A Yahoo! Desktop Tool? Yes Please!

If you’ve been paying attention to the search blogs lately, you’ve probably heard the news that Yahoo! is planning to finally release a desktop tool (woo-hoo)!  The tool is currently being tested in beta and is planned for release in early 2010.

According to ClickZ, David Pann, VP and GM of Yahoo’s U.S. Search Advertising Business, stated the following:

“The Search Marketing Desktop will allow advertisers to engage in more strategic thinking, and spend less of their time on repetitive tasks.”

In my opinion, Pann’s comment falls squarely into the “Gee, you think?” category. But at this point I’m just happy to know that Yahoo! is going to finally release a tool that makes advertising on their network a little less painful.  Currently, setting up or importing a PPC campaign into Yahoo! can be an arduous, and considerably frustrating task (which I can admit, I dread).  I welcome the day when this process becomes less cumbersome and more efficient.

Desktop tools aren’t a new concept. The AdWords desktop editor has been around since 2006; it’s intuitive, easy to use, and can save a considerable amount of time – especially with large accounts.  Microsoft’s AdCenter desktop tool has also turned into a handy time-saver (though it’s not quite on par with the AdWords desktop tool, and seems to be in a state of perpetual beta).

Hopefully, Yahoo! has been taking notes while its competition released their desktop tools, and will release a product that will make our search marketing lives a little bit easier. I know that I’m not alone when I say that I’ve been waiting for this to happen for quite a while now, and hope that Yahoo! gets it right.

If you want to preview the tool it’s available now in beta, and will be released to all advertisers early next year. Advertisers who are interested in giving it a whirl early should contact their account representatives or submit this form.