Yahoo Introduces Annual Fee

• Jan. 2, 2002

Anyone who is at all familiar with online marketing is aware of the importance of having a directory listing in Yahoo, arguably the most popular site on the web. Website owners and webmasters are undoubtedly also well aware of the $299 Express Submission fee required before any commercial site will even be considered for inclusion. The fee guarantees a response within 7 days, but does not guarantee inclusion into the index.

It has come to our attention that any site added to Yahoo's directory through the Business Express Submission on or since December 28, 2001 will be subject to an annual fee to renew their listing. The price of renewal will equal the $299 required for the initial site review. Site owners wishing to have their site listed with Yahoo must supply a valid credit card number for the initial site review fee, and must agree to allow this card to be billed yearly if the site is included.

While this move on Yahoo's part may come as a surprise to some, many will see it as the inevitable next step in the never-ending struggle of the major search engines to turn a profit. The fact is, Yahoo's audience is simply too large to ignore, and thus most site owners and webmasters need Yahoo to run an effective online marketing campaign. Yahoo certainly has the advantage. Check back regularly for updates on this story as more information surfaces.

For more information, read Yahoo's terms of service, which outline the process and fee structure for the Express Submission program.

Darren Downey
darren@searchengineposition.com