Mobile UI Evolution

Think about some of the most beloved fashion brands in the world. Think about the products that these brands produce, the products that are timeless and create instant brand recognition. These fashion moguls have perfected the art of staying true to their branding while simultaneously evolving with the trends. 

We strive to do the same when it comes to creating a cohesive UI experience across the Yahoo ecosystem. We value our timeless elements, like Yahoo purple, but we also understand the importance of modernizing to increase user engagement. 

The Mobile UI evolution is our initiative to enhance the Yahoo Search experience from your phone across SYC and YHS. 

SYC (Search.Yahoo.Com)
YHS (Yahoo Hosted Search)

In 2021 after completing updates to the desktop experience, we shifted our development focus to similar mobile updates. The most notable being the new search box and improved header (bye-bye icons!). These two updates alone create a more modern feel, on par with trends we see in the market.

Just like the stitching in a well made article of clothing, the following updates we made may not be noticeable at first glance but they make all the difference in a quality product. We made better use of smaller screens by eliminating excess space between results and made the entire experience easier to digest by fine tuning the spacing, creating bigger titles and tweaking the colors. 

Our Knowledge Graphs were also redesigned to provide users with the information they need, with some added style. 

So, has our investment in the Mobile UI evolution paid off?

We’re glad you asked. 

The Yahoo Search Product team is committed to investing in products that consumers will use not just for a season, but time and time again. Because these enhancements promote user engagement, we saw additional users and query sessions leading to a lift in revenue and RPM. 

As the name “evolution” suggests, we are not stopping here. We will continue to make enhancements in order to keep up with the latest search styles and standards. In the next iteration of the Mobile UI experience you can expect to see improved vertical experiences (starting with Movies and News), new carousels, improved accessibility for ad label colors, refreshed “Related Searches” and more! 

 

This blog is brought to you by Yahoo Product + Partner Solutions
Rachel Kum, Product Management Director
Jordan Wilson, Marketing Manager