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A new popularity contest has begun in the social bookmarking world. Yahoo! has just released the Beta version of Yahoo! Buzz, a user-ranked social bookmarking application that will allow users to share “the buzz.” According to Yahoo!, the buzz “can be about anything - a great story on a major news site, an extraordinary bit from an obscure site, an intriguing video, or a fantastic blog that shouldn’t be missed.” Ranking on this site is based on a point system, and the most “buzzworthy” stories may appear on the Yahoo! home page.

So what makes this social bookmarking site so unique? The ranking for each story is decided by three factors: the number of times a story is searched for on Yahoo!, the number of times a story is e-mailed from Buzz, and the number of votes the stories receive (collectively termed a “Buzz Score”). Other similar sites, such as Digg, rank articles based on a single group of results (usually, strictly based on votes or single views). In this way, Yahoo! believes that the user is able “to impact what millions will see on [the site].”

From my explorations of the new service, there is a wide range of popular searches. Yahoo! subscribers have been looking up stories and information on everything from Paris Fashion Week to Starbucks Coffee to Anne Frank. Buzz takes the phrase “live in the moment” to a whole new level. The site uniquely incorporates the most current news and blog postings into the algorithm they use to determine rankings, which set it apart from competitors. This Web 2.0 strategy not only incorporates user-generated content, but also provides a way for frequently-updated sites to jump ahead of those which are more static. Search engines love new content, and Yahoo! has taken this preference to new heights.

An interesting point to consider is if the launch of Yahoo! Buzz will have any effect on the current Microsoft/Yahoo! deal. Recently, we published a story regarding Microsoft’s attempt of buying out Yahoo!. Certainly, the success of Yahoo! Buzz would be yet another reason why such a deal would be beneficial for Microsoft, who have struggled in the online area due to a lack of web experience. Access to applications such as this, as well as all of the other features that Yahoo! has to offer, would propel Microsoft into the web arena they are so eager to enter.

Review of Yahoo! Buzz are mixed, to say the least. One argument focuses on the fact that the site currently has less than 100 pre-approved news publishers, which pales in comparison to sites like Digg. However, this will also ensure that these sites will be able to handle the traffic flow generated by Buzz users (the same cannot be said for Digg). And, while there are those who believe that Digg is still superior, there are others who feel that Yahoo! may be on to something. As blogger Matthew Ingram puts it, “I think the Digg gang can probably sleep safe at night for a little while, but Yahoo could turn out to be a strong competitor.” I think so, too, Matthew.

Just like during your high school days, web success is based on popularity. Yahoo! Buzz offers users the chance to explore the most popular websites, blogs, and web entertainment out there today. Surely, this will prove to be a successful application for Yahoo! (and who knows….perhaps Microsoft as well?).

Friday, February 29th, 2008 You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

By Michael Gorvin