Yahoo Search Testing Google’s Search Results Design?

searchengineland.com

3 pointsjfoster2 comments

I used to work on Y!Search 10 years ago. Those A/B tests (actually multiple at any given point) are always running. Fonts, colors, moving or removing features, algorithm tweaking (e.g. the language/region boost for a Yahoo France or Italy), green or blue links, full domain or truncated...

The tabs for selecting verticals (web,image,video, Yahoo has 10-15) moved from the top to left and back several times during the years. I think it's notable that the speed ("0.35 seconds") is back because that got optimized away a while ago.

This is a bit more than A/B testing fonts, colors, and so on, though. They have almost completely replicated the look of Google, except with a Yahoo logo.

It's an interesting catch-up technique. I assume they are not looking to copy the UI in the long-term, but are looking to establish a baseline.

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