Let me start this off by stating that I am a long time Google power user. Google handles all of my daily web searching, email, chat, RSS feeds, blog monetization, etc. In my opinion, it blows Yahoo (and most other Internet companies) clear out of the water. However, there are a select few services that I regularly turn to Yahoo for. Why? It’s either because Yahoo does it better, or because Google doesn’t offer it.
Here are the only 7 things Yahoo does better than Google:
- Personal Finance – Yahoo Finance contains a great wealth of original content that easily rivals some of the biggest financial sites in the game (CNN Money, TheStreet.com, etc.). The interface is equally intuitive and accessible to both new investors and longtime financial gurus. Google Finance is coming along, but it isn’t quite up to par just yet.
- Answers to Questions – Yahoo Answers allows users to ask questions or answer other user’s questions; A simple concept that works well for Yahoo. Google has no such active service. The closest competition on the web right now is Ask MetaFilter… also a great question/answer service.
- Website Backlink Info – Most webmasters like to know exactly how many sites are linking to their various websites. Yahoo makes this especially easy with their “linkdomain:” search operator. It quickly provides a full list of incoming links to any given domain. For some reason Google does not publicly disclose this backlink information, but instead provides a small sample of quality incoming links to a given domain via it’s “link:” search operator. Google does provide Google Webmaster Tools that will give you backlink information for a specific domain once you sign up and prove to Google that you are the owner of the domain.
- Image Hosting and Sharing – With its recent purchase of Flickr, Yahoo now rules the Web 2.0 photo sharing market. Flickr is currently the king over all the other photo sharing sites out there. Although, lets not forget that Google rules the Web 2.0 video sharing market with YouTube.
- Local Search – If you are looking for businesses around your town or city, Yahoo Local is a step ahead of Google. While Google can perform local searches in a variety of different ways through their standard search interface and Google Maps application, Yahoo Local is a more polished service that puts all local search capabilities on one convenient page. Yahoo local is sort of like a digital Yellow/White Pages.
- Entertainment Portal – From music to online games to sports, Yahoo provides a solid entertainment web portal capable of satisfying various entertainment and leisure user demographics. For better or for worst, Google isn’t trying to be an entertainment portal, so it doesn’t even come close to competing with Yahoo in this regard.
- Privacy Policy – Yahoo is arguably better with the privacy concerns of its users. Certainly this point could be debated in favor of either company, but there seems to be more public controversy surrounding Google’s privacy policies. Like most, I suck it up and use Google’s services anyway. I do, however, have a Yahoo Mail account that I use to communicate with other bloggers concerning blog monetization strategies that may include Google’s Adwords service. I figure, why let Google have access to that info too?
So what does Google do better than Yahoo? Well, that’s easy… every conceivable task other than the 7 points listed above. Of course, that’s just my opinion… 😉
san says
totally agree with 1, 2, 5 & 6. yahoo! movies should be highlighted in 6 too! love that.
google, however, appeals to me as a boring company – but with very cool applications. they’re just different companies – shouldn’t be compared EXCEPT for the email bit…
gr8 post.
david says
You mention photo sharing and Yahoo’s Flickr, but have you seen izimi also (http://www.izimi.com). Its photo hosting/sharing service is totally unlimited (any size, any quantity, any file type), plus there is no need to upload your photos up to any server, they just sit right there on your own PC. You just right click and izimi instantly gives you a URL, link code and embed code which you use just like you were using flickr or photobucket to embed the photos. You can literally do hundreds of photos in a few seconds and there are no limits and no censorship.
QgyH2 says
The one thing google does better than yahoo (at least in our beliefs): Search. And that’s just about all that matters, after all Yahoo and Google are/were supposed to be search engines. Gee, remember back when they were just.. search enignes?
Marc says
@san:
You’re right, Yahoo Movies is a goodie! I totally missed that one. My bust! Oh, and I’d have to disagree with you on your “Google is a boring company” comment. In fact, I think Google is probably one of the most hip companies in existence. The proof is in the pudding.
@david:
A little off topic… but I did check out your recommendation and it does seem like a neat upcoming alternative to the big players like Flickr. Thanks for the tip!
@Q:
Oh yes, remember the good old days… When a search engine concentrated on web searching? It’s a good thing Google still does. 😉
MrT says
You forgot about disposable emails from yahoo. You can create temporary emails & still get in your primary inbox & when you dont need it, just delete the email. Very handy when signing up for websites.
MegaRapid says
I agree with your list, but don’t forget about Yahoo’s free Fantasy Sports! 😉
Rodehodeh says
The yahoo answers to questions is a great tool, I’m sure sometime when google sets up a stable community setting they will have this too.
Loren Baker says
As a whole, I feel that Yahoo Travel like Yahoo Local Search, is much more powerful than anything Google offers.
Yahoo also has a larger sense of social community, which is manifested in the success of Yahoo Answers.
Like some of the other readers, I also LOVE Yahoo News & Sports, and also feel that the Yahoo Network : MyYahoo, Yahoo Messenger .. .etc., is quite strong, even if MyYahoo now lets its users check GMail via a new Yahoo module :
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/my-yahoo-updates-with-gmail-integration-new-modules/5107/
Everett says
Darn, if only I could find the chicklet/shortcut button I’d give it a Digg…. great post!
Marc says
@MrT:
An absolute oversight on my behalf… I’ve heard of the Yahoo Mail disposable email addresses, but I’ve never actually used them. Thanks for reminding me about this.
@MegaRapid:
Yahoo’s Fantasy Sports site isn’t really my favorite free fantasy option. I’ve used it in the past, but now NFL.com has a free version that I prefer over Yahoo’s.
@Rodehod:
Google actually tried a Google Answers site. Believe it or not, it failed. See for yourself:
http://answers.google.com/answers/
@Loren Baker:
Although I don’t usually use it, Yahoo Travel is a great resource. It certainly crushes Google’s offerings in the travel advice department.
I didn’t realize that My Yahoo allowed users to integrate their Gmail accounts. That’s pretty darn cool! I’m a big fan of Gmail over Yahoo Mail, even though I have accounts at both ends. However, if I can get my Gmail in My Yahoo… I’ll have to give it a whirl. Thanks for the tip!
Also, thanks for the the article review at Search Engine Journal! 😉
Dan says
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ll take Picasa Web Albums (owned by Google) over Flickr any day.
Bashar says
I agree with most of them. Listing them down by it self proves Google is superior overall. I think Yahoo Web Chat could be better than Google Talk in some ways. It’s much more colorful and friendly. However Google Talk is better in that it can be resized and runs transient of your Gmail browsing, it doesn’t have to take the full screen.
– Found via Search Engine Journal
Mukesh says
Yahoo’s Site explorer rocks! It’s a lifeline for all SEOs and As the one and only engine in the industry tat offers the service, we got to thank yahoo for keeping the service alive and trying to make it better.
Marc says
@Dan:
I actually like Flickr better. It’s just a matter of personal preference.
@Mukesh:
Indeed!! Yahoo’s Site Explorer for backlinks is a savior!
Dave Hall says
Great article. But you left out my favorite Yahoo feature, and that’s My Yahoo. I can track my portfolio, local movies, sports, news, etc., all on one page. Does Google have anything like that?
And then at Yahoo they just seem like nicer people. Or is that just me? I don’t know–Google just acts like it’s the Hall Monitor of the Internet. But maybe that’s just my perception.
– Dave
Nithish says
Google is better in providing contextual ads as it contains a huge number of advertisers. And also the YPN is limited to around UK and US.
Mr. Stupid says
hmm,
I found some stuff out about Yahoo! I didn’t know they had… as I don’t really use their core-branded stuff.
But to add, Yahoo! owns Flock (web browser) and while there is a Google-centric web browser (can’t recall the name) I don’t know whether Google has a stake in it.
Yahoo! also own the oft used Del.icio.us social bookmarking site and Google has the Google-sync service that I’m not too familiar with.
Seems like Yahoo! has bought itself a huge stake in the social side of the tubes-2.0 while Google is working more on core productivity services.
Renato Sica says
grande Yahoo!!!!!
kyundra says
i think yahoo is eventually going 2 beat the hell out of google.
Lysi says
YAHOO is waaaaaaaaaay better than GOOGLE! Yahoo RULES!!!!!!!!
B says
yahoo and google have been obviously been compared on different notes. When ppl think about google, the first and the most obvious thing is search and it does a good job on that no doubt. Yahoo has not been a “pure” search company. IMO, yahoo search was one of the several offerings that Yahoo provided to it’s customers. Having said that, yahoo search is still not second to google. I personally use both the search engines and found the results equally good. I dislike google for many of their half-baked efforts that they make and never complete. They also seem to be venturing on to every market which is both good and bad. For one, the main revenue source for google is advertising and that’s what makes google enter in to different areas of the web and the mobile industry. So its obvious that their stints in to various segments are precieved with higher visibility (leave alone the quality of the service offered by google):
IMO, heres a list of services I can think from google which is no match to what yahoo offers:
1) gtalk -> very simple interface, but no fun like YM
2) google finance -> not as good as yahoo finance
3) google’s social networking attempts have been a pure failure . Orkut and BUZZ – no joy
4) flickr is much better than picassa
5) yahoo local search is way better than google local
6) ymail is better and more used than gmail
Google’s flop shows:
1) orkut
2) buzz
3) google wave
4) google movies — like the plain interface ??? it sucks big time !!
5) android – where is it heading to ?
6) chrome browser
7) chrome OS ????
Read more: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/7-things-yahoo-does-better-than-google/5292/#ixzz0nYP7uYrb
KKRichter says
Who was it who said that Google is boring? He is so right! Flat screen designs and a total lack of imagination (or caring) about the intricacy of the individual user. Google must stop salivating over their banner ads income and focus on complex content integrated into visually-stunning delivery or it will be nothing but a forgotten fad in five years.
Nathan says
Google is so much nicer and cleaner looking than Yahoo (well, maybe not when this article was published, but at the time of this comment being written it is)! Their design standards are awesome. I love the new Gmail and Google+. Their new UI is amazing. As a web developer and designer, I am inspired by Google’s designs and color schemes. Google is clean and Gmail is waaayyy better than Yahoo Mail. Google is very awesome. Even if Yahoo Mail is more popular (and I don’t even know if that’s the case anymore) Gmail is still a lot better. Yahoo Mail is nice too, but Gmail ftw!
But, I agree with Yahoo Answers and stuff. I use that all the time. Yahoo Answers comes up in Google search results a lot.
michael milstead says
although Google has a great search engine and I use many google products. Google as NO merchant services like Yahoo who is still King and getting better all the time, without Yahoo I would have never gotten into ecommerce in 2003. Yahoo does websites so much better than anyone else I ever come across plus its so affordable unlike anyone else.
Michael Dickens says
I have to disagree, I used to be a Yahoo user until I slowly migrated to Google/gmail, now for the way Yahoo is going, I’m glad I did
Yahoo mail isn’t horrible, but I do think charging for POP mail forwarding was a bad idea, and Yahoo’s webmail tends to be inundated with banner ads (something gmail doesn’t do, the ads in gmail’s webmail are unobtrusive and allow you to focus on what is most important, checking email), also, for the longest time (and I am not sure if it is like this anymore), Yahoo’s webmail page was so bloated and filled with crap that it wouldn’t load properly on Safari, as a matter of fact, it wouldn’t load at all, I ended up having to download Firefox JUST to check my email, how stupid is that? On the other hand, I have NEVER had an issue with gmail, with anything
Yahoo Answers is a complete joke, they tend to be very ban happy, and sometimes go as far as banning an account (completely, from email and all), for no real reason, and most answers are not only incorrect, but sometimes dangerously so, most people there have no idea what they are talking about, and a lot of times their “answers” can lead to damage, or sometimes even worse, death
I was banned from Yahoo Answers for a post where I was legitimately helping someone trying to reinstall an operating system, yet there is a guy on there to this very day who claims to be a “Certified Computer Technician”, yet he knows absolutely NOTHING about computers, so Yahoo lets this idiot stay on Answers, yet decides to ban me for no reason, sometimes I just go to Yahoo Answers for a good laugh, I would never trust anything on there
Yahoo News also has issues, there are even reports on Snopes where “news” stories from satirical news sites (like the onion for example) would end up on Yahoo News fooling readers (being that Yahoo staff were fooled themselves), so I wouldn’t trust Yahoo News as a proper news source
I personally don’t go to personal finance sites very often so I don’t really use Yahoo Finance or Google Finance