Microsoft Buys Yahoo!

[Mel66]

Thread here:

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?p=123301#post123301

[cryptblade]

Well, seeing no one talked about this, and seeing that I read more about this and have been following this story, I figure I'd comment here and maybe more folks will talk about it.

According to the latest news, Microsoft does not plan to increase bid for Yahoo. Apparently, Yahoo's attempt to garner support to make a case that Microsoft severely undervalues Yahoo has failed.

I personally think it would serve both companies to partner together in one way or another to combat Google. Yahoo could easily be the "default" search engine for MS products. MSN would benefit from Yahoo's existing market share and media assets. Yahoo would also benefit from MS's existing media assets.

That said, both Yahoo and MSN still have a LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG way to go to optimize their PPC program for better ROI and attracting advertisers over Google. Doesn't seem to make much sense though since Yahoo-MSN (or MSN-Yahoo, or my favorite MOO) would need to eat at Google's market share to make both engines at close to 50-50 market share.

I personally think Yahoo should bite the bullet and take it a like a ... man... like Bear Stearns did when sold to JP Morgan.

[mcanerin]

That said, both Yahoo and MSN still have a LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG way to go to optimize their PPC program for better ROI and attracting advertisers over Google.

I really can't agree with this strongly enough. I hate to say that they suck, but almost nothing else describes the experience...

Worse, I have a large list of stupid things that AdWords does as well, so it's not like Google is perfect (I have issues with their accounting system from hell). There is not only room to catch up to Google, but to surpass them, PPC-wise.

Just do it.

Ian

[cryptblade]

Just do it.

Yes. Yahoo needs to stop playing games. No suitors out there - and they bring nothing else to the table to Murdoch, TimeWarner/AOL, etc.

Just do it and set off to a brave new world.

[Jazajay]

Well you know why Microsoft has the share of the browsers it does.
Here's Microsoft's new ultimatum to Yahoo.

April 5, 2008
Board of Directors
Yahoo! Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Dear Members of the Board:
[...] If we have not concluded an agreement within the next three weeks, we will be compelled to take our case directly to your shareholders, including the initiation of a proxy contest to elect an alternative slate of directors for the Yahoo! board[.....]

Steven A. Ballmer
Chief Executive Officer
Microsoft Corp.
View the whole thing here - Microsofts Ultimatum (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/apr08/04-05LetterPR.mspx)
Thoughts?
Who said Microsoft doesn't play dirty. I wish I had their dummy :D

Jaz