And the war is on!  After years of losing incremental search market share to the ever predominant Google , Yahoo is looking to regain some ground.

While Google has won internet searchers with its clean and simplified interface, Yahoo has reinvented their search results hoping to differentiate themselves from Google.  Their new interface gives users a larger variety of search results divided up based upon category.

The new Yahoo accordion interface

Instead of just the top ranking informational results based upon a search phrase, the searcher will see search results broken up into an overview-type accordion module.  The results will be broken out by category, to include: all relevant web links, images, videos, music clips, local events based upon the users IP address and even Twitter results.

The new search model also seeks to offer new opportunities for sponsored links.  Instead of the simplified sponsored links offered by Google, advertisers can actually sponsor links that appear more like display ads on the search results page.

Google has positioned themselves and gained notoriety as more of a tool or means to an end.  Yahoo is moving towards trying to keep the user on the search results page by giving them the answers they need on the page itself rather than being a medium to the results.

I would have said that Google was a behemoth not to be tackled.  But it sounds as if Yahoo has come up with an intriguing reinvention plan.  And based upon recent changes on the internet and the way we interact with social media, the online world, etc.  I would say they have a pretty good fighting chance of making a dent in Google's immense market share.  Search has been such a commodity with fairly parity products available in the search engine realm.  It's nice to see a company making strides to differentiate themselves.  Hello!  Isn't that step one in any marketing plan?  Why should your consumer choose you over the competition?  Bravo Yahoo for breaking the mold.  I'll be routing for you!

For more information on the new Yahoo, read the Oct 6, 2010 article on the topic on AdAge.com.