Yahoo Suggests Searchers Use Other Yahoo Properties

Yahoo has started rolling out some new Search Assist features for its web search boxes. They are present in the search boxes of most Yahoo properties. For example, you can find them on Yahoo Sports, Yahoo News, or Yahoo Finance.

"These new features can take you directly to the information you need, whether it is real-time stock quotes or movie trailers," explains Yahoo Search Senior Product Manager Linda Wang. "You can also get enhanced search suggestions and easily navigate to the Yahoo! property that fits your needs the most."

The features allow you to quickly get more info about movies, sports, travel destinations, stock prices, etc. For instance, you can type a stock symbol and the Search Assist layer will display real-time stock quotes, links to stock charts, and news about the company. Or you can type an athlete's name and quickly get news, game log info, scores, schedules, etc.

In addition to these features, Yahoo has also launched the ability for Search Assist to help you navigate to different Yahoo properties, depending on your query. Let's say you type "mail" in the search box. You will get a link to Yahoo Mail - specifically, your inbox, right in the Search Assist layer. Or you can type "news" or "U.S. News" and get a link to Yahoo News or specifically the U.S. section of Yahoo News.
 

Finally, Yahoo has added a "smart detection system" to Search Assist, which will take you to Yahoo Image Search or Yahoo News Search for different queries. So if you searched for "obama," you would get quick links to an "obama" image query and an "obama" news query.

It's hard to say how long these features will be around if Yahoo's deal with Microsoft goes through. Bing should be replacing Yahoo search on the back-end. This might be considered a front-end frill that Yahoo keeps around though.

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Google Makes Improvements to Movie Showtime Searches

Google has launched some new improvements to its movie showtimes search feature. These include more movie pages, genre filters, and a new map view.

If you search for a movie and click the "more theaters" link in the showtimes listing, you will be taken to a more thorough page about that movie, including more showtimes, reviews, trailers, photos, etc. You can also see a list of new genre filters to search by on the left-hand side of the screen.

If you go to google.com/movies, you can find a list of all the theaters and showtimes in your area. The map view feature lets you see nearby theaters playing specific films.

It is worth noting that Microsoft's Bing search engine already has very similar features when you search for movies on there. It utilizes MSN movies, and has movie pages with trailers, reviews, photos, etc. It also has a map view feature. Google appears to have it beat on the genre listings feature, however.

Do you use Google (or Bing) to find movie showtimes when you go out? Do you find the new features helpful? Comment here.

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Metacafe Rolls Out Video Game Hub

Video site Metacafe has launched a new video games hub featuring trailers, reviews, news, interviews and walkthroughs for popular video game releases.

"Online video is increasingly a primary source of entertainment for today's consumers, so it's important we showcase content in key entertainment categories - such as video games - about which people are passionate," said Erick Hachenburg, CEO of Metacafe.

"We've developed our new hub to make it easy for viewers to find the freshest, most compelling game-related videos, which creates valuable opportunities for advertisers who want to reach them."

EA is the initial sponsor for the video games hub, promoting its new racing game "Need for Speed Shift."  The campaign includes prominent exposure within the hub, an interactive home page skin, and a combination of custom and standard media across the site.

"Closely aligning with premium video game content and reaching our target consumers when and where they're engrossed in the entertainment experience is central to our marketing strategy," said Tabitha Hayes, Director of Marketing for EA.

"Teaming with Metacafe as the charter sponsor of its new Video Games hub is an effective and efficient way for us to build further awareness for Need for Speed Shift."

Content partners include IGN and GamePro. Additional content and new content partners will be integrated into the hub in the coming weeks and months.

Metacafe said it will promote its video games hub across the site so users can find the entertainment content they are looking for and provide brand extension for its hub sponsors.

Metacafe's other recently launched hubs include TV Clips, Movie Trailers, Music Videos and Sports Highlights.

 

YouTube Gets Its Own AdSense

YouTube may have just begun implementing its real moneymaker. The world's most popular video site is now essentially offering its own AdSense-style program. That comparison comes straight from the horse's mouth, mind you.

Last year, YouTube launched "Promoted Vidoeos." Now they are putting those on watch pages in the "related videos" section.

"If you think of the initial launch of Promoted Videos as similar to AdWords -- a search advertising opportunity for marketers on YouTube -- this new feature is a lot like AdSense," says a post from a couple of YouTube product managers. "For example, while Promoted Videos appearing next to search results are keyword targeted, those appearing on watch pages are contextually targeted based on the video and content of the page, so they are suited to your audience's interests. Also like AdSense, revenue generated by Promoted Videos on watch pages will be shared with the YouTube partner. This is another way we can help partners make money on YouTube, in addition to the display ads we serve in and alongside videos themselves."

The world has been waiting for YouTube to become profitable, and there have been hints recently that it was coming. This might just be the ticket.

Meanwhile, YouTube has been working hard at making improvements and adding more appealing content. In recent months they have added feature films and shows, as well as movie trailers.

YouTube has also begun taking a special interest in news content. They recently invited publishers to become YouTube partners and launched the YouTube Reporters' Center for citizen reporters. Now they have started including a "News Near You" section for local news. The point is, they're expanding on the types of content they offer, and this will be good for a AdSense-like program.