Yahoo Beats Google in Monthly Traffic for First Time Since 2011 Yahoo beat archrival Google in traffic in July even without having Tumblr traffic added to its tally, according to comScore.
By Ray Hennessey Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Maybe Marissa Mayer deserved that Vogue cover after all.
Yahoo beat archrival Google in traffic in July, with 196.6 million unique visitors against Google's 192.3 million, according to data from comScore. That's the first time Yahoo has topped Google on a monthly basis since May 2011.
Microsoft, Facebook and AOL rounded out the top five.
Crucially, Yahoo beat Google without having Tumblr traffic added to its tally, according to comScore.
Since Mayer took over the company last year, after a revolving-door of failed strategies implemented by a string of chief executives, she has made a big splash with deals like the one for Tumblr. But she has also faced criticism that she still hasn't delivered results.
Indeed, while the traffic figure is a clear plus, there remain questions over whether Mayer can monetize the audience – something Yahoo has failed to do effectively over the last few years.
Mayer herself said as much at a Goldman Sachs investment conference earlier this year. "We need to see monetization working better because we know that it can and we've seen other competitors in the space illustrate how well it can work," she said.
Related: Yahoo Overpays Tumblr's David Karp by Another $81 Million
