Yahoo announced that their Publisher Network, formerly available in the US for large websites, will be extended to small and medium-sized websites.

As stated by Yahoo representatives, this will allow the whole publishing community to take advantage of Yahoo's products and services through what they have described as an "easy-to-use self-serve platform".

Although it will initially be available only in the US, expansion is expected through use and projected increase in popularity.

What Yahoo will offer is very similar to Google's AdSense to start with: Content Match (tm). This will allow publishers to place content-relevant listings on their sites and receive a part of the revenues that they generate.

However, that's not all Yahoo has to offer. In the near future, additional features will be added "to enhance the visitor's experience".

In an interview with Will Johnson, general manager of the Yahoo! Publisher Network self-serve offering, what makes the Yahoo! Publisher Network different from Google AdSense is:

- Additional controls for publishers,
- Providing superior customer service
- Focusing on the development of a high quality network

In the longer term, they plan to differentiate by providing integration with other great Yahoo! content and services. This includes web search, RSS ads, shopping, travel, and in the longer run, music and video.

The main idea, as with AdSense, is to offer publisher's with a means of generating additional revenue, as well as engaging their users.

According to Yahoo!, the Yahoo! Publisher Network platform enables you to "generate additional revenue from your site, take advantage of Yahoo! Publisher tools, services and programs and help shape what Yahoo! offers the publishing community."