Yahoo Steps Into Blogs, Networks

I have suspected it for some time now. But the latest action by Yahoo! proves that they are really trying to put themselves back on top of the world as Google dominates the digital landscape. While Google offers the reach to millions, Yahoo does offer other things that I think will eventually give them a real push forward over their competition. As for the fact that they are both into blogging now, that could be anyone’s game I think.

Yahoo is preparing to introduce a new service that blends several of its website’s popular features with two of the internet’s fastest-growing activities — blogging and social networking.

Yahoo (YHOO) is testing the hybrid service, called Yahoo 360, with a small group of employees. The service is designed to enable Yahoo’s 165 million users to pull content from the website’s discussion groups, online photo albums and review section to plug into their own blogs.

Yahoo also is making it easier for the service’s users to connect with others who share common interests and friends — a practice known as social networking. Participants can either choose to open their blogs to the entire world or restrict access to people invited through e-mail.

When it becomes available later this month, Yahoo 360 initially will be restricted to users invited by the company. Those early participants will then be able to invite others.