A supporters-only WebmasterWorld thread (and now a standard WebmasterWorld thread) have discussion around the new look of Yahoo's Quick Links. Yahoo's Quick Links, which we first reported on back in 2005, and then again a year ago - is basically a way to give Yahoo's searchers a quick way to dive deeper into a search result, typically tied to navigational-like queries.
In the past, they looked like this:
Then Yahoo changed them in 2007, to look more localized:
But now, when you do a search for walmart in Yahoo, you see two types of Quick Links.
(1) The first looks almost identical to the style Google uses. Here is the new Yahoo version:
Compare that to the Google Sitelinks for the same search result:
Yes, very similar.
(2) But directly under the first Yahoo Quick Link, in position number two for a search on walmart is this, single link Quick Links:
This version is not labelled Quick Links, like it was in the past, but it looks more like a standard Yahoo Quick Link.
Google has gone through many implementations and layouts for their Sitelinks. So has Yahoo, but it seems they are now converging on a very similar design.
Is this a standard Yahoo Quick Link or can we attribute this to a new form or even maybe Yahoo's new Search Monkey version of the implementation?
You can find a bit more about Yahoo quick links via that link.
I hope to get more information on how these new Quick Links are being generated. Is it a standard Quick Link with a new design? Is it a submit pro version of the Quick Link? Is it a hand made Quick Link? Or is it a Search Monkey Quick Link?
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld (paid access) thread and WebmasterWorld (free access).
Update: A Yahoo spokesperson told me this has nothing to do with the SearchMonkey. He added, "we are increasing coverage for quick links as well as continuing to experiment for the best way to convey deep site links to our users."
