Yahoo, Twitter agree to share content

The move reflects Yahoo’s deep desire to tap into the increasingly social nature of the Web. The company reached a similar agreement with social networking site Facebook in December.

In a battle to woo back Web surfers who are spending more time on social networking sites, Internet portal Yahoo has clinched a deal with Twitter to share content across both properties.

Yahoo reached a similar agreement with Facebook in December, making it easier for users to share Facebook status updates and other information.

Twitter offers millions of messages posted every minute. “The information in one single tweet can travel light years farther with this Yahoo integration,” Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said in a statement. “Tweets in more places brings relevance where and when you need it most.”

The move reflects Yahoo’s deep desire to tap into the increasingly social nature of the Web. It’s a trend propelled by Facebook and Twitter, which have become major forces in driving and directing online traffic. Yahoo missed its golden opportunity to cash in on the rise of social networking when Facebook rebuffed its $1-billion-plus takeover offer.

The partnerships with Twitter and Facebook will roll out later this year. The deals will enable users to take material from both sites without having to leave either one, said Jim Stoneham, vice president of communities for Yahoo. Specifically, users will be able to access their Twitter feed on Yahoo’s sites. They will also be able to update their Twitter status and share content from Yahoo. And Yahoo search and media properties will include Twitter updates.

Twitter will start showing up in Yahoo search results right away.

Like Facebook, Twitter is a big catch for Yahoo and others because of its explosive growth. Last year it inked two search deals with Microsoft and Google reportedly worth $25 million.

“We are focusing on making Yahoo where you can stay in touch with people and information in one place,” he said.

Source: LA Times