Yahoo Makes Over Mobile App, Home Page in the U.S.

Google long ago overshadowed Yahoo, but the company is still working to acquire and retain new users to its network of sites. To that end, Yahoo has just updated its mobile app and home page in the United States.

Simply stated, Yahoo is giving prominence to news, content and video on its home page. Viewers will see the content that matters most to them based on personal preferences, whether that’s sports, politics, entertainment or some other category.

“We’ve made it easier to discover and create conversations with a community around engaging content and follow the latest developing stories in a nearly infinite news stream,” said Simon Khalaf, senior vice president of mobile and emerging products at Yahoo, in a statement. “As we worked to build this new experience, we looked to the latest mobile trends to guide us.”

Tapping into Rising Demand

News and magazine apps grew 141 percent in 2015, according to the Flurry Trend Report. That appears to demonstrates a strong interest among users to fine and read Web-based content. With the changes, Yahoo promised a consistent experience on the Yahoo home page and app regardless of what platform consumers are using.
 Users can download the Yahoo app from the App Store and Google Play Store.

“With this update, we’ve made it possible to sift through more content in less time. You no longer need to open individual articles in multiple browser tabs; instead, you can simply scroll through related stories inline,” Khalaf said. “Up top, our editors pick some of the most important stories you need to know, alongside content most relevant to you.”

A user who wants to dive deeper into a particular headline, can click the heart icon or click through to find stories on the same or related topics. With built-in intelligence, the technology learns the types of stories a user likes as that individual continues to use the platform, which then displays more of the same types of content. But is all this too little too late with Google reigning supreme in the search world?

A Launching Pad

“Yahoo still has a massive audience. It needs to continue to improve and update the user experience,” Greg Sterling, vice president of strategy and insights at the Local Search Association, told us. “The home page and its app are critical areas for audience engagement and retention. So, yes, it matters.”

News stories can be the launching pads for conversations, Khalaf noted. Yahoo aims to amplify the voice of its readership by making it easier to share views and chat with other readers about headlines, he said. With this tech update, comments appear directly inline so they’re easier to follow. Readers can also opt to receive instant notifications when breaking news is reported, and get updated on the latest developments, according to Khalaf.

At the conclusion of the announcement, Khalaf revealed the ultimate motive behind the changes: advertising dollars. “We’ll continue to offer the same great opportunities for our advertisers with more to come so stay tuned,” he said.

Image Credit: Yahoo.