Are Yahoo users less intellectual than Google users?

They say that you are what you eat. How does this rule apply to search engines? Probably something like You are what your users search for. Google and Yahoo announced the list of their top-10 search keywords for 2008. Prior to seeing them I would have said that for such large numbers (millions of users) the keywords would be similar for the both engines. It turns out that they are not. They are very distinct and both say something about the people behind the queries, the users themselves.

Google top 10 keywords for 2008

1. sarah palin (Republican vice-president candidate )
2. beijing 2008 (olympic games)
3. facebook login (Social network)
4. tuenti (Spanish social network)
5. heath ledger (the late actor that portrait Jocker in Dark Knight )
6. obama (USA President)
7. nasza klasa (Polish social network)
8. wer kennt wen (German social network)
9. euro 2008 (European football cup)
10. jonas brothers (American boy band)

Yahoo top 10 keywords for 2008

1. Britney Spears (singer)
2. WWE (mindless staged wrestling)
3. Barack Obama (USA President)
4. Miley Cyrus (Actor/Singer)
5. RuneScape (web based MMORPG)
6. Jessica Alba (Actor)
7. Naruto (anime series)
8. Linsday Lohan (Actor/Singer/Model)
9. Angelina Jolie (Actor)
10. American Idol (reality music show)

The first result for each engine says it all: Sarah Palin vs Britney Spears. I mean, come on, what is up with that? Britney Spears as the most searched for keyword on yahoo? Tsk Tsk Tsk...WWE as a second? American Idol?Linsday Lohan? And the list goes on...It mostly reads as a parade of a gossip magazine. Thus we have 5 pop figures a reality show and staged wrestling. Ok, there is japanime and an MMO as well, big deal. I have to proudly say that I am not a Yahoo user.

Google is more allround and the keywords include politics, sports(no, WWE is NOT a sport) and social networking. I think I can say that I am a Google user without anyone throwing anything at me (with an exception for the Jonas Brothers keyword). In addition the global usage of Google is apparent to anyone looking the list: social networking sites that are Spanish, German and polish speaking.

These results just beg someone to ask the question: Are Yahoo users less intellectual than Google users?

Google ends the agreement with Yahoo

Earlier this summer Google and Yahoo announced that they will be working together to offer online ads for Canada and US users. Since the two companies, between them, rule of the online advertising business this was big news. They announced then that they will not move to implement the agreement right away but will wait for the government regulators to decide upon this. A few days ago Google announced that they are canceling the agreement.

Google decided to cancel the agreement because as they said some regulators and advertisers continue to have concerns about the agreement. What this, basically, means is that "it would be nice to work with yahoo and create an online advertizing cartel but it would be even nicer not go into a lengthy and costly battle against the government or other online advertisers". I do not blame them and in fact as a consumer I feel relieved that that there is one less cartel in the market to rule a part of the business.

As they have stated:

We're of course disappointed that this deal won't be moving ahead. But we're not going to let the prospect of a lengthy legal battle distract us from our core mission. That would be like trying to drive down the road of innovation with the parking brake on. Google's continued success depends on staying focused on what we do best: creating useful products for our users and partners.

If this ended in legal battle it would cost Google a great deal of money and would possibly hurt its public image as a company.