'll get your answer.

Sid

[2_much]

Except I don't think it's straight Ink, I think they're mixing up results and adding other elements. For example, in the results Yahoo's displaying right now, I noticed "bonus" points being given to sites in the directory, keyword URL's, and "aged" URL's.

[makemetop]

>I noticed "bonus" points being given to sites in the directory, keyword URL's, and "aged" URL's..

I does look an awful lot like a revamp of the boost that you got from being in the old BOW index. But I agree, I seem to see bonus points from being in the directory and having the directory title match with the search term. Something that would normally boost keyword domains.

Lots more investigation to do though :)

[robho]

Just to add a different opinion on the importance of the directory...

In Google, I'm number 1 for a one-word keyword (out of 13 million). In the new Yahoo (with &tmpl=E088) I'm number 2 (out of 18 million). I'm in the Yahoo directory, the number 1 site is not.

Strangely, the number 1 site consists of:
widget.domain.com with a listed title of "widget" and no visible text (although when I try the page it is now blank).

So it looks like keyword density, especially in domain (even subdomain) (33%) and title (100%), really wins! Adding real content would just dilute the keyword percentage...

[flobaby]

My site's in the directory but it doesn't appear to be helping my numbers. I got in free years ago though, so I wonder if there's a ranking for free vs. paid. Hmm, on that note, I guess that also goes against the "aged Url" theory as well.