Yahoo Search Assist Offers Image Previews For Better Results

By: Rob Adams
Staff Writer
Published: Dec 4, 2008

Yahoo has just made searching easier and fun. The company unveiled a new Search Assist feature a few months ago which provides recommendations based on search phrases. Yahoo has now enhanced the search feature by adding image previews.

Yahoo Inc added a few extra features to its Search Assist. Search Assist was launched a few months ago to provide recommendations and help with search results. The company has now enhanced Search Assist by showing images based on keywords or phrases.

As you type text in Yahoo's search box, a screen will unfold to auto-populate recommended results. The search results are based on the keyword or phrases you typed. The screen will change instantly when you backspace or type additional text.

Not only does Yahoo Search Assist display regular results, but it can be used in other areas on Yahoo such as partner sites and news results. The images shown are based on keyword or phrases found in either the image name or meta data which Yahoo stores after indexing a Web site.

Internet users respond more quickly with images than regular text. It is that reason why we provide an alternate method for people to click on news. For instance, if you look to the right (here on this site), you will see about 9 images. Each image is from a news story. Below that are the same listings but with a text alternative.

Microsoft Corp also uses similar images for Live Search. Google Inc uses a similar approach through Firefox and its browser toolbar.