Yahoo updates Search BOSS with more developer tools

Yahoo is updating its open search web services platform, Search BOSS (Build-your-Own-Search-Service), with a new home and a trio of new solutions for developers.

Specifically, the new tools are designed to better address user engagement, traffic recirculation, monetization, and maintenance costs. Furthermore, Yahoo is also rolling out updates for the Search BOSS API that address the sign-up process for Yahoo Ads as well as providing search results in 10 more markets.

But here's a rundown on the three new features that Yahoo is introducing today:

• Hosted Search: Developers can configure a web search experience with structured content, search refiners, image modules and other rich assets by inserting generated code snippets on to a page.
• Site Search: This option is programmed to deliver more highly relevant and fresh results to keep page visitors more engaged with site content for a longer period of time.
• Shortcuts: Shortcuts has been structured to actually "understand" site content and analyze it in order produce relevant results to the search terms defined by the reader. Visitors can click on these terms, and a contextual window pops up with relevant results from the site, the Internet, and Yahoo's ad marketplace.

All three products are ready to go today, with Site and Hosted Search going global immediately. Shortcuts will start off in the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom.

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