What Does The Newly Updated Microsoft & Yahoo Alliance Means For You
Earlier this spring, Yahoo and Microsoft announced an amendment to their search partnership alliance, resulting in Yahoo having the ability to deliver all smartphone/tablet search ads, and about half of all desktop traffic serving Yahoo.com on Gemini.
This change directly impacts online retailers. As a result of this update, Bing Ads advertisers should – and will – experience a drop in traffic for all 3 devices.
When should I expect this drop to occur?
Yahoo has stated that it’s not sure actually when to shift traffic from Bing Ads to Gemini. Gemini still has to be coded for this transition, but you should expect to see some shifts sometime this month (June) and next (July).
So, what do I need to do as an online retailer?
The last thing you want to happen as an online retailer is to miss out on PC device traffic on Yahoo.com. In order to avoid any negative effects, you’ll want to work with Yahoo in activating your accounts in Gemini.
Other Changes Coming with Yahoo and Microsoft
In Q3 2015, Yahoo will begin to transition Bing Ads accounts over to Microsoft. The completion date for all Bing Ads is slated to be Dec. 31, 2015.
With this transition, online retailers should expect to be in touch with a Microsoft representative, who’ll manage your Bing Ads account from here on out. Your Gemini Search accounts on desktop, tablet, and mobile traffic will continue to be managed by your existing reps.
Once your Bing Ads account is transitioned over to Microsoft, all automated-links between your Bing Ads and Gemini accounts will be broken. Yahoo’s doing that so you can manage your Gemini accounts directly in the user interface, as well as in your Bing Ads account.
But there’s a catch …
When those automated-links break, you’ll want to be certain that your back-end bidding platform is positioned to manage Gemini campaigns. If you’re unsure of how to make this happen, you’re encouraged to reach out to your Yahoo representative.
According to a statement released by Yahoo, this updated alliance gives Yahoo more flexibility to “enhance the search experience on any platform” since this amendment is non-exclusive for both desktop and mobile. The newest form of this alliance also makes Microsoft the exclusive salesforce for ads delivered by the Bing Ads platform, and Yahoo will remain the exclusive salesforce for the Gemini ads platform.
Still Need Clarification and Support?
Whenever new agreements or updates are made, it always seems to be the retailers who are left out in the dark. The latest Yahoo and Microsoft partnership details does directly impact retailers, which is why it’s so important you not only fully understand the changes, but what you need to do to avoid any negative impacts. Contact OperationROI today, either at 1-888-277-5429 or by filling out our contact form, to learn more about how we can help you wade through the confusion.
