Yahoo is changing the way they set minimum bids on paid search. Over the next few weeks they will set the minimum bid based on quality and value rather than how much you pay. The minimum bids will be set by individual keyword.

Yahoo describes the change like setting minimum bids in an auction. So the more valuable, high quality, or demand there is the higher the starting bidding price is.

Previously the minimum bid never fell below 10¢ but with this change you could pay less per click. On the Content Match (your ad showing on web sites instead of with search results) minimum bids will remain at 10¢.

Here’s a breakdown of the factors Yahoo will use to determine minimum bids:

Google has redesigned and announced several new projects over the last day or two. In addition to the premiere of Google Sites and a redesign of Google Docs, they’ve also formally announced Google Health.

The Google Blog is officially announcing Google Health. Naturally, the very first bullet point in their list of Google Health advantages (over other online personal health record services) is:

Privacy and Security – Due to the sensitive and personal nature of the data that will be stored in Google Health, we need to conduct our health service with the same privacy, security, and integrity users have come to expect in all our services. Google Health will protect the privacy of your health information by giving you complete control over your data. We won’t sell or share your data without your explicit permission. Our privacy policy and practices have been developed in thoughtful collaboration with experts from the Google Health Advisory Council.

Following Andy’s observation about Google: “You can tell which acquisitions are important to Google’s bottom line and which are more speculative. All you need do is measure how long it takes them to start integrating the service with existing Google offerings.”

By that standard, JotSpot hasn’t been a priority to Google since it was acquired over a year ago – in October 2006. JotSpot provided free, enterprise-level wikis. Google immediately stopped new signups and we haven’t heard much since. Until today when Google announced that JotSpot will be integrated into Google Apps and will be resurrected under the name Google Sites.

According to Google,

“Google Sites lets you pull together information from across Google Apps by embedding documents, spreadsheets, presentations, videos, and calendars in your sites. “