Yahoo! has announced it will integrate Twitter into its news frontpage in order to boost traffic.
The search engine plans to feature a selection of topical tweets within its news feed to promote presonalised and relevant content.
The benefits of this social integration are not obvious. Critics claim the move could attract new users, but say by combining Yahoo! with the popular social network also risks tarnishing its’ ‘old web’ image further.
Marissa Mayer, CEO at Yahoo!, said: “Updates direct from politicians, celebrities, media outlets, and other publishers have become an important source of real-time news and information. 140 characters can connect athletes with their fans, capture live chatter from the red carpet, and inspire global debate.”
The update will be rolled across its website, desktop and mobile feeds over the next week.