yahoo !
Yahoo is an American web services provider that operates a search engine, a web portal, and related services. The company was founded in 1994 by Jerry Yang and David Filo, and it became one of the most popular websites during the early days of the internet.
Yahoo's services include a search engine, email, news, sports, finance, and entertainment content. It also offers online advertising services through its Yahoo Gemini platform, and it has a partnership with Bing to provide search results.
In the early 2000s, Yahoo was one of the most valuable companies in the world, with a market capitalization of over $100 billion. However, it struggled to compete with Google in the search engine market, and it failed to capitalize on the rise of social media.
In 2016, Yahoo announced that it had suffered two major data breaches in 2013 and 2014, which compromised the personal information of over one billion user accounts. As a result, Verizon Communications, which had agreed to acquire Yahoo's core internet business for $4.8 billion, renegotiated the deal and purchased Yahoo's internet business for $4.48 billion.
Today, Yahoo is a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, and its services have been integrated into Verizon's media division, which also includes AOL and HuffPost. While Yahoo still has a significant user base, it is no longer the dominant player it once was in the internet industry.
Yahoo's rise can be attributed to a few key factors:
Early mover advantage: Yahoo was one of the first web portals to gain widespread popularity in the mid-1990s. At the time, there were very few websites on the internet, and Yahoo's directory of web pages made it easy for users to find information.
Diversified services: Yahoo was not just a search engine; it offered a range of services including email, news, sports, finance, and entertainment content. This diversified approach helped it attract and retain users.
Partnerships and acquisitions: Yahoo formed partnerships and acquired companies to expand its reach and offer new services. For example, it acquired online community GeoCities, which became one of the largest web hosting services of its time.
Brand recognition: Yahoo's brand became well-known and trusted among internet users, which helped it retain a loyal user base.
Advertising revenue: Yahoo was one of the early pioneers of online advertising, and it generated significant revenue through its advertising services.
Overall, Yahoo's early success was due to a combination of being an early mover, offering diversified services, forming partnerships and making strategic acquisitions, building a strong brand, and generating revenue through advertising
There were several reasons for Yahoo's decline and eventual failure to compete with its competitors. Some of the key factors that contributed to Yahoo's fail include:
Failure to innovate: Yahoo was slow to innovate and adapt to changing user behavior and technology trends. For example, it failed to capitalize on the rise of social media, mobile devices, and personalized search.
Weak search engine: Yahoo's search engine was not as advanced or user-friendly as Google's, which led to a decline in search engine market share and revenue.
Management turmoil: Yahoo had several changes in leadership over the years, and some of the decisions made by management were criticized for being ineffective or even detrimental to the company's growth.
Data breaches: Yahoo suffered two major data breaches in 2013 and 2014, which compromised the personal information of over one billion user accounts. This had a negative impact on user trust and reputation.
Increased competition: As the internet industry grew, Yahoo faced increased competition from new players, such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter, which offered more innovative and user-friendly services.
Overall, Yahoo's failure can be attributed to a combination of factors, including its failure to innovate and adapt, weak search engine, management turmoil, data breaches, and increased competition. These factors led to a decline in user engagement, revenue, and ultimately, its ability to compete in the internet industry.
Here are some of the products and services that Yahoo has offered over the years:
Yahoo Mail - an email service for personal and business use.
Yahoo Search - a web search engine for finding information online.
Yahoo News - a news aggregation website featuring headlines from various sources.
Yahoo Finance - a website offering financial news, stock quotes, and market data.
Yahoo Sports - a website providing sports news, scores, and highlights.
Yahoo Weather - a weather app and website offering local forecasts and weather alerts.
Yahoo Answers - a community-driven Q&A platform where users could ask and answer questions on various topics.
Yahoo Messenger - an instant messaging service for chatting with friends and family.
Yahoo Groups - an online forum for discussion on various topics and interests.
Yahoo Calendar - a web-based calendar for organizing and scheduling events.
Yahoo Shopping - an online shopping site featuring products from various retailers.
Yahoo Travel - a travel booking site for flights, hotels, and vacation packages.
Yahoo Small Business - a web hosting service and website builder for small businesses.
Yahoo Directory - an early web directory that listed various websites and services.
Yahoo Gemini - an advertising platform for managing online ads and targeting specific audiences.
Please note that Yahoo's product offerings have changed over time, and some of the above-mentioned products may no longer be available or supported.
Over the years, Yahoo has acquired several companies to expand its reach and offer new services. Here are some of the notable companies that Yahoo has acquired:
GeoCities - an online community and web hosting service (acquired in 1999).
Broadcast.com - a streaming media company (acquired in 1999).
Overture Services, Inc. - an online advertising company (acquired in 2003).
Flickr - a popular photo sharing and hosting service (acquired in 2005).
del.icio.us - a social bookmarking site (acquired in 2005).
Tumblr - a microblogging and social networking site (acquired in 2013).
BrightRoll - a programmatic advertising platform (acquired in 2014).
Polyvore - a social commerce website for fashion and beauty products (acquired in 2017).
It's worth noting that some of these acquisitions were successful, while others did not yield the desired results for Yahoo. Nonetheless, these acquisitions helped Yahoo expand its offerings and stay competitive in the internet industry.
There have been several notable executives and employees who have worked at Yahoo over the years. Here are some of the top employees of Yahoo, past and present:
Marissa Mayer - former CEO of Yahoo from 2012 to 2017, known for her background at Google and her efforts to revitalize Yahoo's products and services.
Jerry Yang - co-founder of Yahoo and former CEO, known for his early vision for the company and his role in its early growth.
David Filo - co-founder of Yahoo and Chief Yahoo, known for his technical expertise and contributions to Yahoo's early development.
Sue Decker - former president of Yahoo, known for her leadership and strategic vision during her tenure.
Dan Rosensweig - former COO of Yahoo, known for his experience in the internet industry and his efforts to turn around Yahoo's fortunes.
Jeff Bonforte - former SVP of communications products at Yahoo, known for his leadership of Yahoo Mail and other communication products.
Katie Couric - former global news anchor for Yahoo News, known for her journalism career and her efforts to expand Yahoo's news coverage.
It's worth noting that Yahoo's executive team and top employees have changed over the years, and this list is not exhaustive.