Yahoo today previewed some search enhancements they’ll be rolling out this fall, hot on the heels of changes at Google ( Instant) and Bing ( IE9/HTML5 integration). Where Google focused on speed and Bing focused on pretty, Yahoo’s search updates are geared mostly toward deeper news and entertainment results, in addition to getting more social.
Yahoo will launch new, more “visually compelling” search results intended to make it easier to find news and entertainment topics. For example, when people search for movies, music, or celebrities, Yahoo’s new SERPs will combine images, news articles, videos, tweets, events, and ratings in a box above the organic listings. News searches will return videos, images, articles, and tweets on a single page:
Slideshows will also accompany the Trending Now lists.
Blake Irving, EVP & Chief Product Officer, also promised more frequent updates to all of Yahoo’s products. Also on the way:
Yahoo Mail Beta
In addition to its new look, Yahoo plans to make Yahoo Mail faster, easier, and safer, plus add integration of IM and SMS. Users will also be able to view and update Facebook and Twitter pages from their inbox.
Other Updates
New Yahoo app: To deliver personalized news, information, weather, and traffic for iPad and other tablets.
Customized Content Ads: According to Yahoo, these will be “creative formats that leverage an advertiser’s robust content and enable social sharing.”
Connected TV partnerships: Providing consumers with thousands of video-on-demand content sources, including social networks, games, music, and shopping.