Microsoft + Yahoo: Recapping Reactions

Now that we’ve posted our own five different stories on the Microsoft bid for Yahoo, I wanted to take a spin across what others are writing up. Below, a recap of things I found interesting below. In particular, I’ve tried to focus on stuff that’s got original observations or interesting tidbits other than the general […]

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Microsoft Yahoo

Now that we’ve posted our own five different stories on the
Microsoft bid for Yahoo,
I wanted to take a spin across what others are writing up. Below, a recap of things I
found interesting below. In particular, I’ve tried to focus on stuff that’s got
original observations or interesting tidbits other than the general news
dominating places like
Techmeme
about the proposal. I’ll also update this page with new material
and note when new things have been added.

I’ll lead off listing our own stories:

And from across the web:


  • Microsoft + Yahoo = Big Mess?
    , istartedsomething.com: A nice side-by-side
    chart listing various Yahoo and Microsoft properties, which underscores that
    this won’t be an integration but a pick-and-choose about what you keep affair.
     

  • DOJ ‘Interested’ in Microsoft-Yahoo Deal
    , AP: Sounds scary, but you kind
    of have to expect the US Department of Justice to say this. Of course they
    have to be interested in a merger of this size. If Yahoo actually accepts,
    then you really have to watch and see what’s said. Expect Google — slammed
    for months now over wanting to acquire DoubleClick — to do some hard push
    back.
     

  • Key Facts: Microsoft’s $44.6 Billion Bid For Yahoo
    , PaidContent: Nice
    ending point on major shareholders. The two cofounders have 10 percent
    combined. The largest institutional shareholder is Legg Mason Value Trust, with
    8 percent of the company.
     

  • Yahoo! Board of Directors to Evaluate Unsolicited Proposal From Microsoft
    :
    The headline almost says more than the single paragraph in this release from
    Yahoo. Thanks for the unsolicited offer, we’ll take a look.
     

  • Why Microhoo: To stop the Google machine
    : From Between The Lines, a good
    reminder of a key take from the conference call. Combining forces is a pitch
    Microsoft is using to say it’s the only way Google will get stopped.
     

  • Conference Call Presentation
    : A PDF file used on the call.
     

  • LIVE Blogging: Microsoft Yahoo Press Conference
    : From Allen Stern, a nice,
    clean transcript of the conference call.
     

  • An Offer Yahoo Can’t Refuse
    : Saul Hansell at the New York Times looks at
    some figures and decides Yahoo will have to do it, because no other suitors
    will offer as much.
     

  • Yahoo: Finally Catches a Bid. Deal is Done.,
    , Paul Kedrosky: "Tying two
    share-losing rocks together — both companies are losing marketshare in search
    and in search-related advertising — won’t make them fly." Yes, I agree! 
    "The answer is that Google is dominating a tipping market — search and online
    advertising — and consolidation among competitors is about the only rational
    response. A combined Yahoo/Microsoft would become a truly material piece of
    the ad market, in excess of 40%, which is enough for it to finally offer
    Google a credible threat." Oh, I disagree! Yahoo is already used by so many
    advertisers with the share it has and maintains. It’s not like they’re
    thinking Google and hmmm, maybe Yahoo. They’re thinking, Google, Yahoo, and
    hmmm, maybe Microsoft.
     
  • The decline and fall of Yahoo,
    Valleywag: Short and nice history of Yahoo’s rising and falling fortunes.
     

  • What Would a Combined Microsoft-Yahoo Look Like?
    , TechCrunch: Let’s put
    these two kids into a spreadsheet and see how revenues compare. Boom, take
    that, Google! Of course, Microsoft already dwarfs Google in gross revenue,
    though less so in net profit.
     
  • What
    Would Microsoft Mean for Flickr?
    , Wired: No one knows, but some Flickr
    folks are apparently already freaking out. C’mon gang, Flickr will be fine.
     


  • Google’s Tim Armstrong reacts to the Microsoft-Yahoo takeover
    : One of the
    few Google responses I’ve seen so far. Google’s confident in its business and
    more worried about staying focused than worrying about the competition.
     

  • Who’s in, who’s out at Yahoo after a Microsoft takeover
    , Valleywag: Funny
    rundown on speculation of what executives will survive a takeover. Funny,
    unless you’re one of the execs, of course.
     

  • Ballmer To Microsoft Troops: Listen Up, Too
    , Silicon Valley Insider: Steve
    Ballmer’s letter to Microsoftees, in case they hadn’t heard the news.
     

  • What Will Microsoft Yahoo Merger Mean for SEO?
    , Loren Baker at Search
    Engine Journal speculates that it’s Live Search that will go, Yahoo’s more
    mature service that will stay. Hmm. Someone’s core architecture will probably
    survive, and I honestly couldn’t say which way it will go.
     

  • Microsoft-Yahoo Deal Haters Emerge
    , WebProNews: Some folks don’t think a
    big rival to big Google is any better.

Postscript from Chris: For a lighter take on the proposed deal, take a look at the humorous 5 Microsoft-Yahoo! synergies you may not want from U.S. News & World Report.

Update 1, New Posts Worth Noting:


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Danny Sullivan
Contributor
Danny Sullivan was a journalist and analyst who covered the digital and search marketing space from 1996 through 2017. He was also a cofounder of Third Door Media, which publishes Search Engine Land and MarTech, and produces the SMX: Search Marketing Expo and MarTech events. He retired from journalism and Third Door Media in June 2017. You can learn more about him on his personal site & blog He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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