Yahoo links up with rivals to fight Google and Facebook

Yahoo is joining forces with rivals AOL and Microsoft in an attempt to halt the rise of Google and Facebook in online display advertising.

Google, which accounts for the majority of text ads against search results, is selling 9 per cent of the graphical ads that appear on web pages, and Facebook is attracting more interest from advertisers, too. Yahoo, whose market share has fallen from 18 to 13 per cent, aims to combine its inventory of display advertising slots with those of AOL and Microsoft Media Network. By creating a one-stop shop they hope to attract greater usage by advertising and marketing firms that buy ads on behalf of customers.