Yahoo aims to launch an Arabic version website and expand its services and presence in the Middle East market. It acquired Maktoob.com in 2009 to gain a foothold in the region and compete with Google. Yahoo opened new offices in Dubai and Amman to enhance its position in the Middle East and provide services in Arabic. It also launched safety initiatives like "Yahoo Oasis of Safety" to educate children and families in the region on internet safety. Yahoo hopes this strategy will help it succeed in building a major brand in the Gulf region.

1. Yahoo!RawanNabil 28542ImanAbdulRazek 25581RemiEid 26541DeemaShaher 27073ChirinHamdan26944AbdulRahmanKhalil 24921

2. What is Yahoo? Company Overview:“The world’s largest global online network of integrated services”Wide range of servicesAchieved to reach out for more than 21 million local/ regional users in the U.S. and 90 million globallyWorks as a trade of information; “you give me and I’ll give you”Founded by David Filo and Jerry Yang in 1994Initially called "Jerry and David's Guide to the World Wide Web,”Name later changed to Yahoo, which stands for "Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle”Now, it would inspire people to produce a positive impact on their communities

3. Company values:Yahoo has six important values and ethical principlesExcellence: they value integrity and distinctionInnovation: “seek ideas to change the world”. Customer Fixation: customers come firstTeamwork: open communication is efficientCommunity: positive impact on the society Fun: humor is said to be an important aspect of their success

4. Yahoo's Services/products:Yahoo offers a variety of services:Unlimited access to rich resourcesCommunication tools, forumsShopping servicesSearch servicesPersonalized content Branded programmingEmployment opportunities

5. Competitors:Google through iGoogleMSM through BingAOLSegmentation and Target Audience:Yahoo is for all internet users; for all ages. However, the company knows how to segment people according to their geographic areasExample: Yahoo! Maktoub for people in the ME and Arab world

6. Why is Yahoo so popular? It’s page could be easily accessed; clear and user friendly links Clear, professional and eye friendly overall look and feel of the page Provides results that are slightly different than the ones found on Google. Also, aside from all the content that Yahoo provides, It’s main focus is financial news Features: communication, productivity, fun and personalization Whereas for its Attributes: a variety of products and services, privacy settings that protects its users’ account from being hacked, and acts as information center that provides various kinds of info. Not just connects people but also has distinct services for users with hearing impairments

7. Is Yahoo popular in the UAE?It’s an international website that is popular worldwideIt is ranked number 4 worldwide with a 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked number 3 in the US However, it isn’t ranked as 1 out of 10 in the UAE, yet it is marked as commonly used in the UAE for search after Google.comA daily Page views percentage graph:

8. Simple Marketing Classification SystemRanked the second out of twenty (7.63% visits share) Adheres to the changing needs of the consumers, and enables users to search for a larger base of information Google works as a:Home: Clicks only, Bricks- and –clicksOffers:it provides great offers on its website such as goods, entertainment, service, videos, etcFulfillment:its a website works as an online search engine website that also provides many great offers and options for its viewersSectors: Yahoo is mainly a search engine that directs customers or companies to find either retail or wholesale shops

9. Function: it’s website’s main function is to search for information on other websites. (mainly a search engine)Status: it gives out passive information where the website doesn’t allow people to interact while using it. The website is sometimes interactive when viewers comment by sending e-mails or uploading commentsServed Market: Yahoo works as a B2B and B2C website as it works for both viewers either customers or companiesMarket Coverage: The website is an international website that provides services for all viewers all over the worldEntity Type: Yahoo is a sole proprietor that works individually without having a partner

10. Identify the key features of Yahoo Internet marketingYahoo added unique features that can’t be found elsewhereOne of the innovative cleverly added features is the Search AssistantThe Search Assistant is only displayed if you stop typing for a couple of seconds or when your typing slows

11. Similarly, Google places a list of related searches at the top of the page; however, Yahoo's implementation is more appealing and usefulAnother key feature is the SiteAdvisor's warnings that Yahoo placed next to websites that offer malicious software or send spam which are "Safety ratings from McAfee SiteAdvisorare based on automated safety tests of Web sites and are enhanced by feedback from volunteer reviewers" McAfee SiteAdvisoris better than Google's warnings since they seem to offer a more comprehensive protection and more information about the potential threats

12. Key feature: the fact that site owners will be able to provide all types of additional information about their site directly to Yahoo! SearchThe website has footer, header, a perfect alignment, graphics, feedback, animation, search menus, colors, and linksNevertheless, it is multilingual where the website is available in over 20 languages, including English

13. A web-marketing plan that aims at launching Yahoo Middle EastThe main objectives are:To provide the best Internet experience for consumers and a platform for advertisers across the Arab worldTo expand in the markets along with the competitors such as Google To have Yahoo the destination of many consumersTo provide an Arabic version of both services which are Yahoo’s mail and Yahoo’s messengerTo provide information and communication tools that have a positive impact on people's lives from different aspects

14. Company description, purpose and goalsDescription: Yahoo is a United American computer services company. It’s an online media company that provides online properties and services. According to the data analysis from the companies Alexa and Combet.Com, Yahoo is one of the most visited websites on the Internet, having more than 130 million visitors every month from different regions. Also, the average visits to their web pages reaches 3.4 billion times a day since October 2007, making it one of the most American websites visited.

15. Purpose: It manages the Internet portal and directory of the network. It also offers other products and services of the best known e-mail service, search engine, news service. Moreover, it helps marketers to reach their target audience by unique advertising offers. Goals: The number of Internet users in the Middle East is more than tenfold since 2000. Yahoo's goal is to launch an Arabic version website that offers all the services in the Arabic language in the Middle East.

16. The Market Situation:This section presents information on the products and services, competition, distribution factors and market environment. It defines the current state of the market trends in key markets and discusses the general economic situation. Also, it displays a list of key competitors and other valuable information such as the size of the competition and the products and services that the competitors provide.

17. Competition: The core components of Yahoo’s Business Model are its content, search and market place, community and personalization. Google's Business Model is totally different where it is based on Advertising to gain the profit. Google has good features such as the translation tool, maps, Gmail, map, calendar and many other tools that are different from the features that Yahoo has.

18. Market environment and distribution channel:

19. Forecasting:This section anticipates the outcomes if the marketing objectives were met.Having an Arabic version website that is considered to be the first preferable search engine choice by customers in the Middle East.Overcome the competition. Increase the advertisements' revenues.

20. Marketing strategy:The actions that Yahoo should take to accomplish the marketing objectives are:Use flicker VISA, and MLB to promote the online advertisements.Increase flicker capabilities to back up the decline in image search on Yahoo. Encourage the target market to use Yahoo's search engine extensively in Middle East by doing various campaigns to raise awareness.

21. Can Yahoo secure a rapid success in creating a major global brand name in the Gulf region?Hopefully, Yahoo will reach the top accomplishing its goals. In November 11, 2009 Yahoo acquired Maktoob.com ( currently has 16.5 million users) This gives Yahoo an opportunity to extend in the Middle East and be able to compete with Google Yahoo announced it’s official opening of their brand new offices in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Amman, Jordan. SmaihTawkan, one of the founders of Maktoob.com, said: "This partnership is a natural evolution between Yahoo and Maktoob, and this relationship would cause activity in the Internet market. We are excited to enhance the Yahoo position and be present the Middle East, providing services to users in the region in the Arabic language”(Sekhri, 2009)

22. Yahoo has provided Yahoo Safely in the Middle East through the website “Yahoo oasis of safety" (http://esafe.yahoo.com/) The website works on educating Arabic native speaking children Andy Abbar, Chairman of the management and marketing of products in Yahoo Maktoob, said that he is pleased to support “Internet Security" where it helps in bringing the attention of people in the Middle East where families are not fully aware of the safety of the Internet (Clark, 2011)

23. Any Questions?The End