Don’t Be Shy with that API

Yahoo! offers a new , open API program

Ah. APIs! These handy-dandy interfaces act as gateways to services that leverage Yahoo! technologies. Yahoo! offers APIs of all kinds to go with our wide range of web services and technologies. We have developed APIs for Flickr, Yahoo! Maps, Music, Search and lots of others. Yahoo! Developer Network even has its own gallery where app hackers can show off their mad skills and share their mash-ups with the world.

Now, Yahoo! Search Marketing is offering a new Commercial API program, which provides free and open access to our APIs, as well as offers optional fee-based services, including higher level technical support, product roadmap visibility, and joint-marketing opportunities. Designed for commercial entities such as technology application providers, search engine marketers, or agencies, the Yahoo! Commercial API program allows you to leverage our new search advertising technology (i.e., the new “Panama” system) to build your own innovative search marketing tools and apps.

The best part of the new program is that it offers, gratis, access to our search marketing APIs. Businesses with greater support needs can opt-in to fee-based services if they choose. The program offers three tiers:

Basic
Designed for the little guy in mind, the basic level offers free access to the new search advertising system and technical support, and leverages the Yahoo! commercial brand to develop and launch applications in the market. This tier is free.

Advanced
The advanced level, designed for fast growing technology companies and mid-size advertising agencies, provides access to the new search advertising system, plus dedicated technical account management support, service level commitments and listings in our partner application directory.

Elite
Designed for large tech corps and big-time ad agencies, Elite includes a business review, product council roadmap coordination and joint marketing activities. Companies like Efficient Frontier, Omniture, Search Ignite and The Search Agency have already opted-in.

To give just two examples of how companies are using Yahoo! Search Marketing APIs, Efficient Frontier has built a specialized portfolio optimization tool, while Omniture has built an advanced analytics gizmo that shows how one keyword search influences another. There’s almost no limit to what creative engineers and developers can dream up and implement given access to these APIs and proper technical support.

To learn more about this new Commercial API program, visit: http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/api

—Michael Mattis