Yahoo Launches Pay for Placement

Depressing. Argh. Wired is reporting ( http://www.wir ed.com/news/business/0,1367,41594,00.html ) that Yahoo is starting a sponsored sites program ( http://sponsoredsites.yahoo.com/ ). From the site:

"The Sponsored Sites program allows commercial web sites already listed in the Yahoo! Directory to enhance their placement."

So I guess if you're not listed you have to pony up the money to get listed first, then pay a monthly fee (from $25 on up) Sponsored sites show up at the top of the page in a box. You can see what the box looks like at http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Shopping_an d_Services/Apparel/Athletic_Wear/Labels/ .

Apparently the sponsored link doesn't stay in the box permanently, however. Here's part 4.1 from Yahoo's terms of service in dealing with this.

"4.1 You acknowledge that, if accepted as a Sponsored Site, your site will appear as an enhanced listing on a rotating basis equally with other Sponsored Sites. At times when your site will rotate out of the Sponsored Sites Box, it will still be accessible to users who click on an associated hypertext link leading to more sponsored sites. Yahoo in its sole discretion reserves the right to change the number of Sponsored Sites listed in any Sponsored Site Box and within any category or subcategory at any time."

So, theoretically, six people could sign up for a category, Yahoo could limit the sponsored site listing to two, and the sponsor's ad would only appear 1/3 of the time, right?

Yahoo can also edit your listing if it wants. Here's part of 4.3:

"4.3 Yahoo! reserves the right to decide whether, where, and how a Sponsored Site is listed in the Directory as well as to move the listing to a different category or subcategory, and change or remove any keywords, comments, or annotations at any time, for any reason, including but not limited to, a change in the nature, business, goods, or services or content available on the site...."

And you can't get stats? (part of 4.4):

"Yahoo will also not aid you in getting statistics on such page-views, click-throughs or other performance metrics that relate to either to the specific success of your Sponsored Site or the overall success of the Sponsored Sites Service in general."

(Gosh, I hope I'm just reading that wrong. How can you continue an advertising program if you don't know how well it's performing?)

They also want to fill up your mailbox (6.2):

"6.2 Yahoo! may contact Applicant regarding Sponsored Sites using the Applicant's email address provided during the registration process (or as updated by Applicant). Such email messages may contain opportunities regarding special offers and new products from Yahoo!'s advertisers."

I understand that Yahoo has to make money, and I appreciate that problem, but -- ughh, bleh, phooey, and other noises of general discomfort.

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