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Yahoo Tries to WOO Searchers

At its search press conference on Tuesday, Yahoo announced a series of search features built around an idea with a terrible slogan: "WOO," which is supposed to demonstrate that the Internet is a "Web of Objects, not pages." As Silicon Alley Insider's Nicholas Carlson says, "Look, we're sure WOO represents fantastic leaps forward, but the problem with Yahoo trying to innovate its way out of second place in search is that the appeal of search is that it is stupid simple."

Indeed, searching for something on the Web is as easy as going to Google, typing in a word, and having Google retrieve the right Web pages. It doesn't always work, but it certainly works well enough, most of the time, which is why there's usually no need for Google users to go to Yahoo or Microsoft.

"Holding an event and telling reporters the future is 'WOO' and spitting out jargon-y white board stuff like "Web of objects" isn't going to move the needle for Yahoo or its shareholders," says Carlson. "Merging its search advertisers with Microsoft's and driving up prices in cost-per-click keyword auctions, however, might do the trick."

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