With the September integration of the bing / Yahoo getting closer, Yahoo is making moves to prepare for its taking a back seat in the search function to bing’s engine and the team who handles it.

TechCrunch reports that there are no details on numbers but they did hear from Yahoo with the following

“Yahoo! remains focused on innovating the overall Search experience over the long-term, and the Yahoo! Search group is hard at work on some new experiences that we believe will convert Yahoo! users to Yahoo! searchers. To accomplish our new product objectives, we have decided that we need a different combination of talent and are making changes within the search group in order to more deeply invest in other areas of the group. “

While this is speculation it sure sounds like there will be less engineering focus and more marketing focus regarding Yahoo’s part in the Microhoo alliance. With all of the social media integration and the recent purchase of Associated Content, Yahoo is going to be concentrating on driving their customers to the engine and leave the tech stuff to the Microsoft crew.

Makes sense. With so many people visiting Yahoo on a daily / monthly basis but not really considering doing search while visiting (I am guilty as charged on that front) Yahoo needs to convert users. They need to create some search fans. Just saying that Yahoo is still into search is not going to get it done. There will need to be some integration with new services and features that are more sizzle than steak.

When the deal is done between bing and Yahoo will you see Yahoo as a search engine?