MS / Yahoo Search Alliance Due In The UK In The First Semester Of 2012?

In a previous post, I mentioned that this may not happen until the second quarter of 2012, but apparently it is now going to happen in the ‘First Semester’! :-

With the advent of a new year, we wanted to let you know the latest news about the Microsoft and Yahoo! Search Alliance and what you can expect in 2012. Our goal is to have Microsoft Advertising adCenter provide the paid search results for Yahoo! sites in the UK, France and Ireland in the first semester of 2012. As we work towards this goal we will keep you informed about actions you can take with your adCenter account and budget to help prepare for the transition.

The only problem is – what on earth is a semester when you are not talking about college / university?

If anyone has the answer to this question – please let me know!

Here is another update from them (2nd Feb 2012):-

Dear Jordan,

We wanted to give you an update on the timeline for the Microsoft and Yahoo! Search Alliance transition in the UK, France and Ireland. We are working with our partners at Yahoo! toward completing the paid search transition by the end of April. By then, you will be able to advertise on the full Yahoo! Search traffic through your adCenter campaigns.

However, we are keen to bring you the benefits of our combined audiences sooner and may accelerate the transition in these markets if we can do so while still maintaining a quality experience. As always, we will keep you informed of our progress.

As part of the Microsoft and Yahoo! Search Alliance, Yahoo! Search Marketing advertisers will need to start transitioning their accounts to Microsoft Advertising adCenter later in February. While there is no action required today, if you also advertise on Yahoo! Search, you will be receiving more details about the transition process and access to an easy to use transition tool as we get closer to the transition.

Learn more about account transitions

• If you have a Yahoo! Search Marketing account get familiar with the Transition Checklist, and prepare to transition your accounts with ease.
• Register to attend a free webinar on 22 February to learn more about the account transition process and get tips to prepare for a successful transition.

Please continue to manage your adCenter account as usual and reach out to our support team if you need any assistance.

Yours sincerely,

The Microsoft Advertising Team