Yahoo Drops Arrows (►) From Results

[digitalpoint]

Noticed today that Yahoo decided to drop the arrows in the page titles of their search results (Google did this a little over a year ago if my memory serves me correctly).

MSN still allows, it but I bet it will follow suit and drop them soon too.

[chachi]

Then I won't be able to pick out the DP copycats

[Infiniterb]

Yeah, I noticed it too.

[miko67]

Originally Posted by digitalpoint

Yahoo decided to drop the arrows in the page titles of their search results

Hrmmm... Could you perhaps elaborate a little on this topic please.
I really have no idea what this is about - maybe I've overlooked something that was starring me in my face?

(yeah.. I'm referrering to arrows in page titles)

[digitalpoint]

The Yahoo API still returns results with the arrow BTW.

[fryman]

What's the use of the arrrow anyway?

[lorien1973]

I think it attracts attention to the listing? I know on some google searches you get those with a sun thingy in the front. Gets my eye there right away, even if its not #1

[digitalpoint]

Yeah... the tricky thing about the arrow though is it doesn't require unicode to be installed (which isn't installed by default with Windows). All the other trick characters do.

[fryman]

What sun thingy? Do you have an example?

[hulkster]

I'm still seeing arrows (and other stuff) for #1 entry returned from this Yahoo Search (and also MSN Search)for the longest car! ;-)

Maybe I'm looking at a different data center (?)

[digitalpoint]

Hmmm... interesting, maybe they just dropped it if the title starts with the arrow.

[hulkster]

I think they just are paying proper "respect" to my Delta 88 Oldsmobile Convertible ... aka the Hulkmobile! ;-)

P.S. Yea, something inconsistant going on here - assuming I got the same Yahoo Data Center, this Yahoo Search doesn't show the "Halloweenie" things on that page, whereas MSN still does.

[TheWebJunkie]

About time yahoo did this hope msn follow suit soon.

[ferret77]

google was letting it in if it wasn't the first character in the title

for a couple weeks, now its gone again

[longcall911]

I normally avoid sites with special characters... too spammy for me.

But from a technical point of view, I would think that the standalone characters are treated as words and therefore would substantially reduce kw density. However, since these sites are acheiving #1 spots, logic would dictate that they don't really have much effect on density.

So, are special chars treated as stop words?

[eCommando]

I am still seeing the arrows for titles starting with it.

[ferret77]

normally avoid sites with special characters... too spammy for me.

I would say those character have increased my income by more then a thousand a month

either that or its a slow day

[digitalpoint]

Originally Posted by eCommando

I am still seeing the arrows for titles starting with it.

You have an example of one? I'm not seeing any.

[ferret77]

see them still on non index pages

[digitalpoint]

Hmmm... I don't... you have an example?