Since Yahoo sent out the email telling everyone how they’re upgrading search marketing accounts, I thought I’d look into it.

Holy cow do they have issues.

First, I was looking at their API. They have all the documentation for their searchmarketing api online, but it doesn’t work. It’s not active for people. There’s a list at the bottom of the main page about it that has “How so I sign up?” as one of the list items, but it’s not a link. It’s just a question. This is just where the problems begin.

Second, I had to dig around to find a phone number to contact anyone about it. I ended up finding the phone number to a company called kowabunga who was listed on their api faq page. I called them but they didn’t know anything about the API. All they could tell me was that the super fantastic yahoo ambassador program pays you $20 per account that you refer to yahoo search marketing. So, basically, this is an affiliate program that you have to pay $50 to join. That’s all they could tell me it was. I laughed at the chick and she laughed back because it’s sooooo dumb. Thanks…I’ll pass.

Third, I got a phone number to yahoo customer service from the chick at kowabunga so I called. When they answered they asked me for my search marketing account number. I told her that I just had a simple question about their API and she said “So, I still need your account number so I can record the call.”

Ridiculous.

So I gave it to her.

She then proceeded to put me on hold for every question I had and she would come back with a response of “I don’t have that information.” That’s basically all the information I could get out of her. We don’t know. I don’t know. They don’t know. Contact “them” and “they’ll” give you more information.

I finally said to her “They don’t give you much information, do they?” to which she didn’t say anything.

I hung up.

No wonder so many people use google adwords and google’s getting rich off it while yahoo just continues to struggle.