A new look for yahoo.ca's millions of Canadian users

BY: 

Dave Forde
August 2, 2006

TORONTO, Aug. 2 /CNW/ – Millions of Canadian internet users will Yahoo!
in an entirely new way this week as Yahoo! Canada unveils the new yahoo.ca and
Yahoo! Canada en Français – part of the most comprehensive redesign in the
company’s history. The new homepage puts Yahoo!’s millions of Canadian users
at the centre of their Web experience allowing them to search, share and
communicate with friends easily while staying up-to-date on the latest news,
trends and buzz about what’s happening in Canada and the rest of the world.
“We’re really excited about Yahoo! Canada’s dynamic new front page,” said
Amy Gibson, Senior Front Page Product Manager. “We think it will provide users
with a one-stop-shop to stay in touch with friends, search for information and
stay plugged in with what’s hot on the web. The new homepage has evolved to
reflect new technologies and to cater to our users wants and needs.”
Canadians spend an average of 13 hours per week online (Ipsos News
Center, August 2005). Yahoo!’s new homepage encourages users to spend more
time with Yahoo! having simplified access to the various tools users need to
find out about current Canadian news, talk with friends and share information,
music and more via the Web.

<< What's fresh: - Improved Personalization: The new Personal Assistant offers instant previews of mail and instant messenger contact status. Also, page options let users choose the format that is right for them (one can toggle between wide page and narrow page). - More Community: The new Y! Pulse section brings social media onto the home page by leveraging community content from across the Y! network, examples include the new personal assistant and the Yahoo! Canada Answers top questions of the day. - Enhanced Search: The search box is more prominent on the homepage simplifying user navigation and allowing for fast and easy access to information on the Web. - Expanded Canadian Content: The new home page has more Canadian content than ever before. CBC provides hourly updates on news and events around Canada providing relevant content to our users. >>

Yahoo.ca now gives users more control. Taking a page from My Yahoo!, one
of the world’s most popular personalized start pages, the new yahoo.ca gives
users a home page that is immediately more useful for them. The homepage
delivers an interactive and easy-to-use experience to users via AJAX and DHTML
technologies.

User feedback:

The Yahoo! Canada homepage was previewed by hundreds of Canadian users so
that Yahoo! could get a snapshot of user satisfaction. Some users commented on
the new “professional and polished” look, while others found the new site to
be “fast and informative”. Users for the most part found it “easy-to-follow
and less cluttered” and especially enjoyed having the “news sections clearly
displayed”. Users were excited about the access to Yahoo! Canada Answers from
the homepage.
For more information or to speak with Amy Gibson from Yahoo! Canada,
please contact, Julia Stein at 416-645-3683 or via email at
[email protected]

About Yahoo! Canada

Yahoo! Canada Co. is a leading Internet destination that provides online
products and services to meet the needs of Canadians and offers a range of
tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users.
Yahoo! Canada services Canadians in both English and in French through its
sites, www.yahoo.ca and https://francais.yahoo.ca. Yahoo! Canada is
headquartered in Toronto, Ontario.

For further information: Media contacts: Julia Stein, Fleishman-Hillard,
(416) 645-3683, [email protected]; Clive Hobson, Yahoo! Canada, (416)
848-6184, [email protected]

[tags] Yahoo Canada, CBC [/tags]

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Dave Forde


Dave “The Connector” Forde has been involved in the marketing, public relations and technology industry across Canada for over 20 years in various sales and marketing roles, he launched The Connected One network of business sites which connects buyers to the right sellers. Profectio and PR In Canada covers news about the marketing and public relations industry each day helping professionals advance their career and businesses. He also serves as an advisor to a number of businesses across the country. Find Dave on LinkedIn and Twitter.


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