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That’s not just any ordinary yellow that Yahoo’s using to make its “Web search” box stand out on its new look Web site, unveiled May 16. It’s goldenrod.
“The gradient and color makes it visually pop,” Tapan Bhat explained.
Having just emerged from an intensive effort to overhaul Yahoo’s front page for the first time since 2004, Yahoo’s vice president of front doors knows his goldenrod from his aubergine, plus every other nook and cranny of site’s new look.
Bhat spent a few minutes with Google Watch providing a glimpse into a very high-profile and important Yahoo project.
What’s the biggest change people should notice?
“Search is the most important part of the page, so it has a new location: right at the top, where the eyes go immediately. There are other visual effects to make the box more prominent. The block of news and info in the center, that’s also new.”
Anything on the old page not make it to the new page?
“On the old page, there was a big block of listings of all the Yahoo services. We’ve made them all into a nice, streamlined navigation bar. That gives you more space to promote and highlight.”
Is there more room for advertising, too?
“There’s the same amount of advertising inventory on this page.”
Did Yahoo do all this work itself?
“Yes. But this is using AJAX [Asynchronous JavaScript and XML] and HTML, probably the most widespread use of AJAX on the Web. We’re thinking interactivity and AJAX to the masses.”
What’s the ultimate goal of all these changes?
“We want people spend more time on the page so advertisers have more opportunity to get their brand out there.”