• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, March 2, 2006

Yahoo might start displaying images in its search results pages, an executive said Wednesday at a conference in New York.

Tim Cadogan, vice president of search at Yahoo Search Marketing, told the audience at Search Engine Strategies that Yahoo had already started testing graphics in search results and was considering different options for incorporating images into search listings. There are "a lot of ways you can make the results more interesting," Cadogan said.

He added that one possibility involves roll-overs, where users who roll their mouse over a sponsored search listing could receive more details. Should Yahoo implement such a plan, pricing might include a cost-per-thousand impression component, Cadogan said.

Cadogan also said that Yahoo would probably move slowly with this idea. "I wouldn't say it's likely this year," he said at a conference session about the future of search.

Gerry Campbell, vice president-general manager, search and navigation at America Online, pointed out that the company already incorporates small images into search results. For instance, Campbell said, when users query on the word "Target," the company's sponsored link appears at the top of the results page with the Target logo next.

But, Campbell stressed, banner ads and "gratuitous graphics" are never successful in search results.

Meanwhile, Tim Armstrong, vice president, advertising sales at Google, spoke briefly about the company's tentative entry into other media. Currently, Google is selling print ad space in more than two dozen magazines; Google also recently agreed to acquire radio company dMarc Broadcasting, which will enable it to create a new radio ad distribution channel.

He said that Google hopes to capture a part of the vast offline ad market, adding that the company sees a "big opportunity for this industry to grow and change." He also said that one reason Google recently purchased a 5 percent stake in AOL from Time Warner for $1 billion was that Google hoped to use its connection with Time Warner as a gateway to the traditional ad market.