Yahoo Directory and SEO

[cooperm]

If you have a listing in the Yahoo Directory, they use the Directory listing's title and description in the SERP's. Do they then ignore the optimization you have done on the page to your title tag and content when determining those SERP's? Or does that still factor in?

Hi Cooperm,

Yahoo has a separate search engine for their directory. Performing a Yahoo Directory search on your listed site will display the directory listing's title and description as is.

However, when using Yahoo Web Search, the optimization you have done on your webpage to your title tag and content, etc. will be taken into consideration & should show up in the SERPs.

I hope this helps.

[bhartzer]

Do they then ignore the optimization you have done on the page

No, they don't ignore your on-page stuff. If you're in the directory, they use that for the title and description for the organic results (SERPs).

On-page factors are as a part of the algorithm, they don't ignore your on-page content.

[cooperm]

Hi CPW3,

When using Yahoo Web Search, the optimization you have done should but definitely doesn't appear in the SERP's as far as the text in the SERP listings go. I have checked a few websites on this.

That is why I am really wondering about my original question.

[Manpasand]

Yahoo Web Search counts the on page factor and use only Y! directory title and description.

[tcampione]

Originally Posted by bhartzer

If you're in the directory, they use that for the title and description for the organic results (SERPs).

I would argue that this is only sometimes true. For one of my sites, this statement is consistently true. For another though, the SERP listing constantly switches between the page native title/description and the directory's.

I've tried to determine a pattern. It seems that whenever the site's rank moves substantially in one direction or another, the directory info is then displayed for a period of a few days to a couple of weeks. Then it switches to native info.

[Jayms]

From what I've seen with my site, they display both the organic and the directory listings as they are. Naturally, the appropriate one displays higher up according to the term searched. The directory listing usually shows higher for the terms that are contained in either the Y! chosen title and/or description. The organic one shows up higher for broader terms contained in title, description, onpage content, etc.

[cooperm]

From what I've seen with my site, they display both the organic and the directory listings as they are. Naturally, the appropriate one displays higher up according to the term searched. The directory listing usually shows higher for the terms that are contained in either the Y! chosen title and/or description. The organic one shows up higher for broader terms contained in title, description, onpage content, etc.

So this bascially gives you two listings for Yahoo to pull from and place you in the SERP's.

Very interesting.

[Jayms]

Yes, and occasionally, they appear on the same page with their appropriate titles/descriptions.