Before Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn, online users relied on Yahoo. Being around since 1994 gives Yahoo the distinction of being a search pioneer, but that doesn’t mean it’s outdated: In fact, the site provides a cost-effective option for businesses looking to reach hundreds of millions of monthly visitors worldwide. But are Yahoo Ads the right fit for your business? I’ll cover the details to help you decide, and provide guidance on how to advertise on Yahoo, should you conclude that it’s the right fit.
What Are Yahoo Ads?
Yahoo offers a variety of products to users, including Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Sports, and Yahoo Entertainment. Its advertising services give businesses the opportunity to display ads across these properties, as well as on non-Yahoo sites, apps, and services. Yahoo offers a variety of ad formats, including video and display, to help businesses reach consumers in the way that works best for their messaging.
Why Advertise on Yahoo?
With so many advertising options, it can be easy to miss Yahoo Ads, but it may be a hidden gem for small business advertisers. Here are some reasons to consider Yahoo for your next advertising campaign.
Premium Placement
Consumers turn to Google to search and Facebook to interact socially, but when they visit Yahoo’s properties, typically it’s for content. Sasha Berson, co-founder and chief growth executive at Grow Law Firm, sees this as one of the biggest reasons for small businesses to use Yahoo Ads.
“Yahoo’s biggest advantage over other ad networks is its deep integration with premium content,” Berson says. “Yahoo owns and operates high-authority media properties like Yahoo Finance, Yahoo News, and Yahoo Sports. That means advertisers can place their ads next to trusted, high-quality journalism instead of just user-generated content. This premium placement leads to higher engagement rates compared to standard display ads.”
Extensive Reach
Demographics are another key benefit of Yahoo Ads. As Windy Pierre, e-commerce growth marketer at True Sports Fan, points out, Yahoo’s audience tends to be older, more established, and more engaged than users on many social media platforms, which leads to higher engagement.
“This makes Yahoo an excellent fit for high-value purchases like sports memorabilia, where buyers often have disposable income and a strong emotional connection to their purchases,” Pierre says. “Through Yahoo’s native and display ads, we’ve seen a 23% higher average order value (AOV) than Google Ads, primarily because Yahoo’s audience is likelier to make higher ticket purchases.”
Diverse Content Platforms
When you advertise on a platform like Google or Facebook, you’re typically limited to your ads showing in searches or feeds. Yahoo can display your content across a variety of platforms and content types, all within the same campaign.
“Yahoo, in my opinion, has some of the most seamless ad placements,” says Megan Stephens, founder of Sochelle. “It allows you to tap into its email, news, and search features all in one campaign, which is especially awesome for people trying to just get brand awareness and impressions.”
Cost-Effective Options
If you want to get the most bang for your advertising buck, Yahoo Ads can be a great choice. Pierre has found that a common concern is that Yahoo doesn’t have the same scale as Google, but for affordability, it’s tough to beat.
“Conversion costs on Yahoo can be 20-30% lower in specific verticals, making it an excellent supplementary channel that provides a strong return on ad spend (ROAS),” says Pierre.
Better for Sensitive Searches
Stephens has found another, little-known benefit to Yahoo Ads: Yes, the audience tends to be older and more professional, but she’s also found that users turn to that site for “sensitive” searches.
“Lots of people use it as an alternative to their standard browser, so they may use it for things that they wouldn’t want their spouses or family seeing,” Stephens says. “Legal topics like divorce often have a surprisingly large volume going through Yahoo, along with health searches, financial issues, and much more.”
How to Start With Yahoo Ads
At one time, Yahoo Ads worked like Google and Meta in that you could set up an account and manage your ads yourself. But in recent years, Yahoo has shifted away from a self-service model. To advertise on the site, you have several choices, detailed below.
1. Contact Yahoo Advertising Directly
The most direct route to advertising on Yahoo is to reach out to the company and request an ad account. This contact form will get you in touch. With this option, Yahoo advertising staff set up and manage your campaigns, tailoring them to your budget and goals. The contact form asks you to select your primary advertising interest from the drop-down, which contains the following options:
- Yahoo demand-side platform: This option gives you access to advertise on multiple Yahoo platforms, including display, native, and video ads.
- Yahoo properties: With this option, you’ll advertise across multiple areas of the Yahoo platform, including sports and finance.
- Native ads: These ads, powered by Taboola, appear instream as users navigate Yahoo’s various properties.
- Real Media Network/Private Media Network: This refers to Yahoo’s open ad marketplace, where ads are presented to online users via real-time bidding. The Private Media Network is a more exclusive offering, open to select advertisers by invitation.
- Search: These ads appear with relevant search results, either at the top or bottom of a search results page.
Ad spends tend to be higher with this option, making it better for mid-sized and large businesses. These direct sales options also tend to focus more on national campaigns. For local businesses or those trying to reach a smaller niche, the direct option will likely not be the best bet.
2. Use the Yahoo Demand-Side Platform
Yahoo offers another option in the form of its demand-side platform (DSP), which gives advertisers more hands-on control with setting up ads and adjusting them in real time. Like option #1, though, DSP is not fully self-service: You still need to complete the contact form and wait for Yahoo to be in touch. You’ll have access to the same options as above, but instead of an employee managing everything, you’ll get a dashboard for managing your campaigns.
Like Yahoo-managed advertising, DSP isn’t ideal for smaller businesses: The ad spend requirements are still high and the dashboard isn’t beginner-friendly.
3. Run Native Ads Through Taboola
For smaller businesses, running ads through Taboola is a great alternative to the high-dollar ad spend Yahoo requires through the above methods. You’ll get the self-service tools you expect with online advertising, and your ads will appear across all of Yahoo’s digital properties, including Yahoo Mail, Yahoo News, and Yahoo Sports.
Taboola’s partnership with Yahoo means you can run and manage your ads through Taboola’s easy-to-use dashboard. Not only will you be able to monitor performance and adjust ad spend in real time, but you’ll also get in-platform recommendations that help you boost your earnings.
Businesses are already seeing success through the Taboola-Yahoo partnership. An American multinational financial services company recently saw a 46% lower cost per engagement (CPE) by using Taboola’s services. The company had already seen considerable success using Yahoo DSP, but they wanted to use Taboola to access native ad placements across all of Yahoo’s premium editorial sites, which attract more than 900 million worldwide users. In addition to a reduced CPE, using Taboola also increased the company’s on-site engagement.
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Ad Formats Available on the Yahoo Ads Network
Before advertising with Yahoo, it’s important to take a look at the various ad formats available. Some might work better for your business than others.
Search Ads
Yahoo first gained recognition as a search engine, and it’s still used today. When you invest in search ads, those ads will appear at the top of search results. Taboola’s tools include a feature that displays search topic trends to help you determine how best to position your ads. Search ads tend to perform better when your goal is to grab high-intent users.
Display Ads
Visual content communicates more effectively than mere text, and this is where display ads can help. Yahoo’s display ads appear alongside its content, drawing attention away from the primary text. These ads work best for building general brand awareness or reaching a wide range of customers at once.
Native Ads
Native ads are designed to blend seamlessly with editorial content, adding a level of authenticity. Thanks to its Taboola partnership, Yahoo can now offer enhanced sophistication, giving small businesses the opportunity to personalize the ad experience for each reader.
Video Ads
As short-form video has grown in popularity, advertisers have found consumers responding favorably to video-based advertising. With Yahoo, video ads are placed across all its properties, depending on the type of ad placement you’ve purchased. Video ads are ideal for showcasing a product’s features and for marketing via storytelling.
Yahoo Mail Ads
With more than 225 million active users per month, Yahoo Mail remains a great place to reach consumers. Yahoo Mail ads appear either as native ads within the user’s mail or as banner ads to the right of the user’s mail. It’s ideal for brands, who can easily personalize their ads to each user.
How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Yahoo?
The cost of Yahoo Ads depends on the type of ad. If you opt to contact Yahoo directly or use Yahoo DSP for your ads, you’ll need to be prepared to spend at least a few thousand dollars per month. Through Taboola, you can customize your spend to fit your budget, but the low cost per engagement makes Yahoo one of the better options for small businesses.
Key Takeaways
Yahoo’s wide variety of ad formats gives advertisers the freedom to choose options that align with their objectives. For small businesses, though, Yahoo’s advertising minimums can put it out of reach. That’s where Taboola’s partnership can help. You’ll get a dashboard to set up and manage your ad, along with the ability to customize spend to fit your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I advertise on Yahoo?
Businesses of all sizes can advertise on Yahoo. “Yahoo Ads shouldn’t be ignored,” Pierre says. “It offers cost-effective acquisition, strong niche audience reach, and a unique blend of ad formats that can drive meaningful engagement and sales.”
How do I post ads on Yahoo?
To post ads on Yahoo, you’ll need to complete the contact form on its website. Small businesses should reach out to Taboola to get started. You’ll initially have to make some important decisions, including the ad formats you prefer and where you want your ads to appear.
“When you’re picking where to put your ads, the choice should depend on your sales funnel stage,” Stephens says. “If you’re targeting high-intent users, Yahoo Search Ads are a solid choice. If you’re focused on brand awareness and engagement, Yahoo’s Native and Video Ads perform well within premium content environments. For direct response and retargeting, try Mail and Display Ads.”
How do I advertise my business on Yahoo?
To advertise your business on Yahoo, you’ll need to request an ad account and choose ad formats that align with your objectives. Choosing the right placements and creating compelling ad creatives are key to success. “Many businesses worry that Yahoo doesn’t have the same reach as Google or Meta, but they fail to consider that the intent might be different,” Stephens says. “Also, Yahoo’s ad network extends beyond its own properties.”
