Yahoo on Wednesday announced the partnership with the popular micro-blogging service that will see real-time Twitter feeds integrated across the Yahoo network. The deal is part of Yahoo's drive to deliver personally relevant information from various online sources and largely mimics the efforts of Google and Bing.

A Warning for Twitter

Brad Shimmin, a social-media analyst at Current Analysis, said the Yahoo deal gives consumers yet another entry point to Twitter and may lead to the democratization of micro-blogging services. Although Twitter is ubiquitous, he said, it could blend into the background as a service for other platforms.

"What matters is not that your micro-blogging is running on Twitter," Shimmin said. "What matters is that wherever you call home, you are communicating using the methodology of micro-blogging. Twitter could become less and less relevant. What counts most is the communication rather than the brand."

While the search-engine deals may broaden Twitter's exposure and lead to short-term growth, Shimmin noted, at the same time it lessens Twitter's grip on its user base. Google Wave-type services could provide a similar capability and reach the same number of people. If that happens, is Twitter that important?

Betting Against Buzz

Time may answer Shimmin's question. Meanwhile, Bryan Lamkin, senior vice president of Yahoo's consumer-products group, took the opportunity to offer a marketing message around the deal in Twitter style (that is, 140 characters or less). Lamkin wrote: "We're turning the key to the online social universe -- you will find the most personally relevant experiences through Yahoo."

Marketing hyperbole aside, the nuts and bolts of the Twitter-Yahoo deal includes three promises.

First, consumers will be able to access their personal Twitter feeds across Yahoo products and properties, including the home page, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Sports, and others. The search company figures this will let consumers keep tabs on what's happening with their friends while they surf Yahoo properties. This goes beyond Google and Microsoft because Yahoo has a breadth of content sites.

Improving Search Relevancy

Perhaps more interesting, the partnership gives consumers the ability to update their Twitter status and share content from Yahoo in their Twitter stream.

Finally, Yahoo Search and Yahoo media properties like news, finance, entertainment and sports will include real-time public Twitter updates. Twitter cofounder Biz Stone said, "Tweets in more places brings relevance where and when you need it most."

Tweets in more places may also continue to drive the growth of Twitter and give Yahoo more buzz. Indeed, where Google drew the ire of consumers with its Gmail-based Buzz social-networking play, Yahoo may have discovered a way to offer a social experience without invading the privacy of its users.

Yahoo also said the Twitter streams will help the search company improve the relevancy of its content and offer better opportunities for developers, advertisers and publishers.
 

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