Yahoo & Google Can’t Keep Their Hands Off Each Other, Cut 2-Week Trial to 8-Days

Thursday, April 17th, 2008 by Andy Beal

Yahoo & Google Can’t Keep Their Hands Off Each Other, Cut 2-Week Trial to 8-Days

Forget what you were taught in school, two weeks is not made up of fourteen, 24-hour days after all. Nope, according to Yahoo and Google, two weeks is actually more like 8 days as the two companies are rumored to be very happy with their two week test partnership already.

To be fair, Yahoo’s test of Google’s AdSense for Search was supposed to last "up to two weeks" but, considering two weeks is a short engagement period anyway, you’d think the two could abstain for the full 14 days. Instead, it seems the lure of each other’s pheromones strategic traffic was just too much for each company to bear.

So why cut the two week trial short? I’m with Rob Hoff on this…

It’s certainly in Yahoo’s interest to show Microsoft it has another option, and it’s certainly in Google’s interest to throw a monkeywrench into any Microsoft plan.

But we’re supposed to believe that after Yahoo spent years battling Google to little avail, after having multiple chances and much Wall Street encouragement to outsource its search ads to the leader, suddenly Yahoo and Google are now going to be best buddies? After a couple of days of ad tests?

It does sound like desperation on Yahoo’s part. Either Yahoo’s looking to take the "Google poison pill" and make it a lot tougher for Microsoft to launch a proxy bid, or the company is leaking news of the success of the partnership, just so it can force Microsoft into making a higher bid now–and avoid the poison pill scenario.

And for those of you who prefer our "Young and the Profitless" soap-opera versions, here’s what’s happening:

Brad continued to pressure Stacey to make a quick decision about getting married. Stacey’s playing hard to get–she feels Brad should give her the 3 carat solitaire ring, not the 2 carat–and has started telling everyone just how happy she’s been in the arms of Grant. As we all know, Grant couldn’t really care less about Stacey–he just doesn’t want Brad to have here–but he’s playing along anyway.

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12 comments on “Yahoo & Google Can’t Keep Their Hands Off Each Other, Cut 2-Week Trial to 8-Days”

MikeTek Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 10:13 am

I have to say, I find your soap opera spin on the whole scenario hilarious. This headline is genius. Well done.
Web Marketing Man Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 10:15 am

It sure is a soap opera, and you summed the situation up quite succinctly with your closing story. Doubt if shenanigans like this is going to throw Microsoft off the scent though.
Jaan Kanellis Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 10:22 am

So if Google earnings are bad today then Google can come back with positivity on this.

Jaan Kanellis’s last blog post..Yahoo/Google Ad Deal Closer?
Yahoo & Google Can’t Keep Their Hands Off Each Other, Cut 2-Week Trial to 8-Days | BlogOnExpo Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 10:37 am

[...] Forget what you were taught in school, two weeks is not made up of fourteen, 24-hour days after all. Nope, according to Yahoo and Google, two weeks is actually more like 8 days as the two companies are rumored to be very happy with their two week test partnership already. – MarketingPilgrim [...]
Steven Bradley Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Andy the soap opera version of events is not only hilarious, but it’s also the best explanation of what’s actually going on.

When do you start writing for Soap Opera Digest?

Steven Bradley’s last blog post..Last Chance To Join Teaching Sells For $1
Nicole Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

It is truly amazing, your sense of humor is on overdrive today! What is the magic potion?

Nicole’s last blog post..eBooks – Another Way to go Green!
Andy Beal Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

@Nicole – I’m like this every day.
MikeTek Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 3:44 pm

Modest, too.
Andy Beal Says:

April 17th, 2008 at 4:30 pm

@MikeTek – I’m the most modest person around.
Tiffany Says:

April 18th, 2008 at 5:54 am

Seems after Microsoft bid Yahoo, the other big players make movement which are unpredictable and hard to understood…Google, AOL,…even Yahoo itself.
Tammy Elaine Says:

April 18th, 2008 at 11:56 am

Oh, the webs they weave…(no pun intended)
Love the soap opera description! “As the Web Turns”, LOL!
SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources » Blog Archive » Yahoo Dances With Google to Make Microsoft Jealous Says:

April 20th, 2008 at 6:45 am

[...] the trial has only been running just over a week and according to Marketing Pilgrim, Yahoo and Google are madly in love with the potential of their new relationship. So much so that they’ve stopped the trial [...]

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