All I wanted to do was update my Yahoo! alerts. I’m getting so much information in my RSS reader, I don’t need Yahoo! in my email so much anymore. So I followed the instructions at the bottom of a recent alert and was taken to a page I hoped would be my alerts management page. Nope. Once I logged in, I was taken to a “Marketing Preferences” page with 13 pre-checked boxes opting me in to 13 categories of marketing offers (four shown here).

Then I clicked on the “Subscription Preferences” tab, just to see what’s what. Well, there’s some good news: At least Yahoo! didn’t assume I wanted to be opted in to anything, much less everything. Ahhhh, now I can click on the “Alerts” tab and take care of what I came here for, yes? Nope. I was provided with a link over to a different page where I can manage my alerts.

By contrast, Google is a one-step process: Click on “Manage your alerts” in your alert email, and you’re taken directly to your alerts management page. Surprise.

Meanwhile, back on Yahoo! I decide to explore the “Create an Alert” tab. Oh, that’s interesting — I can sign up for an alert for the boxing reality show, The Contender. Ummmmm, didn’t that series end about two months ago?

Takeaway for marketers: Keep it clean. Keep it current. Keep it simple.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 6th, 2005 at 12:01 am and is filed under Internet Stuff, Marketing Stuff, Marketing Takeaways.