Yahoo is no more using Google as its search engine results provider as it launched its new Search on February 18 th . With this some interesting changes are to be expected in the search engine market. These changes are to affect search engine rankings and website traffic.

A report released by Nielsen/NetRatings on February 23 rd , states that the number of internet users who seek for information they want has increased to 39% of the US population! It has been estimated that 114.5 million users sought recourse to search engines to look for information on products and services in January, on an average they spent 40 minutes there.

The statistics did not show much variation between January and the 2003 holiday shopping season:

•  36 % of those surveyed said they used Google during the shopping season

•  25 % used Yahoo! Search

•  14 % used MSN Search

•  5 % used either AOL or Ask Jeeves.

The top five search engines in January were:

•  Google (59 million visitors)

•  Yahoo! Search (46 million)

•  MSN Search (45 million)

•  AOL Search (23 million)

•  Ask Jeeves (13 million)

Though the Nielsen report released worthy statistics, it failed to show the intricate connections between the main search engines and their partnerships with others. Until January, Yahoo used Google's organic search results and MSN used Inktomi. AOL search showed Google search engine results. Thus one can see a complex interdependence between the major search engines making the search engine market more of an interesting place.

Yahoo which as been search results provider to MSN ownscAltaVista and AllTheWeb through its Overture subsidiary. Yahoo's new found independence from Google results a major shift in search engine market share from 28% to 51% for all Yahoo search properties and partnerships.

Until now Google has been monopolizing the search engine market, but certainly not without its tie up with Yahoo. With the split between Yahoo and Google one has to anticipate Google's shift in its position as well, leaving two major combatants in the field Google and Yahoo.

As MSN uses Inktomi for its search results, listing your URL in Inktomi will bring you double advantage. Moreover Inktomi also supplies for About.com and other partners.

Yahoo Inktomi is an advanced version of Inktomi. It is better proved in the comparison of the search results of MSN and HotBot both that use Inktomi results. One can clearly see that Yahoo results are different from the search results of MSN and HotBot.

There are rumors that Yahoo is going to terminate its partnership with Inktomi. Even if this rumor is to come true, inclusion of your URL Inktomi will certainly pay off at least in MSN as MSN is going steady with Inktomi.

With respect to Yahoo optimization one has to remember to pay close attention to the following, selection of keywords, incoming links, title tags, header and keyword-rich content. Yahoo appreciates unique page descriptions, to quote Yahoo's own words,

"Use a "description" meta-tag and write your description accurately and carefully. After the title, the description is the most important draw for users. Make sure the document title and description attract the interest of the user but also fit the content on your site.

Use a "keyword" meta-tag to list key words for the document. Use a distinct list of keywords that relate to the specific page on your site instead of using one broad set of keywords for every page."