What is Yahoo's main focus?

Updated / 2015, July 31 - Yahoo's Mission

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Yesterday, in her post titled "Marissa Mayer: Yahoo still has the same core focus as it did back in 1994", Jillian D'Onfro asked this "surprisingly tricky question": What is Yahoo's main focus?

Well, on average Yahoo! modified its focus more than once a year: looking back to his creation in 1994 -21 years ago-, Yahoo! has already changed its “mission” 22 times, of which 4 times since Marissa Mayer was appointed!

Here is the infographic of all missions...

 * * * UPDATE! * * *

Mission 23 / 2015, July

Yahoo is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses.

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Mission 1 / 1996, Jan.

Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) offers a globally-branded Internet navigational service to information and entertainment on the Web. As the first online guide to the Web, Yahoo! is one of the most visible and recognizable names associated with the Internet. Yahoo! provides a context-based directory structure for Internet resources, as well as integrated AltaVista Web-wide search capabilities. The Company is continuing to develop a global family of Yahoo!-branded media properties for targeted geographic areas (…); interests (…); and demographic audiences (…).

Mission 2 / 1997, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) is a global Internet media company that offers a network of branded Web programming that serves millions of users daily. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is the single largest guide in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach, and is one of the most recognized brands associated with the Internet. Yahoo! Inc. provides targeted Internet resources and communications services for a broad range of audiences, based on demographic, key-subject and geographic interests.

Mission 3 / 1998, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a global Internet media company that offers a branded network of comprehensive information, communication and shopping services to millions of users daily. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is a leading guide in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach, and is one of the most recognized brands associated with the Internet.

Mission 4 / 1999, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) is a global Internet media company that offers a branded network of media, commerce, and communication services to more than 100 million users worldwide. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is the leading guide in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach, and is one of the most recognized brands associated with the Internet. The company also provides online business services designed to enhance Yahoo!'s clients' Web services, including audio and video streaming, store hosting and management, and Web site tools and services.

Mission 5 / 2000, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a global Internet communications, commerce and media company that offers a comprehensive branded network of services to more than 166 million individuals each month worldwide. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is the leading guide in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach, and is one of the most recognized brands associated with the Internet. The company also provides online business services designed to enhance the Web presence of Yahoo!'s clients, including audio and video streaming, store hosting and management, and Web site tools and services.

Mission 6 / 2001, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet communications, commerce and media company that offers a comprehensive branded network of services to more than 218 million individuals each month worldwide. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is the leading guide in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach. Yahoo! is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and reaches the largest audience worldwide. Through the Yahoo! Enterprise Solutions division, the company also provides online business and enterprise services designed to enhance the productivity and Web presence of Yahoo!'s clients.

Mission 7 / 2002, Nov.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive online products and services to consumers and businesses worldwide. Yahoo! reaches more than 237 million individuals worldwide each month, and is the No. 1 Internet brand globally.

Mission 8 / 2002, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive online products and services to consumers and businesses worldwide and is the No. 1 Internet brand globally.

Mission 9 / 2003, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive online products and services to consumers and businesses worldwide. Yahoo! is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide.

Mission 10 / 2005, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! seeks to provide online products and services essential to users' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world.

Mission 11 / 2006, Dec.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo!'s mission is to connect people to their passions, their communities, and the world's knowledge.

More than a decade after the beginning, and for the first time in the Yahoo! history, appears the word "MISSION": in a move to re-organize the company, Yahoo! is finally to consider Mission as a strategy. Anyway, less than a year later, five month after this breaking news, the word mission disappeared!

Mission 12 / 2007, Oct.

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust.

Mission 13 / 2009, July

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global consumer brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is where millions of people go every day to see what is happening with the people and things that matter to them most. Yahoo! helps marketers reach that audience with its unique and compelling advertiser proposition.

Mission 14 / 2009, Sept.

Yahoo! attracts hundreds of millions of users every month through its innovative technology and engaging content and services, making it one of the most trafficked Internet destinations and a world class online media company. Yahoo!'s vision is to be the center of people's online lives by delivering personally relevant, meaningful Internet experiences.

For the first time in the Yahoo! history appears the word "VISION", and then, a few months later, they put the vision first, till 2010, January 27th. In 2011, also the word vision disappeared!

Mission 15 / 2009, Dec.

Yahoo!'s vision is to be the center of people's online lives by delivering personally relevant, meaningful Internet experiences.Yahoo! attracts hundreds of millions of users every month through its engaging content and services and innovative technology, making it one of the most trafficked Internet destinations and a world-class online media company.

Mission 16 / 2010, Jan.

Yahoo! attracts hundreds of millions of users every month through its innovative technology and engaging content and services, making it one of the most trafficked Internet destinations and a world class online media company. Yahoo!'s vision is to be the center of people's online lives by delivering personally relevant, meaningful Internet experiences.

Mission 17 / 2010, Nov.

Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) is an innovative technology company that operates the largest digital media, content, and communications business in the world. Yahoo! keeps more than half a billion consumers worldwide connected to what matters to them most, and delivers powerful audience solutions to advertisers through its unique combination of Science + Art + Scale.

Mission 18 / 2011, Feb.

Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) is the premier digital media company, creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. That's how we deliver your world, your way. And Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses.

Mission 19 / Jul 16, 2012 (when, in a really surprising move, Yahoo! appointed Marissa Mayer Chief Executive Officer)

Yahoo! is a technology-powered media company, creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses.

Two weeks later, another change!

Mission 20 / Jul 31, 2012

Yahoo! is focused on creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses.

Mission 21 / 2012, Nov.

Yahoo! is focused on making the world's daily habits more inspiring and entertaining. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses.

Mission 22 / 2015, Jan.

Yahoo is a guide focused on making users' daily habits inspiring and entertaining. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses.

Quite strangely, but not so much, all users can currently see on the Yahoo's home page not the last mission, but the penultimate one!!!

Consistency, did you said consistency?

So after having said that "her" Yahoo! would present "The Internet, ordered for us", Marissa Mayer is telling now that Yahoo still has the same core focus as it did back in 1994! Why not?

But maybe first she has to order Yahoo! for Yahoo! Because as I stated five years ago (since my first version on this post written on 2010, March 1st, Yahoo! changed its mission 6 times again...), "having too much missions & visions just means get no mission, no vision at all".

Wait and see for the next episode...

[P.S. No more than one week later!]

Mission 23 / 2015, July

Yahoo is a guide focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining our users. By creating highly personalized experiences for our users, we keep people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the world. In turn, we create value for advertisers by connecting them with the audiences that build their businesses.

Internet of Me, We Economy, oui...

Dans son récent rapport, intitulé “Technology Vision 2015”, Accenture identifie parmi les grandes tendances en cours l'Internet of Me, que l'on pourrait résumer autour de la notion de personnalisation.

Personnellement, je définirais la chose ainsi :

« Internet of Me » : personnalisation poussée et capillaire de nos univers et de notre expérience numériques, où tous les dispositifs sont connectés (Internet of things, objets d’usage quotidien truffés de capteurs, de senseurs, etc.), où tout est intelligent et portable (montres, gadgets, vêtements, etc.), domotisé (des électroménagers aux téléviseurs, etc.), embarqué, géolocalisé (voitures, GPS, etc.) et ainsi de suite, ce qui offre aux entreprises digitales le terrain idéal pour développer des produits et services sur la base de notre profilage (algorithmes capables de tracer nos habitudes 24/7/365), mais surtout des applications de plus en plus ciblées pour capturer toujours davantage (plus que fidéliser) un consommateur ... captif, justement !

Or voilà déjà pratiquement une décennie que les acteurs majeurs du Web savent tout sur nous (ceci dit les états vont bien plus loin et depuis bien plus longtemps dans le profilage de leurs « citoyens », sans oublier la télésurveillance…), d'ailleurs à ce sujet permettez-moi d'évoquer un billet d’Adsciptor écrit il y a déjà 7 ans (intitulé : Bloc contre bloc, l'internaute au centre...), dans lequel j’expliquais le concept de « Data transmission events », à savoir les événements qui déclenchent la collecte de données « privées » sur les internautes :

Citons, à titre d'exemple, les données collectées :

• lors des recherches de l'internaute ;
• lors de ses achats ;
• lorsqu'il clique sur une pub ;
• lorsqu'il s'enregistre sur un service ;
• grâce aux cookies, etc.

Tout ça permettant à qui les possède en bout de chaîne d'obtenir des informations précises sur nos habitudes, nos intérêts, et ainsi de suite. Le graal des publicitaires et des marketers de tout poil, en quelque sorte !
On pourra toujours s'interroger pour savoir si ces données sont collectées à notre insu ou non, bien que je me demande franchement quel internaute naviguant régulièrement sur Internet ne serait pas encore au courant !?
Par ailleurs, menée aux États-Unis en décembre 2007 sur le trafic imputable aux quinze plus gros acteurs américains de l'Internet, je ne doute pas que les résultats de l’étude puissent être extrapolés au Web mondial, puisque de toute façon la tendance est irréversible, autant le savoir...
Mais ce que je vois de véritablement nouveau dans cette étude quantitative, ce sont les proportions. Énormes...

Car à l'époque, il était déjà question de plus de 500 milliards d’événements de données collectées par mois sur le réseau global (sites propriétaires + régie publicitaire étendue) uniquement pour les couples Google-DoubleClick et Microsoft-Yahoo!, avec Yahoo! et Google totalisant respectivement 2 520 et 1 625 données uniques par visiteur (chiffres faisant référence au mois de décembre 2007, juste pour les États-Unis) :

Dans le même billet je rappelais aussi la personnalisation de la pub basée sur le ciblage comportemental :

Par conséquent dans cette logique, à terme plus ou moins rapproché, la prochaine étape consistera très probablement à s’éloigner de la catégorisation des annonces pour passer à leur individualisation. En bref : 

fini les AdSenses ciblés, vive les AdSenses personnalisés !

Une (r)évolution qui me semble inéluctable, vu les ambitions affichées par Google : à partir du moment où la firme possède une énorme quantité d’informations sur vous et peut en extraire un profilage systématique et significatif, qu’est-ce qui l'empêchera de vous proposer des AdSenses en fonction de vos préférences ?

Du reste, depuis Google, profileur en série, il me semble qu'on a parcouru bien du chemin... Pour vous donner un petit exemple, j'ai récemment posté sur mon blog pro un billet annonçant que je serai à Tunis du 16 au 18 avril prochains pour parler de Marketing & Branding pour Traducteurs & Interprètes. J'ai donc réservé mon billet d'avion, histoire de ne pas m'y prendre à la dernière minute. Or quelle n'a pas été ma surprise de voir dans les heures suivantes, en naviguant sur un de mes sites, les publicités bien visibles dans la colonne de droite :

« Vols Rome-Tunis », « Réserve avec Air France », etc., serait-ce un hasard ? Je vous le demande...

Et j'imagine que chacun(e) de vous pourrait me raconter tout un tas d'épisodes semblables.

Olivier Ertzscheid nous a déjà averti que désormais « L'homme est un document comme les autres », perso j'ajouterais qu'il est en passe de devenir un objet comme les autres !

Déjà en 2006 je m'interrogeais (Le client est ROI, certes, mais roi de quoi ?...), aujourd'hui que dire ? We Economy, oui, Internet of Me, le Web est mon ami, et Google, et Facebook, etc.

Nous n'en sommes qu'au début !