Yahoo has added a new feature called "Search Direct" that provides real time suggestions to the query being typed under the search bar and also shows top results for each suggestion by scrolling on any of the suggested results in a box.
The feature, besides providing suggestions as in Google Instant, also provides weather forecasts, celebrity biographies and news reports before users start clicking. The new feature also provides matching information and images just under the search box instead of a page with links.
Yahoo search and marketplaces senior vice-president Shashi Seth said the new service is intended to help users find what they are looking for much quicker than before.
He said, "People are looking for answers, they’re not looking for links."
At present, Search Direct is active for only 15 categories — including movies, weather, sports and news. However, Seth has said that later "hundreds of categories" would be added.
As the feature loads limited suggestions in the uncluttered box, it could potentially benefit advertisers as well.
Seth has said that advertisers can buy space directly in the search box.
The new service is live in the US and will spread to other countries later this year. Search Direct is also being developed for smartphones and tablet computers.
Google introduced its Instant Search a few months ago. It also has tweaked its search engine algorithm to identify and demote low quality websites in an attempt to improve user experience in February this year.
