For the first time in two years, Yahoo websites have more unique U.S. visitors than Google sites, according to comScore data from July. But the victory is a small one. It is far from the win some once imagined when the company debuted in 1994 as a spunky little web directory with a funny name.
1. Yahoo Mail
Yahoo’s efforts to polish up its image and revive its bottom line appear to be paying off. The company’s website traffic surpassed that of rival Google in July, according to metrics firm comScore. The result marks the first time in two years that Yahoo has done so and suggests that CEO Marissa Mayer’s revitalization efforts are starting to resonate with online audiences.
The company’s web services include email, news, finance, sports and more. Email is one of the most important Yahoo features, and it recently revamped the service for a fresh, AI-enhanced experience. According to CivicScience, jumping into generative AI-enhanced search might be the next wise step for Yahoo as more and more users seek alternatives to conventional search engines like Google.
Yahoo Mail offers a priority inbox with Smart Views, AI-powered message summaries and more. It also has multiple account support, photo and file storage and a mobile app. The free plan has some perks such as auto-organization, folder customization and easy unsubscribe. But it lacks configuration and integration options that you get with other top-tier providers like Gmail.
2. Yahoo Sports
Yahoo’s sports news site is a popular destination for fans. It offers team pages and live scores for almost every North American major sport, plus original news from sportswriters like Dan Wetzel, Charles Robinson & Chris Haynes. It also features a personalized news stream and team alerts.
While Google is the most-used search engine in the US, Yahoo still has a strong and dedicated user base for a variety of services. CivicScience data shows that jumping into generative AI-enhanced search might be a wise move for Yahoo to maintain its relevance.
In addition to its widely used email and sports services, Yahoo’s diversified portfolio includes news, finance, answers, video sharing and Tumblr (before selling it in 2021). It is currently owned by Verizon Media, which also owns AOL and acquired the brand when it bought the company from Apollo Global Management in 2016. The brand continues to make laudable impacts and gains popularity around the world. Its newest partnership with MGM Resorts is shaping the future of sports for fans through new content experiences and events.
3. Yahoo Finance
Yahoo was once the Internet’s go-to destination for everything from celebrity gossip to news and sports. But then Google came along and offered virtually the same products with a more user-friendly interface. Since then, Yahoo has stumbled and fallen from precocious upstart to sluggish legacy company.
In July, Yahoo attracted more visitors to its websites than Google in the United States, according to comScore. That puts the former tech giant at the top of its online league for the first time in two years, though it’s a small victory at best.
Among the ten biggest US news sites, only Fox News and Yahoo Finance saw traffic increase month-on-month. Meanwhile, USA Today and CNN’s sites saw visits fall by double-digit percentages.
4. Yahoo Answers
When Yahoo Answers debuted in 2005, it was a half-step between the internet communities of the time and the social media empires that would soon take over. It wasn’t built to compete with sites like Reddit or Quora, but it did provide a sense of community in addition to the practical search functions that made it popular.
What it lacked in usefulness, it made up for with memes. Its existence as a repository of questions that were so stupid or silly that they required answers that were equally absurd cemented its place in the pantheon of internet fame. BuzzFeed has run numerous lists of the dumbest Yahoo Answers questions, including ones asking how to “get pragnent” or what a “cookie monster” is.
As the site’s popularity declined, it began to devolve into what many other social platforms have become: an endless stream of polarized political debates, trolling and misinformation. The decision to shut it down seems like an attempt by Yahoo to save itself from the same fate as its other question-and-answer websites. Efforts are underway to archive the questions and answers that were on Yahoo Answers before it goes dark.
5. Yahoo Messenger
Yahoo is one of the oldest and most popular online media companies in the world. It has a rich history and has been through many struggles. Its ability to curtail or rebrand services that aren’t profitable shows its resilience. It has also been able to acquire over 60 companies since it was founded in 1994.
Despite the fact that Google is the number one search engine, Yahoo still has an important and loyal following of frequent visitors. The main reasons that keep them coming back are email and sports. In fact, CivicScience data shows that 34% of frequent Yahoo users report using Yahoo Mail as their primary email – far more than those who use Gmail. And, despite the fact that ESPN dominates in the sports realm, 20% of Yahoo frequent visitors list it as their favorite sport site.
